UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Form 10-K
þ
 
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
 
For the fiscal year ended April 29, 2016
OR
¨
 
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
 
For the transition period from            to             
Commission file number: 0-1667
Bob Evans Farms, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
 
31-4421866
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
 
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
8111 Smith's Mill Road, New Albany, Ohio
 
43054
(Address of principal executive offices)
 
(Zip Code)
(614) 491-2225
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act
Title of Each Class
 
Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered
Common Stock, $.01 par value per share
 
The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act:
None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.    Yes  þ    No ¨
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act.    Yes  ¨    No  þ
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  þ    No  ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).    Yes  þ    No  ¨
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.   þ
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer  þ
 
Accelerated filer  ¨
 
Non-accelerated filer  ¨
 
Smaller reporting company ¨
 
 
(Do not check if a smaller reporting company)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ¨   No  þ
As of October 23, 2015 (the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter), the aggregate market value of the registrant’s common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was $915,522,220 based on the closing sale price as reported on the NASDAQ Stock Market.
Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the registrant’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date:
Class
 
Outstanding as of June 17, 2016
Common Stock, $.01 par value per share
 
19,752,584
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Document
 
Parts Into Which Incorporated
Portions of the registrant’s Proxy Statement for the 2016 Annual Meeting of Stockholders
 
Part III



Forward-Looking Statements
The Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) encourages companies to disclose forward-looking information so that investors can better understand a company’s future prospects and make informed investment decisions. This Annual Report on Form 10-K and other written or oral statements that we make from time-to-time in this report and in our public disclosures may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”). Statements in this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including those contained in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements are often indicated by words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “may,” “will,” “would,” “estimates,” “targets,” “assumes,” “continues,” “intends” and “plans,” and other similar expressions, whether in the negative or the affirmative. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve various important assumptions, risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements because of various factors and possible events. We note these factors for investors as contemplated by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. It is impossible to predict or identify all of the risk factors that we face. Consequently, you should not consider any such list to be a complete set of all potential assumptions, risks or uncertainties. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement for circumstances or events that occur after the date on which the statement is made. In addition, it is our policy generally not to endorse any projections regarding future performance that may be made by third parties.
Many important factors could affect our future results and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained herein. Such factors, all of which are difficult or impossible to predict accurately, and many of which are beyond our control, include, but are not limited to, the following:
consumers’ perceptions of the relative quality, variety, affordability and value of the food products we offer;
food safety events, including instances of food-borne illness (such as salmonella E. Coli, Listeria, etc.) involving our restaurants, production plants or our supply chain;
the effects of negative publicity that can occur from increased use of social media;
success of operating and marketing initiatives, including advertising and promotional efforts and new product and concept development by us and our competitors;
changes in consumer tastes and preferences, and in discretionary consumer spending;
changes in spending patterns and demographic trends, such as the extent to which consumers eat meals away from home;
changes in commodity costs (including sows, beef, chicken, eggs and corn among others), labor, supply, fuel, utilities, distribution and other operating costs;
development costs, including plant construction and renovation costs;
availability of qualified corporate, restaurant and plant personnel, and the ability to retain such personnel;
our ability, if necessary, to secure alternative distribution of supplies of food, equipment and other products to our restaurants and production facilities at competitive rates and in adequate amounts, and the potential financial impact of any interruptions in such production or distribution;
availability and cost of insurance;
adverse weather conditions;
availability, terms (including increases in interest rates) and deployment of capital;
changes in, and our ability to comply with, legal, regulatory or similar requirements, including payment credit card industry rules, overtime rules, minimum wage rates, wage and hour laws, government-mandated health care benefits, tax legislation, and accounting standards;
the costs, uncertainties and other effects of legal, environmental and administrative proceedings;
the effects of charges for impairment of goodwill or for the impairment of other long-lived assets;
the effects of war or terrorist activities;
the difficulty in implementing the Company’s plan to reduce its general and administrative expense, finding future cost reductions and the future impact on the Company’s earnings;

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the ability to generate sufficient cash flow to meet increased debt service obligations, compliance with operational and financial covenants, and restrictions on the Company’s ability to implement strategic plans in the future;
completing the implementation of our new enterprise resource planning and point of sales systems and;
other risks and uncertainties affecting us and our subsidiaries referred to in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (see “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”) and in our other current and periodic filings with the SEC.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements made in this report, since the statements speak only as of the report’s date. Except as may be required by law, we have no obligation or intention to publicly update or revise any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this report or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. Readers are advised, however, to consult any future public disclosures that we may make on related subjects in reports that we file with or furnish to the SEC or in our other public disclosures.


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Table of Contents
Note 8 — Commitments and Contingencies
Note 9 — Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

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PART I
ITEM 1.    BUSINESS
In this Annual Report on Form 10-K, we use the terms “Bob Evans,” “company,” “we,” “us” and “our” to collectively refer to Bob Evans Farms, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its direct and indirect subsidiaries.
We maintain a website at bobevans.com. We make available free of charge through our website our periodic and other reports filed with or furnished to the SEC pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as soon as reasonably practicable after we file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Information on our website is not deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Annual Report on Form 10-K or any other filings that we make from time to time with the SEC.
The following description of our business should be read in conjunction with the information contained in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations included in Item 7 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K and our consolidated financial statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Background
We are both a full-service restaurant company that as of April 29, 2016, operated 527 Bob Evans Restaurants in 18 states, and also a leading producer and distributor of pork sausage products and a variety of complementary home-style refrigerated side dishes and frozen food items primarily under the Bob Evans, Owens and Country Creek brand names. Our food products are distributed primarily to customers throughout the United States. Additionally, we manufacture and sell similar products to foodservice customers, including Bob Evans Restaurants and other restaurants and food sellers.
Our business began in 1948 when our founder began making sausage on his southeastern Ohio farm to serve at his 12-stool, 24-hour diner. Our business grew from there and was incorporated in Ohio in 1957. We became a publicly traded company on June 6, 1963. Our current parent company was incorporated in Delaware on November 4, 1985.
Major changes to the business as operated today include:
In 1987, we expanded our business by acquiring Owens Country Sausage, Inc.
In 1991, we established the Bob Evans foodservice division, which sold food products directly to distributors and institutions.
In 2003, Owens Country Sausage purchased a food production plant in Sulfur Springs, Texas and began major renovations.
In 2004 we expanded our business by acquiring SWH Corporation, which owned and operated the Mimi's Café restaurant chain. We sold our Mimi’s Café restaurant chain in February 2013 to Le Duff America, Inc. (“Le Duff”). Le Duff is a U.S.-based subsidiary of Groupe Le Duff, a global bakery and restaurant company headquartered in France.
In 2010, as part of an optimization program, we closed our fresh sausage plant in Galva, Illinois and eliminated direct store deliveries with a change to shipping products directly to customer warehouses. We also formed BEF Management, Inc. to act as a management company. In 2011 we sold our distribution center in Springfield, Ohio.
In 2011 we launched the Farm Fresh Remodel ("FFR") program for Bob Evans Restaurants; a program we completed in 2014. We also completed a restructuring of the foods segment by creating BEF Foods, Inc. which consolidated all of the food production and operations under one company.
In 2012 we purchased a 100,000 square foot food production facility in Lima, Ohio, where we primarily produce potato and pasta-based side dishes.

In 2013, as part of an optimization restructuring, we closed our fresh sausage plant in Richardson, Texas and our production facility in Bidwell, Ohio. We also began the first phase of an expansion at our Lima, Ohio, production facility, and began an expansion at the Sulphur Springs, Texas, production facility

In October 2013 we moved into our new corporate support center in New Albany, Ohio.
In 2014 we closed our production facility in Springfield, Ohio and also completed the expansions at the Lima, Ohio, and Sulphur Springs, Texas production facilities.

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In October 2015 we entered into a sale leaseback transaction on our Lima, Ohio, and Sulphur Springs, Texas, production facilities. The lease agreement includes an initial 20 year term and two ten-year renewal options.
In April 2016 we entered into sale leaseback transactions on 143 restaurant properties. The lease agreements include an initial 20 year term, and five, five-year renewal options.
We are currently in the process of completing a fourth production line at the Lima, Ohio, plant. This expansion is expected to be operational in the second quarter of fiscal 2017.
We have a 52 or 53-week fiscal year that ends on the last Friday in April. When we refer to 2016, 2015 and 2014, or fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, we are referring to our fiscal years that ended on April 29, 2016, April 24, 2015, and April 25, 2014, respectively. Our fiscal 2016 year that ended on April 29, 2016, was a 53-week fiscal year. Other years presented are comprised of 52 weeks.
Our Strategy
We believe every initiative, investment and expenditure the company undertakes must not only deliver an acceptable financial return; it must also support and empower our team members to execute our brand promise:  high quality food delivered consistently with hospitality and integrity, whether in restaurants or to our retailers.  Historically, hospitality and quality differentiated the Bob Evans brand, and we are committed to reestablishing our leadership in those areas.  Product innovation, menu redesign and refinements to pricing and discounting are all important elements of our strategy, but hospitality and quality are the linchpins that will allow us to leverage those initiatives, and the investments they require, to drive transaction growth at Bob Evans Restaurants and continued profitable sales growth at BEF Foods.
Further, we will continue to evaluate our asset base by periodically reviewing our assets and taking appropriate investment and disposal actions when necessary.  We will also continue to review our Selling, General and Administrative expenses ("S,G&A") and certain other cost structures to identify sustainable cost savings and establish an enterprise-wide culture of service and efficiency.
Our vision for the Company is to be the family dining and grocery products brand of choice, a desirable and engaging employer for current and prospective talent, a valued partner in the community and a sound and lucrative investment for shareholders. It is our mission to bring families and friends together for farm-fresh goodness at our table or yours. With the successful execution of our business objectives and business strategy, we believe we will achieve our vision and mission.
Bob Evans Restaurant Segment
As of April 29, 2016, we operated 527 Bob Evans Restaurant locations. Through our restaurant concept, we offer our customers a variety of high-quality, reasonably priced breakfast, lunch and dinner items for either dine-in, carryout or catering occasions in family-friendly settings.
Our vision for Bob Evans Restaurants is to be recognized as a premier restaurant company in all markets in which we compete. Our mission is to be our customers’ favorite restaurant by giving them our best, one customer at a time. We focus on the basics and try to simplify our operations to allow our restaurant teams to deliver on that premise. Bob Evans Restaurants are founded on quality, farm-style food and friendly service. Bob Evans Restaurants feature “Farm Fresh Goodness That Brings Families Together,” including a wide variety of comfort foods inspired by our homestead heritage such as sausage gravy & biscuits and our farm fresh egg combination breakfasts. We are striving to take advantage of this heritage and focus on delivering "Best In Class Breakfast." We want our customers to always feel right at home with us, so we “Treat Strangers Like Friends and Friends Like Family.”
Breakfast entrées are served all day and feature traditional favorites such as sausage, bacon and eggs, as well as specialty offerings like Sweet & Stacked Hotcakes, omelets and our signature coffee highlighting the importance of "Best in Class Breakfast" execution. We also offer a wide variety of lunch and dinner entrées, including a full line-up of Farm Fresh Salads and signature dinner items, such as slow-roasted pot roast, slow-roasted turkey and country fried steak.
Bob Evans Restaurants feature an atmosphere inspired by our Ohio farm heritage. Most traditional Bob Evans Restaurants range in size from approximately 3,600 to 6,500 square feet and average approximately 5,000 square feet, while our larger Bob Evans Restaurants & General Stores are approximately 9,800 square feet.
We believe our Bob Evans Restaurants draw people who want a delicious meal at a fair price in a family-friendly atmosphere. Our average annual store sales were $1.7 million for Bob Evans Restaurants in fiscal 2016. Average dine-in, per-guest checks for fiscal 2016 for breakfast, lunch and dinner were $9.35, $9.72 and $9.78 respectively, for an average dine-in, per-guest check of $9.61 for all day parts. The average per-guest check has increased primarily due to a mix shift towards

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higher price items as well as price increases implemented during fiscal 2016. Bob Evans Restaurants are generally open from 6 a.m. or 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, with extended closing hours on Friday and Saturday at some locations. Starting in fiscal 2015, we opened on Thanksgiving Day with regular hours. During fiscal 2016, breakfast, lunch and dinner accounted for 32%, 37% and 31% percent, respectively, of total Bob Evans Restaurants’ revenue. Weekend sales, defined as Saturday and Sunday, accounted for approximately 39% of a typical week’s revenue during fiscal 2016. Off-premise sales (carryout, catering, bakery, retail and on-line ordering) are approximately 16% of the total Bob Evans Restaurants segment revenue and have grown by approximately 8% as compared to the prior year.
Bob Evans Restaurants is focused on growing sales and profits in key product areas. Exciting new products like Deep Fried Chicken and Brioche French Toast are geared to drive dine-in traffic and sales. Family Meals to Go and $5/$6 Soup and Sides To Go have become major sellers. Catering is also becoming a significant sales layer. Our Farmhouse Feasts that serve eight people, featured on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, are holiday favorites. We will continue to focus efforts on increasing both our dine-in and off-premise business in fiscal 2017.
Restaurant Operations and Management
We believe that quality restaurant management is critical to the success of our concept. We must be the best at operations execution to keep our customers satisfied. Our restaurant management structure for Bob Evans Restaurants is organized to drive quality, service, cleanliness and top-line growth and bottom-line profitability.
The Bob Evans Restaurants leadership focuses efforts on the overall growth and development of the concept, with particular focus on hospitality. Our restaurant leaders are incented to “act like owners.”
Each Bob Evans Restaurants location employs on average, approximately 50 hourly employees, and is led by a general manager, an assistant general manager, and one or more assistant managers, depending on the size, location and sales volume of the restaurant. A Bob Evans Restaurants general manager reports to a director of operations who oversees an area of approximately 8-12 restaurants. The director of operations reports to a region vice president, who is responsible for approximately 8-12 areas. The region vice presidents report to the senior vice president of operations excellence. Bob Evans Restaurants are visited regularly by all levels of management to ensure they are operating effectively and adhering to our standards.
Restaurant Locations
As of April 29, 2016, Bob Evans Restaurants were located in 18 states, primarily in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Southeast. We believe we must innovate and change the way people think about Bob Evans Restaurants by ensuring that the concept is relevant to our target segments which include families and frequent restaurant diners. During fiscal 2016, we opened one new Bob Evans Restaurant, compared to seven in fiscal 2015, and four in fiscal 2014. During fiscal 2016 we also closed 41 Bob Evans Restaurants and announced the expected closure of six additional leased restaurants in fiscal 2017, compared to one in fiscal 2015, and three in fiscal 2014.

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The following table sets forth the number and location of our Bob Evans Restaurants as of the end of fiscal 2016:
Restaurants in Operation at April 29, 2016
 
Bob Evans
Restaurants
Delaware
7
Florida
47
Illinois
14
Indiana
53
Kansas
1
Kentucky
22
Maryland
27
Michigan
49
Missouri
14
New Jersey
1
New York
8
North Carolina
7
Ohio
192
Pennsylvania
34
South Carolina
4
Tennessee
2
Virginia
15
West Virginia
30
Total
527
Future restaurant growth depends on a variety of factors, including:
the expected rate of return on the capital invested in the new restaurant;
the availability of affordable sites that meet our demographic and other specifications;
general economic conditions, including consumer spending for family and casual dining;
growth trends in consumer demand for our restaurant concepts;
our ability to obtain local permits; and
the availability of qualified management and hourly employees.
We use a site selection process for our Bob Evans Restaurants that includes a detailed evaluation of factors such as population density, household income in the area, competition, the site’s visibility and traffic patterns, accessibility, proximity to retail centers, and the demographics of potential guests.
We periodically evaluate performance of our existing restaurants to determine whether any restaurants should be closed. In April 2016, management adopted a plan and committed to close 27 underperforming restaurants, including 21 owned and six leased locations. The 21 owned locations were closed in fiscal 2016 and we expect the leased locations to close in fiscal 2017. We believe these closures free up resources for other uses, and will strengthen our restaurant portfolio and improve overall returns.
Supply Chain and Distribution
Controlling our supply costs is a critical component of improving margins with a focus on customer satisfaction. Our ability to offer high-quality, reasonably priced menu items at our restaurants depends upon acquiring food products and related items from reliable sources at competitive prices. Our supply chain team sources, negotiates and purchases food and nonfood items from more than 700 suppliers. Our suppliers must adhere to strict product specifications and quality standards.

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Our restaurant operating margins are subject to changes in the price and availability of food commodities. Prices for many of the foods and other commodities we bought for our restaurants increased during fiscal 2016, and we expect modest increases during fiscal 2017. Our operating margins are also affected by changes in the price of utilities, such as electricity and natural gas, upon which our restaurants depend for their energy supply.
To help control costs and obtain competitive prices, our supply chain team negotiates directly with our suppliers and occasionally uses purchase commitment contracts to stabilize the potentially volatile pricing associated with certain commodity items. Additionally, we purchase products in bulk for our food products operations and negotiate volume discounts with suppliers that are also beneficial to our restaurants. We continue to consolidate our purchasing activities for the entire company. This allows us to leverage the combined purchasing power of our restaurant concept and BEF Foods segment. As part of this effort, we use competitive bidding and reverse online auctions for certain products and services.
The BEF Foods segment manufactures sausage products, as well as side dishes and soups, which are distributed, on average, twice per week to our restaurants by third parties. Our distributors purchase products from the suppliers we specify, at the prices we negotiate, and distribute them to our restaurants on a cost-plus basis. Produce, breads and dairy items are sometimes delivered to restaurants more frequently and/or obtained from local suppliers.
We believe we have improved distribution efficiency, attained consistent pricing and lowered costs as we leverage the volume of our restaurant concept. Although only one distributor, through multiple distribution centers, furnishes the majority of inventory items to our restaurants, we believe other distributors could readily provide this inventory.
Sources and Availability of Raw Materials
Menu mix in the restaurant business is varied enough that raw materials historically have been readily available. However, some food products may be in short supply during certain seasons and raw material prices often fluctuate according to availability. We believe that all essential food products will continue to be generally available from our existing suppliers or, upon short notice, can be obtained from other qualified suppliers. At the start of fiscal 2016, our prices to purchase eggs began to increase, a result of the avian influenza that has significantly impacted poultry farms in the Midwest. Refer to Management Discussion and Analysis section for further discussion on the impact of food costs to our fiscal 2016 results.
Due to the rapid turnover of perishable food items, our restaurants maintain inventories with a modest (approximately $10 thousand of perishable inventory per restaurant) aggregate cost in relation to revenues.
Advertising and Marketing
We spent approximately $30 million on restaurant advertising and marketing during fiscal 2016. Most of our advertising budget was spent on television, radio, print and outdoor advertising. We focus our advertisements on new promotions and Bob Evans Restaurants’ menu items and the concept’s position as offering “farm fresh goodness that brings families together,” and "get in on something good TM." We also distribute coupons through multiple channels and support in-store merchandising, menus, kids’ marketing programs, and local store marketing. During fiscal 2016 we made a strategic shift in the depth of discounts offered and eliminated the use of "buy one get one free" offerings. This change reduced guest traffic by approximately five percent. Total discounts, recognized as a reduction of gross sales for Bob Evans Restaurants, were $40.0 million, $53.6 million and $46.5 million in fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Research and Development
As part of our effort to consistently drive sales growth we frequently test food items to identify new and improved menu and retail food product offerings to appeal to our existing customers, satisfy changing eating trends and attract new customers. We strive to maintain a 12 to 24 month product development pipeline focused on creating and introducing innovative menu items and retail food products, as well as enhancements to our existing offerings.
In order to keep our menu and retail food products fresh and appealing to our guests’ preferences, our product development team concentrates on creating appealing menu offerings that are consistent with the positioning of the brand, as well as quality enhancements to some of our best-selling items. Product development for both Bob Evans Restaurants and BEF Foods segments focuses on home-style offerings. New products are market tested before they are introduced. Research and development expenses for our restaurant concept and BEF Foods operations are generally not material.
Competition
The restaurant industry is highly competitive. There are numerous segments within the restaurant industry distinguishable based on the type of food, food quality, service, location, associated price-to-value relationship and overall dining experience. Bob Evans Restaurants operates in the family dining segment.

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Key competitive factors in the industry include the quality and value of menu offerings, quality and speed of service, attractiveness of facilities, advertising, brand awareness and image, and restaurant locations. Although we believe our restaurant concept competes favorably with respect to each of these factors, many of our competitors are well-established national, regional or local chains, and some have substantially greater financial, marketing and other resources than we have. Additionally, we compete with many restaurant operators and other retail establishments for site locations and restaurant employees. We also face growing competition from quick-service and fast-casual restaurants that are improving the quality and expanding the variety of their offerings, especially at breakfast. Additionally some concepts have recently begun to offer all day breakfast options.
Our BEF Foods Segment
Our vision for our BEF Foods segment is to be a powerful national brand food business driven by innovation and strong retail relationships with a portfolio of convenient meal solutions that meet consumer needs. We offer a variety of quality, wholesome food products to retail and foodservice customers. We sell our retail food products under the Bob Evans, Owens and Country Creek brand names. Our food products provide “farm-fresh goodness” and convenient meal solutions that uphold our commitment to premium quality. Our food products include approximately 60 varieties of branded fresh, smoked and fully cooked pork and turkey sausage, ham and hickory-smoked bacon products. Varieties include Bob Evans Fresh Sausage (in rolls, patties or links, all in a variety of seasonings), Bob Evans Sausage (including Sweet Italian, Savory Sage, Brown Sugar and Honey, Maple, as well as Naturally!), Bob Evans Fully Cooked Maple Links, Bob Evans Fully Cooked Turkey Sausage Patties or Fully Cooked Turkey Sausage Links, and Bob Evans Grilling Sausage (Original Bratwurst, Beer Bratwurst, Sweet Italian and Hot Italian). We also offer over 100 complementary, convenience food items in the refrigerated and frozen areas of grocery stores such as mashed potatoes (different varieties in various sizes), our Oven Bake Scalloped Potatoes, Oven Bake Macaroni & Cheese and Oven Bake Double Cheddar Pasta with Applewood Smoked Bacon, our sides such as Homestyle Broccoli & Cheese, Seasoned Homestyle Stuffing, Six Cheese Pasta, Original Green Bean Casserole, Sliced Glazed Apples, our Handheld Breakfast Items such as Bob Evans Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuits, Bob Evans Sausage, Egg & Cheese Croissant, our Breakfast Burritos, Breakfast Bowls, Owens Kolaches, as well as our Soups (Original Chicken & Noodles and Original Sausage Chili), and Sausage Gravies.
Our refrigerated mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese side dishes continue to grow as a percentage of our food products volume. We expect to continue to consistently drive sales growth through new product development and enhancements to existing items to address evolving consumer demands.
Production
We produce food products in four manufacturing facilities. We produce fresh sausage products at our plants located in Hillsdale, Michigan, and Xenia, Ohio. Ready-to-eat products, such as sandwiches, soups and gravies, are produced at our Sulphur Springs, Texas, plant, and our Lima, Ohio, plant produces refrigerated side dishes. We have made efforts to increase returns on invested capital by implementing a plant optimization program to ensure we are operating efficiently and are positioned for future growth. The program is geared to identify operational gaps and opportunities to improve production efficiencies at our production facilities. As a part of this program, we closed our fresh sausage plant in Galva, Illinois, and the fresh sausage production portion of our Bidwell, Ohio, plant in fiscal 2011. We closed our ready-to-eat plants in Springfield and Bidwell, Ohio, and our fresh sausage plant in Richardson, Texas, in fiscal 2014.
In August 2012, we purchased Kettle Creations, which included a 100,000 square foot food production facility in Lima, Ohio, where we produce potato and pasta-based side dishes. Kettle Creations previously was a co-packer for BEF Foods. During the second quarter of fiscal 2014, we completed the expansion at the Lima, Ohio, production facility, including an additional 57,000 square feet of production facility and constructing an additional production line at a cost of approximately $24 million. We are currently in the process of completing an additional $20 million expansion in production capacity to add a fourth side-dish production line at the Lima, Ohio, plant. The line is expected to be operational in the second quarter of fiscal 2017.
As part of our plant optimization program, we also invested approximately $36 million of capital to expand, modify and add production lines to our food production facility in Sulphur Springs, Texas, which increased production of ready-to-eat food products, as well as added capacity for soups and gravies. This plant expansion was completed during the second quarter of fiscal 2014.
We strive to be the best at operations execution by always focusing on food safety. We follow a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (“HACCP”) program at each of our manufacturing plants. HACCP is a comprehensive system developed in conjunction with government agencies to prevent food safety problems by addressing physical, chemical and biological hazards. We use HACCP to identify potential safety hazards so that key actions can be taken to reduce or eliminate risks during production. We have a team dedicated to food safety and quality assurance. We also follow the British Retail

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Consortium global food safety initiatives to help ensure insure food safety and quality standards are practiced in our manufacturing facilities, as well as in the co-pack facilities that supply us.
We have third parties to manufacture or “co-pack” some of the Bob Evans and Owens products that are not produced in our own facilities or to supplement production in peak demand periods. These co-packed items include some of our side dish and meat items. We used approximately 20 third parties to manufacture food products for us in fiscal 2016, representing approximately 10% of pounds produced.
Sales
The U.S. food industry has experienced significant consolidation over the last 20 years as competitors have shed non-core businesses and made strategic acquisitions to complement category positions, maximize economies of scale in raw material sourcing and production, and expand retail distribution. This consolidation is expected to continue. The importance of sustaining strong relationships with retailers has become a critical success factor for food companies because it drives category management and continuous replenishment programs. Food companies with category leadership positions and strong retail relationships have increasingly benefited from these initiatives as a way to maintain shelf space and maximize distribution efficiencies.
Although our Bob Evans brand mashed potatoes are not available in all grocery stores across the country, it is the leading retail brand of refrigerated mashed potatoes in the United States (by volume, based on Information Resource Inc.'s total U.S. grocery data for 52 weeks ended April 29, 2016) and has been since 2007. Our goal is to consistently drive sales growth by leveraging our strong share position to secure additional retail store business and gain additional market penetration. We also believe strong brand awareness is critical in maintaining and securing valuable retail shelf space and will provide a strong platform for introducing product line extensions and new products.
Our retail sales force, which consists of our national account teams as well as third-party food brokers, sells our food products to the leading national and regional retail chains. Retail sales are approximately 85% of net sales, while foodservice sales account for approximately 15 % of net sales.
A relatively small number of customers account for a large percentage of our BEF Foods sales. For fiscal 2016, our 10 largest BEF Foods accounts represented approximately 20% of our consolidated company sales, with the top two customers representing approximately 10% of consolidated company sales. We use national account teams to address the needs of our key retailers on a long-term basis.
Items for our foodservice customers include sausage, sausage gravy, breakfast sandwiches and side dishes. Foodservice sales provide us with incremental volume in our production plants to leverage operating efficiencies. Volumes in foodservice business declined in fiscal 2016 as compared to the prior year, primarily due to a planned shift of resources towards our growing side dish business.
Distribution
We supply our customers by shipping products directly to their warehouses for further distribution by the customers to their retail stores. We also distribute our products through food wholesalers and distributors who primarily service smaller, independent grocers.
At the end of fiscal 2016, Bob Evans or Owens brand products were available for purchase in grocery stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and parts of Canada. Our Owens brand products were available for purchase primarily in Oklahoma, Louisiana and Texas.
We continue to work with retailers in states where there is an opportunity to distribute our products. We will explore expansion prospects with retailers to profitably increase points of distribution.
Sources and Availability of Raw Materials
One of the most important raw materials used in our food products business is live sows (an adult female pig), which we depend upon to produce our pork sausage products. We produce sausage using the same premium ingredients that Bob Evans used when he started the Company. Sow meat is a high-value product compared to other types of pig meat because it has a better texture and is pink, unlike other pork, which tends to be chewy when made into sausage.
We procure live sows at prevailing market prices from terminals, local auctions, country markets and corporate and family farms in various US locations. The live sow market is volatile in terms of the number of sows available and market price. The live sow market is also dependent upon supply and demand for pork products, as well as corn and soybean meal

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prices (the major food supply for sows), weather and farmers’ access to capital. We procure sows in a variety of ways, including through supply contracts. Due to the structure of the sow market however, including the limited availability of sows, there is generally not a way to “lock” in prices contractually in advance for sows nor any commercially feasible, financial hedging products for sow prices to “fix” prices in advance, unlike the financial hedging products that are available for “lean hogs” or “pork bellies” prices.
During fiscal 2014 and part of fiscal 2015, sow costs reached record high prices in part driven by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus ("PEDv"), which reduced the supply of sows for slaughter due to the impact PEDv had on young piglets. The supply reduction did not significantly affect our ability to procure the live sows needed to meet our needs for customer demand, however it significantly impacted the cost beginning in the second quarter of fiscal 2014 through the third quarter of fiscal 2015. We benefitted from a significant decline in sow costs starting in the latter part of fiscal 2015 that extended through the entirety of fiscal 2016. The price decline was due primarily to the producers' ability to control PEDv, their rebuilding of their sow herds, as well as due to low customer demand.  In fiscal 2017 we expect the size of the breeding herd to stabilize and feed costs to be lower, but that export demand will increase. As a result, we expect sow prices in fiscal 2017 to be higher than they were in fiscal 2016.
Other important raw materials used in our food products operations are potatoes, dairy products, seasonings and packaging materials. Historically, these materials have been readily available, although some items may be in short supply during certain seasons and the price fluctuates according to availability. Such shortages did not have a material impact on net sales or operating income in fiscal 2016. Generally, we purchase these items under supply contracts with periodic pricing reviews with our suppliers. We occasionally engage in commitments for certain commodity based items when market conditions indicate that taking a future position will have a favorable financial impact. We believe that these items will continue to be available from our existing suppliers or, upon short notice, can be obtained from other qualified suppliers.
Eggs are key ingredient in some of our frozen products. With the avian influenza virus impacting the poultry and egg markets in fiscal 2016, we did not experience any supply disruptions on these raw materials from our suppliers. We did experience some price increases on egg-based raw materials from our suppliers during this time, but not to the degree that was initially anticipated.
Most of our food products are perishable and require proper refrigeration. Product shelf life ranges from 18 to 60 days for refrigerated products. Due to the perishable nature and shelf life of these items, our production plants normally process only enough products to fill existing orders. As a result, we maintain minimal inventory levels. Many of our breakfast and dinner sausage items can be frozen for shipping to warehouses. Shipping frozen product allows our retailers added flexibility to slack-out product as needed to meet consumer demand and allows us to build inventory for heavy consumption periods.
Advertising and Marketing
During fiscal 2016, we spent approximately $6.7 million advertising our food products, excluding coupons and trade promotion marketing costs. Our food products marketing programs consist of advertising, consumer promotions and trade promotions. Our advertising activities include newspaper and digital advertising aimed at increasing brand awareness and building consumer loyalty. Consumer promotions include the distribution of recipes featuring our products and targeted coupons designed to attract new customers and increase the frequency of purchases. Our trade promotions are aimed at providing retail display support, price discounts and securing additional shelf space. Trade promotions and discounts, which are recorded as a reduction to net sales, were $79.3 million, $56.6 million and $49.1 million in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. A decline in sow costs as compared to the last year caused the increase in fiscal 2016 trade promotions and discounts, allowing us to remain price competitive in a low sow cost environment. Trade promotions are generally more prevalent for fresh sausage than for refrigerated sides and represented approximately 62%, 53% and 58% of total of trade promotions in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Competition
The food products business is highly competitive and is affected by changes in the public’s eating habits and preferences, as well as by local and national economic conditions affecting consumer spending habits, many of which are beyond our control. Key competitive factors in the industry are the quality, flavor and value of the food products offered, advertising and name brand awareness. We believe that we compete favorably with respect to each of these factors. Our competitors include well-established national, regional and local producers and wholesalers of similar products, some of whom have substantially greater financial, marketing and other resources than we have. We also face growing competition from private label sausage products and side dishes.


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Items That Impact Both the Bob Evans Restaurants Segment and Our BEF Foods Segment
Seasonality and Quarterly Results
Our Bob Evans Restaurants and BEF Foods segments are subject to seasonal fluctuations. Historically, our highest levels of revenue and net income at Bob Evans Restaurants occurred in the first and second quarters of our fiscal year. Many Bob Evans Restaurants are located near major interstate highways and generally experience increased revenue during the summer travel season. Holidays, severe weather conditions (such as snow storms and thunderstorms), natural disasters (such as flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes) and similar conditions can impact restaurant sales volumes in most of the markets in which we operate.
Our BEF Foods segment is seasonal to the extent that third and fourth quarter sales are typically higher due to increased sales of sausage and our home-style side dishes during the colder months from November through April and especially during the holiday season.
Our consolidated quarterly results can be significantly impacted by the cost and availability of raw materials, especially live sows. Our consolidated quarterly results are also impacted by restaurant closures and the associated impact on revenues and operating costs. As a result of these and other factors, our financial results for any given quarter may not be indicative of the results that may be achieved for a full fiscal year.
Trademarks and Service Marks
We have registered trademarks and service marks, such as the mark Bob Evans® for our restaurant business, and Bob Evans®, Owens®, Country Creek Farm® and Kettle Creations® for BEF Foods. In addition to the marks mentioned above, the following marks are trademarks and service marks of Bob Evans: All the Feast. None of The Fuss.; BE Fit; BE Mail; Big Farm; Bob Evans Farm Fresh Ideas; Bob Evans Grocery; Bob Evans Naturally; Bob Evans Oven Bake; Bob Evans Restaurant; Bob Evans Wildfire; Border Scramble; Discover Farm-Fresh Goodness; Endless Farmhouse Lunch; Farm-Fresh Goodness; Farmhouse Feast; Fit From the Farm; Get in on Something Good; Kettle Creations; Signature Coffee by Bob Evans; Simple Goodness of the Farm; Sunshine Skillet; and Taste of the Farm. We use additional registered and proprietary marks, some of which are listed under “Item 1. Business” above. We maintain a registration program for our marks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and in certain foreign countries. In order to better protect our brands, we have also registered our ownership of the Internet domain names such as bobevans.com, beffoods.com, kettlecreations.net, and owensfoods.com. We believe that our trademarks, service marks, proprietary recipes and other proprietary rights have significant value and are important to our brand-building efforts and the marketing of our Bob Evans Restaurants and BEF Foods segments. We have vigorously protected our proprietary rights in the past and expect to continue to do so. We cannot predict, however, whether steps taken by us to protect our proprietary rights will be adequate to prevent misappropriation of these rights or the use by others of restaurant features based upon, or otherwise similar to, our concepts. It may be difficult for us to prevent others from copying elements of our restaurant concepts and food products, and any litigation to enforce our rights would likely be costly.
As part of the roll out of our Broasted Chicken® platform, we have licensed the use of the Broasted®, Broaster Chicken®, Genuine Broaster Chicken® and Broasted Chicken trademarks from The Broaster Company.  Our Development Agreement provides us with limited exclusivity rights to use these licensed trademarks and proprietary Broaster equipment for a period of 10-years within the domestic family dining segment.
Government Regulation
We are subject to numerous federal, state and local laws affecting our businesses. Our Bob Evans Restaurant segment is subject to licensing and regulation by a number of governmental authorities, which may include health, sanitation, environmental, zoning and public safety agencies in the state or municipality in which each of our restaurants is located. Difficulties in obtaining or failures to obtain the required licenses or approvals could delay or prevent the development and openings of new restaurants or could disrupt the operations of existing restaurants. However, we believe that we are in compliance in all material respects with applicable governmental regulations and, to date, we have not experienced abnormal difficulties or delays in obtaining the licenses or approvals required to open or operate any of our restaurants.
Various federal and state labor laws govern our operations and our relationships with our employees, including such matters as minimum wage, meal and rest breaks, overtime, fringe benefits, safety, working conditions and citizenship requirements.
Minimum wages are governed by federal, state and local laws. There have been a number of increases in minimum wage in various states, as well as increasing legislative discussion at the federal level. Additionally, our industry has many tipped employees who receive much of their compensation in the form of customer tips. In many cases, we are allowed to take a tip

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credit against the required minimum wage rate and pay a lower cash wage rate to those employees. Any significant changes in the level of minimum wage or the permissibility of tipped wages could affect the profitability of our Bob Evans Restaurants segment. Federal and state legislatures have also proposed bills that would require paid time off at the hourly level. As this has not been common practice in the restaurant industry, such changes could affect our labor costs and profitability.
There have been a number of federal, state and local proposals and regulations to require restaurants to provide nutritional information on menus and/or require that restaurants label menus with the country of origin of meal ingredients. The Affordable Care Act enacted in March, 2010, contains provisions that require restaurants with 20 or more locations to post calorie information on menus and additional nutritional information in writing at the restaurant. The Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has released final regulations that currently have an effective date of December 1, 2016.
The passage of the Affordable Care Act and ongoing changes in the governing rules have required significant effort to ensure compliance. The Company has chosen to continue to make health care available to eligible employees based on the terms set forth in the plan. Further, we are providing medical, prescription drug, dental, vision and an employee assistance program through an insurance carrier, as we attempt to manage overall health care costs. In the first years under the Affordable Care Act (calendar years 2014 and 2015) we experienced a more significant increase in costs than we had anticipated and were unable to mitigate the cost to the Company by re-distributing the cost of the coverage between the Company and employees. Continued, significant cost increases and administrative burdens will continue to affect our profitability and our ability to continue our current health care strategy.
The nature of our business requires many of our employees to work nights, weekends and nontraditional schedules. Our restaurants may have varying labor needs at various points in time. These factors make it imperative that we carefully monitor and manage the hours that nonexempt employees work to remain compliant with overtime pay and health care regulations. We employ both salaried exempt and hourly nonexempt employees at our restaurants, which require us to manage the type of work done by the different classes of employees. As the definitions and enforcement of overtime and overtime exemption regulations continue to change at the federal and state levels, we may need to consider making changes in these classifications, which could result in higher payroll costs and negatively impact profitability.
Bob Evans must comply with the applicable requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (“ADA”) and related state statutes. In pertinent part, the ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability with respect to public accommodations and employment. Under the ADA and related state laws, when constructing new restaurants and facilities or undertaking significant remodeling of existing restaurants and facilities, we must ensure each restaurant and facility meets the accessibility requirements of all applicable laws and regulations. We also must make reasonable accommodations for the employment of people with disabilities.
As a manufacturer and distributor of food products, our BEF Foods segment is subject to a number of food safety regulations, including regulations promulgated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) and the FDA. These agencies enact and enforce regulations relating to the manufacturing, labeling, packaging, distribution and safety of food in the United States. Among other matters, these agencies: enforce statutory prohibitions against misbranded and adulterated foods; establish safety standards for food processing; establish standards for ingredients and manufacturing procedures for certain foods; establish standards for identifying certain foods; determine the safety of food additives; establish labeling standards and nutrition labeling requirements for food products; and enforce regulations to prevent the introduction, transmission or spread of communicable diseases. In addition, various states regulate our operations by: enforcing federal and state standards for selected food products; grading food products; licensing and inspecting plants and warehouses; regulating trade practices related to the sale of food products; and imposing their own labeling requirements on food products. Some of the food commodities we use in our operations are also subject to governmental agricultural programs. These programs have substantial effects on prices and supplies and are subject to Congressional and administrative review.
Through our sausage manufacturing operations, our BEF Foods segment is subject to the requirements of the Packers & Stockyards Act (the “P&S Act”). The general purpose of the P&S Act is to: (1) assure fair competition and fair trade practices; (2) safeguard farmers and ranchers; (3) protect consumers; and (4) protect members of the livestock, meat and poultry industries from unfair, deceptive, unjustly discriminatory and monopolistic practices. The P&S Act is administered by the Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration (“GIPSA”), which is part of the USDA. Among other requirements, the P&S Act requires meat packers, such as our BEF Foods segment, to be bonded, which provides trust protection for producers in the event they are not paid for livestock by a meat packer, and requires that livestock producers be paid promptly by meat packers for the sale of livestock. Violations of the P&S Act may be resolved through a notice of violation, a stipulation agreement with GIPSA, administrative actions and court actions.
We are subject to federal and state environmental regulations, including various laws concerning the handling, storage and disposal of hazardous materials, such as cleaning solvents. These regulations have not had a material adverse effect on our

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operations to date. We do not anticipate that compliance with federal, state and local provisions regulating the discharge of materials into the environment, or which otherwise relate to the protection of the environment, will have a material adverse effect upon our capital expenditures, revenues or competitive position.
U.S. federal, state and local laws and regulations are increasingly being enacted to address concerns about the effects that carbon dioxide emissions and other identified greenhouse gases (“GHG”) may have on the environment and climate worldwide. These effects are widely referred to as “Climate Change.” One or more of our BEF Foods segment manufacturing facilities could be covered by such new legislation. As in virtually every industry, GHG emissions occur at several points across our operations, including production, transportation and processing. Compliance with future legislation, if any, and compliance with currently evolving regulation of GHGs by the EPA and states may result in increased compliance costs, capital expenditures, and operating costs. In the event that any future compliance requirements at any of our facilities require more than the sustainability measures that we are currently undertaking to monitor emissions and improve our energy efficiency, we may experience increases in our costs of operation. These regulatory changes may also lead to higher cost of goods and services, which may be passed on to us by suppliers. Based on information currently available to us, we believe that compliance with these regulations will not have a material adverse effect on us.
From time to time, we receive notices and inquiries from regulatory authorities and others asserting that we are not in compliance with particular laws and regulations. In some instances, litigation ensues. In addition, individuals may initiate litigation against us. Many of our facilities are subject to environmental permits and other regulatory requirements, violations of which are subject to civil and criminal sanction. In some cases, third parties may also have the right to sue to enforce compliance.
Employees
As of April 29, 2016, we employed 30,625 employees including approximately 6,400 full-time employees. None of our employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements. We consider overall relations with our employees to be satisfactory.
Available Information
We are subject to the informational requirements of the Exchange Act, and, accordingly, we file reports, proxy statements, and other information with the SEC. Such reports, proxy statements, and other information are publicly available and can be read and copied at the reference facilities maintained by the SEC at the Public Reference Room, 100 F Street, NE, Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Information regarding the operation of the Public Reference Room may be obtained by calling the SEC at 800-SEC-0330. The SEC maintains a website (www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that file electronically with the SEC.
Our website is www.bobevans.com. We make available at this address, free of charge, press releases, annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, reports for transactions in the Company stock by insiders on Forms 3, 4 and 5, and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as soon as reasonably practicable after electronically filing such material with, or furnishing it to, the SEC. In addition, we provide periodic investor relations updates and our corporate governance materials at our website.
Upon the written request of a stockholder, we will provide without charge a copy of this Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the financial statements and financial statement schedules included herein. In addition, upon the written request of a stockholder, we will provide a copy of any exhibit to this Annual Report on Form 10-K upon the payment of a reasonable fee. Written requests should be delivered to Bob Evans Farms, Inc., Attention: Investor Relations, 8111 Smith's Mill Road, New Albany, Ohio 43054.
ITEM 1A.    RISK FACTORS.
The risk factors presented below may have a material adverse effect on our future operating results, financial position and cash flows. The categories listed below are for information purposes only and do not signify that any risk should or should not be included in one or more of the other categories, or that any category or risk is more significant than any other risk. In addition to the risk factors presented below, changes in general economic conditions, consumer tastes and discretionary spending patterns, demographic trends and consumer confidence in the economy, which affect consumer behavior and spending for restaurant dining occasions and retail purchases in general, may have a material adverse effect on us. Our actual results could vary significantly from any results expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this Annual Report on Form 10-K or our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) depending upon a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the following risks and uncertainties:

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A.    OPERATIONS
General economic, business and societal conditions as well as those specific to the restaurant or retail industries that are largely out of our control may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our business results depend on a number of industry-specific and general economic factors, many of which are beyond our control. These factors include, among others, consumer income, interest rates, inflation, consumer credit availability, consumer debt levels, tax rates and policy, minimum wage laws, unemployment trends and other matters that influence consumer confidence and spending. The full-service dining sector of the restaurant industry, purchase of food products, and the retail industry, are affected by changes in national, regional and local economic conditions, seasonal fluctuation of sales volumes, consumer preferences, including changes in consumer tastes and dietary habits and the level of consumer acceptance of our restaurant and food products concepts, and consumer spending patterns.
Discretionary consumer spending, which is critical to our success, is influenced by general economic conditions and the availability of discretionary income. Global economic factors and a weak economic recovery have reduced consumer confidence and affected consumers’ ability or desire to spend disposable income. Deterioration in the economy or other economic conditions affecting disposable consumer income, such as unemployment levels, reduced home values, investment losses, inflation, fuel and other energy costs, consumer debt levels, lack of available credit, consumer confidence, interest rates, tax rates and changes in tax laws, may adversely affect our business. This would be due to a reduction in overall consumer spending or by causing customers to reduce the frequency with which they shop and dine out. This could also cause a shift of their spending to our competitors or to products sold by us that are less profitable than other product choices, all of which could result in lower revenues, decreases in inventory turnover, greater markdowns on inventory, and a reduction in profitability due to lower margins.
Concerns relating to food safety, food-borne illness, pandemics and other diseases could reduce customer traffic to our restaurants, or cause us to be the target of litigation, which could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
We dedicate substantial resources and provide training to ensure the safety and quality of the food we serve or sell. Nevertheless, we face food safety risks, including the risk of food-borne illness and food contamination, which are common both in the restaurant and food products industries, and the food supply chain, and cannot be completely eliminated. We rely on our network of suppliers and co-packers to properly handle, store and transport our ingredients, until delivery to our restaurants and plants. Any failure by our suppliers, or their suppliers, could cause our ingredients to be contaminated, which could be difficult to detect and put the safety of our food in jeopardy. We freshly prepare many of our menu items at our restaurants, which may put us at greater risk for food-borne illness outbreaks than some of our competitors who use processed foods. The risk of food-borne illness may also increase whenever our menu items are served outside of our control, such as by third party food delivery services, customer take out or at catered events.
If a pathogen (i.e., Ebola, “mad cow disease,” “SARS,” “swine flu,” Zika virus, avian influenza, porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, norovirus or other virus), or bacteria (i.e., such as salmonella, listeria or E.coli, or if parasites or other toxins, infect the food supply or are believed to have infected the food supply), the demand, availability and price of certain food items may be adversely impacted. Additionally, if our customers or employees become infected with a pathogen that is transmittable by human-to-human, food-to-human or human-to-food contact, customers may avoid our restaurants or it may become difficult to adequately staff our restaurants, the occurrence of either or both of which may materially adversely affect our financial performance. Any adverse food safety occurrence may result in litigation against us by consumers, governmental authorities and others. Although we carry liability and other insurance coverage to mitigate against these risks, not all risks of this nature are fully insurable and, even if insured, the negative publicity associated with such an event may cause a decrease in customer patronage which may materially adversely affect our financial performance.
In addition, any adverse food safety event could result in mandatory or voluntary product withdrawals or recalls and regulatory and other investigations, any of which could disrupt our operations, increase our costs, require us to respond to findings from regulatory agencies that may divert resources and assets, and result in potential civil fines and penalties as well as other legal action. In extreme cases, adverse findings could lead to criminal fines and penalties.
We are dependent upon attracting and retaining qualified employees while also controlling labor and health care costs.
Our performance is dependent on attracting and retaining a large number of qualified restaurant and plant employees. Availability of employees varies widely from location to location. The industries we do business in experience high levels of turnover, which is further impacted by the fact many employees are in entry-level or part-time positions, which also are typically impacted with high rates of turnover. If restaurant or plant management and staff turnover were to increase, we could suffer higher direct costs associated with recruiting, training and retaining replacement personnel. Management turnover as well as general shortages in the labor pool can cause our restaurants to be operated with reduced staff, which negatively affects our

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ability to provide appropriate service levels to our customers. Competition for qualified employees exerts upward pressure on wages paid to attract such personnel, resulting in higher labor costs, together with greater recruiting and training expenses.
Our ability to meet our labor needs while controlling costs is subject to external factors such as unemployment levels, minimum wage legislation, health care legislation, payroll taxes and changing demographics. Many of our employees are hourly workers whose wages are affected by increases in the federal or state minimum wage or changes to tip credits. Tip credits are the amounts an employer is permitted to assume an employee receives in tips when the employer calculates the employee’s hourly wage for minimum wage compliance purposes. Increases in minimum wage levels and changes to the tip credit regulations have been made and continue to be proposed at both federal and state levels. As minimum wage rates increase, we may need to increase not only the wages of our minimum wage employees but also the wages paid to employees at wage rates that are above minimum wage. If competitive pressures or other factors prevent us from offsetting increased labor costs by increases in prices, our profitability may decline.
Health care costs, in particular, continue to rise and are especially difficult to project. Material increases in costs associated with medical claims or an unusually high number of severe medical claims or other unfavorable fluctuations in the severity or frequency of such claims may cause health care costs to vary substantially from quarter-to-quarter and year-over-year. We act as a self-insurer under our health and dental plans and mitigate losses by carrying stop loss coverage. However, given the unpredictable nature of actual claims trends, including the severity or frequency of claims, in any given year our health care costs could significantly exceed our estimates, which could materially adversely affect our financial performance. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act as amended by the Health Care and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010 (“PPACA”) was enacted in 2010. Until the uncertainty surrounding PPACA is finally resolved and the implementation and administration of PPACA is more fully matured, there remains a risk that PPACA may cause our health care costs to rise in the near and long-term future.
The price and availability of operating resources, and for commodities such as food, ingredients, and utilities used by our restaurants and plants could adversely affect our revenues and results of operations.
We are subject to the general risks of inflation, and our operating profit margins and results of operations depend significantly on our ability to anticipate and react to changes in the price, quality and availability of food and other commodities, ingredients, utilities and other related costs over which we have limited control. Fluctuations in economic conditions, weather, demand and other factors affect the availability, quality and cost of the ingredients and products that we buy. The increased global demand for corn, wheat and dairy products has increased feed costs for poultry and livestock. Additionally, the cost of commodities subject to governmental regulation, such as dairy and corn, can be even more susceptible to price fluctuation than other products. Some climatologists predict that the long-term effects of climate change may result in more severe, volatile weather, which could result in greater volatility in product supply and price. Furthermore, many of the products that we use and their costs are interrelated.
With the primary exception of sows, substantially all of our food and supplies are available from multiple qualified suppliers, which helps to mitigate our risk of commodity availability and obtain competitive prices. We negotiate agreements for some of our principal commodity, supply and equipment requirements, depending on market conditions and expected demand. We also periodically evaluate hedging vehicles to assist us in managing our risk and variability in these categories. Although these vehicles and markets may be available to us, we may choose not to enter into contracts due to pricing volatility, excessive risk premiums, hedge inefficiencies or other factors.
Sows are the most important raw material used to produce our pork sausage products in our BEF Foods segment. We procure live sows at prevailing market prices from terminals, local auctions, country markets and corporate and family farms in many states and Canada. The live sow market is volatile in terms of the number of sows available and the current market price. The live sow market is dependent upon supply and demand for pork products, as well as such commodities as corn and soybean meal prices (the major food supply for sows), weather and farmers’ access to capital. We also use pork trimmings. The pork trimmings market is also volatile in terms of availability and market price. Higher sow and pork trimmings costs could adversely affect the BEF Foods segment’s profitability, and we cannot guarantee that we will be able to pass along any portion of the increased costs to our consumers in a timely manner, or at all.
In addition, food safety concerns, widespread outbreaks of livestock and poultry diseases, and product recalls, all of which are out of our control, and, in many instances, unpredictable, could also increase our costs and possibly affect the supply of livestock and poultry products. Our operating margins are also affected, whether as a result of general inflation or otherwise, by fluctuations in the price of utilities such as natural gas and electricity, on which our locations depend for much of their energy supply.
Our ability to anticipate and respond effectively to one or more adverse changes in any of these operating costs could have a significant adverse effect on our results of operations. In addition, because we provide a moderately-priced product, we

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may not seek to or we may be unable to pass along price increases to our customers sufficient to completely offset cost increases
We outsource certain business processes and product manufacturing to third-party vendors that subjects us to risks, including disruptions in business and increased costs.
Some of our business processes and the manufacturing of certain products are currently outsourced to third parties. Such processes include distribution of food and retail products to our restaurant locations, credit and debit card authorization and processing, gift card sales and balance tracking, employee payroll card services, health care and workers’ compensation claims processing, wage and related tax credit documentation and approval, guest satisfaction survey programs, employee engagement surveys and externally hosted business software applications. We cannot ensure that all providers of outsourced services are observing proper internal control practices, such as redundant processing facilities, and there are no guarantees that failures will not occur. Failure of third parties to provide adequate services could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We rely on certain technology licensed from third parties and may be required to license additional technology in the future for use in managing our Internet sites and providing services to our guests and employees. These third-party technology licenses may not continue to be available to us on acceptable terms or at all. The inability to enter into and maintain these technology licenses could adversely affect our business.
Unfavorable publicity could harm our business. In addition, our failure to recognize, respond to and effectively manage the impact of social media could materially impact our business.
Businesses such as ours can be adversely affected by publicity resulting from complaints or litigation alleging poor food quality, poor service, food-borne illness, product defects, personal injury, adverse health effects (including obesity), data breaches or other concerns. Even when the allegations or complaints are not valid, unfavorable publicity relating to a limited number of our restaurants or products, or only to a single restaurant or product, could adversely affect public perception of the entire brand. Additionally, negative publicity from online social network postings may also result from actual or alleged incidents taking place in our restaurants. Adverse publicity and its effect on overall consumer perceptions of food safety or customer service could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our ability to successfully and sufficiently raise menu and food products prices to offset increased commodity and labor costs could result in a decline in margins.
We utilize price increases for menu offerings and food products to help offset commodity cost increases, including increased costs for wholesale food, raw materials, distribution, minimum wages, employee benefits, construction, fuel, utility, and other costs. We may not be able to pass through these or other additional costs to customers in the form of increased pricing. Also, because we offer moderately priced food, we may not be able to, or we may choose not to, pass along price increases to our customers, which could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Because many of our restaurants are concentrated in certain geographic areas there could be a material adverse effect on our operations by regional economic conditions, severe weather and other events.
The concentration of many of our existing restaurants in particular regions of the United States could affect our operating results in a number of ways. For example, our results of operations may be adversely affected by economic conditions in that region, the local labor market and regional competition. A majority of our Bob Evans Restaurants are located in Ohio and other parts of the Midwest, which makes us particularly sensitive to economic conditions, natural disasters, severe weather and other events in this region. Our business is subject to seasonal adverse weather conditions (especially between October and March) that may at times affect regions in which our restaurants are located, regions that produce raw ingredients for our restaurants, or locations of our distribution network. As a result, our quarterly and yearly results have varied in the past, and we believe that our quarterly operating results will vary in the future. In addition, adverse weather conditions could cause us to experience closures, repair and restoration costs, food spoilage, and other significant reopening costs as well as increased food costs and delayed supply shipments, any of which would adversely affect our business. Additionally, during periods of extreme temperatures (either hot or cold), or precipitation, many individuals choose to stay indoors. These conditions would impact our transaction counts in our restaurants and could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
Our BEF Foods segment’s business is dependent upon our ability to produce a significant number of items and relies upon a relatively small number of customers for a large percentage of its sales.
Our BEF Foods segment’s business is dependent upon our ability to produce most of the products that we sell, and we have not always identified secondary suppliers for food products manufactured in our plants, or secondary suppliers with

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sufficient capacity. A prolonged inability to provide products to fill orders in a timely manner could have an adverse effect on both our Bob Evans Restaurants and the BEF Foods segments’ businesses and our results of operations. Our BEF Foods segment’s business also relies upon a relatively small number of customers for a large percentage of its sales. Our inability to maintain strong relationships with our key customers and meet their requests could result in a loss of business, which could have a material adverse effect on our BEF Foods business and our results of operations.
B.    FINANCIAL
Our annual and quarterly operating results may fluctuate significantly and could fall below the expectations of investors and securities analysts due to a number of factors, some of which are beyond our control, resulting either in volatility or a decline in the price of our securities.
Our business is not static; it changes periodically as a result of many factors, including those discussed above and:
increases and decreases in average weekly sales, restaurant and retail sales and restaurant profitability;
changes in advertising and promotional activities and expansion into new markets; and
impairment of long-lived assets and any loss on restaurant closures.
Our quarterly operating results and restaurant and retail sales may fluctuate as a result of any of these or other factors. Accordingly, results for any one quarter are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any other quarter or for any year, and restaurant and retail sales for any particular future period may decrease. Our Bob Evans Restaurants and our BEF Foods business segments are also subject to seasonal fluctuations. As a result, our quarterly and annual operating results, same-store sales and comparable food products sales may fluctuate significantly as a result of seasonality and the factors discussed above. Accordingly, results for any one quarter are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for any other quarter or for any fiscal year. If our annual or quarterly operating results fall below the expectations of securities analysts and investors due to the factors discussed above, this could result in the price of our securities fluctuating dramatically over time or could decrease generally.
Our capital structure contains substantial indebtedness, and we have material agreements, which may decrease our flexibility, increase our borrowing and other costs and adversely affect our liquidity and cash flow. In addition, we cannot provide any guaranty of future cash dividend payments or that we will be able to actively repurchase our common stock pursuant to a share repurchase program.
Our consolidated indebtedness and our leverage ratio may have the effect, among other things, of reducing our flexibility to respond to changing business and economic conditions and increasing borrowing costs. There are various financial covenants and other restrictions in our Credit Agreement, as well as in our sale leaseback transaction agreements and in the mortgage on our corporate support center. A default under one or all of these agreements may significantly affect our ability to obtain additional or alternative financing. For example, the lenders’ ongoing obligation to extend credit under the Credit Agreement is dependent upon our compliance with these covenants and restrictions. At April 29, 2016, we were in compliance with these covenants.
Our ability to make scheduled payments under material agreements, as well as principal and interest payments or to refinance our obligations with respect to indebtedness, will depend on our operating and financial performance, which, in turn, is subject to prevailing economic conditions and to financial, business and other factors beyond our control. Our inability to refinance our indebtedness when necessary or to do so upon attractive terms could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ongoing results of operations.
In recent years, we have increased the quarterly cash dividends on our common stock. Any determination to pay cash dividends on our common stock in the future will be based primarily upon our financial condition, results of operations, business requirements and our Board of Directors’ conclusion that the declaration of cash dividends is in the best interest of our shareholders and is in compliance with all laws and agreements applicable to the dividend. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that we will be able to actively repurchase our common stock and we may discontinue plans to repurchase common stock at any time.
Failure of our internal control over financial reporting could adversely affect our business and financial results.
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting. Internal control over financial reporting is a process to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting for external purposes in accordance with the United States generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting is not intended to provide absolute assurance that

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we would prevent or detect a misstatement of our financial statements or fraud. Any failure to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting could limit our ability to report our financial results accurately and timely or to detect and prevent fraud. The identification of a material weakness could indicate a lack of controls adequate to generate accurate financial statements that, in turn, could cause a loss of investor confidence and decline in the market price of our common stock.
Our current insurance programs expose us to unexpected costs, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Our insurance coverage is structured to include deductibles, self-insured retentions, limits of liability, stop loss limits and similar provisions that we believe prudent based on our operations. However, there are types of losses we may incur against which we cannot be insured or which we believe are not economically reasonable to insure or where the risk is considered low, such as losses due to acts of terrorism and some natural disasters, including floods. If we incur such losses, our business could suffer. In addition, we self-insure a significant portion of expected losses under our workers’ compensation, general liability and group health insurance programs. Unanticipated changes in the actuarial assumptions and management estimates underlying our reserves for these losses, including unexpected increases in medical and indemnity costs, could result in materially different amounts of expense than expected under these programs.
Our actual operating and financial results in any given period may differ from guidance we provide to the public, including our most recent public guidance.
From time to time, in press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls and other contexts, we have provided guidance to the public regarding current business conditions and our expectations for our future financial results. We expect that we will provide guidance periodically in the future. Our guidance is based upon a number of assumptions, expectations and estimates that are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control. In providing our guidance, we also make various assumptions with respect to our future business decisions, some of which will change. Our actual financial results, therefore, may vary from our guidance due to our inability to meet the assumptions upon which our guidance is based and the impact on our business of the various risks and uncertainties described in these risk factors and in our public filings with the SEC. Variances between our actual results and our guidance may be material. To the extent that our actual financial results do not meet or exceed our guidance, the trading prices of our securities may be materially adversely affected, and we would suffer associated costs related to the matter, such as legal costs associated with any claims.
Many factors, including those over which we have no control, affect the trading price of our stock.
A number of factors may significantly affect the market price of our common stock. These include, but are not limited to: actual or anticipated variations in our operating results or those of our competitors as compared to analyst expectations; changes in financial estimates by research analysts with respect to us or others in the restaurant or food production industries; announcements of significant transactions (including mergers or acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures or other strategic initiatives) by us or others in the restaurant industry; and actions by activist shareholders. In addition, the equity markets have experienced price and volume fluctuations that affect the stock price of companies in ways that have been unrelated to an individual company’s operating performance. The price of our common stock may continue to be volatile, based on factors specific to our company and industry, as well as factors related to the equity markets overall.
In addition to investor expectations about our prospects, trading activity in our common stock can reflect the portfolio strategies and investment allocation changes of institutional holders, as well as non-operating initiatives such as share repurchase programs. Any failure to meet market expectations for our financial performance, particularly with respect to comparable restaurant sales, revenues, operating margins and earnings per share, would likely cause our stock price to decline.
Our dividend program, as well as stock repurchase program (if any), requires the use of a substantial amount of our free cash flow. Assuming the authorization of either by our Board of Directors, our ability to pay dividends over time, or repurchase stock from time to time, will depend on our ability to generate sufficient cash flows from operations and capacity to borrow funds, which may be subject to economic, financial, competitive and other factors that are beyond our control. Any failure to pay our dividends over time may negatively impact investor confidence in us, and may negatively impact our stock price.
As a result of the provisions of the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement dated January 28, 2013, pursuant to which the sale of the Mimi’s Café restaurant chain was sold, we may not receive all or part of the purchase price evidenced by the $30.0 million promissory note from the buyer.
As part of the terms of the Membership Interest Purchase Agreement dated January 28, 2013, pursuant to which we sold the Mimi’s Café restaurant chain, part of the consideration we received in the transaction was a promissory note, (the "Note")

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which has a principal balance of $30.0 million, an annual interest rate of 1.5%, a term of seven years and a principal and interest payment date of February, 2020. Mimi’s Café is wholly owned by Le Duff America, Inc. (“Le Duff”), which is a U.S.-based subsidiary of Groupe Le Duff, a global bakery and restaurant company headquartered in France.
Partial prepayments are required prior to maturity if the buyer reaches certain levels of EBITDA during specified periods. No partial prepayments have been received on this Note as of April 29, 2016. Our right to repayment under the Note is subordinated to third party lenders as well as funding that may be provided by the parent company. In the event of a sale or liquidation of Mimi’s Café by its parent company, our right to repayment may be subordinated to payments owed to the parent company and potentially reduced based on the funds available for repayment. Because the Note is subordinated under certain conditions, it is possible that the principal amount of the Note may not be paid in full or at all. Full repayment of the Note on its due date is dependent on Mimi’s ability to generate sufficient cash flow up to and at the maturity date of the Note. Refer to Note 1 in our consolidated financial statements for more information.
C.    STRATEGIC
Our plans depend significantly on our strategic priorities and business initiatives designed to enhance our menu and retail offerings, support our brand, improve operating margins and improve the efficiencies and effectiveness of our operations. Failure to achieve or sustain these plans could adversely affect our results of operations.
We have had, and expect to continue to have, priorities and initiatives in various stages of testing, evaluation and implementation, upon which we expect to rely to improve our results of operations and financial condition. These priorities and initiatives include, but are not limited to, improving the quality of food and food products, re-engineering restaurant, plant and corporate processes to reduce costs and improve margins, applying technology to improve the guest experience and operational reporting, evolving our marketing messaging to support the brand across the restaurant and food products segments, the introduction of new as well as tiered menu pricing, increasing same store sales as well as expanding the markets served by our food products. It is possible that our focus on these priorities and initiatives and constantly changing consumer preferences could cause unintended changes to our current results of operations. Additionally, many of these initiatives contain risks in their application to our business in general, even when tested successfully on a more limited scale. It is possible that successful testing can result partially from resources and attention that cannot be duplicated in broader implementation. Failure to achieve successful implementation of our initiatives could adversely affect our results of operations.
Our long-term growth strategy depends on successfully executing our current strategic efforts to turnaround our restaurant business and results. Our ability to complete our turnaround efforts is influenced by factors beyond our control, which may impact our turnaround efforts and impair our long-term growth.
We are pursuing a disciplined strategy which depends in large part on our ability to execute our current restaurant turnaround efforts that are focused on improving food quality, consistency of execution and improving hospitality to deliver a highly satisfied guest experience on each visit. If we are unable to execute the turnaround efforts, our long-term opportunities could be impaired. As part of our long term strategy we have completed certain strategic transactions, including the mortgage of our New Albany, Ohio corporate support center, and the sale leaseback of our BEF Foods manufacturing facilities in Lima, Ohio, and Sulphur Springs, Texas, and of 143 of our Bob Evans Restaurant locations. There is no guarantee that these transactions, or others in the future, will have a positive impact on our long-term strategy or results of operations.
The loss of key executives or difficulties in recruiting and retaining qualified personnel could jeopardize our future growth and success.
We have assembled a senior management team which has substantial background and experience in the restaurant, retail and food products industries. Our future growth and success depends substantially on the contributions and abilities of our senior management and other key personnel, and we design our compensation programs to attract and retain key personnel and facilitate our ability to develop effective succession plans. If we fail to retain senior management or other key personnel or to attract key personnel, our succession planning and operations could be materially and adversely affected. We must continue to recruit, retain and motivate management and other employees sufficient to maintain our current business and support our projected growth. A loss of key employees or a significant shortage of high quality restaurant employees could jeopardize our ability to meet our business goals.
We face intense competition, and if we are unable to continue to compete effectively, our business, financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected.
The restaurant and food products industries are highly competitive and are affected by changes in the public’s eating habits and preferences, population trends, traffic patterns and weather conditions, as well as by local and national economic conditions affecting consumer spending habits, many of which are beyond our control. Key competitive factors include the

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quality and value of the items offered, food preparation and consistency of the product preparation, quality and speed of service, attractiveness of facilities, advertising, name brand awareness and image and restaurant locations. Many of our competitors are well-established national, regional or local companies, and some have substantially greater financial, marketing and other resources than we have, which may give them competitive advantages. We compete with many restaurant and food product operators and other retail establishments for site locations and restaurant employees. We also face competition as a result of the convergence of grocery, deli, retail and restaurant services, particularly in the supermarket industry. We expect competition to intensify as our competitors expand operations in our markets and quick-service restaurant chains expand their breakfast offerings, as well as the introduction, marketing and distribution of refrigerated side dishes. This increased competition could have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations
Our failure to turn-around our restaurant segment and generate growth in customer traffic or transaction for an extended period of time could have a material adverse effect upon our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Same-store sales and average unit volumes are key measures of the financial health of our company, as well as our individual restaurants. A number of factors, including the following, may affect same-store sales growth:
local and national economic conditions affecting consumer spending habits;
customer trends;
customer traffic increases or decreases;
intense competition in the restaurant business;
menu mix and pricing shifts
customer satisfaction;
extraordinary events such as weather or natural disasters; and
pricing pressure.
If we are unable to maintain or grow same-store sales, and our costs increase, or if same-store sales decrease and costs remain flat or increase, the effect, over time, is to spread costs across a lower level of sales, or seek to identify additional cost reductions, which could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
Our marketing and branding strategies may not be successful, which could negatively affect our business.
Our marketing and branding strategies continue to evolve to maximize our appeal to customers and compete effectively. We do not have any assurance that our marketing strategies will be successful. If our current strategy to aggressively reduce discounting, use of new advertising, modification of our branding, and other marketing programs, are not successful, we may not generate the level of restaurant and food products sales we expect and the expenses associated with these programs will negatively affect our financial results. Moreover, many of our competitors have successfully used national marketing strategies, including network, cable television, and social media, advertising in the past, and we may not be able to successfully compete against those established and newly developed programs.
The growth of our BEF Foods segment’s sales and profits is dependent upon our ability to expand existing market penetration and enter into new markets.
The successful growth of our BEF Foods segment depends in part on our ability to add new retail customers, expand our existing production capabilities (including but not limited to our expansion of the Lima, Ohio facility), as well as expand the number of products sold through existing retail customers. This would include expanding the number of our items they offer for sale and product placement within the refrigerated meat and side dish departments. The expansion of the BEF Foods business segment depends on our ability to obtain and retain large-account customers, such as grocery store chains and warehouse customers. Our failure to retain and obtain new large-account customers or maintain our relationships with existing large-account customers could have a material adverse effect on the BEF Foods segments’ business and results of operations.
Our inability to improve our informational systems in fiscal 2017 to provide increased operational capabilities, to complete the implementation of our core enterprise resource planning system (“ERP”), and for greater access for customers, could negatively impact our results of operations.
Operational excellence and the continued improvement of our customer experience are among our highest priorities. During fiscal 2015 and 2016 we made investments, and will continue to make investments in 2017, as we continue to complete

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the implementation of a new ERP system and restaurant technology platform (including point of sale (“POS”) processing), as part of our overall technology infrastructure, as well as training the employees necessary to support it. These improvements are designed to more effectively collect and process our enterprise information and data for resource planning. They will also improve the way in which our customers interact with us, including through the ordering process, food production and finally through the delivery of food to the customer. Our inability to effectively implement our core ERP and POS systems' replacement, as well as the other changes to our technology infrastructure, could negatively impact our operations and processes and could have a negative impact on our financial results.
A material disruption in our information technology, network infrastructure and telecommunication systems could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
We rely extensively on our information technology across our operations, including, but not limited to, our in-restaurant and enterprise-wide computer systems and network infrastructure across our operations. These include POS processing, supply chain management, retail merchandise allocation and distribution, labor productivity, plant management and expense management, among others. As an example, the POS system we are implementing, and back-office systems, provide information regarding daily sales, cash receipts, inventory, food and beverage costs, labor costs and other controllable operating expenses. Our business depends significantly on the reliability and capacity of our information technology systems to process these transactions, summarize results, manage and report on our business and our supply chain. Our information technology systems are subject to damage or interruption from power outages, computer, network, cable system, Internet and telecommunications failures, computer viruses, security breaches, catastrophic events such as fires, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, acts of war or terrorism, and usage errors by our employees. If our information technology and telecommunication systems are damaged or cease to function properly, we may have to make a significant investment to repair or replace them, and we could suffer loss of critical data and interruptions or delays in our operations in the interim. Any material interruption in our information technology and telecommunication systems could adversely affect our business or results of operations.
Events out of our control may disrupt our business and could adversely affect our businesses, and their revenues and results of operations.
We are a highly automated business and rely on our production facilities, our network infrastructure, the Internet, our website and mobile apps for our development, marketing, operational, support, hosted services and sales (including online ordering) activities. A disruption, infiltration or failure of these systems or third-party hosted services in the event of a major natural disaster, fire, power loss, telecommunications failure, cyber-attack, war, terrorist attack, or other catastrophic event could cause systems loss or interruptions, cessation or limitations on operations and services, disruption in our product production, breaches of data security and loss of critical data.
Many of our corporate systems and processes and corporate support for our restaurant and foods segments operations are centralized at one Ohio location. We have disaster recovery procedures and business continuity plans in place to address most events of a crisis nature, including tornadoes and other natural disasters, and back up and off-site locations for recovery of digital and other forms of data and information. However, if we are unable to implement our disaster recovery plans, we may experience delays in recovery of data, inability to perform vital corporate functions, experience delays in required reporting and compliance, fail to adequately support field operations and experience other breakdowns in normal communication and operating procedures. These could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operation, and exposure to administrative and other legal claims.
Our BEF Foods segment operates four manufacturing plants. If we had to close or delay production of all or part of the operations at one or more of these plants for an extended period of time, we would likely be unable to increase production at our other plants or with our third-party co-packers in a timely manner, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.
Failure to maximize or to successfully assert our intellectual property rights could adversely affect our business and results of operations.
We rely on trademark, trade secret and copyright laws to protect our intellectual property rights. We cannot guarantee that these intellectual property rights will be maximized or that they can be successfully asserted. There is a risk that we will not be able to obtain and perfect our own, or, where appropriate, license intellectual property rights necessary to support new product introductions or other brand extensions. We cannot be sure that these rights, if obtained, will not be invalidated, circumvented or challenged in the future. Our failure to perfect or successfully assert our intellectual property rights could make us less competitive and could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, as well as Delaware law, may discourage potential acquirers of the Company.

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Provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws may have the effect of discouraging, delaying or preventing a merger, tender offer or proxy contest, which could have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock. In addition, certain provisions of Delaware law could also delay or make more difficult a merger, tender offer or proxy contest involving our Company. This includes Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, which prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any “interested shareholder” (as defined in the statute) for a period of three years unless certain conditions are met. These provisions, either alone or in combination with each other, give our current directors and executive officers a substantial ability to influence the outcome of a proposed acquisition of the Company. These provisions would apply even if an acquisition, or other significant corporate transaction, was considered beneficial by some of our shareholders. If a change in control or change in management is delayed or prevented by these provisions, the market price of our securities could decline.
Our business could be negatively affected as a result of the actions of activist shareholders.
In 2014 Castlerigg Global Equity Special Event Master Fund, Ltd., one of our stockholders affiliated with the Sandell Asset Management Corp. (together with its affiliates, "Sandell Group"), conducted a proxy contest with us and elected four individuals to our board of directors at our 2014 annual meeting of shareholders. The Sandell Group has continued to contact the Company and release public statements regarding the Company and its’ strategic decisions, as well as indicating it might seek further board representation. While the Sandell Group and its affiliates have not nominated director candidates for election at our 2016 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, the actions of the Sandell Group and its affiliates or another activist shareholder in the future could adversely affect our business because:
responding to public proposals and other actions by activist shareholders can disrupt our operations, be costly and time-consuming, and divert the attention of our management and employees;
perceived uncertainties as to our future direction may result in the loss of potential business opportunities, and may make it more difficult to attract and retain qualified personnel and business partners; and
pursuit of an activist shareholder’s agenda may adversely affect our ability to effectively implement our business strategy and create additional value for our shareholders.
D.    COMPLIANCE
We are subject to a number of risks relating to federal, state and local regulation of our business, including the areas of food processing, health care reform, employment including minimum wage, and environmental matters, and an insufficient or ineffective response to government regulation may increase our costs and decrease our profit margins.
The restaurant and food industries are subject to extensive federal, state and local laws and regulations, including but not limited to those relating to food processing and safety, minimum wage and other labor issues including unionization, health care, menu labeling and building and zoning requirements and those relating to the preparation and sale of food as well as certain retail products.
Our plant operations, and our food products which are manufactured in third-party facilities, are subject to extensive inspection and regulation by the United States Department of Agriculture (the “USDA”), the Food and Drug Administration (the “FDA”), and by other federal, state, and local authorities. These regulations relate to the processing, packaging, storage, transportation, distribution, and labeling of products that we manufacture, produce and process.
The Federal Trade Commission and other authorities regulate how we market and advertise our products. Changes in these laws or regulations or the introduction of new laws or regulations could increase the costs of doing business for us or our customers or suppliers or restrict our actions, causing our results of operations to be adversely affected. We also face risks from new and changing laws and regulations relating to gift cards, nutritional content, nutritional labeling, product safety and menu labeling.
The development and operation of our restaurants and plants depend to a significant extent on the selection and acquisition of suitable sites, which are subject to zoning, land use, environmental, traffic and other regulations and requirements.
We are also subject to licensing and regulation by state and local authorities relating to health, sanitation, safety and fire standards, federal and state laws governing our relationships with employees (including the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and applicable requirements concerning minimum wage, overtime, health care coverage, family leave, medical privacy, tip credits, working conditions, safety standards and immigration status). As well as federal and state laws which prohibit discrimination and other laws regulating the design and operation of facilities, such as the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990. In addition, we are

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subject to a variety of federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the use, storage, discharge, emission and disposal of hazardous materials. Compliance with these laws and regulations can be costly and can increase our exposure to litigation or governmental investigations or proceedings.
Increases in the federal minimum wage, including recent proposals to increase the federal minimum wage and index future increases to inflation, or other changes in these laws could increase our labor costs. Our ability to respond to minimum wage increases by increasing menu prices will depend on the responses of our competitors and customers. Our distributors and suppliers also may be affected by higher minimum wage and benefit standards and tracking costs, which could result in higher costs for goods and services supplied to us.
In March 2010, the PPACA was enacted and, in June 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law except for certain parts related to the expansion of Medicaid. Although we cannot predict with certainty the financial and operational impacts the law will have on us, such changes could affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. The law requires restaurant companies such as ours to disclose calorie information on their menus. We do not expect to incur any material costs from compliance with this provision of the law, but cannot anticipate the changes in guest behavior that could result from the implementation of this provision, which could have an adverse effect on our sales or results of operations.
The impact of current laws and regulations, the effect of future changes in laws or regulations that impose additional requirements and the consequences of litigation relating to current or future laws and regulations could increase our compliance and other costs of doing business and therefore have an adverse effect on our results of operations. Failure to comply with the laws and regulatory requirements of federal, state and local authorities could result in, among other things, revocation of required licenses, administrative enforcement actions, fines and civil and criminal liability. Compliance with these laws and regulations can be costly and can increase our exposure to litigation or governmental investigations or proceedings. Also, the failure to obtain and maintain required licenses, permits and approvals could adversely affect our operating results.
Our inability to respond appropriately to changes in consumer health and disclosure regulations could negatively impact our operations and competitive position, which could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
PPACA requires restaurant operators with twenty or more locations to make certain nutritional information available to customers. The nutritional disclosure requirements under PPACA are intended to preempt a patchwork of state and local laws regarding nutritional content disclosures that became prevalent over the past several years. Establishments covered by the nutritional disclosure requirements under PPACA have until December 1, 2016 to comply with the new rules. Until the new rules are implemented and enforced, uncertainty with respect to certain details of the new rules and how they will be enforced will continue. Additionally, until the new rules take effect in December 2016, many states, counties and cities are expected to continue to enforce their own nutritional content disclosure requirements. The continued uncertainty relating to nutritional content disclosure and ongoing need to comply with a patchwork of various state and local disclosure requirements continues to be a challenge for us, raising our compliance cost and exposing us to risk of non-compliance. Also, since our menus are printed on a periodic basis, the timing of implementation of new requirements can affect our ability to timely and accurately comply with such legislation, especially when it is subject to continuous changes in interpretation and delays in implementation.
Some states and local governments also have enacted legislation regulating or prohibiting the sales or disclosure of certain types and/or levels of ingredients in food served in restaurants, such as trans fats, sodium, GMOs and gluten, and are considering taxing and/or otherwise regulating high fat, high sugar and high sodium foods. The success of our restaurant and food operations depends, in part, upon our ability to respond effectively to changes in consumer health and disclosure regulations and to adapt our menu offerings and food product selections to changes in governmental requirements. If consumer health regulations change significantly, we may be required to modify or discontinue certain menu items. Our inability to respond with appropriate changes to our menu and food products offerings in response to regulations governing the sale or disclosure of certain ingredients could result in us being unable to sell certain products or menu items in certain jurisdictions. It could also lead to negative publicity about our products or menu items, which, in turn, could materially affect customer demand for our concepts and could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
A privacy breach could adversely affect our business.
The protection of customer, employee and company data is critical to us. We are subject to laws relating to information security, privacy, cashless payments, consumer credit, and fraud. Additionally, an increasing number of government and industry groups have established laws and standards for the protection of personal and health information. The regulatory environment surrounding information security and privacy is increasingly demanding, with the frequent imposition of new and constantly changing requirements. Our ability to accept credit cards as payment in our restaurants and for on-line gift card orders depends on us remaining compliant with standards set by the PCI Security Standards Council (“PCI”). These standards require certain levels of cyber environment security and procedures to protect our customers’ credit card and other personal

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information. We continue to evaluate additional security enhancements and have implemented point-to-point encryption for our credit card transactions in our restaurants and end-to-end encryption and tokenization for our on-line credit card transactions. We employ both internal resources and external consultants to conduct auditing and testing for weaknesses in our cyber environment to reduce the likelihood of any security incident. We have developed a multi-disciplined security incident response plan to help ensure that our executives are fully and accurately informed and managing, with the help of content experts, the discovery, investigation, auditing and recovery stages of any security incidents. However, we can provide no assurance that our security measures will be successful in the event of an attempted or actual security incident. Compliance with these requirements may result in cost increases due to necessary systems changes and the development of new administrative processes.
In addition, customers and employees have a high expectation that we will adequately protect their personal information. Third parties may have the technology or know-how to breach the security of this confidential information, and our security measures and those of our technology vendors may not effectively prohibit others from obtaining improper access to this information. If we fail to comply with the laws and regulations regarding privacy and security or experience a security breach, we could be exposed to risks of data loss, fines, a loss of the ability to process credit and debit card payments, litigation and serious disruption of our operations. Additionally, any resulting negative publicity could significantly harm our reputation.
Our business could be adversely impacted if we are the subject of increased litigation regarding personal injuries suffered on our premises, discrimination, harassment or other labor matters.
Employee and customer claims against us based on, among other things, personal injury, discrimination, harassment, wage and hour disputes or wrongful termination may divert our financial and management resources from operating our businesses. Restaurant companies have been the target of class actions and other lawsuits alleging, among other things, violation of federal and state law. Like many employers, we have been faced with allegations of purported class-wide labor violations, and we have taken charges related to the settlement of these cases. An unfavorable verdict or a significant settlement in a future class-action lawsuit could have a material adverse effect on our financial position, cash flows and results of operations.
Labor organizing could harm our operations and competitive position in the restaurant industry, which could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
Our staff members and others may attempt to unionize our workforce, establish boycotts or picket lines or interrupt our supply chains which could limit our ability to manage our workforce effectively and cause disruptions to our operations, which could materially adversely affect our financial performance. A loss of our ability to effectively manage our workforce and the compensation and benefits we offer to our employees could significantly increase our labor costs, which could materially adversely affect our financial performance.
ITEM 1B.    UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
ITEM 2.    PROPERTIES
The following provides a brief summary of the location and general character of our principal plants and other physical properties as of April 29, 2016.
Our corporate support center is located at 8111 Smith’s Mill Road, New Albany, Ohio. The support center consists of three buildings located on approximately 41-acres of land. We own the property.
We also own the Bob Evans Farm, a 937-acre farm located in Rio Grande, Ohio, and the Spring Creek Farm, a 30-acre farm located in Richardson, Texas. The Rio Grande, Ohio location supports our Bob Evans brand heritage and image through educational and tourist activities. The Richardson farm location is currently classified as held for sale, along with our Richardson, Texas, food production plant.
Bob Evans Restaurants Segment
At the end of fiscal 2016, we owned the real estate for 305 of our Bob Evans Restaurants and leased the real estate for the remaining 222 locations, which includes 143 properties that were sold and leased back in April, 2016. The table located in Item 1 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K shows the location of all of our Bob Evans Restaurants in operation as of the end of fiscal 2016. The initial terms for the majority of our Bob Evans Restaurants’ leases are 20 years and include options to extend the terms. Additionally, we own or lease properties for 43 closed restaurants and other properties.



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BEF Foods Segment
Our BEF Foods segment currently produces food products in our four manufacturing facilities. We produce fresh sausage products at our plants located in Hillsdale, Michigan, and Xenia, Ohio. Our Sulphur Springs, Texas, plant produces ready-to-eat products, such as sandwiches, soups and gravies, and our Lima, Ohio, plant produces refrigerated side dishes.
During fiscal 2011, we closed a food product manufacturing plant located in Galva, Illinois, which we sold in 2013, and closed the fresh sausage production portion of our Bidwell, Ohio, plant. In fiscal 2013, we sold the Bidwell and Springfield, Ohio, food production plants, but continued to lease and operate them through December and February of fiscal 2014, respectively.
In August 2012, we purchased Kettle Creations, which included a 100,000 square foot food production facility in Lima, Ohio. Kettle Creations previously was a co-packer for us. The Lima plant produces refrigerated mashed potatoes and other potato-based side dishes, macaroni and cheese and other pasta side dishes. During the second quarter of fiscal 2014, we completed the first phase of expansion at the Lima, Ohio, production facility, which included expanding the production facility by 57,000 square feet and constructing an additional production line, at a cost of approximately $24 million. We are currently in the process of constructing an additional production line at the Lima, Ohio, facility. We expect the additional production line to cost approximately $20 million and to be completed in the second quarter of fiscal 2017.
During fiscal 2014, we also invested approximately $36 million of capital to expand, modify and add production lines to our food production facility in Sulphur Springs, Texas, which increased production capacity for ready-to-eat food products, as well as added capacity for soups and gravies.
We own the Hillsdale, Michigan, and Xenia, Ohio, properties. Subsequent to the sale-leaseback transaction completed in the second quarter of fiscal 2016, we lease the Sulphur Springs, Texas and Lima, Ohio production facilities. We also lease various other locations throughout our BEF Foods marketing territory, which serve as regional and divisional sales offices.
We believe our facilities have adequate capacity with our recent capital additions, which will position the BEF Foods segment for growth.
ITEM 3.    LEGAL PROCEEDINGS.
We are from time-to-time involved in ordinary and routine litigation, typically involving claims from customers, employees and others related to operational issues common to the restaurant and food manufacturing industries, and incidental to our business. Management presently believes that the ultimate outcome of these proceedings, individually or in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, cash flows or results of operations.
The Division of Enforcement of the SEC is conducting a formal investigation relating to disclosures set forth in our filings on Form 8-K and Form 10-Q/A both filed on December 3, 2014. Those filings addressed the correction of our error in the classification of our borrowings under our credit agreement as a current liability rather than as a long-term liability, as reported in our Form 10-Q filed on August 27, 2014. We are cooperating fully with the SEC in this matter. The Company cannot predict the duration, scope or outcome of the SEC’s investigation.
ITEM 4.    MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES.
Not applicable.

27


SUPPLEMENTAL ITEM.    EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF BOB EVANS FARMS, INC.
The following table sets forth certain information for the “executive officers” of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. for the past five years as of June 23, 2016. The following “executive officers” are the Company's “Section 16 officers,” both as defined pursuant to the Securities Exchange of 1934, as of such date.
Name
 
Age
 
Years of
Service
as Officer
 
Background
T. Alan Ashworth
 
56

 
4

 
Senior Vice President, Corporate Development and Finance, and Treasurer of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. since July 2015; Vice President, Corporate Development and Finance, and Treasurer of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. from June 2014 to July 2015; Chief Financial Officer (Interim) of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. from May 2014 to June 2014; Vice President, Corporate Development and Finance of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. from August 2012 to June 2014; Senior Director, Finance of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. from December 2011 to August 2012; Vice President, Finance, Convergys Corporation from 2008 to 2011.


Douglas N. Benham
 
59

 
Less than one year

 
Executive Chair of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. since January 2016; Executive Chair (chief executive officer) of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. from August 2015 to December 2015; President and Chief Executive Officer of DNB Advisors, LLC, since 2006.

Colin M. Daly
 
44

 
4

 
Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. since December 2014; Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. from May 2012 to December 2014; General Counsel of O’Charley’s Inc. from February 2008 to May 2012; Secretary of O’Charley’s Inc. from March 2009 to May 2012.


Drew Domecq
 
42

 
Less than one year

 
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. since February 2016; Vice President, Enterprise Solutions for The Wendy’s Company, from December 2013 to February 2016; Chief Information Officer and Chief Technology Officer of Vox Mobile, from September 2012 to December 2013; Assistant Vice President, Operations Strategy and Implementation for Safelite Group, Inc. from April 2012 to September 2012; and Assistant Vice President, Information Technology for Safelite Group, Inc. from March 2002 to April 2012.

John J. Fisher

 
53

 
2

 
President, Bob Evans Farms, LLC (dba Bob Evans Restaurants) since March 2016; Executive Vice President and Chief Concept Officer of Bob Evans Farms, LLC from February 2015 to March 2016; Senior Vice President and Chief Concept Officer of Bob Evans Farms, LLC from November 2013 to February 2015; and Senior Vice President, Merchandising, Marketing, and Restaurant Operations of The Pantry, Inc. (dba Kangaroo Express) from March 2010 to March 2013.


Richard D. Hall
 
60

 
20

 
Executive Vice President, Supply Chain Management of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. since September 2008.

Mark E. Hood

 
63

 
2

 
Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of Bob Evans Farms, Inc., since September 2015; Member, Chief Executive Officer’s Office of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. from December 2014 to August 2015; Chief Financial Officer of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. since June 2014; Consultant from July 2012 to June 2014; Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Caleres Inc., (formerly Brown Shoe Company, Inc.) from 2006 to 2012.


Saed Mohseni
 
53

 
Less than one year

 
President and Chief Executive Officer, Bob Evans Farms, Inc. since January 2016; Chief Executive Officer of Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, Inc. August 2014 to December 2015; President and Chief Executive Officer of Bravo Brio Restaurant Group, Inc. from September 2009 to August 2014.

Beth A. Rauschenberger
 
51

 
Less than one year

 
Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. since March 2016; Vice President, Internal Audit for the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company from August 2011 to March 2016; and Associate Vice President, Enterprise Reporting, for the Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company from December 2007 to August 2011.




J. Michael Townsley
 
57

 
13

 
President, BEF Foods, Inc. since June 2008; Member, Chief Executive Officer’s Office of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. from December 2014 to August 2015.


28



PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER REPURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information, Holders of Common Equity and Dividends
The information required by Item 201(a) through (c) of Regulation S-K is incorporated herein by reference to Note 12 — Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited), to our consolidated financial statements which are included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Comparison of Five-Year Cumulative Total Return
The following line graph compares the yearly percentage change in our cumulative total stockholder return on our common stock over our preceding five fiscal years against the cumulative total return of the Standard & Poor’s 500 Stock Index (“S&P 500”) and our peer group.
Our peer group is comprised of restaurant companies listed on The NASDAQ Stock Market (weighted 70 percent) and a group of meat producers listed on either The NASDAQ Stock Market or the New York Stock Exchange (weighted 30 percent) whose attributes closely align with ours. We measure cumulative stockholder return by dividing (a) the sum of (i) the cumulative amount of dividends for the measurement period, assuming dividend reinvestment, and (ii) the difference between the price of our common stock at the end and the beginning of the measurement period by (b) the price of our common stock at the beginning of the measurement period.
The subsequent performance graph is being furnished as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K solely in accordance with the requirement under Rule 14a-3(b)(9) to furnish our stockholders with such information, and therefore, shall not be deemed to be filed or incorporated by reference into any filings by the Company under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.

29


CUMULATIVE VALUE OF $100 INVESTMENT
 
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Peer Group (1)
$
100.00

$
124.31

$
140.52

$
167.95

$
209.53

$
184.48

Standard & Poor’s 500
$
100.00

$
105.16

$
121.27

$
145.85

$
169.15

$
168.63

Bob Evans Farms, Inc.
$
100.00

$
127.03

$
143.62

$
161.93

$
160.86

$
166.54

(1) The peer group includes the following companies: B&G Foods Inc., Biglari Holdings Inc., BJ's Restaurants, Inc., Bloomin' Brands, Inc., Brinker International, Inc., Buffalo Wild Wings Inc., Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc., Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc., Denny's Corporation, DineEquity, Inc., Flowers Foods, Inc., Panera Bread Co., Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Inc. (formerly known as AFC Enterprises), Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc., Ruby Tuesday, Inc., Sanderson Farms, Inc., Seneca Foods Corp., Snyder's Lance, Inc., Texas Roadhouse, Inc., The Cheesecake Factory Inc., The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., The Wendy's Company and Treehouse Foods, Inc. Diamond Foods, Inc., which was previously part of the peer group was acquired by Snyder’s-Lance, Inc. in the past year.
Issuer Repurchases of Equity Securities
On February 25, 2014, the Board of Directors authorized a stock repurchase program for up to $100.0 million. The program authorized the Company to repurchase its outstanding common stock pursuant to plans approved by the Board under SEC Rules 10b-18 and 10b5-1, and in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions. The ability to repurchase stock and complete the repurchase program is dependent upon the Company having available funds and complying with the financial covenants and other restrictions contained within the Company’s Credit Agreement and the repurchase authorization.
On August 20, 2014, the Board of Directors increased the authorization for the current stock repurchase program to $150.0 million and extended the authorization period through fiscal 2016.
On November 19, 2015, the Board of Directors approved an additional $100.0 million share repurchase program. The program authorizes the Company to repurchase its outstanding common stock pursuant to plans approved by the Board under SEC Rules 10b-18 and 10b5-1, and in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions. The share repurchase authorization expires on December 31, 2016. We repurchased shares through this program after we completed the initial $150.0 million of authorized repurchases.
In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 we repurchased approximately 0.4 million shares for $14.9 million. In the full year fiscal 2016 we repurchased 3.9 million shares for $171.5 million. The following table provides information regarding the purchases of shares of Common Stock of Bob Evans made by the Company during each fiscal month of the three months ended April 29, 2016:
Period (Fiscal Month)
 
Total Number of Shares Purchased
 
Average Price Paid per Share
 
Total Shares Purchased as part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs

 
Maximum Value of Shares that May Yet be Purchased Under the Plans or Programs

January 23, 2016 - February 19, 2016
 
266,723

 
$
39.84

 
266,723

 
$
82,721,149

February 20, 2016 - March 18, 2016
 
101,348

 
$
41.76

 
101,348

 
$
78,488,857

March 19, 2016 - April 29, 2016
 

 

 

 
$
78,488,857

 
 
368,071

 
$
40.37

 
368,071

 
 

30


ITEM 6.    SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Consolidated Financial Review
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and Subsidiaries
(in thousands, except per share and shareholder amounts)
2016
 
2015
 
2014
 
2013
 
2012
Operating Results
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net Sales
$
1,338,827


$
1,349,190


$
1,328,552

 
$
1,330,226

 
$
1,287,210

Operating Income
$
36,221


$
17,686


$
33,125

 
$
87,954

 
$
106,475

Income From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes
$
25,421


$
9,037


$
31,111

 
$
76,469

 
$
98,591

Provision (Benefit) for income taxes
$
1,199


$
(7,516
)

$
143

 
$
(6,084
)
 
$
28,406

Income From Continuing Operations
$
24,222


$
16,553


$
30,968

 
$
82,553

 
$
70,185

Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Income Taxes
$


$


$
2,717

 
$
(83,374
)
 
$
2,757

Net Income
$
24,222


$
16,553


$
33,685

 
$
(821
)
 
$
72,942

Earnings Per Share - Income from Continuing Operations
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
$
1.14


$
0.70


$
1.17

 
$
2.94

 
$
2.38

Diluted
$
1.13


$
0.70


$
1.16

 
$
2.90

 
$
2.35

Earnings Per Share - Income from Discontinued Operations
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
$


$


$
0.10

 
$
(2.97
)
 
$
0.09

Diluted
$


$


$
0.10

 
$
(2.93
)
 
$
0.09

Earnings Per Share - Net Income
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
$
1.14


$
0.70


$
1.27

 
$
(0.03
)
 
$
2.48

Diluted
$
1.13


$
0.70


$
1.26

 
$
(0.03
)
 
$
2.44

Financial Position
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Working capital
$
(57,820
)
 
$
(45,014
)
 
$
(486,499
)
 
$
(190,426
)
 
$
(92,305
)
Property, plant and equipment — net
$
629,280

 
$
853,721

 
$
878,482

 
$
797,272

 
$
890,589

Debt:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Short-term
$
3,419

 
$
409

 
$
458,898

 
$
201,433

 
$
38,571

Long-term
$
335,638

 
$
450,676

 
$
835

 
$
816

 
$
97,145

Stockholders’ Equity
$
216,444

 
$
379,991

 
$
389,219

 
$
594,775

 
$
672,135

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Supplemental Information for the Year
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Capital expenditures from continuing operations
$
65,694

 
$
74,517

 
$
190,995

 
$
118,200

 
$
81,863

Depreciation and amortization from continuing operations
$
79,607

 
$
80,074

 
$
79,456

 
$
69,319

 
$
60,264

Weighted-average shares outstanding:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
21,336

 
23,489

 
26,450

 
28,066

 
29,464

Diluted
21,494

 
23,649

 
26,704

 
28,488

 
29,925

Cash dividends per share
$
1.300

 
$
1.240

 
$
1.205

 
$
1.075

 
$
0.950

Common stock market closing prices:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
High
$
51.88

 
$
59.64

 
$
58.86

 
$
45.36

 
$
39.71

Low
$
37.51

 
$
42.70

 
$
42.60

 
$
34.45

 
$
27.41

Supplemental Information at Year-End
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Employees
30,625

 
32,341

 
34,470

 
34,023

 
33,763

Registered stockholders
15,719

 
16,578

 
17,689

 
18,927

 
19,776

Market price per share at closing
$
45.54

 
$
45.29

 
$
46.80

 
$
42.52

 
$
38.67

Book value per share
$
10.96

 
$
16.23

 
$
16.69

 
$
21.68

 
$
23.49

In fiscal 2014 we adjusted our consolidated financial statements to reflect the Mimi's Café operations as a discontinued operation for that year and all prior periods presented. The selected financial data for fiscal 2014 and prior years reflect Mimi's Café as a discontinued operation.

31


ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
General Overview
In this Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”), we use the terms “Bob Evans,” “company,” “we,” “us” and “our” to collectively refer to Bob Evans Farms, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its subsidiaries. This MD&A may contain forward-looking statements that set forth our expectations and anticipated results based on management’s plans and assumptions. These statements are often indicated by words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “intends” and “plans.” Actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements because of various factors and possible events, including the assumptions, risks and uncertainties discussed herein.
We have two reporting segments, Bob Evans Restaurants and BEF Foods, which is reflected in management's discussion and analysis of financial condition and result of operations. As of April 29, 2016, we operated 527 full-service Bob Evans Restaurants in 18 states. Bob Evans Restaurants are primarily located in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States. In the BEF Foods segment we produce and distribute a variety of complementary home-style, refrigerated side dish convenience food items and pork sausage under the Bob Evans, Owens and Country Creek brand names. These food products are available throughout the United States. We also manufacture and sell similar products to foodservice accounts, including Bob Evans Restaurants and other restaurants and food sellers.
All direct costs related to our two reporting segments are included in segment results. Effective with the first quarter of fiscal year 2016, the results of operations of our reporting segments exclude expenses from certain corporate and other functions which we consider overall corporate costs, or costs not reflective of the reporting segment’s core operating business. Prior year amounts have been adjusted to reflect the change in presentation. Refer to Note 9 for additional reporting segment information.
References herein to 2016, 2015 and 2014 refer to fiscal years. Fiscal year 2016 is a 53 week period, while fiscal years 2015 and 2014 were 52 week periods.
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Consolidated Overview

Net sales were $1,338.8 million in fiscal 2016, a decrease of $10.4 million as compared to the corresponding period last year, primarily due to lower store count and negative restaurant same store sales and partially offset by higher BEF Foods sales volumes and the sales impact of our 53rd week. Operating income was $36.2 million in fiscal 2016, an increase of $18.5 million as compared to the corresponding period last year. The increase in operating income as compared to the prior year was primarily due to a $31.0 million increase in BEF Foods operating income, $8.9 million of lower corporate and other costs and a $3.7 million benefit driven by the 53rd week, partially offset by a decrease of $21.4 million in the operating income of Bob Evans Restaurants.
Bob Evans Restaurants' fiscal 2016 results were positively impacted by $9.0 million of cost savings as compared to last year, driven primarily by S,G&A savings from above-restaurant headcount reductions and other non-food supply chain savings. Bob Evans Restaurants’ fiscal 2016 results were adversely impacted by a 2.5% decline in same store sales, a $9.6 million loss on the sale-leaseback of 143 restaurant properties, $7.8 million of impairment and severance costs related to store closings and $7.2 million of costs to settle a litigation matter. Bob Evans Restaurants fiscal 2015 results include $3.4 million of charges related to store closings and $6.0 million of costs related to the same litigation matter referenced above. BEF Foods results were positively impacted by $3.3 million of cost savings as compared to last year, primarily related to headcount reductions and manufacturing efficiencies. Corporate and other costs were positively impacted by $7.8 million of cost savings as compared to last year, resulting primarily from headcount reductions.
Pretax income in the fiscal year 2016 was $25.4 million as compared to a $9.0 million in the corresponding period last year. The effective tax rate was 4.7% in fiscal 2016 as compared to a benefit of 83.2% in the corresponding period last year. Earnings per diluted share was $1.13 in fiscal 2016 as compared to $0.70 in the corresponding period last year. Excluding the impact of the 53rd week, earnings per diluted share was $1.00 in fiscal 2016. Refer to the sections below for analysis on our fiscal 2016 operating results as compared to fiscal 2015.

32


Fiscal Year Ended April 29, 2016 (“fiscal 2016” or "2016") as Compared to Fiscal Year Ended April 24, 2015 (“fiscal 2015” or "2015")
The following tables reflect data for fiscal 2016, compared to the prior year. The consolidated information is derived from the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Net Income. The table also includes data for our two reporting segments - Bob Evans Restaurants and BEF Foods and Corporate and Other costs. The ratios presented reflect the underlying dollar values expressed as a percentage of the applicable net sales amounts.
 
Consolidated Results
 
Bob Evans Restaurants
(in thousands)
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
Net Sales
$
1,338,827

 
 
 
$
1,349,190

 

 
$
951,212



 
$
969,877

 
 
Cost of sales
425,585

 
31.8
%
 
457,744

 
33.9
%
 
252,611


26.6
%
 
258,677

 
26.7
%
Operating wage and fringe benefit expenses
427,148

 
31.9
%
 
423,539

 
31.4
%
 
384,977


40.5
%
 
381,874

 
39.4
%
Other operating expenses
222,060

 
16.6
%
 
217,991

 
16.2
%
 
169,630


17.8
%
 
169,018

 
17.4
%
Selling, general and administrative expenses
139,822

 
10.5
%
 
143,295

 
10.6
%
 
46,984


4.8
%
 
40,733

 
4.2
%
Depreciation and amortization expense
79,607

 
5.9
%
 
80,074

 
5.9
%
 
53,833


5.7
%
 
57,236

 
5.9
%
Impairments
8,384

 
0.6
%
 
8,861

 
0.7
%
 
8,384


0.9
%
 
6,100

 
0.6
%
Operating Income
$
36,221

 
2.7
%
 
$
17,686

 
1.3
%
 
$
34,793


3.7
%
 
$
56,239

 
5.8
%
 
BEF Foods
 
Corporate and Other
(in thousands)
2016
 
2015
 
2016
2015
Net Sales
$
387,615



 
$
379,313

 
 
 
$

 
$

Cost of sales
172,974


44.6
%
 
199,067

 
52.5
%
 

 

Operating wage and fringe benefit expenses
42,171


10.9
%
 
41,665

 
11.0
%
 

 

Other operating expenses
52,430


13.5
%
 
48,974

 
12.9
%
 

 

Selling, general and administrative expenses
32,805


8.5
%
 
29,712

 
7.9
%
 
60,033

 
72,849

Depreciation and amortization expense
16,224


4.2
%
 
17,141

 
4.5
%
 
9,550

 
5,697

Impairments


%
 
2,761

 
0.7
%
 

 

Operating Income
$
71,011


18.3
%
 
$
39,993

 
10.5
%
 
$
(69,583
)
 
$
(78,546
)
Sales
Consolidated net sales decreased 0.8%, to $1,338.8 million, in fiscal 2016, compared to $1,349.2 million last year. The net sales decrease was comprised of a decrease of $18.7 million in Bob Evans Restaurants, partially offset by an increase of $8.3 million in BEF Foods.
Bob Evans Restaurants' net sales decreased $18.7 million, or 1.9%, in fiscal 2016, as compared to last year. Same-store sales declined 2.5%, primarily the result of lower traffic including a 3.4% decline in on-premise dining. Additionally, there was an $11.0 million reduction of net sales due to lower net store count, resulting from one new store opening in the third quarter offset by 41 store closings, including 21 in the fourth quarter. These reductions in sales were partially offset by the $16.7 million impact of sales in the 53rd week.
Same-store sales computations for a comparable calendar period are based on net sales of restaurants that are open for at least 18 months prior to the start of that period. Net sales of closed restaurants are excluded from the same-store sales computation in the period in which the restaurants are closed.

33


The following table summarizes the restaurant openings and closings during the last eight quarters for Bob Evans Restaurants:
 
Beginning
 
Opened
 
Closed
 
Ending
Fiscal 2016
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4th quarter
548

 

 
21

 
527

3rd quarter
547

 
1

 

 
548

2nd quarter
549

 

 
2

 
547

1st quarter
567

 

 
18

 
549

Fiscal 2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4th quarter
564

 
4

 
1

 
567

3rd quarter
562

 
2

 

 
564

2nd quarter
562

 

 

 
562

1st quarter
561

 
1

 

 
562

The BEF Foods segment net sales increased by $8.3 million, or 2.2%, in fiscal 2016, as compared to last year. Net sales increased by 7.8% due to higher volumes. Total pounds sold increased by 7.8%, including a 17.3% increase in refrigerated side dish products and an 11.8% increase in sausage products, partially offset by a 19.8% decrease in food service. The increase in pounds sold was partially offset by 5.6% as a result of lower net sausage pricing and the change in sales mix. Average sow costs were $44.31 in fiscal 2016 as compared to $69.41 in the prior year. This decline in sow costs drove a $22.8 million increase in trade spending offered to customers, reducing our net sales and allowing us to remain price competitive in a low sow cost environment. The following table summarizes pounds sold by category in fiscal 2016 and the corresponding period last year:
(in thousands)
2016
 
2015
Category
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Refrigerated Sides
119,328

 
54.5
%
 
101,746

 
50.0
%
     Sausage
54,864

 
25.0
%
 
49,072

 
24.1
%
     Food Service
27,940

 
12.7
%
 
34,856

 
17.1
%
     Frozen
9,318

 
4.2
%
 
9,946

 
4.9
%
     Other
7,997

 
3.6
%
 
7,955

 
3.9
%
Total
219,447

 
 
 
203,575

 


Cost of Sales
Consolidated cost of sales was $425.6 million, or 31.8% of net sales fiscal 2016, compared to $457.7 million, or 33.9% of net sales, last year. The change in cost of sales as a percentage of total sales was driven by a 10 bps weighted decrease in Bob Evans Restaurants and a 200 bps weighted decrease in BEF Foods.
Bob Evans Restaurants' cost of sales, predominately food costs, was $252.6 million, or 26.6% of net sales, fiscal 2016, compared to $258.7 million, or 26.7% of net sales, last year. The improvement in food costs as a percentage of sales as compared to last year was driven primarily by a $3.0 million impact of reduced discounting and a $2.3 million impact of price increases which were used to offset commodity cost increases. These improvements were partially offset by a $4.0 million negative impact from the change in sales mix, driven in part by lower beverage sales.
BEF Foods cost of sales was $173.0 million, or 44.6% of net sales, in fiscal 2016, compared to $199.1 million, or 52.5% of net sales, last year. The decrease in cost of sales as a percentage of sales was primarily due to the $21.1 million positive impact from an increase in sales of our higher margin refrigerated side dish products. Cost of sales as a percentage of sales was also impacted by a $24.1 million benefit of lower sow costs as compared to the prior year, however that benefit was largely offset by a $22.8 million increase in trade spending, primarily on sausage products. Sow costs averaged $44.31 per hundredweight in fiscal 2016, compared to $69.41 per hundredweight last year.

34


Operating Wage and Fringe Benefit Expenses
Consolidated operating wage and fringe benefit expenses ("operating wages") were $427.1 million, or 31.9% of net sales, in fiscal 2016, compared to $423.5 million, or 31.4% of net sales, last year. The 50 bps increase in the operating wages ratio was driven by a weighted increase from Bob Evans Restaurants.
Bob Evans Restaurants' operating wages were $385.0 million, or 40.5% of net sales, in fiscal 2016, compared to $381.9 million, or 39.4% of net sales, last year. The increase in total wage and fringe benefit expenses was the result of $6.9 million in additional costs related to our 53rd week. Adjusting for this impact, total operating wage and fringe benefit expenses declined $3.8 million. This decline was driven by a $6.0 million impact from the net store count reduction, and partially offset by higher wage rates and investments in labor hours to improve the guest experience.
BEF Foods' operating wages were $42.2 million, or 10.9% of net sales, in fiscal 2016, compared to $41.7 million, or 11.0% of net sales, last year. Wages increased $0.5 million due to the 53rd week. Excluding the impact of the 53rd week, wages were flat. Higher net benefit costs of $0.9 million, including incentive compensation, were incurred primarily due to the segment's increased profitability and were partially offset by lower contract labor costs.
Other Operating Expenses
Consolidated other operating expenses were $222.1 million, or 16.6% of net sales, in fiscal 2016, compared to $218.0 million, or 16.2% of net sales, last year. The 40 bps increase in the other operating expenses ratio was driven by a 20 bps weighted increase from both Bob Evans Restaurants and BEF Foods. The most significant components of other operating expenses are utilities, advertising costs, repairs and maintenance, restaurant supplies, BEF Foods' shipping and handling costs, credit and gift card processing fees and non-income based taxes.
Bob Evans Restaurants' other operating expenses were $169.6 million, or 17.8% of net sales, in fiscal 2016, compared to $169.0 million, or 17.4% of net sales, last year. The increase in other operating expenses as a percentage of sales resulted from the impact of lower sales driven by the 2.5% decline in same-store sales. Total other operating expenses increased $2.6 million as a result of the 53rd week. Excluding this impact, other operating expenses decreased by $2.0 million. This decline was driven by a $4.1 million decrease in utilities costs, a $2.1 million decrease in occupancy costs and a $2.5 million reduction in advertising and pre-opening expenses, partially offset by a $4.8 million increase in supplies and repairs and maintenance costs and a $1.9 million increase in other costs including insurance.
BEF Foods' other operating expenses were $52.4 million, or 13.5% of net sales, in fiscal 2016, compared to $49.0 million, or 12.9% of net sales, last year. The increase of $3.4 million was primarily the result of a $3.1 million increase in advertising costs and $2.2 million in rent expense attributable to the two production facilities that were sold and leased back in the second quarter of fiscal 2016. These costs were partially offset by a $2.2 million reduction in transportation costs, driven by lower fuel costs and other cost savings.
Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Consolidated S,G&A expenses were $139.8 million, or 10.5% of net sales, in fiscal 2016, compared to $143.3 million, or 10.6% of net sales, last year. The 10 bps decrease in the S,G&A ratio was driven by reductions in corporate and other S,G&A, partially offset by increases in S,G&A from Bob Evans Restaurants and BEF Foods.
S,G&A expenses for Bob Evans Restaurants include above-restaurant management and restaurant executive leadership. Bob Evans Restaurants' S,G&A was $47.0 million, or 4.8% of net sales, in fiscal 2016, compared to $40.7 million, or 4.2% of net sales, last year. The increase of $6.3 million is primarily due to the $9.6 million loss on certain restaurants included in the sale leaseback transaction completed in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016. The increase was partially offset by gains on sales of non-operating properties, primarily related to restaurants closed in the first quarter of fiscal 2016, and cost savings from headcount reductions in above-restaurant management and support functions.
S,G&A expenses for BEF Foods include costs of our BEF Foods sales organization, and BEF Foods executive leadership. BEF Foods' S,G&A was $32.8 million, or 8.5% of net sales, in fiscal 2016, compared to $29.7 million, or 7.9% of net sales, last year. The increase was primarily driven by the $3.6 million of expenses incurred related to the sale leaseback of two of our production facilities in the second quarter of fiscal 2016.
Corporate and other costs that are not allocated to our reporting segments include information technology, finance, legal, human resources, supply chain and other corporate functions, and includes costs such as ongoing IT infrastructure costs, third-party legal and professional fees and other costs. Corporate and other costs were $60.0 million in fiscal 2016, as compared to $72.8 million last year. The decrease in corporate and other S,G&A was primarily the result of a $10.6 million decrease in third-party legal and professional fees, a $3.2 million decrease from separation costs incurred in fiscal 2015, related to our

35


former CEO and a $1.8 million charge incurred in the prior year for the loss on sale of our interest in a jointly owned aircraft. These cost reductions as well as savings driven primarily by headcount reductions were partially offset by higher employee benefit costs, including incentive compensation costs driven by improved performance and costs related to our deferred compensation plans, as well as service costs related to our new ERP system.
Depreciation and Amortization
Consolidated depreciation and amortization expenses ("D&A") were $79.6 million, or 5.9% of net sales, in fiscal 2016, compared to $80.1 million, or 5.9% of net sales, last year.
Bob Evans Restaurants' D&A expenses were $53.8 million, or 5.7% of net sales, in fiscal 2016, compared to $57.2 million, or 5.9% of net sales, last year. The decrease was primarily driven by stores that were closed in fiscal 2016 and are classified as held for sale on our Consolidated Balance Sheet, and a decline related to assets on accelerated depreciation methods.
BEF Foods D&A expenses were $16.2 million, or 4.2% of net sales, in fiscal 2016, compared to $17.1 million, or 4.5% of net sales, last year. The decrease is a result of the sale leaseback of our Lima, Ohio, and Sulphur Springs, Texas, manufacturing facilities in the second quarter of fiscal 2016.
D&A expenses for unallocated corporate assets were $9.6 million in fiscal 2016, compared to $5.7 million last year. The increase is primarily driven by depreciation and amortization on the first phase of our ERP system, which was put in service on the first day of fiscal 2016.
Impairments
Impairments were $8.4 million in fiscal 2016, compared to $8.9 million last year. In the current year we recorded impairment charges on 26 restaurant properties, primarily the result of our fourth quarter decision to close 27 restaurants. In the corresponding period last year we recorded impairment charges on 22 restaurant properties for $6.1 million and a $2.8 million impairment related to a BEF Foods trade name that was no longer being used.
Interest
Net interest expense was $10.8 million in fiscal 2016, as compared to $8.6 million last year. The increase is primarily by higher average borrowings on our Credit Agreement during fiscal 2016 as compared to the corresponding period last year, as well as an increase in amortization of deferred financing costs incurred as part of our second and third amendments to the Credit Agreement and the Mortgage Loan.
Income Taxes
The provision for income taxes is based on our current estimate of the annual effective income tax rate adjusted to reflect the impact of discrete items. The Company’s effective income tax rate was a provision of 4.7%, in fiscal 2016, as compared to a benefit of 83.2%, for the corresponding period a year ago. The effective income tax rates in fiscal 2016 and 2015 were substantially different than the statutory rate due to the Company’s domestic production activities deduction and the utilization of tax credits. In fiscal 2015, the effective tax rate was also significantly impacted by the effect of permanent items on varying levels of pretax earnings.

36


Fiscal Year Ended April 24, 2015 (“fiscal 2015” or "2015") as Compared to Fiscal Year Ended April 25, 2014 (“fiscal 2014” or "2014")
Net sales were $1,349.2 million in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, an increase of $20.6 million compared to the prior year. Operating income was $17.7 million in fiscal 2015, a decrease of $15.4 million as compared to the corresponding period last year. The decrease in operating income was driven primarily by higher S,G&A and operating wage costs and partially offset by the impact of higher sales and lower impairment costs.
Pretax income in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, was $9.0 million as compared to a pretax income of $31.1 million in the corresponding period last year. We had an income tax benefit of $7.5 million in fiscal 2015 as compared to income tax expense from continuing operations of $0.1 million fiscal 2014. Earnings-per-diluted-share was $0.70 per share in fiscal 2015, as compared to $1.16 per share from continuing operations in fiscal 2014. Refer to the sections below for analysis on our year-to-date fiscal 2015 operating results as compared to the comparable prior year period.
 
Consolidated Results
 
Bob Evans Restaurants
(in thousands)
2015

2014
 
2015
 
2014
Net Sales
$
1,349,190

 

 
$
1,328,552

 
 
 
$
969,877

 
 
 
$
956,579

 
 
Cost of sales
457,744

 
33.9
%
 
451,777

 
34.0
%
 
258,677

 
26.7
%
 
244,871

 
25.6
%
Operating wage and fringe benefit expenses
423,539

 
31.4
%
 
406,307

 
30.6
%
 
381,874

 
39.4
%
 
365,698

 
38.2
%
Other operating expenses
217,991

 
16.2
%
 
218,904

 
16.5
%
 
169,018

 
17.4
%
 
164,901

 
17.2
%
Selling, general and administrative expenses
143,295

 
10.6
%
 
122,133

 
9.1
%
 
40,733

 
4.2
%
 
26,626

 
2.9
%
Depreciation and amortization expense
80,074

 
5.9
%
 
79,456

 
6.0
%
 
57,236

 
5.9
%
 
60,446

 
6.3
%
Impairments
8,861

 
0.7
%
 
16,850

 
1.3
%
 
6,100

 
0.6
%
 
13,850

 
1.4
%
Operating Income
$
17,686

 
1.3
%
 
$
33,125

 
2.5
%
 
$
56,239

 
5.8
%
 
$
80,187

 
8.4
%
 
BEF Foods
 
Corporate and Other
(in thousands)
2015

2014
 
2015
 
2014
Net Sales
$
379,313

 
 
 
$
371,973

 
 
 
$

 
$

Cost of sales
199,067

 
52.5
%
 
206,906

 
55.6
%
 

 

Operating wage and fringe benefit expenses
41,665

 
11.0
%
 
40,609

 
10.9
%
 

 

Other operating expenses
48,974

 
12.9
%
 
54,003

 
14.5
%
 

 

Selling, general and administrative expenses
29,712

 
7.9
%
 
30,506

 
8.3
%
 
72,849

 
65,001

Depreciation and amortization expense
17,141

 
4.5
%
 
14,514

 
3.9
%
 
5,697

 
4,496

Impairments
2,761

 
0.7
%
 
3,000

 
0.8
%
 

 

Operating Income
$
39,993

 
10.5
%
 
$
22,435

 
6.0
%
 
$
(78,546
)
 
$
(69,497
)
Sales
Consolidated net sales increased 1.6%, to $1,349.2 million, for the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, as compared to $1,328.6 million fiscal 2014. The net sales comprised of an increase of $13.3 million in Bob Evans Restaurants and an increase of $7.3 million in BEF Foods.
Bob Evans Restaurants' net sales increased $13.3 million, or 1.4%, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, as compared to fiscal 2014. The increase in net sales was the result of a 0.9% increase in same-store sales, primarily due to a 1.2% increase in average menu prices. We also opened seven new restaurants during the year, including four in the fourth quarter, which increased sales by approximately $4.8 million over the comparable period.
BEF Foods' net sales increased by $7.3 million, or 2.0%, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to fiscal 2014. The increase in net sales was primarily due to $11.3 million of net sausage pricing increases implemented to offset higher sow costs compared to the prior year. Side dish volumes increased by approximately 13%, but were offset by lower sausage and foodservice volumes. The decrease in sausage is related to a decline in category demand due to higher pork prices, which began last year and did not recover despite the decline in sow costs in the second half of fiscal 2015. The decline in foodservice volumes is primarily due to a shift of resources towards our growing side dish business. Refer to the table below for pounds sold by category in the year ended April 24, 2015, and corresponding period last year.

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(in thousands)
2015
 
2014
Category
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Refrigerated Sides
101,746

 
50.0
%
 
90,062

 
44.2
%
     Sausage
49,072

 
24.1
%
 
53,136

 
26.1
%
     Food Service
34,856

 
17.1
%
 
42,044

 
20.6
%
     Frozen
9,946

 
4.9
%
 
10,718

 
5.3
%
     Other
7,955

 
3.9
%
 
7,829

 
3.8
%
Total
203,575

 
 
 
203,789

 
 
Cost of Sales
Consolidated cost of sales was $457.7 million, or 33.9% of net sales, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $451.8 million, or 34.0% of net sales, in fiscal 2014. The 10 bps decrease in the cost of sales ratio was driven by an 80 bps weighted increase in Bob Evans Restaurants and a 90 bps weighted decrease in BEF Foods.
Bob Evans Restaurants' cost of sales, predominately food costs, were $258.7 million, or 26.7% of net sales, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $244.9 million, or 25.6% of net sales, in fiscal 2014. The increase in the cost of sales ratio was primarily the result of the $5.1 million margin impact of higher food costs and the $4.3 million impact of a shift in menu mix towards higher cost items, as well as the impact from increased discounting and increased carryout sales, partially offset by the $2.6 million impact of menu price increases.
BEF Foods' cost of sales was $199.1 million, or 52.5% of net sales, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $206.9 million, or 55.6% of net sales, in fiscal 2014. Our cost of sales favorability was primarily due to price increases implemented to offset higher sow costs in the first half of fiscal 2015, lower sow costs in the second half of fiscal 2015, improved production yields, and the effect of a higher sales mix of our refrigerated side dish products. Sow costs averaged $69.41 per hundredweight in fiscal 2015, as compared to $73.23 per hundredweight in fiscal 2014.
Operating Wage and Fringe Benefit Expenses
Consolidated operating wage and fringe benefit expenses ("operating wages") was $423.5 million, or 31.4% of net sales, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $406.3 million, or 30.6% of net sales, in fiscal 2014. The 80 bps increase in the operating wage and fringe benefit expenses ratio was driven by Bob Evans Restaurants.
Bob Evans Restaurants' operating wages were $381.9 million, or 39.4% of net sales, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $365.7 million, or 38.2% of net sales, in fiscal 2014. The increase is primarily the result of $13.4 million in higher restaurant wages, driven by higher wage rates and higher staffing levels resulting from increased carryout business, higher sales volumes and extended holiday hours. Net benefit expenses also increased $2.8 million compared to fiscal 2014.
BEF Foods' operating wages were $41.7 million, or 11.0% of net sales, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $40.6 million, or 10.9% of net sales, in fiscal 2014. The increase is primarily due to a $1.1 million increase in health insurance costs.
Other Operating Expenses
Consolidated other operating expenses were $218.0 million, or 16.2% of net sales, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $218.9 million, or 16.5% of net sales, in fiscal 2014. The 30 bps decrease in the operating wages ratio was driven by a 10 bps weighted increase in Bob Evans Restaurants and a 40 bps weighted decrease in BEF Foods.
Bob Evans Restaurants' other operating expenses were $169.0 million, or 17.4% of net sales, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $164.9 million, or 17.2% of net sales, in fiscal 2014. The increase in other operating expenses in fiscal 2015 was primarily a result of $4.6 million in additional advertising costs, as well as net $2.6 million of higher other costs including utilities, credit card fees driven by higher sales, rent and real estate taxes. These increases were partially offset by a $3.1 million reduction in preopening expenses, primarily related to costs associated with the Farm Fresh Refresh remodeling initiative that was completed in fiscal 2014.
BEF Foods' other operating expenses were $49.0 million, or 12.9% of net sales, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $54.0 million, or 14.5% of net sales, in fiscal 2014. The decrease in other operating expenses is due to $1.6 million of lower transportation costs in fiscal 2015, $1.1 million of lower production and repairs and maintenance costs and $2.3 million of lower other costs including advertising and insurance.

38


Selling, General and Administrative Expenses
Consolidated S,G&A expenses were $143.3 million, or 10.6% of net sales, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $122.1 million, or 9.1% of net sales, in fiscal 2014. The 150 bps increase in the S,G&A ratio was driven primarily by higher corporate and other costs, as well as higher Bob Evans Restaurant S,G&A costs.
S,G&A expenses incurred by Bob Evans Restaurants include above-restaurant management and restaurant executive leadership. Bob Evans Restaurants' S,G&A was $40.7 million, or 4.2% of net sales, for the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $26.6 million, or 2.9% of net sales, in fiscal 2014. The increase is primarily due to a $6.0 million charge related to a class-action lawsuit, $4.3 million of higher management wages and benefit costs, including health insurance and incentive compensation, $2.5 million of higher severance costs and $1.3 million of higher costs related to the development of our carryout program.
S,G&A expenses incurred by BEF Foods include costs of our BEF Foods sales organization, and BEF Foods executive leadership. BEF Foods' S,G&A was $29.7 million, or 7.9% of net sales, for the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $30.5 million, or 8.3%, of net sales in fiscal 2014. The decrease was due to lower selling wage and benefit costs, including lower severance costs as compared to the prior year.
Corporate and other costs that are not allocated to our reporting segments include information technology, finance, legal, human resources, supply chain and other corporate functions, and includes costs such as ongoing IT infrastructure costs, third-party legal and professional fees and other costs. Corporate and other costs were $72.8 million for the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, as compared to $65.0 million in fiscal 2014. The increase in corporate and other S,G&A was primarily the result of $3.8 million of costs related to the separation of our former CEO, a $1.8 million charge incurred in fiscal 2015 for the loss on sale of our interest in a jointly owned aircraft and $2.2 million of other higher costs including legal and professional fees.
Depreciation and Amortization
Consolidated depreciation and amortization expenses ("D&A") was $80.1 million, or 5.9% of net sales, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $79.5 million, or 6.0% of net sales, in fiscal 2014.
Bob Evans Restaurants' D&A expenses were $57.2 million, or 5.9% of net sales, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $60.4 million, or 6.3% of net sales, in fiscal 2014. The primary driver of the decrease in depreciation expenses was the $3.2 million impact of the fiscal 2015 change in useful lives of Farm Fresh Refresh assets.
BEF Foods' D&A expenses were $17.1 million, or 4.5% of net sales, in the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $14.5 million, or 3.9% of net sales, in fiscal 2014. The increase in D&A ratio is primarily the result of an increase in depreciable assets related to our Lima, Ohio, and Sulphur Springs, Texas, plant expansions, which were completed in the prior year.
D&A expenses for unallocated corporate assets were $5.7 million for the twelve months ended April 24, 2015, compared to $4.5 million in fiscal 2014. The increase is primarily driven by depreciation and amortization on our corporate support center.
Impairments
Impairments were $8.9 million in fiscal 2015 as compared to $16.9 million in fiscal 2014. In fiscal 2015 we recorded impairment charges on 22 restaurant properties for $6.1 million and also recorded a $2.8 million impairment on a BEF Foods trade name that was no longer being used. In fiscal 2014 we recorded $13.9 million of impairment charges on 36 restaurant properties, of which 28 were sold prior to the end of fiscal 2014. We also recorded a $3.0 million impairment charge to BEF Foods related to our Richardson, Texas, production facility that was closed in fiscal 2014.
Interest
Net interest expense was $8.6 million for the twelve months ended April 24, 2015 as compared to $2.0 million in fiscal 2014. The increase in net interest expense in fiscal 2015 was the result of higher average interest rates on our borrowings as compared to the prior year as well as higher average outstanding borrowings on our Credit Agreement as compared to last year.
Provision for Income Taxes
The effective tax rate for fiscal 2015 was an 83.2% benefit in fiscal 2015 as compared to a 0.5% expense for fiscal 2014. The effective income tax rate in fiscal 2015 was substantially different than the statutory rate due to the Company’s domestic

39


production activities deduction and the utilization of tax credits. The effective income tax rate in fiscal 2014 was substantially different than the statutory rate due to the utilization of tax credits, the Company’s domestic production activities deduction, and favorable state settlements. In fiscal 2015 and 2014 the effective tax rate was also significantly impacted by the effect of permanent items on varying levels of pretax earnings.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Our primary sources of liquidity are cash generated from operating activities, the borrowing capacity under our Credit Agreement and the proceeds received from sale leaseback transactions completed in fiscal 2016.
Historically, our working capital requirements have been minimal. Overall, our current liabilities have generally exceeded our current assets (excluding cash and equivalents). This favorable working capital position results from transacting substantially all of our Bob Evans Restaurants' sales for cash or third-party credit or debit cards; the relatively short trade credit terms with our BEF Foods' customers as well as most of our major suppliers and distributors; and the quick turnover of our inventories in both of our reporting segments.
Capital expenditures were $65.7 million and $74.5 million respectively, for the fiscal years ended April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015. In fiscal 2016, capital expenditures primarily related to the next phase of our ERP system, a new restaurant point-of-sale system, an additional refrigerated side dish production line at our Lima, Ohio, plant, other IT infrastructure projects and general restaurant improvements. In fiscal 2015, capital expenditures primarily related to new restaurant construction and our ERP system. In fiscal 2017, capital expenditures are expected to approximate $75 million to $80 million and include expenditures for the items discussed above.
During fiscal 2016, we paid an annual cash dividend of $1.30 per share, compared to $1.24 for fiscal 2015. While we expect to continue paying regular quarterly cash dividends, the declaration, amount and timing of future dividends are at the discretion of our Board of Directors.
On August 20, 2014, the Board of Directors increased the authorization of our stock repurchase program for up to $150.0 million through fiscal 2016. The program authorizes the Company to repurchase its outstanding common stock pursuant to plans approved by the Board under SEC Rules 10b-18 and 10b5-1, and in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions. The ability to repurchase stock and complete the repurchase program is dependent upon our having available funds and complying with the financial covenants and other restrictions contained in our Credit Agreement and the repurchase authorization.
On November 19, 2015, the Board of Directors approved an additional $100.0 million authorization under our share repurchase program, for a total authorization of $250.0 million. The program authorizes the Company to repurchase its outstanding common stock pursuant to plans approved by the Board under SEC Rules 10b-18 and 10b5-1, and in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions, while maintaining prudent leverage levels. The share repurchase authorization was extended to expire on December 31, 2016.
In fiscal 2016 we repurchased approximately 3.9 million shares for $171.5 million. The repurchases were funded primarily through additional borrowings on our Credit Agreement, cash from operations and the net proceeds from the sale leaseback transactions of 143 restaurant properties and two production facilities. As of April 29, 2016, we have $78.5 million remaining on our share repurchase authorization. Additional repurchases during fiscal 2017 will depend on valuation and maintaining a prudent leverage ratio.
On January 2, 2014, we entered into the Credit Agreement, which represents a syndicated secured revolving credit facility. We incurred financing costs of $2.1 million associated with this Credit Agreement, which are being amortized over the remaining term of the agreement. As a result of the Third Amendment to the Credit Agreement, effective October 21, 2015, and discussed further below, up to $650.0 million of borrowings are available, including a letter of credit sub-facility of $50.0 million, and an accordion provision that permits the Company to request an additional $300.0 million for certain transactions, which could increase the revolving credit commitment to $950.0 million. The Credit Agreement is secured by the stock pledges of certain of our material subsidiaries. Borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest, at our option, at a rate based on LIBOR or the Base Rate, plus a margin based on the Leverage Ratio, ranging from 1.00% to 2.75% per annum for LIBOR, and ranging from 0.00% to 1.75% per annum for Base Rate. The Base Rate means for any day, a fluctuating per annum rate of interest equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Open Rate, plus 0.50%, (b) the Prime Rate, or (c) the Daily LIBOR Rate, plus 1.00%. We are also required to pay a commitment fee of 0.15% per annum to 0.25% per annum of the average unused portion of the total lender commitments then in effect. As of April 29, 2016, we had $307.0 million of outstanding borrowings under the Credit Agreement and $14.6 million reserved for certain standby letters of credit.

40


In the first quarter of fiscal 2015, we entered into a First Amendment to the Credit Agreement dated July 23, 2014. The terms of the Credit Agreement that were amended related to: (a) an increase to the Maximum Leverage Ratio for the period starting July 25, 2014, through July 22, 2016, (b) add certain restricted payment requirements related to share repurchases, and (c) an update to the Pricing Grid, which determines variable pricing and fees, to reflect changes in the allowable Maximum Leverage Ratio. We incurred financing costs of $1.3 million associated with this amendment, which are being amortized using the straight line method, which approximates the effective interest method.
In the first quarter of fiscal 2016, we entered into a Second Amendment to the Credit Agreement dated May 11, 2015. The amendment has an effective date of April 24, 2015. The terms of the Credit Agreement were amended related to: (a) an increase of the Maximum Leverage Ratio for the period starting April 24, 2015, through the remaining term of the Credit Agreement, (b) a change in the restrictions related to payments for share repurchases, and (c) a change in the definition of the LIBOR and Daily LIBOR rates that are used to calculate interest on outstanding borrowings. We incurred and paid fees of $1.7 million associated with this amendment, which will be amortized over the remaining term of the Credit Agreement using the straight line method, which approximates the effective interest method.
We entered into an Agreement Regarding Financial Covenant Calculation ("Agreement") on August 10, 2015, with an effective as date of April 24, 2015, in which the terms of the Credit Agreement were clarified regarding the treatment of certain noncash charges in the calculation of our Maximum Leverage Ratio. The Agreement had no impact on our financial covenants.
In the second quarter of fiscal 2016, we entered into a Third Amendment to the Credit Agreement dated and effective as of October 21, 2015. The terms of the Credit Agreement were amended related to: (a) increase the level of permitted indebtedness in connection with sale leaseback transactions of assets from $100.0 million to $300.0 million, (b) removal of the $150.0 million share repurchase restriction during the 2016 fiscal year, (c) decrease the size of the facility from $750.0 million to $650.0 million, (d) modification of the definition of the leverage ratio to account for rent expense from leases so that the leverage ratio will be calculated as consolidated indebtedness plus 600% of annual rent expense versus consolidated EBITDAR, and (e) inclusion of an add back to the leverage ratio calculation for costs related to the settlement of a class action lawsuit. We incurred and paid fees of $0.8 million associated with this amendment, which will be amortized over the remaining term of the Credit Agreement using the straight line method, which approximates the effective interest method.
Our Credit Agreement contains financial and other various affirmative and negative covenants that are typical for financings of this type. It requires us to maintain a specified minimum coverage ratio and maximum leverage ratio at April 29, 2016, of (a) a minimum coverage ratio of not less than 3.00 to 1.00; and (b) a maximum leverage ratio that may not exceed 4.50 to 1.00. As of April 29, 2016, our leverage ratio was 2.44, and our coverage ratio was 11.64, as defined in our Credit Agreement. Our Credit Agreement also limits repurchases of our common stock and the amount of dividends that we pay to holders of our common stock in certain circumstances. The Credit Agreement also allows for a sale leaseback of our real estate of up to $300.0 million, of which approximately $51 million is still available as of April 29, 2016, and mortgage indebtedness on our corporate support center of up to $50.0 million. A breach of any of these covenants could result in a default under our Credit Agreement, in which all amounts under our Credit Agreement may become immediately due and payable, and all commitments under our Credit Agreement to extend further credit, terminated. We were in compliance with the financial covenant requirements of our Credit Agreement as of April 29, 2016.
The outstanding borrowings on our Credit Agreement were $307.0 million and $447.6 million as of April 29, 2016 and April 24, 2015, respectively. We used cash flow from operations and proceeds from our sale leaseback transactions and Mortgage Loan to pay down borrowings on our Credit Agreement.
Beginning in fiscal 2015, management has worked closely with the Board of Directors and its strategic advisers to assess various alternatives to increase shareholder value. In particular, the Company determined it would pursue several transactions with respect to its real estate assets. In the second quarter of fiscal 2016, we entered into an agreement pursuant to which we sold our manufacturing properties located in Lima, Ohio, and Sulphur Springs, Texas, for $51.6 million.  We received net proceeds of $50.0 million, after consideration of closing and other transaction costs. Concurrent with the sale, we entered into a lease agreement pursuant to which we leased both the Lima and Sulphur Springs manufacturing properties for an initial 20-year term at an annual, straight-line rent expense of $4.1 million, inclusive of the amortized deferred gain on the Lima, Ohio, location. The master lease agreement includes two ten-year renewal options.
On February 9, 2016, we entered into a $30.0 million loan and mortgage on our corporate support center in New Albany, Ohio. The loan has a ten-year term and is amortized over that period. The rate of interest is variable and is initially set at 5.1%. The Company and several wholly owned subsidiaries have provided guaranties for the loan. We used the net proceeds from this loan to pay down debt under the Company's Credit Agreement and for other corporate purposes.
On April 14, 2016, the Company entered into an agreement pursuant to which we sold 143 restaurant properties for a combined $197.2 million. We received net proceeds of $191.7 million, after consideration of closing and other transaction

41


costs. The closing of the sale leaseback transactions are expected to provide us with after tax proceeds of approximately $164 million. As part of the transactions, Bob Evans Restaurants entered into absolute net master leases for the portfolio properties, for an initial term of 20 years, with five renewal options of five years each, at an annual rent of 6.65% of the purchase price for the first year. Certain of the properties include a CPI-based rent escalator with a maximum 1.5% annual increase, while others include a 1.5% annual rent escalator. In addition, the Company and BEF Foods, Inc. entered into payment and performance guaranties. The net proceeds were used to pay down debt under the Company’s credit agreement and for other corporate purposes.
We believe that our cash flow from operations, as well as the available borrowings under our Credit Agreement, will be sufficient to fund anticipated capital expenditures, working capital requirements, dividend payments and share repurchases.
Operating activities
Net cash provided by operating activities was $123.6 million and $103.1 million for fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015, respectively. The increase in cash provided by operating activities as compared to a year ago is primarily due to an increase in net income from operations, an increase in tax refunds received and improved working capital management.
Investing activities
Cash provided by investing activities was $196.3 million in fiscal 2016 as compared to cash used in investing activities of $64.6 million in the corresponding period last year. The increase in cash provided by investing activities was primarily due to the $257.2 million of proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment, including $241.7 million of net proceeds received from our sale leaseback transactions and $14.9 million of net proceeds from the sale of nonoperating restaurant properties. In addition, capital expenditures decreased $8.8 million as compared to the prior year, primarily driven by the completion of the first phase of our ERP system in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015. We also liquidated $5.2 million of rabbi trust assets during the twelve months ended April 29, 2016.
Financing activities
Cash used in financing activities was $313.4 million for fiscal 2016, while cash used by financing activities was $40.0 million for fiscal 2015. The increase in cash used by financing activities was primarily due to the $171.5 million of repurchases of our common stock in fiscal 2016 as well as the $111.0 million of net pay downs of debt, funded by our sale-leaseback transactions.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We have no off-balance sheet arrangements through the date of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Contractual Obligations
Future payments of our contractual obligations and outstanding indebtedness as of April 29, 2016, are as follows (in thousands):
(in thousands)
 
2017
 
2018
 
2019
 
2020
 
2021
 
Thereafter
 
Total
Operating leases (1)
 
$
21,445

 
$
21,602

 
$
21,745

 
$
21,843

 
$
21,748

 
$
304,283

 
$
412,666

Short-term debt (2)
 
3,419

 

 

 

 

 

 
3,419

Long-term debt (3)
 

 
3,419

 
310,419

 
3,419

 
3,543

 
14,963

 
335,763

Purchase obligations (4)
 
58,886

 

 

 

 

 

 
58,886

Deferred compensation (5)
 
2,128

 
2,179

 
1,980

 
1,605

 
1,925

 
10,072

 
19,889

Capital project obligations (6)
 
16,322

 
2,892

 
2,892

 
2,892

 
2,892

 
837

 
28,727

Other (7)
 
573

 

 

 

 

 

 
573

Totals
 
$
102,773

 
$
30,092

 
$
337,036

 
$
29,759

 
$
30,108

 
$
330,155

 
$
859,923

(1)
Obligations for operating leases include payments through the end of current lease terms and do not include the impact of any available renewal periods.
(2)
The balance represents the current portion of our Mortgage Loan and Research and Development Investment Loan.
(3)
The balances represent principle payments on our Mortgage and Research and Development Investment Loans, the outstanding borrowings on our Credit Agreement, which matures in Fiscal 2019 and an interest free loan which matures in 2022. The amounts exclude expected interest payments on our Credit Agreement, which can fluctuate based on the amount outstanding borrowings in any given period.

42


(4)
Purchase obligations are comprised of $11.3 million of food purchase commitments for Bob Evans Restaurants and $47.6 million of raw material purchase commitments for BEF Foods, all of which are expected to be satisfied in the next 12 months. Many of these agreements do not obligate us to purchase any specific volumes and include provisions that would allow us to cancel such agreements with appropriate notice. For such agreements, amounts included in the table above represent our estimate of expected purchases prior to any cancellation of these contracts with appropriate notice.
(5)
Deferred compensation obligations in future years may change due to additional participant deferral, returns on participant investments and changes in distribution elections by our plan participants. The obligations above exclude share based obligations, see Note 7 for more details.
(6)
Capital project obligations in fiscal 2017 include $9.6 million of obligated expenditures related to our new restaurant POS system and $6.7 million of commitments related to the production line expansion at our Lima, Ohio, plant. The commitments in fiscal 2018 and thereafter are primarily service contract commitments related to our new restaurant POS system.
(7)
The balance relates to unrecognized tax benefits related to state exposures that may be necessary in the coming year due to settlements with taxing authorities or lapses of statutes of limitations.
Business Outlook
Our outlook for fiscal 2017 relies on a number of assumptions, as well as the risk factors included in our SEC filings.
We anticipate consolidated net sales to approximate $1.28 billion to $1.33 billion.
We project net interest expense of approximately $12 million to $14 million.
We anticipate a tax rate of approximately 24% to 25%.
We project weighted-average diluted shares outstanding to be approximately 20 million shares and expect diluted EPS to be $1.95 to $2.12. This guidance range does not include the impact of potential share repurchase activity during fiscal year 2017.
We expect capital expenditures to approximate $75 million to $80 million, while depreciation and amortization expense should approximate $71 million to $75 million.
We expect Bob Evans Restaurants full-year same-store sales will be negative low single digits to flat.
We expect BEF Foods net sales of $400 million to $420 million.
We anticipate that sow costs will be between $52 and $55 per hundredweight.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
We prepare our consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("US GAAP"). The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. We base our estimates on historical experience, current trends and conditions and various other facts and conditions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances.
Our significant accounting policies are described in Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements. Certain significant accounting policies require complex and subjective judgment as a result of estimates surrounding uncertain outcomes. While we believe that our historical experience and other factors considered provide a meaningful basis for the accounting policies applied in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements, the judgments surrounding these critical accounting policies may result in materially different amounts under different financial conditions or by using different assumptions. We consider the following policies to be the most critical in understanding the judgments that are involved in preparing our consolidated financial statements.

43


Gift Card Revenue
Revenue is recognized for Bob Evans Restaurants at the point of sale, other than revenue from the sale of gift cards, which is deferred and recognized upon redemption. We issue gift cards, which do not have expiration dates or inactivity fees. We recognize revenue from gift cards when they are redeemed by the customer. In addition, we recognize income on unredeemed gift cards (“gift card breakage”) based on historical sales and redemption patterns, referred to as the redemption recognition method. Gift card breakage is recognized proportionately over the period of redemption in net sales of our Bob Evans Restaurants segment in the Consolidated Statements of Net Income. The liability for unredeemed gift cards is included in deferred revenue on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
We review our gift card breakage rates and rate of redemption periodically to ensure our estimates are reasonable. If actual redemption patterns differ from our estimates, actual gift card breakage amounts may vary from the amounts recorded. A reasonable change in our gift card breakage estimates would not result in a material change to net sales.
BEF Foods Sales Promotions (Trade Spend)
We engage in promotional (sales incentive) programs in the form of “off-invoice” deductions, billbacks, cooperative advertising and coupons, collectively referred to as trade spend programs, with our customers. Costs associated with these programs are classified as a reduction of net sales in the period in which the sale occurs. Our trade programs may fluctuate based on sow costs trends and during peak holiday periods. As a result, we enter into promotion agreements with our customers during distinct time periods where we expect to maximize the impact of promotions on net sales and profitability. A change in actual sales volume and sow costs from our estimates will impact sales, and ultimately, profitability of the BEF Foods segment.
Long-Lived Asset Impairment
We evaluate the carrying amount of long-lived assets held and used in the business semi-annually and when events and circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. Recoverability of long-lived assets is measured by comparing the carrying value of the asset, or asset group, to the undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. A long-lived asset or asset group is considered impaired when the carrying value of the asset or asset group exceeds its fair value. The impairment loss recognized is the excess of carrying value of the asset or asset group above its fair value. To estimate fair value for restaurant locations where we own the land and building, we obtain appraisals from third party real estate valuation firms. The appraised values are based on recent sales of similar assets in the areas where the restaurant is located. To estimate fair value for leased locations we estimate discounted future cash flows. The assumptions used to estimate the recoverability and fair value of long-lived assets require a high degree of judgment and may be affected by many factors, including changes in economic conditions and changes in operating performance. If these assumptions change in the future we may be required to record additional impairment charges on these assets.
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
Goodwill is not amortized and is tested for impairment during the fourth quarter each year or on a more frequent basis when indicators of impairment exist. Our goodwill is primarily the result of our acquisition of Kettle Creations in fiscal 2013.
Other intangible assets, also recorded in our BEF Foods segment, represent a non-compete agreement related to the Kettle Creations acquisition. The non-compete agreement is a definite lived intangible asset and is amortized over the term of the agreement.
Goodwill impairment testing involves a comparison of the estimated fair value of reporting units to the respective carrying amount. If the estimated fair value exceeds the carrying amount, then no impairment exists. If the carrying amount exceeds the estimated fair value, then a second step is performed to determine the amount of impairment, if any. We perform our impairment test using a combination of income based and market based approaches. The income based approach indicates the fair value of an asset or business based on the estimated future discounted cash flows expected to be generated by the BEF Food segment. Significant assumptions used to determine the fair value of our BEF Foods segment includes forecasted trends in sales, operating and allocated expenses, capital expenditures and an appropriate discount rate. Under the market-based approach, fair value is determined by using earnings multiples to compare the value of the BEF Foods segment to similar businesses or guideline companies whose securities are actively traded in public markets. If the BEF Foods segment's future operating performance is materially different from the forecast we may be required to record impairment related to goodwill, however in fiscal 2016 there was significant headroom between the fair value and carrying value of the BEF Foods segment.

44


Self-insurance Reserves
We record estimates for health, workers’ compensation and general liability insurance costs that are self-insured programs. Self-insurance reserves include actuarial estimates of both claims filed, carried at their expected ultimate settlement value, and claims incurred but not yet reported. Our liability represents an estimate of the ultimate cost of claims incurred as of the balance sheet date. We utilize stop loss insurance to limit our exposure on a per person basis for health insurance and on a per claim basis for workers’ compensation and general liability insurance. Estimates for health, workers’ compensation and general liability are calculated utilizing claims development estimates based on historical experience and other factors. Future changes from the actuarial estimates regarding the frequency and severity of claims or settlement practices may result in insurance reserves that are materially different than what is recorded today.
Taxes
We account for income taxes under the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined on the basis of differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.
We recognize deferred tax assets to the extent that we believe these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, we consider all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations. If we determine that we would be able to realize our deferred tax assets in the future in excess of their net recorded amount, we would make an adjustment to the deferred tax asset valuation allowance, which would reduce the provision for income taxes.
We record uncertain tax positions in accordance with ASC 740 on the basis of a two-step process whereby (1) we determine whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on the basis of the technical merits of the position and (2) for those tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, we recognize the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50 percent likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the related tax authority. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within the income tax expense line in the accompanying Consolidated Statement of Net Income. Accrued interest and penalties are included within the related tax liability line in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
We generally file our income tax returns several months after our fiscal year end. The major jurisdiction in which the Company files income tax returns includes the U.S. federal jurisdiction, and approximately 30 states in the U.S.
ITEM 7A.    QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
We do not currently use derivative financial instruments for speculative or hedging purposes. We maintain our cash and cash equivalents in financial instruments with maturities of three months or less when purchased.
Interest Rate Risk
At April 29, 2016, our outstanding debt included $307.0 million outstanding on the Credit Agreement, and $32.1 million of other outstanding notes. A change in market interest rates will impact our Credit Agreement when there is an outstanding balance. For example, a one percent increase in the benchmark rate used for our Credit Agreement would increase our annual interest expense by approximately $3.1 million, assuming the $307.0 million outstanding at the end of fiscal 2016 was outstanding for the entire year.
Commodities Prices
We purchase certain commodities such as beef, pork, poultry, seafood, produce and dairy products. These commodities are generally purchased based upon market prices established with suppliers. These purchase arrangements may contain contractual features that fix the price paid for certain commodities. We do not use financial instruments to hedge commodity prices because these purchase arrangements help control the ultimate cost paid and most commodity price aberrations are generally short-term in nature. Long term fluctuations in commodity prices could significantly impact the profitability of both our Bob Evans Restaurants and BEF Foods segments.

45


ITEM 8.    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTAL DATA
BOB EVANS FARMS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands, except par value amounts)
 
April 29, 2016
 
April 24, 2015
Assets
Current Assets





Cash and equivalents
$
12,896


$
6,358

Accounts receivable, net
28,893


26,100

Inventories
24,997


24,620

Federal and state income taxes receivable


23,722

Prepaid expenses and other current assets
9,307


5,035

Current assets held for sale
31,644


22,243

Total Current Assets
107,737

 
108,078

Land
145,453

 
214,692

Buildings and improvements
585,218

 
839,148

Machinery and equipment
500,469

 
445,718

Construction in process
32,273

 
38,354

Total Property, Plant and Equipment
1,263,413


1,537,912

Less accumulated depreciation
665,777


732,697

Net Property, Plant and Equipment
597,636

 
805,215

Other Assets





Deposits and other
4,622


3,756

Notes receivable
20,886


18,544

Rabbi trust assets
20,662


32,302

Goodwill and other intangible assets
19,829


19,986

Deferred income tax assets
29,002


4,836

Long-term assets held for sale


26,263

Total Other Assets
95,001

 
105,687

Total Assets
$
800,374

 
$
1,018,980

Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
Current Liabilities





Current portion of long-term debt
$
3,419


$
409

Accounts payable
37,518


30,019

Accrued property, plant and equipment purchases
5,308


4,820

Accrued non-income taxes
15,696


14,951

Accrued wages and related liabilities
26,358


34,529

Self-insurance reserves
20,169


18,900

Deferred gift card revenue
14,147


13,714

Current taxes payable
9,473

 

Current reserve for uncertain tax provision
1,481


1,594

Other accrued expenses
31,988


34,156

Total Current Liabilities
165,557

 
153,092

Long-Term Liabilities





Deferred compensation
17,761


22,481

Reserve for uncertain tax positions
2,752


2,767

Deferred income tax liabilities


4,218

Deferred rent and other
5,851


5,755

Deferred gain on sale leaseback transactions
56,371

 

Credit facility borrowings and other long-term debt
335,638


450,676

Total Long-Term Liabilities
418,373

 
485,897

Stockholders’ Equity





Common stock, $.01 par value; authorized 100,000 shares; issued 42,638 shares at April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015
426


426

Capital in excess of par value
244,304


235,958

Retained earnings
832,323


836,362

Treasury stock, 22,881 shares at April 29, 2016, and 19,231 shares at April 24, 2015, at cost
(860,609
)

(692,755
)
Total Stockholders’ Equity
216,444

 
379,991

Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
$
800,374

 
$
1,018,980


The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
46



BOB EVANS FARMS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF NET INCOME
(in thousands, except per share amounts)

2016

2015

2014
Net Sales
$
1,338,827


$
1,349,190


$
1,328,552

Cost of sales
425,585


457,744


451,777

Operating wage and fringe benefit expenses
427,148


423,539


406,307

Other operating expenses
222,060


217,991


218,904

Selling, general and administrative expenses
139,822


143,295


122,133

Depreciation and amortization expense
79,607


80,074


79,456

Impairments
8,384


8,861


16,850

Operating Income
36,221

 
17,686

 
33,125

Net interest expense
10,800


8,649


2,014

Income From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes
25,421

 
9,037

 
31,111

Provision (Benefit) for income taxes
1,199


(7,516
)

143

Income From Continuing Operations
24,222

 
16,553

 
30,968

Income from Discontinued Operations, Net of Income Taxes




2,717

Net Income
$
24,222

 
$
16,553

 
$
33,685










Earnings Per Share - Income from Continuing Operations
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
$
1.14


$
0.70

 
$
1.17

Diluted
$
1.13


$
0.70

 
$
1.16


 

 
 
 
Earnings Per Share - Income from Discontinued Operations
 

 
 
 
Basic
$


$

 
$
0.10

Diluted
$


$

 
$
0.10


 

 
 
 
Earnings Per Share - Net Income
 

 
 
 
Basic
$
1.14

 
$
0.70

 
$
1.27

Diluted
$
1.13

 
$
0.70

 
$
1.26


 
 
 
 
 
Cash Dividends Paid Per Share
$
1.300


$
1.240


$
1.205

 
 
 
 
 
 
Weighted Average Shares Outstanding
 
 
 
 
 
Basic
21,336


23,489


26,450

Dilutive Shares
158


160


254

Diluted
21,494


23,649


26,704




The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
47



BOB EVANS FARMS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
(in thousands)
 
Common
Stock
Shares
 
Common
Stock
Amount
 
Capital in
Excess of
Par Value
 
Retained
Earnings
 
Treasury
Stock
 
Total
Stockholders' Equity at April 26, 2013
27,418

 
$
426

 
$
215,141

 
$
847,819

 
$
(468,611
)
 
$
594,775

Net income

 

 

 
33,685

 

 
33,685

Dividends ($1.205 per share)

 

 

 
(32,269
)
 

 
(32,269
)
Treasury stock repurchased
(4,393
)
 

 

 

 
(224,994
)
 
(224,994
)
Treasury stock reissued under compensation plans
294

 

 
7,931

 

 
1,230

 
9,161

Share-based compensation expense

 

 
7,105

 

 

 
7,105

Tax benefit — stock plans

 

 
1,756

 

 

 
1,756

Stockholders' Equity at April 25, 2014
23,319

 
$
426

 
$
231,933

 
$
849,235

 
$
(692,375
)
 
$
389,219

Net income

 

 

 
16,553

 

 
16,553

Dividends ($1.24 per share)

 

 

 
(29,426
)
 

 
(29,426
)
Treasury stock repurchased

 

 

 

 

 

Treasury stock reissued under compensation plans
88

 

 
830

 

 
(380
)
 
450

Share-based compensation expense

 

 
2,967

 

 

 
2,967

Tax benefit — stock plans

 

 
228

 

 

 
228

Stockholders' Equity at April 24, 2015
23,407

 
$
426

 
$
235,958

(2)
$
836,362

 
$
(692,755
)
(1)
$
379,991

Net income

 

 


 
24,222

 

 
24,222

Dividends ($1.30 per share)


 


 


 
(28,261
)
 


 
(28,261
)
Treasury stock repurchased
(3,912
)
 

 

 


 
(171,513
)
 
(171,513
)
Treasury stock reissued under compensation plans
262

 

 
558

 


 
3,659

 
4,217

Share-based compensation expense

 

 
6,127

 


 

 
6,127

Tax benefit — stock plans


 

 
1,661

 

 


 
1,661

Stockholders' Equity at April 29, 2016
19,757

 
$
426

 
$
244,304

(2)
$
832,323

 
$
(860,609
)
 
$
216,444


(1)
Treasury stock includes 237 shares held by Rabbi Trust as of April 24, 2015, that will be used to satisfy share-based deferred compensation obligations. Refer to Note 7 for additional information.
(2)
Capital in Excess of Par Value includes $9,502 and $10,141 of share based obligations owed to participants in our deferred compensation plans as of April 29, 2016 and April 24, 2015, respectively. Refer to Note 7 for more information.






The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
48




BOB EVANS FARMS, INC.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in thousands)

2016
 
2015
 
2014
Operating activities:


 


 


Net income
$
24,222

 
$
16,553

 
$
33,685

Income from discontinued operations

 

 
2,717

Income from continuing operations
24,222

 
16,553

 
30,968

 
 
 
 
 
 
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:

 

 

Depreciation and amortization
79,607

 
80,074

 
79,456

Impairments
8,384

 
8,861

 
16,850

Loss on disposal of fixed assets
4,532

 
2,204

 
372

Loss (Gain) on rabbi trust assets
1,640

 
(742
)
 
(2,249
)
(Gain) Loss on deferred compensation
(765
)
 
2,013

 
2,920

Share-based compensation
6,127

 
2,967

 
7,105

Accretion of non-current note receivable
(2,082
)
 
(1,859
)
 
(1,918
)
Deferred income taxes
(28,384
)
 
(14,791
)
 
(6,355
)
Amortization of deferred financing costs
2,188

 
1,099

 
364

Cash provided by (used for) assets and liabilities:
 
 

 

Accounts receivable
(2,793
)
 
4,588

 
515

Inventories
(377
)
 
623

 
(2,752
)
Prepaid expenses and other current assets
483

 
(563
)
 
951

Accounts payable
7,499

 
955

 
6,005

Federal and state income taxes
33,067

 
1,504

 
33,701

Accrued wages and related liabilities
(3,101
)
 
11,005

 
(8,645
)
Self-insurance
1,269

 
(974
)
 
(1,198
)
Accrued non-income taxes
745

 
(2,892
)
 
1,497

Deferred revenue
433

 
747

 
52

Other assets and liabilities
(9,058
)
 
(8,267
)
 
7,702

Net cash provided by continuing operating activities
123,636

 
103,105

 
165,341

Investing activities:

 

 

Purchase of property, plant and equipment
(65,694
)
 
(74,517
)
 
(190,995
)
Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment
257,246

 
10,036

 
8,026

Proceeds from liquidation of rabbi trust assets
5,245

 

 

Deposits and other
(537
)
 
(135
)
 
4,902

Net cash provided by (used in) continuing investing activities
196,260

 
(64,616
)
 
(178,067
)
Financing activities:

 

 

Cash dividends paid
(27,861
)
 
(29,056
)
 
(31,694
)
Gross proceeds from credit facility borrowings and other long-term debt
672,349

 
579,895

 
1,042,595

Gross repayments of credit facility borrowings and other long-term debt
(783,339
)
 
(588,541
)
 
(785,130
)
Payments of debt issuance costs
(3,555
)
 
(1,279
)
 
(2,064
)
Purchase of treasury stock
(171,513
)
 

 
(224,994
)
Proceeds from share-based compensation
214

 
534

 
13,432

Cash paid for taxes on share-based compensation
(1,314
)
 
(1,738
)
 
(4,858
)
Excess tax benefits from share-based compensation
1,661

 
228

 
1,756

Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities
(313,358
)
 
(39,957
)
 
9,043

Net cash provided by (used in) operations
6,538

 
(1,468
)
 
(3,683
)
Net cash provided by operating activities of discontinued operations

 

 
2,499

Net cash provided by discontinued operations

 

 
2,499

Cash and equivalents at the beginning of the period
6,358

 
7,826

 
9,010

Cash and equivalents at the end of the period
$
12,896

 
$
6,358

 
$
7,826


The accompanying Notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
49




 
Note 1 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Description of Business:    As of April 29, 2016, Bob Evans Farms, Inc. (“Bob Evans”) and its subsidiaries (collectively, Bob Evans and its subsidiaries are referred to as the “company,” “we,” “us” and “our”) owned and operated 527 full-service Bob Evans Restaurants in 18 states. Bob Evans Restaurants are primarily located in the Midwest, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions of the United States. In the BEF Foods segment, we produce and distribute a variety of complementary home-style, refrigerated side dish convenience food items and pork sausage under the Bob Evans ®, Owens ® and Country Creek ® brand names. These food products are available throughout the United States. We also manufacture and sell similar products to food-service customers, including Bob Evans Restaurants and other restaurants and food sellers.
Effective February 15, 2013, we sold our Mimi’s Café restaurant chain to Le Duff America, Inc. (“Le Duff”). Le Duff is a U.S.-based subsidiary of Groupe Le Duff, a global bakery and restaurant company headquartered in France. Activity related to Mimi’s Café is classified as discontinued operations in the Fiscal 2014 Statements of Net Income.
Principles of Consolidation:    The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Bob Evans and its subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Dollars are in thousands, except share and per share amounts.
Use of Estimates:    The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from the estimates and assumptions used.
Segment Information:   We have two reporting segments: Bob Evans Restaurants and BEF Foods. The revenues from these two segments include both net sales to unaffiliated customers and intersegment net sales, which are accounted for on a basis consistent with net sales to unaffiliated customers. Intersegment net sales and other intersegment transactions have been eliminated in the consolidated financial statements. Operating income represents earnings before interest and income taxes. All direct costs related to our two reporting segments are included in segment results, while certain costs related to corporate and other functions are not allocated to our reporting segments. Prior to the first quarter of fiscal 2016, we allocated these corporate and other costs to our reporting segments. This change in reporting was made to present our results in line with the changes made during the first quarter in how our chief operating decision maker measures results of operations and allocates resources. We have adjusted the prior year amounts to reflect this change in presentation. See Note 11 for detailed segment information.
Fiscal Year:    Our fiscal year ends on the last Friday in April. References herein to fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014 refer to fiscal years ended April 29, 2016April 24, 2015, and April 25, 2014, respectively. Fiscal year 2016 is a 53 week period, whereas fiscal years 2015 and 2014 were comprised of 52 weeks.
Revenue Recognition: Revenue in the Bob Evans Restaurants segment is recognized at the point of sale, other than revenue from the sale of gift cards, which is deferred and recognized upon redemption. Our gift cards do not have expiration dates or inactivity fees. All revenue is presented net of sales tax collections. We recognize revenue from gift cards when they are redeemed by the customer. In addition, we recognize income on unredeemed gift cards (“gift card breakage”) based on historical redemption patterns, referred to as the redemption recognition method. Gift card breakage is recognized proportionately over the period of redemption in net sales in the Consolidated Statements of Net Income. The liability for unredeemed gift cards is included in deferred gift card revenue on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, and was $14,147 and $13,714 at April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015, respectively.
Revenue in the BEF Foods segment is generally recognized when products are received by our customers. We engage in promotional (sales incentive / trade spend) programs in the form of “off-invoice” deductions, billbacks, cooperative advertising and coupons with our customers. Costs associated with these programs are classified as a reduction of gross sales in the period in which the sale occurs.
Promotional (Trade) Spending:    We engage in promotional (sales incentive) programs in the form of promotional discounts and coupons at Bob Evans Restaurants, and “off-invoice” deductions, billbacks, and cooperative advertising at BEF Foods. Costs associated with these programs are classified as a reduction of gross sales in the period in which the sale occurs. Promotional spending at Bob Evans Restaurants, primarily comprised of discounts taken on dine-in sales, was $40,033, $53,636 and $46,452 for fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Promotional spending at BEF Foods, primarily comprised of off invoice deductions and bill backs, was $79,302, $56,618, and $49,130 for fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

50



Shipping and Handling costs:  Expenditures related to shipping our BEF Foods products to our customers are expensed when incurred. Shipping and handling costs were $14,850, $17,025 and $18,557 in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and recorded in the other operating expenses line of the Consolidated Statements of Net Income.
Cash Equivalents:    We consider all highly liquid instruments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. We did not own any cash equivalents as of April 29, 2016, or April 24, 2015.
Accounts Receivable:    Accounts receivable represents amounts owed to us through our operating activities and are presented net of allowance for doubtful accounts and promotional incentives. Accounts receivable for Bob Evans Restaurants consist primarily of credit card receivables, while accounts receivable for BEF Foods consist primarily of trade receivables from customer sales. We evaluate the collectability of our accounts receivable based on a combination of factors. In circumstances where we are aware of a specific customer’s inability to meet its financial obligations to us, we record a specific allowance for bad debts against amounts due to reduce the net recognized receivable to the amount we reasonably believe will be collected. In addition, we recognize allowances for bad debts based on the length of time receivables are past due with allowance percentages, based on our historical experiences, applied on a graduated scale relative to the age of the receivable amounts. If circumstances such as higher than expected bad debt experience or an unexpected material adverse change in a major customer’s ability to meet its financial obligations to us were to occur, the recoverability of amounts due to us could change by a material amount. We had allowances for doubtful accounts of $534 and $542 as of April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015, respectively. Accounts receivable was reduced by $4,916 and $3,671 as of April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015, respectively, related to promotional incentives that reduce what is owed to the Company from certain BEF Foods customers.
Concentration of Credit Risk:    We maintain cash depository accounts with major banks. Accounts receivable can be potentially exposed to a concentration of credit risk with customers or in particular industries. Such credit risk is considered by management to be limited due to our many retail customers. We have two individual customers that in total represent approximately 35% of net sales in our BEF Foods reporting segment, or approximately 10% of net company sales. In addition, we maintain reserves for credit losses and such losses have historically been within our expectations.
Notes Receivable:    As a result of the sale of Mimi’s Café to Le Duff, we received a promissory note for $30,000. The Note has an annual interest rate of 1.5%, a term of seven years and a full principal and interest payment date of February 2020. Partial prepayments are required prior to maturity if the buyer reaches certain levels of EBITDA during specified periods. No partial prepayments have been received on this Note as of April 29, 2016. Our right to repayment under the Note is subordinated to third party lenders as well as other funding that may be provided by the parent company. In the event of a sale or liquidation of Mimi’s Café by its parent company, our right to repayment may be subordinated to payments owed to the parent company and potentially reduced based on the funds available for repayment. The Note was originally valued using a discounted cash flow model.
The Note is recorded on the notes receivable line of the Consolidated Balance sheet, and was $20,886 and $18,337 as of April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015, respectively. The Company recognized accretion income on the Note of $2,082, $1,859 and $1,918 in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and interest income on the Note of $468, $461 and $454 in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Accretion and interest income are reflected within the net interest expense caption of the Consolidated Statements of Net Income.
Inventories:    We value our Bob Evans Restaurants inventories at the lower of first-in, first-out cost (“FIFO”) or market and our BEF Foods inventories are determined on an average cost method which approximates a FIFO basis due to the perishable nature of our inventory. Inventory includes raw materials and supplies ($13,815 in fiscal 2016 and $12,898 in fiscal 2015) and finished goods ($11,183 in fiscal 2016 and $11,722 in fiscal 2015).
Property, Plant and Equipment:   Property, plant and equipment is recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation. The straight-line depreciation method is used for nearly all capitalized assets, although some assets purchased prior to fiscal 1995 continue to be depreciated using accelerated methods. Depreciation is calculated at rates adequate to amortize costs over the estimated useful lives of buildings and improvements (5 to 50 years) and machinery and equipment (3 to 10 years). Improvements to leased properties are depreciated over the shorter of their useful lives or the initial lease terms. Total depreciation expense was $79,450, $79,917 and $79,299 in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
During the year ended April 29, 2016, we capitalized internal labor costs of $2,308. This includes $1,132 of capitalized costs for our ERP implementation, with the remaining amount primarily related to other IT projects. During the year ended April 24, 2015, we capitalized internal labor costs of $4,498. This includes $3,242 of capitalized costs for our ERP implementation and $1,256 for restaurant construction. The first phase of our ERP system was put in service on April 25, 2015, and has an expected useful life of ten years. We are working to implement the second phase of our ERP system, which is expected to go live in fiscal 2017.

51



We evaluate property, plant and equipment held and used in the business for impairment whenever events or changes circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of a long-lived asset may not be recoverable. Impairment is determined by comparing the estimated fair value for the asset group to the carrying amount of its assets. If impairment exists, the amount of impairment is measured as the excess of the carrying amount over the estimated fair values of the assets. See Note 5 for further information.
Assets for 30 Bob Evans Restaurants' locations, as well as our Richardson, Texas, location totaling $31,644 are classified as Current assets held for sale in the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of April 29, 2016. To be consistent with current period presentation, we have reclassified the assets for 22 Bob Evans Restaurants' locations to the long-term assets held for sale line in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of April 24, 2015.
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets:    Goodwill and other intangible assets, which primarily represents the cost in excess of fair market value of net assets acquired, were $19,829 and $19,986 as of April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015, respectively. The goodwill and intangible assets are related to the BEF Foods segment. The majority of our goodwill was acquired as part of our fiscal 2013 acquisition of Kettle Creations. Additionally, as part of this acquisition we obtained a non-compete agreement with certain executives of the former company. The Kettle Creations non-compete agreement is amortized on a straight-line basis over its estimated economic life of five years. Additionally, in fiscal 2015 we recorded a $2,761 impairment charge to write off the value of the Kettle Creations trade name. The charge was recorded in the impairments line of the Consolidated Statements of Net Income.
Goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives are not amortized, but rather are tested for impairment during the fourth quarter each year or on a more frequent basis when indicators of impairment exist. Goodwill and indefinite lived intangible asset impairment testing involves a comparison of the estimated fair value of reporting units to the respective carrying amount. If the estimated fair value exceeds the carrying amount, then no impairment exists. If the carrying amount exceeds the estimated fair value, then a second step is performed to determine the amount of impairment, if any. We perform our impairment test using a combination of income-based and market-based approaches. The income based approach indicates the fair value of an asset or business based on the cash flows it can be expected to generate over its remaining useful life. Under the market-based approach, fair value is determined by comparing our reporting units to similar businesses or guideline companies whose securities are actively traded in public markets. There have been no impairments to our goodwill in the current or prior years.
Accrued Non-Income Taxes:    Accrued non-income taxes primarily represent obligations for real estate and personal property taxes, as well as sales and use taxes for Bob Evans Restaurants. Accrued non-income taxes were $15,696 and $14,951 at April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015, respectively.
Self-Insurance Reserves:    We record estimates for certain health, workers’ compensation and general liability insurance costs that are self-insured programs. Self-insurance reserves include actuarial estimates of both claims filed, carried at their expected ultimate settlement value, and claims incurred but not yet reported. Our liability represents an estimate of the ultimate cost of claims incurred as of the fiscal year end balance sheet date. Self-insurance reserves were $20,169 and $18,900 at April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015, respectively.
Deferred gains on sale leaseback transactions:    Gains on the sale of properties related to our sale leaseback transactions are deferred and recognized on a straight-line basis over the initial term of the lease as a reduction of rent expense. Gains of $56,868 and $2,305 were recorded and deferred as part of our fiscal 2016 Bob Evans Restaurants and BEF Foods sale leaseback transactions, respectively. Deferred gains of $2,952 will be recognized in fiscal 2017 and are recorded as a current liability in the other accrued expenses line of the Consolidated Balance Sheet. See Note 10 for additional information on our sale leaseback transactions.
Restaurant Preopening Expenses:    Expenditures related to the opening of new restaurants and the Farm Fresh Refresh remodel initiative, which was completed in fiscal 2014, are expensed when incurred. Preopening expenses were $182, $1,272 and $4,378 in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and recorded in the other operating expenses line of the Consolidated Statements of Net Income.
Advertising Costs:    Media advertising is expensed at the time the media first airs. We expense all other advertising costs as incurred. Advertising expense was $36,566, $37,024, and $34,368 in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Approximately 82% of advertising costs are incurred in the Bob Evans Restaurant segment. Advertising costs are classified in other operating expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Net Income.
Cost of Sales:    Cost of sales represents primarily food cost for Bob Evans Restaurants and cost of materials in the BEF Foods segment. Cost of sales also includes carryout supplies for Bob Evans Restaurants. Cash rebates that we receive from suppliers are recorded as a reduction of cost of sales in the periods in which they are earned. The amount of each rebate is

52



directly related to the quantity of product purchased from the supplier. Cost of sales excludes depreciation expense, which is recorded in the depreciation and amortization expense line on the Consolidated Statements of Net Income.
Impairments:    Impairment charges on property, plant and equipment and intangible assets are recorded to the impairments line of the Consolidated Statements of Net Income. See Note 5 for additional information.
Comprehensive Income:    Comprehensive income is the same as reported net income as we have no other comprehensive income.
Earnings Per Share:    Our basic EPS computation is based on the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period presented. Our diluted EPS calculation reflects the assumed vesting of restricted shares and market-based performance shares, the exercise and conversion of outstanding employee stock options and the settlement of share-based obligations recorded as liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets (see Note 7 for more information), net of the impact of antidilutive shares.
The numerator in calculating both basic and diluted EPS for each period is reported net income. The denominator is based on the following weighted-average shares outstanding:
(in thousands)
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Basic
21,336

 
23,489

 
26,450

Dilutive shares
158

 
160

 
254

Diluted
21,494

 
23,649

 
26,704

In fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively, there were 207,538, 124,766 and 127,201 shares of common stock excluded from the diluted earnings-per-share calculations because they were antidilutive.
Dividends: In Fiscal 2016, we paid two quarterly dividends equal to $0.34 per share and two quarterly dividends equal to $0.31 per share on our outstanding common stock. Individuals that hold awards for unvested and outstanding restricted stock units, market-based performance share units and outstanding deferred stock awards are entitled to receive dividend equivalent rights equal to the per-share cash dividends paid on outstanding units. Dividend equivalent rights are forfeitable until the underlying share-units from which they were derived vest. Share-based dividend equivalents are recorded as a reduction to retained earnings, with an offsetting increase to capital in excess of par value. Refer to table below:
 
2016
 
2015
Cash dividends paid to common stock holders
$
27,861

 
$
29,056

Dividend Equivalent Rights
400

 
370

Total dividends
$
28,261

 
$
29,426

Leases:    We rent certain restaurant facilities and two BEF Foods production facilities under operating leases having initial terms that typically expire 20 years from inception. The leases typically contain renewal clauses of 5 to 30 years, exercisable at our option. Most leases contain either fixed or inflation-adjusted escalation clauses. Rent expense for our operating leases is recorded on a straight-line basis over the lease term for those leases with fixed rent-escalation clauses. Our straight-line rent calculations do not include an assumption of lease renewal periods. We record the difference between the amount charged to expense and the rent paid as deferred rent in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. We commence lease expense upon delivery of the leased location by the lessor. Rent expense for Bob Evans Restaurants was $5,783, $5,460 and $5,153 in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and is recorded in the other operating expenses line in the Consolidated Statements of Net Income. Rent expense for BEF Foods was $2,202 in fiscal 2016, and primarily relates to our two production facilities that were sold and leased back in the second quarter of fiscal 2016. Refer to Note 10 for additional information on our sale leaseback transactions and refer to the following table for expected future minimum lease payments, which excludes the impact of any available renewal periods:
(in thousands)
 
2017
 
2018
 
2019
 
2020
 
2021
 
Thereafter
Future operating lease payments
 
$
21,445

 
$
21,602

 
$
21,745

 
$
21,843

 
$
21,748

 
$
304,283



53




Income Taxes:   We account for income taxes under the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined on the basis of differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.
We recognize deferred tax assets to the extent that we believe these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such a determination, we consider all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax-planning strategies, and results of recent operations. If we determine that we would be able to realize our deferred tax assets in the future in excess of their net recorded amount, we would make an adjustment to the deferred tax asset valuation allowance, which would reduce the provision for income taxes.
We record uncertain tax positions in accordance with the Income Taxes Topic of the FASB ASC 740 on the basis of a two-step process whereby (1) we determine whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on the basis of the technical merits of the position and (2) for those tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, we recognize the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50 percent likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the related tax authority. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within the income tax expense line in the accompanying Consolidated Statement of Net Income. Accrued interest and penalties are included within the related tax liability line in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. See Note 3 for additional information.
Commitments and Contingencies:    We occasionally use purchase commitment contracts to stabilize the potentially volatile pricing associated with certain commodity items.
We are self-insured for most casualty losses and employee health care claims up to certain stop-loss limits per claim. We have accounted for liabilities for casualty losses, including both reported claims and incurred but not reported claims, based on information provided by independent actuaries. We have estimated our employee health care claims liability through a review of incurred and paid claims history. We do not believe that our calculation of casualty losses and employee health-care claims liabilities would change materially under different conditions and/or different methods. However, due to the inherent volatility of actuarially determined casualty losses and employee health care claims, it is reasonably possible that we could experience changes in estimated losses, which could be material to net income.
We are from time to time involved in ordinary and routine litigation, typically involving claims from customers, employees and others related to operational issues common to the restaurant and food manufacturing industries. Management presently believes that the ultimate outcome of these proceedings, individually or in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, cash flows or results of operations. See Note 8 for further information.
Reclassifications: Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation.
We reclassified $17,025 and $18,557 of BEF Foods' shipping and handling costs from the S,G&A line to the other operating expenses line on the Consolidated Statements of Net Income for fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, respectively. We believe these costs are better reflected as other operating expenses.
We reclassified $6,203 and $4,470 of impairment charges related to impairments on long-lived assets from the S,G&A line to the impairments line on the Consolidated Statements of Net Income for fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, respectively. Formerly, we only separately presented impairments on assets classified as held-for-sale.
We reclassified $3,607 and $4,344 of BEF Foods' advertising costs from the S,G&A line to the other operating expenses line on the Consolidated Statements of Net Income for fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, respectively. We believe these costs are better classified as other operating expenses rather than S,G&A. Advertising costs for both Bob Evans Restaurants and BEF Foods are now classified as other operating expenses.
These reclassifications had no impact on operating income for fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, respectively.
New Accounting Pronouncements: In the normal course of business, management evaluates all new accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the Emerging Issues Task Force, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants or any other authoritative accounting body to determine the potential impact they may have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The pronouncements below were either adopted by the Company in fiscal 2016 or will be effective for the Company in future years.

54



In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, to ASC 835-30 "Interest - Imputation of Interest." ASU 2015-03 will require that debt issuance costs related to a recognized term-debt liability to be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs are not affected by the amendments in this update. We adopted ASU 2015-03 in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. This update did not have an impact on the consolidated financial statements.
In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, Income Taxes: Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes. ASU 2015-17 requires that deferred tax assets and liabilities be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. The adoption of this standard will result in the reclassification of all current deferred tax assets and liabilities to noncurrent in the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets. We elected to early adopt this standard effective April 29, 2016 using the retrospective application transition method as allowed by the standard. Upon adoption, prior period financial statements were adjusted to present all deferred tax asset and liabilities as noncurrent on the balance sheet. See Note 3 for additional information on the impact from this change.
In May 2014, the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board ("IASB") issued new joint guidance surrounding revenue recognition. Under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("US GAAP"), this guidance is being introduced to the ASC as Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers ("Topic 606"), by Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09. The new standard supersedes a majority of existing revenue recognition guidance under US GAAP, and requires companies to recognize revenue when it transfers goods or services to a customer in an amount that reflects the consideration to which a company expects to be entitled. Companies may need to use more judgment and make more estimates while recognizing revenue, which could result in additional disclosures to the financial statements. Topic 606 allows for either a "full retrospective" adoption or a "modified retrospective" adoption. The standard is effective for us in fiscal 2019. We are currently evaluating which method we will use and the revenue recognition impact this guidance will have once implemented.
In August 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements - Going Concern to provide guidance about management's responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity's ability to continue as a going concern. The guidance requires management to assess whether there are conditions or events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about an entity's ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued. When management identifies such conditions or events, a footnote disclosure is required to disclose their nature, as well as management's plans to alleviate the substantial doubt to continue as a going concern. The standard is effective for our fiscal 2017. We do not expect this update to have an impact on the consolidated financial statements.
In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory. ASU 2015-11 simplifies the subsequent measurement of inventory by replacing today's lower of cost or market test with a lower of cost or net realizable test, which is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. The standard is effective for us in fiscal 2018. We do not expect this update to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases. This guidance requires companies to put most leases on their balance sheets but recognize expenses on their income statements in a manner similar to today’s accounting. The new standard also will result in enhanced quantitative and qualitative disclosures, including significant judgments made by management, to provide greater insight into the extent of revenue and expense recognized and expected to be recognized from existing leases. The standard requires modified retrospective adoption and will be effective beginning in fiscal 2020, with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating this standard, including the timing of adoption, and the related impact on our consolidated financial statements.
In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Compensation Accounting. ASU 2016-09 requires that excess tax benefits are recorded on the income statement as opposed to additional paid-in-capital, and treated as an operating activity on the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-09 also allows companies to make an accounting policy election to either estimate the number of awards that are expected to vest (current GAAP) or account for forfeitures when they occur. ASU 2016-09 further requires cash paid by an employer when directly withholding shares for tax-withholding purposes to be classified as a financing activity on the statement of cash flows. The standard is effective for us in fiscal 2018. We are currently evaluating the impact this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.
Note 2 — Long-Term Debt and Credit Arrangements
As of April 29, 2016, long-term debt was comprised of the outstanding balance on our Revolving Credit Facility Amended and Restated Credit Agreement ("Credit Agreement") of $307,000, the long term portion of our $30,000 Mortgage Loan, the long term portion of a $3,000 Research and Development Investment Loan ("R&D Loan") and an interest-free loan of $1,000, due ten years from the date of borrowing, with imputed interest. Refer to the table below:

55



(in thousands)
April 29, 2016
 
April 24, 2015
Credit Agreement borrowings (1)
$
307,000

 
$
447,599

Mortgage Loan (1)
28,963

 

R&D Loan (1)
2,219

 
2,631

Interest-free loan (1)
875

 
855

Total borrowings
339,057

 
451,085

Less current portion
(3,419
)
 
(409
)
Long term debt
$
335,638

 
$
450,676

(1)
The Credit Agreement, Mortgage Loan, R&D Loan and Interest-free loan mature in fiscal 2019, 2026, 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Credit Agreement Borrowings
On January 2, 2014, we entered into the Credit Agreement, which represents a syndicated secured revolving credit facility. We incurred financing costs of $2,064 associated with this Credit Agreement, which are being amortized over the remaining term of the agreement using the straight line method, which approximates the effective interest method. As a result of the Third Amendment to the Credit Agreement, effective October 21, 2015, and discussed further below, up to $650,000 of borrowings are available, including a letter of credit sub-facility of $50,000, and an accordion provision that permits the Company to request an additional $300,000 for certain transactions, which could increase the revolving credit commitment to $950,000. It is secured by the stock pledges of certain material subsidiaries. This agreement replaced our previously existing variable-rate revolving credit facility. Borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest, at Borrower’s option, at a rate based on LIBOR or the Base Rate, plus a margin based on the Leverage Ratio, ranging from 1.00% to 2.75% per annum for LIBOR, and ranging from 0.00% to 1.75% per annum for Base Rate. The Base Rate means for any day, a fluctuating per annum rate of interest equal to the highest of (i) the Federal Funds Open Rate, plus 0.5%, (ii) the Prime Rate, or (iii) the Daily LIBOR Rate, plus 1.0%. We are also required to pay a commitment fee of 0.15% per annum to 0.25% per annum of the average unused portion of the total lender commitments then in effect.
In the first quarter of fiscal 2015, we entered into a First Amendment to the Credit Agreement. The terms of the Credit Agreement that were amended related to: (a) an increase to the Maximum Leverage Ratio for the period starting July 25, 2014, through July 22, 2016, (b) certain restricted payment requirements related to share repurchases and (c) an update to the Pricing Grid, which determines variable pricing and fees, to reflect changes in the allowable maximum leverage ratio. We incurred financing costs of $1,279 associated with this amendment, which are being amortized using the straight line method, which approximates the effective interest method.
On May 11, 2015, we entered into a Second Amendment to the Credit Agreement. The amendment had an effective date of April 24, 2015. The terms of the Credit Agreement were amended related to: (a) an increase to the Maximum Leverage Ratio for the period starting April 24, 2015, through the remaining term of the agreement, (b) a change in the restrictions related to payments for share repurchases, and (c) a change in the definition of the LIBOR and Daily LIBOR rates that are used to calculate interest on outstanding borrowings. We incurred fees of $1,705 associated with this amendment, which were paid in the first quarter of fiscal 2016 and amortized over the remaining term of the Credit Agreement using the straight line method, which approximates the effective interest method.
In the second quarter of fiscal 2016, we entered into a Third Amendment to the Credit Agreement dated and effective as of October 21, 2015. The terms of the Credit Agreement were amended related to: (a) an increase of the level of permitted indebtedness in connection with sale leaseback transactions of assets from $100,000 to $300,000, (b) a removal of the $150,000 share repurchase restriction during the 2016 fiscal year, (c) a decrease of the size of the facility from $750,000 to $650,000, (d) a modification of the definition of the leverage ratio to account for rent expense from leases, so that the leverage ratio will be calculated as consolidated indebtedness plus 600% of annual rent expense versus consolidated EBITDAR, and (e) an inclusion of an add back to the leverage ratio calculation for costs related to the settlement of a class action lawsuit. We incurred and paid fees of $812 associated with this amendment, which will be amortized over the remaining term of the Credit Agreement using the straight line method, which approximates the effective interest method. In addition, as a result of lowering the borrowing capacity on the Credit Agreement, we expensed $480 of previously unamortized deferred financing costs related to the agreement.
Our Credit Agreement contains financial and other various affirmative and negative covenants that are typical for financings of this type. Our Credit Agreement contains financial covenants that require us to maintain a specified minimum coverage ratio of not less than 3.00 to 1.00, and a maximum leverage ratio that may not exceed 4.50 to 1.00. As of April 29, 2016, our coverage ratio was 11.64, and our leverage ratio was 2.44, as defined in the Credit Agreement. Our Credit Agreement

56



limits repurchases of our common stock and the amount of dividends that we pay to holders of our common stock in certain circumstances. The Credit Agreement also allows for a sale leaseback of our real estate up to $300,000, of which approximately $51,000 is still available as of April 29, 2016. A breach of any of these covenants could result in a default under our Credit Agreement, in which all amounts under our Credit Agreement may become immediately due and payable, and all commitments under our Credit Agreement extend further credit may be terminated. We are in compliance with the financial covenant requirements of our Credit Agreement as of April 29, 2016.
As of April 29, 2016, we had $307,000 outstanding on the Credit Agreement. The primary purposes of the Credit Agreement are for trade and stand-by letters of credit in the ordinary course of business as well as working capital, refinancing of existing indebtedness, if any, capital expenditures, joint ventures and acquisitions, stock repurchases and other general corporate purposes.
Mortgage Loan Borrowings
On February 9, 2016, we entered into a $30,000 mortgage credit agreement ("Mortgage Loan") on our home office facility. The Mortgage Loan represents a credit facility secured by our home office real estate and building. Borrowings under the Mortgage Loan bear interest, at the Borrower's option, at a rate based on LIBOR or the Base Rate, plus an applicable rate of 4.625% per annum for LIBOR or 3.625% per annum for the Base Rate. The Base Rate means for any day, a fluctuating per annum rate of interest equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Open Rate, plus 0.5%, (b) the Bank of America Prime Rate, or (c) the Eurodollar Rate, plus 1.0%. We incurred financing costs of $1,064 associated with this borrowing, which is being amortized over the ten year term of the agreement, and is classified as a reduction of the outstanding long-term debt liability on our Consolidated Balance Sheet. We are required to make quarterly payments of $750 until the Mortgage Loan's maturity date. The Mortgage Loan has a maturity date of February 9, 2026.
The carrying values of our borrowings approximate their fair values.
At April 29, 2016, we had outstanding letters of credit that totaled approximately $14,907, of which $14,607 is utilized as part of the total amount available under our Credit Agreement. If certain conditions are met under these arrangements, we would be required to satisfy the obligations in cash. Due to the nature of these arrangements and based on historical experience and future expectations, we do not expect to make any significant payment outside of the terms set forth in these arrangements.
Our combined effective annual interest rate for the Credit Agreement and Mortgage Loan was 2.18% during the year ended April 29, 2016. Interest costs of $210, $471 and $611 incurred in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively, were capitalized in connection with our ERP system implementation and other construction activities. Interest paid in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014 was $10,579, $10,399 and $4,544, respectively. Net interest expense in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014 was comprised of the following:
(in thousands)
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Interest Expense:
 
 
 
 
 
     Variable-rate debt (1)
$
11,298

 
$
10,373

 
$
4,885

     Fixed-rate debt (2)
2,262

 
1,177

 
391

     Capitalized interest
(210
)
 
(471
)
 
(611
)
     Total Interest Expense on outstanding borrowings
13,350

 
11,079

 
4,665

Interest income:
 
 
 
 
 
     Accretion on note receivable (3)
(2,082
)
 
(1,859
)
 
(1,918
)
     Other (4)
(468
)
 
(571
)
 
(733
)
     Total Interest Income
(2,550
)
 
(2,430
)
 
(2,651
)
Net Interest Expense
$
10,800

 
$
8,649

 
$
2,014

(1)
Primarily interest expense on our Credit Agreement Borrowings and our Mortgage loan
(2)
Includes the amortization of debt issuance costs
(3)
Accretion on our $30,000 note receivable, obtained as part of the sale of Mimi’s Café to Le Duff.
(4)
Primarily interest income on our $30,000 note receivable, obtained as part of the sale of Mimi’s Café to Le Duff.

Note 3 — Income Taxes
Deferred income taxes reflect the net tax effect of temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for income tax purposes. The amount of the deferred tax assets considered realizable could be adjusted if estimates of future taxable income during the carryforward periods are reduced or

57



increased, or if objective negative evidence in the form of cumulative losses is no longer present and additional weight may be given to subjective evidence, such as the Company’s projections for growth. Significant components of our deferred tax liabilities and assets as of April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015, were as follows:
(in thousands)
April 29, 2016
 
April 24, 2015
Deferred tax assets:
 
 
 
Self-insurance
$
5,595

 
$
6,357

Stock and deferred compensation plans
12,582

 
16,857

Deferred proceeds on Mimi’s Café sale
3,564

 
4,263

State net operating loss carry forward
1,021

 
2,586

Credit carryforwards
17

 
13

Legal Reserve
459

 
2,791

Inventory
2,605

 
2,582

Wage and related liabilities
3,426

 

Deferred gain from sale leaseback
22,306

 

Other
7,189

 
6,772

Total deferred tax assets before valuation allowances
58,764

 
42,221

Valuation allowance
(246
)
 
(241
)
Net deferred tax assets
$
58,518

 
$
41,980

 
 
 
 
Deferred tax liabilities:
 
 
 
Property, plant and equipment
$
28,111

 
$
40,054

Other
1,405

 
1,308

Total deferred tax liabilities
29,516

 
41,362

Net deferred tax assets (liabilities)
$
29,002

 
$
618

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, which requires that deferred tax assets and liabilities be classified as non-current in our Consolidated Balance Sheet. We elected to early adopt this standard effective April 29, 2016 using the retrospective application transition method as allowed by the standard and accordingly have adjusted our April 24, 2015, Consolidated Balance Sheet to reflect the current presentation. See the table below for the impact of this adjustment:
(in thousands)
As reported
 
As adjusted
Current deferred tax assets
$
16,117

 
$

Non-current deferred tax assets
2,326

 
4,836

Non-current deferred tax liabilities
(17,825
)
 
(4,218
)
Net deferred tax assets
$
618

 
$
618

There are $1,021 of state net operating loss carry forwards that will expire at various times through 2035.
As of April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015, the valuation allowance for net operating loss carryovers totaled $246 and $241, respectively. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income, taxable income in carryback years and tax-planning strategies when making this assessment.

58



Significant components of the provision (benefit) for income taxes are as follows:
(in thousands)
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Current:
 
 
 
 
 
Federal
$
27,952

 
$
8,021

 
$
7,734

State
1,631

 
(746
)
 
(1,236
)
Total current
29,583

 
7,275

 
6,498

Deferred:

 

 

Federal
(28,440
)
 
(15,243
)
 
(6,769
)
State
56

 
452

 
414

Total deferred
(28,384
)
 
(14,791
)
 
(6,355
)
Total tax provision (benefit)
$
1,199

 
$
(7,516
)
 
$
143

Our provision (benefit) for income taxes differs from the amounts computed by applying the federal statutory rate due to the following:
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Statutory Federal Tax Rate
35.0
 %
 
35.0
%
 
35.0
 %
State income tax — net
5.1

 
0.5

 
1.5

Federal tax credits
(21.1
)
 
(72.4
)
 
(17.0
)
Domestic Production Activity Deduction
(13.4
)
 
(29.2
)
 
(8.7
)
Worthless stock

 

 
(1.9
)
Officers life insurance
2.4

 
(6.9
)
 
(2.6
)
Charitable Contributions
(1.9
)
 
(4.5
)
 
(1.0
)
Settlements with state taxing authorities

 

 
(4.0
)
State and Local Tax Reserves
(0.3
)
 
(5.8
)
 
(0.3
)
Other
(1.1
)
 
0.1

 
(0.5
)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes
4.7
 %
 
(83.2
)%
 
0.5
 %
Taxes paid during fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014 were $7,739, $10,543, and $16,332, respectively.
Uncertain Tax Positions
The following table summarizes activity of the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits:
(in thousands)
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Balance at beginning of fiscal year
$
5,202

 
$
5,952

 
$
9,554

Additions based on tax positions related to the current year
306

 
63

 
31

Additions for tax positions of prior years
149

 
551

 
1,004

Reductions for tax positions of prior years
(188
)
 
(284
)
 
(25
)
Reductions due to settlements with taxing authorities
(113
)
 
(672
)
 
(1,423
)
Reductions due to statute of limitations expiration
(373
)
 
(408
)
 
(3,189
)
Balance at end of fiscal year
$
4,983

 
$
5,202

 
$
5,952

The total amount of unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate as of April 29, 2016, April 24, 2015, and April 25, 2014, was $4,720, $4,939 and $5,652, respectively. The remaining unrecognized tax benefits relate to tax positions for which ultimate deductibility is highly certain, but for which there is uncertainty as to the timing of such deductibility. Recognition of these tax benefits would not affect our effective tax rate.

59



The Company believes that it is reasonable that a decrease of up to $573 to $2,054 in unrecognized tax benefits related to state exposures may be necessary in the coming year due to settlements with taxing authorities or lapses of statutes of limitations.
We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense in the Consolidated Statements of Net Income. During fiscal 2016, fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2014, we recognized approximately ($50), ($166) and $204, respectively, of interest and penalties in tax expense (benefit). As of April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015, we accrued approximately $790 and $839, respectively, in interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits.
We file United States federal and various state and local income tax returns. Tax returns are generally subject to examination for a period of three to five years after the filing of the respective return.  The federal statute of limitations has been extended to April 30, 2016, for the fiscal years ended April 29, 2011, and April 27, 2012.
Note 4 — Restructuring and Severance Charges
In fiscal 2013 we began a strategic organizational realignment including a closure of production facilities and a reduction of personnel at Bob Evans Restaurants, BEF Foods and at our corporate support center, as part of our comprehensive plan to reduce S,G&A expenses. In the third quarter of fiscal 2014, we closed our BEF Foods production plants in Springfield and Bidwell, Ohio. The action to close the food production facilities was intended to increase efficiency by consolidating production to our high capacity food production facility in Sulphur Springs, Texas. In each of the fourth quarters of fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, we recorded charges related to a reduction of personnel at our corporate support center. Restructuring costs related to personnel at our corporate support center are primarily recorded in the S,G&A line of the Consolidated Statements of Net Income. As part of these organizational realignment and S,G&A cost reduction activities, we recorded pretax restructuring and severance charges in continuing operations totaling $1,471, $3,234 and $6,151 in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014 respectively.
In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015 management committed to a plan to close 16 owned, and four leased restaurants in fiscal 2016. Associated with this plan we incurred severance and lease termination costs of $1,106 that were paid in fiscal 2016. We closed all 20 of these restaurants in the first half of fiscal 2016.
In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 management committed to a plan to close 21 owned and six leased restaurants. Associated with this plan, we incurred severance costs of $1,135 in fiscal 2016 that will be paid to both salaried and hourly employees at the closing restaurants. These charges were recorded primarily in the operating wages and fringe benefit expenses line of the Consolidated Statement of Net Income. We closed all 21 of the owned locations in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 and expect to close the leased restaurants in fiscal 2017.
Liabilities as of April 29, 2016, include $1,563 relating to corporate severance charges primarily recorded in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016, and $1,135 recorded to Bob Evans Restaurants for severance charges related to restaurant closures. These liabilities are classified in the accrued wages and related liabilities line of the Consolidated Balance Sheets and we expect the majority of these liabilities to be paid in fiscal 2017.

Bob Evans
Restaurants

BEF Foods

Corporate and Other
 
Total
Balance April 26, 2013
$


$
2,416


$
1,404

 
$
3,820

Restructuring and related severance charges incurred


2,241


3,910

 
6,151

Amounts paid


(4,103
)

(4,510
)
 
(8,613
)
Balance Adjustments
 
 
 
 
(131
)
 
(131
)
Balance April 25, 2014
$


$
554


$
673

 
$
1,227

Restructuring and related severance charges incurred
1,105


758


2,477

 
4,340

Amounts paid


(906
)

(943
)
 
(1,849
)
Adjustments


76


(168
)
 
(92
)
Balance April 24, 2015
$
1,105


$
482


$
2,039

 
$
3,626

Restructuring and severance charges incurred
1,135




1,471

 
2,606

Amounts paid
(1,086
)

(488
)

(1,531
)
 
(3,105
)
Adjustments
(19
)

6


(416
)
 
(429
)
Balance April 29, 2016
$
1,135


$


$
1,563

 
$
2,698


60



Note 5 — Impairments
We evaluate the carrying amount of long-lived assets periodically and when events and circumstances warrant such a review. A long-lived asset group that is held and used is considered impaired when the carrying value of the asset group exceeds the expected future cash flows from the asset group. The impairment loss recognized is the excess of carrying value above its fair value. Assets classified as held for sale on our Consolidated Balance Sheets are considered impaired when their fair value, less costs to sell, is determined to be lower than their carrying value.
The estimation of fair value requires significant estimates of factors in future restaurant performance and market-based real estate appraisals. To estimate fair value for locations where we own the land and building, we obtain appraisals from third party real estate valuation firms based on sales of comparable properties in the same area as our restaurant location, which approximates fair value and is considered a level 2 measurement. We use discounted future cash flows to estimate fair value for long-lived assets for our leased locations. Our weighted average cost of capital is used as the discount rate in our fair value measurements for leased locations, which is considered a Level 3 measurement. A reasonable change in this discount rate would not have a significant impact on these fair value measurements.
In fiscal 2016 we incurred pretax impairment charges of $8,384 in the Bob Evans Restaurant segment. This included $6,710 of charges related to our decision to close 27 underperforming restaurants and $1,674 of charges related for nonoperating properties whose fair values were determined to be less than their carrying values. These charges were recorded on the impairments line in the Consolidated Statement of Net Income.
In fiscal 2015 we incurred pretax impairment charges of $6,100 in the Bob Evans Restaurant segment. This included $2,851 of charges related to our decision to close 20 underperforming restaurants in fiscal 2016, and $3,249 of charges as a result of adverse performance and a reassessment of expected future cash flows at ten current and former restaurant locations. These charges were recorded on the impairments line in the Consolidated Statement of Net Income.
In fiscal 2014 we recorded $16,850 of impairment charges, including $9,380 related to an agreement to sell 29 former locations, $4,133 on seven additional restaurant locations due as a result of adverse store performance and $3,000 related to the closure of our production facility in Richardson, Texas. These charges are recorded on the impairments line in the Consolidated Statement of Net Income.
The following table represents impairments for those assets re-measured to fair value on a nonrecurring basis during the fiscal year:
(in thousands)
2016
 
2015
 
2014
 
Bob Evans Restaurants
 
 
 
 
 
 
Assets held and used
$
3,316

(1) 
$
3,442

(3) 
$
4,470

(5) 
Assets held for sale
$
5,068

(2) 
$
2,658

(4) 
$
9,380

(6) 
BEF Foods
 
 
 
 
 
 
Assets held for sale


 

 
$
3,000

(7) 
(1)
Relates to six operating and two nonoperating properties
(2)
Relates to 13 operating and five nonoperating properties
(3)
Relates to 11 operating and two nonoperating properties
(4)
Relates to eight operating and one nonoperating properties
(5)
$4,133 and $337 relates to impairment of seven operating properties and certain commercial vehicles, respectively
(6)
$9,380 relates to impairment of 29 nonoperating properties, of which $714 relates to the impairment of one property no longer classified as held for sale
(7)
$3,000 relates to impairment of one nonoperating property

Note 6 — Share-Based Compensation Plans
Shared-based Employee Compensation:    The Stock Compensation Topic of the FASB ASC 718 ("ASC 718") requires that we measure the cost of employee services received in exchange for an equity award, such as stock options, restricted stock awards and restricted stock units, based on the estimated fair value of the award on the grant date. The cost is recognized in the income statement over the vesting period of the award on a straight-line basis with the exception of compensation cost related to awards for retirement eligible employees, which are recognized immediately upon grant. Compensation cost recognized is based on the grant date fair value estimated in accordance with ASC 718.
On September 13, 2010, our stockholders approved the Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2010 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan (the “2010 Plan”). Upon approval, the 2010 Plan became our primary plan under which new stock-based compensation can be

61



granted. At April 29, 2016, there were awards outstanding under the 2010 Plan, as well as previous equity plans adopted in 2006, 1998 and 1992.
The types of awards that may be granted under the 2010 Plan include: stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, cash incentive awards, performance shares, performance units, and other awards. The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors administers the 2010 Plan, including establishing the terms and conditions of the awards. The 2010 Plan allows the Compensation Committee to make awards to any of our employees, consultants, or nonemployee directors. The 2010 Plan imposes various restrictions on awards, including a maximum life of 10 years for stock options and stock appreciation rights and a minimum exercise price equal to the grant date stock price for stock options and stock appreciation rights. The remaining shares available for issue under the 2006 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan (the “2006 Plan”) became available for issuance under the 2010 Plan effective September 13, 2010.
In 2006, we adopted a performance incentive plan (“PIP”) designed to align the compensation of executive officers and senior management with our financial and operational performance. The PIP provides for awards of cash, whole shares, restricted shares and stock options, generally vesting over three years. All stock-based awards made under the PIP prior to September 11, 2006, were awarded out of, and in accordance with, the 1998 plan. All PIP stock-based awards made from the period September 12, 2006, to June 22, 2010, were awarded out of, and in accordance with, the 2006 Plan. All PIP stock-based awards made subsequent to that date have been awarded out of, and in accordance with, the 2010 Plan.
The 1998 plan provided that the option price for incentive stock options may not be less than the fair market value of the stock at the grant date, and nonqualified stock options shall be determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.
The 1992 plan was adopted in connection with our supplemental executive retirement plan (“SERP”), which provides retirement benefits to certain key management employees. In the past, SERP participants could elect to have their awards allocated to their accounts in cash or, when permitted by the Compensation Committee, they could receive an equivalent value of nonqualified stock options. The 1992 plan provided that the option price could not be less than 50 percent of the fair market value of the stock at the date of grant. The last grant of stock options under the 1992 plan was in fiscal 2003. Since fiscal 2003, all SERP awards have been allocated to participants’ accounts in cash.
In fiscal 2016, we granted market-based performance share units ("PSUs"), restricted stock awards ("RSAs") and restricted stock units ("RSUs"). The PSUs granted under the 2010 Plan have market-based vesting conditions, while RSAs and RSUs granted under the 2010 Plan vest ratably, primarily over three years for employees, and one year for nonemployee directors of the Company. The PSUs awarded in the first quarter of fiscal 2016 vest at the end of a three-year performance period if they achieve the market-based vesting conditions. The PSUs were valued using a Monte Carlo simulation with the number of shares that ultimately vest dependent on the Company's total stockholder return, measured against the total stockholder return of a select group of peer companies over a three-year period. The number of shares that ultimately vest can vary from 0% to150% of target depending on the level of achievement of performance criteria. RSAs and RSUs are valued based on the stock closing price on the grant date. During fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, we issued treasury shares to satisfy the vesting of restricted awards and stock option exercises.
Total stock-based compensation expense from continuing operations in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, was $6,127, $2,967 and $7,105 respectively. The related tax benefit recognized was $2,328, $1,127 and $2,700 in fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Expense associated with stock-based compensation is primarily reflected in S,G&A expense.
Stock Options
The following table summarizes option-related activity for fiscal 2016:
Options
 
Shares Subject to Options
 
Weighted-Average Exercise Price
Outstanding, Beginning of Year
 
48,032

 
$
31.79

Granted
 

 

Exercised
 
(9,585
)
 
26.32

Forfeited or expired
 
(407
)
 
23.22

Outstanding, End of Year
 
38,040

 
$
33.26


62



 
Shares
 
Weighted-Average Exercise Price
 
Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Term
 
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
Options outstanding
38,040


$
33.26


2.38

$
467

Options exercisable
38,040


$
33.26


2.38

$
467

As of April 29, 2016, there was no remaining unrecognized compensation cost related to outstanding stock options. The total intrinsic value of options exercised during fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014 was $195, $567 and $8,124, respectively. Cash received from the exercise of options was $214, $534 and $13,432 for fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Cash flows resulting from the tax benefits of tax deductions in excess of the compensation cost recognized for those options (excess tax benefits) are classified as financing cash flows. In fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014, excess tax benefits of $1,661, $228 and $1,756, respectively, were classified as financing cash flows in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Restricted Stock
A summary of the status of our non-vested restricted stock awards and restricted stock units as of April 29, 2016, and changes during fiscal 2016 is presented below:
Restricted Stock Awards
 
Shares
 
Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
Non-vested, Beginning of Year
 
155,949

 
$
41.39

Granted
 
12,078

 
46.63

Vested
 
(66,573
)
 
43.95

Forfeited
 
(11,799
)
 
35.76

Non-vested, End of Year
 
89,655

 
$
40.93

Restricted Stock Units
 
Shares
 
Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
Non-vested, Beginning of Year
 
88,867

 
$
45.40

Granted
 
119,291

 
46.34

Vested
 
(57,059
)
 
46.89

Forfeited
 
(5,981
)
 
47.38

Non-vested, End of Year
 
145,118

 
$
45.51

At April 29, 2016, there was $5,085 of unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested restricted stock awards and restricted stock units. This cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.69 and 1.83 years for non-vested RSAs and RSUs, respectively. The total fair value of awards granted during fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014 was $6,092, $4,649 and $9,340, respectively. The total fair value of awards that vested during fiscal years 2016, 2015 and 2014 was $5,601, $10,136 and $7,813, respectively.
In addition to the shares subject to outstanding options and unvested restricted stock units and performance share units, approximately 3.4 million shares were available for grant under the 2010 Plan at April 29, 2016.
Performance Share Units
Performance Share Units
 
Shares
 
Weighted-Average Grant Date Fair Value
Non-vested, Beginning of Year
 

 
$

Granted
 
70,270

 
54.76

Vested
 

 

Forfeited
 
(8,524
)
 
54.76

Non-vested, End of Year
 
61,746

 
$
54.76

At April 29, 2016, there was $2,363 of unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested PSUs. This cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 1.99 years. The total fair value of PSU awards granted during fiscal 2016

63



was $3,848. The weighted-average assumptions used for PSUs in the Monte Carlo simulation during fiscal 2016 was as follows:
 
Fiscal 2016 PSU grants
Grant date market price
$
48.95

Fair value
$
54.76

Assumptions:
 
   Price volatility
29.4
%
   Risk-free interest rate
1.03
%
   Average volatility of peer companies
32.6
%
   Average correlation coefficient of peer companies
0.846

Note 7 — Other Compensation Plans
Defined Contribution Plan: We have a defined contribution plan (401(k)) that is available to substantially all employees who have at least 1,000 hours of service. Expenses related to matching contributions to these plans for continuing operations were $2,073, $1,418 and $452 for fiscals 2016, 2015, and 2014 respectively, and are primarily recorded within S,G&A.
Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans: We have three nonqualified deferred compensation plans, the Bob Evans Executive Deferral Plans I and II (collectively referred to as “BEEDP”) and Bob Evans Directors’ Deferral Plan (“BEDDP”), which provides certain executives and Board of Directors members, respectively, the opportunity to defer a portion of their current year salary or stock compensation to future years. A third party manages the investments of employee deferrals. Expenses related to investment results of these deferrals are based on the change in quoted market prices of the underlying investments elected by plan participants, and totaled $1,640, $1,351, and $1,942 in fiscal years 2016, 2015, and 2014 respectively, and are recorded within S,G&A.
Obligations to participants who defer stock compensation through our deferral plans are satisfied only in company stock. There is no change in the vesting term for stock awards that are deferred into these plans. Obligations related to these deferred stock awards are treated as "Plan A" instruments, as defined by ASC 710. These obligations are classified as equity instruments within the Capital in excess of par value line of the Consolidated Balance Sheets. No subsequent changes in fair value are recognized in the Consolidated Financial Statements for these instruments. Participants earn share-based dividend equivalents in an amount equal to the value of per-share dividends paid to common shareholders. These dividends accumulate into additional shares of common stock, and are recorded through retained earnings in the period in which dividends are paid. Vested, deferred shares are included in the denominator of basic and diluted EPS in accordance with ASC 260 - Earnings per Share. The dilutive impact of unvested, deferred stock awards is included in the denominator of our diluted EPS calculation.
Participants who defer cash compensation into our deferral plans have a range of investment options, one of which is company stock. Obligations for participants who choose this investment election are satisfied only in shares of company stock, while all other obligations are satisfied in cash. These share-based obligations are treated as "Plan B" instruments, as defined by ASC 710. These deferred compensation obligations are recorded as liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, in the deferred compensation line. We record compensation cost for subsequent changes in fair value of these obligations. Participants earn share-based dividend equivalents in an amount equal to the value of per-share dividends paid to common shareholders. These dividends accumulate into additional shares of common stock, and are recorded as compensation cost in the period in which the dividends are paid. At April 29, 2016, our deferred compensation obligation included $673 of share based obligations, which represents 14,773 shares. The dilutive impact of these shares are included in the denominator of our EPS calculation. Compensation cost (benefit) recognized on the adjustment of fair value for deferred awards was immaterial in the current and prior year.
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan: The Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan ("SERP") provides awards to a limited number of executives in the form of nonqualified deferred cash compensation. Gains and losses related to these benefits and the related investment results are recorded within the S,G&A caption in the Consolidated Statements of Net Income. Our expense related to cash contributions to the SERP was $526 and $580 in fiscal years 2015 and 2014, respectively and are recorded within S,G&A. The SERP is frozen and no further persons can be added, and funding was reduced to a nominal amount per year for the remaining participants.

64



Deferred compensation liabilities expected to be satisfied in the next 12 months are classified as current liabilities in the accrued wages and other liabilities line of the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Our deferred compensation liabilities as of April 29, 2016 and April 24, 2015, consisted of the following:
(in thousands)
April 29, 2016

 
April 24, 2015

Deferred cash obligations in BEEDP and BEDDP plans
$
12,845

 
$
17,904

Deferred cash obligations in SERP plan
6,271

 
9,198

Deferred liability for share-based obligations in BEEDP and BEDDP plans
673

 
2,676

Other noncurrent compensation arrangements
100

 
958

Total deferred compensation liabilities
19,889

 
30,736

Less current portion
(2,128
)
 
(8,255
)
Noncurrent deferred compensation liabilities
$
17,761

 
$
22,481

Rabbi Trust Assets:    The Rabbi Trust is intended to be used as a source of funds to match respective funding obligations in our nonqualified deferred compensation plans. Assets held by the Rabbi Trust are recorded on our Consolidated Balance Sheets, and include company owned life insurance ("COLI") policies, short-term money market securities and Bob Evans common stock. The company owned life insurance policies held by the Rabbi Trust are recorded at cash surrender value on the Rabbi Trust Assets line of Consolidated Balance Sheets and totaled $20,662 and $32,302 as of April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015, respectively. The cash receipts and payments related to the company owned life insurance policies are included in cash flows from operating activities on the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and changes in the cash surrender value for these assets are reflected within the S,G&A line in the Consolidated Statements of Net Income.
During the year ended April 29, 2016, the Company liquidated $5,245 of cash value from the COLI policies held by the Rabbi Trust and returned those funds to the Company to use for general corporate purposes.  The Rabbi Trust remains fully funded, as assets held by the trust as of April 29, 2016, are greater than the current value of our deferred compensation liabilities.  The proceeds were recorded as a cash inflow in the investing section of the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. The transaction had no impact on the Consolidated Statements of Net Income.
The Company also directed the Trustee to liquidate $4,755 of cash value from the COLI policies and to invest those funds in short-term money market securities.  These assets will be used to fund future participant distributions. This transaction had no impact on the Consolidated Statements of Net Income or Cash Flows. The short-term securities held by the Rabbi Trust are recorded at their carrying value, which approximates fair value, on the prepaid expenses and other current assets line of the Consolidated Balance Sheets and totaled $3,290 and $487 as of April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015, respectively. All assets held by the Rabbi Trust are restricted to their use as noted above.
Note 8 — Commitments and Contingencies
We are from time-to-time involved in ordinary and routine litigation, typically involving claims from customers, employees and others related to operational issues common to the restaurant and food manufacturing industries, and incidental to our business. Management presently believes that the ultimate outcome of these proceedings, individually or in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on our financial position, cash flows or results of operations.
In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 we settled a class-action related to alleged violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act by misclassifying assistant managers as exempt employees and failing to pay overtime compensation during the period of time the employee worked as an assistant manager. In fiscal 2015 we recorded a charge of $6,000 related to the settlement of this matter. In the first quarter of fiscal 2016 we reached an agreement in principle to resolve litigation matter and recorded an additional $10,500 charge. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 the Court issued a Final Approval Order on the settlement and the appeals period expired. The Company recorded a favorable adjustment of $3,344 related to the final settlement of this matter.
The Division of Enforcement of the SEC is conducting a formal investigation relating to disclosures set forth in our filings on Form 8-K and Form 10-Q/A both filed on December 3, 2014.  Those filings addressed the correction of an error in the classification of our borrowings under our credit agreement as a current liability rather than as a long-term liability, as reported in our Form 10-Q filed on August 27, 2014.  We are cooperating fully with the SEC in this matter.   The Company cannot predict the duration, scope or outcome of the SEC’s investigation.
Note 9 — Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

65



The carrying value of our goodwill and other intangible assets as of the end of fiscal 2016 and fiscal 2015 is $19,829 and $19,986, respectively, is included within the BEF Foods segment and primarily represents goodwill acquired in our fiscal 2013 acquisition of Kettle Creations. We assess the carrying value of our goodwill annually or whenever circumstances indicate that a decline in the carrying value may have occurred as required under the provisions of ASC 350. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016, we completed our annual impairment test. There have been no impairments to our goodwill in the current or prior years.
As part of our fiscal 2013 acquisition of Kettle Creations, we also acquired an indefinite life intangible asset related to the Kettle Creations trade name. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, we completed a long-range strategic plan of the BEF Foods business and determined that the Kettle Creations trade name would no longer be used in our efforts to operate and grow the business. We considered this an indication that the trade name may be impaired and performed a fair value assessment in accordance with the provisions of ASC 360. Based on this analysis, we determined the Kettle Creations trade name no longer had any fair value and recorded a charge of $2,761 to fully write off the asset. The charge was recorded in the S,G&A line on the Consolidated Statements of Net Income.
Definite-lived intangible assets recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets consist of noncompetition agreements that are amortized over a 5-year life and are recorded to the BEF Foods segment.
Intangible assets are summarized below:
(in thousands)
Business Trade
Name
 
Noncompetition
Agreements
 
Total
April 25, 2014, net intangible carrying amount
$
2,761

 
$
509

 
$
3,270

Amortization expense

 
(157
)
 
(157
)
Impairment of trade name
(2,761
)
 

 
(2,761
)
April 24, 2015, net intangible carrying amount

 
352

 
352

Amortization expense

 
(157
)
 
(157
)
April 29, 2016, net intangible carrying amount
$

 
$
195

 
$
195

We expect to record $156 of amortization expense in each fiscal year until our definite lived intangible assets are fully depreciated.
Note 10 — Sale Leaseback Transactions
In the second quarter of fiscal 2016, we entered into an agreement pursuant to which we sold our BEF Foods industrial properties located in Lima, Ohio, and Sulphur Springs, Texas, for $51,600.  We received net proceeds of $50,017, after consideration of closing and other transaction costs. In conjunction with the sale, assets with a net book value of$22,415 and $29,142 for the Lima and Sulphur Springs properties, respectively, were retired. The transaction resulted in a deferred gain of $2,305 for the Lima facility, which is recorded in the deferred gain on sale leaseback transactions line on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, and a pretax loss on disposal of $3,432, recognized in fiscal 2016, for the Sulphur Springs facility, which is recorded within the S,G&A line on the Consolidated Statements of Net Income and in the BEF Foods segment.
Concurrent with the sale, the Company also entered into a master lease agreement with the same party that purchased the assets, pursuant to which we leased both the Lima and Sulphur Springs properties for an initial term of 20 years, with two renewal options of 10 years each. The leases include a 2.0% annual rent escalator. Annual, straight-line rent expense will be $4,127, inclusive of the amortized deferred gain on the Lima property, and recorded within the other operating expenses line on the Consolidated Statements of Net Income and in the BEF Foods segment. Refer to the table below for a summary of our BEF Foods sale leaseback transaction:
(in thousands)
Lima, Ohio
 
Sulphur Springs, Texas
Selling Price
$
25,284

 
$
26,316

Direct transactions costs
(564
)
 
(606
)
Net book value of assets sold
(22,415
)
 
(29,142
)
Net gain (loss) on sale
$
2,305

(1)
$
(3,432
)
(1)    The gain on the sale of our Lima facility is deferred and will be recognized over the lease term

66



In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 we entered into an agreement pursuant to which we sold 143 restaurant properties for $197,191. We received net proceeds of $191,713 after consideration of closing and certain other transaction costs. In conjunction with the sale, assets with a net book value of $139,621 were retired. After consideration of all direct transaction costs, the sale resulted in a deferred gain of $56,868 on 111 properties, which is recorded in the deferred gain on sale leaseback transactions line on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, and a pretax loss on disposal of $8,451 on 32 properties, recognized in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2016 within the S,G&A line on the Consolidated Statements of Net Income and in the Bob Evans Restaurants segment.
Concurrent with the sale, the Company also entered into absolute net master leases for the portfolio properties, for an initial term of 20 years, with five renewal options of five years each, at an annual rent of 6.65% of the purchase price for the first year. Certain of the properties include a CPI-based rent escalator with a maximum 1.5% annual increase, while others include a 1.5% annual rent escalator. In addition, the Company and BEF Foods, Inc. entered into payment and performance guaranties. Rent expense in fiscal 2017 will be $10,638, inclusive of the amortized deferred gain on 111 properties and recorded within the other operating expenses line on the Consolidated Statements of Net Income and in the Bob Evans Restaurants segment. Refer to the table below for a summary of our Bob Evans Restaurant sale leaseback transaction:
(in thousands)
Sold Restaurants
Selling Price
$
197,191

Direct transactions costs
(9,153
)
Net book value of assets sold
(139,621
)
Deferred gain on sale
(56,868
)
Loss on sale recorded in fiscal 2016 4th quarter
$
(8,451
)

Note 11 — Reporting Segments
We have two reporting segments: Bob Evans Restaurants and BEF Foods. We determine our segments on the same basis that the Company's chief operating decision maker uses to allocate resources and assess performance. We evaluate our segments based on operating income, excluding expenses and charges from corporate and other functions which we consider to be overall corporate costs, or costs not reflective of the reporting segment’s core operating businesses. This includes corporate functions such as information technology, finance, legal, human resources, supply chain and other corporate functions, and includes costs such as ongoing IT infrastructure costs, certain legal and professional fees, depreciation on our corporate assets and other costs.
Prior to the first quarter of fiscal 2016, we allocated these costs to our reporting segments. This change in reporting was made to present our results in line with the changes made during the first quarter in how management measures results of operations and allocates resources. We have adjusted the prior year amounts to reflect this change in presentation.
Operating income represents earnings before interest and income taxes. Identifiable assets by segment are those assets that are used in our operations in each segment. General corporate assets include assets held by our Rabbi Trust, property, plant and equipment related to our corporate support center and IT infrastructure and our note receivable obtained from the sale of Mimi's Café.
Information on our reporting segments is summarized as follows:

67



(in thousands)
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Net Sales
 
 
 
 
 
Bob Evans Restaurants
$
951,212

 
$
969,877

 
$
956,579

BEF Foods
406,384

 
398,617

 
386,806

Total
1,357,596

 
1,368,494

 
1,343,385

Inter-segment net sales of food products
(18,769
)
 
(19,304
)
 
(14,833
)
 
$
1,338,827

 
$
1,349,190

 
$
1,328,552

Operating income (loss)
 
 
 
 
 
Bob Evans Restaurants
$
34,793

 
$
56,239

 
$
80,187

BEF Foods
71,011

 
39,993

 
22,435

Corporate and Other
(69,583
)
 
(78,546
)
 
(69,497
)
Total
$
36,221

 
$
17,686

 
$
33,125

Depreciation and Amortization Expense
 
 
 
 
 
Bob Evans Restaurants
$
53,833

 
$
57,236

 
$
60,446

BEF Foods
16,224

 
17,141

 
14,514

Corporate and Other
9,550

 
5,697

 
4,496

Total
$
79,607

 
$
80,074

 
$
79,456

Capital Expenditures
 
 
 
 
 
Bob Evans Restaurants
$
28,906

 
$
43,927

 
$
83,106

BEF Foods
17,149

 
6,830

 
56,390

Corporate and Other
19,639

 
23,760

 
51,499

Total
$
65,694

 
$
74,517

 
$
190,995

Identifiable Assets
 
 
 
 
 
Bob Evans Restaurants
$
490,849

 
$
665,910

 
$
693,543

BEF Foods
150,645

 
179,137

 
193,634

General corporate assets
158,880

 
173,933

 
178,575

Total
$
800,374

 
$
1,018,980

 
$
1,065,752

Note 12 — Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)
Summarized unaudited quarterly financial results for Fiscal 2016 and Fiscal 2015 follows (in thousands, except per share amounts):
 
First Quarter
 
Second Quarter
 
Third Quarter
 
Fourth Quarter
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
Net Sales
$
321,713

 
$
326,341

 
$
325,021

 
$
333,279

 
$
346,505

 
$
357,177

 
$
345,587

 
$
332,393

Operating income
$
8,262

 
$
64

 
$
11,434

 
$
9,012

 
$
18,060

 
$
7,673

 
$
(1,535
)
 
$
937

Net income (loss)
$
4,280

 
$
(1,016
)
 
$
6,431

 
$
6,039

 
$
12,931

 
$
5,920

 
$
580

 
$
5,610

Earnings per share - net income (loss)


 


 


 


 


 


 


 


Basic
$
0.19

 
$
(0.04
)
 
$
0.29

 
$
0.26

 
$
0.62

 
$
0.25

 
$
0.03

 
$
0.24

Diluted
$
0.19

 
$
(0.04
)
 
$
0.29

 
$
0.25

 
$
0.62

 
$
0.25

 
$
0.03

 
$
0.24

Common stock sale prices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

High
$
51.88

 
$
51.11

 
$
49.92

 
$
49.10

 
$
44.34

 
$
56.34

 
$
48.14

 
$
59.64

Low
$
43.02

 
$
44.67

 
$
42.51

 
$
42.70

 
$
37.51

 
$
47.91

 
$
38.92

 
$
43.72

Cash dividends paid
$
0.31

 
$
0.31

 
$
0.31

 
$
0.31

 
$
0.34

 
$
0.31

 
$
0.34

 
$
0.31

Fiscal quarters represent 13-week periods, except the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2016, which was a 14-week period.
Total quarterly EPS may not equal the annual amount because EPS is calculated independently for each quarter.
Stock prices are high and low sale prices for our common stock as reported on the NASDAQ Stock Market (trading symbol — BOBE), which is the principal market for our common stock.
The number of registered stockholders of our common stock at June 1, 2016, was 15,665.

68




Note 13 — Subsequent Events
On May 26, 2016, the Board of Directors approved a quarterly cash dividend of $0.34 per share. The quarterly cash dividend was paid on June 20, 2016, to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 6, 2016.



69



REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Bob Evans Farms, Inc.:
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. as of April 29, 2016 and April 24, 2015, and the related consolidated statements of net income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended April 29, 2016. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. at April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015, and the consolidated results of their operations and their cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended April 29, 2016, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of April 29, 2016, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) and our report dated June 23, 2016, expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Grandview Heights, Ohio
June 23, 2016



70




REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Board of Directors and Stockholders of Bob Evans Farms, Inc.:
We have audited Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of April 29, 2016, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework) (the COSO criteria). Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting, and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects. Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
In our opinion, Bob Evans Farms, Inc. maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of April 29, 2016, based on the COSO criteria.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated balance sheets of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. as of April 29, 2016 and April 24, 2015, and the related consolidated statements of net income, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended April 29, 2016 of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and our report dated June 23, 2016, expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Grandview Heights, Ohio
June 23, 2016

71




ITEM 9. CHANGES IN AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES
None.
ITEM 9A.  CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
On April 25, 2015, we implemented the first phase of an enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) system on a companywide basis, which is expected to improve the efficiency of certain financial and related transaction processes. The implementation resulted in business and operational changes, which required changes to our internal controls over financial reporting. We believe we have designed adequate controls into and around the new ERP system, which includes performing significant procedures, both within the ERP and outside the ERP, to monitor, review and reconcile financial activity for our fiscal 2016 to ensure ongoing reliability of our financial reporting.
Except as described above, there has been no material change in our internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the year ended April 29, 2016, that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, with the participation of chief executive officer (principal executive officer) and chief financial officer (principal financial officer), has evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)) as of the end of the period covered by the Annual Report on Form 10-K. Based upon that evaluation, our Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, have concluded that:
information required to be disclosed by us in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and other reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act would be accumulated and communicated to our management, including our principal executive officers and principal financial officer, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure;
information required to be disclosed by us in this Annual Report on Form 10-K and the other reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act would be recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms; and
our disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of the end of the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

72



MANAGEMENT’S REPORT ON INTERNAL CONTROL OVER FINANCIAL REPORTING
To the Stockholders of Bob Evans Farms, Inc.:
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of our financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. Internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that in reasonable detail accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of the unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of our assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate. Accordingly, even an effective system of internal control over financial reporting will provide only reasonable assurance with respect to the reliability of financial reporting and financial statement preparation.
Management assessed our internal control over financial reporting as of April 29, 2016, the end of our fiscal year. Management based its assessment on criteria established in Internal Control -Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework). Management’s assessment included the evaluation of such elements as the design and operating effectiveness of key financial reporting controls, process documentation, accounting policies and our overall control environment. This assessment is supported by testing and monitoring performed by our internal audit function.
Based on its assessment, management concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of the end of the fiscal year ended April 29, 2016, the period covered by this Annual Report on Form 10-K, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external reporting purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States.
We reviewed the results of management’s assessment with the Audit Committee of our Board of Directors. Additionally, our independent registered public accounting firm, Ernst & Young LLP, independently assessed our internal control over financial reporting. Ernst & Young has issued a report on our internal control over financial reporting, which is included in this annual report.
/s/    Saed Mohseni
  
/s/    Mark E. Hood
Saed Mohseni
  
Mark E. Hood
President and Chief Executive Officer
  
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer
June 23, 2016

73




ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
None.
PART III
The information required by Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 will be furnished pursuant to a definitive proxy statement involving the election of directors pursuant to Regulation 14A that will contain such information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, information appearing in the sections “Compensation Committee Report” and “Audit Committee Report” shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Form 10-K.
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The information contained in our definitive proxy statement relating to the 2016 annual meeting of stockholders (the “2016 Proxy Statement”), under “SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE,” “PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS,” and “CORPORATE GOVERNANCE” under the sub-caption “Directors Serving on Boards of Other Public Companies” is incorporated herein by reference.
The information regarding our executive officers required by Item 401 of Regulation S-K is included in Part I of this Form 10-K under the caption “Supplemental Item. Executive Officers of Bob Evans Farms, Inc.”
Information concerning our Audit Committee and the determination by our Board of Directors that at least one member of the Audit Committee qualifies as an “audit committee financial expert” is incorporated herein by reference to the information contained in our 2016 Proxy Statement under “CORPORATE GOVERNANCE” under the sub-captions “Board Committees and Charters” and “Board Committees and Charters — Audit Committee.”
Information regarding the procedures by which our stockholders may recommend nominees to our Board of Directors is incorporated by reference to the information contained in our 2016 Proxy Statement under “CORPORATE GOVERNANCE” under the sub-caption “Board Committees and Charters — Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.”
Our Board of Directors has adopted a Code of Conduct that applies to all directors, officers and employees, including our principal executive officer, principal financial officer and controller. The Code of Conduct is available at our website www.bobevans.com in the “Investors” section under “Corporate Governance.” To receive a copy of the Code of Conduct at no cost, contact our Legal Department at (614) 492-7415. We intend to satisfy the disclosure requirements under Item 5.05 of Form 8-K regarding amendments to, or waivers from, certain provisions of the Code of Conduct that apply to our principal executive officer, principal financial officer, principal accounting officer or controller, or persons performing similar functions, by posting such information on our website.

74



Set forth below is a list of our directors, and their principal occupations, as of June 1, 2016:
 
 
 
Name
 
Principal Occupation
Douglas N. Benham
 
Executive Chair, Bob Evans Farms, Inc.; President and Chief Executive Officer of DNB Advisors, LLC, a restaurant industry consulting firm since 2006

Charles M. Elson
 
Edgar S. Woolard, Jr. Chair in Corporate Governance and Director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware since 2000
Mary Kay Haben
 
Retired; President of North America for the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, a leading confectionery company
David W. Head
 
President and Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Primanti, Inc., a private equity-owned restaurant chain since 2013
Kathleen S. Lane
 
Retired Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of TJX Companies, Inc., a specialty apparel retailer
Eileen A. Mallesch
 
Retired; Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Nationwide Property & Casualty Insurance, Nationwide Insurance
Larry S. McWilliams
 
Co-CEO of Compass Marketing, a marketing consulting firm serving a broad range of leading brands and consumer products
Saed Mohseni
 
President and Chief Executive Officer, Bob Evans Farms, Inc.
Kevin M. Sheehan
 
Professor at the School of Business at Adelphi University in New York

Michael F. Weinstein
 
Chairman and co-founder of INOV8 Beverage Consulting Group, LLC, a beverage consulting firm since 2012
Paul S. Williams
 
Partner of Major, Lindsey and Africa, a legal executive search firm
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Information regarding the compensation of our Board of Directors is incorporated by reference to the information contained in our 2016 Proxy Statement under “CORPORATE GOVERNANCE” under the sub-caption “Director Compensation for Fiscal 2016.”
Information regarding the compensation of our executive officers is incorporated by reference to the information contained in our 2016 Proxy Statement under “COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS,” “COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT” and “EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION” (including the information appearing under the sub-captions “Summary Compensation Table for Fiscal 2016, 2015 and 2014,” “All Other Compensation Table for Fiscal 2016,” “Grants of Plan-Based Awards in Fiscal 2016,” “Outstanding Equity Awards at 2016 Fiscal Year-End,” “Option Exercises and Stock Vested in Fiscal 2016,” “Nonqualified Deferred Compensation,” “Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Table for Fiscal 2016,” “Change in Control and Severance Program,” and “Potential Payouts upon Termination or Change-in-Control”).
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
Stock Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
The information required by Item 403 of Regulation S-K regarding the security ownership of certain beneficial owners and management is incorporated herein by reference to the information contained in the 2016 Proxy Statement under “STOCK OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT.”
Equity Compensation Plan Information
In September 2010, our stockholders approved the Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2010 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan (the “2010 Plan”). Our stockholders further amended the 2010 Plan in August 2013 to add 2.6 million shares to the 2010 Plan for future grants. As of April 29, 2016, there are approximately 3.4 million shares available for grant under the 2010 Plan. Currently, the 2010 Plan is the only plan under which we may issue equity securities to our directors, officers and employees. As of April 29, 2016, a number of awards were outstanding under the 2010 Plan and our previous equity plans, including:
the Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2006 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan (the “2006 Plan”).

75



Our stockholders approved all of our previous equity plans. These plans were terminated as to new awards when our stockholders adopted the 2010 Plan. Any shares that were available for issuance under our previous equity plans at the time they were terminated became available for issuance under the 2010 Plan.
The following table shows, as of April 29, 2016, the number of shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of outstanding options, the weighted-average exercise price of those options and the number of shares of common stock remaining for future issuance under the 2010 Plan, excluding shares issuable upon exercise of outstanding options.
 
(a)
 
(b)
 
(c)
 
 
Number of
Securities to be
Issued Upon
Exercise of
Options, Warrants
and Rights
 
Weighted-Average
Exercise Price of
Outstanding
Options, Warrants
and Rights
 
Number of Securities
Remaining Available for
Future Issuance Under
Equity Compensation
Plans (Excluding
Securities
Reflected in Column (a))
 
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders
321,737

(1) 
$
33.26

(2) 
3,445,564

(3) 
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders
N/A

  
N/A

 
N/A

  
Total
321,737

  
$
33.26

 
3,445,564

  
(1)
Includes 38,040 common shares issuable upon exercise of stock options granted under 2006 Stock Option Plan. Also includes 147,832 restricted stock units deferred in our Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plans, 74,119 outstanding restricted stock units granted under the 2010 Plan, and 61,746 unvested performance share units granted under the 2010 Plan
(2)
The restricted stock units and performance share units included in column (a) are not taken into account in calculating the weighted average exercise price of outstanding options
(3)
Represents shares available for issuance under the 2010 Plan, including 940,495 shares that were made available for issuance under the 2010 Plan when the 1992 Stock Option Plan, 1993 LTIP, the 1998 Stock Option Plan, and the 2006 Plan were suspended as well as shares that became available for issuance under the 2010 Plan when outstanding awards under the 1992 Stock Option Plan, 1993 LTIP, the 1998 Stock Option Plan and the 2006 Plan expired or were otherwise forfeited. This also includes approved, but unregistered shares available for grant. Shares available for future issuance under the 2010 Plan may be granted in the form of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, performance shares, performance units, restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights or whole shares. The Company’s practice for at least the past four years is to issue only restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and performance share units. For fungible “full” value awards, such as the grant of a share of restricted stock, 2.63 shares will be deducted from the total number of authorized shares for the Equity and Cash Incentive Plan. In the case of a grant of a stock option or SAR, the share ratio is 1-to-1, so one share will be deducted from the total number of authorized shares for the Equity and Cash Incentive Plan. This reflects the different values of these types of grants.
In addition, as of April 29, 2016, there were 234,773 shares of unvested restricted stock awards and restricted stock units outstanding, consisting of 4,669 shares granted under the 1993 LTIP, 34,647 shares granted under the 2006 Plan, and 195,457 shares granted under the 2010 Plan.
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS, AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
The information contained in the 2016 Proxy Statement under the captions “TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PERSONS” and “CORPORATE GOVERNANCE” under the sub-caption “Director Independence” is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
The information contained in the 2016 Proxy Statement under “PROPOSAL [4]: RATIFICATION OF SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM” under the captions “Preapproval of Services Performed by the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” and “Fees of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a)(1) Financial Statements
The following consolidated financial statements of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and subsidiaries are filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K under Item 8 hereof:
Management’s Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

76



Consolidated Balance Sheets at April 29, 2016, and April 24, 2015
Consolidated Statements of Net Income for the fiscal years ended April 29, 2016, April 24, 2015, and April 25, 2014
Consolidated Statements of Stockholders’ Equity for the fiscal years ended April 29, 2016, April 24, 2015, and April 25, 2014
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the fiscal years ended April 29, 2016, April 24, 2015, and April 25, 2014
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
(a)(2) Financial Statement Schedules
Financial statement schedules have been omitted because they are not required or are not applicable or because the information required to be set forth therein either is not material or is included in the financial statements or notes thereto.
(a)(3) Exhibits
The accompanying Index to Exhibits is filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K. Management contracts or compensatory plans or arrangements required to be filed as exhibits to this Annual Report on Form 10-K are denoted by asterisk in the Index to Exhibits.
(b) Exhibits
The accompanying Index to Exhibits is filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.
(c) Financial Statement Schedules
Not applicable.

77



SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.
 
 
BOB EVANS FARMS, INC.
 
 
 
 
Date: June 23, 2016
 
By:
/s/ Saed Mohseni
 
 
 
Saed Mohseni
President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer)
 
 
 
 
Date: June 23, 2016
 
By:
/s/ Mark E. Hood
 
 
 
Mark E. Hood
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer (Principal Financial Officer)

 
 
 
 
Date: June 23, 2016
 
By:
/s/ Beth A. Rauschenberger
 
 
 
Beth A. Rauschenberger
Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)


78



Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
Signature
 
Title
 
Date
 
 
 
/s/    Saed Mohseni
 
President ,Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer)
 
June 23, 2016
Saed Mohseni
 
 
/s/    Mark E. Hood
 
Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer (Principal Financial Officer)
 
June 23, 2016
Mark E. Hood
 
 
/s/ Beth A. Rauschenberger
 
Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller (Principal Accounting Officer)
 
June 23, 2016
Beth A. Rauschenberger
 
 
*
 
 
 
June 23, 2016
Douglas N. Benham
 
Director
 
*
 
 
 
June 23, 2016
Charles M. Elson
 
Director
 
*
 
 
 
June 23, 2016
Mary Kay Haben
 
Director
 
*
 
 
 
June 23, 2016
David W. Head
 
Director
 
*
 
 
 
June 23, 2016
Kathleen S. Lane
 
Director
 
*
 
 
 
June 23, 2016
Eileen A. Mallesch
 
Director
 
*
 
 
 
June 23, 2016
Larry S. McWilliams
 
Director
 
*
 
 
 
June 23, 2016
Kevin M. Sheehan
 
Director
 
*
 
 
 
June 23, 2016
Michael F. Weinstein
 
Director
 
*
 
 
 
June 23, 2016
Paul S. Williams
 
Director
 
 
 
 
 
 
* By Kevin C. O’Neil pursuant to Powers of Attorney executed by the directors and executive officers listed above, which Powers of Attorney have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
 
 
 
 
 
 /s/    Kevin C. O’Neil
 
 
 
 
Kevin C. O’Neil
Vice President, Assoc. General Counsel and Asst. Corporate Secretary

79



EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit Number
 
Description
  
Location
Certificate and By-Laws
3.1
 
Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of company reflecting amendments through Aug. 20, 2014. [This document represents the Company’s Certificate of Incorporation in restated format incorporating all amendments. This compiled document has not been filed with the Delaware Secretary of State.]

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 8-K filed September 3, 2014 (File No. 0-1667)

3.2
 
Amended and Restated By-Laws of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. (Effective August 20, 2014)


  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 3, 2014 (File No. 0-1667)

Revolving Credit Facility

4.1
 
$750,000,000 Revolving Credit Facility Amended and Restated Credit Agreement effective January 2, 2014 among Bob Evans Farms, LLC, as borrower; Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, BEF Foods, Inc., as guarantors; PNC Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, and the other Lends party thereto

 
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for its fiscal quarter ended January 24, 2014 filed March 4, 2014 (File No. 0-1667)

4.2
 
First Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of July 23, 2014 among Bob Evans Farms, LLC, as borrower; Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, BEF Foods, Inc., as guarantors; PNC Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, and the other Lends party thereto


 
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Form 8-K filed July 24, 2014 (File No. 0-1667)

4.3
 
Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of May 11, 2015 among Bob Evans Farms, LLC, as borrower; Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, BEF Foods, Inc., as guarantors; PNC Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, and the other Lends party thereto

 
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended April 24, 2015 filed March 4, 2014 (File No. 0-1667)

4.4
 
Third Amendment to $650,000,000 Revolving Credit Facility Amended and Restated Credit Agreement effective October 21, 2015 among Bob Evans Farms, LLC, as borrower; Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, BEF Foods, Inc., as guarantors; PNC Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, and the other Lenders party thereto.

 
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Form 8-K filed October 21, 2015 (File No. 0-1667)

401K Retirement Plan
4.5
 
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and Affiliates 401K Retirement Plan

 
Filed herewith
4.5.1
 
Adoption Agreement for Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and Affiliates 401K Retirement Plan
 
Filed herewith
Sale-Leaseback agreements

80



Exhibit Number
 
Description
  
Location
10.1
 
Master Lease Agreement by BEF Foods, Inc., an Ohio corporation, and Broadstone BEF Portfolio, LLC, a New York limited liability company, dated October 23, 2015

 
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Form 10-Q filed December 2, 2015 (File No. 0-1667)

10.2
 
Lease Guaranty by Bob Evans Farms, Inc., a Delaware corporation, for the benefit of Broadstone BEF Portfolio, LLC, a New York limited liability company, dated October 23, 2015
 
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Form 10-Q filed December 2, 2015 (File No. 0-1667)
10.3
 
Lease Guaranty by Bob Evans Farms, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company, for the benefit of Broadstone BEF Portfolio, LLC, a New York limited liability company, dated October 23, 2015
 
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Form 10-Q filed December 2, 2015 (File No. 0-1667)
10.4
 
Form of Master Lease Agreement by Bob Evans Farms, LLC, and National Retail Properties, LP, dated April 14, 2016
 
Filed herewith
10.5
 
Master Lease Agreement by Bob Evans Farms, LLC, and BE Portfolio, LLC dated April 14, 2016
 
Filed herewith
10.6
 
Lease Guaranty by Bob Evans Farms, Inc., and BEF Foods, Inc., for the benefit of BE Portfolio, LLC, dated April 14, 2016
 
Filed herewith
10.7
 
Form of Lease Guaranty by Bob Evans Farms, Inc., and BEF Foods, Inc., for the benefit of National Retail Properties Trust, dated April 14, 2016
 
Filed herewith
Employment Agreements
*10.08
 
Employment Agreement dated November 14, 2015, with Saed Mohseni

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Form 8-K filed November 17, 2015 (File No. 0-1667)



*10.09
 
Employment Agreement dated August 27, 2015, with Douglas N. Benham

 
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Form 8-K filed August 28, 2015 (File No. 0-1667)

Offer Letter
*10.10
 
Offer Letter dated June 20, 2014 with Mark E. Hood

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Form 8-K filed June 23, 2014 (File No. 0-1667)

*10.11
 
Amended and Restated Change In Control and Severance Plan dated November 14, 2015

 
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Form 8-K filed November 17, 2015 (File No. 0-1667)

Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement
*10.12
 
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Form of Director and Officer Indemnification Agreement

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended April 26, 2013 (File No. 0-1667)

Executive Deferral Program
*10.13
 
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and Affiliates Fourth Amended and Restated Executive Deferral Program
  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed June 2, 2010 (File No. 0-1667)
Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan
*10.14
 
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and Affiliates Fourth Amended and Restated Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan
  
Filed herewith

81



Exhibit Number
 
Description
  
Location
Executive Compensation Recoupment Policy
*10.15
 
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Amended and Restated Executive Compensation Recoupment Policy
  
Filed herewith
2010 Director Deferral Program
*10.16
 
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2010 Director Deferral Program effective May 26, 2010
  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed June 2, 2010 (File No. 0-1667)
2006 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan
*10.17
 
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2006 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan
  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 14, 2006 (File No. 0-1667)
*10.18
 
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Amended and Restated 2006 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan (effective as of January 1, 2008)
  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for its fiscal quarter ended October 26, 2007 (File No. 0-1667)
*10.19
 
First Amendment to the Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Amended and Restated 2006 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan effective November 18, 2008
  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.13 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for its fiscal quarter ended January 23, 2009 (File No. 0-1667)
*10.20
 
Form of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2006 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan Incentive Stock Option Award Agreement (For Employees -Performance Incentive Plan Award)

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed April 25, 2007 (File No. 0-1667)
*10.21
 
Form of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2006 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan Nonqualified Stock Option Award Agreement (For Employees -Performance Incentive Plan Award)

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed April 25, 2007 (File No. 0-1667)
*10.22
 
Form of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2006 Annual Bonus Award Agreement (For Employees)

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed April 25, 2007 (File No. 0-1667)
*10.23
 
Form of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2006 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan Whole Share Award Agreement (For Employees - Performance Incentive Plan Award)

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed April 25, 2007 (File No. 0-1667)

*10.24
 
Form of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2006 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan Restricted Stock Award Agreement (For Employees - Performance Incentive Plan Award)

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed May 17, 2007 (File No. 0-1667)
*10.25
 
Form of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2006 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan Whole Share Award Agreement (For Employees - General)

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K filed May 17, 2007 (File No. 0-1667)
*10.26
 
Form of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2006 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan Cash Based Award Agreement (For Employees - Performance Incentive Plan Award)

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Current Report on Form 8-K/A dated June 15, 2007 (File No. 0-1667)
2010 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan
*10.27
 
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Amended and Restated 2010 Equity And Cash Incentive Plan, Amended and Restated Effective August 21, 2013

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.'s Form 8-K filed August 23, 2013 (File No. 0-1667)


82



Exhibit Number
 
Description
  
Location
*10.28
 
Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2010 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan Restricted Stock Award Agreement (For Directors)

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Form S-8 Registration Statement filed September 13, 2010 (333-169350) (File No. 0-1667)

*10.29
 
Form of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2010 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement (For Employees)

  
Incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.70 to Bob Evans Farms, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended April 29, 2011 (File No. 0-1667)

*10.30
 
Form of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2010 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan Performance Stock Unit Award Agreement (For Employees)

 
Filed herewith
*10.31
 
Form of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2010 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement - 2016 (For Employees)

 
Filed herewith
Other Items
21
 
Subsidiaries of Bob Evans Farms, Inc.
  
Filed herewith
23
 
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
  
Filed herewith
24
 
Power of Attorney
  
Filed herewith
31.1
 
Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification (Principal Executive Officer)
  
Filed herewith
31.2
 
Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) Certification (Principal Financial Officer)
  
Filed herewith
32.1
 
Section 1350 Certification (Principal Executive Officer)
  
Filed herewith
32.2
 
Section 1350 Certification (Principal Financial Officer)
  
Filed herewith
101.INS
 
XBRL Instance Document
  
**
101.SCH
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
  
**
101.CAL
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation
  
**
 
 
Linkbase Document
  
 
101.LAB
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase
  
**
 
 
Document
  
 
101.PRE
 
XBRL Taxonomy Presentation Linkbase
  
**
 
 
Document
  
 
101.DEF
 
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition
  
**
 
 
Linkbase Document
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
*
 
Denotes management contract or compensatory plan or agreement.
**
 
In accordance with Regulation S-T, the XBRL-related information in Exhibit 101 to this Annual Report on Form 10-K shall be deemed to be furnished and not filed herewith.





83

Exhibit



EXHIBIT 4.5    
























THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PROTOTYPE PLAN AND TRUST AGREEMENT












































TABLE OF CONTENTS



ARTICLE I, DEFINITIONS
1.01
Account    1
1.02
Account Balance or Accrued Benefit    1
1.03
Accounting Date    1
1.04
Adoption Agreement    1
1.05
Advisory Letter    1
1.06
Annuity Contract    1
1.07
Appendix    2
1.08
[Reserved]    2
1.09
Beneficiary    2
1.10
Code    2
1.11
Compensation    2
1.12
Contribution Types    4
1.13
Defined Contribution Plan    4
1.14
Defined Benefit Plan    5
1.15
Differential Wage Payment    5
1.16
Disability    5
1.17
Designated IRA Contribution    5
1.18
DOL    5
1.19
Earnings    5
1.20
Effective Date    5
1.21
Elective Deferrals    5
1.22
Employee    5
1.23
Employee Contribution and DECs    7
1.24
Employer    7
1.25
Employer Contribution    7
1.26
Entry Date    7
1.27
EPCRS    7
1.28
ERISA    8
1.29
401(k) Plan    8
1.30
401(m) Plan    8
1.31
HEART Act    8
1.32
Hour of Service    8
1.33
IRS    9
1.34
Limitation Year    9
1.35
Matching Contribution    9
1.36
Money Purchase Pension Plan/Money Purchase Pension Contribution    9
1.37
Named Fiduciary    9
1.38
Nonelective Contribution    10
1.39
Opinion Letter    10
1.40
Paid Time Off Plan    10
1.41
Participant    10
1.42
Plan    10
1.43
Plan Administrator    10
1.44
Plan Year    10
1.45
Practitioner    10
1.46
Predecessor Employer/Predecessor Plan    10
1.47
Prevailing Wage Contract/Contribution    10
1.48
Profit Sharing Plan    10
1.49
Protected Benefit    10
1.50
Prototype Plan/Master Plan (M&P Plan)    11
1.51
QDRO    11
1.52
Qualified Military Service    11
1.53
Qualified Reservist Distribution (QRD)    11
1.54
Restated Plan    11
1.55
Rollover Contribution    11
1.56
Safe Harbor Contribution    11
1.57
Salary Reduction Agreement    11
1.58
Separation from Service/Severance from Employment    11
1.59
Service    11
1.60
SIMPLE Contribution    12
1.61
Sponsor    12
1.62
Successor Plan    12
1.63
Taxable Year    12
1.64
Transfer    12
1.65
Trust    12
1.66
Trust Fund    12
1.67
Trustee/Custodian    12
1.68
USERRA    12
1.69
Valuation Date    12
1.70
Vested    12
1.71
Volume Submitter Plan    12
ARTICLE II, ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION
2.01
Eligibility    13
2.02
Application of Service Conditions    13
2.03
Break in Service ‑ Participation    14
2.04
Participation upon Re‑employment    15
2.05
Change in Employment Status    15
2.06
Participation Opt‑Out    15
ARTICLE III, PLAN CONTRIBUTIONS AND FORFEITURES
3.01
Contribution Types    16
3.02
Elective Deferrals    16
3.03
Matching Contributions    21
3.04
Nonelective/Employer Contributions    22
3.05
Safe Harbor 401(k) Contributions    25
3.06
Allocation Conditions    30
3.07
Forfeiture Allocation    32
3.08
Rollover Contributions    34
3.09
Employee Contributions    35
3.10
SIMPLE 401(k) Contributions    35
3.11
USERRA/HEART ACT Contributions    36
3.12
Designated IRA Contributions    37
3.13
Deductible Employee Contributions (DECs)    38
ARTICLE IV, LIMITATIONS AND TESTING
4.01
Annual Additions Limit    40
4.02
Annual Additions Limit Code §415 Aggregated Plans    40
4.03
Disposition of Excess Annual Additions    41
4.04
No Combined DCP/DBP Limitation    41
4.05
Definitions: Sections 4.01‑4.04    41
4.06
Annual Testing Elections    43
4.07
Testing Based On Benefits    44
4.08
Amendment To Pass Testing    45
4.09
Application Of Compensation Limit    45
4.10
401(k) (Or Other Plan) Testing    45
4.11
Definitions: Sections 4.06‑4.10    51
ARTICLE V, VESTING
5.01
Normal/Early Retirement Age    53
5.02
Participant Death or Disability    53
5.03
Vesting Schedule    53
5.04
Cash‑Out Distribution/Possible Restoration    54
5.05
Year of Service ‑ Vesting    56
5.06
Break in Service and Forfeiture Break in Service ‑ Vesting    56
5.07
Forfeiture Occurs    57
5.08
Amendment to Vesting Schedule    57
5.09
Employee Contributions    57
ARTICLE VI, DISTRIBUTIONS
6.01
Timing of Distribution    58
6.02
Required Minimum Distributions    62
6.03
Post‑Separation (Severance), Lifetime RMD, and Beneficiary Distribution Methods    64
6.04
Annuity Distributions to Participants and to Surviving Spouses    66
6.05
QDRO Distributions    68
6.06
Defaulted Loan ‑ Timing of Offset    68
6.07
Hardship Distribution    69
6.08
Direct Rollover of Eligible Rollover Distributions    70
6.09
Replacement of $5,000 Amount    72
6.10
TEFRA Elections    72
6.11
Deemed Severance Distributions    72
ARTICLE VII, ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS
7.01
Employer Administrative Provisions    73
7.02
Plan Administrator    73
7.03
Direction of Investment    74
7.04
Account Administration, Valuation and Expenses    75
7.05
Participant Administrative Provisions    78
7.06
Plan Loans    80
7.07
Lost Participants    80
7.08
Plan Correction    81
7.09
Prototype/Volume Submitter Plan Status    82
7.10
Plan Communications, Interpretation, and Construction    82
7.11
Divestment of Employer Securities    83
ARTICLE VIII, TRUSTEE AND CUSTODIAN, POWERS AND DUTIES
8.01
Acceptance    84
8.02
Investment Powers and Duties    84
8.03
Named Fiduciary    87
8.04
Form of Distribution (Cash or Property)    87
8.05
Trustee/Custodian Fees and Expenses    87
8.06
Third Party Reliance    87
8.07
Appointment of Ancillary Trustee or Independent Fiduciary    88
8.08
Resignation and Removal    88
8.09
Investment In Group Trust Fund    89
8.10
Combining Trusts of Employer's Plans    89
8.11
Amendment/Substitution of Trust    89
8.12
Cross‑Pay Provision    89
ARTICLE IX, PROVISIONS RELATING TO INSURANCE AND INSURANCE COMPANY
9.01
Insurance Benefit    90
9.02
Limitations On Coverage    90
9.03
Disposition of Life Insurance Protection    90
9.04
Dividends    90
9.05
Limitations On Insurance Company Duties    91
9.06
Records/Information    91
9.07
Conflict With Plan    91
9.08
Appendix B Override    91
9.09
Definitions    91
ARTICLE X, TOP‑HEAVY PROVISIONS
10.01
Determination of Top‑Heavy Status    92
10.02
Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation    92
10.03
Plan Which Will Satisfy Top‑Heavy    92
10.04
Top‑Heavy Vesting    93
10.05
Safe Harbor/SIMPLE Plan Exemption    93
10.06
Definitions    93
ARTICLE XI, EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT, AMENDMENT, AND TERMINATION
11.01
Exclusive Benefit    96
11.02
Amendment by Employer    96
11.03
Amendment by Prototype Sponsor/Volume Submitter Practitioner    97
11.04
Frozen Plan/Discontinuance of Contributions    97
11.05
Plan Termination    98
11.06
Merger/Direct Transfer    99
ARTICLE XII, MULTIPLE EMPLOYER PLAN
12.01
Election/Overriding Effect    100
12.02
Definitions    100
12.03
Participating Employer Elections    100
12.04
HCE Status    100
12.05
Testing    100
12.06
Top‑Heavy    101
12.07
Compensation    101
12.08
Service    101
12.09
Required Minimum Distributions    101
12.10
Cooperation and Indemnification    101
12.11
Involuntary Termination    101
12.12
Voluntary Termination    102


DEFINITIONS
MASTER LIST



Account. 1.01

Account Balance. 1.02

Accounting Date. 1.03

Accrued Benefit. 1.02

ACA. 3.02(B)(1)

ACP Limit. 4.10(C)(1)

ACP Participant. 4.11(A)

ACR (actual contribution ratio). 4.10(C)(5)(a)

Actual Method. 1.32(A)(1)

Actuarial Factor. 3.04(B)(5)(b)

Additional Matching Contribution. 1.35(G), 3.05(F)(1)

Ad-Hoc. 6.03(A)(6)

Administrative Checklist. 7.02(C)(2)

Adoption Agreement. 1.04

ADP Limit. 4.10(B)(1)

ADP Participant. 4.11(B)

ADR (actual deferral ratio). 4.10(B)(4)(a)

Advisory Letter. 1.05

Aggregate Contributions. 4.10(C)(2)

Allocable Income. 4.11(C)

Alternative Annuity. 1.06(B), 6.03(A)(5)

Alternative Defined Contribution Plan. 11.05(F)(1)

Alternative (general) 415 Compensation. 1.11(B)(4)

Anniversary Year. 2.02(C)(3)

Annual Additions. 4.05(A)

Annual Additions Limit. 4.05(B)

Annuity Contract. 1.06

Annuity Starting Date. 1.06(A), 6.01(A)(2)(h)

Appendix. 1.07

Applicable Contribution Rate. 4.10(D)(1)(b)

Applicable Defined Contribution Plan. 7.11(A)(1)

Applicable Individual/Deferrals. 7.11(B)(1)

Applicable Individual/Employer Contributions. 7.11(C)(1)

Applicable Percentage. 6.04(A)(8)(b)

Associated Matching Contribution. 3.07(A)(1)(b)

Automatic Contribution Arrangement (ACA). 3.02(B)(1)

Automatic Deferral. 1.21(C), 3.02(B)(4)(a)

Automatic Deferral Percentage/Increases. 3.02(B)(4)(b)

Automatic Rollover. 6.08(D)

Basic Matching Contribution. 1.35(E), 3.05(E)(4)

Beneficiary. 1.09

Benefit Factor. 3.04(B)(5)(a)

Break in Service. 1.32(A)(3)(i), 2.03(A), 5.06(A)

Cash or Deferred Arrangement (CODA). 3.02(C)

Cash-Out Distribution. 5.04(A)(2)

Catch-Up Deferral. 1.21(D), 3.02(D)(2)

Catch-Up Eligible Participant. 3.02(D)(1)

Cessation of Affiliation. 4.05(C)

Client Organization (“CO”). 12.02(D)(1)

Code. 1.10

Code §415 Aggregated Plan. 4.05(D)

Code §415 Compensation. 1.11(B)(3), 4.05(F)

Code §3401(a) Wages. 1.11(B)(2)

Collective Bargaining Employees. 1.22(D)(1)

Combined Plans Limitation. 4.05(E)

Compensation. 1.11, 1.22(E)(3), 3.01(B), 3.02(A)(2), 3.02(B)(4)(c), 3.02(C), 3.05(C), 3.10(C), 3.11(C), 3.12(C)(4)(c), 4.05(F), 4.07(D), 4.07(E), 4.11(D), 10.06(A)

Compensation Dollar Limit. 1.11(E)

Contract(s). 9.09(A)

Contrary Election. 3.02(B)(4)(d)

Contrary Election Effective Date. 3.02(B)(4)(e)

Contribution Types. 1.12

Cross-Over Date. 4.06(C)(1)(c)

Current Year Testing. 4.11(E)

Custodian. 1.67

DCD. 6.02(E)(3)

DCY. 6.02(E)(2)

Deductible Employee Contributions (DECs). 1.23,     3.13

Deemed Disability Compensation. 1.11(K)

Deemed 125 Compensation. 1.11(C)

Defined Benefit Plan. 1.14

Defined Contribution Plan. 1.13

Designated Beneficiary. 1.09(A), 6.02(E)(1)

Designated IRA Contribution. 1.17

Determination Date. 10.06(B)

Determination (look-back) Period. 10.06( C )

Differential Wage Payment. 1.15

Direct Rollover. 6.08(F)(1)

Disability. 1.16

Discretionary Matching Contribution. 1.35(B)

Discretionary Nonelective Contribution. 1.38(B)

Distribution Requiring Consent. 6.01(A)(2)(a)

Dividends. 9.09(B)

DOL. 1.18

EACA. 3.02(B)(2)

EACA Effective Date. 3.02(B)(2)(a)(i)

Early Retirement Age. 5.01

Earned Income. 1.11(J)

Earnings. 1.19

Effective Date. 1.20

Elapsed Time Method. 1.32(A)(3)

Elective Deferrals. 1.21

Elective Deferral Limit. 4.10(A)(1)

Elective Transfer. 11.06(E)(1)

Eligible Automatic Contribution Arrangement (EACA). 3.02(B)(2)

Eligible Employee. 1.22(C)

Eligible Retirement Plan. 6.08(F)(2)

Eligible Rollover Distribution. 6.08(F)(3)

Eligibility Computation Period. 2.02(C)(1)

Employee. 1.22, 12.02(A)

Employee Contribution. 1.23

Employer. 1.24, 4.05(G), 10.06(D)

Employer Contribution. 1.25

Employment Commencement Date. 2.02(C)(4)

Enhanced Matching Contribution. 1.35(F), 3.05(E)(6)

Entry Date. 1.26, 2.02(D)(1)

EPCRS. 1.27

Equivalency Method. 1.32(A)(2)

ERISA. 1.28

ERISA Fee Recapture Account. 7.04(D)(1)

Excess Aggregate Contributions. 4.10(C)(3)

Excess Amount. 4.05(H)

Excess Contributions. 4.10(B)(2)

Excess Deferral. 4.10(A)(2)

Excluded Compensation. 1.11(G)

Excluded Employee. 1.22(D)

Exempt Participants. 6.04(G)(1)

Fixed Matching Contribution. 1.35(A)

Fixed Nonelective Contribution. 1.38(A)

Forfeiture Break in Service. 5.06(B)

Formerly Affiliated Plan. 4.05(I)

Frozen Plan. 1.42(B)

401(k) Plan. 1.29

401(m) Plan. 1.30

Gap Period. 4.11(F)

Gateway Contribution. 4.07(A)(1)

HCE. 1.22(E)

HCE Group. 4.10(B)(4))(b), 4.10(C)(5)(b), 4.11(G)

HEART Act. 1.31

Highest Allocation Rate. 4.07(E)(1)

Highest Contribution Rate. 10.06(E)

Hour of Service. 1.32

Includible Employees. 4.06(C)(1)(a)

Individual Beneficiary. 1.09(B)

Individual Retirement Plan (IRA). 6.08(F)(4)

Initial Eligibility Computation Period. 2.02(C)(2)

In-Plan Roth Rollover Contribution. 1.55(A)

In-Plan Roth Rollover Contribution Account. 1.55(B)

In-Service Distribution. 6.01(C)(1)

Installments. 6.03(A)(4)

Insurable Participant. 9.09(C)

Investment Manager(s). 7.02(C)(8)

IRA. 6.08(F)(4)

IRS. 1.33

Issuing Company. 9.09(D)

JLT. 6.02(E)(4)

Key Employee. 10.06(F)

Lead Employer. 1.24(B), 12.02(B)

Leased Employee. 1.22(B)

Life Annuity. 6.04(A)(4)

    Life Expectancy. 6.02(E)(5)

Limitation Year. 1.34, 4.05(J)

Lump –Sum. 6.03(A)(3)

M&P Plan. 1.50

Mandatory Distribution. 6.01(A)(1)(a)

Mass Submitter. 11.03(A)

Master Plan. 1.50

Matching Contribution. 1.35

Matching Rate. 4.10(D)(2)(b)

Modified AGI. 3.12(C)(4)(b)

Money Purchase Pension Contribution. 1.36

Money Purchase Pension Plan. 1.36

Multiple Employer Plan. 1.42(A)

Named Fiduciary. 1.37, 8.03(A)

NHCE. 1.22(F)

NHCE Group. 4.10(B)(4)(b), 4.10(C)(5)(b), 4.11(H)

Non-cash Compensation. 1.11(G)

Nonelective Contribution. 1.38

Nonelective Transfer. 11.06(D)

Non-Key Employee. 10.06(G)

Nonresident Aliens. 1.22(D)(2)

Nonstandardized Plan. 1.04(A)

Nontransferable Annuity. 1.06(C)

Normal Retirement Age. 5.01

Operational QMAC. 3.03(C)(2)

Operational QNEC. 3.04(C)(2)

Opinion Letter. 1.39

Otherwise Excludible Employees. 4.06(C)(1)(a)

Paid Time Off Plan. 1.40

Partially-Vested Participant. 5.04(A)(1)

Participant. 1.41, 10.06(H)

Participant-Directed Accounts. 7.04(A)(2)(b)

Participant’s RMD Account Balance. 6.02(E)(6)

Participating Compensation. 1.11(H)(1)

Participating Employer. 1.24(D), 12.02(C)

Participation Agreement. 1.04(C)

Part-Time/Temporary/Seasonal Employees.    1.22(D)(4)

PEO. 12.02(D)

Period of Severance. 1.32(A)(3)(ii)

Permissive Aggregation Group. 10.06(I)

Plan. 1.42

Plan Administrator. 1.43

Plan Designated QMAC. 3.03(C)(1)

Plan Designated QNEC. 3.04(C)(1)

Plan Year. 1.44

Plan Year Compensation. 1.11(H)(2)

Pooled Accounts. 7.04(A)(2)(a)

Post-Severance Compensation. 1.11(I)

Practitioner. 1.45

Predecessor Employer. 1.46(A), 4.05(K)

Predecessor Employer Service. 1.59(B)

Predecessor Plan. 1.46(B)

Predecessor Plan Service. 1.59(B)

Pre-Entry Compensation. 1.11(H)

Pre-Tax Deferral. 1.21(A)

Prevailing Wage Contract/Contribution. 1.47

Prior Year Testing. 4.11(I)

Professional Employer Organization (PEO). 12.02(D)

Profit Sharing Plan. 1.48

Protected Benefit. 1.49

Prototype Plan/Master Plan (M&P Plan). 1.50

Publicly Traded Securities. 7.11(A)(2)

QACA. 3.02(B)(3)

QACA Basic Matching Contribution. 1.35(H), 3.05(E)(5)

QACA Effective Date. 3.02(B)(3)(a)(i)

QDRO. 1.51

QJSA. 1.06(D), 6.04(A)(1),6.04(A)(2)

QMAC. 1.35(C)

QNEC. 1.38(C)

QOSA. 1.06(F), 6.04(A)(8)(a)

QPSA. 1.06(E), 6.04(B)(1)

QRD. 1.53, 6.01(C)(4)(b)(iii)

QTA. 11.05(B)(1)

Qualified Automatic Contribution Arrangement (QACA). 3.02(B)(3)

Qualified Military Service. 1.52

Qualified Optional Survivor Annuity (QOSA). 1.06(F), 6.04(A)(8)(a)

Qualified Preretirement Survivor Annuity (QPSA). 1.06(E), 6.04(B)(1)

Qualified Reservist Distribution (QRD). 1.53, 6.01(C)(4)(b)(iii)

Qualified Termination Administrator (QTA). 11.05(B)(1)

RBD. 6.02(E)(7)

Reclassified Employees. 1.22(D)(3)

Re-Employment Commencement Date. 2.02(C)(4)

Regular Matching Contribution. 1.35(D)

Related Employer. 1.24(C)

Related Employer Service. 1.59(A)

Related Group. 1.24(C)

Representative Contribution Rate. 4.10(D)(1)(a)

Representative Matching Rate. 4.10(D)(2)(a)

Required Aggregation Group. 10.06(J)

Restated Plan. 1.54

Restorative Payment. 4.05(L)

Restricted 401(k) Accounts. 6.01(C)(4)(b)(ii)

Restricted Pension Accounts. 6.01(C)(4)(c)(ii)

RMD. 6.02(E)(8)

Rollover Contribution. 1.55

Roth Deferral. 1.21(B)

Safe Harbor Contribution. 1.56, 3.05(E)(2), 3.05(E)(3)

Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan. 1.29(B)

Safe Harbor Matching Contribution. 1.35(J), 3.05(E)(3)

Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution. 1.38(E), 3.05(E)(2)

Salary Reduction Agreement. 1.57

Segregated Accounts. 7.04(A)(2)(c)

Self-Employed Individual. 1.22(A)

Separation from Service. 1.58

Service. 1.59

Severance from Employment. 1.58

Signatory Employer. 1.24(A)

SIMPLE Contribution. 1.60, 3.10(E)(1)

SIMPLE 401(k) Plan. 1.29(C)

SIMPLE Matching Contribution. 1.35(I), 3.10(E)(1)

SIMPLE Nonelective Contribution. 1.38(D), 3.10(E)(1)

SLT. 6.02(E)(9)

Sponsor. 1.61

Spouse. 7.05(A)(5)

Standardized Plan. 1.04(A)

Subsequent Eligibility Computation Period. 2.02(C)(5)

Successor Plan. 1.62

Survivor Annuity. 6.04(A)(4)

Taxable Wage Base. 3.04((B)(2)(c)

Taxable Year. 1.63

Testing Year. 4.11(J)

Top-Heavy Minimum Allocation. 10.06(L)

Top-Heavy Ratio. 10.06(K)

Traditional 401(k) Plan. 1.29(A)

Transfer. 1.64

Trust. 1.65

Trust Fund. 1.66

Trustee. 1.67

ULT. 6.02(E)(10)

USERRA. 1.68

Valuation Date. 1.69, 7.04(B)(2)

Valuation Period. 7.04(B)(3)

VCY. 6.02(E)(11)

Vested/Vesting. 1.70

Vesting Computation Period. 5.05(B)

Volume Submitter Plan. 1.71

W‑2 Wages. 1.11(B)(1)

Worksite Employee. 12.02(D)(2)

Year of Service. 1.32(A)(3)(iii), 2.02(A), 5.05(A)

0% Vested Participant. 5.04(C)(1)




THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA
DEFINED CONTRIBUTION PROTOTYPE PLAN AND TRUST AGREEMENT
BASIC PLAN DOCUMENT #11

The Prudential Insurance Company of America, in its capacity as Prototype Plan Sponsor or as Volume Submitter Practitioner, establishes this Prototype Plan or this Volume Submitter Plan intended to conform to and qualify under §401 and §501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. An Employer establishes a Plan and Trust under this Prototype Plan or this Volume Submitter Plan by executing an Adoption Agreement.

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS



1.01    Account. Account means the separate Account(s) which the Plan Administrator or the Trustee maintains under the Plan for a Participant.

1.02    Account Balance or Accrued Benefit. Account Balance or Accrued Benefit means the amount of a Participant's Account(s) as of any relevant date derived from Plan contributions and from Earnings.

1.03    Accounting Date. Accounting Date means the last day of the Plan Year. The Plan Administrator will allocate Employer Contributions and forfeitures for a particular Plan Year as of the Accounting Date of that Plan Year, and on such other dates, if any, as the Plan Administrator determines, consistent with the Plan's allocation conditions and other provisions.

1.04    Adoption Agreement. Adoption Agreement means the document executed by each Employer adopting this Plan. References to Adoption Agreement within this basic plan document are to the Adoption Agreement as completed and executed by a particular Employer unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. An adopting Employer's Adoption Agreement and this basic plan document together constitute a single Plan and Trust of the Employer. Each elective provision of the Adoption Agreement corresponds (by its parenthetical section reference) to the section of the Plan which grants the election. All "Section" references within an Adoption Agreement are to the basic plan document. All "Election" references within an Adoption Agreement are Adoption Agreement references. The Employer or Plan Administrator to facilitate Plan administration or to generate written policies or forms for use with the Plan may maintain one or more administrative checklists as an attachment to the Adoption Agreement or otherwise. Any such checklists are not part of the Plan.

(A)    Prototype/Standardized Plan or Nonstandardized Plan. Each Adoption Agreement offered under this Prototype Plan is either a Standardized Plan or a Nonstandardized Plan, as identified in that Adoption Agreement, under Rev. Proc. 2011‑41 §§4.09 and 4.10. The provisions of this Plan apply in the same manner to Nonstandardized Plans and to Standardized Plans unless otherwise specified. If the Employer maintains its Plan pursuant to a Nonstandardized Adoption Agreement or a Standardized Adoption Agreement, the Plan is a Prototype Plan and all provisions in this basic plan which expressly or by their context refer to a "Volume Submitter Plan" are not applicable.

(B)    Volume Submitter Adoption Agreement. A Volume Submitter Adoption Agreement for purposes of this Volume Submitter Plan is subject to the same provisions as apply to a Nonstandardized Plan, except as the Plan or Volume Submitter Adoption Agreement otherwise indicates. If the Employer maintains its Plan pursuant to a Volume Submitter Adoption Agreement, the Plan is a Volume Submitter Plan and all provisions in this basic plan which expressly or by their context refer to a "Prototype Plan" are not applicable.

(C)    Participation Agreement. Participation Agreement, in the case of a Standardized Plan means the Adoption Agreement page or pages executed by one or more Related Employers to become a Participating Employer. In the case of a Nonstandardized or Volume Submitter Plan, Participation Agreement means the Adoption Agreement page or pages executed by one or more Related Employers or, in the case of a Multiple Employer Plan, by one or more Employers which are not Related Employers (see Section 12.02(C)) to become a Participating Employer.

1.05    Advisory Letter. Advisory Letter means an IRS issued letter as to the acceptability in form of a Volume Submitter Plan as defined in Section 13.03 of Rev. Proc. 2005‑16.

1.06    Annuity Contract. Annuity Contract means an annuity contract that the Trustee purchases with the Participant's Vested Account Balance. An Annuity Contract includes a QJSA, a QOSA, a QPSA and an Alternative Annuity. If the Plan Administrator elects or is required to provide an Annuity Contract, such annuity must be a Nontransferable Annuity and otherwise must comply with the Plan terms.

(A)    Annuity Starting Date. A Participant's Annuity Starting Date means the first day of the first period for which the Plan pays an amount as an annuity or in any other form.

(B)    Alternative Annuity. See Section 6.03(A)(5).

(C)    Nontransferable Annuity. Nontransferable Annuity means an Annuity Contract which by its terms provides that it may not be sold, assigned, discounted, pledged as collateral for a loan or security for the performance of an obligation or for any purpose to any person other than the insurance company. If the Plan distributes an Annuity Contract, the Annuity Contract must be a Nontransferable Annuity.

(D)    QJSA. See Sections 6.04(A)(1) and (2).

(E)    QPSA. See Section 6.04(B)(1).

(F)    QOSA. See Section 6.04(A)(8)(a).

1.07    Appendix. Appendix means one of the Appendices to an Adoption Agreement designated as "A", "B", "C", or "D" which are expressly authorized by the Plan and as part of the Plan, are covered by the Advisory Letter or Opinion Letter.

1.08    [RESERVED]

1.09    Beneficiary. Beneficiary means a person designated by a Participant, a Beneficiary or by the Plan who is or may become entitled to a benefit under the Plan. A Beneficiary who becomes entitled to a benefit under the Plan remains a Beneficiary under the Plan until the Trustee has fully distributed to the Beneficiary his/her Plan benefit. A Beneficiary's right to (and the Plan Administrator's or a Trustee's duty to provide to the Beneficiary) information or data concerning the Plan does not arise until the Beneficiary first becomes entitled to receive a benefit under the Plan.

(A)    Designated Beneficiary. Designated Beneficiary means a Beneficiary described in Section 6.02(E)(1).

(B)    Individual Beneficiary. Individual Beneficiary means a Beneficiary who is an individual.

1.10    Code. Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended and includes applicable Treasury regulations.

1.11    Compensation.

(A)    Uses and Context. Any reference in the Plan to Compensation is a reference to the definition in this Section 1.11, unless the Plan reference, or the Employer in its Adoption Agreement, modifies this definition. Except as the Plan otherwise specifically provides, the Plan Administrator will take into account only Compensation actually paid during (or as permitted under the Code, paid for) the relevant period. A Compensation payment includes Compensation paid by the Employer through another person under the common paymaster provisions in Code §§3121 and 3306. In the case of a Self‑Employed Individual, Compensation means Earned Income as defined in Section 1.11(J). However, if the Plan must use an equivalent alternative compensation amount (pursuant to Treas. Reg. §1.414(s)‑1(g)(1)(i)) in performing nondiscrimination testing relating to Matching Contributions, Nonelective Contributions and other Employer Contributions (excluding Elective Deferrals), the Plan Administrator may limit the Compensation of such Self‑Employed Individual to such equivalent alternative compensation amount. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to allocate contributions based on Compensation within a specified 12 month period which ends within a Plan Year.

(B)    Base Definitions and Modifications. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect one of the following base definitions of Compensation: W‑2 Wages, Code §3401(a) Wages, or 415 Compensation. The Employer may elect a different base definition as to different Contribution Types. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may specify any modifications thereto, for purposes of contribution allocations under Article III. If the Employer fails to elect one of the above‑referenced definitions, the Employer is deemed to have elected the W‑2 Wages definition.

(1)    W‑2 Wages. W‑2 Wages means wages for federal income tax withholding purposes, as defined under Code §3401(a), plus all other payments to an Employee in the course of the Employer's trade or business, for which the Employer must furnish the Employee a written statement under Code §§6041, 6051, and 6052, but determined without regard to any rules that limit the remuneration included in wages based on the nature or location of the employment or services performed (such as the exception for agricultural labor in Code §3401(a)(2)). The Employer in Appendix B may elect to exclude from W‑2 Compensation certain Employer paid or reimbursed moving expenses as described therein.

(2)    Code §3401(a) Wages (income tax wage withholding). Code §3401(a) Wages means wages within the meaning of Code §3401(a) for the purposes of income tax withholding at the source, but determined without regard to any rules that limit the remuneration included in wages based on the nature or the location of the employment or the services performed (such as the exception for agricultural labor in Code §3401(a)(2)).

(3)    Code §415 Compensation (current income definition/simplified compensation under Treas. Reg. §1.415(c)‑2(d)(2)). Code §415 Compensation means the Employee's wages, salaries, fees for professional service and other amounts received (without regard to whether or not an amount is paid in cash) for personal services actually rendered in the course of employment with the Employer maintaining the Plan to the extent that the amounts are includible in gross income (including, but not limited to, commissions paid to salespersons, compensation for services on the basis of a percentage of profits, commissions on insurance premiums, tips, bonuses, fringe benefits and reimbursements or other expense allowances under a nonaccountable plan as described in Treas. Reg. §1.62‑2(c)).

Code §415 Compensation does not include:

(a)    Deferred compensation/SEP/SIMPLE. Employer contributions (other than Elective Deferrals) to a plan of deferred compensation (including a simplified employee pension plan under Code §408(k) or to a simple retirement account under Code §408(p)) to the extent the contributions are not included in the gross income of the Employee for the Taxable Year in which contributed, and any distributions from a plan of deferred compensation (whether or not qualified), regardless of whether such amounts are includible in the gross income of the Employee when distributed.

(b)    Option exercise. Amounts realized from the exercise of a non‑qualified stock option (an option other than a statutory option under Treas. Reg. §1.421‑1(b)), or when restricted stock or other property held by an Employee either becomes freely transferable or is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture under Code §83.

(c)    Sale of option stock. Amounts realized from the sale, exchange or other disposition of stock acquired under a statutory stock option as defined under Treas. Reg. §1.421‑1(b).

(d)    Other amounts that receive special tax benefits. Other amounts that receive special tax benefits, such as premiums for group term life insurance (but only to the extent that the premiums are not includible in the gross income of the Employee and are not salary reduction amounts under Code §125).

(e)    Other similar items. Other items of remuneration which are similar to any of the items in Sections 1.11(B)(3)(a) through (d).

(4)    Alternative (general) 415 Compensation. The Employer in Appendix B may elect to apply the 415 definition of Compensation in Treas. Reg. §1.415(c)‑2(a). Under this definition, Compensation means as defined in Section 1.11(B)(3) but with the addition of: (a) amounts described in Code §§104(a)(3), 105(a), or 105(h) but only to the extent that these amounts are includible in Employee's gross income; (b) amounts paid or reimbursed by the Employer for moving expenses incurred by the Employee, but only to the extent that at the time of payment it is reasonable to believe these amounts are not deductible by the Employee under Code §217; (c) the value of a nonstatutory option (an option other than a statutory option under Treas. Reg. §1.421‑1(b)) granted by the Employer to an Employee, but only to the extent that the value of the option is includible in the Employee's gross income for the Taxable Year of the grant; (d) the amount includible in the Employee's gross income upon the Employee's making of an election under Code §83(b); and (e) amounts that are includible in the Employee's gross income under Code §409A or Code §457(f)(1)(A) or because the amounts are constructively received by the Participant. [Note if the Plan's definition of Compensation is W‑2 Wages or Code §3401(a) Wages, then Compensation already includes the amounts described in clause (e).]

(C)    Deemed 125 Compensation. Deemed 125 Compensation means, in the case of any definition of Compensation which includes a reference to Code §125, amounts under a Code §125 plan of the Employer that are not available to a Participant in cash in lieu of group health coverage, because the Participant is unable to certify that he/she has other health coverage. Compensation under this Section 1.11 does not include Deemed 125 Compensation, unless the Employer in Appendix B elects to include Deemed 125 Compensation under this Section 1.11.

(D)    Elective Deferrals. Compensation under Section 1.11 includes Elective Deferrals unless the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to exclude Elective Deferrals. In addition, for purposes of making Elective Deferrals, Compensation means as defined in Section 1.11 and as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement.

(E)    Compensation Dollar Limitation. For any Plan Year, the Plan Administrator in allocating contributions under Article III or in testing the Plan for nondiscrimination, cannot take into account more than $200,000 (or such larger amount as the Commissioner of Internal Revenue may prescribe pursuant to an adjustment made in the same manner as under Code §415(d)) of any Participant's Compensation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Employee under a 401(k) Plan may make Elective Deferrals with respect to Compensation which exceeds the Plan Year Compensation limitation, provided such Elective Deferrals otherwise satisfy the Elective Deferral Limit and other applicable Plan limitations. In applying any Plan limitation on the amount of Matching Contributions or any Plan limit on Elective Deferrals which are subject to Matching Contributions, where such limits are expressed as a percentage of Compensation, the Plan Administrator may apply the Compensation limit under this Section 1.11(E) annually, even if the Matching Contribution formula is applied on a per pay period basis or is applied over any other time interval which is less than the full Plan Year or the Plan Administrator may pro rate the Compensation limit.

(F)    Nondiscrimination. For purposes of determining whether the Plan discriminates in favor of HCEs, Compensation means as the Plan Administrator operationally determines provided that any such nondiscrimination testing definition which the Plan Administrator applies must satisfy Code §414(s) and the regulations thereunder. For this purpose the Plan Administrator may, but is not required, to apply for nondiscrimination testing purposes the Plan's allocation definition of Compensation under this Section 1.11 or Annual Additions Limit definition of Compensation under Section 4.05(B). The Employer's election in its Adoption Agreement relating to Pre‑Entry Compensation for allocation purposes (to limit Compensation to Participating Compensation or to include Plan Year Compensation) is nondiscriminatory.

(G) Excluded Compensation. Excluded Compensation means such Compensation as the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to exclude for purposes of this Section 1.11. Regardless of the definition of Compensation selected in the Adoption Agreement, the Plan Administrator may adopt a uniform policy for purposes of determining the amount of a Participant's elective deferrals of excluding Non‑cash Compensation. For purposes of this Section 1.11(G), Non‑cash Compensation means tips, fringe benefits, and other items of Compensation not regularly paid in cash or cash equivalents, or for which the Employer does not or may not have the ability to withhold Elective Deferrals in cash for the purpose of transmitting the Elective Deferrals to the Plan pursuant to the Participant's Deferral Election. Additionally, the Employer may, on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis, provide different deferral elections for different items of Compensation (e.g., a separate deferral election for bonuses), and may exclude for purposes of calculating elective deferrals one or more items of irregular pay (e.g., car allowance).

(H)    Pre‑Entry Compensation. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement for allocation purposes must elect Participating Compensation or Plan Year Compensation as to some or all Contribution Types.

(1)    Participating Compensation. Participating Compensation for purposes of this Section 1.11 means Compensation only for the period during the Plan Year in which the Participant is a Participant in the overall Plan, or under the plan resulting from disaggregation under the OEE or EP rules under Section 4.06(C)(1), or as to a Contribution Type as applicable. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects Participating Compensation, the Employer will elect whether to apply the election to all Contribution Types or only to particular Contribution Type(s).

(2)    Plan Year Compensation. Plan Year Compensation for purposes of this Section 1.11 means Compensation for a Plan Year, including Compensation for any period prior to the Participant's Entry Date in the overall Plan or as to a Contribution Type as applicable. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects Plan Year Compensation, the Employer will elect whether to apply the election to all Contribution Types or only to particular Contribution Type(s).

(I)    Post‑Severance Compensation. Compensation includes Post‑Severance Compensation to the extent the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement or as the Plan otherwise provides. Post‑Severance Compensation is Compensation paid after a Participant's Severance from Employment from the Employer, as further described in this Section 1.11(I). In the absence of an election to the contrary by an Employer in its Adoption Agreement, Post-Severance Compensation includes any and all regular pay, leave cash-outs, and deferred compensation paid within the time period described in Section 1.11(I)(1), and excludes salary continuation for military service and for disabled Participants, all as defined below. An Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to exclude any or all of regular pay, leave cash‑outs, or deferred compensation paid within the time period described in Section 1.11(I)(1), and may also elect to include salary continuation for military service and/or for disabled Participants. Any other payment paid after Severance from Employment that is not described in this Section 1.11(I) is not Compensation even if payment is made within the time period described below. Post‑Severance Compensation does not include severance pay, parachute payments under Code §280G(b)(2) or payments under a nonqualified unfunded deferred compensation plan unless the payments would have been paid at that time without regard to Severance from Employment.

(1)    Timing. Post‑Severance Compensation includes regular pay, leave cash‑outs, or deferred compensation only to the extent the Employer pays such amounts by the later of 2 1/2 months after Severance from Employment or by the end of the Limitation Year that includes the date of such Severance from Employment.

(a)    Regular pay. Regular pay means the payment of regular Compensation for services during the Participant’s regular working hours, or Compensation for services outside the Participant's regular working hours (such as overtime or shift differential), commissions, bonuses, or other similar payments, but only if the payment would have been paid to the Participant prior to a severance from employment if the Participant had continued in employment with the Employer.

(b)    Leave cash‑outs. Leave cash‑outs means payments for unused accrued bona fide sick, vacation, or other leave, but only if the Employee would have been able to use the leave if employment had continued and if Compensation would have included those amounts if they were paid prior to the Participant's severance from employment.

(c)    Deferred compensation. As used in this Section 1.11(I), deferred compensation means the payment of deferred compensation pursuant to an unfunded deferred compensation plan, if Compensation would have included the deferred compensation if it had been paid prior to the Participant's Severance from Employment, but only if the payment would have been paid at the same time if the Participant had continued in employment with the Employer and only to the extent that the payment is includible in the Participant's gross income.

(2)    Salary continuation for military service. Salary continuation for military service means payments to an individual who does not currently perform services for the Employer by reason of Qualified Military Service to the extent those payments do not exceed the amounts the individual would have received if the individual had continued to perform services for the Employer rather than entering Qualified Military Service. However, for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2008, this paragraph (2) will not apply to Differential Wage Payments, which instead are subject to Section 1.11(L).

(3)    Salary continuation for disabled Participants. Salary continuation for disabled Participants means Compensation paid to a Participant who is permanently and totally disabled (as defined in Code §22(e)(3)). This Section 1.11(I)(3) will apply, as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, either just to NHCEs (who are NHCEs immediately prior to becoming disabled) or to all Participants for a fixed or determinable period specified in the Adoption Agreement.

(J)    Earned Income. Earned Income means net earnings from self‑employment in the trade or business with respect to which the Employer has established the Plan, provided personal services of the Self‑Employed Individual are a material income‑producing factor. Earned Income also includes gains and earnings (other than capital gain) from the sale or licensing of property (other than goodwill) by the individual who created that property, even if those gains would not ordinarily be considered net earnings from self‑employment. The Plan Administrator will determine net earnings without regard to items excluded from gross income and the deductions allocable to those items. The Plan Administrator will determine net earnings after the deduction allowed to the Self‑Employed Individual for all contributions made by the Employer to a qualified plan and after the deduction allowed to the Self‑Employed Individual under Code §164(f) for self‑employment taxes.

(K)    Deemed Disability Compensation. The Plan does not include Deemed Disability Compensation under Code §415(c)(3)(C) unless the Employer in Appendix B elects to include Deemed Disability Compensation under this Section 1.11(K). Deemed Disability Compensation is the Compensation the Participant would have received for the year if the Participant were paid at the same rate as applied immediately prior to the Participant becoming permanently and totally disabled (as defined in Code §22(e)(3)) if such deemed compensation is greater than actual Compensation as determined without regard to this Section 1.11(K). This Section 1.11(K) applies only if the affected Participant is an NHCE immediately prior to becoming disabled (or the Appendix B election provides for the continuation of contributions on behalf of all such disabled participants for a fixed or determinable period) and all contributions made with respect to Compensation under this Section 1.11(K) are immediately Vested.

(L)    Differential Wage Payments. Unless the Employer otherwise elects in Appendix B, for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2008, the Plan will treat Differential Wage Payments as Compensation for all Plan contribution and benefit purposes.

1.12    Contribution Types. Contribution Types means the contribution types required or permitted under the Plan as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement.

1.13    Defined Contribution Plan. Defined Contribution Plan means a retirement plan which provides for an individual account for each Participant and for benefits based solely on the amount contributed to the Participant's Account, and on any Earnings, expenses, and forfeitures which the Plan Administrator may allocate to such Participant's Account.

1.14    Defined Benefit Plan. Defined Benefit Plan means a retirement plan which does not provide for individual accounts for Employer contributions and which provides for payment of determinable benefits in accordance with the plan's formula.

1.15    Differential Wage Payment. Differential Wage Payment means differential wage payment as defined by Code §3401(h)(2).

1.16    Disability. Except as otherwise provided in the Plan, Disability means, as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, the basic Plan definition or an alternative definition, as defined below. A Participant who incurs a Disability is "disabled."

(A)    Basic Plan Definition. Disability means the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or which has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve months. The permanence and degree of such impairment must be supported by medical evidence.

(B)    Alternative Definition. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may specify any alternative definition of Disability.

(C)    Administration. For purposes of this Plan, a Participant is disabled on the date the Plan Administrator determines the Participant satisfies the definition of Disability. The Plan Administrator may require a Participant to submit to a physical examination in order to confirm the Participant's Disability. The Plan Administrator will apply the provisions of this Section 1.16 in a nondiscriminatory, consistent, and uniform manner.

1.17    Designated IRA Contribution. Designated IRA Contribution means a Participant's IRA contribution to the Plan made in accordance with the Adoption Agreement.

1.18    DOL. DOL means the U.S. Department of Labor.

1.19    Earnings. Earnings means the net income, gain or loss earned by a particular Account, by the Trust, or with respect to a contribution or to a distribution, as the context requires.

1.20    Effective Date. The Effective Date of this Plan is the date the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, but not earlier than January 1, 2007. The provisions of Sections 4.01 through 4.05 apply to Limitation Years commencing on or after July 1, 2007. However, as to a particular provision or action taken by any party pursuant to the Plan (such as a Plan amendment or termination, or the giving of any notice), a different Effective Date may apply such as the basic plan document may provide, as the Employer may elect in its Adoption Agreement, in a Participation Agreement or in an Appendix, or as indicated in any other document which evidences the action taken. Throughout the Plan, there are many provisions which have their own effective date (such as that described in the second sentence of this Section), which may be earlier than the Restatement Effective Date. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement indicates that this plan is a Restated Plan, and the Plan is a PPA Restatement, then the earlier effective date applies. If the Plan is not a PPA Restatement, then the earlier effective date does not apply, and the provisions are effective on the Restatement Effective Date, or such other date as may apply pursuant to an Appendix or other document.

1.21    Elective Deferrals. Elective Deferrals means a Participant's Pre‑Tax Deferrals, Roth Deferrals, Automatic Deferrals and, as the context requires, Catch‑Up Deferrals under the Plan, and which the Employer contributes to the Plan at the Participant's election (or automatically) in lieu of cash compensation. As to other plans, as may be relevant to the Plan, Elective Deferrals means amounts excludible from the Employee's gross income under Code §§125, 132(f)(4), 402(e)(3), 402(h)(1)(B), 403(b), 408(p) or 457(b), and includes amounts included in the Employee's gross income under Code §402A, and contributed by the Employer, at the Employee's election, to a cafeteria plan, a qualified transportation fringe benefit plan, a 401(k) plan, a SARSEP, a tax‑sheltered annuity, a SIMPLE plan or a Code §457(b) plan.

(A)    Pre‑Tax Deferral. Pre‑Tax Deferral means an Elective Deferral (including a Catch‑Up Deferral or an Automatic Deferral) which is not subject to income tax when made.

(B)    Roth Deferral. Roth Deferral means an Elective Deferral (including a Catch‑Up Deferral or an Automatic Deferral) which a Participant irrevocably designates as a Roth Deferral under Code §402A at the time of deferral and which is subject to income tax when made to the Plan. In the case of an Automatic Deferral, see Section 3.02(B).

(C)    Automatic Deferral. See Section 3.02(B)(4)(a).

(D)    Catch‑Up Deferral. See Section 3.02(D)(2).

1.22    Employee. Employee means any common law employee, Self‑Employed Individual, Leased Employee or other person the Code treats as an employee of the Employer for purposes of the Employer's qualified plan. An Employee is either an Eligible Employee or an Excluded Employee. An Employee is either an HCE or an NHCE.

(A)    Self‑Employed Individual. Self‑Employed Individual means an individual who has Earned Income (or who would have had Earned Income but for the fact that the trade or business did not have net profits) for the Taxable Year from the trade or business for which the Plan is established.

(B)    Leased Employee. Leased Employee means an individual (who otherwise is not an Employee of the Employer) who, pursuant to an agreement between the Employer and any other person (the "leasing organization"), has performed services for the Employer (or for the Employer and any persons related to the Employer within the meaning of Code §144(a)(3)) on a substantially full‑time basis for at least one year and who performs such services under primary direction or control of the Employer within the meaning of Code §414(n)(2). Except as described in Section 1.22(B)(1), a Leased Employee is an Employee for purposes of the Plan. However, under a Nonstandardized Plan or under a Volume Submitter Plan, a Leased Employee is an Excluded Employee unless the Employer in Appendix B elects not to treat Leased Employees as Excluded Employees as to any or all Contribution Types. "Compensation" in the case of an out‑sourced worker who is an Employee or a Leased Employee includes Compensation from the leasing organization which is attributable to services performed for the Employer.

(1)    Safe Harbor Plan Exception. A Leased Employee is not an Employee for Plan purposes if the leasing organization covers the employee in a safe harbor plan and, prior to application of this safe harbor plan exception, 20% or fewer of the NHCEs, excluding those NHCEs who do not satisfy the "substantially full‑time" standard of Code §414(n)(2)(B), are Leased Employees. A safe harbor plan is a Money Purchase Pension Plan providing immediate participation, full and immediate vesting, and a nonintegrated contribution formula equal to at least 10% of the employee's compensation, without regard to employment by the leasing organization on a specified date. The safe harbor plan must determine the 10% contribution on the basis of compensation as defined in Code §415(c)(3) including Elective Deferrals.

(2)    Other Requirements. The Plan Administrator must apply this Section 1.22 in a manner consistent with Code §§414(n) and 414(o) and the regulations issued under those Code sections. The Plan Administrator for 415 testing under Article IV, for satisfaction of the Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation under Article X will treat contributions or benefits provided to a Leased Employee under a plan of the leasing organization, and which are attributable to services performed by the Leased Employee for the Employer, as provided by the Employer. However, the Employer will not offset (reduce) contributions to this Plan by such contributions or benefits provided to the Leased Employee under the leasing organization's plan unless the Employer in Appendix B elects to do so.

(C)    Eligible Employee. Eligible Employee means an Employee other than an Excluded Employee.

(D)    Excluded Employee. Excluded Employee means, as the Plan provides or as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, any Employee, or class or group of Employees, not eligible to participate in the Plan, or as to any Contribution Type, as the context requires. The Employer may not impose a maximum age in defining Excluded Employees.

(1)    Collective Bargaining Employees. If the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement to exclude Collective Bargaining Employees from eligibility to participate, the exclusion applies to any Employee included in a unit of Employees covered by an agreement which the Secretary of Labor finds to be a collective bargaining agreement between employee representatives and one or more employers if: (a) retirement benefits were the subject of good faith bargaining; and (b) two percent or fewer of the employees covered by the agreement are "professional employees" as defined in Treas. Reg. §1.410(b)‑9, unless the collective bargaining agreement requires the Employee to be included within the Plan. The term "employee representatives" does not include any organization more than half the members of which are owners, officers, or executives of the Employer.

(2)    Nonresident Aliens. If the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement to exclude Nonresident Aliens from eligibility to participate, the exclusion applies to any Nonresident Alien Employee who does not receive any earned income, as defined in Code §911(d)(2), from the Employer which constitutes United States source income, as defined in Code §861(a)(3).

(3)    Reclassified Employees. A Reclassified Employee under a Nonstandardized Plan or a Volume Submitter Plan is an Excluded Employee unless the Employer in Appendix B elects: (a) to include all Reclassified Employees as Eligible Employees; (b) to include one or more categories of Reclassified Employees as Eligible Employees; or (c) to include Reclassified Employees (or one or more groups of Reclassified Employees) as Eligible Employees as to one or more Contribution Types. A Reclassified Employee is any person the Employer does not treat as a common law employee or as a self‑employed individual (including, but not limited to, independent contractors, persons the Employer pays outside of its payroll system and out‑sourced workers) for federal income tax withholding purposes under Code §3401(a), irrespective of whether there is a binding determination that the individual is an Employee or a Leased Employee of the Employer. Self‑Employed Individuals are not Reclassified Employees.

(4)    Part‑Time/Temporary/Seasonal Employees. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to exclude any Employees who it defines in the Adoption Agreement as "part‑time," "temporary" or "seasonal" based on their regularly scheduled Service being less than a specified number of Hours of Service during a relevant Eligibility Computation Period. Notwithstanding any such exclusion, if the Part‑Time, Temporary or Seasonal Excluded Employee actually completes at least 1,000 Hours of Service in the relevant Eligibility Computation Period, the affected Excluded Employee is no longer an Excluded Employee and will enter the Plan on the next Entry Date following completion of the Eligibility Computation Period in which he/she completed 1,000 Hours of Service, provided the Employee is employed by the Employer on that Entry Date.

(E)    HCE. HCE means a highly compensated Employee, defined under Code §414(q) as an Employee who satisfies one of Sections 1.22(E)(1) or (2) below.

(1)    More than 5% owner. During the Plan Year or during the preceding Plan Year, the Employee is a more than 5% owner of the Employer (applying the constructive ownership rules of Code §318 as modified by Code §416(i)(1)(B)(iii)(I), and applying the principles of Code §318 as modified by Code §416(i)(1)(B)(iii)(I), for an unincorporated entity).

(2)    Compensation Threshold. During the preceding Plan Year (or in the case of a short Plan Year, the immediately preceding 12 month period) the Employee had Compensation in excess of $80,000 (as adjusted for the relevant year by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue at the same time and in the same manner as under Code §415(d), except that the base period is the calendar quarter ending September 30, 1996) and, if the Employer under its Adoption Agreement makes the top‑paid group election, was part of the top‑paid 20% group of Employees (based on Compensation for the preceding Plan Year).

(3)    Compensation Definition. For purposes of this Section 1.22(E), "Compensation" means Compensation as defined in Section 4.05(F).

(4)    Top‑paid Group and Calendar Year Data. The Plan Administrator must make the determination of who is an HCE, including the determinations of the number and identity of the top‑paid 20% group, consistent with Code §414(q) and regulations issued under that Code section. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may make a calendar year data election to determine the HCEs for the Plan Year, as prescribed by Treasury regulations or by other guidance published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin. A calendar year data election must apply to all plans of the Employer which reference the HCE definition in Code §414(q). For purposes of this Section 1.22(E), if the current Plan Year is the first year of the Plan, then the term "preceding Plan Year" means the 12‑consecutive month period immediately preceding the current Plan Year.

(5)    Highly compensated former employee. The determination of highly compensated former employee status and the rules applicable thereto are determined in accordance with Temporary Reg. §1.414(q)‑1T, A‑4 and Notice 97‑45.

(F)    NHCE. NHCE means a nonhighly compensated employee, which is any Employee who is not an HCE.

(G)    Differential Wage Payment recipient. For years beginning after December 31, 2008, an individual receiving a Differential Wage Payment from the Employer is treated as an Employee of the Employer.

1.23    Employee Contribution and DECs. Employee Contribution means a Participant's after‑tax contribution to the Trust and which the Participant designates as an Employee Contribution at the time of contribution. An Elective Deferral (Pre‑Tax or Roth) is not an Employee Contribution. A deductible employee contribution (DEC) means certain pre‑1987 contributions described in Section 3.13.

1.24    Employer. Employer means each Signatory Employer, Lead Employer, Related Employer, and Participating Employer as the Plan indicates or as the context requires.

(A)    Signatory Employer. The Signatory Employer is the Employer who establishes a Plan under this Prototype Plan or under this Volume Submitter Plan by executing an Adoption Agreement. The Employer for purposes of acting as Plan Administrator, making Plan amendments, restating the Plan, terminating the Plan or performing other ERISA settlor functions, means the Signatory Employer and does not include any Related Employer or Participating Employer. The Signatory Employer also may terminate the participation in the Plan of any Participating Employer upon written notice. The Signatory Employer will provide such notice not less than 30 days prior to the date of termination unless the Signatory Employer determines that the interest of Plan Participants requires earlier termination. See Article XII if the Plan is a Volume Submitter Plan and is a Multiple Employer Plan.

(B)    Lead Employer. Lead Employer means the Signatory Employer under a plan which is a Multiple Employer Plan. See Section 12.02(B).

(C)    Related Group/Related Employer. A Related Group is a controlled group of corporations (as defined in Code §414(b)), trades or businesses (whether or not incorporated) which are under common control (as defined in Code §414(c)), an affiliated service group (as defined in Code §414(m)) or an arrangement otherwise described in Code §414(o). Each Employer/member of the Related Group is a Related Employer. The term "Employer" includes every Related Employer for purposes of crediting Service and Hours of Service, determining Years of Service and Breaks in Service under Articles II and V, determining Separation from Service, applying the coverage test under Code §410(b), applying the Annual Additions Limit and nondiscrimination testing in Article IV, applying the top‑heavy rules and the minimum allocation requirements of Article X, applying the definitions of Employee, HCE, Compensation (except as the Employer may elect in its Adoption Agreement relating to allocations) and Leased Employee, applying the safe harbor 401(k) provisions of Article III, applying the SIMPLE 401(k) provisions of Article III, applying the ESOP exception under Section 7.11(A)(1)(a), and for any other purpose the Code or the Plan require.

(D)    Participating Employer. Participating Employer means a Related Employer (to the Signatory Employer or another Related Employer) which signs the Execution Page of the Adoption Agreement or a Participation Agreement to the Adoption Agreement. Only a Participating Employer (or Employees thereof) may contribute to the Plan. A Participating Employer is an Employer for all purposes of the Plan except as provided in Sections 1.24(A) or (B).

(1)    Standardized/Nonstandardized Plan. If the Employer's Plan is a Standardized Plan, all Employees of the Employer or of any Related Employer, are Eligible Employees, irrespective of whether the Related Employer directly employing the Employee is a Participating Employer. Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, individuals who become Employees of a Related Employer as a result of a transaction described in Code §410(b)(6)(C) are Excluded Employees during the Plan Year in which such transaction occurs and in the following Plan Year, unless the Related Employer which employs such Employees becomes during such period a Participating Employer by executing a Participation Agreement to the Adoption Agreement; or the Plan benefits or coverage change significantly during the transition period resulting in the termination of the transition period. If the Plan is a Nonstandardized Plan, the Employees of a Related Employer are Excluded Employees unless the Related Employer is a Participating Employer.

(2)    Volume Submitter/Multiple Employer Plan. If Article XII applies, a Participating Employer includes an unrelated Employer who executes a Participation Agreement. See Section 12.02(C).

1.25    Employer Contribution. Employer Contribution means a Nonelective Contribution, a Matching Contribution, an Elective Deferral, a Prevailing Wage Contribution, or a Money Purchase Pension Contribution, as the context may require.

1.26    Entry Date. Entry Date means the date(s) the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement upon which an Eligible Employee who has satisfied the Plan's eligibility conditions and who remains employed by the Employer on the Entry Date, commences participation in the Plan or in a part of the Plan.

1.27    EPCRS. EPCRS means the IRS's Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System for resolving plan defects, or any successor program.

1.28    ERISA. ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, and includes applicable DOL regulations.

1.29    401(k) Plan. 401(k) Plan means the 401(k) Plan the Employer establishes under a 401(k) Plan Adoption Agreement. The Plan as the Employer elects under its 401(k) Adoption Agreement may be a Traditional 401(k) Plan, a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan or a SIMPLE 401(k) Plan. A 401(k) Plan is also a Profit Sharing Plan for purposes of applying the Plan terms, except as to Elective Deferrals, Matching Contributions or otherwise where the Plan specifies provisions which apply either to such Contribution Types or to the overall Plan on account of its status as a 401(k) Plan.

(A)    Traditional 401(k) Plan. A Traditional 401(k) Plan is a 401(k) Plan under which Elective Deferrals are subject to nondiscrimination testing under the ADP test and any Matching Contributions and Employee Contributions also are subject to nondiscrimination testing under the ACP test.

(B)    Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan. A Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan is a 401(k) Plan under which Elective Deferrals are not subject to nondiscrimination testing under the ADP test because the Plan satisfies the ADP test safe harbor. Any Matching Contributions are subject to the ACP test unless the Plan also satisfies the ACP test safe harbor. Any Employee Contributions are subject to the ACP test.

(C)    SIMPLE 401(k) Plan. A SIMPLE 401(k) Plan is a 401(k) Plan which satisfies the contribution and other requirements in Section 3.10 and which is not subject to nondiscrimination testing or certain other requirements as provided in Section 3.10.

1.30    401(m) Plan. 401(m) Plan means the 401(m) plan, if any, the Employer establishes under its Adoption Agreement. The definitions under Sections 1.29(A), (B), and (C) also apply as to a 401(m) Plan.

1.31    HEART Act. HEART Act means the Heroes Earnings Assistance and Relief Tax Act of 2008, as amended.

1.32    Hour of Service. Hour of Service means:

(i)    Paid and duties. Each Hour of Service for which the Employer, either directly or indirectly, pays an Employee, or for which the Employee is entitled to payment, for the performance of duties. The Plan Administrator credits Hours of Service under this Paragraph (i) to the Employee for the computation period in which the Employee performs the duties, irrespective of when paid;

(ii)    Back pay. Each Hour of Service for back pay, irrespective of mitigation of damages, to which the Employer has agreed or for which the Employee has received an award. The Plan Administrator credits Hours of Service under this Paragraph (ii) to the Employee for the computation period(s) to which the award or the agreement pertains rather than for the computation period in which the award, agreement or payment is made; and

(iii)    Payment but no duties. Each Hour of Service for which the Employer, either directly or indirectly, pays an Employee, or for which the Employee is entitled to payment (irrespective of whether the employment relationship is terminated), for reasons other than for the performance of duties during a computation period, such as leave of absence, vacation, holiday, sick leave, illness, incapacity (including disability), layoff, jury duty or military duty. The Plan Administrator will credit no more than 501 Hours of Service under this Paragraph (iii) to an Employee on account of any single continuous period during which the Employee does not perform any duties (whether or not such period occurs during a single computation period). The Plan Administrator credits Hours of Service under this Paragraph (iii) in accordance with the rules of paragraphs (b) and (c) of Labor Reg. §2530.200b‑2, which the Plan, by this reference, specifically incorporates in full within this Paragraph (iii).

(iv)    Crediting and computation. The Plan Administrator will not credit an Hour of Service under more than one of the above Paragraphs (i), (ii) or (iii). A computation period for purposes of this Section 1.32 is the Plan Year, Year of Service period, Break in Service period or other period, as determined under the Plan provision for which the Plan Administrator is measuring an Employee's Hours of Service. The Plan Administrator will resolve any ambiguity with respect to the crediting of an Hour of Service in favor of the Employee.

(A)    Method of Crediting Hours of Service. The Employer must elect in its Adoption Agreement the method the Plan Administrator will use in crediting an Employee with Hours of Service and the purpose for which the elected method will apply.

(1)    Actual Method. Under the Actual Method as determined from records, an Employee receives credit for Hours of Service for hours worked and hours for which the Employer makes payment or for which payment is due from the Employer.

(2)    Equivalency Method. Under an Equivalency Method, for each equivalency period for which the Plan Administrator would credit the Employee with at least one Hour of Service, the Plan Administrator will credit the Employee with: (a) 10 Hours of Service for a daily equivalency; (b) 45 Hours of Service for a weekly equivalency; (c) 95 Hours of Service for a semi‑monthly payroll period equivalency; and (d) 190 Hours of Service for a monthly equivalency.

(3)    Elapsed Time Method. Under the Elapsed Time Method, an Employee receives credit for Service for the aggregate of all time periods (regardless of the Employee's actual Hours of Service) commencing with the Employee's Employment Commencement Date, or with his/her Re‑Employment Commencement Date, and ending on the date a Break in Service begins in accordance with Treas. Reg. §1.410(a)‑7. See Section 2.02(C)(4). In applying the Elapsed Time Method, the Plan Administrator will credit an Employee's Service for any Period of Severance of less than 12‑consecutive months and will express fractional periods of Service in days.

(i)    Elapsed Time ‑ Break in Service. Under the Elapsed Time Method, a Break in Service is a Period of Severance of at least 12 consecutive months. In the case of an Employee who is absent from work for maternity or paternity reasons, the 12‑consecutive month period beginning on the first anniversary of the first date the Employee is otherwise absent from Service does not constitute a Break in Service.

(ii)    Elapsed Time ‑ Period of Severance. A Period of Severance is a continuous period of time during which the Employee is not employed by the Employer. The continuous period begins on the date the Employee retires, quits, is discharged, or dies or if earlier, the first 12‑month anniversary of the date on which the Employee otherwise is absent from Service for any other reason (including disability, vacation, leave of absence, layoff, etc.).

(iii)    Elapsed Time ‑ Year of Service. For purposes of any plan provision which refers to Year of Service and does not specifically reference the Elapsed Time Method, the plan will credit a Participant with a Year of Service for each 1‑year period of service or 365 days of service, as described in Treas. Reg. §1.410(a)‑7, as modified by relevant elections in the Adoption Agreement.

(B)    Maternity/Paternity Leave/Family and Medical Leave Act. Solely for purposes of determining whether an Employee incurs a Break in Service under any provision of this Plan, the Plan Administrator must credit Hours of Service during the Employee's unpaid absence period: (1) due to maternity or paternity leave; or (2) as required under the Family and Medical Leave Act. An Employee is on maternity or paternity leave if the Employee's absence is due to the Employee's pregnancy, the birth of the Employee's child, the placement with the Employee of an adopted child, or the care of the Employee's child immediately following the child's birth or placement. The Plan Administrator credits Hours of Service under this Section 1.32(B) on the basis of the number of Hours of Service for which the Employee normally would receive credit or, if the Plan Administrator cannot determine the number of Hours of Service the Employee would receive credit for, on the basis of 8 hours per day during the absence period. The Plan Administrator will credit only the number (not exceeding 501) of Hours of Service necessary to prevent an Employee's Break in Service. The Plan Administrator credits all Hours of Service described in this Section 1.32(B) to the computation period in which the absence period begins or, if the Employee does not need these Hours of Service to prevent a Break in Service in the computation period in which his/her absence period begins, the Plan Administrator credits these Hours of Service to the immediately following computation period.

(C)    Qualified Military Service. Hour of Service also includes any Service the Plan must credit for eligibility, vesting, contributions and benefits in order to satisfy the crediting of Service requirements of Code §414(u).

1.33    IRS. IRS means the Internal Revenue Service.

1.34    Limitation Year. Limitation Year means the consecutive month period the Employer specifies in its Adoption Agreement as applicable to allocations under Article IV. If the Employer elects the same Plan Year and Limitation Year, the Limitation Year is always a 12‑consecutive month period even if the Plan Year is a short period, unless the short Plan Year results from an amendment, in which case, the Limitation Year also is a short year. If the Employer amends the Limitation Year to a different 12‑consecutive month period, the new Limitation Year must begin on a date within the Limitation Year for which the Employer makes the amendment, creating a short Limitation Year.

1.35    Matching Contribution. Matching Contribution means a fixed or discretionary contribution the Employer makes on account of Elective Deferrals under a 401(k) Plan or on account of Employee Contributions. Matching contributions also include Participant forfeitures allocated on account of such Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions.

(A)    Fixed Matching Contribution. Fixed Matching Contribution means a Matching Contribution which the Employer, subject to satisfaction of allocation conditions, if any, must make pursuant to a formula in the Adoption Agreement. Under the formula, the Employer contributes a specified percentage or dollar amount on behalf of a Participant based on that Participant's Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions eligible for a match.

(B)    Discretionary Matching Contribution. Discretionary Matching Contribution means a Matching Contribution which the Employer in its sole discretion elects to make to the Plan. The Employer retains discretion over the Discretionary Matching Contribution rate or amount, the limit(s) on Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions subject to match, the per Participant match allocation limit(s), the Participants who will receive the allocation, and the time period applicable to any matching formula(s) (collectively, the "matching formula"), except as the Employer otherwise elects in its Adoption Agreement.

(C)    QMAC. QMAC means a qualified matching contribution which is 100% Vested at all times and which is subject to the distribution restrictions described in Section 6.01(C)(4)(b). Any Matching Contributions allocated to a Participant's QMAC Account under the Plan automatically satisfy and are subject to the QMAC definition. See Section 3.07(A)(7) for a limitation on the source of QMACs.

(D)    Regular Matching Contribution. A Regular Matching Contribution is a Matching Contribution which is not a QMAC, a Safe Harbor Matching Contribution or an Additional Matching Contribution.

(E)    Basic Matching Contribution. See Section 3.05(E)(4).

(F)    Enhanced Matching Contribution. See Section 3.05(E)(6).

(G)    Additional Matching Contribution. See Section 3.05(F)(1).

(H)    QACA Basic Matching Contribution. See Section 3.05(E)(5).

(I)    SIMPLE Matching Contribution. See Section 3.10(E)(1).

(J)    Safe Harbor Matching Contribution. See Section 3.05(E)(3).

1.36    Money Purchase Pension Plan/Money Purchase Pension Contribution. Money Purchase Pension Plan means the Money Purchase Pension Plan the Employer establishes under a Money Purchase Pension Plan Adoption Agreement. The Employer Contribution to its Money Purchase Pension Plan is a Money Purchase Pension Contribution. The Employer will make its Money Purchase Pension Contribution as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. As the context requires, Money Purchase Pension Plan also includes a target benefit plan.

1.37    Named Fiduciary. The Named Fiduciary is the Employer. The Employer in writing also may designate the Plan Administrator (if the Plan Administrator is not the Employer) and other persons as additional Named Fiduciaries. See Section 8.03. If the Plan is a restated Plan and under the prior plan document a different Named Fiduciary is in place, this Section 1.37 becomes effective on the date the Employer executes this restated Plan unless the Employer designates otherwise in writing.

1.38    Nonelective Contribution. Nonelective Contribution means a fixed or discretionary Employer Contribution which is not a Matching Contribution or a Money Purchase Pension Contribution.

(A)    Fixed Nonelective Contribution. Fixed Nonelective Contribution means a Nonelective Contribution which the Employer, subject to satisfaction of allocation conditions, if any, must make pursuant to a formula (based on Compensation of Participants who will receive an allocation of the contributions or otherwise) in the Adoption Agreement. See 3.04(A)(2).

(B)    Discretionary Nonelective Contribution. Discretionary Nonelective Contribution means a Nonelective Contribution which the Employer in its sole discretion elects to make to the Plan. See 3.04(A)(1).

(C)    QNEC. QNEC means a qualified nonelective contribution which is 100% Vested at all times and which is subject to the distribution restrictions described in Section 6.01(C)(4)(b). Any Nonelective Contributions allocated to a Participant's QNEC Account under the Plan automatically satisfy and are subject to the QNEC definition. See Section 3.07(A)(7) for a limitation on the source of QNECs.

(D)    SIMPLE Nonelective Contribution. See Section 3.10(E)(1).

(E)    Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution. See Section 3.05(E)(2).

1.39    Opinion Letter. Opinion Letter means an IRS issued letter as to the acceptability of the form of a Prototype Plan as defined in Section 4.06 of Rev. Proc. 2011‑49.

1.40    Paid Time Off Plan. A Paid Time Off Plan is any plan or similar arrangement under which the Employer provides to Employees vacation, sick or other leave for which the Employer pays the Employee, and agrees to compensate the Employee for part or all of the unused leave.

1.41    Participant. Participant means an Eligible Employee who becomes a Participant in the Plan or as to any Contribution Type as the context requires, in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.01.

1.42    Plan. Plan means the retirement plan established or continued by the Employer in the form of this Prototype Plan or Volume Submitter Plan, including the Adoption Agreement under which the Employer has elected to establish this Plan. The Employer must designate the name of the Plan in its Adoption Agreement. An Employer may execute more than one Adoption Agreement offered under this Plan, each of which will constitute a separate Plan and Trust established or continued by that Employer. All section references within this basic plan document are Plan section references unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The Plan includes any Appendix permitted by the basic plan document or by the Employer's Adoption Agreement and which the Employer attaches to its Adoption Agreement.

(A)    Multiple Employer Plan (Article XII). Multiple Employer Plan means a Plan in which at least one Employer which is not a Related Employer participates. This Plan may be a Multiple Employer Plan only if maintained on a Nonstandardized Adoption Agreement or on a Volume Submitter Adoption Agreement. Article XII of the Plan applies to a Multiple Employer Plan, but otherwise does not apply to the Plan.

(B)    Frozen Plan. See Section 3.01(J).

1.43    Plan Administrator. Plan Administrator means the Employer unless the Employer designates another person or persons to hold the position of Plan Administrator. Any person(s) the Employer appoints as Plan Administrator may or may not be Participants in the Plan. In addition to its other duties, the Plan Administrator has full responsibility for the Plan's compliance with the reporting and disclosure rules under ERISA. If the Employer is the Plan Administrator, any requirement under the Plan for communication between the Employer and the Plan Administrator automatically is deemed satisfied, and the Employer has discretion to determine the manner of documenting any decision deemed to be communicated under this provision.

1.44    Plan Year. Plan Year means the consecutive month period the Employer specifies in its Adoption Agreement.

1.45    Practitioner. Practitioner means the sponsor as to its Employer clients of the Volume Submitter Plan and as defined in Section 13.05 of Rev. Proc. 2011‑49.

1.46    Predecessor Employer/Predecessor Plan.

(A)    Predecessor Employer. A Predecessor Employer is an employer that previously employed one or more of the Employees.

(B)    Predecessor Plan. A Predecessor Plan is a Code §401(a) or §403(a) qualified plan the Employer terminated within the five‑year period beginning before or after the Employer establishes this Plan, as described in Treas. Reg. §1.411(a)‑5(b)(3)(v)(B).

1.47    Prevailing Wage Contract/Contribution. Prevailing Wage Contract means a contract under which Employees are performing services subject to the Davis‑Bacon Act, the McNamara‑O'Hara Contract Service Act or any other federal, state or municipal prevailing wage law. A Prevailing Wage Contribution is a contribution the Employer makes to the Plan in accordance with a Prevailing Wage Contract. A Prevailing Wage Contribution is treated as a Nonelective Contribution or other Employer Contribution except as the Plan otherwise provides.

1.48    Profit Sharing Plan. Profit Sharing Plan means the Profit Sharing Plan the Employer establishes under a Profit Sharing Plan Adoption Agreement.

1.49    Protected Benefit. Protected Benefit means any accrued benefit described in Treas. Reg. §1.411(d)‑4, including any optional form of benefit provided under the Plan which may not (except in accordance with such regulations) be reduced, eliminated or made subject to Employer discretion.

1.50    Prototype Plan/Master Plan (M&P Plan). Prototype Plan means as described in Section 4.02 of Rev. Proc. 2011‑49 or in any successor thereto under which each adopting Employer establishes a separate Trust. This Plan is not a Master Plan as described in Section 4.01 of Rev. Proc. 2011‑49 under which unrelated adopting employers participate in a single funding medium (trust or custodial account). However, the Plan could be a Master Trust under DOL Reg. §2525.103‑2(e). A Prototype Plan or a Master Plan must have an Opinion Letter as described in Section 4.06 of Rev. Proc. 2011‑49.

1.51    QDRO. QDRO means a qualified domestic relations order under Code §414(p).

1.52    Qualified Military Service. Qualified Military Service means qualified military service as defined in Code §414(u)(5). Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, as to Qualified Military Service, the Plan will credit Service under Section 1.32(C), the Employer will make contributions to the Plan and the Plan will provide benefits in accordance with Code §414(u).

1.53    Qualified Reservist Distribution (QRD). See Section 6.01(C)(4)(b)(iii).

1.54    Restated Plan. A Restated Plan means a plan the Employer adopts in substitution for, and in amendment of, an existing plan, as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. If a Participant incurs a Separation from Service or Severance from Employment before the Employer executes the Adoption Agreement as a Restated Plan, the provisions of the Restated Plan do not apply to the Participant unless he/she has an Account Balance as of the execution date or unless the Employer rehires the Participant.

1.55    Rollover Contribution. A Rollover Contribution means an amount of cash or property (including a participant loan from another plan) which the Code permits an Eligible Employee or Participant to transfer directly or indirectly to this Plan from another Eligible Retirement Plan (or vice versa) within the meaning of Code §402(c)(8)(B) and Section 6.08(F)(2), except that a 401(k) Plan may permit an In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution as provided in Section 3.08(E). A Rollover Contribution will be made to the Plan and not to a Designated IRA within the Plan under Section 3.12, if any.

(A)    In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution. An In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution means a Rollover Contribution to the Plan that consists of a distribution from a Participant's Plan Account, other than a Roth Deferral Account, that the Participant rolls over to the Participant's In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution Account in the Plan, in accordance with Code §402(c)(4). In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contributions will be subject to the Plan rules related to Roth Deferral Accounts, subject to preservation of Protected Benefits in accordance with clause (c) of Section 3.08(E)(4).

(B)    In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution Account. An In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution Account is a sub‑account the Plan Administrator establishes for the purpose of separately accounting for a Participant's Rollover Contributions attributable to the Participant's In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contributions. The Plan Administrator has authority to establish such a sub‑account, and to the extent necessary, may establish sub‑accounts based on the source of the In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution. The Plan Administrator will administer an In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution Account in accordance with Applicable Law and the Plan provisions.

1.56    Safe Harbor Contribution. Safe Harbor Contribution means a Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution or a Safe Harbor Matching Contribution as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. See Sections 3.05(E)(2) and (3).

1.57    Salary Reduction Agreement. A Salary Reduction Agreement means a Participant's written election to make Elective Deferrals to the Plan (including a Contrary Election under Section 3.02(B)(4)(d)), made on the form the Plan Administrator provides for this purpose.

(A)    Effective Date. A Salary Reduction Agreement may not be effective earlier than the following date which occurs last: (1) under Article II, the Participant's Entry Date or, in the case of a re‑hired Employee, his/her re‑participation date; (2) the execution date of the Salary Reduction Agreement; (3) the date the Employer adopts the 401(k) Plan; or (4) the Effective Date of the 401(k) Plan (or Elective Deferral provision within the Plan). Subject to the foregoing limitations, a Participant’s Salary Reduction Agreement will be effective for the first pay period that is within an administratively reasonable period after the date the Plan Administrator receives the Agreement, unless the Participant specifies a later effective date.

(B)    Compensation. A Salary Reduction Agreement must specify the dollar amount of Compensation or the percentage of Compensation the Participant wishes to defer. The Salary Reduction Agreement: (1) applies only to Compensation for Elective Deferral allocation as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement and which becomes currently available after the effective date of the Salary Reduction Agreement; and (2) applies to all or to such Elective Deferral Compensation as the Salary Reduction Agreement indicates, including any Participant elections made in the Salary Reduction Agreement.

(C)    Additional Rules. The Plan Administrator in the Plan's Salary Reduction Agreement form, or in a Salary Reduction Agreement policy will specify additional rules and restrictions applicable to a Participant's Salary Reduction Agreement, including but not limited to those regarding the timing, frequency and mechanics of changing or revoking a Salary Reduction Agreement. Any such rules and restrictions must be consistent with the Plan. The Plan Administrator may provide more than one Salary Reduction Agreement form for use in specific situations.

1.58    Separation from Service/Severance from Employment. Separation from Service means an event after which the Employee no longer has an employment relationship with the Employer maintaining this Plan or with a Related Employer. The Plan applies Separation from Service for all purposes except as otherwise provided. For purposes of distribution of Restricted 401(k) Accounts, the application of Post‑Severance Compensation and top‑heavy look‑back period distributions, the plan will apply the definition of Severance from Employment under EGTRRA §646 (as modified for Code §415 purposes in applying the parent‑subsidiary controlled group rules).

1.59    Service. Service means any period of time the Employee is in the employ of the Employer, including any period the Employee is on an unpaid leave of absence authorized by the Employer under a uniform, nondiscriminatory policy applicable to all Employees.

(A)    Related Employer Service. See Section 1.24(C).

(B)    Predecessor Employer/Plan Service. See Section 1.46. If the Employer maintains (by adoption, plan merger or Transfer) the plan of a Predecessor Employer, service of the Employee with the Predecessor Employer is Service with the Employer. If the Employer maintained a Predecessor Plan, for purposes of vesting Service, the Plan Administrator must count service credited to any Employee covered under the Predecessor Plan. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to disregard vesting Service prior to the time that the Employer maintained the Plan, the Plan Administrator will treat a Predecessor Plan as the Plan for purposes of such election.

(C)    Elective Service Crediting. If the Employer does not maintain the plan of a Predecessor Employer, the Plan does not credit Service with the Predecessor Employer, unless the Employer in its Adoption Agreement (or in a Participation Agreement, if applicable) elects to credit designated Predecessor Employer Service and specifies the purposes for which the Plan will credit service with that Predecessor Employer. Unless the Employer under its Adoption Agreement provides for this purpose specific Entry Dates, an Employee who satisfies the Plan's eligibility condition(s) by reason of the crediting of predecessor service will enter the Plan in accordance with the provisions of Article II as if the Employee were a re‑employed Employee on the first day the Plan credits predecessor service.

(D)    Standardized Plan. If the Employer's Plan is a Standardized Plan, the Plan limits the elective crediting of past Predecessor Employer Service to the period which does not exceed 5 years immediately preceding the year in which an amendment crediting such service becomes effective, such credit must be granted to all Employees on a reasonably uniform basis, and the crediting must otherwise comply with Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)‑5(a)(3).

1.60    SIMPLE Contribution. SIMPLE Contribution means a SIMPLE Nonelective Contribution or a SIMPLE Matching Contribution. See Section 3.10(E).

1.61    Sponsor. Sponsor means the sponsor of this Prototype Plan as to the Sponsor's adopting Employer clients and as defined in Section 4.07 of Rev. Proc. 2011‑49.

1.62    Successor Plan. Successor Plan means a plan in which at least 50% of the Eligible Employees for the first Plan Year were eligible under a cash or deferred arrangement maintained by the Employer in the prior year, as described in Treas. Reg. §1.401k‑2(c)(2)(iii).

1.63    Taxable Year. Taxable Year means the taxable year of a Participant or of the Employer as the context requires.

1.64    Transfer. Transfer means the Trustee's movement of Plan assets from the Plan to another plan (or vice versa) directly as between the trustees and not by means of a distribution. A Transfer may be an Elective Transfer or a Nonelective Transfer. See Section 11.06. A Direct Rollover under Section 6.08(F)(1) is not a Transfer.

1.65    Trust. Trust means the separate Trust created under the Plan.

1.66    Trust Fund. Trust Fund means all property of every kind acquired by the Plan and held by the Trust, other than incidental benefit insurance contracts.

1.67    Trustee/Custodian. Trustee or Custodian means the person or persons who as Trustee or Custodian execute the Adoption Agreement (or other Trust or Custodial Agreement in substitution of the provisions in Article VIII as applicable), or any successor in office who in writing accepts the position of Trustee or Custodian. The Employer must designate in its Adoption Agreement whether the Trustee will administer the Trust as a discretionary Trustee or as a nondiscretionary Trustee. See Article VIII. If the Sponsor or Practitioner is a bank, savings and loan association, credit union, mutual fund, insurance company, or other institution qualified to serve as Trustee, a person other than the Sponsor or Practitioner (or its affiliate) may not serve as Trustee or as Custodian of the Plan without the written consent of the Sponsor or Practitioner.

1.68    USERRA. USERRA means the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994, as amended.

1.69    Valuation Date. Valuation Date means the Accounting Date, such additional dates as the Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect, and any other date that the Plan Administrator designates for the valuation of the Trust Fund.

1.70    Vested. Vested means a Participant or a Beneficiary has an unconditional claim, legally enforceable against the Plan, to the Participant's Account Balance or Accrued Benefit or to a portion thereof if not 100% Vested. Vesting means the degree to which a Participant is Vested in one or more Accounts.

1.71    Volume Submitter Plan. Volume Submitter Plan means as described in Section 13.01 of Rev. Proc. 2011‑49 or in any successor thereto. A Volume Submitter Plan must have an Advisory Letter as described in Section 13.03 of Rev. Proc. 2011‑49.



ARTICLE II
ELIGIBILITY AND PARTICIPATION



2.01    ELIGIBILITY. Each Eligible Employee becomes a Participant in the Plan in accordance with the eligibility conditions the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. The Employer may elect different age and service conditions for different Contribution Types under the Plan.

(A)    Maximum Age and Years of Service. For purposes of an Eligible Employee's participation in the Plan, the Plan may not impose an age condition exceeding age 21 and may not require completion of more than one Year of Service, except under Section 2.02(E).

(B)    New Plan. Any Eligible Employee who has satisfied the Plan's eligibility conditions and who has reached his/her Entry Date as of the Effective Date is eligible to participate as of the Effective Date, assuming the Employer continues to employ the Employee on that date. Any other Eligible Employee becomes eligible to participate: (1) upon satisfaction of the eligibility conditions and reaching his/her Entry Date; or (2) upon reaching his/her Entry Date if such Employee had already satisfied the eligibility conditions prior to the Effective Date.

(C)    Restated Plan. If this Plan is a Restated Plan, each Employee who was a Participant in the Plan on the day before the restated Effective Date continues as a Participant in the Restated Plan, irrespective of whether he/she satisfies the eligibility conditions of the Restated Plan, unless the Employer provides otherwise in its Adoption Agreement.

(D)    Prevailing Wage Contribution. If the Employer makes Prevailing Wage Contributions to the Plan, no minimum age or service conditions apply to an Eligible Employee's eligibility to receive Prevailing Wage Contributions under the Plan. The Employer's Adoption Agreement elections imposing age and service eligibility conditions apply to such an Employee as to non‑Prevailing Wage Contributions under the Plan.

(E)    Special Eligibility Effective Date (Dual Eligibility). The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to provide a special Effective Date for the Plan's eligibility conditions, with the effect that such conditions may apply only to Employees who are employed by the Employer after a specified date.

2.02    APPLICATION OF SERVICE CONDITIONS. The Plan Administrator will apply this Section 2.02 in administering the Plan's eligibility service condition(s), if any.

(A)    Definition of Year of Service. A Year of Service for purposes of an Employee's participation in the Plan, means the applicable Eligibility Computation Period under Section 2.02(C), during which the Employee completes the number of Hours of Service (not exceeding 1,000) the Employer specifies in its Adoption Agreement, without regard to whether the Employer continues to employ the Employee during the entire Eligibility Computation Period.

(B)    Counting Years of Service. For purposes of an Employee's participation in the Plan, the Plan counts all of an Employee's Years of Service, except as provided in Section 2.03.

(C)    Initial and Subsequent Eligibility Computation Periods. If the Plan requires one Year of Service for eligibility and an Employee does not complete one Year of Service during the Initial Eligibility Computation Period, the Plan measures Subsequent Eligibility Computation Periods in accordance with the Employer's election in its Adoption Agreement. If the Plan measures Subsequent Eligibility Computation Periods on a Plan Year basis, an Employee who receives credit for the required number of Hours of Service during the Initial Eligibility Computation Period and also during the first applicable Plan Year receives credit for two Years of Service under Article II.

(1)    Definition of Eligibility Computation Period. An Eligibility Computation Period is a 12‑consecutive month period.

(2)    Definition of Initial Eligibility Computation Period. The Initial Eligibility Computation Period is the Employee's Anniversary Year which begins on the Employee's Employment Commencement Date.

(3)    Definition of Anniversary Year. An Employee's Anniversary Year is the 12‑consecutive month period beginning on the Employee's Employment Commencement Date or beginning on anniversaries thereof.

(4)    Definitions of Employment Commencement Date/Re‑Employment Commencement Date. An Employee's Employment Commencement Date is the date on which the Employee first performs an Hour of Service for the Employer. An Employee's Re‑Employment Commencement Date is the date on which the Employee first performs an Hour of Service for the Employer after the Employer re‑employs the Employee.

(5)    Definition of Subsequent Eligibility Computation Period. A Subsequent Eligibility Computation Period is any Eligibility Computation Period after the Initial Eligibility Computation Period, as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement.

(D)    Entry Date. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects the Entry Date(s) and elects whether such Entry Date(s) are retroactive, coincident with or next following an Employee's satisfaction of the Plan's eligibility conditions. The Employer may elect to apply different Entry Dates to different Contribution Types.

(1)    Definition of Entry Date. See Section 1.26.

(2)    Maximum delay in participation. An Entry Date may not result in an Eligible Employee who has satisfied the Plan's eligibility conditions being held out of Plan participation longer than six months, or if earlier, the first day of the next Plan Year, following completion of the Code §410(a) maximum eligibility requirements.

(3)    Prevailing Wage Contributions. If the Employer makes Prevailing Wage Contributions to the Plan, an Eligible Employee's Entry Date with regard to such contributions is the Employee's Employment Commencement Date. The Employer's Adoption Agreement elections regarding Entry Dates apply to such an Employee as to non‑Prevailing Wage Contributions under the Plan.

(E)    Alternative Service Conditions. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to impose for eligibility a condition of less than one Year of Service or of more than one Year of Service, but not exceeding two Years of Service. If the Employer elects an alternative Service condition to one Year of Service or two Years of Service, the Employer must elect in its Adoption Agreement the Hour of Service and other requirement(s), if any, after the Employee completes one Hour of Service. Under any alternative Service condition election, the Plan may not require an Employee to complete more than one Year of Service (1,000 Hours of Service in 12‑consecutive months) or two Years of Service if applicable.

(1)    Vesting requirement. If the Employer elects to impose more than a one Year of Service eligibility condition, the Plan Administrator must apply 100% vesting on any Employer Contributions (and the resulting Accounts) subject to that eligibility condition.

(2)    One Year of Service maximum for specified Contributions. The Plan may not require more than one Year of Service for eligibility for an Eligible Employee to make Elective Deferrals, to receive Safe Harbor Contributions or to receive SIMPLE Contributions.

(F)    Equivalency or Elapsed Time. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to apply the Equivalency Method or the Elapsed Time Method in applying the Plan's eligibility Service condition, the Plan Administrator will credit Service in accordance with Sections 1.32(A)(2) and (3).

2.03    BREAK IN SERVICE ‑ PARTICIPATION. The Plan Administrator will apply this Section 2.03 if any Break in Service rule applies for eligibility under the Plan.

(A)    Definition of Break in Service. For purposes of this Article II, an Employee incurs a Break in Service if during any applicable Eligibility Computation Period he/she does not complete more than 500 Hours of Service with the Employer. The Eligibility Computation Period under this Section 2.03(A) is the same as the Eligibility Computation Period the Plan uses to measure a Year of Service under Section 2.02. If the Plan applies the Elapsed Time Method of crediting Service under Section 1.32(A)(3), a Participant incurs a Break in Service if the Participant has a Period of Severance of at least 12 consecutive months.

(B)    Two Year Eligibility. If the Employer under the Adoption Agreement elects a two Years of Service eligibility condition, an Employee who incurs a one year Break in Service prior to completing two Years of Service: (1) is a new Employee on the date he/she first performs an Hour of Service for the Employer after the Break in Service; (2) the Plan disregards the Employee's Service prior to the Break in Service; and (3) the Employee establishes a new Employment Commencement Date for purposes of the Initial Eligibility Computation Period under Section 2.02(C).

(C)    One Year Hold‑Out Rule‑Participation. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect whether to apply the "one year hold‑out" rule under Code §410(a)(5)(C). Under this rule, a Participant will incur a suspension of participation in the Plan after incurring a one year Break in Service and the Plan disregards a Participant's Service completed prior to a Break in Service until the Participant completes one Year of Service following the Break in Service. The Plan suspends the Participant's participation in the Plan as of the first day of the Eligibility Computation Period following the Eligibility Computation Period in which the Participant incurs the Break in Service.

(1)    Completion of one Year of Service. If a Participant completes one Year of Service following his/her Break in Service, the Plan restores the Participant's pre‑break Service and the Participant resumes active participation in the Plan retroactively to the first day of the Eligibility Computation Period in which the Participant first completes one Year of Service following his/her Break in Service.

(2)    Eligibility Computation Period. The Plan Administrator measures the Initial Eligibility Computation period under this Section 2.03(C) from the date the Participant first receives credit for an Hour of Service following the one year Break in Service. The Plan Administrator measures any Subsequent Eligibility Computation Periods, if necessary, in a manner consistent with the Employer's Eligibility Computation Period election in its Adoption Agreement, using the Re‑Employment Commencement Date in determining the Anniversary Year if applicable.

(3)    Election to limit application to separated Employees. If the Employer elects to apply the one year hold‑out rule, the Employer also may elect in its Adoption Agreement to limit application of the rule only to a Participant who has incurred a Separation from Service.

(4)    Application to Employee who did not enter. The Plan Administrator also will apply the one year hold‑out rule, if applicable, to an Employee who satisfies the Plan's eligibility conditions, but who incurs a Separation from Service and a one year Break in Service prior to becoming a Participant.

(5)    No effect on vesting or Earnings. This Section 2.03(C) does not affect a Participant's vesting credit under Article V and, during a suspension period, the Participant's Account continues to share fully in Earnings under Article VII.

(6)    No restoration under two year break rule. The Plan Administrator in applying this Section 2.03(C) does not restore any Service disregarded under the Break in Service rule of Section 2.03(B).

(7)    No application to Elective Deferrals in 401(k) Plan. If the Plan is a 401(k) Plan and the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to apply the Section 2.03(C) one year hold‑out rule, the Plan Administrator will not apply such provisions to the Elective Deferral portion of the Plan.

(8)    USERRA. An Employee who has completed Qualified Military Service and who the Employer has rehired under USERRA, does not incur a Break in Service under the Plan by reason of the period of such Qualified Military Service.

(D)    Rule of Parity ‑ Participation. For purposes of Plan participation, the Plan does not apply the "rule of parity" under Code §410(a)(5)(D), unless the Employer in Appendix B elects to apply the rule of parity.

2.04    PARTICIPATION UPON RE‑EMPLOYMENT.

(A)    Rehired Participant/Immediate Re‑Entry. A Participant who incurs a Separation from Service will re‑enter the Plan as a Participant on his/her Re‑Employment Commencement Date (provided he/she is not an Excluded Employee), subject to any Break in Service rule, if applicable, under Section 2.03.

(B)    Rehired Eligible Employee Who Had Satisfied Eligibility. An Eligible Employee who satisfies the Plan's eligibility conditions, but who incurs a Separation from Service prior to becoming a Participant, subject to any Break in Service rule, if applicable, under Section 2.03, will become a Participant on the later of: (1) the Entry Date on which he/she would have entered the Plan had he/she not incurred a Separation from Service; or (2) his/her Re‑Employment Commencement Date.

(C)    Rehired Eligible Employee Who Had Not Satisfied Eligibility. An Eligible Employee who incurs a Separation from Service prior to satisfying the Plan's eligibility conditions becomes a Participant in accordance with the Employer's Adoption Agreement elections. The Plan Administrator, for purposes of applying any shift in the Eligibility Computation Period, takes into account the Employee's prior Service and the Employee is not treated as a new hire.

2.05    CHANGE IN EMPLOYMENT STATUS. The Plan Administrator will apply this Section 2.05 if the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elected to exclude any Employees as Excluded Employees.

(A)    Participant Becomes an Excluded Employee. If a Participant has not incurred a Separation from Service but becomes an Excluded Employee (as to any or all Contribution Types), during the period of exclusion the Excluded Employee: (i) will not share in the allocation of the applicable Employer Contributions (including a Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation under Section 10.02 if the Employee is excluded as to all Contribution Types) or Participant forfeitures, based on Compensation paid to the Excluded Employee during the period of exclusion; (ii) may not make Employee Contributions, Rollover Contributions or Designated IRA Contributions; and (iii) if the Plan is a 401(k) Plan and the Participant is an Excluded Employee as to Elective Deferrals, may not make Elective Deferrals as to Compensation paid to the Excluded Employee during the period of exclusion.

(1)    Vesting, accrual, Break in Service and Earnings. A Participant who becomes an Excluded Employee under this Section 2.05(A) continues: (a) to receive Service credit for vesting under Article V for each included vesting Year of Service; (b) to receive Service credit for applying any allocation conditions under Section 3.06 as to Employer Contributions accruing for any non‑excluded period and as to Contribution Types for which the Participant is not an Excluded Employee; (c) to receive Service credit in applying the Break in Service rules; and (d) to share fully in Earnings under Article VII.

(2)    Resumption of Eligible Employee status. If a Participant who becomes an Excluded Employee subsequently resumes status as an Eligible Employee, the Participant will participate in the Plan immediately upon resuming eligible status, subject to the Break in Service rules, if applicable, under Section 2.03.

(B)    Excluded Employee Becomes Eligible. If an Excluded Employee who is not a Participant becomes an Eligible Employee, he/she will participate immediately in the Plan if he/she has satisfied the Plan's eligibility conditions and would have been a Participant had he/she not been an Excluded Employee during his/her period of Service. An Excluded Employee receives Service credit for eligibility, for allocation conditions under Section 3.06 (but the Plan disregards Compensation paid while excluded) and for vesting under Article V for each included vesting Year of Service, notwithstanding the Employee's Excluded Employee status.

2.06    PARTICIPATION OPT‑OUT.

(A)    Volume Submitter Plan. If the Plan is a Volume Submitter Plan, the Plan Administrator may elect to permit an Eligible Employee to elect irrevocably to not participate in the Plan (to "opt‑out"). The Eligible Employee prior to his/her Entry Date and prior to first becoming eligible under any plan of the Employer as described in Code §219(g)(5)(A), including terminated plans, must file an opt‑out election in writing with the Plan Administrator on a form the Plan Administrator provides for this purpose. An Employee's election not to participate, pursuant to this Section 2.06(A), includes his/her right to make Elective Deferrals, Employee Contributions, Rollover Contributions or Designated IRA Contributions, unless the Plan Administrator's opt‑out form permits an Eligible Employee to opt‑out of specified Contribution Types prior to becoming eligible to participate in such Contribution Type. A Participant's mere failure to make Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions is not an opt‑out under this Section 2.06(A).

(B)    Prototype Plan. If the Plan is a Prototype Plan, the Plan does not permit an otherwise Eligible Employee or any Participant to elect to opt‑out. However, if the Plan is a Nonstandardized Plan, an Eligible Employee may opt‑out in accordance with Section 2.06(A) provided: (1) the Plan terms as in effect prior to restatement under this Plan permitted the opt‑out; and (2) the Employee executes the opt‑out prior to the date of the Employer's execution of this Plan as a Restated Plan.




ARTICLE III
PLAN CONTRIBUTIONS AND FORFEITURES



3.01    CONTRIBUTION TYPES. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect the Contribution Type(s) and any formulas, allocation methods, conditions and limitations applicable thereto, except where the Plan expressly reserves discretion to the Employer or to the Plan Administrator.

(A)    Application of Limits. The Employer's contribution to the Trust for any Plan Year is subject to Article IV limits and other Plan limits.

(B)    Compensation for Allocations/Limit. The Plan Administrator will allocate all Employer Contributions and Elective Deferrals based on the definition of Compensation under Section 1.11 the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement for a particular Contribution Type. The Plan Administrator in allocating such contributions must limit each Participant's Compensation to the amount described in Section 1.11(E).

(C)    Allocation Conditions. The Plan Administrator will allocate Employer Contributions only to those Participants who satisfy the Plan's allocation conditions under Section 3.06, if any, for the Contribution Type being allocated.

(D)    Top‑Heavy. If the Plan is top‑heavy, the Employer will satisfy the Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation requirements in accordance with Article X.

(E)    Net Profit Not Required. The Employer need not have net profits to make a contribution under the Plan, unless the Employer in its Adoption Agreement specifies a fixed formula based on net profits.

(F)    Form of Contribution. Subject to the consent of the Trustee under Article VIII, the Employer may make discretionary Employer Contributions to a Profit Sharing Plan, to a 401(k) Plan or to a 401(m) Plan (excluding Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions) in the form of unencumbered property instead of cash, provided the contribution of property is not a prohibited transaction. The Employer may not make contributions in the form of property to its Money Purchase Pension Plan.

(G)    Time of Payment of Contribution. The Employer may pay to the Trust its Employer Contributions for any Plan Year in one or more installments, without interest. Unless otherwise required by applicable contract, the Employer may make an Employer Contribution to the Plan for a particular Plan Year at such time(s) as the Employer in its sole discretion determines. If the Employer makes a contribution for a particular Plan Year after the close of that Plan Year, the Employer will designate to the Plan Administrator and to the Trustee the Plan Year for which the Employer is making the Employer Contribution. The Plan Administrator will allocate the contribution accordingly.

(H)    Return of Employer Contribution. The Employer contributes to the Plan on the condition its contribution is not due to a mistake of fact and the IRS will not disallow the deduction of the Employer Contribution.

(1)    Request for contribution return/timing. The Trustee, upon written request from the Employer, must return to the Employer the amount of the Employer Contribution made by the Employer by mistake of fact or the amount of the Employer Contribution disallowed as a deduction under Code §404. The Trustee will not return any portion of the Employer Contribution under the provisions of this Section 3.01(H) more than one year after: (a) the Employer made the contribution by mistake of fact; or (b) the IRS's disallowance of the contribution as a deduction, and then, only to the extent of the disallowance.

(2)    Earnings. The Trustee will not increase the amount of the Employer Contribution returnable under this Section 3.01(H) for any Earnings increases attributable to the contribution, but the Trustee will decrease the Employer Contribution returnable for any Earnings losses attributable thereto.

(3)    Evidence. The Trustee may require the Employer to furnish the Trustee whatever evidence the Trustee deems necessary to enable the Trustee to confirm the amount the Employer has requested be returned is properly returnable.

(I)    Money Purchase Pension and Defined Benefit Plans. If the Employer's Plan is a Money Purchase Pension Plan and the Employer also maintains a defined benefit pension plan, notwithstanding the Money Purchase Pension Contribution formula in the Employer's Adoption Agreement, the Employer's required contribution to its Money Purchase Pension Plan for a Plan Year is limited to the amount which the Employer may deduct under Code §404(a)(7). If the Employer under Code §404(a)(7) must reduce its Money Purchase Pension Plan contribution, the Plan Administrator will allocate the reduced contribution amount in accordance with the Plan's allocation formula.

(J)    Frozen Plan. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to treat the Plan as a Frozen Plan. Under a Frozen Plan, the Employer and the Participants will not make any contributions to the Plan. A Frozen Plan remains subject to all qualification and reporting requirements except as the Plan provisions (other than those relating to ongoing permitted or required contributions) continue in effect until the Employer terminates the Plan. An Eligible Employee will not become a Participant in a Frozen Plan.

3.02    ELECTIVE DEFERRALS. If the Plan is a 401(k) Plan and the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to permit Elective Deferrals, the Plan Administrator will apply the provisions of this Section 3.02. A Participant's Elective Deferrals will be made pursuant to a Salary Reduction Agreement unless the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement to apply the Automatic Deferral provision under Section 3.02(B) or the CODA provision under Section 3.02(C). A Participant's Elective Deferrals may include the cash equivalent of the Participant's unused paid time off that the Participant otherwise may elect to receive in cash under the Employer's Paid Time Off Plan, if any, if such cash equivalent otherwise satisfies the Plan's definition of Compensation for purposes of Elective Deferrals (including following Severance from Employment). The Plan will treat any Elective Deferrals described in the preceding sentence in the same manner as other Elective Deferrals for all purposes under the Plan.

(A)    Limitations. Except as described below regarding Catch‑Up Deferrals, the Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect the Plan limitations, if any, which apply to Elective Deferrals (or separately to Pre‑Tax Deferrals or to Roth Deferrals, if applicable). Such Plan limitations are in addition to those mandatory limitations imposed under Article IV. In applying any such additional Plan limitation, the Plan Administrator will take into account the Compensation for Elective Deferral purposes the Employer elects in the Adoption Agreement. The Plan Administrator in the Salary Reduction Agreement form or in a Salary Reduction Agreement policy (see Section 1.57(C)) may specify additional rules and restrictions applicable to Salary Reduction Agreements, including those applicable to a deferral of a Participant's unused paid time off, under the Employer's Paid Time Off Plan, if applicable. The Employer in a SIMPLE 401(k) Plan may not impose any Plan limit on Elective Deferrals except as provided under Code §408(p). See Section 3.05(C)(2) regarding limits on Elective Deferrals under a safe harbor plan. Unless otherwise provided on the Salary Reduction form or in the Salary Reduction Agreement policy, the termination of a Participant’s employment with the Employer automatically revokes the Participant’s Salary Reduction Agreement with regard to periods after the Participant is rehired.

(1)    Plan Administrator discretion if no stated Plan limit. The Employer may elect a Plan limit in its Adoption Agreement, but if the Employer does not so elect, the Plan Administrator may establish or change a Plan limit on Elective Deferrals from time to time by providing notice to the Participants. Any such limit change made during a Plan Year applies only prospectively and applies until the Plan Administrator changes or revokes the limit.

(2)    Compensation from which Deferrals may be made. Participants may not make Elective Deferrals from amounts that are not Code §415 Compensation under Section 4.05(F). In addition, a Participant may not make Elective Deferrals from amounts which are not Compensation under Section 1.11, even if 415 Compensation is more inclusive. In determining Compensation from which a Participant may make Elective Deferrals, the Compensation dollar limitation described in Section 1.11(E) does not apply.

(B)    Automatic Deferrals. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect whether to apply or not apply the Automatic Deferral provisions. The Employer may elect the Automatic Deferral provisions under a Section 3.02(B)(1) (ACA), a Section 3.02(B)(2) (EACA), or a Section 3.02(B)(3) (QACA). If the QACA provisions apply, the safe harbor provisions of Section 3.05(J) and EACA provisions of Section 3.02(B)(2) also apply. The Plan Administrator will treat Automatic Deferrals as Elective Deferrals for all purposes under the Plan, including application of limitations, nondiscrimination testing and distributions. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement has elected to permit Roth Deferrals, Automatic Deferrals are Pre‑Tax Deferrals unless the Employer in Appendix B elects otherwise.

(1)    Automatic Contribution Arrangement (ACA). If the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, the Employer maintains a Plan with Automatic Deferral provisions as an Automatic Contribution Arrangement ("ACA"), effective as of the date the Employer elects in the Adoption Agreement, and the provisions of this Section 3.02(B)(1) will apply.

(a)    Participants subject to ACA. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect which Participants are subject to the ACA Automatic Deferral on the Effective Date thereof, including some or all current Participants and those Employees who become Participants after the ACA Effective Date.

(b)    Effect of Contrary Election. A Participant who makes a Contrary Election is not subject to Automatic Deferral or to any scheduled increases thereto.  A Participant’s Contrary Election continues in effect until the Participant subsequently changes his/her Salary Reduction Agreement or the Contrary Election expires or is revoked, and upon revocation or expiration of a Contrary Election the Participant is thereafter subject to Automatic Deferral or to any scheduled increases thereto.

(2)    Eligible Automatic Contribution Arrangement. (EACA). If the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, the Employer maintains a Plan with Automatic Deferral provisions as an Eligible Automatic Contribution Arrangement (EACA), effective as of the date the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement (but not earlier than Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2007) and the provisions of this Section 3.02(B)(2) will apply.

(a)    Participants subject to EACA. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect which Participants are subject to the EACA Automatic Deferral on the Effective Date thereof which may include some or all current Participants or may be limited to those Employees who become Participants after the EACA Effective Date.

(i)    EACA Effective Date. EACA Effective Date means the date on which the EACA goes into effect, either as to the overall Plan or as to an individual Participant as the context requires. An EACA becomes effective as to the Plan as of the date the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. A Participant's EACA Effective Date is as soon as practicable after the Participant is subject to Automatic Deferrals under the EACA, consistent with the objective of affording the Participant a reasonable period of time after receipt of the EACA notice to make a Contrary Election (and, if applicable, an investment election).

(b)    Uniformity. The Automatic Deferral Percentage must be a uniform percentage of Compensation. However, the Plan does not violate the uniform Automatic Deferral Percentage merely because the Plan applies any of the following provisions:

(i)    Years of participation. The Automatic Deferral Percentage varies based on the number of Plan Years (or portions of years) the Participant has participated in the Plan while the Plan has applied EACA provisions;

(ii)    No reduction from prior default percentage. The Employer elects in the Adoption Agreement not to apply Automatic Deferrals to a Participant whose Elective deferrals immediately prior to the EACA's Effective Date were higher than the Automatic Deferral Percentage;

(iii)    Applying statutory limits. The Plan limits the Automatic Deferral amount so as not to exceed the limits of Code §§401(a)(17), 402(g) (determined without regard to Age 50 Catch‑Up Deferrals), or 415;

(iv)    No deferrals during hardship suspension. The Plan does not apply the Automatic Deferral during the period of suspension, under the Plan's hardship distribution provisions, of Participant's right to make Elective Deferrals to the Plan following a hardship distribution; or

(v)    Disaggregated groups. The Plan applies different Automatic Deferral Percentages to different groups if the groups can be disaggregated under Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)‑1(b)(4).

(c)    EACA notice. The Plan Administrator annually will provide a notice to each Covered Employee a reasonable period prior to each Plan Year the Employer maintains the Plan as an EACA ("EACA Plan Year").

(i)    Deemed reasonable notice/new Participant. The Plan Administrator is deemed to provide timely notice if the Plan Administrator provides the EACA notice at least 30 days and not more than 90 days prior to the beginning of the EACA Plan Year.

(ii)    Mid‑year notice/new Participant or Plan. If: (A) an Employee becomes eligible to make Elective Deferrals in the Plan during an EACA Plan Year but after the Plan Administrator has provided the annual EACA notice for that Plan Year; or (B) the Employer adopts mid‑year a new Plan as a EACA, the Plan Administrator must provide the EACA notice no later than the date the Employee becomes eligible to make Elective Deferrals. However, if it is not practicable for the Plan Administrator to provide the notice on or before the date an Employee becomes a Participant, then the notice nonetheless will be treated as provided timely if the Plan Administrator provides the notice as soon as practicable after that date and the Employee is permitted to elect to defer from all types of Compensation that may be deferred under the Plan earned beginning on that date.

(iii)    Content. The EACA notice must provide comprehensive information regarding the Participants' rights and obligations under the Plan and must be written in a manner calculated to be understood by the average Participant.

(d)    EACA permissible withdrawal. The Employer will elect in its Adoption Agreement whether a Participant who has Automatic Deferrals under the EACA may elect to withdraw all the Automatic Deferrals (and allocable earnings) under the provisions of this Section 3.02(B)(2)(d). Any distribution made pursuant to this Section will be processed in accordance with normal distribution provisions of the Plan.

(i)    Amount. If a Participant elects a permissible withdrawal under this Section 3.02(B)(2)(d), then the Plan must make a distribution equal to the amount (and only the amount) of the Automatic Deferrals made under the EACA (adjusted for Earnings to the date of the distribution).The Plan may account separately for Automatic Deferrals, in which case the Plan will distribute the entire Account. If the Plan does not account separately for the Automatic Deferrals, then the Plan must determine Earnings in the same manner applied to determine Allocable Income to the refund of Excess Contributions under Section 4.11(C)(2)(a).

(ii)    Fees. Notwithstanding Section 3.02(B)(2)(d)(i), the Plan Administrator may reduce the permissible distribution amount by any generally applicable fees. However, the Plan may not charge a greater fee for distribution under this Section 3.02(B)(2)(d)(ii), than applies to other distributions. The Plan Administrator may adopt a policy regarding charging such fees consistent with this paragraph.

(iii)    Timing. The Participant may make an election to withdraw the Automatic Deferrals under the EACA no later than 90 days, or such shorter period as the Employer specifies in its Adoption Agreement (but not less than 30 days), after the date of the first Automatic Deferral under the EACA. For this purpose, the date of the first Automatic Deferral is the date that the Compensation subject to the Automatic Deferral otherwise would have been includible in the Participant's gross income. For purposes of the preceding sentence, EACAs under the Plan are aggregated, except that the mandatory disaggregation rules of Code §410(b) apply. In addition, a Participant's withdrawal right is not restricted due to the Participant making a Contrary Election during the 90‑day period (or shorter period as the Employer specifies in its Adoption Agreement).

(iv)    Rehired Employees. For purposes of Section 3.02(B)(2)(d)(iii), the Plan will treat an Employee who for an entire Plan Year did not have contributions made pursuant to a default election under the EACA as having not had such contributions for any prior Plan Year as well.

(v)    Effective date of the actual withdrawal election. The effective date of the permissible withdrawal will be as soon as practicable, but in no event later than the earlier of: (A) the pay date of the second payroll period beginning after the Participant makes the election; or (B) the first pay date that occurs at least 30 days after the Participant makes the election. The election also will be deemed to be the Participant's Contrary Election to have no Elective Deferrals made to the Plan. However, the Participant may subsequently make a deferral election hereunder.

(vi)    Related Matching Contributions. The Plan Administrator will not take into account any deferrals withdrawn pursuant to this Section 3.02(B)(2)(d) in computing and allocating Matching Contributions. If the Employer already has allocated Matching Contributions to the Participant's account with respect to Elective Deferrals being withdrawn pursuant to this Section, the Plan must forfeit the Matching Contributions, as adjusted for Earnings.

(vii)    Treatment of withdrawals. With regard to Elective Deferrals withdrawn pursuant to this Section 3.02(B)(2)(d): (A) the Plan Administrator will disregard such deferrals in the ADP test (if applicable) under Section 4.10(B); (B) the Plan Administrator will disregard such Deferrals for purposes of the Elective Deferral Limit under Section 4.10(A); and (C) such Deferrals are not subject to the consent requirements of Code §§401(a)(11) or 417. The Plan Administrator will disregard any Matching Contributions forfeited under Section 3.02(B)(2)(d)(vi) in the ACP test (if applicable) under Section 4.10(C).

(e)    Effect of Contrary Election/Covered Employee status. A Participant who makes a Contrary Election is not subject to Automatic Deferral or to any scheduled increases thereto.  A Participant’s Contrary Election continues in effect until the Participant subsequently changes his/her Salary Reduction Agreement or the Contrary Election expires or is revoked, and upon revocation or expiration of a Contrary Election the Participant is thereafter subject to Automatic Deferral or to any scheduled increases thereto.

(i)    Covered Employee. A Covered Employee is a Participant who is subject to the EACA. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect whether a Participant who makes a Contrary Election is a Covered Employee. A Covered Employee must receive the annual EACA notice even though the Participant's Contrary Election remains in effect. In addition, a Covered Employee who revokes his/her Contrary Election or whose Contrary Election expires, is thereafter immediately subject to the EACA Automatic Deferral.

(3)    Qualified Automatic Contribution Arrangement (QACA). If the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, the Employer maintains a Plan with Automatic Deferral provisions as a Qualified Automatic Contribution Arrangement (QACA), effective as of the date the Employer elects in it Adoption Agreement (but not earlier than Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2007) and the provisions of this Section 3.02(B)(3) and of Section 3.05(J) will apply. If this Plan is a QACA, then the Employer may elect in its Adoption Agreement to provide EACA permissible withdrawals, as described in Section 3.02(B)(2)(d).

(a)    Participants subject to QACA. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect which Participants are subject to the QACA Automatic Deferral on the Effective Date thereof including some or all current Participants and those Employees who become Participants after the QACA Effective Date. The Employer must elect to apply the QACA Automatic Deferral at least to those Participants as of the QACA Effective Date who do not have in effect a Salary Reduction Agreement and may also elect to apply the QACA Automatic Deferral to such Participants who have an existing Salary Reduction Agreement in effect as provided in the Adoption Agreement.

(i)    QACA Effective Date. QACA Effective Date means the date on which the QACA goes into effect, either as to the overall Plan or as to an individual Participant as the context requires. A QACA becomes effective as to the Plan as of the date the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. A Participant's QACA Effective Date is as soon as practicable after the Participant is subject to Automatic Deferrals under the QACA, consistent with the objective of affording the Participant a reasonable period of time after receipt of the QACA notice to make a Contrary Election (and, if applicable, an investment election). However, in no event will the Automatic Deferral be effective later than the earlier of: (1) the pay date for the second payroll period that begins after the date the QACA safe harbor notice (described in Section 3.05(H)(5)) is provided to the Employee, or (2) the first pay date that occurs at least 30 days after the QACA safe harbor notice is provided to the Employee.

(b)    QACA Automatic Deferral Percentage. Except as provided in Section 3.02(B)(3)(c) (relating to uniformity requirements), the Plan must apply to all Participants subject to the QACA as described in Section 3.02(B)(3)(a), a uniform Automatic Deferral Percentage, as a percentage of each Participant's Compensation, which does not exceed 10%, and which is at least the following minimum amount:

(i)    Initial period. 3% for the period that begins when the Participant first has contributions made pursuant to a default election under the QACA and ends on the last day of the following Plan Year;

(ii)    Third Plan Year. 4% for the third Plan Year of the Participant's participation in the QACA;

(iii)    Fourth Plan Year. 5% for the fourth Plan Year of the Participant's participation in the QACA; and

(iv)    Fifth and later Plan Years. 6% for the fifth Plan Year of the Participant's participation in the QACA and for each subsequent Plan Year.

For purposes of this Section 3.02(B)(3)(b), the Plan will treat a Participant who for an entire Plan Year did not have Automatic Deferral contributions made under the QACA as not having made such contributions for any prior Plan Year.

(c)    Uniformity. The uniformity provisions of Section 3.02(B)(2)(b) applicable to an EACA, also apply to a QACA.

(d)    QACA Notice. See Section 3.05(H)(5) as to QACA notice provisions.

(e)    Effect of Contrary Election and termination of Election. A Participant's Contrary Election continues in effect until a Participant modifies or revokes the Election, or until the Election expires. A Participant who revokes his/her Contrary Election or whose Contrary Election expires, is thereafter immediately subject to the QACA Automatic Deferral.

(4)    Automatic Contribution Definitions. The following definitions apply to all Automatic Contribution Arrangements under this Section 3.02(B):

(a)    Automatic Deferral. An Automatic Deferral is an Elective Deferral that results from the operation of Section 3.02(B)(1), Section 3.02(B)(2) or Section 3.02(B)(3). Under the Automatic Deferral, the Employer automatically will reduce by the Automatic Deferral Percentage or Amount the Compensation of each Participant subject to the Automatic Deferral, except those Participants who timely make a Contrary Election.

(b)    Automatic Deferral Percentage/Increases. The Automatic Deferral Percentage is the percentage of Automatic Deferral which the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement including any scheduled increase to the Automatic Deferral Percentage which the Employer may elect. If a Participant subject to the Automatic Deferral elected, before the Effective Date of the Automatic Deferral, to defer an amount which is less than the Automatic Deferral Percentage the Employer has elected in its Adoption Agreement, the Automatic Deferral Percentage includes only the incremental percentage amount necessary to increase the Participant's Elective Deferral to equal the Automatic Deferral Percentage, including any scheduled increases thereto. See Section 3.02(B)(3)(b) as to the QACA required Automatic Deferral Percentage.

(c)    Compensation. Compensation for purposes of determining the amount of Automatic Deferrals by applying the Automatic Deferral Percentage means Compensation for purposes of allocating Elective Deferrals under the Plan. For Plan Years beginning on or after January 1, 2010, Compensation must be nondiscriminatory Compensation as described in Section 1.11(F); provided that the Employer in its Adoption Agreement may not elect to limit NHCE Compensation to a specified dollar amount.

(d)    Contrary Election. A Contrary Election is a Participant's election made after the ACA, EACA or QACA Effective Date not to defer any Compensation or to defer an amount which is more or less than the Automatic Deferral Percentage (including a Participant’s election made before such effective date under the Plan’s prior automatic deferral arrangement, if applicable).

(e)    Contrary Election Effective Date. A Participant's Contrary Election generally is effective as of the first payroll period which follows the payroll period in which the Participant makes the Contrary Election. However, a Participant may make a Contrary Election which is effective: (i) for the first payroll period in which he/she becomes a Participant if the Participant makes a Contrary Election within a reasonable period following the Participant's Entry Date and before the Compensation to which the Election applies becomes currently available; or (ii) for the first payroll period following the Effective Date of the Automatic Deferral, if the Participant makes a Contrary Election not later than the Effective Date of the Automatic Deferral.

(C)    Cash or Deferred Arrangement (CODA). The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to apply the CODA provisions of this Section 3.02(C). Under a CODA, a Participant may elect to receive in cash his/her proportionate share of the Employer's cash or deferred contribution, in accordance with the Employer's Adoption Agreement election. A Participant's proportionate share of the Employer's cash or deferred contribution is the percentage of the total cash or deferred contribution which bears the same ratio that the Participant's Compensation for the Plan Year bears to the total Compensation of all Participants for the Plan Year. For purposes of determining each Participant's proportionate share of the cash or deferred contribution, a Participant's Compensation is his/her Compensation for Nonelective Contribution allocations (unless the Employer elects otherwise in its Adoption Agreement) as determined under Section 1.11, excluding any effect the proportionate share may have on the Participant's Compensation for the Plan Year. The Plan Administrator will determine the proportionate share prior to the Employer's actual contribution to the Trust, to provide the Participants with the opportunity to file cash elections. The Employer will pay directly to the Participant the portion of his/her proportionate share the Participant has elected to receive in cash.

(D)    Catch‑Up Deferrals. Unless the Employer otherwise elects in its Adoption Agreement, the Plan permits Catch‑Up Eligible Participants to make Catch‑Up Deferrals to the Plan under this Section 3.02(D).

(1)    Definition of Catch‑Up Eligible Participant. A Catch‑Up Eligible Participant is a Participant who is eligible to make Elective Deferrals and who has attained at least age 50 or who will attain age 50 before the end of the Taxable Year in which he/she will make a Catch‑Up Deferral. A Participant who dies or who incurs a Separation from Service before actually attaining age 50 in such Taxable Year is a Catch‑Up Eligible Participant.

(2)    Definition of Catch‑Up Deferral. A Catch‑Up Deferral is an Elective Deferral by a Catch‑up Eligible Participant and which exceeds: (a) a Plan limit on Elective Deferrals under Section 3.02(A); (b) the Annual Additions Limit under Section 4.05(B); (c) the Elective Deferral Limit under Section 4.10(A); or (d) the ADP Limit under Section 4.10(B).

(3)    Limit on Catch‑Up Deferrals. A Participant's Catch‑Up Deferrals for a Taxable Year may not exceed the lesser of: (a) 100% of the Participant's Compensation for the Taxable Year when added to the Participant's other Elective Deferrals; or (b) the Catch‑Up Deferral dollar limit in effect for the Taxable Year ($5,000 for 2006).

(4)    Adjustment after 2006. After the 2006 Taxable Year, the Secretary of the Treasury will adjust the Catch‑Up Deferral dollar limit in multiples of $500 under Code §414(v)(2)(C).

(5)    Treatment of Catch‑Up Deferrals. Catch‑Up Deferrals are not: (a) subject to the Annual Additions Limit under Section 4.05(B); (b) subject to the Elective Deferral Limit under Section 4.10(A); (c) included in a Participant's ADR in calculating the Plan's ADP under Section 4.10(B); or (d) taken into account in determining the Highest Contribution Rate under Section 10.06(E). Catch‑Up Deferrals are taken into account in determining the Plan's Top‑Heavy Ratio under Section 10.06(K). Otherwise, Catch‑Up Deferrals are treated as other Elective Deferrals.

(6)    Universal availability. If the Employer permits Catch‑Up Deferrals to its Plan, the right of all Catch‑Up Eligible Participants to make Catch‑Up Deferrals must satisfy the universal availability requirement of Treas. Reg. §1.414(v)‑1(e). If the Employer maintains more than one applicable plan within the meaning of Treas. Reg. §1.414(v)‑1(g)(1), and any of the applicable plans permit Catch‑Up Deferrals, then any Catch‑up Eligible Participant in any such plans must be permitted to have the same effective opportunity to make the same dollar amount of Catch‑Up Deferrals. Any Plan‑imposed limit on total Elective Deferrals including Catch‑Up Deferrals may not be less than 75% of a Participant's gross Compensation.

(E)    Roth Deferrals. The Employer in its 401(k) Plan Adoption Agreement may elect to permit Roth Deferrals. The Employer must also elect to permit Pre‑Tax Deferrals if the Employer elects to permit Roth Deferrals. The Plan Administrator will administer Roth Deferrals in accordance with this Section 3.02(E).

(1)    Treatment of Roth Deferrals. The Plan Administrator will treat Roth Deferrals as Elective Deferrals for all purposes of the Plan, except where the Plan indicates otherwise.

(2)    Separate accounting. The Plan Administrator will establish a Roth Deferral Account for each Participant who makes any Roth Deferrals and Earnings thereon in accordance with Section 7.04(A)(1). The Plan Administrator will establish a Pre‑Tax Account and Earnings thereon for each Participant who makes any Pre‑Tax Deferrals in accordance with Section 7.04(A)(1). The Plan Administrator will credit only Roth Deferrals and Earnings thereon (allocated on a reasonable and consistent basis) to a Participant's Roth Deferral Account.

(3)    No re‑classification. An Elective Deferral contributed to the Plan either as a Pre‑Tax Deferral or as a Roth Deferral may not be re‑classified as the other type of Elective Deferral; provided, however that a Pre‑Tax Deferral may be converted to a Roth Deferral by means of an In‑Plan Roth Rollover under Section 3.08(E).

(F)    Elective Deferrals as Employer Contributions. Where the context requires under the Plan, Elective Deferrals are Employer Contributions except: (1) under Section 3.04 relating to allocation of Employer Contributions; (2) under Section 3.06 relating to allocation conditions; and (3) under Section 5.03 relating to vesting.

(G)    Automatic Escalation. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect whether to apply the Automatic Escalation provisions of this Section 3.02(G) to Salary Reduction Agreements. Such provisions shall apply to affirmative deferral elections and will not apply to participants for whom the Employer is withholding Automatic Deferrals under Section 3.02(B). In its Adoption Agreement, the Employer will specify the Participants to whom automatic escalation applies, the amount by which the Elective Deferrals will increase, and the timing of the increase.

3.03    MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS. If the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement to provide for Matching Contributions (or if Section 3.03(C)(2) applies), the Plan Administrator will apply the provisions of this Section 3.03.

(A)    Matching Formula: Type, Rate/Amount, Limitations and Time Period. Except as provided in Section 3.03(C)(2), the Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect the type(s) of Matching Contributions (Fixed or Discretionary Matching Contributions), and as applicable, the Matching Contribution rate(s)/amount(s), the limit(s) on Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions subject to match, the limit(s) on the amount of Matching Contributions, and the time period the Plan Administrator will apply in the computation of any Matching Contributions. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to apply any limit on Matching Contributions based on pay periods or on any other time period which is less than the Plan Year, the Plan Administrator will determine the limits in accordance with the time period specified and will not take into account any other Compensation or Elective Deferrals not within the applicable time period, even in the case of a Participant who becomes eligible for the match mid‑Plan Year and regardless of the Employer's election as to Pre‑Entry Compensation. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to use "Participating Compensation" for Matching Contributions, the Plan Administrator will take Elective Deferrals into account in computing Matching Contributions only if the Elective Deferrals were made after the Participant became eligible for the match. An Employee becomes "eligible for the match" when the Employee becomes a Participant in the Matching Contribution portion of the plan.

(1)    Fixed Match. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to make a Fixed Matching Contribution to the Plan under one or more formulas.

(a)    Allocation. The Employer may contribute on a Participant's behalf under a Fixed Matching Contribution formula only to the extent that the Participant makes Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions which are subject to the formula and if the Participant satisfies the allocation conditions for Fixed Matching Contributions, if any, the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement.

(2)    Discretionary Match. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to make a Discretionary Matching Contribution to the Plan.

(a)    Allocation. To the extent the Employer makes Discretionary Matching Contributions, the Plan Administrator will allocate the Discretionary Matching Contributions to the Account of each Participant entitled to the match under the Employer's discretionary matching allocation formula and who satisfies the allocation conditions for Discretionary Matching Contributions, if any, the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. The Employer under a Discretionary Matching Contribution retains discretion over the amount of its Matching Contributions, and, except as the Employer otherwise elects in its Adoption Agreement, the Employer also retains discretion over the matching formula. See Section 1.35(B).

(3)    Roth Deferrals. Unless the Employer elects otherwise in its Adoption Agreement, the Employer's Matching Contributions apply in the same manner to Roth Deferrals as they apply to Pre‑Tax Deferrals.

(4)    Contribution timing. Except as described in Section 3.05 regarding a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan, the time period that the Employer elects for computing its Matching Contributions does not require that the Employer actually contribute the Matching Contribution at any particular time. As to Matching Contribution timing and the ACP test, see Section 4.10(C)(5)(e)(iii).

(5)    Participating Employers. If any Participating Employers contribute Matching Contributions to the Plan, the Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect: (a) whether each Participating Employer will be subject to the same or different Matching Contribution formulas than the Signatory Employer; and (b) whether the Plan Administrator will allocate Matching Contributions only to Participants directly employed by the contributing Employer or to all Participants regardless of which Employer contributes or how much any Employer contributes. The allocation of Matching Contributions under this Section 3.03(A)(5) also applies to the allocation of any forfeiture attributable to Matching Contributions and which the Plan allocates to Participants.

(B)    Regular Matching Contributions. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to make Matching Contributions, such contributions are Regular Matching Contributions unless: (i) the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to treat some or all Matching Contributions as a Plan‑Designated QMAC under Section 3.03(C)(1); or (ii) the Employer makes an Operational QMAC under Section 3.03(C)(2).

(1)    Separate Account. The Plan Administrator will establish a separate Regular Matching Contribution Account for each Participant who receives an allocation of Regular Matching Contributions in accordance with Section 7.04(A)(1).

(C)    QMAC. The provisions of this Section 3.03(C) apply to QMAC contributions.

(1)    Plan‑Designated QMAC. The Employer in its 401(k) Plan Adoption Agreement will elect whether or not to treat some or all Matching Contributions as a QMAC ("Plan‑Designated QMAC"). If the Employer elects any Plan‑Designated QMAC, the Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect whether to allocate the QMAC to all Participants or only to NHCE Participants. The Plan Administrator will allocate a Plan‑Designated QMAC only to those Participants who have satisfied eligibility conditions under Article II to receive Matching Contributions (or if applicable, to receive QMACs) and who have satisfied any allocation conditions under Section 3.06 the Employer has elected in the Adoption Agreement as applicable to QMACs.

(2)    Operational QMAC. The Employer, to facilitate the Plan Administrator's correction of test failures under Section 4.10, (or to lessen the degree of such failures), but only if the Plan is using Current Year Testing, also may make Discretionary Matching Contributions as QMACs to the Plan ("Operational QMAC"), irrespective of whether the Employer in its Adoption Agreement has elected to provide for any Matching Contributions or Plan‑Designated QMACs. The Plan Administrator, in its discretion, will allocate the Operational QMAC, but will limit the allocation of any Operational QMAC only to some or all NHCEs who are ADP Participants or ACP Participants under Sections 4.11(A) and (B). The Plan Administrator may allocate an Operational QMAC to any such NHCE Participants who are eligible to make (and who actually make) Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions even if such Participants have not satisfied any eligibility conditions under Article II applicable to Matching Contributions (including QMACs) or have not satisfied any allocation conditions under Section 3.06 applicable to Matching Contributions (or to QMACs). Where the Plan Administrator disaggregates the Plan for coverage and for nondiscrimination testing under the "otherwise excludible employees" rule described in Section 4.06(C), the Plan Administrator also may limit the QMAC allocation to those NHCEs in any disaggregated plan which actually is subject to ADP and ACP testing (because there are HCEs in that disaggregated plan).

(3)    Separate Account. The Plan Administrator will establish a separate QMAC Account for each Participant who receives an allocation of QMACs in accordance with Section 7.04(A)(1).

(D)    Matching Catch‑Up Deferrals. The Employer in its 401(k) Plan Adoption Agreement must elect whether or not to match any Catch‑Up Deferrals if the Plan permits Catch‑Up Deferrals. The Employer's election to match Catch‑Up Deferrals will apply to all Matching Contributions or will specify the Fixed Matching Contributions or Discretionary Matching Contributions which apply to the Catch‑Up Deferrals. Regardless of the Employer's Adoption Agreement election, in a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan, the Plan will apply the Basic Matching Contribution or Enhanced Matching Contribution to Catch‑Up Deferrals and if the Plan will satisfy the ACP test safe harbor under Section 3.05(G), the Employer will apply any Additional Matching Contribution to Catch‑Up Deferrals.

(E)    Targeting Limitations. Matching Contributions, for nondiscrimination testing purposes, are subject to the targeting limitations in Section 4.10(D). The Employer will not make an Operational QMAC in an amount which exceeds the targeting limitations.

3.04    NONELECTIVE/EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS. If the Employer elects to provide for Nonelective Contributions to a Profit Sharing Plan or 401(k) Plan (or if Section 3.04(C)(2) applies), or the Plan is a Money Purchase Pension Plan, the Plan Administrator will apply the provisions of this Section 3.04.

(A)    Amount and Type. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect the type and amount of Nonelective Contributions or other Employer Contributions.

(1)    Discretionary Nonelective Contribution. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to make Discretionary Nonelective Contributions.

(2)    Fixed Nonelective or other Employer Contributions. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to make Fixed Nonelective Contributions or Money Purchase Pension Plan Contributions. The Employer must specify the time period to which any fixed contribution formula will apply (which is deemed to be the Plan Year if the Employer does not so specify) and must elect the allocation method which may be the same as the contribution formula or may be a different allocation method under Section 3.04(B).

(a)    Cash value of unused paid time off. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to make a Fixed Nonelective Contribution on behalf of each Participant who participates in the Employer's Paid Time Off Plan. Under this provision, provided such amounts are Compensation for purposes of Nonelective Contributions (including Post‑Severance Compensation as applicable), the Employer will make a Nonelective Contribution in an amount equal to the cash equivalent of each Participant's unused paid time off, as the Employer determines such amount, at the end of the Plan Year or other period determined by the Employer on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis. The contributions described in this Section 3.04(A)(2)(a) are Fixed Nonelective Contributions for all purposes under the Plan, including the allocation conditions described in Section 3.06(B) and (C), and the Vesting provisions described in Section 5.03.

(3)    Prevailing Wage Contribution. The Employer in its Nonstandardized Plan or Volume Submitter Plan may elect to make fixed Employer Contributions pursuant to a Prevailing Wage Contract. In such event, the Employer's Prevailing Wage Contributions will be made in accordance with the Prevailing Wage Contract, based on hourly rate, employment category, employment classification and such other factors as such contract specifies. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect whether to offset the Employer Contributions (which are not Prevailing Wage Contributions) to this Plan or to another Employer plan, by the amount of the Participant's Prevailing Wage Contributions. To offset any Employer Contribution, the Prevailing Wage Contribution must comply with any distribution restriction under Section 6.01(C)(4) otherwise applicable to the Employer Contribution being offset and the Plan Administrator must account for the Prevailing Wage Contribution accordingly. See Section 5.03(E) regarding vesting of Prevailing Wage Contributions.

(4)    Participating Employers. If any Participating Employers contribute Nonelective Contributions or other Employer Contributions to the Plan, the Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect: (a) whether each Participating Employer will be subject to the same or different Nonelective/Employer Contribution formulas under Section 3.04(A) and allocation methods under Section 3.04(B) than the Signatory Employer; and (b) whether, under Section 3.04(B), the Plan Administrator will allocate Nonelective/Employer Contributions only to Participants directly employed by the contributing Employer or to all Participants regardless of which Employer contributes or how much any Employer contributes. The allocation of Nonelective/Employer Contributions under this Section 3.04(A)(4) also applies to the allocation of any forfeiture attributable to Nonelective/Employer Contributions and which the Plan allocates to Participants.

(B)    Method of Allocation. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must specify the method of allocating Nonelective Contributions or other Employer Contributions to the Trust. The Plan Administrator will apply this Section 3.04(B) by including in the allocation only those Participants who have satisfied the Plan's allocation conditions under Section 3.06, if any, applicable to the contribution. The Plan Administrator, in allocating a contribution under any allocation formula which is based in whole or in part on Compensation, will take into account Compensation under Section 1.11 as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement and only will take into account the Compensation of the Participants entitled to an allocation. In addition, if the Employer has elected in its Adoption Agreement to define allocation Compensation over a time period which is less than a full Plan Year, the Plan Administrator will apply the allocation methods in this Section 3.04(B) based on Participant Compensation within the relevant time period.

(1)    Pro rata allocation formula. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect a pro rata allocation formula. Under a pro rata allocation formula, the Plan Administrator will allocate the Employer Contributions for a Plan Year in the same ratio that each Participant's Compensation for the Plan Year (or other applicable period) bears to the total Compensation of all Participants for the Plan Year (or other applicable period).

(2)    Permitted disparity allocation formula. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect a two‑tiered or a four‑tiered permitted disparity formula, providing allocations described in (a) or (b) below, respectively. The Employer also may elect a two‑tiered permitted disparity formula which changes to four‑tiered in any Plan Year in which the Plan is top‑heavy.

(a)    Two‑tiered.

(i)    Tier one. Under the first tier, the Plan Administrator will allocate the Employer Contributions for a Plan Year in the same ratio that each Participant's Compensation plus Excess Compensation (as the Employer defines that term in its Adoption Agreement) for the Plan Year bears to the total Compensation plus Excess Compensation of all Participants for the Plan Year. The allocation under this first tier, as a percentage of each Participant's Compensation plus Excess Compensation, must not exceed the applicable percentage (5.7%, 5.4%, or 4.3%) listed under Section 3.04(B)(2)(c).

(ii)    Tier two. Under the second tier, the Plan Administrator will allocate any remaining Employer Contributions for a Plan Year in the same ratio that each Participant's Compensation for the Plan Year bears to the total Compensation of all Participants for the Plan Year.

(b)    Four‑tiered.

(i)    Tier one. Under the first tier, the Plan Administrator will allocate the Employer Contributions for a Plan Year in the same ratio that each Participant's Compensation for the Plan Year bears to the total Compensation of all Participants for the Plan Year, but not exceeding 3% of each Participant's Compensation. Solely for purposes of this first tier allocation, a "Participant" means, in addition to any Participant who satisfies the allocation conditions of Section 3.06 for the Plan Year, any other Participant entitled to a Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation.

(ii)    Tier two. Under the second tier, the Plan Administrator will allocate the Employer Contributions for a Plan Year in the same ratio that each Participant's Excess Compensation (as the Employer defines that term in its Adoption Agreement) for the Plan Year bears to the total Excess Compensation of all Participants for the Plan Year, but not exceeding 3% of each Participant's Excess Compensation.

(iii)    Tier three. Under the third tier, the Plan Administrator will allocate the Employer Contributions for a Plan Year in the same ratio that each Participant's Compensation plus Excess Compensation for the Plan Year bears to the total Compensation plus Excess Compensation of all Participants for the Plan Year. The allocation under this third tier, as a percentage of each Participant's Compensation plus Excess Compensation, must not exceed the applicable percentage (2.7%, 2.4%, or 1.3%) listed under Section 3.04(B)(2)(c).

(iv)    Tier four. Under the fourth tier, the Plan Administrator will allocate any remaining Employer Contributions for a Plan Year in the same ratio that each Participant's Compensation for the Plan Year bears to the total Compensation of all Participants for the Plan Year.

(c)    Maximum disparity table. For purposes of the permitted disparity allocation formulas under this Section 3.04(B)(2), the applicable percentage is:

Integration level %
Applicable % for
Applicable % for
of Taxable Wage Base
2‑tiered formula
4‑tiered formula
 
 
 
100%
5.7%
2.7%
 
 
 
More than 80% but less than 100%
5.4%
2.4%
 
 
 
More than 20% (but not less than $10,001) and not more than 80%
4.3%
1.3%
 
 
 
20% (or $10,000, if greater) or less
5.7%
2.7%

For this purpose, the Taxable Wage Base is the contribution and benefit base under Section 230 of the Social Security Act in effect at the beginning of the Plan Year. The integration level is the uniform amount specified in the Employer’s Adoption Agreement.

(d)    Overall permitted disparity limits.

(i)    Annual overall permitted disparity limit. Notwithstanding Sections 3.04(B)(2)(a) and (b), for any Plan Year the Plan benefits any Participant who benefits under another qualified plan or under a simplified employee pension plan (as defined in Code §408(k)) maintained by the Employer that provides for permitted disparity (or imputes disparity), the Plan Administrator will allocate Employer Contributions to the Account of each Participant in the same ratio that each Participant's Compensation bears to the total Compensation of all Participants for the Plan Year.

(ii)    Cumulative permitted disparity limit. Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1994, the cumulative permitted disparity limit for a Participant is 35 total cumulative permitted disparity years. "Total cumulative permitted disparity years" means the number of years credited to the Participant for allocation or accrual purposes under the Plan, any other qualified plan or simplified employee pension plan (whether or not terminated) ever maintained by the Employer. For purposes of determining the Participant's cumulative permitted disparity limit, the Plan Administrator will treat all years ending in the same calendar year as the same year. If the Participant has not benefited under a Defined Benefit Plan or under a target benefit plan of the Employer for any year beginning after December 31, 1993, the Participant does not have a cumulative permitted disparity limit.

For purposes of this Section 3.04(B)(2)(d), a Participant "benefits" under a plan for any Plan Year during which the Participant receives, or is deemed to receive, a contribution allocation in accordance with Treas. Reg. §1.410(b)‑3(a).

(e)    Pro‑ration of integration level. In the event that the Plan Year is less than 12 months and the Plan Administrator will allocate the Employer Contribution based on Compensation for the short Plan Year, the Plan Administrator will pro rate the integration level based on the number of months in the short Plan Year. The Plan Administrator will not pro rate the integration level in the case of: (i) a Participant who participates in the Plan for less than the entire 12 month Plan Year and whose allocation is based on Participating Compensation; (ii) a new Plan established mid‑Plan Year, but with an Effective Date which is as of the beginning of the Plan Year; or (iii) a terminating Plan which bases allocations on Compensation through the effective date of the termination, but where the Plan Year continues for the balance of the full 12 month Plan Year.

(3)    Classifications allocation formula. The Employer in its Nonstandardized Plan or Volume Submitter Plan may elect to specify classifications of Participants to whom the Plan Administrator will allocate any Employer Contribution.

(a)    Classifications. The Employer may elect to specify any number of classifications and a classification may consist of any number of Participants. The Employer also may elect to put each Participant in his/her own classification.

(b)    Allocation of contribution within classifications. The Plan Administrator will apportion the Employer Contribution for a Plan Year to the classifications as the Employer designates in writing at the time that the Employer makes the contribution. If there is more than one Participant in a classification, the Plan Administrator will allocate the Employer Contribution for the Plan Year within each classification as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement which may be: (i) in the same ratio that each Participant's Compensation for the Plan Year bears to the total Plan Year Compensation for all Participants within the same classification (pro rata); or (ii) the same dollar amount to each Participant within a classification.

(c)    Shifting classifications within the Plan Year. If a Participant during a Plan Year shifts from one classification to another, the Plan Administrator will apportion the Participant's allocation for each classification pro rata based on the Participant's Compensation for the part of the Plan Year the Participant was a member of the classification, unless the Employer in Appendix B: (i) specifies apportionment based on the number of months or days a Participant spends in a classification; or (ii) elects that the Employer in a nondiscriminatory manner will direct the Plan Administrator as to which classification the Participant will participate in during that entire Plan Year.

(4)    Super‑integrated allocation formula. The Employer in its Volume Submitter Plan may elect a super‑integrated allocation formula. The Plan Administrator will allocate the Employer Contribution for the Plan Year in accordance with the tiers of priority that the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. The Plan Administrator will not allocate to the tier with the next lower priority until the Employer has contributed an amount sufficient to maximize the allocation under the immediately preceding tier.

(5)    Age‑based allocation formula. The Employer in its Nonstandardized Plan or Volume Submitter Plan may elect an age‑based allocation formula. The Plan Administrator will allocate the Employer Contribution for the Plan Year in the same ratio that each Participant's Benefit Factor for the Plan Year bears to the sum of the Benefit Factors of all Participants for the Plan Year. As such, the total employer contribution will be allocated to each Participant sharing in the allocation such that the equivalent benefit accrual rate for each such Participant is identical.

(a)    Definition of Benefit Factor. A Participant's Benefit Factor is his/her Compensation for the Plan Year multiplied by the Participant's Actuarial Factor.

(b)    Definition of Actuarial Factor. A Participant's Actuarial Factor is the factor that the Plan Administrator establishes based on the interest rate and mortality table the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. If the Employer elects to use the UP‑1984 table, a Participant's Actuarial Factor is the factor in Table I of Appendix D to the Adoption Agreement or is the product of the factors in Tables I and II of Appendix D to the Adoption Agreement if the Plan's Normal Retirement Age is not age 65. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to use a table other than the UP‑1984 table, the Plan Administrator will determine a Participant's Actuarial Factor in accordance with the designated table (which the Employer will attach to the Adoption Agreement as a substituted Appendix D) and the Adoption Agreement elected interest rate.

(6)    Uniform points allocation formula. The Employer in its Nonstandardized Plan or Volume Submitter Plan may elect a uniform points allocation formula. The Plan Administrator will allocate any Employer Contribution for a Plan Year in the same ratio that each Participant's points bear to the total points of all Participants for the Plan Year. The Plan Administrator determines a Participant's points in accordance with the Employer's Adoption Agreement elections under which the Employer will elect to define points based on Years of Service, Compensation and/or age.

(7)    Incorporation of fixed or Prevailing Wage Contribution formula. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to allocate Employer Contributions in accordance with the Plan's fixed Employer Contribution formula. In such event, the Plan Administrator will allocate the Employer Contributions for a Plan Year in accordance with the Fixed Nonelective or other Employer Contribution formula or in accordance with the Prevailing Wage Contribution formula the Employer has elected under Sections 3.04(A)(2) or (3).

(8)    Money Purchase allocation formula. The Plan Administrator will allocate the Employer Contributions for a Plan Year to its Money Purchase Pension Plan as provided in the Employer's Adoption Agreement.

(C)    QNEC. The provisions of this Section 3.04(C) apply to QNEC contributions.

(1)    Plan‑Designated QNEC. The Employer in its 401(k) Plan Adoption Agreement will elect whether or not to treat some or all Nonelective Contributions as a QNEC ("Plan‑Designated QNEC"). If the Employer elects any Plan‑Designated QNECs, the Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect whether to allocate a Plan‑Designated QNEC to all Participants or only to NHCE Participants and the Employer in its Adoption Agreement also must elect a QNEC allocation method as follows: (a) pro rata in relation to Compensation; (b) in the same dollar amount without regard to Compensation (flat dollar); (c) under the reverse allocation method; or (d) under any other method subject to the testing limitations of Section 3.04(C)(5). The Plan Administrator will allocate a QNEC under this Section 3.04(C)(1) only to those Participants who have satisfied eligibility conditions under Article II to receive Nonelective Contributions (or if applicable, to QNECs) and who have satisfied any allocation conditions under Section 3.06 the Employer has elected in the Adoption Agreement as applicable to QNECs.

(2)    Operational QNEC. The Employer, to facilitate the Plan Administrator's correction of test failures under Section 4.10, (or to lessen the degree of such failures), but only if the Plan is using Current Year Testing, also may make Discretionary Nonelective Contributions as QNECs to the Plan ("Operational QNEC"), irrespective of whether the Employer in its Adoption Agreement has elected to provide for any Nonelective Contributions or Plan‑Designated QNECs. The Plan Administrator, in its discretion, will allocate the Operational QNEC, but will limit the allocation of any Operational QNEC only to some or all NHCE Participants who are ADP Participants or ACP Participants under Sections 4.11(A) and (B). The Plan Administrator operationally must elect whether to allocate an Operational QNEC to NHCE ADP Participants: (a) pro rata in relation to Compensation; (b) in the same dollar amount without regard to Compensation (flat dollar); (c) under the reverse allocation method; or (d) under any other method; provided, that any QNEC allocation is subject to the limitations of Section 3.04(C)(5). The Plan Administrator may allocate an Operational QNEC to any NHCE ADP or ACP Participants even if such Participants have not satisfied any eligibility conditions under Article II applicable to Nonelective Contributions (including QNECs) or have not satisfied any allocation conditions under Section 3.06 applicable to Nonelective Contributions (or to QNECs). Where the Plan Administrator disaggregates the Plan for coverage and for nondiscrimination testing under the "otherwise excludible employees" rule described in Section 4.06(C), the Plan Administrator also may limit the QNEC allocation to those NHCEs in any disaggregated "plan" which actually is subject to ADP and ACP testing (because there are HCEs in that disaggregated plan), The Employer may designate all or any part of its Prevailing Wage Contribution as a QNEC, provided that the Prevailing Wage Contribution qualifies as a QNEC.

(3)    Reverse QNEC allocation. Under the reverse QNEC allocation method, the Plan Administrator (subject to Section 3.06 if applicable), will allocate a QNEC first to the NHCE Participant(s) with the lowest Compensation for the Plan Year in an amount not exceeding the Annual Additions Limit for each Participant, with any remaining amounts allocated to the next highest paid NHCE Participant(s) not exceeding his/her Annual Additions Limit and continuing in this manner until the Plan Administrator has fully allocated the QNEC.

(4)    Separate Account. The Plan Administrator will establish a separate QNEC Account for each Participant who receives an allocation of QNECs in accordance with Section 7.04(A)(1).

(5)    Anti‑conditioning and targeting. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement and the Plan Administrator in operation may not condition the allocation of any QNEC under this Section 3.04(C), on whether a Participant has made Elective Deferrals. The nondiscrimination testing of QNECs also is subject to the targeting limitations of Section 4.10(D). The Employer will not make an Operational QNEC in an amount which exceeds the targeting limitations.

(6)    Standardized Plan limitation. The Employer in its Standardized Plan may not elect a reverse QNEC allocation method or any similar QNEC allocation method even if such allocation would comply with Section 3.04(C)(5).

(D)    Qualified Replacement Plan. The Employer may establish or maintain this Plan as a qualified replacement plan as described in Code §4980 under which the Plan may receive a Transfer from a terminating qualified plan the Employer also maintains. The Plan Administrator will credit the transferred amounts to a suspense account under the Plan and thereafter the Plan Administrator will allocate the transferred amounts under this Section 3.04(D) in the same manner as the Plan Administrator allocates Employer Nonelective Contributions.

3.05    SAFE HARBOR 401(k) CONTRIBUTIONS. The Employer in its 401(k) Plan Adoption Agreement may elect to apply to its Plan the safe harbor provisions of this Section 3.05.

(A)    Prior Election and Notice/12 Month Plan Year. Except as otherwise provided in this Plan an Employer: (i) prior to beginning of the Plan Year to which the safe harbor provisions apply, must elect the safe harbor plan provisions of this Section 3.05; (ii) prior to the beginning of the Plan Year to which the safe harbor provisions apply, must satisfy the applicable notice requirements; and (iii) must apply the safe harbor provisions for the entire 12 month safe harbor Plan Year.

(1)    Short Plan Year. An Employer's Plan may be a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan in a short Plan Year: (a) as provided in Sections 3.05(I)(3) or (5), relating to the initial safe harbor Plan Year; (b) if the Employer creates a short Plan Year by changing its Plan Year, provided that the Employer maintains the Plan as a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan in the Plan Years both before and after the short Plan Year as described in Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)‑3(e)(3); or (c) if the short Plan Year is the result of the Employer's termination of the Plan under Section 3.05(I)(6).

(B)    Effect/Remaining Terms/Testing Status. The provisions of this Section 3.05 apply to an electing Employer notwithstanding any contrary provision of the Plan and all other remaining Plan terms continue to apply to the Employer's Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan. An Employer which elects and operationally satisfies the safe harbor provisions of this Section 3.05 is not subject to the nondiscrimination provisions of Section 4.10(B) (ADP test). An electing Employer which provides for an Enhanced Matching Contribution under Section 3.05(E)(6) or for Additional Matching Contributions under Section 3.05(F) is subject to the nondiscrimination provisions of Section 4.10(C) (ACP test), unless the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement to apply the ACP test safe harbor described in Section 3.05(G). If the Plan is a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan, for purposes of testing in future (non‑safe harbor) Plan Years, the Plan in the safe harbor Plan Year is deemed to be using Current Year Testing as to the ADP test and is deemed to be using Current Year Testing for the ACP test if the Plan in the safe harbor Plan Year satisfies the ACP test safe harbor. If a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan is subject to Sections 3.05(I)(1) or (2), the Plan in such Plan Year is deemed to be using Current Year Testing for both the ADP and ACP tests.

(C)    Compensation for Allocation. In allocating Safe Harbor Contributions and Additional Matching Contributions that satisfy the ACP test safe harbor under Section 3.05(G) and for Elective Deferral allocation under this Section 3.05, the following provisions apply:

(1)    Safe Harbor and Additional Matching allocation. For purposes of allocating the Employer's Safe Harbor Contributions and ACP test safe harbor Additional Matching Contributions, if any, Compensation is limited as described in Section 1.11(E) and Employer must elect under its Adoption Agreement a nondiscriminatory definition of Compensation as described in Section 1.11(F). The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may not elect to limit NHCE Compensation to a specified dollar amount, except as required under Section 1.11(E).

(2)    Deferral allocation. An Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to limit the type of Compensation from which a Participant may make an Elective Deferral to any reasonable definition. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement also may elect to limit the amount of a Participant's Elective Deferrals to a whole percentage of Compensation or to a whole dollar amount, provided each Eligible NHCE Participant may make Elective Deferrals in an amount sufficient to receive the maximum Matching Contribution, if any, available under the Plan and may defer any lesser amount. However, a Participant may not make Elective Deferrals in the event that the Participant is suspended from doing so under Section 6.07(A)(2), relating to hardship distributions or to the extent that the allocation would exceed a Participant's Annual Additions Limit in Section 4.05(B) or the maximum Deferral Limit in Section 4.10(A). If the Plan permits Roth Deferrals in addition to Pre‑Tax Deferrals, Elective Deferrals for purposes of Section 3.05 includes both Roth Deferrals and Pre‑Tax Deferrals.

(D)    "Early" Elective Deferrals/Delay of Safe Harbor Contribution. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects any age and service eligibility requirements for Elective Deferrals that are less than age 21 and one Year of Service (with one Year of Service being defined as completion of 1,000 Hours of Service during the relevant Eligibility Computation Period), the Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to apply the OEE rule described in Section 4.06(C) to the Safe Harbor Contributions. If the Employer so elects, then (1) Only those Participants who are Includible Employees will receive the Safe Harbor Contributions; (2) the disaggregated plan which covers the Includible Employees is a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan under this Section 3.05; (3) the Plan Administrator will perform the ADP (and ACP) tests as necessary for the disaggregated plan which covers the Otherwise Excludible Employees, as provided in Section 4.06(B)(1). If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement has elected "Participating Compensation" for allocating Nonelective Contributions or Matching Contributions (as applicable), the Plan Administrator, in allocating the Safe Harbor Contribution for the Plan Year in which a Participant crosses over to the Includible Employees group, will count Compensation and Elective Deferrals only on and following the Cross‑Over Date. See Section 4.06(C) for the definitions of "OEE rule," "Includible Employees," "Otherwise Excludible Employees," and "Cross‑Over Date." Nothing in this Section 3.05(D) affects the obligation of the Employer under Article X in the event that the Plan is top‑heavy, to provide a Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation for Non‑Key Employee Participants. Under this Section 3.05(D), eligibility for Additional Matching Contributions and for Nonelective Contributions which are not Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions is controlled by the Employer's Adoption Agreement elections and is not necessarily limited to age 21 and one Year of Service as is the case for Safe Harbor Contributions. However, as to ACP test safe harbor treatment for Additional Matching Contributions, see Section 3.05(F)(2).

(E)    Safe Harbor Contributions/ADP Test Safe Harbor. An Employer which elects under this Section 3.05(E) to apply the safe harbor provisions, must satisfy the ADP test safe harbor contribution requirement under either Code §401(k)(12) or Code §401(k)(13) by making a Safe Harbor Contribution to the Plan. Except as otherwise provided in this Section 3.05, the Employer must make its Safe Harbor Contributions (and any Additional Matching Contributions which will satisfy the ACP test safe harbor), no later than twelve months after the end of the Plan Year to which such contributions are allocated. If the Employer satisfies this Section 3.05(E) and the remaining applicable provisions of Section 3.05, Elective Deferrals are not subject to nondiscrimination testing under Section 4.10(B) (ADP test). The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to apply forfeitures toward satisfaction of the Employer's required Safe Harbor Contribution.

(1)    Definition of Safe Harbor Contribution. A Safe Harbor Contribution is a Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution or a Safe Harbor Matching Contribution as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement and includes a QACA Safe Harbor Contribution.

(2)    Definition of Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution. A Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution is a Fixed Nonelective Contribution in an amount the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, which must equal at least 3% of each Participant's Compensation unless the Employer elects to limit Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions to NHCEs under Section 3.05(E)(9) or unless Section 3.05(D) applies. A Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution is a QNEC, except that the Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to apply a QACA vesting schedule to a Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution the Employer makes to a QACA.

(3)    Definition of Safe Harbor Matching Contribution. A Safe Harbor Matching Contribution is a Basic Matching Contribution, a QACA Basic Matching Contribution, or an Enhanced Matching Contribution. Under a Safe Harbor Matching Contribution an HCE may not receive a greater rate of match at any level of Elective Deferrals than any NHCE. A Safe Harbor Matching Contribution is a QMAC, except that the Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to apply a QACA vesting schedule to a QACA Basic Matching Contribution or to an Enhanced Matching Contribution the Employer makes to a QACA.

(4)    Definition of Basic Matching Contribution. A Basic Matching Contribution is a Fixed Matching Contribution equal to 100% of a Participant's Elective Deferrals which do not exceed 3% of Compensation, plus 50% of Elective Deferrals which exceed 3%, but do not exceed 5% of Compensation.

(5)    Definition of QACA Basic Matching Contribution. A QACA Basic Matching Contribution is a Fixed Matching Contribution equal to 100% of a Participant's Elective Deferrals which do not exceed 1% of Compensation, plus 50% of Elective Deferrals which exceed 1%, but do not exceed 6% of Compensation.

(6)    Definition of Enhanced Matching Contribution. An Enhanced Matching Contribution is a Fixed Matching Contribution made in accordance with any formula the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement under which: (a) at any rate of Elective Deferrals, a Participant receives a Matching Contribution which is at least equal to the match the Participant would receive under the Basic Matching Contribution formula or under the QACA Basic Matching Contribution formula, as applicable; and (b) the rate of match does not increase as the rate of Elective Deferrals increases.

(7)    Time period for computing/contributing Safe Harbor Matching Contribution.

(a)    Computation. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect the applicable time period for computing the Employer's Safe Harbor Matching Contributions. If the Employer fails to so elect, the Employer is deemed to have elected to compute its Safe Harbor Matching Contribution based on the Plan Year.

(b)    Contribution deadline. If the Employer elects to compute its Safe Harbor Matching Contribution based on a time period which is less than the Plan Year, the Employer must contribute the Safe Harbor Matching Contributions to the Plan no later than the end of the Plan Year quarter which follows the quarter in which the Elective Deferral that gave rise to the Safe Harbor Matching Contribution was made. If the Employer fails to contribute by the foregoing deadline, the Employer will correct the operational failure by contributing the Safe Harbor Matching Contribution as soon as is possible and also will contribute Earnings on the Contribution. See Section 7.08. If the time period for computing the Safe Harbor Matching Contribution is the Plan Year, the Employer must contribute the Safe Harbor Matching Contribution to the Plan no later than twelve months after the end of the Plan Year to which the Safe Harbor Contribution is allocated.

(8)    No allocation conditions. The Plan Administrator must allocate the Employer's Safe Harbor Contribution without regard to the Section 3.06 allocation conditions, if any, the Employer has elected as to non‑Safe Harbor Contributions.

(9)    NHCEs must receive allocation; further election of allocation group. Subject to Section 3.05(D), the Plan Administrator must allocate the Safe Harbor Contribution to NHCE Participants, which for purposes of Section 3.05 means NHCEs who are eligible to make Elective Deferrals. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement, must elect whether to allocate Safe Harbor Contributions: (a) to all Participants; (b) only to NHCE Participants; or (c) to NHCE Participants and to designated HCE Participants. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement also may elect to exclude Collective Bargaining Employees from the allocation of Safe Harbor Contributions.

(10)    100% vesting/distribution restrictions. A Participant's Account Balance attributable to Safe Harbor Contributions: (a) at all times is 100% Vested, unless the Employer maintains a QACA and elects in its Adoption Agreement to apply a QACA vesting schedule; and (b) is subject to the distribution restrictions described in Section 6.01(C)(4)(b).

(11)    Possible application of ACP test. If the Plan's sole Matching Contribution is a Basic Matching Contribution or a QACA Basic Matching Contribution, the Basic Matching Contribution or QACA Basic Matching Contribution is not subject to nondiscrimination testing under Section 4.10(C) (ACP test). The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect whether to satisfy the ACP test safe harbor amount limitations under Section 3.05(G) with respect to the Employer's Enhanced Matching Contributions or to test its Enhanced Matching Contributions under Section 4.10(C) (ACP test). The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to test Enhanced Matching Contributions using Current Year Testing or Prior Year Testing.

(12)    Application to other allocations/testing. Except as the Employer otherwise elects in Appendix B and as described below as to permitted disparity, any Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions will be applied toward (offset) any other allocation to a Participant of a non‑Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution. An Employer electing to apply the general nondiscrimination test under Section 4.06(C), may include Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions in applying the general test. An Employer which has elected in its Adoption Agreement to apply permitted disparity in allocating the Employer's Nonelective Contributions made in addition to Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions may not include within the permitted disparity formula allocation any of the Employer's Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions.

(13)    Contribution to another plan. An Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to make the Safe Harbor Contribution to another Defined Contribution Plan the Employer maintains provided: (a) this Plan and the other plan have the same Plan Years; (b) each Participant eligible for Safe Harbor Contributions under this Plan is eligible to participate in the other plan; and (c) the other plan provides that 100% vesting and the distribution restrictions under Section 6.01(C)(4)(b) apply to the Safe Harbor Contribution Account maintained within the other plan. An Employer cannot apply any Safe Harbor Contributions to satisfy the 401(k) safe harbor requirements in more than one plan.

(F)    Additional Matching Contributions. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to make Additional Matching Contributions to its safe harbor Plan under this Section 3.05(F).

(1)    Definition of Additional Matching Contributions. Additional Matching Contributions are Fixed or Discretionary Matching Contributions ("Fixed Additional Matching Contributions" or "Discretionary Additional Matching Contributions") the Employer makes to its Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan (including a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan the Employer elected into during the Plan Year under Section 3.05(I)(1)) and are not Safe Harbor Matching Contributions. Additional Matching Contributions are in addition to whatever type of Safe Harbor Contributions the Employer makes to satisfy the ADP test safe harbor under Section 3.05(E). If the Employer under Section 3.05(I)(1) does not elect into the safe harbor as of a Plan Year, any Matching Contributions for that Plan Year are not Additional Matching Contributions and as such cannot qualify for the ACP test safe harbor.

(2)    Safe harbor or testing. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect whether to subject the Additional Matching Contributions to the ACP test safe harbor requirements of Section 3.05(G), or for the Plan Administrator to test the Additional Matching Contributions (and any Safe Harbor Matching Contribution) for nondiscrimination under Section 4.10(C) (ACP test). The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to test Additional Matching Contributions (and any Safe Harbor Matching Contribution) using Current Year Testing or Prior Year Testing. See Section 3.05(I)(1)(a) with regard to ACP testing Matching Contributions in connection with the maybe notice.

(3)    Eligibility, vesting, allocation conditions and distributions. The Employer must elect in its Adoption Agreement the eligibility conditions, vesting schedule, allocation conditions and distribution provisions applicable to the Employer's Additional Matching Contributions. To satisfy the ACP test safe harbor under Section 3.05(G), any allocation conditions the Employer otherwise elects in its Adoption Agreement do not apply to Additional Matching Contributions. However, regardless of whether the Employer elects to treat the Additional Matching Contributions as being subject to the ACP test safe harbor, the Employer may elect: (a) to apply a vesting schedule to the Additional Matching Contributions; and (b) to treat the Additional Matching Contributions Account as not subject to the distribution restrictions under Section 6.01(C)(4)(b). If the Employer wishes to apply the ACP test safe harbor to Additional Matching Contributions, the Employer must not elect eligibility conditions applicable to the Additional Matching Contribution which exceed age 21 and one Year of Service and the Employer must elect eligibility conditions which are the same as it elects for the Safe Harbor Contribution.

(4)    Time period for computing/contributing Additional Matching Contributions.

(a)    Computation. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect the applicable time period for computing the Employer's Additional Matching Contributions. If the Employer fails to so elect, the Employer is deemed to have elected to compute its Additional Matching Contribution based on the Plan Year.

(b)    Contribution deadline. This Section 3.05(F)(4)(b) applies if the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to apply the ACP test safe harbor under Section 3.05(G) to its Additional Matching Contributions. If the Employer elects to compute its Additional Matching Contribution based on a time period which is less than the Plan Year, the Employer must contribute the Additional Matching Contributions to the Plan no later than the end of the Plan Year quarter which follows the quarter in which the Elective Deferral that gave rise to the Additional Matching Contribution was made. If the Employer fails to contribute by the foregoing deadline, the Employer will correct the operational failure by contributing the Additional Matching Contribution as soon as is possible and will also contribute Earnings on the Contribution. See Section 7.08. If the Employer elects to apply the ACP test safe harbor and elects the Plan Year as the time period for computing the Additional Matching Contribution, the Employer must contribute the Additional Matching Contribution to the Plan no later than twelve months after the end of the Plan Year to which the Additional Matching Contribution is allocated.

(G)    ACP test safe harbor. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect whether (i) to apply the amount limitations under this Section 3.05(G) in order to comply with the ACP test safe harbor as described in this Section 3.05(G); or (ii) the Plan Administrator must test all Matching Contributions under the ACP test unless the Plan's only Matching Contribution is a Basic Matching Contribution or a QACA Basic Matching Contribution. If the Employer elects to test, the Employer also will elect whether to perform the ACP test using Current Year or Prior Year Testing.

(1)    Amount limitations. Under the ACP test safe harbor: (a) the Employer may not make Matching Contributions as to a Participant's Elective Deferrals which exceed 6% of the Participant's Plan Year Compensation; (b) the amount of any Discretionary Additional Matching Contribution allocated to any Participant may not exceed 4% of the Participant's Plan Year Compensation; (c) the rate of Matching Contributions may not increase as the rate of Elective Deferrals increases; and (d) an HCE may not receive a rate of match greater than any NHCE (taking into account HCE aggregation under Section 4.10(C)(6)).

(2)    No partial ACP test safe harbor. If the Employer's Plan has more than one Matching Contribution formula, each Matching Contribution formula must satisfy the ACP test safe harbor or the Plan Administrator must test all of the Employer's Matching Contributions together under Section 4.10(C) (ACP test).

(3)    Employee Contributions. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement has elected to permit Employee Contributions under the Plan: (a) any Employee Contributions do not satisfy the ACP test safe harbor and the Plan Administrator must test the Employee Contributions under Section 4.10(C) (ACP test) using Current Year Testing unless the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement to apply Prior Year Testing; and (b) if the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to match the Employee Contributions, the Plan Administrator in applying the 6% amount limit in Section 3.05(G)(1) must aggregate a Participant's Elective Deferrals and Employee Contributions which are subject to the 6% limit.

(H)    Safe Harbor Notice. The Plan Administrator must provide a safe harbor notice to each Participant a reasonable period prior to each Plan Year for which the Employer in its Adoption Agreement has elected to apply the safe harbor provisions.

(1)    Deemed reasonable notice. The Plan Administrator is deemed to provide timely notice if the Plan Administrator provides the safe harbor notice at least 30 days and not more than 90 days prior to the beginning of the safe harbor Plan Year.

(2)    Mid‑year notice/new Participant or Plan. If: (a) an Employee becomes eligible to participate in the Plan during a safe harbor Plan Year, but after the Plan Administrator has provided the annual safe harbor notice for that Plan Year; (b) the Employer adopts mid‑year a new Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan; or (c) the Employer amends mid‑year its existing Profit Sharing Plan to add a 401(k) feature and also elects safe harbor status, the Plan Administrator must provide the safe harbor notice a reasonable period (with 90 days being deemed reasonable) prior to and no later than the Employee's Entry Date. However, if it is not practicable for the Plan Administrator to provide the notice on or before the date an Employee becomes a Participant, then the Plan nonetheless will treat the notice as provided timely if the Plan Administrator provides the notice as soon as practicable after that date and the Participant is permitted to elect to defer from all types of Compensation that may be deferred under the Plan earned beginning on that date.

(3)    Content. The safe harbor notice must provide comprehensive information regarding the Participants' rights and obligations under the Plan and must be written in a manner calculated to be understood by the average Participant. The Plan Administrator's notice must satisfy the content requirements of Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)‑3(d).

(4)    Election following notice. A Participant may make or modify a Salary Reduction Agreement under the Employer's Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan for 30 days following receipt of the safe harbor notice, or if greater, for the period the Plan Administrator specifies in the Salary Reduction Agreement.

(5)    Additional QACA notice requirements. If the Plan is a QACA, in addition to the other requirements of this Section 3.05(H), the Employer must provide the initial QACA safe harbor notice sufficiently early so that a Participant has a reasonable period after receiving the notice and before the first Automatic Deferral (see Section 3.02(B)(3)(a)(i)) to make a Contrary Election and, as applicable, to make an election as to the investment of his/her Account. In addition, the notice will state: (a) the Automatic Deferral Percentage that will apply in absence of the Participant's Contrary Election; (b) the Participant's right under a Contrary Election to elect not to have any Automatic Deferral made on the Participant's behalf or to elect to make Elective Deferrals in a different amount or percentage of Compensation; and (c) how the Plan will invest the Automatic Deferrals in the event that the Plan permits Participant‑Directed Accounts, and the Participant does not make an investment election.

(I)    Mid‑Year Changes in Safe Harbor Status.

(1)    Contingent ("maybe") notice and supplemental notice‑delayed election of Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions. The Employer during any Plan Year may elect for its Plan to become a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan under this Section 3.05(I)(1) for that Plan Year, provided: (i) the Plan is using Current Year Testing; (ii) the Employer elects to satisfy the Safe Harbor Contribution requirement using the Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution; (iii) the Employer amends the Plan to add such Safe Harbor Contribution not later than 30 days prior to the end of the Plan Year, computed with regard to the entire Plan Year; and (iv) the Plan Administrator provides a notice ("maybe notice") to Participants prior to the beginning of the Plan Year for which the safe harbor amendment may become effective, that the Employer later may elect to become a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan for that Plan Year using the Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution and that if the Employer does so, the Plan Administrator will provide a supplemental notice to Participants at least 30 days prior to the end of that Plan Year informing Participants of the Employer's election to provide the Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution for that Plan Year. The Employer elects into the safe harbor by timely giving the supplemental notice and by amending the Plan as described above and thereby elects not to be subject to the ADP test, regardless of the Employer's Adoption Agreement Elections. Except as otherwise specified, the Participant notices described in this Section 3.05(I)(1) also must satisfy the requirements applicable to safe harbor notices under Section 3.05(H).

(a)    Effect on Additional Matching Contributions. If the Employer gives a maybe notice under this Section 3.05(I)(1), and then gives the supplemental notice electing into the ADP test safe harbor for the Plan Year, any Additional Matching Contribution the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement will be subject to the ACP test safe harbor regardless of the Employer's Adoption Agreement Elections, unless one or more Matching Contributions, as described in the Adoption Agreement, fails to satisfy the limitations of Sections 3.05(G)(1) and (2). If the Employer does not give a supplemental notice, or any Matching Contribution fails to satisfy such limitations, any Matching Contributions are not Additional Matching Contributions in that Plan Year and the Plan Administrator will test all such Matching Contributions under Section 4.10(C) (ACP test) using Current Year Testing.

(2)    Exiting Safe Harbor Contributions. The Employer may amend its Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan during a Plan Year to reduce or eliminate prospectively, any or all Safe Harbor Matching Contributions or Additional Matching Contributions, or Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions, provided: (a) the Plan Administrator provides a notice to the Participants which explains the effect of the amendment, specifies the amendment's Effective Date and informs Participants they will have a reasonable opportunity to modify their Salary Reduction Agreements, and if applicable, Employee Contributions; (b) Participants have a reasonable opportunity and period prior to the Effective Date of the amendment to modify their Salary Reduction Agreements, and if applicable, Employee Contributions; (c) the amendment is not effective earlier than the later of: (i) 30 days after the Plan Administrator gives notice of the amendment; or (ii) the date the Employer adopts the amendment and (d) the employer otherwise complies with Treas. Reg. 1.401(k)-3(g) and, if applicable, Treas. Reg. §1.401(m)-3(h). An Employer which amends its Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan to eliminate or reduce any Matching Contribution or the Nonelective Contribution under this Section 3.05(I)(2), effective during the Plan Year, must continue to apply all of the safe harbor requirements of this Section 3.05 until the amendment becomes effective and also must apply for the entire Plan Year, using Current Year Testing, the nondiscrimination test under Section 4.10(B) (ADP test) and the nondiscrimination test under Section 4.10(C) (ACP test). However, any Employer which eliminates only an Additional Matching Contribution does not need to test under the ADP test provided that the Plan still satisfies the ADP test safe harbor.

(3)    Amendment of non‑401(k) Plan into safe harbor status. An Employer maintaining a Profit Sharing Plan or pre‑ERISA Money Purchase Pension Plan, during a Plan Year, may amend prospectively its Plan to become a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan provided: (a) the Employer's Plan is not a Successor Plan; (b) the Participants may make Elective Deferrals for at least 3 months during the Plan Year; (c) the Plan Administrator provides the safe harbor notice described in Section 3.05(H) a reasonable time prior to and not later than the Effective Date of the 401(k) arrangement; and (d) the Plan commencing on the Effective Date of the amendment (or such earlier date as the Employer will specify in its Adoption Agreement), satisfies all of the safe harbor requirements of this Section 3.05.

(4)    Amendment to add Roth Deferrals or Beneficiary Hardship Distributions. The Employer during any Plan Year may amend its Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan to: (a) permit Participants to make Roth Deferrals, as defined in Section 1.21(B), and subject to Section 3.02(E) and other Plan provisions as applicable; or (b) to add a Beneficiary hardship distribution provision under Section 6.07(H).

(5)    New Plan/new Employer. An Employer (including a new Employer) may establish a new Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan which is not a Successor Plan, provided; (a) the Plan Year is at least 3 months long; (b) the Plan Administrator provides the safe harbor notice described in Section 3.05(H) a reasonable time prior to and not later than the Effective Date of the Plan; and (c) the Plan commencing on the Effective Date of the Plan satisfies all of the safe harbor requirements of this Section 3.05. If the Employer is new, the Plan Year may be less than 3 months provided the Plan is in effect as soon after the Employer is established as it is administratively feasible for the Employer to establish the Plan.

(6)    Plan termination. An Employer may terminate its Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan mid‑Plan Year in accordance with Article XI and this Section 3.05(I)(6).

(a)    Acquisition/disposition or substantial business hardship. If the Employer terminates its Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan resulting in a short Plan Year, and the termination is on account of an acquisition or disposition transaction described in Code §410(b)(6)(C), or if termination is on account the Employer's substantial business hardship, within the meaning of Code §412(c), the Plan remains a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan for the short Plan Year provided that the Employer satisfies this Section 3.05 through the Effective Date of the Plan termination.

(b)    Other termination. If the Employer terminates its Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan for any reason other than as described in Section 3.05(I)(6)(a), and the termination results in a short Plan Year, the Employer must conduct the termination under the provisions of Section 3.05(I)(2), except that the Employer need not provide Participants with the right to change their Salary Reduction Agreements.

(J)    Qualified Automatic Contribution Arrangement (QACA). If the Employer under Section 3.02(B)(3) elects in its Adoption Agreement to apply the QACA provisions, this Section 3.05(J) also applies. Except as modified in this Section 3.05(J), the safe harbor provisions of this Section 3.05 apply to the QACA.

(1)    QACA Safe Harbor Contributions. The Employer will provide Safe Harbor Contributions as specified in its Adoption Agreement to the Participants specified in the Adoption Agreement. Compensation for purposes of allocating QACA Safe Harbor Contributions means as described in Section 3.05(C)(1).

(2)    Vesting and Distributions. A Participant's Account Balance attributable to QACA Safe Harbor Contributions is subject to: (a) vesting as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement; and (b) the distribution restrictions under Section 6.01(C)(4)(b) that apply to Safe Harbor Contributions.

3.06    ALLOCATION CONDITIONS. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect the allocation conditions, if any, which the Plan Administrator will apply in allocating Employer Contributions (except for those contributions described below) and in allocating forfeitures allocated as an Employer Contribution under the Plan.

(A)    Contributions Not Subject to Allocation Conditions. The Employer may not elect to impose any allocation conditions on: (1) Elective Deferrals; (2) Safe Harbor Contributions; (3) Additional Matching Contributions to which the Employer elects to apply the ACP test safe harbor; (4) Employee Contributions; (5) Rollover Contributions; (6) Designated IRA Contributions; (7) SIMPLE Contributions; or (8) Prevailing Wage Contributions. The Plan Administrator also may elect under Sections 3.03(C)(2) and 3.04(C)(2), not to apply to any Operational QMAC or Operational QNEC any allocation conditions otherwise applicable to Matching Contributions (including QMACs) or to Nonelective Contributions (including QNECs).

(B)    Conditions. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to impose allocation conditions based on Hours of Service or employment at a specified time (or both), in accordance with this Section 3.06(B). The Employer may elect to impose different allocation conditions to different Employer Contribution Types under the Plan. A Participant does not accrue an Employer Contribution or forfeiture allocated as an Employer Contribution with respect to a Plan Year or other applicable period, until the Participant satisfies the allocation conditions for that Employer Contribution Type.

(1)    Hours of Service requirement. Except as required to satisfy the Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation, the Plan Administrator will not allocate any portion of an Employer Contribution for a Plan Year to any Participant's Account if the Participant does not complete the applicable minimum Hours of Service (or consecutive calendar days of employment under the Elapsed Time Method) requirement the Employer specifies in its Adoption Agreement for the relevant period.

(a)    1,000 HOS in Plan Year/other HOS requirement. The Employer in its Nonstandardized Plan or Volume Submitter Plan may elect to require a Participant to complete: (i) 1,000 Hours of Service during the Plan Year (or to be employed for at least 182 consecutive calendar days under the Elapsed Time Method); (ii) a specified number of Hours of Service during the Plan Year which is less than 1,000 Hours of Service; or (iii) a specified number of Hours of Service within the time period the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, but not exceeding 1,000 Hours of Service in a Plan Year.

(b)    501 HOS/terminees. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to require a Participant to complete during a Plan Year 501 Hours of Service (or to be employed for at least 91 consecutive calendar days under the Elapsed Time Method) to share in the allocation of Employer Contributions for that Plan Year where the Participant is not employed by the Employer on the last day of that Plan Year, including the Plan Year in which the Employer terminates the Plan.

(c)    Short Plan Year or allocation period. This Section 3.06(B)(1)(c) applies to any Plan Year or to any other allocation time period under the Adoption Agreement which is less than 12 months, where in either case, the Employer creates a short allocation period on account of a Plan amendment, the termination of the Plan or the adoption of the Plan with an initial short Plan Year. In the case of any short allocation period, the Plan Administrator will prorate any Hour of Service requirement based on the number of days in the short allocation period divided by the number of days in the normal allocation period, using 365 days in the case of Plan Year allocation period. The Employer in Appendix B may elect not to pro‑rate Hours of Service in any short allocation period or to apply a monthly pro‑ration method.

(2)    Last day requirement.

(a)    Standardized Plan. If the Plan is a Standardized Plan, a Participant who is employed by the Employer on the last day of a Plan Year will share in the allocation of Employer Contributions for that Plan Year without regard to the Participant's Hours of Service completed during that Plan Year.

(b)    Nonstandardized or Volume Submitter Plan. The Employer in its Nonstandardized Plan or Volume Submitter Plan may elect to require a Participant to be employed by the Employer on the last day of the Plan Year or other specified period or on a specified date. If the Plan is a Nonstandardized or Volume Submitter Money Purchase Pension Plan, the Plan expressly conditions Employer Contribution allocations on a Participant's employment with the Employer on the last day of the Plan Year for the Plan Year in which the Employer terminates or freezes the Plan, even if the Employer in its Adoption Agreement did not elect the "last day of the Plan Year" allocation condition.

(C)    Time Period. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect the time period to which the Plan Administrator will apply any allocation condition. The Employer may elect to apply the same time period to all Contribution Types or to elect a different time period based on Contribution Type.

(D)    Death, Disability or Retirement Age. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect whether any elected allocation condition applies or is waived for a Plan Year if a Participant incurs a Separation from Service during the Plan Year on account of the Participant's death, Disability or attainment of Normal Retirement Age or Early Retirement Age in the current Plan Year or on account of the Participant's Disability or attainment of Normal Retirement Age or Early Retirement Age in a prior Plan Year. The Employer's election may be based on Contribution Type or may apply to all Contribution Types.

(E)    No Other Conditions. In allocating Employer Contributions under the Plan, the Plan Administrator will not apply any other allocation conditions except those the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement or otherwise as the Plan may require.

(F)    Suspension of Allocation Conditions in a Nonstandardized or Volume Submitter Plan. The Employer in its Nonstandardized Plan or Volume Submitter Plan will elect whether to apply the suspension provisions of this Section 3.06(F). If: (i) Section 3.06(F) applies; (ii) the Plan (or any component part of the Plan) in any Plan Year must perform coverage testing; and (iii) the Plan (or component part of the Plan) fails to satisfy coverage under the ratio percentage test under Treas. Reg. §1.410(b)‑2(b)(2), the Plan suspends for that Plan Year any Plan (or component part of the Plan) allocation conditions in accordance with this Section 3.06(F). If the Plan Administrator must perform coverage testing, the Administrator will apply testing separately as required to each component part of the Plan after applying the aggregation and disaggregation rules under Treas. Reg. §§1.410(b)‑6 and ‑7.

(1)    No average benefit test. If the Employer elects to apply this Section 3.06(F), the Plan Administrator may not apply the average benefit test under Treas. Reg. §1.410(b)‑2(b)(3), to determine satisfaction of coverage or to correct a coverage failure, as to the Plan or to the component part of the Plan to which this Section 3.06(F) applies, unless the Plan or component still fails coverage after application of this Section 3.06(F). The restriction in this Section 3.06(F)(1) does not apply as to application of the average benefit test in performing nondiscrimination testing.

(2)    Methodology. If this Section 3.06(F) applies for a Plan Year, the Plan Administrator, in the manner described herein, will suspend the allocation conditions for the NHCEs who are included in the coverage test and who are Participants in the Plan (or component part of the Plan) but who are not benefiting thereunder (within the meaning of Treas. Reg. §1.410(b)‑3), such that enough additional NHCEs are benefiting under the Plan (or component part of the Plan) to pass coverage under the ratio percentage test. The ordering of suspension of allocation conditions is in the following priority tiers and if more than one NHCE in any priority tier satisfies the conditions for suspension (but all are not needed to benefit to pass coverage), the Plan Administrator will apply the suspension beginning first with the NHCE(s) in that suspension tier with the lowest Compensation during the Plan Year:

(a)    Last day. Those NHCE(s) employed by the Employer on the last day of the Plan Year, without regard to the number of Hours of Service in the Plan Year. If necessary to pass coverage, the Plan Administrator then will apply Section 3.06(F)(2)(b).

(b)    Latest Separation. Those NHCE(s) who have the latest Separation from Service date during the Plan Year, without regard to the number of Hours of Service in the Plan Year. If necessary to pass coverage, the Plan Administrator then will apply Section 3.06(F)(2)(c).

(c)    Most Hours of Service (more than 500). Those NHCE(s) with the greatest number of Hours of Service during the Plan Year but who have more than 500 Hours of Service.

(3)    Appendix B. The Employer in Appendix B may elect a different order of the suspension tiers, may elect to use Hours of Service (in lieu of Compensation) as a tiebreaker within any tier or may elect additional or other suspension tiers which are objective and not subject to Employer discretion.

(4)    Separate Application to Nonelective and Matching. If applicable under the Plan, the Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect whether to apply this Section 3.06(F): (a) to both Nonelective Contributions and to Matching Contributions if both components fail the ratio percentage test; (b) only to Nonelective Contributions if this component fails the ratio percentage test; or (c) only to Matching Contributions if this component fails the ratio percentage test.

(G)    Conditions Apply to Re‑Hired Employees. If a Participant incurs a Separation from Service and subsequently is re‑hired and resumes participation in the same Plan Year as the Separation from Service or in any subsequent Plan Year, the allocation conditions under this Section 3.06, if any, continue to apply to the re‑hired Employee/Participant in the Plan Year in which he/she is re‑hired, unless the Employer elects otherwise in Appendix B.

3.07    FORFEITURE ALLOCATION. The amount of a Participant's Account forfeited under the Plan is a Participant forfeiture. The Employer may direct the Administrator to use Forfeitures to reinstate previously forfeited Account balances of Participants, if any, in accordance with Section 5.07, or to satisfy any contribution that may be required pursuant to Section 7.07.

(A)    Allocation Method. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must specify the method or methods the Plan Administrator will apply to allocate forfeitures. If the Employer elects more than one method, unless the Employer designates a specific ordering in its Adoption Agreement, the Plan Administrator may allocate the forfeitures by applying one or more of such elected methods in any order as the Plan Administrator operationally may determine, until the forfeitures are fully allocated to the applicable forfeiture allocation Plan Year.

(1)    401(k) forfeiture source. If the Plan is a 401(k) Plan, the Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect a different allocation method based on the forfeiture source (from Nonelective Contributions or from Matching Contributions) or may elect to apply the same allocation method to all forfeitures.

(a)    Attributable to Matching. A Participant's forfeiture is attributable to Matching Contributions if the forfeiture is: (i) from the non‑Vested portion of a Matching Contribution Account forfeited in accordance with Section 5.07 or, if applicable, Section 7.07; (ii) a non‑Vested Excess Aggregate Contribution (including Allocable Income) forfeited in correcting for nondiscrimination failures under Section 4.10(C); or (iii) an Associated Matching Contribution.

(b)    Definition of Associated Matching Contribution. An Associated Matching Contribution includes any Vested or non‑Vested Matching Contribution (including Allocable Income) made as to Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions the Plan Administrator distributes under Section 4.02(E) (Excess Amount), Section 4.10(A) (Excess Deferrals), Section 4.10(B) (ADP test), Section 4.10(C) (ACP test) or Section 7.08 relating to Plan correction.

(c)    Forfeiture or distribution of Associated Match. An Employee forfeits an Associated Matching Contribution unless the Matching Contribution is a Vested Excess Aggregate Contribution distributed in accordance with Section 4.10(C) (ACP test). A forfeiture under this Section 3.07(A)(1)(c) occurs in the Plan Year following the Testing Year (unless the Employer in Appendix B elects that the forfeiture occurs in the Testing Year) and the forfeiture is allocated in the Plan Year described in Section 3.07(B). See Section 3.07(B)(1) as to nondiscrimination testing of allocated forfeitures. In the event of correction under Section 7.08 resulting in forfeiture of Associated Matching Contributions, the forfeiture occurs in the Plan Year of correction.

(2)    Application of "reduce" option/excess forfeitures. If the Employer elects to allocate forfeitures to reduce Nonelective or Matching Contributions and the allocable forfeitures for the forfeiture allocation Plan Year described in Section 3.07(B) exceed the amount of the applicable contribution for that Plan Year to which the Plan Administrator would apply the forfeitures (or there are no applicable contributions under the Plan), the Plan Administrator will allocate the remaining forfeitures in the forfeiture allocation Plan Year. In such event, the Plan Administrator will allocate the remaining forfeitures to pay Plan expenses, as an additional Discretionary Nonelective Contribution or as a Discretionary Matching Contribution, as the Plan Administrator determines.

(3)    Plan expenses. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to apply forfeitures to the payment of Plan expenses under Section 7.04(C), the Employer must elect at least one additional allocation method so that if the Plan Administrator elects to first apply the forfeitures to the payment of Plan expenses, and the forfeitures exceed the Plan's expenses, the Plan Administrator will apply any remaining forfeitures under the additional method the Employer has elected in its Adoption Agreement. The Plan Administrator may elect not to apply forfeitures to the payment of Plan expenses which are allocated to specific Participant accounts under Section 7.04(C)(2)(b).

(4)    Safe harbor‑top‑heavy exempt fail‑safe. If the Employer has a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan which otherwise qualifies for exemption from the top‑heavy requirements of Article X, the Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to limit the allocation of all Plan forfeitures in such a manner as to avoid inadvertent application of the top‑heavy requirements on account of a forfeiture allocation. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects this "fail‑safe" provision, the Plan Administrator will allocate forfeitures in the following order of priority: (a) first to reduce Safe Harbor Contributions to the extent permitted by Section 3.07(A)(7); (b) then to reduce Fixed Additional Matching Contributions if any, which satisfy the ACP test safe harbor under Section 3.05(G); and (c) then as Discretionary Additional Matching Contributions which satisfy the ACP test safe harbor (without regard to whether the Employer in its Adoption Agreement has elected Discretionary Additional Matching Contributions). Notwithstanding the ordering rule of the preceding sentence, the Plan Administrator, either before or after applying the ordering rule, or any tier thereunder, may elect to allocate any forfeitures to pay Plan expenses. If the Employer elects to allocate forfeitures under this Section 3.07(A)(4), the Plan Administrator will apply this Section 3.07(A)(4) regardless of whether the Employer in any Plan Year actually satisfies all conditions necessary for the Plan to be top‑heavy exempt. The Employer in Appendix B may elect to alter the forfeiture allocation ordering rules of this Section 3.07(A)(4).

(5)    No allocation to Elective Deferral Accounts. The Plan Administrator will not allocate forfeitures to any Participant's Elective Deferral Account, including his/her Roth Deferral Account.

(6)    Allocation under classifications. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement has elected to allocate its Nonelective Contributions based on classifications of Participants, the Plan Administrator will allocate any forfeitures which under the Plan are allocated as additional Nonelective Contributions: (a) first to each classification pro rata in relation to the Employer's Nonelective Contribution to that classification for the forfeiture allocation Plan Year described in Section 3.07(B); and (b) second, the total amount of forfeitures allocated to each classification under (a) are allocated in the same manner as are the Nonelective Contributions to be allocated to that classification.

(7)    Limitation on forfeiture uses. Effective for plan years beginning after the adoption of the 2010 Cumulative List (Notice 2010-90) restatement, forfeitures cannot be used as QNECs, QMACs, Elective Deferrals, or Safe Harbor Contributions (Code §401(k)(12)) other than QACA Safe Harbor Contributions (Code §401(k)(13)). However, forfeitures can be used to reduce Fixed Additional Matching Contributions which satisfy the ACP test safe harbor or as Discretionary Additional Matching Contributions.

(B)    Timing (forfeiture allocation Plan Year). The Plan Administrator will allocate Participant forfeitures (including the Earnings thereon) no later than the last day of the Plan Year following the Plan Year in which the forfeiture occurs. See Sections 3.07(A)(1)(c), 5.07 and 7.07 as to when a forfeiture occurs. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to apply forfeitures to the payment of Plan expenses, the Plan Administrator, consistent with this election, may apply forfeitures to pay Plan expenses which the Plan incurs in the forfeiture allocation Plan Year, but which the Plan Administrator pays within a reasonable time after the end of the forfeiture allocation Plan Year.

(1)    401(k) Plans/allocation timing and re‑testing. If the Plan is a 401(k) Plan, the Employer may elect different allocation timing based on the forfeiture source (from Nonelective Contributions or from Matching Contributions) or may elect to apply the same allocation timing to all forfeitures. If the 401(k) Plan is subject to the ACP test and allocates any forfeiture as a Matching Contribution, the following re‑testing rules apply. If, under the Plan, the Plan Administrator will allocate the forfeiture in the same Plan Year in which the forfeiture occurs and the Plan Administrator runs the ACP test before the forfeiture allocation occurs, the Plan Administrator will not re‑run the ACP test for the forfeiture allocation Plan Year. If the Plan Administrator allocates the forfeiture in the Plan Year which follows the Plan Year in which the forfeiture occurs, the Plan Administrator will include the allocated forfeiture in the ACP test for the forfeiture allocation Plan Year. If the Plan allocates any forfeiture as a Nonelective Contribution, the allocation, in the forfeiture allocation Plan Year, is subject to any nondiscrimination testing which applies to Nonelective Contributions for that Plan Year.

(2)    Contribution amount and timing not relevant. The forfeiture allocation timing rules in this Section 3.07(B) apply irrespective of when the Employer makes its Employer Contribution for the forfeiture allocation Plan Year, and irrespective of whether the Employer makes an Employer Contribution for that Plan Year.

(C)    Administration of Account Pending/Incurring Forfeiture. The Plan Administrator will continue to hold the undistributed, non‑Vested portion of the Account of a Participant who has incurred a Separation from Service solely for his/her benefit until a forfeiture occurs at the time specified in Section 5.07 or if applicable, until the time specified in Section 7.07.

(D)    Participant Does Not Share in Own Forfeiture. A Participant will not share in the allocation of a forfeiture of any portion of his/her Account, even if the Participant otherwise is entitled to an allocation of Employer Contributions and forfeitures in the forfeiture allocation Plan Year described in Section 3.07(B). If the forfeiting Participant is entitled to an allocation of Employer Contributions and forfeitures in the forfeiture allocation Plan Year, the Plan Administrator only will allocate to the Participant a share of the allocable forfeitures attributable to other forfeiting Participants.

(E)    Plan Merger. In the event that the Employer merges another plan into this Plan, and does not fully vest upon merger the participant accounts in the merging plan, the Plan Administrator will allocate any post‑merger forfeitures attributable to the merging plan in accordance with the Employer's elections in its Adoption Agreement. The Employer may elect to limit any such forfeiture allocation only to those Participants who were also participants in the merged plan, but in the absence of such an election, all Participants who have satisfied any applicable allocation conditions under Section 3.06 will share in the forfeiture allocation.

3.08    ROLLOVER CONTRIBUTIONS. The Plan Administrator will apply this Section 3.08 in administering Rollover Contributions to the Plan, if any.

(A)    Policy Regarding Rollover Acceptance. The Plan Administrator, operationally (except as to In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contributions under Section 3.08(E)) and on a nondiscriminatory basis, may elect to permit or not to permit Rollover Contributions to this Plan or may elect to limit an Eligible Employee's right or a Participant's right to make a Rollover Contribution. The Plan Administrator also may adopt, amend or terminate any policy regarding the Plan's acceptance of Rollover Contributions. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to permit In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contributions, the Plan Administrator will administer In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contributions in accordance with Section 3.08(E) and the Employer's Adoption Agreement elections.

(1)    Rollover documentation. If the Plan Administrator permits Rollover Contributions, any Participant (or as applicable, any Eligible Employee), with the Plan Administrator's written consent and after filing with the Plan Administrator the form prescribed by the Plan Administrator, may make a Rollover Contribution to the Trust. Before accepting a Rollover Contribution, the Plan Administrator may require a Participant (or Eligible Employee) to furnish satisfactory evidence the proposed transfer is in fact a "rollover contribution" which the Code permits an employee to make to a qualified plan.

(2)    Declination/related expense. The Plan Administrator, in its sole discretion in a nondiscriminatory manner, may decline to accept a Rollover Contribution of property which could: (a) generate unrelated business taxable income; (b) create difficulty or undue expense in storage, safekeeping or valuation; or (c) create other practical problems for the Plan or Trust. The Plan Administrator also may accept the Rollover Contribution on condition that the Participant's or Employee's Account is charged with all expenses associated therewith.

(B)    Limited Testing. A Rollover Contribution is not an Annual Addition under Section 4.05(A) and is not subject to nondiscrimination testing except as a "right or feature" within the meaning of Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)‑4.

(C)    Pre‑Participation Rollovers. If an Eligible Employee makes a Rollover Contribution to the Trust prior to satisfying the Plan's eligibility conditions or prior to reaching his/her Entry Date, the Plan Administrator and Trustee must treat the Employee as a limited Participant (as described in Rev. Rul. 96‑48). A limited Participant does not share in the Plan's allocation of Employer Contributions nor Participant forfeitures and may not make Elective Deferrals if the Plan is a 401(k) Plan, until he/she actually becomes a Participant in the Plan. If a limited Participant has a Separation from Service prior to becoming a Participant in the Plan, the Trustee will distribute his/her Rollover Contributions Account to him/her in accordance with Section 6.01(A).

(D)    May Include Employee Contributions and Roth Deferrals. A Rollover Contribution may include Employee Contributions and Roth Deferrals made to another plan, as adjusted for Earnings. In the case of Employee Contributions: (1) such amounts must be directly rolled over into this Plan from another plan which is qualified under Code §401(a); and (2) the Plan must account separately for the Rollover Contribution, including the Employee Contribution and the Earnings thereon. In the case of Roth Deferrals: (1) such amounts must be directly rolled over into this Plan from another plan which is qualified under Code §401(a) or from a 403(b) plan; (2) the Plan must account separately for the Rollover Contribution, including the Roth Deferrals and the Earnings thereon; and (3) as to rollovers which occur on or after April 30, 2007, this Plan must be a 401(k) Plan which permits Roth Deferrals.

(E)    In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contributions.

(1)    Employer Election. The Employer in its 401(k) Adoption Agreement in which the Employer has elected to permit Roth Deferrals also will elect whether to permit an In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution in accordance with this Section 3.08(E). If the Employer elects to permit such contributions, the Employer in its Adoption Agreement will specify the Effective Date thereof which may not be earlier than distributions made after September 27, 2010.

(2)    Eligibility for Distribution and Rollover. A Participant must be eligible for a distribution from the affected Account in order to roll over the distribution to an In‑Plan Roth Rollover Account. A Participant may not make an In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution with regard to an amount which is not an Eligible Rollover Distribution.

(a)    Parties eligible to elect. For purposes of eligibility for an In‑Plan Roth Rollover, the Plan will treat a Participant's surviving spouse Beneficiary or alternate payee spouse or alternate payee former spouse as a Participant, unless the Employer in Appendix B limits to Employees the right to elect an In‑Plan Roth Rollover. A non‑spouse Beneficiary may not make an In‑Plan Roth Rollover.

(b)    Distribution from partially Vested account. In‑Plan Roth Rollovers are permitted only from Vested amounts allocated to a qualifying source but may be made from partially Vested Accounts unless the Employer elects otherwise in Appendix B. If a distribution is made to a Participant who has not incurred a Severance from Employment and who is not fully Vested in the Participant's Account from which the In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution is to be made, and the Participant may increase the Vested percentage in such Account, then at any relevant time Section 5.03(C) will apply to determine the Participant's Vested portion of the Account.

(3)    Form and Source of Rollover.

(a)    Direct Rollover. An In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution may be made only by a Direct Rollover.

(b)    Account source. A Participant may make an In‑Plan Roth Rollover from any account (other than a Roth account) unless the Employer otherwise elects in Appendix B. Also see Section 6.01(C)(7).

(c)    Cash or in‑kind. The Plan Administrator may permit an In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution either by converting to cash any non‑cash investments prior to rolling over the Participant's distribution election amount to the In‑Plan Roth Rollover Account, or by rolling over the Participant's current investments to the In‑Plan Roth Rollover Account. A plan loan so transferred without changing the repayment schedule is not treated as a new loan.

(4)    No Rollover or Distribution Treatment. Notwithstanding any other Plan provision, an In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution is not a Rollover Contribution for purposes of the Plan. Accordingly: (a) if the Employer in its Adoption Agreement has elected $5,000 as the Plan limit on Mandatory Distributions, the Plan Administrator will take into account amounts attributable to an In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution, in determining if the $5,000 limit is exceeded, regardless of the Employer's election as to whether to count Rollover Contributions for this purpose; (b) no spousal consent is required for a Participant to elect to make an In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution; (c) Protected Benefits with respect to the amounts subject to the In‑Plan Roth Rollover are preserved; and (d) mandatory 20% federal income tax withholding does not apply to the In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution.

3.09    EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS. An Employer must elect in its Adoption Agreement whether to permit Employee Contributions. If the Employer elects to permit Employee Contributions, the Employer also must specify in its Adoption Agreement any limitations which apply to Employee Contributions. If the Employer permits Employee Contributions, the Plan Administrator operationally will determine if a Participant will make Employee Contributions through payroll deduction or by other means.

(A)    Testing. Employee Contributions must satisfy the nondiscrimination requirements of Section 4.10(C) (ACP test).

(B)    Matching. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect whether the Employer will make Matching Contributions as to any Employee Contributions and, as applicable, the matching formula. Any Matching Contribution must satisfy the nondiscrimination requirements of Section 4.10(C) (ACP test), unless the Matching Contributions satisfy the ACP test safe harbor under a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan.

3.10    SIMPLE 401(k) CONTRIBUTIONS. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to apply to its Plan the SIMPLE 401(k) provisions of this Section 3.10 if the Employer is eligible under Section 3.10(B). The provisions of this Section 3.10 apply to an electing Employer notwithstanding any contrary provision in the Plan.

(A)    Plan Year. An Employer electing to apply this Section 3.10 must have a 12 month calendar year Plan Year except that in the case of an Employer adopting a new SIMPLE 401(k) Plan, the Employer must adopt the Plan no later than October 1 with a calendar year Plan Year of at least 3 months.

(B)    Eligible Employer. An Employer may elect to apply this Section 3.10 if: (i) the Plan Year is the calendar year; (ii) the Employer (including Related Employers under Section 1.24(C)) has no more than 100 Employees who received Compensation of at least $5,000 in the immediately preceding calendar year; and (iii) the Employer (including Related Employers under Section 1.24(C)) does not maintain any other plan as described in Code §219(g)(5), to which contributions were made or under which benefits were accrued for Service by an Eligible Employee in the Plan Year to which the SIMPLE 401(k) provisions apply.

(1)    Loss of eligible employer status. If an electing Employer fails for any subsequent calendar year to satisfy all of the Section 3.10(B) requirements, including where the Employer is involved in an acquisition, disposition or similar transaction under which the Employer satisfies Code §410(b)(6)(C)(i), the Employer remains eligible to maintain the SIMPLE 401(k) Plan for two additional calendar years following the last year in which the Employer satisfied the requirements.

(C)    Compensation. For purposes of this Section 3.10, Compensation is limited as described in Section 1.11(E) and: (1) in the case of an Employee, means Code §3401(a) Wages but increased by the Employee's Elective Deferrals under this Plan or any other 401(k) arrangement, SIMPLE IRA, SARSEP, 403(b) annuity or 457 plan of the Employer; and (2) in the case of a Self‑Employed Individual, means Earned Income determined by disregarding contributions made to this Plan.

(D)    Participant Elective Deferrals. Each Participant may enter into a Salary Reduction Agreement to make Elective Deferrals in each calendar year to the SIMPLE 401(k) Plan in accordance with this Section 3.10(D).

(1)    Amount Table. A Participant's annual Elective Deferrals may not exceed the amount as in effect under Code §408(p)(2)(E) ($10,000 in 2005) under which Treasury adjusts the limit in $500 increments.

(2)    Catch‑Ups. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to permit Catch‑Up Deferrals, a Catch‑Up Eligible Participant also may make Catch‑Up Deferrals to the SIMPLE 401(k) Plan in accordance with Section 3.02(D).

(3)    Election timing. A Participant may elect to make Elective Deferrals or to modify a Salary Reduction Agreement at any time in accordance with the Plan Administrator's SIMPLE 401(k) Plan Salary Reduction Agreement form, but the form must be provided at least 60 days prior to the beginning of each SIMPLE Plan Year or at least 60 days prior to commencement of participation for the Participant to make or modify his/her Salary Reduction Agreement. A Participant also may at any time terminate prospectively his/her Salary Reduction Agreement applicable to the Employer's SIMPLE 401(k) Plan.

(E)    Employer SIMPLE 401(k) contributions. An Employer which elects to apply this Section 3.10 must make an annual SIMPLE Contribution to the Plan as described in this Section 3.10(E). The Employer operationally must elect for each SIMPLE Plan Year which type of SIMPLE Contribution the Employer will make.

(1)    Definition of SIMPLE Contribution. A SIMPLE Contribution is one of the following Employer Contribution types: (a) a SIMPLE Matching Contribution equal to 100% of each Participant's Elective Deferrals but not exceeding 3% of Plan Year Compensation or such lower percentage as the Employer may elect under Code §408(p)(2)(C)(ii)(II); or (b) a SIMPLE Nonelective Contribution equal to 2% of Plan Year Compensation for each Participant whose Compensation is at least $5,000.

(F)    SIMPLE 401(k) notice. The Plan Administrator must provide a notice to each Participant a reasonable period of time before the 60th day prior to the beginning of each SIMPLE 401(k) Plan Year, describing the Participant's Elective Deferral rights and the Employer's SIMPLE Contributions which the Employer will make for the Plan Year described in the notice.

(G)    Application of remaining Plan provisions.

(1)    Annual Additions. All contributions to the SIMPLE 401(k) Plan are Annual Additions under Section 4.05(A) and subject to the Annual Additions Limit.

(2)    No allocation conditions. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may not elect to apply any Section 3.06 allocation conditions to the Plan Administrator's allocation of SIMPLE Contributions.

(3)    No other contributions. No contributions other than those described in this Section 3.10 or Rollover Contributions described in Section 3.08 may be made to the SIMPLE 401(k) Plan.

(4)    Vesting. All SIMPLE Contributions and Accounts attributable thereto are 100% Vested at all times and in the event of a conversion of a non‑SIMPLE 401(k) Plan into a SIMPLE 401(k) Plan, all Account Balances in existence on the first day of the Plan Year to which the SIMPLE 401(k) provisions apply, become 100% Vested.

(5)    No nondiscrimination testing. A SIMPLE 401(k) Plan is not subject to nondiscrimination testing under Section 4.10(B) (ADP test) or Section 4.10(C) (ACP test) of the Plan.

(6)    No top‑heavy. A SIMPLE 401(k) Plan is not subject to the top‑heavy provisions of Article X.

(7)    Remaining Plan terms. Except as otherwise described in this Section 3.10, if an Employer has elected in its Adoption Agreement to apply the SIMPLE 401(k) provisions of this Section 3.10, the Plan Administrator will apply the remaining Plan provisions to the Employer's Plan.

3.11    USERRA/HEART ACT CONTRIBUTIONS.

(A)    Application. This Section 3.11 applies to an Employee who: (1) has completed Qualified Military Service under USERRA; (2) the Employer has rehired under USERRA; and (3) is a Participant entitled to make‑up contributions under Code §414(u). This Section 3.11 also applies to an Employee who dies or becomes disabled while performing Qualified Military Service, as provided in Sections 3.11(K) and 3.11(L) and the Employer's Adoption Agreement elections.

(B)    Employer Contributions. The Employer will make‑up any Employer Contribution the Employer would have made and which the Plan Administrator would have allocated to the Participant's Account had the Participant remained employed by the Employer during the period of Qualified Military Service.

(C)    Compensation. For purposes of this Section 3.11, the Plan Administrator will determine an effected Participant's Compensation as follows. A Participant during his/her period of Qualified Military Service is deemed to receive Compensation equal to that which the Participant would have received had he/she remained employed by the Employer, based on the Participant's rate of pay that would have been in effect for the Participant during the period of Qualified Military Service. If the Compensation during such period would have been uncertain, the Plan Administrator will use the Participant's actual average Compensation for the 12 month period immediately preceding the period of Qualified Military Service, or if less, for the period of employment.

(D)    Elective Deferrals/Employee Contributions. If the Plan provided for Elective Deferrals or for Employee Contributions during a Participant's period of Qualified Military Service, the Plan Administrator must allow a Participant under this Section 3.11 to make up such Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions to his/her Account. The Participant may make up the maximum amount of Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions which he/she under the Plan terms would have been able to contribute during the period of Qualified Military Service (less any such amounts the Participant actually contributed during such period) and the Participant must be permitted to contribute any lesser amount as the Plan would have permitted. The Participant must make up any contribution under this Section 3.11(D) commencing on his/her Re‑Employment Commencement Date and not later than 5 years following reemployment (or if less, a period equal to 3 times the length of the Participant's Qualified Military Service triggering such make‑up contribution).

(E)    Matching Contributions. The Employer will make‑up any Matching Contribution that the Employer would have made and which the Plan Administrator would have allocated to the Participant's Account during the period of Qualified Military Service, but based on any make‑up Elective Deferrals or make‑up Employee Contributions that the Participant makes under Section 3.11(D).

(F)    Limitations/Testing. Any contribution made under this Section 3.11 does not cause the Plan to violate and is not subject to testing under: (1) nondiscrimination requirements including under Code §401(a)(4), the ADP test, the ACP test, the safe harbor 401(k) rules or the SIMPLE 401(k) rules; (2) top‑heavy requirements under Article X; or (3) coverage under Code §410(b). Contributions under this Section 3.11 are Annual Additions and are tested under Section 4.10(A) (Elective Deferral Limit) in the year to which such contributions are allocated, but not in the year in which such contributions are made.

(1)    Differential Wage Payments. Effective for Differential Wage Payments made after December 31, 2008, the Plan is not treated as failing to meet the requirements of any provision described in this Section 3.11(F) by reason of any contribution or benefit which is based on a Differential Wage Payment. The preceding sentence applies only if all Employees performing service in the uniformed services described in Code §3401(h)(2)(A) are entitled to receive Differential Wage Payments on reasonably equivalent terms and, if eligible to participate in a retirement plan maintained by the Employer, to make contributions based on the payments on reasonably equivalent terms (taking into account Code §§410(b)(3), (4), and (5)). The Plan Administrator operationally may determine, for purposes of any provision described in this Section 3.11(F), whether to take into account any Elective Deferrals, and if applicable, any Matching Contributions, attributable to Differential Wage Payments.

(G)    No Earnings. A Participant receiving any make‑up contribution under this Section 3.11 is not entitled to an allocation of any Earnings on any such contribution prior to the time that the Employer actually makes the contribution (or timely deposits the Participant's own make‑up Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions) to the Trust.

(H)    No Forfeitures. A Participant receiving any make‑up allocation under this Section 3.11 is not entitled to an allocation of any forfeitures allocated during the Participant's period of Qualified Military Service.

(I)    Allocation Conditions. For purposes of applying any Plan allocation conditions under Section 3.06, the Plan Administrator will treat any period of Qualified Military Service as Service.

(J)    HEART Act Death Benefits. In the case of a death occurring on or after January 1, 2007, if a Participant dies while performing Qualified Military Service, the Participant's Beneficiary is entitled to any additional benefits (other than benefit accruals relating to the period of Qualified Military Service) provided under the Plan as if the Participant had resumed employment and then terminated employment on account of death. Moreover, the Plan will credit the Participant's Qualified Military Service as service for vesting purposes, as though the Participant had resumed employment under USERRA immediately prior to the Participant's death.

(K)    HEART Act Continued Benefit Accrual. This Section 3.11(K) does not apply unless the Employer in Appendix B elects to apply such provisions. If this Section 3.11(K) applies, then effective as of the date specified in Appendix B, for benefit accrual purposes, the Plan treats an individual who dies or becomes disabled while performing Qualified Military Service with respect to the Employer as if the individual had resumed employment in accordance with the individual's reemployment rights under USERRA, on the day preceding death or Disability (as the case may be) and terminated employment on the actual date of death or Disability.

(1)    Determination of benefits. The Plan will determine the amount of Employee Contributions and the amount of Elective Deferrals of an individual treated as reemployed under this Section 3.11(K) for purposes of applying paragraph Code §414(u)(8)(C) on the basis of the individual's average actual Employee Contributions or Elective Deferrals for the lesser of: (a) the 12‑month period of service with the Employer immediately prior to Qualified Military Service; or (b) the actual length of continuous service with the Employer.

3.12    DESIGNATED IRA CONTRIBUTIONS. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to permit Participants to make Designated IRA Contributions to its Plan. Designated IRA Contributions are subject to the provisions of this Section 3.12.

(A)    Effective Date. The Employer may elect in its Adoption Agreement to apply the Designated IRA Contribution provisions. The Employer may accept Designated IRA Contributions during such Plan Year only if the Employer elects to apply the provisions of this Section 3.12 (or otherwise adopted a good faith amendment under Code §408(q)), prior to the Plan Year for which the Designated IRA Contribution provisions will apply.

(B)    Traditional or Roth IRA. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to treat Designated IRA Contributions as traditional IRA contributions, as Roth IRA contributions or as consisting of either type, at the Participant's election.

(C)    Account or Annuity. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to establish Accounts to receive Designated IRA Contributions either as individual retirement accounts, as individual retirement annuities or as consisting of either type, at the Participant's election.

(1)    Trustee or Custodian. A trustee or custodian satisfying the requirements of Code §408(a)(2) must hold Designated IRA Contributions Accounts. If the Trustee holding the Designated IRA Contribution assets is a non‑bank trustee, the Trustee, upon receipt of notice from the Commissioner of Internal Revenue that substitution is required because the Trustee has failed to comply with the requirements of Treas. Reg. §1.408‑2(e), will substitute another trustee in its place.

(2)    Additional IRA requirements. All Designated IRA Contributions: (a) must be made in cash; (b) are subject to the IRA contribution limit under Code §408(a)(1) ($5,000 in 2008), including cost‑of‑living adjustments after 2011 in $500 increments under Code §219(b)(5)(C) and as to Catch‑Up Eligible Participants to the IRA Catch‑Up limit of $1,000 beginning in 2006; and (c) must be 100% Vested.

(3)    Not for deposit of SEP or SIMPLE IRA amounts/no Rollover Contributions. An Employer which maintains a SEP or a SIMPLE IRA may not deposit contributions under these arrangements to the Designated IRA Contribution Accounts under this Section 3.12. A Participant may not make a Rollover Contribution to his/her Designated IRA Contribution Account.

(4)    Designated Roth IRA Contributions.

(a)    Contribution Limit. A Participant's contribution to the Designated Roth IRA and to all other Roth IRAs for a Taxable Year may not exceed the lesser of the amount described in Section 3.12(C)(2) or the Participant's Compensation under Section 3.12(C)(4)(c). However, if (i) and/or (ii) below apply, the maximum (non‑rollover) contribution that can be made to all the Participant's Roth IRAs (including to this Designated Roth IRA which must be a non‑Rollover Contribution) for a Taxable Year is the smaller amount determined under (i) or (ii).

(i)    General. The maximum contribution is phased out ratably between certain levels of modified adjusted gross income ("modified AGI," defined in Section 3.12(C)(4)(b)) as follows:

Filing    Full    Phase‑out    No
Status    Contribution    Range    Contribution

Single/    $95,000    $95,000‑    $110,000 or
Head of    or less    $110,000    more
Household

Joint/Qualifying    $150,000    $150,000‑    $160,000 or
Widow(er)    or less    $160,000    more

Married‑        $0    $0‑$10,000    $10,000 or
Separate        more

If the Participant's modified AGI for a Taxable Year is in the phase‑out range, the maximum contribution determined above for that Taxable Year is rounded up to the next multiple of $10 and is not reduced below $200.

(ii)    Roth and non‑Roth IRA contributions. If the Participant makes (non‑rollover) contributions to both Roth and non‑Roth IRAs for a Taxable Year, the maximum contribution that can be made to all of the Participant's Roth IRAs for that Taxable Year is reduced by the contributions made to the Participant's non‑Roth IRAs for the Taxable Year.

(iii)    Conversion. After December 31, 2009, a Participant may convert a Designated non‑Roth IRA Contributions Account to a Designated Roth IRA Contributions Account in accordance with Treas. Reg. §1.408A‑4. A Participant may not effect a conversion by means of contributing a Rollover Contribution to his/her Designated IRA under this Plan.

(b)    Modified AGI. For purposes of Section 3.12(C)(4)(a), a Participant's modified AGI for a Taxable Year is defined in Code §408A(c)(3)(C)(i) and does not include any amount included in adjusted gross income as a result of a non‑Roth IRA conversion.

(c)    Compensation. For purposes of Section 3.12(C)(4)(a), Compensation is defined as wages, salaries, professional fees, or other amounts derived from or received for personal services actually rendered (including, but not limited to commissions paid salesmen, compensation for services on the basis of a percentage of profits, commissions on insurance premiums, tips, and bonuses) and includes earned income, as defined in Code §401(c)(2) (reduced by the deduction the Self‑Employed Individual takes for contributions made to a self‑employed retirement plan). For purposes of this definition, Code §401(c)(2) shall be applied as if the term "trade or business" for purposes of Code §1402 included service described in subsection (c)(6). Compensation does not include amounts derived from or received as earnings or profits from property (including but not limited to interest and dividends) or amounts not includible in gross income. Compensation also does not include any amount received as a pension or annuity or as deferred compensation. Compensation includes any amount includible in the Participant's gross income under Code §71 with respect to a divorce or separation instrument described in Code §71(b)(2)(A). In the case of a married Participant filing a joint return, the greater compensation of his or her spouse is treated as the Participant's Compensation, but only to the extent that such spouse's compensation is not being used for purposes of the spouse making a contribution to a Roth IRA or a deductible contribution to a non‑Roth IRA.

(D)    Accounting and Investments. The Plan Administrator may cause Designated IRA Contributions to be held and invested: (1) in a separate trust for each Participant; (2) as a single trust holding all Participant Designated IRA Contributions; or (3) as part of a single trust holding all of the assets of the Plan. If the Plan Administrator establishes a single trust under clause (2) or (3), the Plan Administrator must account separately for each Participant's Designated IRA Contributions and for the Earnings attributable thereto. If the Designated IRA Contributions are invested in an individual retirement annuity, the Plan Administrator may establish separate annuity contracts for each Participant's Designated IRA Contributions or may establish a single annuity contract for all Participants, with separate accounting for each Participant. If the Plan Administrator establishes a single annuity contract, such contract must be separate from any other annuity contract under the Plan. The Plan Administrator also may invest Designated IRA Contributions in any common or collective fund under Sections 8.02 or 8.09. The Trust provisions of Article VIII otherwise apply to the investment of Designated IRA Contributions except that no part of such contributions may be invested in life insurance contracts and a Participant may not borrow from a Designated IRA Contributions Account or take such amounts into account in determining the maximum amount available for a loan from the Participant's other Plan assets. The Plan Administrator or Trustee/Custodian may not cause Designated IRA Contribution Accounts to be commingled with any non‑Plan assets. Any Designated IRA Contribution Account is established for the exclusive benefit of the affected Participant and his/her Beneficiaries. No part of the Trust attributable to Designated IRA Contributions may be invested in collectibles as described in Code §408(m), except as may be permitted under Code §408(m)(3).

(E)    Participant Contribution and Designation. A Participant may make Designated IRA Contributions directly or through payroll withholding as the Plan Administrator may permit. At the time of the Participant's contribution (or when the Designated IRA Contribution is withheld from payroll), the Participant must designate the contribution as a Designated IRA Contribution and if applicable, also must designate whether the contribution is traditional or Roth and whether the account is an individual retirement account or an individual retirement annuity.

(F)    Treatment as IRA. For all purposes of the Code except as otherwise provided in this Section 3.12, Designated IRA Contributions are subject to the IRA rules under Code §§408 and 408A as applicable. Designated IRA Contributions are not Annual Additions under Section 4.05(A) and are not subject to any testing under Article IV.

(G)    Reporting. The Designated IRA Contribution Trustee or Custodian must comply with all Code §408(i) reporting requirements, including providing required information regarding RMDs.

(H)    Distribution/RMDs. Designated IRA Contribution Accounts are distributable under Section 6.01(C)(4)(g) and are subject to the RMD requirements of Section 6.02 (and to the Adoption Agreement elections described therein) except that: (1) the Participant's RBD (only as it relates to the Designated IRA Contribution Account) is determined under Section 6.02(E)(7)(a) referencing age 70 1/2 and without regard to 5% owner or continuing employment status; (2) if the Designated IRA Contribution Account is a Roth Account, there are no lifetime RMDs; and (3) to the extent that the provisions of Section 6.02 differ, RMDs from Designated IRA Contribution Accounts otherwise are subject to the required minimum distribution rules applicable to IRAs under Code §§408(a)(6) or 408A(c)(5) as applicable, and under the corresponding Treasury regulations, which are incorporated by reference herein.

3.13    DEDUCTIBLE EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS (DECs). A DEC is a Deductible Employee Contribution made to the Plan for a Taxable Year commencing prior to 1987. If a Participant has made DECs to the Plan, the Plan Administrator must maintain a separate Account for the Participant's DECs as adjusted for Earnings, including DECs which are part of a Rollover Contribution described in Section 3.08. The DECs Account is part of the Participant's Account for all purposes of the Plan, except for purposes of determining the Top‑Heavy Ratio under Section 10.01. The Plan Administrator may not use a Participant's DECs Account to purchase life insurance on the Participant's behalf. DECs are distributable under Section 6.01(C)(4)(e).


ARTICLE IV
LIMITATIONS AND TESTING



4.01    ANNUAL ADDITIONS LIMIT. The amount of Annual Additions which the Plan Administrator may allocate under this Plan to a Participant's Account for a Limitation Year may not exceed the Annual Additions Limit.

(A)    Actions to Prevent Excess Amount. If the Annual Additions the Plan Administrator otherwise would allocate under the Plan to a Participant's Account for the Limitation Year would exceed the Annual Additions Limit, the Plan Administrator will not allocate the Excess Amount, but instead will take any reasonable, uniform and nondiscriminatory action the Plan Administrator determines necessary to avoid allocation of an Excess Amount. Such actions include, but are not limited to, those described in this Section 4.01(A). If the Plan is a 401(k) Plan, the Plan Administrator may apply this Section 4.01 in a manner which maximizes the allocation to a Participant of Employer Contributions (exclusive of the Participant's Elective Deferrals). Notwithstanding any contrary Plan provision, the Plan Administrator, for the Limitation Year, may: (1) suspend or limit a Participant's additional Employee Contributions or Elective Deferrals; (2) notify the Employer to reduce the Employer's future Plan contribution(s) as necessary to avoid allocation to a Participant of an Excess Amount; or (3) suspend or limit the allocation to a Participant of any Employer Contribution previously made to the Plan (exclusive of Elective Deferrals) or of any Participant forfeiture. If an allocation of Employer Contributions previously made (excluding a Participant's Elective Deferrals) or of Participant forfeitures would result in an Excess Amount to a Participant's Account, the Plan Administrator will allocate the Excess Amount to the remaining Participants who are eligible for an allocation of Employer Contributions for the Plan Year in which the Limitation Year ends. The Plan Administrator will make this allocation in accordance with the Plan's allocation method as if the Participant whose Account otherwise would receive the Excess Amount is not eligible for an allocation of Employer Contributions. If the Plan Administrator allocates to a Participant an Excess Amount, the Plan Administrator must dispose of the Excess Amount in accordance with Section 4.03.

(B)    Estimated and Actual Compensation. Prior to the determination of the Participant's actual Compensation for the Limitation Year, the Plan Administrator may determine the Annual Additions Limit on the basis of the Participant's estimated annual Compensation for such Limitation Year. The Plan Administrator will make this determination on a reasonable and uniform basis for all Participants similarly situated. The Plan Administrator must reduce the allocation of any Employer Contribution (including the allocation of Participant forfeitures) based on estimated annual Compensation by any Excess Amounts carried over from prior years. As soon as is administratively feasible after the end of the Limitation Year, the Plan Administrator will determine the Annual Additions Limit on the basis of the Participant's actual Compensation for such Limitation Year.

4.02    ANNUAL ADDITIONS LIMIT CODE §415 AGGREGATED PLANS.

(A)    Aggregation of Code §415 Aggregated Plans. For purposes of applying the Annual Additions Limit, all Code §415 Aggregated Plans are treated as one plan.

(1)    Break‑up of an affiliate employer or an affiliated service group. For purposes of aggregating plans for Code §415, a Formerly Affiliated Plan of an employer is taken into account for purposes of applying the Code §415 limitations to the employer, but the Formerly Affiliated Plan is treated as if it had terminated immediately prior to the Cessation of Affiliation.

(2)    Mid‑year Aggregation. Two or more Defined Contribution Plans that are not Code §415 Aggregated Plans as of the first day of a Limitation Year do not fail to satisfy the requirements of Code §415 with respect to a Participant for the Limitation Year merely because later in that Limitation Year they become Code §415 Aggregated Plans, provided that no Annual Additions are credited to the Participant's Account after the date on which the Plans are required to be aggregated.

(B)    Combined Plans Limitation. The amount of Annual Additions which the Plan Administrator may allocate under this Plan to a Participant's Account for a Limitation Year may not exceed the Combined Plans Limitation.

(1)    Prevention. If the amount the Employer otherwise would allocate to the Participant's Account under this Plan would cause the Annual Additions for the Limitation Year to exceed this Section 4.02(B) Combined Plans Limitation, the Employer will reduce the amount of its allocation to that Participant's Account in the manner described in Section 4.01(A), so the Annual Additions under all of the Code §415 Aggregated Plans for the Limitation Year will equal the Annual Additions Limit.

(2)    Correction. If the Plan Administrator allocates to a Participant an amount attributed to this Plan under Section 4.02(D) which exceeds the Combined Plans Limitation, the Plan Administrator must dispose of the Excess Amount in accordance with Section 4.03.

(C)    Estimated and Actual Compensation. Prior to the determination of the Participant's actual Compensation for the Limitation Year, the Plan Administrator may determine the Combined Plans Limitation on the basis of the Participant's estimated annual Compensation for such Limitation Year. The Plan Administrator will make this determination on a reasonable and uniform basis for all Participants similarly situated. The Plan Administrator must reduce the allocation of any Employer Contribution (including the allocation of Participant forfeitures) based on estimated annual Compensation by any Excess Amounts carried over from prior years. As soon as is administratively feasible after the end of the Limitation Year, the Plan Administrator will determine the Combined Plans Limitation on the basis of the Participant's actual Compensation for such Limitation Year.

(D)    Ordering Rules. If a Participant's Annual Additions under this Plan and the Code §415 Aggregated Plans result in an Excess Amount, such Excess Amount will consist of the Amounts last allocated. The Plan Administrator will determine the Amounts last allocated by treating the Annual Additions attributable to a simplified employee pension as allocated first, followed by allocation to a welfare benefit fund or individual medical account, irrespective of the actual allocation date. If the Plan Administrator allocates an Excess Amount to a Participant on an allocation date of this Plan which coincides with an allocation date of another plan, the Excess Amount attributed to this Plan will equal the product of:

(1)    the total Excess Amount allocated as of such date, multiplied by

(2)    the ratio of (a) the Annual Additions allocated to the Participant as of such date for the Limitation Year under the Plan to (b) the total Annual Additions allocated to the Participant as of such date for the Limitation Year under this Plan and the Code §415 Aggregated Plans.

(E)    Disposition of Allocated Excess Amount Attributable to Plan. The Plan Administrator will dispose of any allocated Excess Amounts described in and attributed to this Plan under Section 4.02(D) as provided in Section 4.03.

(F)    Override. The Employer in Appendix B may specify overriding provisions which will apply to satisfy the 0requirements of Code §415 and the applicable regulations if the Employer maintains more than one qualified plan.

4.03    DISPOSITION OF EXCESS ANNUAL ADDITIONS. If a Participant's Account exceeds the Annual Additions Limit for the Limitation Year, then the Plan may correct such excess in accordance with the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System (EPCRS).

4.04    NO COMBINED DCP/DBP LIMITATION. If the Employer maintains a Defined Benefit Plan, or has ever maintained a Defined Benefit Plan which the Employer has terminated, this Plan does not calculate a combined 415 limit based on the Defined Benefit Plan and this Plan.

4.05    DEFINITIONS: SECTIONS 4.01‑4.04. The following definitions apply for purposes of Sections 4.01 through 4.04, and supersede any contrary definitions in Article I:

(A)    Annual Additions. Annual Additions means the sum of the following amounts allocated to a Participant's Account for a Limitation Year: (1) Employer Contributions (including Elective Deferrals); (2) forfeitures; (3) Employee Contributions; (4) amounts allocated to an individual medical account (as defined in Code §415(l)(2)) included as part of a pension or annuity plan maintained by the Employer; (5) contributions paid or accrued attributable to post‑retirement medical benefits allocated to the separate account of a key‑employee (as defined in Code §419A(d)(3)) under a welfare benefit fund (as defined in Code §419(e)) maintained by the Employer; (6) amounts allocated under a Simplified Employee Pension Plan; and (7) corrected (distributed) Excess Contributions under Section 4.10(B)(8) and corrected (distributed) Excess Aggregate Contributions under Section 4.10(C)(8).

(1)    Exclusions. Annual Additions do not include: (a) Catch‑Up Contributions; (b) Excess Deferrals which the Plan Administrator corrects by distribution by April 15 of the following calendar year; (c) Designated IRA Contributions; (d) Restorative Payments; (e) Transfers to this Plan; (f) Rollover Contributions (as described in Code §§401(a)(31), 402(c)(1), 403(a)(4), 403(b)(8), 408(d)(3), and 457(e)(16)); (g) In‑Plan Roth Rollovers, (h) Repayments of loans made to a Participant from the Plan; and (i) Repayments of amounts described in Code §411(a)(7)(B) (in accordance with Code §411(a)(7)(C)) and Code §411(a)(3)(D) or repayment of contributions to a governmental plan (as defined in Code §414(d)) as described in Code §415(k)(3), as well as Employer restorations of benefits that are required pursuant to such repayments.

(2)    Date of tax‑exempt Employer Contributions. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, in the case of an Employer that is exempt from Federal income tax (including a governmental employer), Employer Contributions are treated as credited to a Participant's account for a particular Limitation Year only if the contributions are actually made to the Plan no later than the 15th day of the tenth calendar month following the end of the calendar year or fiscal year (as applicable, depending on the basis on which the Employer keeps its books) with or within which the particular Limitation Year ends.

(B)    Annual Additions Limit. Annual Additions Limit means the lesser of: (i) $40,000 (or, if greater, the $40,000 amount as adjusted under Code §415(d)), or (ii) 100% of the Participant's Compensation paid or accrued for the Limitation Year. If there is a short Limitation Year because of a change in Limitation Year, the Plan Administrator will multiply the $40,000 (as adjusted) limitation by the following fraction:

Number of months (or fractional parts thereof) in the short Limitation Year
12

The 100% Compensation limitation in clause (ii) above does not apply to any contribution for medical benefits within the meaning of Code §401(h) or Code §419A(f)(2) which otherwise is an Annual Addition.

(1)    Certain contributions treated as made to a Defined Contribution Plan. Solely for purposes of Sections 4.01 through 4.04, the following contributions are treated as contributions to a Defined Contribution Plan: (i) mandatory employee contributions under Code §411(c)(2)(C) made to a Defined Benefit Plan maintained by the Employer, unless such contributions are "picked up" by the Employer under Code §414(h)(2); (ii) contributions to an individual medical account (as defined in Code §415(l)(2)) included as part of a Defined Benefit Plan or annuity plan under Code §401(h) maintained by the Employer; and (iii) a welfare benefit fund under Code §419(e) maintained by the Employer to the extent there are post‑retirement medical benefits allocated to the separate account of a key employee (as defined in Code §419A(d)(3)).

(2)    Change of Limitation Year/Plan termination. The Employer may change the Limitation Year only by a Plan amendment. If the Employer terminates the Plan effective as of a date other than the last day of the Limitation Year, then the Plan is treated as if the Plan had been amended to change its Limitation Year.

(C)    Cessation of Affiliation. A Cessation of Affiliation means the event that causes an entity to no longer be aggregated with one or more other entities as a single employer under the employer affiliation rules described in Treas. Reg. §§1.415(a)‑1(f)(1) and (2) (such as the sale of a subsidiary outside a controlled group), or that causes a plan to not actually be maintained by any of the entities that constitute the employer under the employer affiliation rules of Treas. Reg. §§1.415(a)‑1(f)(1) and (2) (such as a transfer of plan sponsorship outside of a controlled group).

(D)    Code §415 Aggregated Plans. Code §415 Aggregated Plans means all Defined Contribution Plans (without regard to whether a plan has been terminated) ever maintained by the Employer (or a Predecessor Employer) under which the Participant receives Annual Additions and as described under Treas. Reg. §1.415(f)‑1.

(E)    Combined Plans Limitation. The Combined Plans Limitation means the Annual Additions Limit, reduced by the sum of any Annual Additions allocated to the Participant's accounts for the same Limitation Year under the Code §415 Aggregated Plans.

(F)    Compensation. Compensation for purposes of Code §415 testing means Compensation as defined in Section 1.11(B)(1), (2), (3), or (4), except: (i) Compensation includes Elective Deferrals under Section 1.11(D), irrespective of whether the Employer has elected in its Adoption Agreement to include Elective Deferrals in Compensation for allocation purposes; (ii) Compensation for the entire Limitation Year is taken into account even if the Employer in its Adoption Agreement has elected to include only Participating Compensation for allocation purposes; (iii) Compensation includes regular pay Post‑Severance Compensation under Section 1.11(I)(1)(a) regardless of whether the Employer elected in its Adoption Agreement under Section 1.11 to exclude such amounts in allocation Compensation; (iv) if the Employer elects on Appendix B to use different selections for Post‑Severance Compensation under this Section 4.05(F) than it does under Section 1.11, then Compensation includes or excludes such other items of Post‑Severance Compensation as the Employer elected in Appendix B, without regard to whether the Employer elected under Section 1.11 to include or to exclude such amounts in allocation Compensation and (v) except as elected under (iv), any other Compensation adjustment or exclusion the Employer has elected in its Adoption Agreement for allocation purposes does not apply.

(1)    "First few weeks rule." If the Employer elects in Appendix B, the Plan Administrator on a uniform and consistent basis as to similarly situated Participants, will include in Compensation for Code §415 purposes Compensation earned in such Limitation Year but which, solely because of pay period and pay date timing, is paid in the first few weeks of the next following Limitation Year as described in Treas. Reg. §1.415(c)‑2(e)(2). This Section 4.05(F)(1) applies to Code §415 testing Compensation but does not affect Compensation for allocation purposes.

(2)    Differential Wage Payment. For years beginning after December 31, 2008, the Plan treats a Differential Wage Payment to an Employee as Compensation for purposes of: (i) application the Annual Additions Limit; (ii) application of Article X (top‑heavy); (iii) determination of HCEs under Section 1.22(E); and (iv) application of the 5% Gateway Contribution requirement described in Section 4.07(A).

(G)    Employer. Employer means the Signatory Employer and any Related Employer. Solely for purposes of applying the Annual Additions Limit, the Plan Administrator will determine Related Employer status by modifying Code §§414(b) and (c) in accordance with Code §415(h) and Treas. Reg. §1.415(a)‑1(f)(1) and will take into account tax‑exempt organizations under Treas. Reg. §1.414(c)‑5. If this Plan is a Multiple Employer Plan, then as to each Participating Employer, the term "Employer" means the Participating Employer and any Related Employer to the Participating Employer.

(H)    Excess Amount. Excess Amount means the excess of the Participant's Annual Additions for the Limitation Year over the Annual Additions Limit.

(I)    Formerly Affiliated Plan. Formerly Affiliated Plan means a plan that, immediately prior to the Cessation of Affiliation, was actually maintained by one or more of the entities that constitute the Employer (as determined under the employer affiliation rules described in Treas. Reg. §§1.415(a)‑1(f)(1) and (2)), and immediately after the cessation of affiliation, is not actually maintained by any of the entities that constitute the Employer (as determined under the employer affiliation rules described in Treas. Reg. §§1.415(a)‑1(f)(1) and (2)).

(J)    Limitation Year. See Section 1.34.

(K)    Predecessor Employer. Predecessor Employer means a former employer with respect to a participant in a plan maintained by an employer if the employer maintains a plan under which the participant had accrued a benefit while performing services for the employer, but only if that benefit is provided under the plan maintained by the employer. For this purpose, the formerly affiliated plan rules in Treas. Reg. §1.415(f)‑1(b)(2) apply as if the Employer and Predecessor Employer constituted a single employer under the rules described in Treas. Reg. §§1.415(a)‑1(f)(1) and (2) immediately prior to the cessation of affiliation (and as if they constituted two, unrelated employers under the rules described in Treas. Reg. §§1.415(a)‑1(f)(1) and (2) immediately after the cessation of affiliation) and cessation of affiliation was the event that gives rise to the predecessor employer relationship, such as a transfer of benefits or plan sponsorship. With respect to an Employer of a Participant, a former entity that antedates the Employer is a Predecessor Employer with respect to the Participant if, under the facts and circumstances, the Employer constitutes a continuation of all or a portion of the trade or business of the former entity.

(L)    Restorative Payment. A Restorative Payment means a payment made to restore losses to a Plan resulting from actions by a fiduciary for which there is reasonable risk of liability for breach of a fiduciary duty under ERISA or under other applicable federal or state law, where Participants who are similarly situated are treated similarly with respect to the payments. Generally, payments are Restorative Payments only if the payments are made in order to restore some or all of the Plan's losses due to an action (or a failure to act) that creates a reasonable risk of liability for such a breach of fiduciary duty (other than a breach of fiduciary duty arising from failure to remit contributions to the Plan). This includes payments to the Plan made pursuant to a DOL order, the DOL's Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program, or a court‑approved settlement, to restore losses to a qualified Defined Contribution Plan on account of the breach of fiduciary duty (other than a breach of fiduciary duty arising from failure to remit contributions to the Plan). Payments made to the Plan to make up for losses due merely to market fluctuations and other payments that are not made on account of a reasonable risk of liability for breach of a fiduciary duty under ERISA are not Restorative Payments and generally constitute contributions that are considered Annual Additions.

4.06    ANNUAL TESTING ELECTIONS. The Plan Administrator may elect to test for coverage and nondiscrimination by applying, as applicable, annual testing elections under this Section 4.06.

(A)    Changes and Uniformity. In applying any testing election, the Plan Administrator may elect to apply or not to apply such election in any Testing Year, consistent with this Section 4.06. However, the Plan Administrator will apply the testing elections in effect within a Testing Year uniformly to all similarly situated Participants.

(B)    Plan Specific Elections. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect for the Plan Administrator to apply the following annual testing elections: (1) nondiscrimination testing under the ADP and ACP tests as a Traditional 401(k) Plan; (2) no nondiscrimination testing as a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan or nondiscrimination testing under the ACP test as an ADP only Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan; (3) no nondiscrimination testing as a SIMPLE 401(k) Plan; (4) the top‑paid group election under Code §414(q)(1)(B)(ii); (5) the calendar year data election under Notice 97‑45; (6) Current or Prior Year Testing as a Traditional 401(k) Plan or as an ADP only Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan under Treas. Reg. §§1.401(k)‑2(a)(2)(ii) and 1.401(m)‑2(a)(2)(ii) as applicable; and (7) any other testing election which the IRS in the future specifies in written guidance as being subject to a requirement of the Employer making a Plan (versus an operational) election.

(1)    Special Rules relating to ADP/ACP Testing. If the Adoption Agreement elects both ADP test safe harbor status and nondiscrimination testing under the ADP test, the elections relating to Safe Harbor status will apply only to a disaggregated plan under Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)‑1(b)(4) which is a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan under Section 3.05. If a disaggregated plan is a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan and there are other disaggregated plans which are not Safe Harbor 401(k) Plans (such as through operation of the OEE rule described in Section 4.06(C) and Section 3.05(D)), Current Year Testing will apply to the disaggregated plan covering Otherwise Excludible Employees unless the Employer otherwise elects in the Adoption Agreement. See Section 3.05(I)(1) regarding ADP and ACP testing in connection with the maybe notice. See Section 3.05(G) regarding the application of the ACP test to Employee Contributions if the Plan qualifies for the ACP test safe harbor. See Section 3.10(G)(5) regarding SIMPLE 401(k) plans.

(C)    Operational Elections. The Plan Administrator operationally may apply any testing election available under Treasury regulations or other guidance published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin, other than those plan specific elections described in 4.06(B), including but not limited to: (i) the "otherwise excludible employees rule" ("OEE rule") under Code §410(b)(4)(B); (ii) the "early participation rule" ("EP rule") under Code §§401(k)(3)(F) and 401(m)(5)(C); (iii) except as Section 4.07 may limit, the application of any Code §414(s) nondiscriminatory definition of compensation for nondiscrimination testing, regardless of the Plan's definitions of Compensation for any other purpose; (iv) application of the general nondiscrimination test under Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)‑2(c); (v) application of the "compensation ratio test" under Treas. Reg. §1.414(s)‑1(d)(3); (vi) application of imputed permitted disparity under Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)‑7; (vii) application of restructuring under Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)‑9; (viii) application of the average benefit test under Code §410(b)(2), except as limited under Section 3.06(F); (ix) application of permissive aggregation under Code §410(b)(6)(B); (x) application of the "qualified separate line of business rules" under Code §410(b)(5); (xi) shifting Elective Deferrals from the ADP test to the ACP test; (xii) shifting QMACs from the ACP test to the ADP test; or (xiii) application of the "2 1/2 month rule" in the ADP test under Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)‑2(a)(4)(i)(B)(2).

(1)    Application of otherwise excludible employees and early participation rules. In applying the OEE and EP rules in clauses (i) and (ii) of Section 4.06(C) above, the Plan Administrator will apply the following provisions.

(a)    Definitions of Otherwise Excludible Employees and Includible Employees. For purposes of this Section 4.06(C), an Otherwise Excludible Employee means a Participant who has not reached the Cross‑Over Date. For purposes of this Section 4.06(C), an Includible Employee means a Participant who has reached the Cross‑Over Date.

(b)    Satisfaction of coverage. To apply the OEE or EP rules for nondiscrimination testing, the Plan must satisfy coverage as to the disaggregated plans under Code §410(b)(4)(B).

(c)    Definition of Cross‑Over Date. The Cross‑Over Date under the OEE rule means the date on which an Employee changes status from the disaggregated plan benefiting the Otherwise Excludible Employees to the disaggregated plan benefiting the Includible Employees. The Cross‑Over Date has the same meaning under the EP rule except it is limited only to NHCEs. Under the EP rule, all HCE Participants remain subject to nondiscrimination testing.

(d)    Determination of Cross‑Over Date. The Plan Administrator may elect to determine the Cross‑Over Date for an Employee by applying any date which is not later than the maximum permissible entry date under Code §410(a)(4).

(e)    Amounts in testing in Cross‑Over Plan Year. For purposes of the OEE rule, the Plan Administrator will count the total Plan Year Elective Deferrals, Matching Contributions, Employer Contributions, and Compensation in the Includible Employees plan test for the Employees who become Includible Employees at any time during such Plan Year. For purposes of applying the EP rule, the Plan Administrator will count the Elective Deferrals, Matching Contributions, Employer Contributions, and Compensation in the single test for the Includible Employees, but only such of these items as are attributable to the period on and following the Cross‑Over Date.

(f)    Application of other conventions. Notwithstanding Sections 4.06(C)(1)(c), (d), and (e) the Plan Administrator under a Restated Plan operationally may apply the Plan terms commencing in the Plan Year beginning after the Employer executes the Restated Plan in lieu of applying the Plan terms retroactive to the Plan's restated Effective Date; and (iii) the Plan Administrator operationally may apply any other reasonable conventions, uniformly applied within a Plan Year.

(g)    Allocations not effected by testing. The Plan Administrator's election to apply the OEE or EP rules for testing does not control the Plan allocations, or the Compensation or Elective Deferrals taken into account for Plan allocations. The Plan Administrator will determine Plan allocations, and Compensation and Elective Deferrals for Plan allocations, based on the Employer's Adoption Agreement elections, including elections relating to Participating Compensation or Plan Year Compensation. For this purpose, an election of Participating Compensation means Compensation and Elective Deferrals on and following the Cross‑Over Date as to the allocations for the disaggregated plan benefiting the Includible Employees.

(D)    Election Timing. Except where the Plan specifies another deadline for making a Plan specific annual testing election under Section 4.06(B), the Plan Administrator may make any such testing election, and the Employer must amend the Plan as necessary to reflect the election, by the end of the Testing Year. The Plan Administrator may make operational testing elections under Section 4.06(C). If the Employer is correcting an operational Plan failure under EPCRS, the Employer may make an annual testing election for any Testing Year at the time the Employer makes the correction.

(E)    Coverage Transition Rule. The Plan Administrator in determining the Plan's compliance with the coverage requirements of Code §410(b), in the case of certain acquisitions or dispositions described in Code §410(b)(6)(C) and in the regulations thereunder, will apply the "coverage transition rule" described therein.

4.07    TESTING BASED ON BENEFITS. In applying the general nondiscrimination test under Section 4.06(C) to any non‑uniform Plan allocation, the Plan Administrator may elect to test using allocation rates or using equivalent accrual (benefit) rates ("EBRs") as defined in Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)‑(8)(b)(2). In the event that the Plan Administrator elects to test using EBRs, the Plan must comply with this Section 4.07.

(A)    Gateway Contribution. Except as provided in Section 4.07(A)(2), if the Plan Administrator will perform nondiscrimination testing using EBRs, the Employer must make a Gateway Contribution.

(1)    Definition of Gateway Contribution. A Gateway Contribution is an additional Employer Contribution or Nonelective Contribution in an amount necessary to satisfy the minimum allocation gateway requirement described in Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)‑8(b)(1)(vi).

(2)    Exception to Gateway Contribution requirement. An Employer is not required to make any Gateway Contribution in the event that the Employer's elected allocation under Section 4.07(A) satisfies; (a) the "broadly available allocation rate" requirements; (b) the "age‑based allocation with a gradual age or service schedule" requirements; or (c) the uniform target benefit allocation requirements each as described in Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)‑8(b)(1)(B). Moreover, an Employer is not required to make any Gateway Contribution in the event that the Plan is permissively aggregated (pursuant to Section 4.06(C)(ix)) with one or more defined benefit plans for purposes of coverage and nondiscrimination testing under Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)-8(b)(2) and the aggregated plan is eligible to be tested on a benefits basis, either because the aggregated plan is primarily defined benefit in character, or the aggregated plan provided the minimum aggregate allocation gateway as further defined in Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)-9(b)(2)(v).

(B)    Eligibility for Gateway Contribution. The Plan Administrator will allocate any Gateway Contribution for a Plan Year to each NHCE Participant who receives an allocation of any Employer Contribution or Nonelective Contribution for such Plan Year. The Plan Administrator will allocate the Gateway Contribution without regard to any allocation conditions under Section 3.06 otherwise applicable to Employer Contributions or Nonelective Contributions under the Plan. However, if the Plan Administrator disaggregates the Plan for testing pursuant to the OEE rule under Section 4.06(C), the Otherwise Excludible Employees will not receive an allocation of any Gateway Contribution.

(C)    Amount of Gateway Contribution. The Plan Administrator will allocate any Gateway Contribution pro rata based on the Compensation of each Participant who receives a Gateway Contribution allocation for the Plan Year, but in no event will an allocation of the Gateway Contribution to any Participant exceed the lesser of: (1) 5% of Compensation; or (2) one‑third (1/3) of the Highest Allocation Rate for the Plan Year. The Plan Administrator will reduce (offset) the Gateway Contribution allocation for a Participant under either the 5% or the 1/3 Gateway Contribution alternative, by the amount of any other Employer Contributions or Nonelective Contributions the Plan Administrator allocates (including forfeitures allocated as an Employer Contribution or Nonelective Contribution and Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions, but excluding other QNECs, as defined under Section 1.38(C)) for the same Plan Year to such Participant; provided that if an NHCE is receiving only a QNEC and the QNEC amount equals or exceeds the Gateway Contribution, the QNEC satisfies the Gateway Contribution requirement as to that NHCE. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Employer may increase the Gateway Contribution to satisfy the provisions of Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)‑9(b)(2)(v)(D) if the Plan consists (for nondiscrimination testing purposes) of one or more Defined Contribution Plans and one or more Defined Benefit Plans.

(D)    Compensation for 5% Gateway Contribution. For allocation purposes under the 5% Gateway Contribution alternative, "Compensation" means under Section 4.05(F) except that Compensation is limited to Participating Compensation.

(E)    Compensation for Determination of Highest Rate and 1/3 Gateway Contribution. The Plan Administrator under the 1/3 Gateway Contribution alternative: (i) will determine the Highest Allocation Rate and the resulting Gateway Contribution rate for the NHCE Participants entitled to the Gateway Contribution; and (ii) will allocate the Gateway Contribution, based on Compensation the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, provided that such definition satisfies Code §414(s) and if it does not, the Plan Administrator will allocate the Gateway Contribution based on a Code §414(s) definition which the Plan Administrator operationally selects.

(1)    Definition of Highest Allocation Rate. The Highest Allocation Rate means the greatest allocation rate of any HCE Participant and is equal to the Participant's total Employer Contribution or Nonelective Contribution allocation (including any QNECs, Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions and forfeitures allocated as a Nonelective Contribution or forfeitures allocated as a Money Purchase Pension Contribution) divided by his/her Compensation, as described in this Section 4.07(E).

(F)    Employer Contribution Excludes Match. For purposes of this Section 4.07, an Employer Contribution excludes Matching Contributions.

4.08    AMENDMENT TO PASS TESTING. In the event that the Plan fails to satisfy Code §§410(b) or 401(a)(4) in any Plan Year, the Employer may elect to amend the Plan consistent with Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)‑11(g) to correct the failure, or as otherwise permitted in the regulation. The Employer may make such an amendment in any form or manner as the Employer deems reasonable, but otherwise consistent with Section 11.02. Any amendment under this Section 4.08 will not affect reliance on the Plan's Opinion Letter or Advisory Letter.

4.09    APPLICATION OF COMPENSATION LIMIT. The Plan Administrator in performing any nondiscrimination testing under this Article IV will limit each Participant's Compensation to the amount described in Section 1.11(E).

4.10    401(k) (OR OTHER PLAN) TESTING. The Plan Administrator will test Elective Deferrals, Matching Contributions and Employee Contributions under the Employer's 401(k) Plan or other Plan as applicable, in accordance with this Section 4.10.

(A)    Annual Elective Deferral Limitation. A Participant's Elective Deferrals for a Taxable Year may not exceed the Elective Deferral Limit.

(1)    Definition of Elective Deferral Limit. The Elective Deferral Limit is the Code §402(g) limitation on each Participant's Elective Deferrals for each Taxable Year. If the Participant's Taxable Year is not a calendar year, the Plan Administrator must apply the Code §402(g) limitation in effect for the calendar year in which the Participant's Taxable Year begins.

(2)    Definition of Excess Deferral. A Participant's Excess Deferral is the amount of Elective Deferrals for a Taxable Year which exceeds the Elective Deferral Limit.

(3)    Elective Deferral Limit. The Elective Deferral Limit is the amount as in effect under Code §402(g) ($16,500 in 2011), subject to adjustment by the Treasury in multiples of $500 under Code §402(g)(4).

(4)    Suspension after reaching limit. If, pursuant to a Salary Reduction Agreement or pursuant to a CODA election, the Employer determines a Participant's Elective Deferrals to the Plan for a Taxable Year would exceed the Elective Deferral Limit, the Employer will suspend the Participant's Elective Deferrals under his/her Salary Reduction Agreement, if any, until the following January 1 and will pay to the Participant in cash the portion of the Elective Deferrals which would result in the Participant's Elective Deferrals for the Taxable Year exceeding the Elective Deferral Limit.

(5)    Correction. If the Plan Administrator determines a Participant's Elective Deferrals already contributed to the Plan for a Taxable Year exceed the Elective Deferral Limit, the Plan Administrator will distribute the Excess Deferrals as adjusted for Allocable Income, no later than April 15 of the following Taxable Year (or if later, the date permitted under Code §§7503 or 7508A). See Section 4.11(C)(1) as to Gap Period income.

(6)    415 interaction. If the Plan Administrator distributes the Excess Deferrals by the April 15 deadline under Section 4.10(A)(5), the Excess Deferrals are not an Annual Addition under Section 4.05, and the Plan Administrator may make the distribution irrespective of any other provision under this Plan or under the Code. Elective Deferrals distributed to a Participant as an Excess Amount in accordance with Section 4.03 are not taken into account in determining the Participant's Elective Deferral Limit.

(7)    ADP interaction. The Plan Administrator will reduce the amount of Excess Deferrals for a Taxable Year distributable to a Participant by the amount of Excess Contributions (as determined in Section 4.10(B)), if any, previously distributed to the Participant for the Plan Year beginning in that Taxable Year.

(8)    More than one plan. If a Participant participates in another plan subject to the Code §402(g) limitation under which he/she makes elective deferrals pursuant to a 401(k) Plan, elective deferrals under a SARSEP, elective contributions under a SIMPLE IRA or salary reduction contributions to a tax‑sheltered annuity (irrespective of whether the Employer maintains the other plan), the Participant may provide to the Plan Administrator a written claim for Excess Deferrals made to the Plan for a Taxable Year. The Participant must submit the claim no later than the March 1 following the close of the particular Taxable Year and the claim must specify the amount of the Participant's Elective Deferrals under this Plan which are Excess Deferrals. The Plan Administrator may require the Participant to provide reasonable evidence of the existence of and the amount of the Participant's Excess Deferrals. If the Plan Administrator receives a timely claim which it approves, the Plan Administrator will distribute the Excess Deferrals (as adjusted for Allocable Income under Section 4.11(C)(1)) the Participant has assigned to this Plan, in accordance with this Section 4.10(A). If a Participant has Excess Deferrals because of making Elective Deferrals to this Plan and other plans of the Employer (but where the Elective Deferral Limit is not exceeded based on Deferrals to any single plan), the Participant for purposes of this Section 4.10(A)(8) is deemed to have notified the Plan Administrator of this Plan of the Excess Deferrals.

(9)    Roth and Pre‑Tax Deferrals. If a Participant who will receive a distribution of Excess Deferrals, in the Taxable Year for which the corrective distribution is made, has contributed both Pre‑Tax Deferrals and Roth Deferrals, the Plan Administrator operationally will determine the Elective Deferral Account source(s) from which it will direct the Trustee to make the corrective distribution. The Plan Administrator also may permit the affected Participant to elect the source(s) from which the Trustee will make the corrective distribution. However, the amount of a corrective distribution of Excess Deferrals to any Participant from the Pre‑Tax Deferral or Roth Deferral sources under this Section 4.10(A)(9) may not exceed the amount of the Participant's Pre‑Tax Deferrals or Roth Deferrals for the Taxable Year of the correction.

(B)    Actual Deferral Percentage (ADP) Test. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement has elected to test its 401(k) Plan as a Traditional 401(k) Plan, a Participant's Elective Deferrals for a Plan Year may not exceed the ADP Limit. However, this Section 4.10(B) will not apply to a Plan Year if: (1) for the Plan Year no NHCE was an ADP Participant, (2) for the Plan Year no HCE was an ADP Participant, or (3) the Plan is a Volume Submitter Plan and the plan is a governmental plan described in Code §414(d). In accordance with Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)-1(e)(7), it is impermissible for the Plan to use ADP testing for a Plan Year in which it is intended for the Plan through its written terms to use the ADP test safe harbor, even though the Plan fails to satisfy the requirements of such safe harbor for the Plan Year.

(1)    Definition of ADP Limit. The ADP Limit is the maximum dollar amount of Elective Deferrals each HCE Participant may defer under the Plan such that the Plan passes the ADP test for that Plan Year.

(2)    Definition of Excess Contributions. Excess Contributions are the amount of Elective Deferrals made by the HCEs which exceed the ADP Limit and which may not be recharacterized as Catch‑Up Contributions or as Employee Contributions.

(3)    ADP test. For each Plan Year, Elective Deferrals satisfy the ADP test if they satisfy either of the following tests:

(a)    1.25 test. The ADP for the HCE Group does not exceed 1.25 times the ADP of the NHCE Group; or

(b)    2 percent test. The ADP for the HCE Group does not exceed the ADP for the NHCE Group by more than two percentage points and the ADP for the HCE Group is not more than twice the ADP for the NHCE Group.

(4)    Calculation of ADP. The ADP for either group is the average of the separate ADRs calculated to the nearest one‑hundredth of one percent for each ADP Participant who is a member of that group. The Plan Administrator will include in the ADP test as a zero an ADP Participant who elects not to make Elective Deferrals to the Plan for the Testing Year.

(a)    Definition of ADR (actual deferral ratio). An ADP Participant's ADR for a Plan Year is the ratio of the ADP Participant's Elective Deferrals, but excluding Catch‑Up Contributions, for the Plan Year to the ADP Participant's Compensation for the Plan Year.

(b)    Definitions of ADP Participant and HCE and NHCE Groups. See Sections 4.11(B), (G), and (H).

(c)    Excess Deferrals interaction. In determining the ADP, the Plan Administrator must include any HCE's Excess Deferrals (whether or not corrected), as described in Section 4.10(A), to this Plan or to any other Plan of the Employer and the Plan Administrator will disregard any NHCE's Excess Deferrals.

(d)    QNECs and QMACs. The Plan Administrator operationally may include in the ADP test, QNECs, and QMACs the Plan Administrator does not use in the ACP test, provided that the Plan passes the ACP test before and after the shifting of any amount from the ACP test to the ADP test. The Plan Administrator may use QNECs or QMACs in the ADP test provided such amounts are not impermissibly targeted under Section 4.10(D).

(e)    Shifting Elective Deferrals to ACP. The Plan Administrator will not count in the ADP test any Elective Deferrals the Plan Administrator operationally elects to shift to the ACP test; provided that the Plan must pass the ADP test both taking into account and disregarding the Elective Deferrals the Plan Administrator shifts to the ACP test.

(f)    Current/Prior Year Testing.

(i)    Election. In determining whether the Plan's 401(k) arrangement satisfies the ADP test, the Plan Administrator will use Current Year Testing or Prior Year Testing as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. Any such election applies for such Testing Years as the Employer elects (and retroactively as the Employer may elect in the case of a Restated Plan).

(ii)    Permissible changes. The Employer may amend its Adoption Agreement to change from Prior Year Testing to Current Year Testing at any time, subject to Section 4.06(D). The Employer under Section 4.06(D) may amend its Adoption Agreement to change from Current Year Testing to Prior Year Testing only: (A) if the Plan has used Current Year Testing in at least the 5 immediately preceding Plan Years (or if the Plan has not been in existence for 5 Plan Years, the number of Plan Years the Plan has been in existence); (B) the Plan is the result of aggregation of 2 or more plans and each of the aggregated plans used Current Year Testing for the period described in clause (A); or (C) a transaction occurs to which the coverage transition rule under Code §410(b)(6)(C) applies and as a result, the Employer maintains a plan using Prior Year Testing and a plan using Current Year Testing. Under clause (C), the Employer may make an amendment to change to Prior Year Testing at any time during the coverage transition period.

(iii)    Deferrals and QNEC/QMAC deadline/limitation under Prior Year Testing. The Plan Administrator includes Elective Deferrals, QNECs or QMACs in determining the HCE or NHCE ADP only if the Employer makes such contribution to the Plan within 12 months following the end of the Testing Year to which the Elective Deferral relates or to which the Plan Administrator will allocate the QNEC or QMAC. For this purpose, an Elective Deferral is considered allocated as of a date within a Testing Year if the allocation is not contingent on participation or performance of services after such date. Under Prior Year Testing, to count the QNEC or QMAC in the ADP test, the Employer must contribute a QNEC or QMAC by the end of the Testing Year. The Employer may not make an Operational QNEC or QMAC if the Plan uses Prior Year Testing.

(iv)    First Plan Year under Prior Year Testing. For the first Plan Year the Plan permits Elective Deferrals, if the Plan is not a Successor Plan and is using Prior Year Testing, the prior year ADP for the NHCE Group is equal to the greater of 3% or the actual ADP for the NHCE Group in the first Plan Year. If the Plan continues to use Prior Year Testing in the second Plan Year, the Plan Administrator must use the actual first Plan Year ADP for the NHCE Group in the ADP test for the second Plan Year.

(v)    Plan coverage changes under Prior Year Testing. If the Employer's Plan is using Prior Year Testing and the Plan experiences a plan coverage change under Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)‑2(c)(4), the Plan Administrator will make any adjustments such regulations may require to the NHCEs' ADP for the prior year.

(vi)    Shifting contributions and switching from Current Year Testing to Prior Year Testing. If the Plan Administrator is using Current Year Testing and shifts an Elective Deferral to the ACP test or shifts a QMAC to the ADP test, then, in the subsequent Testing Year for which the Plan Administrator switched to Prior Year Testing, the Plan Administrator in applying Prior Year Testing must disregard the shifted amount. The Plan Administrator in applying Prior Year Testing in such subsequent Testing Year will restore the ADP and ACP to their original amounts, leaving the shifted amount in the original test without regard to the shift in the previous Testing Year.

(5)    Special aggregation rule for HCEs. To determine the ADR of any HCE, the Plan Administrator must take into account any Elective Deferrals made by the HCE (and if used in the ADP test, any QNECs and QMACs allocated to the HCE) under any other 401(k) Plan maintained by the Employer. If the 401(k) Plans have different Plan Years, the Plan Administrator will determine the combined Elective Deferrals on the basis of the Plan Years ending in the same calendar year. If the 401(k) Plans have different Plan Years, all Elective Deferrals made during the Plan Year will be aggregated. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Plan Administrator will not apply the aggregation rule of this Section 4.10(B)(5) to plans which may not be aggregated under Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)‑2(a)(3)(ii)(B).

(6)    Aggregation of certain 401(k) plans. If the Employer treats two or more plans as a single plan for coverage or nondiscrimination purposes, the Employer must combine the 401(k) Plans to determine whether the plans satisfy the ADP test. This aggregation rule applies to the ADR determination for all ADP Participants (and ADP participants under the other plans), irrespective of whether an ADP Participant is an HCE or an NHCE. An Employer may not aggregate: (a) plans with different Plan Years; (b) a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan with a non‑Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan; (c) plans which use different testing methods (Current Year Testing versus Prior Year Testing); or (d) any other plans which must be disaggregated under Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)‑1(b)(4)(iv). If the Employer aggregating 401(k) Plans under this Section 4.10(B)(6) is using Prior Year Testing, the Plan Administrator must adjust the NHCE Group ADP for the prior year as provided in Section 4.10(B)(4)(f)(v).

(7)    Characterization of Excess Contributions. If, pursuant to Section 4.10(B)(4)(d), the Plan Administrator has elected to include QMACs in the ADP test, any Excess Contributions are attributable proportionately to Elective Deferrals and to QMACs in the ADP test allocated on the basis of those Elective Deferrals. The Plan Administrator will reduce the amount of Excess Contributions for a Plan Year distributable to an HCE by the amount of Excess Deferrals (as determined in Section 4.10(A)), if any, previously distributed to that Employee for the Employee's Taxable Year ending in that Plan Year.

(8)    Distribution of Excess Contributions. If the Plan Administrator determines the Plan fails to satisfy the ADP test for a Plan Year, the Trustee, as directed by the Plan Administrator, by the end of the Plan Year which follows the Testing Year (or any later date determined under Code §7508A), must distribute the Excess Contributions, as adjusted for Allocable Income under Section 4.11(C)(2).

(a)    Calculation of total Excess Contributions. The Plan Administrator will determine the total amount of the Excess Contributions to the Plan by starting with the HCE(s) who has the greatest ADR, reducing his/her ADR (but not below the next highest ADR), then, if necessary, reducing the ADR of the HCE(s) at the next highest ADR, including the ADR of the HCE(s) whose ADR the Plan Administrator already has reduced (but not below the next highest ADR), and continuing in this manner until the ADP for the HCE Group is equal to the ADP Limit. All reductions under this Section 4.10(B)(8)(a) are to the ADR only and do not result in any actual distributions.

(b)    Apportionment and distribution of Excess Contributions. After the Plan Administrator has determined the total Excess Contribution amount, the Trustee, as directed by the Plan Administrator, then will distribute to each HCE his/her respective share of the Excess Contributions. The Plan Administrator will determine each HCE's share of Excess Contributions by starting with the HCE(s) who has the highest dollar amount of Elective Deferrals, reducing his/her Elective Deferrals (but not below the next highest dollar amount of Elective Deferrals), then, if necessary, reducing the Elective Deferrals of the HCE(s) at the next highest dollar amount of Elective Deferrals including the Elective Deferrals of the HCE(s) whose Elective Deferrals the Plan Administrator already has reduced (but not below the next highest dollar amount of Elective Deferrals), and continuing in this manner until the Trustee has distributed all Excess Contributions.

(c)    Roth and Pre‑Tax Deferrals. If an HCE who will receive a distribution of Excess Contributions, in the Plan Year for which the corrective distribution is made, has contributed both Pre‑Tax Deferrals and Roth Deferrals, the Plan Administrator operationally will determine the Elective Deferral Account source(s) from which it will direct the Trustee to make the corrective distribution. The Plan Administrator also may permit the affected Participant to elect the source(s) from which the Trustee will make the corrective distribution. However, the amount of a corrective distribution of Excess Contributions to any Participant from the Pre‑Tax Deferral or Roth Deferral sources under this Section 4.10(B)(8)(c) may not exceed the amount of the Participant's Pre‑Tax Deferrals or Roth Deferrals for the Testing Year.

(d)    Catch‑Up Deferrals re‑characterized. If the Plan permits Catch‑Up Contributions and a Catch‑Up Eligible Participant exceeds his/her ADP Limit and the Plan Administrator otherwise would distribute the Participant's Excess Contributions, the Plan Administrator instead will re‑characterize as a Catch‑Up Deferral the portion of such Excess Contributions as is equal to the Participant's unused Catch‑Up Deferral Limit applicable to the Testing Year. Any such re‑characterized Excess Contribution, plus Allocable Income, will remain in the Participant's Account and the Plan Administrator, for purposes of determining ADP test correction, will treat the re‑characterized amount, including Allocable Income, as having been distributed. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement has elected to match Catch‑Up Deferrals, the Plan Administrator will retain in the affected Participant's Account any Matching Contributions made with respect to any Excess Contributions which the Plan Administrator re‑characterizes under this Section 4.10(B)(8)(d).

(9)    Allocable Income/Testing Year and Gap Period. A corrective distribution under Section 4.10(B)(8) must include Allocable Income. See Section 4.11(C)(2).

(10)    Treatment as Annual Additions. Distributed Excess Contributions are Annual Additions under Sections 4.01 through 4.05 in the Limitation Year in which such amounts were allocated.

(11)    Re‑characterization as Employee Contributions. In addition to the other correction methods under this Section 4.10(B), the Plan Administrator operationally may elect to correct an ADP test failure by re‑characterizing the Elective Deferrals in excess of the ADP Limit as Employee Contributions in accordance with Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)‑2(b)(3). Elective Deferrals may not be re-characterized with respect to HCE Participants to the extent that the re-characterized amounts, in conjunction with Employee Contributions actually made by the HCE, exceed the maximum amount of Employee Contributions (determined prior to performing the ACP Test) that the employee is permitted to make under the plan in the absence of re-characterization. Elective Deferrals may not be re-characterized under this paragraph after 2 1/2 months after the close of the plan year to which the re-characterization relates. The amount of Excess Aggregate Contributions for a plan year will be determined only after first determining the amount of Elective Deferrals treated as Employee Contributions due to re-characterization.

(C)    Actual Contribution Percentage (ACP) Test. If: (i) the Employer in its Adoption Agreement has elected to test its Plan as a traditional 401(m) Plan; (ii) the Employer under its 401(k) Plan has elected only ADP test safe harbor plan status and the Employer makes Matching Contributions; or (iii) under any Plan there are Employee Contributions or Matching Contributions (not exempted from ACP testing), a Participant's Aggregate Contributions may not exceed the ACP Limit. However, this Section 4.10(C) will not apply to a Plan Year if: (1) for the Plan Year no NHCE was an ACP Participant, (2) for the Plan Year no HCE was an ACP Participant, or (3) the Plan is a Volume Submitter Plan and the plan is a governmental plan described in Code §414(d). In accordance with Treas. Reg. §§1.401(k)-1(e)(7) and 1.401(m)-1(c)(2), it is impermissible for the Plan to use ACP testing for a Plan Year in which it is intended for the Plan through its written terms to use the ACP test safe harbor, even though the Plan fails to satisfy the requirements of such safe harbor for the Plan Year.

(1)    Definition of ACP Limit. The ACP Limit is the maximum dollar amount of Aggregate Contributions each HCE Participant may receive or may make under the Plan such that the Plan passes the ACP test.

(2)    Definition of Aggregate Contributions. Aggregate Contributions are Matching Contributions and Employee Contributions. Aggregate Contributions also include any QMACs, QNECs and Elective Deferrals the Plan Administrator includes in the ACP test. If the Employer has elected ADP test safe harbor plan status and the Employer makes a Safe Harbor Matching Contribution for a Plan Year, then the Plan Administrator in computing Aggregate Contributions may disregard each Participant’s Matching Contributions which do not exceed 4% of the Participant’s Compensation for the Plan Year.

(3)    Definition of Excess Aggregate Contributions. Excess Aggregate Contributions are the amount of Aggregate Contributions allocated on behalf of the HCEs which exceed the ACP Limit.

(4)    ACP test. For each Plan Year, Aggregate Contributions satisfy the ACP test if they satisfy either of the following tests:

(a)    1.25 test. The ACP for the HCE Group does not exceed 1.25 times the ACP of the NHCE Group; or

(b)    2 percent test. The ACP for the HCE Group does not exceed the ACP for the NHCE Group by more than two percentage points and the ACP for the HCE Group is not more than twice the ACP for the NHCE Group.

(5)    Calculation of ACP. The ACP for either group is the average of the separate ACRs calculated to the nearest one‑hundredth of one percent for each ACP Participant who is a member of that group. The Plan Administrator will include in the ACP test as a zero an ACP Participant who for the Testing Year: (i) is eligible to make Employee Contributions but who does not do so; or (ii) is eligible to make Elective Deferrals and to receive an allocation of any Matching Contributions based on Elective Deferrals but who does not make any Elective Deferrals. An Employee who fails to satisfy an allocation condition applicable to Matching Contributions is excluded from the ACP test unless the Employee is eligible to make Employee Contributions or the Plan Administrator re‑characterizes any of the Employee's Elective Deferrals as Employee Contributions.

(a)    Definition of ACR (actual contribution ratio). An ACP Participant's ACR for a Plan Year is the ratio of the ACP Participant's Aggregate Contributions for the Plan Year to the ACP Participant's Compensation for the Plan Year.

(b)    Definitions of ACP Participant and HCE and NHCE Groups. See Section 4.11(A), (G), and (H).

(c)    QNECs and Elective Deferrals. The Plan Administrator operationally may include in the ACP test QNECs and Elective Deferrals the Plan Administrator does not use in the ADP test, provided that the Plan passes the ADP test before and after the shifting of any amount from the ADP test to the ACP test. The Plan Administrator may use QNECs in the ACP test provided such amounts are not impermissibly targeted under Section 4.10(D).

(d)    Shifting QMACs to ADP. The Plan Administrator will not count in the ACP test any QMACs the Plan Administrator operationally elects to shift to the ADP test; provided that the Plan must pass the ACP test both taking into account and disregarding the QMACs the Plan Administrator shifts to the ADP test.

(e)    Current/Prior Year Testing.

(i)    Election. In determining whether the Plan's 401(k) arrangement satisfies the ACP test, the Plan Administrator will use Current Year Testing or Prior Year Testing as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. Any such election applies for such Testing Years as the Employer elects (and retroactively as the Employer elects in the case of a Restated Plan).

(ii)    Permissible changes. The Employer may amend its Adoption Agreement to change from Prior Year Testing to Current Year Testing at any time, subject to Section 4.06(D). The Employer, under Section 4.06(D) may amend its Adoption Agreement to change from Current Year Testing to Prior Year Testing only: (A) if the Plan has used Current Year Testing in at least the 5 immediately preceding Plan Years (or if the Plan has not been in existence for 5 Plan Years, the number of Plan Years the Plan has been in existence); (B) the Plan is the result of aggregation of 2 or more plans and each of the aggregated plans used Current Year Testing for the period described in clause (A); or (C) a transaction occurs to which the coverage transition rule under Code §410(b)(6)(C) applies and as a result, the Employer maintains a plan using Prior Year Testing and a plan using Current Year Testing. Under clause (C), the Employer may make an amendment to change to Prior Year Testing at any time during the coverage transition period.

(iii)    Employee Contribution, Matching and QNEC deadline/limitation under Prior Year Testing. The Plan Administrator includes Employee Contributions in the ACP test in the Testing Year in which the Employer withholds the Employee Contributions from the Participant's pay, provided such contributions are contributed to the Trust within a reasonable period thereafter. The Plan Administrator may include Matching Contributions and QNECs in determining the HCE or NHCE ACP only if the Employer makes such contribution to the Plan within 12 months following the end of the Testing Year to which the Plan Administrator will allocate the Matching Contribution or QNEC. To be included in the ACP test, a Matching Contribution must be made on account of an Employee's Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions for the Testing Year. Under Prior Year Testing, to count the QNEC in the ACP test, the Employer must contribute a QNEC by the end of the Testing Year. The Employer may not make an Operational QNEC if the Plan uses Prior Year Testing.

(iv)    First Plan Year under Prior Year Testing. For the first Plan Year the Plan permits Matching Contributions or Employee Contributions, if the Plan is not a Successor Plan and is using Prior Year Testing, the prior year ACP for the NHCE Group is equal to the greater of 3% or the actual ACP for the NHCE Group in the first Plan Year. If the Plan continues to use Prior Year Testing in the second Plan Year, the Plan Administrator must use the actual first Plan Year ACP for the NHCE Group in the ACP test for the second Plan Year.

(v)    Plan coverage changes under Prior Year Testing. If the Employer's Plan is using Prior Year Testing and the Plan experiences a plan coverage change under Treas. Reg. §1.401(m)‑2(c)(4), the Plan Administrator will make any adjustments such regulations may require to the NHCEs' ACP for the prior year.

(vi)    Shifting contributions and switching from Current Year Testing to Prior Year Testing. If the Plan Administrator is using Current Year Testing and shifts an Elective Deferral to the ACP test or shifts a QMAC to the ADP test, then, in the subsequent Testing Year for which the Plan Administrator switched to Prior Year Testing, the Plan Administrator in applying Prior Year Testing must disregard the shifted amount. The Plan Administrator in applying Prior Year Testing in such subsequent Testing Year will restore the ADP and ACP to their original amounts, leaving the shifted amount in the original test without regard to the shift in the previous Testing Year.

(6)    Special aggregation rule for HCEs. To determine the ACR of any HCE, the Plan Administrator must take into account any Aggregate Contributions allocated to the HCE under any other 401(m) Plan maintained by the Employer. If the 401(m) Plans have different Plan Years, the Plan Administrator will determine the combined Aggregate Contributions on the basis of the Plan Years ending in the same calendar year. If the 401(m) Plans have different Plan Years, all Aggregate Contributions made during the Plan Year will be aggregated. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Plan Administrator will not apply the aggregation rule of this Section 4.10(C)(6) to plans which may not be aggregated under Treas. Reg. §1.401(m)‑2(a)(3)(ii)(B).

(7)    Aggregation of certain 401(m) plans. If the Employer treats two or more plans as a single plan for coverage or nondiscrimination purposes, the Employer must combine the 401(m) Plans under such plans to determine whether the plans satisfy the ACP test. This aggregation rule applies to the ACR determination for all ACP Participants (and ACP participants under the other plans), irrespective of whether an ACP Participant is an HCE or an NHCE. An Employer may not aggregate: (a) plans with different Plan Years; (b) a Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan with a non‑Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan; (c) plans which use different testing methods (Current Year Testing versus Prior Year Testing); or (d) any other plans which must be disaggregated under Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)‑1(b)(4)(iv). If the Employer aggregating 401(m) Plans under this Section 4.10(C)(7) is using Prior Year Testing, the Plan Administrator must adjust the NHCE Group ACP for the prior year as provided in Section 4.10(C)(5)(e)(v).

(8)    Distribution of Excess Aggregate Contributions. If the Plan Administrator determines the Plan fails to satisfy the ACP test for a Plan Year, the Trustee, as directed by the Plan Administrator, by the end of the Plan Year which follows the Testing Year (or any later date determined under Code §7508A), must distribute the Vested Excess Aggregate Contributions, as adjusted for Allocable Income under Section 4.11(C)(2).

(a)    Calculation of total Excess Aggregate Contributions. The Plan Administrator will determine the total amount of the Excess Aggregate Contributions by starting with the HCE(s) who has the greatest ACR, reducing his/her ACR (but not below the next highest ACR), then, if necessary, reducing the ACR of the HCE(s) at the next highest ACR, including the ACR of the HCE(s) whose ACR the Plan Administrator already has reduced (but not below the next highest ACR), and continuing in this manner until the ACP for the HCE Group is equal to the ACP Limit. All reductions under this Section 4.10(C)(8)(a) are to the ACR only and do not result in any actual distributions.

(b)    Apportionment and distribution of Excess Aggregate Contributions. After the Plan Administrator has determined the total Excess Aggregate Contribution amount, the Trustee, as directed by the Plan Administrator, then will distribute (to the extent Vested) to each HCE his/her respective share of the Excess Aggregate Contributions. The Plan Administrator will determine each HCE's share of Excess Aggregate Contributions by starting with the HCE(s) who has the highest dollar amount of Aggregate Contributions, reducing the amount of his/her Aggregate Contributions (but not below the next highest dollar amount of the Aggregate Contributions), then, if necessary, reducing the amount of Aggregate Contributions of the HCE(s) at the next highest dollar amount of Aggregate Contributions, including the Aggregate Contributions of the HCE(s) whose Aggregate Contributions the Plan Administrator already has reduced (but not below the next highest dollar amount of Aggregate Contributions), and continuing in this manner until the Trustee has distributed all Excess Aggregate Contributions.

(9)    Allocable Income/Testing Year and Gap Period. The Plan Administrator will calculate and will distribute Excess Aggregate Contribution Allocable Income in the same manner and for the same Plan Years as described in Section 4.10(B)(9) for Excess Contributions.

(10)    Testing and correction ordering. If the Plan Administrator must perform both the ADP and ACP tests in a given Plan Year, the Plan Administrator may perform the tests and undertake correction of a failed test in any order that the Plan Administrator determines, with a view toward preserving Plan benefits, maximizing Employer Contributions in the Plan versus Employee Contributions or Elective Deferrals, and minimizing forfeitures. Toward this end, the Plan Administrator may treat an HCE's allocable share of Excess Aggregate Contributions in the following priority: (a) first as attributable to his/her Employee Contributions and Matching Contributions thereon, if any; (b) then as attributable to Matching Contributions allocable as to Excess Contributions determined under the ADP test such that the Plan Administrator distributes any Vested Excess Aggregate Contribution to reduce the amount of Associated Matching Contribution subject to forfeiture (irrespective of vesting). See Section 3.07(B)(1) as to testing or re‑testing related to forfeiture allocations. To the extent that distributed Excess Aggregate Contributions include Elective Deferrals, and the Participant in that Testing Year made both Pre‑Tax Deferrals and Roth Deferrals, the ordering rules under Sections 4.10(A)(9) and 4.10(B)(8)(c) apply.

(11)    Vesting/Forfeiture of non‑Vested Excess Aggregates. To the extent an HCE's Excess Aggregate Contributions are attributable to Matching Contributions, and he/she is not 100% Vested in his/her Matching Contribution Account, the Plan Administrator will distribute only the Vested portion and will forfeit the non‑Vested portion. The Vested portion of the HCE's Excess Aggregate Contributions attributable to Employer Matching Contributions is the total amount of such Excess Aggregate Contributions (as adjusted for allocable income) multiplied by his/her Vested percentage (determined as of the last day of the Plan Year for which the Employer made the Matching Contribution).

(12)    Treatment as Annual Addition. Distributed Excess Aggregate Contributions are Annual Additions under Sections 4.01 through 4.05 in the Limitation Year in which such amounts were allocated.

(D)    QNEC, Matching and QMAC Targeting Restrictions. The Plan Administrator in performing the ADP or ACP tests may not include in the tests any impermissibly targeted QNEC or Matching Contribution as described in this Section 4.10(D). These targeting restrictions apply to Matching Contributions, to Plan‑Designated and Operational QNECs and to Plan‑Designated and Operational QMACs. The Employer will not contribute Operational QNECs or QMACs which would violate the targeting restrictions.

(1)    QNEC targeting rules. The Plan Administrator may include in the ADP test or in the ACP test only such amounts of any QNEC as are not impermissibly targeted. A QNEC is impermissibly targeted if the QNEC amount allocated to any NHCE exceeds the greater of: (a) 5% of Compensation; or (b) 2 times the Plan's Representative Contribution Rate.

(a)    Definition of Representative Contribution Rate.

(i)    ADP. The Plan's ADP Representative Contribution Rate is the lowest ADP Applicable Contribution Rate of any ADP Participants who are NHCEs in a group consisting of: (A) any one‑half of the ADP Participants who are NHCEs for the Plan Year; or (B) if it would result in a greater Representative Contribution Rate than under clause (A), all of the ADP Participants who are NHCEs and who are employed by the Employer on the last day of the Plan Year.

(ii)    ACP. The Plan's ACP Representative Contribution Rate is the lowest ACP Applicable Contribution Rate of any ACP Participants who are NHCEs in a group consisting of: (A) any one‑half of the ACP Participants who are NHCEs for the Plan Year; or (B) if it would result in a greater Representative Contribution Rate than under clause (A), all of the ACP Participants who are NHCEs and who are employed by the Employer on the last day of the Plan Year.

(b)    Definition of Applicable Contribution Rate.

(i)    ADP. The Applicable Contribution Rate of an ADP Participant who is an NHCE for the ADP test is the sum of the NHCE's QNECs and QMACs used in the ADP test, divided by the NHCE's Compensation.

(ii)    ACP. The Applicable Contribution Rate of an ACP Participant who is an NHCE for the ACP test is the sum of the NHCE's Matching Contributions and QNECs used in the ACP test, divided by the NHCE's Compensation.

(c)    QNEC in ACP test. The Plan Administrator may not use in the ADP test or take into account in determining the Plan's Representative Contribution Rate, any QNEC the Plan Administrator applies to the ACP test.

(d)    Prevailing Wage Contribution. Notwithstanding Section 4.10(D)(1), the Plan Administrator may count in the ADP test QNECs which are Prevailing Wage Contributions to the extent that such QNECs do not exceed 10% of Compensation. The Plan Administrator also may count in the ACP test a QNEC which is a Prevailing Wage Contribution up to an additional 10% of Compensation, such that the combined QNEC amount does not exceed 20% of Compensation and not more than 10% in either test.

(2)    Matching Contribution targeting rules. The Plan Administrator may include in the ACP test only such Matching Contribution amounts (including QMACs) as are not impermissibly targeted. A Matching Contribution is impermissibly targeted if the Matching Contribution amount allocated to any NHCE exceeds the greatest of: (i) 5% of Compensation; (ii) the amount of the NHCE's Elective Deferrals; or (iii) the product of 2 times the Plan's Representative Matching Rate and the NHCE's Elective Deferrals for the Plan Year.

(a)    Definition of Representative Matching Rate. The Plan's Representative Matching Rate is the lowest Matching Rate for any ACP Participants who are NHCEs in a group consisting of: (i) any one‑half of the ACP Participant NHCEs who make Elective Deferrals for the Plan Year; or if it would result in a greater Representative Matching Rate, (ii) all of the ACP Participant NHCEs who make Elective Deferrals for the Plan Year and who are employed by the Employer on the last day of the Plan Year.

(b)    Definition of Matching Rate. The Matching Rate for an NHCE is the NHCE's Matching Contributions divided by his/her Elective Deferrals; provided that if the Matching Rate is not the same for all levels of Elective Deferrals, the Plan Administrator will determine each NHCE's Matching Rate by assuming an Elective Deferral equal to 6% of Compensation.

(c)    Employee Contributions. If the Plan permits Employee Contributions, the Plan Administrator will apply this Section 4.10(D)(2) by adding together an NHCE's Employee Contributions and Elective Deferrals. If the Plan provides a Matching Contribution only as to Employee Contributions, the Plan Administrator will apply this Section 4.10(D)(2) by substituting the Employee Contributions for Elective Deferrals.

(3)    Accrued fixed contributions. The Employer must contribute any accrued fixed contribution, even if any or all of such contribution is impermissibly targeted under this Section 4.10(D).

4.11    DEFINITIONS: SECTIONS 4.06‑4.10. For purposes of Sections 4.06 through 4.10:

(A)    ACP Participant. ACP Participant means an Eligible Employee who has satisfied the eligibility requirements under Article II and the allocation conditions under Section 3.06 applicable to any Matching Contributions such that the Participant would be entitled to a Matching Contribution allocable to the Testing Year if he/she makes an Elective Deferral. An ACP Participant also includes an Eligible Employee who has satisfied the eligibility requirements under Article II applicable to Employee Contributions and who has the right at any time during the Testing Year to make Employee Contributions. Any Employee with zero Compensation for the Testing Year is not an ACP Participant.

(B)    ADP Participant. ADP Participant means an Eligible Employee who has satisfied the eligibility requirements under Article II applicable to any Elective Deferrals and who has the right at any time during the Testing Year to make Elective Deferrals. Any Employee with zero Compensation for the Testing Year is not an ADP Participant. A Participant is an ADP Participant even if he/she may not make Elective Deferrals for all or any part of the Testing Year because of the Annual Additions Limit or suspension based on a hardship distribution under Section 6.07.

(C)    Allocable Income. Allocable Income means as follows:

(1)    Excess Deferrals. For purposes of making a distribution of Excess Deferrals pursuant to Section 4.10(A), Allocable Income means Earnings allocable to the Excess Deferrals for the Taxable Year in which the Participant made the Excess Deferral. The Plan Administrator also will distribute Gap Period income with respect to Excess Deferrals in Taxable Years which began during 2007, if the Plan Administrator in accordance with the Plan terms otherwise would allocate the Gap Period Allocable Income to the Participant's Account. The Plan Administrator will not calculate and distribute Gap Period income with respect to Excess Deferrals made in Taxable Years which begin after December 31, 2007.

(a)    Reasonable or alternative (pro rata) method. To calculate such Allocable Income for the Taxable Year, the Plan Administrator will use: (i) a uniform and nondiscriminatory method which reasonably reflects the manner used by the Plan Administrator to allocate Earnings to Participants' Accounts; or (ii) the "alternative method" under Treas. Reg. §1.402(g)‑1(e)(5)(iii). See Section 4.11(C)(2)(a) as to the alternative method except the Plan Administrator will apply such modifications as are necessary to determine Taxable Year Allocable Income with respect to the Excess Deferrals.

(b)    Gap Period. To calculate Gap Period Allocable Income, the Plan Administrator may use either of the Section 4.11(C)(1)(a) methods, or may apply the "safe harbor method" under Treas. Reg. §1.402(g)‑1(e)(5)(iv). See Section 4.11(C)(2)(b) as to the safe harbor method except the Plan Administrator will apply such modifications as are necessary to determine Gap Period Allocable Income with respect to the Excess Deferrals. Under a reasonable method described in Section 4.11(C)(1)(a), clause (i), the Plan Administrator may determine the Allocable Income as of a date which is no more than 7 days prior to the date of the corrective distribution.

(2)    Excess Contributions/Aggregates. For purposes of making a distribution of Excess Contributions under Section 4.10(B) and Excess Aggregate Contributions under Section 4.10(C), Allocable Income means Earnings allocable to such amounts. For Plan Years beginning on or after the final 401(k) regulations effective date, and before January 1, 2008, the Plan Administrator must calculate Allocable Income for the Testing Year and also for the Gap Period; provided that the Plan Administrator will calculate and distribute the Gap Period Allocable Income only if the Plan Administrator in accordance with the Plan terms otherwise would allocate the Gap Period Allocable Income to the Participant's Account. The Plan Administrator will not calculate and distribute Gap Period income with respect to Excess Contributions or Excess Aggregate Contributions made in Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2007.

(a)    Reasonable or alternative (pro rata) method. To calculate such Allocable Income for the Testing Year, the Plan Administrator will use: (i) a uniform and nondiscriminatory method which reasonably reflects the manner used by the Plan Administrator to allocate Earnings to Participants' Accounts; or (ii) the "alternative method" under Treas. Reg. §§1.401(k)‑2(b)(2)(iv)(C) and 1.401(m)‑2(b)(2)(iv)(C). Under the alternative method, the Plan Administrator will determine the Allocable Income for the Testing Year by multiplying the Testing Year income with respect to Participant's Excess Contributions (or Excess Aggregate Contributions) by a fraction, the numerator of which is the Participant's Excess Contributions (or Excess Aggregate Contributions) and the denominator of which is the Participant's end of the Testing Year Account Balance attributable to Elective Deferrals (or Matching Contributions and Employee Contributions) and any other amounts included in the ADP test (or ACP test), but disregarding Earnings on such amounts for the Testing Year.

(b)    Gap Period. To calculate Gap Period Allocable Income, the Plan Administrator may use either of the Section 4.11(C)(2)(a) "reasonable method" or "alternative method" (but as modified to include the Gap Period), or may apply the "safe harbor method" under Treas. Reg. §§1.401(k)‑2(b)(2)(iv)(D) and 1.401(m)‑2(b)(2)(iv)(D). Under the safe harbor method, the Gap Period Allocable Income is equal to 10% of the Testing Year income determined under the alternative method, multiplied by the number of calendar months in the Gap Period. If a corrective distribution is made on or before the 15th day of a month, that month is disregarded in determining the number of months in the Gap Period. If the corrective distribution is made after the 15th day of the month, that month is included in such calculation. Under a reasonable method described in Section 4.11(C)(2)(a), clause (i), the Plan Administrator may determine the Allocable Income as of a date which is no more than 7 days prior to the date of the corrective distribution.

(D)    Compensation. Compensation means, except as otherwise provided in this Article IV, Compensation as defined for nondiscrimination purposes in Section 1.11(F).

(E)    Current Year Testing. Current Year Testing means for purposes of the ADP test described in Section 4.10(B) and the ACP test described in Section 4.10(C), the use of data from the Testing Year in determining the ADP or ACP for the NHCE Group.

(F)    Gap Period. Gap Period means the period commencing on the first day of the next Plan Year following the Testing Year and ending on the date the Plan Administrator distributes Excess Contributions or Excess Aggregate Contributions for the Testing Year. As to Excess Deferrals, Gap Period means the period commencing on the first day of the next Taxable Year following the Taxable Year in which the Participant made the Excess Deferrals and ending on the date the Plan Administrator distributes the Excess Deferrals.

(G)    HCE Group. HCE Group means the group of ADP Participants or ACP Participants (as the context requires) who are HCEs for the Testing Year.

(H)    NHCE Group. NHCE Group means the group of ADP Participants or ACP Participants (as the context requires) who are NHCEs for the Testing Year, or for the immediately prior Plan Year under Prior Year Testing, except as the Testing Year may apply in the first Plan Year, in accordance with Sections 4.10(B)(4)(f)(iv) or 4.10(C)(5)(e)(iv).

(I)    Prior Year Testing. Prior Year Testing means for purposes of the ADP test described in Section 4.10(B) and the ACP test described in Section 4.10(C), the use of data from the Plan Year immediately prior to the Testing Year in determining the ADP or ACP for the NHCE Group, unless the first Plan Year provisions of Sections 4.10(B)(4)(f)(iv) or 4.10(C)(5)(e)(iv) apply.

(J)    Testing Year. Testing Year means the Plan Year for which the Plan Administrator is performing coverage or nondiscrimination testing including the ADP test or the ACP test.



ARTICLE V
VESTING



5.01    NORMAL/EARLY RETIREMENT AGE. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must specify the Plan's Normal Retirement Age of at least age 55. If the Employer fails to specify the Plan's Normal Retirement Age in its Adoption Agreement, the Employer is deemed to have elected age 65 as the Plan's Normal Retirement Age. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may specify an Early Retirement Age. A Participant's Account Balance derived from Employer contributions is 100% Vested upon and after his/her attaining Normal Retirement Age (or if applicable, Early Retirement Age) if the Participant is employed by the Employer on or after that date and regardless of the Participant's Years of Service for vesting or the Employer's Adoption Agreement elected vesting schedules.

(A)    Pension Plans. If the Plan is a Money Purchase Pension Plan, effective as of the first Plan Year beginning after June 30, 2008, the Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect a Normal Retirement Age of at least age 62; provided that the Employer may designate a lower age, not less than age 55, if that age is reasonably representative of the typical retirement age for the industry in which the covered workforce is employed.

5.02    PARTICIPANT DEATH OR DISABILITY. The Employer must elect in its Adoption Agreement whether a Participant's Account Balance derived from Employer Contributions is 100% Vested if the Participant's Separation from Service is a result of his/her death or Disability.

5.03    VESTING SCHEDULE.

(A)    General. Except as provided in Sections 5.01 and 5.02, or unless the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects immediate vesting, for each Year of Service as described in Section 5.05, a Participant's Vested percentage of his/her Account Balance derived from Nonelective Contributions, Regular Matching Contributions, Additional Matching Contributions, QACA Safe Harbor Contributions, or Money Purchase Pension Contributions equals the percentage under the appropriate vesting schedule the Employer has elected in its Adoption Agreement. For purposes of this Section 5.03 and the corresponding Appendix B elections, "top‑heavy vesting schedule" means a vesting schedule at least as rapid as a 6‑year graded schedule or a 3‑year cliff schedule. Any vesting schedule which is not a top‑heavy vesting schedule is a "non‑top‑heavy schedule."

(1)    Top‑heavy schedule. If the Employer in it Adoption Agreement elects to apply a vesting schedule, it must elect a top‑heavy vesting schedule as to the Regular Matching Contributions, Additional Matching Contributions and all other (non‑Matching) Employer Contributions, except QACA Safe Harbor Contributions under Section 5.03(A)(5) or fully vested contributions under Section 5.03(E). The top‑heavy vesting schedule(s) the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement applies to: (i) all Regular Matching Contributions Accounts and Additional Matching Contributions Accounts of all Participants who have at least one Hour of Service in a Plan Year beginning after December 31, 2001; (ii) all other (non‑Matching) Employer Contribution Accounts of all Participants who have at least one Hour of Service in a Plan Year beginning after December 31, 2006; and (iii) regardless of when the Contributions under (i) or (ii) were made.

(2)    Possible non‑top‑heavy schedule and overrides as to application of top‑heavy schedule. Notwithstanding Section 5.03(A)(1), the Employer in Appendix B may elect to apply a non‑top‑heavy vesting schedule in Plan Years in which the Plan is not top‑heavy. The Employer also may elect to override the application of top‑heavy vesting schedules under Section 5.03(A)(1). Specifically, the Employer: (i) may elect to apply the top‑heavy vesting schedule only to Regular Matching Contributions and Additional Matching Contributions made in Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2001, and to the associated Earnings; and (ii) may elect to apply top‑heavy vesting to the affected Matching Contributions for all Participants even if they do not have one Hour of Service in a Plan Year beginning after December 31, 2001; (iii) may elect to apply the top‑heavy vesting schedule only to non‑Matching Contributions made in Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2006, and to the associated Earnings; and/or (iv) may elect to apply top‑heavy vesting to the affected non‑Matching Contributions for all Participants even if they do not have one Hour of Service in a Plan Year beginning after December 31, 2006.

(a)    Election of schedule once Plan is top‑heavy. If the Employer elects in Appendix B to apply a non‑top‑heavy vesting schedule as permitted, in the event that the Plan becomes top‑heavy and then later becomes non‑top‑heavy, the Employer must further elect whether the Plan will continue to apply the top‑heavy schedule or to return to the elected non‑top‑heavy schedule commencing in the non‑top‑heavy Plan Year.

(3)    Election of different schedules. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect whether the Plan will apply the same vesting schedule or a different vesting schedule to Employer Contributions (other than Matching Contributions), Regular Matching Contributions and Additional Matching Contributions.

(4)    Top‑heavy default schedule. If the Employer elects a non‑compliant top‑heavy schedule, the Plan Administrator will apply a top‑heavy schedule under the Plan which most closely approximates the Employer's elected schedule (graded or cliff).

(5)    QACA vesting schedule. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement as to QACA Safe Harbor Contributions will elect either: (a) 100% immediate vesting; or (b) any other vesting schedule under which a Participant will become 100% Vested after not more than 2 Years of Service.

(B)    Vesting Schedules. For purposes of the Employer's elections under its Adoption Agreement, "2 year cliff," "6‑year graded," "3‑year cliff," "7‑year graded" or "5‑year cliff" means an Employee's Vested percentage, based on each included Year of Service (as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement), under the following applicable schedule:

6‑year graded     7‑year graded

0‑1 year / 0%    0‑2 years / 0%
2 years / 20%    3 years / 20%
3 years / 40%    4 years / 40%
4 years / 60%    5 years / 60%
5 years / 80%    6 years / 80%
6 years / 100%    7 years / 100%

2‑year cliff

0‑1 year/0%
2 years/100%

3‑year cliff     5‑year cliff

0‑2 years / 0%    0‑4 years / 0%
3 years / 100%    5 years / 100%

(C)    "Grossed‑Up" Vesting Formula. If the Trustee makes a distribution (other than a Cash‑Out Distribution described in Section 5.04) to a Participant from an Account which is not fully Vested, and the Participant has not incurred a Forfeiture Break in Service, the provisions of this Section 5.03(C) apply to the Participant's Account Balance.

(1)    Separate Account/formula. The Plan Administrator will establish a separate account for the Participant's Account Balance at the time of the distribution. At any relevant time following the distribution, the Plan Administrator will determine the Participant's Vested Account Balance in such separate account derived from Employer Contributions in accordance with the following formula: P(AB + D) ‑ D. To apply this formula, "P" is the Participant's current vesting percentage at the relevant time, "AB" is the Participant's Employer‑derived Account Balance at the relevant time and "D" is the amount of the earlier distribution. If, under a Restated Plan, the Plan has made distribution to a partially‑Vested Participant prior to its restated Effective Date and is unable to apply the cash‑out provisions of Section 5.04 to that prior distribution, this special vesting formula also applies to that Participant's remaining Account Balance.

(2)    Alternative formula. The Employer, in Appendix B, may elect to modify this formula to read as follows: P(AB + (R x D)) ‑ (R x D). For purposes of this alternative formula, "R" is the ratio of "AB" to the Participant's Employer‑derived Account Balance immediately following the earlier distribution.

(3)    Application to Contribution Type. If a Participant will receive a distribution from a particular Contribution Type, the Plan Administrator in applying this Section 5.03(C) will determine the Participant's Vested Account Balance for the Participant's Contribution Type separately.

(D)    Special Vesting Elections. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect other specified vesting provisions which are consistent with Code §411.

(E)    Fully Vested Amounts. A Participant has a 100% Vested interest at all times in his/her Accounts attributable to Elective Deferrals, Employee Contributions, QNECs, QMACs, Safe Harbor Contributions (except as the Employer otherwise elects in its Adoption Agreement as to QACA Safe Harbor Contributions), SIMPLE Contributions, Rollover Contributions, DECs and Designated IRA Contributions. A Participant has a 100% Vested interest at all times in his/her Account attributable to Prevailing Wage Contributions

(F)    Mergers/Transfers. A merger or other Transfer of assets from another Defined Contribution Plan to this Plan does not result, solely by reason of the merger or Transfer, in 100% vesting of the merged or transferred assets. The Plan Administrator operationally and on a uniform and nondiscriminatory basis will determine in the case of a merger or other Transfer to the Plan whether: (1) to vest immediately all transferred assets; (2) to vest the transferred assets in accordance with the Plan's vesting schedule applicable to the Contribution Type being transferred but subject to the requirements of Section 5.08; or (3) to vest the transferred assets in accordance with the transferor plan's vesting schedule(s) applicable to the Contribution Types being transferred, as such schedules existed on the date of the Transfer. The Employer may elect to record such information in its Adoption Agreement as a special vesting election.

5.04    CASH‑OUT DISTRIBUTION/POSSIBLE RESTORATION.

(A)    Effect of Cash‑Out Distribution. If a Partially‑Vested Participant receives a Cash‑Out Distribution before he/she incurs a Forfeiture Break in Service the Participant will incur an immediate forfeiture of the non‑Vested portion of his/her Account Balance.

(1)    Definition of Partially‑Vested Participant. A Partially‑Vested Participant is a Participant whose Vested percentage determined under Section 5.03 in any Account is less than 100%, who is not a 0% Vested Participant as defined below.

(2)    Definition of Cash‑Out Distribution. A Cash‑Out Distribution is a distribution to the Participant or a Direct Rollover for the Participant (whether a Mandatory Distribution or a Distribution Requiring Consent as described in Article VI), of his/her entire Vested Account Balance (including Elective Deferrals and Employee Contributions if any) due to the Participant's Separation from Service or Severance from Employment.

(3)    Allocation in Cash‑Out Year. If a Partially‑Vested Participant's Account is entitled to an allocation of Employer Contributions or Participant forfeitures for the Plan Year in which he/she otherwise would incur a forfeiture by reason of a Cash‑Out Distribution, the Plan Administrator will make the additional allocation of Employer Contributions and forfeitures without regard to whether the Participant previously received a Cash‑Out Distribution; provided, that the Plan Administrator, in accordance with Section 3.07(D), will not allocate to such Participant any of his/her own forfeiture resulting from the Cash‑Out Distribution.

(B)    Forfeiture Restoration and Conditions for Restoration. A partially‑Vested Participant re‑employed by the Employer after receiving a Cash‑Out Distribution of the Vested percentage of his/her Account Balance may repay to the Trust the entire amount of the Cash‑Out Distribution (including Elective Deferrals and Employee Contributions if any) without any adjustment for Earnings, unless the Participant no longer has a right to restoration under this Section 5.04(B).

(1)    Restoration. If a re‑employed Participant repays his/her Cash‑Out Distribution, the Plan Administrator, subject to the conditions of this Section 5.04(B), must restore the Participant's Account Balance to the same dollar amount as the dollar amount of his/her Account Balance on the Accounting Date, or other Valuation Date, immediately preceding the date of the Cash‑Out Distribution, unadjusted for any Earnings occurring subsequent to that Accounting Date (and prior to the Participant's repayment or the Employer's restoration) or other Valuation Date.

(2)    Source of repayment. A re‑employed Participant may make repayment from any source, including an IRA Rollover Contribution.

(3)    No restoration. The Plan Administrator will not restore a re‑employed Participant's Account Balance under this Section 5.04 (B) if:

(a)    5 Years. 5 years have elapsed since the Participant's first re‑employment date with the Employer following the Cash‑Out Distribution;

(b)    Not employed. The Employer does not employ the Participant on the date the Participant repays his/her Cash‑Out Distribution; or

(c)    Forfeiture Break. The Participant has incurred a Forfeiture Break in Service. This condition also applies if the Participant makes repayment within the Plan Year in which he/she incurs the Forfeiture Break in Service and that Forfeiture Break in Service would result in a complete forfeiture of the amount the Plan Administrator otherwise would restore.

(4)    Restoration timing. If none of the conditions in Section 5.04(B)(3) preventing restoration of the Participant's Account Balance apply, the Plan Administrator will restore the Participant's Account Balance as of the Plan Year Accounting Date coincident with or immediately following the repayment.

(5)    Source of restoration. To restore the Participant's Account Balance, the Plan Administrator, to the extent necessary, will allocate to the Participant's Account:

(a)    Forfeitures. First, from the amount, if any, of Participant forfeitures the Plan Administrator otherwise would allocate in that Plan Year under Section 3.07;

(b)    Earnings. Second, from the amount, if any, of the Earnings for the Plan Year, except to the extent Earnings are allocable to specific Participant‑Directed Accounts under Section 7.04(A)(2)(b); and

(c)    Employer Contribution. Third, from the amount of a discretionary Employer Contribution for the Plan Year.

The Employer in Appendix B may eliminate as a source of restoration any of the amounts described in clauses (a), (b), and (c) or may change the order of priority of these amounts.

(6)    Multiple restorations. If, for a particular Plan Year, the Plan Administrator must restore the Account Balance of more than one re‑employed Participant, the Plan Administrator will make the restoration allocations from the amounts described in Section 5.04(B)(5), clauses (a), (b) and (c) to each such Participant's Account in the same proportion that a Participant's restored amount for the Plan Year bears to the restored amount for the Plan Year of all re‑employed Participants.

(7)    Employer must make‑up shortfall. To the extent the amounts described in Section 5.04(B)(5) are insufficient to enable the Plan Administrator to make the required restoration, the Employer must contribute, without regard to any requirement or condition of Article III, the additional amount necessary to enable the Plan Administrator to make the required restoration.

(8)    Not an Annual Addition. A cash‑out restoration allocation is not an Annual Addition under Article IV.

(C)    Deemed Cash‑Out of 0% Vested Participant. Except as the Employer may elect in Appendix B, the "deemed cash‑out rule" of this Section 5.04(C) applies to any 0% Vested Participant. Under a deemed cash‑out, a Participant does not receive an actual Plan distribution but the Plan Administrator treats the Participant as having received an actual Cash‑Out Distribution.

(1)    Definition of 0% Vested Participant. A Participant is not 0% Vested if, at the time that the Plan Administrator applies the deemed cash‑out rule: (i) the Participant has any existing Account Balance attributable to Elective Deferrals, Employee Contributions, Safe Harbor Contributions, Prevailing Wage Contributions, Rollover Contributions, QNECs, QMACs or DECs; or (ii) the Participant has any vesting in accordance with the vesting schedule applicable to any other Contribution Type with a positive (non‑zero) balance in that Account. A Participant is 0% Vested if the Participant is eligible to make or to receive any of the contributions described in clause (i) above, but has not made or received such contributions and if the Participant has no vesting or no Account Balance as to Contribution Types described in clause (ii) above.

(2)    If not entitled to allocation. If a 0% Vested Participant's Account is not entitled to an allocation of Employer Contributions for the Plan Year in which the Participant has a Severance from Employment, the Plan Administrator will apply the deemed cash‑out rule as if the 0% Vested Participant received a Cash‑Out Distribution on the date of the Participant's Severance from Employment.

(3)    If entitled to allocation. If a 0% Vested Participant's Account is entitled to an allocation of Employer contributions or Participant forfeitures for the Plan Year in which the Participant has a Severance from Employment, the Plan Administrator will apply the deemed cash‑out rule as if the 0% Vested Participant received a Cash‑Out Distribution on the first day of the first Plan Year beginning after his/her Severance from Employment.

(4)    Timing of "deemed repayment." For purposes of applying the restoration provisions of this Section 5.04, the Plan Administrator will treat a re‑employed 0% Vested Participant as repaying his/her cash‑out "distribution" on the date of the Participant's re‑employment with the Employer.

(5)    Pension plans. If the Plan is a Money Purchase Pension Plan, all references in this Section 5.04(C) to "Severance from Employment" mean "Separation from Service."

(D)    Accounting for Cash‑Out Repayment.

(1)    Pending restoration. As soon as is administratively practicable, the Plan Administrator will credit to the Participant's Account the Cash‑Out Distribution amount a Participant has repaid to the Plan. Pending the restoration of the Participant's Account Balance, the Plan Administrator under Section 7.04(A)(2)(c) may direct the Trustee to place the Participant's Cash‑Out Distribution repayment in a Segregated Account.

(2)    Accounting by contribution source. The Plan Administrator will account for a Participant's restored balance by treating the Account as consisting of the same Contribution Types and amounts as existed on the date of the Cash‑Out Distribution. The Employer in Appendix B may elect an alternative accounting for a restored Account, either under the "nonelective rule" or under the "rollover rule." Under the nonelective rule, the Plan Administrator will treat the portion of the Participant's restored balance attributable to the Participant's cash‑out repayment as a Nonelective Contribution (or other Employer Contributions as applicable) for purposes of any subsequent distribution. Under the rollover rule, the Plan Administrator will treat the portion of the Participant's restored balance attributable to the Participant's cash‑out repayment as a Rollover Contribution for purposes of any subsequent distribution; provided however that if the cash‑out repayment does not qualify as a Rollover Contribution or if the Plan does not permit Rollover Contributions, the Plan Administrator will apply the nonelective rule. Under either the nonelective rule or the rollover rule the portion of the Participant's restored balance attributable to the Plan Administrator's restoration under Section 5.04(B)(1), consists of the same Contribution Types and amounts as existed as of the date of the Cash‑out Distribution.

(3)    Return if failed repayment. Unless the cash‑out repayment qualifies as a Participant Rollover Contribution, the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to repay to the Participant as soon as is administratively practicable, the full amount of the Participant's Cash‑Out Distribution repayment if the Plan Administrator determines any of the conditions of Section 5.04(B)(3) prevents restoration as of the applicable Accounting Date, notwithstanding the Participant's repayment.

5.05    YEAR OF SERVICE ‑ VESTING.

(A)    Definition of Year of Service. A Year of Service, for purposes of determining a Participant's vesting under Section 5.03, means the Vesting Computation Period during which an Employee completes the number of Hours of Service (not exceeding 1,000) the Employer specifies in its Adoption Agreement, without regard to whether the Employer continues to employ the Employee during the entire Vesting Computation Period.

(B)    Definition of Vesting Computation Period. A Vesting Computation Period is a 12‑consecutive month period the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement.

(C)    Counting Years of Service. For purposes of a Participant's vesting in the Plan, the Plan counts all of an Employee's Years of Service except:

(1)    Forfeiture Break in Service; Cash‑Out. For the sole purpose of determining a Participant's Vested percentage of his/her Account Balance derived from Employer Contributions which accrued for his/her benefit prior to a Forfeiture Break in Service or receipt of a Cash‑Out Distribution, the Plan disregards any Year of Service after the Participant first incurs a Forfeiture Break in Service or receives a Cash‑Out Distribution (except where the Plan Administrator restores the Participant's Account under Section 5.04(B)).

(2)    Rule of parity and one‑year hold‑out rule. If the rule of parity under Section 5.06(C) or the one‑year hold‑out rule under Section 5.06(D) applies, the Plan disregards pre‑break Service as described therein.

(3)    Other exclusions. Consistent with Code §411(a)(4), any Year of Service the Employer elects to exclude under its Adoption Agreement, including Service during any period for which the Employer did not maintain the Plan or a Predecessor Plan. See Section 1.46(B).

(D)    Elapsed Time. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to apply the Elapsed Time Method in applying the Plan's vesting schedule, the Plan Administrator will credit Service in accordance with Section 1.32(A)(3).

5.06    BREAK IN SERVICE AND FORFEITURE BREAK IN SERVICE ‑ VESTING.

(A)    Definition of Break in Service. For purposes of this Article V, a Participant incurs a Break in Service if during any Vesting Computation Period he/she does not complete more than 500 Hours of Service. If the Plan applies the Elapsed Time Method of crediting Service, a Participant incurs a Break in Service if the Participant has a Period of Severance of at least 12 consecutive months. If, pursuant to Section 5.05(A), the Plan does not require more than 500 Hours of Service to receive credit for a Year of Service, a Participant incurs a Break in Service in a Vesting Computation Period in which he/she fails to complete a Year of Service.

(B)    Definition of Forfeiture Break in Service. A Participant incurs a Forfeiture Break in Service when he/she incurs 5 consecutive Breaks in Service.

(C)    Rule of Parity‑Vesting. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to apply the "rule of parity" under Code §411(a)(6)(D) for purposes of determining vesting Years of Service. Under the rule of parity, the Plan Administrator excludes a Participant's Years of Service before a Break in Service if: (1) the number of the Participant's consecutive Breaks in Service equals or exceeds 5; and (2) the Participant is 0% Vested in his/her Account Balance (as described under Section 5.04(C)(1)) at the time he/she has the Breaks in Service.

(D)    One‑Year Hold‑out Rule‑Vesting. The "one‑year hold‑out rule" under Code §411(a)(6)(B) will not apply to this Article V unless the Employer elects otherwise in Appendix B. If the one‑year hold‑out rule applies, an Employee who has a one‑year Break in Service will not be credited for vesting purposes with any Years of Service earned before such one‑year Break in Service, until the Employee has completed a Year of Service after the one‑year Break in Service.

5.07    FORFEITURE OCCURS.

(A)    Timing. A Participant's forfeiture of his/her non‑Vested Account Balance derived from Employer Contributions occurs under the Plan on the earlier of:

(1)    Forfeiture Break. The last day of the Vesting Computation Period in which the Participant first incurs a Forfeiture Break in Service; or

(2)    Cash‑Out. The date the Participant receives a Cash‑Out Distribution.

(B)    Vesting Schedule/Lost Participants. The Plan Administrator determines the percentage of a Participant's Account Balance forfeiture, if any, under this Section 5.07 solely by reference to the vesting schedule the Employer elected in its Adoption Agreement. A Participant does not forfeit any portion of his/her Account Balance for any other reason or cause except as expressly provided by this Section 5.07 or as provided under Sections 3.07 or 7.07.

5.08    AMENDMENT TO VESTING SCHEDULE. The Employer under Section 11.02 may amend the Plan's vesting schedule(s) under Section 5.03 at any time, subject to this Section 5.08. For purposes of this Section 5.08, an amendment to the vesting schedule includes any Plan amendment which directly or indirectly affects the computation of the Vested percentage of a Participant's Account Balance. In addition, any shift in the Plan's vesting schedule under Article X, due to a change in the Plan's top‑heavy status, is an amendment to the vesting schedule for purposes of this Section 5.08.

(A)    No Reduction. The Plan Administrator will not apply the amended vesting schedule to reduce any Participant's existing Vested percentage (determined on the later of the date the Employer adopts the amendment, or the date the amendment becomes effective) in the Participant's existing (pre‑amendment) and future Account Balance attributable to Employer Contributions, to a percentage less than the Vested percentage computed under the Plan without regard to the amendment. Furthermore, the Plan Administrator will not apply the amended vesting schedule to affect adversely a Participant's Vesting under the pre‑amendment vesting schedule with respect to the Participant's pre‑amendment Account Balance.

(B)    Hour of Service Required. Except as the Plan otherwise expressly provides, an amended vesting schedule will apply to a Participant only if the Participant receives credit for at least one Hour of Service after the new vesting schedule becomes effective.

(C)    Election. If the Employer amends the Plan's vesting schedule, each Participant having completed at least 3 Years of Service (as described in Section 5.05) with the Employer prior to the expiration of the election period described below, may elect irrevocably to have the Plan Administrator determine the Vested percentage of his/her Account Balance without regard to the amendment.

(1)    Notice of amendment. The Plan Administrator will forward an appropriate notice of any amendment to the vesting schedule to each affected Participant, together with the appropriate form upon which the Participant may make an election to remain under the pre‑amendment vesting schedule and notice of the time within which the Participant must make an election to remain under the pre‑amendment vesting schedule.

(2)    Election timing. The Participant must file his/her election with the Plan Administrator within 60 days of the latest of: (a) the Employer's adoption of the amendment; (b) the effective date of the amendment; or (c) the Participant's receipt of a notice of the amendment.

(3)    No election if no adverse effect. The election described in this Section 5.08(C) does not apply to a Participant if the amended vesting schedule provides for vesting at least as rapid at any time as the vesting schedule in effect prior to the amendment.

5.09     EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTIONS. A Participant who is either fully or partially vested in his or her Employer Contributions will not forfeit any of those contributions merely as the result of a distribution of all or any portion of the Participant’s Employee Contributions.






ARTICLE VI
DISTRIBUTIONS



6.01    TIMING OF DISTRIBUTION. The Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to commence distribution of a Participant's Vested Account Balance in accordance with this Section 6.01 upon the Participant's Separation from Service (or Severance from Employment) for any reason, upon the Participant's death, or if the Participant exercises an In‑Service Distribution right under the Plan. The Trustee may make Plan distributions on any administratively practical date during the Plan Year, consistent with the Employer's elections in its Adoption Agreement. For purposes of this Article VI, the Plan applies Severance from Employment in place of Separation from Service where distribution is of Restricted 401(k) Accounts. Section 6.01(A) is controlling as to distribution of all Accounts upon Separation from Service or Severance from Employment. Section 6.01(B) is controlling as to distribution of all Accounts upon death (whether death occurs before or after Separation from Service or Severance from Employment). Section 6.01(C) applies only while a Participant remains employed by the Employer and only to such Accounts described in the Plan and as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement.

(A)    Distribution upon Separation from Service/Severance from Employment (other than death).

(1)    Mandatory Distributions. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect whether the Plan will make Mandatory Distributions and will elect the timing of the Mandatory Distribution. If the Employer elects no Mandatory Distributions, then all distributions are Distributions Requiring Consent under Section 6.01(A)(2). The timing of any Mandatory Distribution must comply with Code §401(a)(14).

(a)    Definition of Mandatory Distribution. A Mandatory Distribution is a Plan required distribution without the Participant's consent upon the Participant's Separation from Service. A Mandatory Distribution does not include a distribution based on the Participant's death or on account of Plan termination.

(i)    Distribution after 62/NRA; unlimited amount. A Mandatory Distribution in the case of a Participant who will receive the distribution after the Participant attains the later of age 62 or Normal Retirement Age includes a distribution of any amount.

(ii)    Distribution before 62/NRA; amount limit and Rollovers. A Mandatory Distribution in the case of a Participant who will receive the distribution before the Participant attains the later of age 62 or Normal Retirement Age may not exceed the amount (not exceeding $5,000) the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. In applying the elected Mandatory Distribution amount, the Plan Administrator will include or exclude a Participant's Rollover Contributions Account as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. The Plan Administrator will disregard accumulated DECs.

(iii)    Remaining Installments. A Mandatory Distribution does not include the remaining balance of any Installment distribution (originally subject to Participant consent), but where the remaining Account Balance presently is less than the Mandatory Distribution amount.

(b)    Distribution of Mandatory Distribution before 62/NRA; method and timing. If a Participant will receive a Mandatory Distribution before attaining the later of age 62 or Normal Retirement Age, the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute the Mandatory Distribution to the Participant in a Lump‑Sum (without regard to Section 6.04) consisting of the Participant's entire Vested Account Balance (including any Rollover Contribution Account even if the Plan disregards a Rollover Contribution Account in determining Mandatory Distribution status). The Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to make a Mandatory Distribution at the time the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, but in no event later than the 60th day following the close of the Plan Year in which: (i) the Participant attains Normal Retirement Age or age 65 if earlier; or (ii) occurs the Participant's 10th anniversary of Plan participation, whichever is later. See Section 6.08(D) regarding potential Automatic Rollover of Mandatory Distributions. The Plan Administrator, in accordance with Section 6.08(B) will give a rollover notice to a Participant who will receive a Mandatory Distribution. The notice will explain the Automatic Rollover under Section 6.08(D) as applicable in the case of the Participant's failure to respond timely to the rollover notice.

(c)    Distribution of Mandatory Distribution if 62/NRA; method and timing.

(i)    Balance not exceeding $5,000. If a Participant will receive a Mandatory Distribution after attaining the later of age 62 or Normal Retirement Age, and the Participant's Vested Account Balance (including any Rollover Contributions Account) does not exceed $5,000 (or such lesser amount the Employer elects in Appendix B), the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute a Mandatory Distribution to the Participant in a Lump‑Sum (without regard to Section 6.04) consisting of the Participant's entire Vested Account Balance. The Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to make a Mandatory Distribution at the time the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, but not later than the 60th day following the close of the Plan Year in which: (A) the Participant incurs a Separation from Service; or (B) occurs the Participant's 10th anniversary of Plan participation, whichever is later.

(ii)    Balance exceeds $5,000. If a Participant will receive a Mandatory Distribution after attaining the later of age 62 or Normal Retirement Age, and the Participant's Vested Account Balance (including any Rollover Contributions Account) exceeds $5,000 (or such lesser amount the Employer elects in Appendix B), the Participant may elect any method or form of distribution available under the Plan and the Plan Administrator in accordance with Section 6.01(A)(2)(c) will provide the Participant with a distribution notice. If under Section 6.01(A)(2)(f) the Plan permits a Participant receiving a Distribution Requiring Consent to postpone distribution to any specified date (not beyond the Participant's DCD as described in Section 6.02), a Participant receiving a Mandatory Distribution under this Section 6.01(A)(1)(c)(ii) also may elect to postpone distribution. If a Participant may not elect to postpone distribution or fails to elect to postpone distribution, the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute the Participant's Account at the time the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, but not later than the 60th day following the close of the Plan Year in which: (A) the Participant incurs a Separation from Service; or (B) occurs the Participant's 10th anniversary of Plan participation, whichever is later.

(iii)    Rollover notice but no Automatic Rollover. The Plan Administrator, in accordance with Section 6.08(B) will give a rollover notice to a Participant who will receive a Mandatory Distribution under this Section 6.01(A)(1)(c). However, the Automatic Rollover under Section 6.08(D), in the case of the Participant's failure to respond timely to the rollover notice, does not apply under this Section 6.01(A)(1)(c).

(2)    Distributions Requiring Consent.

(a)    Definition of Distribution Requiring Consent. A Distribution Requiring Consent is a distribution upon the Participant's Separation from Service other than on account of death and which is not a Mandatory Distribution,

(b)    Distribution of Distribution Requiring Consent. The Plan Administrator, subject to this Section 6.01(A)(2) regarding Participant elections or the absence thereof, will direct the Trustee to commence or make a Distribution Requiring Consent, at the time or times and in the form the Adoption Agreement specifies.

(c)    Distribution notice. At least 30 days and not more than 180 days prior to the Participant's Annuity Starting Date, the Plan Administrator must provide a written distribution notice (or a summary notice as permitted under Treasury regulations) to a Participant who is eligible to receive a Distribution Requiring Consent. The distribution notice must explain the optional forms of benefit in the Plan, including the material features and relative values of those options, and the Participant's right to postpone distribution until the applicable date described in Section 6.01(A)(2)(f). The notice will describe the consequences of the Participant's failure to postpone the distribution. Also see Section 6.08(B) for provisions relating to a rollover notice.

(d)    Consent requirements. A Participant must consent, in writing, following receipt of the distribution notice, to any Distribution Requiring Consent. The Participant's spouse also must consent, in writing, to any distribution, for which Section 6.04 requires the spouse's consent. The consent requirements of this Section 6.01(A)(2)(d) do not apply to defaulted loans described in Section 7.06(C), to RMDs under Section 6.02 or to corrective distributions under Article IV. See Section 11.05(D) as to consent requirements related to distributions following Plan termination.

(e)    Distribution election/reconsideration. A Participant eligible to receive a Distribution Requiring Consent, consistent with the Adoption Agreement and subject to Sections 6.02, 6.03 and 6.04, may elect the time and method of distribution of his/her Account (or portion thereof) following receipt of the distribution notice. Unless the Plan Administrator in a distribution form, notice, or other Plan disclosure indicates otherwise, a Participant may reconsider his/her distribution election at any time prior to the Annuity Starting Date and may elect to commence distribution as of any other distribution date permitted under the Plan or under the Adoption Agreement. A Participant may elect to receive a distribution at any administratively practical time which is earlier than 30 days following the Participant's receipt of the distribution notice, by waiving in writing the balance of the 30 days. However, if the requirements of Section 6.04 apply, the Participant may not elect to commence distribution during the 7 days immediately following the date of the Participant's receipt of the distribution notice.

(f)    Election to postpone. A Participant eligible to receive a Distribution Requiring Consent prior to his/her Annuity Starting Date, may elect to postpone distribution beyond the time the Employer has elected in its Adoption Agreement, to any specified date including, but not beyond the Participant's RBD as described in Section 6.02, unless the Employer, in its Adoption Agreement, specifically limits a Participant's right to postpone distribution of his/her Account Balance only to the later of the date the Participant attains age 62 or Normal Retirement Age. The Plan Administrator will reapply the notice and consent requirements of Section 6.01(A)(2) to any distribution a Participant postpones under this Section 6.01(A)(2)(f).

(g)    No election/deemed elected distribution date. In the absence of a Participant's consent and distribution election (as described in Sections 6.01(A)(2)(d) and (e)) or in the absence of the Participant's election under Section 6.01(A)(2)(f), made prior to his/her Annuity Starting Date, to postpone distribution, the Plan Administrator, consistent with the Employer's elections in its Adoption Agreement, will treat the Participant as having elected (in accordance with the Treasury regulations under Code §§411 and 401(a)(14)) to postpone his/her distribution until the later of the date the Participant attains age 62 or Normal Retirement Age. At the applicable date, the Plan Administrator then will direct the Trustee to distribute the Participant's Vested Account Balance in a Lump‑Sum (or, if applicable, the annuity form of distribution required under Section 6.04). The provisions Section 6.01(A)(2)(e) regarding reconsideration of distribution elections apply to any election or deemed election in this Section 6.01(A)(2)(g).

(h)    Definition of Annuity Starting Date. See Section 1.06(A).

(3)    Disability. If the Participant's Separation from Service is because of his/her Disability, except to the extent the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement to accelerate distribution, the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute the Participant's Vested Account Balance at the same time and in the same form as if the Participant had incurred a Separation from Service without Disability.

(4)    Determination of Vested Account Balance. For purposes of the consent requirements under this Article VI and of determining whether a distribution is a Mandatory Distribution, the Plan Administrator determines a Participant's Vested Account Balance as of the most recent Valuation Date immediately prior to the distribution date, and takes into account the Participant's entire Account Balance, including Elective Deferrals, but including or excluding the Participant's Rollover Contributions Account as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement. The Plan Administrator in determining the Participant's Vested Account Balance at the relevant time, will disregard a Participant's Vested Account Balance existing on any prior date, except as related to Installment distributions under Section 6.01(A)(1)(a)(iii).

(5)    Consent to Cash‑Out Distribution/forfeiture. If a Participant is partially Vested in his/her Account Balance, a Participant's election under Section 6.01(A)(2) to receive distribution prior to the Participant's incurring a Forfeiture Break in Service, must be in the form of a Cash‑Out Distribution.

(6)    Return to employment. A Participant may not receive a distribution based on Separation from Service, or continue any Installment distribution based on a prior Separation from Service, if, prior to the time the Trustee actually makes the distribution, the Participant returns to employment with the Employer.

(B)    Distribution upon Death. In the event of the Participant's death (whether death occurs before or after Separation from Service or Severance from Employment), the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee, in accordance with this Section 6.01(B) to distribute to the Participant's Beneficiary the Participant's Vested Account Balance remaining in the Trust at the time of the Participant's death.

(1)    Timing of commencement. The Plan Administrator must direct the Trustee to distribute or commence distribution of the deceased Participant's Vested Account Balance following the date on which the Plan Administrator receives notification of, or otherwise confirms, the Participant's death. The actual timing of distribution will be in accordance with: (a) the Employer's Adoption Agreement elections; (b) any Participant or Beneficiary permitted and timely made election under Section 6.03(B); and (c) the Plan terms including Section 6.02.

(2)    Distribution method. The Plan Administrator must direct the Trustee to distribute or commence distribution of the deceased Participant's Vested Account Balance under a method which is in accordance with: (a) the Employer's Appendix B elections; (b) any Participant or Beneficiary permitted and timely made election under Section 6.03(B); and (c) the Plan terms including Sections 6.02 and 6.04.

(C)    In‑Service Distribution. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect the Participants' In‑Service Distribution rights, if any. If the Employer elects to permit any In‑Service Distributions, the Employer will elect the eligible Contribution Type or Contribution Type Accounts and the age or other events which entitle a Participant to an In‑Service Distribution. An In‑Service Distribution under this Section 6.01(C) is subject to all provisions and limitations described herein and in Sections 6.04 and 11.02(C)(3) as to Protected Benefits.

(1)    Definition of In‑Service Distribution. An In‑Service distribution means distribution of a Participant's Account or any portion thereof prior to his/her Separation from Service.

(2)    Conditions.

(a) Vesting. The Employer must elect in its Adoption Agreement whether a partially‑Vested Participant may receive an In‑Service Distribution. If a Participant receives an In‑Service Distribution as to a partially‑Vested Account, and the Participant has not incurred a Forfeiture Break in Service, the Plan Administrator will apply the vesting provisions of Section 5.03(C).

(b) Other Conditions. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect other conditions applicable to In‑Service Distributions.

(3)    Administration.

(a)    Participant election. A Participant must make any permitted In‑Service Distribution election under this Section 6.01(C) in writing and on a form prescribed by the Plan Administrator which specifies the percentage or dollar amount of the distribution and the Participant's Contribution Type or Account to which the election applies.

(b)    Frequency, timing and method. If the Plan permits In‑Service Distributions: (i) the Plan Administrator may adopt a policy imposing frequency limitations or other reasonable administrative conditions; and (ii) a Participant may elect as many In‑Service Distributions per Plan Year as the election form prescribed by the Plan Administrator allows, or as any In‑Service Distribution policy permits, with a minimum of one In‑Service Distribution permitted each Plan Year. If the Plan Administrator's form or policy does not specify the permitted number of Plan Year In‑Service Distributions, the number is not limited. The Trustee, as directed by the Plan Administrator and subject to Section 6.04, will distribute the amount(s) a Participant elects, as soon as administratively practical after the Participant files his/her properly completed In‑Service Distribution election with the Plan Administrator. The Trustee will distribute the Participant's remaining Account Balance in accordance with the other provisions of this Article VI.

(4)    Account restrictions.

(a)    Nonelective, Regular Matching, Additional Matching and SIMPLE Contribution distribution events. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to permit an In‑Service Distribution of the Nonelective, Regular Matching, Additional Matching and SIMPLE Contribution Accounts upon a Participant's attainment of a stated age, based on a fixed number of years or based upon some other specified event, such as hardship under Section 6.07. Such Adoption Agreement elections include, but are not limited to, the following:

(i)    Two year "seasoned" contributions. The contributions which the Plan Administrator will distribute were made at least 2 years (or such other greater period as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement) prior to the date on which the distribution will occur. Such distributions may include Earnings on the "seasoned" contributions.

(ii)    60 months of participation. The Participant has been a Participant for at least 60 months (or for such other greater period as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement) prior to the date on which the Plan Administrator will make the distribution. This election applies to all applicable contributions, regardless of when made.

(b)    401(k) Plans.

(i)    Limitation. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to permit an In‑Service Distribution of the Restricted 401(k) Accounts only upon a Participant's Disability, attainment of age 59 1/2 (or any later age), hardship in accordance with Section 6.07, and as a QRD. Also see Section 6.11 regarding deemed severance distributions.

(ii)    Definition of Restricted 401(k) Accounts. A Participant's Restricted 401(k) Accounts are the Participant's Elective Deferral Account, QNEC Account, QMAC Account and Safe Harbor Contributions Account.

(iii)    Definition of QRD. A QRD means a qualified reservist distribution as defined under Code §72(t)(2)(G)(iii). A QRD is any distribution to an individual who is ordered or called to active duty after September 11, 2001, if: (A) the distribution is from the Elective Deferral Account; (B) the individual was (by reason of being a member of a reserve component, as defined in section 101 of title 37, United States Code) ordered or called to active duty for a period in excess of 179 days or for an indefinite period; and (C) the Plan makes the distribution during the period beginning on the date of such order or call, and ending at the close of the active duty period.

(c)    Money Purchase Pension (including target benefit) Plans.

(i)    Limitation. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to permit an In‑Service distribution of the Restricted Pension Accounts only upon attainment of Normal Retirement Age (or any later age). For Plan Years commencing after 2006, the Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to permit distribution on attainment of age 62 (or any later age), even if Normal Retirement Age is later than age 62.

(ii)    Definition of Restricted Pension Accounts. A Participant's Restricted Pension Accounts are the Participant's Money Purchase Pension Plan or as applicable, target benefit plan Accounts.

(d)    Prevailing Wage Contributions. For purposes of In‑Service Distributions, a Participant's Prevailing Wage Contribution Account is treated as a Nonelective or other Employer Contribution Account as applicable. However, if the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to offset other Contribution Types with the Prevailing Wage Contribution, for purposes of In‑Service Distributions, the Plan Administrator will treat that portion of the Prevailing Wage Contribution Account which offsets another Contribution Type, as the other Contribution Type.

(e)    Rollover Contributions, Employee Contributions and DECs. Unless otherwise specified on Appendix B, a Participant may elect to receive an In‑Service Distribution of his/her Accounts attributable to Rollover Contributions, Employee Contributions and DECs. Distribution of a Rollover Contribution is subject to Section 6.04 if Section 6.04 otherwise applies to the Participant.

(f)    Transferred amounts/distribution restrictions and Protected Benefits.

(i)    Distribution restrictions: transfers from pension plans to non‑pension plans. Except in the case of certain Elective Transfers, if this Plan is a Profit Sharing Plan or a 401(k) Plan, the Plan, except in accordance with Section 6.01(C)(4)(c), may not make any In‑Service Distribution to the Participant of his/her Restricted Pension Accounts (including post‑transfer Earnings on those Accounts) previously transferred, within the meaning of Code §414(l), to this Plan from a Money Purchase Pension Plan (or from a target benefit plan). In applying the Normal Retirement Age restriction in Section 6.01(C)(4)(c), the plan is subject to the limitations of Section 5.01(A). This limitation applies only to such transferred balances consisting of Restricted Pension Accounts.

(ii)    Distribution restrictions: transfers from 401(k) Plans to other plans. Except in the case of certain Elective Transfers, if this Plan is a Profit Sharing Plan or a Money Purchase Pension Plan, the Plan, except in accordance with Section 6.01(C)(4)(b), may not make any In‑Service Distribution to the Participant of his/her Restricted 401(k) Accounts (including post‑transfer Earnings on those Accounts) previously transferred, within the meaning of Code §414(l), to this Plan from a 401(k) Plan. This limitation applies only to such transferred balances consisting of Restricted 401(k) Accounts.

(iii)    Protected Benefit/Separate Accounting. See Section 11.06 regarding preservation of Protected Benefits with regard to transferred amounts. The Plan Administrator must apply proper separate accounting of transferred amounts to comply with this Section 6.01(C)(4)(f).

(g)    Designated IRA. A Participant may request and receive distribution of his/her Designated IRA Account at any time, subject to the requirements of Code §401(a)(9) and the regulations thereunder as applicable to IRAs. Section 6.04 does not apply to Designated IRA Contributions.

(5)    Hardship. See Section 6.07 regarding requirements for In‑Service Distributions and for post‑Separation from Service or Severance from Employment distribution accelerations, based on hardship.

(6)    Plan termination. Notwithstanding Section 6.01(C)(4), in the event the Employer terminates the Plan, the Plan Administrator may instruct the Trustee to make distribution of any restricted accounts in accordance with Section 11.05.

(7)    In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contributions. Except as otherwise elected in Appendix B, if the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects under Section 3.08(E) to permit In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contributions, (a) all Accounts (except a Roth Account) which may be distributed in an In‑Service Distribution are eligible for an In‑Plan Roth Rollover; (b) a Participant may distribute and roll over his/her Plan loan in an In‑Plan Roth Rollover, but without changing the loan repayment schedule; (c) any amount may be distributed in an In‑Plan Roth Rollover with no minimum; (d) a Participant may receive In‑Service Distributions from his/her In‑Plan Roth Rollover Account under the same conditions as the Participant's Roth Elective Deferral Account; and (e) In‑Service distributions which are eligible for an In‑Plan Roth Rollover are limited to those which are available for other types of distributions. If the Employer in Appendix B provides for In‑Service Distributions which are limited to In‑Plan Roth Rollovers, the Employer in Appendix B may permit distribution of an additional amount solely for the purpose of federal or state income tax withholding for the Participant's anticipated tax obligations regarding the amount includible in the Participant's gross income by reason of the In‑Plan Roth Rollover (and the amount withheld for income taxes). The Plan Administrator may limit the amount of the 100% withholding distribution to the amount the Plan Administrator reasonably determines is sufficient to satisfy the Participant's federal and/or state income tax liability relating to the Plan distribution.

(8)    EACA permissible withdrawals. See Section 3.02(B)(2)(d) regarding EACA permissible withdrawals.

6.02    REQUIRED MINIMUM DISTRIBUTIONS.

(A)    Lifetime RMDs.

(1)    RBD. The Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute or to commence distribution to the Participant of the Participant's entire Vested Account Balance no later than the Participant's RBD.

(2)    Amount of RMD for each DCY. During the Participant's lifetime, the RMD that will be distributed for each DCY is the lesser of:

(a)    ULT amount. The quotient obtained by dividing the Participant's RMD Account Balance by the distribution period in the ULT, using the Participant's age as of the Participant's birthday in the DCY; or

(b)    SLT/younger spouse. If the Participant's sole Designated Beneficiary for the DCY is the Participant's spouse who is more than 10 years younger than the Participant, the quotient obtained by dividing the Participant's RMD Account Balance by the distribution period in the JLT using the Participant's and spouse's attained ages as of the Participant's and spouse's birthdays in the DCY.

(3)    Lifetime RMDs continue through year of Participant's death. RMDs will be determined under this Section 6.02(A) beginning with the first DCY and up to and including the DCY that includes the Participant's date of death or until the Participant's Vested Account Balance is completely distributed.

(B)    Death RMDs.

(1)    Death of Participant before DCD. If the Participant dies before the DCD, the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute or commence distribution to the Participant of the Participant's Vested Accrued Benefit no later than as follows:

(a)    Spouse sole Designated Beneficiary. Except as otherwise provided in Section 6.02(B)(1)(e), if the Participant's surviving spouse is the Participant's sole Designated Beneficiary, then distributions to the surviving spouse will begin by December 31 of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the Participant died, or by December 31 of the calendar year in which the Participant would have attained age 70 1/2, if later.

(i)    Death of spouse. If the Participant's surviving spouse is the Participant's sole Designated Beneficiary and the surviving spouse dies after the Participant but before distributions to the surviving spouse are required to begin, then this Section 6.02(B)(1) (other than Section 6.02(B)(1)(a)) will apply as if the surviving spouse were the Participant.

(b)    Other Designated Beneficiary. Except as otherwise provided in Section 6.02(B)(1)(e), if the Participant's surviving spouse is not the Participant's sole Designated Beneficiary, then distributions to the Designated Beneficiary will begin by December 31 of the calendar year immediately following the calendar year in which the Participant died.

(c)    No Designated Beneficiary/"5‑year rule." If there is no Designated Beneficiary as of September 30 of the year following the calendar year of the Participant's death, the Participant's entire interest will be distributed by December 31 of the calendar year containing the fifth anniversary of the Participant's death.

(d)    Participant survived by Designated Beneficiary/"Life Expectancy rule." If there is a Designated Beneficiary, the RMD for each DCY after the year of the Participant's death is the quotient obtained by dividing the Participant's RMD Account Balance by the remaining Life Expectancy of the Participant's Designated Beneficiary, determined as provided in Section 6.02(B)(2)(a).

(e)    5‑year or Life Expectancy rule; possible election. This Section 6.02(B)(1)(e) applies if a Participant dies before the DCD and determines whether the Life Expectancy rule under Section 6.02(B)(1)(d) or the 5‑year rule under Section 6.02(B)(1)(c) applies to RMDs of a Beneficiary. If the Beneficiary is not a Designated Beneficiary, then the 5‑year rule applies. Otherwise, a Designated Beneficiary may elect which of these rules will apply unless the Employer otherwise elects in Appendix B. A permitted election under this Section 6.02(B)(1)(e) must be made no later than the earlier of September 30 of the calendar year in which distribution would be required to begin under Section 6.02(B)(1), or by September 30 of the calendar year which contains the fifth anniversary of the Participant's (or, if applicable, surviving spouse's) death. In the absence of a timely election, the Life Expectancy rule applies unless the Employer in Appendix B elects to apply the 5‑year rule. The election of the Life Expectancy rule or the 5‑year rule does not (i) entitle a Beneficiary to receive Installment distributions not otherwise provided in Section 6.03(A)(2), or (ii) delay the commencement or payment of distributions otherwise provided in 6.01(B)(1).

(2)    Death on or after DCD. This Section 6.02(B)(2) applies if the Participant dies on or after his/her DCD. If distribution has commenced before the participant’s death, the remaining interest will be distributed at least as rapidly as under the method of distribution being used as of the date of the participant’s death, as provided and determined under Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(9)-2, Q&A 5.

(a)    Participant survived by Designated Beneficiary. If there is a Designated Beneficiary, the RMD for each DCY after the year of the Participant's death is the quotient obtained by dividing the Participant's RMD Account Balance by the longer of the Participant's remaining Life Expectancy or the Designated Beneficiary's remaining Life Expectancy, determined as follows:

(i)    Participant's life expectancy. The Participant's remaining Life Expectancy is calculated using the age of the Participant in the year of death, reduced by one for each subsequent year.

(ii)    Spouse as sole Designated Beneficiary. If the Participant's surviving spouse is the Participant's sole Designated Beneficiary, the remaining Life Expectancy of the surviving spouse is calculated for each DCY after the year of the Participant's death using the surviving spouse's age as of the spouse's birthday in that year. For DCYs after the year of the surviving spouse's death, the remaining Life Expectancy of the surviving spouse is calculated using the age of the surviving spouse as of the spouse's birthday in the calendar year of the spouse's death, reduced by one for each subsequent calendar year.

(iii)    Non‑Spouse Designated Beneficiary. If the Participant's surviving spouse is not the Participant's sole Designated Beneficiary, the Designated Beneficiary's remaining Life Expectancy is calculated using the age of the Beneficiary in the year following the year of the Participant's death, reduced by one for each subsequent year.

(b)    No Designated Beneficiary. If there is no Designated Beneficiary as of September 30 of the year after the year of the Participant's death, the RMD for each DCY after the year of the Participant's death is the quotient obtained by dividing the Participant's RMD Account Balance by the Participant's remaining Life Expectancy calculated using the age of the Participant in the year of death, reduced by one for each subsequent year.

(C)    Distribution Methods. Nothing in this Section 6.02 gives any Participant or any Beneficiary the right to receive a distribution of the Participant's Account under any method or at a time which the Plan does not permit. Unless the Participant's Vested Account Balance is distributed in the form of an annuity purchased from an insurance company or in a Lump Sum on or before the RBD, as of the first DCY, distributions will be made in accordance with Section 6.02(A) and (B), but subject to the Employer's Adoption Agreement elections regarding the method of distribution. If the Participant's interest is distributed in the form of an annuity purchased from an insurance company, distributions thereunder will be made in accordance with the requirements of Code §401(a)(9) and the applicable Treasury regulations. Payments under such an annuity will either be non-increasing, or will increase only in accordance with Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(9)-6, Q&A 14. If the Adoption Agreement limits distributions to a Lump Sum, the Plan will distribute the Participant's entire Vested Account Balance in the form of a Lump Sum on or before the Participant's RBD, or if applicable, at the time determined in Section 6.02(B), but subject to the Employer's Adoption Agreement elections regarding timing of the distribution. See Section 6.03(B) regarding Participant and Beneficiary elections.

(D)    Operating Rules.

(1)    Precedence. The requirements of this Section 6.02 will take precedence over any inconsistent provisions of the Plan.

(2)    Requirements of Treasury regulations incorporated. All distributions required under this Section 6.02 will be determined and made in accordance with the Treasury regulations under Code §401(a)(9) and the minimum distribution incidental benefit requirement of Code §401(a)(9)(G).

(3)    TEFRA Section 242(b)(2) elections. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Section 6.02, distributions may be made under Section 6.10.

(E)    Definitions. The following definitions apply to this Section 6.02.

(1)    Designated Beneficiary. A "Designated Beneficiary" means an individual who is a Beneficiary under Section 7.05 (whether pursuant to a designation by the Participant or application of the Plan terms) and who is a designated beneficiary under Code §401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code and Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(9)‑4, Q&As‑4 and ‑5.

(2)    DCY. A DCY is a distribution calendar year for which an RMD is required. For RMDs beginning before the Participant's death, the first DCY is the calendar year immediately preceding the calendar year which contains the Participant's RBD. For RMDs beginning after the Participant's death, the first DCY is the calendar year in which distributions are required to begin under Section 6.02(B). The RMD for the Participant's first DCY will be made on or before the Participant's RBD. The RMD for other DCYs, including the RMD for the DCY in which the Participant's RBD occurs, will be made on or before December 31 of that DCY.

(3)    DCD. A DCD is a distribution commencement date and generally means the Participant's RBD. However, if Section 6.02(B)(1)(a)(i) applies, the DCD is the date distributions are required to begin to the surviving spouse under Section 6.02(B)(1)(a). If distributions under an annuity purchased from an insurance company irrevocably commence to the Participant before the otherwise applicable DCD, then the DCD is the date distributions actually commence.

(4)    JLT. The JLT is the Joint and Last Survivor Table set forth in Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(9)‑9, Q/A‑3.

(5)    Life Expectancy. Life Expectancy refers to life expectancy as computed under the SLT.

(6)    Participant's RMD Account Balance. A Participant's RMD Account Balance is the account balance as of the last Valuation Date in the VCY increased by the amount of any contributions made and allocated or forfeitures allocated to the Account Balance as of dates in the VCY after the Valuation Date and decreased by distributions made in the VCY after the Valuation Date. The Account Balance for the VCY includes any amounts rolled over or transferred to the Plan either in the VCY or in the DCY if distributed or transferred in the VCY.

(7)    RBD. A Participant's RBD is his/her required beginning date determined as follows:

(a)    More than 5% owner. A Participant's RBD is the April 1 of the calendar year following the close of the calendar year in which the Participant attains age 70 1/2 if the Participant is a more than 5% owner (as defined in Code §416(i)(B)) as to the Plan Year ending in that calendar year. If a Participant is a more than 5% owner at the close of the relevant Plan year, the Participant may not discontinue RMDs notwithstanding the Participant's subsequent change in ownership status.

(b)    Other Participants. If the Participant is not a more than 5% owner, his/her RBD is the April 1 of the calendar year following the close of the calendar year in which the Participant incurs a Separation from Service or, if later, the April 1 following the close of the calendar year in which the Participant attains age 70 1/2.

(c)    Election as to RBD. The Employer in Appendix B may elect that the Plan Administrator continue to apply (indefinitely or to a specified date) the RBD definition in effect prior to 1997 ("pre‑SBJPA RBD"). A Participant's pre‑SBJPA RBD (if applicable) is April 1 following the close of the calendar year in which the Participant attains age 70 1/2.

(8)    RMD. An RMD is the required minimum distribution the Plan must make to a Participant or Beneficiary for a DCY. The Plan Administrator determines an RMD without regard to vesting, but in accordance with Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(9)‑5, the Plan only will distribute an RMD to the extent that the amount distributed is Vested.

(9)    SLT. The SLT is the Single Life Table set forth in Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(9)‑9, Q/A‑1.

(10)    ULT. The ULT is the Uniform Lifetime Table set forth in Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(9)‑9, Q/A‑2.

(11)    VCY. A VCY is a valuation calendar year, which is the calendar year immediately preceding a DCY.

(F)    2009 RMDs. The provisions of this Section 6.02(F) apply as to RMDs due for the 2009 DCY, but for the enactment of Code §401(a)(9)(H) ("2009 RMDs"). Such 2009 RMDs, if required, would have been satisfied by one or more distributions equal to or totaling the 2009 RMDs or by one or more distributions in a series of substantially equal distributions (that include the 2009 RMDs) made at least annually and expected to last for the life (or life expectancy) of the Participant, the joint lives (or joint life expectancy) of the Participant and the Participant's Designated Beneficiary, or for a period of at least 10 years ("Extended 2009 RMDs"),

(1)    Suspension of 2009 RMDs unless otherwise elected by Participant. Notwithstanding the remaining provisions of Section 6.02, a Participant or Beneficiary who would have been required to receive a 2009 RMD will not receive those distributions for 2009, unless the Participant or Beneficiary elected to receive such distributions. The Plan Administrator will have provided Participants and Beneficiaries the opportunity to receive the 2009 RMDs, if this Section 6.02(F)(1) applies.

(2)    Continuation of RMDs unless otherwise elected by Participant. Notwithstanding Section 6.02(F)(1), if the Employer in Appendix B elects to continue 2009 RMDs subject to a Participant's or Beneficiary's election, a Participant or Beneficiary who would have been required to receive a 2009 RMD will receive those distributions for 2009 unless the Participant or Beneficiary elected not to receive such distributions. The Plan Administrator will have provided Participants and Beneficiaries the opportunity to not receive the 2009 RMDs, if this Section 6.02(F)(2) applies.

(3)    Continuation of RMDs/no election offered. Notwithstanding Section 6.02(F)(1), if the Employer in Appendix B elects to continue 2009 RMDs, a Participant or Beneficiary who would have been required to receive a 2009 RMD will receive those distributions for 2009. The Plan Administrator will not have provided Participants and Beneficiaries with an election to suspend the 2009 RMDs, if this Section 6.02(F)(3) applies.

(4)    Other treatment. The Employer in Appendix B may describe such other treatment of 2009 RMDs.

(5)    Direct Rollovers. The Plan will offer a Direct Rollover only for distributions that would be Eligible Rollover Distributions without regard to Code §401(a)(9)(H), except as the Employer otherwise may elect in Appendix B.

6.03    POST‑SEPARATION (SEVERANCE), LIFETIME RMD, AND BENEFICIARY DISTRIBUTION METHODS. Distribution of a Participant's Account: (i) after Separation from Service (or Severance from Employment); (ii) during employment but where the lifetime RMD requirements under Section 6.02(A) apply; and (iii) to a Beneficiary after the Participant's death, are subject to the distribution methods in this Section 6.03.

(A)    Plan Available Methods.

(1)    Participant methods. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect one or more of the following distribution methods applicable to a Participant: (i) Lump‑Sum; (ii) Installments; (iii) Installments but only if the Participant is required to receive lifetime RMDs under Section 6.02(A); (iv) Alternative Annuity; (v) Ad‑Hoc; or (vi) any other method the Employer describes in its Adoption Agreement. If Section 6.04 applies, the distribution must be a QJSA unless waived. In the event of a QJSA waiver, the distribution will be made under the alternative method the Participant elects (including a QOSA, as applicable), in accordance with this Section 6.03.

(2)    Beneficiary Methods. If the Plan is subject to Section 6.04, a surviving spouse Beneficiary may receive a QPSA. However, a surviving spouse Beneficiary may elect to waive the QPSA in favor of another Beneficiary distribution method the Plan permits. See Section 6.04(B)(5). The balance of this paragraph shall apply after a Participant's death in all other situations, except to the extent the Employer makes a contrary election in Appendix B. If the only distribution option available for Participants is a lump sum distribution, or the Employer elects in the Adoption to require immediate distribution of the Participant or distribution on or before the end of the year following the year of the Participant's death, then the Lump‑Sum method shall apply to distributions to the beneficiary. Otherwise, (i) a Beneficiary may elect to receive a distribution either as a Lump‑Sum or in Installments, (ii) if the Plan permits Ad‑Hoc distributions to Participants the Beneficiary may elect to receive Ad‑Hoc distributions, and (iii) any Installments or Ad‑Hoc distributions in a DCY must be at least equal to the RMD for the DCY. See Sections 6.02(B)(1)(e) and 6.02(C) as to distribution timing elections and elections relating to death of the Participant before the DCD.

(3)    Definition of Lump‑Sum. A LumpSum means a single payment and includes, but is not limited to, a "lump‑sum distribution" under Code §402(d)(4). If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to limit distributions to a Lump‑Sum, all Plan distributions must be made in this form, including all RMDs under Section 6.02.

(4)    Definition of Installments. Installments means payment in monthly, quarterly, semi‑annual, annual or other installments over a fixed reasonable period of time, not exceeding the Life Expectancy of the Participant, or the joint life and last survivor expectancy of the Participant and his/her Designated Beneficiary. To facilitate an Installment distribution the Plan Administrator under Section 7.04(A)(2)(c) may direct the Trustee to place all or any part of the Participant's Account Balance in a Segregated Account.

(a)    Installments only for Lifetime RMDs. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects Installments only if a Participant is subject to lifetime RMDs under Section 6.02(A), and does not elect Installments generally, only the affected Participants are entitled to an Installment distribution under the Plan. Any such Installment must satisfy Section 6.02(A).

(b)    Installment acceleration. A Participant or Beneficiary receiving an Installment distribution may, at any time, elect to accelerate the payment of all, or any portion, of the Participant's unpaid Vested Account Balance.

(5)    Definition of Alternative Annuity. An Alternative Annuity means distribution of an Annuity Contract which is not a QJSA, QPSA or a QOSA. The Alternative Annuity must be based on the life of the Participant or upon the joint lives of the Participant and an Individual Beneficiary. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will describe the material characteristics of any Alternative Annuity available under the Plan. If Section 6.04 does not apply to the overall Plan, the Employer will not elect an Alternative Annuity.

(6)    Definition of Ad‑Hoc. Ad‑Hoc means the Participant or Beneficiary may at any time after Separation from Service (or Severance from Employment) elect distribution of all or any part of his/her Account or of specified Accounts under the Plan. The Plan Administrator may adopt a policy regarding Ad‑Hoc distributions imposing a reasonable minimum distribution amount, frequency limitations or other reasonable administrative conditions.

(B)    Participant and Beneficiary Elections. Subject to any contrary requirements imposed by Sections 6.01, 6.02, this Section 6.03 or 6.04, and also subject to Section 8.04 as to the form of distribution (cash or property), a Participant or Beneficiary may elect any method, form or timing of distribution the Plan permits.

(1)    Participant election as to Beneficiary. The Participant, on a form prescribed by the Plan Administrator, may elect the distribution method, form and timing which will apply to any Beneficiary, including his/her surviving spouse. The Participant's election may limit any Beneficiary's right to increase or to reduce the frequency or the amount of any payments.

(2)    If no election. Unless the Employer otherwise elects in Appendix B, if a Participant or Beneficiary does not make a timely election as to the distribution method, form and timing as the Plan may permit, the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute a Lump‑Sum as soon as is practical and at the earliest date the Plan permits distribution but not later than the date the Plan requires distribution. If the Plan does not permit a Lump‑Sum distribution, the Plan Administrator will direct distribution under any other method the Plan permits. If the Plan permits an election as to cash or property, in the absence of an election, the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute cash, subject to Section 8.04.

(3)    Combination of methods. If the Plan permits more than one distribution method under this Section 6.03, a Participant or Beneficiary may elect any combination of the available methods either as to different Accounts or as to specified amounts subject to distribution. The Plan Administrator may adopt a policy imposing a reasonable minimum distribution amount as a condition of a Participant or Beneficiary electing a combination of distribution methods.

(4)    No third party discretion. No third party, including the Employer, the Plan Administrator and the Trustee, may exercise discretion over any Participant or Beneficiary election of the method of distribution, provided the election is made in accordance with the Plan.

(5)    Lump‑Sum only if Account does not exceed $5,000. Any distribution elections permitted under this Section 6.03 are available only if the Participant's Vested Account Balance, as determined under Section 6.01(A)(4), exceeds $5,000, unless the Employer elects to apply any lesser amount in Appendix B. If the Participant's Vested Account Balance does not exceed $5,000 (or such lesser amount the Employer elects in Appendix B), the Trustee will distribute the balance in a Lump‑Sum (which will be a Cash‑Out Distribution if the Participant's Account Balance is not 100% Vested) without regard to Section 6.04.

(6)    Sourcing election. If a Participant or Beneficiary who will receive a partial (non‑corrective) distribution of his/her Plan Account has both a Roth Deferral Account (or some other Account with tax basis) and one or more pre‑tax Accounts including a Pre‑Tax Deferral Account, the Participant or Beneficiary may elect the Account source(s) and composition (contributions or Earnings) of the distribution. This Section 6.03(B)(6) as to election of Account sources from among multiple sources does not apply to the extent that a Participant or Beneficiary is eligible under the Plan terms to receive a distribution only from one specific Account source. In the absence of a Participant or Beneficiary election, the Plan Administrator operationally will determine the Account source(s) from which the Trustee will make the distribution and will determine whether such amounts distributed consist of the Account contributions or of Account Earnings or both.

(7)    Application to alternate payees. This Section 6.03 applies to an alternate payee in the same manner as if the alternate payee were the Participant. See Section 6.05 as to the right of a QDRO alternate payee to elect the distribution method, form and timing applicable to the alternate payee's distribution.

(C)    Modification. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to modify the methods of payment available under the Plan, consistent with this Section 6.03. If the Employer's Plan is a Restated Plan, or in any other permitted Plan amendment, the Employer in accordance with Treas. Reg. §1.411(d)‑4, may elect to eliminate from the prior Plan certain Protected Benefits.

6.04    ANNUITY DISTRIBUTIONS TO PARTICIPANTS AND TO SURVIVING SPOUSES.

(A)    Qualified Joint and Survivor Annuity (QJSA). The Plan Administrator must direct the Trustee to distribute a married or unmarried Participant's Vested Account Balance in the form of a QJSA (or in the form of a QOSA described in Section 6.04(A)(8)), unless the Participant, and spouse if the Participant is married, waive the QJSA in accordance with this Section 6.04(A) or unless Section 6.04(G) applies.

(1)    Definition of QJSA if married. If, as of the Annuity Starting Date, the Participant is married (even if the Participant has not been married throughout the one year period ending on the Annuity Starting Date), a QJSA is an immediate Annuity Contract which is purchasable with the Participant's Vested Account Balance and which provides a Life Annuity for the Participant and a Survivor Annuity payable for the remaining life of the Participant's surviving spouse equal to 50% of the amount of the annuity payable during the life of the Participant.

(2)    Definition of QJSA if not married. If, as of the Annuity Starting Date, the Participant is not married, a QJSA is an immediate Life Annuity Contract for the Participant which is purchasable with the Participant's Vested Account Balance.

(3)    Modification of QJSA benefit. The Employer in Appendix B may elect a different percentage (more than 50% but not exceeding 100%) for the Survivor Annuity.

(4)    Definitions of Life/Survivor Annuity. A Life Annuity means an Annuity Contract payable to the Participant in equal installments for the life of the Participant that terminates upon the Participant's death. A Survivor Annuity means an Annuity Contract payable to the Participant's surviving spouse in equal installments for the life of the surviving spouse that terminates upon the death of the surviving spouse.

(5)    QJSA notice/timing. A Participant may elect distribution of the QJSA at the earliest retirement age under the Plan, which is the earliest date on which the Participant could elect to receive retirement benefits. A married Participant may elect distribution of the QJSA without spousal consent. At least 30 days and not more than 180 days before the Participant's Annuity Starting Date, the Plan Administrator must provide the Participant a written explanation of the terms and conditions of the QJSA, the Participant's right to make, and the effect of, an election to waive the QJSA benefit, the rights of the Participant's spouse regarding the waiver election and the Participant's right to make, and the effect of, a revocation of a waiver election and which otherwise satisfies the requirements of Treas. Reg. §1.417(a)(3)‑1.

(6)    Waiver frequency and timing. The Plan does not limit the number of times the Participant may revoke a waiver of the QJSA or make a new waiver during the election period. The Participant (and his/her spouse, if the Participant is married), may revoke an election to receive a particular form of benefit at any time until the Annuity Starting Date.

(7)    Married Participant waiver. A married Participant's QJSA waiver election is not valid unless: (i) the Participant's spouse (to whom the Survivor Annuity is payable under the QJSA), after the Participant has received the QJSA notice, has consented in writing to the waiver election, the spouse's consent acknowledges the effect of the election, and a notary public or the Plan Administrator (or his/her representative) witnesses the spouse's consent; (ii) the spouse consents to the alternative method of payment designated by the Participant or to any change in that designated method of payment; and (iii) unless the spouse is the Participant's sole primary Beneficiary, the spouse consents to the Participant's Beneficiary designation or to any change in the Participant's Beneficiary designation.

(a)    Effect of spousal consent/blanket waiver. The spouse's consent to a waiver of the QJSA is irrevocable, unless the Participant revokes the waiver election. The spouse may execute a blanket consent to the Participant's future payment method election or Beneficiary designation, if the spouse acknowledges the right to limit his/her consent to a specific designation but, in writing, waives that right.

(b)    Spousal consent not required. The Plan Administrator will accept as valid a waiver election which does not satisfy the spousal consent requirements if the Plan Administrator establishes: (i) the Participant does not have a spouse; (ii) the spouse cannot be located; or (iii) the Participant is legally separated or has been abandoned (within the meaning of applicable state law) and the Participant has a court order to that effect. If the Participant's spouse is legally incompetent to give consent, the spouse's legal guardian (even if the guardian is the Participant) may give consent.

(8)    Qualified Optional Survivor Annuity (QOSA). Effective for Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2007, a Participant who elects to waive the QJSA form of benefit is entitled to elect the QOSA at any time during the applicable QJSA election period. The QJSA notice will explain the terms and conditions of the QOSA. The QJSA provisions of Section 6.04(A) apply to a QOSA the Participant elects pursuant to this Section 6.04(A)(8).

(a)    Definition of QOSA. A QOSA is an Annuity Contract: (i) for the life of the Participant with a Survivor Annuity for the life of the spouse which is equal to the Applicable Percentage of the amount of the annuity which is payable during the joint lives of the Participant and the spouse; and (ii) which is the actuarial equivalent of a single annuity for the life of the Participant. A QOSA also includes any annuity in a form having the effect of an annuity described in the preceding sentence.

(b)    Definition of Applicable Percentage. For purposes of this Section 6.04(A)(8), the Applicable Percentage is based on the Survivor Annuity percentage under the Plan's QJSA. If the Survivor Annuity percentage is less than 75%, then the Applicable Percentage is 75%. If the Survivor Annuity percentage is greater than or equal to 75%, the Applicable Percentage is 50%.

(c)    No spousal consent requirement for QOSA. A Participant may elect a QOSA without spousal consent.

(B)    Qualified Preretirement Survivor Annuity (QPSA). If a married Participant dies prior to his/her Annuity Starting Date, the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute a portion of the Participant's Vested Account Balance to the Participant's surviving spouse in the form of a QPSA, unless the Participant has a valid QPSA waiver election in effect, or unless Section 6.04(G) applies. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect whether to apply the "one‑year marriage rule." If the Employer elects to apply the one‑year marriage rule, the QPSA benefit does not apply unless the Participant and his/her spouse were married throughout the one year period ending on the date of the Participant's death.

(1)    Definition of QPSA. A QPSA is an Annuity Contract which is purchasable with 50% of the Participant's Vested Account Balance (determined as of the date of the Participant's death) and which is payable for the life of the Participant's surviving spouse.

(2)    Modification of QPSA. The Employer in Appendix B may elect a different percentage (more than 50% but not exceeding 100%) for the QPSA.

(3)    Ordering rule. The value of the QPSA is attributable to Employer Contributions, to Pre‑Tax Deferrals, to Roth Deferrals, and to Employee Contributions in the same proportion as the Participant's Vested Account Balance is attributable to those contributions.

(4)    Disposition of remaining balance. The portion of the Participant's Vested Account Balance not payable as a QPSA is payable to the Participant's Beneficiary, in accordance with the remaining provisions of this Article VI.

(5)    Surviving spouse elections. If the Participant's Vested Account Balance which the Trustee would apply to purchase the QPSA exceeds $5,000, the Participant's surviving spouse may elect to have the Trustee commence payment of the QPSA at any time following the date of the Participant's death, but not later than Section 6.02 requires, and may elect any of the methods of payment described in Section 6.03, in lieu of the QPSA. In the absence of an election by the surviving spouse, the Plan Administrator must direct the Trustee to distribute the QPSA on the earliest administratively practicable date following the close of the Plan Year in which the latest of the following events occurs: (a) the Participant's death; (b) the date the Plan Administrator receives notification of or otherwise confirms the Participant's death; (c) the date the Participant would have attained Normal Retirement Age; or (d) the date the Participant would have attained age 62.

(6)    QPSA notice/timing. The Plan Administrator must provide a written explanation of the QPSA to each married Participant within the following period which ends last: (a) the period beginning on the first day of the Plan Year in which the Participant attains age 32 and ending on the last day of the Plan Year in which the Participant attains age 34; (b) a reasonable period after an Employee becomes a Participant; or (c) a reasonable period after Section 6.04 of the Plan becomes applicable to the Participant. A "reasonable period" described in clauses (b) and (c) is the period beginning one year before and ending one year after the applicable event. If the Participant incurs a Separation from Service before attaining age 35, clauses (a), (b), and (c) do not apply and the Plan Administrator must provide the QPSA notice within the period beginning one year before and ending one year after the Separation from Service. If the Participant thereafter returns to employment with the Employer, the Plan Administrator will redetermine the applicable period. The QPSA notice must describe the terms and conditions of the QPSA and of the waiver of the QPSA, comparable to the QJSA notice required under Section 6.04(A)(5), and which otherwise satisfies the requirements of Treas. Reg. §1.417(a)(3)‑1.

(7)    Waiver frequency and timing. The Plan does not limit the number of times the Participant may revoke a waiver of the QPSA or make a new waiver during the election period. The election period for waiver of the QPSA ends on the date of the Participant's death. A Participant's QPSA waiver election is not valid unless the Participant makes the waiver election after the Participant has received the QPSA notice and no earlier than the first day of the Plan Year in which he/she attains age 35. However, if the Participant incurs a Separation from Service prior to the first day of the Plan Year in which he/she attains age 35, the Plan Administrator will accept a waiver election as to the Participant's Account Balance attributable to his/her Service prior to his/her Separation from Service. In addition, if a Participant who has not incurred a Separation from Service makes a valid waiver election, except for the age 35 Plan Year timing requirement above, the Plan Administrator will accept that election as valid, but only until the first day of the Plan Year in which the Participant attains age 35.

(8)    Spousal consent to waiver. A Participant's QPSA waiver is not valid unless the Participant's spouse (to whom the QPSA is payable) satisfies or is excused from the consent requirements as described in Section 6.04(A)(7) as to a QJSA, except the spouse need not consent to the method of benefit payable to the Designated Beneficiary. The spouse's consent to the waiver of the QPSA is irrevocable, unless the Participant revokes the waiver election. The spouse also may execute a blanket consent as to the QPSA waiver in the same manner as described in Section 6.04(A)(7)(a) as to a QJSA.

(C)    Effect of Waiver. If the Participant has in effect a valid waiver election regarding the QJSA or the QPSA, the Plan Administrator must direct the Trustee to distribute the Participant's Vested Account Balance in accordance with Sections 6.01, 6.02 and 6.03.

(D)    Loan Offset. The Plan Administrator will reduce the Participant's Vested Account Balance by any security interest (pursuant to any offset rights authorized by Section 6.06) held by the Plan by reason of a Participant loan, to determine the value of the Participant's Vested Account Balance distributable in the form of a QJSA or QPSA, provided the loan satisfied the spousal consent requirement described in Section 7.06(D).

(E)    Effect of QDRO. For purposes of applying this Article VI, a former spouse (in lieu of the Participant's current spouse) is the Participant's spouse or surviving spouse to the extent provided under a QDRO described in Section 6.05. The provisions of this Section 6.04 apply separately to the portion of the Participant's Vested Account Balance subject to a QDRO and to the portion of the Participant's Vested Account Balance not subject to the QDRO.

(F)    Vested Account Balance Not Exceeding $5,000. The Trustee must distribute in a Lump‑Sum a Participant's Vested Account Balance which the Trustee otherwise under Section 6.04 would apply to provide a QJSA or QPSA benefit, where the Participant's Vested Account Balance determined under Section 6.01(A)(4) does not exceed $5,000, unless the Employer elects to apply any lesser amount in Appendix B.

(G)    Profit Sharing Plan Exception. If this Plan is a Profit Sharing Plan, the Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect whether the preceding provisions of Section 6.04 apply to all Participants or only to Participants who are not Exempt Participants.

(1)    Definition of Exempt Participants. All Participants are Exempt Participants except the following Participants to whom Section 6.04 (excluding this Section 6.04(G)) must be applied: (a) a Participant as respects whom the Plan is a direct or indirect transferee from a plan subject to the Code §417 requirements and the Plan received the Transfer after December 31, 1984, unless the Transfer is an Elective Transfer described in Section 11.06(E)(3); (b) a Participant who elects a Life Annuity distribution (if Section 11.02(C)(3) of the Plan requires the Plan to provide a Life Annuity distribution option); or (c) a Participant whose benefits under a Defined Benefit Plan maintained by the Employer are offset by benefits provided under this Plan.

(2)    Transfers. If a Participant receives a Transfer under Section 6.04(G)(1), clause (a) above and to which Section 6.04 applies, the Plan Administrator may elect to apply Section 6.04 only to the Participant's transferred balance and not to the Participant's remaining Account Balance provided that the Plan Administrator accounts properly for such balances.

(3)    Distribution to Exempt Participant. The Plan Administrator must direct the Trustee to distribute the Exempt Participant's Vested Account Balance in accordance with Sections 6.01, 6.02 and 6.03.

(4)    Exempt Participant Beneficiary designation. See Section 7.05(A)(3) as to requirements relating to a married Exempt Participant's Beneficiary designation.

6.05    QDRO DISTRIBUTIONS. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan, the Trustee, in accordance with the direction of the Plan Administrator, must comply with the provisions of a QDRO, as defined in Code §414(p)(1)(A), which is issued with respect to the Plan.

(A)    Distribution at Any Time. This Plan specifically permits distribution to an alternate payee under a QDRO at any time, irrespective of whether the Participant has attained his/her earliest retirement age (as defined under Code §414(p)(4)(B)) under the Plan. However, a distribution to an alternate payee prior to the Participant's attainment of earliest retirement age is available only if: (1) the QDRO specifies distribution at that time or permits an agreement between the Plan and the alternate payee to authorize an earlier distribution; and (2) if the present value of the alternate payee's benefits under the Plan exceeds $5,000, and the QDRO requires the alternate payee's consent to any distribution occurring prior to the Participant's attainment of earliest retirement age, the alternate payee gives such consent.

(B)    Plan Terms Otherwise Apply. Except as to timing of distribution commencement under Section 6.05(A), nothing in this Section 6.05 gives a Participant or an alternate payee a right to receive a method, form or timing of distribution, to receive any option, or to increase benefits in a manner that the Plan does not permit.

(C)    QDRO Procedures. The Plan Administrator must establish reasonable procedures to determine the qualified status of a domestic relations order (as defined under Code §414(p)(1)(B).

(1)    Notices and order status. Upon receiving a domestic relations order, the Plan Administrator promptly will notify the Participant and any alternate payee named in the order, in writing, of the receipt of the order and the Plan's procedures for determining the qualified status of the order. Within a reasonable period of time after receiving the domestic relations order, the Plan Administrator must determine the qualified status of the order and must notify the Participant and each alternate payee, in writing, of the Plan Administrator's determination. The Plan Administrator must provide notice under this Section 6.05(C)(1) by mailing to the individual's address specified in the domestic relations order, or in a manner consistent with DOL regulations.

(2)    Interim amounts payable. If any portion of the Participant's Vested Account Balance is payable under the domestic relations order during the period the Plan Administrator is making its determination of the qualified status of the domestic relations order, the Plan Administrator must maintain a separate accounting of the amounts payable. If the Plan Administrator determines the order is a QDRO within 18 months of the date amounts first are payable following receipt of the domestic relations order, the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute the payable amounts in accordance with the QDRO. If the Plan Administrator does not make its determination of the qualified status of the order within the 18‑month determination period, the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute the payable amounts in the manner the Plan would distribute if the order did not exist and will apply the order prospectively if the Plan Administrator later determines the order is a QDRO.

(3)    Segregated Account. To the extent it is not inconsistent with the provisions of the QDRO, the Plan Administrator under Section 7.04(A)(2)(c) may direct the Trustee to segregate the QDRO amount in a Segregated Account. The Trustee will make any payments or distributions required under this Section 6.05 by separate benefit checks or other separate distribution to the alternate payee(s).

6.06    DEFAULTED LOAN ‑ TIMING OF OFFSET. If a Participant or a Beneficiary defaults on a Plan loan, the Plan Administrator will determine the timing of the reduction (offset) of the Participant's Vested Account Balance in accordance with this Section 6.06 and the Plan Administrator's loan policy.

(A)    Offset if Distributable Event. If, under the loan policy a loan default also is a distributable event under the Plan, the Trustee, at the time of the loan default, will offset the Participant's Vested Account Balance by the lesser of the amount in default (including accrued interest) or the Plan's security interest in that Vested Account Balance.

(B)    Restricted Accounts. If the loan is from a Restricted Pension Account and the loan default is a distributable event under the loan policy, the Trustee will offset the Participant's Account Balance in the manner described in Section 6.06(A) only if the Participant has incurred a Separation from Service or has attained Normal Retirement Age (or age 62 if earlier). If a 401(k) Plan makes the loan, to the extent the loan is attributable to the Participant's Restricted 401(k) Accounts, the Trustee will not offset the Participant's Vested Account Balance prior to the earlier of the date the Participant incurs a Severance from Employment or the date the Participant attains age 59 1/2. Consistent with its loan policy, the Plan Administrator also may offset a Participant's defaulted loan upon Plan termination, provided the Participant's Account Balance is distributable upon Plan termination.

6.07    HARDSHIP DISTRIBUTIONS. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to permit a hardship distribution to an electing Participant. If the Employer elects to permit hardship distributions, the Employer, consistent with the Adoption Agreement, will elect: (i) which Accounts are available for a hardship distribution; (ii) whether the Plan Administrator will administer the hardship distributions in accordance with the safe harbor provisions of Section 6.07(A)or under the non‑safe harbor provisions of Section 6.07(B); and (iii) whether the hardship distribution is an In‑Service Distribution, an acceleration of a distribution occurring after Severance from Employment/Separation from Service, or both. The Employer in its Profit Sharing Plan Adoption Agreement may elect to apply the safe harbor rules. Unless the Employer otherwise elects on Appendix B, if the Employer elects to permit hardship acceleration of distributions after Severance from Employment/Separation from Service, the existence of such a hardship will be determined under the safe harbor rules of Section 6.07(B).

(A)    Safe Harbor Need/Necessity.

(1)    Deemed immediate and heavy need. For purposes of this Plan, a safe harbor hardship distribution is a distribution on account of one or more of the following immediate and heavy financial needs: (a) expenses for (or necessary to obtain) medical care (as defined in Code §213(d)) for the Participant, for the Participant's spouse, or for any of the Participant's dependents; (b) costs directly related to the purchase (excluding mortgage payments) of a principal residence of the Participant; (c) payment of post‑secondary education tuition and related educational fees (including room and board), for the next 12‑month period, for the Participant, for the Participant's spouse, for the Participant's children, or for any of the Participant's dependents; (d) payments necessary to prevent the eviction of the Participant from his/her principal residence or the foreclosure of the mortgage on the Participant's principal residence; (e) payments for the funeral or burial expenses for the Participant's deceased parent, spouse, child, or dependent; or (f) expenses to repair damage to the Participant's principal residence that would qualify for a casualty loss deduction under Code §165 (determined without regard to whether the loss exceeds 10% of adjusted gross income). The Plan Administrator operationally may limit the deemed immediate and heavy financial need events to only certain of the events specified as (a) through (f) above, upon which a Participant may elect to receive a hardship distribution. As used in this Section 6.07(A)(1), the term "dependent" means a dependent as defined in Code §152 but for Taxable Years beginning after 2004 as applied to clause (e), means without regard to Code §152(d)(1)(B) and, for purposes of clause (c), means as applied without regard to Code §§152(b)(1) or (2) and 152(d)(1)(B). Notwithstanding the immediately preceding sentence, the Plan Administrator may elect to limit the term "dependent" to those persons whom the Participant may claim as a dependent on IRS Form 1040. The administrative forms related to hardship distributions will reflect which deemed immediate and heavy financial need events, and which of these definitions of "dependent," the Plan Administrator has elected to apply.

(2)    Deemed necessity. The following restrictions apply to a Participant who receives a safe harbor hardship distribution: (a) the Participant may not make Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions to the Plan and other plans (described below) maintained by the Employer for the 6‑month period (or any longer period the Plan Administrator may specify in a hardship distribution policy) following the date of his/her hardship distribution; (b) the distribution may not exceed the amount of the Participant's immediate and heavy financial need (including any amounts necessary to pay any federal, state or local income taxes or penalties reasonably anticipated to result from the distribution); and (c) the Participant must have obtained all distributions (including distribution of Code §404(k) ESOP dividends), other than hardship distributions, and all nontaxable loans (determined at the time of the loan) currently available under the Plan and all other plans (described below) maintained by the Employer. "Other plans" for purposes of clauses (a) and (c) means all other qualified plans and all nonqualified plans of deferred compensation maintained by the Employer including a cash or deferred arrangement that is part of a cafeteria plan under Code §125 (but excluding the mandatory employee contribution portion of a Defined Benefit Plan or a health or welfare benefit plan, including one that is part of a cafeteria plan). For purposes of clause (a), "other plans" also includes stock option, stock purchase and other similar plans maintained by the Employer.

(B)    Non‑safe Harbor Need/Necessity. For purposes of this Plan, a non‑safe harbor hardship distribution is a distribution on account of an immediate and heavy financial need. The distribution cannot exceed the amount necessary to satisfy the need (including any amounts necessary to pay any federal, state, or local income taxes or penalties reasonably anticipated to result from the distribution). The Plan will not make a non‑safe harbor hardship distribution if the Participant may relieve the need from other resources that are reasonably available to the Participant. The Plan Administrator will administer a hardship distribution under this Section 6.07(B) in accordance with Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)‑1(d)(3)(iv), but excluding paragraph (E) thereof.

(C)    Policy/Reliance. The Plan Administrator may adopt a uniform and nondiscriminatory policy regarding hardship distributions including objective standards for determining whether a Participant has an immediate and heavy financial need and for substantiating the extent of the Participant's need. The Plan Administrator, absent actual contrary knowledge, may rely on a Participant's written representation that the distribution is on account of hardship (as defined in Section 6.07(A)(1)), that the distribution satisfies Section 6.07(B) and/or that the distribution satisfies clause (b) under 6.07(A)(2).

(D)    No Counterproductive Actions. A Participant, to establish necessity under either Sections 6.07(A)(2) or 6.07(B) need not take counterproductive actions as would increase the financial need. Such actions include, but are not limited to, being required to first take a Participant loan to purchase a principal residence where such a loan would result in the Participant's disqualification from obtaining other necessary financing.

(E)    Restrictions on Amount; Grandfathered Amounts. The maximum amount distributable from Elective Deferrals as a hardship distribution may not exceed the amount equal to the Participant's total Elective Deferrals as of the hardship distribution date, reduced by the amount of any Elective Deferrals previously distributed to the Participant based on hardship or otherwise. QMACs and QNECs, and any Earnings on such contributions, and Earnings on the Participant's Elective Deferrals, each credited as of December 31, 1988, or if later, by the end of the last Plan Year ending before July 1, 1989 (collectively, "grandfathered amounts"), increase the amount of the maximum available hardship distribution only if the Employer in Appendix B elects to include such amounts. The restrictions of this Section 6.07(E) do not apply to hardship distributions from Nonelective Contributions, Regular Matching Contributions or Additional Matching Contributions and such distributions also may include Earnings on such Accounts. No hardship distribution is available from Safe harbor Contribution Accounts.

(F)    Ordering. If the Plan permits a hardship distribution from more than one Account type, the Participant or the Plan Administrator in accordance with Section 6.03(B)(6) will determine the ordering of a Participant's hardship distribution from the hardship distribution eligible Accounts, including ordering as between the Participant's Pre‑Tax Deferral Account and Roth Deferral Account, if any, provided that any ordering is consistent with any restriction on hardship distributions under this Section 6.07.

(G)    Prototype and Volume Submitter Plans. A Participant's hardship distribution made from Elective Deferrals under a Prototype Plan must comply with the safe harbor rules of Section 6.07(A). A Participant's hardship distribution made from the Nonelective Contribution, Regular Matching Contribution or Additional Matching Contribution Accounts under a Prototype Plan, as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, may comply with the safe harbor rules of Section 6.07(A) or the non‑safe harbor rules of Section 6.07(B). A Volume Submitter Plan, as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, may provide hardship distributions under the safe harbor rules of Section 6.07(A) or under the non‑safe harbor hardship distribution rules of Section 6.07(B).

(H)    Beneficiary's Hardship Need. If the Employer elects in Appendix B and effective on the date specified therein which may not be earlier than August 17, 2006, a Participant's hardship event, for purposes of Section 6.07(A)(1), includes an immediate and heavy financial need of a primary Individual Beneficiary of the Participant, that would constitute a hardship event if it occurred with respect to the Participant's spouse or dependent as defined under Section 6.07(A)(1), but only as to the events described in Sections 6.07(A)(1)(a), (c) and (e). For purposes of this Section 6.07(H), a "primary Individual Beneficiary" is an Individual Beneficiary who has an unconditional right to all or a portion of the Participant's Account Balance upon the Participant's death.

6.08    DIRECT ROLLOVER OF ELIGIBLE ROLLOVER DISTRIBUTIONS.

(A)    Participant Election. A Participant (including for this purpose, a former Employee) may elect, at the time and in the manner prescribed by the Plan Administrator, to have any portion of his/her Eligible Rollover Distribution from the Plan paid directly to an Eligible Retirement Plan specified by the Participant in a Direct Rollover. For purposes of this Section 6.08, a Participant includes as to their respective interests, a Participant's surviving spouse and the Participant's spouse or former spouse who is an alternate payee under a QDRO. A non‑spouse Designated Beneficiary also has rollover rights as described in Section 6.08(G).

(B)    Rollover and Withholding Notice. At least 30 days but not more than 180 days prior to the Trustee's distribution of an Eligible Rollover Distribution, the Plan Administrator must provide a written notice (including a summary notice as permitted under applicable Treasury regulations) explaining to the distributee the rollover option, the applicability of mandatory 20% federal income tax withholding to any amount not directly rolled over, and the recipient's right to roll over the distribution within 60 days after the date of receipt of the distribution ("rollover notice"). If applicable, the rollover notice also must explain the availability of income averaging and the exclusion of net unrealized appreciation. A recipient of an Eligible Rollover Distribution (whether he/she elects a Direct Rollover or elects to receive the distribution), also may elect to receive distribution at any administratively practicable time which is earlier than 30 days (but more than 7 days if Section 6.04 applies) following receipt of the rollover notice.

(1)    Notice of right to defer distribution. A distribution notice must include a description of a Participant's right, if any, to defer receipt of a distribution and also must describe the consequences of failing to defer receipt of the distribution.

(C)    Default Rollover. The Plan Administrator, in the case of a Participant who does not respond timely to the rollover notice, may make a Direct Rollover of the Participant's Account (as described in Rev. Rul. 2000‑36 or in any successor guidance, or in any DOL guidance) in lieu of distributing the Participant's Account.

(D)    Automatic Rollover. If the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement to provide for Mandatory Distributions described in Section 6.01(A), the Plan Administrator will apply this Section 6.08(D) to all Mandatory Distributions made before the Participant attains the later of age 62 or Normal Retirement Age. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect whether to apply this Section 6.08(D) to a specified amount or will apply this Section only to such Mandatory Distributions which exceed $1,000. In the event of any Mandatory Distribution subject to this Section 6.08(D), if the Participant does not elect to have such distribution paid directly to an Eligible Retirement Plan the Participant specifies in a Direct Rollover or to receive the distribution directly in accordance with Section 6.01(A), then the Plan Administrator will pay the distribution in a Direct Rollover to an Individual Retirement Plan the Plan Administrator designates ("Automatic Rollover").

(1)    Determination of Mandatory Distribution amount.

(a)    Rollovers count. The Plan Administrator, in determining whether a Mandatory Distribution is greater than $1,000 for purposes of this Section 6.08(D), will include the portion of the Participant's distribution attributable to any Rollover Contribution, regardless of the Employer's Adoption Agreement election to include or exclude Rollover Contributions in determining a Mandatory Distribution.

(b)    Roth and non‑Roth Accounts. In determining the Mandatory Distribution amount under this Section 6.08(D), the Plan Administrator will aggregate a Participant's Roth Deferral and all other (non‑Roth) Accounts if each Account Balance exceeds $200. If either the Roth Deferral Account or the total of all non‑Roth Accounts is less than $200, the Plan Administrator will apply this Section 6.08(D) only to the other Account and will not aggregate the Account Balance under $200 with the other Account Balance.

(2)    Spousal Beneficiaries, alternate payees and Plan termination. Except as otherwise provided in Section 7.07(B), the Automatic Rollover provisions of this Section 6.08(D) do not apply to spousal Beneficiaries, to alternate payees under a QDRO or to distributions upon Plan termination.

(E)    Limitation on Employee Contribution and Roth Rollovers.

(1)    Employee Contributions. The non‑taxable portion of a Participant's Employee Contribution Account only may be transferred by means of a Direct Rollover to a qualified Defined Contribution Plan described in Code §§401(a) or 403(a), or for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2006, to a Code §403(b) plan, that agrees to account separately for amounts so transferred, including accounting separately for the portion of such distribution which is includible in gross income and the portion of such distribution which is not includible in gross income. The non‑taxable portion of a Participant's Employee Contributions also may be transferred by a Direct Rollover or by a 60‑day rollover to an Individual Retirement Plan. For purposes of a rollover of a distribution which includes both Employee Contributions and pre‑tax amounts, the Plan Administrator will treat the first amounts rolled over as attributable to the pre‑tax amounts.

(2)    Roth Accounts. Except as otherwise described, the provisions of this Section 6.08(E) apply for taxable years commencing on or after January 1, 2006. A Participant's Roth Account (which may include Roth deferrals, Roth rollovers, or In‑Plan Roth Rollovers) may be transferred by means of a Direct Rollover to a Roth plan. A Participant also may transfer the taxable portion of his/her Roth Account by a 60‑day rollover to a Roth plan. A "Roth plan" means any of the following plans which accept Roth deferrals: a qualified plan described in Code §401(k), a Code §403(b) plan, or commencing January 1, 2011, a governmental 457(b) plan. A Participant's Roth Account also may be transferred by a Direct Rollover or by a 60‑day rollover to a Roth Individual Retirement Plan.

(F)    Definitions. The following definitions apply to this Section 6.08:

(1)    Direct Rollover. A Direct Rollover is a payment by the Plan to the Eligible Retirement Plan the distributee specifies in his/her Direct Rollover election or in the case of an Automatic Rollover, to the Individual Retirement Plan that the Plan Administrator designates.

(2)    Eligible Retirement Plan. An Eligible Retirement Plan is an individual retirement account described in Code §408(a), an individual retirement annuity described in Code §408(b), an annuity plan described in Code §403(a), a qualified trust described in Code §401(a), an arrangement described in Code §403(b), an eligible governmental deferred compensation plan described in Code §457(b), or for distributions made after December 31, 2007, a Roth IRA described in Code §408A(b). However, with regard to a Participant's Roth Deferral Account, an Eligible Retirement Plan is a Roth IRA described in Code §408A(b), or a Roth plan, as defined in Section 6.08(E)(2).

(3)    Eligible Rollover Distribution. An Eligible Rollover Distribution is any distribution of all or any portion of the Participant's Vested Account Balance, except: (a) any distribution which is one of a series of substantially equal periodic payments (not less frequently than annually) made for the life (or life expectancy) of the Participant or the joint lives (or joint life expectancies) of the Participant and the Participant's Beneficiary, or for a specified period of ten years or more; (b) any RMD under Section 6.02; (c) the portion of any distribution which is not includible in gross income (except for Roth Deferral Accounts, Employee Contributions and determined without regard to the exclusion of net unrealized appreciation with respect to employer securities); (d) any hardship distribution; (e) a corrective distribution made under Article IV; (f) a deemed distribution resulting from a defaulted Participant loan which is not also an offset distribution; (g) any other distributions described in Treas. Reg. §1.402(c)‑2; and (h) as to a Direct Rollover, any distribution which otherwise would be an Eligible Rollover Distribution, but where the total distributions to the Participant during that calendar year are reasonably expected to be less than $200. For purposes of clause (h), a Participant's Roth Deferral Account is deemed to constitute a separate plan that is subject to a separate $200 limit. The Plan Administrator, in a form on which a Participant may elect a Direct Rollover, may restrict a Participant from directly rolling over only a part of an Eligible Rollover Distribution where the distribution amount does not exceed $500. In the case of such distribution exceeding $500, the Plan Administrator's form may require that any amount the Participant elects to directly roll over be equal to $500 or a lesser specified amount.

(4)    Individual Retirement Plan (or IRA). An Individual Retirement Plan (or IRA) is an individual retirement account described in Code §408(a) or an individual retirement annuity described in Code §408(b), and, as the context requires, includes a Roth individual retirement account or a Roth individual retirement annuity.

(G)    Non‑Spouse Designated Beneficiary Direct Rollover. Unless the Employer in Appendix B elects to delay the application of this Section 6.08(G) to distributions made after December 31, 2009, for distributions after December 31, 2006, a non‑spouse Designated Beneficiary (including a trust which qualifies as a Designated Beneficiary), by a Direct Rollover, may roll over an Eligible Rollover Distribution to an Eligible Retirement Plan; provided that for this purpose, an Eligible Retirement Plan is an Individual Retirement Plan that the non‑spouse Designated Beneficiary establishes for purposes of receiving the distribution and which is treated as an inherited IRA under Code §408(d)(3)(C). If a non‑spouse Designated Beneficiary receives a distribution from the Plan, the distribution is not eligible for a 60‑day rollover.

(1)    Certain requirements not applicable before 2010. Although a non‑spouse Designated Beneficiary may roll over directly a distribution as provided in this Section 6.08(G), any distribution made prior to January 1, 2010, is not subject to the Direct Rollover requirements of Code §401(a)(31) (including Code §401(a)(31)(B)), the notice requirements of Code §402(f) or the mandatory withholding requirements of Code §3405(c), or to the corresponding provisions of this Section 6.08.

(2)    RMDs not eligible for rollover. A non‑spouse Designated Beneficiary may not roll over an amount which is an RMD. If the Participant dies before his/her RBD and the non‑spouse Designated Beneficiary rolls over to an IRA the maximum amount eligible for rollover, the Beneficiary may elect to use either the Life Expectancy rule under Section 6.02(B)(1)(d) or the 5‑year rule under Section 6.02(B)(1)(c), in determining the RMDs from the IRA that receives the non‑spouse Beneficiary's Direct Rollover distribution.

6.09    REPLACEMENT OF $5,000 AMOUNT. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement under Section 6.01(A)(1) elects no Mandatory Distributions or elects a Mandatory Distribution amount which is less than $5,000, all other Plan references to "$5,000" remain unchanged unless the Employer in Appendix B elects to apply any lesser amount. However, any such override election does not apply to Sections 3.02(D) (relating to Catch‑Up Deferrals, 3.10 (relating to SIMPLE Plans) and 3.12(C)(2) (relating to Designated IRAs) and references therein remain at $5,000. If this Plan is a Restated Plan with a retroactive Effective Date, any Employer election under this Section 6.09 must be consistent with the Plan Administrator's operation of the Plan prior to the Employer's execution of its Restated Plan.

6.10    TEFRA ELECTIONS.

(A)    Application of Election in Lieu of Other Provisions. Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 6.01, 6.02 and 6.03, if the Participant (or Beneficiary) signed a written distribution designation prior to January 1, 1984 ("TEFRA election"), the Plan Administrator must direct the Trustee to distribute the Participant's Vested Account Balance in accordance with that election, subject however, to the Survivor Annuity requirements, if applicable, of Section 6.04.

(B)    Non‑Application. This Section 6.10 does not apply to a TEFRA election, and the Plan Administrator will not comply with that election, if any of the following applies: (1) the elected method of distribution would have disqualified the Plan under Code §401(a)(9) as in effect on December 31, 1983; (2) the Participant did not have an Account Balance as of December 31, 1983; (3) the election does not specify the timing and form of the distribution and the death Beneficiaries (in order of priority); (4) the substitution of a Beneficiary modifies the distribution payment period; or, (5) the Participant (or Beneficiary) modifies or revokes the election. In the event of a revocation, the Trustee must distribute, no later than December 31 of the calendar year following the year of revocation, the amount which the Participant would have received under Section 6.02 if the distribution designation had not been in effect or, if the Beneficiary revokes the distribution designation, the amount which the Beneficiary would have received under Section 6.02 if the distribution designation had not been in effect. The Plan Administrator will apply this Section 6.10 to rollovers and Transfers in accordance with Treasury Reg. §1.401(a)(9)‑8.

6.11    DEEMED SEVERANCE DISTRIBUTIONS. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect whether to permit a deemed severance distribution. If the Employer elects to permit a deemed severance distribution, then notwithstanding Section 1.22(G), if a Participant performs service in the uniformed services (as defined in Code §414(u)(12)(B)) on active duty for a period of more than 30 days, the Participant will be deemed to have a Severance from Employment solely for purposes of distribution of amounts from Contribution Types the Employer has selected in the Adoption Agreement. If a Participant elects to receive a distribution on account of this deemed severance, and the distribution includes any of the Participant's Elective Deferrals, then the individual may not make Elective Deferrals or Employee Contributions to the Plan during the 6‑month period beginning on the date of the distribution. If a Participant would be entitled to a distribution on account of a deemed severance, and a distribution on account of another Plan provision (such as a QRD), then the other Plan provision will control and the 6‑month suspension will not apply.





ARTICLE VII
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS


7.01    EMPLOYER ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.


(A)    Information to Plan Administrator. The Employer must supply current information to the Plan Administrator, including the name, date of birth, date of employment, Compensation, leaves of absence, Years of Service and date of Separation from Service of each Employee who is, or who will be eligible to become, a Participant under the Plan, together with any other information which the Plan Administrator considers necessary to administer the Plan. The Employer's records as to the information the Employer furnishes to the Plan Administrator are conclusive as to all persons.

(B)    Plan Contributions. The Employer is solely responsible to determine the proper amount of any Employer Contribution it makes to the Plan and for the timely deposit to the Trust of the Employer Contributions.

(C)    Employer Action. The Employer must take any action under the Plan in accordance with applicable Plan provisions and with proper authority such that the action is valid and is binding upon the Employer.

(D)    No Responsibility for Others. Except as required under ERISA, the Employer has no responsibility or obligation under the Plan to Employees, Participants or Beneficiaries for any act required of the Plan Administrator, the Trustee, the Custodian, or any other service provider to the Plan (unless the Employer also serves in such capacities).

(E)    Indemnity of Certain Fiduciaries. The Employer will indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Plan Administrator from and against any and all loss, damages or liability to which the Plan Administrator may be subjected by reason of any act or omission (except willful misconduct or gross negligence) in its official capacities in the administration of this Plan or Trust or both, including attorneys' fees and all other expenses reasonably incurred in the Plan Administrator's defense, in case the Employer fails to provide such defense. The indemnification provisions of this Section 7.01(E) do not relieve the Plan Administrator from any liability the Plan Administrator may have under ERISA for breach of a fiduciary duty. The Plan Administrator and the Employer may execute a written agreement further delineating the indemnification agreement of this Section 7.01(E), provided the agreement does not violate ERISA. The indemnification provisions of this Section 7.01(E) do not extend to any Trustee, third party administrator, Custodian or other Plan service provider unless so provided in a written agreement executed by such persons and the Employer.

(F)    Settlor Expenses. The Employer will pay all reasonable Plan expenses that the Plan Administrator under Section 7.04(C) determines are "settlor expenses" under ERISA.

7.02    PLAN ADMINISTRATOR.

(A)    Compensation and Expenses. The Plan Administrator (and any individuals serving as Plan Administrator) will serve without compensation for services as such (unless the Plan Administrator is not the Employer or an Employee), but the Employer or the Plan will pay all reasonable expenses of the Plan Administrator, in accordance with Section 7.04(C)(2).

(B)    Resignation and Removal. If the Employer, under Section 1.43, appoints one or more persons to serve as Plan Administrator, such person(s) shall serve until they resign by written notice to the Employer or until the Employer removes them by written notice. In case of a vacancy in the position of Plan Administrator, the Employer will exercise any and all of the powers, authority, duties and discretion conferred upon the Plan Administrator pending the filling of the vacancy.

(C)    General Powers and Duties. The Plan Administrator has the following general powers and duties which are in addition to those the Plan otherwise accords to the Plan Administrator:

(1)    Eligibility/benefit determination. To determine the rights of eligibility of an Employee to participate in the Plan, all factual questions that arise in the course of administering the Plan, the amount of a Participant's Account Balance (based on the value of the Trust assets, as determined by the Trustee, the Custodian or the Named Fiduciary) and the Vested percentage of each Participant's Account Balance.

(2)    Rules/policies. To adopt rules of procedure and regulations or policies the Plan Administrator considers reasonable or necessary for the proper and efficient administration of the Plan, provided the rules are not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan, the Code, or ERISA. The Plan Administrator may, but is not required to reduce such rules, regulations or policies to writing. The Plan Administrator at any time may amend or terminate prospectively any Plan policy without the requirement of a formal Plan amendment. The Employer or Plan Administrator also may create and modify from time to time one or more administrative checklists which are not part of the Plan, but which are for the purpose of tracking certain plan operational features, to generate written policies and plan forms, and to facilitate proper administration of the Plan.

(3)    Construction/enforcement. To construe and enforce the terms of the Plan and the rules, regulations and policies the Plan Administrator adopts, including discretion to interpret the basic plan document, the Adoption Agreement and any document related to the Plan's operation.

(4)    Distribution/valuation. To direct the Trustee regarding the crediting and distribution of the Trust Fund, to establish additional Valuation Dates, and to direct the Trustee to conduct interim valuations on such Valuation Dates under Section 8.02(C)(4).

(5)    Claims. To review and render decisions regarding a claim for (or denial of a claim for) a benefit under the Plan.

(6)    Information to Employer. To furnish the Employer with information which the Employer may require for tax or other purposes.

(7)    Service providers. To engage the service of agents whom the Plan Administrator may deem advisable to assist it with the performance of its duties.

(8)    Investment Manager. If the Plan Administrator is the Named Fiduciary (or the Named Fiduciary otherwise designates the Plan Administrator to do so), to engage the services of an Investment Manager or Managers (as defined in ERISA §3(38)), each of whom will have full power and authority to manage, acquire or dispose (or direct the Trustee with respect to acquisition or disposition) of any Plan asset under such Investment Manager's control.

(9)    Funding. As the Code or ERISA may require, to establish and maintain a funding policy and a funding standard account and to make credits and charges to that account. The Plan Administrator will review, not less often than annually, all pertinent Employee information and Plan data in order to establish the funding policy of the Plan and to determine the appropriate methods of carrying out the Plan's objectives. The Plan Administrator must communicate periodically, as it deems appropriate, to the Trustee and to any Plan Investment Manager the Plan's short‑term and long‑term financial needs for the coordination of the Plan's investment policy with Plan financial requirements.

(10)    Records. To maintain Plan records and records of the Plan Administrator's activities, as necessary or appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan.

(11)    Tax returns and other filings. To file with DOL or IRS as may be required, the Plan's informational tax return, and to make such other filings as the Plan Administrator deems necessary or appropriate.

(12)    Notices and disclosures. To give and to make to Participants and to other parties, all Plan related notices and disclosures.

(13)    Overpayment. To seek return from a Participant or Beneficiary of any distributed amount which exceeds their distributable Vested Account Balance (or exceeds the amount which otherwise should have been distributed) and to allocate any recovered overpayment in accordance with the Plan terms.

(14)    Catch‑all. To make any other determinations and undertake any other actions the Plan Administrator in its discretion believes are necessary or appropriate for the administration of the Plan (except to the extent that the Employer provides express contrary direction) and to otherwise administer the Plan in accordance with the Plan terms.

(D)    401(k) Plan Elective Deferrals. If the Plan is a 401(k) Plan, the Plan Administrator may adopt such policies regarding Elective Deferrals as it deems necessary or appropriate to administer the Plan. The Plan Administrator also will prescribe a Salary Reduction Agreement form for use by Participants. See Section 1.57.

(E)    Limitations on Plan Administrator Responsibility.

(1)    Acts of others. Except as required under ERISA, the Plan Administrator has no responsibility or obligation under the Plan to Participants or Beneficiaries for any act required of the Employer, the Trustee, the Custodian or any other service provider to the Plan (unless the Plan Administrator also serves in such capacities).

(2)    Plan contributions. The Plan Administrator is not responsible for collecting any required Plan contribution or to determine the correctness or deductibility of any Employer Contribution.

(3)    Reliance on information. The Plan Administrator in administering the Plan is entitled to, but is not required to rely upon, information which a Participant, Beneficiary, Trustee, Custodian, the Employer, a Plan service provider or representatives thereof provide to the Plan Administrator.

(F) Allocation of Responsibility. If more than one person or entity is the Plan Administrator, then the Employer may assign certain duties between them. In that case, the assigned Plan Administrator shall have sole responsibility for the assigned duty and shall not have responsibility for any other duties of the Plan Administrator. However, at least one person or entity designated as Plan Administrator shall have and exercise all duties and powers of the Plan Administrator not otherwise assigned.

7.03    DIRECTION OF INVESTMENT.

(A)    Employer Direction of Investment. The Employer has the right to direct the discretionary Trustee with respect to the investment and re‑investment of assets comprising the Trust Fund only if and to the extent the discretionary Trustee consents in writing to permit such direction. The Employer will direct a nondiscretionary Trustee as to the Trust Fund investments in accordance with Article VIII unless an Investment Manager, the Participants or the Named Fiduciary are directing the nondiscretionary Trustee as to such investments.

(B)    Participant/Beneficiary Direction of Investment. The Plan Administrator may adopt a policy to permit Participants to direct the investment of one or more of their Plan Accounts, subject to the provisions of this Section 7.03(B). The Plan Administrator may impose reasonable and nondiscriminatory administrative conditions on the Participants' ability to direct their Account investments. For purposes of this Section 7.03(B), a Participant includes a Beneficiary where the Beneficiary has succeeded to the Participant's Account and where the Plan Administrator's policy affords the Beneficiary self‑direction rights. However, under the Plan Administrator's policy a Beneficiary may or may not have the same direction of investment rights as a Participant.

(1)    Trustee authorization and procedures. Under any Plan Administrator policy permitting Participant direction of investment, the Trustee must consent in writing to permit such direction. If the Employer, in its Adoption Agreement, designates the Trustee as a nondiscretionary Trustee, the Employer may direct the Trustee to consent to Participant direction of investment. If the Trustee consents to Participant direction of investment, the Trustee only will accept direction from each Participant (or from the Participant's properly appointed independent investment adviser, financial planner or legal representative) on a written direction of investment form the Plan Administrator or Trustee provides or otherwise approves for this purpose. The Trustee may establish written procedures relating to Participant direction of investment under this Section 7.03(B) as are not inconsistent with the Plan Administrator's policy regarding Participant direction, including procedures or conditions for electronic transfers or for changes in investments by Participants or by their properly appointed independent investment advisers, financial planners or legal representatives. The Plan Administrator will maintain, or direct the Trustee to maintain, an appropriate Account designated in the name of the Plan or Trust and for the benefit of the Participant, to the extent a Participant's Account is subject to Participant self‑direction. Such an Account is a Participant‑Directed Account under Section 7.04(A)(2)(b).

(2)    ERISA §404(c). No Plan fiduciary (including the Employer and Trustee) is liable for any loss or for any breach resulting from a Participant's or Beneficiary's direction of the investment of any part of his/her directed Account to the extent the Participant's or Beneficiary's exercise of his/her right to direct the investment of his/her Account satisfies the requirements of ERISA §404(c).

(3)    Participant loans. As part of any loan policy the Plan Administrator establishes under Section 7.06, the Plan Administrator under Section 7.06(E) may treat a Plan loan made to a Participant as a Participant direction of investment, even if the Plan Administrator has not adopted a policy permitting Participants to direct their own Account investments.

(4)    Investment services programs. The Plan Administrator, as part of its Participant direction policy under this Section 7.03(B), may permit Participants to appoint an Investment Manager or Managers, which may be the Trustee, Custodian or an affiliate thereof, to render investment allocation services, investment advice or management services (collectively, an "investment services program") to the appointing Participants.

(5)    Failure to give direction/default investments. If a Participant fails to give direction as to the investment of his/her Account or of any portion thereof which is subject to Participant direction, the Trustee (or other applicable Plan fiduciary) may invest the undirected Account assets in one or more default investments of the Trustee's (or other applicable Plan fiduciary's) choosing. Any such default investments may, but are not required to comply with ERISA Section 404(c)(5) and the regulations thereunder, relating to qualified default investment alternatives (QDIA).

(C)    Direction Consistent with Plan. To constitute a proper direction, any direction of investment given to the Trustee or Custodian under the Plan must be in accordance with the Plan terms and must not be contrary to ERISA.

7.04    ACCOUNT ADMINISTRATION, VALUATION AND EXPENSES.

(A)    Individual Accounts. The Plan Administrator, as necessary for the proper administration of the Plan, will maintain, or direct the Trustee to maintain, a separate Account, or multiple Accounts, in the name of each Participant to reflect the Participant's Account Balance under the Plan. The Plan Administrator will make its allocations of Employer Contributions and of Earnings, or will request the Trustee to make such allocations, to the Accounts of the Participants as necessary to maintain proper Plan records and in accordance with the applicable: (i) Contribution Types under Section 7.04(A)(1); (ii) allocation conditions under Section 3.06; (iii) investment account types under Section 7.04(A)(2); and (iv) Earnings allocation methods under Section 7.04(B). The Plan Administrator may also maintain, or direct the Trustee to maintain, a separate temporary Account for Participant forfeitures which occur during a Plan Year, pending their accrual and allocation in accordance with the Plan terms, or for other special items as the Plan Administrator determines is necessary and appropriate for proper plan administration.

(1)    By Contribution Type. The Plan Administrator, will establish Plan Accounts for each Participant as necessary to reflect his/her Accounts attributable to the following Contribution Types and the Earnings attributable thereto: Pre‑Tax Deferrals, Roth Deferrals, Regular Matching Contributions, Nonelective and other Employer Contributions, QNECs, QMACs, Safe Harbor Contributions, Additional Matching Contributions, Rollover Contributions (including Roth versus pre‑tax amounts), In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contributions, Transfers, SIMPLE Contributions, Prevailing Wage Contributions, Employee Contributions, DECs and Designated IRA Contributions.

(2)    By investment account type. The Plan Administrator will establish separate Accounts for each Participant as necessary to reflect his/her investment account types as described below:

(a)    Pooled Accounts. A Pooled Account is an Account which for investment purposes is not a Segregated Account or a Participant‑Directed Account. If any or all Plan investment Accounts are Pooled Accounts, each Participant's Account has an undivided interest in the assets comprising the Pooled Account. In a Pooled Account, the value of each Participant's Account Balance consists of that proportion of the net worth (at fair market value) of the Trust Fund which the net credit balance in his/her Account (exclusive of the cash value of incidental benefit insurance contracts) bears to the total net credit balance in the Accounts (exclusive of the cash value of the incidental benefit insurance contracts) of all Participants plus the cash surrender value of any incidental benefit insurance contracts held by the Trustee on the Participant's life.

(b)    Participant‑Directed Accounts. A Participant‑Directed Account is an Account that the Plan Administrator establishes and maintains or directs the Trustee to establish and maintain for a Participant to invest in one or more assets that are not pooled assets held by the Trust, such as assets in a brokerage account or other property in which other Participants do not have any interest. As the Plan Administrator determines, a Participant‑Directed Account may provide for a limited number and type of investment options or funds, or may be open‑ended and subject only to any limitations imposed by ERISA. A Participant may have one or more Participant‑Directed Accounts in addition to Pooled or Segregated Accounts. A Participant‑Directed Account is credited and charged with the Earnings under Section 7.04(B)(4)(e). As of each Valuation Date, the Plan Administrator must reduce a Participant‑Directed Account for any forfeiture arising from Section 5.07 after the Plan Administrator has made all other allocations, changes or adjustments to the Account (excluding Earnings) for the Valuation Period.

(c)    Segregated Accounts. A Segregated Account is an Account the Plan Administrator establishes and maintains or directs the Trustee to establish and maintain for a Participant: (i) as the result of a cash‑out repayment under Section 5.04; (ii) to facilitate installment payments under Section 6.03; (iii) to hold a QDRO amount under Section 6.05; (iv) to prevent a distortion of Plan Earnings allocations; or (v) for such other purposes as the Plan Administrator may direct. A Segregated Account receives all income it earns and bears all expense or loss it incurs. The Trustee will invest the assets of a Segregated Account consistent with the purpose for which the Plan Administrator or Trustee established the Account. As of each Valuation Date, the Plan Administrator must reduce a Segregated Account for any forfeiture arising under Section 5.07 after the Plan Administrator has made all other allocations, changes or adjustments to the Account (excluding Earnings) for the Valuation Period.

(3)    Amount of Account/distributions. The amount of a Participant's Account, as determined by the Plan Administrator, is equal to the sum of all contributions, Earnings and other additions credited to the Account, less all distributions (including distributions to Beneficiaries and to alternate payees and also including disbursement of Plan loan proceeds), expenses and other charges against the Account as of a Valuation Date or other relevant date. For purposes of a distribution under the Plan, the amount of a Participant's Account Balance is determined based upon its value on the Valuation Date immediately preceding or coinciding with the date of the distribution. If any or all Plan investment Accounts are Participant‑Directed Accounts, the directing Participant's Account Balance consists of the assets held within the Participant‑Directed Account and the value of the Account is determined based upon the fair market value of such assets.

(4)    Account statements. As soon as practicable after the Accounting Date of each Plan Year and any other date that ERISA requires, the Plan Administrator will deliver within any time prescribed by ERISA, to each Participant (and to each Beneficiary) a statement reflecting the amount of his/her Account Balance in the Trust as of the statement date or most recent Valuation Date. The statement will also include any and all other information as of that date that ERISA may require. No Participant, except the Plan Administrator/Participant or Trustee/Participant, has the right to inspect the records reflecting the Account of any other Participant.

(B)    Allocation of Earnings. This Section 7.04(B) applies solely to the allocation of Earnings of the Trust Fund. The Plan Administrator will allocate Employer Contributions and Participant forfeitures, if any, in accordance with Article III.

(1)    Allocate as of Valuation Date. As of each Valuation Date, the Plan Administrator must adjust Accounts to reflect Earnings for the Valuation Period since the last Valuation Date.

(2)    Definition of Valuation Date. A Valuation Date under this Plan is each: (a) Accounting Date; (b) Valuation Date the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement; or (c) Valuation Date the Plan Administrator establishes under Section 7.02(C)(4). The Employer in its Adoption Agreement or the Plan Administrator may elect alternative Valuation Dates for the different Contribution Types which the Plan Administrator maintains under the Plan.

(3)    Definition of Valuation Period. The Valuation Period is the period beginning on the day after the last Valuation Date and ending on the current Valuation Date.

(4)    Allocation methods. The Plan Administrator will allocate Earnings to the Participant Accounts in accordance with the daily valuation method, balance forward method, balance forward with adjustment method, weighted average method, Participant‑Directed Account method, or other method the Employer elects under its Adoption Agreement. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect alternative methods under which the Plan Administrator will allocate the Earnings to the Accounts reflecting different Contribution Types or investment Account types which the Plan Administrator maintains under the Plan. The Plan Administrator first will adjust the Participant Accounts, as those Accounts stood at the beginning of the current Valuation Period, by reducing the Accounts for any forfeitures, distributions, and loan disbursement payments arising under the Plan, for expenses charged during the Valuation Period to the Accounts in accordance with Section 7.04(C)(2)(b) (expenses directly related to a Participant's Account) and Section 9.01 (relating to insurance premiums), and for the cash value of incidental benefit insurance contracts. The Plan Administrator then, subject to the restoration allocation requirements of the Plan, will allocate Earnings under the applicable valuation method.

(a)    Daily valuation method. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to apply the daily valuation method, the Plan Administrator will allocate Earnings on each day of the Plan Year for which Plan assets are valued on an established market and the Trustee is conducting business. Under the daily valuation method, all assets subject to such method are subject to daily valuation. The assets may be held in Participant‑Directed Accounts or in Accounts which are subject to Trustee or other fiduciary investment direction.

(b)    Balance forward method. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to apply the balance forward method, the Plan Administrator will allocate Earnings pro rata to the adjusted Participant Accounts, since the last Valuation Date.

(c)    Balance forward with adjustment method. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to apply the balance forward with adjustment method, the Plan Administrator will allocate pursuant to the balance forward method, except it will treat as part of the relevant Account at the beginning of the Valuation Period the percentage of the contributions made as the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement, during the Valuation Period the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement.

(d)    Weighted average method. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to apply a weighted average allocation method, the Plan Administrator will allocate pursuant to the balance forward method, except it will treat a weighted portion of the applicable contributions as if includible in the Participant's Account as of the beginning of the Valuation Period. The weighted portion is a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of months in the Valuation Period, excluding each month in the Valuation Period which begins prior to the contribution date of the applicable contributions, and the denominator of which is the number of months in the Valuation Period. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to substitute a weighting period other than months for purposes of this weighted average allocation.

(e)    Participant‑Directed Account method. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect to apply the Participant‑Directed Account method to any Participant‑Directed Account under the Plan. See Sections 7.03(B) and 7.04(A)(2)(b). Under the Participant‑Directed Account method: (i) each Participant‑Directed Account is credited and charged with the Earnings such Account generates; (ii) the Employer's election, if any, in its Adoption Agreement of another method for the allocation of Earnings will not apply to any Participant‑Directed Account; and (iii) the Participant‑Directed Account may be valued as often as daily, but will be valued at least annually, and all assets in the Account are not necessarily valued on the same frequency. An Account which is subject to the Participant‑Directed Account method includes an individual brokerage account or similar account in title to the Trustee for the benefit of the Participant.

(5)    Special Earnings allocation rules.

(a)    Code §415 Excess Amounts. An Excess Amount described in Article IV does not share in the allocation of Earnings described in this Section 7.04(B).

(b)    Contributions prior to accrual or precise determination. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to impose one or more allocation conditions under Section 3.06 and the Employer contributes to the Plan amounts which at the time of the contribution have not accrued under the Plan terms ("pre‑accrual contributions"), the Trustee may hold the pre‑accrual contributions in the Trust and may invest such contributions as the Trustee (or other applicable Plan fiduciary) determines, pending accrual and allocation to Participant Accounts. When the Plan Administrator allocates to Participants who have satisfied the Plan's allocation conditions the Employer's pre‑accrual contributions, the Plan Administrator also will allocate the Earnings thereon pro rata in relation to each Participant's share of the pre‑accrual contribution. The Plan Administrator also may elect to apply this Section 7.04(B)(5)(b) to any other situation in which the Plan Administrator cannot determine precisely the amount a Participant's allocation as of the date that the Employer makes an Employer Contribution (excluding Elective Deferrals) to the Trust. The Employer in Appendix B may elect an alternative nondiscriminatory method to allocate the Earnings attributable to contributions described in this Section 7.04(B)(5)(b).

(c)    Forfeitures prior to accrual/allocation. The Trustee (or other applicable Plan fiduciary) will direct the investment of any separate temporary forfeiture Account created under Section 7.04(A). As of each Accounting Date, or interim Valuation Date, if applicable, the Plan Administrator will allocate the Earnings from the temporary forfeiture Account, if any, to the Accounts of the Participants in accordance with the provisions of Section 7.04(B)(4), or will allocate such Earnings in the same manner as Earnings on pre‑accrual contributions under Section 7.04(B)(5)(b).

(d)    Accounting after Forfeiture Break in Service. If a Participant re‑enters the Plan subsequent to his/her having a Forfeiture Break in Service (as defined in Section 5.06(B)), the Plan Administrator, or the Trustee, must maintain a separate Account for the Participant's pre‑Forfeiture Break in Service Account Balance and a separate Account for his post‑Forfeiture Break in Service Account Balance, unless the Participant's entire Account Balance under the Plan is 100% Vested.

(e)    Coordination of allocation and valuation elections. If the Plan is a 401(k) Plan that provides for Elective Deferrals, if the Plan permits Employee Contributions, or if the Plan allocates Nonelective or Matching Contributions as of any date other than the last day of the Plan Year, the Employer in its Adoption Agreement must elect the method the Plan Administrator will apply to allocate Earnings to such contributions made during the Plan Year and must elect any alternative Valuation Dates for the different Account types which the Plan Administrator maintains under the Plan.

(C)    Plan Expenses. The Plan Administrator consistent with ERISA must determine whether a particular Plan expense is a settlor expense which the Employer must pay.

(1)    Employer election as to non‑settlor expenses. The Employer will direct the Plan Administrator as to whether the Employer will pay any or all non‑settlor reasonable Plan expenses or whether the Plan must bear the expense.

(2)    Allocation of Plan expense. As to any and all non‑settlor reasonable Plan expenses, including Trustee fees, which the Employer determines that the Plan will pay, the Plan Administrator has discretion: (i) to determine which of such expenses will charged to the Plan as a whole and the method of allocating such Plan expenses under Section 7.04(C)(2)(a); (ii) to determine which of such expenses the Plan will charge to an individual Participant's Account under Section 7.04(C)(2)(b); and (iii) to adopt an expense policy regarding the foregoing. The Plan Administrator must exercise its discretion under this Section 7.04(C)(2) in a reasonable, uniform and nondiscriminatory manner. The Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to pay from the Trust and to charge to the overall Plan or to particular Participant Accounts the expenses under this Section 7.04(C)(2) in accordance with the Plan Administrator's election of expense charging method or policy.

(a)    Charge to overall Plan (pro rata or per capita). If the Plan Administrator charges a Plan expense to the Accounts of all Participants, the Plan Administrator may allocate the Plan expense either pro rata in relation to the total balance in each Account on the date the expense is allocated (using the balance determined as of the most recent Valuation Date) or per capita (an equal amount) to each Participant's Account.

(b)    Charge to individual Participant Accounts. The Plan Administrator may charge a Participant's Account for any reasonable Plan expenses directly related to that Account, including, but not limited to the following categories of fees or expenses: distribution, loan, acceptance of rollover, QDRO, "lost Participant" search, account maintenance, brokerage accounts, investment management and benefit calculations. The Plan Administrator may charge a Participant's Account for the reasonable expenses incurred in connection with the maintenance of or a distribution from that Account even if the charging of such expenses would result in the elimination of the Participant's Account or in the Participant's not receiving an actual distribution. However, if the actual Account expenses exceed the Participant's Account Balance, the Plan Administrator will not charge the Participant outside of the Plan for such excess expenses.

(c)    Participant's direct payment of investment expenses. The Plan Administrator may permit Participants to pay directly (outside the Plan) to the service provider Plan expenses such as investment management fees, provided such expenses: (i) would be properly payable either by the Employer or the Plan and are not "settlor" expenses payable exclusively by the Employer; (ii) are not paid by the Employer or by the Plan; and (iii) are not intrinsic to the value of the Plan assets as described in Rev. Rul. 86‑142 or in any successor ruling. This Section 7.04(C)(2)(c) does not permit a Participant to reimburse the Plan for expenses the Plan previously has paid. To the extent a Participant does not pay an expense the Participant may pay according to this Section 7.04(C)(2)(c), the Plan Administrator will charge the expense under Sections 7.04(C)(2)(a) or 7.04(C)(2)(b) in accordance with the Plan Administrator's expense policy.

(d)    Charges to former Employee‑Participants. The Plan Administrator may charge reasonable Plan expenses to the Accounts of former Employee‑ Participants, even if the Plan Administrator does not charge Plan expenses to the Accounts of current Employee‑Participants. The Plan Administrator may charge different amounts or types of reasonable Plan expenses to the Accounts of former Employee‑Participants, versus what it charges to the Accounts of current Employee‑Participants. The Plan Administrator may charge the Accounts of former Employee‑Participants by applying one of the Section 7.04(C)(2)(a) or (b) methods.

(e)    ERISA compliance. This Section 7.04(C) does not authorize the Plan to charge a Participant for information that ERISA requires the Plan to furnish free of charge upon the Participant's request. In addition, the Plan Administrator as ERISA may require, must disclose the nature of any Plan expenses and the manner of charging of any Plan expenses to the Plan or to particular Participant Accounts and must apply its expense policy in a manner which is consistent with ERISA.

(D)    ERISA Fee Recapture Account. The Plan Administrator in its discretion may use an ERISA Fee Recapture Account to pay non‑settlor Plan Expenses and may allocate funds in the ERISA Recapture Account (or excess funds therein after payment of Plan Expenses) as Earnings. The Plan Administrator will exercise its discretion in a reasonable, uniform and nondiscriminatory manner.

(1)    Definition of ERISA Fee Recapture Account. An ERISA Fee Recapture Account is an account designated to receive amounts which a Plan service provider receives in the form of 12b‑1 fees, sub‑transfer agency fees, shareholder servicing fees or similar amounts (also known as "revenue sharing"), which the service provider receives from a source other than the Plan and which the service provider may remit to the Plan.

(E)    Late Trading and Market Timing Settlement. In the event the Plan becomes entitled to a settlement from a mutual fund or other investment relating to late trading, market timing or other activities, the Plan Administrator will allocate the settlement proceeds to Participants and Beneficiaries in accordance with FAB 2006‑01.

7.05    PARTICIPANT ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

(A)    Beneficiary Designation. A Participant from time to time may designate, in writing, any person(s) (including a trust or other entity), contingently or successively, to whom the Trustee will pay all or any portion of the Participant's Vested Account Balance (including any life insurance proceeds payable to the Participant's Account) in the event of death. A Participant under Section 6.03(B)(1) also may designate the method of distribution of his/her Account to the Beneficiary. The Plan Administrator will prescribe the form for the Participant's written designation of Beneficiary and, upon the Participant's proper completion and filing of the form with the Plan Administrator, the form effectively revokes all designations filed prior to that date by the same Participant. This Section 7.05(A) also applies to the interest of a deceased Beneficiary or a deceased alternate payee where the Beneficiary or alternate payee has designated a Beneficiary.

(1)    Automatic revocation of spousal designation. A divorce decree revokes the Participant's prior designation, if any, of his/her spouse or former spouse as his/her Beneficiary under the Plan unless: (a) a QDRO provides otherwise; or (b) the Employer in Appendix B elects otherwise. This Section 7.05(A)(1) applies solely to a Participant whose divorce becomes effective on or after the date the Employer executes this Plan unless: (i) the Plan is a Restated Plan and the prior Plan contained a provision to the same effect; or (ii) regardless of the application of (i), the Employer in Appendix A provides for a special Effective Date for this Section 7.05(A)(1).

(2)    Coordination with QJSA/QPSA requirements. If Section 6.04 applies to the Participant, this Section 7.05 does not impose any special spousal consent requirements on the Participant's Beneficiary designation unless the Participant waives the QJSA or QPSA benefit. If the Participant waives the QJSA or QPSA benefit without spousal consent to the Participant's Beneficiary designation: (a) any waiver of the QJSA or of the QPSA is not valid; and (b) if the Participant dies prior to his/her Annuity Starting Date, the Participant's Beneficiary designation will apply only to the portion of the death benefit which is not payable as a QPSA. Regarding clause (b), if the Participant's surviving spouse is a primary Beneficiary under the Participant's Beneficiary designation, the Trustee will satisfy the spouse's interest in the Participant's death benefit first from the portion which is payable as a QPSA.

(3)    Profit Sharing Plan exception. If the Plan is a Profit Sharing Plan which the Employer under Section 6.04(G) has elected in its Adoption Agreement to exempt all Exempt Participants from the QJSA and QPSA requirements of Section 6.04, the Beneficiary designation of a married Exempt Participant, as described in Section 6.04(G), is not valid unless the Participant's spouse consents (in the manner described in Section 6.04(A)(7)) to the Beneficiary designation. The spousal consent requirement in this Section 7.05(A)(3) does not apply if the Participant's spouse is the Participant's sole primary Beneficiary. A "sole primary Beneficiary" is the individual who has an unconditional right to all of the Participant's Account Balance upon the Participant's death.

(a)    One‑Year Marriage Rule. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement will elect whether to apply the "one‑year marriage rule". If the Employer elects to apply the one‑year marriage rule, the spousal consent requirement of this Section 7.05(A)(3) does not apply unless the Exempt Participant and his/her spouse were married throughout the one year period ending on the date of the Participant's death. If the Employer elects to apply the one‑year marriage rule under this Section 7.05(A)(3), but the Participant is not an Exempt Participant (such that the QJSA and QPSA requirements apply to the Participant), the one‑year marriage rule under Section 6.04(B) applies only to the QPSA.

(4)    Limitation on frequency of Beneficiary changes. A Participant may change his/her Beneficiary in accordance with this Section 7.05(A) as often as the Participant wishes, unless the Employer in Appendix B elects to impose a minimum time interval between changes, but with an exception for certain major life events, such as death of a Beneficiary, divorce and other such events as the Plan Administrator reasonably may determine.

(5)    Definition of spouse. The Employer in Appendix B may define the term "spouse" for all Plan purposes.

(B)    Default Beneficiary. If: (i) a Participant fails to name a Beneficiary in accordance with Section 7.05(A); or (ii) the Beneficiary (and all contingent or successive Beneficiaries) whom the Participant designates predecease the Participant, are invalid for any reason, or disclaim the Participant's Vested Account Balance and the Plan Administrator has accepted the disclaimers as valid, then the Trustee (subject to any contrary provision in Appendix B under Section 7.05(C)) will distribute the Participant's Vested Account Balance in accordance with Section 6.03 in the following order of priority to:

(1)    Spouse. The Participant's surviving spouse (without regard to the one‑year marriage rule of Sections 6.04(B) and 7.05(A)(3)(a)), except where the spouse would be revoked as Beneficiary under Section 7.05(A)(1), had the Participant named the spouse as Beneficiary; and if no surviving spouse to

(2)    Descendants. The Participant's children (including adopted children), in equal shares by right of representation (one share for each surviving child and one share for each child who predeceases the Participant with living descendants); and if none to

(3)    Parents. The Participant's surviving parents, in equal shares; and if none to

(4)    Estate. The Participant's estate.

(C)    Administration of Default Provision. The Employer in Appendix B may specify a different list or ordering of the list of default beneficiaries than under Section 7.05(B); provided however, that if the Plan is a Profit Sharing Plan, and the Plan includes Exempt Participants, as to such Exempt Participants, the Employer may not specify a different default Beneficiary list or order unless the Participant's surviving spouse will be the sole primary Beneficiary. The Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee as to the distribution method and to whom the Trustee will make the distribution under Section 7.05(B).

(D)    Death of Beneficiary. If the Beneficiary survives the Participant, but dies prior to distribution of the Participant's entire Vested Account Balance, the Trustee will distribute the remaining Vested Account Balance in the same manner as described in Sections 7.05(B) and (C) (applied as though the Beneficiary were the Participant) unless: (1) the Participant's Beneficiary designation provides otherwise; or (2) the Beneficiary has properly designated a beneficiary. A Beneficiary only may designate a beneficiary for the Participant's Account Balance remaining at the Beneficiary's death if the Participant has not previously designated a successive contingent beneficiary and the Beneficiary's designation otherwise complies with the Plan terms.

(E)    Simultaneous Death of Participant and Beneficiary. If a Participant and his/her Beneficiary should die simultaneously, or under circumstances that render it difficult or impossible to determine who predeceased the other, then unless the Participant's Beneficiary designation otherwise specifies, the Plan Administrator will presume conclusively that the Beneficiary predeceased the Participant.

(F)    Incapacitated Participant or Beneficiary. If, in the opinion of the Plan Administrator, a Participant or Beneficiary entitled to a Plan distribution is not able to care for his/her affairs because of a mental condition, a physical condition, or by reason of age, at the direction of the Plan Administrator, the Trustee will make the distribution to the Participant's or Beneficiary's guardian, conservator, trustee, custodian (including under a Uniform Transfers or Gifts to Minors Act) or to his/her attorney‑in‑fact or to other legal representative, upon furnishing evidence of such status satisfactory to the Plan Administrator and to the Trustee. The Plan Administrator and the Trustee do not have any liability with respect to payments so made and neither the Plan Administrator nor the Trustee has any duty to make inquiry as to the competence of any person entitled to receive payments under the Plan.

(G)    Assignment or Alienation. Except as provided in Code §414(p) relating to QDROs (or a domestic relations order entered into before January 1, 1985) and in Code §401(a)(13) relating to certain voluntary, revocable assignments, judgments and settlements, neither a Participant nor a Beneficiary may anticipate, assign or alienate (either at law or in equity) any benefit provided under the Plan, and the Trustee will not recognize any such anticipation, assignment or alienation. Except as provided by Code §401(a)(13), a benefit under the Plan is not subject to attachment, garnishment, levy, execution or other legal or equitable process.

(H)    Information Available. Any Participant or Beneficiary without charge may examine the Plan description, copy of the latest annual report, any bargaining agreement, this Plan and Trust, and any contract or any other instrument which relates to the establishment or administration of the Plan or Trust. The Plan Administrator will maintain all of the items listed in this Section 7.05(H) in its office, or in such other place or places as it may designate from time to time in order to comply with ERISA, for examination during reasonable business hours. Upon the written request of a Participant or a Beneficiary, the Plan Administrator must furnish the Participant or Beneficiary with a copy of any item listed in this Section 7.05(H). The Plan Administrator may impose a reasonable copying charge upon the requesting person.

(I)    Claims Procedure for Denial of Benefits. A Participant or a Beneficiary may file with the Plan Administrator a written claim for benefits, if the Participant or the Beneficiary disputes the Plan Administrator's determination regarding the Participant's or Beneficiary's Plan benefit. However, the Plan will distribute only such Plan benefits to Participants or Beneficiaries as the Plan Administrator in its discretion determines a Participant or Beneficiary is entitled to receive. The Plan Administrator will create a written claims procedure as part of (or which accompanies) the Plan's summary plan description. This Section 7.05(I) specifically incorporates the written claims procedure as from time to time published by the Plan Administrator as a part of the Plan, except that the Plan Administrator may amend the claims procedure without regard to Section 11.02. If the Plan Administrator pursuant to the Plan's written claims procedure makes a final written determination denying a Participant's or Beneficiary's benefit claim, the Participant or Beneficiary to preserve the claim must file an action with respect to the denied claim not later than 180 days following the date of the Plan Administrator's final written determination.

(J)    Inability to Determine Beneficiary. In the event that the Plan Administrator is unable to determine the identity of a Participant's Beneficiary under circumstances of competing claims or otherwise, the Plan Administrator may file an interpleader action seeking an order of the court as to the determination of the Beneficiary. The Plan Administrator, the Trustee and other Plan fiduciaries may act in reliance upon any proper order issued under this Section 7.05(J) in maintaining, distributing or otherwise disposing of a Participant's Account under the Plan terms, to any Beneficiary specified in the court's order.

7.06    PLAN LOANS.

(A)    Loan Policy. The Plan Administrator, at any time and in its sole discretion, may establish, amend or terminate a policy which the Trustee must observe in making Plan loans, if any, to Participants and to Beneficiaries. If the Plan Administrator adopts a loan policy, the loan policy must be nondiscriminatory and must be in writing. The policy must include: (1) the identity of the person or positions authorized to administer the Participant loan program; (2) the procedure for applying for a loan; (3) the criteria for approving or denying a loan; (4) the limitations, if any, on the types and amounts of loans available; (5) the procedure for determining a reasonable rate of interest; (6) the types of collateral which may secure the loan; and (7) the events constituting default and the steps the Plan will take to preserve Plan assets in the event of default. A loan policy the Plan Administrator adopts under this Section 7.06(A) is part of the Plan, except that the Plan Administrator may amend or terminate the policy without regard to Section 11.02.

(B)    Requirements for Plan Loans. The Trustee, as directed by the Plan Administrator will make a Plan loan to a Participant or to a Beneficiary in accordance with the loan policy, under Section 7.06(A), provided: (1) loans are available to all Participants and Beneficiaries on a reasonably equivalent basis and are not available in a greater amount for HCEs than for NHCEs; (2) the loan is adequately secured and bears a reasonable rate of interest; (3) the loan provides for repayment within a specified time (except that the loan policy may suspend loan payments pursuant to Code §414(u)(4)); (4) the default provisions of the note permit offset of the Participant's Vested Account Balance only at the time when the Participant has a distributable event under the Plan, but without regard to whether the Participant consents to distribution as otherwise may be required under Section 6.01(A)(2); (5) the amount of the loan does not exceed (at the time the Plan extends the loan) the present value of the Participant's Vested Account Balance; and (6) the loan otherwise conforms to the exemption provided by Code §4975(d)(1).

(C)    Default as Distributable Event. The loan policy may provide a Participant's loan default is a distributable event with respect to the defaulted amount, irrespective of whether the Participant otherwise has incurred a distributable event at the time of default, except as to Restricted 401(k) Accounts or Restricted Pension Accounts under Section 6.01(C)(4) which the Participant used to secure his/her loan and which are not then distributable at the time of default. See Section 6.06.

(D)    QJSA/QPSA Requirements. If the QJSA/QPSA requirements of Section 6.04 apply to the Participant, the Participant may not pledge any portion of his/her Account Balance that is subject to such requirements as security for a loan unless, within the 180 day period ending on the date the pledge becomes effective, the Participant's spouse, if any, consents (in a manner described in Section 6.04 other than the requirement relating to the consent of a subsequent spouse) to the security or, by separate consent, to an increase in the amount of security. See Section 6.04(D) regarding the affect of an outstanding loan pledge on the QJSA or QPSA benefit.

(E)    Treatment of Loan as Participant‑Directed. The Plan Administrator, to the extent provided in a written loan policy and consistent with Section 7.03(B)(3), will treat a Plan loan made to a Participant as a Participant‑Directed Account, even if the Plan otherwise does not permit a Participant to direct his/her Account investments. Where a loan is treated as a Participant‑Directed Account, the borrowing Participant's Account alone shares in any interest paid on the loan, and the Account alone bears any expense or loss it incurs in connection with the loan. The Trustee may retain any principal or interest paid on the borrowing Participant's loan in a Segregated Account (as described in Section 7.04(A)(2)(c)) on behalf of the borrowing Participant until the Trustee (or the Named Fiduciary, in the case of a nondiscretionary Trustee) deems it appropriate to add the loan payments to the Participant's Account under the Plan.

7.07    LOST PARTICIPANTS. If the Plan Administrator is unable to locate any Participant or Beneficiary whose Account becomes distributable under the Plan or if the Plan has made a distribution, but the Participant for any reason does not cash the distribution check (a "lost Participant"), the Plan Administrator will apply the provisions of this Section 7.07. The provisions of this Section 7.07 no longer apply if the Plan Administrator, prior to taking action to dispose of the lost Participant's Account under Section 7.07(A)(2) or 7.07(B)(2), is able to complete the distribution.

(A)    Ongoing Plan. The provisions of this Section 7.07(A) apply if the Plan is ongoing.

(1)    Attempt to Locate. The Plan Administrator must conduct a reasonable and diligent search for the Participant, using one or more of the search methods described in Section 7.07(C).

(2)    Failure to locate/disposition of Account. If a lost Participant remains unlocated after 6 months following the date the Plan Administrator first attempts to locate the lost Participant using any of the search methods described in Section 7.07(C), the Plan Administrator may forfeit the lost Participant's Account, provided the Account is not subject to the Automatic Rollover rules of Section 6.08(D). If the Plan Administrator forfeits the lost Participant's Account, the forfeiture occurs at the end of the above‑described 6‑month period and the Plan Administrator will allocate the forfeiture in accordance with Section 3.07. The Plan Administrator under this Section 7.07(A)(2) will forfeit the entire Account of the lost Participant, including Elective Deferrals and Employee Contributions.

(3)    Subsequent restoration of forfeiture. If a lost Participant whose Account was forfeited thereafter at any time but before the Plan has been terminated makes a claim for his/her forfeited Account, the Plan Administrator will restore the forfeited Account to the same dollar amount as the amount forfeited, unadjusted for Earnings occurring subsequent to the forfeiture. The Plan Administrator will make the restoration in the Plan Year in which the lost Participant makes the claim, first from the amount, if any, of Participant forfeitures the Plan Administrator otherwise would allocate for the Plan Year, and then from the amount or additional amount the Employer contributes to the Plan for the Plan Year. The Employer in Appendix B may provide that the Plan Administrator will use Trust Fund Earnings for the Plan Year, if any, as a source of the restoration, or may modify the order of priority of the sources of restoration described in the previous sentence. The Plan Administrator will distribute the restored Account to the lost Participant not later than 60 days after the close of the Plan Year in which the Plan Administrator restores the forfeited Account.

(B)    Terminating plan. The provisions of this Section 7.07(B) apply if the Plan is terminating.

(1)    Attempt to locate. The Plan Administrator, to attempt to locate a lost Participant when the plan is terminating, must conduct a reasonable and diligent search for the Participant, using all four search methods described in clauses (1) through (4) of Section 7.07(C). In addition, the Plan Administrator may use a search method described in clause (5) of Section 7.07(C).

(2)    Failure to locate/disposition of Account. If a lost Participant remains unlocated after a reasonable period the Plan Administrator will distribute the Participant's Account under Sections 7.07(B)(2)(a), (b) or (c) as applicable.

(a)    No Annuity Contract/no other Defined Contribution Plan. If the terminating Plan does not provide for an Annuity Contract as a method of distribution and the Employer does not maintain another Defined Contribution Plan, the Plan Administrator will distribute the lost Participant's Account in an Automatic Rollover to an individual retirement plan under Section 6.08(D), unless the Plan Administrator determines it is impractical to complete an Automatic Rollover or is unable to locate an individual retirement plan provider willing to accept the rollover distribution. In such event, the Plan Administrator may: (i) distribute the Participant's Account to an interest‑bearing insured bank account the Plan Administrator establishes in the Participant's name; or (ii) distribute the Participant's Account to the unclaimed property fund of the state of the Participant's last known address.

(b)    Plan provides Annuity Contract/no other Defined Contribution Plan. If the terminating Plan provides for an Annuity Contract as a method of distribution and the Employer does not maintain another Defined Contribution Plan, the Plan Administrator will purchase an Annuity Contract payable to the lost Participant for delivery to the Participant's last known address reflected in the Plan's records.

(c)    Employer maintains another Defined Contribution Plan. If the Employer maintains another Defined Contribution Plan, the Plan Administrator may, in lieu of taking the actions described in Sections 7.07(B)(2)(a) or (b), transfer the lost Participant's Account to the other Defined Contribution Plan.

(C)    Search methods. The search methods described in this Section 7.07 are: (1) provide a distribution notice to the lost Participant at the Participant's last known address by certified or registered mail; (2) check with the administrator of other employee benefit plans of the Employer that may have more up‑to‑date information regarding the Participant's whereabouts; (3) identify and contact the Participant's Designated Beneficiary under Section 7.05; (4) use the IRS letter forwarding program under Rev. Proc. 94‑22 or the Social Security Administration search program; and (5) use a commercial locator service, credit reporting agencies, the internet or other search method. Regarding search methods (2) and (3) above, if the Plan Administrator encounters privacy concerns, the Plan Administrator may request that the Employer or other plan fiduciary (under (2)), or the Designated Beneficiary (under (3)), contact the Participant or forward a letter requesting that the Participant contact the Plan Administrator.

(D)    Uniformity. The Plan Administrator will apply Section 7.07 in a reasonable, uniform and nondiscriminatory manner, but in determining a specific course of action as to a particular Account, reasonably may take into account differing circumstances such as the amount of a lost Participant's Account, the expense in attempting to locate a lost Participant, the Plan Administrator's ability to establish and the expense of establishing a rollover IRA, and other factors.

(E)    Expenses of search. The Plan Administrator, in accordance with Section 7.04(C)(2)(b), may charge to the Account of a Participant the reasonable expenses incurred under this Section 7.07 and which are associated with the Participant's Account, without regard to whether or when the Plan Administrator actually locates or makes a distribution to the Participant.

(F)    Alternative Disposition. The Plan Administrator under Sections 7.07(A) or (B) operationally may dispose of a lost Participant's Account in any reasonable manner. The Plan Administrator may adopt a policy under this Section 7.07 as it deems reasonable or appropriate to administer the Accounts of lost Participants, provided that: (1) the terms of any such policy must be uniform and nondiscriminatory; and (2) the Plan Administrator must administer the policy in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner.

7.08    PLAN CORRECTION. The Plan Administrator, in conjunction with the Employer and Trustee, as applicable, may undertake such correction of Plan failures as the Plan Administrator deems necessary, including correction to preserve tax qualification of the Plan under Code §401(a), to correct a fiduciary breach under ERISA or to unwind (correct) a prohibited transaction under the Code or ERISA. Without limiting the Plan Administrator's authority under the prior sentence, the Plan Administrator, as it determines to be reasonable and appropriate, may undertake or assist the Employer in undertaking correction of Plan document, operational, demographic and employer eligibility failures under a method described in the Plan or under the Employee Plans Compliance Resolution System ("EPCRS") as described in Rev. Proc. 2013-12, or any successor program to EPCRS. The Plan Administrator, as it determines to be reasonable and appropriate, also may undertake or assist the Employer, the Trustee or other appropriate Plan fiduciary or Plan official in undertaking correction of a fiduciary breach, including correction under the Voluntary Fiduciary Correction Program ("VFCP") or any successor program to VFCP. If the Plan is a 401(k) Plan, the Plan Administrator to correct an operational failure (or if the allowable period for such correction has expired), may require the Trustee to distribute from the Plan Elective Deferrals, including Earnings thereon, and the Plan Administrator will treat any Matching Contributions and Earnings thereon relating to the distributed Elective Deferrals, as an Associated Matching Contribution under Section 3.07(A)(1). To the extent the Employer must make nonelective or matching contributions to the plan to correct a failure under EPCRS, other than a failure relating to the ADP test or ACP test (see Section 4.10), the Plan Administrator will use forfeitures to reduce the amount of such contribution.

7.09    PROTOTYPE/VOLUME SUBMITTER PLAN STATUS. If the Plan fails initially to qualify or to maintain qualification or if the Employer makes any amendment or modification to a provision of the Plan (other than a proper completion of an elective provision under the Adoption Agreement or an Appendix), the Employer no longer may participate under this Prototype or Volume Submitter Plan. The Employer also may not participate (or continue to participate) in this Prototype or Volume Submitter Plan if the Trustee or Custodian is not the Sponsor or Practitioner and does not have the written consent of the Sponsor or Practitioner required under Section 1.67, if any, to serve in the capacity of Trustee or Custodian. If the Employer is not entitled to participate under this Prototype or Volume Submitter Plan, the Plan is an individually‑designed plan and the reliance procedures specified in the applicable Adoption Agreement no longer apply.

7.10    PLAN COMMUNICATIONS, INTERPRETATION, AND CONSTRUCTION.

(A)    Plan Administrator's Discretion/Nondiscriminatory Administration. The Plan Administrator has total and complete discretion to interpret and construe the Plan and to determine all questions arising in the administration, interpretation and application of the Plan. Any determination the Plan Administrator makes under the Plan is final and binding upon any affected person. The Plan Administrator must exercise all of its Plan powers and discretion, and perform all of its duties in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner.

(B)    Written Communications. All Plan‑related communications by any party must be in writing (which subject to Section 7.10(C) may include an electronic communication). All Participant or Beneficiary notices, designations, elections, consents or waivers must be made in a form the Plan Administrator (or, as applicable, the Trustee) specifies or otherwise approves. Any person entitled to notice under the Plan may waive the notice or shorten the notice period.

(C)    Use of Electronic Media. The Plan Administrator using any electronic medium may give or receive any Plan notice, communicate any Plan policy, conduct any written Plan communication, satisfy any Plan filing or other compliance requirement and conduct any other Plan transaction to the extent permissible. A Participant or a Participant's spouse, to the extent authorized by the Plan Administrator, may use any electronic medium to make or provide any Beneficiary designation, election, notice, consent or waiver under the Plan. Any reference in this Plan to a "form," a "notice," an "election," a "consent," a "waiver," a "designation," a "policy" or to any other Plan‑related communication includes an electronic version thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Participant or Beneficiary notices and consent that are required pursuant to the Code must satisfy Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)-21.

(D)    Evidence. Anyone, including the Employer, required to give data, statements or other information relevant under the terms of the Plan ("evidence") may do so by certificate, affidavit, document or other form which the person to act in reliance may consider pertinent, reliable and genuine, and to have been signed, made or presented by the proper party or parties. The Plan Administrator and the Trustee are protected fully in acting and relying upon any evidence described under the immediately preceding sentence.

(E)    Plan Terms Binding. The Plan is binding upon the Employer, Trustee, Plan Administrator, Custodian (and all other service providers to the Plan), upon Participants, Beneficiaries and all other persons entitled to benefits, and upon the successors and assigns of the foregoing persons. See Section 8.11(C) as to the Trust where the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects to use a separate trust agreement.

(F)    Employment Not Guaranteed. Nothing contained in this Plan, or with respect to the establishment of the Trust, or any modification or any amendment to the Plan or Trust, or in the creation of any Account, or with respect to the payment of any benefit, gives any Employee, Participant or any Beneficiary any right to employment or to continued employment by the Employer, or any legal or equitable right against the Employer, the Trustee, the Custodian, the Plan Administrator or any employee or agent thereof, except as expressly provided by the Plan or the Trust.

(G)    Word Usage. Words used in the masculine also apply to the feminine where applicable, and wherever the context of the Plan dictates, the plural includes the singular and the singular includes the plural. Titles of Plan and Adoption Agreement sections are for reference only.

(H)    State Law. The law of the state of the Employer's (or if there is a corporate Trustee, the Trustee's, or if the Plan is fully insured, the insurer's) principal place of business will determine all questions arising with respect to the provisions of the Plan and Trust. The Employer in Appendix B may elect to apply the law of another state or appropriate legal jurisdiction.

(I)    Parties to Litigation. Except as otherwise provided, a Participant or a Beneficiary is not a necessary party or required to receive notice of process in any court proceeding involving the Plan, the Trust Fund or any fiduciary of the Plan. Any final judgment (not subject to further appeal) entered in any such proceeding will be binding upon the Employer, the Plan Administrator, the Trustee, Custodian, Participants and Beneficiaries and upon their successors and assigns.

(J)    Fiduciaries Not Insurers. The Trustee, the Plan Administrator and the Employer in no way guarantee the Trust Fund from loss or depreciation. The Employer does not guarantee the payment of any money which may be or becomes due to any person from the Trust Fund. The liability of the Employer, the Plan Administrator and the Trustee to make any distribution from the Trust Fund at any time and all times is limited to the then available assets of the Trust.

(K)    Construction/Severability. The Plan, the Adoption Agreement, the Trust and all other documents to which they refer, will be interpreted consistent with and to preserve tax qualification of the Plan under Code §401(a) and tax exemption of the Trust under Code §501(a) and also consistent with ERISA. To the extent permissible, any provision which a court (or other entity with binding authority to interpret the Plan) determines to be inconsistent with such construction and interpretation, is deemed severed and is of no force or effect, and the remaining Plan terms will remain in full force and effect.

7.11    DIVESTMENT OF EMPLOYER SECURITIES.

(A)    Application and Effective Date of Article. This Section 7.11 only applies to a Plan that is an Applicable Defined Contribution Plan.

(1)    Definition of Applicable Defined Contribution Plan. Except as provided herein or in Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(35)‑1, an Applicable Defined Contribution Plan means a Defined Contribution Plan that holds Publicly Traded Employer Securities.

(a)    Exclusions. An Applicable Defined Contribution Plan does not include a one‑participant plan, as defined in Code §401(a)(35)(E)(iv) or an employee stock ownership plan ("ESOP") as defined in Code §4975(e)(7) if: (i) the ESOP holds no contributions (or related earnings) that are (or were ever) subject to Code §§401(k) or 401(m); and (ii) the ESOP is a separate plan, for purposes of Code §414(l), from any other Defined Benefit Plan or Defined Contribution Plan maintained by the Employer.

(2)    Definition of Publicly Traded Employer Securities. For purposes of this Article, a Publicly Traded Employer Security is an Employer security which is traded on a national securities exchange that is registered under section 6 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1935 or which is traded on a foreign national securities exchange that is officially recognized, sanctioned, or supervised by a governmental authority and the security is deemed by the Securities and Exchange Commission as having a "ready market" under SEC Rule 15c3-1.

(3)    Effective date. The provisions of Code §401(a)(35) generally apply to Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2006. However, the provisions Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(35)‑1 are applicable to Plan Years beginning on or after January 1, 2011.

(B)    Rule Applicable to Elective Deferrals, Employee Contributions and Rollovers. If any portion of an Applicable Individual's Account attributable to Elective Deferrals, Employee Contributions, or Rollover Contributions is invested in Publicly‑Traded Employer Securities, then, except as otherwise provided herein, the Applicable Individual may elect to direct the Plan Administrator to divest any such Securities, and to reinvest an equivalent amount in other investment options which satisfy the requirements of Section 7.11(D).

(1)    Definition of Applicable Individual/Deferrals. For purposes of this Section 7.11(B), an Applicable Individual means: (i) a Participant; (ii) an alternate payee who has an Account under the Plan; or (iii) a Beneficiary.

(C)    Rule Applicable to Employer Contributions (other than Elective Deferrals). If any portion of an Applicable Individual's Account attributable to Employer Contributions other than Elective Deferrals is invested in Publicly‑Traded Employer Securities, then, except as otherwise provided herein, the Applicable Individual may elect to direct the Plan Administrator to divest any such Securities, and to reinvest an equivalent amount in other investment options which satisfy the requirements of Section 7.11(D).

(1)    Definition of Applicable Individual/Employer Contributions. For purposes of this Section 7.11(C), an Applicable Individual means: (i) a Participant who has completed at least three Years of Service; (ii) an alternate payee who has an Account under the Plan with respect to a Participant who has completed at least three Years of Service; or (iii) a Beneficiary with respect to a Participant who had completed at least three Years of Service. For this purpose, a Year of Service means in accordance with Section 5.05 relating to vesting. However, if the Plan provides for immediate vesting or applies the Elapsed Time Method in determining vesting, a Participant completes three Years of Service on the day immediately preceding the third anniversary of the Participant's Employment Commencement Date.

(2)    Three‑year phase‑in applicable to Employer Contributions. For Employer securities acquired with Employer Contributions other than Elective Deferrals during a Plan Year beginning before January 1, 2007, the rule described in this Section 7.11(C) only applies to the percentage of the Publicly Traded Employer Securities (applied separately for each class of Securities) as follows:

Plan Year    Percentage
2007    33%
2008    66%
2009    100%

(3)    Exception to phase‑in for certain age 55 Participants. The 3‑year phase‑in rule of Section 7.11(C)(2) does not apply to a Participant who had attained age 55 and completed at least three Years of Service (as defined in Section 7.11(C)(1) above) before the first Plan Year beginning after December 31, 2005.

(D)    Investment Options. For purposes of this Section 7.11, other investment options must include not less than three investment options, other than Publicly Traded Employer Securities, to which the Applicable Individual who has the right to divest under Section 7.11(B) or 7.11(C) may direct the proceeds from the divestment of such Securities. Each of the three investment options must be diversified and have materially different risk and return characteristics. For this purpose, investment options that constitute a broad range of investment alternatives within the meaning of DOL Regulation §2550.404c‑1(b)(3) are treated as being diversified and having materially different risk and return characteristics. The Plan must provide reasonable divestment and reinvestment opportunities at least quarterly.

(E)    Restrictions or Conditions on Investments in Employer Securities. Except as permitted by Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(35)‑1(e), the Plan may not impose restrictions or conditions on the investment of Publicly Traded Employer Securities which the Plan does not impose on the investment of other Plan assets.




ARTICLE VIII
TRUSTEE AND CUSTODIAN, POWERS AND DUTIES



8.01    ACCEPTANCE. By executing the Adoption Agreement, the Trustee or Custodian accepts the Trust created under the Plan and agrees to perform the obligations the Plan imposes on the Trustee or Custodian.

8.02    INVESTMENT POWERS AND DUTIES.

(A)    Discretionary Trustee Powers. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement designates the Trustee as a discretionary Trustee, then the Trustee has full discretion and authority with regard to the investment of the Trust Fund, except as to a Plan asset: (i) properly under the control or the direction of an Investment Manager, ancillary trustee or other Plan fiduciary; (ii) subject to proper Employer or Named Fiduciary direction of investment; or (iii) subject to proper Participant or Beneficiary direction of investment. The Trustee is authorized and empowered, but not by way of limitation, with the following powers:

(1)    General powers. To invest consistent with any part or all of the Trust Fund in any common or preferred stocks, open‑end or closed‑end mutual funds (including proprietary funds), put and call options traded on a national exchange, United States retirement plan bonds, corporate bonds, debentures, convertible debentures, commercial paper, U.S. Treasury bills, U.S. Treasury notes and other direct or indirect obligations of the United States Government or its agencies, improved or unimproved real estate situated in the United States, limited partnerships, insurance contracts of any type, mortgages, notes or other property of any kind, real or personal, to buy or sell options on common stock on a nationally recognized exchange with or without holding the underlying common stock, to open and to maintain margin accounts, to engage in short sales, to buy and sell commodities, commodity options and contracts for the future delivery of commodities, and to make any other investments the Trustee deems appropriate.

(2)    Cash/liquidity. To retain in cash so much of the Trust Fund as it may deem advisable to satisfy liquidity needs of the Plan and to deposit any cash held in the Trust Fund in a bank or other institutional account at reasonable interest or without interest if the Trustee determines that such deposits are reasonable or necessary to facilitate a Plan transaction or for other purposes, but consistent with the Trustee's duties under Section 8.02(C).

(3)    Trustee's common/collective funds. To invest, if the Trustee is a bank or similar financial institution supervised by the United States or by a state, in any type of deposit of the Trustee (or of a bank related to the Trustee within the meaning of Code §414(b)) at a reasonable rate of interest or in a common trust fund, as described in Code §584, or in a collective investment fund, the provisions of which govern the investment of such assets and which the Plan incorporates by this reference, which the Trustee (or its affiliate, as defined in Code §1504) maintains exclusively for the collective investment of money contributed by the bank (or the affiliate) in its capacity as Trustee and which conforms to the rules of the Comptroller of the Currency.

(4)    Transact in real/personal property. To manage, sell, contract to sell, grant options to purchase, convey, exchange, transfer, abandon, improve, repair, insure, lease for any term even though commencing in the future or extending beyond the term of the Trust, and otherwise deal with all property, real or personal, in such manner, for such considerations and on such terms and conditions as the Trustee decides.

(5)    Borrowing. To borrow money, to assume indebtedness, extend mortgages and encumber by mortgage or pledge.

(6)    Claims. To compromise, contest, arbitrate or abandon claims and demands affecting the investment of Trust assets, in the Trustee's discretion. However, nothing in this Section 8.02(A)(6) requires a Participant or Beneficiary to arbitrate any claim under the Plan.

(7)    Voting/tender/exercise. To have with respect to the Trust all of the rights of an individual owner, including the power to exercise any and all voting rights associated with Trust assets, to give proxies, to participate in any voting trusts, mergers, consolidations or liquidations, to tender shares and to exercise or sell stock subscriptions or conversion rights.

(8)    Mineral rights. To lease for oil, gas and other mineral purposes and to create mineral severances by grant or reservation; to pool or unitize interests in oil, gas and other minerals; and to enter into operating agreements and to execute division and transfer orders.

(9)    Title. To hold any securities or other property in the name of the Trustee or its nominee, with depositories or agent depositories or in another form as it may deem best, with or without disclosing the trust relationship. However, any securities held in a nominee or street name must be held on behalf of the Plan by: (a) a bank or trust company that is subject to supervision by the United States or a State or a nominee of such bank or trust company; (b) a broker or dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or a nominee of such broker or dealer; or (c) a clearing agency as defined in Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 3(a)(23), or its nominee.

(10)    Hold pending dispute resolution. To retain any funds or property subject to any dispute without liability for the payment of interest, and to decline to make payment or delivery of the funds or property until a court of competent jurisdiction makes final adjudication.

(11)    Litigation. To begin, maintain or defend any litigation necessary in connection with the administration of the Plan, except the Trustee is not obliged nor required to do so unless indemnified to its satisfaction.

(12)    Agents/reliance. The Trustee may employ and pay from the Trust Fund reasonable compensation to agents, attorneys, accountants and other persons to advise the Trustee as in its opinion may be necessary. The Trustee reasonably may delegate to any agent, attorney, accountant or other person selected by it any non‑Trustee power or duty vested in it by the Plan, and the Trustee may act reasonably or refrain from acting on the advice or opinion of any agent, attorney, accountant or other person so selected.

(13)    Employer stock/real property. The Trustee (or as applicable, Investment Manager, Employer, Participant, or Beneficiary) may invest in qualifying Employer securities or in qualifying Employer real property, as defined in and as limited by ERISA.

(a)    Profit Sharing Plans/401(k) Plans. If the Employer's Plan is a Profit Sharing Plan or a 401(k) Plan, the aggregate investments in (acquisitions and holdings of) qualifying Employer securities and in qualifying Employer real property may comprise up to 100% of the value of Plan assets, unless the Employer in Appendix B elects to restrict such investments to 10% of the value of Plan assets determined immediately after the acquisition (or to some other percentage of value which is less than 100%). Notwithstanding the foregoing, except where permitted under ERISA §407(b)(2), if the Plan includes a 401(k) arrangement, a Participant's Elective Deferral Account accumulated in Plan Years beginning after December 31, 1998, including earnings thereon, may not be invested more than 10% by value in qualifying Employer securities and qualifying Employer real property, unless such investments are directed by the Participant or the Participant's Beneficiary.

(b)    Voting/distribution. If the Plan invests in qualifying Employer securities, the Plan Administrator may adopt a uniform and nondiscriminatory policy providing for the exercise of voting rights, distribution restrictions, repurchase, put, call or right of first refusal rules, or other rights and restrictions affecting the qualifying Employer securities.

(14)    Orphaned plan. If the Trustee determines that the Employer has abandoned the Plan, the Trustee (if qualified to so act) may appoint itself as a Qualified Termination Administrator ("QTA") under Section 11.05(B) for purposes of terminating the Plan and distributing all Plan Accounts. As a QTA, the Trustee may undertake all authorized acts to wind‑up the Plan, including causing the Trust to pay from Trust assets to the QTA and to other service providers a reasonable fee for services rendered.

(15)    Investment Policy. To adopt and to amend from time to time, an investment policy consistent with the Plan's funding policy described in Section 7.02(C)(9)

(16)    Catch‑all. To perform any and all other acts which in the Trustee's judgment are necessary or appropriate for the proper and advantageous management, investment and distribution of the Trust.

(B)    Nondiscretionary (directed) Trustee/Custodian Powers. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement may designate the Trustee as a nondiscretionary Trustee. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement in addition to designating a discretionary or nondiscretionary Trustee, may appoint a Custodian to hold all or any portion of the Trust Assets. Except as otherwise provided herein: (i) a Custodian has all of the same powers and duties as a nondiscretionary Trustee; (ii) the nondiscretionary Trustee or Custodian has all of the same powers as a discretionary Trustee in Section 8.02(A) except that the nondiscretionary Trustee or Custodian only may exercise such powers pursuant to a proper written direction; and (iii) the nondiscretionary Trustee or Custodian has all the same duties as a discretionary Trustee under Section 8.02(C). A "proper written direction" means the written direction of a Plan fiduciary or of a Participant or Beneficiary with authority over the Trust asset which is the subject of the direction.

(1)    Modification of powers/duties. The Employer and the nondiscretionary Trustee (or the Custodian) in a Nonstandardized Plan or Volume Submitter Adoption Agreement, on Appendix C may limit the powers or duties of the Custodian or the nondiscretionary Trustee to any combination of powers under Section 8.02(A) and to any combination of duties under Section 8.02(C) or otherwise may amend the Trust as described in Section 8.11.

(2)    Limited responsibility. If there is a Custodian or a nondiscretionary Trustee under the Plan, then the Employer, in adopting this Plan, acknowledges and agrees:

(a)    No discretion over Trust assets. The nondiscretionary Trustee or Custodian does not have any discretion as to the investment or the re‑investment of the Trust Fund and the nondiscretionary Trustee or Custodian is acting solely as a directed fiduciary as to the assets comprising the Trust Fund.

(b)    No review or recommendations. The nondiscretionary Trustee or the Custodian does not have any duty to review or to make recommendations regarding investments made pursuant to a proper written direction.

(c)    No action unless direction. The nondiscretionary Trustee or the Custodian must retain any investment obtained upon a proper written direction until receipt of another proper written direction to dispose of such investment.

(d)    No liability for following orders. The nondiscretionary Trustee or the Custodian is not liable in any manner or for any reason for making, retaining or disposing of any investment pursuant to any proper written direction.

(e)    Indemnity. The Employer will indemnify, defend and hold the nondiscretionary Trustee or the Custodian harmless from any damages, costs or expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, which the nondiscretionary Trustee or the Custodian may incur as a result of any claim asserted against the nondiscretionary Trustee, the Custodian or the Trust arising out of the nondiscretionary Trustee's or Custodian's full and timely compliance with any proper written direction.

(3)    Limitation of powers of certain Custodians. If a Custodian is a bank which, under its governing state law, does not possess trust powers, then Sections 8.02(A)(1), (3) as it relates to common trust funds or collective investment funds, (4), (5), (7), and (8), Section 8.09 and Article IX do not apply and the Custodian only has the power and the authority to exercise the remaining powers under Section 8.02(A) and to perform the duties under Section 8.02(C).

(4)    QTA. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 8.02(B), a nondiscretionary Trustee or a Custodian may serve as a QTA under Section 8.02(A)(14) without regard to receipt of any proper written direction.

(5)    Trustee references. Except as the Plan or the context otherwise require, "Trustee" includes nondiscretionary Trustee and Custodian.

(C)    Duties. The Trustee or Custodian has the following duties:

(1)    ERISA. If ERISA applies to the Plan and to the extent that ERISA so requires, to act: (a) solely in the interest of Participants and Beneficiaries for the exclusive purposes of providing benefits under the Plan and defraying the reasonable expenses of Plan administration; (b) with the care, skill, prudence and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing as would a prudent person acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters; (c) by diversifying Trust investments so as to minimize the risk of large losses unless not prudent under the circumstances to do so; and (d) in accordance with the Plan to the extent that the Plan is consistent with ERISA.

(2)    Investment policy. To coordinate its investment policy with Plan financial needs as communicated to it by the Plan Administrator.

(3)    Trust accounting. To furnish to the Employer and to the Plan Administrator an annual statement of account showing the condition of the Trust Fund and all investments, receipts, disbursements and other transactions effected by the Trustee during the Plan Year covered by the statement and also stating the assets of the Trust held at the end of the Plan Year, which statements are conclusive on all persons, including the Employer and the Plan Administrator, except as to any act or transaction concerning which the Employer or the Plan Administrator files with the Trustee written exceptions or objections within 90 days after the receipt of the statements or for which ERISA authorizes a longer period within which to object. The Trustee also may agree with the Employer or Plan Administrator to provide the information described in this Section 8.02(C) more frequently than annually.

(4)    Trust valuation. If the Trustee is a discretionary Trustee, to value the Trust Fund as of each Accounting Date and as applicable, the value of the Trust assets within each Participant or Beneficiary Account. The Trustee also must value the Trust Fund on such other Valuation Dates as directed in writing by the Plan Administrator or as the Adoption Agreement may require. If the Trustee is a nondiscretionary Trustee (or in the case of Trust assets held by a Custodian) the Named Fiduciary will value the assets and will provide the valuation to the Trustee (Custodian) unless the Trustee (Custodian) and the Named Fiduciary agree that the Trustee (Custodian) will conduct the valuation. The Trustee (Custodian) may reasonably rely on any valuation the Named Fiduciary conducts and provides.

(5)    Distributions. To credit and distribute the Trust Fund as the Plan Administrator directs. The Trustee is not obliged to inquire as to whether any payee or distributee is entitled to any payment or whether the distribution is proper or within the terms of the Plan, or as to the manner of making any payment or distribution. The Trustee is accountable only to the Plan Administrator for any payment or distribution made by it in good faith on the direction of the Plan Administrator. The Trustee must promptly notify the Plan Administrator of any unclaimed Plan payment or distribution and then dispose of the distribution in accordance with the Plan Administrator's subsequent direction.

(6)    Fees/expenses. To pay from the Trust Fund all reasonable Plan fees and expenses, and to allocate the fees and expenses to Plan Accounts, both as the Plan Administrator directs under Section 7.04(C)(2). Any fee or expense that the Employer pays, directly or indirectly, is not an Employer contribution to the Plan, provided the fee or the expense relates to the ordinary and necessary administration of the Trust Fund.

(7)    Loans. To make loans to a Participant or to a Beneficiary in accordance with the Plan Administrator's direction under Section 7.06.

(8)    Records/statements. To keep the Trustee's Plan records open to the inspection of the Plan Administrator and the Employer at all reasonable times and to permit the review or audit of such records from time to time by any person or persons as the Employer or Plan Administrator may specify in writing. The Trustee must furnish the Plan Administrator with whatever information relating to the Trust Fund the Plan Administrator considers necessary to perform its duties as Plan Administrator.

(9)    Tax returns. To file all information and tax returns required of the Trustee.

(10)    Incapacity. To follow the direction of the Plan Administrator with regard to distributions to any Participant or Beneficiary whom the Plan Administrator has determined to be incapacitated under Section 7.05(F). The Trustee also will provide any reasonable information and take any reasonable action that the Plan Administrator requests relating to a determination of incapacity or otherwise pertaining to the administration of the Account of any incapacitated person.

(11)    Bond. The Trustee must provide a bond for the faithful performance of its duties under the Trust.

(D)    Limitations Applicable to all Trustees.

(1)    Receipt of contributions. A discretionary Trustee has the duty to collect employer contributions, except to the extent this duty is limited in Appendix C of the Employer’s Adoption Agreement. A nondiscretionary Trustee does not have the duty to collect employer contributions and the Employer represents and warrants that it either has responsibility as a "named fiduciary" (as defined in ERISA §402(a)(2)) or has properly delegated the responsibility to a Plan fiduciary, other than the nondiscretionary Trustee, for determining the correctness, amount and timing of contributions and for the collection of contributions. If this is a restated plan, this duty is effective no sooner than the later of the date the Employer signs this restatement or the date the Trustee or Special Trustee executes either the restatement or otherwise accepts its responsibilities under the restatement. In determining how to discharge any duty to collect contributions, a fiduciary should weigh the value of the Plan assets involved, the likelihood of a successful recovery, and the expenses expected to be incurred. Among other factors, a fiduciary may take into account the Employer's solvency in deciding whether to expend Plan assets to pursue a claim.

(2)    Co‑fiduciary liability. Each fiduciary under the Plan is responsible solely for his/her or its own acts or omissions. A fiduciary does not have any liability for another fiduciary's breach of fiduciary responsibility with respect to the Plan and the Trust unless the fiduciary: (a) participates knowingly in or undertakes to conceal the breach; (b) has actual knowledge of the breach and fails to take reasonable remedial action to remedy the breach; or (c) through negligence in performing his/her or its own specific fiduciary responsibilities that give rise to fiduciary status, the fiduciary has enabled the other fiduciary to commit a breach of the latter's fiduciary responsibility.

(3)    Limitation of Trustee liability.

(a)    Apportionment of duties. The Named Fiduciary, the Trustee(s) and any properly appointed Investment Manager may execute a written agreement as a part of this Plan delineating the duties, responsibilities and liabilities of the Investment Manager or Trustee(s) with respect to any part of the Trust Fund under the control of the Investment Manager or the Trustee(s).

(b)    If Investment Manager. The Trustee is not liable for the acts or omissions of any Investment Manager the Named Fiduciary may appoint, nor is the Trustee under any obligation to invest or otherwise to manage any asset of the Trust Fund which is subject to the management of a properly appointed Investment Manager.

(c)    If other appointed fiduciaries. The Trustee is not liable for the acts or omissions of any ancillary trustee or independent fiduciary properly appointed under Section 8.07. However, if a discretionary Trustee, pursuant to the delegation described in Section 8.07, appoints an ancillary trustee, the discretionary Trustee is responsible for the periodic review of the ancillary trustee's actions and the ancillary trustee must exercise its delegated authority in accordance with the terms of the Plan and in a manner consistent with ERISA.

(d)    Indemnity. The Employer and any Trustee may execute a written agreement as a part of this Plan, delineating any indemnification agreement among the parties.

(E)    Multiple Trustees.

(1)    Majority decisions. If more than two persons act as Trustee, a decision of the majority of such persons controls with respect to any decision regarding the administration or the investment of the Trust Fund or of any portion of the Trust Fund with respect to which such persons act as Trustee. If there is more than one Trustee, the Trustees jointly will manage and control the assets of the Trust Fund (or those Trust assets as to which they act as Trustee).

(2)    Allocation. Multiple Trustees may allocate among themselves specific responsibilities or obligations or may authorize one or more of them, either individually or in concert, to exercise any or all of the powers granted to the Trustee, or to perform any or all of the duties assigned to the Trustee under Article VIII.

(3)    Signature. The signature of only one Trustee is necessary to effect any transaction on behalf of the Trust (or as to those Trust assets as to which the signatory acts as Trustee).

8.03    NAMED FIDUCIARY.

(A)    Definition of Named Fiduciary. See Section 1.37.

(B)    Duty of Named Fiduciary. The Named Fiduciary under the Plan has the sole responsibility to control and to manage the operation and administration of the Plan. If the Named Fiduciary is also the Trustee, the Named Fiduciary is solely responsible for the management and the control of the Trust Fund, except Trust assets properly: (1) under the control or the direction of an Investment Manager, ancillary trustee or other Plan fiduciary; or (2) subject to Employer or Participant direction of investment.

(C)    Appointment of Investment Manager. The Named Fiduciary may appoint an Investment Manager. See Section 7.02(C)(8).

8.04    FORM OF DISTRIBUTION (CASH OR PROPERTY). The Trustee will make Plan distributions in the form of cash except where: (1) the required form of distribution is a QJSA or QPSA which has not been waived; (2) the Plan is a Restated Plan and under the prior Plan, distribution in the form of property ("in‑kind distribution") is a Protected Benefit which the Employer has not eliminated by a Plan amendment under Section 11.02(C); (3) the Plan Administrator adopts a written policy which provides for in‑kind distribution; or (4) the Employer is terminating the Plan, and in the reasonable judgment of the Trustee, some or all Plan assets, within a reasonable time for making final distribution of Plan assets, may not be liquidated to cash or may not be so liquidated without undue loss in value. The Plan Administrator's policy under clause (3) may restrict in‑kind distributions to certain types of Trust investments or specify any other reasonable and nondiscriminatory condition or restriction applicable to in‑kind distributions. Under clause (4), the Trustee will make Plan termination distributions to Participants and Beneficiaries in cash, in‑kind or in a combination of these forms, in a reasonable and nondiscriminatory manner which may take into account the preferences of the distributees. All in‑kind distributions will be made based on the current fair market value of the property, as determined by the Trustee, Custodian or Named Fiduciary.

8.05    TRUSTEE/CUSTODIAN FEES AND EXPENSES. A Trustee or a Custodian will receive reasonable compensation and reimbursement for reasonable Trust expenses actually incurred as Trustee or Custodian, as may be agreed upon from time to time by the Employer and the Trustee or the Custodian. No person who is receiving full pay from the Employer may receive compensation (except for reimbursement of Plan expenses) for services as Trustee or as Custodian. As the Plan Administrator directs following direction from the Employer under Section 7.04(C), such fees and expenses will be paid by the Employer, or the Trustee or Custodian will charge the Trust for the fees or expenses. If, within a reasonable time after a Plan related fee or expense is incurred (or if within the time specified in any agreement between the Plan and the Trustee regarding payment of a fee or expense) the Plan Administrator does not communicate the Employer's decision regarding payment or if the Employer does not pay the fee or expense, the Trustee or Custodian may charge the Trust for such reasonable fees and expenses as are not settlor expenses.

8.06    THIRD PARTY RELIANCE. A person dealing with the Trustee is not obligated to see to the proper application of any money paid or property delivered to the Trustee, or to inquire whether the Trustee has acted pursuant to any of the terms of the Plan. Each person dealing with the Trustee may act upon any notice, request or representation in writing by the Trustee, or by the Trustee's duly authorized agent, and is not liable to any person in so acting. The certificate of the Trustee that it is acting in accordance with the Plan is conclusive in favor of any person relying on the certificate.

8.07    APPOINTMENT OF ANCILLARY TRUSTEE OR INDEPENDENT FIDUCIARY.

(A)    Appointment. The Employer, in writing, may appoint any qualified person in any state to act as ancillary trustee with respect to a designated portion of the Trust Fund, subject to any consent required under Section 1.67. An ancillary trustee must acknowledge in a writing separate from the Employer's Adoption Agreement its acceptance of the terms and conditions of its appointment as ancillary trustee and its fiduciary status under ERISA.

(B)    Powers. The ancillary trustee has the rights, powers, duties and discretion as the Employer may delegate, subject to any limitations or directions specified in the agreement appointing the ancillary trustee and to the terms of the Plan or of ERISA. The Employer may delegate its responsibilities under this Section 8.07 to a discretionary Trustee under the Plan (subject to the acceptance by such discretionary Trustee of that delegation), but the Employer may not delegate its responsibilities to a nondiscretionary Trustee or to a Custodian. The investment powers delegated to the ancillary trustee may include any investment powers available under Section 8.02. The delegated investment powers may include the right to invest any portion of the assets of the Trust Fund in a common trust fund, as described in Code §584, or in any collective investment fund, the provisions of which govern the investment of such assets and which the Plan incorporates by this reference, but only if the ancillary trustee is a bank or similar financial institution supervised by the United States or by a state and the ancillary trustee (or its affiliate, as defined in Code §1504) maintains the common trust fund or collective investment fund exclusively for the collective investment of money contributed by the ancillary trustee (or its affiliate) in a trustee capacity and which conforms to the rules of the Comptroller of the Currency. The Employer also may appoint as an ancillary trustee, the trustee of any group trust fund designated for investment pursuant to the provisions of Section 8.09.

(C)    Resignation/Removal. The ancillary trustee may resign its position and the Employer may remove an ancillary trustee as provided in Section 8.08 regarding resignation and removal of the Trustee or Custodian. In the event of such resignation or removal, the Employer may appoint another ancillary trustee or may return the assets to the control and management of the Trustee.

(D)    Independent Fiduciary. If the DOL requires engagement of an independent fiduciary to have control or management of all or a portion of the Trust Fund, the Employer will appoint such independent fiduciary, as directed by the DOL. The independent fiduciary will have the duties, responsibilities and powers prescribed by the DOL and will exercise those duties, responsibilities and powers in accordance with the terms, restrictions and conditions established by the DOL and, to the extent not inconsistent with ERISA, the terms of the Plan. The independent fiduciary must accept its appointment in writing and must acknowledge its status as a fiduciary of the Plan.

8.08    RESIGNATION AND REMOVAL.

(A)    Resignation. The Trustee or the Custodian may resign its position by giving written notice to the Employer and to the Plan Administrator. The Trustee's notice must specify the effective date of the Trustee's resignation, which date must be at least 30 days following the date of the Trustee's notice, unless the Employer consents in writing to shorter notice.

(B)    Removal. The Employer may remove a Trustee or a Custodian by giving written notice to the affected party. The Employer's notice must specify the effective date of removal which date must be at least 30 days following the date of the Employer's notice, except where the Employer reasonably determines a shorter notice period or immediate removal is necessary to protect Plan assets.

(C)    Successor Appointment. In the event of the resignation or the removal of a Trustee, where no other Trustee continues to serve, the Employer must appoint a successor Trustee if it intends to continue the Plan. If two or more persons hold the position of Trustee, in the event of the removal of one such person, during any period the selection of a replacement is pending, or during any period such person is unable to serve for any reason, the remaining person or persons will act as the Trustee.

(1)    Default Successor Trustee. If the Employer fails to appoint a successor Trustee as of the effective date of the Trustee resignation or removal and no other Trustee remains, the Trustee will treat the Employer as having appointed itself as Trustee and as having filed the Employer's acceptance of appointment as successor Trustee with the former Trustee. If state law prohibits the Employer from serving as successor Trustee, the appointed successor Trustee is the president of a corporate Employer, the managing partner of a partnership Employer, the managing member of a limited liability company Employer, the sole proprietor of a proprietorship Employer, or in the case of any other entity type, such other person with title and responsibilities similar to the foregoing.

(2)    Default Successor Custodian. If the Employer removes and does not replace a Custodian, the Trustee will assume possession of Plan assets held by the former Custodian.

(D)    Acceptance. Each successor Trustee succeeds its predecessor Trustee by accepting in writing its appointment as successor Trustee and by filing the acceptance with the former Trustee and the Plan Administrator. For this purpose, the successor Trustee's execution of the Adoption Agreement constitutes the Trustee's acceptance of its appointment as successor Trustee. The successor Trustee will also execute such other documents, if any, as the Plan Administrator may reasonably require in connection therewith.

(E)    Outgoing Trustee. The resigning or removed Trustee, upon receipt of acceptance in writing of the Trust by the successor Trustee, must execute all documents and must perform all acts necessary to vest the title to Plan assets of record in any successor Trustee. In addition, to the extent reasonably necessary for the ongoing administration of the Plan, at the request of the Plan Administrator and the successor Trustee, the resigning or removed Trustee must transfer records, provide information and otherwise cooperate in effecting the change of Trustees.

(F)    Successor Powers. Each successor Trustee has and enjoys all of the powers, both discretionary and ministerial, conferred under the Plan upon its predecessor.

(G)    No Liability for Predecessor. A successor Trustee is not personally liable for any act or failure to act of any predecessor Trustee, except as required under ERISA. With the approval of the Employer and the Plan Administrator, a successor Trustee, with respect to the Plan, may accept the account rendered and the property delivered to it by a predecessor Trustee without liability.

8.09    INVESTMENT IN GROUP TRUST FUND. The Employer, by adopting this Plan, specifically authorizes the Trustee to invest all or any portion of the assets comprising the Trust Fund in any group trust fund which at the time of the investment provides for the pooling of the assets of plans qualified under Code §401(a), including a group trust fund that also permits the pooling of qualified plan assets with assets of an individual retirement account that is exempt from taxation under Code §408(e), assets of an eligible governmental plan under Code §457(b) that is exempt from taxation under Code §457(g), assets of a custodial account under Code §403(b)(7) or a retirement income account under Code §403(b)(9), or assets of a governmental plan under Code §401(a)(24). This authorization applies solely to a group trust fund exempt from taxation under Code §501(a) and the trust agreement of which satisfies the requirements of Rev. Rul. 81‑100 (as modified and clarified by Rev. Rul. 2004‑67 and Rev. Rul. 2011‑1), or any successor thereto. The provisions of the group trust fund agreement, as amended from time to time, are by this reference incorporated within this Plan and Trust. The provisions of the group trust fund will govern any investment of Plan assets in that fund. To comply with Code §4975(d)(8) as to any group trust fund maintained by a disqualified person, including the Trustee, the following provisions apply: (A) a discretionary Trustee or a nondiscretionary Trustee may invest in any such fund at the direction of the Named Fiduciary who is independent of the Trustee and the Trustee's affiliates; (B) a discretionary Trustee or a nondiscretionary Trustee (the latter as directed) may invest in any such fund which the Employer specifies in Appendix C; and (C) notwithstanding (A) and (B) a discretionary Trustee may invest in its own funds as described in Section 8.02(A)(3).

8.10    COMBINING TRUSTS OF EMPLOYER'S PLANS. At the Employer's direction, the Trustee, for collective investment purposes, may combine into one trust fund the Trust created under this Plan with the trust created under any other qualified retirement plan the Employer maintains. However, the Trustee must maintain separate records of account for the assets of each Trust in order to reflect properly each Participant's Account Balance under the qualified plans in which he/she is a participant.

8.11    AMENDMENT/SUBSTITUTION OF TRUST.

(A)    Amendment/Standardized Plan. The Employer in its Standardized Plan may not amend any provision of Article VIII (or any other provision of the Plan related to the Trust) except the Employer in Appendix C (or in its Adoption Agreement as applicable) may specify the Trust year, the names of the Plan, the Employer, the Trustee, the Custodian, the Plan Administrator, other fiduciaries or the name of any pooled trust in which the Trust will participate.

(B)    Amendment/Nonstandardized or Volume Submitter Plan. The Employer in its Nonstandardized or Volume Submitter Plan, in Appendix C (or in its Adoption Agreement as applicable): (1) may amend the Plan or Trust as described in Section 8.11(A); or (2) may amend or override the administrative provisions of Article VIII (or any other provision of the Plan related to the Trust), including provisions relating to Trust investment and Trustee powers or duties.

(1)    Limitation. Any Trust amendment under clause (2) of Section 8.11(B): (a) must not conflict with any other provisions of the Plan (except as expressly are intended to override an existing Trust provision); (b) must not cause the Plan to violate Code §401(a); and (c) must be made in accordance with Rev. Proc. 2011‑49 or any successor thereto.

(C)    Substitution of Approved or Non‑Approved Trust. The Employer subject to the conditions under Section 8.11(B)(1), in its Adoption Agreement may elect to substitute in place of Article VIII and the remaining Trust provisions of the basic plan document, any other trust or custodial account agreement that the IRS has approved for use with this Plan. The Employer also may elect to substitute in place of Article VIII and the remaining Trust provisions of the basic plan document, any other trust or custodial account agreement which has not been approved by the IRS for use with this Plan. However, substitution of a non‑approved trust or custodial agreement will cause the Plan to lose reliance on its opinion or advisory letter and the Plan will become an individually designed plan. See Sections 7.09 and 11.02(B)(4). If the Employer elects to substitute an approved trust or a non‑approved, the Trustee will not execute the Adoption Agreement but will instead execute the substituted trust. The Trustee of the substituted trust agrees to be bound by all remaining Plan terms, other than those terms which the substituted trust governs.

(D)    Formalities. All Section 8.11 Trust amendments or substitutions are subject to Section 11.02. As such, the Trustee must execute the amendment or substituted trust.

8.12    CROSS‑PAY PROVISION. In the event that more than one entity adopts the Plan, such that Employers in addition to the Signatory Employer become Participating Employers, whether such entities are Related Employers or are unrelated Employers, or both, all of the Plan assets must be available to pay benefits to all Participants and Beneficiaries, as described in Treas. Reg. §1.414(l)‑1(b)(1), unless the Employer elects under Appendix B to limit such assets as are attributable to each Participating Employer to pay benefits only to the Participants (and their Beneficiaries) who are Employees of that Participating Employer.




ARTICLE IX
PROVISIONS RELATING TO INSURANCE AND INSURANCE COMPANY



9.01    INSURANCE BENEFIT.

(A)    General. The Employer may elect to provide incidental life insurance benefits for Insurable Participants who consent to life insurance benefits by executing the appropriate insurance company application form. The Trustee will not purchase any incidental life insurance benefit for any Participant prior to a contribution allocation to the Participant's Account. At an insured Participant's written direction, the Trustee will use all or any portion of the Participant's Employee Contributions, if any, to pay insurance premiums covering the Participant's life.

(B)    Insurance on Others. Unless the Plan is a Money Purchase Pension Plan, the Trustee may purchase life insurance for the benefit of the Participant on the life of a family member of the Participant.

(C)    Amount and Type of Coverage. The Employer will direct the Trustee as to the insurance company and insurance agent through which the Trustee is to purchase the Contracts, the amount of the coverage and the applicable Dividend plan.

(D)    Ownership. Each application for a Contract, and the Contracts themselves, must designate the Trustee as sole owner, with the right reserved to the Trustee to exercise any right or option contained in the Contracts, subject to the terms and provisions of this Plan. The Trustee must be the Contract named beneficiary for the Account of the insured Participant. The Trustee will hold all Contracts issued under the Plan as Trust assets.

(E)    Distribution. Proceeds of Contracts paid to the Participant's Account under this Article IX are subject to the distribution requirements of Article VI. The Trustee will not retain any such proceeds for the benefit of the Trust.

(F)    Premiums/Directed Investment. The Trustee will charge the premiums on any Contract covering the life of a Participant (or, as applicable, the family member of a Participant) against the Account of that Participant and will treat the Contract as a directed investment of the Participant's Account, even if the Plan otherwise does not permit a Participant to direct the investment of his/her own Account.

(G)    Uniformity. The Trustee must arrange, where possible, for all Contracts issued on the lives of Participants under the Plan to have the same premium due date and all ordinary life insurance Contracts to contain guaranteed cash values with as uniform basic options as are possible to obtain.

(H)    Custodians. The provisions of this Article IX are not applicable, and the Plan may not invest in Contracts, if a Custodian signatory to the Adoption Agreement is a bank which does not have trust powers from its governing state banking authority.

9.02    LIMITATIONS ON COVERAGE.

(A)    Incidental Insurance Benefits. The aggregate of life insurance premiums paid for the benefit of a Participant, at all times, may not exceed the following percentages of the aggregate of the Employer Contributions (including Elective Deferrals and forfeitures) allocated to any Participant's Account: (1) 49% in the case of the purchase of ordinary life insurance Contracts; or (2) 25% in the case of the purchase of term life insurance or universal life insurance Contracts. If the Trustee purchases a combination of ordinary life insurance Contract(s) and term life insurance or universal life insurance Contract(s), then the sum of one‑half of the premiums paid for the ordinary life insurance Contract(s) and the premiums paid for the term life insurance or universal life insurance Contract(s) may not exceed 25% of the Employer Contributions allocated to any Participant's Account.

(B)    Exception for Certain Profit Sharing Plans. If the Plan is a Profit Sharing Plan or a 401(k) Plan, the incidental insurance benefits requirement of Section 9.02(A) does not apply to the Plan if the Plan purchases life insurance benefits only from Employer Contributions accumulated in the Participant's Account for at least two years, measured from the allocation date.

(C)    Exception for Other Amounts. The incidental insurance benefit requirement of Section 9.02(A) does not apply to Contracts purchased: (1) with Employee Contributions; (2) with Rollover Contributions; or (3) with Earnings on Employer Contributions.

9.03    DISPOSITION OF LIFE INSURANCE PROTECTION.

(A)    Timing. The Trustee will not continue any life insurance protection beyond the later of the Participant's: (1) Annuity Starting Date under Section 6.01(A)(2)(h), or (2) Separation from Service. The Trustee, at the direction of the Plan Administrator, will make any transfer of Contract(s) as soon as administratively practicable after the date specified under this Section 9.03(A).

(B)    Method. The Trustee may not transfer any Contract under this Section 9.03 which contains a method of payment not specifically authorized by Article VI or which fails to comply with the QJSA requirements, if applicable, of Section 6.04. In this regard, the Trustee either must convert such a Contract to cash and distribute the cash instead of the Contract, or before making the transfer, must require the Issuing Company to delete the unauthorized method of payment option from the Contract.

9.04    DIVIDENDS. Dividends are applied to the Participant's Account on whose life the Issuing Company has issued the Contract. Dividends are applied to premium reduction unless the Plan Administrator directs the Trustee to purchase insurance benefits or additional insurance benefits for the Participant.

9.05    LIMITATIONS ON INSURANCE COMPANY DUTIES.

(A)    Not a Party to Plan. An insurance company, solely in its capacity as an Issuing Company: (1) is not a party to the Plan; and (2) is not responsible for the Plan's validity.

(B)    No Responsibility for Others. An Issuing Company has no responsibility or obligation under the Plan to Participants or Beneficiaries for any act required of the Employer, the Plan Administrator, the Trustee, the Custodian or any other service provider to the Plan (unless the Issuing Company also serves in such capacities).

(C)    Plan Terms. No insurance company, solely in its capacity as an Issuing Company, need examine the terms of this Plan.

(D)    Reliance/Discharge. For the purpose of making application to an Issuing Company and in the exercise of any right or option contained in any Contract, the Issuing Company may rely upon the signature of the Trustee and is held harmless and completely discharged in acting at the direction and authorization of the Trustee. An Issuing Company is discharged from all liability for any amount paid to the Trustee or paid in accordance with the direction of the Trustee, and is not obliged to see to the distribution or further application of any amounts the Issuing Company so pays.

9.06    RECORDS/INFORMATION. An Issuing Company must keep such records and supply to the Plan Administrator or Trustee such information regarding its Contracts as may be reasonably necessary for the proper administration of the Plan.

9.07    CONFLICT WITH PLAN. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Plan and the terms of any Contract issued in accordance with this Article IX, the provisions of the Plan control.

9.08    APPENDIX B OVERRIDE. The Employer in Appendix B may amend the provisions of this Article IX in any manner except as would be inconsistent with any other Plan provision.

9.09    DEFINITIONS. For purposes of this Article IX:

(A)    Contract(s). Contract or Contracts means an ordinary life, term life or universal life insurance contract issued by an Issuing Company on the life of a Participant or other person as authorized under this Article IX.

(B)    Dividends. Dividends means Contract dividends, refunds of premiums and other credits.

(C)    Insurable Participant. Insurable Participant means a Participant to whom an insurance company, upon an application being submitted in accordance with the Plan, will issue insurance coverage, either as a standard risk or as a risk in an extra mortality classification.

(D)    Issuing Company. Issuing Company is any life insurance company which has issued a Contract upon application by the Trustee under the terms of this Plan.





ARTICLE X
TOP‑HEAVY PROVISIONS



10.01    DETERMINATION OF TOP‑HEAVY STATUS.

(A)    Only Employer Plan. If this Plan is the only qualified plan maintained by the Employer, the Plan is top‑heavy for a Plan Year if the Top‑Heavy Ratio as of the Determination Date exceeds 60%.

(B)    If Other Plans. If the Employer maintains other qualified plans (including a simplified employee pension plan), or maintained another such plan now terminated, this Plan is top‑heavy only if it is part of the Required Aggregation Group, and the Top‑Heavy Ratio for the Required Aggregation Group and for the Permissive Aggregation Group, if any, each exceeds 60%.

(1)    Count all aggregated plans. The Plan Administrator will calculate the Top‑Heavy Ratio in the same manner as required by Section 10.06(K) taking into account all plans within the Aggregation Group. The Plan Administrator will calculate the Top‑Heavy Ratio with reference to the Determination Dates that fall within the same calendar year. If an aggregated plan does not have a Valuation Date coinciding with the Determination Date, the Plan Administrator must value the Account Balance in the aggregated plan as of the most recent Valuation Date falling within the twelve‑month period ending on the Determination Date, except as Code §416 and applicable Treasury regulations require for the first plan year and for the second plan year of a Defined Benefit Plan.

(2)    Terminated plans. To the extent the Plan Administrator must take into account distributions to a Participant, the Plan Administrator must include distributions from a terminated plan which would have been part of the Required Aggregation Group if it were in existence on the Determination Date.

(3)    Defined Benefit Plans/SEPs. The Plan Administrator will calculate the present value of accrued benefits under Defined Benefit Plans or the account balances under simplified employee pension plans included within the Aggregation Group in accordance with the terms of those plans and Code §416 and the applicable Treasury regulations.

(C)    Defined Benefit Plans.

(1)    Use of uniform accrual. If a Participant in a Defined Benefit Plan is a Non‑Key Employee, the Plan Administrator will determine his/her accrued benefit under the accrual method, if any, which is applicable uniformly to all Defined Benefit Plans maintained by the Employer or, if there is no uniform method, in accordance with the slowest accrual rate permitted under the fractional rule accrual method described in Code §411(b)(1)(C).

(2)    Actuarial assumptions. If the Employer maintains a Defined Benefit Plan, the Plan Administrator will use the actuarial assumptions (interest and mortality only) stated in that plan to calculate the present value of benefits from the Defined Benefit Plan.

(D)    Application of Top‑Heavy Rules. The top‑heavy provisions of the Plan apply only for Plan Years in which Code §416 or the Plan otherwise requires application of the top‑heavy rules. If applicable, the provisions of this Article X supersede any conflicting Plan or Adoption Agreement provisions, except as the context may otherwise require.

10.02    TOP‑HEAVY MINIMUM ALLOCATION. The Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation requirement applies to the Plan only in a Plan Year for which the Plan is top‑heavy.

(A)    Allocation to Non‑Keys. If the Plan is top‑heavy in any Plan Year each Non‑Key Employee who is a Participant (as described in Section 10.06(H)) and employed by the Employer on the last day of the Plan Year will receive a Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation for that Plan Year.

(B)    Additional Contribution/Allocation as Required. The Plan Administrator first will allocate the Employer Contributions (and Participant forfeitures, if any) for the Plan Year in accordance with the provisions of its Adoption Agreement. The Employer then will contribute an additional amount for the Account of any Participant entitled under Section 10.02(A) to a Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation and whose contribution rate for the Plan Year is less than the Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation. The additional amount is the amount necessary to increase the Participant's allocation rate to the Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation. The Plan Administrator will allocate the additional contribution to the Account of the Participant on whose behalf the Employer makes the contribution.

(C)    No Plan Allocations. If, for a Plan Year, there are no allocations of Employer Contributions or of forfeitures for any Key Employee, the Plan does not require any Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation for the Plan Year, unless a Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation applies because of the maintenance by the Employer of more than one plan.

10.03    PLAN WHICH WILL SATISFY TOP‑HEAVY. If the Plan is top‑heavy, the Plan Administrator will determine if the Plan satisfies the Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation requirement under this Section 10.03.

(A)    Aggregation of Plans to Satisfy. The Plan Administrator will aggregate all qualified plans the Employer maintains to determine if the Plan satisfies the Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation requirement.

(B)    More Than One Defined Contribution Plan. If the Employer maintains more than one Defined Contribution Plan in which a Non‑Key Employee participates and the Non‑Key Employee receives less than the Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation for a Plan Year in which the Plan is top‑heavy, the Plan Administrator operationally will determine to which plan the Employer will make the necessary additional contribution. If the Plan Administrator elects for the Employer to make the additional contribution to this Plan, the Plan Administrator will allocate the contribution in accordance with Section 10.02(B). If the Plan Administrator elects for the Employer to make the additional contribution to another plan, the Plan Administrator must determine that the additional contribution is sufficient to satisfy the Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation.

(C)    Defined Benefit Plan(s). If the Employer maintains one or more Defined Benefit Plans in addition to this Plan and a Non‑Key Employee participates in both types of plans, the Plan Administrator operationally will determine if the Employer will make the necessary additional contribution to the Plan to satisfy the top‑heavy Minimum Allocation Rate or if the Employer will provide a required top‑heavy minimum benefit in the Defined Benefit Plan. If the Plan Administrator elects for the Employer to make the additional contribution to this Plan, the Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation is 5%, irrespective of the Highest Contribution Rate, and the Plan Administrator will allocate the contribution in accordance with Section 10.02(B). If the Plan Administrator elects for the Employer to satisfy the top‑heavy minimum benefit in a Defined Benefit Plan, the Plan Administrator must determine that such top‑heavy minimum benefit is sufficient to satisfy the top‑heavy requirements in such Plan.

(D)    Override. The Employer in Appendix B may specify overriding provisions which will apply to satisfy the requirements of Code §416 and the applicable regulations if the Employer maintains more than one qualified plan.

10.04    TOP‑HEAVY VESTING. If the Employer in its Adoption Agreement does not elect immediate vesting, the Employer must elect a top‑heavy vesting schedule, as defined in Section 5.03(A). The specified top‑heavy vesting schedule applies to all Accounts and Contribution Types not already subject to greater vesting. The Employer in Appendix B also may elect a non‑top‑heavy vesting schedule and may further elect as to whether the top‑heavy schedule applies to the Plan's first top‑heavy Plan Year and to all subsequent Plan Years, or whether the non‑top‑heavy schedule applies as to non‑top‑heavy Plan Years. Any change in the Plan's vesting schedule resulting from this election is subject to Section 5.08, relating to vesting schedule amendments. As such, a Participant's vested percentage may not decrease as a result of a change in the Plan's top‑heavy status in a subsequent Plan Year. When applicable, the relevant top‑heavy vesting schedule applies to a Participant's entire Account Balance except as to those amounts which are already 100% Vested, and applies to such amounts accrued before the Plan became top‑heavy.

10.05    SAFE HARBOR/SIMPLE PLAN EXEMPTION.

(A)    Safe Harbor 401(k) Plan. If in any Plan Year: (1) the Plan Administrator allocates only Safe Harbor Contributions, Additional Matching Contributions and Elective Deferrals to the Plan; and (2) there are no forfeitures to allocate for the Plan Year or the Plan Administrator allocates forfeitures in the manner Section 3.07(A)(4) describes, the Plan will not be subject to the top‑heavy requirements of this Article X for that Plan Year. In accordance with Section 3.07(A)(4), the Employer in its Adoption Agreement may elect to apply forfeitures in such a manner so as to preserve the top‑heavy exemption under this Section 10.05(A). This Section 10.05(A) does not apply if the Employer in its Adoption Agreement elects eligibility for Elective Deferrals which is earlier than the one Year of Service and age 21 eligibility requirements the Employer elects to apply for the Safe Harbor Contributions, using the OEE rule under Section 4.06(C).

(B)    SIMPLE 401(k) Plan. A SIMPLE 401(k) Plan under Section 3.10 is not subject to the provisions of this Article X.

10.06    DEFINITIONS. For purposes of applying the top‑heavy provisions of the Plan:

(A)    Compensation. Compensation means Compensation as determined under Section 4.05(F) for Code §415 purposes and includes Compensation for the entire Plan Year.

(B)    Determination Date. Determination Date means for any Plan Year, the Accounting Date of the preceding Plan Year or, in the case of the first Plan Year of the Plan, the Accounting Date of the first Plan Year.

(C)    Determination (look‑back) Period. Determination Period means the 1‑year period ending on the Determination Date. In the case of distributions made for a reason other than Severance from Employment, death or Disability, the determination period means the 5‑year period ending on the Determination Date.

(D)    Employer. Employer means the Employer that adopts this Plan and any Related Employer.

(E)    Highest Contribution Rate. Highest Contribution Rate means for any Key Employee, all Employer Contributions (including Elective Deferrals, but not including Employer contributions to Social Security and not including Catch‑Up Deferrals) and forfeitures allocated to the Participant's Account for the Plan Year, divided by his/her Compensation for the entire Plan Year. To determine a Key Employee's contribution rate, the Plan Administrator must treat all qualified top‑heavy Defined Contribution Plans maintained by the Employer (or by any Related Employer) as a single plan.

(F)    Key Employee. Key Employee means, as of any Determination Date, any Employee or former Employee (including a deceased former Employee) who, at any time during the Determination Period: (i) has annual Compensation exceeding $130,000 (as adjusted under Code §416(i)(1)(A)) and is an officer of the Employer; (ii) is a more than 5% owner of the Employer; or (iii) is a more than 1% owner of the Employer and has annual Compensation exceeding $150,000.

(1)    Attribution. The constructive ownership rules of Code §318 as modified by Code §416(i)(1)(B)(i) (or the principles of that Code section, in the case of an unincorporated Employer) will apply to determine ownership in the Employer.

(2)    Maximum Officers. The number of officers taken into account under Section 10.06(F) clause (i) will not exceed the greater of 3 or 10% of the total number (after application of the Code §414(q) exclusions) of Employees, and in no event will exceed 50 officers.

(3)    Code/regulations. The Plan Administrator will make the determination of who is a Key Employee in accordance with Code §416(i)(1) and the applicable Treasury regulations.

(G)    Non‑Key Employee. Non‑Key Employee means an Employee who is not a Key Employee.

(H)    Participant. Participant means any Employee otherwise eligible to participate in the Plan, even if the Participant would not be entitled to other Plan allocations or would receive a lesser allocation under the Plan terms.

(I)    Permissive Aggregation Group. Permissive Aggregation Group means the Required Aggregation Group plus any other qualified plans maintained by the Employer, but only if such group would satisfy in the aggregate the nondiscrimination requirements of Code §401(a)(4) and the coverage requirements of Code §410. The Plan Administrator will determine the Permissive Aggregation Group.

(J)    Required Aggregation Group. Required Aggregation Group means: (1) each qualified plan of the Employer in which at least one Key Employee participates or participated at any time during the Determination Period (including terminated plans); and (2) any other qualified plan of the Employer which enables a plan described in clause (1) to meet the requirements of Code §401(a)(4) or of Code §410.

(K)    Top‑Heavy Ratio. Top‑Heavy Ratio means a fraction, the numerator of which is the sum of the Account Balances of all Key Employees as of the Determination Date and the denominator of which is the sum of the Account Balances for all Employees as of the Determination Date.

(1)    If the Employer maintains one or more defined contribution plans (including any simplified employee pension plan (as defined in Code §408(k))) and the Employer has not maintained any defined benefit plan which during the 5‑year period ending on the "determination date" has or has had accrued benefits, the top‑heavy ratio for this Plan alone or for the "required aggregation group" or "permissive aggregation group" as appropriate is a fraction, the numerator of which is the sum of the account balances of all Key Employees as of the "determination date" (including any part of any Account balance distributed in the 1‑year period ending on the "determination date") (5‑year period ending on the "determination date" in the case of a distribution made for a reason other than severance from employment, death or Total and Permanent Disability), and the denominator of which is the sum of all Account balances (including any part of any Account balance distributed in the 1‑year period ending on the "determination date") (5‑year period ending on the "determination date" in the case of a distribution made for a reason other than severance from employment, death or Total and Permanent Disability), both computed in accordance with Code §416 and the Regulations thereunder.

Both the numerator and denominator of the top‑heavy ratio are increased to reflect any contribution not actually made as of the "determination date," but which is required to be taken into account on that date under Code §416 and the Regulations thereunder.

(2)    If the Employer maintains one or more defined contribution plans (including any simplified employee pension plan) and the Employer maintains or has maintained one or more defined benefit plans which during the 5‑year period ending on the "determination date" has or has had any accrued benefits, the top‑heavy ratio for any "required aggregation group" or "permissive aggregation group" as appropriate is a fraction, the numerator of which is the sum of account balances under the aggregated defined contribution plan or plans for all Key Employees, determined in accordance with (1) above, and the "present value" of accrued benefits under the aggregated defined benefit plan or plans for all Key Employees as of the "determination date," and the denominator of which is the sum of the account balances under the aggregated defined contribution plan or plans for all Participants, determined in accordance with (1) above, and the "present value" of accrued benefits under the defined benefit plan or plans for all Participants as of the "determination date," all determined in accordance with Code §416 and the Regulations thereunder. The accrued benefits under a defined benefit plan in both the numerator and denominator of the top‑heavy ratio are increased for any distribution of an accrued benefit made in the 1‑year period ending on the "determination date" (5‑year period ending on the "determination date" in the case of a distribution made for a reason other than severance from employment, death or Total and Permanent Disability).

(3)    For purposes of (1) and (2) above, the value of Account balances and the "present value" of accrued benefits will be determined as of the most recent Valuation Date that falls within or ends with the 12‑month period ending on the "determination date," except as provided in Code §416 and the Regulations thereunder for the first and second plan years of a defined benefit plan. The Account balances and accrued benefits of a Participant (i) who is not a Key Employee but who was a Key Employee in a prior year, or (ii) who has not been credited with at least one Hour of Service with any Employer maintaining the Plan at any time during the 1‑year period ending on the "determination date" will be disregarded. The calculation of the top‑heavy ratio, and the extent to which distributions, rollovers, and transfers are taken into account will be made in accordance with Code §416 and the Regulations thereunder. Deductible Employee contributions will not be taken into account for purposes of computing the top‑heavy ratio. When aggregating plans the value of Account balances and accrued benefits will be calculated with reference to the "determination dates" that fall within the same calendar year.

The accrued benefit of a Participant other than a Key Employee shall be determined under (i) the method, if any, that uniformly applies for accrual purposes under all defined benefit plans maintained by the Employer, or (ii) if there is no such method, as if such benefit accrued not more rapidly than the slowest accrual rate permitted under the fractional rule of Code §411(b)(1)(C).

In determining the Top‑Heavy Ratio, the Plan Administrator will include and will exclude such amounts as are described below, and in accordance with Code §416 and the applicable Treasury regulations.

(1)    Catch‑Up Deferrals. The Plan Administrator will include Catch‑Up Deferrals.

(2)    DECs. The Plan Administrator will exclude DECs.

(3)    Certain Contributions. The Plan Administrator will include any contribution not made, but due as of the Determination Date.

(4)    Certain Distributions. The Plan Administrator will include any distributions made within the Determination Period.

(5)    Former Key Employees. The Plan Administrator will exclude the Account Balance (and distributions, if any, of the Account Balance) of any Non‑Key Employee who was formerly a Key Employee.

(6)    No Service during 1‑year look‑back. The Plan Administrator will exclude the Account Balance (including distributions, if any, of the Account Balance) of an individual who has not received credit for at least one Hour of Service with the Employer during the Determination Period, which for purposes of this Section 10.06(K)(6), means the 1‑year period described in Section 10.06(C).

(7)    Rollover Contributions and Transfers. The Plan Administrator, in accordance with Code §416 and the applicable Treasury regulations, will include unrelated Rollovers and Transfers which the Plan makes and related Rollovers and Transfers which the Plan receives. The Plan Administrator will exclude related Rollovers and Transfers which the Plan makes and unrelated Rollovers and Transfers which the Plan receives.

(L)    Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation. Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation means an allocation equal to the lesser of 3% of the Non‑Key Employee's Compensation for the Plan Year or the highest contribution rate for the Plan Year made on behalf of any Key Employee multiplied by the Non‑Key Employee's Plan Year Compensation. For purposes of satisfying the Employer's Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation requirement, the Plan Administrator disregards the Elective Deferrals allocated to a Non‑Key Employee's Account in determining the Non‑Key Employee's allocation rate. To determine a Non‑Key Employee's allocation rate, the Plan Administrator must treat all qualified top‑heavy Defined Contribution Plans maintained by the Employer (or by any Related Employer) as a single plan. If a Defined Benefit Plan maintained by the Employer which benefits a Key Employee depends on this Plan to satisfy the nondiscrimination rules of Code §401(a)(4) or the coverage rules of Code §410 (or another plan benefiting the Key Employee so depends on such Defined Benefit Plan), the top‑heavy minimum allocation is 3% of the Non‑Key Employee's Compensation regardless of the contribution rate for the Key Employees.



ARTICLE XI
EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT, AMENDMENT, AND TERMINATION



11.01    EXCLUSIVE BENEFIT.

(A)    No Reversion/Diversion. Except as provided under Section 3.01(H), the Employer does not have any beneficial interest in any asset of the Trust Fund and no part of any asset in the Trust Fund may ever revert to or be repaid to the Employer, either directly or indirectly; nor, prior to the satisfaction of all liabilities with respect to the Participants and their Beneficiaries under the Plan, may any part of the corpus or income of the Trust Fund, or any asset of the Trust Fund, be (at any time) used for, or diverted to, purposes other than the exclusive benefit of the Participants or their Beneficiaries and for defraying reasonable expenses of administering the Plan.

(B)    Initial Qualification. If the IRS, upon the Employer's application for initial approval (determination) of this Plan, determines the Trust created under the Plan is not a qualified trust exempt from Federal income tax, the Trustee, upon written notice from the Employer, will return the Employer Contributions and the Earnings thereon to the Employer. This Section 11.01(B) applies only if the Employer makes the application for determination by the time prescribed by law for filing the Employer's tax return for the Taxable Year in which the Employer adopted the Plan, or by such later date as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe. The Trustee must make the return of the Employer contribution under this Section 11.01(B) within one year of a final disposition of the Employer's request for initial determination as to the Plan. The Employer's Plan and Trust will terminate upon the Trustee's return of the Employer Contributions.

11.02    AMENDMENT BY EMPLOYER.

(A)    Permitted Amendments. The Employer, consistent with this Section 11.02 and other applicable Plan provisions, has the right, at any time to amend or to restate the Plan including the Trust.

(1)    Adoption Agreement/Appendix B overrides. The Employer may: (a) restate its Adoption Agreement (including converting the Plan to another type of plan using a different Adoption Agreement approved for use with the Prototype or Volume Submitter Plan); (b) amend the elective provisions of the Adoption Agreement (changing an existing election or making a new election) in any manner the Employer deems necessary or advisable; and (c) elect in Appendix B any or all of the basic plan overrides specified therein, including adding language to satisfy Code §§415 or 416 because of the required aggregation of multiple plans.

(2)    Model amendments. The Employer may adopt model amendments published by the IRS (the adoption of which the IRS provides will not cause the Plan to be individually designed).

(3)    Interim amendments. The Employer may make such good faith amendments as the Employer considers necessary to maintain the Plan's tax‑qualified status.

(B)    Amendment Formalities.

(1)    Writing. The Employer must make all Plan amendments in writing. Each amendment must specify the amendment execution date and, if different from its execution date, must specify the amendment's retroactive, current or prospective Effective Date.

(2)    Restatement. An Employer may amend its Plan by means of a complete restatement of its Adoption Agreement. To restate its Plan, the Employer must complete, and the Employer and Trustee or Custodian must execute, a new Adoption Agreement. See Section 8.11(C) if the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement to adopt a separate approved trust agreement.

(3)    Amendment (without restatement). An Employer may amend its Plan without completion of a new Adoption Agreement by either: (a) completion and substitution of one or more Adoption Agreement pages including a new Adoption Agreement Execution Page executed by the Employer and if applicable, executed by the Trustee or Custodian; or (b) other written instrument amending the Adoption Agreement executed by the Employer and if applicable, executed by the Trustee or Custodian. Except under Sections 4.08 or 8.11, to preserve the Plan's pre‑approved status under Section 7.09, the substantive language of any amendment under Section 11.02(B)(3), clause (b) (amendment other than by substituted Adoption Agreement page) must reproduce without alteration, the relevant portion(s) of the Adoption Agreement text and elections which the Employer is amending or must have the substantive effect of doing so such as incorporating by reference the Adoption Agreement text into the amendment.

(4)    Effect of certain alterations. Any restatement or amendment which is not permitted under this Section 11.02 or elsewhere in the Plan may result in the IRS treating the Plan as an individually designed plan. See Section 7.09 for the effect of certain amendments adopted by the Employer which will result in the Employer's Plan losing Prototype Plan or Volume Submitter Plan status.

(5)    Operational discretion and policy changes not an amendment. A Plan amendment does not include the Plan Administrator's exercise of any operational discretion the Plan accords to the Administrator, including but not limited to, the Plan Administrator's adoption, modification or termination of any policy, rule or regulation in accordance with the Plan or any change to any Adoption Agreement checklist.

(6)    Trustee/Custodian signature to amendment. The Trustee or Custodian must execute any Adoption Agreement for a Restated Plan and also must execute any Plan amendment which alters the Trust provisions of Article VIII or which otherwise affects the Trustee's or Custodian's duties under the Plan.

(7)    Signatory Employer authority. The Signatory Employer alone may execute any Plan amendment under this Section 11.02, and such amendment is effective and binding upon existing Participating Employers. See Section 1.24(A).

(C)    Impermissible Amendment/Protected Benefits.

(1)    Exclusive benefit/no reversion. The Employer may not amend the Plan to permit any of the Trust Fund (other than as required to pay any Trust taxes and reasonable Plan administrative expenses) to be used for or diverted to purposes other than for the exclusive benefit of the Participants and Beneficiaries. An amendment may not cause any portion of the Trust Fund to revert to the Employer or to become the Employer's property.

(2)    Alteration of Plan Administrator or Trustee/Custodian duties. The Employer may not amend the Plan in any manner which affects the powers, duties or responsibilities of the Plan Administrator, the Trustee or the Custodian without the written consent of the affected party. See Section 11.02(B)(6).

(3)    No cut‑backs. An amendment (including the adoption of this Plan as a restatement of an existing plan) may not decrease a Participant's Account Balance, except to the extent permitted under Code §412(c)(8) (for plan years beginning on or before December 31, 2007), or Code §412(d)(2) (for plan years beginning after December 31, 2007), may not reduce or eliminate Protected Benefits determined immediately prior to the adoption date (or, if later, the Effective Date) of the amendment. An amendment reduces Protected Benefits even if the amendment merely adds a restriction or condition that is permitted under the vesting rules in Code §§411(a)(3) through (11). However, a participant's Account Balance may be reduced to the extent permitted under Treas. Regs. 1.411(d)-3 and 1.411(d)-4. For purposes of this paragraph, a plan amendment which has the effect of decreasing a participant's Account Balance, with respect to benefits attributable to service before the amendment, shall be treated as reducing a Protected Benefit. An amendment reduces or eliminates Protected Benefits if the amendment has the effect of either: (a) eliminating or reducing an early retirement benefit or a retirement‑type subsidy (as defined in Treasury regulations); or (b) eliminating an optional form of benefit. An amendment does not impermissibly eliminate a Protected Benefit relating to the method of distribution if after the amendment a Participant may receive a single sum payment at the same time or times as the method of distribution eliminated by the amendment and such payment is based on the same or a greater portion of the Participant's Account as the eliminated method of distribution. This Section 11.02(C)(3) applies to Transfers under 11.06 except as to certain Elective Transfers under 11.06(E).

(4)    Disregard of amendment/tracking Protected Benefits. The Plan Administrator must disregard an amendment to the extent application of the amendment would fail to satisfy this Section 11.02(C). The Plan Administrator, in an Adoption Agreement checklist, may maintain a list of Protected Benefits which the Plan must preserve.

11.03    AMENDMENT BY PROTOTYPE SPONSOR/VOLUME SUBMITTER PRACTITIONER.

(A)    General. The Sponsor, the M&P Mass Submitter (under Section 4.08 of Rev. Proc. 2011‑49), or the Practitioner, without the Employer's consent, may amend the Plan and Trust (including any Adoption Agreement), from time to time on behalf of Employers who have previously adopted the Plan: (1) to conform the Plan and Trust to any changes to the Code, regulations, revenue rulings, other statements published by the IRS (including adoption of model, sample or other required good faith amendments that specifically provide that their adoption will not cause such plan to be individually designed); or (2) to make corrections to prior approved plans that may be applied to all employers who adopted the plan. The Sponsor, the M&P Mass Submitter or the Practitioner, also may amend the Plan and Trust (including any Adoption Agreement), from time to time effective as to employers who have not yet adopted the Plan.

(B)    Notice to Employers. The Sponsor or Practitioner must make reasonable and diligent efforts to ensure adopting Employers have actually received and are aware of all Sponsor, Practitioner, or M & P Mass Submitter generated Plan amendments and that such Employers complete and sign new Adoption Agreements when necessary.

(C)    Prohibited Amendments. Except under Section 11.03(A), the Sponsor or Practitioner may not amend the Plan in any manner which would modify any adopting Employer's Plan existing Adoption Agreement election without the Employer's written consent. In addition, the Sponsor or Practitioner may not amend the Plan in any manner which would violate Section 11.02(C).

(D)    Sponsor and Practitioner limitations. A Sponsor or a Practitioner may no longer amend the Plan as to any adopting Employer as of the date: (1) the Employer amends its Plan in a manner as would result in the type of plan not permitted under the M & P program or under the Volume Submitter program; or (2) the IRS notifies the Sponsor or Practitioner that the Plan is being treated as an individually designed plan.

(E)    M & P Mass Submitter Amendment. If the Sponsor does not adopt the amendments made by the M & P Mass Submitter, the Sponsor will no longer be the sponsor of an identical or minor modifier Prototype Plan of the Mass Submitter.

11.04    FROZEN PLAN/DISCONTINUANCE OF CONTRIBUTIONS.

(A)    Employer Action to Freeze. The Employer subject to Section 11.02(C) and by proper Employer action has the right, at any time, to suspend or discontinue all contributions under the Plan and thereafter to continue to maintain the Plan as a Frozen Plan (subject to such suspension or discontinuance) until the Employer terminates the Plan. During any period while the Plan is frozen, the Plan Administrator will continue to: (1) allocate forfeitures, if any, in accordance with Section 3.07, irrespective of when the forfeitures occur; and (2) operate the Plan in accordance with its terms other than those related to the making and allocation of additional (new) contributions. If the Employer under a Profit Sharing Plan or a 401(k) Plan completely discontinues contributions (including Elective Deferrals), the Plan Administrator will treat the Plan as a Frozen Plan.

(B)    Vesting. Upon the Employer's complete discontinuance of contributions to the Plan which is a Profit Sharing Plan or 401(k) Plan, an affected Participant's right to his/her Account Balance is 100% Vested, irrespective of the Vested percentage which otherwise would apply under Article V.

(C)    Not a Termination. A resolution or an amendment to discontinue all future contributions, but otherwise to continue maintenance of this Plan, is not a Plan termination for purposes of Section 11.05.

11.05    PLAN TERMINATION.

(A)    Employer Action to Terminate. The Employer subject to Section 11.02(C) and by proper Employer action has the right, at any time, to terminate this Plan and the Trust created and maintained under the Plan. Any termination of the Plan under this Section 11.05(A) is not effective until compliance with applicable notice requirements under ERISA, if any. The Plan will terminate upon the first to occur of the following:

(1)    Specified date. The Effective Date of termination specified by proper Employer action; or

(2)    Employer no longer exists. The Effective Date of dissolution or merger of the Employer, unless a successor makes provision to continue the Plan, in which event the successor must substitute itself as the Employer under this Plan.

(B)    QTA Action to Terminate Abandoned Plan.

(1)    Definition of Qualified Termination Administrator (QTA). A QTA is an entity which: (a) is eligible to serve as trustee or issuer of an individual retirement account or of an individual retirement annuity; and (b) holds the assets of the abandoned Plan.

(2)    QTA procedure. A QTA, after making reasonable efforts to contact the Employer, may make a determination that the Employer has abandoned the Plan and give notice thereof to the DOL. The QTA then may: (i) update Plan records; (ii) calculate benefits; (iii) allocate assets and expenses; (iv) report to the DOL any delinquent contributions; (v) engage service providers and pay reasonable Plan expenses; (vi) provide required notice to Participants and Beneficiaries regarding the Plan termination; (vii) distribute Plan benefits; (viii) file the Form 5500 terminal report and give notice to the DOL of completion of the termination; and (ix) take all other reasonable and necessary actions to wind‑up and terminate the Plan. A QTA will undertake all actions under this Section 11.05(B) in accordance with Prohibited Transaction Class Exemption 2006‑06, relating to the QTA's services and compensation for services.

(C)    Vesting. Upon either full or partial termination of the Plan, an affected Participant's right to his/her Account Balance is 100% Vested, irrespective of the Vested percentage which otherwise would apply under Article V.

(D)    General Procedure upon Termination. Upon termination of the Plan, the distribution provisions of Article VI remain operative, with the following exceptions:

(1)    If no consent required. If the Participant's Vested Account Balance does not exceed $5,000 (or exceeds $5,000 but the Participant has attained the later of age 62 or Normal Retirement Age), the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute in cash (subject to Section 8.04) the Participant's Vested Account Balance to him/her in a Lump‑Sum as soon as administratively practicable after the Plan termination.

(2)    If consent required. If the Participant's Vested Account Balance exceeds $5,000 and the Participant has not attained the later of age 62 or Normal Retirement Age, the Participant or the Beneficiary may elect to have the Trustee commence distribution in cash (subject to Section 8.04) of his/her Vested Account Balance in a Lump‑Sum as soon as administratively practicable after the Plan termination. If a Participant with consent rights under this Section 11.05(D)(2) does not elect an immediate Lump‑Sum distribution with spousal consent if required, to liquidate the Trust, the Plan Administrator will instruct the Trustee or Custodian to purchase a deferred Annuity Contract for the Participant which protects the Participant's distribution rights under the Plan.

(3)    Lower dollar amount. As provided in Section 6.09, the Employer in Appendix B may provide for a lower dollar threshold than $5,000 under this Section 11.05(D).

(E)    Profit Sharing Plan. If the Plan is a Profit Sharing Plan, in lieu of applying Section 11.05(D) and the distribution provisions of Article VI, the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute in cash (subject to Section 8.04) each Participant's Vested Account Balance, in a Lump‑Sum, as soon as administratively practicable after the Plan termination, irrespective of: (i) the amount of the Participant's Vested Account Balance: (ii) the Participant's age; and (iii) whether the Participant consents to the distribution.

(1)    Limitations. This Section 11.05(E) does not apply if: (a) the Plan at termination provides for distribution of an Annuity Contract which is a Protected Benefit and which the Employer may not (or does not) eliminate by Plan amendment; or (b) as of the period between the Plan termination date and the final distribution of assets, the Employer maintains any other Defined Contribution Plan (other than an ESOP). If clause (b) applies, the Plan Administrator to facilitate Plan termination may direct the Trustee to transfer the Account of any non‑consenting Participant to the other Defined Contribution Plan.

(F)    401(k) Plan Distribution Restrictions. If the Plan is a 401(k) Plan or if the Plan as the result of a Transfer holds Restricted 401(k) Accounts under Section 6.01(C)(4)(b), a Participant's Restricted 401(k) Accounts are distributable on account of Plan termination, as described in this Section 11.05, only if: (i) the Employer (including any Related Employer, determined as of the Effective Date of Plan termination) does not maintain an Alternative Defined Contribution Plan and the Plan Administrator distributes the Participant's entire Vested Account Balance in a Lump‑Sum; or (ii) the Participant otherwise is entitled under the Plan to a distribution of his/her Vested Account Balance.

(1)    Definition of Alternative Defined Contribution Plan. An Alternative Defined Contribution Plan is a Defined Contribution Plan (other than an ESOP, simplified employee pension plan, 403(b) plan, SIMPLE IRA or 457(b) or (f) plan) the Employer (or a Related Employer) maintains beginning at the Effective Date of the Plan termination and ending twelve months after the final distribution of Plan assets. However, a plan is not an Alternative Defined Contribution Plan if less than 2% of the Employees eligible to participate in the terminating Plan are eligible to participate (beginning 12 months prior to and ending 12 months after the Effective Date of the Plan termination) in the potential Alternative Defined Contribution Plan.

(G)    Continuing Trust Provisions. The Trust will continue until the Trustee in accordance with the direction of the Plan Administrator has distributed all of the benefits under the Plan. On each Valuation Date, the Plan Administrator will credit any part of a Participant's Account Balance retained in the Trust with its share of Earnings. Upon termination of the Plan, any suspense account under Section 4.01 will revert to the Employer, subject to the conditions of the Treasury regulations permitting such a reversion.

(H)    Lost Participants. The Trustee will distribute the Accounts of lost Participants in a terminating Plan in accordance with the Plan Administrator's direction under Section 7.07(B).

11.06    MERGER/DIRECT TRANSFER.

(A)    Authority. The Trustee, at the direction of the Plan Administrator, possesses the specific authority to enter into merger agreements or direct transfer of assets agreements with the trustees of other retirement plans described in Code §401(a), and to accept the direct transfer of plan assets to the Trust, or to transfer Plan assets, as a party to any such agreement. This authority includes Nonelective Transfers described in Section 11.06(D) and Elective Transfers described in Section 11.06(E).

(B)    Code §414(l) Requirements. The Trustee may not consent to, or be a party to, any merger or consolidation with another plan, or to a transfer of assets or liabilities to another plan (or from the other plan to this Plan), unless immediately after the merger, consolidation or transfer, the surviving plan provides each Participant a benefit equal to or greater in amount than the benefit each Participant would have received had the transferring plan terminated immediately before the merger, consolidation, or transfer; provided that 100% immediate vesting is not required upon merger, consolidation or transfer, except if an Elective Transfer is made under Section 11.06(E)(3).

(C)    Administration of Transferred Amount. The Trustee will hold, administer and distribute the transferred assets as a part of the Trust Fund and the Trustee must maintain a separate Employer Contribution Account for the benefit of the Employee on whose behalf the Trustee accepted the Transfer in order to reflect the value of the transferred assets and as necessary to preserve Protected Benefits.

(D)    Nonelective Transfers. The Trustee, at the direction of the Plan Administrator, may enter into an agreement with the trustee of any other plan described in Section 11.06(A) to transfer as a Nonelective Transfer all or a portion of the Account(s) of one or more Participants to the other plan, or to receive Nonelective Transfers into the Plan. In the event of a Nonelective Transfer, the trustee of the transferee plan must preserve all Protected Benefits under the transferor plan, unless the trustee or other appropriate party takes proper action to eliminate any of such Protected Benefits.

(1)    Definition of Nonelective Transfer. A Nonelective Transfer is a Transfer made without the consent or election of the affected Participant(s).

(E)    Elective Transfers. The Trustee, at the direction of the Plan Administrator (and in accordance with the proper election of a Participant or Beneficiary), may enter into an agreement with the trustee of any other plan described in Section 11.06(A) to transfer as an Elective Transfer to the other plan or to receive as an Elective Transfer into this Plan, all or a portion of the Account of the electing Participant or Beneficiary. The specific requirements for an Elective Transfer depend upon the type of Elective Transfer that the Trustee will utilize to effect the Transfer, as described herein.

(1)    Definition of Elective Transfer. An elective Transfer is a Transfer made at the election of a Participant (or, as applicable, a Beneficiary) and which satisfies the requirements of this Section 11.06(E).

(2)    Code §411(d)(6)(D) Transfer. A Code §411(d)(6)(D) Transfer means a Transfer under Code §411(d)(6)(D) between Defined Contribution Plans, and which a Participant or Beneficiary elects following required statutory notice. Under this Section 11.06(E)(2), the Account need not be distributable at the time of Transfer and Protected Benefits specifically relating to distribution methods do not carry over to the transferee plan, except under Section 6.04 if applicable.

(3)    Acquisition or employment change Transfer. An acquisition or employment change Transfer means a Transfer under Treas. Reg. §1.411(d)‑4 Q/A‑3(b), between such Defined Contribution Plans as described therein, and which a Participant elects. Under this Section 11.06(E)(3), the Account need not be distributable at the time of Transfer and Protected Benefits do not carry over to the transferee plan, except under Section 6.04 if applicable.

(4)    Distributable event Transfer. A distributable event Transfer means a Transfer under Treas. Reg. §1.411(d)‑4 Q/A‑3(c), between Code §401(a) plans, and which a Participant elects. Under this Section 11.06(E)(4), the Account must be distributable at the time of Transfer, but not entirely as a Lump‑Sum which is an Eligible Rollover Distribution. Protected Benefits do not carry over to the transferee plan.

(F)    Pre‑Participation Transfers. The Trustee, at the direction of the Plan Administrator, under this Section 11.06 may accept a Transfer of plan assets on behalf of an Employee prior to the date the Employee satisfies the Plan's eligibility conditions or prior to reaching the Entry Date. If the Trustee accepts such a direct Transfer of plan assets, the Plan Administrator and the Trustee must treat the Employee as a limited Participant as described in Section 3.08(C).



ARTICLE XII
MULTIPLE EMPLOYER PLAN



12.01    ELECTION/OVERRIDING EFFECT. This Article XII does not apply unless the Employer establishes the Plan as a Multiple Employer Plan described in Code §413(c) under a Nonstandardized Adoption Agreement or under a Volume Submitter Adoption Agreement, notwithstanding Sections 12.01(A) or (B), below. If this Article XII does apply, then the rules of Code §413(c) and the related Treasury Regulations (which are incorporated by reference) will apply to the adopting Employer and each Participating Employer. The provisions of Article XII, if in effect, supersede any contrary provisions in the Plan or the Employer's Adoption Agreement.

(A)    Election. If the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement that the Plan is a Multiple Employer Plan, then the provisions of this Article XII will apply as of the Effective Date the Employer elects in its Adoption Agreement.

(B)    Automatic Effect. If a Related Employer is a Participating Employer, and thereafter ceases to be a Related Employer (but is still a Participating Employer), then the provisions of this Article XII will apply thereafter until the Plan is no longer maintained by a Participating Employer which is not a Related Employer.

12.02    DEFINITIONS. The following definitions apply to this Article XII and supersede any conflicting definition in the Plan.

(A)    Employee. Employee means any common law employee, Self‑Employed Individual, Leased Employee or other person the Code treats as an employee of a Participating Employer for purposes of the Participating Employer's qualified plan. The Employer in its Adoption Agreement or in a Participation Agreement may designate any Employee, or class or group of Employees, as an Excluded Employee under Section 1.22(D).

(B)    Lead Employer. The Lead Employer means the Signatory Employer to the Adoption Agreement Execution Page, and does not include any Related Employer or Participating Employer except as described in the next sentence. The Lead Employer will be a Participating Employer only if the Lead Employer executes a Participation Agreement to the Adoption Agreement. The Lead Employer has the same meaning as the Signatory Employer for purposes of making Plan amendments and other purposes as described in Section 1.24(A) regardless of whether the Lead Employer is also a Participating Employer under this Article XII. As to the right of a Lead Employer to terminate the participation of a Participating Employer, see Section 12.11.

(C)    Participating Employer. A "Participating Employer" is a trade or business which, with the consent of the Lead Employer, executes a Participation Agreement to the Adoption Agreement. A Participating Employer is an Employer for all purposes of the Plan except as provided in Section 1.24. A Participating Employer may, but need not be a Related Employer.

(D)    Professional Employer Organization (PEO). A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) means an organization described in Rev. Proc. 2002‑21. Plan references to Rev. Proc. 2002‑21 also include any successor thereto. If the Lead Employer is a PEO, the term PEO is synonymous with the Lead Employer. If the Lead Employer is a PEO, then:

(1)    Client Organization ("CO"). Each Participating Employer (other than the PEO) is a Client Organization as that term is used in Rev. Proc. 2002‑21.

(2)    Worksite Employee. A Worksite Employee means a person on the PEO's payroll who receives amounts from the PEO for providing services to a CO pursuant to a service agreement between the PEO and the CO. For all purposes of this Plan, a Worksite Employee will be deemed to be the Employee of the CO for whom the Worksite Employee performs services, and not an Employee of the PEO.

12.03    PARTICIPATING EMPLOYER ELECTIONS. In its Adoption Agreement, the Lead Employer will specify: (A) whether a Participating Employer may modify any of the Adoption Agreement elections; (B) which elections the Participating Employer may modify; and (C) any restrictions on the modifications. Any such modification will apply only to the Employees of that Participating Employer. The Participating Employer will make any such modification by election on its Participation Agreement to the Lead Employer's Adoption Agreement. To the extent that the Adoption Agreement does not permit modification of an election, any attempt by a Participating Employer to modify the election has no effect on the Plan and the Participating Employer is bound by the Adoption Agreement terms as completed by the Lead Employer.

12.04    HCE STATUS. The Plan Administrator will determine HCE status under Section 1.22(E) separately with respect to each Participating Employer.

12.05    TESTING.

(A)    Separate Status. The Plan Administrator will perform the tests listed in this Section 12.05(A) separately for each Participating Employer, with respect to the Employees of that Participating Employer. For this purpose, the Employees of a Participating Employer, and their allocations and Accounts, will be treated as though they were in a separate plan. Any Plan correction under Section 7.08 will only affect the Employees of the Participating Employer. The tests subject to this separate treatment are:

(1)    ADP. The ADP test in Section 4.10(B).

(2)    ACP. The ACP test in Section 4.10(C).

(3)    Nondiscrimination. Nondiscrimination testing as described in Code §401(a)(4), the applicable Treasury regulations, and Sections 4.06 and 4.07.

(4)    Coverage. Coverage testing as described in Code §410(b), the applicable Treasury regulations, and Sections 3.06(F) and 4.06.

(B)    Transition Year. This Section 12.05(B) applies if as a result of a transaction or similar event a Participating Employer ceases to be a Related Employer in the middle of a Plan Year. In such a situation the Plan Administrator may perform the tests described in Section 12.05(A) (1) as though the Plan Year consisted of two Plan Years, before and after the transaction; or (2) on the basis of a single Plan Year, taking all for each Participating Employer the Employees of Related Employers before the transaction, and disregarding Employees who are not Employees of Related Employers after the transaction.

(C)    Joint Status. The Plan Administrator will perform the following tests for the Plan as whole, without regard to an Employee's employment by a particular Participating Employer:

(1)    Annual Additions Limit. Applying the Annual Additions Limit in Section 4.05(B).

(2)    Elective Deferral Limit. Applying the Elective Deferral Limit in Section 4.10(A).

(3)    Catch‑Up Limit. Applying the limit on Catch‑Up Deferrals in Section 3.02(D).

12.06    TOP‑HEAVY. The Plan will apply the provisions of Article X separately to each Participating Employer. The Plan will be considered separate plans for each Participating Employer and its Employees for purposes of determining whether such a separate plan is top‑heavy or is entitled to the exemption described in Section 10.05. For purposes of applying Article X to a Participating Employer, the Participating Employer and any business which is a Related Employer to that Participating Employer are the "Employer." For purposes of Article X, the terms "Key Employee" and "Non‑Key Employee" will refer only to the Employees of that Participating Employer and/or its Related Employers. If such a Participating Employer's separate Plan is top‑heavy, then:

(A)    Highest Contribution Rate. The Plan Administrator will determine the Highest Contribution Rate under Section 10.06(E) by reference to the Key Employees and their allocations in the separate plan of that Participating Employer;

(B)    Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation. The Plan Administrator will determine the amount of any required Top‑Heavy Minimum Allocation under Section 10.06(L) separately for that separate plan; and

(C)    Plan Which Will Satisfy. The Participating Employer will make any additional contributions Section 10.03 requires.

12.07    COMPENSATION.

(A)    Separate Determination. For the following purposes, described in this Section 12.07(A), the Plan Administrator will determine separately a Participant's Compensation for each Participating Employer. Under this determination, except as provided below, Compensation from a Participating Employer includes Compensation paid by a Related Employer of that Participating Employer.

(1)    Nondiscrimination and coverage. All of the separate tests listed in Section 12.05(A).

(2)    Top‑Heavy. Application of the top‑heavy rules in Article X.

(3)    Allocations. Application of allocations under Article III. However, the Employer's Adoption Agreement elections control the extent to which Compensation for this purpose includes Compensation of Related Employers.

(4)    HCE determination. The determination of an Employee's status as an HCE.

(B)    Joint Status. For all Plan purposes other than those described in Section 12.07(A), including but not limited to determining the Annual Additions Limit in Section 4.05(B), Compensation includes all Compensation paid by or for any Participating Employer or Related Employer.

12.08    SERVICE. An Employee's Service includes all Hours of Service and Years of Service with any and all Participating Employers and their Related Employers. An Employee who terminates employment with one Participating Employer and immediately commences employment with another Participating Employer has not incurred a Separation from Service or a Severance from Employment.

12.09    REQUIRED MINIMUM DISTRIBUTIONS. If a Participant is a more than 5% Owner (under Code §416(i) and Section 6.02(E)(7)(a)) of any Participating Employer for which the Participant is an Employee in the Plan Year that ends in the calendar year in which the Participant attains age 70 1/2, then the Participant's RBD under Section 6.02(E)(7) will be the April 1 following the close of the calendar year in which the Participant attains age 70 1/2.

12.10    COOPERATION AND INDEMNIFICATION.

(A)    Cooperation. Each Participating Employer agrees to timely provide to the Plan Administrator upon request all information the Plan Administrator deems necessary. Each Participating Employer will cooperate fully with the Plan Administrator, the Lead Employer, and with Plan fiduciaries and other proper Plan representatives in maintaining the qualified status of the Plan. Such cooperation will include payment of such amounts into the Plan, to be allocated to Employees of the Participating Employer, which are reasonably required to maintain the tax‑qualified status of the Plan.

(B)    Indemnity. Each Participating Employer will indemnify and hold harmless the Plan Administrator, the Lead Employer, the Plan, the Trustee, other Plan fiduciaries, other Participating Employers, Participants and Beneficiaries, and as applicable, their subsidiaries, officers, directors, shareholders, employees, and agents, and their respective successors and assigns, against any cause of action, loss, liability, damage, cost, or expense of any nature whatsoever (including, but not limited to, attorney's fees and costs, whether or not suit is brought, as well as all IRS or DOL Plan disqualification, fiduciary breach or other sanctions, compliance fees or penalties) arising out of or relating to: (1) the Participating Employer's noncompliance with any of the Plan's terms or requirements; or (2) the Participating Employer's intentional or negligent act or omission with regard to the Plan, including the failure to provide accurate, timely information requested by the Plan Administrator.

12.11    INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION. Unless the Lead Employer provides otherwise in Appendix B, the Lead Employer may terminate the participation of any Participating Employer (hereafter, "Terminated Employer") in this Plan. If the Lead Employer acts under this Section 12.11, the following will occur:

(A)    Notice. The Lead Employer will give the Terminated Employer a notice of the Lead Employer's intent to terminate the Terminated Employer's status as a Participating Employer of the Plan. The Lead Employer will provide such notice not less than 30 days prior to the Effective Date of termination unless the Lead Employer determines that the interests of Plan Participants requires earlier termination.

(B)    Spin‑off. The Lead Employer will establish a new Defined Contribution Plan, using the provisions of this Plan with any modifications contained in the Terminated Employer's Participation Agreement, as a guide to establish a new Defined Contribution Plan (the "Spin‑off Plan"). The Lead Employer will direct the Trustee to transfer (in accordance with the rules of Code §414(l) and the provisions of Section 11.06) the Accounts of the Employees of the Terminated Employer to the Spin‑off Plan. The Terminated Employer will be the Employer, Plan Administrator, and Sponsor of the Spin‑off Plan. The Trustee of the Spin‑off Plan will be the person or entity designated by the Terminated Employer, or, in the absence of any such designation, the Terminated Employer itself. If state law prohibits the Terminated Employer from serving as Trustee, the Trustee is the president of a corporate Terminated Employer, the managing partner of a partnership Terminated Employer, the managing member of a limited liability company Terminated Employer, the sole proprietor of a proprietorship Terminated Employer, or in the case of any other entity type, such other person with title and responsibilities similar to the foregoing. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Lead Employer may designate a financial institution as Trustee if the Lead Employer, in its sole discretion, deems it necessary to protect the interests of the Participants. The Lead Employer may charge the Terminated Employer or the Accounts of the Employees of the Terminated Employer with the reasonable expenses of establishing the Spin‑off Plan.

(C)    Transfer. The Terminated Employer, in lieu of the Lead Employer's creation of the Spin‑off Plan under Section 12.11(B), may elect a transfer under this Section 12.11(C) to effect the termination of its status as a Participating Employer. To elect this alternative, the Terminated Employer must give notice to the Lead Employer of its choice, and must supply any documentation which the Lead Employer reasonably may require as soon as is practical and before the Effective Date of termination. If the Lead Employer has not received such notice and any required documentation within ten (10) days prior to the stated date of termination, the Lead Employer may proceed with the Spin‑off Plan under Section 12.11(B). The Lead Employer will direct the Trustee to transfer (in accordance with the rules of Code §414(l) and the provisions of Section 11.06) the Accounts of the Employees of the Terminated Employer to a qualified plan the Terminated Employer maintains. The Terminated Employer must deliver to the Lead Employer in writing such identifying and other relevant information regarding the transferee plan and must provide such assurances as the Lead Employer may reasonably require that the transferee plan is a qualified plan.

(D)    Participants. The Employees of the Terminated Employer will cease to be eligible to accrue additional benefits under the Plan with respect to Compensation paid by the Terminated Employer, as of the Effective Date of the termination. To the extent that these Employees have accrued but unpaid contributions as of such Effective Date, the Terminated Employer will pay such amounts to the Plan or to the Spin‑off Plan no later than 30 days after the Effective Date of termination, unless the Terminated Employer has elected the transfer alternative under Section 12.11(C).

(E)    Consent. By its execution of the Participation Agreement, the Terminated Employer specifically consents to the provisions of this Article XII, and in particular, this Section 12.11 and agrees to perform its responsibilities with regard to the Spin‑off Plan, if necessary.

12.12    VOLUNTARY TERMINATION. A Participating Employer (hereafter "Withdrawing Employer") may voluntarily withdraw from participation in the Plan at any time. If and when a Withdrawing Employer wishes to withdraw, the following will occur:

(A)    Notice. The Withdrawing Employer will inform the Lead Employer and the Plan Administrator of its intention to withdraw from the Plan. The Withdrawing Employer must give the notice not less than 30 days prior to the Effective Date of its withdrawal.

(B)    Procedure. The Withdrawing Employer and the Lead Employer will agree upon procedures for the orderly withdrawal of the Withdrawing Employer from the Plan. Such procedures, as they relate to the Accounts of the Employees of the Withdrawing Employer, may include any alternative described in Sections 12.11(B) and (C).

(C)    Costs. The Withdrawing Employer will bear all reasonable costs associated with withdrawal and transfer under this Section 12.12.

(D)    Participants. The Employees of the Withdrawing Employer will cease to be eligible to accrue additional benefits under the Plan as to Compensation paid by the Withdrawing Employer, as of the Effective Date of withdrawal. To the extent that such Employees have accrued but unpaid contributions as of such Effective Date, the Withdrawing Employer will contribute such amounts to the Plan or the Spin‑off Plan promptly after the Effective Date of withdrawal, unless the Accounts are transferred to a qualified plan the Withdrawing Employer maintains.







Exhibit


EXHIBIT 4.5.1


























BOB EVANS FARMS, INC. AND AFFILIATES 401(K) RETIREMENT PLAN








































Nonstandardized 401(k) Plan



ADOPTION AGREEMENT #005
NONSTANDARDIZED 401(k) PLAN

The undersigned Employer, by executing this Adoption Agreement, establishes a retirement plan and trust (collectively "Plan") under The Prudential Insurance Company of America Defined Contribution Prototype Plan and Trust (basic plan document #11). The Employer, subject to the Employer's Adoption Agreement elections, adopts fully the Prototype Plan and Trust provisions. This Adoption Agreement, the basic plan document and any attached Appendices or agreements permitted or referenced therein, constitute the Employer's entire plan and trust document. All "Election" references within this Adoption Agreement are Adoption Agreement Elections. All "Article" or "Section" references are basic plan document references. Numbers in parentheses which follow election numbers are basic plan document references. Where an Adoption Agreement election calls for the Employer to supply text, the Employer (without altering the content of any existing printed text) may lengthen any space or line, or create additional tiers. When Employer‑supplied text uses terms substantially similar to existing printed options, all clarifications and caveats applicable to the printed options apply to the Employer‑supplied text unless the context requires otherwise. The Employer makes the following elections granted under the corresponding provisions of the basic plan document.

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS

1.    EMPLOYER (1.24).
Name: Bob Evans Farms, Inc.    
Address: 8111 Smith's Mill Road, New Albany, Ohio 43054    
Phone number: (614) 491-2225    
Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN): 31-4421866    
E‑mail (optional):     
Employer's Taxable Year (optional): Ends each April 30th    

2.    PLAN (1.42).
Name: Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and Affiliates 401(k) Retirement Plan    
Plan number: 001     (3‑digit number for Form 5500 reporting)
Trust EIN (optional):     

3.    PLAN/LIMITATION YEAR (1.44/1.34). Plan Year and Limitation Year mean the 12 consecutive month period (except for a short Plan/Limitation Year) ending every:
[Note: Complete any applicable blanks under Election 3 with a specific date, e.g., June 30 OR the last day of February OR the first Tuesday in January. In the case of a Short Plan Year or a Short Limitation Year, include the year, e.g., May 1, 2014.]
Plan Year (Choose one of (a) or (b). Choose (c) if applicable.):
(a)    [X]    December 31.
(b)    [ ]    Fiscal Plan Year: ending:      .
(c)    [ ]    Short Plan Year: commencing:       and ending:      .
Limitation Year (Choose one of (d) or (e). Choose (f) if applicable.):
(d)
[X]    Generally same as Plan Year. The Limitation Year is the same as the Plan Year except where the Plan Year is a short year in which event the Limitation Year is always a 12 month period, unless the short Plan Year (and short Limitation Year) result from a Plan amendment.
(e)
[ ]    Different Limitation Year: ending:      .
(f)
[ ]    Short Limitation Year: commencing:       and ending:      .

4.    EFFECTIVE DATE (1.20). The Employer's adoption of the Plan is a (Choose one of (a) or (b). Complete (c) if new plan OR complete (c) and (d) if an amendment and restatement. Choose (e) and (f) if applicable.): 4 p.14
(a)    [ ]    New Plan.
(b)    [X]    Restated Plan.
PPA RESTATEMENT (leave blank if not applicable)
(1)    [X]    This is an amendment and restatement to bring a plan into compliance with the Pension Protection Act of 2006 ("PPA") and other legislative and regulatory changes.
Initial Effective Date of Plan (enter date)
(c)    [X]      April 16, 1962   (hereinafter called the "Effective Date" unless 4(d) is entered below)


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Restatement Effective Date (If this is an amendment and restatement, enter effective date of the restatement.)
(d)    [X]      January 1, 2016 (Section 10) and December 23, 2015   (enter month day, year; may enter a restatement date that is the first day of the current Plan Year. The Plan contains appropriate retroactive effective dates with respect to provisions for the appropriate laws if the Plan is a PPA Restatement.) (hereinafter called the "Effective Date")
[Note: See Section 1.54 for the definition of Restated Plan. If this Plan is a PPA Restatement, the PPA restatement Effective Date may be a current date (as the basic plan document supplies the Effective Dates of various PPA and other provisions) or may be a retroactive date. If specific Plan provisions, as reflected in this Adoption Agreement and the basic plan documents, do not have the Effective Date stated in this Election 4, indicate as such in the election where called for or in Appendix A.]
(e)    [ ]    Restatement of surviving and merging plans. The Plan restates two (or more) plans (Complete 4(c) and (d) above for this (surviving) Plan. Complete (1) below for the merging plan. Choose (2) if applicable. Unless otherwise noted, the restated Effective Date with regard to a merging plan is the later of the date of the merger or the restated Effective Date of this Plan.):
(1)
Merging plan. The       Plan was or will be merged into this surviving Plan as of:      . The merging plan's restated Effective Date is:      . The merging plan's original Effective Date was:      .
[See the Note under Election 4(d) if this document is the merging plan's PPA restatement.]
(2)
[ ]    Additional merging plans. The following additional plans were or will be merged into this surviving Plan (Complete a. and b. as applicable.):
Restated    Original
Name of merging plan    Merger date    Effective Date    Effective Date
a.      
 
 
 
 
 
 
b.      
 
 
 
 
 
 

[Note: If Elective Deferral provision is not effective as of the Initial Effective Date or the Restatement Effective Date, enter the date as of which the Elective Deferral provision is effective. The Special Effective Date may not precede the date on which the Employer adopted the Plan.]

5.    TRUSTEE (1.67). The Trustee executing this Adoption Agreement is (Choose one or more of (a), (b), (c), (d) or (e). Choose (f) or (g) if applicable.):
(a)
[ ]    A discretionary Trustee. See Section 8.02(A).
(b)
[ ]    A nondiscretionary (directed) Trustee or Custodian. See Section 8.02(B).
(c)
[ ]    A Trustee under the Prudential Trust Company Trust Agreement, a separate trust agreement the Trustee has executed and that the IRS has approved for use with this Plan. Under this Election 5(c): (i) the Trustee is not executing the Adoption Agreement; and (ii) Article VIII of the basic plan document and any other basic plan document provisions which affect the Trustee do not apply, except as indicated otherwise in the separate trust agreement. See Section 8.11(C).
(d)
[X]    A Trustee under the Prudential Bank & Trust Company, FSB Trust Agreement, a separate trust agreement the Trustee has executed and that the IRS has approved for use with this Plan. Under this Election 5(d): (i) the Trustee is not executing the Adoption Agreement; and (ii) Article VIII of the basic plan document and any other basic plan document provisions which affect the Trustee do not apply, except as indicated otherwise in the separate trust agreement. See Section 8.11(C).
(e)
[ ]    A Trustee under the:       (specify name of trust), a separate trust agreement the Trustee has executed and that the IRS has approved for use with this Plan. Under this Election 5(e) the Trustee is not executing the Adoption Agreement and Article VIII of the basic plan document does not apply, except as indicated otherwise in the separate trust agreement. See Section 8.11(C).
(f)    [ ]    Permitted Trust amendments apply. Under Section 8.11(B) the Employer has made certain permitted amendments to the Trust. Such amendments do not constitute a separate trust under Election 5(c), 5(d), or 5(e). See Election 59 in Appendix C.
(g)    [ ]    Use of non‑approved trust. A Trustee under the:       (specify name of trust), a separate trust agreement the Trustee has executed for use with this Plan. Under this Election 5(g) the Trustee is not executing the Adoption Agreement and Article VIII of the basic plan document does not apply, except as indicated otherwise in the separate trust agreement. See Section 8.11(C). [Caution: Election 5(g) will result in the Plan losing reliance on its Opinion Letter and the Plan will be an individually designed plan.]

6.    CONTRIBUTION TYPES (1.12). The selections made below should correspond with the selections made under Article III of this Adoption Agreement. (If this is a frozen Plan (i.e., all contributions have ceased), choose (a) only.): 6 p.26
Frozen Plan. See Sections 3.01(J) and 11.04.
(a)
[ ]    Contributions cease. All Contributions have ceased or will cease (Plan is frozen).
(1)
[ ]    Effective date of freeze:       [Note: Effective date is optional unless this is the amendment or restatement to freeze the Plan.]
[Note: Elections 20 through 30 and Elections 36 through 38 do not apply to any Plan Year in which the Plan is frozen.]


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Contributions. The Employer and/or Participants, in accordance with the Plan terms, make the following Contribution Types to the Plan/Trust (Choose one or more of (b) through (h).):
(b)    [X]    Pre‑Tax Deferrals. See Section 3.02 and Elections 20‑23, and 34.
(1)
[ ]    Roth Deferrals. See Section 3.02(E) and Elections 20, 21, and 23. [Note: The Employer may not limit Elective Deferrals to Roth Deferrals only.]
(c)
[X]    Matching. See Sections 1.35 and 3.03 and Elections 24‑26. [Note: The Employer may make an Operational QMAC without electing 6(c). See Section 3.03(C)(2). Do not elect for a safe harbor plan; use 6(e) instead.]
(d)    [X]    Nonelective. See Sections 1.38 and 3.04 and Elections 27-29. [Note: The Employer may make an Operational QNEC without electing 6(d). See Section 3.04(C)(2).]
(e)    [ ]    Safe Harbor/Additional Matching. The Plan is (or pursuant to a delayed election, may be) a safe harbor 401(k) Plan. The Employer will make (or under a delayed election, may make) Safe Harbor Contributions as it elects in Election 30. The Employer may or may not make Additional Matching Contributions as it elects in Election 30. See Election 26 as to matching Catch‑Up Deferrals. See Section 3.05.
(f)    [ ]    Employee (after‑tax). See Section 3.09 and Election 36.
(g)    [ ]    SIMPLE 401(k). The Plan is a SIMPLE 401(k) Plan. See Section 3.10. [Note: The Employer electing 6(g) must elect a calendar year under 3(a) and may not elect any other Contribution Types except under Elections 6(b) and 6(h).]
(h)    [ ]    Designated IRA. See Section 3.12 and Election 37.

7.    DISABILITY (1.16). Disability means (Choose one of (a) or (b).):
(a)
[ ]    Basic Plan. Disability as defined in Section 1.16(A).
(b)
[X]    Describe: the inability to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or to be of long, continued and indefinite duration. The permanence and degree of such impairment must be supported by medical evidence as determined by a licensed physician selected by the Plan Administrator    
[Note: The Employer may elect an alternative definition of Disability for purposes of Plan distributions. However, the use of an alternative definition may result in loss of favorable tax treatment of the Disability distribution.]

8.    EXCLUDED EMPLOYEES (1.22(D)). The following Employees are not Eligible Employees but are Excluded Employees (Choose one of (a), (b), or (c).): 8 p.38
[Note: Regardless of the Employer's elections under Election 8: (i) Employees of any Related Employers (excluding the Signatory Employer) are Excluded Employees unless the Related Employer becomes a Participating Employer; and (ii) Reclassified Employees and Leased Employees are Excluded Employees unless the Employer in Appendix B elects otherwise. See Sections 1.22(B), 1.22(D)(3), and 1.24(D). However, in the case of a Multiple Employer Plan, see Section 12.02(B) as to the Employees of the Lead Employer.]
(a)    [ ]    No Excluded Employees. There are no additional excluded Employees under the Plan as to any Contribution Type (skip to Election 9).
(b)
[X]    Exclusions - same for all Contribution Types. The following Employees are Excluded Employees for all Contribution Types (Choose one or more of (e) through (k). Choose column (1) for each exclusion elected at (e) through (k).):
(c)    [ ]    Exclusions ‑ different exclusions apply. The following Employees are Excluded Employees for the designated Contribution Type (Choose one or more of (d) through (k). Choose Contribution Type as applicable.):
[Note: For this Election 8, unless described otherwise in Election 8(k), Elective Deferrals includes Pre‑Tax Deferrals, Roth Deferrals, Employee Contributions and Safe Harbor Contributions. Matching includes all Matching Contributions except Safe Harbor Matching Contributions. Nonelective includes all Nonelective Contributions except Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions.]
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
All    Elective
Exclusions    Contributions    Deferrals    Matching    Nonelective
(d)    [ ]    No exclusions. No exclusions as to the    N/A        [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
designated Contribution Type.    (See Election 8(a))
(e)    [X]    Collective Bargaining (union) Employees.    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
As described in Code §410(b)(3)(A).
See Section 1.22(D)(1).
(f)    [ ]    Non‑Resident Aliens. As described in    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Code §410(b)(3)(C). See Section 1.22(D)(2).
(g)    [X]    Puerto Rican Employees. Bona fide residents    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
of Puerto Rico as described in Code §937 or any Employee performing services in Puerto Rico.
(h)    [ ]    HCEs. See Section 1.22(E). See Election 30(f)    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
as to exclusion of some or all HCEs from Safe Harbor Contributions.
(i)    [ ]    Hourly paid Employees.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]


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(j)    [ ]    Part‑Time/Temporary/Seasonal Employees.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
See Section 1.22(D)(4). A Part‑Time, Temporary or Seasonal Employee is an Employee whose regularly scheduled Service is less than       (specify a maximum of 1,000) Hours of Service in the relevant Eligibility Computation Period.
[Note: The "relevant" Eligibility Computation Period is the Initial or Subsequent Eligibility Computation Period as defined in Section 2.02(C).]
[Note: If the Employer under Election 8(j) elects to treat Part‑Time, Temporary and Seasonal Employees as Excluded Employees and any such an Employee actually completes at least 1,000 Hours of Service during the relevant Eligibility Computation Period, the Employee becomes an Eligible Employee. See Section 1.22(D)(4).]
(k)    [X]    Describe exclusion category and/or Contribution Type: Employees subject to merger/acquisition under Section 410(b)(3)(A); and the position of Executive Chair effective December 23, 2015 for all contributions.     (e.g., Exclude Division B Employees OR Exclude salaried Employees from Discretionary Matching Contributions.)
[Note: Any exclusion under Election 8(k), except as to Part‑Time/Temporary/Seasonal Employees, may not be based on age or Service or level of Compensation. See Election 14 for eligibility conditions based on age or Service. The exclusions entered under Election 8(k) cannot result in the group of Nonhighly Compensated Employees (NHCEs) participating under the plan being only those NHCEs with the lowest amount of compensation and/or the shortest periods of service and who may represent the minimum number of these employees necessary to satisfy coverage under Code §410(b).]

9.    COMPENSATION (1.11(B)). The following base Compensation (as adjusted under Elections 10 and 11) applies in allocating Employer Contributions (or the designated Contribution Type) (Choose one or more of (a) through (d) and choose Contribution Type as applicable. Choose (e) if applicable.): 9 p.49
[Note: For this Election 9 all definitions include Elective Deferrals unless excluded under Election 11. See Section 1.11(D). Unless described otherwise in Election 9(d), Elective Deferrals includes Pre-Tax Deferrals, Roth Deferrals and Employee Contributions, Matching includes all Matching Contributions and Nonelective includes all Nonelective Contributions. In applying any Plan definition which references Section 1.11 Compensation, where the Employer in this Election 9 elects more than one Compensation definition for allocation purposes, the Plan Administrator will use W‑2 Wages for other Plan definitions of Compensation if the Employer has elected W‑2 Wages for any Contribution Type or Participant group under Election 9. If the Employer has not elected W‑2 Wages, the Plan Administrator for such other Plan definitions will use 415 Compensation. If the Plan is a Multiple Employer Plan, see Section 12.07. Election 9(d) below may cause allocation Compensation to fail to be nondiscriminatory under Treas. Reg. §1.414(s).]
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
All    Elective
Contributions    Deferrals    Matching    Nonelective
(a)    [ ]    W‑2 Wages (plus Elective Deferrals).    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
See Section 1.11(B)(1).
(b)    [ ]    Code §3401 Federal Income Tax    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Withholding Wages (plus Elective Deferrals). See Section 1.11(B)(2).
(c)    [X]    415 Compensation (simplified).    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
See Section 1.11(B)(3).
[Note: The Employer may elect an alternative "general 415 Compensation" definition by electing 9(c) and by electing the alternative definition in Appendix B. See Section 1.11(B)(4).]
(d)
[ ]    Describe Compensation by Contribution Type or by Participant group:     
[Note: Under Election 9(d), the Employer may: (i) elect Compensation from the elections available under Elections 9(a), (b), or (c), or a combination thereof as to a Participant group (e.g., W-2 Wages for Matching Contributions for Division A Employees and 415 Compensation in all other cases); and/or (ii) define the Contribution Type column headings in a manner which differs from the "all‑inclusive" description in the Note immediately preceding Election 9(a) (e.g., Compensation for Safe Harbor Matching Contributions means W‑2 Wages and for Additional Matching Contributions means 415 Compensation).]
(e)    [ ]    Allocate based on specified 12‑month period.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
The allocation of all Contribution Types (or specified Contribution Types) will be made based on Compensation within a specified 12‑month period ending within the Plan Year as follows:
.

10.    PRE‑ENTRY/POST‑SEVERANCE COMPENSATION (1.11(H)/(I)). Compensation under Election 9:
[Note: For this Election 10, unless described otherwise in Elections 10(c) or (n), Elective Deferrals includes Pre‑Tax Deferrals, Roth Deferrals and Employee Contributions, Matching includes all Matching Contributions and Nonelective includes all Nonelective Contributions. Election 10(c) below may cause allocation Compensation to fail to be nondiscriminatory under Treas. Reg. §1.414(s).]


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(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
All    Elective
Pre‑Entry Compensation (Choose one of (a) or (b).    Contributions    Deferrals    Matching    Nonelective
Choose Contribution Type as applicable.):
(a)    [X]    Plan Year. Compensation for the entire Plan    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Year which includes the Participant's Entry Date.
[Note: If the Employer under Election 9(e) elects to allocate some or all Contribution Types based on a specified 12‑month period, Election 10(a) applies to that 12‑month period in lieu of the Plan Year.]
(b)    [ ]    Participating Compensation. Only Participating    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Compensation. See Section 1.11(H)(1).
[Note: Under a Participating Compensation election, in applying any Adoption Agreement elected contribution limit or formula, the Plan Administrator will count only the Participant's Participating Compensation. See Section 1.11(H)(1) as to plan disaggregation.]
(c)
[ ]    Describe Pre‑Entry Compensation by Contribution Type or by Participant group:     
[Note: Under Election 10(c), the Employer may: (i) elect Compensation from the elections available under Pre-Entry Compensation or a combination thereof as to a Participant group (e.g., Participating Compensation for all Contribution Types as to Division A Employees, Plan Year Compensation for all Contribution Types to Division B Employees); and/or (ii) define the Contribution Type column headings in a manner which differs from the "all‑inclusive" description in the Note immediately preceding Pre‑Entry Compensation (e.g., Compensation for Nonelective Contributions is Participating Compensation and for Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions is Plan Year Compensation).]
Post‑Severance Compensation. The following adjustments apply to Post‑Severance Compensation paid within any applicable time period as may be required (Choose one of (d), (e), or (f).):
[Note: Under the basic plan document, if the Employer does not elect any adjustments, post‑severance compensation includes regular pay, leave cashouts, and deferred compensation, and excludes military and disability continuation payments.]
(d)
[ ]    None. The Plan includes post‑severance regular pay, leave cashouts, and deferred compensation, and excludes post‑severance military and disability continuation payments as to any Contribution Type except as required under the basic plan document (skip to Election 11).
(e)    [X]    Same for all Contribution Types. The following adjustments to Post‑Severance Compensation apply to all Contribution Types (Choose one or more of (h) through (n). Choose column (1) for each option elected at (h) through (m).):
(f)    [ ]    Adjustments - different conditions apply. The following adjustments to Post‑Severance Compensation apply to the designated Contribution Types (Choose one or more of (g) through (n). Choose Contribution Type as applicable.):
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
All    Elective
Post‑Severance Compensation:    Contributions    Deferrals    Matching    Nonelective
(g)    [ ]    None. The Plan takes into account the    N/A        [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Post‑Severance Compensation as to    (See Election 10(d))
designated Contribution Types as specified under the basic plan document.
(h)    [ ]    Exclude All. Exclude all Post‑Severance    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Compensation. [Note: 415 testing Compensation (versus allocation Compensation) must include Post‑Severance Compensation comprised of regular pay. See Section 4.05(F).]
(i)    [ ]    Regular Pay. Exclude Post‑Severance Compensation    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
comprised of regular pay. See Section 1.11(I)(1)(a).
[Note: 415 testing Compensation (versus allocation Compensation) must include Post‑Severance Compensation comprised of regular pay. See Section 4.05(F).]
(j)    [ ]    Leave cash‑out. Exclude Post‑Severance    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Compensation comprised of leave cashout. See Section 1.11(I)(1)(b).
(k)    [X]    Deferred Compensation. Exclude Post‑Severance    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Compensation comprised of deferred compensation. See Section 1.11(I)(1)(c).
(l)    [X]    Salary continuation for military service. Include    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Post‑Severance Compensation comprised of salary continuation for military service. See Section 1.11(I)(2).
(m)    [ ]    Salary continuation for disabled Participants.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Include Post‑Severance Compensation comprised of salary continuation for disabled Participants. See Section 1.11(I)(3). (Choose one of (1) or (2).):


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(1)    [ ]    For NHCEs only.
(2)
[ ]    For all Participants. The salary continuation will continue for the following fixed or determinable period:       (specify period).
(n)    [ ]    Describe Post‑Severance Compensation by Contribution Type or by Participant group:     
[Note: Under Election 10(n), the Employer may: (i) elect Compensation from the elections available under Post-Severance Compensation or a combination thereof as to a Participant group (e.g., Include regular pay Post-Severance Compensation for all Contribution Types as to Division A Employees, no Post-Severance Compensation for all Contribution Types to Division B Employees); and/or (ii) define the Contribution Type column headings in a manner which differs from the "all‑inclusive" description in the Note immediately preceding Pre‑Entry Compensation (e.g., Compensation for Nonelective Contributions does not include any Post‑Severance Compensation and for Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions includes regular pay Post‑Severance Compensation).]

11.    EXCLUDED COMPENSATION (1.11(G)). Apply the following Compensation exclusions to Elections 9 and 10 (Choose one of (a), (b), or (c).):
(a)
[ ]    No exclusions. Compensation as to all Contribution Types means Compensation as elected in Elections 9 and 10 (skip to Election 12).
(b)
[X]    Exclusions - same for all Contribution Types. The following exclusions apply to all Contribution Types (Choose one or more of (e) through (l). Choose column (1) for each option elected at (e) through (k).):
(c)    [ ]    Exclusions ‑ different conditions apply. The following exclusions apply for the designated Contribution Types (Choose one or more of (d) through (l) below. Choose Contribution Type as applicable.):
[Note: In a safe harbor 401(k) plan, allocations qualifying for the ADP or ACP test safe harbors must be based on a nondiscriminatory definition of Compensation. If the Plan applies permitted disparity, allocations also must be based on a nondiscriminatory definition of Compensation if the Plan is to avoid more complex testing. Elections 11(g) through (l) below may cause allocation Compensation to fail to be nondiscriminatory under Treas. Reg. §1.414(s). In a non-safe harbor 401(k) plan, Elections 11(g) through (l) which result in Compensation failing to be nondiscriminatory, may result in more complex nondiscrimination testing. For this Election 11, unless described otherwise in Election 11(l), Elective Deferrals includes Pre‑Tax Deferrals, Roth Deferrals and Employee Contributions, Matching includes all Matching Contributions and Nonelective includes all Nonelective Contributions.]
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
All    Elective
Compensation Exclusions    Contributions    Deferrals    Matching    Nonelective
(d)    [ ]    No exclusions ‑ limited. No exclusion as to    N/A        [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
the designated Contribution Type(s).    (See Election 11(a))
(e)    [ ]    Elective Deferrals. See Section 1.21.    N/A        N/A    [ ]    [ ]
(f)    [X]    Fringe benefits. As described in Treas.    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Reg. §1.414(s)‑1(c)(3).
(g)    [ ]    Compensation exceeding $     .    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Apply this election to (Choose one of (1) or (2).):
(1)    [ ]    All Participants.
[Note: If the Employer elects Safe Harbor Contributions under Election 6(e), the Employer may not elect 11(g)(1) to limit the Safe Harbor Contribution allocation to the NHCEs.]
(2)    [ ]    HCE Participants only.
(h)    [ ]    Bonus.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(i)    [ ]    Commission.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(j)    [ ]    Overtime.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(k)    [X]    Related Employers. See Section 1.24(C).
(If there are Related Employers, choose one or both of (1) and (2).):
(1)    [X]    Non‑Participating. Compensation paid to    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Employees by a Related Employer that is not a Participating Employer.
(2)    [ ]    Participating. As to the Employees of any    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Participating Employer, Compensation paid by any other Participating Employer to its Employees. See Election 28(g)(2)a.
(l)    [X]    Describe Compensation exclusion(s): Reimbursements or other expense allowances, moving expenses, deferred compensation and welfare benefits as specified in Treas. Reg. 1.414(s)-1(c)(3) are excluded.    


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[Note: Under Election 11(l), the Employer may: (i) describe Compensation from the elections available under Elections 11(d) through (k), or a combination thereof as to a Participant group (e.g., No exclusions as to Division A Employees and exclude bonus as to Division B Employees); (ii) define the Contribution Type column headings in a manner which differs from the "all‑inclusive" description in the Note immediately following Election 11(c) (e.g., Elective Deferrals means §125 cafeteria deferrals only OR No exclusions as to Safe Harbor Contributions and exclude bonus as to Nonelective Contributions); and/or (iii) describe another exclusion (e.g., Exclude shift differential pay).]

12.    HOURS OF SERVICE (1.32). The Plan credits Hours of Service for the following purposes (and to the Employees described in Elections 12(d) or (e)) as follows (Choose one or more of (a) through (f) as applicable.), (e) would only be selected if the plan utilizes Actual Method of crediting Hours of Service for Eligibility for Part-Time/Temporary/Seasonal Employees and a different Method for other Employees): 12 p.712
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
All            Allocation
Purposes    Eligibility    Vesting    Conditions
(a)    [ ]    Actual Method. See Section 1.32(A)(1).    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(b)    [ ]    Equivalency Method:          [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(e.g., daily, weekly, etc.). See Section 1.32(A)(2).
(c)    [X]    Elapsed Time Method. See Section 1.32(A)(3).    [ ]    OR    [X]    [ ]    [ ]
(d)    [X]    Actual (hourly) and Equivalency (salaried).    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [X]    [X]
Actual Method for hourly paid Employees and Equivalency Method:   45 hours per week   (e.g., daily, weekly, etc.) for salaried Employees.
(e)    [ ]    Actual Method (excluded). See Section 1.32(A)(1).     [N/A]    OR    [ ]    [N/A]    [N/A]
For Part-Time/Temporary/Seasonal Employees under Section 1.22(D).
(f)
[ ]    Describe method:     
[Note: Under Election 12(f), the Employer may describe Hours of Service from the elections available under Elections 12(a) through (d), or a combination thereof as to a Participant group and/or Contribution Type (e.g., For all purposes, Actual Method applies to office workers and Equivalency Method applies to truck drivers).]

13.    ELECTIVE SERVICE CREDITING (1.59(C)). The Plan must credit Related Employer Service under Section 1.24(C) and also must credit certain Predecessor Employer/Predecessor Plan Service under Section 1.59(B). If the Plan is a Multiple Employer Plan, the Plan also must credit Service as provided in Section 12.08. The Plan also elects under Section 1.59(C) to credit as Service the following Predecessor Employer service (Choose one of (a) or (b).): 13 p.813
(a)
[ ]    Not applicable. No elective Predecessor Employer Service crediting applies.
(b)
[X]    Applies. The Plan credits the specified service with the following designated Predecessor Employers as Service for the Employer for the purposes indicated (Choose one or both of (1) and (2) as applicable. Complete (3). Choose (4) if applicable.):
[Note: Any elective Service crediting under this Election 13 must be nondiscriminatory.]
(1)
[ ]    All purposes. Credit as Service for all purposes, service with Predecessor Employer(s):      (insert as many names as needed).
(2)
[X]    Designated purposes. Credit as Service, service    (1)    (2)    (3)
with the following Predecessor Employer(s) for            Contribution
the designated purpose(s):    Eligibility    Vesting    Allocation
a. Employer:  SWH Corporation   
[X]
[X]
[ ]
b. Employer:  Kettle Creations, Inc.   
[X]
[ ]
[ ]
c. Employer:  Kettle Creations, LLC   
[X]
[ ]
[ ]

a.
[X]    All. All service, regardless of when rendered.
b.
[ ]    Service after. All service, which is or was rendered after:       (specify date).
c.
[ ]    Service before. All service, which is or was rendered before:       (specify date).
(4)
[X]    Describe elective Predecessor Employer Service crediting: Service crediting for SWH Corporation, Kettle Creations, Inc., and Kettle Creations, LLC applies only to employees of these companies who became Employees on the date following the acquisition date.    
[Note: Under Election 13(b)(4), the Employer may describe service crediting from the elections available under Elections 13(b)(1) through (3), or a combination thereof as to a Participant group and/or Contribution Type (e.g., For all purposes credit all service with X, but credit


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service with Y only on/after 1/1/05 OR Credit all service for all purposes with entities the Employer acquires after 12/31/04 OR Service crediting for X Company applies only for purposes of Nonelective Contributions and not for Matching Contributions).]

ARTICLE II
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

14.    ELIGIBILITY (2.01). To become a Participant in the Plan, an Eligible Employee must satisfy (Choose one of (a), (b), or (c).): 14 p.814
[Note: If the Employer under a safe harbor plan elects "early" eligibility for Elective Deferrals (e.g., less than one Year of Service and age 21), but does not elect early eligibility for any Safe Harbor Contributions, also see Elections 30(g) and 30(h).]
[Note: No eligibility conditions apply to Prevailing Wage Contributions. See Section 2.01(D).]
(a)    [ ]    No conditions. No eligibility conditions as to all Contribution Types. Entry is on the Employment Commencement Date (if that date is also an Entry Date), or if later, upon the next following Plan Entry Date (skip to Election 16).
(b)
[X]    Eligibility - same for all Contribution Types. To become a Participant in the Plan as to all Contribution Types, an Eligible Employee must satisfy the following eligibility conditions (Choose one or more of (e) through (l). Choose column (1) for each option elected at (e) through (k).):
(c)    [ ]    Eligibility ‑ different conditions apply. To become a Participant in the Plan for the designated Contribution Types, an Eligible Employee must satisfy the following eligibility conditions (either as to all Contribution Types or as to the designated Contribution Type) (Choose one or more of (d) through (l). Choose Contribution Type as applicable.):
[Note: For this Election 14, unless described otherwise in Election 14(l), or the context otherwise requires, Elective Deferrals includes Pre‑Tax Deferrals, Roth Elective Deferrals and Employee Contributions, Matching includes all Matching Contributions (except Safe Harbor Matching Contributions under Section 3.05(E)(3) and Operational QMACs under Section 3.03(C)(2)) and Nonelective includes all Nonelective Contributions (except Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions under Section 3.05(E)(2) and Operational QNECs under Section 3.04(C)(2)). Safe Harbor includes Safe Harbor Nonelective and Safe Harbor Matching Contributions. If the Employer elects more than one Year of Service as to Additional Matching, the Plan will not satisfy the ACP test safe harbor. See Section 3.05(F)(3).]
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)    (5)
All    Elective    Safe
Eligibility Conditions    Contributions    Deferrals    Matching    Nonelective    Harbor
(d)    [ ]    None. Entry on the Employment Commencement    N/A        [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Date (if that date
is also an Entry Date) or if later,    (See Election 14(a))
upon the next following Plan Entry Date.
(e)    [ ]    Age       (not to exceed age 21).    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(f)    [ ]    One Year of Service. See Election 16(a).    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(g)    [ ]    Two Years of Service (without an intervening    N/A        N/A    [ ]    [ ]    N/A
Break in Service). 100% vesting is required.
[Note: Two Years of Service does not apply to Elective Deferrals, Safe Harbor Contributions or SIMPLE Contributions.]
(h)    [ ]          month(s) (not exceeding 12 months    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
for Elective Deferrals, Safe Harbor Contributions and SIMPLE Contributions and not exceeding 24 months for other contributions). If more than 12 months, 100% vesting is required. Service need not be continuous (no minimum Hours of Service required, and is mere passage of time).
[Note: While satisfying a months of service condition without an Hours of Service requirement involves the mere passage of time, the Plan need not apply the Elapsed Time Method in Election 12(c) above, and still may elect the Actual Method in 12(a) above.]
(i)    [X]      30   day(s) (not exceeding 365 days    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]


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for Elective Deferrals, Safe Harbor Contributions and SIMPLE Contributions and not exceeding 730 days for other contributions). If more than 365 days, 100% vesting is required. Service need not be continuous (no minimum Hours of Service required, and is mere passage of time).
[Note: While satisfying a days of service condition without an Hours of Service requirement involves the mere passage of time, the Plan need not apply the Elapsed Time Method in Election 12(c) above, and still may elect the Actual Method in 12(a) above.]
(j)    [ ]          month(s) with at least       Hours of    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Service in each month (not exceeding 12 months for Elective Deferrals, Safe Harbor Contributions and SIMPLE Contributions and not exceeding 24 months for other contributions). If more than 12 months, 100% vesting is required. If the Employee does not complete the designated Hours of Service each month during the specified monthly time period, the Employee is subject to the one Year of Service (or two Years of Service if elect more than 12 months) requirement as defined in Election 16. The months during which the Employee completes the specified Hours of Service (Choose one of (1) or (2).):
(1)
[ ]    Consecutive. Must be consecutive.
(2)
[ ]    Not consecutive. Need not be consecutive.
(k)    [ ]          Hours of Service within the          [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
time period following the Employee's Employment Commencement Date (not exceeding 12 months for Elective Deferrals, Safe Harbor Contributions and SIMPLE Contributions and not exceeding 24 months
for other contributions). If more than 12 months, 100% vesting is required. If the Employee does not complete the designated Hours of Service during the specified time period (if any), the Employee is subject to the one Year of Service (or two Years of Service if elect more than 12 months) requirement as defined in Election 16.
[Note: The Employer may leave the time period option blank in Election 14(k) if the Employer wishes to impose an Hour of Service requirement without specifying a time period within which an Employee must complete the required Hours of Service.]
(l)
[ ]    Describe eligibility conditions:     
[Note: The Employer may use Election 14(l) to describe different eligibility conditions as to different Contribution Types or Employee groups (e.g., As to all Contribution Types, no eligibility requirements for Division A Employees and one Year of Service as to Division B Employees). The Employer also may elect different ages for different Contribution Types and/or to specify different months or Hours of Service requirements under Elections 14(h), (i), (j), or (k) as to different Contribution Types. Any election must satisfy Code §410(a).]

15.    SPECIAL ELIGIBILITY EFFECTIVE DATE (DUAL ELIGIBILITY) (2.01(E)). The eligibility conditions of Election 14 and the entry date provisions of Election 17 apply to all Employees unless otherwise elected below (Choose (a) or (b) if applicable.):
[Note: Elections 15(a) or (b) may trigger a coverage failure under Code §410(b).]
(a)
[ ]    Waiver of eligibility conditions for certain Employees. For all Contribution Types, the eligibility conditions and entry dates apply solely to an Eligible Employee employed or reemployed by the Employer after       (specify date). If the Eligible Employee was employed or reemployed by the Employer by the specified date, the Employee will become a Participant on the latest of: (i) the Effective Date; (ii) the restated Effective Date; (iii) the Employee's Employment Commencement Date or Re‑Employment Commencement Date; or (iv) the date the Employee attains age       (not exceeding age 21).
[Note: If the Employer does not wish to impose an age condition under clause (iv) as part of the requirements for the eligibility conditions waiver, leave the age blank.]
(b)
[X]    Describe special eligibility Effective Date(s): For employees hired prior to December 1, 2015, eligibility for the Plan is effective January 1, 2016 and eligible employees will be auto enrolled within a reasonable period of time following receipt of notice; and for employees hired between December 2, 2015 and December 31, 2015, eligibility for the Plan will be effective February 1, 2016, and eligible employees will be auto enrolled within a reasonable period of time following receipt of notice.    
[Note: Under Election 15(b), the Employer may describe special eligibility Effective Dates as to a Participant group and/or Contribution Type (e.g., Eligibility conditions apply only as to Nonelective Contributions and solely as to the Eligible Employees of Division B who were hired or reemployed by the Employer after January 1, 2012).]



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16.    YEAR OF SERVICE ‑ ELIGIBILITY (2.02(A)). (Choose (a), (b), and (c) as applicable.):
[Note: If the Employer under Election 14 elects a one or two Year(s) of Service condition (including any requirement which defaults to such conditions under Elections 14(i), (j), and (k)) or elects to apply a Year of Service for eligibility under any other Adoption Agreement election, the Employer should complete this Election 16. The Employer should not complete Election 16 if it elects the Elapsed Time Method for eligibility unless Actual Hours are used for Part-Time/Temporary/Seasonal Employees. See Section 1.22(D)(4).]
(a)
[ ]    Year of Service. An Employee must complete       Hour(s) of Service during the relevant Eligibility Computation Period to receive credit for one Year of Service under Article II. [Note: The number may not exceed 1,000. If left blank, the requirement is 1,000 Hours of Service.]
(b)
[ ]    Subsequent Eligibility Computation Periods. After the Initial Eligibility Computation Period described in Section 2.02(C)(2), the Plan measures Subsequent Eligibility Computation Periods as (Choose one of (1), (2), or (3).):
(1)
[ ]    Plan Year. The Plan Year beginning with the Plan Year which includes the first anniversary of the Employee's Employment Commencement Date.
(2)
[ ]    Anniversary Year. The Anniversary Year, beginning with the Employee's second Anniversary Year.
(3)    [ ]    Split. The Plan Year as described in Election 16(b)(1) as to:       (describe Contribution Type(s)) and the Anniversary Year as described in Election 16(b)(2) as to:       (describe Contribution Type(s)).
[Note: To maximize delayed entry under a two Years of Service condition for Nonelective Contributions or Matching Contributions, the Employer should elect to remain on the Anniversary Year for such contributions.]
(c)    [ ]    Describe:      (e.g., Anniversary Year as to Division A and Plan Year as to Division B.)

17.    ENTRY DATE (2.02(D)). Entry Date means the Effective Date and (Choose one or more of (a) through (g). Choose Contribution Types as applicable.): 17 p.1117
[Note: For this Election 17, unless described otherwise in Election 17(g), Elective Deferrals includes Pre‑Tax Deferrals, Roth Elective Deferrals and Employee Contributions, Matching includes all Matching Contributions (except Operational QMACs under Section 3.03(C)(2)) and Nonelective includes all Nonelective Contributions (except Operational QNECs under Section 3.04(C)(2)). Entry as to Prevailing Wage Contributions is on the Employment Commencement Date. See Section 2.02(D)(3).]
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
All    Elective
Contributions    Deferrals    Matching    Nonelective
(a)    [ ]    Semi‑annual. The first day of the first month    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
and of the seventh month of the Plan Year.
(b)    [ ]    First day of Plan Year.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(c)    [ ]    First day of each Plan Year quarter.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(d)    [X]    The first day of each month.    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(e)    [ ]    Immediate. Upon Employment Commencement Date    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
or if later, upon satisfaction of eligibility conditions.
(f)    [ ]    First day of each payroll period.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(g)    [ ]    Describe Entry Date(s):     
[Note: Under Election 17(g), the Employer may describe Entry Dates from the elections available under Elections 17(a) through (f), or a combination thereof as to a Participant group and/or Contribution Type or may elect additional Entry Dates (e.g., As to Matching Contributions excluding Additional Matching, immediate as to Division A Employees and semi-annual as to Division B Employees OR The earlier of the Plan's semi‑annual Entry Dates or the entry dates under the Employer's medical plan).]

18.    PROSPECTIVE/RETROACTIVE ENTRY DATE (2.02(D)). An Employee after satisfying the eligibility conditions in Election 14 will become a Participant (unless an Excluded Employee under Election 8) on the Entry Date (if employed on that date) (Choose one or more of (a) through (f). Choose Contribution Type as applicable.):
[Note: Unless otherwise excluded under Election 8, an Employee who remains employed by the Employer on the relevant date must become a Participant by the earlier of: (i) the first day of the Plan Year beginning after the date the Employee completes the age and service requirements of Code §410(a); or (ii) 6 months after the date the Employee completes those requirements. For this Election 18, unless described otherwise in Election 18(f), Elective Deferrals includes Pre-Tax Deferrals, Roth Deferrals and Employee Contributions, Matching includes all Matching Contributions (except Operational QMACs under Section 3.03(C)(2)) and Nonelective includes all Nonelective Contributions, (except Operational QNECs under Section 3.04(C)(2)).]
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
All    Elective
Contributions    Deferrals    Matching    Nonelective
(a)    [X]    Immediately following or coincident with the date    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
the Employee completes the eligibility conditions.
(b)    [ ]    Immediately following the date the Employee    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
completes the eligibility conditions.


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Nonstandardized 401(k) Plan


(c)    [ ]    Immediately preceding or coincident with the date    N/A        N/A    [ ]    [ ]
the Employee completes the eligibility conditions.
(d)    [ ]    Immediately preceding the date the Employee    N/A        N/A    [ ]    [ ]
completes the eligibility conditions.
(e)    [ ]    Nearest the date the Employee completes the    N/A        N/A    [ ]    [ ]
eligibility conditions.
(f)    [ ]    Describe retroactive/prospective entry relative to Entry Date:     
[Note: Under Election 18(f), the Employer may describe the timing of entry relative to an Entry Date from the elections available under Elections 18(a) through (e), or a combination thereof as to a Participant group and/or Contribution Type (e.g., As to Matching Contributions excluding Additional Matching nearest as to Division A Employees and immediately following as to Division B Employees).]

19.    BREAK IN SERVICE ‑ PARTICIPATION (2.03). The one year hold‑out rule described in Section 2.03(C) (Choose one of (a), (b), or (c).):
(a)
[X]    Does not apply.
(b)
[ ]    Applies. Applies to the Plan and to all Participants.
(c)
[ ]    Limited application. Applies to the Plan, but only to a Participant who has incurred a Severance from Employment.
[Note: The Plan does not apply the rule of parity under Code §410(a)(5)(D) unless the Employer in Appendix B specifies otherwise. See Section 2.03(D).]

ARTICLE III
PLAN CONTRIBUTIONS AND FORFEITURES

20.    ELECTIVE DEFERRAL LIMITATIONS (3.02(A)). The following limitations apply to Elective Deferrals under Election 6(b), which are in addition to those limitations imposed under the basic plan document (Choose (a) or choose (b) and (c) as applicable.): 20 p.1220
(a)
[ ]    None. No additional Plan imposed limits (skip to Election 21).
[Note: The Employer under Election 20 may not impose a lower deferral limit applicable only to Catch‑Up Eligible Participants and the Employer's elections must be nondiscriminatory. The elected limits apply to Pre‑Tax Deferrals and to Roth Deferrals unless described otherwise. Under a safe harbor plan: (i) NHCEs must be able to defer enough to receive the maximum Safe Harbor Matching and Additional Matching Contribution under the Plan and must be permitted to defer any lesser amount; and (ii) the Employer may limit Elective Deferrals to a whole percentage of Compensation or to a whole dollar amount. See Section 1.57(C) as to administrative limitations on Elective Deferrals.]
(b)    [X]    Additional Plan limit(s). (Choose (1) and (2) as applicable. Complete (3) if (1) or (2) is chosen.):
(1)
[X]    Maximum deferral amount. A Participant's Elective Deferrals may not exceed:   25%   (specify dollar amount and/or percentage of Compensation).
(2)
[X]    Minimum deferral amount. A Participant's Elective Deferrals may not be less than:   1%   (specify dollar amount and/or percentage of Compensation).
(3)
Application of limitations. The Election 20(b)(1) and (2) limitations apply based on Elective Deferral Compensation described in Elections 9 ‑ 11. If the Employer elects Plan Year/Participating Compensation under column (1) and in Election 10 elects Participating Compensation, in the Plan Years commencing after an Employee becomes a Participant, apply the elected minimum or maximum limitations to the Plan Year. Apply the elected limitation based on such Compensation during the designated time period and only to HCEs as elected below. (Choose a. or choose b. and c. as applicable. Under each of a., b., or c. choose one of (1) or (2). Choose (3) if applicable.):
(1)    (2)    (3)
Plan Year/Participating    Payroll    HCEs only
Compensation    period
a.    [X]    Both. Both limits under Elections 20(b)(1) and (2).    [X]    [ ]    [ ]
b.    [ ]    Maximum limit. The maximum amount limit under    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Election 20(b)(1).
c.    [ ]    Minimum limit. The minimum amount limit under    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Election 20(b)(2).
(c)    [ ]    Describe Elective Deferral limitation(s):     
[Note: Under Election 20(c), the Employer: (i) may describe limitations on Elective Deferrals from the elections available under Elections 20(a) and (b) or a combination thereof as to a Participant group (e.g., No limit applies to Division A Employees. Division B Employees may not defer in excess of 10% of Plan Year Compensation); (ii) may elect a different time period to which the limitations apply; and/or (iii) may apply a different limitation to Pre‑Tax Deferrals and to Roth Deferrals.]



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21.    AUTOMATIC DEFERRAL (ACA/EACA/QACA) (3.02(B)). The Automatic Deferral provisions of Section 3.02(B) (Choose one of (a) or (b). Also see Election 34 regarding Automatic Escalation of Salary Reduction Agreements.):
(a)
[ ]    Do not apply. The Plan is not an ACA, EACA, or QACA (skip to Election 22).
(b)
[X]    Apply. The Automatic Deferral Effective Date is the effective date of automatic deferrals or, as appropriate, any subsequent amendment thereto. (As to an EACA or QACA, this provision may not be effective earlier than Plan Years beginning on or after January 1, 2008). (Complete (1), (2), and (3). Complete (4) and (5) if an EACA or an EACA/QACA. Choose (6), (7), and/or (8) as applicable.):
(1)
Type of Automatic Deferral Arrangement. The Plan is an (Choose one of a., b., or c.):
a.
[X]    ACA. The Plan is an Automatic Contribution Arrangement (ACA) under Section 3.02(B)(1).
b.
[ ]    EACA. The Plan is an Eligible Automatic Contribution Arrangement (EACA) under Section 3.02(B)(2).
c.
[ ]    EACA/QACA. The Plan is a combination EACA and Qualified Automatic Contribution Arrangement (QACA) under Sections 3.02(B)(3) and 3.05(J).
[Note: If the Employer chooses Elections 21(b)(1)c, the Employer also must choose election 6(e) and complete Election 30 as to the Safe Harbor Contributions under the QACA.]
(2)    Participants affected. The Automatic Deferral applies to (Choose one of a., b., c., d. or e. and complete h.; Choose f. or g. if applicable).
a.
[ ]    Election of at least Automatic Deferral Percentage. All Participants, except those who have in effect a Salary Reduction Agreement on the Automatic Deferral Effective Date provided that the Elective Deferral amount under the Agreement is at least equal to the Automatic Deferral Percentage.
b.
[ ]    No existing Salary Reduction Agreement. All Participants, except those who have in effect a Salary Reduction Agreement on the Automatic Deferral Effective Date regardless of the Elective Deferral amount under the Agreement.
c.
[ ]    Election of 0% or No existing Salary Reduction Agreement. All Participants, except those who have in effect a Salary Reduction Agreement on the Automatic Deferral Effective Date provided that the Elective Deferral amount under the Agreement is greater than 0%.
d.
[X]    New Participants (not applicable to QACA). Each Employee whose Entry Date is on or following the Automatic Deferral Effective Date.
e.
[ ]    New Participants (not applicable to QACA). Each Employee whose Hire Date is on or following the Automatic Deferral Effective Date.
f.
[ ]    Describe affected Participants (not applicable to QACA):     
g.
[ ]    Automatic Deferrals of at least Automatic Deferral Percentage. Notwithstanding paragraphs a.-f. above, the Automatic Deferral Percentage of Participants making Automatic Deferrals on the date immediately prior to the Automatic Deferral Effective Date in an amount that is greater than the Automatic Deferral Percentage described in paragraph 21(b)(3) below that would otherwise apply to such Participants shall not be decreased.
[Note: The Employer in Election 21(b)(2)f. may further describe affected Participants, e.g., non‑Collective Bargaining Employees OR Division A Employees. However, for Plan Years commencing on or after January 1, 2010, all Employees eligible to defer must be Covered Employees to apply the 6‑month correction period without excise tax under Code §4979.]
h.
[X]    Initial Automatic Deferral Percentage. Initial Automatic Deferral Percentage applies to Employees rehired after the Automatic Deferral Effective Date (not applicable to QACA):
[X]    Yes.    [ ]    No.
(3)    Automatic Deferral Percentage/Scheduled increases. (Choose one of a., b., or c.)
a.
[X]    Fixed percentage. The Employer, as to each Participant affected, will withhold as the Automatic Deferral Percentage,   2  % from the Participant's Compensation each payroll period unless the Participant makes a Contrary Election. The Automatic Deferral Percentage will or will not increase in Plan Years following the Plan Year containing the Automatic Deferral Effective Date (or, if later, the Plan Year or partial Plan Year in which the Automatic Deferral first applies to a Participant) as follows (Choose one of d., e., or f.):
[Note: In order to satisfy the QACA requirements, enter an amount between 6% and 10% if no scheduled increase.]
b.
[ ]    QACA statutory increasing schedule. The Automatic Deferral Percentage will be:
Plan Year of application to a Participant    Automatic Deferral Percentage
1    3%
2    3%
3    4%
4    5%
5 and thereafter    6%
c.
[ ]    Other increasing schedule. The Automatic Deferral Percentage will be:


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Plan Year of application to a Participant    Automatic Deferral Percentage
              %
              %
              %
              %
              %
d.
[X]    No scheduled increase. The Automatic Deferral Percentage applies in all Plan Years.
e.
[ ]    Automatic increase. The Automatic Deferral Percentage will increase by      % per year up to a maximum of      % of Compensation.
f.
[ ]    Describe increase:     
[Note: To satisfy the QACA requirements, the Automatic Deferral Percentage must be: (i) a fixed percentage which is at least 6% and not more than 10% of Compensation; (ii) an increasing Automatic Deferral Percentage in accordance with the schedule under Election 20(b)(3)b.; or (iii) an alternative schedule which must require, for each Plan Year, an Automatic Deferral Percentage that is at least equal to the Automatic Deferral Percentage under the schedule in Election 21(b)(3)b. and which does not exceed 10%. See Section 3.02(B)(3).]
(4)    EACA permissible withdrawal. The permissible withdrawal provisions of Section 3.02(B)(2)(d) (Choose one of a., b., or c.):
a.
[ ]    Do not apply.
b.
[ ]    90 day withdrawal. Apply within 90 days of the first Automatic Deferral.
c.
[ ]    30‑90 day withdrawal. Apply, within       days of the first Automatic Deferral (may not be less than 30 nor more than 90 days).
(5)
Contrary Election/Covered Employee. For Plan Years beginning on or after January 1, 2010, any Participant who makes a Contrary Election (Choose one of a. or b.; leave blank if an ACA or a QACA not subject to the ACP test.):
a.
[ ]    Covered Employee. Is a Covered Employee and continues to be covered by the EACA provisions. [Note: Under this Election, the Participant's Contrary Election will remain in effect, but the Participant must receive the EACA annual notice.]
b.
[ ]    Not a Covered Employee. Is not a Covered Employee and will not continue to be covered by the EACA provisions. [Note: Under this Election, the Participant no longer must receive the EACA annual notice, but the Plan cannot use the six‑month period for relief from the excise tax of Code §4979(f)(1).]
(6)
Change Date. The Elective Deferrals under Election 21(b)(3)b., c., e., or f. will increase on the following day each Plan Year:
a.
[ ]    First day of the Plan Year.
b.
[ ]    Each anniversary of the Participant's date of hire.
c.
[ ]    Other:      (must be a specified or definitely determinable date that occurs at least annually)
(7)
First Year of Increase. The automatic increase under Election 21(b)(3)e. or f. will apply to a Participant beginning with the first Change Date after the Participant first has automatic deferrals withheld, unless a. is selected below:
a.
[ ]    The increase will apply as of the second Change Date thereafter.
b.
[ ]    For Participants automatically enrolled in the same Plan Year as the first Change Date the increase will apply as of the second Change Date thereafter.
(8)    [ ]    Describe Automatic Deferral:     
[Note: Under Election 21(b)(8), the Employer may describe Automatic Deferral provisions from the elections available under Election 21 and/or a combination thereof as to a Participant group (e.g., Automatic Deferrals do not apply to Division A Employees. All Division B Employee/Participants are subject to an Automatic Deferral Amount equal to 3% of Compensation effective as of January 1, 2013).]

22.    CODA (3.02(C)). The CODA provisions of Section 3.02(C) (Choose one of (a) or (b).):
(a)    [X]    Do not apply.
(b)
[ ]    Apply. For each Plan Year for which the Employer makes a designated CODA contribution under Section 3.02(C), a Participant may elect to receive directly in cash not more than the following portion (or, if less, the Elective Deferral Limit) of his/her proportionate share of that CODA contribution (Choose one of (1) or (2).):
(1)    [ ]    All or any portion.
(2)    [ ]         %

23.    CATCH‑UP DEFERRALS (3.02(D)). The Plan permits Catch‑Up Deferrals unless the Employer elects otherwise below. (Choose (a) if applicable.)
(a)    [ ]    Not Permitted. May not make Catch‑Up Deferrals to the Plan.


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Nonstandardized 401(k) Plan



24.    MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS (EXCLUDING SAFE HARBOR MATCH AND ADDITIONAL MATCH UNDER SECTION 3.05) (3.03(A)). The Employer Matching Contributions under Election 6(c) are subject to the following additional elections regarding type (discretionary/fixed), rate/amount, limitations and time period (collectively, such elections are "the matching formula") and the allocation of Matching Contributions is subject to Section 3.06 except as otherwise provided (Choose one or more of (a) through (h) as applicable; then, for the elected match, complete (1), (2), and/or (3) as applicable. If the Employer completes (2) or (3), also complete one of (4), (5), or (6).):
[Note: If the Employer wishes to make any Matching Contributions that satisfy the ADP or ACP safe harbor, the Employer should make these Elections under Election 30, and not under this Election 24.]


(1)

Match
Rate/Amt
[$/% of Elective Deferrals]
(2)
Limit on Deferrals Matched
[$/% of Compensation]
(3)

Limit on Match Amount
[$/% of Compensation]
(4)

Apply limit(s) per Plan Year ["true‑up"]
(5)
Apply limit(s) per payroll period [no "true‑up"]
(6)
Apply limit(s) per designated time period [no "true‑up"]

(a) [X]   Discretionary – see Section 1.35(B) (The Employer may, but is not required to complete (a)(1)‑(6). See the "Note" following Election 24.)
 
 
 
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]      
(b) [ ]   Fixed – uniform rate/amount
 
 
 
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]      
(c) [ ]   Fixed – tiered
Elective
Deferral %
   %
   %
   %
   %
Matching
Rate
   %
   %
   %
   %
 
 
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]      
(1)    "Years of Service" under this Election 24(d) means (Choose one of a. or b.):
(d) [ ]   Fixed – Years of Service
Years
of Service
   
   
   
   
Matching
Rate
   %
   %
   %
   %
 
 
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]      
a.    [ ]    Eligibility. Years of Service for eligibility in Election 16.
b.    [ ]    Vesting. Years of Service for vesting in Elections 43 and 44.
(e) [ ]   Fixed – multiple formulas
Formula 1:      
 
 
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]      
 
Formula 2:      
 
 
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]      
 
Formula 3:      
 
 
[ ]
[ ]
[ ]      

(1)
Matching formula. The matching formula for the Participating Employer(s) (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[X]    All the same. Is (are) the same as for the Signatory Employer under this Election 24.
b.
[ ]    At least one different. Is (are) as follows:     .
(2)
Allocation sharing. The Plan Administrator will allocate the Matching Contributions made by the Signatory Employer and by any Participating Employer (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    Employer by Employer. Only to the Participants directly employed by the contributing Employer.
b.
[X]    Across Employer lines. To all Participants regardless of which Employer directly employs them and regardless of whether their direct Employer made Matching Contributions for the Plan Year.
[Note: Unless the Plan is a Multiple Employer Plan, the Employer should not elect 24(f) unless there are Related Employers which are also Participating Employers. See Section 1.24(D).]
(g)
[X]    Discretionary Plan Year ("true-up" contribution). If the Employer elects to provide Matching Contributions on a per payroll period basis under election 24(a)(5) through 24(e)(5) or other designated time period basis under election 24(a)(6) through 24(e)(6) (no "true-up"), the Employer may on an annual basis provide a discretionary "true-up" contribution.


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Nonstandardized 401(k) Plan


(h)
[ ]    Describe:      (The formula described must satisfy the definitely determinable requirement under Treas. Reg. §1.401‑1(b). If the formula is non‑uniform, it is not a design‑based safe harbor for nondiscrimination purposes.)
[Note: See Section 1.35(A) as to Fixed Matching Contributions. A Participant's Elective Deferral percentage is equal to the Participant's Elective Deferrals divided by his/her Compensation. The matching rate/amount is the specified rate/amount of match for the corresponding Elective Deferral amount/percentage. Any Matching Contributions apply to Pre‑Tax Deferrals and to Roth Deferrals unless described otherwise in Election 24(h). Matching Contributions for nondiscrimination testing purposes are subject to the targeting limitations. See Section 4.10(D). The Employer under Election 24(a) in its discretion may determine the amount of a Discretionary Matching Contribution and the matching contribution formula. Alternatively, the Employer in Election 24(a) may specify the Discretionary Matching Contribution formula.]

25.    QMAC (PLAN‑DESIGNATED) (3.03(C)(1)). The following provisions apply regarding Plan‑Designated QMACs (Choose one of (a) or (b).):
[Note: Regardless of its elections under this Election 25, the Employer under Section 3.03(C)(2) may elect for any Plan Year where the Plan is using Current Year Testing to make Operational QMACs which the Plan Administrator will allocate only to NHCEs for purposes of correction of an ADP or ACP test failure.]
(a)
[X]    Not applicable. There are no Plan‑Designated QMACs.
(b)
[ ]    Applies. There are Plan‑Designated QMACs to which the following provisions apply (Complete (1) and (2).):
(1)
Matching Contributions affected. The following Matching Contributions (as allocated to the designated allocation group under Election 25(b)(2)) are Plan‑Designated QMACs (Choose one of a., b., or c.):
a.
[ ]    All. All Matching Contributions.
b.
[ ]    Designated. At the time the Matching Contribution is allocated, the Employer may designate all or a portion of the Matching Contributions under Election 24.
c.
[ ]    Designated. Only the following Matching Contributions under Election 24:     .
(2)
Allocation Group. Subject to Section 3.06, allocate the Plan‑Designated QMAC (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    NHCEs only. Only to NHCEs who make Elective Deferrals subject to the Plan‑Designated QMAC.
b.
[ ]    All Participants. To all Participants who make Elective Deferrals subject to the Plan‑Designated QMAC.
The Plan Administrator will allocate all other Matching Contributions as Regular Matching Contributions under Section 3.03(B), except as provided in Sections 3.03(C)(2) or 3.05.
[Note: See Section 4.10(D) as to targeting limitations applicable to QMAC nondiscrimination testing.]

26.    MATCHING CATCH‑UP DEFERRALS (3.03(D)). If a Participant makes a Catch‑Up Deferral, the Employer (Choose one of (a) or (b); leave blank if Election 23(a) is selected.):
(a)
[X]    Match. Will apply to the Catch‑Up Deferral (Choose one of (1) or (2).):
(1)
[ ]    All. All Matching Contributions.
(2)
[X]    Designated. The following Matching Contributions in Election 24: For non-HCE participants, the discretionary match on catch-up deferrals is limited to an aggregate of 6% of elective deferrals and catch-up deferrals. Additionally, for HCE participants, catch-up deferrals will not be matched    .
(b)
[ ]    No Match. Will not match any Catch‑Up Deferrals.
[Note: Election 26 does not apply to a safe harbor 401(k) plan unless the Employer will apply the ACP test. See Elections 38(a)(2)b. In this case, Election 26 applies only to Additional Matching, if any. A safe harbor 401(k) Plan will apply the Basic Match, QACA Basic Match or Enhanced Match to Catch‑Up Deferrals. If the Employer elects to apply the ACP test safe harbor under Election 38(a)(2)a., Election 26 does not apply and the Plan also will apply any Additional Match to Catch‑Up Deferrals.]

27.    NONELECTIVE CONTRIBUTIONS (TYPE/AMOUNT) INCLUDING PREVAILING WAGE CONTRIBUTIONS (3.04(A)). The Employer Nonelective Contributions under Election 6(d) are subject to the following additional elections as to type and amount (Choose one or more of (a) through (e) as applicable.): 27 p.1727
(a)    [X]    Discretionary. An amount the Employer in its sole discretion may determine.
(b)
[ ]    Fixed. (Choose one or more of (1) through (3) as applicable.):
(1)
[ ]    Uniform %.      % of each Participant's Compensation, per       (e.g., Plan Year, month).
(2)
[ ]    Fixed dollar amount. $     , per       (e.g., Plan Year, month, HOS, per Participant per month).


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Nonstandardized 401(k) Plan


(3)
[ ]    Describe:      (The formula described must satisfy the definitely determinable requirement under Treas. Reg. §1.401-1(b). If the formula is non-uniform, it is not a design-based safe harbor for nondiscrimination purposes.)
[Note: The Employer under Election 27(b)(3) may specify any Fixed Nonelective Contribution formula not described under Elections 27(b)(1) or (2) (e.g., For each Plan Year, 2% of net profits exceeding $50,000, or The cash value of unused paid time off, as described in Section 3.04(A)(2)(a) and the Employer's Paid Time Off Plan) and/or the Employer may describe different Fixed Nonelective Contributions as applicable to different Participant groups (e.g., A Fixed Nonelective Contribution equal to 5% of Plan Year Compensation applies to Division A Participants and a Fixed Nonelective Contribution equal to $500 per Participant each Plan Year applies to Division B Participants).]
(c)    [ ]    Prevailing Wage Contribution. The Prevailing Wage Contribution amount(s) specified for the Plan Year or other applicable period in the Employer's Prevailing Wage Contract(s). The Employer will make a Prevailing Wage Contribution only to Participants covered by the Contract and only as to Compensation paid under the Contract. The Employer must specify the Prevailing Wage Contribution by attaching an appendix to the Adoption Agreement that indicates the contribution rate(s) applicable to the prevailing wage employment/job classification(s). If the Participant accrues an allocation of Employer Contributions (including forfeitures) under the Plan or any other Employer plan in addition to the Prevailing Wage Contribution, the Plan Administrator will (Choose one of (1) or (2).):
(1)
[ ]    No offset. Not reduce the Participant's Employer Contribution allocation by the amount of the Prevailing Wage Contribution.
(2)
[ ]    Offset. Reduce the Participant's Employer Contribution allocation by the amount of the Prevailing Wage Contribution.
(d)
[X]    Related and Participating Employers. If any Related and Participating Employers (or in the case of a Multiple Employer Plan, Participating Employers regardless of whether they are Related Employers) contribute Nonelective Contributions to the Plan, the contribution formula(s) (Choose one of (1) or (2).):
(1)
[X]    All the same. Is (are) the same as for the Signatory Employer under this Election 27.
(2)
[ ]    At least one different. Is (are) as follows:     .
[Note: Unless the Plan is a Multiple Employer Plan, the Employer should not elect 27(d) unless there are Related Employers which are also Participating Employers. See Section 1.24(D). The Employer electing 27(d) also must complete Election 28(g) as to the allocation methods which apply to the Participating Employers.]
(e)
[ ]    Describe:      (The formula described must satisfy the definitely determinable requirement under Treas. Reg. §1.401‑1(b). If the formula is non‑uniform, it is not a design‑based safe harbor for nondiscrimination purposes.)

28.    NONELECTIVE CONTRIBUTION ALLOCATION (3.04(B)). The Plan Administrator, subject to Section 3.06, will allocate to each Participant any Nonelective Contribution (excluding QNECs) under the following contribution allocation formula (Choose one or more of (a) through (h) as applicable.):
(a)    [ ]    Pro rata. As a uniform percentage of Participant Compensation.
(b)
[ ]    Permitted disparity. In accordance with the permitted disparity allocation provisions of Section 3.04(B)(2), under which the following permitted disparity formula and definition of "Excess Compensation" apply (Complete (1) and (2).):
(1)
Formula (Choose one of a., b., or c.):
a.
[ ]    Two‑tiered.
b.
[ ]    Four‑tiered.
c.
[ ]    Two‑tiered, except that the four‑tiered formula will apply in any Plan Year for which the Plan is top‑heavy.
(2)
Excess Compensation. For purposes of Section 3.04(B)(2), "Excess Compensation" means Compensation in excess of the integration level provided below (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    Percentage amount.      % (not exceeding 100%) of the Taxable Wage Base in effect on the first day of the Plan Year, rounded to the next highest $      (not exceeding the Taxable Wage Base).
b.
[ ]    Dollar amount. The following amount: $      (not exceeding the Taxable Wage Base in effect on the first day of the Plan Year).
(c)    [ ]    Incorporation of contribution formula. The Plan Administrator will allocate any Fixed Nonelective Contribution under Elections 27(b), 27(d), or 27(e), or any Prevailing Wage Contribution under Election 27(c), in accordance with the contribution formula the Employer adopts under those Elections.
(d)    [X]    Classifications of Participants. [This is a nondesigned based safe harbor allocation method.] In accordance with the classifications allocation provisions of Section 3.04(B)(3). (Complete (1) and (2).):
(1)
Description of the classifications. [This is a nondesigned based safe harbor allocation method.] The classifications are (Choose one of a., b., or c.):
[Note: Typically, the Employer would elect 28(d) where it intends to satisfy nondiscrimination requirements using "cross‑testing" under Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)‑8. However, choosing this election does not necessarily require application of cross‑testing and the Plan may be able to satisfy nondiscrimination as to its classification‑based allocations by testing allocation rates.]


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Nonstandardized 401(k) Plan


a.
[ ]    Each in own classification. Each Participant constitutes a separate classification.
b.
[ ]    NHCEs/HCEs. Nonhighly Compensated Employee/Participants and Highly Compensated Employee/Participants.
c.
[X]    Describe the classifications: Each Participant constitutes a separate classification.    
[Note: Any classifications under Election 28(d) must result in a definitely determinable allocation under Treas. Reg. §1.401‑1(b)(1)(ii). The classifications cannot limit the NHCEs benefiting under the Plan only to those NHCE/Participants with the lowest Compensation and/or the shortest periods of Service and who may represent the minimum number of benefiting NHCEs necessary to pass coverage under Code §410(b). In the case of a self‑employed Participant (i.e., sole proprietorships or partnerships), the requirements of Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)‑1(a)(6) apply and the allocation method should not result in a cash or deferred election for the self‑employed Participant. The Employer by the due date of its tax return (including extensions) must advise the Plan Administrator or Trustee in writing as to the allocation rate applicable to each Participant under Election 28(d)(1)a. or applicable to each classification under Elections 28(d)(1)b. or c. for the allocation Plan Year.]
(2)
Allocation method within each classification. Allocate the Nonelective Contribution within each classification as follows (Choose one of a., b., or c.):
a.
[X]    Pro rata. As a uniform percentage of Compensation of each Participant within the classification.
b.
[ ]    Flat dollar. The same dollar amount to each Participant within the classification.
c.
[ ]    Describe:      (e.g., Allocate pro rata to NHCEs and flat dollar to HCEs.)
(e)    [ ]    Age‑based. [This is a nondesigned based safe harbor allocation method.] In accordance with the age‑based allocation provisions of Section 3.04(B)(5). The Plan Administrator will use the Actuarial Factors based on the following assumptions (Complete both (1) and (2).):
(1)
Interest rate. (Choose one of a., b., or c.):
a.    [ ]    7.5%    b.    [ ]    8.0%    c.    [ ]    8.5%
(2)
Mortality table. (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    UP‑1984. See Appendix D.
b.
[ ]    Alternative:       (Specify 1983 GAM, 1983 IAM, 1971 GAM or 1971 IAM and attach applicable tables using such mortality table and the specified interest rate as replacement Appendix D.)
(f)
[ ]    Uniform points. In accordance with the uniform points allocation provisions of Section 3.04(B)(6). Under the uniform points allocation formula, a Participant receives (Choose one or both of (1) and (2). Choose (3) if applicable.):
(1)
[ ]    Years of Service.       point(s) for each Year of Service. The maximum number of Years of Service counted for points is      .
"Year of Service" under this Election 28(f) means (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    Eligibility. Years of Service for eligibility in Election 16.
b.
[ ]    Vesting. Years of Service for vesting in Elections 43 and 44.
[Note: A Year of Service must satisfy Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)‑11(d)(3) for the uniform points allocation to qualify as a safe harbor allocation under Treas. Reg. §1.401(a)(4)‑2(b)(3).]
(2)
[ ]    Age.       point(s) for each year of age attained during the Plan Year.
(3)
[ ]    Compensation.       point(s) for each $      (not to exceed $200) increment of Plan Year Compensation.
(g)    [X]    Related and Participating Employers. If any Related and Participating Employers (or in the case of a Multiple Employer Plan, Participating Employers regardless of whether they are Related Employers) contribute Nonelective Contributions to the Plan, the Plan Administrator will allocate the Nonelective Contributions made by the Participating Employer(s) under Election 27(d) (Complete (1) and (2).):
(1)
Allocation Method. (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[X]    All the same. Using the same allocation method as applies to the Signatory Employer under this Election 28.
b.
[ ]    At least one different. Under the following allocation method(s):     .
(2)
Allocation sharing. The Plan Administrator will allocate the Nonelective Contributions made by the Signatory Employer and by any Participating Employer (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[X]    Employer by Employer. Only to the Participants directly employed by the contributing Employer.
b.
[ ]    Across Employer lines. To all Participants regardless of which Employer directly employs them and regardless of whether their direct Employer made Nonelective Contributions for the Plan Year.
[Note: Unless the Plan is a Multiple Employer Plan, the Employer should not elect 28(g) unless there are Related Employers which are also Participating Employers. See Section 1.24(D) and Election 27(d). If the Employer elects 28(g)(2)a., the Employer should also elect 11(k)(2), to disregard the Compensation paid by "Y" Participating Employer in determining the allocation of the "X" Participating Employer contribution


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Nonstandardized 401(k) Plan


to a Participant (and vice versa) who receives Compensation from both X and Y. If the Employer elects 28(g)(2)b., the Employer should not elect 11(k)(2). Election 28(g)(2)a. does not apply to Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions.]
(h)
[ ]    Describe:      (The formula described must satisfy the definitely determinable requirement under Treas. Reg. §1.401‑1(b). If the formula is non‑uniform, it is not a design‑based safe harbor for nondiscrimination purposes.)

29.    QNEC (PLAN‑DESIGNATED) (3.04(C)(1)). The following provisions apply regarding Plan‑Designated QNECs (Choose one of (a) or (b).):
[Note: Regardless of its elections under this Election 29, the Employer under Section 3.04(C)(2) may elect for any Plan Year where the Plan is using Current Year Testing to make Operational QNECs which the Plan Administrator will allocate only to NHCEs for purposes of correction of an ADP or ACP test failure.]
(a)
[X]    Not applicable. There are no Plan‑Designated QNECs.
(b)
[ ]    Applies. There are Plan‑Designated QNECs to which the following provisions apply (Complete (1), (2), and (3).):
(1)
Nonelective Contributions affected. The following Nonelective Contributions (as allocated to the designated allocation group under Election 29(b)(2)) are Plan‑Designated QNECs (Choose one of a., b., or c.):
a.
[ ]    All. All Nonelective Contributions.
b.
[ ]    Designated. At the time the Nonelective Contribution is allocated, the Employer may designate all or a portion of the Nonelective Contributions under Election 27.
c.
[ ]    Designated. Only the following Nonelective Contributions under Election 27:     .
(2)
Allocation Group. Subject to Section 3.06, allocate the Plan‑Designated QNEC (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    NHCEs only. Only to NHCEs under the method elected in Election 29(b)(3).
b.
[ ]    All Participants. To all Participants under the method elected in Election 29(b)(3).
(3)
Allocation Method. The Plan Administrator will allocate a Plan‑Designated QNEC using the following method (Choose one of a., b., c., or d.):
a.
[ ]    Pro rata.
b.
[ ]    Flat dollar.
c.    [ ]    Reverse. See Section 3.04(C)(3).
d.
[ ]    Describe:      (The formula described must satisfy the definitely determinable requirement under Treas. Reg. §1.401‑1(b).  If the formula is non‑uniform, it is not a design‑based safe harbor for nondiscrimination purposes.) [Note: See Section 4.10(D) as to targeting limitations applicable to QNEC nondiscrimination testing.]


30.    SAFE HARBOR 401(k) PLAN (SAFE HARBOR CONTRIBUTIONS/ADDITIONAL MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS) (3.05). The Employer under Election 6(e) will (or in the case of the Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution may) contribute the following Safe Harbor Contributions described in Section 3.05(E) and will or may contribute Additional Matching Contributions described in Section 3.05(F) (Choose one of (a) through (e) when and as applicable. Complete (f) and (j). Choose (g), (h), (i) and (k) as applicable.): 30 p.2030
(a)
[ ]    Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution (including QACA). The Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution equals      % of a Participant's Compensation [Note: The amount in the blank must be at least 3%. The Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution applies toward (offsets) most other Employer Nonelective Contributions. See Section 3.05(E)(12).]
(b)
[ ]    Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution (including QACA)/delayed year‑by‑year election (maybe and supplemental notices). In connection with the Employer's provision of the maybe notice under Section 3.05(I)(1), the Employer elects into safe harbor status by giving the supplemental notice and by making this Election 30(b) to provide for a Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution equal to      % (specify amount at least equal to 3%) of a Participant's Compensation. This Election 30(b) and safe harbor status applies for the Plan Year ending:       (specify Plan Year end), which is the Plan Year to which the Employer's maybe and supplemental notices apply.
[Note: An Employer distributing the maybe notice can use election 30(b) without completing the year. Doing so requires the Plan to perform Current Year Testing unless the Employer decides to elect safe harbor status. If the Employer wishes to elect safe harbor status for a single year, the Employer must amend the Plan to enter the Plan Year end above.]
(c)    [ ]    Basic Matching Contribution. A Matching Contribution equal to 100% of each Participant's Elective Deferrals not exceeding 3% of the Participant's Compensation, plus 50% of each Participant's Elective Deferrals in excess of 3% but not in excess of 5% of the Participant's Compensation. See Sections 1.35(E) and 3.05(E)(4). (Complete (1).):
(1)
Time period. For purposes of this Election 30(c), "Compensation" and "Elective Deferrals" mean Compensation and Elective Deferrals for:      . [Note: The Employer must complete the blank line with the applicable time period for computing the Basic Match, such as "each payroll period," "each calendar month," "each Plan Year quarter" or "the Plan Year."]


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Nonstandardized 401(k) Plan


(d)
[ ]    QACA Basic Matching Contribution. A Matching Contribution equal to 100% of a Participant's Elective Deferrals not exceeding 1% of the Participant's Compensation, plus 50% of each Participant's Elective Deferrals in excess of 1% but not in excess of 6% of the Participant's Compensation. (Complete (1).): [Note: This election is available only if the Employer has elected the QACA automatic deferrals provisions under Election 21.]
(1)
Time period. For purposes of this Election 30(d), "Compensation" and "Elective Deferrals" mean Compensation and Elective Deferrals for:      . [Note: The Employer must complete the blank line with the applicable time period for computing the QACA Basic Match, such as "each payroll period," "each calendar month," "each Plan Year quarter" or "the Plan Year."]
(e)    [ ]    Enhanced Matching Contribution (including QACA). See Sections 1.35(F) and 3.05(E)(6). (Choose one of (1) or (2) and complete (3) for any election.):
(1)
[ ]    Uniform percentage. A Matching Contribution equal to      % of each Participant's Elective Deferrals but not as to Elective Deferrals exceeding      % of the Participant's Compensation.
(2)
[ ]    Tiered formula. A Matching Contribution equal to the specified matching rate for the corresponding level of each Participant's Elective Deferral percentage. A Participant's Elective Deferral percentage is equal to the Participant's Elective Deferrals divided by his/her Compensation.
Elective Deferral Percentage    Matching Rate
     %         %
     %         %
     %         %
(3)
Time period. For purposes of this Election 30(e), "Compensation" and "Elective Deferrals" mean Compensation and Elective Deferrals for:      . [Note: The Employer must complete the blank line with the applicable time period for computing the Enhanced Match, such as "each payroll period," "each calendar month," "each Plan Year quarter" or "the Plan Year."]
[Note: The matching rate may not increase as the Elective Deferral percentage increases and the Enhanced Matching formula otherwise must satisfy the requirements of Code §§401(k)(12)(B)(ii) and (iii) (taking into account Code §401(k)(13)(D)(ii) in the case of a QACA). If the Employer elects to satisfy the ACP safe harbor under Election 38(a)(2)a., the Employer also must limit Elective Deferrals taken into account for the Enhanced Matching Contribution to a maximum of 6% of Plan Year Compensation.]
(f)    Participants who will receive Safe Harbor Contributions. The allocation of Safe Harbor Contributions (Choose one of (1), (2), or (3). Choose (4) if applicable.):
(1)
[ ]    Applies to all Participants. Applies to all Participants except as may be limited under Election 30(g) or 30(h).
(2)
[ ]    NHCEs only. Is limited to NHCE Participants only and may be limited further under Election 30(g) or 30(h). No HCE will receive a Safe Harbor Contribution allocation.
(3)
[ ]    NHCEs and designated HCEs. Is limited to NHCE Participants and to the following HCE Participants and may be limited further under Election 30(g) or 30(h):     .
[Note: Any HCE allocation group the Employer describes under Election 30(f)(3) must be definitely determinable. (e.g., Division "A" HCEs OR HCEs who own more than 5% of the Employer without regard to attribution rules).]
(4)
[ ]    Applies to all Participants except Collective Bargaining Employees. Notwithstanding Elections 30(f)(1), (2) or (3), the Safe Harbor Contributions are not allocated to Collective Bargaining (union) Employees and may be further limited under Election 30(g) or 30(h).
(g)
[ ]    Early Elective Deferrals/delay of Safe Harbor Contribution. The Employer may elect this Election 30(g) only if the Employer in Election 14 elects eligibility requirements for Elective Deferrals of less than age 21 and/or one Year of Service but elects age 21 and one Year of Service for Safe Harbor Matching or for Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions. The Employer under this Election 30(g) applies the rules of Section 3.05(D) to limit the allocation of any Safe Harbor Contribution under Election 30 for a Plan Year to those Participants who the Plan Administrator in applying the OEE rule described in Section 4.06(C), treats as benefiting in the disaggregated plan covering the Includible Employees.
(h)    [ ]    Early Elective Deferrals/delay of Safe Harbor Contribution Less Than Year of Service. The Employer may elect this Election 30(h) only if the Employer in Election 14 elects eligibility requirements for Elective Deferrals of less than age 21 and/or one Year of Service but elects delayed eligibility requirements for Safe Harbor Matching or for Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions of less than age 21 and/or less than one Year of Service. The Employer under this Election 30(h) applies the rules of Section 3.05(D) to limit the allocation of any Safe Harbor Contribution under Election 30 for a Plan Year to those Participants who the Plan Administrator in applying the OEE rule described in Section 4.06(C), treats as benefiting in the disaggregated plan covering the Includible Employees and those Excludable Employees that have met eligibility requirements for the Safe Harbor Contribution.
(i)
[ ]    Another plan. The Employer will make the Safe Harbor Contribution to the following plan:     .
(j)
Additional Matching Contributions. See Sections 1.35(G) and 3.05(F). (Choose one of (1) or (2).):
(1)
[ ]    No Additional Matching Contributions. The Employer will not make any Additional Matching Contributions to its safe harbor Plan.


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(2)
[ ]    Additional Matching Contributions. The Employer will or may make the following Additional Matching Contributions to its safe harbor Plan. (Choose a., b., and c. as applicable.):
a.
[ ]    Fixed Additional Matching Contribution. The following Fixed Additional Matching Contribution (Choose (i) and (ii) as applicable and complete (iii) for any election.):
(i)
[ ]    Uniform percentage. A Matching Contribution equal to      % of each Participant's Elective Deferrals but not as to Elective Deferrals exceeding      % of the Participant's Compensation.
(ii)
[ ]    Tiered formula. A Matching Contribution equal to the specified matching rate for the corresponding level of each Participant's Elective Deferral percentage. A Participant's Elective Deferral percentage is equal to the Participant's Elective Deferrals divided by his/her Compensation.
Elective Deferral Percentage    Matching Rate
     %         %
     %         %
     %         %
(iii)
Time period. For purposes of this Election 30(j)(2)a., "Compensation" and "Elective Deferrals" mean Compensation and Elective Deferrals for:     . [Note: The Employer must complete the blank line with the applicable time period for computing the Additional Match, e.g., each payroll period, each calendar month, each Plan Year quarter OR the Plan Year. If the Employer elects a match under both (i) and (ii) and will apply a different time period to each match, the Employer may indicate as such in the blank line.]
b.    [ ]    Discretionary Additional Matching Contribution. The Employer may make a Discretionary Additional Matching Contribution. If the Employer makes a Discretionary Matching Contribution, the Discretionary Matching Contribution will not apply as to Elective Deferrals exceeding      % of the Participant's Compensation (complete the blank if applicable or leave blank).
(i)
Time period. For purposes of this Election 30(j)(2)b., "Compensation" and "Elective Deferrals" mean Compensation and Elective Deferrals for:     . [Note: The Employer must complete the blank line with the applicable time period for computing the Additional Discretionary Matching Contribution, e.g., each payroll period, each calendar month, each Plan Year quarter OR the Plan Year. If the Employer fails to specify a time period, the Employer is deemed to have elected to compute its Additional Matching Contribution based on the Plan Year.]
c.
[ ]    Describe Additional Matching Contribution formula and time period:      (The formula described must satisfy the definitely determinable requirement under Treas. Reg. §1.401‑1(b) and, if the Employer elects to satisfy the ACP safe harbor under Election 38(a)(2)a., the formula must comply with Section 3.05(G).)
[Note: If the Employer elects to satisfy the ACP safe harbor under Election 38(a)(2)a. then as to any and all Matching Contributions, including Fixed Additional Matching Contributions and Discretionary Additional Matching Contributions: (i) the matching rate may not increase as the Elective Deferral percentage increases; (ii) no HCE may be entitled to a greater rate of match than any NHCE; (iii) the Employer must limit Elective Deferrals taken into account for the Additional Matching Contributions to a maximum of 6% of Plan Year Compensation; (iv) the Plan must apply all Matching Contributions to Catch‑Up Deferrals; and (v) in the case of a Discretionary Additional Matching Contribution, the contribution amount may not exceed 4% of the Participant's Plan Year Compensation.]
(k)    [ ]    Multiple Safe Harbor Contributions in disaggregated Plan. The Employer elects to make different Safe Harbor Contributions and/or Additional Matching Contributions to disaggregated parts of its Plan under Treas. Reg. §1.401(k)‑1(b)(4) as follows:      (Specify contributions for disaggregated plans, e.g., as to collectively bargained employees a 3% Nonelective Safe Harbor Contribution applies and as to non‑collectively bargained employees, the Basic Matching Contribution applies).

31.    ALLOCATION CONDITIONS (3.06(B)/(C)). The Plan does not apply any allocation conditions to: (i) Elective Deferrals; (ii) Safe Harbor Contributions; (iii) Additional Matching Contributions which will satisfy the ACP test safe harbor; (iv) Employee Contributions; (v) Rollover Contributions; (vi) Designated IRA Contributions; (vii) SIMPLE Contributions; or (viii) Prevailing Wage Contributions. To receive an allocation of Matching Contributions, Nonelective Contributions or Participant forfeitures, a Participant must satisfy the following allocation condition(s) (Choose one of (a) or (b). Choose (c) if applicable.):
(a)
[ ]    No conditions. No allocation conditions apply to Matching Contributions, to Nonelective Contributions or to forfeitures.
(b)    [X]    Conditions. The following allocation conditions apply to the designated Contribution Type and/or forfeitures (Choose one or more of (1) through (7). Choose Contribution Type as applicable.):
[Note: For this Election 31, except as the Employer describes otherwise in Election 31(b)(7) or as provided in Sections 3.03(C)(2) and 3.04(C)(2) regarding Operational QMACs and Operational QNECs, Matching includes all Matching Contributions and Nonelective includes all Nonelective Contributions to which allocation conditions may apply. The Employer under Election 31(b)(7) may not impose an Hour of Service condition exceeding 1,000 Hours of Service in a Plan Year.]
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)


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Matching,
Nonelective
and Forfeitures    Matching    Nonelective    Forfeitures
(1)    [X]    None.    N/A    [X]    [ ]    [ ]
(See Election 31(a))
(2)    [ ]    501 HOS/terminees (91 consecutive days if    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Elapsed Time). See Section 3.06(B)(1)(b).
(3)    [ ]    Last day of the Plan Year.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(4)    [X]    Last day of the Election 31(c) time period.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [X]    [X]
(5)    [ ]    1,000 HOS in the Plan Year (182 consecutive    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
days in Plan Year if Elapsed Time).
(6)    [X]      1,000   (specify) HOS within the Election    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [X]    [X]
31(c) time period, (but not exceeding 1,000 HOS in a Plan Year).
(7)
[ ]    Describe conditions:      (e.g., Last day of the Plan Year as to Nonelective Contributions for Participating Employer "A" Participants. No allocation conditions for Participating Employer "B" Participants.)
(c)
[X]    Time period. Under Section 3.06(C), apply Elections 31(b)(4), (b)(6), or (b)(7) to the specified contributions/forfeitures based on each (Choose one or more of (1) through (5). Choose Contribution Type as applicable.):
(1)    [X]    Plan Year.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [X]    [X]
(2)    [ ]    Plan Year quarter.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(3)    [ ]    Calendar month.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(4)    [ ]    Payroll period.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(5)
[ ]    Describe time period:     
[Note: If the Employer elects 31(b)(4) or (b)(6), the Employer must choose (c). If the Employer elects 31(b)(7), choose (c) if applicable.]

32.    ALLOCATION CONDITIONS ‑ APPLICATION/WAIVER/SUSPENSION (3.06(D)/(F)). Under Section 3.06(D), in the event of Severance from Employment as described below, apply or do not apply Election 31(b) allocation conditions to the specified contributions/forfeitures as follows (If the Employer elects 31(b), the Employer must complete Election 32. Choose one of (a) or (b). Complete (c).):
[Note: For this Election 32, except as the Employer describes otherwise in Election 31(b)(7) or as provided in Sections 3.03(C)(2) and 3.04(C)(2) regarding Operational QMACs and Operational QNECs, Matching includes all Matching Contributions and Nonelective includes all Nonelective Contributions to which allocation conditions may apply.]
(a)    [ ]    Total waiver or application. If a Participant incurs a Severance from Employment on account of or following death, Disability or attainment of Normal Retirement Age or Early Retirement Age (Choose one of (1) or (2).):
(1)
[ ]    Do not apply. Do not apply elected allocation conditions to Matching Contributions, to Nonelective Contributions or to forfeitures.
(2)
[ ]    Apply. Apply elected allocation conditions to Matching Contributions, to Nonelective Contributions and to forfeitures.
(b)
[X]    Application/waiver as to Contribution Types events. If a Participant incurs a Severance from Employment, apply allocation conditions except such conditions are waived if Severance from Employment is on account of or following death, Disability or attainment of Normal Retirement Age or Early Retirement Age as specified, and as applied to the specified Contribution Types/forfeitures (Choose one or more of (1) through (4). Choose Contribution Type as applicable.):
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
Matching,
Nonelective
and Forfeitures    Matching    Nonelective    Forfeitures
(1)    [X]    Death.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [X]    [ ]
(2)    [X]    Disability.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [X]    [ ]
(3)    [X]    Normal Retirement Age.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [X]    [ ]
(4)    [ ]    Early Retirement Age.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(c)    Suspension. The suspension of allocation conditions of Section 3.06(F) (Choose one of (1) or (2).):
(1)
[X]    Applies. Applies as follows (Choose one of a., b., or c.):
a.    [ ]    Both. Applies both to Nonelective Contributions and to Matching Contributions.
b.
[X]    Nonelective. Applies only to Nonelective Contributions.
c.
[ ]    Match. Applies only to Matching Contributions.


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(2)    [ ]    Does not apply.

33.    FORFEITURE ALLOCATION METHOD (3.07). (Choose one of (a) or (b).): 33 p.2333
[Note: Even if the Employer elects immediate vesting, the Employer should complete Election 33. See Section 7.07.]
(a)    [ ]    Safe harbor/top‑heavy exempt. Apply all forfeitures to Safe Harbor Contributions and Plan expenses in accordance with Section 3.07(A)(4).
(b)
[X]    Apply to Contributions. The Plan Administrator will allocate a Participant forfeiture attributable to all Contribution Types or attributable to all Nonelective Contributions or to all Matching Contributions as follows (Choose one or more of (1) through (6) and choose Contribution Type as applicable. Choose (5) only in conjunction with at least one other election.):
(1)    (2)    (3)
All    Nonelective    Matching
Forfeitures    Forfeitures    Forfeitures
(1)
[ ]    Additional Nonelective. Allocate as additional Discretionary    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]
Nonelective Contribution.
(2)
[ ]    Additional Match. Allocate as additional Discretionary    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]
Matching Contribution.
(3)
[ ]    Reduce Nonelective. Apply to Nonelective Contribution.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]
(4)
[X]    Reduce Match. Apply to Matching Contribution.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [X]
(5)
[X]    Plan expenses. Pay reasonable Plan expenses.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [X]
(See Section 7.04(C).)
(6)
[ ]    Describe:      (must satisfy the definitely determinable requirement under Treas. Reg. §1.401-1(b) and be applied in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner; e.g., Forfeitures attributable to transferred balances from Plan X are allocated only to former Plan X participants.)

34.    AUTOMATIC ESCALATION (3.02(G)). The Automatic Escalation provisions of Section 3.02(G) (Choose one of (a) or (b). See Election 21 regarding Automatic Deferrals. Automatic Escalation applies to Participants who have a Salary Reduction Agreement in effect.):
(a)
[X]    Do not apply.
(b)
[ ]    Apply. (Complete (1), (2), and (3)):
(1)
Participants affected. The Automatic Escalation applies to (Choose one of a., b., or c.):
a.
[ ]    All Deferring Participants. All Participants who have a Salary Reduction Agreement in effect for Pre-Tax Deferrals of at least      % of Compensation.
b.
[ ]    New Deferral Elections. Each Participant whose Hire Date or Rehire Date is on or after the effective date of this Election, or as applicable, any amendment thereto, who files a Salary Reduction Agreement for Pre-Tax Deferrals of at least      % of Compensation. In addition, each Participant who does not have a Salary Reduction Agreement in effect on the effective date of this Election, or, as applicable, any amendment thereto, and subsequently files a Salary Reduction Agreement for Pre-Tax Deferrals of at least      % of Compensation.
c.
[ ]    Describe affected Participants:     
[Note: The Employer in Election 34(b)(1)c. may further describe affected Participants, e.g., non‑Collective Bargaining Employees OR Division A Employees. The group of Participants must be definitely determinable and if an EACA under Election 21, must be uniform.]
(2)
Automatic Increases. (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    Automatic increase. The Participant's Pre-Tax Deferrals will increase by      % per year up to a maximum of      % of Compensation unless the Participant has filed a Contrary Election after the effective date of this Election or, as applicable, any amendment thereto. [Note: A Participant (1) that is deferring at a rate equal to or greater than the maximum on the effective date of this Election, or as applicable, any amendment thereto, or (2) that reaches the maximum on or after the effective date of this Election, or as applicable, any amendment thereto, must make an affirmative election to participate in Automatic Escalation if the Participant subsequently modifies the Participant's Salary Reduction Agreement to defer at a rate below the maximum.]
b.
[ ]    Describe increase:     
[Note: The Employer in Election 34(b)(2)b. may define different increases for different groups of Participants or may otherwise limit Automatic Escalation. Any such provisions must be definitely determinable.]
(3)
Change Date. The Elective Deferrals will increase on the following day each Plan Year:
a.
[ ]    First day of the Plan Year.
b.
[ ]    Each anniversary of the Participant's date of hire.


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c.
[ ]    Other:      (must be a specified or definitely determinable date that occurs at least annually)

35.    IN‑PLAN ROTH ROLLOVER CONTRIBUTION (3.08(E)). The following provisions apply regarding In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contributions (Choose one of (a) or (b); also see Election 56(d)(1); leave blank if Election 6(b)(1) is not selected.):
(a)
[ ]    Not Applicable. The Plan does not permit InPlan Roth Rollover Contributions.
(b)
[ ]    Applies. The Plan permits InPlan Roth Rollover Contributions. (Choose (1) if applicable.)
(1)
[ ]    Effective Date.       (enter date not earlier than September 28, 2010; may be left blank if same as Plan or Restatement Effective Date).

36.    EMPLOYEE (AFTER‑TAX) CONTRIBUTIONS (3.09). The following additional elections apply to Employee Contributions under Election 6(f). (Choose one or both of (a) and (b) if applicable.):
(a)
[ ]    Additional limitations. The Plan permits Employee Contributions subject to the following limitations, if any, in addition to those already imposed under the Plan:     
[Note: Any designated limitation(s) must be the same for all Participants and must be definitely determinable (e.g., Employee Contributions may not exceed the lesser of $5,000 dollars or 10% of Compensation for the Plan Year and/or Employee Contributions may not be less than $50 or 2% of Compensation per payroll period).]
(b)
[ ]    Apply Matching Contribution. For each Plan Year, the Employer's Matching Contribution made as to Employee Contributions is:     
[Note: The Employer Matching Contribution formula must be the same for all Participants and must be definitely determinable (e.g., A fixed Matching Contribution equal to 50% of Employee Contributions not exceeding 6% of Plan Year Compensation or A Discretionary Matching Contribution based on Employee Contributions).]

37.    DESIGNATED IRA CONTRIBUTIONS (3.12). Under Election 6(h), a Participant may make Designated IRA Contributions. (Complete (a) and (b).):
(a)
Type of IRA contribution. A Participant's Designated IRA Contributions will be (Choose one of (1), (2), or (3).):
(1)
[ ]    Traditional.
(2)
[ ]    Roth.
(3)
[ ]    Traditional/Roth. As the Participant elects at the time of contribution.
(b)
Type of Account. A Participant's Designated IRA Contributions will be held in the following form of Account(s) (Choose one of (1), (2), or (3).):
(1)
[ ]    IRA.
(2)
[ ]    Individual Retirement Annuity.
(3)
[ ]    IRA/Individual Retirement Annuity. As the Participant elects at the time of contribution.

ARTICLE IV
LIMITATIONS AND TESTING

38.    ANNUAL TESTING ELECTIONS (4.06(B)). The Employer makes the following Plan specific annual testing elections under Section 4.06(B). (Complete (a) and (b) as applicable. Leave (a) blank if the Plan is a SIMPLE 401(k) plan.): 38 p.2538
(a)
[X]    Nondiscrimination testing. (Choose one or more of (1), (2), and (3).):
(1)    [X]    Traditional 401(k) Plan/ADP/ACP test. The following testing method(s) apply:
[Note: The Plan may "split test". For Current Year Testing, See Section 4.11(E). For Prior Year Testing, see Section 4.11(I) and, as to the first Plan Year, see Sections 4.10(B)(4)(f)(iv) and 4.10(C)(5)(e)(iv).]
ADP Test (Choose one of a. or b.)
a.
[ ]    Current Year Testing.
b.
[X]    Prior Year Testing.
ACP Test (Choose one of c., d., or e.)
c.
[ ]    Not applicable. The Plan does not permit Matching Contributions or Employee Contributions and the Plan Administrator will not recharacterize Elective Deferrals as Employee Contributions for testing.
d.
[ ]    Current Year Testing.
e.
[X]    Prior Year Testing.


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(2)
[ ]    Safe Harbor Plan/No testing or ACP test only. (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    No testing. ADP test safe harbor applies and if applicable, ACP test safe harbor applies.
b.
[ ]    ACP test only. ADP test safe harbor applies, but Plan will perform ACP test as follows (Choose one of (i) or (ii).):
(i)    [ ]    Current Year Testing.
(ii)    [ ]    Prior Year Testing.
(3)
[ ]    Maybe notice (Election 30(b)). See Section 3.05(I).
[Note: The Employer may make elections under both the Traditional 401(k) Plan and Safe Harbor Plan elections, in order to accommodate a Plan that applies both testing elections (e.g., Safe Harbor Includible Employees group and tested Otherwise Excludible Employees group, or Safe Harbor Plan with tested after‑tax Employee Contributions). In the absence of an election regarding ADP or ACP tested contributions, Current Year Testing applies.]
(b)    [ ]    HCE determination. The Top‑Paid Group election and the calendar year data election are not used unless elected below (Choose one or both of (1) and (2) if applicable.):
(1)
[ ]    Top‑paid group election applies.
(2)
[ ]    Calendar year data election (fiscal year Plan only) applies.

ARTICLE V
VESTING REQUIREMENTS

39.    NORMAL RETIREMENT AGE (5.01). A Participant attains Normal Retirement Age under the Plan on the following date (Choose one of (a) or (b).): 39 p.2639
(a)
[X]    Specific age. The date the Participant attains age   62  . [Note: The age may not exceed age 65.]
(b)
[ ]    Age/participation. The later of the date the Participant attains age       or the       anniversary of the first day of the Plan Year in which the Participant commenced participation in the Plan. [Note: The age may not exceed age 65 and the anniversary may not exceed the 5th.]

40.    EARLY RETIREMENT AGE (5.01). (Choose one of (a) or (b).): 40 p.2640
(a)
[X]    Not applicable. The Plan does not provide for an Early Retirement Age.
(b)
[ ]    Early Retirement Age. Early Retirement Age is the later of: (i) the date a Participant attains age      ; (ii) the date a Participant reaches his/her       anniversary of the first day of the Plan Year in which the Participant commenced participation in the Plan; or (iii) the date a Participant completes       Years of Service.
[Note: The Employer should leave blank any of clauses (i), (ii), and (iii) which are not applicable.]
"Years of Service" under this Election 40 means (Choose one of (1) or (2) as applicable.):
(1)
[ ]    Eligibility. Years of Service for eligibility in Election 16.
(2)
[ ]    Vesting. Years of Service for vesting in Elections 43 and 44.
[Note: Election of an Early Retirement Age does not affect the time at which a Participant may receive a Plan distribution. However, a Participant becomes 100% vested at Early Retirement Age.]

41.    ACCELERATION ON DEATH OR DISABILITY (5.02). Under Section 5.02, if a Participant incurs a Severance from Employment as a result of death or Disability (Choose one of (a), (b), or (c).):
(a)
[X]    Applies. Apply 100% vesting.
(b)
[ ]    Not applicable. Do not apply 100% vesting. The Participant's vesting is in accordance with the applicable Plan vesting schedule.
(c)
[ ]    Limited application. Apply 100% vesting, but only if a Participant incurs a Severance from Employment as a result of (Choose one of (1) or (2).):
(1)
[ ]    Death.
(2)
[ ]    Disability.



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42.    VESTING SCHEDULE (5.03). A Participant has a 100% Vested interest at all times in his/her Accounts attributable to: (i) Elective Deferrals; (ii) Employee Contributions; (iii) QNECs; (iv) QMACs; (v) Safe Harbor Contributions (other than QACA Safe Harbor Contributions); (vi) SIMPLE Contributions; (vii) Rollover Contributions; (viii) Prevailing Wage Contributions; (ix) DECs; and (x) Designated IRA Contributions. The following vesting schedule applies to Regular Matching Contributions, to Additional Matching Contributions (irrespective of ACP testing status), to Nonelective Contributions (other than Prevailing Wage Contributions) and to QACA Safe Harbor Contributions. (Choose (a) or choose one or both of (b) and (c) as applicable.): 42 p.2642
(a)
[ ]    Immediate vesting. 100% Vested at all times in all Accounts.
[Note: Unless all Contribution Types are 100% Vested, the Employer should not elect 42(a). If the Employer elects immediate vesting under 42(a), the Employer should not complete the balance of Election 42 or Elections 43 and 44 (except as noted therein). The Employer must elect 42(a) if the eligibility Service condition under Election 14 as to all Contribution Types (except Elective Deferrals and Safe Harbor Contributions) exceeds one Year of Service or more than 12 months. The Employer must elect 42(b)(1) as to any Contribution Type where the eligibility service condition exceeds one Year of Service or more than 12 months. The Employer should elect 42(b) if any Contribution Type is subject to a vesting schedule.]
(b)    [X]    Vesting schedules: Apply the following vesting schedules (Choose one or more of (1) through (6). Choose Contribution Type as applicable.):
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)    (5)
Additional
All    Regular    Matching (See    QACA
Contributions    Nonelective    Matching    Section 3.05(F))    Safe Harbor
(1)    [X]    Immediate vesting.    N/A    [X]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(See Election 42(a))
(2)    [ ]    6‑year graded.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    N/A
(3)    [ ]    3‑year cliff.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    N/A
(4)    [X]    Modified schedule:    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [X]    [ ]    N/A
Years of Service    Vested %
Less than 1    a.      0%  
1    b.      0%  
2    c.      25%  
3    d.      50%  
4    e.      75%  
5    f.      100%  
6 or more    100%
(5)    [ ]    2‑year cliff.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(6)    [ ]    Modified 2‑year schedule:    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Years of Service    Vested %
Less than 1    a.         
1    b.         
2    100%
[Note: If the Employer does not elect 42(a), the Employer under 42(b) must elect immediate vesting or must elect one of the specified alternative vesting schedules. The Employer must elect either 42(b)(5) or (6) as to QACA Safe Harbor Contributions. The modified top-heavy schedule of Election 42(b)(4) must satisfy Code §411(a)(2)(B). If the Employer elects Additional Matching under Election 30(j), the Employer should elect vesting under the Additional Matching column in this Election 42(b). That election applies to the Additional Matching even if the Employer has given the maybe notice but does not give the supplemental notice for any Plan Year and as to such Plan Years, the Plan is not a safe harbor plan and the Matching Contributions are not Additional Matching Contributions. If the Plan's Effective Date is before January 1, 2007, the Employer may wish to complete the override elections in Appendix B relating to the application of non‑top‑heavy vesting.]
(c)    [X]    Special vesting provisions: Prior to December 23, 2015, vesting on matching contributions was subject to a 6-year graded vesting schedule. Effective December 23, 2015, active participants with prior matching contributions are subject to the new 5-year graded vesting schedule. Prior frozen Company Base contributions are 100% vested. Former participants in the Mimi's Cafe 401(k) Savings Plan who were given past service credit under the Plan shall be 100% vested in their Matching Contribution Accounts. Employees actively employed by SWH Mimi's Cafe, LLC on February 13, 2013 are 100% vested in their accounts.    
[Note: The Employer under Election 42(c) may describe special vesting provisions from the elections available under Election 42 and/or a combination thereof as to a: (i) Participant group (e.g., Full vesting applies to Division A Employees OR to Employees hired on/before "x" date. 6-year graded vesting applies to Division B Employees OR to Employees hired after "x" date.); and/or (ii) Contribution Type (e.g., Full vesting applies as to Discretionary Nonelective Contributions. 6-year graded vesting applies to Fixed Nonelective Contributions). Any special vesting provision must satisfy Code §411(a) and must be nondiscriminatory.]



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43.    YEAR OF SERVICE ‑ VESTING (5.05). (Complete both (a) and (b).):
[Note: If the Employer elects the Elapsed Time Method for vesting the Employer should not complete this Election 43. If the Employer elects immediate vesting, the Employer should not complete Election 43 or Election 44 unless it elects to apply a Year of Service for vesting under any other Adoption Agreement election.]
(a)
Year of Service. An Employee must complete at least   1,000   Hours of Service during a Vesting Computation Period to receive credit for a Year of Service under Article V. [Note: The number may not exceed 1,000. If left blank, the requirement is 1,000.]
(b)
Vesting Computation Period. The Plan measures a Year of Service based on the following 12‑consecutive month period (Choose one of (1) or (2).):
(1)
[X]    Plan Year.
(2)
[ ]    Anniversary Year.

44.    EXCLUDED YEARS OF SERVICE ‑ VESTING (5.05(C)). (Choose (a) or (b).): 44 p.2844
(a)
[X]    None. None other than as specified in Section 5.05(C)(1).
(b)
[ ]    Exclusions. The Plan excludes the following Years of Service for purposes of vesting (Choose one or more of (1) through (4).):
(1)
[ ]    Age 18. Any Year of Service before the Vesting Computation Period during which the Participant attained the age of 18.
(2)
[ ]    Prior to Plan establishment. Any Year of Service during the period the Employer did not maintain this Plan or a predecessor plan.
(3)
[ ]    Rule of Parity. Any Year of Service excluded under the rule of parity. See Plan Section 5.06(C).
(4)
[ ]    Additional exclusions. The following Years of Service:     
[Note: The Employer under Election 44(b)(4) may describe vesting service exclusions provisions available under Election 44 and/or a combination thereof as to a: (i) Participant group (e.g., No exclusions apply to Division A Employees OR to Employees hired on/before "x" date. The age 18 exclusion applies to Division B Employees OR to Employees hired after "x" date.); or (ii) Contribution Type (e.g., No exclusions apply as to Discretionary Nonelective Contributions. The age 18 exclusion applies to Fixed Nonelective Contributions). Any exclusion specified under Election 44(b)(4) must comply with Code §411(a)(4). Any exclusion must be nondiscriminatory.]

ARTICLE VI
DISTRIBUTION OF ACCOUNT BALANCE

45.    MANDATORY DISTRIBUTION (6.01(A)(1)/6.08(D)). The Plan provides or does not provide for Mandatory Distribution of a Participant's Vested Account Balance following Severance from Employment, as follows (Choose one of (a) or (b). Choose (c) if applicable.):
(a)
[ ]    No Mandatory Distribution. The Plan will not make a Mandatory Distribution following Severance from Employment.
(b)
[X]    Mandatory Distribution. The Plan will make a Mandatory Distribution following Severance from Employment. (Complete (1) and (2). Choose (3) unless the Employer elects to limit Mandatory Distributions to $1,000 including Rollover Contributions under Elections 45(b)(1)b. and 45(b)(2)b.):
(1)
Amount limit. As to a Participant who incurs a Severance from Employment and who will receive distribution before attaining the later of age 62 or Normal Retirement Age, the Mandatory Distribution maximum amount is equal to (Choose one of a., b., or c.):
a.    [ ]    $5,000.
b.    [X]    $1,000.
c.    [ ]    Specify amount: $      (may not exceed $5,000).
[Note: This election only applies to the Mandatory Distribution maximum amount. For other Plan provisions subject to a $5,000 limit, see election 56(g)(7) in Appendix B.]
(2)    Application of Rollovers to amount limit. In determining whether a Participant's Vested Account Balance exceeds the Mandatory Distribution dollar limit in Election 45(b)(1), the Plan (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.    [ ]    Disregards Rollover Contribution Account.
b.    [X]    Includes Rollover Contribution Account.
(3)
[ ]    Amount of Mandatory Distribution subject to Automatic Rollover. A Mandatory Distribution to a Participant before attaining the later of age 62 or Normal Retirement Age is subject to Automatic Rollover under Section 6.08(D) (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    Only if exceeds $1,000. Only if the amount of the Mandatory Distribution exceeds $1,000, which for this purpose must include any Rollover Contributions Account.
b.
[ ]    Specify lesser amount. Only if the amount of the Mandatory Distribution is at least: $      (specify $1,000 or less), which for this purpose must include any Rollover Contributions Account.


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(c)
[ ]    Required distribution at Normal Retirement Age. A severed Participant may not elect to delay distribution beyond the later of age 62 or Normal Retirement Age.

46.    SEVERANCE DISTRIBUTION TIMING (6.01). Subject to the timing limitations of Section 6.01(A)(1) in the case of a Mandatory Distribution, or in the case of any Distribution Requiring Consent under Section 6.01(A)(2), for which consent is received, the Plan Administrator will instruct the Trustee to distribute a Participant's Vested Account Balance as soon as is administratively practical following the time specified below (Choose one or more of (a) through (i) as applicable; choose (j) if applicable.):
[Note: If a Participant dies after Severance from Employment but before receiving distribution of all of his/her Account, the elections under this Election 46 no longer apply. See Section 6.01(B) and Election 50.]
(1)    (2)
Mandatory    Distribution
Distribution    Requiring Consent
(a)    [X]    Immediate. Immediately following Severance from Employment.    [X]    [X]
(b)    [ ]    Next Valuation Date. After the next Valuation Date following    [ ]    [ ]
Severance from Employment.
(c)    [ ]    Plan Year. In the       Plan Year following    [ ]    [ ]
Severance from Employment (e.g., next or fifth).
(d)    [ ]    Plan Year quarter. In the       Plan Year quarter following    [ ]    [ ]
Severance from Employment (e.g., next or fifth).
(e)    [ ]    Contribution Type Accounts.       (specify timing)    [ ]    [ ]
as to the Participant's       Account(s) and
      (specify timing) as to the Participant's
      Account(s) (e.g., As soon as is practical following Severance from Employment as to the Participant's Elective Deferral Account and as soon as is practical in the next Plan Year following Severance from Employment as to the Participant's Nonelective and Matching Accounts).
(f)    [ ]    Vesting controlled timing. If the Participant's total Vested Account    [ ]    [ ]
Balance exceeds $     , distribute       (specify timing) and if the Participant's total Vested Account Balance does not exceed $     , distribute       (specify timing).
(g)    [ ]    Distribute at Normal Retirement Age. As to a Mandatory Distribution,    [ ]    [ ]
distribute not later than 60 days after the beginning of the Plan Year following the Plan Year in which the previously severed Participant attains the earlier of Normal Retirement Age or age 65.
[Note: An election under column (2) only will have effect if the Plan's NRA is less than age 62.]
(h)    [ ]    No buy‑back/vesting controlled timing. Distribute as soon as is    [ ]    [ ]
practical following Severance from Employment if the Participant is fully Vested. Distribute as soon as is practical following a Forfeiture Break in Service if the Participant is not fully Vested.
(i)    [ ]    Describe Severance from Employment distribution timing:     
[Note: The Employer under Election 46(i) may describe Severance from Employment distribution timing provisions from the elections available under Election 46 and/or a combination thereof as to any: (i) Participant group (e.g., Immediate distribution after Severance from Employment applies to Division A Employees OR to Employees hired on/before "x" date. Distribution after the next Valuation Date following Severance from Employment applies to Division B Employees OR to Employees hired after "x" date.); (ii) Contribution Type and Participant group (e.g., As to Division A Employees, immediate distribution after Severance from Employment applies as to Elective Deferral Accounts and distribution after the next Valuation Date following Severance from Employment applies to Nonelective Contribution Accounts); and/or (iii) merged plan account now held in the Plan (e.g., The accounts from the X plan merged into this Plan continue to be distributable in accordance with the X plan terms [supply terms] and not in accordance with the terms of this Plan). An Employer's election under Election 46(i) must: (i) be objectively determinable; (ii) not be subject to Employer discretion; (iii) comply with Code §401(a)(14) timing requirements; (iv) be nondiscriminatory and (v) preserve Protected Benefits as required.]
(j)    [ ]    Acceleration. Notwithstanding any later specified distribution date in Election 46, a Participant may elect an earlier distribution following Severance from Employment (Choose (1) and (2) as applicable.):
(1)
[ ]    Disability. If Severance from Employment is on account of Disability or if the Participant incurs a Disability following Severance from Employment.
(2)
[ ]    Hardship. If the Participant incurs a hardship under Section 6.07(B) following Severance from Employment.



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47.    IN‑SERVICE DISTRIBUTIONS/EVENTS (6.01(C)). A Participant may elect an In‑Service Distribution of the designated Contribution Type Accounts based on any of the following events in accordance with Section 6.01(C) (Choose one of (a) or (b).): 47 p.2947
[Note: If the Employer elects any In‑Service Distribution option, a Participant may elect to receive as many In‑Service Distributions per Plan Year (with a minimum of one per Plan Year) as the Plan Administrator's In‑Service Distribution form or policy may permit. If the form or policy is silent, the number of In‑Service Distributions is not limited. Prevailing Wage Contributions are treated as Nonelective Contributions. See Section 6.01(C)(4)(d) if the Employer elects to use Prevailing Wage Contributions to offset other contributions.]
(a)
[ ]    None. The Plan does not permit any In‑Service Distributions except as to any of the following (if applicable): (i) RMDs under Section 6.02; (ii) Protected Benefits; and (iii) Designated IRA Contributions. Also see Section 6.01(C)(4)(e) with regard to Rollover Contributions, Employee Contributions and DECs.
(b)
[X]    Permitted. In‑Service Distributions are permitted as follows from the designated Contribution Type Accounts (Choose one or more of (1) through (9).):
[Note: Unless the Employer elects otherwise in Election (b)(9) below, Elective Deferrals under Election 47(b) includes Pre‑Tax and Roth Deferrals and Matching Contributions includes Additional Matching Contributions (irrespective of the Plan's ACP testing status).]
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)    (5)    (6)    (7)
All    Elective    Safe Harbor            Matching    Nonelective/
Contrib.    Deferrals    Contrib.    QNECs    QMACs    Contrib.    SIMPLE
(1)    [ ]    None. Except for    N/A    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Election 47(a)    (See Election
exceptions.    47(a))
(2)    [X]    Age (Choose one or
both of a. and b.):
a.    [X]    Age   62   (must    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
be at least 59 1/2).
b.    [ ]    Age       (may    N/A    N/A    N/A    N/A    N/A    [ ]    [ ]
be less than 59 1/2).
(3)    [X]    Hardship (Choose one
or both of a. and b.):
a.    [X]    Hardship (safe    N/A    [X]    N/A    N/A    N/A    [ ]    [ ]
harbor). See Section 6.07(A).
b.    [ ]    Hardship (non‑    N/A    N/A    N/A    N/A    N/A    [ ]    [ ]
safe harbor). See Section 6.07(B).
(4)    [X]    Disability.    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(5)    [ ]          year    N/A    N/A    N/A    N/A    N/A    [ ]    [ ]
contributions.
(specify minimum of two years) See Section 6.01(C)(4)(a)(i).
(6)    [ ]          months of    N/A    N/A    N/A    N/A    N/A    [ ]    [ ]
participation. (specify minimum of 60 months) See Section 6.01(C)(4)(a)(ii).
(7)    [ ]    Qualified Reservist    N/A    [ ]    N/A    N/A    N/A    N/A    N/A
Distribution. See Section 6.01(C)(4)(b)(iii).
(8)    [ ]    Deemed Severance    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
Distribution.
See Section 6.11.
(9)
[ ]    Describe:     
[Note: The Employer under Election 47(b)(9) may describe In‑Service Distribution provisions from the elections available under Election 47 and/or a combination thereof as to any: (i) Participant group (e.g., Division A Employee Accounts are distributable at age 59 1/2 OR Accounts of Employees hired on/before "x" date are distributable at age 59 1/2. No In-Service Distributions apply to Division B Employees OR to Employees hired after "x" date.); (ii) Contribution Type (e.g., Discretionary Nonelective Contribution Accounts are distributable on Disability. Fixed Nonelective Contribution Accounts are distributable on Disability or Hardship (non-safe harbor)); and/or (iii) merged plan account now held in the Plan (e.g., The accounts from the X plan merged into this Plan continue to be distributable in accordance with the X plan terms [supply terms] and not in accordance with the terms of this Plan). An Employer's election under Election 47(b)(9) must: (i) be objectively


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determinable; (ii) not be subject to Employer discretion; (iii) preserve Protected Benefits as required; (iv) be nondiscriminatory; and (v) not permit an "early" distribution of any Restricted 401(k) Accounts or Restricted Pension Accounts. See Sections 6.01(C)(4) and 11.02(C)(3).]

48.    IN‑SERVICE DISTRIBUTIONS/ADDITIONAL CONDITIONS (6.01(C)). The following additional conditions apply to In‑Service Distributions under Election 47(b) (Choose one of (a) or (b).):
(a)
[X]    Additional conditions. (Choose one or more of (1) through (3) as applicable.):
(1)    [ ]    100% vesting required. A Participant may not receive an In‑Service Distribution unless the Participant is 100% Vested in the distributing Account. This restriction applies to (Choose one or more of a. or b.):
a.    [ ]    Hardship distributions. Distributions based on hardship.
b.
[ ]    Other In‑Service. In‑Service distributions other than distributions based on hardship.
(2)    [ ]    Minimum amount. A Participant may not receive an In‑Service Distribution in an amount which is less than: $      (specify amount not exceeding $1,000).
(3)
[X]    Describe other conditions: A $100 minimum amount applies for any in-service distribution due to hardship or upon attainment of age 62.    
[Note: An Employer's election under Election 48(a)(3) must: (i) be objectively determinable; (ii) not be subject to Employer discretion; (iii) preserve Protected Benefits as required; (iv) be nondiscriminatory; and (v) not permit an "early" distribution of any Restricted 401(k) Accounts or Restricted Pension Accounts. See Section 6.01(C)(4).]
(b)
[ ]    No other conditions. A Participant may elect to receive an In‑Service Distribution upon any Election 47(b) event without further condition, provided that the amount distributed may not exceed the Vested amount in the distributing Account.

49.    POST‑SEVERANCE AND LIFETIME RMD DISTRIBUTION METHODS (6.03). A Participant whose Vested Account Balance exceeds $5,000 (or any lesser amount elected in Appendix B, Election 56(g)(7)): (i) who has incurred a Severance from Employment and will receive a distribution; or (ii) who remains employed but who must receive lifetime RMDs, may elect distribution under one of the following method(s) of distribution described in Section 6.03 and subject to any Section 6.03 limitations. (Choose one or more of (a) through (f) as applicable.): 49 p.3149
[Note: If a Participant dies after Severance from Employment but before receiving distribution of all of his/her Account, the elections under this Election 49 no longer apply. See Section 6.01(B) and Election 50.]
(a)    [X]    Lump‑Sum. See Section 6.03(A)(3).
(b)
[ ]    Installments only if Participant subject to lifetime RMDs. A Participant who is required to receive lifetime RMDs may receive installments payable in monthly, quarterly or annual installments equal to or exceeding the annual RMD amount. See Sections 6.02(A) and 6.03(A)(4)(a).
(c)
[X]    Installments. See Section 6.03(A)(4).
(d)
[ ]    Alternative Annuity:     . See Section 6.03(A)(5).
[Note: Under a Plan which is subject to the joint and survivor annuity distribution requirements of Section 6.04 (Election 51(b)), the Employer may elect under 49(d) to offer one or more additional annuities (Alternative Annuity) to the Plan's QJSA, QPSA or QOSA. If the Employer elects under Election 51(a) to exempt Exempt Participants from the joint and survivor annuity requirements, the Employer should not elect to provide an Alternative Annuity under 49(d).]
(e)    [ ]    Ad‑Hoc distributions. See Section 6.03(A)(6).
[Note: If an Employer elects to permit Ad‑Hoc distributions the option must be available to all Participants.]
(f)
[ ]    Describe distribution method(s):     
[Note: The Employer under Election 49(f) may describe Severance from Employment distribution methods from the elections available under Election 49 and/or a combination thereof as to any: (i) Participant group (e.g., Division A Employee Accounts are distributable in a Lump-Sum OR Accounts of Employees hired after "x" date are distributable in a Lump-Sum. Division B Employee Accounts are distributable in a Lump-Sum or in Installments OR Accounts of Employees hired on/before "x" date are distributable in a Lump-Sum or in Installments.); (ii) Contribution Type (e.g., Discretionary Nonelective Contribution Accounts are distributable in a Lump-Sum. Fixed Nonelective Contribution Accounts are distributable in a Lump‑Sum or in Installments); and/or (iii) merged plan account now held in the Plan (e.g., The accounts from the X plan merged into this Plan continue to be distributable in accordance with the X plan terms [supply terms] and not in accordance with the terms of this Plan). An Employer's election under Election 49(f) must: (i) be objectively determinable; (ii) not be subject to Employer, Plan Administrator or Trustee discretion; (iii) be nondiscriminatory; and (iv) preserve Protected Benefits as required.]

50.    BENEFICIARY DISTRIBUTION ELECTIONS (6.01(B)). Distributions following a Participant's death will be made as follows (Choose one of (a), (b), or (c); choose (d) if applicable.):
(a)
[ ]    Immediate. As soon as practical following the Participant's death.
(b)
[ ]    Next Calendar Year. At such time as the Beneficiary may elect, but in any event on or before the last day of the calendar year which next follows the calendar year of the Participant's death.
(c)
[X]    As Beneficiary elects. At such time as the Beneficiary may elect, consistent with Section 6.02.
(d)
[ ]    Describe:     


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[Note: The Employer under Election 50(d) may describe an alternative distribution timing or afford the Beneficiary an election which is narrower than that permitted under election 50(c), or include special provisions related to certain beneficiaries, (e.g., a surviving spouse). However, any election under Election 50(d) must require distribution to commence no later than the Section 6.02 required date.]

51.    JOINT AND SURVIVOR ANNUITY REQUIREMENTS (6.04). The joint and survivor annuity distribution requirements of Section 6.04 (Choose one of (a) or (b).):
(a)
[X]    Profit sharing exception. Do not apply to an Exempt Participant, as described in Section 6.04(G)(1), but apply to any other Participants (or to a portion of their Account as described in Section 6.04(G)) (Complete (1).):
(1)
One‑year marriage rule. Under Section 7.05(A)(3) relating to an Exempt Participant's Beneficiary designation under the profit sharing exception (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    Applies. The one‑year marriage rule applies.
b.
[X]    Does not apply. The one‑year marriage rule does not apply.
(b)
[ ]    Joint and survivor annuity applicable. Section 6.04 applies to all Participants (Complete (1).):
(1)
One‑year marriage rule. Under Section 6.04(B) relating to the QPSA (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    Applies. The one‑year marriage rule applies.
b.
[ ]    Does not apply. The one‑year marriage rule does not apply.

ARTICLE VII
ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

52.    ALLOCATION OF EARNINGS (7.04(B)). For each Contribution Type provided under the Plan, the Plan allocates Earnings using the following method (Choose one or more of (a) through (f). Choose Contribution Type as applicable.):
[Note: Elective Deferrals/Employee Contributions also includes Rollover Contributions, Transfers, DECs and Designated IRA Contributions, Matching Contributions includes all Matching Contributions and Nonelective Contributions includes all Nonelective Contributions, unless described otherwise in Election 52(f).]
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
Elective Deferrals/
All    Employee    Matching    Nonelective
Contributions    Contributions    Contributions    Contributions
(a)    [X]    Daily. See Section 7.04(B)(4)(a).    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(b)    [ ]    Balance forward.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
See Section 7.04(B)(4)(b).
(c)    [ ]    Balance forward with adjustment.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
See Section 7.04(B)(4)(c). Allocate pursuant to the balance forward method, except treat as part of the relevant Account at the beginning of the Valuation Period      % of the contributions made during the following Valuation Period:     .
(d)    [ ]    Weighted average. See Section    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
7.04(B)(4)(d). If not a monthly weighting period, the weighting period is:     .
(e)    [X]    Participant-Directed Account method.    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
See Section 7.04(B)(4)(e).
(f)    [ ]    Describe Earnings allocation method:     
[Note: The Employer under Election 52(f) may describe Earnings allocation methods from the elections available under Election 52 and/or a combination thereof as to any: (i) Participant group (e.g., Daily applies to Division A Employees OR to Employees hired after "x" date. Balance forward applies to Division B Employees OR to Employees hired on/before "x" date.); (ii) Contribution Type (e.g., Daily applies as to Discretionary Nonelective Contribution Accounts. Participant-Directed Account applies to Fixed Nonelective Contribution Accounts); (iii) investment type, investment vendor or Account type (e.g., Balance forward applies to investments placed with vendor A and Participant‑Directed Account applies to investments placed with vendor B OR Daily applies to Participant‑Directed Accounts and balance forward applies to pooled Accounts); and/or (iv) merged plan account now held in the Plan (e.g., The accounts from the X plan merged into this Plan continue to be subject to Earnings allocation in accordance with the X plan terms [supply terms] and not in accordance with the terms of this Plan). An Employer's election under Election 52(f) must: (i) be objectively determinable; (ii) not be subject to Employer discretion; and (iii) be nondiscriminatory.]



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ARTICLE VIII
TRUSTEE AND CUSTODIAN, POWERS AND DUTIES

53.    VALUATION OF TRUST (8.02(C)(4)). In addition to the last day of the Plan Year, the Trustee (or Named Fiduciary as applicable) must value the Trust Fund on the following Valuation Date(s) (Choose one or more of (a) through (d). Choose Contribution Type as applicable.):
[Note: Elective Deferrals/Employee Contributions also include Rollover Contributions, Transfers, DECs and Designated IRA Contributions, Matching Contributions includes all Matching Contributions and Nonelective Contributions includes all Nonelective Contributions, unless described otherwise in Election 53(d).]
(1)    (2)    (3)    (4)
Elective Deferrals/
All    Employee    Matching    Nonelective
Contributions    Contributions    Contributions    Contributions
(a)    [ ]    No additional Valuation Dates.    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
(b)    [X]    Daily Valuation Dates. Each business day    [X]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
of the Plan Year on which Plan assets for which there is an established market are valued and the Trustee is conducting business.
(c)    [ ]    Last day of a specified period. The    [ ]    OR    [ ]    [ ]    [ ]
last day of each       of the Plan Year.
(d)    [ ]    Specified Valuation Dates:     
[Note: The Employer under Election 53(d) may describe Valuation Dates from the elections available under Election 53 and/or a combination thereof as to any: (i) Participant group (e.g., No additional Valuation Dates apply to Division A Employees OR to Employees hired after "x" date. Daily Valuation Dates apply to Division B Employees OR to Employees hired on/before "x" date.); (ii) Contribution Type (e.g., No additional Valuation Dates apply as to Discretionary Nonelective Contribution Accounts. The last day of each Plan Year quarter applies to Fixed Nonelective Contribution Accounts); (iii) investment type, investment vendor or Account type (e.g., No additional Valuation Dates apply to investments placed with vendor A and Daily Valuation Dates apply to investments placed with vendor B OR Daily Valuation Dates apply to Participant‑Directed Accounts and no additional Valuation Dates apply to pooled Accounts); and/or (iv) merged plan account now held in the Plan (e.g., The accounts from the X plan merged into this Plan continue to be subject to Trust valuation in accordance with the X plan terms [supply terms] and not in accordance with the terms of this Plan). An Employer's election under Election 53(d) must: (i) be objectively determinable; (ii) not be subject to Employer discretion; and (iii) be nondiscriminatory.]

ARTICLE XII
MULTIPLE EMPLOYER PLAN

54.    MULTIPLE EMPLOYER PLAN (12.01/12.02/12.03). The Employer makes the following elections regarding the Plan's Multiple Employer Plan status and the application of Article XII (Choose one of (a) or (b).):
(a)
[X]    Not applicable. The Plan is not a Multiple Employer Plan and Article XII does not apply.
(b)
[ ]    Applies. The Plan is a Multiple Employer Plan and the Article XII Effective Date is:      . The Employer makes the following additional elections (Choose (1) if applicable.):
(1)
[ ]    Participating Employer may modify. See Section 12.03. A Participating Employer in the Participation Agreement may modify Adoption Agreement elections applicable to each Participating Employer (including electing to not apply Adoption Agreement elections) as follows (Choose one of a. or b. Choose c. if applicable.):
a.
[ ]    All. May modify all elections.
b.
[ ]    Specified elections. May modify the following elections:       (specify by election number).
c.
[ ]    Restrictions. May modify subject to the following additional restrictions:      (Specify restrictions. Any restrictions must be definitely determinable and may not violate Code §412 or the regulations thereunder.).
[Note: If Election (b)(1) above is not chosen, Participating Employers may not modify any Adoption Agreement elections. The Participation Agreement must be consistent with this Election 54(b)(1). Any Participating Employer election in the Participation Agreement which is not permitted under this Election 54(b)(1) is of no force or effect and the applicable election in the Adoption Agreement applies.]
EXECUTION PAGE

The Employer, by executing this Adoption Agreement, hereby agrees to the provisions of this Plan and Trust.

Employer: Bob Evans Farms, Inc.    

Date:     

Signed:     



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[print name/title]
The Trustee, by executing this Adoption Agreement, hereby accepts its position and agrees to all of the obligations, responsibilities and duties imposed upon the Trustee under the Prototype Plan and Trust. If the Employer under Elections 5(c), 5(d), 5(e) or 5(g) will use a separate Trust, the Trustee need not execute this Adoption Agreement.
Discretionary Trustee(s):     

Date:     

Signed:     

    
[print name/title]
Nondiscretionary Trustee(s):     

Date:     

Signed:     

    
[print name/title]
Use of Adoption Agreement. Failure to complete properly the elections in this Adoption Agreement may result in disqualification of the Employer's Plan. The Employer only may use this Adoption Agreement only in conjunction with the basic plan document referenced by its document number on Adoption Agreement page one.
Execution for Page Substitution Amendment Only. If this paragraph is completed, this Execution Page documents an amendment to Adoption Agreement Election(s)       effective      , by substitute Adoption Agreement page number(s)      . The Employer should retain all Adoption Agreement Execution Pages and amended pages. [Note: The Effective Date may be retroactive or may be prospective.]
Prototype Plan Sponsor. The Prototype Plan Sponsor identified on the first page of the basic plan document will notify all adopting Employers of any amendment to this Prototype Plan or of any abandonment or discontinuance by the Prototype Plan Sponsor of its maintenance of this Prototype Plan. For inquiries regarding the adoption of the Prototype Plan, the Prototype Plan Sponsor's intended meaning of any Plan provisions or the effect of the Opinion Letter issued to the Prototype Plan Sponsor, please contact the Prototype Plan Sponsor at the following address and telephone number: 751 Broad Street, Newark, NJ 07102‑3777 1‑800‑848‑4015    .
Reliance on Sponsor Opinion Letter. The Prototype Plan Sponsor has obtained from the IRS an Opinion Letter specifying the form of this Adoption Agreement and the basic plan document satisfy, as of the date of the Opinion Letter, Code §401. An adopting Employer may rely on the Prototype Sponsor's IRS Opinion Letter only to the extent provided in Rev. Proc. 2011‑49. The Employer may not rely on the Opinion Letter in certain other circumstances or with respect to certain qualification requirements, which are specified in the Opinion Letter and in Rev. Proc. 2011‑49 or subsequent guidance. In order to have reliance in such circumstances or with respect to such qualification requirements, the Employer must apply for a determination letter to Employee Plans Determinations of the IRS.



SPECIAL RETROACTIVE OR PROSPECTIVE EFFECTIVE DATES

55.    SPECIAL EFFECTIVE DATES (1.20). The Employer elects or does not elect Appendix A special Effective Date(s) as follows. (Choose (a) or one or more of (b) through (s) as applicable.):
[Note: If the Employer elects 55(a), do not complete the balance of this Election 55.]
(a)
[ ]    Not applicable. The Employer does not elect any Appendix A special Effective Dates.
[Note: The Employer may use this Appendix A to specify an Effective Date for one or more Adoption Agreement elections which does not correspond to the Plan's new Plan or Restated Plan Effective Date under Election 4. As to Restated Plans, for periods prior to: (i) the below‑specified special Effective Date(s); or (ii) the Restated Plan's general Effective Date under Election 4, as applicable, the Plan terms in effect prior to its restatement under this Adoption Agreement control for purposes of the designated provisions.]
(b)
[ ]    Trustee (1.67). The Trustee provisions under Election 5 or Appendix C are effective:      .
(c)
[ ]    Contribution Types (1.12). The Contribution Types under Election(s) 6       are effective:      .
(d)
[ ]    Excluded Employees (1.22(D)). The Excluded Employee provisions under Election(s) 8       are effective:
     .
(e)
[X]    Compensation (1.11). The Compensation definition under Election(s)   11(f) and 11(l)   (specify 9‑11 as applicable) are effective:
  January 1, 2016  .
(f)
[X]    Hour of Service/Elective Service Crediting (1.32/1.59(C)). The Hour of Service and/or elective Service crediting provisions under Election(s)   12(c) and 12(d)   (specify 12‑13 as applicable) are effective:   January 1, 2016  .
(g)
[X]    Eligibility (2.01‑2.03). The eligibility provisions under Election(s)   14   (specify 14‑19 as applicable) are effective:
  January 1, 2016  .
(h)    [ ]    Elective Deferrals (3.02(A)‑(D)). The Elective Deferral provisions under Election(s)       (specify 20‑23 as applicable) are effective:      .
(i)
[X]    Matching Contributions (3.03). The Matching Contribution provisions under Election(s)   24(a)   (specify 24‑26 as applicable) are effective:   January 1, 2016  .
(j)    [ ]    Nonelective Contributions (3.04). The Nonelective Contribution provisions under Election(s)       (specify 27-29 as applicable) are effective:      .
(k)    [ ]    401(k) safe harbor (3.05). The 401(k) safe harbor provisions under Election(s) 30       are effective:
     .
(l)    [X]    Allocation conditions (3.06). The allocation conditions under Election(s)   31   (specify 31-32 as applicable) are effective:
  January 1, 2016  .
(m)
[ ]    Forfeitures (3.07). The forfeiture allocation provisions under Election(s) 33       are effective:
     .
(n)
[ ]    Employee Contributions (3.09). The Employee Contribution provisions under Election(s) 36       are effective:
     .
(o)
[ ]    Testing elections (4.06(B)). The testing elections under Election(s) 38       are effective:      .
(p)
[ ]    Vesting (5.03). The vesting provisions under Election(s)       (specify 39-44 as applicable) are effective:
     .
(q)
[X]    Distributions (6.01, 6.03 and 6.04). The distribution elections under Election(s)   45 and 48   (specify 45-51 as applicable) are effective:   January 1, 2016  .
(r)
[ ]    Earnings/Trust valuation (7.04(B)/8.02(C)(4)). The Earnings allocation and Trust valuation provisions under Election(s)       (specify 52-53 as applicable) are effective:      .
(s)
[ ]    Special Effective Date(s) for other elections (specify elections and dates):     .




BASIC PLAN DOCUMENT OVERRIDE ELECTIONS

56.    BASIC PLAN OVERRIDES. The Employer elects or does not elect to override various basic plan provisions as follows (Choose (a) or choose one or more of (b) through (l) as applicable.):
[Note: If the Employer elects 56(a), do not complete the balance of this Election 56.]
(a)
[ ]    Not applicable. The Employer does not elect to override any basic plan provisions.
[Note: The Employer at the time of restating its Plan with this Adoption Agreement may make an election on Appendix A (Election 55(s)) to specify a special Effective Date for any override provision the Employer elects in this Election 56. If the Employer, after it has executed this Adoption Agreement, later amends its Plan to change any election on this Appendix B, the Employer should document the Effective Date of the Appendix B amendment on the Execution Page or otherwise in the amendment.]
(b)    [ ]    Definition (Article I) overrides. (Choose one or more of (1) through (8) as applicable.):
(1)
[ ]    W‑2 Compensation exclusion of paid/reimbursed moving expenses (1.11(B)(1)). W‑2 Compensation excludes amounts paid or reimbursed by the Employer for moving expenses incurred by an Employee, but only to the extent that, at the time of payment, it is reasonable to believe that the Employee may deduct these amounts under Code §217.
(2)
[ ]    Alternative (general) 415 Compensation (1.11(B)(4)). The Employer elects to apply the alternative (general) 415 definition of Compensation in lieu of simplified 415 Compensation.
(3)
[ ]    Inclusion of Deemed 125 Compensation (1.11(C)). Compensation under Section 1.11 includes Deemed 125 Compensation.
(4)
[ ]    Pre‑Regulatory inclusion of Post‑Severance Compensation (1.11(I) and 4.05(F)). Prior to the first Limitation Year beginning on or after July 1, 2007 (the Effective Date of the final 415 regulations), the Plan includes Post‑Severance Compensation within the meaning of Prop. Treas. Reg. §1.415(c)‑2(e) as described in Sections 1.11(I) and 4.05(F) as follows (Choose one or both of a. and b.):
a.
[ ]    Include for 415 testing. Include for 415 testing and for other testing which uses 415 Compensation. This provision applies effective as of       (specify a date which is no earlier than January 1, 2005).
b.
[ ]    Include for allocations. Include for allocations as follows (specify affected Contribution Type(s) and any adjustments to Post‑Severance Compensation used for allocation):     .
This provision applies effective as of       (specify a date which is no earlier than January 1, 2002).
(5)    [ ]    Inclusion of Deemed Disability Compensation (1.11(K)). Include Deemed Disability Compensation. (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    NHCEs only. Apply only to disabled NHCEs.
b.
[ ]    All Participants. Apply to all disabled Participants. The Employer will make Employer Contributions for such disabled Participants for:       (specify a fixed or determinable period).
(6)
[ ]    Treatment of Differential Wage Payments (1.11(L)). In lieu of the provisions of Section 1.11(L), the Employer elects the following (Choose one or more of a., b., c., and d. as applicable.):
a.
[ ]    Effective date. The inclusion is effective for Plan Years beginning after       (may not be earlier than December 31, 2008).
b.    [ ]    Elective Deferrals only. The inclusion only applies to Compensation for purposes of Elective Deferrals.
c.    [ ]    Not included. The inclusion does not apply to Compensation for purposes of any Contribution Type.
d.    [ ]    Other:      (specify other Contribution Type Compensation which includes Differential Wage Payments)
(7)    [ ]    Leased Employees (1.22(B)). (Choose one or both of a. and b. if applicable.):
a.
[ ]    Inclusion of Leased Employees (1.22(B)). The Employer for purposes of the following Contribution Types, does not exclude Leased Employees:      (specify Contribution Types).
b.
[ ]    Offset if contributions to leasing organization plan (1.22(B)(2)). The Employer will reduce allocations to this Plan for any Leased Employee to the extent that the leasing organization contributes to or provides benefits under a leasing organization plan to or for the Leased Employee and which are attributable to the Leased Employee's services for the Employer. The amount of the offset is as follows:
            
[Note: The election of an offset under this Election 56(b)(7)b. may require that the Employer aggregate its plan with the leasing organization's plan for coverage and nondiscrimination testing.]
(8)
[ ]    Inclusion of Reclassified Employees (1.22(D)(3)). The Employer for purposes of the following Contribution Types, does not exclude Reclassified Employees (or the following categories of Reclassified Employees):      (specify Contribution Types and/or categories of Reclassified Employees).
(c)    [ ]    Rule of parity ‑ participation (Article II) override (2.03(D)). For purposes of Plan participation, the Plan applies the "rule of parity" under Code §410(a)(5)(D).
(d)
[X]    Contribution/allocation (Article III) overrides. (Choose one or more of (1) through (9) as applicable.):
(1)    [ ]    Roth overrides. (Choose one or more of a., b., c., d., or e. as applicable.):
a.
[ ]    Treatment of Automatic Deferrals as Roth Deferrals (3.02(B)). The Employer elects to treat Automatic Deferrals as Roth Deferrals in lieu of treating Automatic Deferrals as Pre‑Tax Deferrals.
b.
[ ]    Treatment of Automatic Deferrals when Participant has Roth Deferrals (3.02(B)). If the Employer elects 21(b)(2)a. (Election of at least Automatic Deferral Percentage) for Participants that have a Roth Deferral election in place, the Automatic Deferral Percentage includes only the incremental percentage amount necessary to increase the Participant's Pre-Tax Deferral so that when aggregated with the Roth Deferral is equal to the Automatic Deferral Percentage.
c.
[ ]    In‑Plan Roth Rollovers limited to In‑Service only (3.08(E)(2)(a)). Only Participants who are Employees may elect to make an In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution.
d.
[ ]    Vested In‑Plan Roth Rollovers (3.08(E)(2)(b)). Distributions related to In‑Plan Roth Rollovers may only be made from accounts which are fully Vested.
e.
[ ]    Source of In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution (3.08(E)(3)(b)). The Plan permits an In‑Plan Roth Rollover only from the following qualifying sources (Choose one or more.):
(i)
[ ]    Elective Deferrals
(ii)
[ ]    Matching Contributions (including any Safe Harbor Matching Contributions and Additional Matching Contributions)
(iii)
[ ]    Nonelective Contributions
(iv)
[ ]    QNECs (including any Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions)
(v)
[ ]    Rollovers
(vi)
[ ]    Transfers
(vii)
[ ]    Other:      (specify account(s) and conditions in a manner that is definitely determinable and not subject to Employer discretion)
(2)
[X]    Automatic Deferrals overrides (3.02(B)). (Choose one or more of a., b., c., d., or e. as applicable.):
a.
[X]    Participants Subject to ACA (3.02(B)(1)(a). For the purposes of this Section a Participant's ACA Effective Date is as soon as practicable after the Participant is subject to Automatic Deferrals under the ACA, consistent with the objective of affording the Participant a reasonable period of time after receipt of the ACA notice to make a Contrary Election (and, if applicable, an investment election).
b.
[ ]    EACA Permissible Withdrawals - Rehires (3.02(B)(2)(d)(iv)). For purposes of Section 3.02(B)(2)(d)(iii), with respect to an Employee who for an entire Plan Year did not have Automatic Deferrals made pursuant to a default election under the EACA, the Plan will not follow the special rule which allows the Plan to treat the Employee as not having had such contributions for any prior Plan Year as well.
c.
[ ]    EACA Permissible Withdrawals – Rehires (Separation of Service) (3.02(B)(2)(d)(iv)). For purposes of Section 3.02(B)(2)(d)(iii), the Plan will treat an Employee who had a Separation from Service for an entire Plan Year as not having Automatic Deferrals made pursuant to a default election under the EACA for any prior Plan Year.
d.
[ ]    QACA Automatic Deferral Rate (3.02(B)(3)(b)). For purposes of Section 3.02(B)(3)(b), with respect to a Participant who for an entire Plan Year did not have Automatic Deferral contributions made under the QACA, the Plan will not follow the special rule which allows the Plan to treat the Participant as not having made such contributions for any prior Plan Year.
e.
[ ]    QACA Automatic Deferral Rate (3.02(B)(3)(b)). For purposes of Section 3.02(B)(3)(b), with respect to a Participant who did not have Automatic Deferral contributions made under the QACA because they had a Separation from Service for an entire Plan Year, the Plan will treat the Participant as not having made such contributions for any prior Plan Year.
(3)
[ ]    No offset of Safe Harbor Contributions to other allocations (3.05(E)(12)). Any Safe Harbor Nonelective Contributions allocated to a Participant's account will not be applied toward (offset) any allocation to the Participant of a non‑Safe Harbor Nonelective Contribution.
(4)    [ ]    Short Plan Year or allocation period (3.06(B)(1)(c)). The Plan Administrator (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    No pro‑ration. Will not pro‑rate Hours of Service in any short allocation period.
b.
[ ]    Pro‑ration based on months. Will pro‑rate any Hour of Service requirement based on the number of months in the short allocation period.
(5)
[ ]    Limited waiver of allocation conditions for rehired Participants (3.06(G)). The allocation conditions the Employer has elected in the Adoption Agreement do not apply to rehired Participants in the Plan Year they resume participation, as described in Section 3.06(G).
(6)
[ ]    Associated Match forfeiture timing (3.07(A)(1)(c)). Forfeiture of associated matching contributions occurs in the Testing Year.
(7)    [ ]    Safe Harbor top‑heavy exempt fail‑safe (3.07(A)(4)). In lieu of ordering forfeitures as (a), (b), and (c) under Section 3.07(A)(4), the Employer establishes the following forfeiture ordering rules (Specify the ordering rules, for example, (b), (c), and (a).):      .
(8)    [ ]    HEART Act continued benefit accrual (3.11(K)). The Employer elects to apply the benefit accrual provisions of Section 3.11(K). The provisions are effective as of (Choose one of a. or b.; and choose c. if the provisions no longer are effective.):
a.
[ ]    2007 Effective Date. The first day of the 2007 Plan Year.
b.
[ ]    Other Effective Date.       (may not be earlier than the first day of the 2007 Plan Year).
c.
[ ]    No longer effective. The provisions no longer apply effective as of      .
(9)    [ ]    Suspension (3.06(F)(3)). The Plan Administrator in applying Section 3.06(F) will (Choose one or more of a., b., and c. as applicable.):
a.
[ ]    Re‑order tiers. Apply the suspension tiers in Section 3.06(F)(2) in the following order:       (specify order).
b.
[ ]    Hours of Service tie‑breaker. Apply the greatest Hours of Service as the tie‑breaker within a suspension tier in lieu of applying the lowest Compensation.
c.
[ ]    Additional/other tiers. Apply the following additional or other tiers:       (specify suspension tiers and ordering).
(e)    [ ]    Testing (Article IV) overrides. (Choose one or both of (1) and (2) as applicable.):
(1)
[ ]    First few weeks rule for Code §415 testing Compensation (4.05(F)(1)). The Plan applies the first few weeks rule in Section 4.05(F)(1).
(2)
[ ]    Post‑Severance Compensation for Code §415 testing Compensation (4.05(F)). The Employer elects the following adjustments to Post-Severance Compensation for purposes of determining 415 testing Compensation (Choose one or more of a. through d.):
[Note: Under the basic plan document, if the Employer does not elect any adjustments, post-severance compensation includes leave cashouts and deferred compensation, and excludes military and disability continuation payments.]
a.
[ ]    Exclude leave cash‑outs. See Section 1.11(I)(1)(b).
b.
[ ]    Exclude deferred compensation. See Section 1.11(I)(1)(c).
c.
[ ]    Include salary continuation for military service. See Section 1.11(I)(2).
d.
[ ]    Include salary continuation for disabled Participants. See Section 1.11(I)(3). (Choose one of (i) or (ii).):
(i)
[ ]    For Nonhighly Compensated Employees only.
(ii)
[ ]    For all Participants. In which case the salary continuation will continue for the following fixed or determinable period:     .
(f)    [ ]    Vesting (Article V) overrides. (Choose one or more of (1) through (8) as applicable.):
(1)
[ ]    Application of non‑top‑heavy vesting and top‑heavy vesting (5.03(A)(2)). The Employer makes the following elections regarding the application of nontopheavy vesting and top‑heavy vesting (Choose a., b., and c. as applicable.):
a.
[ ]    Election of non‑top‑heavy vesting. As to Plan Years where permitted and in such Plan Years when the Plan is not topheavy, the following vesting schedule(s) apply. See Section 5.03(B). (Choose one or more of (i), (ii), or (iii) as applicable and complete (iv) and (v).):
(i)
[ ]    5‑year cliff.
(ii)
[ ]    7‑year graded.
(iii)
[ ]    Modified non‑top‑heavy. A modified non‑top‑heavy schedule as follows:     
[Note: A modified non‑top‑heavy schedule must satisfy Code §411(a)(2).]
(iv)
Application to Contribution Types. Apply the elected non‑top‑heavy vesting schedule (Choose one of A. or B.):
A.
[ ]    All. To all Contribution Types subject to vesting (other than QACA Safe Harbor Contributions).
B.
[ ]    Describe application to affected Contribution Type(s):     
(v)
Application of topheavy and nontopheavy schedules. (Choose one of A. or B.):
A.
[ ]    Apply topheavy schedule in all Plan Years once top‑heavy.
B.
[ ]    Apply topheavy schedule only in topheavy Plan Years.
b.
[ ]    Election to eliminate HOS requirement postEGTRRA or postPPA for topheavy vesting. The top‑heavy vesting schedule(s) apply (Choose one or both of (i) and (ii).):
(i)
[ ]    No post‑EGTRRA HOS requirement for Matching. To all Participants even if they do not have one Hour of Service in a Plan Year beginning after December 31, 2001.
(ii)
[ ]    No post‑PPA HOS requirement for affected other Employer Contributions. To all Participants even if they do not have one Hour of Service in a Plan Year beginning after December 31, 2006.
c.    [ ]    Election to apply top‑heavy vesting only as to post‑EGTRRA or post‑PPA contributions. The topheavy vesting schedule(s) apply (Choose one or both of (i) and (ii).):
(i)
[ ]    Post‑EGTRRA Matching Contributions. Only to Regular Matching Contributions and Additional Matching Contributions made in Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2001 and to the associated Earnings.
(ii)
[ ]    Post‑PPA other Employer Contributions. Only to nonMatching Contributions made in Plan Years beginning after December 31, 2006, and to the associated Earnings.
(2)
[ ]    Alternative "grossed‑up" vesting formula (5.03(C)(2)). The Employer elects the alternative vesting formula described in Section 5.03(C)(2).
(3)
[ ]    Forfeiture Restoration and Conditions for Restoration (5.04(B)(1)). The Plan Administrator will restore a re-employed Participant's Account Balance under this Section 5.04(B) without requiring repayment by the Participant of the entire amount of the Cash-Out Distribution to the Trust.
(4)
[ ]    Forfeiture Restoration and Conditions for Restoration (5.04(B)(1)). If a re‑employed Participant repays his/her Cash-Out Distribution attributable to Employer Contributions, the Plan Administrator will restore the Participant's Account Balance under this Section 5.04(B).
(5)
[ ]    Source of Cash‑Out forfeiture restoration (5.04(B)(5)). To restore a Participant's Account Balance as described in Section 5.04(B)(5), the Plan Administrator, to the extent necessary, will allocate from the following source(s) and in the following order (Specify, in order, one or more of the following: Forfeitures, Earnings, and/or Employer Contribution):     .
(6)
[ ]    Deemed Cash‑Out of 0% Vested Participant (5.04(C)). The deemed cash‑out rule of Section 5.04(C) does not apply to the Plan.
(7)
[ ]    Accounting for Cash‑Out repayment; Contribution Type (5.04(D)(2)). In lieu of the accounting described in Section 5.04(D)(2), the Plan Administrator will account for a Participant's Account Balance attributable to a Cash‑Out repayment (Choose one of a. or b.):
a.
[ ]    Nonelective rule. Under the nonelective rule.
b.
[ ]    Rollover rule. Under the rollover rule.
(8)
[ ]    One‑year hold‑out rule ‑ vesting (5.06(D)). The one‑year hold‑out Break in Service rule under Code §411(a)(6)(B) applies.
(g)    [X]    Distribution (Article VI) overrides. (Choose one or more of (1) through (9) as applicable.):
(1)
[X]    Distribution of Mandatory Distribution if 62/NRA Balance Exceeds $5,000 (6.01(A)(1)(c)(ii)). For the purpose of this Section, in the absence of a Participant's consent and distribution election (as described in Sections 6.01(A)(2)(d) and (e)) or in the absence of the Participant's election under Section 6.01(A)(2)(f), made prior to his/her Annuity Starting Date, to postpone distribution, the Plan Administrator, consistent with the Employer's elections in its Adoption Agreement, will treat the Participant as having elected (in accordance with the Treasury regulations under Code §§411 and 401(a)(14)) to postpone his/her distribution until his/her Section 6.02 required date.
(2)
[ ]    Restriction on In‑Service Rollover Distributions (6.01(C)). A Participant shall be entitled to receive a distribution of Rollover Contributions, Employee Contributions and DECs (Choose one or more of a. through d. as applicable.):
a.    [ ]    Deferrals. Under the same provisions which apply to Elective Deferrals.
b.
[ ]    Match. Under the same provisions which apply to Matching Contributions.
c.
[ ]    Nonelective. Under the same provisions which apply to Nonelective Contributions.
d.
[ ]    Other:     
[Note: The Employer under Election 56(g)(2)(d) may describe In‑Service Rollover Distribution restrictions using the options available for In-Service Distributions under Election 47 and/or a combination thereof as to all Participants or as to any: (i) Participant group (e.g., Division A Rollover Accounts are distributable at age 59 1/2 OR Rollover Accounts of Employees hired on/before "x" date are distributable at age 59 1/2. No In‑Service Rollover Distributions apply to Division B Employees OR to Employees hired after "x" date). An Employer's election under Election 56(g)(2)(d). must: (i) be objectively determinable; (ii) not be subject to Employer discretion; (iii) preserve Protected Benefits as required; (iv) be nondiscriminatory; and (v) not permit an "early" distribution of any Restricted 401(k) Accounts or Restricted Pension Accounts. See Sections 6.01(C)(4) and 11.02(C)(3).]
(3)    [ ]    Elections related to In‑Plan Roth Rollovers (6.01(C)(7)). (Choose one or more of a. through c. as applicable.):
a.
[ ]    In‑Service Roth Rollover events. The Employer elects to permit In‑Service Distributions under the following conditions solely for purposes of making an In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution (Choose one or more of (i) through (iv); select (v) if applicable.):
(i)
[ ]    Age. The Participant has attained age      .
(ii)
[ ]    Participation. The Participant has       months of participation (specify minimum of 60 months). Section 6.01(C)(4)(a)(ii).
(iii)
[ ]    Seasoning. The amounts being distributed have accumulated in the Plan for at least       years (at least 2). See Section 6.01(C)(4)(a)(i).
(iv)
[ ]    Other (describe):      (must be definitely determinable and not subject to Employer discretion (e.g., age 50, but only with respect to Nonelective Contributions, and not Matching Contributions))
[Note: Regardless of any election above to the contrary, In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contributions are not permitted from a Participant's Elective Deferral Account, Qualified Matching Contribution Account, Qualified Nonelective Contribution Account and accounts attributable to Safe Harbor Contributions prior to age 59 1/2.]
(v)
[ ]    Distribution for withholding. A Participant may elect to have a portion of the amount that may be distributed as an In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution distributed solely for purposes of federal or state income tax withholding related to the In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution.
b.
[ ]    Minimum amount. The minimum amount that may be rolled over is       (may not exceed $1,000).
c.
[ ]    No transfer of loans. Loans may not be distributed as part of an In‑Plan Roth Rollover Contribution. (if not selected, any loans may be transferred)
(4)    [X]    Elections related to Required Minimum Distributions. (Choose one or more of a. through c. as applicable.):
a.
[ ]    RMD overrides if Participant dies before DCD (6.02(B)(1)(e)). If the Participant dies before the DCD and the Beneficiary is a designated Beneficiary, the RMD distribution rules are modified as follows (Choose one of (i) through (iv).):
(i)
[ ]    Election of 5‑year rule. If a Designated Beneficiary does not make a timely election, the 5‑year rule applies in lieu of the Life Expectancy rule.
(ii)
[ ]    Life Expectancy rule. The Life Expectancy rule applies to the Designated Beneficiary. See Section 6.02(B)(1)(d).
(iii)
[ ]    5‑year rule. The 5‑year rule applies to the Beneficiary. See Section 6.02(B)(1)(c).
(iv)
[ ]    Other:      (Describe, e.g., the 5‑year rule applies to all Beneficiaries other than a surviving spouse Beneficiary.)
b.
[ ]    RBD definition (6.02(E)(7)(c)). In lieu of the RBD definition in Section 6.02(E)(7)(a) and (b), the Plan Administrator (Choose one of (i) or (ii).):
(i)
[ ]    SBJPA definition indefinitely. Indefinitely will apply the pre‑SBJPA RBD definition.
(ii)
[ ]    SBJPA definition to specified date. Will apply the pre‑SBJPA definition until       (the stated date may not be earlier than January 1, 1997), and thereafter will apply the RBD definition in Sections 6.02(E)(7)(a) and (b).
c.    [X]    2009 RMD waiver elections (6.02(F)). In lieu of the 2009 RMDs suspension (subject to a Participant or Beneficiary election to continue), as provided in Section 6.02(F) (Choose one of (i) through (iv) if applicable. Choose (v) or (vi) if applicable.):
(i)
[ ]    RMDs continued unless election. 2009 RMDs are continued as provided in Section 6.02(F)(2), unless a Participant or Beneficiary otherwise elects.
(ii)
[ ]    RMDs continued ‑ no election. 2009 RMDs are continued as provided in Section 6.02(F)(3), without regard to a waiver. No election is available to Participants or Beneficiaries.
(iii)
[X]    Existing RMDs continued unless election/New RMDs Suspension. 2009 RMDs are continued as provided in Section 6.02(F)(2) for Participants and Beneficiaries who had been receiving RMDs prior to 2009, unless a Participant or Beneficiary otherwise elects. For those Participants and Beneficiaries who had not been receiving RMDs prior to 2009, RMDs were suspended, subject to a Participant or Beneficiary election to continue.
(iv)
[ ]    Other:      (Describe, e.g., the Plan suspended 2009 RMDs and did not offer an election or the Plan changed from one treatment of 2009 RMDs to another treatment during 2009.)
Treatment as Eligible Rollover Distribution. For purposes of 2009 RMDs, the Plan also will treat the following distributions as Eligible Rollover Distributions (Choose (v) or (vi), if applicable. If the Employer elects neither (v) nor (vi), then a direct rollover for 2009 will be offered only for distributions that would be Eligible Rollover Distributions without regard to Code §401(a)(9)(H).):
(v)
[ ]    2009 RMDs and Extended 2009 RMDs, both as defined in Section 6.02(F).
(vi)
[ ]    2009 RMDs, as defined in Section 6.02(F), but only if paid with an additional amount that is an Eligible Rollover Distribution without regard to Code §401(a)(9)(H).
(5)    [X]    Distribution Methods (Choose one or both of a. and b. if applicable.):
a.
[X]    Default Distribution Methods (6.03(B)(2)). If a Participant or Beneficiary does not make a timely election as to distribution method and timing the Plan Administrator will direct the Trustee to distribute using the following method and timing: Installments sufficient to satisfy RMD beginning at Required Beginning Date.     (Describe, e.g., Installments sufficient to satisfy RMD beginning at the Required Beginning Date. The selected method and timing must not be discriminatory and must be an option the plan makes available to participants and/or beneficiaries.)
b.
[X]    Beneficiary Distribution Methods (6.03(A)(2)). The Plan will distribute to the Beneficiary under the following distribution method(s). If more than one method is elected, the Beneficiary may choose the method of distribution:
(i)
[X]    Lump‑Sum. See Section 6.03(A)(3).
(ii)
[X]    Installments sufficient to satisfy RMD. See Section 6.03(A)(4)(a).
(iii)
[ ]    Ad‑Hoc sufficient to satisfy RMD. See Section 6.03(A)(6).
(iv)
[ ]    Other:      (Describe, e.g., Lump‑Sum or Installments for surviving spouse Beneficiaries, Lump‑Sum only for all other Beneficiaries.)
(6)
[ ]    Annuity Distributions (6.04). (Choose one or both of a. and b. if applicable.):
a.
[ ]    Modification of QJSA (6.04(A)(3)). The Survivor Annuity percentage will be      %. (Specify a percentage between 50% and 100%.)
b.
[ ]    Modification of QPSA (6.04(B)(2)). The QPSA percentage will be      %. (Specify a percentage between 50% and 100%.)
(7)    [ ]    Hardship Distributions (6.07). (Choose one or more of a. through c. if applicable.):
a.
[ ]    Restriction on hardship source; grandfathering (6.07(E)). The hardship distribution limit includes grandfathered amounts.
b.
[ ]    Hardship acceleration. The existence of a hardship occurring after Separation from Service/Severance from Employment will be determined under the non‑safe harbor rules of Section 6.07(B).
c.
[ ]    Beneficiary's hardship need (6.07(H)). Effective       (Specify date not earlier than August 17, 2006), a Participant's hardship includes an immediate and heavy financial need of the Participant's primary Designated Beneficiary under the Plan, as described in Section 6.07(H).
(8)    [ ]    Replacement of $5,000 amount (6.09). All Plan references (except in Sections 3.02(D), 3.10 and 3.12(C)(2)) to "$5,000" will be $     . (Specify an amount less than $5,000.)
(9)
[ ]    Non‑spouse beneficiary rollover not permitted before required (6.08(G)). For distributions after December 31, 2006, and before       (Specify a date not later than January 1, 2010), the Plan does not permit a Designated Beneficiary other than the Participant's surviving spouse to elect to roll over a death benefit distribution.
(h)    [X]    Administrative overrides (Article VII). (Choose one or more of (1) through (9) as applicable.):
(1)
[ ]    Contributions prior to accrual or precise determination (7.04(B)(5)(b)). The Plan Administrator will allocate Earnings described in Section 7.04(B)(5)(b) as follows (Choose one of a., b., or c.):
a.
[ ]    Treat as contribution. Treat the Earnings as an Employer Matching or Nonelective Contribution and allocate accordingly.
b.
[ ]    Balance forward. Allocate the Earnings using the balance forward method described in Section 7.04(B)(4)(b).
c.
[ ]    Weighted average. Allocate the Earnings on Matching Contributions using the weighted average method in a manner similar to the method described in Section 7.04(B)(4)(d).
(2)
[X]    ERISA Fee Recapture Account (7.04(D)). The Plan Administrator in its discretion may use an ERISA Fee Recapture Account to pay non‑settlor Plan Expenses and may allocate funds in the ERISA Recapture Account (or excess funds therein after payment of Plan Expenses) as Earnings or as a Discretionary Nonelective Contribution. The Plan Administrator will exercise its discretion in a reasonable, uniform and nondiscriminatory manner.
(3)
[ ]    Automatic revocation of spousal designation (7.05(A)(1)). The automatic revocation of a spousal Beneficiary designation in the case of divorce does not apply.
(4)
[ ]    Limitation on frequency of Beneficiary designation changes (7.05(A)(4)). Except in the case of a Participant incurring a major life event, a period of at least       must elapse between Beneficiary designation changes. (Specify a period of time, e.g., 90 days OR 12 months.)
(5)
[ ]    Definition of "spouse" (7.05(A)(5)). The following definition of "spouse" applies:       (Specify a definition.)
(6)
[ ]    Administration of default provision; default Beneficiaries (7.05(C)). The following list of default Beneficiaries will apply:       (Specify, in order, one or more Beneficiaries who will receive the interest of a deceased Participant.)
(7)
[X]    Death of Beneficiary (7.05(D)). If the Beneficiary survives the Participant, but dies prior to distribution of the Participant's entire Vested Account Balance, the Trustee will distribute the remaining Vested Account Balance in the same manner as described in Sections 7.05(B) and (C) (applied as though the Beneficiary were the Participant) unless the Participant's Beneficiary designation provides otherwise; or (2) the Beneficiary has properly designated a beneficiary.
(8)
[ ]    Subsequent restoration of forfeiture‑sources and ordering (7.07(A)(3)). Restoration of forfeitures will come from the following sources, in the following order       (Specify, in order, one or more of the following: Forfeitures, Employer Contribution, Trust Fund Earnings.)
(9)
[ ]    State law (7.10(H)). The law of the following state will apply:       (Specify one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia, or other appropriate legal jurisdiction, such as a territory of the United States or an Indian tribal government.)
(i)    [ ]    Trust and insurance overrides (Articles VIII and IX). (Choose one or more of (1) through (3) if applicable.):
(1)    [ ]    Employer securities/real property in Profit Sharing Plans/401(k) Plans (8.02(A)(13)(a)). The Plan limit on investment in qualifying Employer securities/real property is      %. (Specify a percentage which is less than 100%.)
(2)    [ ]    Provisions relating to insurance and insurance company (9.08). The following provisions apply:      (Specify such language as necessary to accommodate life insurance Contracts the Plan holds.)
[Note: The provisions in this Election 56(i)(2) may override provisions in Article IX of the Plan, but must be consistent with all other provisions of the Plan.]
(3)    [ ]    Cross‑pay when more than one entity adopts Plan not applicable (8.12). The cross‑pay provisions of Section 8.12 do not apply.
(j)    [ ]    Code Section 415 (Article XI) override (11.02(A)(1), 4.02(F)). Because of the required aggregation of multiple plans, to satisfy Code §415, the following overriding provisions apply:      (Specify such language as necessary to satisfy §415, e.g., the Employer will reduce Additional Additions to this plan before reducing Annual Additions to other plans.)
(k)
[ ]    Code Section 416 (Article XI) override (11.02(A)(1), 10.03(D)). Because of the required aggregation of multiple plans, to satisfy Code §416, the following overriding provisions apply:      (Specify such language as necessary to satisfy §416, e.g., If an Employee participates in this Plan and another Plan the Employer maintains, the Employer will satisfy any Top-Heavy Minimum Allocation in this Plan and not the other plan.)
(l)    [ ]    Multiple Employer Plan (Article XII) overrides. (Choose (1) if applicable.):
(1)
[ ]    No involuntary termination for Participating Employer (12.11). The Lead Employer may not involuntarily terminate the participation of any Participating Employer under Section 12.11.



LIST OF GROUP TRUST FUNDS/PERMISSIBLE TRUST AMENDMENTS

57.    [ ]    INVESTMENT IN GROUP TRUST FUND (8.09). The nondiscretionary Trustee, as directed or the discretionary Trustee acting without direction (and in addition to the discretionary Trustee's authority to invest in its own funds under Section 8.02(A)(3)), may invest in any of the following group trust funds:     . (Specify the names of one or more group trust funds in which the Plan can invest.)
[Note: A discretionary or nondiscretionary Trustee also may invest in any group trust fund authorized by an independent Named Fiduciary.]

58.    [ ]    DUTY TO COLLECT (8.02(D)(1)).       is hereby appointed as a Trustee for the Plan, and is referred to as the Special Trustee. The sole responsibility of the Special Trustee is to collect contributions the Employer owes to the Plan. No other Trustee has any duty to ensure that the contributions received comply with the provisions of the Plan or is obliged to collect any contributions from the Employer. No Trustee, other than the Special Trustee, is obliged to ensure that funds deposited are deposited according to the provisions of the Plan. The Special Trustee will execute a form accepting its position and agreeing to its obligations hereunder.

59.    [ ]    PERMISSIBLE TRUST AMENDMENTS (8.11). The Employer makes the following amendments to the Trust as permitted under Rev. Proc. 2011‑49, Sections 5.09 and 14.04 (Choose one or more of (a) through (c) as applicable.):
[Note: Any amendment under this Election 59 must not: (i) conflict with any Plan provision unrelated to the Trust or Trustee; or (ii) cause the Plan to violate Code §401(a). The amendment may override, add to, delete or otherwise modify the Trust provisions. Do not use this Election 59 to substitute another pre‑approved trust for the Trust. See Election 5(c), 5(d) and 5(e) as to a substitute trust.]
(a)
[ ]    Investments. The Employer amends the Trust provisions relating to Trust investments as follows:
.
(b)
[ ]    Duties. The Employer amends the Trust provisions relating to Trustee (or Custodian) duties as follows:
.
(c)
[ ]    Other administrative provisions. The Employer amends the other administrative provisions of the Trust as follows:
.



TABLE I: ACTUARIAL FACTORS
UP‑1984
Without Setback

Number of years
from attained age
at the end of Plan Year until
Normal Retirement Age    7.50%    8.00%    8.50%

0    8.458    8.196    7.949
1    7.868    7.589    7.326
2    7.319    7.027    6.752
3    6.808    6.506    6.223
4    6.333    6.024    5.736
5    5.891    5.578    5.286
6    5.480    5.165    4.872
7    5.098    4.782    4.491
8    4.742    4.428    4.139
9    4.412    4.100    3.815
10    4.104    3.796    3.516
11    3.817    3.515    3.240
12    3.551    3.255    2.986
13    3.303    3.014    2.752
14    3.073    2.790    2.537
15    2.859    2.584    2.338
16    2.659    2.392    2.155
17    2.474    2.215    1.986
18    2.301    2.051    1.831
19    2.140    1.899    1.687
20    1.991    1.758    1.555
21    1.852    1.628    1.433
22    1.723    1.508    1.321
23    1.603    1.396    1.217
24    1.491    1.293    1.122
25    1.387    1.197    1.034
26    1.290    1.108    0.953
27    1.200    1.026    0.878
28    1.116    0.950    0.810
29    1.039    0.880    0.746
30    0.966    0.814    0.688
31    0.899    0.754    0.634
32    0.836    0.698    0.584
33    0.778    0.647    0.538
34    0.723    0.599    0.496
35    0.673    0.554    0.457
36    0.626    0.513    0.422
37    0.582    0.475    0.389
38    0.542    0.440    0.358
39    0.504    0.407    0.330
40    0.469    0.377    0.304
41    0.436    0.349    0.280
42    0.406    0.323    0.258
43    0.377    0.299    0.238
44    0.351    0.277    0.219
45    0.327    0.257    0.202

Note: A Participant's Actuarial Factor under Table I is the factor corresponding to the number of years until the Participant reaches his/her Normal Retirement Age under the Plan. A Participant's age as of the end of the current Plan Year is his/her age on his/her last birthday. For any Plan Year beginning on or after the Participant's attainment of Normal Retirement Age, the factor for "zero" years applies.


TABLE II: ADJUSTMENT TO ACTUARIAL FACTORS FOR NORMAL RETIREMENT AGE
OTHER THAN 65
UP‑1984
Without Setback

Normal Retirement Age    7.50%    8.00%    8.50%

55    1.2242    1.2147    1.2058
56    1.2043    1.1959    1.1879
57    1.1838    1.1764    1.1694
58    1.1627    1.1563    1.1503
59    1.1411    1.1357    1.1305
60    1.1188    1.1144    1.1101
61    1.0960    1.0925    1.0891
62    1.0726    1.0700    1.0676
63    1.0488    1.0471    1.0455
64    1.0246    1.0237    1.0229
65    1.0000    1.0000    1.0000
66    0.9752    0.9760    0.9767
67    0.9502    0.9518    0.9533
68    0.9251    0.9274    0.9296
69    0.8998    0.9027    0.9055
70    0.8740    0.8776    0.8810
71    0.8478    0.8520    0.8561
72    0.8214    0.8261    0.8307
73    0.7946    0.7999    0.8049
74    0.7678    0.7735    0.7790
75    0.7409    0.7470    0.7529
76    0.7140    0.7205    0.7268
77    0.6874    0.6942    0.7008
78    0.6611    0.6682    0.6751
79    0.6349    0.6423    0.6494
80    0.6090    0.6165    0.6238

Note: Use Table II only if the Normal Retirement Age for any Participant is not 65. If a Participant's Normal Retirement Age is not 65, adjust Table I by multiplying all factors applicable to that Participant in Table I by the appropriate Table II factor.



Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and Affiliates 401(k) Retirement Plan

This will certify that this is a benefit, right or feature which has accrued under the predecessor Plan which cannot be cut back under Section 411(d)(6) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

This addendum is with respect to Participant accounts accrued as of December 23, 2015. The protected benefits are as follows:

With respect to those participants with after-tax contributions, after-tax contributions are frozen effective December 23, 2015, and in-service withdrawals from after-tax contributions are permitted at any time with no restrictions. With respect to those participants with Company Base contributions, these contributions are a prior frozen contribution source and are 100% vested. In-service withdrawals are only available from this contribution source upon attainment of age 62.

With respect to those participants with prior QNEC and/or QMAC contribution allocations, these contribution source types are 100% vested. In-service withdrawals from these contribution sources are only available upon attainment of age 62.







© 2014 The Prudential Insurance Company of America or its suppliers
32

Exhibit
Master Lease Pool #[__]

EXHIBIT 10.4
FORM OF
MASTER LEASE AGREEMENT
between
NATIONAL RETAIL PROPERTIES, LP, a Delaware limited partnership
and
BOB EVANS FARMS, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company



Dated April 14, 2016






TABLE OF CONTENTS
Article I BASIC LEASE TERMS
1

Section 1.01. Properties
1

Section 1.02. Initial Term Expiration Date
1

Section 1.03. Extension Options
1

Section 1.04. Term Expiration Date (if fully extended)
1

Section 1.05. Initial Base Annual Rental
1

Section 1.06. Defined Terms
1

Article II LEASE OF PROPERTIES
8

Section 2.01. Lease
8

Section 2.02. Lease Guaranty
9

Section 2.03. Quiet Enjoyment
9

Article III LEASE TERM; EXTENSION
10

Section 3.01. Initial Term
10

Section 3.02. Extensions
10

Section 3.03. Notice of Exercise
10

Section 3.04. Removal of Personalty
10

Article IV RENTAL AND OTHER MONETARY OBLIGATIONS
11

Section 4.01. Base Monthly Rental
11

Section 4.02. Adjustments
11

Section 4.03. Extension Term Rental.
11

Section 4.04. Additional Rental
12

Section 4.05. Rentals to be Net to Landlord
12

Section 4.06. ACH Authorization
13

Section 4.07. Late Charges; Default Interest
13

Section 4.08. Holdover
13

Article V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF TENANT
13

Section 5.01. Organization, Authority and Status of Tenant
14

Section 5.02. Enforceability
14

Section 5.03. Property Condition
14

Section 5.04. Litigation
14

Section 5.05. Other Agreements
14

Section 5.06. Licenses and Permits
14

Section 5.07. Financial Condition; Information Provided to Landlord
14

Section 5.08. Compliance with OFAC Laws
15

Section 5.09. Solvency
15

Section 5.10. Treatment of Rental
15

Section 5.11. No Plan Assets; No Government Plan
15

Section 5.12. Flood Hazard
15

Article VI TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS; UTILITIES; INSURANCE
16

Section 6.01. Taxes.
16

Section 6.02. Utilities
17

Section 6.03. Insurance.
18

Article VII MAINTENANCE; ALTERATIONS
21

Section 7.01. Condition of Property; Maintenance
21






Section 7.02. Alterations and Improvements
22

Section 7.03. Tenant’s Property, Fixtures and Equipment
23

Section 7.04. Improvements Upon Termination, Subletting or Assignment
24

Article VIII USE OF THE PROPERTIES; COMPLIANCE
24

Section 8.01. Use and Operation
24

Section 8.02. Operation and Closure
24

Section 8.03. Compliance
26

Section 8.04. Environmental.
27

Section 8.05. Cooperation
31

Section 8.06. Permitted Contests
31

Article IX ADDITIONAL COVENANTS
32

Section 9.01. Performance at Tenant’s Expense
32

Section 9.02. Inspection
32

Section 9.03. Financial Information.
32

Section 9.04. OFAC Laws
33

Section 9.05. Estoppel Certificate
34

Article X RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION
34

Section 10.01. Release and Indemnification
34

Article XI CONDEMNATION AND CASUALTY
35

Section 11.01. Notification
35

Section 11.02. Total Condemnation
35

Section 11.03. Partial Condemnation or Casualty
36

Section 11.04. Temporary Taking
37

Section 11.05. Adjustment of Losses
37

Section 11.06. Tenant Obligation in Event of Casualty
37

Section 11.07. Tenant Awards and Payments
37

Article XII DEFAULT, CONDITIONAL LIMITATIONS, REMEDIES AND MEASURE OF DAMAGES
38

Section 12.01. Event of Default
38

Section 12.02. Remedies
39

Section 12.03. Cumulative Remedies
41

Section 12.04. Tenant Waiver
41

Section 12.05. Landlord’s Duty to Mitigate Damages
41

Article XIII MORTGAGE, SUBORDINATION AND ATTORNMENT
42

Section 13.01. No Liens
42

Section 13.02. Subordination
42

Section 13.03. Election to Declare Lease Superior
42

Section 13.04. Attornment
42

Section 13.05. Execution of Additional Documents
43

Section 13.06. Notice to Lender
43

Article XIV ASSIGNMENT
43

Section 14.01. Assignment by Tenant.
43

Section 14.02. Subletting
44

Section 14.03. No Release
44

Section 14.04. No Recognition
44

Section 14.05. Substitution by Tenant
45

Section 14.06. Assignment by Landlord.
48






Article XV NOTICES
50

Section 15.01. Notices
50

Article XVI MISCELLANEOUS
51

Section 16.01. Force Majeure
51

Section 16.02. No Merger
51

Section 16.03. Interpretation
52

Section 16.04. Characterization
52

Section 16.05. Disclosure
53

Section 16.06. Bankruptcy
53

Section 16.07. Attorneys’ Fees
54

Section 16.08. Memoranda of Lease
54

Section 16.09. No Brokerage
54

Section 16.10. Waiver of Jury Trial and Certain Damages
54

Section 16.11. State-Specific Provisions
55

Section 16.12. Time Is of the Essence; Computation
55

Section 16.13. Waiver and Amendment
55

Section 16.14. Successors Bound
55

Section 16.15. Captions
56

Section 16.16. Other Documents
56

Section 16.17. Entire Agreement
56

Section 16.18. Forum Selection; Jurisdiction; Venue; Choice of Law
56

Section 16.19. Counterparts
56

Section 16.20. Confidentiality
56

Section 16.21. Compliance with Restrictions
57







MASTER LEASE AGREEMENT
THIS MASTER LEASE AGREEMENT (this “Lease”) is made as of April 14, 2016 (the “Effective Date”), by and between NATIONAL RETAIL PROPERTIES, LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“Landlord”), whose address is 450 South Orange Avenue, Suite 900, Orlando, Florida 32801, and BOB EVANS FARMS, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (“Tenant”), whose address is 8111 Smith’s Mill Road, New Albany, Ohio 43054. The obligations of Tenant under this Lease are guaranteed by BOB EVANS FARMS, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”) and BEF FOODS, INC., an Ohio corporation (“BEF”) (Parent and BEF being collectively “Lease Guarantor”) pursuant to a Lease Guaranty of even date herewith (the “Lease Guaranty”). In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, Landlord and Tenant hereby covenant and agree as follows:

1




Article I

BASIC LEASE TERMS
Section 1.01.
    Properties. The street addresses and legal descriptions of the Properties are set forth on Exhibit 1.01 attached hereto.
Section 1.02.
    Initial Term Expiration Date. April 30, 2036.
Section 1.03.
    Extension Options. Five (5) extension periods of (5) years each, as described in Section 3.02.
Section 1.04.
    Term Expiration Date (if fully extended). May 31, 2061.
Section 1.05.
    Initial Base Annual Rental. Two Million Five Hundred Nineteen Thousand Five Hundred Thirteen and No/100 Dollars ($2,519,513.00), as described in Article IV.
Section 1.06.
    Defined Terms. The following terms shall have the following meanings for all purposes of this Lease:
Accessibility Laws” means The Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, The Americans With Disabilities Act, the accessibility code(s), if any, of the state in which the Properties are located, and all regulations and guidelines promulgated under any all of the foregoing, as the same may be amended from time to time.
Additional Rental” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.04.
Adjustment Date” shall mean May 1, 2017 and each subsequent May 1 of each year during the Lease Term, including each Extension Term.
Affiliate” means any Person which directly or indirectly controls, is under common control with or is controlled by any other Person. For purposes of this definition, “controls,” “under common control with,” and “controlled by” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or otherwise.
“Aggregate Amount” means the sum obtained by multiplying the number of Properties subject to this Lease by $35,000.00.
“Allocated Base Rent Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 14.06.
Anti-Money Laundering Laws” means all applicable laws, regulations and government guidance on the prevention and detection of money laundering, including, without limitation, (a) 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 and 1957; and (b) the Bank Secrecy Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 5311 et seq., and its implementing regulations, 31 CFR Part 103.
Bankruptcy Code” means the United States Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. Sec. 101 et seq., as amended.
Base Annual Rental” means the sum of Two Million Five Hundred Nineteen Thousand Five Hundred Thirteen and No/100 Dollars ($2,519,513.00) subject to adjustment as provided in this Lease.
Base Monthly Rental” means an amount equal to 1/12 of the applicable Base Annual Rental.
Business Day” means a day on which banks located in Columbus, Ohio, are not required or authorized to remain closed.
Casualty” means any loss of or damage to any property included within or related to the Properties or arising from an adjoining property caused by an Act of God, fire, flood or other casualty.
Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as the same maybe amended from time to time.
Condemnation” means a Taking and/or a Requisition.
Confidential Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 16.20.
Consolidated Net Rent” means the sum of (i) with respect to all properties that are leased or subleased to users, the greater of (x) rent expense for such properties for a period minus rent income for such properties for such period or (y) zero dollars; plus (ii) with respect to all other properties, rent expense for such other properties.  In respect of any lease that for accounting purposes is treated as a capital lease or debt financing rather than an operating lease, the rent payable thereunder shall be counted as rent expense and any rental income received thereunder shall be treated as rental income.
Costs” means all reasonable, direct, out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by a Person, including, without limitation, reasonable attorney and paralegal fees and expenses, court costs, expert witness fees, costs of tests and analyses, travel and accommodation expenses, deposition and trial transcripts, copies and other similar costs and fees, brokerage fees, escrow fees, title insurance premiums, appraisal fees, stamp taxes, recording fees, transfer taxes and lease taxes or fees, as the circumstances require.
Default Rate” means 18% per annum or the highest rate permitted by law, whichever is less.
EBITDA” means (a)net income for such period plus (b) to the extent deducted in determining net income for such period, (i) interest expense, (ii) income tax expense, (iii) depreciation and amortization, (iv) other non-cash expenses including but not limited to non-cash rent adjustments as required under US GAAP, (v) one-time transaction costs related to business acquisitions or mergers, (vi) losses on asset sales and(vii) other extraordinary or non-recurring expenses reasonably acceptable to the Landlord, minus (c) to the extent previously added back to net income, (i) non-cash income and gains, and (ii) in respect of any lease that for accounting purposes is treated as a capital lease or debt financing rather than an operating lease, the rent payable thereunder.
“EBITDAR” means the sum of EBITDA for a period plus Consolidated Net Rent for the same period.
Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Lease.
Environmental Laws” means federal, state and local laws, ordinances, common law requirements and regulations and standards, rules, policies and other governmental requirements, administrative rulings and court judgments and decrees having the effect of law in effect now or in the future and including all amendments, that relate to Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances, USTs, and/or the protection of human health or the environment, or relating to liability for or Costs of Remediation or prevention of Releases, and apply to Tenant and/or the Properties.
Environmental Liens” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.04(a)(ii).
Event of Default” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.01.
Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Excluded Taxes” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(a).
“Existing Environmental Reports” means all Phase I, Phase II and other environmental reports delivered to Landlord by or on behalf of Tenant prior to the Effective Date and listed on Exhibit 1.06 attached hereto.
Expiration Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01.
Extension Option” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02.
Extension Term” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02.
Force Majeure Event” has the meaning set forth in Section 16.01.
Governmental Authority” means any governmental authority, agency, department, commission, bureau, board, instrumentality, court or quasi-governmental authority of the United States, any state or any political subdivision thereof with authority to adopt, modify, amend, interpret, give effect to or enforce any federal, state and local laws, statutes, ordinances, rules or regulations, including common law, or to issue court orders.
Hazardous Materials” includes: (a) oil, petroleum products, flammable substances, explosives, radioactive materials, hazardous wastes or substances, toxic wastes or substances or any other materials, contaminants or pollutants which pose a hazard to any of the Properties or to Persons on or about any of the Properties, cause any of the Properties to be in violation of any Environmental Law), or are defined as or included in the definition of “hazardous substances,” “hazardous wastes,” “hazardous materials,” “toxic substances,” “contaminants,” “pollutants,” or words of similar import under any applicable Environmental Law, including, but not limited to: (i) the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 9601, et seq.; (ii) the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as amended, 49 U.S.C. § 1801, et seq.; (iii) the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 6901, et seq.; and (iv) regulations adopted and publications promulgated pursuant to the aforesaid laws; (b) asbestos in any form which is or could become friable, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, transformers or other equipment which contain dielectric fluid containing levels of polychlorinated biphenyls in excess of fifty (50) parts per million; (c) USTs; and (d) any other chemical, material or substance, exposure to which is prohibited, limited or regulated by any Governmental Authority pursuant to applicable Environmental Law.
Indemnified Parties” means Landlord, Lender and each of their respective members, managers, officers, directors, shareholders, partners, employees, agents, servants, representatives, contractors, subcontractors, affiliates, subsidiaries, participants, successors and assigns (including, but not limited to, any successors by merger, consolidation or acquisition of all or a substantial portion of the assets and business of Landlord) and predecessors-in-interest to any such parties with respect to this Lease or any of the Properties (including, but not limited to, (i) any party that has been Landlord under this Lease (and such Landlord’s related Indemnified Parties) notwithstanding the assignment by such party of its interest as Landlord under this Lease and (ii) a party that has been a Lender with respect to any or all of the Properties (and their related Indemnified Parties) notwithstanding the assignment or release of the mortgage held by such Lender).
Initial Term” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01.
Insolvency Event” means (a) a Person’s (i) failure to generally pay its debts as such debts become due; (ii) admitting in writing its inability to pay its debts generally; or (iii) making a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (b) any proceeding being instituted by or against any Person (i) seeking to adjudicate it bankrupt or insolvent; (ii) seeking liquidation, dissolution, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition of it or its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization or relief of debtors; or (iii) seeking the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, or other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its property, and in the case of any such proceeding instituted against any Person, either such proceeding shall not have been dismissed for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days or any of the actions sought in such proceeding shall occur; or (c) any Person taking any corporate action to authorize any of the actions set forth above in this definition.
Landlord Entity” or “Landlord Entities” means individually or collectively, as the context may require, Landlord and all Affiliates of Landlord.
Law(s)” means any constitution, statute, rule of law, code, ordinance, order, judgment, decree, injunction, rule, regulation, policy, requirement or administrative or judicial determination, even if unforeseen or extraordinary, of every duly constituted Governmental Authority, court or agency, now or hereafter enacted or in effect.
Lease Term” shall have the meaning described in Section 3.01.
Legal Requirements” means the requirements of all present and future Laws (including, without limitation, Environmental Laws and Accessibility Laws, all judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, including any judicial order, consent, decree or judgment, and Permitted Encumbrances which may be applicable to Tenant or to any of the Properties, or to the use, manner of use, occupancy, possession, operation, maintenance, alteration, repair or restoration of any of the Properties, even if compliance therewith necessitates structural changes or improvements or results in interference with the use or enjoyment of any of the Properties.
Lender” means any lender in connection with any loan secured by Landlord’s interest in any or all of the Properties, and any servicer of any loan secured by Landlord’s interest in any or all of the Properties.
Losses” means any and all claims, suits, liabilities (including, without limitation, strict liabilities), actions, proceedings, obligations, debts, damages, losses, Costs, diminutions in value (to the extent such diminution in value results from the action or omission resulting in any such Loss), fines, penalties, interest, charges, fees, judgments, awards, amounts paid in settlement and damages of whatever kind or nature, inclusive of bodily injury and property damage to third parties (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and other Costs); provided, however, that in no event shall Losses include special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages except to the extent that special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages are awarded to third parties in judgments that would otherwise fall within the definition of Losses.
Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) any of the Properties, including, without limitation, the operation of any of the Properties as Permitted Facilities and/or the value of any of the Properties; (b) the contemplated business, condition, worth or operations of any Tenant Entity; (c) Tenant’s ability to perform its obligations under this Lease; or (d) Landlord’s interests in any of the Properties or this Lease. Without limitation of the foregoing, the failure of Tenant to cure within any applicable grace period any default or deficiency cited in any written notice of default given to Tenant under any Permitted Encumbrance or by any Governmental Authority shall in and of itself constitute a Material Adverse Effect.
Monetary Obligations” means all Rental and all other sums payable or reimbursable by Tenant under this Lease to Landlord, any Indemnified Party or any third party.
Mortgages” means, collectively, the mortgages, deeds of trust or deeds to secure debt, assignments of rents and leases, security agreements and fixture filings executed by Landlord for the benefit of a Lender with respect to any or all of the Properties, as such instruments may be amended, modified, restated or supplemented from time to time and any and all replacements or substitutions.
Net Award” means (a) the entire award payable with respect to a Property by reason of a Condemnation whether pursuant to a judgment or by agreement or otherwise; or (b) the entire proceeds of any insurance required under Section 6.03 payable with respect to a Property, as the case maybe, and in either case, less any Costs incurred by Landlord in collecting such award or proceeds.
OFAC Laws” means Executive Order 13224 issued by the President of the United States, and all regulations promulgated thereunder, including, without limitation, the Terrorism Sanctions Regulations (31 CFR Part 595), the Terrorism List Governments Sanctions Regulations (31 CFR Part 596), the Foreign Terrorist Organizations Sanctions Regulations (31 CFR Part 597), and the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (31 CFR Part 515), and all other present and future federal, state and local laws, ordinances, regulations, policies, lists (including, without limitation, the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List) and any other requirements of any Governmental Authority (including without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control) addressing, relating to, or attempting to eliminate, terrorist acts and acts of war, each as supplemented, amended or modified from time to time after the Effective Date, and the present and future rules, regulations and guidance documents promulgated under any of the foregoing, or under similar laws, ordinances, regulations, policies or requirements of other states or localities.
Partial Condemnation” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.03.
Permitted Amounts” shall mean, with respect to any given level of Hazardous Materials or Regulated Substances, that level or quantity of Hazardous Materials or Regulated Substances in any form or combination of forms which does not constitute a violation of any Environmental Laws and is customarily employed in, or associated with, similar businesses located in the states where the Properties are located.
“Permitted Encumbrances” means all Restrictions and all other encumbrances to title existing as of the Effective Date together with all encumbrances to title arising pursuant to any provision of this Lease.
Permitted Facility” or “Permitted Facilities” means a Bob Evans Farms Restaurant or any other restaurant concept, all related purposes such as ingress, egress and parking, and uses incidental thereto.
Person” means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization, Governmental Authority or any other form of entity.
Property” or “Properties” means those parcels of real estate listed on Exhibit 1.01 attached hereto, all rights, privileges, and appurtenances associated therewith, but specifically excluding all mineral rights and interests which shall be retained exclusively by Landlord (subject to the condition that no extraction of such minerals will be permitted to occur during the Lease Term from the surface of any Property but such extraction may be done from nearby properties provided that such extraction does not interfere with the operation of the business on any Property), and all buildings, fixtures and other improvements now or hereafter located on such real estate (whether or not affixed to such real estate) but excluding Tenant’s Personal Property.
“Real Estate Taxes” means all taxes, assessments, tax increment financing charges or assessments, and all other governmental impositions and charges of every kind and nature whatsoever, extraordinary, special and ordinary, and each and every installment thereof which are charged, laid, levied, assessed, or imposed upon, or arise in connection with, the use, occupancy or possession of the Properties or any parts thereof, including, without limitation, ad valorem real and personal property taxes, non-ad valorem taxes, tax increment financing payments or any similar payments, special taxing district taxes or charges, infrastructure improvement or construction charges or assessments, and all taxes charged, laid, levied, assessed or imposed in lieu of or in addition to any of the foregoing by virtue of all present or future laws, ordinances, requirements, orders, directions, rules or regulations of federal, state, county and municipal governments and of all other governmental authorities whatsoever.
Regulated Substances” means “petroleum” and “petroleum-based substances” or any similar terms described or defined in any of the Environmental Laws and any applicable federal, state, county or local laws applicable to or regulating USTs.
Release” means any presence, release, deposit, discharge, emission, leaking, spilling, seeping, migrating, injecting, pumping, pouring, emptying, escaping, dumping, disposing or other movement of Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances or USTs.
Remediation” means any response, remedial, removal, or corrective action, any activity to cleanup, detoxify, decontaminate, contain or otherwise remediate any Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances or USTs, any actions to prevent, cure or mitigate any Release, any action to comply with any Environmental Laws or with any permits issued pursuant thereto, any inspection, investigation, study, monitoring, assessment, audit, sampling and testing, laboratory or other analysis, or any evaluation relating to any Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances or USTs, all to the extent the foregoing are required by applicable Environmental Law or Governmental Authority.
Rental” means, collectively, the Base Annual Rental and the Additional Rental.
Requisition” means any temporary requisition or confiscation of the use or occupancy of any one or more Properties or any part of any Property by any Governmental Authority, civil or military, whether pursuant to an agreement with such Governmental Authority in settlement of or under threat of any such requisition or confiscation, or otherwise.
Restaurant Equipment Package” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.03.
Restrictions” has the meaning set forth in Section 16.25.
Securities Act” means of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Substitute Documents” has the meaning set forth in Section 14.05.
Substitute Property” has the meaning set forth in Section 14.05.
Substitution Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 14.05.
Successor Landlord” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.04.
Taking” means (a) any taking or damaging of all or a portion of the Properties (i) in or by condemnation or other eminent domain proceedings pursuant to any Law, general or special; (ii) by reason of any agreement with any condemnor in settlement of or under threat of any such condemnation or other eminent domain proceeding; or (iii) by any other means; or (b) any de facto condemnation. The Taking shall be considered to have taken place as of the later of the date actual physical possession is taken by the condemnor, or the date on which the right to compensation and damages accrues under the law applicable to the Properties.
Temporary Taking” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.04.
Tenant Entity” or “Tenant Entities” means individually or collectively, as the context may require, Tenant and all Affiliates thereof.
Tenant’s Personal Property” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.03.
Threatened Release” means a substantial likelihood of a Release which requires action to prevent or mitigate damage to the soil, surface waters, groundwaters, land, stream sediments, surface or subsurface strata, ambient air or any other environmental medium comprising or surrounding any Property which may result from such Release.
Total Condemnation” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.02.
“US GAAP” means the generally accepted accounting principles adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
U.S. Publicly Traded Entity” means an entity whose securities are listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system in the United States or a wholly-owned subsidiary of such an entity.
USTs” means any one or combination of tanks and associated product piping systems used in connection with storage, dispensing and general use of Regulated Substances.
ARTICLE II
    

LEASE OF PROPERTIES
Section 2.01.
    Lease. In consideration of Tenant’s payment of the Rental and other Monetary Obligations and Tenant’s performance of all other obligations hereunder, Landlord hereby leases to Tenant, and Tenant hereby leases from Landlord, the Properties, “AS IS” and “WHERE IS” without representation or warranty by Landlord, and subject to the existing state of title, the parties in possession, any statement of facts which an accurate surveyor physical inspection might reveal, and all Legal Requirements now or hereafter in effect. Landlord and Tenant intend that this Lease constitutes an unseverable, unitary and single lease of all, but not less than all, of the Properties and neither this Lease, nor Tenant’s obligations or rights hereunder may be allocated or otherwise divided among such properties by Tenant except as specifically provided herein. Landlord and Tenant agree that this Lease constitutes a single and indivisible lease as to all of the Properties collectively, and shall not be subject to severance or division, except that (i) Tenant has the limited right to substitute like-kind properties for Properties pursuant to, and subject to the conditions stated in, Section 14.05 hereof without adjustment of the Annual Base Rental payable under this Lease, (ii) Landlord has the right, pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14.06 hereof, to divide the Properties into two or more groups of Properties under separate master leases but without adjustment of the aggregate Annual Base Rental payable under all such master leases and (iii) Landlord has the right to terminate this Lease as to a particular Property upon or following closure thereof by Tenant after the fifteenth lease year of the Lease Term on the terms and conditions set forth in Section 8.02(b) hereof. To accomplish the creation of an indivisible lease, Landlord and Tenant agree that from an economic point of view the portions of the Properties leased pursuant to this Lease constitute one economic unit and that Base Annual Rental and all other provisions have been negotiated and agreed to based on a demise of all of the Properties covered by this Lease as a single, composite, inseparable transaction with only the above-referenced exceptions. An Event of Default occurring with respect to any individual Property shall be an Event of Default under this Lease with respect to all of the Properties. In furtherance of the foregoing, Landlord and Tenant each (A) waive any claim or defense based upon the characterization of this Lease as anything other than a unitary master lease of the Properties and irrevocably waive any claim or defense which asserts that the Lease is anything other than a unitary master lease, (B) covenant and agree that it will not assert that this Lease is anything but a unitary, unseverable instrument pertaining to the lease of all, but not less than all, of the Properties, (C) stipulate and agree not to challenge the validity, enforceability or characterization of the lease of the Properties as a unitary, unseverable instrument pertaining to the lease of all, but not less than all, of the Properties, and (D) shall support the intent of the parties that this Lease is a unitary, unseverable instrument pertaining to the lease of all, but not less than all, of the Properties, if, and to the extent that, any challenge occurs. Landlord and Tenant agree that for purposes of any assumption, rejection or assignment of this Lease under 11 U.S.C. Section 365 or any amended or successor section thereof, this is one indivisible and non-severable lease dealing with and covering one legal and economic unit which must be assumed, rejected or assigned as a whole with respect to all (and only all) of the Properties covered hereby. The provisions of this Lease shall at all times be construed, interpreted and applied such that intention of Landlord and Tenant to create a unitary lease shall be preserved and maintained.
Section 2.02.
    Lease Guaranty. The effectiveness of this Lease is conditioned upon the execution and delivery to Landlord of the Lease Guaranty by Lease Guarantor.
Section 2.03.
    Quiet Enjoyment. So long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing hereunder, Tenant shall have, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the right to the peaceful and quiet enjoyment and occupancy of the Properties free of any interference by Landlord or anyone claiming by, through or under Landlord; provided, however, in no event shall Tenant be entitled to bring any action against Landlord to enforce its rights hereunder if an Event of Default, or any event or circumstance which, with the giving of notice or the passage of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing.
ARTICLE III
    

LEASE TERM; EXTENSION
Section 3.01.
    Initial Term. The initial term of this Lease (“Initial Term”) shall commence as of the Effective Date and shall expire at midnight on April 30, 2036 (“Expiration Date”), unless terminated sooner as provided in this Lease and as may be extended as provided herein. The time period during which this Lease shall actually be in effect, including any Extension Term, is referred to as the “Lease Term.” The first “lease year” of the Lease Term shall commence on the Effective Date and shall end on last day of the twelfth full calendar month thereafter, the second lease year shall commence on the first day of the calendar month immediately following the end of the first lease year and each subsequent lease year shall commence on an anniversary of the commencement date of the second lease year.
Section 3.02.
    Extensions. Unless this Lease has expired or has been sooner terminated, or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time any extension option is exercised, Tenant shall have the right and option (each, an “Extension Option”) to extend the Initial Term for all and not less than all of the Properties for five (5) additional successive periods of five (5) years each (each, an “Extension Term”), pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Lease then in effect.
Section 3.03.
    Notice of Exercise. Tenant shall exercise the Extension Options by giving written notice (each an “Extension Notice”) thereof to Landlord of its election to do so no earlier than eighteen (18) months and no later than twelve (12) months prior to the expiration date of the Initial Term or the then-current Extension Term, as the case may be. If written notice of the exercise of any Extension Option is not received by Landlord within the applicable periods described in the immediately preceding sentence, then this Lease shall terminate on the last day of the Initial Term or, if applicable, the last day of the Extension Term then in effect. Upon the request of Landlord or Tenant, the parties hereto will execute and exchange an instrument in recordable form setting forth the extension of the Lease Term in accordance with this Section 3.03, and all recording costs related to the recording thereof shall be paid by the requesting party except that Tenant shall pay any transfer or lease tax associated with any such extension.
Section 3.04.
    Removal of Personalty. Prior to the expiration or earlier termination of the Lease Term, Tenant may remove from the Properties all of Tenant’s Personal Property. If Tenant fails to remove its Personal Property from any of the Properties upon the expiration of the Lease Term, Landlord shall have the right to remove and/or dispose of all such Tenant’s Personal Property and recover from Tenant any and all costs of such removal, and/or storage. Tenant shall repair any damage caused by such removal and shall leave all of the Properties clean and in good and working condition and repair inside and out considering the age and years of service of such Properties. This Section 3.04 shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of the Lease Term.
ARTICLE IV
    

RENTAL AND OTHER MONETARY OBLIGATIONS
Section 4.01.
    Base Monthly Rental. During the Lease Term, on or before the first day of each calendar month, Tenant shall pay in advance the Base Monthly Rental then in effect. If the Effective Date is a date other than the first day of the month, Tenant shall pay to Landlord on the Effective Date the Base Monthly Rental prorated by multiplying the Base Monthly Rental by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days remaining in the month (including the Effective Date) for which Rental is being paid, and the denominator of which is the total number of days in such month.
Section 4.02.
    Adjustments. The capitalized terms used herein are defined below. Effective on each Adjustment Date, Base Annual Rental shall be increased by the lesser of (i) one and thirty-five hundredths (1.35) times the increases in the CPI, or (ii) one and one-half percent (1.5%). The amount of the increase in the Base Annual Rental shall be calculated as follows: (a) subtract one point zero (1.0) from a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the Variable Index, and the denominator of which shall be the Base Index; then (b) multiply the result obtained in (a) above by one and thirty-five hundredths (1.35); and then (c) multiply the Base Annual Rental for the month immediately prior to the then current Adjustment Date by the result obtained in (b) above. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the increase in Base Annual Rental on any Adjustment Date be more than one and one-half percent (1.5%) and in no event shall the Base Annual Rental decrease on any Adjustment Date. By way of example, if the Variable Index is 101 and Base Index is 100, and if the Base Annual Rental is $20,000, the amount of the increase in the Base Annual Rental would be (1.35 x 101/100 – 1.0) x 20,000 = $270.
The new Base Annual Rental shall be payable in advance in consecutive monthly installments on the first (1st) day of each month until the next Adjustment Date, or the expiration of the Lease Term, as the case may be. Landlord’s delay or the failure of Landlord, beyond commencement of any Adjustment Date, in computing or billing for these adjustments will not impair the continuing obligation of Tenant to pay any and all Base Annual Rental or other Rental due hereunder including any increased Base Annual Rental from the Adjustment Date, when calculated and billed by Landlord. In applying the foregoing formula for Base Annual Rental adjustments, the following terms shall have the following meaning:
Base Index” for the first (1st) Adjustment Date shall mean the CPI for the month which is two (2) months prior to the Effective Date. Thereafter, the Base Index shall mean the CPI for the month which is two (2) months prior to the prior Adjustment Date. By way of example, for the first (1st) Adjustment Date, the Base Index will be the CPI for the month which is two (2) months prior to the Effective Date, for the second (2nd) Adjustment Date, the Base Index will be the CPI for the month which is two (2) months prior to the first (1st) Adjustment Date, for the third (3rd) Adjustment Date the Base Index will be the CPI for the month which is two (2) months prior to the second (2nd) Adjustment Date, etc.

CPI” shall mean the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers, All Items, U.S.A. Area, 1982-1984 = 100, as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor (U.S. City Average). If such index is discontinued, CPI shall then mean the most nearly comparable index published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics or other official agency of the United States Government as determined by Landlord.
Variable Index” shall mean the CPI for the month which is two (2) months prior to the then current Adjustment Date.
Section 4.03.
    Extension Term Rental.
(a)
    Base Annual Rental. Notwithstanding the terms and provisions of Sections 1.06 and 4.02, upon the commencement of each Extension Term of this Lease, the Base Annual Rental shall be adjusted to an amount equal to the greater of (i) 95% of the fair market rent for the Properties for the first year of the Extension Term (the “Fair Market Rent”) or (ii) Base Annual Rental paid during the immediately preceding year increased in accordance with Section 4.02 of this Lease (the greater of (i) or (ii) being the “Initial Increased Rent”). The parties shall commence the process for determining Fair Market Rent upon Tenant’s delivery of Tenant’s Extension Notice with respect to such Extension Term. The foregoing shall in no way affect the Base Annual Rental adjustments under Sections 1.06 and 4.02 that are scheduled to occur on dates other than at the commencement of each Extension Term; provided, however, with respect to the Adjustment Date that occurs at the commencement of each Extension Term, the adjustment to the Initial Increased Rent shall be the only adjustment to Base Annual Rental.
(b)
    Fair Market Rent. With respect to the determination of the initial Base Annual Rental for an Extension Term, if the parties are unable to agree upon the Fair Market Rent of the Properties for the first year of the Extension Term, then an independent MAI appraiser selected by agreement of the parties within ten (10) days of said request shall prepare a determination of the Fair Market Rent. In making such determination, the appraiser shall consider rentals received in the general market areas in which the Properties are located for similar buildings of comparable characteristics, including, but not limited to, comparable lease terms, age, condition and classification. If within ten (10) business days after being notified of the results of such appraisal, either party elects to reject that determination, then each of the parties shall name an additional independent MAI appraiser within ten (10) days after such rejection. In the event the appraisers so named together with the originally named appraiser are unable to agree on Fair Market Rent, then Fair Market Rent shall be determined by the majority of said appraisers and reported to the parties within ten (10) days thereafter and such determination shall be conclusive and binding upon the parties and judgment upon the same may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. In the event the parties are unable to select the appraiser referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (b), each party shall select one appraiser within ten (10) days after the ten (10) day period referred to in such first sentence, and those two appraisers shall select a third appraiser. In the absence of an agreement as to the selection of said third appraiser, either party may apply to the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”) for appointment of the independent appraiser pursuant to the AAA Arbitrator Select List and Appointment Process (or any replacement process adopted by the AAA). The determination of the majority of the appraisers as to the Fair Market Rent shall be conclusive and binding upon the parties and judgment upon the same may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. The costs and expenses of the appraisers selected pursuant to this Section 4.03, and any fees of the AAA, shall be divided equally between Tenant and Landlord.
Section 4.04.
    Additional Rental. Tenant shall pay and discharge, as additional rental (“Additional Rental”), all sums of money required to be paid by Tenant under this Lease which are not specifically referred to as Base Annual Rental or Base Monthly Rental. Tenant shall pay and discharge any Additional Rental prior to delinquency, provided that amounts which are billed to Landlord or any third party, but not to Tenant, shall be paid within thirty (30) days after Landlord’s demand for payment thereof but in any event prior to the date on which any payment due to a third party shall become delinquent (provided Landlord’s demand is at least five (5) days prior to the date upon which such payment shall become delinquent). In no event shall Tenant be required to pay to Landlord any item of Additional Rental that Tenant is obligated to pay and has paid to any third party pursuant to any provision of this Lease. The provisions set forth in this Section 4.04 shall be subject to Tenant’s rights under Sections 6.01(b) and 8.06.
Section 4.05.
    Rentals to be Net to Landlord. The Base Annual Rental payable hereunder shall be net to Landlord, so that this Lease shall yield to Landlord the Base Annual Rentals specified during the Lease Term net of all other Costs, obligations and charges whatsoever. All Costs, obligations and charges of every kind and nature whatsoever relating to the Properties shall be performed and paid by Tenant, including without limitation, common area maintenance charges, if any, related to the Properties and other charges, fees and costs arising under the Permitted Encumbrances and Legal Requirements. Tenant shall perform all of its obligations under this Lease at its sole cost and expense. All Rental and other Monetary Obligations which Tenant is required to pay hereunder shall be the unconditional obligation of Tenant and shall be payable in full when due and payable, without notice or demand (other than notices or demands required by this Lease), and without any setoff, abatement, deferment, deduction or counterclaim whatsoever. In no event shall Tenant have the right to withhold the payment of Rental by reason of any claim Tenant may have against Landlord, set off against any Rental any claim that Tenant may have against Landlord or terminate this Lease in whole or in part by reason of any claim that Tenant may have against Landlord or by reason of any default by Landlord under this Lease. In the event that Tenant is awarded a judgment against Landlord, Tenant’s sole recourse for satisfaction of such judgment shall be limited to execution against the interests of Landlord in the Properties.
Section 4.06.
    ACH Authorization. Upon execution of this Lease, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord a complete Authorization Agreement–Pre-Arranged Payments in the form of Exhibit 4.06 attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, together with a voided check for account verification, establishing arrangements whereby payments of the Base Monthly Rental are transferred by Automated Clearing House Debit initiated by Landlord from an account established by Tenant at a United States bank to such account as Landlord may designate. Upon no less than ten (10) business days’ notice to the other party, (i) Tenant may change the account information and/or the bank or other financial institution from which such funds are to be drawn, provided that the bank shall at all times be a United States Bank and (ii) Landlord may change the account into which the funds shall be deposited. Tenant shall continue to pay all Base Monthly Rental by Automated Clearing House Debit unless otherwise directed by Landlord.
Section 4.07.
    Late Charges; Default Interest. Any delinquent payment shall, in addition to any other remedy of Landlord, incur a late charge of five percent (5%) (which late charge is intended to compensate Landlord for the cost of handling and processing such delinquent payment and should not be considered interest) and bear interest at the Default Rate, such interest to be computed from and including the date such payment was due through and including the date of the payment; provided, however, (a) in no event shall Tenant be obligated to pay a sum of late charge and/or interest higher than the maximum legal rate then in effect; and (b) a late charge shall not be assessed against, and Default Interest shall not commence to accrue on, any delinquent Rental until the expiration of five (5) days following the due date thereof.
Section 4.08.
    Holdover. If Tenant remains in possession of any or all of the Properties after the expiration of the Lease Term, Tenant, at Landlord’s option and within Landlord’s sole discretion, may be deemed a tenant of such Properties on a month-to-month basis and shall continue to pay Rentals and other Monetary Obligations in the amounts herein provided, except that the Base Monthly Rental shall be automatically increased to 150% of the last Base Monthly Rental payable under this Lease, and Tenant shall comply with all the terms of this Lease; provided that nothing herein nor the acceptance of Rental by Landlord shall be deemed a consent to such holding over. Tenant shall defend, indemnify, protect and hold the Indemnified Parties harmless from and against any and all Losses resulting from Tenant’s failure to surrender possession upon the expiration of the Lease Term, including, without limitation, any claims made by any succeeding tenant or purchaser.
ARTICLE V
    

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF TENANT
The representations and warranties of Tenant contained in this Article V are being made to induce Landlord to enter into this Lease, and Landlord has relied, and will continue to rely, upon such representations and warranties. Tenant represents and warrants to Landlord, and covenants with Landlord, as follows:
Section 5.01.
    Organization, Authority and Status of Tenant. Tenant has been duly organized or formed, is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of formation and is qualified as a foreign entity to do business in each state in which a Property is located and in any other jurisdictions where such qualification is required and where the failure to be so qualified would have a Material Adverse Effect. All necessary action has been taken to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by Tenant of this Lease and of the other documents, instruments and agreements provided for herein. Tenant is not, and if Tenant is a “disregarded entity,” the owner of such disregarded entity is not, a “non-resident alien,” “foreign corporation,” “foreign partnership,” “foreign trust,” “foreign estate,” or any other “person” that is not a “United States Person” as those terms are defined in the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder. The Person who has executed this Lease on behalf of Tenant is duly authorized to do so.
Section 5.02.
    Enforceability. This Lease constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of Tenant, enforceable against Tenant in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, moratorium or similar laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally, or by general equitable principles.
Section 5.03.
    Property Condition. Tenant has physically inspected all of the Properties and has examined title to the Properties, and has found all of the same satisfactory in all respects for all of Tenant’s purposes. Tenant has unconditionally accepted possession of all of the Properties.
Section 5.04.
    Litigation. There are no suits, actions, proceedings or investigations pending, or to the best of its knowledge, threatened against or involving Tenant, any of Tenant’s Affiliates or any of the Properties, before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority that could reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.05.
    Other Agreements. The authorization, execution, delivery and performance of this Lease and the documents, instruments and agreements provided for herein will not result in any breach or default under any material document, instrument or agreement to which Tenant is a party or by which Tenant, the Properties or any of Tenant’s property is subject or bound.
Section 5.06.
    Licenses and Permits. Tenant has obtained all required licenses and permits, both governmental and private, necessary to use and operate the Properties as Permitted Facilities, except where the failure to obtain the same would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.07.
    Financial Condition; Information Provided to Landlord. The financial statements, all financial data and all other documents and information heretofore delivered to Landlord by or with respect to the Tenant Entities and the Properties in connection with this Lease or relating to the Tenant Entities or the Properties are true, correct and complete in all material respects; there have been no amendments thereto since the date such items were prepared or delivered to Landlord; and all financial statements provided were prepared in accordance with US GAAP, and fairly present as of the date thereof the financial condition of each individual or entity to which they pertain.
Section 5.08.
    Compliance with OFAC Laws. None of the Tenant Entities (and in the event that Tenant is not a U.S. Publicly Traded Entity, no individual or entity owning directly or indirectly any interest in any of the Tenant Entities) is an individual or entity whose property or interests are subject to being blocked under any of the OFAC Laws or is otherwise in violation of any of the OFAC Laws; provided, however, that the representation contained in this sentence shall not apply to any Person to the extent such Person’s interest is in or through a U.S. Publicly Traded Entity.
Section 5.09.
    Solvency. There is no contemplated, pending or threatened Insolvency Event or similar proceedings, whether voluntary or involuntary, affecting Tenant or its Affiliates.
Section 5.10.
    Treatment of Rental. Tenant does not intend to, and shall not, apply the constant rental accrual method (within the meaning of section 1.467-3(b) of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) to any Rental paid by Tenant under this Lease.
Section 5.11.
    No Plan Assets; No Government Plan. Tenant is not and shall not at any time during the Lease Term become, and Lease Guarantor is not and shall not at any time during the Lease Term become (1) an employee benefit plan defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA which is subject to ERISA, (2) a plan as defined in Section 4975(e)(1) of the Code which is subject to Section 4975 of the Code, (3) a “governmental plan” within the meaning of Section 3(32) of ERISA or (4) an entity any of whose underlying assets constitute “plan assets” of any such employee benefit plan, plan or governmental plan for purposes of Title I or ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code or any state statutes applicable to Persons regulating investments of governmental plans.
Section 5.12.
    Flood Hazard. No Property is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area (as such term is defined in the Federal Emergency Management Agency National Flood Insurance Program Mandatory Purchase of Flood Insurance Guidelines (the “FEMA Guidelines”) except as indicated in Exhibit 5.12 attached hereto (the Properties so identified in Exhibit 5.12 being “Flood Hazard Properties”).
For the purposes of Sections 5.04, and 5.06 only, a Material Adverse Effect shall not be deemed to exist unless, (A) with respect to any matter, the cost of remediation, resolution or achievement of compliance would exceed $100,000 per Property, or the Aggregate Amount with respect to all Properties, or would interfere with Tenant’s ability to operate its business at such Property or fulfill its obligations under this Lease, or (B) with respect to any litigation, action or proceeding, (i) damages in excess of $100,000 are sought with respect to any single Property or the Aggregate Amount with respect to all Properties; or (ii) if resolved adversely to Tenant, would interfere with Tenant’s ability to operate its business at such Property or fulfill its obligations under this Lease; or (iii) would reduce the value of any Property by $100,000; provided that alleged non-compliance by Tenant with Legal Requirements asserted by a Governmental Authority in any such litigation, action or other proceeding shall be deemed to constitute a Material Adverse Effect, but a tort claim that has been tendered to and accepted by Tenant’s insurance company, where the amount sought does not exceed applicable policy limits, shall not be deemed to constitute a Material Adverse Effect.
ARTICLE VI
    

TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS; UTILITIES; INSURANCE
Section 6.01.
    Taxes.
(c)
    Payment. Subject to the provisions of Section 6.01(b) below, Tenant shall pay, prior to delinquency, all taxes and assessments of every type or nature whatsoever, extraordinary as well as ordinary, assessed against or imposed upon any of the Properties that are imposed or assessed before or during the Lease Term, after the Lease Term that relate to the Lease Term and before or during the Lease Term that relate to periods prior to the Lease Term, including without limitation, (i) all Real Estate Taxes and other taxes or assessments upon the Properties or any part thereof and upon any personal property, trade fixtures and improvements located on the Properties, whether belonging to Landlord or Tenant, or any tax or charge levied in lieu of such taxes and assessments; (ii) all taxes, charges, license fees and or similar fees imposed by reason of the use of the Properties by Tenant; and (iii) all excise, franchise, transaction, privilege, license, sales, gross receipts, taxes on rent, use, and taxes upon the Rental or other Monetary Obligations hereunder, the leasehold estate of either party or the activities of either party pursuant to this Lease; provided, however, that any of such taxes or assessments that are assessed for any period in which this Lease has expired or terminated shall be appropriately prorated between Landlord and Tenant. Notwithstanding any terms of this Lease to the contrary, nothing contained in this Section 6.01 or elsewhere in this Lease shall obligate Tenant to pay (A) excess income, franchise, profit, revenue, gift or similar taxes of Landlord or any Affiliate thereof; (B) any recording taxes, indebtedness taxes or other taxes imposed with respect to or in connection with any of the Mortgages; or (C) any principal or interest on any indebtedness on the Property for which Landlord is an obligor or guarantor (collectively, the “Excluded Taxes”).
(d)
    Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of subsection (a) but subject to subsection (c) below, if, at any time during the Lease Term, an Event of Default occurs or Tenant fails to pay Real Estate Taxes assessed against any Property on the date they are due without the payment of penalties or interest then, upon the written request of Landlord or Lender, Tenant shall deposit with Lender or Landlord, as Landlord shall direct, on the first day of each calendar month thereafter during the remaining Lease Term such amounts as Lender or Landlord shall from time to time estimate to be sufficient to create and maintain a reserve fund from which (i) to pay Real Estate Taxes on all Properties at least thirty (30) days prior to the date they are due without the payment of any penalties or interest, and (ii) to pay, at least thirty (30) days prior to their due date, for the renewal of insurance policies required to be carried by Tenant under this Lease. Landlord may require that the first such deposit be a catch-up deposit so that monthly deposits thereafter shall be approximately one twelfth of the next annual Real Estate Taxes and insurance premiums due thereafter. Landlord or Landlord’s Lender, as the case may be, shall not be required to segregate such deposits or pay interest thereon. Provided Tenant provides Landlord or Landlord’s Lender, whichever is holding the fund, with invoices, bills or other evidence of the amounts due, Landlord or Landlord’s Lender shall pay, or make available to Tenant to pay, from such reserve fund Real Estate Taxes and insurance premiums as they become due and payable, except that the holder shall be entitled to retain in the fund such amounts which the holder determines will be sufficient, together with subsequent monthly deposits by Tenant as required in this subsection (b), to pay future Real Estate Taxes and insurance premiums. Tenant shall be obligated to make up any deficiencies in the amounts made available by the holder from time to time.
(e)
    Right to Contest. Within thirty (30) days after each tax and assessment payment is required by this Section 6.01 to be paid, Tenant shall provide Landlord with evidence reasonably satisfactory to Landlord that taxes and assessments have been timely paid by Tenant. Tenant shall make arrangements with the county assessor or other tax collector with respect to each Property to have bills for Real Estate Taxes sent directly to Tenant. In the event Landlord receives a Real Estate Tax bill, Landlord shall endeavor to forward said bill to Tenant within five (5) Business Days of Landlord’s receipt thereof but failure of Landlord to deliver any such bill shall in no way reduce or diminish Tenant’s obligations to pay such Real Estate Taxes or other taxes, charges and assessments contemplated by this Lease or render Landlord liable to Tenant in any regard. Tenant may, at its own expense, contest or cause to be contested, by appropriate legal proceedings conducted in good faith and with due diligence, any above-described item or lien with respect thereto, including, without limitation, the amount or validity or application, in whole or in part, of any such item, provided that (i) neither the Properties nor any interest therein would be in any danger of being sold, forfeited or lost by reason of such proceedings; (ii) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or occurs at any time during the pendency of such contest (in which event Tenant shall pay all contested taxes in full together with all interest and penalties then due); (iii) if and to the extent required by the applicable taxing authority or applicable Legal Requirements, Tenant pays all or such contested taxes that are required to be paid as a condition to contesting such taxes and posts a bond or takes other steps acceptable to such taxing authority that removes such lien or stays enforcement thereof; (iv) Tenant shall promptly provide Landlord with copies of all notices received or delivered by Tenant and filings made by Tenant in connection with such proceeding; and (v) upon termination of such proceedings, it shall be the obligation of Tenant to pay the amount of any such tax and assessment or part thereof as finally determined in such proceedings, the payment of which may have been deferred during the prosecution of such proceedings, together with any costs, fees (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements), interest, penalties or other liabilities in connection therewith. Landlord shall at the request of Tenant, execute or join in the execution of any instruments or documents necessary in connection with such contest or proceedings, but Landlord shall incur no cost or obligation thereby.
Section 6.02.
    Utilities. Tenant shall contract, in its own name, for and pay when due all charges for the connection and use of water, gas, electricity, telephone, garbage collection sewer use and other utility services supplied to the Properties during the Lease Term. Under no circumstances shall Landlord be responsible for any interruption of any utility or other service.
Section 6.03.
    Insurance.
(a)
    Coverage. Throughout the Lease Term, Tenant shall maintain, with respect to each of the Properties, at its sole expense, the following types and amounts of insurance:
(i)
    Insurance against loss or damage to real property (including buildings and appurtenant structures), contents, improvements and betterments, personal property and equipment breakdown under a “special perils” or special causes of loss form insurance policy, on a replacement cost basis with agreed amount coverage which shall include coverage against all risks of direct physical loss, including but not limited to loss by fire, lightning, flood, water damage, windstorm, hurricane, vandalism, and other risks normally included in the standard ISO special form (and shall also include National Flood and Excess Flood insurance if the Property is located within any designated NFIP Flood Zone, flood insurance coverage for all other locations with no less than a $5,000,000 annual aggregate limit on the property policy, earthquake insurance if the Properties are located within and earthquake hazard zone (as determined by an approved insurance company set forth in Section 6.03(b)(x) below) and earthquake coverage for all other locations with no less than a $5,000,000 annual aggregate limit on the property policy and wind and hail coverage for all Tier 1 and Tier 2 locations. Such policy shall also include a joint loss agreement, coverage for ordinance or law covering the loss of value of the undamaged portion of the Properties, costs to demolish and the increased cost of construction if any of the improvements located on, or the use of, the Properties shall at any time constitute legal non-conforming structures or uses. Ordinance or law limits shall be in an amount equal to the full replacement cost for the loss of value of the undamaged portion of the Properties and no less than 50% of the replacement cost for costs to demolish and the increased cost of construction, or in an amount otherwise specified by Landlord. Such insurance shall be in amounts sufficient to prevent Landlord from becoming a co-insurer under the applicable policies, and in any event, after application of deductible, in amounts not less than 100% of the full insurable replacement cost values and sublimits reasonably satisfactory to Landlord (without deduction for physical depreciation in the event that Landlord, in its discretion, decides to rebuild or restore, or Tenant is required or elects to rebuild or restore in accordance with the terms of this Lease), as reasonably determined from time to time at Landlord’s request but not more frequently than once in any 12-month period.
(ii)
    Commercial general liability insurance, including products and completed operation liability, covering Landlord and Tenant against bodily injury liability, property damage liability and personal and advertising injury, liquor liability coverage, including without limitation any liability arising out of the ownership, maintenance, repair, condition or operation of every Property or adjoining ways, streets, parking lots or sidewalks. Such insurance policy or policies shall contain a broad form contractual liability endorsement under which the insurer agrees to insure Tenant’s obligations under Article X hereof to the extent insurable, and a “severability of interest” clause or endorsement which precludes the insurer from denying the claim of Tenant or Landlord because of the negligence or other acts of the other, shall be in amounts of not less than $2,000,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage, and $2,000,000 general annual aggregate per location (with umbrella coverage of not less than $25,000,000 per occurrence and $25,000,000 annual aggregate), or such higher limits as Landlord may reasonably require from time to time, and shall be of form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Landlord. Such limits of insurance can be acquired through Commercial General liability and Umbrella liability policies.
(iii)
    Workers’ compensation and Employers Liability insurance with statutorily mandated limits covering all persons employed by Tenant on the Properties in connection with any work done on or about any of the Properties.
(iv)
    Business income and Extra Expense insurance, with Agreed Amount coverage, covering all risks required to be covered by the insurance provision for in subsection (a) above and which provides that after the physical loss to each Property occurs, the business income, as applicable, will be insured until such business income either returns to the same level that existed prior to the loss, or the expiration of twelve months (12), whichever occurs first, notwithstanding that the policy may expire prior to the end of such period. Such policy shall also contain an extended period of indemnity endorsement for 365 days which provides that after the physical loss to each Property has been repaired, the continued business income will be insured until such income either returns to the same level it was at prior to the loss, or the expiration of twelve (12) months from the date that the applicable Property is repaired or replaced and operations are resumed, whichever first occurs, and notwithstanding that the policy may expire prior to the end of such period. Each of Landlord and Lender shall be named as additional insured (per CP1503 or its equivalent) as respects to their interest in the rents, including Base Annual Rental, taxes and insurance costs.
(v)
    Automobile liability insurance, including owned, non-owned and hired car liability insurance for combined limits of liability of $2,000,000 per occurrence. The limits of liability can be provided in a combination of an automobile liability policy and an umbrella liability policy.
(vi)
    Flood insurance in compliance with FEMA Guidelines with respect to each Flood Hazard Property.
(vii)
    Such additional and/or other insurance and in such amounts as at the time is customarily carried by prudent owners or tenants with respect to improvements and personal property similar in character, location and use and occupancy to each Property.
(b)
    Insurance Provisions. All insurance policies shall:
(i)
    provide (A) for a waiver of subrogation by the insurer as to claims against Landlord, its employees and agents; (B) that the insurer shall not deny a claim and that such insurance cannot be unreasonably cancelled, invalidated or suspended on account of the conduct of Tenant, its officers, directors, employees or agents, or anyone acting for Tenant or any subtenant or other occupant of the Properties; and (C) that any losses otherwise payable thereunder shall be payable notwithstanding any act or omission of Landlord or Tenant which might, absent such provision, result in a forfeiture of all or a part of such insurance payment;
(ii)
    be primary and provide that any “other insurance” clause in the insurance policy shall exclude any policies of insurance maintained by Landlord and the insurance policy shall not be brought into contribution with insurance maintained by Landlord;
(iii)
    contain deductibles not to exceed $500,000, provided, however, that if the tangible net worth of the Lease Guarantor should fall below $100,000,000, the amount of the permitted maximum deductible shall be reduced to $50,000;
(iv)
    contain a standard non-contributory mortgagee clause or endorsement in favor of any Lender designated by Landlord;
(v)
    provide that the policy of insurance shall not be terminated, cancelled or amended in any manner that is inconsistent with the requirements of this Lease without at least thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to Landlord and to any Lender that Tenant has received written notice of that is covered by any standard mortgagee clause or endorsement;
(vi)
    provide that the insurer shall not have the option to restore the Properties if Landlord elects to terminate this Lease in accordance with the terms hereof;
(vii)
    be in amounts sufficient at all times to satisfy any coinsurance requirements thereof;
(viii)
    except for workers’ compensation insurance referred to in Section 6.03(a)(iii) above, name Landlord and any Landlord Affiliate or Lender requested by Landlord, as an “additional insured” with respect to general liability insurance, as a “named insured” with respect to real property, and as a “loss payee” with respect to all real property as appropriate and as their interests may appear;
(ix)
    be evidenced by delivery to Landlord and any Lender designated by Landlord of an Acord Form 28 for property and boiler & machinery coverage (or any other form requested by Landlord) and an Acord Form 25 for commercial general liability, workers’ compensation and umbrella coverage (or any other form requested by Landlord); provided that in the event that either such form is no longer available, such evidence of insurance shall be in a form reasonably satisfactory to Landlord and any Lender designated by Landlord;
(x)
    contain a listing or schedule of all locations that are covered by the policy, including locations that are not Properties; and
(xi)
    be issued by insurance companies licensed to do business in the states where Borrower is domiciled and where the Properties are located and which are rated no less than A-X by Best’s Insurance Guide or are otherwise approved by Landlord.
(c)
    Additional Obligations. It is expressly understood and agreed that (i) if any insurance required hereunder, or any part thereof, shall expire, be withdrawn, become void by breach of any condition thereof by Tenant, or become void or in jeopardy by reason of the failure or impairment of the capital of any insurer, Tenant shall immediately obtain new or additional insurance reasonably satisfactory to Landlord and any Lender designated by Landlord; (ii) the minimum limits of insurance coverage set forth in this Section 6.03 shall not limit the liability of Tenant for its acts or omissions as provided in this Lease; (iii) Tenant shall procure policies for all insurance for periods of not less than one year and shall provide to Landlord and, upon Landlord’s request, to any servicer or Lender of Landlord, certificates of insurance evidencing that insurance satisfying the requirements of this Lease is in effect at all times; (iv) Tenant shall pay as they become due all premiums for the insurance required by this Section 6.03; and (v) in the event that Tenant fails to comply with any of the requirements set forth in this Section 6.03, within ten (10) days of the giving of written notice by Landlord to Tenant, (A) Landlord shall be entitled to procure such insurance; and (B) any sums expended by Landlord in procuring such insurance shall be Additional Rental and shall be repaid by Tenant immediately upon written demand therefor by Landlord, together with interest thereon at the Default Rate, from the time of payment by Landlord until fully paid by Tenant.
(d)
    Blanket Policies. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 6.03, any insurance which Tenant is required to obtain pursuant to this Section 6.03 may be carried under a “blanket” policy or policies covering other properties or liabilities of Tenant provided that such “blanket” policy or policies otherwise comply with the provisions of this Section 6.03.
ARTICLE VII
    

MAINTENANCE; ALTERATIONS
Section 7.01.
    Condition of Property; Maintenance. Tenant hereby accepts the Properties “AS IS” and “WHERE IS” with no representation or warranty of Landlord as to the condition thereof. Tenant shall, at its sole cost and expense, be responsible for (a) keeping all of the building, structures and improvements erected on each of the Properties in good order and repair (ordinary wear and tear excepted), free from actual or constructive waste, including without limitation, the roof and the HVAC and other electrical and mechanical systems and plumbing systems; (b) the repair or reconstruction of any building, structures or improvements erected on the Properties damaged or destroyed by a Casualty or affected by a Condemnation to the extent required by Article XI; (c) subject to Section 7.02, making all necessary structural, non-structural, exterior and interior repairs and replacements to any building, structures or improvements on the Properties; (d) paying all operating costs of the Properties; and (e) making all structural, non-structural, exterior and interior repairs and replacements required to keep the Properties in compliance with Legal Requirements. Tenant waives any right to require Landlord to maintain, repair or rebuild all or any part of the Properties or make repairs at the expense of Landlord pursuant to any Legal Requirements at any time in effect. During the Lease Term, Tenant shall keep and maintain at all times reasonably complete and accurate (consistent with past practices of Tenant) books and records regarding the maintenance and repair of the Properties, and upon the written request of Landlord not to be made more than one time in any twelve month period, Tenant shall furnish to Landlord, within thirty (30) days of such request, copies of all maintenance and repair records for the Properties in Tenant’s possession, including any maintenance or service contracts; provided that Tenant will not be required to furnish duplicate copies of information previously furnished to Landlord.
Section 7.02.
    Alterations and Improvements. Tenant shall be entitled to make structural and nonstructural alterations and improvements to the Properties without Landlord’s consent if (a) the cost of such alterations at any individual Property shall not exceed $300,000 for any individual project; or (b) the alterations are made in connection with a system wide alteration project including at least 75 % of the stores owned and operated by Tenant and its Affiliates. In any event, Tenant shall give Landlord prior written notice of any alterations and related work at any single Property costing more than $100,000. All such alterations and improvements shall (i) be made by Tenant at Tenant’s sole expense by a licensed and bonded contractor; (ii) be prosecuted diligently to completion, (iii) be of good workmanship and materials, and (iv) shall comply fully with all the terms of this Lease and all Legal Requirements. The assets of Landlord and, except for liens being contested by Tenant in accordance with Section 8.06, the applicable Property shall at all times be kept free of liens for work, services, labor and materials supplied or claimed to have been supplied to the applicable Property; no alterations or improvements shall be undertaken without obtaining or causing a contractor to obtain the insurance required under Section 6.03 above, and “all risk” builder’s risk property insurance for the full replacement cost of such alteration or improvement on a completed basis; and Tenant shall not make any alterations that would (A) be inconsistent with the use of the applicable Property as a Permitted Facility, (B) increase the likelihood of a hazardous or illegal condition, (C) result in a decrease in the fair market value of any Property or (D) reduce the footprint, square footage or structural integrity of any improvement on the Property ((A)-(D) being the “Objections”). For purposes hereof, the term “structural alteration” means a change in the pitch, slope or sightlines of the roof (excluding customary replacement of tiles or shingles), or changes that affect the foundation or load-bearing walls of any building located upon the applicable Property.
All improvements or alterations not covered by the foregoing shall require Landlord’s consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, provided, without limitation of any other reasonable basis for Landlord to withhold its consent, it shall be reasonable for Landlord to withhold its consents for any alteration that would violate any of the Objections. If Landlord’s consent is required hereunder and Landlord consents to the making of any such alterations, the same shall be made by Tenant according to plans and specifications approved by Landlord and subject to such other conditions as Landlord shall reasonably require. Landlord shall use commercially reasonable efforts to promptly respond to Tenant’s requests hereunder; provided, however, if Landlord fails to respond to a request of Tenant regarding alterations within thirty (30) days of receipt of Tenant’s request, Tenant shall deliver a second written request to Landlord, with a copy to Lender, by FedEx or other reputable overnight delivery service (notwithstanding the notice and delivery provisions set forth in Section 15.01 below), such second written request shall be marked in bold lettering with the following language: “LANDLORD’S RESPONSE IS REQUIRED WITHIN FIFTEEN (15) DAYS OF RECEIPT OF THIS NOTICE PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF A MASTER LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNDERSIGNED AND LANDLORD” and the envelope containing the request shall be marked “PRIORITY.” If Landlord fails to respond within fifteen (15) days of Tenant’s second request so given, Landlord’s approval of the requested alterations shall be deemed given.
Once commenced, Tenant shall diligently pursue to completion all alterations permitted hereunder in material compliance with all Legal Requirements (including, without limitation, the correction of any deficiency in a Property noted in any written citation or other written notice received by Tenant from any Governmental Authority), pay all Costs incurred in connection therewith as the same become due and payable and not suffer any mechanics liens to be recorded or filed against the subject Properties, except as permitted under Section 8.06. Upon completion of any alterations requiring Landlord’s consent hereunder, Tenant shall promptly provide Landlord with (i) a certificate of occupancy (if the alterations are of such a nature as would require the issuance of a certificate of occupancy); and (ii) any other documents or information reasonably requested by Landlord. Following any alteration of a Property that results in a change in the footprint of any of the improvements on the Property or any other physical change (other than the restriping of parking areas) that would be shown on an ALTA/ASCM survey, Tenant shall provide to Landlord, within thirty (30) days following the substantial completion of the alteration, an ALTA/ASCM survey of such Property addressed to Landlord and Lender in form reasonably satisfactory to Landlord and including Table A items reasonably requested by Landlord. Except as set forth in Section 7.03 below, any addition to or alteration of the Properties shall be deemed a part of the Properties and belong to Landlord, and Tenant shall execute and deliver to Landlord such instruments as Landlord may reasonably require to evidence the ownership by Landlord of such addition or alteration.
Section 7.03.
    Tenant’s Property, Fixtures and Equipment. During the Lease Term, Tenant may from time to time, at its cost and expense, place, install, remove or replace, or cause to be placed, installed, removed or replaced, in and upon the Properties, such equipment, furniture and fixtures as Tenant shall deem necessary or appropriate for the purpose of carrying on business upon the Properties (collectively, the “Tenant’s Personal Property”), including but not limited to a “restaurant equipment package” consisting of booths, bars, chairs, tables, wall decorations, lighting fixtures, flatware, glasses, dishes, stoves, hoods, refrigerators, preparation areas and other restaurant-related items (the “Restaurant Equipment Package”). All of said Tenant’s Personal Property, including the entirety of the Restaurant Equipment Package, shall, for the purpose of this Lease, be treated as personal property of Tenant, no matter how affixed. Prior to the expiration or earlier termination of the Lease Term, Tenant shall remove Tenant’s Personal Property and Restaurant Equipment Package, failing which, Landlord shall have the right to remove and/or dispose of all such Tenant’s Personal Property and Restaurant Equipment Package and recover from Tenant any and all costs of such removal, and/or storage, which obligation shall survive the expiration of or termination of the Lease Term.
Section 7.04.
    Improvements Upon Termination, Subletting or Assignment. Tenant shall have the right, at its option and expense, to redecorate, remodel or otherwise change the appearance of the improvements located upon any or all of the Properties upon any termination of this Lease as to such Properties (other than a termination under Section 14.06) or upon any permitted subletting or assignment in such a manner as to avoid the appearance of Tenant’s restaurant concept, provided that, as to each such Property, such redecorating, remodeling or other work (a) shall be subject to the requirements set forth in Section 7.02; (b) shall not reasonably be expected to have a material negative effect on the value of such Property; (c) shall not impair the structural condition or integrity of the improvements located on any such Property or reduce the square footage of the buildings located on any such Property without Landlord’s prior written consent which may be withheld by Landlord in its absolute and sole discretion; (d) shall not change the general condition of such Property as required to be maintained by this Lease; and (e) shall not be made to the exterior of the building located upon such Property without Landlord’s prior written consent. Any such work that is to be done upon termination of this Lease shall be completed by Tenant prior to the effective date of such termination except that, if the termination is pursuant to Article XII, such work shall be completed within thirty (30) days following the effective date of such termination. This Section 7.04 shall survive termination of this Lease as to any Property.
ARTICLE VIII
    

USE OF THE PROPERTIES; COMPLIANCE
Section 8.01.
    Use and Operation. During the Lease Term, each of the Properties shall be used only for the operation of a Permitted Facility. Without limitation of the foregoing, Tenant shall not use any of the Properties, and shall not suffer or permit the use of any of the Properties by any subtenant or other Person, for any use other than as a Permitted Facility; provided, however, that this limitation shall not prohibit Tenant from utilizing, or permitting other Persons or subtenants to utilize, portions of the Property for incidental uses which do not interfere with the operation of the Property as a Permitted Facility, including, but not limited to the installation of communications equipment on the roof of any Properties or the placement of billboard signage adjacent to or in the parking areas of any of the Properties. Tenant acknowledges that Landlord has acquired and leased back to Tenant each of the Properties in reliance on Tenant (or a permitted assignee or subtenant) using and operating all of the Properties as Permitted Facilities as required by this Section 8.01 and the following Section 8.02. If Tenant desires to use a Property or permit others to use a Property for a use other than a Permitted Facility or if Tenant desires to close a Permitted Facility on a Property, Tenant has the right to substitute a new property for such Property pursuant to Section 14.05 below (subject to the requirements and limitations therein stated) and Tenant agrees that such right of substitution is sufficient for all of Tenant’s purposes.
Section 8.02.
    Operation and Closure
(a)
    Operation. Tenant shall open and operate each Property as a Permitted Facility during all hours that are customary for similar businesses on similarly situated sites but in all events consistent with Tenant’s system wide practices, provided that Tenant may temporarily suspend operation of any Property as necessary by reason of damage caused by Casualty or Condemnation so long as Tenant is in compliance with Article XI below or by reason of alterations permitted under Article VII above so long as Tenant is in compliance with Article VII. In addition, Tenant may temporarily suspend operation of any Property in connection with the subletting and the resulting remodeling of such Property in connection with the subtenant’s use, provided such suspended operation does not exceed a period of one (1) year. In no event shall Rental be abated during any period of suspended operation.
(b)
    Closure. Notwithstanding Section 8.02(a), at any time after the fifteenth lease year of the Lease Term, provided no Event of Default then exists, Tenant may cease operation of a Property on the following terms and conditions:
(i)
    Tenant shall give Landlord no less than sixty (60) days prior written notice of the date (the “Closure Date”) upon which the subject Property (the “Closed Property”) shall cease operations (the “Closure Notice”);
(ii)
    Following receipt of a Closure Notice, Landlord shall have the following options:
(A)
    Landlord may elect to take no action for such period of time as Landlord shall determine, in which event this Lease shall continue in full force and effect, no default shall be deemed to have occurred by reason of such closure and Tenant shall continue to pay Annual Base Rental as set forth herein, provided that in so doing Landlord shall nonetheless retain its right to subsequently elect to implement the option set forth in (B) below.
(B)
    Landlord may terminate the Lease as to the Closed Property effective at any time on or after the Closure Date by written notice to Tenant that specifies as the date of termination a date (the “Termination Date”) no sooner than thirty days following Tenant’s receipt of such notice. In the event this Lease is so terminated as to the Closed Property, then (1) the Closed Property shall no longer be a Property for purposes of this Lease, (2) on the Termination Date, Tenant shall vacate the Closed Property leaving it in the condition required at the termination of this Lease, (3) on the Termination Date, Tenant to pay to Landlord the Allocated Base Rental (as defined below) with respect to the Closed Property, (4) Tenant shall pay to Landlord on or after the Termination Date, as such amounts become due and payable, all Additional Rent with respect to such Closed Property through the Termination Date except that current real estate taxes with respect to the Closed Property shall be appropriately prorated in cash on the Termination Date, (5) Landlord and Tenant shall confirm such partial termination in a written Termination Agreement between Landlord and Tenant in recordable form and otherwise in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Landlord and Tenant (to be recorded at Landlord’s expense) and (6) this Lease shall remain in full force and effect as to the remaining Properties. The obligations of Tenant under this clause (B) with respect to Additional Rent (other than real estate taxes so prorated) due after the Termination Date shall survive any such termination of this Lease as to the Closed Property.
For purposes of this Section 8.02, the term “Allocated Base Rental” shall mean that portion of the aggregate Base Annual Rental payable under this Lease with respect to all Properties for the period from the Termination Date through the expiration of the then current Lease Term determined by multiplying such aggregate Base Annual Rental by a fraction determined by Landlord by one of the following methods, as chosen by Landlord in the notice setting forth the Termination Date: (i) the numerator of the fraction shall be the EBITDAR of the Closed Property and the denominator shall be the EBITDAR of all Properties then subject to this Lease including the Closed Property, as EBITDAR for each of the Properties has been most recently reported to Landlord pursuant to Section 9.03 of this Lease; (ii) the numerator of the fraction shall be the sales of the Closed Property and the denominator shall be the sales of all Properties then subject to this Lease including the Closed Property, as sales for each of the Properties has been most recently reported to Landlord pursuant to Section 9.03 of this Lease; or (iii) the numerator of the fraction shall be Landlord’s depreciated book value of the Closed Property and the denominator shall be the depreciated book value of all Properties then subject to this Lease including the Closed Property as such book values are certified to Tenant by Landlord.
Section 8.03.
    Compliance. Subject to Section 8.06, Tenant shall cause Tenant’s use and occupation of each of the Properties, and the condition thereof, to comply in all material respects, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, with all Legal Requirements and all Permitted Encumbrances, and any owner obligations under such Legal Requirements or Permitted Encumbrances with respect to the Properties. Without in any way limiting the foregoing provisions, during the Lease Term, Tenant shall comply with all Legal Requirements, now or hereafter in effect, affecting any or all of the Properties relating to anti-terrorism, trade embargos, economic sanctions, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and Accessibility Laws, as any such Legal Requirements may be amended from time to time, and all regulations promulgated thereunder. Upon Landlord’s written request from time to time during the Lease Term, Tenant shall certify in writing to Landlord that Tenant’s representations, warranties and obligations under Section 5.08 and this Section 8.03 remain true and correct (or if not true and correct, providing details regarding the same). Tenant shall immediately notify Landlord in writing if any of such representations, warranties or covenants are no longer true or have been breached or if Tenant has a reasonable basis to believe that they may no longer be true or have been breached. In connection with such an event, Tenant shall comply with all written directives of Governmental Authorities and of parties to any Permitted Encumbrances and, at Landlord’s request, provide to Landlord copies of all notices, reports and other communications exchanged with, or received from, Governmental Authorities and parties to Permitted Encumbrances relating to such an event. Tenant shall also reimburse Landlord for all Costs incurred by Landlord in evaluating the effect of such an event on the Properties and this Lease, in obtaining any necessary licenses, consents and approvals from Governmental Authorities arising in connection therewith, and in complying with all Legal Requirements applicable to Landlord as the result of the existence of such an event and for any penalties or fines imposed upon Landlord as a result thereof. Tenant will use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent any act or condition to exist on or about the Properties which will materially increase any insurance rate thereon, except when such acts are required in the normal course of its business and Tenant shall pay for such increase. Tenant agrees that it will defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Indemnified Parties from and against any and all Losses caused by, incurred or resulting from Tenant’s failure to comply with its obligations under this Section.
Section 8.04.
    Environmental.
(a)
    Representations and Warranties. Tenant represents and warrants to Landlord, which representations and warranties shall survive the execution and delivery of this Lease, that to Tenant’s actual knowledge and except as set forth in the Existing Environmental Reports:
(i)
    The Properties and Tenant are not in violation of or subject to, any pending or threatened investigation or inquiry by any Governmental Authority or subject to any remedial obligations under any Environmental Laws, nor has Tenant received any written or oral notice or other communication from any Person (including but not limited to a Governmental Authority) with respect to any Property relating to (A) Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances or USTs, or Remediation thereof; (B) potential liability of any Person pursuant to any Environmental Law; (C) other environmental conditions; or (D) any actual or potential administrative or judicial proceedings in connection with any of the foregoing. The foregoing representations and warranties would continue to be true and correct following disclosure to the applicable Governmental Authorities of all relevant facts, conditions and circumstances, if any, pertaining to the Properties.
(ii)
    (A) all uses and operations on or of the Properties by Tenant, or any other Person, are presently and have been in compliance with all Environmental Laws and environmental permits issued pursuant thereto; (B) there have been no Releases in, on, under or from any of the Properties, or from other property migrating toward any of the Properties, except in Permitted Amounts; (C) there are no Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances or USTs in, on, or under any of the Properties, except in Permitted Amounts; (D) the Properties have been kept and are free and clear of all liens and other encumbrances imposed pursuant to any Environmental Law (the “Environmental Liens”) or activity use limitations; and (E) with respect to environmental matters related to, and the environmental condition of, the Properties, Tenant has not allowed any other tenant or other user of the Properties to do any act that materially increased the dangers to human health or the environment, posed an unreasonable risk of harm to any Person (whether on or off any of the Properties), impaired the value of any of the Properties in any material respect, is contrary to any requirement set forth in any insurance policies maintained by Landlord, constituted a public or private nuisance, constituted waste, or violated any covenant, condition, agreement or easement applicable to any of the Properties.
(b)
    Covenants. Tenant covenants to Landlord during the Lease Term, as follows:
(A)
    Tenant shall perform any Remediation required by any Governmental Authority or any Person with respect to the Properties for any Release which occurred before the Lease Term or which occurs during the Lease Term whether or not the release was disclosed in the Existing Environmental Reports.
(B)
    All uses and operations on or of the Properties, whether by Tenant or any other Person, shall be in compliance with all Environmental Laws and permits issued pursuant thereto.
(C)
    There shall be no Releases in, on, under or from the Properties, except in Permitted Amounts.
(D)
    There shall be no Hazardous Materials or Regulated Substances in, on or under the Properties, except in Permitted Amounts.
(E)
    Tenant shall keep the Properties or cause the Properties to be kept free and clear of all Environmental Liens, whether due to any act or omission of Tenant or any other Person.
(F)
    Tenant shall not act or fail to act or allow any other tenant, occupant, guest, customer, invitee, licensee or other user of the Properties to act or fail to act in any way that (1) materially increases a risk to human health or the environment, (2) poses an unreasonable or unacceptable risk of harm to any Person or the environment (whether on or off any of the Properties), (3) would result in any reopening or reconsideration of any prior investigation or causes a new investigation by a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over any Property; or (4) with respect to environmental matters related to, and the environmental condition of, the Properties, (i) is contrary to any requirement set forth in the insurance policies maintained by Tenant, (ii) constitutes a public or private nuisance or constitutes waste, (iii) violates any covenant, condition, agreement or easement applicable to the Properties or (iv) violates any Legal Requirement.
(G)
    If Landlord reasonably suspects a Release or a violation of Environmental Law to have occurred before or during the Lease Term, Tenant shall, at its sole cost and expense, perform any environmental site assessment or other investigation of environmental conditions in connection with the Properties as may be reasonably requested by Landlord (including but not limited to sampling, testing and analysis of soil, water, air, building materials and other materials and substances whether solid, liquid or gas), and share with Landlord the reports and other results thereof, and Landlord and the other Indemnified Parties shall be entitled to rely on such reports and other results thereof. Tenant shall promptly undertake and diligently pursue to completion and in accordance with Environmental Laws any and all monitoring and remediation of Hazardous Materials that is recommended in any such report or is required by Environmental Law.
(H)
    Tenant shall, at its sole cost and expense, fully and expeditiously cooperate in all activities pursuant to this Section 8.04, including but not limited to providing all relevant information and making knowledgeable persons available for interviews.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Lease to the contrary, an Event of Default shall not be deemed to have occurred as a result of the failure of Tenant to satisfy any one or more of the covenants set forth in subsections (A) through (F) above provided that Tenant promptly performs Remediation in accordance with Environmental Laws.
(c)
    Notification Requirements. Tenant shall immediately notify Landlord in writing upon Tenant obtaining actual knowledge of (i) any Releases or Threatened Releases in, on, under or from any of the Properties other than in Permitted Amounts, or migrating onto, under or towards any of the Properties; (ii) any non-compliance with any Environmental Laws related in any way to any of the Properties; (iii) any actual or potential Environmental Lien or activity use limitation; (iv) any required or proposed Remediation of environmental conditions relating to any of the Properties required by applicable Governmental Authorities; and (v) any written or oral notice or other communication of which Tenant becomes aware from any source whatsoever (including but not limited to a Governmental Authority) relating in any way to Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances or above or below ground storage tanks, or Remediation thereof at or on any of the Properties, other than in Permitted Amounts, possible liability of any Person relating to any of the Properties pursuant to any Environmental Law, other environmental conditions in connection with any of the Properties, or any actual or potential administrative or judicial proceedings in connection with anything referred to in this Section; provided, however, that Tenant shall not be required to notify Landlord as to any facts already disclosed in the Existing Environmental Reports, except that Tenant shall notify Landlord and Lender of subsequent developments, changes, governmental notices or third party claims relating to such previously disclosed facts. Tenant shall, upon Landlord’s written request, deliver to Landlord a certificate stating that Tenant is and has been in full compliance with all of the environmental representations, warranties and covenants in this Lease.
(d)
    Remediation. Tenant shall, at its sole cost and expense, and without limiting any other provision of this Lease, effectuate any Remediation required by any Governmental Authority of any condition (including, but not limited to, a Release) in, on, under or from the Properties, whether such condition occurred before or occurs during the Lease Term, and take any other reasonable action deemed necessary by any Governmental Authority for protection of human health or the environment. Should Tenant fail to undertake such Remediation in accordance with the preceding sentence, Landlord, after written notice to Tenant and Tenant’s failure to immediately undertake such Remediation, shall be permitted to complete such Remediation, and all Costs incurred in connection therewith shall be paid by Tenant. Any Cost so paid by Landlord, together with interest at the Default Rate, shall be deemed to be Additional Rental hereunder and shall be immediately due from Tenant to Landlord.
(e)
    Indemnification. Tenant shall, at its sole cost and expense, protect, defend, indemnify, release and hold harmless each of the Indemnified Parties from and against any and all Losses, including, but not limited to, all Costs of Remediation (whether or not performed voluntarily), arising out of or in any way relating to any Environmental Laws, Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances, above or below ground storage tanks, other environmental matters concerning the Properties or Tenant’s default in performance of any of its obligations under this Section 8.04. It is expressly understood and agreed that Tenant’s obligations under this Section shall survive without limitation the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease.
(f)
    Right of Entry. Landlord and any other Person designated by Landlord, including but not limited to, any receiver, any representative of a Governmental Authority, and any environmental consultant, shall have the right, but not the obligation, to enter upon the Properties, upon reasonable prior notice, at all reasonable times (including, without limitation, in connection with the exercise of any remedies set forth in this Lease) to assess any and all aspects of the environmental condition of any Property and its use, including but not limited to conducting any environmental assessment or audit (the scope of which shall be determined in Landlord’s sole and absolute discretion) and taking samples of soil, groundwater or other water, air, or building materials, and conducting other invasive testing. Tenant shall cooperate with and provide access to Landlord and any other Person designated by Landlord. If any assessment or inspection results from Landlord reasonably suspecting a Release or an Environmental Law violation, such assessment or investigation shall be at Tenant’s sole cost and expense.
(g)
    Inspections. At its sole cost and expense, Tenant shall have the Properties inspected as may be required by any Environmental Law for seepage, spillage and other environmental concerns. Tenant shall maintain and monitor all above and below ground storage tanks in accordance with all Environmental Laws. Tenant shall provide Landlord with written certified results of all inspections performed on the Properties. All costs and expenses associated with the inspection, preparation and certification of results, as well as those associated with any corrective action, shall be paid by Tenant. All inspections and tests performed on the Properties shall be in compliance with all Environmental Laws.
(h)
    UST Compliance. To Tenant’s knowledge, there are no above or below ground storage tanks except as set forth in the Existing Environmental Reports. Tenant shall not permit the placement of any new above or below ground storage tanks on any of the Properties during the Lease Term. Tenant shall comply or cause the compliance with all applicable federal, state and local regulations and requirements regarding above and below ground storage tanks, including, without limitation, any of such regulations or requirements which impose (i) technical standards, including, without limitation, performance, leak prevention, leak detection, notification reporting and recordkeeping; (ii) corrective action with respect to confirmed and suspected Releases; and (iii) financial responsibility for the payment of costs of corrective action and compensation to third parties for injury and damage resulting from Releases. Tenant shall immediately notify Landlord, in writing, of (A) the presence of any above or below ground storage tank that is not disclosed in the Existing Environmental Reports; (B) the presence on or under the Properties, or the Release from any above or below ground storage tank on, above or under the Properties, of any Hazardous Materials or Regulated Substances, apparent or real; and (C) any and all enforcement, clean-up, remedial, removal or other governmental or regulatory actions threatened, instituted or completed pursuant to any of the Environmental Laws affecting the Properties. Upon any such Release from any USTs on, above or under the Properties of any Hazardous Materials or Regulated Substances, Tenant shall immediately remedy such situation in accordance with all Environmental Laws and any request of Landlord. Should Tenant fail to remedy or cause the remedy of such situation in accordance with all Environmental Laws, Landlord shall be permitted to take such actions in its sole discretion to remedy such situation and all Costs incurred in connection therewith, together with interest at the Default Rate, will be paid by Tenant.
(i)
    Survival. The obligations of Tenant and the rights and remedies of Landlord under this Section 8.04 shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease with respect to any Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances, above or below ground storage tanks, or other environmental matters that were first introduced to the Properties prior to the date that Tenant vacates the Properties upon the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease or any violation of Environmental Law first occurring prior to the date that Tenant vacates the Properties upon the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease; provided, however, that Tenant’s obligations shall continue to be subject to the provisions of Section 8.06.
Section 8.05.
    Cooperation. Landlord shall cooperate with Tenant throughout the Lease Term with respect to Tenant’s obligations hereunder, including Tenant’s procurement and/or maintenance of proper zoning, building and other permits, compliance with all Legal Requirements and compliance with Tenant’s obligations under this Lease, including executing and delivery of instruments reasonably requested by Tenant to perform its obligations under this Lease or which, in the reasonable judgment of Tenant, are necessary for the operation of Tenant’s business on the Properties, provided that (a) Tenant’s requests shall be consistent with, and subject to, the terms and provisions of this Lease; (b) Landlord shall not assume (or be deemed to have assumed) any of Tenant’s obligations hereunder; and (c) Landlord shall not incur any cost or obligation related to any Tenant request.
Section 8.06.
    Permitted Contests. Tenant, upon prior written notice to Landlord, on its own, or, with Landlord’s prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld), in Landlord’s name, at Tenant’s expense, may contest, by appropriate legal proceedings conducted in good faith and with due diligence, the amount, validity or application, in whole or in part, of any Legal Requirement, any requirement under Permitted Encumbrances, any requirement under Environmental Laws or any lien, attachment, levy, encumbrance, charge or claim; subject, however, to the further requirements that (a) neither the Properties nor any Rental due hereunder, nor any part or interest in either, shall be in danger of being sold, forfeited, attached or lost pending the outcome of such proceedings; (b) neither Landlord nor Tenant shall be in any danger of civil or criminal liability for failure to comply therewith pending the outcome of such proceedings; (c) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of or during such contest; (d) if and to the extent required by the applicable authority, Tenant shall post a bond or take other steps reasonably acceptable to such authority that stays enforcement thereof; (e) if and to the extent available under local law, Tenant shall post a bond or take other steps to obtain a release of any lien, attachment, levy, encumbrance, charge or claim on the applicable Property or against Landlord; (f) Tenant shall promptly provide Landlord with copies of all notices received or delivered by Tenant and filings made by Tenant in connection with such proceeding; and (g) if any such contest is finally resolved against Landlord or Tenant, Tenant shall promptly pay the amount required to be paid, together with all costs, fees (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements), interest, penalties and other liabilities in connection therewith, or comply with the applicable requirement. Tenant shall indemnify, defend, protect and save the Indemnified Parties harmless from and against any Losses in connection with or resulting from any such contest.
ARTICLE IX
    

ADDITIONAL COVENANTS
Section 9.01.
    Performance at Tenant’s Expense. Tenant acknowledges and confirms that Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for Landlord’s actual out-of-pocket third party Costs, including Lender’s fees and charges and the reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred by Landlord and Lender, incurred by Landlord in connection with (a) any amendment of this Lease requested by Tenant; (b) the delivery of consents, waivers and approvals with respect to the Properties or any matter related to this Lease requested by Tenant; (c) the review of any assignment or proposed assignment or the preparation or review of any subordination or non-disturbance agreement; (d) the collection, maintenance and/or disbursement of reserves created under this Lease; (e) inspections following the occurrence of an Event of Default under this Lease or if Landlord has a reasonable basis to believe that a default has occurred under this Lease; and (f) Tenant’s noncompliance with Legal Requirements, including without limitation, encroachments onto properties adjoining any of the Properties.
Section 9.02.
    Inspection. Landlord and its authorized representatives shall have the right, at all reasonable times and upon giving reasonable prior notice (except in the event of an emergency, in which case no prior notice shall be required), to enter the Properties or any part thereof and inspect the same provided such entry and inspection do not unreasonably interfere with Tenant’s business. Tenant hereby waives any claim for damages for any injury or inconvenience to or interference with Tenant’s business, any loss of occupancy or quiet enjoyment of the Properties and any other loss occasioned by such entry, but, subject to Section 10.01, excluding damages to the extent the same arise as a result of the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of Landlord. The cost and expense of any such inspections shall be the responsibility of Landlord, except for inspections following the occurrence of an Event of Default or if Landlord has a reasonable basis to believe that a default by Tenant has occurred hereunder.
Section 9.03.
    Financial Information.
(j)
    Financial Statements. Tenant shall deliver, within 90 days of the close of each fiscal year: (i) annual financial statements of Tenant prepared by Tenant, such statements to be audited and certified by an independent accounting firm if Tenant regularly receives such audited statements; and (ii) an annual income statement for each Property for the prior fiscal year then ended, prepared in a manner consistent with the annual financial statements.  Tenant shall also furnish to Landlord within forty-five (45) days from the end of each fiscal quarter during the Lease Term (a) Tenant’s quarterly financial statements (on a combined basis) for the prior fiscal quarter then ended, including a balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement (on a year-to-date basis), and a copy of any narrative from management of Tenant that is provided to Tenant’s primary lender, and (b) a quarterly statement of sales and EBITDAR for each Property for the prior fiscal quarter then ended. Tenant shall deliver or cause Parent to deliver: (i) within 90 days of the close of each fiscal year, annual audited financial statements of Parent prepared by Parent and certified to by an independent accounting firm as having been prepared in accordance with US GAAP; (ii) within forty-five (45) days from the end of each fiscal quarter during the Lease Term, Parent’s quarterly financial statements (on a combined basis) for the prior fiscal quarter then ended, including a balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement (on a year-to-date basis), and a copy of any narrative from management of Guarantor that is provided to Guarantor’s primary lender. The foregoing requirements with respect to quarterly and annual financial statements of Tenant and Parent may be satisfied by consolidated quarterly and annual financial statements of Parent available via EDGAR or Parent’s website so long as Tenant is a subsidiary of Parent, except that Tenant shall in any event be obligated to provide the quarterly statement of sales and EBITDAR for each Property as required by clause (b) of the second sentence of this Section 9.03(a).  All annual financial reports that are submitted under this Section 9.03(a) or that are made available via Edgar or Parent’s website shall be certified to by an independent accounting firm as having been prepared in accordance with US GAAP and all quarterly financial statements that are submitted under this Section 9.03(a) or that are made available via Edgar or Parent’s website shall be certified to by a financial officer of Tenant or Parent, as applicable, as having been prepared in accordance with US GAAP.
(k)
    Other Information. Notwithstanding any provision contained herein, upon request at any time, Tenant will provide to Landlord not more than two (2) times in any calendar year such financial information and/or financial statements (and in the form or forms) reasonably requested by Landlord in connection with Landlord’s filings with or disclosures to any Governmental Authority, including, without limitation, the financial statements required in connection with Securities and Exchange Commission filings Landlord or its Affiliates.
(l)
    After Assignment. In the event of any assignment of this Lease pursuant to Section 14.01 that, pursuant to Section 14.01, does not result in the release of Tenant from its obligations hereunder, the foregoing requirements of this Article IX shall be binding upon both the assignor Tenant and the assignee so that both such entities shall contemporaneously deliver to Landlord the financial statements and other reports required by this Section 9.03.
Section 9.04.
    OFAC Laws. Upon receipt of notice or upon actual knowledge thereof, Tenant shall immediately notify Landlord in writing if any Person owning (directly or indirectly) any interest in any of the Tenant Entities, or any director, officer, shareholder, member, manager or partner of any of such holders is a Person whose property or interests are subject to being blocked under any of the OFAC Laws, or is otherwise in violation of any of the OFAC Laws, or is under investigation by any Governmental Authority for, or has been charged with, or convicted of, drug trafficking, terrorist-related activities or any violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Laws, has been assessed civil penalties under these or related laws, or has had funds seized or forfeited in an action under these or related laws; provided, however, that the covenant in this Section 9.04 shall not apply to any Person to the extent such Person’s interest is in or through a U.S. Publicly Traded Entity.
Section 9.05.
    Estoppel Certificate. At any time, and from time to time, Tenant shall, promptly and in no event later than twenty (20) days after a request from Landlord or any Lender, execute, acknowledge and deliver to Landlord, such Lender, a prospective purchaser or prospective lender, as the case may be, a certificate in reasonable form and on which any or all of such parties may rely, certifying: (a) that Tenant has accepted the Properties; (b) that this Lease is in full force and effect and has not been modified (or if modified, setting forth all modifications), or, if this Lease is not in full force and effect, the certificate shall so specify the reasons therefor; (c) the commencement and expiration dates of the Lease Term; (d) the date to which the Rentals have been paid under this Lease and the amount thereof then payable; (e) whether there are then any existing defaults by Landlord in the performance of its obligations under this Lease, and, if there are any such defaults, specifying the nature and extent thereof; (f) that no notice has been received by Tenant of any default under this Lease which has not been cured, except as to defaults specified in the certificate; (g) the capacity of the Person executing such certificate, and that such Person is duly authorized to execute the same on behalf of Tenant; (h) that neither Landlord nor any Lender has actual involvement in the management or control of decision making related to the operational aspects or the day-to-day operation of the Properties, including any handling or disposal of Hazardous Materials or Regulated Substances; and (i) any other information reasonably requested by Landlord or Lender or any prospective purchaser or lender, as the case may be.
ARTICLE X
    

RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION
Section 10.01.
    Release and Indemnification. Tenant agrees to use and occupy the Properties at its own risk and hereby releases Landlord and the other Indemnified Parties from all Losses relating to the Properties and the operation thereof, including without limitation claims for any damage or injury, to the full extent permitted by law, except to the extent such damage or injury is the result of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Landlord. Tenant agrees that Landlord shall not be responsible or liable to Tenant or Tenant’s employees, agents, customers, licensees or invitees for bodily injury, personal injury or property damage occasioned by the acts or omissions of any other Person. Tenant agrees that any agent to whom the Properties or any part thereof shall be entrusted by or on behalf of Tenant or employee of Tenant or its Affiliates shall be acting as Tenant’s agent with respect to the Properties or any part thereof. Neither Landlord nor Landlord’s agents, employees or contractors shall be liable for any loss of or damage to the Properties or any part thereof. Tenant shall indemnify, protect, defend and hold harmless each of the Indemnified Parties from and against any and all Losses (excluding Losses suffered by an Indemnified Party arising out of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party) arising out of (i) any act or occurrence or failure to act alleged to have occurred in, on, around or about the Properties, (ii) any failure to maintain, keep or repair the Properties, (iii) any condition alleged to have existed on or have occurred on the Properties or (iv) any default by Tenant in the performance of its obligations under this Lease or any default by Lease Guarantor in the performance of its obligations under the Lease Guaranty. It is expressly understood and agreed that Tenant’s obligations under this Section shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease for any reason whatsoever for a period of two (2) years; provided, that the foregoing two-year limitation of survival shall not apply to Tenant’s obligation to indemnify the Indemnified Parties for Losses arising from claims by third parties, including Governmental Authorities. Landlord shall indemnify, protect, defend and hold Tenant harmless from and against all Losses to the extent such Losses arise out of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Landlord or other Indemnified Party. The term “gross negligence” or “willful misconduct” as used in this Section 10.01 shall not include negligence imputed as a matter of law to Landlord or other Indemnified Party solely by reason of Landlord’s interest in the Properties or Landlord’s failure to act in respect of matters which are or were the obligation of Tenant under this Lease.
ARTICLE XI
    

CONDEMNATION AND CASUALTY
Section 11.01.
    Notification. Tenant shall promptly give Landlord written notice of (a) any Condemnation of any of the Properties or any notice of any threatened Condemnation of any of the Properties, (b) the commencement of any proceedings or negotiations which might result in a Condemnation of any of the Properties, and (c) any Casualty to any of the Properties or any part thereof. Such notice shall provide a general description of the nature and extent of such Condemnation, proceedings, negotiations or Casualty, and shall include copies of any documents or notices received in connection therewith. Thereafter, Tenant shall promptly send Landlord copies of all notices, correspondence and pleadings relating to any such Condemnation, proceedings, negotiations or Casualty.
Section 11.02.
    Total Condemnation. “Total Condemnation” means (a) Condemnation of all or substantially all of any Property or (b) a Condemnation (other than a Temporary Taking) of such a substantial part of such Property that results in the portion of the Property remaining after such Condemnation being unsuitable for use as a Permitted Facility, as determined by Tenant in the exercise of good faith business judgment, provided that Tenant provides to Landlord an officer’s certificate executed by an officer of Tenant certifying to the same within sixty (60) days of such Condemnation (the “Tenant Certificate”). If Tenant does not provide the Tenant Certificate within such period, the Condemnation shall not be considered a Total Condemnation. The date upon which a Total Condemnation occurs shall be, in the case of a Total Condemnation described in clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence, the date of the Condemnation and, in the case of a Total Condemnation described in clause (b) of the immediately preceding sentence, thirty (30) days following the latest of (i) the date of the Condemnation, (ii) the date Tenant provides the Tenant Certificate or (iii) the date Tenant ceases operation of the Property as a Permitted Facility. In the event of a Total Condemnation, Tenant may propose that Landlord accept a Substitute Property acceptable to Landlord for the condemned Property pursuant to Section 14.05 below and this Section 11.02. If the substitution is effected pursuant to Section 14.05 below and this Section 11.02, then the Net Award shall be paid to Tenant at the closing of the substitution and there shall be no reduction of Base Annual Rental payable under this Lease and no abatement of Base Annual Rental for any period. In the event of a Total Condemnation and no substitution has been made therefor pursuant to Section 14.05 below and this Section 11.02, then Landlord shall retain the Net Award unless and until a substitution for such Property occurs pursuant to Section 14.05 and this Section 11.02 and there shall be no reduction of Base Annual Rental payable under this Lease and no abatement of Base Annual Rental for any period. Notwithstanding Section 14.05 below, in no event shall the Tenant have a right to make a substitution for the condemned Property more than six months after the date upon which the Total Condemnation occurs.
Section 11.03.
    Partial Condemnation or Casualty. In the event of a Condemnation which is not a Total Condemnation (each such event, a “Partial Condemnation”), or in the event of a Casualty:
(a)
    Net Awards. All Net Awards shall be paid to Landlord.
(b)
    Continuance of Lease. This Lease shall continue in full force and effect upon the following terms:
(i)
    All Rental and other Monetary Obligations due under this Lease shall continue unabated.
(ii)
    Tenant shall promptly commence and diligently prosecute restoration of such Property to the same condition, as nearly as practicable, as prior to such Partial Condemnation or Casualty as approved by Landlord. Upon the written request of Tenant (accompanied by evidence reasonably satisfactory to Landlord that such amount has been paid or is due and payable and is properly part of such costs, and that Tenant has complied with the terms of Section 7.02 in connection with the restoration), Landlord shall promptly make available in installments to pay or reimburse Tenant for the costs of the restoration, subject to reasonable conditions for disbursement consistent with typical and customary construction disbursement requirements imposed by construction lenders, an amount up to but not exceeding the amount of any Net Award received by Landlord with respect to such Partial Condemnation or Casualty. Prior to the disbursement of any portion of the Net Award with respect to a Casualty, Tenant shall provide evidence reasonably satisfactory to Landlord of the payment of restoration costs by Tenant up to the amount of the insurance deductible or retention applicable to such Casualty and any amount by which the remaining unpaid costs of the restoration (as reasonably estimated by Tenant to the satisfaction of Landlord and Lender) exceed the remaining undisbursed portion of the Net Award. Landlord shall be entitled to keep any portion of the Net Award which may be in excess of the cost of restoration and Tenant shall bear all additional Costs of such restoration in excess of the Net Award.
(c)
    Right to Request Substitute. Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary contained in this Article XI, in the event that, as a result of a Casualty, Tenant shall reasonably estimate in the exercise of good faith business judgment that the applicable Property cannot be used for the same purpose and substantially with the same utility as before such Casualty (and Tenant provides to Landlord an officer’s certificate executed by an officer of Tenant certifying to the same), then, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this subsection (c), Tenant shall have the right, exercisable by written notice given to Landlord no later than thirty (30) days following such Casualty, to substitute a Substitute Property for the damaged Property pursuant to Section 14.05 below. In such event, the Net Award, less any amounts theretofore disbursed to or for the account of Tenant pursuant to subsection (b)(ii) above, shall be paid to Tenant at the time of closing of the substitution.
Section 11.04.
    Temporary Taking. In the event of a Condemnation of all or any part of any Property for a temporary use (a “Temporary Taking”), this Lease shall remain in full force and effect without any reduction of Base Annual Rental, Additional Rental or any other Monetary Obligation payable hereunder. Except as provided below, Tenant shall be entitled to the entire Net Award for a Temporary Taking, unless the period of occupation and use by the condemning authorities shall extend beyond the date of expiration of this Lease, in which event the Net Award made for such Temporary Taking shall be apportioned between Landlord and Tenant as of the date of such expiration. At the termination of any such Temporary Taking, Tenant will, at its own cost and expense and pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.02, promptly commence and complete restoration of such Property.
Section 11.05.
    Adjustment of Losses. Any loss under any property damage insurance required to be maintained by Tenant shall be adjusted by Landlord and Tenant. Any Net Award relating to a Total Condemnation or a Partial Condemnation shall be adjusted by Landlord or, at Landlord’s election, Tenant. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Article XI, if any Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, Landlord is hereby authorized and empowered, but shall not be obligated, to pursue any Tenant’s claim, in the name of and on behalf of Tenant, to any Net Award resulting from a Condemnation or Casualty and to hold the proceeds of any recovery therefrom, net of Landlord’s Costs in pursuing the same, until Landlord shall have terminated this Lease or terminated Tenant’s right to possess the Properties pursuant to this Lease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and Landlord shall have neither terminated this Lease nor have terminated Tenant’s right to possess the Properties pursuant to this Lease, then Landlord shall make such Net Award available to Tenant after the restoration of the affected Property in accordance with Section 11.03(c)(ii) to reimburse the Tenant for the costs of such restoration. Upon termination of this Lease or Tenant’s right to possess the Properties, any Net Award then remaining in the possession of Landlord shall become Landlord’s property free of any claim by Tenant.
Section 11.06.
    Tenant Obligation in Event of Casualty. During all periods of time following a Casualty, Tenant shall take, at its own cost and expense, reasonable steps to ensure that the related Property is secure and does not pose any risk of harm to any adjoining property and Persons (including owners or occupants of such adjoining property).
Section 11.07.
    Tenant Awards and Payments. Notwithstanding any provision contained in this Article XI, Tenant shall be entitled to claim and receive any award or payment from the condemning authority expressly granted for the taking of any Tenant’s Personal Property or any other personal property owned by Tenant, any insurance proceeds with respect to Tenant’s Personal Property or any other personal property owned by Tenant, the interruption of its business and moving expenses (subject, however, to the provisions of Section 6.03(a)(v) above), but only if such claim or award does not adversely affect or interfere with the prosecution of Landlord’s claim in respect of the Condemnation or Casualty, or otherwise reduce the amount recoverable by Landlord for the Condemnation or Casualty.
ARTICLE XII
    

DEFAULT, CONDITIONAL LIMITATIONS, REMEDIES
AND MEASURE OF DAMAGES
Section 12.01.
    Event of Default. Each of the following shall be an event of default by Tenant under this Lease (each, an “Event of Default”):
(a)
    if any representation or warranty of Tenant set forth in this Lease is false in any material respect when made, or if Tenant renders any statement or account that is false in any material respect when made;
(b)
    if any Rental due under this Lease is not paid within five (5) Business Days of the date upon which such payment is due; provided, however, in the event that Tenant pays Rental by wire transfer pursuant to Section 4.06 above, any delay in the payment of Rental as a result of a technical error in the wiring and/or automated clearinghouse process (other than an error for which Tenant is responsible) shall not constitute an Event of Default hereunder so long as the same is corrected within five (5) Business Days of the date that Tenant receives notice thereof;
(c)
    if any other Monetary Obligation due under this Lease is not paid within five (5) Business Days following written notice thereof;
(d)
    except as permitted by Section 8.06, if Tenant fails to pay, prior to delinquency, any Real Estate Taxes or other taxes, assessments or other charges the failure of which to pay will result in the imposition of a lien against any of the Properties provided, however, such failure shall not constitute an Event of Default hereunder, unless otherwise expressly provided herein, unless and until Landlord shall have given Tenant notice thereof and a period of thirty (30) days shall have elapsed, during which period Tenant may correct or cure such failure, upon failure of which an Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred hereunder without further notice or demand of any kind being required;
(e)
    if there is an Insolvency Event affecting Tenant or Lease Guarantor;
(f)
    if Tenant fails to observe or perform any of the other covenants, conditions or obligations of Tenant in this Lease; provided, however, such failure shall not constitute an Event of Default hereunder, unless otherwise expressly provided herein, unless and until Landlord shall have given Tenant notice thereof and a period of thirty (30) days shall have elapsed, during which period Tenant may correct or cure such failure, upon failure of which an Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred hereunder without further notice or demand of any kind being required. If such failure cannot reasonably be cured within such thirty (30)-day period, as determined by Landlord in its reasonable discretion, and Tenant has undertaken in a written notice to Landlord to cure such failure and is diligently pursuing a cure of such failure at all times thereafter until a cure is obtained, then Tenant shall have a reasonable period to cure such failure beyond such thirty (30)-day period, which shall in no event exceed ninety (90) days after receiving notice of such failure from Landlord. If Tenant shall fail to correct or cure such failure within such ninety (90)-day period, an Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred hereunder without further notice or demand of any kind being required;
(g)
    if Tenant shall be liquidated or dissolved or shall begin proceedings towards its liquidation or dissolution;
(h)
    if the estate or interest of Tenant in any of the Properties shall be levied upon or attached in any proceeding and such estate or interest is about to be sold or transferred or such process shall not be vacated or discharged within ninety (90) days after it is made; or
(i)
    if an Event of Default (as defined in the Lease Guaranty) shall occur under the Lease Guaranty.
Section 12.02.
    Remedies. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, with or without notice or demand, except as otherwise expressly provided herein or such other notice as may be required by statute and cannot be waived by Tenant, Landlord shall be entitled to exercise, at its option, concurrently, successively, or in any combination, all remedies available at law or in equity, including, without limitation, any one or more of the following:
(d)
    to terminate this Lease, whereupon Tenant’s right to possession of the Properties shall cease and this Lease, except as to Tenant’s liability, shall be terminated;
(e)
    to the extent not prohibited by applicable law, to (i) re-enter and take possession of the Properties (or any part thereof) and, to the extent permissible, all permits and other rights or privileges of Tenant pertaining to the use and operation of the Properties, and (ii) expel Tenant and those claiming under or through Tenant, without being deemed guilty in any manner of trespass or becoming liable for any loss or damage resulting therefrom, without resort to legal or judicial process, procedure or action. No notice from Landlord hereunder or under a forcible entry and detainer statute or similar law shall constitute an election by Landlord to terminate this Lease unless such notice specifically so states. If Tenant shall, after default, voluntarily give up possession of the Properties to Landlord, deliver to Landlord or its agents the keys to the Properties, or both, such actions shall be deemed to be in compliance with Landlord’s rights and the acceptance thereof by Landlord or its agents shall not be deemed to constitute a termination of the Lease. Landlord reserves the right following any re-entry and/or reletting to exercise its right to terminate this Lease by giving Tenant written notice thereof, in which event this Lease will terminate;
(f)
    to bring an action against Tenant for any damages sustained by Landlord or any equitable relief available to Landlord;
(g)
    to relet the Properties or any part thereof for such term or terms (including a term which extends beyond the original Lease Term), at such rentals and upon such other terms as Landlord, in its sole discretion, may determine, with all proceeds received from such reletting being applied to the Rental and other Monetary Obligations due from Tenant in such order as Landlord may, in its sole discretion, determine, which other Monetary Obligations include, without limitation, all repossession costs, brokerage commissions, attorneys’ fees and expenses, alteration, remodeling and repair costs and expenses of preparing for such reletting. Except to the extent required by applicable Law, Landlord shall have no obligation to relet the Properties or any part thereof and shall in no event be liable for refusal or failure to relet the Properties or any part thereof, or, in the event of any such reletting, for refusal or failure to collect any rent due upon such reletting, and no such refusal or failure shall operate to relieve Tenant of any liability under this Lease or otherwise to affect any such liability. Landlord reserves the right following any re-entry and/or reletting to exercise its right to terminate this Lease by giving Tenant written notice thereof, in which event this Lease will terminate as specified in said notice;
(h)
    to recover from Tenant all Costs paid or incurred by Landlord as a result of such breach, regardless of whether or not legal proceedings are actually commenced;
(i)
    to immediately or at any time thereafter, and with or without notice, at Landlord’s sole option but without any obligation to do so, correct such breach or default and charge Tenant all Costs incurred by Landlord therein. Any sum or sums so paid by Landlord, together with interest at the Default Rate, shall be deemed to be Additional Rental hereunder and shall be immediately due from Tenant to Landlord. Any such acts by Landlord in correcting Tenant’s breaches or defaults hereunder shall not be deemed to cure said breaches or defaults or constitute any waiver of Landlord’s right to exercise any or all remedies set forth herein;
(j)
    Without limiting the generality of the foregoing or limiting in any way the rights of Landlord under this Lease or otherwise under applicable Laws, at any time after the occurrence, and during the continuance, of an Event of Default, Landlord shall be entitled to apply for and have a receiver appointed under applicable Law by a court of competent jurisdiction (by ex parte motion for appointment without notice) in any action taken by Landlord to enforce its rights and remedies hereunder in order to protect and preserve Landlord’s interest under this Lease or in the Properties, and in connection therewith;
(k)
    to sue for all Rental and all other sums, charges, payments, costs and expenses due from Tenant to Landlord hereunder as they become due under this Lease, taking into account that Tenant’s right and option to pay the Rental hereunder on a monthly basis in any particular lease year is conditioned upon the absence of a default on Tenant’s part in the performance of its obligations under this Lease;
(l)
    recover as damages from Tenant the following: (i) all Rental then due under this Lease through the date of termination of this Lease or termination of Tenant’s right of possession; plus (ii) the excess of all Base Annual Rental due for the remainder of the Lease Term (discounted at the discount rate of 6% per annum)(the “Future Rent Amount”) over the fair market rental value of the Property for the remainder of the Lease Term determined on a fully net basis consistent with the terms of this Lease (discounted at the discount rate of 6% per annum); plus (iii) the cost of reletting the Property, including the anticipated period of vacancy until the Demised Property can be re-let at its fair market rental value; provided that, in the case of an Event of Default that arises solely under Section 12.01(i) above, the sum of (ii) and (iii) shall be capped at the Future Rent Amount;
(m)
    to seek specific performance of Tenant’s obligations under this Lease; except that, in the case of an Event of Default that arises solely under Section 12.01(i) above, the total amount of damages that Landlord may recover from Tenant under this Article 12 in respect of such Event of Default shall be capped at the Future Rent Amount.
Section 12.03.
    Cumulative Remedies. All powers and remedies given by Section 12.02 to Landlord, subject to applicable Law, shall be cumulative and not exclusive of one another or of any other right or remedy or of any other powers and remedies available to Landlord under this Lease or under law or in equity, by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to enforce the performance or observance of the covenants and agreements of Tenant contained in this Lease, and no delay or omission of Landlord to exercise any right or power accruing upon the occurrence of any Event of Default shall impair any other or subsequent Event of Default or impair any rights or remedies consequent thereto. Every power and remedy given by this Section or by Law to Landlord may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by Landlord, subject at all times to Landlord’s right in its sole judgment to discontinue any work commenced by Landlord or change any course of action undertaken by Landlord.
Section 12.04.
    Tenant Waiver. Tenant hereby expressly waives, for itself and all Persons claiming by, through and under Tenant, including creditors of all kinds, (a) any right and privilege which Tenant has under any present or future Legal Requirements to redeem the Properties or to have a continuance of this Lease for the Lease Term after termination of Tenant’s right of occupancy by order or judgment of any court or by any legal process or writ, or under the terms of this Lease; (b) the benefits of any present or future Legal Requirement that exempts property from liability for debt or for distress for rent; (c) any present or future Legal Requirement relating to notice or delay in levy of execution in case of eviction of a tenant for nonpayment of rent; and (d) any benefits and lien rights which may arise pursuant to any present or future Legal Requirement.
Section 12.05.
    Landlord’s Duty to Mitigate Damages. In the event that Landlord re-enters, retakes and resumes possession of any Property following an Event of Default, Landlord hereby agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to relet any such Property and thereby mitigate the loss or damage which Tenant shall incur hereunder. Any rent received by Landlord as a result of such efforts may, at Landlord’s option, be first applied to the Costs incurred by Landlord in connection with such efforts.
ARTICLE XIII
    

MORTGAGE, SUBORDINATION AND ATTORNMENT
Section 13.01.
    No Liens. Landlord’s interest in this Lease and/or the Properties shall not be subordinate to any liens or encumbrances placed upon the Properties by or resulting from any act of Tenant, and nothing herein contained shall be construed to require such subordination by Landlord.
Section 13.02.
    Subordination. Subject to the provisions of this Section 13.02, this Lease at all times shall automatically be subordinate to the lien of any and all Mortgages now or hereafter placed upon any of the Properties by Landlord, and Tenant covenants and agrees to execute and deliver, upon demand, such further instruments subordinating this Lease to the lien of any or all Mortgages as shall be reasonably requested by Landlord, Lender or any proposed lender; provided, however, that the foregoing subordination provision shall not be effective with respect to any Mortgages that do not contain non-disturbance language and an acknowledgement by said Lender or proposed lender (on its own behalf and on behalf of any purchaser at foreclosure) to the effect that, notwithstanding the existence of such Mortgage or the foreclosure or other exercise of rights under any such Mortgage, Tenant’s possession and occupancy of the Properties and its leasehold estate shall not be disturbed or interfered with nor shall Tenant’s rights and obligations under this Lease (including without limitation, Tenant’s rights to use insurance and condemnation proceeds to repair and rebuild the Properties as contemplated hereby) be altered or adversely affected thereby so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing. Within ten (10) Business Days following Landlord’s request, Tenant shall execute and deliver to Lender or a proposed lender a Subordination, Non-Disturbance and Attornment Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 13.02 attached hereto.
Section 13.03.
    Election to Declare Lease Superior. If any mortgagee, receiver or other secured party elects to have this Lease and the interest of Tenant hereunder, be superior to any Mortgage and evidences such election by notice given to Tenant, then this Lease and the interest of Tenant hereunder shall be deemed superior to any such Mortgage, whether this Lease was executed before or after such Mortgage and in that event such mortgagee, receiver or other secured party shall have the same rights with respect to this Lease as if it had been executed and delivered prior to the execution and delivery of such Mortgage and had been assigned to such mortgagee, receiver or other secured party.
Section 13.04.
    Attornment. In the event any purchaser or assignee of any Lender at a foreclosure sale acquires title to any of the Properties, or in the event that any Lender or any purchaser or assignee otherwise succeeds to the rights of Landlord as landlord under this Lease, Tenant shall attorn to Lender or such purchaser or assignee, as the case may be (a “Successor Landlord”), and recognize the Successor Landlord as Landlord under this Lease, and, subject to the provisions of this Article XIII, this Lease shall continue in full force and effect as a direct lease between the Successor Landlord and Tenant, provided that the Successor Landlord shall only be liable for any obligations of Landlord under this Lease which accrue after the date that such Successor Landlord acquires title. The foregoing provision shall be self-operative and effective without the execution of any further instruments.
Section 13.05.
    Execution of Additional Documents. Although the provisions in this Article XIII shall be self-operative and no future instrument of subordination shall be required, upon request by Landlord or Tenant, each other party shall execute and deliver whatever instruments may be reasonably required for such purposes.
Section 13.06.
    Notice to Lender. Tenant shall give written notice to any Lender of which Tenant has been notified in writing of any breach or default by Landlord of any of its obligations under this Lease and give such Lender at least sixty (60) days beyond any notice period to which Landlord might be entitled to cure such default before Tenant may exercise any remedy with respect thereto.
ARTICLE XIV
    

ASSIGNMENT
Section 14.01.
    Assignment by Tenant.
(a)
    Tenant acknowledges that Landlord has relied both on the business experience and creditworthiness of Tenant and upon the particular purposes for which Tenant intends to use the Properties in entering into this Lease. Tenant shall not assign, transfer, convey, pledge or mortgage this Lease or any interest herein or permit the assignment of any direct or indirect interest in Tenant, whether by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Landlord, which consent may not be unreasonably withheld or delayed provided that, among other reasonable factors that Landlord may consider in deciding whether to grant its consent, Landlord may consider, without limitation, the following: (i) the financial strength of the proposed assignee including its EBITDAR and tangible net worth, (ii) its operating history and management experience, and (iii) total number of restaurants operated by the assignee. Tenant shall provide to Landlord such information regarding the proposed assignee as Landlord shall reasonably request. At the time of any assignment of this Lease which is approved by Landlord, the assignee shall assume all of the obligations of Tenant under this Lease pursuant to a written assumption agreement in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Landlord. Such assignment of the Properties pursuant to this Section 14.01 shall not relieve Tenant of its obligations respecting this Lease unless otherwise agreed to by Landlord in the exercise of its absolute discretion. Any assignment, transfer, conveyance, pledge or mortgage in violation of this Section 14.01 shall be voidable at the sole option of Landlord. Any consent to an assignment given by Landlord hereunder shall not be deemed a consent to any subsequent assignment.
(b)
    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 14.01 and provided that no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and provided further that any assignee agrees to assume all of Tenant’s obligations under this Lease, Tenant shall have the right to assign or otherwise transfer all, but not less than all, of its interest in, to and under this Lease without Landlord’s consent to (i) an Affiliate of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. (including, without limitation, in connection with any corporate restructuring transaction), or (ii) any entity which purchases or otherwise acquires all or substantially all of the assets or equity interests of Bob Evans Farms, Inc., in a merger, sale or other similar transaction for fair market value, provided no such assignment will reduce or otherwise affect the liability of Lease Guarantor under the Lease Guaranty except to the extent Landlord otherwise agrees in writing.
Section 14.02.
    Subletting. So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, Tenant may sublet any or all of the Properties provided that (a) Tenant provides written notice thereof to Landlord (accompanied by a copy of the related sublease) at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the related sublease; (b) the related sublease is subject and subordinate to this Lease, does not contain any terms inconsistent with this Lease, and terminates upon the expiration or sooner termination of this Lease (including renewals); (c) Tenant shall at all times remain liable hereunder irrespective of any such sublease; and (d) any sublet Property shall only be used as a Permitted Facility.
Section 14.03.
    No Release. No assignment or sublease (including without limitation any assignment under Section 14.01(b)) shall affect or reduce any of the obligations of Tenant hereunder, and all such obligations shall continue in full force and effect as obligations of a principal and not as obligations of a guarantor, as if no assignment or sublease had been made. Landlord’s consent to any assignment or sublease and/or Landlord’s acceptance of rent from an assignee or sublessee shall in no event: (i) release Tenant from any liability under this Lease, or (ii) be construed as Landlord’s agreement to recognize any subtenant or sublease. Furthermore, should Landlord and any subsequent assignee of Tenant’s interest in the Lease enter into any amendments, modifications or supplements to the Lease, the original Tenant shall remain liable for all obligations of the tenant under the Lease as amended, modified or supplemented irrespective of whether the original Tenant receives notice of or consents to any such amendment, modification or supplement to the Lease, except to the extent that Landlord and original Tenant otherwise agree in writing at the time of the assignment or thereafter. Except to the extent that Landlord and original Tenant otherwise agree in writing at the time of the assignment or thereafter, Tenant acknowledges, understands and agrees that Tenant shall remain liable on the Lease whether or not Tenant consents to or has notice of any subsequent amendment, modification or supplement and Landlord has specifically bargained for the right to so amend, modify or supplement the Lease subsequent to an assignment without obtaining said consent or giving said approval. Tenant may only be released upon any assignment or sublease if Landlord releases Tenant in writing by separate instrument, which release Landlord shall have no obligation to give.
Section 14.04.
    No Recognition. Landlord shall have no obligation to recognize any or to agree to not disturb any subtenant of Tenant upon any Event of Default of Tenant under this Lease, unless Landlord shall agree to do so in writing by separate instrument, but Landlord shall have no obligation to do so. Landlord’s consent to any sublease shall not be construed as or imply any agreement on Landlord’s part to recognize any subtenant. In the event of Tenant’s surrender of this Lease or the termination of this Lease for any reason or by any circumstance, Landlord may, at its option, either terminate any or all subtenancies or succeed to the interest of Tenant as sublandlord thereunder. During the time that any uncured Event of Default exists hereunder, Landlord may collect such sublease rent and apply it toward Tenant’s obligations under this Lease, and any subtenant is hereby provided with notice that subtenant shall be required to pay all sublease rent directly to Landlord upon receipt of notice from Landlord that an uncured Event of Default exists under this Lease.
Section 14.05.
    Substitution by Tenant. Subject to the provisions of this Section 14.05, Tenant shall have the right to substitute a like-kind Permitted Facility for one or more of the Properties; provided, however, that (x) Tenant shall not have any such substitution right if the substitution of any Property would cause Landlord to recognize income or gain from a “prohibited transaction” as defined under Section 857(b)(6) of the Code or such substituted like-kind asset is not “real property” under Section 856 of the Code; and (y) Landlord has the right to approve or disapprove any proposed substitution in its sole discretion. If Tenant elects to conduct a substitution such that another unencumbered Permitted Facility (each, a “Substitute Property”) is substituted for a Property being released (each, a “Replaced Property”), Tenant shall first satisfy the following conditions and requirements:
(i)
    the Substitute Property (A) shall be a Permitted Facility, in good condition and repair, and shall have been owned and operated by Tenant as a Permitted Facility for no less than two years prior to the date of substitution and shall be located in the same state and have similar or better demographics than the Replaced Property as reasonably determined by Landlord; (B) shall be made subject to this Lease with no decline in Base Annual Rental or any other Rental due hereunder; and (C) the sales and EBITDAR derived from the Substitute Property shall be equal or greater than the sales and EBITDAR derived from the Replaced Property, as measured over the prior eighteen (18) months, excluding from both calculations any period during which either the Substitute Property or Replaced Property was not in full operation, such sales and EBITDAR results to be certified by an officer of Tenant in form reasonably satisfactory to Landlord and Lender.
(ii)
    Landlord shall have received at least thirty-five (35) days’ prior written notice requesting the substitution and identifying the Substitute Property and Replaced Property.
(iii)
    Landlord shall have received a current appraisal performed by an MAI Appraiser (in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to Landlord and Lender) of the Substitute Property prepared within one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the release and substitution date (the “Substitution Date”) showing an appraised value equal to or greater than the appraised value shown in an equivalent and contemporaneous appraisal of the Replaced Property.
(iv)
    No Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and Tenant shall be in compliance in all material respects with all terms and conditions set forth in this Lease on Tenant’s part to be observed or performed. Landlord shall have received a certificate from Tenant confirming the foregoing, stating that the representations and warranties of Tenant contained in this Lease are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Substitution Date (or if untrue, providing details regarding the same), with respect to Tenant, the Properties and the Substitute Property and containing any other representations and warranties with respect to Tenant, the Properties, the Substitute Property as Landlord and Lender, may reasonably require, such certificate to be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Landlord or Lender, as applicable; provided, however, Landlord or Lender, as applicable, may object to any exceptions as to the representations and warranties set forth in Tenant’s certificate; and provided, further, that Landlord shall provide the necessary disclosures in order to enable Tenant to make the representation contained in Section 5.10.
(v)
    Landlord and Lender shall have received preliminary title reports and irrevocable commitments to insure title by means of an ALTA extended coverage owner’s policy and lender’s policy of title insurance, as applicable (or their equivalent in the event such forms are not issued in the jurisdiction where the Substitute Property is located) for the Substitute Property issued by a title company selected by Landlord and committing to insure Landlord’s good and marketable title in the Substitute Property and Lender’s lien encumbering the Substitute Property, subject only to permitted exceptions reasonably acceptable to Landlord and Lender and containing such coverage and endorsements as Landlord and Lender may reasonably require.
(vi)
    Landlord shall have received a current ALTA survey of the Substitute Property, the form of which shall be reasonably acceptable to Landlord and Lender, and their respective successors and assigns, and sufficient to cause the standard survey exceptions set forth in the title policies referenced above to be deleted.
(vii)
    Landlord shall have inspected and approved the Substitute Property utilizing Landlord’s site inspection and underwriting approval criteria, including without limitation, completion of such environmental due diligence of the Substitute Property as Landlord deems necessary or advisable in its reasonable discretion, including but not limited to, receiving such environmental reports and/or an environmental insurance policy with respect to the Substitute Property, which in form and substance are acceptable to Landlord in its reasonable discretion. In connection with the foregoing, Landlord, in its reasonable discretion, shall have approved the condition of the Substitute Property, including without limitation, the environmental condition of the Property.
(viii)
    Tenant shall have delivered to Landlord an estoppel certificate in accordance with Section 9.05 of this Lease and, if required by Landlord, an estoppel certificate in form and substance acceptable to Landlord with respect to any Restrictions or other Permitted Encumbrances relating to the Substitute Property.
(ix)
    Lender shall have received from Tenant subordination agreements substantially in compliance with the provisions of Section 13.02 hereof (or such other form approved by Lender, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld so long as such form complies with Section 13.02) with respect to this Lease.
(x)
    Landlord shall have received a title policy endorsement or a letter from the appropriate taxing authority stating that the Substitute Property constitutes a separate tax lot.
(xi)
    Landlord and Lender shall have received a property condition report and zoning report issued by consultants acceptable to Landlord and Lender with respect to the Substitute Property stating that the Substitute Property and its use comply in all material respects with all applicable Legal Requirements (including, without limitation, zoning, subdivision and building laws) and that the Substitute Property is in good condition and repair and free of damage or waste.
(xii)
    Landlord shall have received such other approvals, opinions, documents and information as reasonably requested by Landlord or Lender.
(xiii)
    Tenant shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, with respect to Tenant and the Substitute Property, such legal opinions as Landlord or Lender may reasonably require in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Landlord, limited however, to Tenant and the Substitute Property (but also addressing such matters unique to the Substitute Property as may be reasonably required by Landlord).
(xiv)
    Tenant shall have executed such documents as may be reasonably required by Landlord as a result of such substitution, including (i) an amendment to this Lease and any applicable memorandum of lease removing the Replaced Property and adding the Substitute Property and making other conforming changes to this Lease and such memoranda of Lease, (ii) a bill of sale and assignment of intangibles (collectively, the “Substitute Documents”), all of which documents shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Landlord and Lender.
(xv)
    Landlord and Lender shall have received an estoppel certificate from Lease Guarantor in the form contemplated by the Lease Guaranty and confirming that the Lease Guaranty remains in full force and effect as to the Lease as amended pursuant to this Section 14.05.
(xvi)
    Tenant shall deliver an officer’s certificate certifying that the requirements set forth in this Section 14.05 have been satisfied.
Upon satisfaction of the foregoing conditions (a) the Substitute Property shall be deemed substituted for the Replaced Property for all purposes of this Lease and the Substitute Property shall be referred to herein as a “Property” and included within the definition of “Properties” but Base Annual Rent shall not be affected and there shall be no other modification of this Lease which shall remain in full force and effect; (b) the Substitute Documents shall be dated as of the date of the substitution; (c) the Released Property shall be released from this Lease and Landlord shall convey the Replaced Property to Tenant or a designee of Tenant “as is” by special warranty deed, subject to the Permitted Encumbrances (excluding any mortgage corresponding to the Replaced Property and any other consensual liens granted by Landlord, except for those granted by Landlord at the request of Tenant) and any matters arising by through, or under Tenant, and without representation or warranty except for those contained in such special warranty deed and (d) the Substitute Property shall be conveyed by Tenant to Landlord by special warranty deed. Tenant shall pay for all of Landlord’s reasonable Costs incurred with respect to such proposed substitution, including, without limitation, Landlord’s third party inspection costs and expenses with respect to the Substitute Property. Tenant shall be solely responsible for the payment of all Costs resulting from such proposed substitution, regardless of whether such substitution is consummated, including, without limitation, the cost of title insurance and endorsements for Landlord, survey charges, stamp taxes, mortgage taxes, transfer fees, lease taxes, escrow and recording fees, the cost of environmental due diligence undertaken pursuant to this Section 14.05, including, without limitation, the cost of environmental insurance, the cost of legal opinions, the cost of the appraisal required by this Section 14.05, income and transfer taxes imposed on Landlord as a result of such substitution, the reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses of counsel to Tenant and Landlord and Tenant shall have pay all fees, costs and expenses of Lender in connection with the substitution.
Section 14.06.
    Assignment by Landlord.
(a)
    This Lease shall be fully assignable by Landlord and its successors and assigns, in whole or in part, subject to the terms of this Section 14.06. In the event that from time to time Landlord desires to assign its interest in this Lease with respect to less than all of the Properties (including to one or more Affiliates of Landlord), then (a) the assignee (“New Landlord”) and Tenant shall enter into an Assignment Lease Agreement, with respect to the Properties to be affected by the assignment, to be prepared by Landlord substantially in the form of this Lease (an “Assignment Lease Agreement”); (b) Landlord shall allocate the Base Annual Rental payable hereunder between this Lease and the Assignment Lease Agreement (the amount so allocated to the Assignment Lease Agreement being the “Allocated Base Rent Amount”) so that the total amount of Annual Base Rental payable under this Lease and the Assignment Lease Agreement immediately after the transaction shall be the same as the Annual Base Rental payable under this Lease immediately prior to such transaction, and (c) this Lease shall be amended to exclude any such Properties from this Lease and the Base Annual Rent hereunder shall be reduced by the Allocated Base Rent Amount (as so amended, the “Remaining Lease”). In such event, Tenant and the New Landlord shall execute any such Assignment Lease Agreement within five (5) Business Days after delivery by Landlord of an execution version thereof. In addition, Tenant shall execute and deliver to Landlord or cause to be executed and delivered to Landlord any other instruments and documents requested by Landlord in connection with the assignment, including without limitation: (i) an Assignment Guaranty (the “Assignment Lease Guaranty”) from Lease Guarantor to be prepared by Landlord substantially in the form of the Lease Guaranty, (ii) estoppel certificates in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in Section 9.05 of this Lease and Section 12 of the Lease Guaranty (and comparable provisions in the Assignment Lease Agreement and Assignment Lease Guaranty with respect to the Assignment Lease Agreement, the Remaining Lease, the Lease Guaranty and the Assignment Lease Guaranty executed by Tenant and Lease Guarantor, as applicable, in favor of Landlord, New Landlord, Lender and any new lender to New Landlord (a “New Lender”), as applicable, and (iii) if required by Lender or a New Lender, a subordination, non-disturbance and attornment agreement in accordance with Section 13.02 of this Lease or the comparable provision of the Assignment Lease Agreement. Tenant agrees to cooperate reasonably with Landlord in connection with any such assignment and execute, and cause Lease Guarantor to execute, such additional documents required by Landlord, Lender, New Landlord and any New Lender, including a new memorandum of the Assignment Lease Agreement, amendment of any existing memorandum of this Lease, such additional documents to be in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Tenant. From and after the effective date of any such Assignment Lease Agreement, this Lease and any such Assignment Lease Agreement shall be separate leases which shall be treated separately and independently for all purposes. The assignor Landlord shall be automatically released (without need for any further agreement or other document) from any liability thereafter arising with respect to the Properties covered thereby. In no event shall the assignor Landlord have any liability under any Assignment Lease Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, (x) Tenant agrees that Landlord may agree in its sole discretion with any purchaser or assignee of any Property covered by an Assignment Lease Agreement to provide (or have a Landlord’s Affiliate provide) asset management and/or act as servicer regarding such Assignment Lease Agreement and the Properties thereunder; and (y) Tenant acknowledges that any Assignment Lease Agreement under this Section 14.06 may be, in Landlord’s sole discretion, a “master lease” agreement covering multiple Properties. Tenant shall cause all documents that are required to be executed by Tenant and/or Lease Guarantor under this Section 14.06 to be executed and delivered to Landlord within five (5) Business Days following Landlord’s written request therefor.
(b)
    If Landlord, at any time during the Term of this Lease, desires to sell one or more Properties (the “Subject Property” or “Subject Properties”) in one or more transactions, Landlord shall first notify Tenant in writing stating the price, terms, and conditions upon which Landlord would be prepared to sell the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, to Tenant (the “ROFO Notice“), and Tenant shall have fifteen (15) business days from and after the receipt of the ROFO Notice to elect to purchase the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, at the price and on the other terms and conditions contained in the ROFO Notice, except that, if following Tenant’s election not to purchase the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, as specified in the ROFO Notice, Landlord gives a second ROFO Notice with respect to less than all of the Subject Properties included in the ROFO Notice (the “Second ROFO Notice”), Tenant shall have five (5) business days from and after the receipt of the Second ROFO Notice to elect to purchase the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, at the price and on the other terms and conditions contained in the Second ROFO Notice. If Tenant does not so elect to purchase at the price and on such other terms and conditions as specified in the ROFO Notice or the Second ROFO Notice, as applicable, then Landlord shall be permitted to sell the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, to a third party (a “Purchaser“) on the same terms set forth in the ROFO Notice or the Second ROFO Notice, as applicable (except that Landlord shall be permitted to reduce the purchase price by no more than 10% of the purchase price in the ROFO Notice or the Second ROFO Notice, as applicable) and the third party purchaser shall take the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, subject to all the terms, provisions, and conditions of the Assignment Lease Agreement (including this right of first offer with respect to subsequent sales of the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable,) executed in connection with such sale.  If Tenant does not elect to purchase the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, in response to a ROFO Notice or a Second ROFO Notice, as applicable, as provided in this Section 14.06(b), Tenant shall execute within ten (10) business days following a written request from Landlord or the Purchaser, a written instrument in recordable form (which may be recorded at Landlord’s cost) setting forth Tenant’s waiver of its rights under this Section 14.06(b) with respect to such sale in form reasonably acceptable to Tenant, the Purchaser, its lender and its title insurer. Tenant’s rights under this Section 14.06(b) shall continue in full force and effect during the Lease Term and shall not be waived, expire or terminate if Tenant fails to exercise its rights hereunder with respect to any one or more offers. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 14.06(b), Tenant’s rights under this Section 14.06(b) shall not apply to (i) a foreclosure sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure with respect to any Mortgage or to any sale thereafter, (ii) a sale or transfer of the Property by Landlord to an Affiliate of Landlord which Affiliate was not structured for purposes of avoiding application of this Section 14.06(b); or (iii) any transfer, sale, or assignment in connection with the merger of the Landlord or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of Landlord.
ARTICLE XV
    

NOTICES

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Section 15.01.
    Notices. All notices, demands, designations, certificates, requests, offers, consents, approvals, appointments and other instruments given pursuant to this Lease (each a “Notice”) shall be in writing and given by any one of the following: (a) hand delivery; (b) express overnight delivery service; or (c) certified mail, return receipt requested; and shall be deemed to have been delivered upon (i) receipt, if hand delivered; (ii) the next Business Day, if delivered by a reputable express overnight delivery service; or (iii) the third Business Day following the day of deposit of such notice with the United States Postal Service, if sent by certified mail, return receipt requested. The sender shall endeavor to send a courtesy copy of any Notice by email to the recipient at the following email addresses, but the failure to do so shall not affect the validity or timing of delivery of the Notice. Notices shall be provided to the parties and addresses specified below:
If to Tenant or Parent:
Bob Evans Farms, LLC
Bob Evans Farms, Inc.
8111 Smith’s Mill Road
New Albany, Ohio 43054
Attn: Chief Financial Officer
Email: Mark_Hood@BobEvans.Com
 
 
With a copy to:
Bob Evans Farms, LLC
8111 Smith’s Mill Road
New Albany, Ohio 43054
Attn: General Counsel
Email: Colin_Daly@BobEvans.Com
 
 
 
and
 
 
 
Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease LLP
52 East Gay Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Attn: Daniel J. Minor
Sheila Nolan Gartland
Email: djminor@vorys.com Sngartland@vorys.com
 
 
If to Landlord:
National Retail Properties, LP
450 S. Orange Avenue, Suite 900
Orlando, Florida 32801
Attention: Vice President – Asset Management
Email: Kristin.furniss@nnnreit.com
 
 
With a copy to:
National Retail Properties, LP
450 S. Orange Avenue, Suite 900
Orlando, Florida 32801
Attention: General Counsel
Email: Chris.tessitore@nnnreit.com
 
 

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or to such other address or such other person as either party may from time to time hereafter specify to the other party in a Notice delivered in the manner provided above. An attorney for a party may give notices on behalf of that party.
ARTICLE XVI
    

MISCELLANEOUS
Section 16.01.
    Force Majeure. Any prevention, delay or stoppage due to strikes, lockouts, acts of God, enemy or hostile governmental action, civil commotion, fire or other casualty beyond the control of the party obligated to perform (each, a “Force Majeure Event”) shall excuse the performance by such party for a period equal to any such prevention, delay or stoppage, expressly excluding, however, the obligations imposed upon Tenant with respect to Rental and other Monetary Obligations to be paid hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Force Majeure Event shall not extend any time periods specified in this Lease beyond three hundred sixty-five (365) days. In order for a party to assert any delays by reason of a Force Majeure Event, the party so requesting must provide the other party with written notice of the Force Majeure Event prior to five (5) Business Days following the later of the due date of the obligation or the occurrence of such Force Majeure Event. The failure of the requesting party to notify the other within such five (5) Business Day period shall nullify any rights under this Section 16.01.
Section 16.02.
    No Merger. There shall be no merger of this Lease nor of the leasehold estate created by this Lease with the fee estate in or ownership of any of the Properties by reason of the fact that the same person, corporation, firm or other entity may acquire or hold or own, directly or indirectly, (a) this Lease or the leasehold estate created by this Lease or any interest in this Lease or in such leasehold estate, and (b) the fee estate or ownership of any of the Properties or any interest in such fee estate or ownership. No such merger shall occur unless and until all persons, corporations, firms and other entities having any interest in (i) this Lease or the leasehold estate created by this Lease, and (ii) the fee estate in or ownership of the Properties or any part thereof sought to be merged shall join in a written instrument effecting such merger and shall duly record the same.
Section 16.03.
    Interpretation. Landlord and Tenant acknowledge and warrant to each other that each has been represented by independent counsel and has executed this Lease after being fully advised by said counsel as to its effect and significance. This Lease shall be interpreted and construed in a fair and impartial manner without regard to such factors as the party which prepared the instrument, the relative bargaining powers of the parties or the domicile of any party. Whenever in this Lease any words of obligation or duty are used, such words or expressions shall have the same force and effect as though made in the form of a covenant.
Section 16.04.
    Characterization. The following expressions of intent, representations, warranties, covenants, agreements, stipulations and waivers are a material inducement to Landlord entering into this Lease:
(c)
    The business relationship created by this Lease and any related documents is solely that of a long-term commercial lease between Landlord and Tenant, the Lease has been entered into by both parties in reliance upon the economic and legal bargains contained herein, and none of the agreements contained herein is intended, nor shall the same be deemed or construed, to create a partnership (de facto or de jure) between Landlord and Tenant, to make them joint venturers, to make Tenant an agent, legal representative, partner, subsidiary or employee of Landlord, nor to make Landlord in any way responsible for the debts, obligations or losses of Tenant.
(d)
    Landlord and Tenant covenant and agree that: (i) except as may otherwise be required as a result of changes in US GAAP subsequent to the Effective Date, each will treat this Lease as an operating lease pursuant to Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 13, as amended, and as a true lease for state law reporting purposes and for federal income tax purposes; (ii) each party will not, nor will it permit any Affiliate to, at any time, take any action or fail to take any action with respect to the preparation or filing of any statement or disclosure to Governmental Authority, including without limitation, any income tax return (including an amended income tax return), to the extent that such action or such failure to take action would be inconsistent with the intention of the parties expressed in this Section 16.04; (iii) with respect to the Properties, the Lease Term (including any Extension Term) is less than eighty percent (80%) of the estimated remaining economic life of the Properties; and (iv) the Base Annual Rental is the fair market value for the use of the Properties and was agreed to by Landlord and Tenant on that basis, and the execution and delivery of, and the performance by Tenant of its obligations under, this Lease do not constitute a transfer of all or any part of the Properties.
(e)
    Tenant waives any claim or defense based upon the characterization of this Lease as anything other than a true lease and as a master lease of all of the Properties. Tenant stipulates and agrees (i) not to challenge the validity, enforceability or characterization of the lease of the Properties as a true lease and/or as a single, unitary, unseverable instrument pertaining to the lease of all, but not less than all, of the Properties; and (ii) not to assert or take or omit to take any action inconsistent with the agreements and understandings set forth in this Section 16.04.
Section 16.05.
    Disclosure. The parties agree that, notwithstanding any provision contained in this Lease, any party (and each employee, representative or other agent of any party) may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, any matter required under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
Section 16.06.
    Bankruptcy. As a material inducement to Landlord executing this Lease, Tenant acknowledges and agrees that Landlord is relying upon (a) the financial condition and specific operating experience of Tenant and Tenant’s obligation to use the Properties as Permitted Facilities; (b) Tenant’s timely performance of all of its obligations under this Lease notwithstanding the entry of an order for relief under the Bankruptcy Code for Tenant; and (c) all defaults under this Lease being cured promptly and this Lease being assumed within sixty (60) days of any order for relief entered under the Bankruptcy Code for Tenant, or this Lease being rejected within such sixty (60)-day period and the Properties surrendered to Landlord. Accordingly, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained in this Lease and for other good and valuable consideration, Tenant hereby agrees that: (i) all obligations that accrue under this Lease (including the obligation to pay Rentals), from and after an Insolvency Event shall be timely performed exactly as provided in this Lease and any failure to so perform shall be harmful and prejudicial to Landlord; (ii) any and all Rentals that accrue from and after an Insolvency Event and that are not paid as required by this Lease shall, in the amount of such Rentals, constitute administrative expense claims allowable under the Bankruptcy Code with priority of payment at least equal to that of any other actual and necessary expenses incurred after an Insolvency Event; (iii) any extension of the time period within which Tenant may assume or reject this Lease without an obligation to cause all obligations under this Lease to be performed as and when required under this Lease shall be harmful and prejudicial to Landlord; (iv) any time period designated as the period within which Tenant must cure all defaults and compensate Landlord for all pecuniary losses which extends beyond the date of assumption of this Lease shall be harmful and prejudicial to Landlord; (v) any assignment of this Lease must result in all terms and conditions of this Lease being assumed by the assignee without alteration or amendment, and any assignment which results in an amendment or alteration of the terms and conditions of this Lease without the express written consent of Landlord shall be harmful and prejudicial to Landlord; (vi) any proposed assignment of this Lease shall be harmful and prejudicial to Landlord if made to an assignee that does not possess financial condition adequate to operate Permitted Facilities upon the Properties or operating performance and experience characteristics satisfactory to Landlord equal to or better than the financial condition, operating performance and experience of Tenant as of the Effective Date; and (vii) the rejection (or deemed rejection) of this Lease for any reason whatsoever shall constitute cause for immediate relief from the automatic stay provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, and Tenant stipulates that such automatic stay shall be lifted immediately and possession of the Properties will be delivered to Landlord immediately without the necessity of any further action by Landlord. No provision of this Lease shall be deemed a waiver of Landlord’s rights or remedies under the Bankruptcy Code or applicable Law to oppose any assumption and/or assignment of this Lease, to require timely performance of Tenant’s obligations under this Lease, or to regain possession of the Properties as a result of the failure of Tenant to comply with the terms and conditions of this Lease or the Bankruptcy Code. Notwithstanding anything in this Lease to the contrary, all amounts payable by Tenant to or on behalf of Landlord under this Lease, whether or not expressly denominated as such, shall constitute “rent” for the purposes of the Bankruptcy Code. For purposes of this Section addressing the rights and obligations of Landlord and Tenant upon an Insolvency Event, the term “Tenant” shall include Tenant’s successor in bankruptcy, whether a trustee, Tenant as debtor in possession or other responsible person.
Section 16.07.
    Attorneys’ Fees. In the event of any judicial or other adversarial proceeding concerning this Lease, to the extent permitted by Law, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover from the other party all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other Costs, specifically including reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with any appeals (whether or not taxable as such by law), in addition to any other relief to which it may be entitled. In addition, upon a default hereunder by either party, the non-defaulting party shall, upon demand, be entitled to all reasonable attorneys’ fees and all other Costs incurred in the preparation and service of any notice or demand hereunder, whether or not a legal action is subsequently commenced. Each party shall also be entitled to recover its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other Costs incurred in any bankruptcy action filed by or against the other party, including, without limitation, those incurred in seeking relief from the automatic stay, in dealing with the assumption or rejection of this Lease, in any adversary proceeding, and in the preparation and filing of any proof of claim.
Section 16.08.
    Memoranda of Lease. Concurrently with the execution of this Lease, Landlord and Tenant are executing Landlord’s standard form memorandum of lease in recordable form, indicating the names and addresses of Landlord and Tenant, a description of the Properties, the Lease Term, but omitting Rentals and such other terms of this Lease as Landlord may not desire to disclose to the public. Further, upon Landlord’s request, Tenant agrees to execute and acknowledge a termination of lease and/or quitclaim deed in recordable form upon the expiration or sooner termination of the Lease Term. Tenant shall be responsible for the payment of all recording costs, fees and taxes relating to the execution and/or recording of the memorandum of lease or termination of lease pursuant to this Section 16.10.
Section 16.09.
    No Brokerage. Landlord and Tenant represent and warrant to each other that they have had no conversation or negotiations with any broker concerning the leasing of the Properties. Each of Landlord and Tenant agrees to protect, indemnify, save and keep harmless the other, against and from all liabilities, claims, losses, Costs, damages and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, arising out of, resulting from or in connection with their breach of the foregoing warranty and representation.
Section 16.10.
    Waiver of Jury Trial and Certain Damages. LANDLORD AND TENANT HEREBY KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVE THE RIGHT EITHER MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY AND ALL ISSUES PRESENTED IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING, CLAIM OR COUNTERCLAIM BROUGHT BY EITHER OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGAINST THE OTHER OR ITS SUCCESSORS WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATTER ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS LEASE, THE RELATIONSHIP OF LANDLORD AND TENANT, TENANT’S USE OR OCCUPANCY OF THE PROPERTIES, AND/OR ANY CLAIM FOR INJURY OR DAMAGE, OR ANY EMERGENCY OR STATUTORY REMEDY. THIS WAIVER BY THE PARTIES HERETO OF ANY RIGHT EITHER MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED AND IS AN ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF THEIR BARGAIN. FURTHERMORE, TENANT AND LANDLORD HEREBY KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVE THE RIGHT EACH MAY HAVE TO SEEK PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL AND INDIRECT DAMAGES FROM LANDLORD, THE OTHER PARTY AND ANY OF THE AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, MEMBERS, MANAGERS OR EMPLOYEES OF SUCH PARTY OR ANY OF THEIR SUCCESSORS WITH RESPECT TO ANY AND ALL ISSUES PRESENTED IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING, CLAIM OR COUNTERCLAIM BROUGHT WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATTER ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS LEASE OR ANY DOCUMENT CONTEMPLATED HEREIN OR RELATED HERETO. THE WAIVER BY TENANT AND LANDLORD OF ANY RIGHT EACH MAY HAVE TO SEEK PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL AND INDIRECT DAMAGES HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED BY THE PARTIES HERETO AND IS AN ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF THEIR BARGAIN. THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING SENTENCE SHALL NOT LIMIT THE RIGHT OF LANDLORD TO SEEK THE REMEDY OF ACCELERATION OF RENT AS SET FORTH IN SECTION 12.02(i) OR LIMIT ANY RIGHT OF LANDLORD TO OBTAIN INDEMNIFICATION WITH RESPECT TO LOSSES TO THE EXTENT THAT SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARE AWARDED TO THIRD PARTIES IN JUDGMENTS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE FALL WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF LOSSES.
Section 16.11.
    State-Specific Provisions. The provisions and/or remedies which are set forth on the attached Exhibit 16.11 shall be deemed a part of and included within the terms and conditions of this Lease.
Section 16.12.
    Time Is of the Essence; Computation. Time is of the essence with respect to each and every provision of this Lease. If any deadline provided herein falls on a non-Business Day, such deadline shall be extended to the next day that is a Business Day.
Section 16.13.
    Waiver and Amendment. No provision of this Lease shall be deemed waived or amended except by a written instrument unambiguously setting forth the matter waived or amended and signed by the party against which enforcement of such waiver or amendment is sought. Waiver of any matter shall not be deemed a waiver of the same or any other matter on any future occasion. No acceptance by Landlord of an amount less than the Rental and other Monetary Obligations stipulated to be due under this Lease shall be deemed to be other than a payment on account of the earliest such Rental or other Monetary Obligations then due or in arrears nor shall any endorsement or statement on any check or letter accompanying any such payment be deemed a waiver of Landlord’s right to collect any unpaid amounts or an accord and satisfaction.
Section 16.14.
    Successors Bound. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the terms, covenants and conditions contained in this Lease shall bind and inure to the benefit of the respective heirs, successors, executors, administrators and assigns of each of the parties hereto.
Section 16.15.
    Captions. Captions are used throughout this Lease for convenience of reference only and shall not be considered in any manner in the construction or interpretation hereof.
Section 16.16.
    Other Documents. Each of the parties agrees to sign such other and further documents as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the intentions expressed in this Lease.
Section 16.17.
    Entire Agreement. This Lease and any other instruments or agreements referred to herein, constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and there are no other representations, warranties or agreements except as herein provided.
Section 16.18.
    Forum Selection; Jurisdiction; Venue; Choice of Law. For purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of this Lease, the parties hereto expressly submit to the jurisdiction of all federal and state courts located in the State of Ohio. Tenant consents that it may be served with any process or paper by registered mail or by personal service within or without the State of Ohio in accordance with applicable law. Furthermore, Tenant waives and agrees not to assert in any such action, suit or proceeding that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such courts, that the action, suit or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that venue of the action, suit or proceeding is improper. Nothing contained in this Section shall limit or restrict the right of any party to commence any proceeding in the federal or state courts located in the states where the Properties are located to the extent such party deems such proceeding necessary or advisable to exercise remedies available under this Lease. This Lease shall be governed by, and construed with, the laws of the applicable state or states in which the Properties are located, without giving effect to any state’s conflict of laws principles.
Section 16.19.
    Counterparts. This Lease may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original.
Section 16.20.
    Confidentiality. Notwithstanding any provision of this Lease to the contrary, Landlord hereby agrees that it will hold and keep confidential, and shall not disclose to any other Person, any information provided by Tenant to Landlord which is marked “Confidential”, which Tenant advises is confidential to Landlord in writing, or which Landlord otherwise reasonably knows has not been publicly disclosed (“Confidential Information”). Confidential Information shall not include information which (a) is already known to Landlord prior to receipt as evidenced by prior documentation thereof or has been independently developed by Landlord on a non-confidential basis; (b) is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of an improper disclosure by Landlord or its representatives; (c) becomes available to Landlord on a non-confidential basis from a source other than Tenant or any of its representatives, provided that such source is not, to Landlord’s knowledge, bound by a confidentiality agreement with or other contractual, legal or fiduciary obligation of a confidentiality to Tenant with respect to such information, or (d) is disclosed pursuant to a requirement of a court, administrative agency or other regulation or governmental body or is disclosed pursuant to applicable law, rule or regulation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Landlord may, without the written consent of Tenant, disclose any Confidential Information to (i) members, managers, officers, directors, employees and legal representatives of Landlord and its Affiliates who need to know such Confidential Information; (ii) a Lender or a proposed new lender or of Landlord and its Affiliates in connection with any financings or refinancings involving the Properties, Landlord and/or its Affiliates; (iii) auditors or accountants of Landlord and its Affiliates as maybe required in connection with any audit or other review of the books or records of any such Person; (iv) any Lender, trustee or rating agency in connection with a Securitization; (v) any prospective purchaser of one or more of the Properties or of any interest in Landlord and such purchaser’s equity owners, managers, officers, directors, employees and legal representative who need to know such Confidential Information; (vi) such other Persons as may be required by law, government regulation or order, subpoena or any other legal, administrative or legislative process; and (vii) such other Persons as Landlord may reasonably request, provided that such Person is informed as to the confidential nature of such information and agrees to keep such information confidential. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Landlord agrees to be liable for disclosure of Confidential Information in violation of this Section by any Person to whom such information is disclosed pursuant to this Section.
Section 16.21.
    Compliance with Restrictions. Tenant, at its expense, shall comply with all restrictive covenants and all title restrictions affecting and enforceable against the Properties (including declarations and easement agreements) existing as of the Effective Date or entered into after the Effective Date with the consent of Tenant (collectively, the “Restrictions”) and comply with and perform all of the obligations set forth therein, whether performable prior to or during the Lease Term, including, without limitation, all insurance requirements, regardless of whether any such requirements exceed the requirements otherwise set forth in this Lease. Further, in addition to Tenant’s payment obligations under this Lease, Tenant shall pay all sums charged, levied or assessed under any valid and enforceable Restrictions affecting the Properties promptly as the same become due and shall furnish Landlord evidence of payment thereof upon request of Landlord; provided, however, that Landlord agrees to provide promptly to Tenant copies of any notices under the Restrictions that are otherwise received by Landlord as the owner of the Properties, Landlord authorizes Tenant to receive directly all notices under the Restrictions, and upon Tenant’s written request, Landlord agrees to sign and record such documents as are reasonably necessary to direct copies of all such future notices directly to Tenant with respect to such Restrictions during the Term of this Lease for such Properties subject to the Restrictions. Landlord further covenants and agrees that during the Lease Term for any Properties subject to Restrictions, Landlord may not amend or modify the Restrictions or directly or indirectly consent to the amendment or modification of the Restrictions, or create new restrictions, without the prior written consent of Tenant, which Tenant agrees not to unreasonably withhold.
[Remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature page(s) to follow]



4




IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Landlord and Tenant have entered into this Lease as of the date first above written.
Signed, sealed and delivered
in the presence of:


   
Name:


   
Name:

LANDLORD

NATIONAL RETAIL PROPERTIES, LP,
a Delaware limited partnership

By: NNN GP Corp., a Delaware corporation,
 
as General Partner


By:   
Name:   
Title:

 
 
 
 
 
 

STATE OF FLORIDA
COUNTY OF ORANGE
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this _____ day of April, 2016 by ________________________________, as _________________________ of NNN GP Corp., a Delaware corporation, as general partner of NATIONAL RETAIL PROPERTIES, LP, a Delaware limited partnership, on behalf of the partnership. He is personally known to me.

 
   
   
Notary Public - State of
Print Name:
Commission Number:
Commission Expires:

(NOTARY SEAL))







Signed, sealed and delivered
in the presence of:


   
Name:


   
Name:

TENANT

BOB EVANS FARMS, LLC, an Ohio limited
liability company


By:   
Name:   
Title:

 
 

STATE OF _____________
COUNTY OF ___________
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this _____ day of April, 2016 by ________________________________, as _________________________ of BOB EVANS FARMS, LLC an Ohio limited liability company, on behalf of the company. He/she is personally known to me or has produced _________ as identification.

 
   
Notary Public - State of
Print Name:
Commission Number:
Commission Expires:

(NOTARY SEAL)




Exhibit


EXHIBIT 10.5
MASTER LEASE AGREEMENT
between
BE PORTFOLIO, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
and
BOB EVANS FARMS, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company



Dated April 14, 2016

1





TABLE OF CONTENTS
ARTICLE I6
BASIC LEASE TERMS6
Section 1.01. Properties6
Section 1.02. Initial Term Expiration Date6
Section 1.03. Extension Options6
Section 1.04. Term Expiration Date (if fully extended)6
Section 1.05. Initial Base Annual Rental6
Section 1.06. Defined Terms6
ARTICLE II13
LEASE OF PROPERTIES13
Section 2.01. Lease13
Section 2.02. Lease Guaranty14
Section 2.03. Quiet Enjoyment14
ARTICLE III15
LEASE TERM; EXTENSION15
Section 3.01. Initial Term15
Section 3.02. Extensions15
Section 3.03. Notice of Exercise15
Section 3.04. Removal of Personalty15
ARTICLE IV16
RENTAL AND OTHER MONETARY OBLIGATIONS16
Section 4.01. Base Monthly Rental16
Section 4.02. Adjustments16
Section 4.03. Extension Term Rental16
Section 4.04. Additional Rental17
Section 4.05. Rentals To Be Net to Lessor17
Section 4.06. ACH Authorization18
Section 4.07. Late Charges; Default Interest18
Section 4.08. Holdover18
ARTICLE V18

2



REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF TENANT18
Section 5.01. Organization, Authority and Status of Tenant19
Section 5.02. Enforceability19
Section 5.03. Property Condition19
Section 5.04. Litigation19
Section 5.05. Other Agreements        19
Section 5.06. Licenses and Permits        19
Section 5.07. Financial Condition; Information Provided to Landlord    19
Section 5.08. Compliance With OFAC Laws        20
Section 5.09. Solvency        20
Section 5.10. Treatment of Rental        20
Section 5.11. No Plan Assets; No Government Plan        20
Section 5.12. Flood Hazard        20
ARTICLE VI21
TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS; UTILITIES; INSURANCE21
Section 6.01. Taxes21
Section 6.02. Utilities22
Section 6.03. Insurance23
ARTICLE VII26
MAINTENANCE; ALTERATIONS26
Section 7.01. Condition of Property; Maintenance26
Section 7.02. Alterations and Improvements27
Section 7.03. Tenant’s Property, Fixtures and Equipment28
Section 7.04. Improvements Upon Termination, Subletting or Assignment    29
ARTICLE VIII29
USE OF THE PROPERTIES; COMPLIANCE29
Section 8.01. Use and Operation        29
Section 8.02. (a) Operation and (b) Closure..        29
Section 8.03. Compliance31
Section 8.04. Environmental32
Section 8.05. Cooperation36
Section 8.06. Permitted Contests36
ARTICLE IX37
ADDITIONAL COVENANTS37
Section 9.01. Performance at Tenant’s Expense37
Section 9.02. Inspection37

3



Section 9.03. Financial Information37
Section 9.04. OFAC Laws38
Section 9.05. Estoppel Certificate39
ARTICLE X39
RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION39
Section 10.01. Release and Indemnification39
ARTICLE XI40
CONDEMNATION AND CASUALTY40
Section 11.01. Notification40
Section 11.02. Total Condemnation40
Section 11.03. Partial Condemnation or Casualty41
Section 11.04. Temporary Taking42
Section 11.05. Adjustment of Losses42
Section 11.06. Tenant Obligation in Event of Casualty42
Section 11.07. Tenant Awards and Payments42
ARTICLE XII43
DEFAULT, CONDITIONAL LIMITATIONS, REMEDIES AND MEASURE OF DAMAGES43
Section 12.01. Event of Default43
Section 12.02. Remedies44
Section 12.03. Cumulative Remedies46
Section 12.04. Tenant Waiver46
Section 12.05. Landlord’s Duty to Mitigate Damages46
ARTICLE XIII47
MORTGAGE, SUBORDINATION AND ATTORNMENT47
Section 13.01. No Liens47
Section 13.02. Subordination47
Section 13.03. Election To Declare Lease Superior47
Section 13.04. Attornment47
Section 13.05. Execution of Additional Documents48
Section 13.06. Notice to Lender48
ARTICLE XIV48
ASSIGNMENT48
Section 14.01. Assignment by Tenant48

4



Section 14.02. Subletting49
Section 14.03. No Release        49
Section 14.04. No Recognition49
Section 14.05. Substitution by Tenant        50
Section 14.06. Assignment by Landlord53
ARTICLE XV55
NOTICES55
Section 15.01. Notices55
ARTICLE XVI56
MISCELLANEOUS56
Section 16.01. Force Majeure56
Section 16.02. No Merger56
Section 16.03. Interpretation56
Section 16.04. Characterization57
Section 16.05. Disclosure57
Section 16.06. Bankruptcy57
Section 16.07. Attorneys’ Fees58
Section 16.08. Memoranda of Lease59
Section 16.09. No Brokerage59
Section 16.10. Waiver of Jury Trial and Certain Damages59
Section 16.11. State-Specific Provisions60
Section 16.12. Time Is of the Essence; Computation60
Section 16.13. Waiver and Amendment60
Section 16.14. Successors Bound60
Section 16.15. Captions60
Section 16.16. Other Documents60
Section 16.17. Entire Agreement60
Section 16.18. Forum Selection; Jurisdiction; Venue; Choice of Law60
Section 16.19. Counterparts61
Section 16.20. Confidentiality61
Section 16.21. Compliance with Restrictions62
Section 16.22. Third Party Leases                       62


5




MASTER LEASE AGREEMENT
THIS MASTER LEASE AGREEMENT (this “Lease”) is made as of April 14, 2016 (the “Effective Date”), by and between BE PORTFOLIO, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“Landlord”), whose address is c/o Mesirow Realty Sale-Leaseback, Inc., 353 N. Clark Street, Chicago, Illonois 60654, and BOB EVANS FARMS, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (“Tenant”), whose address is 8111 Smith’s Mill Road, New Albany, Ohio 43054. The obligations of Tenant under this Lease are guaranteed by BOB EVANS FARMS, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”) and BEF FOODS, INC., an Ohio corporation (“BEF”) (Parent and BEF being collectively “Lease Guarantor”) pursuant to a Lease Guaranty of even date herewith (the “Lease Guaranty”). In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, Landlord and Tenant hereby covenant and agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
BASIC LEASE TERMS
Section 1.01. Properties. The street addresses and legal descriptions of the Properties are set forth on Exhibit 1.01 attached hereto.
Section 1.02. Initial Term Expiration Date. April 30, 2036.    
Section 1.03. Extension Options. Five (5) extension periods of (5) years each, as described in Section 3.02.
Section 1.04. Term Expiration Date (if fully extended). April 30, 2061.
Section 1.05. Initial Base Annual Rental. $2,422,191, as described in Article IV.
Section 1.06. Defined Terms. The following terms shall have the following meanings for all purposes of this Lease:
Accessibility Laws” means The Architectural Barriers Act of 1968, The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, The Americans With Disabilities Act, the accessibility code(s), if any, of the state in which the Properties are located, and all regulations and guidelines promulgated under any all of the foregoing, as the same may be amended from time to time.
Additional Rental” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.04.
Adjustment Date” shall mean May 1, 2017 and each subsequent May 1 of each year during the Lease Term, including each Extension Term.
Affiliate” means any Person which directly or indirectly controls, is under common control with or is controlled by any other Person. For purposes of this definition, “controls,” “under common control with,” and “controlled by” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or otherwise.
“Aggregate Amount” means the sum obtained by multiplying the number of Properties subject to this Lease by $35,000.00.
“Allocated Base Rent Amount” has the meaning set forth in Section 14.06.
Anti-Money Laundering Laws” means all applicable laws, regulations and government guidance on the prevention and detection of money laundering, including, without limitation, (a) 18 U.S.C. §§ 1956 and 1957; and (b) the Bank Secrecy Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 5311 et seq., and its implementing regulations, 31 CFR Part 103.
Bankruptcy Code” means the United States Bankruptcy Code, 11 U.S.C. Sec. 101 et seq., as amended.
Base Annual Rental” means the sum of Two Million Four Hundred Twenty-Two Thousand One Hundred Ninety-One and 00/00 Dollars ($2,422,191.00) subject to adjustment as provided in this Lease.
Base Monthly Rental” means an amount equal to 1/12 of the applicable Base Annual Rental.
Business Day” means a day on which banks located in Columbus, Ohio, are not required or authorized to remain closed.
Casualty” means any loss of or damage to any property included within or related to the Properties or arising from an adjoining property caused by an Act of God, fire, flood or other casualty.
Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as the same maybe amended from time to time.
Condemnation” means a Taking and/or a Requisition.
Confidential Information” has the meaning set forth in Section 16.20.
Consolidated Net Rent” means the sum of (i) with respect to all properties that are leased or subleased to users, the greater of (x) rent expense for such properties for a period minus rent income for such properties for such period or (y) zero dollars; plus (ii) with respect to all other properties, rent expense for such other properties.  In respect of any lease that for accounting purposes is treated as a capital lease or debt financing rather than an operating lease, the rent payable thereunder shall be counted as rent expense and any rental income received thereunder shall be treated as rental income.
Costs” means all reasonable, direct, out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred by a Person, including, without limitation, reasonable attorney and paralegal fees and expenses, court costs, expert witness fees, costs of tests and analyses, travel and accommodation expenses, deposition and trial transcripts, copies and other similar costs and fees, brokerage fees, escrow fees, title insurance premiums, appraisal fees, stamp taxes, recording fees, transfer taxes and lease taxes or fees, as the circumstances require.
Default Rate” means 18% per annum or the highest rate permitted by law, whichever is less.
EBITDA” means (a)net income for such period plus (b) to the extent deducted in determining net income for such period, (i) interest expense, (ii) income tax expense, (iii) depreciation and amortization, (iv) other non-cash expenses including but not limited to non-cash rent adjustments as required under US GAAP, (v) one-time transaction costs related to business acquisitions or mergers, (vi) losses on asset sales and(vii) other extraordinary or non-recurring expenses reasonably acceptable to the Landlord, minus (c) to the extent previously added back to net income, (i) non-cash income and gains, and (ii) in respect of any lease that for accounting purposes is treated as a capital lease or debt financing rather than an operating lease, the rent payable thereunder.
“EBITDAR” means the sum of EBITDA for a period plus Consolidated Net Rent for the same period.
Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in the introductory paragraph of this Lease.
Environmental Laws” means federal, state and local laws, ordinances, common law requirements and regulations and standards, rules, policies and other governmental requirements, administrative rulings and court judgments and decrees having the effect of law in effect now or in the future and including all amendments, that relate to Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances, USTs, and/or the protection of human health or the environment, or relating to liability for or Costs of Remediation or prevention of Releases, and apply to Tenant and/or the Properties.
Environmental Liens” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.04(a)(ii).
Event of Default” has the meaning set forth in Section 12.01.
Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Excluded Taxes” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01(a).
“Existing Environmental Reports” means all Phase I, Phase II and other environmental reports delivered to Landlord by or on behalf of Tenant prior to the Effective Date and listed on Exhibit 1.06 attached hereto.
Expiration Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01.
Extension Option” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02.
Extension Term” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.02.
Force Majeure Event” has the meaning set forth in Section 16.01.
Governmental Authority” means any governmental authority, agency, department, commission, bureau, board, instrumentality, court or quasi-governmental authority of the United States, any state or any political subdivision thereof with authority to adopt, modify, amend, interpret, give effect to or enforce any federal, state and local laws, statutes, ordinances, rules or regulations, including common law, or to issue court orders.
Hazardous Materials” includes: (a) oil, petroleum products, flammable substances, explosives, radioactive materials, hazardous wastes or substances, toxic wastes or substances or any other materials, contaminants or pollutants which pose a hazard to any of the Properties or to Persons on or about any of the Properties, cause any of the Properties to be in violation of any Environmental Law), or are defined as or included in the definition of “hazardous substances,” “hazardous wastes,” “hazardous materials,” “toxic substances,” “contaminants,” “pollutants,” or words of similar import under any applicable Environmental Law, including, but not limited to: (i) the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 9601, et seq.; (ii) the Hazardous Materials Transportation Act, as amended, 49 U.S.C. § 1801, et seq.; (iii) the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 6901, et seq.; and (iv) regulations adopted and publications promulgated pursuant to the aforesaid laws; (b) asbestos in any form which is or could become friable, urea formaldehyde foam insulation, transformers or other equipment which contain dielectric fluid containing levels of polychlorinated biphenyls in excess of fifty (50) parts per million; (c) USTs; and (d) any other chemical, material or substance, exposure to which is prohibited, limited or regulated by any Governmental Authority pursuant to applicable Environmental Law.
Indemnified Parties” means Landlord, Lender and each of their respective members, managers, officers, directors, shareholders, partners, employees, agents, servants, representatives, contractors, subcontractors, affiliates, subsidiaries, participants, successors and assigns (including, but not limited to, any successors by merger, consolidation or acquisition of all or a substantial portion of the assets and business of Landlord) and predecessors-in-interest to any such parties with respect to this Lease or any of the Properties (including, but not limited to, (i) any party that has been Landlord under this Lease (and such Landlord’s related Indemnified Parties) notwithstanding the assignment by such party of its interest as Landlord under this Lease and (ii) a party that has been a Lender with respect to any or all of the Properties (and their related Indemnified Parties) notwithstanding the assignment or release of the mortgage held by such Lender).
Initial Term” has the meaning set forth in Section 3.01.
Insolvency Event” means (a) a Person’s (i) failure to generally pay its debts as such debts become due; (ii) admitting in writing its inability to pay its debts generally; or (iii) making a general assignment for the benefit of creditors; (b) any proceeding being instituted by or against any Person (i) seeking to adjudicate it bankrupt or insolvent; (ii) seeking liquidation, dissolution, winding up, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, protection, relief, or composition of it or its debts under any law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization or relief of debtors; or (iii) seeking the entry of an order for relief or the appointment of a receiver, trustee, or other similar official for it or for any substantial part of its property, and in the case of any such proceeding instituted against any Person, either such proceeding shall not have been dismissed for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days or any of the actions sought in such proceeding shall occur; or (c) any Person taking any corporate action to authorize any of the actions set forth above in this definition.
Landlord Entity” or “Landlord Entities” means individually or collectively, as the context may require, Landlord and all Affiliates of Landlord.
Law(s)” means any constitution, statute, rule of law, code, ordinance, order, judgment, decree, injunction, rule, regulation, policy, requirement or administrative or judicial determination, even if unforeseen or extraordinary, of every duly constituted Governmental Authority, court or agency, now or hereafter enacted or in effect.
Lease Term” shall have the meaning described in Section 3.01.
Legal Requirements” means the requirements of all present and future Laws (including, without limitation, Environmental Laws and Accessibility Laws, all judicial and administrative interpretations thereof, including any judicial order, consent, decree or judgment, and Permitted Encumbrances which may be applicable to Tenant or to any of the Properties, or to the use, manner of use, occupancy, possession, operation, maintenance, alteration, repair or restoration of any of the Properties, even if compliance therewith necessitates structural changes or improvements or results in interference with the use or enjoyment of any of the Properties.
Lender” means any lender in connection with any loan secured by Landlord’s interest in any or all of the Properties, and any servicer of any loan secured by Landlord’s interest in any or all of the Properties.
Losses” means any and all claims, suits, liabilities (including, without limitation, strict liabilities), actions, proceedings, obligations, debts, damages, losses, Costs, diminutions in value (to the extent such diminution in value results from the action or omission resulting in any such Loss), fines, penalties, interest, charges, fees, judgments, awards, amounts paid in settlement and damages of whatever kind or nature, inclusive of bodily injury and property damage to third parties (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and other Costs); provided, however, that in no event shall Losses include special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages except to the extent that special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages are awarded to third parties in judgments that would otherwise fall within the definition of Losses.
Material Adverse Effect” means a material adverse effect on (a) any of the Properties, including, without limitation, the operation of any of the Properties as Permitted Facilities and/or the value of any of the Properties; (b) the contemplated business, condition, worth or operations of any Tenant Entity; (c) Tenant’s ability to perform its obligations under this Lease; or (d) Landlord’s interests in any of the Properties or this Lease. Without limitation of the foregoing, the failure of Tenant to cure within any applicable grace period any default or deficiency cited in any written notice of default given to Tenant under any Permitted Encumbrance or by any Governmental Authority shall in and of itself constitute a Material Adverse Effect.
Monetary Obligations” means all Rental and all other sums payable or reimbursable by Tenant under this Lease to Landlord, any Indemnified Party or any third party.
Mortgages” means, collectively, the mortgages, deeds of trust or deeds to secure debt, assignments of rents and leases, security agreements and fixture filings executed by Landlord for the benefit of a Lender with respect to any or all of the Properties, as such instruments may be amended, modified, restated or supplemented from time to time and any and all replacements or substitutions.
Net Award” means (a) the entire award payable with respect to a Property by reason of a Condemnation whether pursuant to a judgment or by agreement or otherwise; or (b) the entire proceeds of any insurance required under Section 6.03 payable with respect to a Property, as the case maybe, and in either case, less any Costs incurred by Landlord in collecting such award or proceeds.
OFAC Laws” means Executive Order 13224 issued by the President of the United States, and all regulations promulgated thereunder, including, without limitation, the Terrorism Sanctions Regulations (31 CFR Part 595), the Terrorism List Governments Sanctions Regulations (31 CFR Part 596), the Foreign Terrorist Organizations Sanctions Regulations (31 CFR Part 597), and the Cuban Assets Control Regulations (31 CFR Part 515), and all other present and future federal, state and local laws, ordinances, regulations, policies, lists (including, without limitation, the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List) and any other requirements of any Governmental Authority (including without limitation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control) addressing, relating to, or attempting to eliminate, terrorist acts and acts of war, each as supplemented, amended or modified from time to time after the Effective Date, and the present and future rules, regulations and guidance documents promulgated under any of the foregoing, or under similar laws, ordinances, regulations, policies or requirements of other states or localities.
Partial Condemnation” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.03.
Permitted Amounts” shall mean, with respect to any given level of Hazardous Materials or Regulated Substances, that level or quantity of Hazardous Materials or Regulated Substances in any form or combination of forms which does not constitute a violation of any Environmental Laws and is customarily employed in, or associated with, similar businesses located in the states where the Properties are located.
“Permitted Encumbrances” means all Restrictions and all other encumbrances to title existing as of the Effective Date together with all encumbrances to title arising pursuant to any provision of this Lease.
Permitted Facility” or “Permitted Facilities” means a Bob Evans Farms Restaurant or any other restaurant concept, all related purposes such as ingress, egress and parking, and uses incidental thereto.
Person” means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust, unincorporated organization, Governmental Authority or any other form of entity.
Property” or “Properties” means those parcels of real estate listed on Exhibit 1.01 attached hereto, all rights, privileges, and appurtenances associated therewith, but specifically excluding all mineral rights and interests which shall be retained exclusively by Landlord (subject to the condition that no extraction of such minerals will be permitted to occur during the Lease Term from the surface of any Property but such extraction may be done from nearby properties provided that such extraction does not interfere with the operation of the business on any Property), and all buildings, fixtures and other improvements now or hereafter located on such real estate (whether or not affixed to such real estate) but excluding Tenant’s Personal Property.
“Real Estate Taxes” means all taxes, assessments, tax increment financing charges or assessments, and all other governmental impositions and charges of every kind and nature whatsoever, extraordinary, special and ordinary, and each and every installment thereof which are charged, laid, levied, assessed, or imposed upon, or arise in connection with, the use, occupancy or possession of the Properties or any parts thereof, including, without limitation, ad valorem real and personal property taxes, non-ad valorem taxes, tax increment financing payments or any similar payments, special taxing district taxes or charges, infrastructure improvement or construction charges or assessments, and all taxes charged, laid, levied, assessed or imposed in lieu of or in addition to any of the foregoing by virtue of all present or future laws, ordinances, requirements, orders, directions, rules or regulations of federal, state, county and municipal governments and of all other governmental authorities whatsoever.
Regulated Substances” means “petroleum” and “petroleum-based substances” or any similar terms described or defined in any of the Environmental Laws and any applicable federal, state, county or local laws applicable to or regulating USTs.
Release” means any presence, release, deposit, discharge, emission, leaking, spilling, seeping, migrating, injecting, pumping, pouring, emptying, escaping, dumping, disposing or other movement of Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances or USTs.
Remediation” means any response, remedial, removal, or corrective action, any activity to cleanup, detoxify, decontaminate, contain or otherwise remediate any Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances or USTs, any actions to prevent, cure or mitigate any Release, any action to comply with any Environmental Laws or with any permits issued pursuant thereto, any inspection, investigation, study, monitoring, assessment, audit, sampling and testing, laboratory or other analysis, or any evaluation relating to any Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances or USTs, all to the extent the foregoing are required by applicable Environmental Law or Governmental Authority.
Rental” means, collectively, the Base Annual Rental and the Additional Rental.
Requisition” means any temporary requisition or confiscation of the use or occupancy of any one or more Properties or any part of any Property by any Governmental Authority, civil or military, whether pursuant to an agreement with such Governmental Authority in settlement of or under threat of any such requisition or confiscation, or otherwise.
Restaurant Equipment Package” has the meaning set forth in Section 7.03.
Restrictions” has the meaning set forth in Section 16.25.
Securities Act” means of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Substitute Documents” has the meaning set forth in Section 14.05.
Substitute Property” has the meaning set forth in Section 14.05.
Substitution Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 14.05.
Successor Landlord” has the meaning set forth in Section 13.04.
Taking” means (a) any taking or damaging of all or a portion of the Properties (i) in or by condemnation or other eminent domain proceedings pursuant to any Law, general or special; (ii) by reason of any agreement with any condemnor in settlement of or under threat of any such condemnation or other eminent domain proceeding; or (iii) by any other means; or (b) any de facto condemnation. The Taking shall be considered to have taken place as of the later of the date actual physical possession is taken by the condemnor, or the date on which the right to compensation and damages accrues under the law applicable to the Properties.
Temporary Taking” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.04.
Tenant Entity” or “Tenant Entities” means individually or collectively, as the context may require, Tenant and all Affiliates thereof.
Tenant’s Personal Property” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7.03.
Third Party Lease” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 16.22.
Threatened Release” means a substantial likelihood of a Release which requires action to prevent or mitigate damage to the soil, surface waters, groundwaters, land, stream sediments, surface or subsurface strata, ambient air or any other environmental medium comprising or surrounding any Property which may result from such Release.
Total Condemnation” has the meaning set forth in Section 11.02.
“US GAAP” means the generally accepted accounting principles adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
U.S. Publicly Traded Entity” means an entity whose securities are listed on a national securities exchange or quoted on an automated quotation system in the United States or a wholly-owned subsidiary of such an entity.
USTs” means any one or combination of tanks and associated product piping systems used in connection with storage, dispensing and general use of Regulated Substances.
ARTICLE II
LEASE OF PROPERTIES
Section 2.01. Lease. In consideration of Tenant’s payment of the Rental and other Monetary Obligations and Tenant’s performance of all other obligations hereunder, Landlord hereby leases to Tenant, and Tenant hereby leases from Landlord, the Properties, “AS IS” and “WHERE IS” without representation or warranty by Landlord, and subject to the existing state of title, the parties in possession, any statement of facts which an accurate surveyor physical inspection might reveal, and all Legal Requirements now or hereafter in effect. Landlord and Tenant intend that this Lease constitutes an unseverable, unitary and single lease of all, but not less than all, of the Properties and neither this Lease, nor Tenant’s obligations or rights hereunder may be allocated or otherwise divided among such properties by Tenant except as specifically provided herein. Landlord and Tenant agree that this Lease constitutes a single and indivisible lease as to all of the Properties collectively, and shall not be subject to severance or division, except that (i) Tenant has the limited right to substitute like-kind properties for Properties pursuant to, and subject to the conditions stated in, Section 14.05 hereof without adjustment of the Annual Base Rental payable under this Lease, (ii) Landlord has the right, pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14.06 hereof, to divide the Properties into two or more groups of Properties under separate master leases but without adjustment of the aggregate Annual Base Rental payable under all such master leases and (iii) Landlord has the right to terminate this Lease as to a particular Property upon or following closure thereof by Tenant after the fifteenth lease year of the Lease Term on the terms and conditions set forth in Section 8.02(b) hereof. To accomplish the creation of an indivisible lease, Landlord and Tenant agree that from an economic point of view the portions of the Properties leased pursuant to this Lease constitute one economic unit and that Base Annual Rental and all other provisions have been negotiated and agreed to based on a demise of all of the Properties covered by this Lease as a single, composite, inseparable transaction with only the above-referenced exceptions. An Event of Default occurring with respect to any individual Property shall be an Event of Default under this Lease with respect to all of the Properties. In furtherance of the foregoing, Landlord and Tenant each (A) waive any claim or defense based upon the characterization of this Lease as anything other than a unitary master lease of the Properties and irrevocably waive any claim or defense which asserts that the Lease is anything other than a unitary master lease, (B) covenant and agree that it will not assert that this Lease is anything but a unitary, unseverable instrument pertaining to the lease of all, but not less than all, of the Properties, (C) stipulate and agree not to challenge the validity, enforceability or characterization of the lease of the Properties as a unitary, unseverable instrument pertaining to the lease of all, but not less than all, of the Properties, and (D) shall support the intent of the parties that this Lease is a unitary, unseverable instrument pertaining to the lease of all, but not less than all, of the Properties, if, and to the extent that, any challenge occurs. Landlord and Tenant agree that for purposes of any assumption, rejection or assignment of this Lease under 11 U.S.C. Section 365 or any amended or successor section thereof, this is one indivisible and non-severable lease dealing with and covering one legal and economic unit which must be assumed, rejected or assigned as a whole with respect to all (and only all) of the Properties covered hereby. The provisions of this Lease shall at all times be construed, interpreted and applied such that intention of Landlord and Tenant to create a unitary lease shall be preserved and maintained.
Section 2.02. Lease Guaranty. The effectiveness of this Lease is conditioned upon the execution and delivery to Landlord of the Lease Guaranty by Lease Guarantor.
Section 2.03. Quiet Enjoyment. So long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing hereunder, Tenant shall have, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the right to the peaceful and quiet enjoyment and occupancy of the Properties free of any interference by Landlord or anyone claiming by, through or under Landlord; provided, however, in no event shall Tenant be entitled to bring any action against Landlord to enforce its rights hereunder if an Event of Default, or any event or circumstance which, with the giving of notice or the passage of time, or both, would constitute an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing.
ARTICLE III
LEASE TERM; EXTENSION
Section 3.01. Initial Term. The initial term of this Lease (“Initial Term”) shall commence as of the Effective Date and shall expire at midnight on April 30, 2036 (“Expiration Date”), unless terminated sooner as provided in this Lease and as may be extended as provided herein. The time period during which this Lease shall actually be in effect, including any Extension Term, is referred to as the “Lease Term.” The first “lease year” of the Lease Term shall commence on the Effective Date and shall end on last day of the twelfth full calendar month thereafter, the second lease year shall commence on the first day of the calendar month immediately following the end of the first lease year and each subsequent lease year shall commence on an anniversary of the commencement date of the second lease year.
Section 3.02. Extensions. Unless this Lease has expired or has been sooner terminated, or an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at the time any extension option is exercised, Tenant shall have the right and option (each, an “Extension Option”) to extend the Initial Term for all and not less than all of the Properties for five (5) additional successive periods of five (5) years each (each, an “Extension Term”), pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Lease then in effect.
Section 3.03. Notice of Exercise. Tenant shall exercise the Extension Options by giving written notice (each an “Extension Notice”) thereof to Landlord of its election to do so no earlier than eighteen (18) months and no later than twelve (12) months prior to the expiration date of the Initial Term or the then-current Extension Term, as the case may be. If written notice of the exercise of any Extension Option is not received by Landlord within the applicable periods described in the immediately preceding sentence, then this Lease shall terminate on the last day of the Initial Term or, if applicable, the last day of the Extension Term then in effect. Upon the request of Landlord or Tenant, the parties hereto will execute and exchange an instrument in recordable form setting forth the extension of the Lease Term in accordance with this Section 3.03, and all recording costs related to the recording thereof shall be paid by the requesting party except that Tenant shall pay any transfer or lease tax associated with any such extension.
Section 3.04. Removal of Personalty. Prior to the expiration or earlier termination of the Lease Term, Tenant may remove from the Properties all of Tenant’s Personal Property. If Tenant fails to remove its Personal Property from any of the Properties upon the expiration of the Lease Term, Landlord shall have the right to remove and/or dispose of all such Tenant’s Personal Property and recover from Tenant any and all costs of such removal, and/or storage. Tenant shall repair any damage caused by such removal and shall leave all of the Properties clean and in good and working condition and repair inside and out considering the age and years of service of such Properties. This Section 3.04 shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of the Lease Term.
ARTICLE IV
RENTAL AND OTHER MONETARY OBLIGATIONS
Section 4.01. Base Monthly Rental. During the Lease Term, on or before the first day of each calendar month, Tenant shall pay in advance the Base Monthly Rental then in effect. If the Effective Date is a date other than the first day of the month, Tenant shall pay to Landlord on the Effective Date the Base Monthly Rental prorated by multiplying the Base Monthly Rental by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days remaining in the month (including the Effective Date) for which Rental is being paid, and the denominator of which is the total number of days in such month.
Section 4.02. Adjustments. Subject to Section 4.03, during the Initial Lease Term (and any Extension Term), on each Adjustment Date, the Base Annual Rental shall increase to an amount equal to 101.50% of the Base Annual Rental in effect immediately prior to the applicable Adjustment Date.
The new Base Annual Rental shall be payable in advance in consecutive monthly installments on the first (1st) day of each month until the next Adjustment Date, or the expiration of the Lease Term, as the case may be. Landlord’s delay or the failure of Landlord, beyond commencement of any Adjustment Date, in computing or billing for these adjustments will not impair the continuing obligation of Tenant to pay any and all Base Annual Rental or other Rental due hereunder including any increased Base Annual Rental from the Adjustment Date, when calculated and billed by Landlord.
Section 4.03. Extension Term Rental.
(a)    Base Annual Rental. Notwithstanding the terms and provisions of Sections 1.06 and 4.02, upon the commencement of each Extension Term of this Lease, the Base Annual Rental shall be adjusted to an amount equal to the greater of (i) 95% of the fair market rent for the Properties for the first year of the Extension Term (the “Fair Market Rent”) or (ii) 101.5% of the Base Annual Rental paid during the immediately preceding year (the greater of (i) or (ii) being the “Initial Increased Rent”). The parties shall commence the process for determining Fair Market Rent upon Tenant’s delivery of Tenant’s Extension Notice with respect to such Extension Term. The foregoing shall in no way affect the Base Annual Rental adjustments under Sections 1.06 and 4.02 that are scheduled to occur on dates other than at the commencement of each Extension Term; provided, however, with respect to the Adjustment Date that occurs at the commencement of each Extension Term, the adjustment to the Initial Increased Rent shall be the only adjustment to Base Annual Rental.
(b)    Fair Market Rent. With respect to the determination of the initial Base Annual Rental for an Extension Term, if the parties are unable to agree upon the Fair Market Rent of the Properties for the first year of the Extension Term, then an independent MAI appraiser selected by agreement of the parties within ten (10) days of said request shall prepare a determination of the Fair Market Rent. In making such determination, the appraiser shall consider rentals received in the general market areas in which the Properties are located for similar buildings of comparable characteristics, including, but not limited to, comparable lease terms, age, condition and classification. If within ten (10) business days after being notified of the results of such appraisal, either party elects to reject that determination, then each of the parties shall name an additional independent MAI appraiser within ten (10) days after such rejection. In the event the appraisers so named together with the originally named appraiser are unable to agree on Fair Market Rent, then Fair Market Rent shall be determined by the majority of said appraisers and reported to the parties within ten (10) days thereafter and such determination shall be conclusive and binding upon the parties and judgment upon the same may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. In the event the parties are unable to select the appraiser referred to in the first sentence of this subsection (b), each party shall select one appraiser within ten (10) days after the ten (10) day period referred to in such first sentence, and those two appraisers shall select a third appraiser. In the absence of an agreement as to the selection of said third appraiser, either party may apply to the American Arbitration Association (the “AAA”) for appointment of the independent appraiser pursuant to the AAA Arbitrator Select List and Appointment Process (or any replacement process adopted by the AAA). The determination of the majority of the appraisers as to the Fair Market Rent shall be conclusive and binding upon the parties and judgment upon the same may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. The costs and expenses of the appraisers selected pursuant to this Section 4.03, and any fees of the AAA, shall be divided equally between Tenant and Landlord.
Section 4.04. Additional Rental. Tenant shall pay and discharge, as additional rental (“Additional Rental”), all sums of money required to be paid by Tenant under this Lease which are not specifically referred to as Base Annual Rental or Base Monthly Rental. Tenant shall pay and discharge any Additional Rental prior to delinquency, provided that amounts which are billed to Landlord or any third party, but not to Tenant, shall be paid within thirty (30) days after Landlord’s demand for payment thereof but in any event prior to the date on which any payment due to a third party shall become delinquent (provided Landlord’s demand is at least five (5) days prior to the date upon which such payment shall become delinquent). In no event shall Tenant be required to pay to Landlord any item of Additional Rental that Tenant is obligated to pay and has paid to any third party pursuant to any provision of this Lease. The provisions set forth in this Section 4.04 shall be subject to Tenant’s rights under Sections 6.01(b) and 8.06.
Section 4.05. Rentals to be Net to Landlord. The Base Annual Rental payable hereunder shall be net to Landlord, so that this Lease shall yield to Landlord the Base Annual Rentals specified during the Lease Term net of all other Costs, obligations and charges whatsoever. All Costs, obligations and charges of every kind and nature whatsoever relating to the Properties shall be performed and paid by Tenant, including without limitation, common area maintenance charges, if any, related to the Properties and other charges, fees and costs arising under the Permitted Encumbrances and Legal Requirements. Tenant shall perform all of its obligations under this Lease at its sole cost and expense. All Rental and other Monetary Obligations which Tenant is required to pay hereunder shall be the unconditional obligation of Tenant and shall be payable in full when due and payable, without notice or demand (other than notices or demands required by this Lease), and without any setoff, abatement, deferment, deduction or counterclaim whatsoever. In no event shall Tenant have the right to withhold the payment of Rental by reason of any claim Tenant may have against Landlord, set off against any Rental any claim that Tenant may have against Landlord or terminate this Lease in whole or in part by reason of any claim that Tenant may have against Landlord or by reason of any default by Landlord under this Lease. In the event that Tenant is awarded a judgment against Landlord, Tenant’s sole recourse for satisfaction of such judgment shall be limited to execution against the interests of Landlord in the Properties.
Section 4.06. ACH Authorization. Upon execution of this Lease, Tenant shall deliver to Landlord a complete Authorization Agreement–Pre-Arranged Payments in the form of Exhibit 4.06 attached hereto and incorporated herein by this reference, together with a voided check for account verification, establishing arrangements whereby payments of the Base Monthly Rental are transferred by Automated Clearing House Debit initiated by Landlord from an account established by Tenant at a United States bank to such account as Landlord may designate. Upon no less than ten (10) business days’ notice to the other party, (i) Tenant may change the account information and/or the bank or other financial institution from which such funds are to be drawn, provided that the bank shall at all times be a United States Bank and (ii) Landlord may change the account into which the funds shall be deposited. Tenant shall continue to pay all Base Monthly Rental by Automated Clearing House Debit unless otherwise directed by Landlord.
Section 4.07. Late Charges; Default Interest. Any delinquent payment shall, in addition to any other remedy of Landlord, incur a late charge of five percent (5%) (which late charge is intended to compensate Landlord for the cost of handling and processing such delinquent payment and should not be considered interest) and bear interest at the Default Rate, such interest to be computed from and including the date such payment was due through and including the date of the payment; provided, however, (a) in no event shall Tenant be obligated to pay a sum of late charge and/or interest higher than the maximum legal rate then in effect; and (b) a late charge shall not be assessed against, and Default Interest shall not commence to accrue on, any delinquent Rental until the expiration of five (5) days following the due date thereof.
Section 4.08. Holdover. If Tenant remains in possession of any or all of the Properties after the expiration of the Lease Term, Tenant, at Landlord’s option and within Landlord’s sole discretion, may be deemed a tenant of such Properties on a month-to-month basis and shall continue to pay Rentals and other Monetary Obligations in the amounts herein provided, except that the Base Monthly Rental shall be automatically increased to 150% of the last Base Monthly Rental payable under this Lease, and Tenant shall comply with all the terms of this Lease; provided that nothing herein nor the acceptance of Rental by Landlord shall be deemed a consent to such holding over. Tenant shall defend, indemnify, protect and hold the Indemnified Parties harmless from and against any and all Losses resulting from Tenant’s failure to surrender possession upon the expiration of the Lease Term, including, without limitation, any claims made by any succeeding tenant or purchaser.
ARTICLE V
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF TENANT
The representations and warranties of Tenant contained in this Article V are being made to induce Landlord to enter into this Lease, and Landlord has relied, and will continue to rely, upon such representations and warranties. Tenant represents and warrants to Landlord, and covenants with Landlord, as follows:
Section 5.01. Organization, Authority and Status of Tenant. Tenant has been duly organized or formed, is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of its state of formation and is qualified as a foreign entity to do business in each state in which a Property is located and in any other jurisdictions where such qualification is required and where the failure to be so qualified would have a Material Adverse Effect. All necessary action has been taken to authorize the execution, delivery and performance by Tenant of this Lease and of the other documents, instruments and agreements provided for herein. Tenant is not, and if Tenant is a “disregarded entity,” the owner of such disregarded entity is not, a “non-resident alien,” “foreign corporation,” “foreign partnership,” “foreign trust,” “foreign estate,” or any other “person” that is not a “United States Person” as those terms are defined in the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder. The Person who has executed this Lease on behalf of Tenant is duly authorized to do so.
Section 5.02. Enforceability. This Lease constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of Tenant, enforceable against Tenant in accordance with its terms, except as such enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, moratorium or similar laws relating to or affecting the rights of creditors generally, or by general equitable principles.
Section 5.03. Property Condition. Tenant has physically inspected all of the Properties and has examined title to the Properties, and has found all of the same satisfactory in all respects for all of Tenant’s purposes. Tenant has unconditionally accepted possession of all of the Properties.
Section 5.04. Litigation. There are no suits, actions, proceedings or investigations pending, or to the best of its knowledge, threatened against or involving Tenant, any of Tenant’s Affiliates or any of the Properties, before any arbitrator or Governmental Authority that could reasonably be expected to result in any Material Adverse Effect.
 
Section 5.05. Other Agreements. The authorization, execution, delivery and performance of this Lease and the documents, instruments and agreements provided for herein will not result in any breach or default under any material document, instrument or agreement to which Tenant is a party or by which Tenant, the Properties or any of Tenant’s property is subject or bound.

Section 5.06. Licenses and Permits. Tenant has obtained all required licenses and permits, both governmental and private, necessary to use and operate the Properties as Permitted Facilities, except where the failure to obtain the same would not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.
Section 5.07. Financial Condition; Information Provided to Landlord. The financial statements, all financial data and all other documents and information heretofore delivered to Landlord by or with respect to the Tenant Entities and the Properties in connection with this Lease or relating to the Tenant Entities or the Properties are true, correct and complete in all material respects; there have been no amendments thereto since the date such items were prepared or delivered to Landlord; and all financial statements provided were prepared in accordance with US GAAP, and fairly present as of the date thereof the financial condition of each individual or entity to which they pertain.
Section 5.08. Compliance with OFAC Laws. None of the Tenant Entities (and in the event that Tenant is not a U.S. Publicly Traded Entity, no individual or entity owning directly or indirectly any interest in any of the Tenant Entities) is an individual or entity whose property or interests are subject to being blocked under any of the OFAC Laws or is otherwise in violation of any of the OFAC Laws; provided, however, that the representation contained in this sentence shall not apply to any Person to the extent such Person’s interest is in or through a U.S. Publicly Traded Entity.
Section 5.09. Solvency. There is no contemplated, pending or threatened Insolvency Event or similar proceedings, whether voluntary or involuntary, affecting Tenant or its Affiliates.
Section 5.10. Treatment of Rental. Tenant does not intend to, and shall not, apply the constant rental accrual method (within the meaning of section 1.467-3(b) of the Treasury Regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986) to any Rental paid by Tenant under this Lease.
Section 5.11. No Plan Assets; No Government Plan.
Tenant is not and shall not at any time during the Lease Term become, and Lease Guarantor is not and shall not at any time during the Lease Term become (1) an employee benefit plan defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA which is subject to ERISA, (2) a plan as defined in Section 4975(e)(1) of the Code which is subject to Section 4975 of the Code, (3) a “governmental plan” within the meaning of Section 3(32) of ERISA or (4) an entity any of whose underlying assets constitute “plan assets” of any such employee benefit plan, plan or governmental plan for purposes of Title I or ERISA, Section 4975 of the Code or any state statutes applicable to Persons regulating investments of governmental plans.
Section 5.12. Flood Hazard. No Property is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area (as such term is defined in the Federal Emergency Management Agency National Flood Insurance Program Mandatory Purchase of Flood Insurance Guidelines (the “FEMA Guidelines”) except as indicated in Exhibit 5.12 attached hereto (the Properties so identified in Exhibit 5.12 being “Flood Hazard Properties”).
For the purposes of Sections 5.04, and 5.06 only, a Material Adverse Effect shall not be deemed to exist unless, (A) with respect to any matter, the cost of remediation, resolution or achievement of compliance would exceed $100,000 per Property, or the Aggregate Amount with respect to all Properties, or would interfere with Tenant’s ability to operate its business at such Property or fulfill its obligations under this Lease, or (B) with respect to any litigation, action or proceeding, (i) damages in excess of $100,000 are sought with respect to any single Property or the Aggregate Amount with respect to all Properties; or (ii) if resolved adversely to Tenant, would interfere with Tenant’s ability to operate its business at such Property or fulfill its obligations under this Lease; or (iii) would reduce the value of any Property by $100,000; provided that alleged non-compliance by Tenant with Legal Requirements asserted by a Governmental Authority in any such litigation, action or other proceeding shall be deemed to constitute a Material Adverse Effect, but a tort claim that has been tendered to and accepted by Tenant’s insurance company, where the amount sought does not exceed applicable policy limits, shall not be deemed to constitute a Material Adverse Effect.
ARTICLE VI
TAXES AND ASSESSMENTS; UTILITIES; INSURANCE
Section 6.01. Taxes.
(a)
    Payment. Subject to the provisions of Section 6.01(b) below, Tenant shall pay, prior to delinquency, all taxes and assessments of every type or nature whatsoever, extraordinary as well as ordinary, assessed against or imposed upon any of the Properties that are imposed or assessed before or during the Lease Term, after the Lease Term that relate to the Lease Term and before or during the Lease Term that relate to periods prior to the Lease Term, including without limitation, (i) all Real Estate Taxes and other taxes or assessments upon the Properties or any part thereof and upon any personal property, trade fixtures and improvements located on the Properties, whether belonging to Landlord or Tenant, or any tax or charge levied in lieu of such taxes and assessments; (ii) all taxes, charges, license fees and or similar fees imposed by reason of the use of the Properties by Tenant; and (iii) all excise, franchise, transaction, privilege, license, sales, gross receipts, taxes on rent, use, and taxes upon the Rental or other Monetary Obligations hereunder, the leasehold estate of either party or the activities of either party pursuant to this Lease; provided, however, that any of such taxes or assessments that are assessed for any period in which this Lease has expired or terminated shall be appropriately prorated between Landlord and Tenant. Notwithstanding any terms of this Lease to the contrary, nothing contained in this Section 6.01 or elsewhere in this Lease shall obligate Tenant to pay (A) excess income, franchise, profit, revenue, gift or similar taxes of Landlord or any Affiliate thereof; (B) any recording taxes, indebtedness taxes or other taxes imposed with respect to or in connection with any of the Mortgages; or (C) any principal or interest on any indebtedness on the Property for which Landlord is an obligor or guarantor (collectively, the “Excluded Taxes”).
(b)
    Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of subsection (a) but subject to subsection (c) below, if, at any time during the Lease Term, an Event of Default occurs or Tenant fails to pay Real Estate Taxes assessed against any Property on the date they are due without the payment of penalties or interest then, upon the written request of Landlord or Lender, Tenant shall deposit with Lender or Landlord, as Landlord shall direct, on the first day of each calendar month thereafter during the remaining Lease Term such amounts as Lender or Landlord shall from time to time estimate to be sufficient to create and maintain a reserve fund from which (i) to pay Real Estate Taxes on all Properties at least thirty (30) days prior to the date they are due without the payment of any penalties or interest, and (ii) to pay, at least thirty (30) days prior to their due date, for the renewal of insurance policies required to be carried by Tenant under this Lease. Landlord may require that the first such deposit be a catch-up deposit so that monthly deposits thereafter shall be approximately one twelfth of the next annual Real Estate Taxes and insurance premiums due thereafter. Landlord or Landlord's Lender, as the case may be, shall not be required to segregate such deposits or pay interest thereon. Provided Tenant provides Landlord or Landlord's Lender, whichever is holding the fund, with invoices, bills or other evidence of the amounts due, Landlord or Landlord's Lender shall pay, or make available to Tenant to pay, from such reserve fund Real Estate Taxes and insurance premiums as they become due and payable, except that the holder shall be entitled to retain in the fund such amounts which the holder determines will be sufficient, together with subsequent monthly deposits by Tenant as required in this subsection (b), to pay future Real Estate Taxes and insurance premiums. Tenant shall be obligated to make up any deficiencies in the amounts made available by the holder from time to time.
(c)
    Right to Contest. Within thirty (30) days after each tax and assessment payment is required by this Section 6.01 to be paid, Tenant shall provide Landlord with evidence reasonably satisfactory to Landlord that taxes and assessments have been timely paid by Tenant. Tenant shall make arrangements with the county assessor or other tax collector with respect to each Property to have bills for Real Estate Taxes sent directly to Tenant. In the event Landlord receives a Real Estate Tax bill, Landlord shall endeavor to forward said bill to Tenant within five (5) Business Days of Landlord’s receipt thereof but failure of Landlord to deliver any such bill shall in no way reduce or diminish Tenant’s obligations to pay such Real Estate Taxes or other taxes, charges and assessments contemplated by this Lease or render Landlord liable to Tenant in any regard. Tenant may, at its own expense, contest or cause to be contested, by appropriate legal proceedings conducted in good faith and with due diligence, any above-described item or lien with respect thereto, including, without limitation, the amount or validity or application, in whole or in part, of any such item, provided that (i) neither the Properties nor any interest therein would be in any danger of being sold, forfeited or lost by reason of such proceedings; (ii) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or occurs at any time during the pendency of such contest (in which event Tenant shall pay all contested taxes in full together with all interest and penalties then due); (iii) if and to the extent required by the applicable taxing authority or applicable Legal Requirements, Tenant pays all or such contested taxes that are required to be paid as a condition to contesting such taxes and posts a bond or takes other steps acceptable to such taxing authority that removes such lien or stays enforcement thereof; (iv) Tenant shall promptly provide Landlord with copies of all notices received or delivered by Tenant and filings made by Tenant in connection with such proceeding; and (v) upon termination of such proceedings, it shall be the obligation of Tenant to pay the amount of any such tax and assessment or part thereof as finally determined in such proceedings, the payment of which may have been deferred during the prosecution of such proceedings, together with any costs, fees (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements), interest, penalties or other liabilities in connection therewith. Landlord shall at the request of Tenant, execute or join in the execution of any instruments or documents necessary in connection with such contest or proceedings, but Landlord shall incur no cost or obligation thereby.
Section 6.02. Utilities. Tenant shall contract, in its own name, for and pay when due all charges for the connection and use of water, gas, electricity, telephone, garbage collection sewer use and other utility services supplied to the Properties during the Lease Term. Under no circumstances shall Landlord be responsible for any interruption of any utility or other service.
Section 6.03. Insurance.
(a)
    Coverage. Throughout the Lease Term, Tenant shall maintain, with respect to each of the Properties, at its sole expense, the following types and amounts of insurance:
(i)    Insurance against loss or damage to real property (including buildings and appurtenant structures), contents, improvements and betterments, personal property and equipment breakdown under a "special perils" or special causes of loss form insurance policy, on a replacement cost basis with agreed amount coverage which shall include coverage against all risks of direct physical loss, including but not limited to loss by fire, lightning, flood, water damage, windstorm, hurricane, vandalism, and other risks normally included in the standard ISO special form (and shall also include National Flood and Excess Flood insurance if the Property is located within any designated NFIP Flood Zone, flood insurance coverage for all other locations with no less than a $5,000,000 annual aggregate limit on the property policy, earthquake insurance if the Properties are located within and earthquake hazard zone (as determined by an approved insurance company set forth in Section 6.03(b)(x) below) and earthquake coverage for all other locations with no less than a $5,000,000 annual aggregate limit on the property policy and wind and hail coverage for all Tier 1 and Tier 2 locations. Such policy shall also include a joint loss agreement, coverage for ordinance or law covering the loss of value of the undamaged portion of the Properties, costs to demolish and the increased cost of construction if any of the improvements located on, or the use of, the Properties shall at any time constitute legal non-conforming structures or uses. Ordinance or law limits shall be in an amount equal to the full replacement cost for the loss of value of the undamaged portion of the Properties and no less than 50% of the replacement cost for costs to demolish and the increased cost of construction, or in an amount otherwise specified by Landlord. Such insurance shall be in amounts sufficient to prevent Landlord from becoming a co-insurer under the applicable policies, and in any event, after application of deductible, in amounts not less than 100% of the full insurable replacement cost values and sublimits reasonably satisfactory to Landlord (without deduction for physical depreciation in the event that Landlord, in its discretion, decides to rebuild or restore, or Tenant is required or elects to rebuild or restore in accordance with the terms of this Lease), as reasonably determined from time to time at Landlord’s request but not more frequently than once in any 12-month period.
(ii)    Commercial general liability insurance, including products and completed operation liability, covering Landlord and Tenant against bodily injury liability, property damage liability and personal and advertising injury, liquor liability coverage, including without limitation any liability arising out of the ownership, maintenance, repair, condition or operation of every Property or adjoining ways, streets, parking lots or sidewalks. Such insurance policy or policies shall contain a broad form contractual liability endorsement under which the insurer agrees to insure Tenant’s obligations under Article X hereof to the extent insurable, and a “severability of interest” clause or endorsement which precludes the insurer from denying the claim of Tenant or Landlord because of the negligence or other acts of the other, shall be in amounts of not less than $2,000,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage, and $2,000,000 general annual aggregate per location (with umbrella coverage of not less than $25,000,000 per occurrence and $25,000,000 annual aggregate), or such higher limits as Landlord may reasonably require from time to time, and shall be of form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Landlord. Such limits of insurance can be acquired through Commercial General liability and Umbrella liability policies.
(iii)    Workers’ compensation and Employers Liability insurance with statutorily mandated limits covering all persons employed by Tenant on the Properties in connection with any work done on or about any of the Properties.
(iv)    Business income and Extra Expense insurance, with Agreed Amount coverage, covering all risks required to be covered by the insurance provision for in subsection (a) above and which provides that after the physical loss to each Property occurs, the business income, as applicable, will be insured until such business income either returns to the same level that existed prior to the loss, or the expiration of twelve months (12), whichever occurs first, notwithstanding that the policy may expire prior to the end of such period. Such policy shall also contain an extended period of indemnity endorsement for 365 days which provides that after the physical loss to each Property has been repaired, the continued business income will be insured until such income either returns to the same level it was at prior to the loss, or the expiration of twelve (12) months from the date that the applicable Property is repaired or replaced and operations are resumed, whichever first occurs, and notwithstanding that the policy may expire prior to the end of such period. Each of Landlord and Lender shall be named as additional insured (per CP1503 or its equivalent) as respects to their interest in the rents, including Base Annual Rental, taxes and insurance costs.
(v)    Automobile liability insurance, including owned, non-owned and hired car liability insurance for combined limits of liability of $2,000,000 per occurrence. The limits of liability can be provided in a combination of an automobile liability policy and an umbrella liability policy.
(vi)    Flood insurance in compliance with FEMA Guidelines with respect to each Flood Hazard Property.
(vii)    Such additional and/or other insurance and in such amounts as at the time is customarily carried by prudent owners or tenants with respect to improvements and personal property similar in character, location and use and occupancy to each Property.
(b)
    Insurance Provisions. All insurance policies shall:
(i)    provide (A) for a waiver of subrogation by the insurer as to claims against Landlord, its employees and agents; (B) that the insurer shall not deny a claim and that such insurance cannot be unreasonably cancelled, invalidated or suspended on account of the conduct of Tenant, its officers, directors, employees or agents, or anyone acting for Tenant or any subtenant or other occupant of the Properties; and (C) that any losses otherwise payable thereunder shall be payable notwithstanding any act or omission of Landlord or Tenant which might, absent such provision, result in a forfeiture of all or a part of such insurance payment;
(ii)    be primary and provide that any “other insurance” clause in the insurance policy shall exclude any policies of insurance maintained by Landlord and the insurance policy shall not be brought into contribution with insurance maintained by Landlord;
(iii)    contain deductibles not to exceed $500,000, provided, however, that if the tangible net worth of the Lease Guarantor should fall below $100,000,000, the amount of the permitted maximum deductible shall be reduced to $50,000;
(iv)    contain a standard non-contributory mortgagee clause or endorsement in favor of any Lender designated by Landlord;
(v)    provide that the policy of insurance shall not be terminated, cancelled or amended in any manner that is inconsistent with the requirements of this Lease without at least thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to Landlord and to any Lender that Tenant has received written notice of that is covered by any standard mortgagee clause or endorsement;
(vi)    provide that the insurer shall not have the option to restore the Properties if Landlord elects to terminate this Lease in accordance with the terms hereof;
(vii)    be in amounts sufficient at all times to satisfy any coinsurance requirements thereof;
(viii)    except for workers’ compensation insurance referred to in Section 6.03(a)(iii) above, name Landlord and any Landlord Affiliate or Lender requested by Landlord, as an “additional insured” with respect to general liability insurance, as a “named insured” with respect to real property, and as a “loss payee” with respect to all real property as appropriate and as their interests may appear;
(ix)    be evidenced by delivery to Landlord and any Lender designated by Landlord of an Acord Form 28 for property and boiler & machinery coverage (or any other form requested by Landlord) and an Acord Form 25 for commercial general liability, workers’ compensation and umbrella coverage (or any other form requested by Landlord); provided that in the event that either such form is no longer available, such evidence of insurance shall be in a form reasonably satisfactory to Landlord and any Lender designated by Landlord;
(x)     contain a listing or schedule of all locations that are covered by the policy, including locations that are not Properties; and
(xi)    be issued by insurance companies licensed to do business in the states where Borrower is domiciled and where the Properties are located and which are rated no less than A-X by Best’s Insurance Guide or are otherwise approved by Landlord.
(c)
    Additional Obligations. It is expressly understood and agreed that (i) if any insurance required hereunder, or any part thereof, shall expire, be withdrawn, become void by breach of any condition thereof by Tenant, or become void or in jeopardy by reason of the failure or impairment of the capital of any insurer, Tenant shall immediately obtain new or additional insurance reasonably satisfactory to Landlord and any Lender designated by Landlord; (ii) the minimum limits of insurance coverage set forth in this Section 6.03 shall not limit the liability of Tenant for its acts or omissions as provided in this Lease; (iii) Tenant shall procure policies for all insurance for periods of not less than one year and shall provide to Landlord and, upon Landlord’s request, to any servicer or Lender of Landlord, certificates of insurance evidencing that insurance satisfying the requirements of this Lease is in effect at all times; (iv) Tenant shall pay as they become due all premiums for the insurance required by this Section 6.03; and (v) in the event that Tenant fails to comply with any of the requirements set forth in this Section 6.03, within ten (10) days of the giving of written notice by Landlord to Tenant, (A) Landlord shall be entitled to procure such insurance; and (B) any sums expended by Landlord in procuring such insurance shall be Additional Rental and shall be repaid by Tenant immediately upon written demand therefor by Landlord, together with interest thereon at the Default Rate, from the time of payment by Landlord until fully paid by Tenant.
(d)
    Blanket Policies. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 6.03, any insurance which Tenant is required to obtain pursuant to this Section 6.03 may be carried under a “blanket” policy or policies covering other properties or liabilities of Tenant provided that such “blanket” policy or policies otherwise comply with the provisions of this Section 6.03.
ARTICLE VII
MAINTENANCE; ALTERATIONS
Section 7.01. Condition of Property; Maintenance. Tenant hereby accepts the Properties “AS IS” and “WHERE IS” with no representation or warranty of Landlord as to the condition thereof. Tenant shall, at its sole cost and expense, be responsible for (a) keeping all of the building, structures and improvements erected on each of the Properties in good order and repair (ordinary wear and tear excepted), free from actual or constructive waste, including without limitation, the roof and the HVAC and other electrical and mechanical systems and plumbing systems; (b) the repair or reconstruction of any building, structures or improvements erected on the Properties damaged or destroyed by a Casualty or affected by a Condemnation to the extent required by Article XI; (c) subject to Section 7.02, making all necessary structural, non-structural, exterior and interior repairs and replacements to any building, structures or improvements on the Properties; (d) paying all operating costs of the Properties; and (e) making all structural, non-structural, exterior and interior repairs and replacements required to keep the Properties in compliance with Legal Requirements. Tenant waives any right to require Landlord to maintain, repair or rebuild all or any part of the Properties or make repairs at the expense of Landlord pursuant to any Legal Requirements at any time in effect. During the Lease Term, Tenant shall keep and maintain at all times reasonably complete and accurate (consistent with past practices of Tenant) books and records regarding the maintenance and repair of the Properties, and upon the written request of Landlord not to be made more than one time in any twelve month period, Tenant shall furnish to Landlord, within thirty (30) days of such request, copies of all maintenance and repair records for the Properties in Tenant’s possession, including any maintenance or service contracts; provided that Tenant will not be required to furnish duplicate copies of information previously furnished to Landlord.
Section 7.02. Alterations and Improvements. Tenant shall be entitled to make structural and nonstructural alterations and improvements to the Properties without Landlord’s consent if (a) the cost of such alterations at any individual Property shall not exceed $300,000 for any individual project; or (b) the alterations are made in connection with a system wide alteration project including at least 75 % of the stores owned and operated by Tenant and its Affiliates. In any event, Tenant shall give Landlord prior written notice of any alterations and related work at any single Property costing more than $100,000. All such alterations and improvements shall (i) be made by Tenant at Tenant’s sole expense by a licensed and bonded contractor; (ii) be prosecuted diligently to completion, (iii) be of good workmanship and materials, and (iv) shall comply fully with all the terms of this Lease and all Legal Requirements. The assets of Landlord and, except for liens being contested by Tenant in accordance with Section 8.06, the applicable Property shall at all times be kept free of liens for work, services, labor and materials supplied or claimed to have been supplied to the applicable Property; no alterations or improvements shall be undertaken without obtaining or causing a contractor to obtain the insurance required under Section 6.03 above, and “all risk” builder’s risk property insurance for the full replacement cost of such alteration or improvement on a completed basis; and Tenant shall not make any alterations that would (A) be inconsistent with the use of the applicable Property as a Permitted Facility, (B) increase the likelihood of a hazardous or illegal condition, (C) result in a decrease in the fair market value of any Property or (D) reduce the footprint, square footage or structural integrity of any improvement on the Property ((A)-(D) being the “Objections”). For purposes hereof, the term “structural alteration” means a change in the pitch, slope or sightlines of the roof (excluding customary replacement of tiles or shingles), or changes that affect the foundation or load-bearing walls of any building located upon the applicable Property.
All improvements or alterations not covered by the foregoing shall require Landlord’s consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, provided, without limitation of any other reasonable basis for Landlord to withhold its consent, it shall be reasonable for Landlord to withhold its consents for any alteration that would violate any of the Objections. If Landlord’s consent is required hereunder and Landlord consents to the making of any such alterations, the same shall be made by Tenant according to plans and specifications approved by Landlord and subject to such other conditions as Landlord shall reasonably require. Landlord shall use commercially reasonable efforts to promptly respond to Tenant’s requests hereunder; provided, however, if Landlord fails to respond to a request of Tenant regarding alterations within thirty (30) days of receipt of Tenant’s request, Tenant shall deliver a second written request to Landlord, with a copy to Lender, by FedEx or other reputable overnight delivery service (notwithstanding the notice and delivery provisions set forth in Section 15.01 below), such second written request shall be marked in bold lettering with the following language: “LANDLORD’S RESPONSE IS REQUIRED WITHIN FIFTEEN (15) DAYS OF RECEIPT OF THIS NOTICE PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF A MASTER LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE UNDERSIGNED AND LANDLORD” and the envelope containing the request shall be marked “PRIORITY.” If Landlord fails to respond within fifteen (15) days of Tenant’s second request so given, Landlord’s approval of the requested alterations shall be deemed given.
Once commenced, Tenant shall diligently pursue to completion all alterations permitted hereunder in material compliance with all Legal Requirements (including, without limitation, the correction of any deficiency in a Property noted in any written citation or other written notice received by Tenant from any Governmental Authority), pay all Costs incurred in connection therewith as the same become due and payable and not suffer any mechanics liens to be recorded or filed against the subject Properties, except as permitted under Section 8.06. Upon completion of any alterations requiring Landlord’s consent hereunder, Tenant shall promptly provide Landlord with (i) a certificate of occupancy (if the alterations are of such a nature as would require the issuance of a certificate of occupancy); and (ii) any other documents or information reasonably requested by Landlord. Following any alteration of a Property that results in a change in the footprint of any of the improvements on the Property or any other physical change (other than the restriping of parking areas) that would be shown on an ALTA/ASCM survey, Tenant shall provide to Landlord, within thirty (30) days following the substantial completion of the alteration, an ALTA/ASCM survey of such Property addressed to Landlord and Lender in form reasonably satisfactory to Landlord and including Table A items reasonably requested by Landlord. Except as set forth in Section 7.03 below, any addition to or alteration of the Properties shall be deemed a part of the Properties and belong to Landlord, and Tenant shall execute and deliver to Landlord such instruments as Landlord may reasonably require to evidence the ownership by Landlord of such addition or alteration.
Section 7.03. Tenant’s Property, Fixtures and Equipment. During the Lease Term, Tenant may from time to time, at its cost and expense, place, install, remove or replace, or cause to be placed, installed, removed or replaced, in and upon the Properties, such equipment, furniture and fixtures as Tenant shall deem necessary or appropriate for the purpose of carrying on business upon the Properties (collectively, the “Tenant’s Personal Property”), including but not limited to a “restaurant equipment package” consisting of booths, bars, chairs, tables, wall decorations, lighting fixtures, flatware, glasses, dishes, stoves, hoods, refrigerators, preparation areas and other restaurant-related items (the “Restaurant Equipment Package”). All of said Tenant’s Personal Property, including the entirety of the Restaurant Equipment Package, shall, for the purpose of this Lease, be treated as personal property of Tenant, no matter how affixed. Prior to the expiration or earlier termination of the Lease Term, Tenant shall remove Tenant’s Personal Property and Restaurant Equipment Package, failing which, Landlord shall have the right to remove and/or dispose of all such Tenant’s Personal Property and Restaurant Equipment Package and recover from Tenant any and all costs of such removal, and/or storage, which obligation shall survive the expiration of or termination of the Lease Term.
Section 7.04. Improvements Upon Termination, Subletting or Assignment. Tenant shall have the right, at its option and expense, to redecorate, remodel or otherwise change the appearance of the improvements located upon any or all of the Properties upon any termination of this Lease as to such Properties (other than a termination under Section 14.06) or upon any permitted subletting or assignment in such a manner as to avoid the appearance of Tenant’s restaurant concept, provided that, as to each such Property, such redecorating, remodeling or other work (a) shall be subject to the requirements set forth in Section 7.02; (b) shall not reasonably be expected to have a material negative effect on the value of such Property; (c) shall not impair the structural condition or integrity of the improvements located on any such Property or reduce the square footage of the buildings located on any such Property without Landlord’s prior written consent which may be withheld by Landlord in its absolute and sole discretion; (d) shall not change the general condition of such Property as required to be maintained by this Lease; and (e) shall not be made to the exterior of the building located upon such Property without Landlord’s prior written consent. Any such work that is to be done upon termination of this Lease shall be completed by Tenant prior to the effective date of such termination except that, if the termination is pursuant to Article XII, such work shall be completed within thirty (30) days following the effective date of such termination. This Section 7.04 shall survive termination of this Lease as to any Property.
ARTICLE VIII
USE OF THE PROPERTIES; COMPLIANCE
Section 8.01. Use and Operation. During the Lease Term, each of the Properties shall be used only for the operation of a Permitted Facility. Without limitation of the foregoing, Tenant shall not use any of the Properties, and shall not suffer or permit the use of any of the Properties by any subtenant or other Person, for any use other than as a Permitted Facility; provided, however, that this limitation shall not prohibit Tenant from utilizing, or permitting other Persons or subtenants to utilize, portions of the Property for incidental uses which do not interfere with the operation of the Property as a Permitted Facility, including, but not limited to the installation of communications equipment on the roof of any Properties or the placement of billboard signage adjacent to or in the parking areas of any of the Properties. Tenant acknowledges that Landlord has acquired and leased back to Tenant each of the Properties in reliance on Tenant (or a permitted assignee or subtenant) using and operating all of the Properties as Permitted Facilities as required by this Section 8.01 and the following Section 8.02. If Tenant desires to use a Property or permit others to use a Property for a use other than a Permitted Facility or if Tenant desires to close a Permitted Facility on a Property, Tenant has the right to substitute a new property for such Property pursuant to Section 14.05 below (subject to the requirements and limitations therein stated) and Tenant agrees that such right of substitution is sufficient for all of Tenant’s purposes.
Section 8.02.
(a) Operation. Tenant shall open and operate each Property as a Permitted Facility during all hours that are customary for similar businesses on similarly situated sites but in all events consistent with Tenant’s system wide practices, provided that Tenant may temporarily suspend operation of any Property as necessary by reason of damage caused by Casualty or Condemnation so long as Tenant is in compliance with Article XI below or by reason of alterations permitted under Article VII above so long as Tenant is in compliance with Article VII. In addition, Tenant may temporarily suspend operation of any Property in connection with the subletting and the resulting remodeling of such Property in connection with the subtenant’s use, provided such suspended operation does not exceed a period of one (1) year. In no event shall Rental be abated during any period of suspended operation.
(b) Closure. Notwithstanding Section 8.02(a), at any time after the fifteenth lease year of the Lease Term, provided no Event of Default then exists, Tenant may cease operation of a Property on the following terms and conditions:
(i)
Tenant shall give Landlord no less than sixty (60) days prior written notice of the date (the “Closure Date”) upon which the subject Property (the “Closed Property”) shall cease operations (the “Closure Notice”);

(ii)
Following receipt of a Closure Notice, Landlord shall have the following options:

(A)
Landlord may elect to take no action for such period of time as Landlord shall determine, in which event this Lease shall continue in full force and effect, no default shall be deemed to have occurred by reason of such closure and Tenant shall continue to pay Annual Base Rental as set forth herein, provided that in so doing Landlord shall nonetheless retain its right to subsequently elect to implement the option set forth in (B) below.

(B)
Landlord may terminate the Lease as to the Closed Property effective at any time on or after the Closure Date by written notice to Tenant that specifies as the date of termination a date (the “Termination Date”) no sooner than thirty days following Tenant’s receipt of such notice. In the event this Lease is so terminated as to the Closed Property, then (1) the Closed Property shall no longer be a Property for purposes of this Lease, (2) on the Termination Date, Tenant shall vacate the Closed Property leaving it in the condition required at the termination of this Lease, (3) on the Termination Date, Tenant to pay to Landlord the Allocated Base Rental (as defined below) with respect to the Closed Property, (4) Tenant shall pay to Landlord on or after the Termination Date, as such amounts become due and payable, all Additional Rent with respect to such Closed Property through the Termination Date except that current real estate taxes with respect to the Closed Property shall be appropriately prorated in cash on the Termination Date, (5) Landlord and Tenant shall confirm such partial termination in a written Termination Agreement between Landlord and Tenant in recordable form and otherwise in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Landlord and Tenant (to be recorded at Landlord’s expense) and (6) this Lease shall remain in full force and effect as to the remaining Properties. The obligations of Tenant under this clause (B) with respect to Additional Rent (other than real estate taxes so prorated) due after the Termination Date shall survive any such termination of this Lease as to the Closed Property.

For purposes of this Section 8.02, the term “Allocated Base Rental” shall mean that portion of the aggregate Base Annual Rental payable under this Lease with respect to all Properties for the period from the Termination Date through the expiration of the then current Lease Term determined by multiplying such aggregate Base Annual Rental by a fraction determined by Landlord by one of the following methods, as chosen by Landlord in the notice setting forth the Termination Date: (i) the numerator of the fraction shall be the EBITDAR of the Closed Property and the denominator shall be the EBITDAR of all Properties then subject to this Lease including the Closed Property, as EBITDAR for each of the Properties has been most recently reported to Landlord pursuant to Section 9.03 of this Lease; (ii) the numerator of the fraction shall be the sales of the Closed Property and the denominator shall be the sales of all Properties then subject to this Lease including the Closed Property, as sales for each of the Properties has been most recently reported to Landlord pursuant to Section 9.03 of this Lease; or (iii) the numerator of the fraction shall be Landlord’s depreciated book value of the Closed Property and the denominator shall be the depreciated book value of all Properties then subject to this Lease including the Closed Property as such book values are certified to Tenant by Landlord.
Section 8.03. Compliance. Subject to Section 8.06, Tenant shall cause Tenant’s use and occupation of each of the Properties, and the condition thereof, to comply in all material respects, at Tenant’s sole cost and expense, with all Legal Requirements and all Permitted Encumbrances, and any owner obligations under such Legal Requirements or Permitted Encumbrances with respect to the Properties. Without in any way limiting the foregoing provisions, during the Lease Term, Tenant shall comply with all Legal Requirements, now or hereafter in effect, affecting any or all of the Properties relating to anti-terrorism, trade embargos, economic sanctions, Anti-Money Laundering Laws and Accessibility Laws, as any such Legal Requirements may be amended from time to time, and all regulations promulgated thereunder. Upon Landlord’s written request from time to time during the Lease Term, Tenant shall certify in writing to Landlord that Tenant’s representations, warranties and obligations under Section 5.08 and this Section 8.03 remain true and correct (or if not true and correct, providing details regarding the same). Tenant shall immediately notify Landlord in writing if any of such representations, warranties or covenants are no longer true or have been breached or if Tenant has a reasonable basis to believe that they may no longer be true or have been breached. In connection with such an event, Tenant shall comply with all written directives of Governmental Authorities and of parties to any Permitted Encumbrances and, at Landlord’s request, provide to Landlord copies of all notices, reports and other communications exchanged with, or received from, Governmental Authorities and parties to Permitted Encumbrances relating to such an event. Tenant shall also reimburse Landlord for all Costs incurred by Landlord in evaluating the effect of such an event on the Properties and this Lease, in obtaining any necessary licenses, consents and approvals from Governmental Authorities arising in connection therewith, and in complying with all Legal Requirements applicable to Landlord as the result of the existence of such an event and for any penalties or fines imposed upon Landlord as a result thereof. Tenant will use commercially reasonable efforts to prevent any act or condition to exist on or about the Properties which will materially increase any insurance rate thereon, except when such acts are required in the normal course of its business and Tenant shall pay for such increase. Tenant agrees that it will defend, indemnify and hold harmless the Indemnified Parties from and against any and all Losses caused by, incurred or resulting from Tenant’s failure to comply with its obligations under this Section.
Section 8.04. Environmental.
(a)
    Representations and Warranties. Tenant represents and warrants to Landlord, which representations and warranties shall survive the execution and delivery of this Lease, that to Tenant’s actual knowledge and except as set forth in the Existing Environmental Reports:
(i)    The Properties and Tenant are not in violation of or subject to, any pending or threatened investigation or inquiry by any Governmental Authority or subject to any remedial obligations under any Environmental Laws, nor has Tenant received any written or oral notice or other communication from any Person (including but not limited to a Governmental Authority) with respect to any Property relating to (A) Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances or USTs, or Remediation thereof; (B) potential liability of any Person pursuant to any Environmental Law; (C) other environmental conditions; or (D) any actual or potential administrative or judicial proceedings in connection with any of the foregoing. The foregoing representations and warranties would continue to be true and correct following disclosure to the applicable Governmental Authorities of all relevant facts, conditions and circumstances, if any, pertaining to the Properties.
(ii)    (A) all uses and operations on or of the Properties by Tenant, or any other Person, are presently and have been in compliance with all Environmental Laws and environmental permits issued pursuant thereto; (B) there have been no Releases in, on, under or from any of the Properties, or from other property migrating toward any of the Properties, except in Permitted Amounts; (C) there are no Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances or USTs in, on, or under any of the Properties, except in Permitted Amounts; (D) the Properties have been kept and are free and clear of all liens and other encumbrances imposed pursuant to any Environmental Law (the “Environmental Liens”) or activity use limitations; and (E) with respect to environmental matters related to, and the environmental condition of, the Properties, Tenant has not allowed any other tenant or other user of the Properties to do any act that materially increased the dangers to human health or the environment, posed an unreasonable risk of harm to any Person (whether on or off any of the Properties), impaired the value of any of the Properties in any material respect, is contrary to any requirement set forth in any insurance policies maintained by Landlord, constituted a public or private nuisance, constituted waste, or violated any covenant, condition, agreement or easement applicable to any of the Properties.
(b)
    Covenants. Tenant covenants to Landlord during the Lease Term, as follows:
(A)    Tenant shall perform any Remediation required by any Governmental Authority or any Person with respect to the Properties for any Release which occurred before the Lease Term or which occurs during the Lease Term whether or not the release was disclosed in the Existing Environmental Reports.
(B)    All uses and operations on or of the Properties, whether by Tenant or any other Person, shall be in compliance with all Environmental Laws and permits issued pursuant thereto.
(C)    There shall be no Releases in, on, under or from the Properties, except in Permitted Amounts.
(D)    There shall be no Hazardous Materials or Regulated Substances in, on or under the Properties, except in Permitted Amounts.
(E)    Tenant shall keep the Properties or cause the Properties to be kept free and clear of all Environmental Liens, whether due to any act or omission of Tenant or any other Person.
(F)    Tenant shall not act or fail to act or allow any other tenant, occupant, guest, customer, invitee, licensee or other user of the Properties to act or fail to act in any way that (1) materially increases a risk to human health or the environment, (2) poses an unreasonable or unacceptable risk of harm to any Person or the environment (whether on or off any of the Properties), (3) would result in any reopening or reconsideration of any prior investigation or causes a new investigation by a Governmental Authority having jurisdiction over any Property; or (4) with respect to environmental matters related to, and the environmental condition of, the Properties, (i) is contrary to any requirement set forth in the insurance policies maintained by Tenant, (ii) constitutes a public or private nuisance or constitutes waste, (iii) violates any covenant, condition, agreement or easement applicable to the Properties or (iv) violates any Legal Requirement.
(G)    If Landlord reasonably suspects a Release or a violation of Environmental Law to have occurred before or during the Lease Term, Tenant shall, at its sole cost and expense, perform any environmental site assessment or other investigation of environmental conditions in connection with the Properties as may be reasonably requested by Landlord (including but not limited to sampling, testing and analysis of soil, water, air, building materials and other materials and substances whether solid, liquid or gas), and share with Landlord the reports and other results thereof, and Landlord and the other Indemnified Parties shall be entitled to rely on such reports and other results thereof. Tenant shall promptly undertake and diligently pursue to completion and in accordance with Environmental Laws any and all monitoring and remediation of Hazardous Materials that is recommended in any such report or is required by Environmental Law.
(H)    Tenant shall, at its sole cost and expense, fully and expeditiously cooperate in all activities pursuant to this Section 8.04, including but not limited to providing all relevant information and making knowledgeable persons available for interviews.
Notwithstanding any provision of this Lease to the contrary, an Event of Default shall not be deemed to have occurred as a result of the failure of Tenant to satisfy any one or more of the covenants set forth in subsections (A) through (F) above provided that Tenant promptly performs Remediation in accordance with Environmental Laws.
(c)
    Notification Requirements. Tenant shall immediately notify Landlord in writing upon Tenant obtaining actual knowledge of (i) any Releases or Threatened Releases in, on, under or from any of the Properties other than in Permitted Amounts, or migrating onto, under or towards any of the Properties; (ii) any non-compliance with any Environmental Laws related in any way to any of the Properties; (iii) any actual or potential Environmental Lien or activity use limitation; (iv) any required or proposed Remediation of environmental conditions relating to any of the Properties required by applicable Governmental Authorities; and (v) any written communication from any source whatsoever (including but not limited to a Governmental Authority) relating in any way to Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances or above or below ground storage tanks, or Remediation thereof at or on any of the Properties, other than in Permitted Amounts, possible liability of any Person relating to any of the Properties pursuant to any Environmental Law, other environmental conditions in connection with any of the Properties, or any actual or potential administrative or judicial proceedings in connection with anything referred to in this Section; provided, however, that Tenant shall not be required to notify Landlord as to any facts already disclosed in the Existing Environmental Reports, except that Tenant shall notify Landlord and Lender of subsequent developments, changes, governmental notices or third party claims relating to such previously disclosed facts. Tenant shall, upon Landlord’s written request, deliver to Landlord a certificate stating that Tenant is and has been in full compliance with all of the environmental representations, warranties and covenants in this Lease.
(d)
    Remediation. Tenant shall, at its sole cost and expense, and without limiting any other provision of this Lease, effectuate any Remediation required by any Governmental Authority of any condition (including, but not limited to, a Release) in, on, under or from the Properties, whether such condition occurred before or occurs during the Lease Term, and take any other reasonable action deemed necessary by any Governmental Authority for protection of human health or the environment. Should Tenant fail to undertake such Remediation in accordance with the preceding sentence, Landlord, after written notice to Tenant and Tenant’s failure to immediately undertake such Remediation, shall be permitted to complete such Remediation, and all Costs incurred in connection therewith shall be paid by Tenant. Any Cost so paid by Landlord, together with interest at the Default Rate, shall be deemed to be Additional Rental hereunder and shall be immediately due from Tenant to Landlord.
(e)
    Indemnification. Tenant shall, at its sole cost and expense, protect, defend, indemnify, release and hold harmless each of the Indemnified Parties from and against any and all Losses, including, but not limited to, all Costs of Remediation (whether or not performed voluntarily), arising out of or in any way relating to any Environmental Laws, Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances, above or below ground storage tanks, other environmental matters concerning the Properties or Tenant’s default in performance of any of its obligations under this Section 8.04. It is expressly understood and agreed that Tenant’s obligations under this Section shall survive without limitation the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease.
(f)
    Right of Entry. Landlord and any other Person designated by Landlord, including but not limited to, any receiver, any representative of a Governmental Authority, and any environmental consultant, shall have the right, but not the obligation, to enter upon the Properties, upon reasonable prior notice, at all reasonable times (including, without limitation, in connection with the exercise of any remedies set forth in this Lease) to assess any and all aspects of the environmental condition of any Property and its use, including but not limited to conducting any environmental assessment or audit (the scope of which shall be determined in Landlord’s sole and absolute discretion) and taking samples of soil, groundwater or other water, air, or building materials, and conducting other invasive testing. Tenant shall cooperate with and provide access to Landlord and any other Person designated by Landlord. If any assessment or inspection results from Landlord reasonably suspecting a Release or an Environmental Law violation, such assessment or investigation shall be at Tenant’s sole cost and expense.
(g)
    Inspections. At its sole cost and expense, Tenant shall have the Properties inspected as may be required by any Environmental Law for seepage, spillage and other environmental concerns. Tenant shall maintain and monitor all above and below ground storage tanks in accordance with all Environmental Laws. Tenant shall provide Landlord with written certified results of all inspections performed on the Properties. All costs and expenses associated with the inspection, preparation and certification of results, as well as those associated with any corrective action, shall be paid by Tenant. All inspections and tests performed on the Properties shall be in compliance with all Environmental Laws.
(h)
    UST Compliance. To Tenant’s knowledge, there are no above or below ground storage tanks except as set forth in the Existing Environmental Reports. Tenant shall not permit the placement of any new above or below ground storage tanks on any of the Properties during the Lease Term. Tenant shall comply or cause the compliance with all applicable federal, state and local regulations and requirements regarding above and below ground storage tanks, including, without limitation, any of such regulations or requirements which impose (i) technical standards, including, without limitation, performance, leak prevention, leak detection, notification reporting and recordkeeping; (ii) corrective action with respect to confirmed and suspected Releases; and (iii) financial responsibility for the payment of costs of corrective action and compensation to third parties for injury and damage resulting from Releases. Tenant shall immediately notify Landlord, in writing, of (A) the presence of any above or below ground storage tank that is not disclosed in the Existing Environmental Reports; (B) the presence on or under the Properties, or the Release from any above or below ground storage tank on, above or under the Properties, of any Hazardous Materials or Regulated Substances, apparent or real; and (C) any and all enforcement, clean-up, remedial, removal or other governmental or regulatory actions threatened, instituted or completed pursuant to any of the Environmental Laws affecting the Properties. Upon any such Release from any USTs on, above or under the Properties of any Hazardous Materials or Regulated Substances, Tenant shall immediately remedy such situation in accordance with all Environmental Laws and any request of Landlord. Should Tenant fail to remedy or cause the remedy of such situation in accordance with all Environmental Laws, Landlord shall be permitted to take such actions in its sole discretion to remedy such situation and all Costs incurred in connection therewith, together with interest at the Default Rate, will be paid by Tenant.
(i)
    Survival. The obligations of Tenant and the rights and remedies of Landlord under this Section 8.04 shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease with respect to any Hazardous Materials, Regulated Substances, above or below ground storage tanks, or other environmental matters that were first introduced to the Properties prior to the date that Tenant vacates the Properties upon the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease or any violation of Environmental Law first occurring prior to the date that Tenant vacates the Properties upon the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease; provided, however, that Tenant’s obligations shall continue to be subject to the provisions of Section 8.06.
Section 8.05. Cooperation. Landlord shall cooperate with Tenant throughout the Lease Term with respect to Tenant’s obligations hereunder, including Tenant’s procurement and/or maintenance of proper zoning, building and other permits, compliance with all Legal Requirements and compliance with Tenant’s obligations under this Lease, including executing and delivery of instruments reasonably requested by Tenant to perform its obligations under this Lease or which, in the reasonable judgment of Tenant, are necessary for the operation of Tenant’s business on the Properties, provided that (a) Tenant’s requests shall be consistent with, and subject to, the terms and provisions of this Lease; (b) Landlord shall not assume (or be deemed to have assumed) any of Tenant’s obligations hereunder; and (c) Landlord shall not incur any cost or obligation related to any Tenant request.
Section 8.06. Permitted Contests. Tenant, upon prior written notice to Landlord, on its own, or, with Landlord’s prior written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld), in Landlord’s name, at Tenant’s expense, may contest, by appropriate legal proceedings conducted in good faith and with due diligence, the amount, validity or application, in whole or in part, of any Legal Requirement, any requirement under Permitted Encumbrances, any requirement under Environmental Laws or any lien, attachment, levy, encumbrance, charge or claim; subject, however, to the further requirements that (a) neither the Properties nor any Rental due hereunder, nor any part or interest in either, shall be in danger of being sold, forfeited, attached or lost pending the outcome of such proceedings; (b) neither Landlord nor Tenant shall be in any danger of civil or criminal liability for failure to comply therewith pending the outcome of such proceedings; (c) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of or during such contest; (d) if and to the extent required by the applicable authority, Tenant shall post a bond or take other steps reasonably acceptable to such authority that stays enforcement thereof; (e) if and to the extent available under local law, Tenant shall post a bond or take other steps to obtain a release of any lien, attachment, levy, encumbrance, charge or claim on the applicable Property or against Landlord; (f) Tenant shall promptly provide Landlord with copies of all notices received or delivered by Tenant and filings made by Tenant in connection with such proceeding; and (g) if any such contest is finally resolved against Landlord or Tenant, Tenant shall promptly pay the amount required to be paid, together with all costs, fees (including attorneys’ fees and disbursements), interest, penalties and other liabilities in connection therewith, or comply with the applicable requirement. Tenant shall indemnify, defend, protect and save the Indemnified Parties harmless from and against any Losses in connection with or resulting from any such contest.
ARTICLE IX
ADDITIONAL COVENANTS
Section 9.01. Performance at Tenant’s Expense. Tenant acknowledges and confirms that Tenant shall reimburse Landlord for Landlord’s actual out-of-pocket third party Costs, including Lender’s fees and charges and the reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred by Landlord and Lender, incurred by Landlord in connection with (a) any amendment of this Lease requested by Tenant; (b) the delivery of consents, waivers and approvals with respect to the Properties or any matter related to this Lease requested by Tenant; (c) the review of any assignment or proposed assignment or the preparation or review of any subordination or non-disturbance agreement; (d) the collection, maintenance and/or disbursement of reserves created under this Lease; (e) inspections following the occurrence of an Event of Default under this Lease or if Landlord has a reasonable basis to believe that a default has occurred under this Lease; and (f) Tenant’s noncompliance with Legal Requirements, including without limitation, encroachments onto properties adjoining any of the Properties.
Section 9.02. Inspection. Landlord and its authorized representatives shall have the right, at all reasonable times and upon giving reasonable prior notice (except in the event of an emergency, in which case no prior notice shall be required), to enter the Properties or any part thereof and inspect the same provided such entry and inspection do not unreasonably interfere with Tenant’s business. Tenant hereby waives any claim for damages for any injury or inconvenience to or interference with Tenant’s business, any loss of occupancy or quiet enjoyment of the Properties and any other loss occasioned by such entry, but, subject to Section 10.01, excluding damages to the extent the same arise as a result of the gross negligence or intentional misconduct of Landlord. The cost and expense of any such inspections shall be the responsibility of Landlord, except for inspections following the occurrence of an Event of Default or if Landlord has a reasonable basis to believe that a default by Tenant has occurred hereunder.
Section 9.03. Financial Information.
Financial Statements. Tenant shall deliver, within 90 days of the close of each fiscal year: (i) annual financial statements of Tenant prepared by Tenant, such statements to be audited and certified by an independent accounting firm if Tenant regularly receives such audited statements; and (ii) an annual income statement for each Property for the prior fiscal year then ended, prepared in a manner consistent with the annual financial statements.  Tenant shall also furnish to Landlord within forty-five (45) days from the end of each fiscal quarter during the Lease Term (a) Tenant’s quarterly financial statements (on a combined basis) for the prior fiscal quarter then ended, including a balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement (on a year-to-date basis), and a copy of any narrative from management of Tenant that is provided to Tenant’s primary lender, and (b) a quarterly statement of sales and EBITDAR for each Property for the prior fiscal quarter then ended. Tenant shall deliver or cause Parent to deliver: (i) within 90 days of the close of each fiscal year, annual audited financial statements of Parent prepared by Parent and certified to by an independent accounting firm as having been prepared in accordance with US GAAP; (ii) within forty-five (45) days from the end of each fiscal quarter during the Lease Term, Parent’s quarterly financial statements (on a combined basis) for the prior fiscal quarter then ended, including a balance sheet, income statement, cash flow statement (on a year-to-date basis), and a copy of any narrative from management of Guarantor that is provided to Guarantor’s primary lender. The foregoing requirements with respect to quarterly and annual financial statements of Tenant and Parent may be satisfied by consolidated quarterly and annual financial statements of Parent available via EDGAR or Parent’s website so long as Tenant is a subsidiary of Parent, except that Tenant shall in any event be obligated to provide the quarterly statement of sales and EBITDAR for each Property as required by clause (b) of the second sentence of this Section 9.03(a).  All annual financial reports that are submitted under this Section 9.03(a) or that are made available via Edgar or Parent’s website shall be certified to by an independent accounting firm as having been prepared in accordance with US GAAP and all quarterly financial statements that are submitted under this Section 9.03(a) or that are made available via Edgar or Parent’s website shall be certified to by a financial officer of Tenant or Parent, as applicable, as having been prepared in accordance with US GAAP.
(a)
    Other Information. Notwithstanding any provision contained herein, upon request at any time, Tenant will provide to Landlord not more than two (2) times in any calendar year such financial information and/or financial statements (and in the form or forms) reasonably requested by Landlord in connection with Landlord’s filings with or disclosures to any Governmental Authority, including, without limitation, the financial statements required in connection with Securities and Exchange Commission filings Landlord or its Affiliates.
(b)
    After Assignment. In the event of any assignment of this Lease pursuant to Section 14.01 that, pursuant to Section 14.01, does not result in the release of Tenant from its obligations hereunder, the foregoing requirements of this Article IX shall be binding upon both the assignor Tenant and the assignee so that both such entities shall contemporaneously deliver to Landlord the financial statements and other reports required by this Section 9.03.
Section 9.04. OFAC Laws. Upon receipt of notice or upon actual knowledge thereof, Tenant shall immediately notify Landlord in writing if any Person owning (directly or indirectly) any interest in any of the Tenant Entities, or any director, officer, shareholder, member, manager or partner of any of such holders is a Person whose property or interests are subject to being blocked under any of the OFAC Laws, or is otherwise in violation of any of the OFAC Laws, or is under investigation by any Governmental Authority for, or has been charged with, or convicted of, drug trafficking, terrorist-related activities or any violation of the Anti-Money Laundering Laws, has been assessed civil penalties under these or related laws, or has had funds seized or forfeited in an action under these or related laws; provided, however, that the covenant in this Section 9.04 shall not apply to any Person to the extent such Person’s interest is in or through a U.S. Publicly Traded Entity.
Section 9.05. Estoppel Certificate. At any time, and from time to time, Tenant shall, promptly and in no event later than twenty (20) days after a request from Landlord or any Lender, execute, acknowledge and deliver to Landlord, such Lender, a prospective purchaser or prospective lender, as the case may be, a certificate in reasonable form and on which any or all of such parties may rely, certifying: (a) that Tenant has accepted the Properties; (b) that this Lease is in full force and effect and has not been modified (or if modified, setting forth all modifications), or, if this Lease is not in full force and effect, the certificate shall so specify the reasons therefor; (c) the commencement and expiration dates of the Lease Term; (d) the date to which the Rentals have been paid under this Lease and the amount thereof then payable; (e) whether there are then any existing defaults by Landlord in the performance of its obligations under this Lease, and, if there are any such defaults, specifying the nature and extent thereof; (f) that no notice has been received by Tenant of any default under this Lease which has not been cured, except as to defaults specified in the certificate; (g) the capacity of the Person executing such certificate, and that such Person is duly authorized to execute the same on behalf of Tenant; (h) that neither Landlord nor any Lender has actual involvement in the management or control of decision making related to the operational aspects or the day-to-day operation of the Properties, including any handling or disposal of Hazardous Materials or Regulated Substances; and (i) any other information reasonably requested by Landlord or Lender or any prospective purchaser or lender, as the case may be.
ARTICLE X
RELEASE AND INDEMNIFICATION
Section 10.01. Release and Indemnification. Tenant agrees to use and occupy the Properties at its own risk and hereby releases Landlord and the other Indemnified Parties from all Losses relating to the Properties and the operation thereof, including without limitation claims for any damage or injury, to the full extent permitted by law, except to the extent such damage or injury is the result of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Landlord. Tenant agrees that Landlord shall not be responsible or liable to Tenant or Tenant’s employees, agents, customers, licensees or invitees for bodily injury, personal injury or property damage occasioned by the acts or omissions of any other Person. Tenant agrees that any agent to whom the Properties or any part thereof shall be entrusted by or on behalf of Tenant or employee of Tenant or its Affiliates shall be acting as Tenant’s agent with respect to the Properties or any part thereof. Neither Landlord nor Landlord’s agents, employees or contractors shall be liable for any loss of or damage to the Properties or any part thereof. Tenant shall indemnify, protect, defend and hold harmless each of the Indemnified Parties from and against any and all Losses (excluding Losses suffered by an Indemnified Party arising out of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of such Indemnified Party) arising out of (i) any act or occurrence or failure to act alleged to have occurred in, on, around or about the Properties, (ii) any failure to maintain, keep or repair the Properties, (iii) any condition alleged to have existed on or have occurred on the Properties or (iv) any default by Tenant in the performance of its obligations under this Lease or any default by Lease Guarantor in the performance of its obligations under the Lease Guaranty. It is expressly understood and agreed that Tenant’s obligations under this Section shall survive the expiration or earlier termination of this Lease for any reason whatsoever for a period of two (2) years; provided, that the foregoing two-year limitation of survival shall not apply to Tenant’s obligation to indemnify the Indemnified Parties for Losses arising from claims by third parties, including Governmental Authorities. Landlord shall indemnify, protect, defend and hold Tenant harmless from and against all Losses to the extent such Losses arise out of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of Landlord or other Indemnified Party. The term “gross negligence” or “willful misconduct” as used in this Section 10.01 shall not include negligence imputed as a matter of law to Landlord or other Indemnified Party solely by reason of Landlord’s interest in the Properties or Landlord’s failure to act in respect of matters which are or were the obligation of Tenant under this Lease.
ARTICLE XI
CONDEMNATION AND CASUALTY
Section 11.01. Notification. Tenant shall promptly give Landlord written notice of (a) any Condemnation of any of the Properties or any notice of any threatened Condemnation of any of the Properties, (b) the commencement of any proceedings or negotiations which might result in a Condemnation of any of the Properties, and (c) any Casualty to any of the Properties or any part thereof. Such notice shall provide a general description of the nature and extent of such Condemnation, proceedings, negotiations or Casualty, and shall include copies of any documents or notices received in connection therewith. Thereafter, Tenant shall promptly send Landlord copies of all notices, correspondence and pleadings relating to any such Condemnation, proceedings, negotiations or Casualty.
Section 11.02. Total Condemnation. “Total Condemnation” means (a) Condemnation of all or substantially all of any Property or (b) a Condemnation (other than a Temporary Taking) of such a substantial part of such Property that results in the portion of the Property remaining after such Condemnation being unsuitable for use as a Permitted Facility, as determined by Tenant in the exercise of good faith business judgment, provided that Tenant provides to Landlord an officer’s certificate executed by an officer of Tenant certifying to the same within sixty (60) days of such Condemnation (the “Tenant Certificate”). If Tenant does not provide the Tenant Certificate within such period, the Condemnation shall not be considered a Total Condemnation. The date upon which a Total Condemnation occurs shall be, in the case of a Total Condemnation described in clause (a) of the immediately preceding sentence, the date of the Condemnation and, in the case of a Total Condemnation described in clause (b) of the immediately preceding sentence, thirty (30) days following the latest of (i) the date of the Condemnation, (ii) the date Tenant provides the Tenant Certificate or (iii) the date Tenant ceases operation of the Property as a Permitted Facility. In the event of a Total Condemnation, Tenant may propose that Landlord accept a Substitute Property acceptable to Landlord for the condemned Property pursuant to Section 14.05 below and this Section 11.02. If the substitution is effected pursuant to Section 14.05 below and this Section 11.02, then the Net Award shall be paid to Tenant at the closing of the substitution and there shall be no reduction of Base Annual Rental payable under this Lease and no abatement of Base Annual Rental for any period. In the event of a Total Condemnation and no substitution has been made therefor pursuant to Section 14.05 below and this Section 11.02, then Landlord shall retain the Net Award unless and until a substitution for such Property occurs pursuant to Section 14.05 and this Section 11.02 and there shall be no reduction of Base Annual Rental payable under this Lease and no abatement of Base Annual Rental for any period. Notwithstanding Section 14.05 below, in no event shall the Tenant have a right to make a substitution for the condemned Property more than six months after the date upon which the Total Condemnation occurs.
Section 11.03. Partial Condemnation or Casualty. In the event of a Condemnation which is not a Total Condemnation (each such event, a “Partial Condemnation”), or in the event of a Casualty:
(a)
    Net Awards. All Net Awards shall be paid to Landlord.
(b)
    Continuance of Lease. This Lease shall continue in full force and effect upon the following terms:
(i)    All Rental and other Monetary Obligations due under this Lease shall continue unabated.
(ii)    Tenant shall promptly commence and diligently prosecute restoration of such Property to the same condition, as nearly as practicable, as prior to such Partial Condemnation or Casualty as approved by Landlord. Upon the written request of Tenant (accompanied by evidence reasonably satisfactory to Landlord that such amount has been paid or is due and payable and is properly part of such costs, and that Tenant has complied with the terms of Section 7.02 in connection with the restoration), Landlord shall promptly make available in installments to pay or reimburse Tenant for the costs of the restoration, subject to reasonable conditions for disbursement consistent with typical and customary construction disbursement requirements imposed by construction lenders, an amount up to but not exceeding the amount of any Net Award received by Landlord with respect to such Partial Condemnation or Casualty. Prior to the disbursement of any portion of the Net Award with respect to a Casualty, Tenant shall provide evidence reasonably satisfactory to Landlord of the payment of restoration costs by Tenant up to the amount of the insurance deductible or retention applicable to such Casualty and any amount by which the remaining unpaid costs of the restoration (as reasonably estimated by Tenant to the satisfaction of Landlord and Lender) exceed the remaining undisbursed portion of the Net Award. Landlord shall be entitled to keep any portion of the Net Award which may be in excess of the cost of restoration and Tenant shall bear all additional Costs of such restoration in excess of the Net Award.
(c)
    Right to Request Substitute. Notwithstanding any other provision to the contrary contained in this Article XI, in the event that, as a result of a Casualty, Tenant shall reasonably estimate in the exercise of good faith business judgment that the applicable Property cannot be used for the same purpose and substantially with the same utility as before such Casualty (and Tenant provides to Landlord an officer’s certificate executed by an officer of Tenant certifying to the same), then, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this subsection (c), Tenant shall have the right, exercisable by written notice given to Landlord no later than thirty (30) days following such Casualty, to substitute a Substitute Property for the damaged Property pursuant to Section 14.05 below. In such event, the Net Award, less any amounts theretofore disbursed to or for the account of Tenant pursuant to subsection (b)(ii) above, shall be paid to Tenant at the time of closing of the substitution.
Section 11.04. Temporary Taking. In the event of a Condemnation of all or any part of any Property for a temporary use (a “Temporary Taking”), this Lease shall remain in full force and effect without any reduction of Base Annual Rental, Additional Rental or any other Monetary Obligation payable hereunder. Except as provided below, Tenant shall be entitled to the entire Net Award for a Temporary Taking, unless the period of occupation and use by the condemning authorities shall extend beyond the date of expiration of this Lease, in which event the Net Award made for such Temporary Taking shall be apportioned between Landlord and Tenant as of the date of such expiration. At the termination of any such Temporary Taking, Tenant will, at its own cost and expense and pursuant to the provisions of Section 7.02, promptly commence and complete restoration of such Property.
Section 11.05. Adjustment of Losses. Any loss under any property damage insurance required to be maintained by Tenant shall be adjusted by Landlord and Tenant. Any Net Award relating to a Total Condemnation or a Partial Condemnation shall be adjusted by Landlord or, at Landlord’s election, Tenant. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Article XI, if any Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, Landlord is hereby authorized and empowered, but shall not be obligated, to pursue any Tenant’s claim, in the name of and on behalf of Tenant, to any Net Award resulting from a Condemnation or Casualty and to hold the proceeds of any recovery therefrom, net of Landlord’s Costs in pursuing the same, until Landlord shall have terminated this Lease or terminated Tenant’s right to possess the Properties pursuant to this Lease. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and Landlord shall have neither terminated this Lease nor have terminated Tenant’s right to possess the Properties pursuant to this Lease, then Landlord shall make such Net Award available to Tenant after the restoration of the affected Property in accordance with Section 11.03(c)(ii) to reimburse the Tenant for the costs of such restoration. Upon termination of this Lease or Tenant’s right to possess the Properties, any Net Award then remaining in the possession of Landlord shall become Landlord’s property free of any claim by Tenant.
Section 11.06. Tenant Obligation in Event of Casualty. During all periods of time following a Casualty, Tenant shall take, at its own cost and expense, reasonable steps to ensure that the related Property is secure and does not pose any risk of harm to any adjoining property and Persons (including owners or occupants of such adjoining property).
Section 11.07. Tenant Awards and Payments. Notwithstanding any provision contained in this Article XI, Tenant shall be entitled to claim and receive any award or payment from the condemning authority expressly granted for the taking of any Tenant’s Personal Property or any other personal property owned by Tenant, any insurance proceeds with respect to Tenant’s Personal Property or any other personal property owned by Tenant, the interruption of its business and moving expenses (subject, however, to the provisions of Section 6.03(a)(v) above), but only if such claim or award does not adversely affect or interfere with the prosecution of Landlord’s claim in respect of the Condemnation or Casualty, or otherwise reduce the amount recoverable by Landlord for the Condemnation or Casualty.
ARTICLE XII
DEFAULT, CONDITIONAL LIMITATIONS, REMEDIES AND MEASURE OF DAMAGES
Section 12.01. Event of Default. Each of the following shall be an event of default by Tenant under this Lease (each, an “Event of Default”):
(a)
    if any representation or warranty of Tenant set forth in this Lease is false in any material respect when made, or if Tenant renders any statement or account that is false in any material respect when made;
(b)
    if any Rental due under this Lease is not paid within five (5) Business Days of the date upon which such payment is due; provided, however, in the event that Tenant pays Rental by wire transfer pursuant to Section 4.06 above, any delay in the payment of Rental as a result of a technical error in the wiring and/or automated clearinghouse process (other than an error for which Tenant is responsible) shall not constitute an Event of Default hereunder so long as the same is corrected within five (5) Business Days of the date that Tenant receives notice thereof;
(c)
    if any other Monetary Obligation due under this Lease is not paid within five (5) Business Days following written notice thereof;
(d)
    except as permitted by Section 8.06, if Tenant fails to pay, prior to delinquency, any Real Estate Taxes or other taxes, assessments or other charges the failure of which to pay will result in the imposition of a lien against any of the Properties provided, however, such failure shall not constitute an Event of Default hereunder, unless otherwise expressly provided herein, unless and until Landlord shall have given Tenant notice thereof and a period of thirty (30) days shall have elapsed, during which period Tenant may correct or cure such failure, upon failure of which an Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred hereunder without further notice or demand of any kind being required;
(e)
    if there is an Insolvency Event affecting Tenant or Lease Guarantor;
(f)
    if Tenant fails to observe or perform any of the other covenants, conditions or obligations of Tenant in this Lease; provided, however, such failure shall not constitute an Event of Default hereunder, unless otherwise expressly provided herein, unless and until Landlord shall have given Tenant notice thereof and a period of thirty (30) days shall have elapsed, during which period Tenant may correct or cure such failure, upon failure of which an Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred hereunder without further notice or demand of any kind being required. If such failure cannot reasonably be cured within such thirty (30)-day period, as determined by Landlord in its reasonable discretion, and Tenant has undertaken in a written notice to Landlord to cure such failure and is diligently pursuing a cure of such failure at all times thereafter until a cure is obtained, then Tenant shall have a reasonable period to cure such failure beyond such thirty (30)-day period, which shall in no event exceed ninety (90) days after receiving notice of such failure from Landlord. If Tenant shall fail to correct or cure such failure within such ninety (90)-day period, an Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred hereunder without further notice or demand of any kind being required;
(g)
    if Tenant shall be liquidated or dissolved or shall begin proceedings towards its liquidation or dissolution;
(h)
    if the estate or interest of Tenant in any of the Properties shall be levied upon or attached in any proceeding and such estate or interest is about to be sold or transferred or such process shall not be vacated or discharged within ninety (90) days after it is made; or
(i)
    if an Event of Default (as defined in the Lease Guaranty) shall occur under the Lease Guaranty.
Section 12.02. Remedies. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default, with or without notice or demand, except as otherwise expressly provided herein or such other notice as may be required by statute and cannot be waived by Tenant, Landlord shall be entitled to exercise, at its option, concurrently, successively, or in any combination, all remedies available at law or in equity, including, without limitation, any one or more of the following:
(a)
    to terminate this Lease, whereupon Tenant’s right to possession of the Properties shall cease and this Lease, except as to Tenant’s liability, shall be terminated;
(b)
    to the extent not prohibited by applicable law, to (i) re-enter and take possession of the Properties (or any part thereof) and, to the extent permissible, all permits and other rights or privileges of Tenant pertaining to the use and operation of the Properties, and (ii) expel Tenant and those claiming under or through Tenant, without being deemed guilty in any manner of trespass or becoming liable for any loss or damage resulting therefrom, without resort to legal or judicial process, procedure or action. No notice from Landlord hereunder or under a forcible entry and detainer statute or similar law shall constitute an election by Landlord to terminate this Lease unless such notice specifically so states. If Tenant shall, after default, voluntarily give up possession of the Properties to Landlord, deliver to Landlord or its agents the keys to the Properties, or both, such actions shall be deemed to be in compliance with Landlord’s rights and the acceptance thereof by Landlord or its agents shall not be deemed to constitute a termination of the Lease. Landlord reserves the right following any re-entry and/or reletting to exercise its right to terminate this Lease by giving Tenant written notice thereof, in which event this Lease will terminate;
(c)
    to bring an action against Tenant for any damages sustained by Landlord or any equitable relief available to Landlord;
(d)
    to relet the Properties or any part thereof for such term or terms (including a term which extends beyond the original Lease Term), at such rentals and upon such other terms as Landlord, in its sole discretion, may determine, with all proceeds received from such reletting being applied to the Rental and other Monetary Obligations due from Tenant in such order as Landlord may, in its sole discretion, determine, which other Monetary Obligations include, without limitation, all repossession costs, brokerage commissions, attorneys’ fees and expenses, alteration, remodeling and repair costs and expenses of preparing for such reletting. Except to the extent required by applicable Law, Landlord shall have no obligation to relet the Properties or any part thereof and shall in no event be liable for refusal or failure to relet the Properties or any part thereof, or, in the event of any such reletting, for refusal or failure to collect any rent due upon such reletting, and no such refusal or failure shall operate to relieve Tenant of any liability under this Lease or otherwise to affect any such liability. Landlord reserves the right following any re-entry and/or reletting to exercise its right to terminate this Lease by giving Tenant written notice thereof, in which event this Lease will terminate as specified in said notice;
(e)
    to recover from Tenant all Costs paid or incurred by Landlord as a result of such breach, regardless of whether or not legal proceedings are actually commenced;
(f)
    to immediately or at any time thereafter, and with or without notice, at Landlord’s sole option but without any obligation to do so, correct such breach or default and charge Tenant all Costs incurred by Landlord therein. Any sum or sums so paid by Landlord, together with interest at the Default Rate, shall be deemed to be Additional Rental hereunder and shall be immediately due from Tenant to Landlord. Any such acts by Landlord in correcting Tenant’s breaches or defaults hereunder shall not be deemed to cure said breaches or defaults or constitute any waiver of Landlord’s right to exercise any or all remedies set forth herein;
(g)
    Without limiting the generality of the foregoing or limiting in any way the rights of Landlord under this Lease or otherwise under applicable Laws, at any time after the occurrence, and during the continuance, of an Event of Default, Landlord shall be entitled to apply for and have a receiver appointed under applicable Law by a court of competent jurisdiction (by ex parte motion for appointment without notice) in any action taken by Landlord to enforce its rights and remedies hereunder in order to protect and preserve Landlord’s interest under this Lease or in the Properties, and in connection therewith;
(h)
    to sue for all Rental and all other sums, charges, payments, costs and expenses due from Tenant to Landlord hereunder as they become due under this Lease, taking into account that Tenant’s right and option to pay the Rental hereunder on a monthly basis in any particular lease year is conditioned upon the absence of a default on Tenant’s part in the performance of its obligations under this Lease;
(i)
    recover as damages from Tenant the following: (i) all Rental then due under this Lease through the date of termination of this Lease or termination of Tenant’s right of possession; plus (ii) the excess of all Base Annual Rental due for the remainder of the Lease Term (discounted at the discount rate of 6% per annum)(the “Future Rent Amount”) over the fair market rental value of the Property for the remainder of the Lease Term determined on a fully net basis consistent with the terms of this Lease (discounted at the discount rate of 6% per annum); plus (iii) the cost of reletting the Property, including the anticipated period of vacancy until the Demised Property can be re-let at its fair market rental value; provided that, in the case of an Event of Default that arises solely under Section 12.01(i) above, the sum of (ii) and (iii) shall be capped at the Future Rent Amount;
(j)
    to seek specific performance of Tenant’s obligations under this Lease;
except that, in the case of an Event of Default that arises solely under Section 12.01(i) above, the total amount of damages that Landlord may recover from Tenant under this Article 12 in respect of such Event of Default shall be capped at the Future Rent Amount.
Section 12.03. Cumulative Remedies. All powers and remedies given by Section 12.02 to Landlord, subject to applicable Law, shall be cumulative and not exclusive of one another or of any other right or remedy or of any other powers and remedies available to Landlord under this Lease or under law or in equity, by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to enforce the performance or observance of the covenants and agreements of Tenant contained in this Lease, and no delay or omission of Landlord to exercise any right or power accruing upon the occurrence of any Event of Default shall impair any other or subsequent Event of Default or impair any rights or remedies consequent thereto. Every power and remedy given by this Section or by Law to Landlord may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by Landlord, subject at all times to Landlord’s right in its sole judgment to discontinue any work commenced by Landlord or change any course of action undertaken by Landlord.
Section 12.04. Tenant Waiver. Tenant hereby expressly waives, for itself and all Persons claiming by, through and under Tenant, including creditors of all kinds, (a) any right and privilege which Tenant has under any present or future Legal Requirements to redeem the Properties or to have a continuance of this Lease for the Lease Term after termination of Tenant’s right of occupancy by order or judgment of any court or by any legal process or writ, or under the terms of this Lease; (b) the benefits of any present or future Legal Requirement that exempts property from liability for debt or for distress for rent; (c) any present or future Legal Requirement relating to notice or delay in levy of execution in case of eviction of a tenant for nonpayment of rent; and (d) any benefits and lien rights which may arise pursuant to any present or future Legal Requirement.
Section 12.05. Landlord’s Duty to Mitigate Damages. In the event that Landlord re-enters, retakes and resumes possession of any Property following an Event of Default, Landlord hereby agrees to use commercially reasonable efforts to relet any such Property and thereby mitigate the loss or damage which Tenant shall incur hereunder. Any rent received by Landlord as a result of such efforts may, at Landlord’s option, be first applied to the Costs incurred by Landlord in connection with such efforts.
ARTICLE XIII
MORTGAGE, SUBORDINATION AND ATTORNMENT
Section 13.01. No Liens. Landlord’s interest in this Lease and/or the Properties shall not be subordinate to any liens or encumbrances placed upon the Properties by or resulting from any act of Tenant, and nothing herein contained shall be construed to require such subordination by Landlord.
Section 13.02. Subordination. Subject to the provisions of this Section 13.02, this Lease at all times shall automatically be subordinate to the lien of any and all Mortgages now or hereafter placed upon any of the Properties by Landlord, and Tenant covenants and agrees to execute and deliver, upon demand, such further instruments subordinating this Lease to the lien of any or all Mortgages as shall be reasonably requested by Landlord, Lender or any proposed lender; provided, however, that the foregoing subordination provision shall not be effective with respect to any Mortgages that do not contain non-disturbance language and an acknowledgement by said Lender or proposed lender (on its own behalf and on behalf of any purchaser at foreclosure) to the effect that, notwithstanding the existence of such Mortgage or the foreclosure or other exercise of rights under any such Mortgage, Tenant’s possession and occupancy of the Properties and its leasehold estate shall not be disturbed or interfered with nor shall Tenant’s rights and obligations under this Lease (including without limitation, Tenant’s rights to use insurance and condemnation proceeds to repair and rebuild the Properties as contemplated hereby) be altered or adversely affected thereby so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing. Within ten (10) Business Days following Landlord’s request, Tenant shall execute and deliver to Lender or a proposed lender a Subordination, Non-Disturbance and Attornment Agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit 13.02 attached hereto.
Section 13.03. Election to Declare Lease Superior. If any mortgagee, receiver or other secured party elects to have this Lease and the interest of Tenant hereunder, be superior to any Mortgage and evidences such election by notice given to Tenant, then this Lease and the interest of Tenant hereunder shall be deemed superior to any such Mortgage, whether this Lease was executed before or after such Mortgage and in that event such mortgagee, receiver or other secured party shall have the same rights with respect to this Lease as if it had been executed and delivered prior to the execution and delivery of such Mortgage and had been assigned to such mortgagee, receiver or other secured party.
Section 13.04. Attornment. In the event any purchaser or assignee of any Lender at a foreclosure sale acquires title to any of the Properties, or in the event that any Lender or any purchaser or assignee otherwise succeeds to the rights of Landlord as landlord under this Lease, Tenant shall attorn to Lender or such purchaser or assignee, as the case may be (a “Successor Landlord”), and recognize the Successor Landlord as Landlord under this Lease, and, subject to the provisions of this Article XIII, this Lease shall continue in full force and effect as a direct lease between the Successor Landlord and Tenant, provided that the Successor Landlord shall only be liable for any obligations of Landlord under this Lease which accrue after the date that such Successor Landlord acquires title. The foregoing provision shall be self-operative and effective without the execution of any further instruments.
Section 13.05. Execution of Additional Documents. Although the provisions in this Article XIII shall be self-operative and no future instrument of subordination shall be required, upon request by Landlord or Tenant, each other party shall execute and deliver whatever instruments may be reasonably required for such purposes.
Section 13.06. Notice to Lender. Tenant shall give written notice to any Lender of which Tenant has been notified in writing of any breach or default by Landlord of any of its obligations under this Lease and give such Lender at least sixty (60) days beyond any notice period to which Landlord might be entitled to cure such default before Tenant may exercise any remedy with respect thereto.
ARTICLE XIV
ASSIGNMENT
Section 14.01. Assignment by Tenant.
(a)
    Tenant acknowledges that Landlord has relied both on the business experience and creditworthiness of Tenant and upon the particular purposes for which Tenant intends to use the Properties in entering into this Lease. Tenant shall not assign, transfer, convey, pledge or mortgage this Lease or any interest herein or permit the assignment of any direct or indirect interest in Tenant, whether by operation of law or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Landlord, which consent may not be unreasonably withheld or delayed provided that, among other reasonable factors that Landlord may consider in deciding whether to grant its consent, Landlord may consider, without limitation, the following: (i) the financial strength of the proposed assignee including its EBITDAR and tangible net worth, (ii) its operating history and management experience, and (iii) total number of restaurants operated by the assignee. Tenant shall provide to Landlord such information regarding the proposed assignee as Landlord shall reasonably request. At the time of any assignment of this Lease which is approved by Landlord, the assignee shall assume all of the obligations of Tenant under this Lease pursuant to a written assumption agreement in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Landlord. Such assignment of the Properties pursuant to this Section 14.01 shall not relieve Tenant of its obligations respecting this Lease unless otherwise agreed to by Landlord in the exercise of its absolute discretion. Any assignment, transfer, conveyance, pledge or mortgage in violation of this Section 14.01 shall be voidable at the sole option of Landlord. Any consent to an assignment given by Landlord hereunder shall not be deemed a consent to any subsequent assignment.
(b)
    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 14.01 and provided that no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and provided further that any assignee agrees to assume all of Tenant’s obligations under this Lease, Tenant shall have the right to assign or otherwise transfer all, but not less than all, of its interest in, to and under this Lease without Landlord’s consent to (i) an Affiliate of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. (including, without limitation, in connection with any corporate restructuring transaction), or (ii) any entity which purchases or otherwise acquires all or substantially all of the assets or equity interests of Bob Evans Farms, Inc., in a merger, sale or other similar transaction for fair market value, provided no such assignment will reduce or otherwise affect the liability of Lease Guarantor under the Lease Guaranty except to the extent Landlord otherwise agrees in writing.
Section 14.02. Subletting. So long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, Tenant may sublet any or all of the Properties provided that (a) Tenant provides written notice thereof to Landlord (accompanied by a copy of the related sublease) at least ten (10) days prior to the date of the related sublease; (b) the related sublease is subject and subordinate to this Lease, does not contain any terms inconsistent with this Lease, and terminates upon the expiration or sooner termination of this Lease (including renewals); (c) Tenant shall at all times remain liable hereunder irrespective of any such sublease; and (d) any sublet Property shall only be used as a Permitted Facility.
Section 14.03. No Release. No assignment or sublease (including without limitation any assignment under Section 14.01(b)) shall affect or reduce any of the obligations of Tenant hereunder, and all such obligations shall continue in full force and effect as obligations of a principal and not as obligations of a guarantor, as if no assignment or sublease had been made. Landlord’s consent to any assignment or sublease and/or Landlord’s acceptance of rent from an assignee or sublessee shall in no event: (i) release Tenant from any liability under this Lease, or (ii) be construed as Landlord’s agreement to recognize any subtenant or sublease. Furthermore, should Landlord and any subsequent assignee of Tenant’s interest in the Lease enter into any amendments, modifications or supplements to the Lease, the original Tenant shall remain liable for all obligations of the tenant under the Lease as amended, modified or supplemented irrespective of whether the original Tenant receives notice of or consents to any such amendment, modification or supplement to the Lease, except to the extent that Landlord and original Tenant otherwise agree in writing at the time of the assignment or thereafter. Except to the extent that Landlord and original Tenant otherwise agree in writing at the time of the assignment or thereafter, Tenant acknowledges, understands and agrees that Tenant shall remain liable on the Lease whether or not Tenant consents to or has notice of any subsequent amendment, modification or supplement and Landlord has specifically bargained for the right to so amend, modify or supplement the Lease subsequent to an assignment without obtaining said consent or giving said approval. Tenant may only be released upon any assignment or sublease if Landlord releases Tenant in writing by separate instrument, which release Landlord shall have no obligation to give.
Section 14.04. No Recognition. Landlord shall have no obligation to recognize any or to agree to not disturb any subtenant of Tenant upon any Event of Default of Tenant under this Lease, unless Landlord shall agree to do so in writing by separate instrument, but Landlord shall have no obligation to do so. Landlord’s consent to any sublease shall not be construed as or imply any agreement on Landlord’s part to recognize any subtenant. In the event of Tenant’s surrender of this Lease or the termination of this Lease for any reason or by any circumstance, Landlord may, at its option, either terminate any or all subtenancies or succeed to the interest of Tenant as sublandlord thereunder. During the time that any uncured Event of Default exists hereunder, Landlord may collect such sublease rent and apply it toward Tenant’s obligations under this Lease, and any subtenant is hereby provided with notice that subtenant shall be required to pay all sublease rent directly to Landlord upon receipt of notice from Landlord that an uncured Event of Default exists under this Lease.
Section 14.05. Substitution by Tenant. Subject to the provisions of this Section 14.05, Tenant shall have the right to substitute a like-kind Permitted Facility for one or more of the Properties; provided, however, that (x) Tenant shall not have any such substitution right if the substitution of any Property would cause Landlord to recognize income or gain from a “prohibited transaction” as defined under Section 857(b)(6) of the Code or such substituted like-kind asset is not “real property” under Section 856 of the Code; and (y) Landlord has the right to approve or disapprove any proposed substitution in its sole discretion. If Tenant elects to conduct a substitution such that another unencumbered Permitted Facility (each, a “Substitute Property”) is substituted for a Property being released (each, a “Replaced Property”), Tenant shall first satisfy the following conditions and requirements:
(i)    the Substitute Property (A) shall be a Permitted Facility, in good condition and repair, and shall have been owned and operated by Tenant as a Permitted Facility for no less than two years prior to the date of substitution and shall be located in the same state and have similar or better demographics than the Replaced Property as reasonably determined by Landlord; (B) shall be made subject to this Lease with no decline in Base Annual Rental or any other Rental due hereunder; and (C) the sales and EBITDAR derived from the Substitute Property shall be equal or greater than the sales and EBITDAR derived from the Replaced Property, as measured over the prior eighteen (18) months, excluding from both calculations any period during which either the Substitute Property or Replaced Property was not in full operation, such sales and EBITDAR results to be certified by an officer of Tenant in form reasonably satisfactory to Landlord and Lender.
(ii)    Landlord shall have received at least thirty-five (35) days’ prior written notice requesting the substitution and identifying the Substitute Property and Replaced Property.
(iii)    Landlord shall have received a current appraisal performed by an MAI Appraiser (in form and substance satisfactory in all respects to Landlord and Lender) of the Substitute Property prepared within one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the release and substitution date (the “Substitution Date”) showing an appraised value equal to or greater than the appraised value shown in an equivalent and contemporaneous appraisal of the Replaced Property.
(iv)    No Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and Tenant shall be in compliance in all material respects with all terms and conditions set forth in this Lease on Tenant’s part to be observed or performed. Landlord shall have received a certificate from Tenant confirming the foregoing, stating that the representations and warranties of Tenant contained in this Lease are true and correct in all material respects on and as of the Substitution Date (or if untrue, providing details regarding the same), with respect to Tenant, the Properties and the Substitute Property and containing any other representations and warranties with respect to Tenant, the Properties, the Substitute Property as Landlord and Lender, may reasonably require, such certificate to be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Landlord or Lender, as applicable; provided, however, Landlord or Lender, as applicable, may object to any exceptions as to the representations and warranties set forth in Tenant’s certificate; and provided, further, that Landlord shall provide the necessary disclosures in order to enable Tenant to make the representation contained in Section 5.10.
(v)    Landlord and Lender shall have received preliminary title reports and irrevocable commitments to insure title by means of an ALTA extended coverage owner’s policy and lender’s policy of title insurance, as applicable (or their equivalent in the event such forms are not issued in the jurisdiction where the Substitute Property is located) for the Substitute Property issued by a title company selected by Landlord and committing to insure Landlord’s good and marketable title in the Substitute Property and Lender’s lien encumbering the Substitute Property, subject only to permitted exceptions reasonably acceptable to Landlord and Lender and containing such coverage and endorsements as Landlord and Lender may reasonably require.
(vi)    Landlord shall have received a current ALTA survey of the Substitute Property, the form of which shall be reasonably acceptable to Landlord and Lender, and their respective successors and assigns, and sufficient to cause the standard survey exceptions set forth in the title policies referenced above to be deleted.
(vii)    Landlord shall have inspected and approved the Substitute Property utilizing Landlord’s site inspection and underwriting approval criteria, including without limitation, completion of such environmental due diligence of the Substitute Property as Landlord deems necessary or advisable in its reasonable discretion, including but not limited to, receiving such environmental reports and/or an environmental insurance policy with respect to the Substitute Property, which in form and substance are acceptable to Landlord in its reasonable discretion. In connection with the foregoing, Landlord, in its reasonable discretion, shall have approved the condition of the Substitute Property, including without limitation, the environmental condition of the Property.
(viii)     Tenant shall have delivered to Landlord an estoppel certificate in accordance with Section 9.05 of this Lease and, if required by Landlord, an estoppel certificate in form and substance acceptable to Landlord with respect to any Restrictions or other Permitted Encumbrances relating to the Substitute Property.
(ix)    Lender shall have received from Tenant subordination agreements substantially in compliance with the provisions of Section 13.02 hereof (or such other form approved by Lender, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld so long as such form complies with Section 13.02) with respect to this Lease.
(x)    Landlord shall have received a title policy endorsement or a letter from the appropriate taxing authority stating that the Substitute Property constitutes a separate tax lot.
(xi)    Landlord and Lender shall have received a property condition report and zoning report issued by consultants acceptable to Landlord and Lender with respect to the Substitute Property stating that the Substitute Property and its use comply in all material respects with all applicable Legal Requirements (including, without limitation, zoning, subdivision and building laws) and that the Substitute Property is in good condition and repair and free of damage or waste.
(xii)    Landlord shall have received such other approvals, opinions, documents and information as reasonably requested by Landlord or Lender.
(xiii)    Tenant shall deliver, or cause to be delivered, with respect to Tenant and the Substitute Property, such legal opinions as Landlord or Lender may reasonably require in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Landlord, limited however, to Tenant and the Substitute Property (but also addressing such matters unique to the Substitute Property as may be reasonably required by Landlord).
(xiv)    Tenant shall have executed such documents as may be reasonably required by Landlord as a result of such substitution, including (i) an amendment to this Lease and any applicable memorandum of lease removing the Replaced Property and adding the Substitute Property and making other conforming changes to this Lease and such memoranda of Lease, (ii) a bill of sale and assignment of intangibles (collectively, the “Substitute Documents”), all of which documents shall be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Landlord and Lender.
(xv) Landlord and Lender shall have received an estoppel certificate from Lease Guarantor in the form contemplated by the Lease Guaranty and confirming that the Lease Guaranty remains in full force and effect as to the Lease as amended pursuant to this Section 14.05.
(xvi)    Tenant shall deliver an officer’s certificate certifying that the requirements set forth in this Section 14.05 have been satisfied.
Upon satisfaction of the foregoing conditions (a) the Substitute Property shall be deemed substituted for the Replaced Property for all purposes of this Lease and the Substitute Property shall be referred to herein as a “Property” and included within the definition of “Properties” but Base Annual Rent shall not be affected and there shall be no other modification of this Lease which shall remain in full force and effect; (b) the Substitute Documents shall be dated as of the date of the substitution; (c) the Released Property shall be released from this Lease and Landlord shall convey the Replaced Property to Tenant or a designee of Tenant “as is” by special warranty deed, subject to the Permitted Encumbrances (excluding any mortgage corresponding to the Replaced Property and any other consensual liens granted by Landlord, except for those granted by Landlord at the request of Tenant) and any matters arising by through, or under Tenant, and without representation or warranty except for those contained in such special warranty deed and (d) the Substitute Property shall be conveyed by Tenant to Landlord by special warranty deed. Tenant shall pay for all of Landlord’s reasonable Costs incurred with respect to such proposed substitution, including, without limitation, Landlord’s third party inspection costs and expenses with respect to the Substitute Property. Tenant shall be solely responsible for the payment of all Costs resulting from such proposed substitution, regardless of whether such substitution is consummated, including, without limitation, the cost of title insurance and endorsements for Landlord, survey charges, stamp taxes, mortgage taxes, transfer fees, lease taxes, escrow and recording fees, the cost of environmental due diligence undertaken pursuant to this Section 14.05, including, without limitation, the cost of environmental insurance, the cost of legal opinions, the cost of the appraisal required by this Section 14.05, income and transfer taxes imposed on Landlord as a result of such substitution, the reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses of counsel to Tenant and Landlord and Tenant shall have pay all fees, costs and expenses of Lender in connection with the substitution.
Section 14.06. Assignment by Landlord.
(a)    This Lease shall be fully assignable by Landlord and its successors and assigns, in whole or in part, subject to the terms of this Section 14.06. In the event that from time to time Landlord desires to assign its interest in this Lease with respect to less than all of the Properties (including to one or more Affiliates of Landlord), then (a) the assignee (“New Landlord”) and Tenant shall enter into an Assignment Lease Agreement, with respect to the Properties to be affected by the assignment, to be prepared by Landlord substantially in the form of this Lease (an “Assignment Lease Agreement”); (b) Landlord shall allocate the Base Annual Rental payable hereunder between this Lease and the Assignment Lease Agreement (the amount so allocated to the Assignment Lease Agreement being the “Allocated Base Rent Amount”) so that the total amount of Annual Base Rental payable under this Lease and the Assignment Lease Agreement immediately after the transaction shall be the same as the Annual Base Rental payable under this Lease immediately prior to such transaction, and (c) this Lease shall be amended to exclude any such Properties from this Lease and the Base Annual Rent hereunder shall be reduced by the Allocated Base Rent Amount (as so amended, the “Remaining Lease”). In such event, Tenant and the New Landlord shall execute any such Assignment Lease Agreement within five (5) Business Days after delivery by Landlord of an execution version thereof. In addition, Tenant shall execute and deliver to Landlord or cause to be executed and delivered to Landlord any other instruments and documents requested by Landlord in connection with the assignment, including without limitation: (i) an Assignment Guaranty (the “Assignment Lease Guaranty”) from Lease Guarantor to be prepared by Landlord substantially in the form of the Lease Guaranty, (ii) estoppel certificates in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth in Section 9.05 of this Lease and Section 12 of the Lease Guaranty (and comparable provisions in the Assignment Lease Agreement and Assignment Lease Guaranty with respect to the Assignment Lease Agreement, the Remaining Lease, the Lease Guaranty and the Assignment Lease Guaranty executed by Tenant and Lease Guarantor, as applicable, in favor of Landlord, New Landlord, Lender and any new lender to New Landlord (a “New Lender”), as applicable, and (iii) if required by Lender or a New Lender, a subordination, non-disturbance and attornment agreement in accordance with Section 13.02 of this Lease or the comparable provision of the Assignment Lease Agreement. Tenant agrees to cooperate reasonably with Landlord in connection with any such assignment and execute, and cause Lease Guarantor to execute, such additional documents required by Landlord, Lender, New Landlord and any New Lender, including a new memorandum of the Assignment Lease Agreement, amendment of any existing memorandum of this Lease, such additional documents to be in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Tenant. From and after the effective date of any such Assignment Lease Agreement, this Lease and any such Assignment Lease Agreement shall be separate leases which shall be treated separately and independently for all purposes. The assignor Landlord shall be automatically released (without need for any further agreement or other document) from any liability thereafter arising with respect to the Properties covered thereby. In no event shall the assignor Landlord have any liability under any Assignment Lease Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, (x) Tenant agrees that Landlord may agree in its sole discretion with any purchaser or assignee of any Property covered by an Assignment Lease Agreement to provide (or have a Landlord’s Affiliate provide) asset management and/or act as servicer regarding such Assignment Lease Agreement and the Properties thereunder; and (y) Tenant acknowledges that any Assignment Lease Agreement under this Section 14.06 may be, in Landlord’s sole discretion, a “master lease” agreement covering multiple Properties. Tenant shall cause all documents that are required to be executed by Tenant and/or Lease Guarantor under this Section 14.06 to be executed and delivered to Landlord within five (5) Business Days following Landlord’s written request therefor.
(b)
    If Landlord, at any time during the Term of this Lease, desires to sell one or more Properties (the “Subject Property” or “Subject Properties”) in one or more transactions, Landlord shall first notify Tenant in writing stating the price, terms, and conditions upon which Landlord would be prepared to sell the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, to Tenant (the “ROFO Notice”), and Tenant shall have fifteen (15) business days from and after the receipt of the ROFO Notice to elect to purchase the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, at the price and on the other terms and conditions contained in the ROFO Notice, except that, if following Tenant’s election not to purchase the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, as specified in the ROFO Notice, Landlord gives a second ROFO Notice with respect to less than all of the Subject Properties included in the ROFO Notice (the “Second ROFO Notice”), Tenant shall have five (5) business days from and after the receipt of the Second ROFO Notice to elect to purchase the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, at the price and on the other terms and conditions contained in the Second ROFO Notice. If Tenant does not so elect to purchase at the price and on such other terms and conditions as specified in the ROFO Notice or the Second ROFO Notice, as applicable, then Landlord shall be permitted to sell the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, to a third party (a “Purchaser”) on the same terms set forth in the ROFO Notice or the Second ROFO Notice, as applicable (except that Landlord shall be permitted to reduce the purchase price by no more than 10% of the purchase price in the ROFO Notice or the Second ROFO Notice, as applicable) and the third party purchaser shall take the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, subject to all the terms, provisions, and conditions of the Assignment Lease Agreement (including this right of first offer with respect to subsequent sales of the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable,) executed in connection with such sale.  If Tenant does not elect to purchase the Subject Property or Subject Properties, as applicable, in response to a ROFO Notice or a Second ROFO Notice, as applicable, as provided in this Section 14.06(b), Tenant shall execute within ten (10) business days following a written request from Landlord or the Purchaser, a written instrument in recordable form (which may be recorded at Landlord’s cost) setting forth Tenant’s waiver of its rights under this Section 14.06(b) with respect to such sale in form reasonably acceptable to Tenant, the Purchaser, its lender and its title insurer. Tenant’s rights under this Section 14.06(b) shall continue in full force and effect during the Lease Term and shall not be waived, expire or terminate if Tenant fails to exercise its rights hereunder with respect to any one or more offers. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 14.06(b), Tenant’s rights under this Section 14.06(b) shall not apply to (i) a foreclosure sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure with respect to any Mortgage or to any sale thereafter, (ii) a sale or transfer of the Property by Landlord to an Affiliate of Landlord which Affiliate was not structured for purposes of avoiding application of this Section 14.06(b); or (iii) any transfer, sale, or assignment in connection with the merger of the Landlord or the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of Landlord.
ARTICLE XV
NOTICES
Section 15.01. Notices. All notices, demands, designations, certificates, requests, offers, consents, approvals, appointments and other instruments given pursuant to this Lease (each a “Notice”) shall be in writing and given by any one of the following: (a) hand delivery; (b) express overnight delivery service; or (c) certified mail, return receipt requested; and shall be deemed to have been delivered upon (i) receipt, if hand delivered; (ii) the next Business Day, if delivered by a reputable express overnight delivery service; or (iii) the third Business Day following the day of deposit of such notice with the United States Postal Service, if sent by certified mail, return receipt requested. The sender shall endeavor to send a courtesy copy of any Notice by email to the recipient at the following email addresses, but the failure to do so shall not affect the validity or timing of delivery of the Notice. Notices shall be provided to the parties and addresses specified below:
If to Tenant or
Parent:            Bob Evans Farms, LLC
Bob Evans Farms, Inc.
8111 Smith’s Mill Road
New Albany, Ohio 43054
Attn: Chief Financial Officer
Email: Mark_Hood@BobEvans.Com

With a copy to:    Bob Evans Farms, LLC
8111 Smith’s Mill Road
New Albany, Ohio 43054
Attn: General Counsel
Email: Colin_Daly@BobEvans.Com

and
            
Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease LLP
52 East Gay Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Attn:     Daniel J. Minor
Sheila Nolan Gartland
Email: djminor@vorys.com    Sngartland@vorys.com


If to Landlord:    c/o Mesirow Realty Sale-Leaseback, Inc.
353 North Clark Street
Chicago IL 60654
Attention: Senior Managing Director
Email: dbarker@mesirowfinancial.com

With a copy to:    Grady Bell LLP
53 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 1250
Chicago IL 60604
Attention: Real Estate Notices
Email: sbell@gradybell.com

or to such other address or such other person as either party may from time to time hereafter specify to the other party in a Notice delivered in the manner provided above. An attorney for a party may give notices on behalf of that party.
ARTICLE XVI
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 16.01. Force Majeure. Any prevention, delay or stoppage due to strikes, lockouts, acts of God, enemy or hostile governmental action, civil commotion, fire or other casualty beyond the control of the party obligated to perform (each, a “Force Majeure Event”) shall excuse the performance by such party for a period equal to any such prevention, delay or stoppage, expressly excluding, however, the obligations imposed upon Tenant with respect to Rental and other Monetary Obligations to be paid hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Force Majeure Event shall not extend any time periods specified in this Lease beyond three hundred sixty-five (365) days. In order for a party to assert any delays by reason of a Force Majeure Event, the party so requesting must provide the other party with written notice of the Force Majeure Event prior to five (5) Business Days following the later of the due date of the obligation or the occurrence of such Force Majeure Event. The failure of the requesting party to notify the other within such five (5) Business Day period shall nullify any rights under this Section 16.01.
Section 16.02. No Merger. There shall be no merger of this Lease nor of the leasehold estate created by this Lease with the fee estate in or ownership of any of the Properties by reason of the fact that the same person, corporation, firm or other entity may acquire or hold or own, directly or indirectly, (a) this Lease or the leasehold estate created by this Lease or any interest in this Lease or in such leasehold estate, and (b) the fee estate or ownership of any of the Properties or any interest in such fee estate or ownership. No such merger shall occur unless and until all persons, corporations, firms and other entities having any interest in (i) this Lease or the leasehold estate created by this Lease, and (ii) the fee estate in or ownership of the Properties or any part thereof sought to be merged shall join in a written instrument effecting such merger and shall duly record the same.
Section 16.03. Interpretation. Landlord and Tenant acknowledge and warrant to each other that each has been represented by independent counsel and has executed this Lease after being fully advised by said counsel as to its effect and significance. This Lease shall be interpreted and construed in a fair and impartial manner without regard to such factors as the party which prepared the instrument, the relative bargaining powers of the parties or the domicile of any party. Whenever in this Lease any words of obligation or duty are used, such words or expressions shall have the same force and effect as though made in the form of a covenant.
Section 16.04. Characterization. The following expressions of intent, representations, warranties, covenants, agreements, stipulations and waivers are a material inducement to Landlord entering into this Lease:
(a)
    The business relationship created by this Lease and any related documents is solely that of a long-term commercial lease between Landlord and Tenant, the Lease has been entered into by both parties in reliance upon the economic and legal bargains contained herein, and none of the agreements contained herein is intended, nor shall the same be deemed or construed, to create a partnership (de facto or de jure) between Landlord and Tenant, to make them joint venturers, to make Tenant an agent, legal representative, partner, subsidiary or employee of Landlord, nor to make Landlord in any way responsible for the debts, obligations or losses of Tenant.
(b)
    Landlord and Tenant covenant and agree that: (i) except as may otherwise be required as a result of changes in US GAAP subsequent to the Effective Date, each will treat this Lease as an operating lease pursuant to Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 13, as amended, and as a true lease for state law reporting purposes and for federal income tax purposes; (ii) each party will not, nor will it permit any Affiliate to, at any time, take any action or fail to take any action with respect to the preparation or filing of any statement or disclosure to Governmental Authority, including without limitation, any income tax return (including an amended income tax return), to the extent that such action or such failure to take action would be inconsistent with the intention of the parties expressed in this Section 16.04; (iii) with respect to the Properties, the Lease Term (including any Extension Term) is less than eighty percent (80%) of the estimated remaining economic life of the Properties; and (iv) the Base Annual Rental is the fair market value for the use of the Properties and was agreed to by Landlord and Tenant on that basis, and the execution and delivery of, and the performance by Tenant of its obligations under, this Lease do not constitute a transfer of all or any part of the Properties.
(c)
    Tenant waives any claim or defense based upon the characterization of this Lease as anything other than a true lease and as a master lease of all of the Properties. Tenant stipulates and agrees (i) not to challenge the validity, enforceability or characterization of the lease of the Properties as a true lease and/or as a single, unitary, unseverable instrument pertaining to the lease of all, but not less than all, of the Properties; and (ii) not to assert or take or omit to take any action inconsistent with the agreements and understandings set forth in this Section 16.04.
Section 16.05. Disclosure. The parties agree that, notwithstanding any provision contained in this Lease, any party (and each employee, representative or other agent of any party) may disclose to any and all persons, without limitation of any kind, any matter required under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act.
Section 16.06. Bankruptcy. As a material inducement to Landlord executing this Lease, Tenant acknowledges and agrees that Landlord is relying upon (a) the financial condition and specific operating experience of Tenant and Tenant’s obligation to use the Properties as Permitted Facilities; (b) Tenant’s timely performance of all of its obligations under this Lease notwithstanding the entry of an order for relief under the Bankruptcy Code for Tenant; and (c) all defaults under this Lease being cured promptly and this Lease being assumed within sixty (60) days of any order for relief entered under the Bankruptcy Code for Tenant, or this Lease being rejected within such sixty (60)-day period and the Properties surrendered to Landlord. Accordingly, in consideration of the mutual covenants contained in this Lease and for other good and valuable consideration, Tenant hereby agrees that: (i) all obligations that accrue under this Lease (including the obligation to pay Rentals), from and after an Insolvency Event shall be timely performed exactly as provided in this Lease and any failure to so perform shall be harmful and prejudicial to Landlord; (ii) any and all Rentals that accrue from and after an Insolvency Event and that are not paid as required by this Lease shall, in the amount of such Rentals, constitute administrative expense claims allowable under the Bankruptcy Code with priority of payment at least equal to that of any other actual and necessary expenses incurred after an Insolvency Event; (iii) any extension of the time period within which Tenant may assume or reject this Lease without an obligation to cause all obligations under this Lease to be performed as and when required under this Lease shall be harmful and prejudicial to Landlord; (iv) any time period designated as the period within which Tenant must cure all defaults and compensate Landlord for all pecuniary losses which extends beyond the date of assumption of this Lease shall be harmful and prejudicial to Landlord; (v) any assignment of this Lease must result in all terms and conditions of this Lease being assumed by the assignee without alteration or amendment, and any assignment which results in an amendment or alteration of the terms and conditions of this Lease without the express written consent of Landlord shall be harmful and prejudicial to Landlord; (vi) any proposed assignment of this Lease shall be harmful and prejudicial to Landlord if made to an assignee that does not possess financial condition adequate to operate Permitted Facilities upon the Properties or operating performance and experience characteristics satisfactory to Landlord equal to or better than the financial condition, operating performance and experience of Tenant as of the Effective Date; and (vii) the rejection (or deemed rejection) of this Lease for any reason whatsoever shall constitute cause for immediate relief from the automatic stay provisions of the Bankruptcy Code, and Tenant stipulates that such automatic stay shall be lifted immediately and possession of the Properties will be delivered to Landlord immediately without the necessity of any further action by Landlord. No provision of this Lease shall be deemed a waiver of Landlord’s rights or remedies under the Bankruptcy Code or applicable Law to oppose any assumption and/or assignment of this Lease, to require timely performance of Tenant’s obligations under this Lease, or to regain possession of the Properties as a result of the failure of Tenant to comply with the terms and conditions of this Lease or the Bankruptcy Code. Notwithstanding anything in this Lease to the contrary, all amounts payable by Tenant to or on behalf of Landlord under this Lease, whether or not expressly denominated as such, shall constitute “rent” for the purposes of the Bankruptcy Code. For purposes of this Section addressing the rights and obligations of Landlord and Tenant upon an Insolvency Event, the term “Tenant” shall include Tenant’s successor in bankruptcy, whether a trustee, Tenant as debtor in possession or other responsible person.
Section 16.07. Attorneys’ Fees. In the event of any judicial or other adversarial proceeding concerning this Lease, to the extent permitted by Law, the prevailing party shall be entitled to recover from the other party all of its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other Costs, specifically including reasonable attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with any appeals (whether or not taxable as such by law), in addition to any other relief to which it may be entitled. In addition, upon a default hereunder by either party, the non-defaulting party shall, upon demand, be entitled to all reasonable attorneys’ fees and all other Costs incurred in the preparation and service of any notice or demand hereunder, whether or not a legal action is subsequently commenced. Each party shall also be entitled to recover its reasonable attorneys’ fees and other Costs incurred in any bankruptcy action filed by or against the other party, including, without limitation, those incurred in seeking relief from the automatic stay, in dealing with the assumption or rejection of this Lease, in any adversary proceeding, and in the preparation and filing of any proof of claim.
Section 16.08. Memoranda of Lease. Concurrently with the execution of this Lease, Landlord and Tenant are executing Landlord’s standard form memorandum of lease in recordable form, indicating the names and addresses of Landlord and Tenant, a description of the Properties, the Lease Term, but omitting Rentals and such other terms of this Lease as Landlord may not desire to disclose to the public. Further, upon Landlord’s request, Tenant agrees to execute and acknowledge a termination of lease and/or quitclaim deed in recordable form upon the expiration or sooner termination of the Lease Term. Tenant shall be responsible for the payment of all recording costs, fees and taxes relating to the execution and/or recording of the memorandum of lease or termination of lease pursuant to this Section 16.10.
Section 16.09. No Brokerage. Landlord and Tenant represent and warrant to each other that they have had no conversation or negotiations with any broker concerning the leasing of the Properties. Each of Landlord and Tenant agrees to protect, indemnify, save and keep harmless the other, against and from all liabilities, claims, losses, Costs, damages and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, arising out of, resulting from or in connection with their breach of the foregoing warranty and representation.
Section 16.10. Waiver of Jury Trial and Certain Damages. LANDLORD AND TENANT HEREBY KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVE THE RIGHT EITHER MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY WITH RESPECT TO ANY AND ALL ISSUES PRESENTED IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING, CLAIM OR COUNTERCLAIM BROUGHT BY EITHER OF THE PARTIES HERETO AGAINST THE OTHER OR ITS SUCCESSORS WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATTER ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS LEASE, THE RELATIONSHIP OF LANDLORD AND TENANT, TENANT’S USE OR OCCUPANCY OF THE PROPERTIES, AND/OR ANY CLAIM FOR INJURY OR DAMAGE, OR ANY EMERGENCY OR STATUTORY REMEDY. THIS WAIVER BY THE PARTIES HERETO OF ANY RIGHT EITHER MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED AND IS AN ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF THEIR BARGAIN. FURTHERMORE, TENANT AND LANDLORD HEREBY KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVE THE RIGHT EACH MAY HAVE TO SEEK PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL AND INDIRECT DAMAGES FROM LANDLORD, THE OTHER PARTY AND ANY OF THE AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, MEMBERS, MANAGERS OR EMPLOYEES OF SUCH PARTY OR ANY OF THEIR SUCCESSORS WITH RESPECT TO ANY AND ALL ISSUES PRESENTED IN ANY ACTION, PROCEEDING, CLAIM OR COUNTERCLAIM BROUGHT WITH RESPECT TO ANY MATTER ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS LEASE OR ANY DOCUMENT CONTEMPLATED HEREIN OR RELATED HERETO. THE WAIVER BY TENANT AND LANDLORD OF ANY RIGHT EACH MAY HAVE TO SEEK PUNITIVE, CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL AND INDIRECT DAMAGES HAS BEEN NEGOTIATED BY THE PARTIES HERETO AND IS AN ESSENTIAL ASPECT OF THEIR BARGAIN. THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING SENTENCE SHALL NOT LIMIT THE RIGHT OF LANDLORD TO SEEK THE REMEDY OF ACCELERATION OF RENT AS SET FORTH IN SECTION 12.02(i) OR LIMIT ANY RIGHT OF LANDLORD TO OBTAIN INDEMNIFICATION WITH RESPECT TO LOSSES TO THE EXTENT THAT SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARE AWARDED TO THIRD PARTIES IN JUDGMENTS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE FALL WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF LOSSES.
Section 16.11. State-Specific Provisions. The provisions and/or remedies which are set forth on the attached Exhibit 16.11 shall be deemed a part of and included within the terms and conditions of this Lease.
Section 16.12. Time Is of the Essence; Computation. Time is of the essence with respect to each and every provision of this Lease. If any deadline provided herein falls on a non-Business Day, such deadline shall be extended to the next day that is a Business Day.
Section 16.13. Waiver and Amendment. No provision of this Lease shall be deemed waived or amended except by a written instrument unambiguously setting forth the matter waived or amended and signed by the party against which enforcement of such waiver or amendment is sought. Waiver of any matter shall not be deemed a waiver of the same or any other matter on any future occasion. No acceptance by Landlord of an amount less than the Rental and other Monetary Obligations stipulated to be due under this Lease shall be deemed to be other than a payment on account of the earliest such Rental or other Monetary Obligations then due or in arrears nor shall any endorsement or statement on any check or letter accompanying any such payment be deemed a waiver of Landlord’s right to collect any unpaid amounts or an accord and satisfaction.
Section 16.14. Successors Bound. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, the terms, covenants and conditions contained in this Lease shall bind and inure to the benefit of the respective heirs, successors, executors, administrators and assigns of each of the parties hereto.
Section 16.15. Captions. Captions are used throughout this Lease for convenience of reference only and shall not be considered in any manner in the construction or interpretation hereof.
Section 16.16. Other Documents. Each of the parties agrees to sign such other and further documents as may be necessary or appropriate to carry out the intentions expressed in this Lease.
Section 16.17. Entire Agreement. This Lease and any other instruments or agreements referred to herein, constitute the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, and there are no other representations, warranties or agreements except as herein provided.
Section 16.18. Forum Selection; Jurisdiction; Venue; Choice of Law. For purposes of any action or proceeding arising out of this Lease, the parties hereto expressly submit to the jurisdiction of all federal and state courts located in the State of Ohio. Tenant consents that it may be served with any process or paper by registered mail or by personal service within or without the State of Ohio in accordance with applicable law. Furthermore, Tenant waives and agrees not to assert in any such action, suit or proceeding that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of such courts, that the action, suit or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum or that venue of the action, suit or proceeding is improper. Nothing contained in this Section shall limit or restrict the right of any party to commence any proceeding in the federal or state courts located in the states where the Properties are located to the extent such party deems such proceeding necessary or advisable to exercise remedies available under this Lease. This Lease shall be governed by, and construed with, the laws of the applicable state or states in which the Properties are located, without giving effect to any state’s conflict of laws principles.
Section 16.19. Counterparts. This Lease may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original.
Section 16.20. Confidentiality. Notwithstanding any provision of this Lease to the contrary, Landlord hereby agrees that it will hold and keep confidential, and shall not disclose to any other Person, any information provided by Tenant to Landlord which is marked “Confidential”, which Tenant advises is confidential to Landlord in writing, or which Landlord otherwise reasonably knows has not been publicly disclosed (“Confidential Information”). Confidential Information shall not include information which (a) is already known to Landlord prior to receipt as evidenced by prior documentation thereof or has been independently developed by Landlord on a non-confidential basis; (b) is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of an improper disclosure by Landlord or its representatives; (c) becomes available to Landlord on a non-confidential basis from a source other than Tenant or any of its representatives, provided that such source is not, to Landlord’s knowledge, bound by a confidentiality agreement with or other contractual, legal or fiduciary obligation of a confidentiality to Tenant with respect to such information, or (d) is disclosed pursuant to a requirement of a court, administrative agency or other regulation or governmental body or is disclosed pursuant to applicable law, rule or regulation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Landlord may, without the written consent of Tenant, disclose any Confidential Information to (i) members, managers, officers, directors, employees and legal representatives of Landlord and its Affiliates who need to know such Confidential Information; (ii) a Lender or a proposed new lender or of Landlord and its Affiliates in connection with any financings or refinancings involving the Properties, Landlord and/or its Affiliates; (iii) auditors or accountants of Landlord and its Affiliates as maybe required in connection with any audit or other review of the books or records of any such Person; (iv) any Lender, trustee or rating agency in connection with a Securitization; (v) any prospective purchaser of one or more of the Properties or of any interest in Landlord and such purchaser’s equity owners, managers, officers, directors, employees and legal representative who need to know such Confidential Information; (vi) such other Persons as may be required by law, government regulation or order, subpoena or any other legal, administrative or legislative process; and (vii) such other Persons as Landlord may reasonably request, provided that such Person is informed as to the confidential nature of such information and agrees to keep such information confidential. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Landlord agrees to be liable for disclosure of Confidential Information in violation of this Section by any Person to whom such information is disclosed pursuant to this Section.

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Section 16.21. Compliance with Restrictions. Tenant, at its expense, shall comply with all restrictive covenants and all title restrictions affecting and enforceable against the Properties (including declarations and easement agreements) existing as of the Effective Date or entered into after the Effective Date with the consent of Tenant (collectively, the “Restrictions”) and comply with and perform all of the obligations set forth therein, whether performable prior to or during the Lease Term, including, without limitation, all insurance requirements, regardless of whether any such requirements exceed the requirements otherwise set forth in this Lease. Further, in addition to Tenant’s payment obligations under this Lease, Tenant shall pay all sums charged, levied or assessed under any valid and enforceable Restrictions affecting the Properties promptly as the same become due and shall furnish Landlord evidence of payment thereof upon request of Landlord; provided, however, that Landlord agrees to provide promptly to Tenant copies of any notices under the Restrictions that are otherwise received by Landlord as the owner of the Properties, Landlord authorizes Tenant to receive directly all notices under the Restrictions, and upon Tenant’s written request, Landlord agrees to sign and record such documents as are reasonably necessary to direct copies of all such future notices directly to Tenant with respect to such Restrictions during the Term of this Lease for such Properties subject to the Restrictions. Landlord further covenants and agrees that during the Lease Term for any Properties subject to Restrictions, Landlord may not amend or modify the Restrictions or directly or indirectly consent to the amendment or modification of the Restrictions, or create new restrictions, without the prior written consent of Tenant, which Tenant agrees not to unreasonably withhold.
Section 16.22. Conditional Assignment of Third Party Leases. As indicated in Exhibit 16.22, certain of the Locations are, as of the date of this Lease, subject to licenses or leases between Tenant and the parties indicated on Exhibit 16.22 (each, a “Third Party Lease” and, collectively, the “Third Party Leases”). Tenant hereby assigns to Landlord, effective on the date that the Term of this Lease expires or is sooner terminated, all right, title and interest of Tenant under the Third Party Leases. Until such assignment becomes effective, Tenant shall retain all benefits under the Third Party Leases and shall perform all obligations of the landlord thereunder, provided that, without the prior written consent of Landlord, not to be unreasonably withheld, Tenant shall not (a) amend any Third Party Lease in any manner that would bind Landlord after the expiration or earlier termination of the Lease Term, (b) extend the term of any Third Party Lease (provided that Tenant may extend the term, or permit the lessee to extend the term, of any expiring Third Party Lease so long as the new term does not extend beyond the Lease Term and the renewal or replacement lease is subject and subordinate to the terms of this Lease and would terminate upon the expiration or earlier termination of the Lease Term) or (c) permit the relocation of any improvements permitted under the Third Party Lease. With respect to the Third Party Lease, dated January 12, 2006, in favor of The Lamar Companies relating to Store 164 in Davenport, Florida, Tenant shall either (i) cause such Lease to be terminated effective December 31, 2026, or (ii) cause such Lease to be amended such that any renewal terms of such Third Party Lease will not extend beyond the Lease Term and each such renewal would be subject and subordinate to the terms of this Lease and would terminate upon the expiration or earlier termination of the Lease Term. Promptly following the date hereof, (i) Tenant shall give written notice to each of the lessees under the Third Party Leases of the transfer of title to the subject Location to Landlord and (ii) use commercially reasonable efforts to have

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Landlord and Lender named as additional insureds on any liability insurance policies carried by the lessee in respect of the leased property and improvements thereon. Tenant shall defend, indemnify, protect and hold harmless the Indemnified Parties from and against all Losses relating to the Third Party Leases arising from events occurring prior to or during the Lease Term.

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature page(s) to follow]


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Landlord and Tenant have entered into this Lease as of the date first above written.
LANDLORD:
Signed, sealed and delivered
in the presence of:


   
Name:


   
Name:

BE PORTFOLIO, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company
By Mesirow Realty Sale-Leaseback, Inc., an Illinois corporation, its Manager
By:     
Printed Name:     
Title: Senior Managing Director

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State of Illinois                                 )
                                                         )  SS:
County of Cook                                )
 
The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this ____ day of April, 2016, by ________________________________, Senior Managing Director of Mesirow Realty Sale-Leaseback, Inc., an Illinois corporation, on behalf of the corporation in its capacity as Manager of BE Portfolio, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.
 
                                                                               ____________________________________
Notary Public

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Signed, sealed and delivered
in the presence of:


   
Name:


   
Name:

TENANT:
BOB EVANS FARMS, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company
By:     
Printed Name: Mark E. Hood
Title: Chief Financial Officer
            
STATE OF OHIO            )
) SS
COUNTY OF __________________            )

The foregoing Master Lease Agreement, including the consideration certificate contained therein, was sworn to and acknowledged before me on April ___, 2016 by Mark E. Hood as Manager and Chief Financial Officer of Bob Evans Farms, LLC (“Bob Evans”), on behalf of Bob Evans.


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__________________________________
Notary Public

Commission Expires: ___________


(SEAL)



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Exhibit


EXHIBIT 10.6

LEASE GUARANTY

THIS LEASE GUARANTY (this “Guaranty”) is made and given as of April 14, 2016, by BOB EVANS FARMS, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), and BEF FOODS, INC., an Ohio corporation (“BEF”) (Parent and BEF being collectively “Guarantors” and severally a “Guarantor”), in favor of BE PORTFOLIO, LLC, a Delaware l (“Landlord”). The liability of the Guarantors under this Guaranty shall be joint and several.

W I T N E S S E T H

WHEREAS, Landlord desires to purchase certain parcels of real property, together with all buildings, improvements and fixtures located thereon, now or in the future, and all rights, privileges, tenements, easements, licenses, hereditaments and appurtenances belonging or pertaining thereto, each as identified on Exhibit A attached hereto (collectively, the “Property”) from Bob Evans Farms, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (“Tenant”), and, contemporaneously with the closing of the purchase of the Property, lease the Property to Tenant pursuant to that certain Master Lease Agreement (the “Lease”), dated as of even date with this Guaranty, by and between Landlord, as landlord, and Tenant, as tenant, to which reference is made for all of the terms and provisions thereof;

WHEREAS, Landlord is unwilling to purchase the Property or enter into the Lease unless Guarantors execute and deliver to Landlord this Guaranty, and, therefore, Guarantors execute and deliver this Guaranty to Landlord in order to induce Landlord to purchase the Property and to enter into the Lease;

WHEREAS, Guarantors acknowledge that, because of Parent’s ownership and control of Tenant, Tenant being a customer of BEF and BEF and Tenant having other business relationships, Parent and BEF will substantially benefit, directly and indirectly, from the sale of the Property to Landlord and Landlord’s leasing of the Property to Tenant. For this and other valuable consideration, Guarantors hereby assume and agree to perform the Guaranteed Obligations (hereinafter defined) in accordance with the terms hereof and the other obligations set forth herein; and

WHEREAS, each of Guarantors has received a copy of the Lease, has examined the Lease, and is familiar with all of the terms, conditions and provisions contained in the Lease.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and in further consideration of the sum of ten dollars ($10.00) paid to Guarantors, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby expressly acknowledged, Guarantors hereby agree as follows:

1.Guarantors unconditionally guarantee to Landlord the full, faithful and punctual payment of all rental, sums, costs, expenses, charges, payments and deposits (including sums payable as damages upon a default under the Lease) (or any part thereof) which are at any time payable by

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Tenant under the Lease in accordance with the Lease, and the full, faithful and punctual performance, fulfillment and observance of all of each covenant, condition and obligation of the Lease to be performed, fulfilled or observed by Tenant (collectively, the “Guaranteed Obligations”).

2.This Guaranty is an unconditional, irrevocable and absolute guarantee of payment and performance. If for any reason any provision of the Lease shall not be faithfully performed or observed by Tenant as required thereby, or if the rental or any other sums, costs, expenses, charges, payments or deposits, or any part thereof, payable under the Lease shall not be paid when due in accordance with the provisions of the Lease, Guarantors will promptly perform or observe, or cause the performance or observance of each such provision, and will immediately pay such rental or other sums, costs, expenses, charges, payments or deposits then due and payable to the Person entitled thereto pursuant to the provisions of the Lease. Guarantors also agree to pay to such Person the reasonable costs and expenses of collecting any such rental or any other sum, cost, expense, charge, payment or deposit at any time payable by Tenant under the Lease. Landlord shall have the right to enforce this Guaranty against either or both of the Guarantors regardless of the receipt by Landlord of additional security or the enforcement of any remedies against such security or the release of such security.

3.Anything in this Guaranty to the contrary notwithstanding, Guarantors shall not take any action, or cause or permit any Person to take any action (other than actions of Tenant not prohibited by the Lease), and Guarantors hereby irrevocably waive to the extent permitted by applicable law any and all rights that either of them may otherwise have at law or in equity, to enjoin, interfere with, restrict or limit, in any way whatsoever, any demand or any payment to Landlord under the Lease or this Guaranty. If either Guarantor, or any Person on either Guarantor’s behalf or at either Guarantor’s direction, brings any proceeding or action to enjoin, interfere with, restrict, or limit, in any way whatsoever, anyone or more demands or payments under the Lease or this Guaranty, Guarantors shall be liable, jointly and severally, for any and all damages resulting therefrom or arising in connection therewith, including, without limitation, reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. This Section 3 shall not be construed to preclude Tenant from asserting any defenses it may have or be permitted under the Lease.

4.Guarantors’ duty to pay and perform the Guaranteed Obligations shall in no way be released, affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following, whether or not any Guarantor has received notice thereof or consented thereto: (a) the waiver by Landlord or its successors or assigns of the performance or observance by Tenant of any provision of the Lease; (b) the extension of the time for payment by Tenant of any rental or any sums, costs, expenses, charges, payments or deposits or any part thereof, owing or payable under the Lease, or of the time for performance by Tenant of any other obligations under or arising out of or on account of the Lease or any extension or renewal thereof; (c) the assignment, subletting or mortgaging or

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the purported assignment, subletting or mortgaging of all or part of Tenant’s interest in the Lease, whether or not permitted by the Lease; (d) the modification or amendment (whether material or otherwise) of any obligation of Tenant as set forth in the Lease; (e) the taking or the omission of any actions referred to in the Lease; (f) the failure, omission or delay of Landlord to enforce, assert or exercise any right, power or remedy conferred on Landlord in the Lease or by law or any action on the part of Landlord granting indulgence or extension in any form, or for failing to recognize, observe or protect any legal or equitable rights Guarantors or either of them may have with respect to Tenant, the Lease or the Property; (g) the failure of any Person to perform any obligation to Landlord; (h) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets, marshaling of assets and liabilities, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of, or other similar proceeding affecting Tenant, either or both Guarantors or any Person or any of their respective assets, or the disaffirmance of the Lease or any other action by a trustee or other Person in any such proceeding; (i) the release of Tenant from performance or observance of any provision of the Lease by operation of law; (j) any disability or other fact or circumstance that might give rise to a legal or equitable defense to Tenant or either or both Guarantors; (k) the receipt and acceptance by Landlord of notes, checks or other instruments for the payment of money made by Tenant, or any extensions or renewals thereof; or (l) the renewal or extension of the term of the Lease.

5.(a)    To the extent permitted by applicable law, each of Guarantors hereby expressly waives: (i) notice of acceptance of this Guaranty, protest, demand and dishonor, presentment and demands, of any kind now or hereafter provided for by any statute or rule of law; (ii) notice of any actions taken by Landlord or Tenant under the Lease or any other agreement or instrument relating thereto; (iii) notice of any and all obligations or liabilities contracted or incurred by Tenant and any and all defaults by Tenant in the payment of Annual Base Rental or other rent, charges or amounts, or of any other defaults by Tenant under the Lease; (iv) all other notices, demands and protests, and all other formalities of every kind in connection with the enforcement of the Guaranteed Obligations, omission of or delay in which, but for the provisions of this Section 5, might constitute grounds for relieving such Guarantor of its obligations hereunder; (v) any requirement that Landlord protect, secure, perfect, insure or proceed against any security interest or lien, or any property subject thereto, or exhaust any right or take any action against Tenant or any other person or entity (including the other Guarantor) or against any collateral; and (vi) the benefit of any statute of limitations relating to such Guarantor’s liability under this Guaranty.

(b)Neither Guarantor shall impose any counterclaim or counterclaims or claims for setoff, recoupment or deduction of rent otherwise available to Tenant in any action brought by Landlord against Guarantors or either of them under this Guaranty, other than a defense of payment or performance. In addition, each Guarantor hereby expressly waives to the extent permitted by

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applicable law, both with respect to the Lease and with respect to this Guaranty, any and all rights which are waived by Tenant under the Lease, in the same manner as if all such waivers were fully restated herein. The liability of each Guarantor under this Guaranty is primary and unconditional.

(c)Each Guarantor hereby expressly waives to the extent permitted by applicable law any and all protections or rights afforded to it as a guarantor under the laws of the state of Ohio, and expressly waives to the extent permitted by applicable law any and all protections or rights afforded to it as a guarantor under the laws of any state where the Property, or any portion thereof, may be located.

(d)Each Guarantor hereby expressly waives to the extent permitted by applicable law any and all rights to defenses arising by reason of: (i) any “one-action” or “anti-deficiency” law or any other law that may prevent Landlord from bringing any action, including a claim for deficiency, against such Guarantor before or after Landlord’s commencement or completion of any action against Tenant or the other entity; (ii) any election of remedies by Landlord (including, without limitation, any termination of the Lease) that destroys or otherwise adversely affects such Guarantor’s subrogation rights or such Guarantor’s rights to proceed against Tenant for reimbursement; (iii) any disability, insolvency, bankruptcy, lack of authority or power, death, insanity, minority, dissolution, or other defense of Tenant, or of any other person or entity, or by reason of the cessation of Tenant’s liability from any cause whatsoever, other than full and final payment and performance of the Guaranteed Obligations; (iv) any right to claim discharge of any or all of the Guaranteed Obligations on the basis of unjustified impairment of any collateral for the Guaranteed Obligations; (v) any change in the relationship between either Guarantor and Tenant; any change in the relationship between the Guarantors; or any termination of any such relationship; (vi) any irregularity, defect or unauthorized action by any or all of Landlord, Tenant, or surety, or any of their respective officers, directors, managers, partners or other agents in executing and delivering any instrument or agreements relating to the Guaranteed Obligations or in carrying out or attempting to carry out the terms of any such agreements; (vii) any assignment, endorsement or transfer, in whole or in part, of the Guaranteed Obligations, whether made with or without notice to or consent of Guarantors or either of them; (viii) the recovery from Tenant or any other Person becomes barred by any statute of limitations or is otherwise prevented; (ix) the benefits of any and all statutes, laws, rules or regulations which may require the prior or concurrent joinder of any other party to any action on this Guaranty; (x) any release or other reduction of the Guaranteed Obligations arising as a result of the expansion, release, substitution, deletion, addition, or replacement (whether or not in accordance with the terms of the Lease) of the Property or any part thereof; or (xi) any neglect, delay, omission, failure or refusal of Landlord to take or prosecute any action for the collection or enforcement of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or to foreclose or take or prosecute any action in connection with any lien or right of security (including perfection thereof) existing or to exist in connection with, or as security for, any of the Guaranteed Obligations, it being the

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intention hereof that each Guarantor shall remain liable as a principal on the Guaranteed Obligations notwithstanding any act, omission or event that might, but for the provisions hereof, otherwise operate as a legal or equitable discharge of such Guarantor. Each Guarantor hereby waives to the extent permitted by applicable law all defenses of a surety to which it may be entitled by statute or otherwise.

6.No waiver by Landlord of the payment by a Guarantor of any of its obligations contained in this Guaranty, nor any extension of time for the payment by a Guarantor of any such obligations, shall affect or impair this Guaranty or constitute a waiver or relinquishment of any rights of Landlord hereunder for the future. No action brought under this Guaranty against either or both Guarantors and on recovery had in pursuance thereof shall be any bar or defense to any further action or recovery which may be brought or had under this Guaranty by reason of any further default of Tenant.

7.Each Guarantor agrees that its obligations under this Guaranty shall not be released, impaired or affected in any way by: (a) its bankruptcy, reorganization or insolvency under any law, or any action of a trustee in any such proceeding; (b) bankruptcy, reorganization or insolvency under any law of the other Guarantor, Tenant or any other party, or any action of a trustee in any such proceeding; (c) failure of any other party to perform its obligations to Landlord; or (d) any other circumstance that might constitute a legal or equitable defense to its obligations under this Guaranty. Further, each Guarantor agrees that, in the event of the rejection or disaffirmance of the Lease by Tenant or Tenant’s trustee in bankruptcy, pursuant to bankruptcy law or any other law affecting creditors’ rights, such Guarantor will, if Landlord so requests, assume severally or on a joint and several basis with the other Guarantor all obligations and liabilities of Tenant under the Lease, to the same extent as if such Guarantor was a party to such document and there had been no such rejection or disaffirmance; and such Guarantor will confirm such assumption, in writing, at the request of Landlord upon or after such rejection or disaffirmance.

8.If at any time payment of any of Tenant’s obligations under the Lease is rescinded or must be otherwise restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of Tenant or any other guarantor of the Lease, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder with respect to such payment shall be reinstated at such time as though such payment had not been made.

9.The liability of each Guarantor, in accordance with the other provisions of this Guaranty, is coextensive and also joint and several with that of Tenant and the other Guarantor, and action may be brought against either Guarantor or the Guarantors jointly and carried to final judgment either with or without making Tenant or the other Guarantor a party thereto. The obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be assigned or delegated.


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10.All of Landlord’s rights and remedies under the Lease and under this Guaranty shall be distinct, separate and cumulative, and no such right or remedy shall be exclusive of or a waiver of any of the others. Guarantors, jointly and severally, shall pay to Landlord all of Landlord’s out-of-pocket expenses incurred in enforcing this Guaranty, including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees.

11.Each Guarantor represents that it has made its own arrangements for keeping itself informed of changes or potential changes affecting Tenant including Tenant’s financial condition.

12.Within ten (10) days after Landlord’s written request, each Guarantor shall execute and deliver to Landlord a written statement certifying: (a) the continuing effect and enforceability of this Guaranty; (b) the absence of any modification of this Guaranty or, if there has been any such modification, stating the same; and (c) any other matter concerning this Guaranty or the Lease as Landlord may reasonably request from time to time. Each such statement shall be addressed to, and may be relied upon (and the certificate shall so recite) by, Landlord, Lender (as that term is defined in the Lease), any actual purchaser of all or part of the Property and such purchaser’s Lender.

13.Until all of the Guaranteed Obligations of Guarantors hereunder shall have been performed or satisfied in full, each Guarantor (i) shall not have a right of subrogation against Tenant by reason of such Guarantor’s performance under this Guaranty or monies or obligations owed by Tenant to such Guarantor; (ii) waives any right to enforce any remedy which such Guarantor now has or may hereafter have against Tenant by reason of such Guarantor’s performance under this Guaranty; (iii) subordinates any liability or indebtedness of Tenant now or hereafter held by or owed to such Guarantor to the Guaranteed Obligations; (iv) shall pay prior to delinquency every tax, assessment, fee and charge and file each report required by any taxing authority for such Guarantor or its assets; (v) shall promptly notify Landlord of any material default of the Lease, or any event or condition that might have a material adverse effect upon such Guarantor’s ability to pay and perform the Guaranteed Obligations; (vi) shall, at all times, remain adequately capitalized to honor such Guarantor’s obligations hereunder; and (vii) shall do such further acts and execute and deliver Landlord all such additional conveyances, certificates, instruments and other assurances as Landlord may from time to time reasonably require to protect, assure or enforce its interests, rights and remedies under this Guaranty.

14.Until all of the Guaranteed Obligations of Guarantors hereunder shall have been performed or satisfied in full, (i) neither Guarantors shall, without the prior written consent of Landlord, in each instance, assign (whether directly or indirectly, voluntary or involuntary), in whole or in part, this Guaranty or any obligation hereunder and any purported assignment in violation of this clause (i) shall at the option of Landlord be void and of no effect.


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15. (a) Until all of the Guaranteed Obligations of Guarantors hereunder shall have been performed or satisfied in full, Parent shall not, through one or more transactions, do, or permit to be done, any Parent Change of Control. "Parent Change of Control" means (A) the acquisition by any person or group (within the meaning of Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) o the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act")), other than any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by Parent, of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting Equity Interests of Parent entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of Parent; (B) the consummation of a sale by Parent of all or substantially all of Parent's assets; (C) a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of Parent; (D) the consummation of a merger, consolidation or other business combination of Parent with or into another entity, or the acquisition by Parent or assets or shares or equity interests of another entity, as a result of which the stockholders of Parent immediately prior to such merger, consolidation, other business combination or acquisition, do not, immediately thereafter, beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting Equity Interests entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the entity resulting from such merger, consolidation or other business combination of Parent; (E) Parent shall cease to own beneficially and of record, directly or indirectly, eighty percent (80%) of the Equity Interests of Tenant; (F) any reorganization, reverse stock split or recapitalization of Parent that would result in a Parent Change of Control as otherwise defined herein; or (G) any transaction or series of related transactions having, directly or indirectly, the same effect as any of the foregoing.

(b)    Notwithstanding anything in Section 15(a) to the contrary, Parent shall be permitted to cause, suffer, or permit, without Landlord's consent, any Parent Change of Control that satisfies all of the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 15(b), all of which must be satisfied on or before the effective date (or earlier closing) of such proposed Parent Change of Control (each a "Permitted Parent Change of Control"):

(i)    (A) No Event of Default has occurred and is continuing both as of the date Parent delivers the Change of Control Notice (hereinafter defined) and as of the date such proposed Parent Change of Control occurs or becomes effective; (B) no violation or default under this Guaranty has occurred and is continuing both as of the date Parent delivers the Change of Control Notice and as of the date such proposed Parent Change of Control occurs or becomes effective; (C) the Parent Change of Control would not result in an immediate violation of a material term or condition of this Guaranty or the Lease; (D) if the Parent Change of Control is or relates to a merger or consolidation of Parent, then, prior to or simultaneously with its effectiveness, the surviving entity of such merger or consolidation shall assume all of the obligations of Parent under this Guaranty, actual, contingent and accrued, in a manner reasonably acceptable to Landlord and otherwise in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Guaranty; (E) if the Parent Change of Control is or relates to a sale or transfer of Parent's assets, then, prior to or simultaneously with its effectiveness, the purchaser or transferee of such assets shall assume all of the

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obligations of Parent under this Guaranty, actual, contingent and accrued, in a manner reasonably acceptable to Landlord and otherwise in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Guaranty; (F) immediately after the Parent Change of Control, and having given effect thereto, Parent, if the surviving entity, is a Credit Entity or another Person that qualifies as a Credit Entity has assumed all of the obligations of Parent under this Guaranty, actual, contingent and accrued, in a manner reasonably acceptable to Landlord and otherwise in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Guaranty; and (G) Parent has delivered a Change of Control Notice to Landlord not less than thirty (30) days prior to the effective date (or earlier closing) of such Parent Change of Control.

(ii)    Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Parent Change of Control is permitted hereunder if it involves or would result in any of the following: (A) a Person that is the subject of any bankruptcy, insolvency, rearrangement or similar actions or proceedings, whether voluntary or involuntary, or a party to any actions, suits, or proceedings that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse impact on Parent's financial position or any Person’s status as a Credit Entity; (B) a Person involved in the Parent Change of Control is a Person whose property or interests are subject to being blocked under any of the OFAC Laws and Regulations and/or who is in violation of any of the OFAC Laws and Regulations; (C) any material adverse impact on (1) the validity or enforceability of this Lease, (2) the rights and remedies of Landlord under the Lease or (3) the ability of Tenant to perform its obligations under the Lease, or (D) would result in use of any Location as other than a Permitted Facility, except as permitted by the terms of the Lease or as otherwise approved by Landlord.

(iii)    Prior to or simultaneously with the effectiveness of the Parent Change of Control, (A) any instruments and documents required under this Section 15 shall be executed and delivered by the parties thereto, as applicable, on the date of the Parent Change of Control in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Landlord; (B) Parent shall, at Parent’s sole cost and expense, deliver to Landlord any other reasonable instruments and documents requested by Landlord in connection with the Parent Change of Control.
  
(iv)    For the purposes of this Section 15 and Section 16, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(A)"Change of Control Notice" means a written notice setting forth: (w) the date that Parent desires the particular Parent Change of Control to be effective and a reasonably detailed description of such proposed Parent Change of Control and the Persons involved, together with supporting documentation reasonably necessary for Landlord to evaluate whether such proposed Parent Change of Control complies with the applicable terms and conditions of the Lease and this Guaranty; (x) the proposed transfer instruments, and any other documents or agreements relating thereto or required under the Lease or this Guaranty; (y) current financial information with respect to the Credit Entity, including its most recent Form 10-K

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and Form 10-Q, if available, and if not available, its most recent audited financial report; and (z) such other documentation and information reasonably necessary to confirm the satisfaction of the conditions precedent and other requirements of this Section 15 or Section 16, as applicable, with respect thereto, as determined by Landlord in Landlord's reasonable discretion. If Parent identifies certain information included in the Change of Control Notice to be confidential, then, at Parent’s request, Landlord agrees to enter into a separate confidentiality agreement in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Landlord.

(B)Consolidated EBITDA” means, as of the date of any determination, the sum of a Person’s consolidated net income (loss) for such period for the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Person most recently ended, plus, in each case to the extent deducted in calculating net income (loss): (i) income, franchise and similar taxes, (ii) principal and interest payments on all of its debt obligations (including any borrowings under short term credit facilities), (iii) all non-cash charges, including, without limitation, depreciation and amortization, and (iv) Non-Recurring Items.

(C)Consolidated EBITDAR” means, as of the date of any determination, the sum of the Person’s Consolidated EBITDA and total land and building rent for the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Person most recently ended.

(D)Consolidated Interest Expense” means, as of the date of any determination, interest expense, as determined in accordance with US GAAP, for the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Person most recently ended.

(E)Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of a Person’s (i) Consolidated EBITDAR to its (ii) Consolidated Interest Expense.

(F)"Credit Entity" means any Person that qualifies under at least one of the following clauses (x) or (y) immediately after the effectiveness of the Parent Change of Control (giving effect thereto) or at such other time as contemplated under Section 16 hereof: (x) as determined by US GAAP on a consolidated basis with such Person’s consolidated Subsidiaries, such Person shall have (1) a tangible net worth of no less than $300,000,000, (2) a Coverage Ratio of no less than 3.5 to 1.0 and (3) a Lease Adjusted Leverage Ratio of no greater than 4.5 to 1.0; or (y) the rating assigned to the senior unsecured long term indebtedness of such Person by

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Standard & Poor’s is “BB” or higher or such indebtedness is assigned a comparable rating by any rating agency reasonably acceptable to Landlord. For purposes of Section 16 or any Parent Change of Control, the calculations determining whether such Person is a Credit Entity shall be performed, if applicable, on a pro forma basis, giving effect to the transaction triggering the application of the calculation and to any other acquisition or disposition entered into by such Person during the relevant 12-month period (including pro forma adjustments arising out of events which are directly attributable to any acquisition or disposition of assets, are factually supportable and are expected to have a continuing impact) as if such acquisition or disposition (and any related incurrence, repayment or assumption of indebtedness or lease obligations) had occurred on the first day of the relevant 12-month period.
 
(G)"Equity Interests" means, as applied to any Person, corporate stock and any and all securities, shares, partnership interests (whether general, limited, special or other), limited liability company interests, membership interests, equity interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated and of any character) of corporate stock of such Person or any of the foregoing issued by such Person (whether a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company or another type of entity) and includes, without limitation, securities convertible into Equity Interests and rights, warrants or options to acquire Equity Interests.

(H)Lease Adjusted Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, and as to any Person, the ratio of (a) the sum of (i) six (6) times such Person’s total land and building rent for the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Person most recently ended, and (ii) the total current balance of such Person’s total obligations for borrowed money (including any borrowings under short term credit facilities) on such date, to (b) such Person’s Consolidated EBITDAR.
 
(I)Non-Recurring Items” shall mean with respect to any Person, the sum of all items that are unusual in nature and occur infrequently and are not representative of the ongoing/future earnings or expenses of such Person.

16.In the event that, at any time, (i) no Event of Default then exists under this Guaranty and no Event of Default (as defined in the Lease) then exists, (ii) a transaction is proposed whereby Parent, following such transaction, (A) shall then not own beneficially or of record, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the Equity Interests of BEF or (B) shall cease to have the power to direct or cause the direction of the management of BEF, and (iii) Parent, following such transaction, will be a Credit Entity on a pro forma basis (whether or not a Parent Change of Control

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has occurred) as demonstrated to Landlord to Landlord’s reasonable satisfaction, BEF shall, upon BEF’s written request to Landlord, be released from its obligations hereunder contemporaneously with or prior to such transaction, in which event Landlord shall deliver to BEF a full and complete release of such obligations in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Landlord and BEF.

17.Each Guarantor represents and warrants to Landlord that: (a) such Guarantor is a corporation duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it was formed; (b) such Guarantor has the requisite power and authority to enter into this Guaranty and the signatories hereto are duly authorized to execute this Guaranty and bind such Guarantor to the terms and conditions hereof; (c) the execution and delivery of this Guaranty by such Guarantor has been duly and validly authorized; (d) the execution and delivery of this Guaranty by such Guarantor will not (i) violate any law, government regulation, decree or judgment applicable or relating to such Guarantor or any of its assets, (ii) violate any provision of the charter or organization documents of such Guarantor, or (iii) violate or constitute a breach under any document, agreement or instrument to which such Guarantor or its assets may be subject to or bound; (e) this Guaranty constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligations of such Guarantor, enforceable against such Guarantor, in accordance with its terms except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles; (f) there are no actions, suits, proceedings or investigations pending or, to such Guarantor’s knowledge, threatened against such Guarantor, in law or in equity, before any federal, state or local governmental authority, that could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on such Guarantor’s ability to pay and perform under the Lease or this Guaranty; (g) no bankruptcy, insolvency, rearrangement or similar action or proceeding, whether voluntary or involuntary, is pending or, to such Guarantor’s knowledge, threatened against such Guarantor, nor has such Guarantor any intention of filing or commencing any such action or proceeding; (h) no consent, approval, license, permit or other authorization of any third-party or any governmental body or office is required for the valid and lawful execution and delivery of this Guaranty by such Guarantor, the valid and lawful exercise by Landlord against such Guarantor of the remedies available to it under this Guaranty or applicable law or other rights granted to the Landlord in this Guaranty; (i) all information such Guarantor has provided to Landlord is accurate and complete in all material respects; and (j) such Guarantor has received a copy of the Lease, has examined the Lease, and is familiar with all of the terms, conditions and provisions contained in the Lease.

18.This Guaranty shall bind each Guarantor and its successors and assigns. This Guaranty may be freely assigned, transferred or hypothecated by Landlord, in whole, without Guarantor’s written consent, to any assignee of Landlord’s interest under the Lease and shall run in favor and inure to the benefit of Landlord, its successors and assigns, and each subsequent holder of Landlord’s interest under the Lease. In the event of an assignment by Landlord of the Lease with

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respect to less than all of the Properties as contemplated by Section 14.06 of the Lease, and subject at all times to Section 16 hereof, each Guarantor then still party to this Guaranty shall execute and deliver to the Assignment Landlord and any New Lender, within five (5) Business Days following Landlord’s written request therefor, an Assignment Lease Guaranty or, at the option of Assignment Landlord, a joint and several Assignment Lease Guaranty, estoppel certificates, a subordination, non-disturbance and attornment agreement, all as contemplated by and described in said Section 14.06, and such additional documents as may be reasonably required by Landlord, Lender, Assignment Landlord and any New Lender. In no event shall either Guarantor be required to modify the terms of this Guaranty in connection with the execution of an Assignment Lease Guaranty, and Assignment Landlord and New Lender, if applicable, shall be bound by the terms hereof as if Assignment Landlord were the “Landlord” hereunder, including, without limitation, Section 16. Neither Guarantor nor Tenant shall be required to pay any fee or reimburse Landlord, Assignment Landlord, or any Lender or New Lender, in connection with any assignment of this Guaranty as contemplated by this Section 18.

19.References to the term “Tenant” shall be deemed to include Tenant’s successors and assigns. All personal pronouns used in this Guaranty, whether used in the masculine, feminine, or neuter gender, shall include all other genders. No attornment by Tenant in favor of any such mortgagee shall diminish any of the Guaranteed Obligations, and following any such attornment, each Guarantor’s obligations shall continue in full force and effect as if the mortgagee were the original Landlord pursuant to the Lease.

20.Notices from Guarantors to Landlord, shall be in writing, addressed as follows:

To Landlord:                c/o Mesirow Realty Sale-Leaseback, Inc.
353 N. Clark Street
Chicago IL 60654

With copies to:            Grady Bell LLP
53 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 1250
Chicago IL 60604
Attention: Real Estate Notices
                    
And to Lender at such address as to which Guarantor is notified in writing by Landlord or Lender

To either or both Guarantors:        Bob Evans Farms, Inc.,
8111 Smith’s Mill Road,
New Albany, Ohio 43054,
Attn: General Counsel


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Notices shall be (a) personally delivered; (b) sent by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service (e.g., Federal Express) for next-day delivery, to be confirmed by such courier; or (c) mailed by United States certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. Notices, demands and other communications given in the foregoing manner shall be deemed given when actually received or refused by the party to whom sent, unless mailed, in which event same shall be deemed given on the day of actual delivery as shown by the addressee’s certified mail receipt, or at the expiration of the third (3rd) business day after the date of mailing, whichever first occurs. Each Guarantor, Landlord or Lender may from time to time change its address for receiving notices under this Guaranty by providing written notice to the other parties in accordance with notice provisions of this Guaranty. Any and all such notices may be given on behalf of any party by its attorney. Each Guarantor shall send to Lender a copy of each notice that the Guarantor sends to Landlord.

21.This Guaranty shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Ohio. Each Guarantor agrees to be subject to the jurisdiction of state or federal courts sitting in Ohio, to accept service of process in any action brought in Ohio, to accept service by registered mail or personal service and each Guarantor waives any objection to personal jurisdiction in such action.

22.If any provision of this Guaranty or the application of any provision to any Person or any circumstance shall be determined to be invalid or unenforceable, such determination shall not affect any other provisions of this Guaranty or the application of such provision to any other Person or circumstance, all of which other provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

23.The recitals to this Guaranty are incorporated into this Guaranty for all purposes. All terms and conditions of the Lease are hereby incorporated by reference. Capitalized terms used in this Guaranty and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Lease.

24.The terms of this Guaranty shall not be modified, discharged, waived or terminated except by an agreement in writing signed by Guarantor and Landlord. Time is of the essence in this Guaranty and each and every provision hereof in which any date or time is specified.

25.Parent shall deliver to Landlord at the times prescribed by the Lease the financial statements and other information pertaining to Parent as required under Section 9.03 of the Lease.

26.For purposes of this Guaranty, the term “Event of Default” shall mean any of the following:


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(a)The failure of Guarantors, or either of them, to pay any amount due under this Guaranty that remains unpaid for a period of five (5) business days after Landlord demands payment thereof by a written notice to Guarantors.

(b)The occurrence of any default by Guarantors, or either of them, in the performance of any obligation under this Guaranty, other than (i) the payment of money, (ii) an obligation of Tenant under the Lease or (iii) the occurrence of a Parent Change of Control, which default remains uncured for a period of fifteen (15) days following written notice thereof from Landlord to Guarantors.

(c)The failure of Guarantors to perform any obligation of Tenant under the Lease within the time period specified for the performance thereof under the Lease including any applicable grace periods.

(d)The occurrence of a Parent Change of Control that is not a Permitted Parent Change of Control.

(e)The failure of Parent to deliver any financial statement or other information as required by Section 25 of this Guaranty and such failure is not corrected within five (5) Business Days following written notice from Landlord to Parent.





(SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS)

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Guarantors have executed this Guaranty as of the day and year first above written.
BOB EVANS FARMS, INC.,
a Delaware corporation

By:                         

Name:                         
Title:                         

BEF FOODS, INC.,
an Ohio corporation

By:                         

Name:                         
Title: ________________________________            
STATE OF    )
) ss:
COUNTY OF    )

The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this ___ day of _________, 2016, by ________________, ___________________, of Bob Evans Farms, Inc., a Delaware corporation, on behalf of the corporation.


                                                
Notary Public

STATE OF    )
) ss:
COUNTY OF    )

The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this ___ day of _________, 2016, by ________________, ___________________, of BEF FOODS, Inc., an Ohio corporation, on behalf of the corporation.
                                                
Notary Public

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Exhibit


EXHIBIT 10.7
FORM OF
LEASE GUARANTY (POOL #[__])

THIS LEASE GUARANTY (this “Guaranty”) is made and given as of April 14, 2016, by BOB EVANS FARMS, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), and BEF FOODS, INC., an Ohio corporation (“BEF”) (Parent and BEF being collectively “Guarantors” and severally a “Guarantor”), in favor of NATIONAL RETAIL PROPERTIES TRUST, a Maryland real estate investment trust (“Landlord”). The liability of the Guarantors under this Guaranty shall be joint and several.

W I T N E S S E T H

WHEREAS, Landlord desires to purchase certain parcels of real property, together with all buildings, improvements and fixtures located thereon, now or in the future, and all rights, privileges, tenements, easements, licenses, hereditaments and appurtenances belonging or pertaining thereto, each as identified on Exhibit A attached hereto (collectively, the “Property”) from Bob Evans Farms, LLC, an Ohio limited liability company (“Tenant”), and, contemporaneously with the closing of the purchase of the Property, lease the Property to Tenant pursuant to that certain Master Lease Agreement (the “Lease”), dated as of even date with this Guaranty, by and between Landlord, as landlord, and Tenant, as tenant, to which reference is made for all of the terms and provisions thereof;

WHEREAS, Landlord is unwilling to purchase the Property or enter into the Lease unless Guarantors execute and deliver to Landlord this Guaranty, and, therefore, Guarantors execute and deliver this Guaranty to Landlord in order to induce Landlord to purchase the Property and to enter into the Lease;

WHEREAS, Guarantors acknowledge that, because of Parent’s ownership and control of Tenant, Tenant being a customer of BEF and BEF and Tenant having other business relationships, Parent and BEF will substantially benefit, directly and indirectly, from the sale of the Property to Landlord and Landlord’s leasing of the Property to Tenant. For this and other valuable consideration, Guarantors hereby assume and agree to perform the Guaranteed Obligations (hereinafter defined) in accordance with the terms hereof and the other obligations set forth herein; and

WHEREAS, each of Guarantors has received a copy of the Lease, has examined the Lease, and is familiar with all of the terms, conditions and provisions contained in the Lease.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and in further consideration of the sum of ten dollars ($10.00) paid to Guarantors, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby expressly acknowledged, Guarantors hereby agree as follows:

1.Guarantors unconditionally guarantee to Landlord the full, faithful and punctual payment of all rental, sums, costs, expenses, charges, payments and deposits (including sums payable as damages upon a default under the Lease) (or any part thereof) which are at any time payable by

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Tenant under the Lease in accordance with the Lease, and the full, faithful and punctual performance, fulfillment and observance of all of each covenant, condition and obligation of the Lease to be performed, fulfilled or observed by Tenant (collectively, the “Guaranteed Obligations”).

2.This Guaranty is an unconditional, irrevocable and absolute guarantee of payment and performance. If for any reason any provision of the Lease shall not be faithfully performed or observed by Tenant as required thereby, or if the rental or any other sums, costs, expenses, charges, payments or deposits, or any part thereof, payable under the Lease shall not be paid when due in accordance with the provisions of the Lease, Guarantors will promptly perform or observe, or cause the performance or observance of each such provision, and will immediately pay such rental or other sums, costs, expenses, charges, payments or deposits then due and payable to the Person entitled thereto pursuant to the provisions of the Lease. Guarantors also agree to pay to such Person the reasonable costs and expenses of collecting any such rental or any other sum, cost, expense, charge, payment or deposit at any time payable by Tenant under the Lease. Landlord shall have the right to enforce this Guaranty against either or both of the Guarantors regardless of the receipt by Landlord of additional security or the enforcement of any remedies against such security or the release of such security.

3.Anything in this Guaranty to the contrary notwithstanding, Guarantors shall not take any action, or cause or permit any Person to take any action (other than actions of Tenant not prohibited by the Lease), and Guarantors hereby irrevocably waive to the extent permitted by applicable law any and all rights that either of them may otherwise have at law or in equity, to enjoin, interfere with, restrict or limit, in any way whatsoever, any demand or any payment to Landlord under the Lease or this Guaranty. If either Guarantor, or any Person on either Guarantor’s behalf or at either Guarantor’s direction, brings any proceeding or action to enjoin, interfere with, restrict, or limit, in any way whatsoever, anyone or more demands or payments under the Lease or this Guaranty, Guarantors shall be liable, jointly and severally, for any and all damages resulting therefrom or arising in connection therewith, including, without limitation, reasonable attorney’s fees and costs. This Section 3 shall not be construed to preclude Tenant from asserting any defenses it may have or be permitted under the Lease.

4.Guarantors’ duty to pay and perform the Guaranteed Obligations shall in no way be released, affected or impaired by reason of the happening from time to time of any of the following, whether or not any Guarantor has received notice thereof or consented thereto: (a) the waiver by Landlord or its successors or assigns of the performance or observance by Tenant of any provision of the Lease; (b) the extension of the time for payment by Tenant of any rental or any sums, costs, expenses, charges, payments or deposits or any part thereof, owing or payable under the Lease, or of the time for performance by Tenant of any other obligations under or arising out of or on account of the Lease or any extension or renewal thereof; (c) the assignment, subletting or mortgaging or

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the purported assignment, subletting or mortgaging of all or part of Tenant’s interest in the Lease, whether or not permitted by the Lease; (d) the modification or amendment (whether material or otherwise) of any obligation of Tenant as set forth in the Lease; (e) the taking or the omission of any actions referred to in the Lease; (f) the failure, omission or delay of Landlord to enforce, assert or exercise any right, power or remedy conferred on Landlord in the Lease or by law or any action on the part of Landlord granting indulgence or extension in any form, or for failing to recognize, observe or protect any legal or equitable rights Guarantors or either of them may have with respect to Tenant, the Lease or the Property; (g) the failure of any Person to perform any obligation to Landlord; (h) the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets, marshaling of assets and liabilities, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjustment of, or other similar proceeding affecting Tenant, either or both Guarantors or any Person or any of their respective assets, or the disaffirmance of the Lease or any other action by a trustee or other Person in any such proceeding; (i) the release of Tenant from performance or observance of any provision of the Lease by operation of law; (j) any disability or other fact or circumstance that might give rise to a legal or equitable defense to Tenant or either or both Guarantors; (k) the receipt and acceptance by Landlord of notes, checks or other instruments for the payment of money made by Tenant, or any extensions or renewals thereof; or (l) the renewal or extension of the term of the Lease.

5.(a)    To the extent permitted by applicable law, each of Guarantors hereby expressly waives: (i) notice of acceptance of this Guaranty, protest, demand and dishonor, presentment and demands, of any kind now or hereafter provided for by any statute or rule of law; (ii) notice of any actions taken by Landlord or Tenant under the Lease or any other agreement or instrument relating thereto; (iii) notice of any and all obligations or liabilities contracted or incurred by Tenant and any and all defaults by Tenant in the payment of Annual Base Rental or other rent, charges or amounts, or of any other defaults by Tenant under the Lease; (iv) all other notices, demands and protests, and all other formalities of every kind in connection with the enforcement of the Guaranteed Obligations, omission of or delay in which, but for the provisions of this Section 5, might constitute grounds for relieving such Guarantor of its obligations hereunder; (v) any requirement that Landlord protect, secure, perfect, insure or proceed against any security interest or lien, or any property subject thereto, or exhaust any right or take any action against Tenant or any other person or entity (including the other Guarantor) or against any collateral; and (vi) the benefit of any statute of limitations relating to such Guarantor’s liability under this Guaranty.

(b)Neither Guarantor shall impose any counterclaim or counterclaims or claims for setoff, recoupment or deduction of rent otherwise available to Tenant in any action brought by Landlord against Guarantors or either of them under this Guaranty, other than a defense of payment or performance. In addition, each Guarantor hereby expressly waives to the extent permitted by

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applicable law, both with respect to the Lease and with respect to this Guaranty, any and all rights which are waived by Tenant under the Lease, in the same manner as if all such waivers were fully restated herein. The liability of each Guarantor under this Guaranty is primary and unconditional.

(c)Each Guarantor hereby expressly waives to the extent permitted by applicable law any and all protections or rights afforded to it as a guarantor under the laws of the state of Ohio, and expressly waives to the extent permitted by applicable law any and all protections or rights afforded to it as a guarantor under the laws of any state where the Property, or any portion thereof, may be located.

(d)Each Guarantor hereby expressly waives to the extent permitted by applicable law any and all rights to defenses arising by reason of: (i) any “one-action” or “anti-deficiency” law or any other law that may prevent Landlord from bringing any action, including a claim for deficiency, against such Guarantor before or after Landlord’s commencement or completion of any action against Tenant or the other entity; (ii) any election of remedies by Landlord (including, without limitation, any termination of the Lease) that destroys or otherwise adversely affects such Guarantor’s subrogation rights or such Guarantor’s rights to proceed against Tenant for reimbursement; (iii) any disability, insolvency, bankruptcy, lack of authority or power, death, insanity, minority, dissolution, or other defense of Tenant, or of any other person or entity, or by reason of the cessation of Tenant’s liability from any cause whatsoever, other than full and final payment and performance of the Guaranteed Obligations; (iv) any right to claim discharge of any or all of the Guaranteed Obligations on the basis of unjustified impairment of any collateral for the Guaranteed Obligations; (v) any change in the relationship between either Guarantor and Tenant; any change in the relationship between the Guarantors; or any termination of any such relationship; (vi) any irregularity, defect or unauthorized action by any or all of Landlord, Tenant, or surety, or any of their respective officers, directors, managers, partners or other agents in executing and delivering any instrument or agreements relating to the Guaranteed Obligations or in carrying out or attempting to carry out the terms of any such agreements; (vii) any assignment, endorsement or transfer, in whole or in part, of the Guaranteed Obligations, whether made with or without notice to or consent of Guarantors or either of them; (viii) the recovery from Tenant or any other Person becomes barred by any statute of limitations or is otherwise prevented; (ix) the benefits of any and all statutes, laws, rules or regulations which may require the prior or concurrent joinder of any other party to any action on this Guaranty; (x) any release or other reduction of the Guaranteed Obligations arising as a result of the expansion, release, substitution, deletion, addition, or replacement (whether or not in accordance with the terms of the Lease) of the Property or any part thereof; or (xi) any neglect, delay, omission, failure or refusal of Landlord to take or prosecute any action for the collection or enforcement of any of the Guaranteed Obligations or to foreclose or take or prosecute any action in connection with any lien or right of security (including perfection thereof) existing or to exist in connection with, or as security for, any of the Guaranteed Obligations, it being the

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intention hereof that each Guarantor shall remain liable as a principal on the Guaranteed Obligations notwithstanding any act, omission or event that might, but for the provisions hereof, otherwise operate as a legal or equitable discharge of such Guarantor. Each Guarantor hereby waives to the extent permitted by applicable law all defenses of a surety to which it may be entitled by statute or otherwise.

6.No waiver by Landlord of the payment by a Guarantor of any of its obligations contained in this Guaranty, nor any extension of time for the payment by a Guarantor of any such obligations, shall affect or impair this Guaranty or constitute a waiver or relinquishment of any rights of Landlord hereunder for the future. No action brought under this Guaranty against either or both Guarantors and on recovery had in pursuance thereof shall be any bar or defense to any further action or recovery which may be brought or had under this Guaranty by reason of any further default of Tenant.

7.Each Guarantor agrees that its obligations under this Guaranty shall not be released, impaired or affected in any way by: (a) its bankruptcy, reorganization or insolvency under any law, or any action of a trustee in any such proceeding; (b) bankruptcy, reorganization or insolvency under any law of the other Guarantor, Tenant or any other party, or any action of a trustee in any such proceeding; (c) failure of any other party to perform its obligations to Landlord; or (d) any other circumstance that might constitute a legal or equitable defense to its obligations under this Guaranty. Further, each Guarantor agrees that, in the event of the rejection or disaffirmance of the Lease by Tenant or Tenant’s trustee in bankruptcy, pursuant to bankruptcy law or any other law affecting creditors’ rights, such Guarantor will, if Landlord so requests, assume severally or on a joint and several basis with the other Guarantor all obligations and liabilities of Tenant under the Lease, to the same extent as if such Guarantor was a party to such document and there had been no such rejection or disaffirmance; and such Guarantor will confirm such assumption, in writing, at the request of Landlord upon or after such rejection or disaffirmance.

8.If at any time payment of any of Tenant’s obligations under the Lease is rescinded or must be otherwise restored or returned upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of Tenant or any other guarantor of the Lease, the obligations of each Guarantor hereunder with respect to such payment shall be reinstated at such time as though such payment had not been made.

9.The liability of each Guarantor, in accordance with the other provisions of this Guaranty, is coextensive and also joint and several with that of Tenant and the other Guarantor, and action may be brought against either Guarantor or the Guarantors jointly and carried to final judgment either with or without making Tenant or the other Guarantor a party thereto. The obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall not be assigned or delegated.


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10.All of Landlord’s rights and remedies under the Lease and under this Guaranty shall be distinct, separate and cumulative, and no such right or remedy shall be exclusive of or a waiver of any of the others. Guarantors, jointly and severally, shall pay to Landlord all of Landlord’s out-of-pocket expenses incurred in enforcing this Guaranty, including, but not limited to, reasonable attorneys’ fees.

11.Each Guarantor represents that it has made its own arrangements for keeping itself informed of changes or potential changes affecting Tenant including Tenant’s financial condition.

12.Within ten (10) days after Landlord’s written request, each Guarantor shall execute and deliver to Landlord a written statement certifying: (a) the continuing effect and enforceability of this Guaranty; (b) the absence of any modification of this Guaranty or, if there has been any such modification, stating the same; and (c) any other matter concerning this Guaranty or the Lease as Landlord may reasonably request from time to time. Each such statement shall be addressed to, and may be relied upon (and the certificate shall so recite) by, Landlord, Lender (as that term is defined in the Lease), any actual purchaser of all or part of the Property and such purchaser’s Lender.

13.Until all of the Guaranteed Obligations of Guarantors hereunder shall have been performed or satisfied in full, each Guarantor (i) shall not have a right of subrogation against Tenant by reason of such Guarantor’s performance under this Guaranty or monies or obligations owed by Tenant to such Guarantor; (ii) waives any right to enforce any remedy which such Guarantor now has or may hereafter have against Tenant by reason of such Guarantor’s performance under this Guaranty; (iii) subordinates any liability or indebtedness of Tenant now or hereafter held by or owed to such Guarantor to the Guaranteed Obligations; (iv) shall pay prior to delinquency every tax, assessment, fee and charge and file each report required by any taxing authority for such Guarantor or its assets; (v) shall promptly notify Landlord of any material default of the Lease, or any event or condition that might have a material adverse effect upon such Guarantor’s ability to pay and perform the Guaranteed Obligations; (vi) shall, at all times, remain adequately capitalized to honor such Guarantor’s obligations hereunder; and (vii) shall do such further acts and execute and deliver Landlord all such additional conveyances, certificates, instruments and other assurances as Landlord may from time to time reasonably require to protect, assure or enforce its interests, rights and remedies under this Guaranty.

14.Until all of the Guaranteed Obligations of Guarantors hereunder shall have been performed or satisfied in full, (i) neither Guarantors shall, without the prior written consent of Landlord, in each instance, assign (whether directly or indirectly, voluntary or involuntary), in whole or in part, this Guaranty or any obligation hereunder and any purported assignment in violation of this clause (i) shall at the option of Landlord be void and of no effect.


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15. (a) Until all of the Guaranteed Obligations of Guarantors hereunder shall have been performed or satisfied in full, Parent shall not, through one or more transactions, do, or permit to be done, any Parent Change of Control. "Parent Change of Control" means (A) the acquisition by any person or group (within the meaning of Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) o the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act")), other than any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by Parent, of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of fifty percent (50%) or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting Equity Interests of Parent entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of Parent; (B) the consummation of a sale by Parent of all or substantially all of Parent's assets; (C) a liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of Parent; (D) the consummation of a merger, consolidation or other business combination of Parent with or into another entity, or the acquisition by Parent or assets or shares or equity interests of another entity, as a result of which the stockholders of Parent immediately prior to such merger, consolidation, other business combination or acquisition, do not, immediately thereafter, beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting Equity Interests entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the entity resulting from such merger, consolidation or other business combination of Parent; (E) Parent shall cease to own beneficially and of record, directly or indirectly, eighty percent (80%) of the Equity Interests of Tenant; (F) any reorganization, reverse stock split or recapitalization of Parent that would result in a Parent Change of Control as otherwise defined herein; or (G) any transaction or series of related transactions having, directly or indirectly, the same effect as any of the foregoing.

(b)    Notwithstanding anything in Section 15(a) to the contrary, Parent shall be permitted to cause, suffer, or permit, without Landlord's consent, any Parent Change of Control that satisfies all of the terms and conditions set forth in this Section 15(b), all of which must be satisfied on or before the effective date (or earlier closing) of such proposed Parent Change of Control (each a "Permitted Parent Change of Control"):

(i)    (A) No Event of Default has occurred and is continuing both as of the date Parent delivers the Change of Control Notice (hereinafter defined) and as of the date such proposed Parent Change of Control occurs or becomes effective; (B) no violation or default under this Guaranty has occurred and is continuing both as of the date Parent delivers the Change of Control Notice and as of the date such proposed Parent Change of Control occurs or becomes effective; (C) the Parent Change of Control would not result in an immediate violation of a material term or condition of this Guaranty or the Lease; (D) if the Parent Change of Control is or relates to a merger or consolidation of Parent, then, prior to or simultaneously with its effectiveness, the surviving entity of such merger or consolidation shall assume all of the obligations of Parent under this Guaranty, actual, contingent and accrued, in a manner reasonably acceptable to Landlord and otherwise in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Guaranty; (E) if the Parent Change of Control is or relates to a sale or transfer of Parent's assets, then, prior to or simultaneously with its effectiveness, the purchaser or transferee of such assets shall assume all of the

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obligations of Parent under this Guaranty, actual, contingent and accrued, in a manner reasonably acceptable to Landlord and otherwise in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Guaranty; (F) immediately after the Parent Change of Control, and having given effect thereto, Parent, if the surviving entity, is a Credit Entity or another Person that qualifies as a Credit Entity has assumed all of the obligations of Parent under this Guaranty, actual, contingent and accrued, in a manner reasonably acceptable to Landlord and otherwise in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Guaranty; and (G) Parent has delivered a Change of Control Notice to Landlord not less than thirty (30) days prior to the effective date (or earlier closing) of such Parent Change of Control.

(ii)    Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, no Parent Change of Control is permitted hereunder if it involves or would result in any of the following: (A) a Person that is the subject of any bankruptcy, insolvency, rearrangement or similar actions or proceedings, whether voluntary or involuntary, or a party to any actions, suits, or proceedings that would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse impact on Parent's financial position or any Person’s status as a Credit Entity; (B) a Person involved in the Parent Change of Control is a Person whose property or interests are subject to being blocked under any of the OFAC Laws and Regulations and/or who is in violation of any of the OFAC Laws and Regulations; (C) any material adverse impact on (1) the validity or enforceability of this Lease, (2) the rights and remedies of Landlord under the Lease or (3) the ability of Tenant to perform its obligations under the Lease, or (D) would result in use of any Location as other than a Permitted Facility, except as permitted by the terms of the Lease or as otherwise approved by Landlord.

(iii)    Prior to or simultaneously with the effectiveness of the Parent Change of Control, (A) any instruments and documents required under this Section 15 shall be executed and delivered by the parties thereto, as applicable, on the date of the Parent Change of Control in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Landlord; (B) Parent shall, at Parent’s sole cost and expense, deliver to Landlord any other reasonable instruments and documents requested by Landlord in connection with the Parent Change of Control.
  
(iv)    For the purposes of this Section 15 and Section 16, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(A)"Change of Control Notice" means a written notice setting forth: (w) the date that Parent desires the particular Parent Change of Control to be effective and a reasonably detailed description of such proposed Parent Change of Control and the Persons involved, together with supporting documentation reasonably necessary for Landlord to evaluate whether such proposed Parent Change of Control complies with the applicable terms and conditions of the Lease and this Guaranty; (x) the proposed transfer instruments, and any other documents or agreements relating thereto or required under the Lease or this Guaranty; (y) current financial information with respect to the Credit Entity, including its most recent Form 10-K

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and Form 10-Q, if available, and if not available, its most recent audited financial report; and (z) such other documentation and information reasonably necessary to confirm the satisfaction of the conditions precedent and other requirements of this Section 15 or Section 16, as applicable, with respect thereto, as determined by Landlord in Landlord's reasonable discretion. If Parent identifies certain information included in the Change of Control Notice to be confidential, then, at Parent’s request, Landlord agrees to enter into a separate confidentiality agreement in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Landlord.

(B)Consolidated EBITDA” means, as of the date of any determination, the sum of a Person’s consolidated net income (loss) for such period for the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Person most recently ended, plus, in each case to the extent deducted in calculating net income (loss): (i) income, franchise and similar taxes, (ii) principal and interest payments on all of its debt obligations (including any borrowings under short term credit facilities), (iii) all non-cash charges, including, without limitation, depreciation and amortization, and (iv) Non-Recurring Items.

(C)Consolidated EBITDAR” means, as of the date of any determination, the sum of the Person’s Consolidated EBITDA and total land and building rent for the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Person most recently ended.

(D)Consolidated Interest Expense” means, as of the date of any determination, interest expense, as determined in accordance with US GAAP, for the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Person most recently ended.

(E)Coverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of a Person’s (i) Consolidated EBITDAR to its (ii) Consolidated Interest Expense.

(F)"Credit Entity" means any Person that qualifies under at least one of the following clauses (x) or (y) immediately after the effectiveness of the Parent Change of Control (giving effect thereto) or at such other time as contemplated under Section 16 hereof: (x) as determined by US GAAP on a consolidated basis with such Person’s consolidated Subsidiaries, such Person shall have (1) a tangible net worth of no less than $300,000,000, (2) a Coverage Ratio of no less than 3.5 to 1.0 and (3) a Lease Adjusted Leverage Ratio of no greater than 4.5 to 1.0; or (y) the rating assigned to the senior unsecured long term indebtedness of such Person by

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Standard & Poor’s is “BB” or higher or such indebtedness is assigned a comparable rating by any rating agency reasonably acceptable to Landlord. For purposes of Section 16 or any Parent Change of Control, the calculations determining whether such Person is a Credit Entity shall be performed, if applicable, on a pro forma basis, giving effect to the transaction triggering the application of the calculation and to any other acquisition or disposition entered into by such Person during the relevant 12-month period (including pro forma adjustments arising out of events which are directly attributable to any acquisition or disposition of assets, are factually supportable and are expected to have a continuing impact) as if such acquisition or disposition (and any related incurrence, repayment or assumption of indebtedness or lease obligations) had occurred on the first day of the relevant 12-month period.
 
(G)"Equity Interests" means, as applied to any Person, corporate stock and any and all securities, shares, partnership interests (whether general, limited, special or other), limited liability company interests, membership interests, equity interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated and of any character) of corporate stock of such Person or any of the foregoing issued by such Person (whether a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company or another type of entity) and includes, without limitation, securities convertible into Equity Interests and rights, warrants or options to acquire Equity Interests.

(H)Lease Adjusted Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, and as to any Person, the ratio of (a) the sum of (i) six (6) times such Person’s total land and building rent for the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of the fiscal quarter of the Person most recently ended, and (ii) the total current balance of such Person’s total obligations for borrowed money (including any borrowings under short term credit facilities) on such date, to (b) such Person’s Consolidated EBITDAR.
 
(I)Non-Recurring Items” shall mean with respect to any Person, the sum of all items that are unusual in nature and occur infrequently and are not representative of the ongoing/future earnings or expenses of such Person.

16.In the event that, at any time, (i) no Event of Default then exists under this Guaranty and no Event of Default (as defined in the Lease) then exists, (ii) a transaction is proposed whereby Parent, following such transaction, (A) shall then not own beneficially or of record, directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the Equity Interests of BEF or (B) shall cease to have the power to direct or cause the direction of the management of BEF, and (iii) Parent, following such transaction, will be a Credit Entity on a pro forma basis (whether or not a Parent Change of Control

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has occurred) as demonstrated to Landlord to Landlord’s reasonable satisfaction, BEF shall, upon BEF’s written request to Landlord, be released from its obligations hereunder contemporaneously with or prior to such transaction, in which event Landlord shall deliver to BEF a full and complete release of such obligations in form and substance reasonably acceptable to Landlord and BEF.

17.Each Guarantor represents and warrants to Landlord that: (a) such Guarantor is a corporation duly formed, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it was formed; (b) such Guarantor has the requisite power and authority to enter into this Guaranty and the signatories hereto are duly authorized to execute this Guaranty and bind such Guarantor to the terms and conditions hereof; (c) the execution and delivery of this Guaranty by such Guarantor has been duly and validly authorized; (d) the execution and delivery of this Guaranty by such Guarantor will not (i) violate any law, government regulation, decree or judgment applicable or relating to such Guarantor or any of its assets, (ii) violate any provision of the charter or organization documents of such Guarantor, or (iii) violate or constitute a breach under any document, agreement or instrument to which such Guarantor or its assets may be subject to or bound; (e) this Guaranty constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligations of such Guarantor, enforceable against such Guarantor, in accordance with its terms except as may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles; (f) there are no actions, suits, proceedings or investigations pending or, to such Guarantor’s knowledge, threatened against such Guarantor, in law or in equity, before any federal, state or local governmental authority, that could, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on such Guarantor’s ability to pay and perform under the Lease or this Guaranty; (g) no bankruptcy, insolvency, rearrangement or similar action or proceeding, whether voluntary or involuntary, is pending or, to such Guarantor’s knowledge, threatened against such Guarantor, nor has such Guarantor any intention of filing or commencing any such action or proceeding; (h) no consent, approval, license, permit or other authorization of any third-party or any governmental body or office is required for the valid and lawful execution and delivery of this Guaranty by such Guarantor, the valid and lawful exercise by Landlord against such Guarantor of the remedies available to it under this Guaranty or applicable law or other rights granted to the Landlord in this Guaranty; (i) all information such Guarantor has provided to Landlord is accurate and complete in all material respects; and (j) such Guarantor has received a copy of the Lease, has examined the Lease, and is familiar with all of the terms, conditions and provisions contained in the Lease.

18.This Guaranty shall bind each Guarantor and its successors and assigns. This Guaranty may be freely assigned, transferred or hypothecated by Landlord, in whole, without Guarantor’s written consent, to any assignee of Landlord’s interest under the Lease and shall run in favor and inure to the benefit of Landlord, its successors and assigns, and each subsequent holder of Landlord’s interest under the Lease. In the event of an assignment by Landlord of the Lease with

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respect to less than all of the Properties as contemplated by Section 14.06 of the Lease, and subject at all times to Section 16 hereof, each Guarantor then still party to this Guaranty shall execute and deliver to the Assignment Landlord and any New Lender, within five (5) Business Days following Landlord’s written request therefor, an Assignment Lease Guaranty or, at the option of Assignment Landlord, a joint and several Assignment Lease Guaranty, estoppel certificates, a subordination, non-disturbance and attornment agreement, all as contemplated by and described in said Section 14.06, and such additional documents as may be reasonably required by Landlord, Lender, Assignment Landlord and any New Lender. In no event shall either Guarantor be required to modify the terms of this Guaranty in connection with the execution of an Assignment Lease Guaranty, and Assignment Landlord and New Lender, if applicable, shall be bound by the terms hereof as if Assignment Landlord were the “Landlord” hereunder, including, without limitation, Section 16. Neither Guarantor nor Tenant shall be required to pay any fee or reimburse Landlord, Assignment Landlord, or any Lender or New Lender, in connection with any assignment of this Guaranty as contemplated by this Section 18.

19.References to the term “Tenant” shall be deemed to include Tenant’s successors and assigns. All personal pronouns used in this Guaranty, whether used in the masculine, feminine, or neuter gender, shall include all other genders. No attornment by Tenant in favor of any such mortgagee shall diminish any of the Guaranteed Obligations, and following any such attornment, each Guarantor’s obligations shall continue in full force and effect as if the mortgagee were the original Landlord pursuant to the Lease.

20.Notices from Guarantors to Landlord, shall be in writing, addressed as follows:

To Landlord:                National Retail Properties Trust
450 South Orange Avenue, Suite 900
Orlando, Florida 32801
Attention: Vice President – Asset Management

With copies to:            National Retail Properties Trust
450 South Orange Avenue, Suite 900
Orlando, Florida 32801
Attention: Vice President – General Counsel
                    
And to Lender at such address as to which Guarantor is notified in writing by Landlord or Lender

To either or both Guarantors:        Bob Evans Farms, Inc.,
8111 Smith’s Mill Road,
New Albany, Ohio 43054,
Attn: General Counsel

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Notices shall be (a) personally delivered; (b) sent by a nationally recognized overnight delivery service (e.g., Federal Express) for next-day delivery, to be confirmed by such courier; or (c) mailed by United States certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid. Notices, demands and other communications given in the foregoing manner shall be deemed given when actually received or refused by the party to whom sent, unless mailed, in which event same shall be deemed given on the day of actual delivery as shown by the addressee’s certified mail receipt, or at the expiration of the third (3rd) business day after the date of mailing, whichever first occurs. Each Guarantor, Landlord or Lender may from time to time change its address for receiving notices under this Guaranty by providing written notice to the other parties in accordance with notice provisions of this Guaranty. Any and all such notices may be given on behalf of any party by its attorney. Each Guarantor shall send to Lender a copy of each notice that the Guarantor sends to Landlord.

21.This Guaranty shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of Ohio. Each Guarantor agrees to be subject to the jurisdiction of state or federal courts sitting in Ohio, to accept service of process in any action brought in Ohio, to accept service by registered mail or personal service and each Guarantor waives any objection to personal jurisdiction in such action.

22.If any provision of this Guaranty or the application of any provision to any Person or any circumstance shall be determined to be invalid or unenforceable, such determination shall not affect any other provisions of this Guaranty or the application of such provision to any other Person or circumstance, all of which other provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

23.The recitals to this Guaranty are incorporated into this Guaranty for all purposes. All terms and conditions of the Lease are hereby incorporated by reference. Capitalized terms used in this Guaranty and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Lease.

24.The terms of this Guaranty shall not be modified, discharged, waived or terminated except by an agreement in writing signed by Guarantor and Landlord. Time is of the essence in this Guaranty and each and every provision hereof in which any date or time is specified.

25.Parent shall deliver to Landlord at the times prescribed by the Lease the financial statements and other information pertaining to Parent as required under Section 9.03 of the Lease.

26.For purposes of this Guaranty, the term “Event of Default” shall mean any of the following:


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(a)The failure of Guarantors, or either of them, to pay any amount due under this Guaranty that remains unpaid for a period of five (5) business days after Landlord demands payment thereof by a written notice to Guarantors.

(b)The occurrence of any default by Guarantors, or either of them, in the performance of any obligation under this Guaranty, other than (i) the payment of money, (ii) an obligation of Tenant under the Lease or (iii) the occurrence of a Parent Change of Control, which default remains uncured for a period of fifteen (15) days following written notice thereof from Landlord to Guarantors.

(c)The failure of Guarantors to perform any obligation of Tenant under the Lease within the time period specified for the performance thereof under the Lease including any applicable grace periods.

(d)The occurrence of a Parent Change of Control that is not a Permitted Parent Change of Control.

(e)The failure of Parent to deliver any financial statement or other information as required by Section 25 of this Guaranty and such failure is not corrected within five (5) Business Days following written notice from Landlord to Parent.





(SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS)


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Guarantors have executed this Guaranty as of the day and year first above written.

BOB EVANS FARMS, INC.,
a Delaware corporation

By:                         

Name:                         
Title:                         



14





BEF FOODS, INC.,
an Ohio corporation

By:                         

Name:                         
Title: ________________________________            
STATE OF    )
) ss:
COUNTY OF    )

The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this ___ day of _________, 2016, by ________________, ___________________, of Bob Evans Farms, Inc., a Delaware corporation, on behalf of the corporation.


                                                
Notary Public

STATE OF    )
) ss:
COUNTY OF    )

The foregoing instrument was acknowledged before me this ___ day of _________, 2016, by ________________, ___________________, of BEF FOODS, Inc., an Ohio corporation, on behalf of the corporation.

                                                
Notary Public



Exhibit

EXHIBIT 10.14

BOB EVANS FARMS, INC. AND AFFILIATES
FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

SECTION 1.00 PURPOSE    1
SECTION 2.00 DEFINITIONS    1
2.01 Account    1
2.02 Beneficiary    1
2.03 Board    1
2.04 Cause    1
2.05 Change Agreement    2
2.06 Change in Control    2
2.07 Code    2
2.08 Committee    2
2.09 Common Shares    2
2.10 Confidential Information    3
2.11 Disability    3
2.12 Early Retirement Date    3
2.13 Eligible Employee    3
2.14 Employer    3
2.15 Employer Contribution    4
2.16 Enrollment Form    4
2.17 ERISA    4
2.18 Grandfathered Amount    4
2.19 Group    4
2.20 Group Member    4
2.21 Inactive Participant    4
2.22 Member    4
2.23 Normal Retirement Date    4
2.24 Participant    4
2.25 Plan    4
2.26 Plan Year    4
2.27 Section 409A Amount    4
2.28 Specified Employee    4
2.29 Spouse    4
2.30 Termination    4
SECTION 3.00 PARTICIPATION    5
3.01 Eligibility to Participate    5
3.02 Designation of Beneficiary    6
SECTION 4.00 MEMBERS’ OBLIGATIONS    6
4.01 Services During Certain Events    6
4.02 Confidential Information    6
4.03 Effect of Breach of Obligations    7
SECTION 5.00 CONTRIBUTIONS    7
5.01 Accounts    7
5.03 Employer Contribution    7
5.04 Effect of Change in Control on Employer Contribution    7
5.05 Interest    13
SECTION 6.00 DISTRIBUTIONS    13
6.01 Distributions    13
6.02 Death Benefits    13
6.03 Disability Benefits    13
6.04 Termination Other Than Due to Death or Prior to Disability    13
6.05 Amount and Payment of Benefits    13
SECTION 7.00 PLAN COMMITTEE    16
7.01 Appointment of Committee    16
7.02 Powers and Duties    17
7.03 Actions by the Committee    17
7.04 Interested Committee Members    17
7.05 Indemnification    17
7.06 Conclusiveness of Action    18
7.07 Payment of Expenses    18
7.08 Claims Procedure    18
7.09 Arbitration    20
SECTION 8.00 AMENDMENT TO THE PLAN    21
8.01 Right to Amend    21
8.02 Amendment Procedure    21
SECTION 9.00 TERMINATION OF THE PLAN    21
9.01 Right to Terminate    21
9.02 Plan Merger and Consolidation    21
9.03 Successor Employer    21
SECTION 10.00 UNFUNDED PLAN    22
SECTION 11.00 MISCELLANEOUS    22
11.01 Voluntary Plan    22
11.02 Non-alienation of Benefits    22
11.03 Inability to Receive Benefits    22
11.04 Lost Members    22
11.05 Limitation of Rights    22
11.06 Invalid Provision    23
11.07 One Plan    23
11.08 Governing Law    23
11.09 Code §409A    23

BOB EVANS FARMS, INC. AND AFFILIATES
FOURTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN

SECTION 1.00 PURPOSE
On April 17, 1992, Bob Evans Farms, Inc. (“Corporation”) adopted the Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan to provide deferred and incentive compensation to a select group of its management or highly compensated employees. The Plan was amended and restated effective May 1, 1998, effective May 1, 2002, and effective January 1, 2008. Effective June 10, 2009, the Plan was amended to provide that no additional individuals shall be eligible to participate in the Plan. Effective as of January 1, 2015, the Corporation adopts this fourth amended and restated version of the Plan. This Plan is intended to be an unfunded, nonqualified program of deferred compensation within the meaning of Title I of ERISA.
SECTION 2.00 DEFINITIONS
When used in this Plan, the following terms will have the meanings given to them in this section unless another meaning is expressly provided elsewhere in this Plan. When applying these definitions, the form of any term or word will include any of its other forms.
2.01    Account. The account established under Section 5.01 to measure the value of each Member’s Plan benefit. The Account of any Member shall include both Grandfathered Amounts and Section 409A Amounts, as applicable.
2.02    Beneficiary. The person a Member designates under Section 3.02 to receive any death benefit payable under Section 6.02.
2.03     Board. The Corporation’s board of directors.
2.04     Cause. Unless otherwise specified in any employment agreement between the Member and the Corporation or any other Group Member or in any Change Agreement between the Member and the Corporation or any other Group Member (but only within the context of the events contemplated by the employment agreement or Change Agreement, as applicable), a Member’s:
(1)    Willful and continued failure to substantially perform assigned duties;
(2)    Gross misconduct;
(3)    Breach of any term of any agreement with the Corporation or any other Group Member, including the Plan;
(4)    Conviction of (or plea of no contest or nolo contendere to) (a) a felony or a misdemeanor that originally was charged as a felony but which was subsequently reduced to a misdemeanor through negotiation with the charging entity; or (b) a crime other than a felony, which involves a breach of trust or fiduciary duty owed to the Corporation or any other Group Member; or
(5)    Violation of any policy of the Corporation or any other Group Member that applies to the Member.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Cause will not arise solely because the Member is absent from active employment during periods of vacation, consistent with the Corporation’s or any Group Member’s applicable vacation policy, or other period of absence approved by the Corporation or other Group Member.
2.05     Change Agreement. An individual agreement between the Corporation and any Member describing the effect of a Change in Control.
2.06     Change in Control.
(1)    With respect to any Member who is a party to a Change Agreement, a “change in control” as defined in (and subject to the terms of) that Member’s Change Agreement; and
(2)    With respect to all Members, approval by the Corporation’s stockholders of a definitive agreement (a) to merge or consolidate the Corporation with or into another corporation in which the Corporation is not the continuing or surviving corporation or pursuant to which any Common Shares would be converted into cash, securities or other property of another corporation, other than a merger of the Corporation in which holders of Common Shares immediately before the merger have the same proportionate ownership of shares of the surviving corporation immediately after the merger as immediately before or (b) within a 12-consecutive calendar month period, to sell or otherwise dispose of 50 percent or more of the book value of the Group’s assets. For purposes of this definition, “book value” will be established on the basis of the latest consolidated financial statement the Corporation filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission before the date any 12-consecutive calendar month measurement period began.
2.07    Code. The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or any successor statute.
2.08     Committee. The committee described in Section 7.00.
2.09     Common Shares. The Corporation’s shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, or any security issued in substitution, exchange or in place of such shares.
2.10     Confidential Information. Any and all information (other than information in the public domain) related to the business of the Group or any Group Member, including all processes, inventions, trade secrets, computer programs, engineering or technical data, drawings, or designs, manufacturing techniques, information concerning pricing and pricing policies, marketing techniques, plans and forecasts, new product information, information concerning suppliers, methods and manner of operations, and information relating to the identity and location of all past, present and prospective customers.
2.11     Disability.
(1)    With respect to Grandfathered Amounts, an incapacity due to physical or mental illness that has prevented a Member from discharging assigned duties on a full-time basis for at least 26 consecutive weeks.
(2)    With respect to Section 409A Amounts:
(a)    The Member is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months; or
(b)    The Member is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Member’s Employer; or
(c)    The Member is determined to be totally disabled by the Social Security Administration or the Railroad Retirement Board.
2.12     Early Retirement Date. The earlier of the date that (1) a Member reaches age 55 and has been credited with at least ten years of service with the Group or (2)(a) the sum of the Member’s age (measured in whole years only) and years of service with the Group (measured in whole years only) equals 70 and (b) the Member has been credited with at least ten years of service with the Group. In the sole discretion of the Committee, the calculation of a Member’s “years of service” with the Group may include the Member’s years of service with a predecessor employer who becomes a Group Member.
2.13     Eligible Employee. Each person who is employed by a Group Member and who is a member of its select group of management or is a highly compensated employee within the meaning of Title I of ERISA.
2.14     Employer. The Group Member by which a Member is directly employed on the date of any event, act or occurrence described in this Plan. If, without incurring a Termination, a Member becomes a common law employee of a Group Member other than the Employer, that Group Member will automatically become that Member’s “Employer” under this Plan and will be fully liable as the Member’s Employer for all obligations arising under this Plan with respect to that Member during the period of that relationship.
2.15     Employer Contribution. The amount calculated under Section 5.02.
2.16     Enrollment Form. The written or electronic form that each Eligible Employee must complete before he or she may participate in the Plan. To be effective, the Enrollment Form must include all of the information described in Section 3.01.
2.17     ERISA. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
2.18     Grandfathered Amount. The portion, if any, of a Member’s Account that was earned and vested under the Plan (within the meaning of Code §409A) as of December 31, 2004 and any earnings on such portion of the Account (within the meaning of Code §409A).
2.19     Group. The Corporation and all persons with whom the Corporation would be considered a single employer under Code §414(b) and (c).
2.20     Group Member. Each entity that is a member of the Group.
2.21     Inactive Participant. A Participant who (1) is actively employed by an Employer but no longer meets the eligibility conditions described in Section 3.01 or (2) has Terminated but has not received a complete distribution of his or her Account balance.
2.22     Member. Collectively, (1) a Participant or (2) an Inactive Participant.
2.23     Normal Retirement Date. The date a Member reaches age 62.
2.24     Participant. Each Eligible Employee who is actively participating in the Plan as provided in Section 3.01.
2.25     Plan. The Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and Affiliates Fourth Amended and Restated Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, as described in this document and as it may be subsequently amended from time to time.
2.26     Plan Year. Each fiscal year of the Corporation while the Plan is in effect.
2.27     Section 409A Amount. The portion of a Member’s Account that is not a Grandfathered Amount.
2.28     Specified Employee. A “specified employee” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(i) and as determined under the Corporation’s policy for determining specified employees.
2.29     Spouse. The individual to whom a Member is legally married.
2.30     Termination. A “separation from service” with the Group within the meaning of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(h).
2.31    Valuation Date. The date at the conclusion of a Valuation Period when the Employer Contribution is calculated for that Valuation Period.
2.32    Valuation Period. A calendar year during which a Participant performs substantial services for a Group Member (i) beginning on the later of (A) the date a Participant first was employed be a Group Member or (B) April 26, 1991 and (ii) ending on the earlier of the date the Participant (A) Terminates; (B) is no longer a Participant (whether or not he or she remains a Member); or (C) reaches his or her Normal Retirement Date, whether or not he or she also retires at that time.
SECTION 3.00 PARTICIPATION
3.01     Eligibility to Participate.
(1)    In its sole discretion, the Committee will decide which Eligible Employees may participate in the Plan and the earliest date on which they may participate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Eligible Employee who is participating in the Plan on January 1, 2008 shall be a Participant, except as provided in Section 3.01(3). Effective June 10, 2009, no additional individuals shall be eligible to participate in the Plan.
(2)    Before an Eligible Employee who is selected by the Committee to participate in the Plan may actually participate in the Plan, the Eligible Employee must complete an Enrollment Form specifying how his or her Account will be distributed (as described in Section 6.05). Such election must be made and become irrevocable no later than the December 31 preceding the first day of the first Plan Year in which services relating to the Eligible Employee’s participation in this Plan will be performed. Notwithstanding the foregoing:
(a)    With respect to the first Plan Year in which an Eligible Employee becomes eligible to participate in the Plan, the Eligible Employee may submit the Enrollment Form to the Committee within 30 days after the date on which the Participant is first eligible to participate in this Plan. For purposes of this Section 3.01(2)(a), an Eligible Employee is first eligible to participate in this Plan only if the Eligible Employee is not a participant in any other agreement, method, program or arrangement that, along with this Plan, would be treated as a single nonqualified deferred compensation plan under Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(c)(2).
(b)    If, in order to receive an Employer Contribution under this Plan, an Eligible Employee is required to provide services to the Corporation or any other Group Member for a period of at least 12 months from the date that the Eligible Employee obtains a non-forfeitable legally binding right to the Employer Contribution, the Eligible Employee may submit the Enrollment Form to the Committee on or before the 30th day after the Eligible Employee obtains such legally binding right, provided that the election is made at least 12 months in advance of the earliest date at which the forfeiture condition could lapse.
(3)    An Eligible Employee will continue to be a Participant until the earlier of the date he or she (a) becomes an Inactive Participant or (b) Terminates but is not an Inactive Participant.
3.02    Designation of Beneficiary.
(1)    Each Eligible Employee must designate one or more Beneficiaries by completing a written or electronic beneficiary designation form prescribed by the Committee. Unless a Member who designates more than one Beneficiary also specifies the sequence or the portion of the death benefit to be paid to each Beneficiary, the death benefit will be paid in equal shares to all named Beneficiaries.
(2)    A Member may change his or her Beneficiary at any time by completing a new beneficiary designation form in accordance with such form’s instructions. No change of Beneficiary will be effective until the form is completed and received by the Committee. The identity of a Member’s Beneficiary will be based only on the designation in the form described in this section and will not be inferred from any other evidence.
(3)    If a Member has not made an effective Beneficiary designation or if all his or her Beneficiaries die before the Member, Plan death benefits will be paid to the Member’s surviving Spouse or, if there is no surviving Spouse, to the Member’s estate. Any minor’s share of a Plan death benefit will be paid to the adult who has been appointed to act as the minor’s legal guardian and who has assumed custody and support of that minor.
(4)    The Member and the Beneficiary (and not the Committee) are responsible for ensuring that the Committee has the Beneficiary’s current address.
SECTION 4.00 MEMBERS’ OBLIGATIONS
4.01    Services During Certain Events. By accepting participation in this Plan, if any “person” or entity (including a “group” as defined in Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor statute) initiates a tender or exchange offer, distributes proxy materials to the Corporation’s stockholders or takes other steps to effect, or that may result in, a Change in Control, each Member agrees not to Terminate voluntarily during the pendency of that activity other than by reason of retirement, and to continue to serve as a full-time employee of the Employer until those efforts are abandoned, that activity is terminated or until a Change in Control has occurred.
4.02    Confidential Information. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, by accepting participation in this Plan, each Member expressly agrees to keep and maintain Confidential Information confidential and not, at any time during or subsequent to the Member’s employment with any Group Member, to use any Confidential Information for the Member’s own benefit or to divulge, disclose or communicate any Confidential Information to any person or entity in any manner except (1) to employees or agents of the Employer or of the Corporation that need the Confidential Information to perform their duties on behalf of any Group Member or (2) in the performance of the Member’s duties to the Employer. Each Member also agrees to notify the Corporation promptly of any circumstance that the Member believes may legally compel the disclosure of Confidential Information and to give this notice before disclosing any Confidential Information.
4.03    Effect of Breach of Obligations. If a Member breaches any obligation described in this Section 4.00 or the Plan:
(1)    Before the Member has Terminated, the Member will forfeit all benefits under this Plan; or
(2)    After the Member Terminates, the Member will repay any amounts previously paid to the Member under this Plan plus interest calculated at the prime interest rate quoted in the Wall Street Journal, or any successor to it, over the period beginning on the date of payment and ending on the date of repayment.
SECTION 5.00 CONTRIBUTIONS
5.01    Accounts. The Committee will establish an Account for each Member to record:
(1)    The Employer Contribution as calculated under Section 5.02 (and, if applicable, Section 5.03); minus
(2)    Any distributions made to the Member under Section 6.00.
The Employer also will make a final Employer Contribution, calculated as provided in Section 5.02, for the portion of the Valuation Period during which the Member Terminates but only if the Member Terminates after meeting the conditions described in Section 6.04.
5.02    Employer Contribution. The Employer Contribution for each Participant shall be one dollar ($1.00). This amount will be credited to each Participant’s Account in cash (and credited with interest as described in Section 5.04).
5.03    Effect of Change in Control on Employer Contribution.
(1)    Subject to any limitation imposed under a Change Agreement, if, within 36 months after a Change in Control, either (a) the Plan is terminated and not replaced with a similar program providing comparable benefits and features; or (b) with respect to a Member who is a party to a Change Agreement, an event occurs that generates a change in control payment under that Member’s Change Agreement, all Members’ Accounts will be fully vested and the Employer will credit a special and additional Employer Contribution to the Account of each Member who was a Participant on the date of the Change in Control, whether or not he or she is then a Participant.
The special change in control Employer Contribution shall be calculated as follows:
(2)    First, the Committee will calculate the Compensation (as defined below) that each Participant earned during the Valuation Period for which the Employer Contribution is being calculated. For these purposes, “Compensation” means (a) the total taxable remuneration the Participant earned for the Valuation Period (or, if less, the portion of the Valuation Period during which he or she was a Participant) plus (b) the amount the Participant deferred during the Valuation Period to a plan described in Code §125 or Code §401(k) and maintained by any Group Member minus (c)(i) the amount of any long-term incentive awards (e.g., performance share awards, restricted stock or stock appreciation rights) granted, earned or exercised during the Valuation Period and (ii) the value of any stock options granted or exercised under Code §83(b) during that Valuation Period. Also, if a Valuation Period is less than 12 months, the taxable remuneration described in Section 5.03(2)(a) will be annualized on the basis of the whole months during that Valuation Period during which the Participant was a Participant.
(3)    Then, the Committee will calculate the Participant’s “Projected Compensation” by:
(a)    Averaging the Participant’s Compensation over the lesser of (i) the Participant’s current and four preceding Valuation Periods or (ii) the number of Valuation Periods during which the Participant was employed by a Group Member; and
(b)    Increasing that average by four percent for each 12-month Valuation Period that will elapse between (i) the end of the Valuation Period for which the Employer Contribution is being calculated and (ii) the last Valuation Period that will end before the Participant’s Normal Retirement Date, then (iii) averaging the Compensation projected to be received during the five Valuation Periods ending before the Participant’s Normal Retirement Date.
(4)    Then, the Committee will calculate the Participant’s “Final Average Compensation.”
(a)    Until the Participant reaches his or her Normal Retirement Date, Final Average Compensation will be calculated by averaging each Participant’s Projected Compensation (calculated under Section 5.03(3)) over the five consecutive Valuation Periods during the ten Valuation Periods that both (i) end before the Participant’s Normal Retirement Date and (ii) produce the highest average; but
(b)    At the Participant’s Normal Retirement Date, Final Average Compensation will be calculated by averaging the Participant’s Compensation over the five consecutive Valuation Periods during the ten Valuation Periods that end before the Participant’s Normal Retirement Date that produces the highest average.
(c)    The following rules will be applied when calculating a Participant’s Final Average Compensation:
(i)    The Final Average Compensation of a Participant who will have completed fewer than five Valuation Periods at his or her Normal Retirement Date will be the average of the Compensation the Participant received over his or her entire period of participation;
(ii)    Compensation paid for the Valuation Period during which the Participant reaches Normal Retirement Date will be disregarded until the Participant reaches his or her Normal Retirement Date; and
(iii)    A Participant’s Final Average Compensation will neither increase nor decrease for any Valuation Period that begins after the Participant reaches his or her Normal Retirement Date.
(5)    Then, the Committee will establish each Participant’s Prior Service Rate (as defined below), if any. A Participant’s “Prior Service Rate” (if any) is:
(a)    The lesser of (i) 40 percent or (ii) two percent multiplied by the number of 12-month Valuation Periods the Participant will complete if he or she continues to be a Participant until his or her Normal Retirement Date; multiplied by
(b)    The quotient produced by dividing (i) the number of Valuation Periods the Participant had completed as of the last day of the Corporation’s 1997 fiscal year by (ii) the number of 12-month Valuation Periods the Participant will complete if he or she continues to be a Participant until his or her Normal Retirement Date.
A Participant who was first employed after the Corporation’s 1997 fiscal year will not have a Prior Service Rate.
(6)    A Participant’s “Future Service Rate” is:
(a)    The lesser of (i) 55 percent or (ii) 2.75 percent multiplied by the number of 12-month Valuation Periods the Participant will complete if he or she continues to be a Participant until his or her Normal Retirement Date; reduced, but not below zero, by
(b)    The Participant’s Prior Service Rate (if any) calculated under Section 5.02(5); and then multiplied by
(c)    The lesser of (i) one or (ii) the quotient produced by dividing (A) the number of Valuation Periods the Participant had completed after the Corporation’s 1997 fiscal year into (B) the greater of five or the number of Valuation Periods the Participant will complete after the end of the Corporation’s 1997 fiscal year if he or she continues to be a Participant until his or her Normal Retirement Date.
(7)    Then, the Committee will calculate each Participant’s Target Benefit. A Participant’s “Target Benefit” is:
(a)    2.75% X Final Average Compensation (as defined in Section 5.02(4)) X the lesser of (i) 20 and (ii) the Participant’s Valuation Periods expected to be earned as of the Participant’s Normal Retirement Date or the date of the Change in Control, if later; minus
(b)    The Participant’s Social Security Benefit (as defined in Section 5.03(7)(e)(i)); minus
(c)    The Participant’s Qualified Plan Benefit (as defined in Section 5.03(7)(e)(ii)); multiplied by
(d)    The smaller of (i) one or (ii) the quotient produced by dividing the Participant’s actual Valuation Periods earned as of the date the Target Benefit is being calculated by the number of 12-month Valuation Periods the Participant will complete if he or she remains actively employed until his or her Normal Retirement Date. For purposes of this Section 5.03(7)(d), the actual Valuation Periods completed as of the date the Target Benefit is being calculated shall include any partial Valuation Period (measured in increments of one-twelfth) completed by the Participant during the period beginning on the day after the Valuation Date immediately preceding the date the Target Benefit is being calculated and ending on the date the Target Benefit is being calculated.
(e)    For purposes of calculating each Participant’s Target Benefit:
(i)    A Participant’s “Social Security Benefit” is 50 percent of the maximum annual Old Age, Survivor and Disability Insurance benefit projected to be payable to the Participant under the Social Security Act as of the Participant’s Normal Retirement Date. This amount will be based on the Participant’s projected “taxable wages,” as defined in the Social Security Act, and other relevant factors in effect as of the date the calculation is being made; and
(ii)    A Participant’s “Qualified Plan Benefit” is the Participant’s annual benefit, expressed in the form of a single life annuity, that can be derived from the sum of all employer-funded benefits (as defined below), and attributable earnings, under all plans that are maintained by any Group Member and that are intended to comply with Code §401(a). The amount of this single life annuity will be established by applying the RP 2000 Mortality Table for Males and Females, an annual interest rate of eight percent, and by assuming that benefits will begin at the Participant’s Normal Retirement Date. For purposes of establishing a Participant’s Qualified Plan Benefit, “employer-funded benefits” means all benefits funded through Employer contributions (and attributable earnings), for periods of employment before the Participant’s Normal Retirement Date plus any distributions made to, in behalf of or with respect to, the Participant before his or her Normal Retirement Date (e.g., in-service withdrawals, retirement and disability benefits or distributions under any domestic relations order). Also, until the Participant reaches his or her Normal Retirement Date, his or her Qualified Plan Benefit will be projected based on procedures established by the Committee.
(8)    Then, the Committee will compare the Participant’s Target Benefit calculated under Section 5.03(7) with the Target Benefit calculated for the same Participant under Section 5.03(7) as in effect for the preceding Valuation Period.
(a)    If the Participant’s Target Benefit calculated for the current Valuation Period is less than or equal to the Participant’s Target Benefit calculated for the preceding Valuation Period, no amount will be credited to the Participant’s Account for the current Valuation Period; but
(b)    If the Participant’s Target Benefit calculated for the current Valuation Period is greater than the Participant’s Target Benefit calculated for the preceding Valuation Period, an Earned Benefit will be credited to the Participant’s Account. This Earned Benefit will be calculated under the procedures described in Section 5.03(9).
(9)    If the Participant’s Target Benefit for the current Valuation Period is greater than the Participant’s Target Benefit for the preceding Valuation Period, the Committee will calculate an “Earned Benefit” for the current Valuation Period by:
(a)    Subtracting the Participant’s Target Benefit for the preceding Valuation Period from the Target Benefit calculated for the current Valuation Period; and
(b)    Calculating the annuity value of this difference. This calculation is done by calculating the present value of the difference produced under section  5.03(9)(a) by applying the RP 2000 Mortality Table for Males and Females, an annual interest rate of eight percent and by assuming that benefits will begin at the Participant’s Normal Retirement Date or, if the Participant already has reached his or her Normal Retirement Date, that benefits will begin when the Participant reaches age 65.
(10)    Regardless of any provision of this Plan, if more than one Change in Control (whether or not related) occurs, the total additional amount calculated under this Section 5.03 will be the greatest amount calculated with respect to any single Change in Control.
5.04    Interest. As of each Valuation Date, amounts credited as cash to Accounts will be credited with interest at rates established by the Committee.

SECTION 6.00 DISTRIBUTIONS
6.01    Distributions. Subject to Section 6.05, a Member’s Account will become distributable at the earlier of the date the Member (1) dies, (2) becomes Disabled prior to Terminating or (3) Terminates after having earned a right to a Plan benefit as provided in Section 6.04.
6.02    Death Benefits. If a Member Terminates due to his or her death, the undistributed value of (a) the Member’s Grandfathered Amounts will be paid to the Member’s Beneficiary in a lump sum as of the Valuation Date following the Member’s death and (b) the Member’s Section 409A Amounts will be paid to that Member’s Beneficiary in a lump sum within 60 days of the Member’s death. Any Beneficiary claiming a death benefit under the Plan must provide the Committee with satisfactory proof of the Member’s death before any death benefit will be paid. If a Member dies after Terminating, the undistributed portion of the Member’s Account will be paid to that Member’s Beneficiary in a lump sum within 60 days of the Member’s death.
6.03    Disability Benefits. A Member who becomes Disabled before Terminating will receive a lump sum distribution of 100 percent of his or her Account within 60 days following the date the Member becomes Disabled. If a Member becomes Disabled after Terminating, the undistributed portion of the Member’s Account will be paid in the same form in which it was being paid to the Member prior to the Member’s Disability (or would have been paid, if benefit commencement had not then begun).
6.04    Termination Other Than Due to Death or Prior to Disability. A Member who Terminates for any reason other than death or prior to becoming Disabled will not be entitled to any Plan benefit if he or she Terminates before the earlier of:
(1)    His or her Early Retirement Date or Normal Retirement Date; or
(2)    An event described in Section 5.03(1)(a) or (b).
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no case will a Member be entitled to receive any Plan benefit if he or she is Terminated for Cause.
6.05    Amount and Payment of Benefits.
(1)    Grandfathered Amounts.
(a)     Normal Benefit Form. Unless the Member has effectively elected an optional benefit form described in Section 6.05(1)(b), all distributions of Grandfathered Amounts made to a Member who Terminates after having earned a nonforfeitable benefit as provided in Section 6.04 will be paid in ten annual installments beginning no later than 60 days after the Member Terminates. The first of these distributions will be equal to one-tenth of the value of the Member’s Grandfathered Amounts on the preceding Valuation Date. Subsequent distributions will be made on the anniversary of the initial distribution date and will equal the balance of the Member’s Grandfathered Amounts as of the most recent Valuation Date divided by the number of unpaid annual installments.
(b)     Optional Benefit Form. Instead of the normal distribution form described in Section 6.05(1)(a), a Member may elect to receive (or begin to receive) his or her Grandfathered Amounts:
(i)    In the form of a single lump sum. If this election is made effectively, the Grandfathered Amounts will be distributed within 60 days after the Valuation Date that coincides with or immediately follows the date the Member Terminated; or
(ii)    As described in Section 6.05(1)(a) but beginning as of the last day of the Plan Year during which the Member reaches age 65 (regardless of whether or not the Member has Terminated).
(2)     Section 409A Amounts.
(a)     Normal Benefit Form. Unless the Member has effectively elected an optional benefit form described in Section 6.05(2)(b), all distributions of Section 409A Amounts made to a Member who Terminates after having earned a nonforfeitable benefit as provided in Section 6.04 will be paid in ten annual installments beginning no later than 60 days after the date that the Member Terminates, determined in the sole discretion of the Committee. The first of these distributions will be equal to one-tenth of the value of the Member’s Section 409A Amounts on the preceding Valuation Date. Subsequent distributions will be made on the anniversary of the initial distribution date and will equal the balance of the Member’s Section 409A Amounts as of the most recent Valuation Date divided by the number of unpaid annual installments.
(b)     Optional Benefit Form. Instead of the normal distribution form described in Section 6.05(2)(a), a Member may elect, on a properly submitted Enrollment Form, to receive (or begin to receive) his or her Section 409A Amounts in:
(i)    A lump sum within 60 days after the date that the Member Terminates; or
(ii)    A lump sum on the last day of the Plan Year during which the Member reaches age 65 (regardless of whether or not the Member has Terminated); or
(iii)    Annual installments of up to 20 years, as designated by the Member on his or her Enrollment Form, beginning within 60 days after the date that the Member Terminates.
(iv)    Annual installments of up to 20 years, as designated by the Member on his or her Enrollment Form, beginning on the last day of the Plan Year during which the Member reaches age 65 (regardless of whether or not the Member has Terminated).
If a Member elects annual installments under this Section 6.01(2)(b), (I) the first distribution will equal the value of the Section 409A Amounts in the Member’s Account as of the most recent Valuation Date divided by the number of annual installments elected, and (II) each distribution thereafter will be made on the anniversary of the initial distribution date and will equal the balance of the Section 409A Amounts in the Member’s Account as of the most recent Valuation Date divided by the number of remaining annual installments.
(3)    Elections Relating to Benefit Form. To elect an optional benefit form or change a benefit form under this Section 6.05 effectively, a Member must file a written or electronic election with the Committee at the times and in the manner described in this Section 6.05(3).
(a)    Newly Eligible Participants. A newly eligible Participant may make an election under this Section 6.05 by submitting an Enrollment Form as described in Section 3.01(2).
(b)    Grandfathered Amounts. With respect to Grandfathered Amounts:
(i)    An election to receive an optional benefit form must be made on a form prescribed by the Committee and must be delivered to the Committee no fewer than 12 months before such election is to be effective.
(ii)    An election to receive an optional benefit form may be revoked if the electing Member files a written or electronic election with the Committee no fewer than 12 months before the benefit otherwise would have been distributed in the optional benefit form previously elected. This revocation must be made on a form prescribed by the Committee.
(iii)    Any election to receive payment in an optional form (or any revocation of an election to do so) will be disregarded unless the Member strictly complies with the procedures described in this Section 6.05(3)(b).
(c)    Section 409A Amounts. With respect to Section 409A Amounts, a Member will be permitted to change the time and form of payment if such change meets the following requirements:
(i)    A Member may change the time and form of payment for any Section 409A Amounts (based on the choices available under Section 6.05(2)) by filing a new election form with the Committee; provided that such change meets the following requirements: (A) the subsequent election may not take effect until at least 12 months after the date on which such election is made; (B) the payment with respect to which such election is made must be deferred (other than a distribution upon death or Disability) for a period of not less than five years from the date such payment would otherwise have been paid; and (C) any subsequent election affecting a distribution at a specified time (or pursuant to a fixed schedule) may not be made less than 12 months before the date the payment is scheduled to be paid. A subsequent election may be changed at any time before the last permissible date for making such election, as described in this Section 6.05(3)(c).
(ii)    Once the distribution of an Account begins, no changes to the Member’s benefit form will be permitted.

(4)    Distribution Delay for Specified Employees. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, in the case of any Member who is a Specified Employee as of the date of his or her Termination, any Section 409A Amount due to the Member under the Plan in connection with such Termination will not be distributed for a period of six months after the date of such Termination or, if earlier, the date of the Specified Employee’s death (the “Distribution Delay Period”). If the Distribution Delay Period applies to a Member, each payment of Section 409A Amounts to which the Member is entitled under the Plan in connection with the Member’s Termination shall be delayed for six months.
(5)     Limited Cashout. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 6.00 to the contrary, the Corporation, in its sole discretion, may make a lump sum distribution of a Member’s Account under the Plan if: (a) the distribution results in the termination and liquidation of the entirety of the Member’s interest under the Plan and all agreements, methods, programs or other arrangements with respect to which deferrals of compensation are treated as having been deferred under a single nonqualified deferred compensation plan under Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(c)(2); and (b) the aggregate distribution under the arrangements is not greater than the applicable dollar amount under Code §402(g)(1)(B).
(6)     No Further Liability. Once a Member’s Account has been fully distributed, the Corporation, all Employers, all Group Members, the Committee and the Plan will have no further liability to the Member or, if appropriate, to his or her Beneficiary.
SECTION 7.00 PLAN COMMITTEE
7.01    Appointment of Committee. The Board will appoint a committee to administer the Plan. A Committee member may resign at any time by sending written notice to the Board specifying the effective date of his or her termination (which must always be prospective). Vacancies in the Committee will be filled by the Board as the need arises. Also, in its sole discretion, the Board may remove any Committee member at any time by giving written notice of removal to the affected Committee member and specifying the effective date of that action (which must always be prospective).
7.02    Powers and Duties. The Committee is fully empowered to exercise complete discretion to administer the Plan and to construe and apply all of its provisions. The Committee may delegate any of its powers and duties to any other person or organization. These powers and duties include:
(1)    Deciding which employees are Eligible Employees, which of them may participate in the Plan and the value of their benefit;
(2)    Resolving disputes that may arise with regard to the rights of Eligible Employees, Members and their legal representatives or Beneficiaries under the terms of the Plan. Subject to Sections 7.08 and 7.09, the Committee’s decisions in these matters will be final;
(3)    Obtaining from each Group Member, Member and Beneficiary information that the Committee needs to determine any Member’s or Beneficiary’s rights and benefits under the Plan. The Committee may rely conclusively upon any information furnished by a Group Member, Member or Beneficiary;
(4)    Compiling and maintaining all records it needs to administer the Plan;
(5)    Upon request, furnishing each Group Member with reasonable and appropriate reports of its administration of the Plan;
(6)    Engaging legal, administrative, actuarial, investment, accounting, consulting and other professional services that the Committee believes are necessary and appropriate;
(7)    Adopting rules and regulations for the administration of the Plan that are not inconsistent with the terms of the Plan; and
(8)    Doing and performing any other acts provided for in the Plan.
7.03     Actions by the Committee. The Committee may act at a meeting, or in writing without a meeting, by the vote or assent of a majority of its members. The Committee will appoint one of its members to act as a secretary to record all Committee actions. The Committee also may authorize one or more of its members to execute papers and perform other ministerial duties on behalf of the Committee.
7.04     Interested Committee Members. No member of the Committee may participate in any Committee action that directly affects that Committee member’s individual interest in the Plan. These matters will be determined by a majority of the remainder of the Committee.
7.05     Indemnification.
(1)    The Corporation will indemnify and hold harmless any Committee member or employee who performs services to or on behalf of the Plan (“Indemnified Party”) against all liabilities and all reasonable expenses (including attorney fees and amounts paid in settlement other than to any Group Member) incurred or paid in connection with any threatened or pending action, suit or proceeding brought by any party in connection with the Plan. However, this indemnification will not extend to any Indemnified Party whose conduct in connection with the Plan is found to have been grossly negligent or wrongful. This determination will be based on any final judgment rendered in connection with the action, suit or proceeding complaining of the conduct or its effect or, if no final judgment is rendered, by a majority of the Board or by independent counsel to whom the Board has referred the matter.
(2)    The obligations under this section may be satisfied, in the Corporation’s discretion, through the purchase of a policy or policies of insurance providing equivalent protection.
7.06     Conclusiveness of Action. Subject to Sections 7.08 and 7.09, any action on matters within the discretion of the Committee will be conclusive, final and binding upon all Members and upon all persons claiming any rights under the Plan, including Beneficiaries.
7.07     Payment of Expenses.
(1)    Committee members will not be separately compensated for their services relating to the Plan. However, the Corporation will reimburse Committee members for all appropriate expenses they incur while carrying out their Plan duties.
(2)    The compensation or fees of accountants, counsel and other specialists and any other costs of administering the Plan will be paid by the Corporation or allocated among Employers.
7.08     Claims Procedure.
(1)    Any Member or Beneficiary (“claimant”) who believes that he or she is entitled to an unpaid Plan benefit may file a claim with the Committee. By accepting participation in the Plan, each Member expressly waives any right to proceed under Section 7.09 unless and until the administrative remedies described in this Section 7.08 are fully exhausted.
(2)    If the claim is wholly or partially denied, the Committee will, within a reasonable period of time, and within 90 days of the receipt of such claim, or if the claim is a claim on account of Disability, within 45 days of the receipt of such claim, provide the claimant with written notice of the denial setting forth in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant:
(a)    The specific reason or reasons for which the claim was denied;
(b)    Specific reference to pertinent Plan provisions, rules, procedures or protocols upon which the Committee relied to deny the claim;
(c)    A description of any additional material or information that the claimant may file to perfect the claim and an explanation of why this material or information is necessary;
(d)    An explanation of the Plan’s claims review procedure and the time limits applicable to such procedure and a statement of the claimant’s right to bring a civil action under ERISA §502(a) following an adverse determination upon review; and
(e)    In the case of an adverse determination of a claim on account of Disability, the information to the claimant shall include, to the extent necessary, the information set forth in Department of Labor Regulation 2560.503-1(g)(1)(v).
If the special circumstances require the extension of the 45-day or 90-day period described above, the claimant will be notified before the end of the initial period of the circumstances requiring the extension and the date by which the Committee expects to reach a decision. Any extension for deciding a claim will not be for more than an additional 90-day period, or if the claim is on account of Disability, for not more than two additional 30-day periods.
(3)    If a claim has been wholly or partially denied, the affected claimant, or his or her authorized representative may:
(a)    Request that the Committee reconsider its initial denial by filing a written appeal within 60 days after receiving written notice that all or part of the initial claim was denied (180 days in the case of a denial of a claim on account of Disability);
(b)    Review pertinent documents and other material upon which the Committee relied when denying the initial claim; and
(c)    Submit a written description of the reasons for which the claimant disagrees with the Committee’s initial adverse decision.
An appeal of an initial denial of benefits and all supporting material must be made in writing and directed to the Committee. The Committee is solely responsible for reviewing all benefit claims and appeals and taking all appropriate steps to implement its decision.
The Committee’s decision on review will be sent to the claimant in writing and will include specific reasons for the decision, written in a manner calculated to be understood by the claimant, as well as specific references to the pertinent Plan provisions, rules, procedures or protocols upon which the Committee relied to deny the appeal. The Committee will consider all information submitted by the claimant, regardless of whether the information was part of the original claim. The decision will also include a statement of the claimant’s right to bring an action under ERISA §502(a).
The Committee’s decision on review will be made not later than 60 days (45 days in the case of a claim on account of Disability) after the Committee’s receipt of the request for review, unless special circumstances require an extension of time for processing, in which case a decision will be rendered as soon as possible, but not later than 120 days (90 days in the case of a claim on account of Disability) after receipt of the request for review. This notice to the claimant will indicate the special circumstances requiring the extension and the date by which the Committee expects to render a decision and will be provided to the claimant prior to the expiration of the initial 45-day or 60-day period.
Notwithstanding anything in this Section 7.08 to the contrary, in the case of a claim on account of Disability: (1) the review of the denied claim shall be conducted by a named fiduciary who is (a) determined by the Committee and (b) neither the individual who made the benefit determination nor a subordinate of such person; and (2) no deference shall be given to the initial benefit determination. For issues involving medical judgment, the Committee (or, if applicable, the named fiduciary) must consult with an independent health care professional who may not be the health care professional who decided the initial claim.
To the extent permitted by law, the decision of the Committee (if no review is properly requested) or the decision of the Committee (or, if applicable, the named fiduciary) on review, as the case may be, will be final and binding on all parties. No legal action for benefits under the Plan will be brought unless and until the claimant has exhausted his or her remedies under this section.
7.09    Arbitration. Binding arbitration will be the exclusive means of resolving all disputes or questions not resolved to the claimant’s satisfaction through the claims procedure described in Section 7.08.
(1)    After exhausting the procedures described in Section 7.08, the claimant may initiate arbitration by giving written notice to the Committee specifying the subject of the requested arbitration.
(2)    The arbitration will take place in the city in which the affected Member’s last principal place of employment with a Group Member is or was located (or another location mutually agreed upon by the claimant and the Committee) and will be conducted in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association in effect when the arbitration begins by three arbitrators, one appointed by each party and a third appointed by those two arbitrators. The Committee and the claimant (in his or her own behalf and on behalf of all other claimants) each waive any right to a jury trial with respect to any matter arising from this Plan.
(3)    Any determination or award made or approved by the arbitrator will be final and binding on the claimant and all Group Members. Judgment upon any award made in any arbitration may be entered and enforced in any court having competent jurisdiction.
(4)    The arbitrators will have no authority to add to, alter, amend or refuse to enforce any portion of this Plan or to award punitive damages against any Group Member or the claimant.
(5)    The costs of arbitration (including legal and other professional fees incurred) will be borne solely by the party to the arbitration by which they are incurred regardless of the result of the arbitration.
SECTION 8.00 AMENDMENT TO THE PLAN
8.01     Right to Amend. The Corporation may modify, alter or amend the Plan at any time. However, no amendment may affect any Member’s or Beneficiary’s vested rights accrued under the Plan before the effective date of that amendment without such Member’s or, if applicable, Beneficiary’s consent. If an amendment heightens the vesting conditions described in Section 6.04, each affected Member who has completed Valuation Periods comprised of at least 36 months may elect to have his or her vested rights computed without regard to that amendment, but only if the Member files a written election to this effect with the Committee during the period beginning on the date the amendment is adopted and ending on the later of (1) 60 days after the date the amendment is adopted; (2) 60 days after the amendment is effective; or (3) 60 days after the Member is issued a written notice of the amendment.
8.02     Amendment Procedure. The Board, an executive committee of the Board or other Board committee or any executive officer to which or to whom the Board delegates discretionary authority over the Plan may exercise the Corporation’s right to amend the Plan.
SECTION 9.00 TERMINATION OF THE PLAN
9.01     Right to Terminate.
(1)    The Corporation may terminate the Plan in whole or in part at any time by written action of the Board. Each Member affected by a full or partial Plan termination or by a complete discontinuance of contributions will be 100 percent vested in the value of his or her Account as of the date of that action.
(2)    The Committee may (a) distribute an affected Member’s Grandfathered Amounts at the time the Plan terminates or partially terminates, even if this date is earlier than the date benefits otherwise would be distributed under Section 6.05 or (b) hold the Member’s Grandfathered Amounts until they are otherwise payable under the terms of the Plan.
(3)    In the event of a termination of the Plan, except as permitted under Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(j)(4)(ix), no Section 409A Amounts shall be distributed until they are otherwise payable under the terms of the Plan.
9.02     Plan Merger and Consolidation. If the Plan is merged into or consolidated with any other plan, each affected Member will be entitled to a benefit immediately after the merger, consolidation or transfer (determined as if the surviving plan had then terminated) at least equal to the benefit he or she had accrued immediately before the merger or consolidation (determined as if the Plan terminated immediately before that merger or consolidation).
9.03     Successor Employer. If any Employer dissolves into, reorganizes, merges into or consolidates with another business entity, provision may be made by which the successor will continue the Plan, in which case the successor will be substituted for the Employer under the terms and provisions of this Plan. The substitution of the successor for the Employer will constitute an assumption by the successor of all Plan liabilities and the successor will have all of the powers, duties and responsibilities of the Employer under the Plan.
SECTION 10.00 UNFUNDED PLAN
Notwithstanding any Plan provision to the contrary, the Plan constitutes an unfunded, unsecured promise by each Employer to pay only those benefits that are accrued by Members under the terms of the Plan. Neither the Corporation nor any Group Member will segregate any assets into a fund established exclusively to pay Plan benefits unless the Corporation, in its sole discretion, establishes a trust for the purpose of holding assets from which all or part of a Plan benefit may be paid. Neither the Corporation nor any other Group Member is liable for the payment of Plan benefits that are actually paid from a trust established for that purpose. However, the Corporation and each other Group Member are obliged to pay any benefits not paid from any trust. Also, Members, Beneficiaries and other persons claiming a Plan benefit through them have only the rights of general unsecured creditors and do not have any interest in or right to any specific asset of any Group Member. Nothing in this Plan constitutes a guaranty by the Corporation, any other Group Member or any other entity or person that their assets will be sufficient to pay Plan benefits.
SECTION 11.00 MISCELLANEOUS
11.01     Voluntary Plan. The Plan is purely voluntary on the part of each Employer. None of the establishment of the Plan, any amendment to it, the creation of any fund or account or the payment of any benefits may be construed as giving any person (1) a legal or equitable right against any Group Member or the Committee other than those specifically granted under the Plan or conferred by affirmative action of the Committee or any Employer in a manner that is consistent with the terms and provisions of this Plan or (2) the right to be retained in the service of any Group Member. All Members remain subject to discharge to the same extent as though this Plan had not been established.
11.02     Non-alienation of Benefits. The right of a Member, Beneficiary or any other person to receive Plan benefits may not be assigned, transferred, pledged or encumbered except as provided in the Member’s Beneficiary designation, by will or by applicable laws of descent and distribution. Any attempt to assign, transfer, pledge or encumber a Plan benefit will be null and void and of no legal effect.
11.03     Inability to Receive Benefits. Any Plan benefit payable to a Member or Beneficiary who is declared incompetent will be paid to the guardian, conservator or other person legally charged with the care of his or her person or estate. Any payment made under this section will completely discharge the Plan’s liability with respect to that payment. The Committee is not required to see to the application of any distribution made to any person.
11.04     Lost Members. Each Member is obliged to keep the Committee apprised of his or her current mailing address and that of his or her Beneficiary. The Committee’s obligation to search for any Member or Beneficiary is limited to sending a registered or certified letter to the Member’s or Beneficiary’s last known address.
11.05     Limitation of Rights. Nothing in the Plan, expressed or implied, is intended or may be construed as conferring upon or giving to any person, firm or association (other than Group Members, Members, their Beneficiaries and their successors in interest) any right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Plan.
11.06     Invalid Provision. If any provision of this Plan is held to be illegal or invalid for any reason, the Plan will be construed and enforced as if the offending provision had not been included in the Plan. However, that determination will not affect the legality or validity of the remaining parts of this Plan.
11.07     One Plan. This Plan may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which will be deemed to be an original.
11.08     Governing Law. The Plan will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and, to the extent applicable, the laws of Ohio.
11.09     Code §409A.
(1)    It is intended that the Plan comply with Code §409A and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder (and any subsequent IRS notices or guidance), and this Plan will be interpreted, administered and operated accordingly. Nothing herein shall be construed as an entitlement to or guarantee of any particular tax treatment to a Member.
(2)    The Corporation may accelerate the time or schedule of a distribution of Section 409A Amounts to a Member at any time the Plan fails to meet the requirements of Code §409A and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder. Such payment may not exceed the amount required to be included in income as a result of the failure to comply with Code §409A and the Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
(3)    Notwithstanding any terms of the Plan to the contrary, a Member shall be allowed to make changes to the time and/or form of distribution of the Member’s Section 409A Amounts in calendar year 2008, as permitted by the transition relief provided in IRS Notice 2007-86.

    

1


Exhibit

EXHIBIT 10.15
Bob Evans Farms, Inc.
Executive Compensation Recoupment Policy

Amended and Restated February 24, 2014

1.Policy. This Executive Compensation Recoupment Policy ( “Policy”) of Bob Evans Farms, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) provides for the recoupment by the Company under certain circumstances of annual cash bonuses, stock-based awards, performance-based compensation, and any other forms of cash or equity compensation other than salary (“Award” or “Awards”). This Policy applies to the Company’s “Executive Officers,” both current and former, as defined by Rule 3b-7 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (see, Appendix A).

2.
Executive Compensation Recoupment.

(a)Executive Officer Recoupment. In the event that the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to the material noncompliance of the Company with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, the Company will recover from any current or former Executive Officer of the Company who received incentive based compensation during the three year period preceding the date on which the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement, based on the erroneous data, in excess of what would have been paid to the Executive Officer under the accounting restatement.

Recoupment under this Policy may include, but is not limited to, reimbursement by the executive officer of the amount of cash bonuses received, cancellation or forfeiture of outstanding stock-based compensation and the payment to the Company of stock sale proceeds. In the event that a recoupment payment under this Plan involves incentive compensation that is deferred and subject to Code Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, to the extent possible, such amount will be deemed forfeited rather than being subject to repayment.

To the extent this Policy or any policy adopted by the Company in order to comply with the implementing regulations of the SEC and The NASDAQ Stock Market (“Regulations”) when issued pursuant to Section 10D of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”), as required by Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Section 954”), requires any plan participant to forfeit any Award, or repay any amount paid with respect to any Award, this Policy and any such policy shall be deemed incorporated into all outstanding Awards and award agreements to the extent required by such Regulations, and all plan participants subject to such Regulations, by accepting any Award, shall be deemed to have consented to the inclusion of provisions in their Award as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Company to be necessary or appropriate to comply with Section 954 and such Regulations.

(b)Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer Additional Policy. If a plan participant is the chief executive officer or chief financial officer, and the Company is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to the material noncompliance of the Company, as a result of misconduct, with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, the participant shall, to the extent required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, reimburse the Company for: (1) any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation received by that person from the Company during the 12-month period following the first public issuance or filing with the Commission (whichever first occurs) of the financial document embodying such financial reporting requirement; and (2) any profits realized from the sale of securities of the Company during that 12-month period.

(c)Make-up Award. If under Section 2(a) or 2(b) any Award(s) would have been paid, granted or vested; or a higher payment, Award value or vesting would have occurred based upon the restated financial results; the Company will not be obligated to pay the executive officer any additional compensation.

3.Additional Recoupment for Fraud or Misconduct. In any instance in which, in the view of the Compensation Committee, an officer engaged in an act of fraud or misconduct that contributed to the need for a financial restatement, the Compensation Committee may, in its discretion, recover and the officer shall forfeit or repay, all of the officer’s Awards for the relevant period, plus a reasonable rate of interest, in addition to any other employment action deemed appropriate, including termination of employment.

4.Not Exclusive Remedy. The recoupment of Awards pursuant to this Policy shall not in any way limit or affect the Company’s right to pursue disciplinary action or dismissal, take legal action or pursue any other available remedies.

5.Incorporation of Policy. Awards granted to officers on or after the original effective date of this Policy, being February 17, 2009, shall be subject to this Policy. Additionally, the Company, in its discretion, may incorporate the requirements of this Policy into any applicable company incentive plan, award statement, award agreement or terms and conditions of any Awards made by the Company.

History: Adopted February 17, 2009; Amended and Restated June 18, 2013; Amended and Restated February 24, 2014.
Appendix A




Rule 3b-7 -- Definition of "Executive Officer." The term "executive officer", when used with reference to a registrant, means its president, any vice president of the registrant in charge of a principal business unit, division or function (such as sales, administration or finance), any other officer who performs a policy making function or any other person who performs similar policy making functions for the registrant. Executive officers of subsidiaries may be deemed executive officers of the registrant if they perform such policy making functions for the registrant.


The “officers” of the Company are those persons with the title of vice president and above, whether at Bob Evans Farms, Inc., or any of its subsidiaries.
Appendix B


SEC. 954. RECOVERY OF ERRONEOUSLY AWARDED COMPENSATION.

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 is amended by inserting after section 10C, as added by section 952, the following:

SEC. 10D. RECOVERY OF ERRONEOUSLY AWARDED COMPENSATION POLICY.

(a) LISTING STANDARDS.—The Commission shall, by rule, direct the national securities exchanges and national securities associations to prohibit the listing of any security of an issuer that does not comply with the requirements of this section.

(b) RECOVERY OF FUNDS.—The rules of the Commission under subsection (a) shall require each issuer to develop and implement a policy providing—

(1) for disclosure of the policy of the issuer on incentive based compensation that is based on financial information required to be reported under the securities laws; and

(2) that, in the event that the issuer is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to the material noncompliance of the issuer with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, the issuer will recover from any current or former executive officer of the issuer who received incentive based compensation (including stock options awarded as compensation) during the 3-year period preceding the date on which the issuer is required to prepare an accounting restatement, based on the erroneous data, in excess of what would have been paid to the executive officer under the accounting restatement.
Appendix C

Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Section 304 -- Forfeiture of Certain Bonuses and Profits

a.
Additional Compensation Prior to Noncompliance With Commission Financial Reporting Requirements. If an issuer is required to prepare an accounting restatement due to the material noncompliance of the issuer, as a result of misconduct, with any financial reporting requirement under the securities laws, the chief executive officer and chief financial officer of the issuer shall reimburse the issuer for--
1.
any bonus or other incentive-based or equity-based compensation received by that person from the issuer during the 12-month period following the first public issuance or filing with the Commission (whichever first occurs) of the financial document embodying such financial reporting requirement; and
2.
any profits realized from the sale of securities of the issuer during that 12-month period.
b.
Commission Exemption Authority. The Commission may exempt any person from the application of subsection (a), as it deems necessary and appropriate.





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Exhibit

     EXHIBIT 10.30
BOB EVANS FARMS, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2010 EQUITY AND CASH INCENTIVE PLAN
PERFORMANCE SHARE, RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AND
DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT RIGHT AWARD
PERFORMANCE PERIOD FY2017-2019 (4/29/2016 through 4/28/2019)
Grant Date: June 23, 2016

Bob Evans Farms, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby grants the Participant an Other Stock-Based Award consisting of one or more of the following: (a) performance shares (“PSUs”); (b) restricted stock units (“RSUs”); and (c) related dividend equivalent rights (“DERs”); subject to the terms and conditions described in the Amended and Restated Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2010 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and this Award (“Award”). Except as otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this Award have the respective meanings set forth in the Plan.
1.
Grant of Performance Shares.

(a)
Grant. The Company hereby grants you the target number of “PSUs” specified on Appendix A, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award. This “target” number of shares is computed by multiplying your annual base salary by the target award percentage for your position, and then dividing that by the closing stock price of the Company’s common stock (“Common Stock”) on the grant date multiplied by the Monte Carlo valuation factor established for this grant.
(b)
Peer Group. S&P Small Cap 600 Index (“Index”) component companies within the Index at the start of the three-year period that remain publicly traded companies at the end of the three-year Performance Period.
(c)
Performance Measure. The number of PSUs awarded at the end of the three-year Performance Period will vary depending on the degree to which performance, which is measured by the relative Total Shareholder Return, meets the predetermined three-year performance goal, as compared to the Index over the same three-year period. “Total Shareholder Return” is defined as the change in share price (based on the average closing common stock price for the twenty trading day period immediately before the first day of the Performance Period compared to those for the twenty trading day period before and including the last day of the Performance Period) plus the reinvested dividends, over the performance period. The Performance Goals for determining the number of PSUs awarded are as follows:

Performance Category
Threshold
Target
Maximum
Performance Level
35th Percentile Ranking
50th Percentile Ranking
75th Percentile Ranking

(c)
Determination of PSUs Earned. At the target levels, 100% of the PSUs will be earned. At the threshold levels 50% of the PSUs will be earned. Below the threshold levels of performance, no PSUs are earned. At the maximum levels or more, 150% of the PSUs will be earned. Performance between minimum and target, and between target and maximum, will earn PSUs on a pro-rated basis between 50% and 100%, and 100% and 150%, respectively.


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The amount earned will be calculated according to the following:
 
 
 
 
 
Percent of
 
Performance
=
Target
X
Target
 
Shares Awarded
 
PSUs
 
PSUs Earned
        
(d)
Disability or Death. If during the Performance Period you have a Termination of Service by reason of Disability or death, and you have been employed for at least 18 months and one day after the Performance Period Start Date, then the number of PSUs earned (based on performance as of the end of the Performance Period) will be prorated to reflect the portion of the Performance Period during which you remained employed by the Company. Such prorated portion shall equal the number of PSUs that you would otherwise have earned, multiplied by a fraction equal to the number of full months of the Performance Period completed as of your Termination of Service, divided by the number of months in the Performance Period. Any PSUs earned following your Termination of Service by reason of Disability or death pursuant to this subsection shall be paid at the same time PSUs are paid to other Participants.
(e)
Retirement. If during the Performance Period you have a Termination of Service by reason of Retirement (as defined in the Plan), and you have been employed for at least 18 months and one day after the Performance Period Start Date, then the number of PSUs earned (based on performance as of the end of the Performance Period) will be prorated to reflect the portion of the Performance Period during which you remained employed by the Company. Such prorated portion shall equal the number of PSUs that you would otherwise have earned, multiplied by a fraction equal to the number of full months of the Performance Period completed as of your Termination of Service, divided by the number of months in the Performance Period. Any PSUs earned following your Termination of Service by reason of Retirement pursuant to this subsection shall be paid at the same time PSUs are paid to other Participants.
(f)
Involuntary Termination of Service. If during the Performance Period you have an involuntary (as determined by the Committee) Termination of Service not for Cause, and you have been employed for at least 18 months and one day after the Performance Period Start Date, then the number of PSUs earned (based on performance as of the end of the Performance Period) will be prorated to reflect the portion of the Performance Period during which you remained employed by the Company. Such prorated portion shall equal the number of PSUs that you would otherwise have earned, multiplied by a fraction equal to the number of full months of the Performance Period completed as of your Termination of Service, divided by the number of months in the Performance Period. Any PSUs earned following your Termination of Service by reason of termination not for Cause pursuant to this subsection shall be paid at the same time PSUs are paid to other Participants.
(g)
Other Termination of Service. If during the Performance Period you have a Termination of Service by voluntary quitting, resigning or retiring (i.e., leaving to retire but not as Retirement is defined in the Plan), or if you are terminated for Cause, or if you have a Termination of Service for any other reason other than as set forth in Section 1(d) or (e) above or Section 1(h) below, as determined by the Committee, then all of your PSUs and DER’s shall be forfeited.
(h)
Settlement of Earned PSUs. At the end of the Performance Period actual performance for the entire Performance Period shall be reviewed, and the amount of the earned Award shall be determined based on this performance and communicated to you. The Company shall transfer to you one share of Common Stock for each PSU earned at that time, net of any applicable tax withholding requirements in accordance with Section 8(b) below. PSUs payable under this Award are intended


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to be exempt from Internal Revenue Code Section 409A under the exemption for short-term deferrals. Accordingly, PSUs will be settled in Common Stock no later than the 15th day of the third month following the end of the fiscal year of the Company (or if later the calendar year) in which the PSUs are earned.
(i)
Settlement following a Change In Control. Notwithstanding any provision of this Award to the contrary, if there is a Change in Control during the Performance Period, then Article XII of the Plan will apply to any unvested portion of the Award.
2.    Time Based Restricted Stock Units.
(a)
Grant. The Company hereby grants you the number of RSUs specified on Appendix A, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award.
(b)
Restricted Stock Unit Account. The Company will maintain an account (the “Account”) on its books in your name to reflect the number of RSUs awarded to you. The Account is for recordkeeping purposes only, and no assets or other amounts shall be set aside from the Company’s general assets with respect to such Account.
(c)
Restricted Period. The period prior to the vesting date with respect each RSU is referred to as the “Restricted Period.” Subject to the provisions of the Plan and this Award, unless vested or forfeited earlier as described in this Award, as applicable, your RSUs will become vested and be settled pro rata, one third as of the first, second and third anniversary dates of the Grant Date.
(d)
Disability or Death. If during the Restricted Period you have a Termination of Service by reason of Disability or death, then any unvested RSUs will immediately vest on your termination date.
(e)
Retirement. If you have a Termination of Service by reason of Retirement (as defined in the Plan), then you shall thereupon forfeit any RSUs that are still in a Restricted Period on your termination date.
(f)
Involuntary Termination of Service. If during the Restricted Period you have a Termination of Service by reason of an involuntary (as determined by the Committee) Termination of Service not for Cause, then you shall thereupon forfeit any RSUs that are still in a Restricted Period on your termination date.
(g) Other Termination of Service. If during the Restricted Period you have a Termination of Service by reason of voluntary quitting, resigning or retiring (i.e., leaving to retire but not as Retirement is defined in the Plan), or if you are terminated for Cause, or if you have a Termination of Service for any reason, as determined by the Committee, then you shall thereupon forfeit any RSUs that are still in a Restricted Period on your termination date.
(h)    Settlement of Vested RSUs. As promptly as practicable after the applicable Vesting Date, whether occurring upon your Separation from Service or otherwise, but in no event later than 75 days after the Vesting Date, the Company shall transfer to you one share of Common Stock for each RSU becoming vested at such time, net of any applicable tax withholding requirements in accordance with Section 8(b) below; provided, however, that, if you are a Specified Employee at the time of Separation from Service, then to the extent your RSUs are deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code, settlement of which is triggered by your Separation from Service (other than for death), payment shall not be made until the date which is six months after your Separation from Service. Fractional shares shall be settled in cash at the same time as your shares of Common Stock are delivered.


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(i)
Settlement Following Change in Control. Notwithstanding any provision of this Award to the contrary, if there is a Change in Control during the Performance Period, then Article XII of the Plan will apply to any unvested portion of the Award.
3.
Related DERs.
(a)
Each PSU and RSU entitles the Participant to receive one DER on the date the PSU or RSU is settled, as described herein. Each DER entitles the Participant to be credited with all of the cash dividends that are or would be payable with respect to the Share represented by the PSU or RSU to which the DER relates. Accumulated dividends credited pursuant to this Award shall be payable in cash, without interest, at such time as the PSU or RSU to which the DER relates is settled pursuant to this Award.
(b)
If dividends are paid in the form of shares of Common Stock rather than cash, then your Account will be credited with one additional PSU or RSU, as applicable, for each share of Common Stock that would have been received as a dividend had your outstanding PSUs or RSUs been shares of Common Stock which additional PSU or RSU shall be payable, at such time as the PSU or RSU to which the DER relates is settled pursuant to this Award.
(c)
In the event that a PSU or RSU is forfeited pursuant to this Award, the related DER shall also be forfeited and the Participant shall have no right to payment of any accumulated dividend amounts or shares.
4.
Transfer Restrictions. Until a PSU, RSU or DER becomes vested the PSU, RSU or DER may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution. However, as described in Section 8(a), the Participant may designate a beneficiary to receive any Shares to be settled after the Participant dies.
5.
Award Subject to Recoupment Policy. If the Participant is an “executive officer” of the Company as defined in Rule 3b-7 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, then this Award is subject to the Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Executive Compensation Recoupment Policy (“Recoupment Policy”). The Award, or any amount traceable to the Award, shall be subject to the recoupment obligations described in the Recoupment Policy.
6.
Award Subject to Non-Competition and Confidentiality Policy. If the Participant is an officer of the Company or an officer of a Company subsidiary on the date of receipt of this Award, then receipt of this Award is also subject to the Bob Evans Farms, Inc. non-competition and confidentiality policy and the Participant’s adherence to said policy.
7.
Restrictive Covenants. Unless the Committee otherwise agrees in writing, any outstanding unvested PSUs, RSUs, or accruals related to the DERs under this Award will be forfeited if the Participant:
(a)
Serves (or agrees to serve) as an officer, director, manager, consultant or employee of any proprietorship, partnership, corporation or limited liability company or become the owner of a business or a member of a partnership or limited liability company that competes with any portion of the Company or an Affiliate’s business or renders any service to entities that compete with any portion of the Company or an Affiliate’s business;
(b)
Refuses or fails to consult with, supply information to, or otherwise cooperate with, the Company or any Affiliate after having been requested to do so; or
(c)
Deliberately engages in any action that the Committee concludes could harm the Company or any Affiliate.


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8.
Other Terms and Conditions:
(a)
Beneficiary Designation. The Participant may name a beneficiary or beneficiaries to receive any cash or Shares to be paid or settled after the Participant’s death by completing a Beneficiary Designation Form in the form and manner required by the Committee and communicated in writing to the Participant. The Beneficiary Designation Form does not need to be completed now and is not required to be completed as a condition of receiving this Award. However, if the Participant dies without completing a Beneficiary Designation Form or if the designation is ineffective for any reason, the Participant’s beneficiary will be the Participant’s surviving spouse or, if the Participant does not have a surviving spouse, the Participant’s estate.
(b)
Tax Withholding. The Company or an Affiliate, as applicable, shall have the power and right to deduct, withhold or collect any amount required by law or regulation to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising with respect to this Award. To the extent permitted by the Committee, in its sole discretion, this amount may be: (i) withheld from other amounts due to the Participant, (ii) withheld from the value of any Award being settled or any Shares transferred in connection with the exercise or settlement of an Award, (iii) withheld from the vested portion of any Award (including shares transferable thereunder), whether or not being exercised or settled at the time the taxable event arises, or (iv) collected directly from the Participant. Subject to the approval of the Committee, the Participant may elect to satisfy the withholding requirement, in whole or in part, by having the Company or an Affiliate, as applicable, withhold shares having a Fair Market Value on the date the tax is to be determined equal to the minimum statutory total tax that could be imposed on the transaction; provided that such Shares would otherwise be distributable to the Participant at the time of the withholding if such Shares are not otherwise distributable at the time of the withholding, provided that the Participant has a vested right to distribution of such Shares at such time. All such elections shall be irrevocable and made in writing or per an online or web based system used by the Company, and shall be subject to any terms and conditions that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.
(c)
Governing Law. This Award will be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws (other than laws governing conflicts of laws) of the State of Ohio except to the extent that the Delaware General Corporation Law is mandatorily applicable.
(d)
Other Agreements. This Award will be subject to the terms of any other written agreements between the Participant and the Company to the extent that those other agreements do not directly conflict with the terms of the Plan or this Award.
(e)
Award Subject to the Plan. This Award is subject to the terms and conditions described in this Award and the Plan, which is incorporated by reference into and made a part of this Award. The Plan as it may be amended from time to time is incorporated into this Award by this reference. In the event of a conflict between the terms of the Plan and the terms of this Award, the terms of the Plan will govern. The Committee has the sole responsibility of interpreting the Plan and this Award, and its determination of the meaning of any provision in the Plan or this Award shall be binding on the participant. Unless otherwise stated herein, no amendments or modifications to this Agreement may be made without the express approval of the Committee and the Participant. Capitalized terms that are not defined in this Award have the same meaning as in the Plan.


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(f)
No Rights as Shareholder. You have no rights as a shareholder of the Company with respect to the PSUs, RSUs or DERs until such time as the Common Stock issued in settlement has been recorded in your name in book entry form. Until that time, you shall not have any shareholder rights.
(g)
Rejection. The Participant may reject this Award and forfeit the Award by notifying the Company or its designee, in the manner prescribed by the Company and communicated to the Participant, within 30 days after the Grant Date. If this Award is rejected pursuant to this Section 8(g), the PSUs, RSUs and DERs evidenced by this Award shall be forfeited, and neither the Participant nor the Participant’s heirs, executors, administrators and successors shall have any rights with respect thereto.













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APPENDIX A
1.
Name of Participant:        NAME

2.
Grant Date: June 23, 2016 (the “Grant Date”)

3.
PSU Performance Period: Fiscal Year 2017 to 2019 (4/29/2016 through 4/28/2019)

4.
Performance Shares (PSUs): __________

5.
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs): ___________

6.
RSU Vesting Schedule:
1.
First one-third vests June 23, 2017
2.
Second one-third vests June 23, 2018
3.
Final one-third vests June 23, 2019



































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Exhibit

EXHIBIT 10.31
BOB EVANS FARMS, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2010 EQUITY AND CASH INCENTIVE PLAN
RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AND DIVIDEND EQUIVALENT RIGHT AWARD
Grant Date: June 23, 2016

Bob Evans Farms, Inc. (the “Company”) hereby grants the Participant an Other Stock-Based Award consisting of the following: (a) restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and (b) related dividend equivalent rights (“DERs”); subject to the terms and conditions described in the Amended and Restated Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2010 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and this Award (“Award”). Except as otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this Award have the respective meanings set forth in the Plan.
1.    Time Based Restricted Stock Units.
(a)
Grant. The Company hereby grants you the number of RSUs specified on Appendix A, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Award.
(b)
Restricted Stock Unit Account. The Company will maintain an account (the “Account”) on its books in your name to reflect the number of RSUs awarded to you. The Account is for recordkeeping purposes only, and no assets or other amounts shall be set aside from the Company’s general assets with respect to such Account.
(c)
Restricted Period. The period prior to the vesting date with respect each RSU is referred to as the “Restricted Period.” Subject to the provisions of the Plan and this Award, unless vested or forfeited earlier as described in this Award, as applicable, your RSUs will become vested and be settled as indicated on the attached Appendix A.
(d)
Disability or Death. If during the Restricted Period you have a Termination of Service by reason of Disability or death, then any unvested RSUs will become vested and be settled as indicated on the attached Appendix A.
(e)
Retirement. If you have a Termination of Service by reason of Retirement (as defined in the Plan), then you shall thereupon forfeit any RSUs that are still in a Restricted Period on your termination date.
(f)
Involuntary Termination of Service. If during the Restricted Period you have a Termination of Service by reason of an involuntary (as determined by the Committee) Termination of Service not for Cause, or for Good Reason, then you shall thereupon forfeit any RSUs that are still in a Restricted Period on your termination date.
(g) Other Termination of Service. If during the Restricted Period you have a Termination of Service by reason of voluntary quitting, resigning or retiring (i.e., leaving to retire but not as Retirement is defined in the Plan), or if you are terminated for Cause, or if you have a Termination of Service for any reason, as determined by the Committee, then you shall thereupon forfeit any RSUs that are still in a Restricted Period on your termination date.
(h)    Settlement of Vested RSUs. As promptly as practicable after the applicable Vesting Date, whether occurring upon your Separation from Service or otherwise, but in no event later than 60 days after the Vesting Date, the Company shall transfer to you one share of Common Stock for each RSU becoming vested at such time, net of any applicable tax withholding requirements in accordance


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with Section 7(b) below; provided, however, that, if you are a Specified Employee at the time of Separation from Service, then to the extent your RSUs are deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code, settlement of which is triggered by your Separation from Service (other than for death), payment shall not be made until the date which is six months after your Separation from Service. Fractional shares shall be settled in cash at the same time as your shares of Common Stock are delivered.
(i)
Settlement Following Change in Control. If you have a Termination of Service by reason of Change of Control (as defined in the Plan), then upon the action of the Compensation Committee or the Board of Directors at such time, any unvested RSUs may continue to vest based on the original vesting schedule.
2.
Related DERs.
(a)
Each RSU entitles the Participant to receive one DER on the date the RSU is settled, as described herein. Each DER entitles the Participant to be credited with all of the cash dividends that are or would be payable with respect to the Share represented by the RSU to which the DER relates. Accumulated dividends credited pursuant to this Award shall be payable in cash, without interest, at such time as the RSU to which the DER relates is settled pursuant to this Award.
(b)
If dividends are paid in the form of shares of Common Stock rather than cash, then your Account will be credited with one additional RSU, as applicable, for each share of Common Stock that would have been received as a dividend had your outstanding RSUs been shares of Common Stock which additional RSU shall be payable, at such time as the RSU to which the DER relates is settled pursuant to this Award.
(c)
In the event that a RSU is forfeited pursuant to this Award, the related DER shall also be forfeited and the Participant shall have no right to payment of any accumulated dividend amounts or shares.
3.
Transfer Restrictions. Until a RSU or DER becomes vested the RSU or DER may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise alienated or hypothecated, except by will or the laws of descent and distribution. However, as described in Section 7(a), the Participant may designate a beneficiary to receive any Shares to be settled after the Participant dies.
4.
Award Subject to Recoupment Policy. If the Participant is an “executive officer” of the Company as defined in Rule 3b-7 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, then this Award is subject to the Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Executive Compensation Recoupment Policy (“Recoupment Policy”). The Award, or any amount traceable to the Award, shall be subject to the recoupment obligations described in the Recoupment Policy.
5.
Award Subject to Non-Competition and Confidentiality Policy. This Award is subject to the Bob Evans Farms, Inc. non-competition and confidentiality policy and the Participant’s adherence to said policy.
6.
Restrictive Covenants. Unless the Committee otherwise agrees in writing, any outstanding unvested RSUs and related to the DERs under this Award will be forfeited if the Participant:
(a)
Serves (or agrees to serve) as an officer, director, manager, consultant or employee of any proprietorship, partnership, corporation or limited liability company or become the owner of a business or a member of a partnership or limited liability company that competes with any portion


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of the Company or an Affiliate’s business or renders any service to entities that compete with any portion of the Company or an Affiliate’s business;
(b)
Refuses or fails to consult with, supply information to, or otherwise cooperate with, the Company or any Affiliate after having been requested to do so; or
(c)
Deliberately engages in any action that the Committee concludes could harm the Company or any Affiliate.
7.
Other Terms and Conditions:
(a)
Beneficiary Designation. The Participant may name a beneficiary or beneficiaries to receive any cash or Shares to be paid or settled after the Participant’s death by completing a Beneficiary Designation Form in the form and manner required by the Committee and communicated in writing to the Participant. The Beneficiary Designation Form does not need to be completed now and is not required to be completed as a condition of receiving this Award. However, if the Participant dies without completing a Beneficiary Designation Form or if the designation is ineffective for any reason, the Participant’s beneficiary will be the Participant’s surviving spouse or, if the Participant does not have a surviving spouse, the Participant’s estate.
(b)
Tax Withholding. The Company or an Affiliate, as applicable, shall have the power and right to deduct, withhold or collect any amount required by law or regulation to be withheld with respect to any taxable event arising with respect to this Award. To the extent permitted by the Committee, in its sole discretion, this amount may be: (i) withheld from other amounts due to the Participant, (ii) withheld from the value of any Award being settled or any Shares transferred in connection with the exercise or settlement of an Award, (iii) withheld from the vested portion of any Award (including shares transferable thereunder), whether or not being exercised or settled at the time the taxable event arises, or (iv) collected directly from the Participant. Subject to the approval of the Committee, the Participant may elect to satisfy the withholding requirement, in whole or in part, by having the Company or an Affiliate, as applicable, withhold shares having a Fair Market Value on the date the tax is to be determined equal to the minimum statutory total tax that could be imposed on the transaction; provided that such Shares would otherwise be distributable to the Participant at the time of the withholding if such Shares are not otherwise distributable at the time of the withholding, provided that the Participant has a vested right to distribution of such Shares at such time. All such elections shall be irrevocable and made in writing or per an online or web based system used by the Company, and shall be subject to any terms and conditions that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate.
(c)
Governing Law. This Award will be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws (other than laws governing conflicts of laws) of the State of Ohio except to the extent that the Delaware General Corporation Law is mandatorily applicable.
(d)
Other Agreements. This Award will be subject to the terms of any other written agreements between the Participant and the Company to the extent that those other agreements do not directly conflict with the terms of the Plan or this Award.
(e)
Award Subject to the Plan. This Award is subject to the terms and conditions described in this Award and the Plan, which is incorporated by reference into and made a part of this Award. The Plan as it may be amended from time to time is incorporated into this Award by this reference. In the event of a conflict between the terms of the Plan and the terms of this Award, the terms of the


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Plan will govern. The Committee has the sole responsibility of interpreting the Plan and this Award, and its determination of the meaning of any provision in the Plan or this Award shall be binding on the participant. Unless otherwise stated herein, no amendments or modifications to this Agreement may be made without the express approval of the Committee and the Participant. Capitalized terms that are not defined in this Award have the same meaning as in the Plan.
(f)
No Rights as Shareholder. You have no rights as a shareholder of the Company with respect to the RSUs or DERs until such time as the Common Stock issued in settlement has been recorded in your name in book entry form. Until that time, you shall not have any shareholder rights.
(g)
Rejection. The Participant may reject this Award and forfeit the Award by notifying the Company or its designee, in the manner prescribed by the Company and communicated to the Participant, within 30 days after the Grant Date. If this Award is rejected pursuant to this Section 7(g), the RSUs, cash bonus and DERs evidenced by this Award shall be forfeited, and neither the Participant nor the Participant’s heirs, executors, administrators and successors shall have any rights with respect thereto.







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APPENDIX A

1.
Name of Participant: ___________________________

2.
Grant Date: June 23, 2016 (the “Grant Date”)

3.
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs): __________

4.
RSU/DER Vesting Schedule:
33% on June 23, 2017;
33% on June 23, 2018, and
33% on June 23, 2019 (all remaining shares).














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Exhibit


EXHIBIT 21

Direct and Indirect Subsidiaries of
Bob Evans Farms, Inc.
As of April 29, 2016

Name of Entity and Ownership Structure
Jurisdiction
 
 
Bob Evans Farms, Inc.
Delaware
- Bob Evans Farms, LLC
Ohio
        - BEF Foods, Inc.
Ohio
                - Kettle Creations, LLC
Ohio
        - Bob Evans Holdings, Inc.
Ohio
                - BEF Management, Inc.
Ohio
        - Bob Evans Transportation Company, LLC
Ohio
              - Bob Evans Express, LLC
Ohio
- MCafe Holding, LLC
Delaware

The registrant has listed all of its direct and indirect subsidiaries and the inclusion of any entity does not necessarily signify that it is a significant subsidiary of the registrant.



Exhibit

EXHIBIT 23




CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
 
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the following Registration Statements:

-
Form S-8    No. 333-205255    Bob Evans Farms, Inc. Amended and Restated 2010 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan

-
Form S-8    No. 333-205257    Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and Affiliates Fourth Amended and Restated Executive Deferral Program and the Bob Evans Farms, Inc. 2010 Director Deferral Program

-
Form S-8    No. 333-205258    Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and Affiliates 401(k) Retirement Plan

of our reports dated June 23, 2016, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. included in this Annual Report (Form 10-K) of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. for the year ended April 29, 2016.


/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Grandview Heights, Ohio
June 23, 2016





Exhibit

EXHIBIT 24
POWER OF ATTORNEY
Form 10-K Fiscal Year Ended April 29, 2016

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned director of Bob Evans Farms, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), which is about to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C., under the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the Annual Report of the Company on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 29, 2016, hereby constitutes and appoints Kevin C. O’Neil as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign both the Annual Report on Form 10-K and any and all amendments and documents related thereto, and to file the same, and any and all exhibits, financial statements and schedules related thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and The NASDAQ Stock Market, granting unto the said attorney-in-fact and agent, and substitute or substitutes, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, and hereby ratifies and confirms all things that each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or either of them or his, her or their substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his or her hand the day and year written to the right of his or her signature. Executed as of the date indicated below.

Name

Signature
Title
Date
Douglas N. Benham
/s/ Douglas N. Benham
Director
June 23, 2016
Charles M. Elson
/s/ Charles M. Elson
Director
June 23, 2016
Mary Kay Haben
/s/ Mary Kay Haben
Director
June 23, 2016
David W. Head
/s/ David W. Head
Director
June 23, 2016
Kathleen S. Lane
/s/ Kathleen S. Lane
Director
June 23, 2016
Eileen A. Mallesch
/s/ Eileen A. Mallesch
Director
June 23, 2016
Larry S. McWilliams
/s/ Larry S. McWilliams
Director
June 23, 2016
Saed Mohseni
/s/ Saed Mohseni
Director
June 23, 2016
Kevin M. Sheehan
/s/ Kevin M. Sheehan
Director
June 23, 2016
Michael F. Weinstein
/s/ Michael F. Weinstein
Director
June 23, 2016
Paul S. Williams
/s/ Paul S. Williams
Director
June 23, 2016


1


Exhibit


EXHIBIT 31.1
Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) CERTIFICATION
I, Saed Mohseni, certify that:
1.
I have reviewed this Form 10-K of Bob Evans Farms, Inc.;
2.
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3.
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
a.
designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
b.
designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
c.
evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
d.
disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s Board of Directors:
a.
all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
b.
any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
Date: June 23, 2016
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Saed Mohseni
 
 
 
 
Saed Mohseni
 
 
 
 
President and Chief Executive Officer
 
 
 
 
(Principal Executive Officer)




Exhibit


EXHIBIT 31.2
Rule 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) CERTIFICATION
I, Mark E. Hood, certify that:
1.
I have reviewed this Form 10-K of Bob Evans Farms, Inc.;
2.
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3.
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;
4.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:
a.
designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;
b.
designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
c.
evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and
d.
disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s Board of Directors:
a.
all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and
b.
any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.
Date: June 23, 2016
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Mark E. Hood
 
 
 
 
Mark E. Hood
 
 
 
 
Chief Financial Officer and
Chief Administrative Officer
 
 
 
 
(Principal Financial Officer)




Exhibit


EXHIBIT 32.1
SECTION 1350 CERTIFICATION*
I, Saed Mohseni, Chief Executive Officer of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. (the “Company”) certify pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 that:
1.
The Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the annual period ended April 29, 2016 (the “Report”) fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m); and
2.
The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date: June 23, 2016
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Saed Mohseni
 
 
 
 
Saed Mohseni
 
 
 
 
President and Chief Executive Officer
 
 
 
 
(Principal Executive Officer)
A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 had been provided to the Company and will be retained by the Company and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.




Exhibit


EXHIBIT 32.2
SECTION 1350 CERTIFICATION*
I, Mark E. Hood, Chief Financial Officer of Bob Evans Farms, Inc. (the “Company”) certify pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, 18 U.S.C. Section 1350 that:
1.
The Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the annual period ended April 29, 2016 (the “Report”) fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78m); and
2.
The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.
Date: June 23, 2016
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Mark E. Hood
 
 
 
 
Mark E. Hood
 
 
 
 
Chief Financial Officer and
Chief Administrative Officer
 
 
 
 
(Principal Financial Officer)
A signed original of this written statement required by Section 906 had been provided to the Company and will be retained by the Company and furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission or its staff upon request.




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