(dd) “Subsidiary” shall mean any corporation or other entity, whether domestic or foreign, in which the Company has or obtains, directly or indirectly (i) a proprietary interest of more than 50 percent by reason of stock ownership or otherwise, or (ii) has effective control for consolidation purposes.
4. Administration.
(a) Committee Authority. The Committee shall have full and exclusive power to administer and interpret the Plan and Award Agreements, to grant Awards and to adopt such administrative rules, regulations, procedures and guidelines governing the Plan and the Awards as it deems appropriate, in its sole discretion, from time to time. The Committee’s authority shall include, but not be limited to, the authority to (i) determine the types of Awards to be granted under the Plan; (ii) select Award recipients and determine the amounts and size of Awards; (iii) determine whether Performance Criteria shall apply to Awards; (iv) determine the extent to which Performance Criteria were achieved; and (vi) establish all other terms, conditions, and limitations applicable to Awards. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, the Committee may accelerate or defer the vesting or payment of Awards, cancel or modify outstanding Awards, waive any conditions or restrictions imposed with respect to Awards or the Common Stock issued pursuant to Awards and make any and all other determinations that it deems appropriate with respect to the administration of the Plan, subject to the limitations contained in Section 4(e) of the Plan and Section 409A of the Code (to the extent applicable).
(b) Administration of the Plan. The administration of the Plan shall be managed by the Committee. The Committee shall have the power to prescribe and modify the forms of Award Agreements, correct any defect, supply any omission or clarify any inconsistency in the Plan and/or in any Award Agreement and take such actions and make such administrative determinations that the Committee deems appropriate in its sole discretion. Any decision of the Committee in the administration of the Plan, as described herein, shall be final, binding and conclusive on all parties concerned, including the Company, its stockholders and Subsidiaries and all Participants and beneficiaries.
(c) Delegation of Authority. To the extent permitted by applicable law, the Committee may at any time delegate to one or more officers or directors of the Company some or all of its authority over the administration of the Plan including, without limitation, selection of Participants and granting of Awards; provided, however, that selection of Participants or granting of Awards with respect to individuals who are Section 16(a) Officers may not be delegated.
(d) Authority of the Board. Subject to any authority vested in the Committee to satisfy applicable legal, regulatory or stock exchange requirements (such as any authority to be exercised by a committee of nonemployee directors pursuant to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act), the authority granted to the Committee may be exercised by the full Board and, to the extent that any permitted action taken by the Board conflicts with action taken by the Committee, the Board action shall control.
(e) Prohibition Against Repricing. Except as set forth in Section 6(e) hereof, the terms of outstanding Awards may not be amended to reduce the exercise price of outstanding Options or SARs or cancel outstanding Options or SARs in exchange for cash, other Awards, or Options and SARs with an exercise price that is less than the exercise price of the original Options or SARs without stockholder approval.
(f) Limitation of Liability. Each member of the Committee and the Board, and any person to whom authority or duties are delegated hereunder, shall be entitled to, in good faith, rely or act upon any report or other information furnished to him or her by any officer or other employee of the Company or any subsidiary, the Company’s independent certified public accountants, or any executive compensation consultant, legal counsel, or other professional retained by the Company, the Board or the Committee to assist in the administration of the Plan. No member of the Board or Committee, nor any person to whom authority or duties are delegated hereunder, shall be personally liable for any action, determination, or interpretation taken or made in good faith with respect to the Plan, and any such person shall, to the extent permitted by law, be fully indemnified and protected by the Company with respect to any such action, determination or interpretation.
5. Eligibility and Participation.
(a) Eligibility. Subject to Section 7 hereof, the Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion, who shall become a Participant and be granted Awards under the Plan.