 |
Charter of the Compensation Committee
of the
Board of Directors
of
SPAR Group, Inc.
Dated (as of) May 18, 2004
| I. |
ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE |
| 1. |
The Board of Directors (the Board) of SPAR Group, Inc.
(SGRP), has established a standing committee of the members
of the Board (the Compensation Committee) to assist the Board
in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities respecting the performance and
compensation of the executives and the other compensation, equity incentive and
related policies of SGRP and its subsidiaries (together with SGRP, collectively,
the Company). In furtherance thereof, the Board has adopted
this Charter of the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of SPAR
Group, Inc., Dated (as of) May 18, 2004 (as the same may be supplemented,
modified, amended, restated or replaced from time to time in the manner provided
herein, this Charter), to establish and govern (among other
things) the purposes, membership, meetings, responsibilities, duties and powers
of the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee and its meetings and
activities also shall be governed by and conducted in accordance with the
provisions applicable to committees generally as contained in the By-Laws (as
defined in item V.2 below). |
| 2. |
The Compensation Committees primary duties and responsibilities are to: |
| (a) |
Oversee the existing and proposed compensation plans, policies and practices of
the Company, and review and recommend to the Board any necessary or desirable
changes or additions to any such plan, policy or practice, all in
order to |
| (i) |
attract and retain quality directors, executives and employees, |
| (ii) |
provide total compensation competitive with similar companies, |
| (iii) |
reward and reinforce the attainment of the Companys performance
objectives, and |
| (iv) |
align the interests of the Company directors, executives and employees with
those of SGRPs stockholders; |
| |
(items
(i) through (iv) of this subsection (a), as supplemented or modified from time to time by
the Compensation Committee and Board, will be referred to collectively as the
Companys Compensation Objectives); |
| (b) |
Review the Companys existing and proposed Compensation Objectives from
time to time and recommend to the Board any necessary or desirable changes or
additions to such objectives; |
| (c) |
Review the performance of and establish the compensation for the Companys
senior executives; |
| (d) |
Oversee the Companys stock option, stock purchase and other benefit plans
and severance policies, and review and recommend to the Board any necessary or
desirable changes or additions to any such plan, policy or practice; |
| (e) |
Furnish the committee report required by the rules of the U. S. Securities and
Exchange Commission (the SEC) to be included in SGRPs
annual proxy statement; and |
| (f) |
Perform such other functions as may be required from time to time by the Nasdaq
Stock Market, Inc. (the Nasdaq), the SEC or other applicable
law. |
| 3. |
The Compensation Committee will fulfill these responsibilities by carrying out
the activities enumerated in Section IV of this Charter and by performing such
other activities consistent with this Charter as may from time to time be
necessary or appropriate. |
| II. |
COMPOSITION OF THE COMPENSATION COMMITTEE |
| 1. |
The Compensation Committee shall consist of three or more members of the Board
(as such number may be fixed from time to time by the Board). |
| 2. |
The members of the Compensation Committee shall be independent directors and
free from any relationship that, in the opinion of the Board, would interfere
with the exercise of his or her independent judgment as a member of the
Compensation Committee. For purposes of this Charter, the minimum standards for
an independent director shall be as provided in the applicable rules of the
Nasdaqs National Market System (as the same may be supplemented, modified,
amended, restated or replaced from time to time, the Nasdaq
Rules), and the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (as the same may be supplemented, modified, amended, restated or
replaced from time to time, the Exchange Act), and the rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder (as the same may be supplemented,
modified, amended, restated or replaced from time to time, the Exchange
Act Rules), in each case as then in effect
respecting Compensation Committees. |
| 3. |
All members of the Compensation Committee shall be financially
literate and otherwise qualified to serve as members under the Nasdaq
Rules, as determined by the Board. The Nasdaq Rules currently require (among
other things) that all members of the Compensation Committee must be able to
read and understand fundamental financial statements, including (without
limitation) a balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement. |
| 4. |
The candidates for membership in the Compensation Committee shall be nominated
by the Governance Committee prior to the consideration of the election of its
members at the annual organizational meeting of the Board (the
Organizational Meeting), generally held in conjunction with
SGRPs annual stockholders meeting. If no such nominations have been
received by the time such matter is considered at the Organizational Meeting,
nominations to the Compensation Committee may be made by any member of the
Board. |
| 5. |
The members of the Compensation Committee shall be elected by the Board at the
annual organizational meeting of the Board (generally held in conjunction with
the Organizational Meeting) or in any other meeting duly called or action duly
taken as provided in the By-Laws. |
| 6. |
The Board, in any meeting duly called or other action duly taken as provided in
the By-Laws, at any time may (a) designate a chairman of the Compensation
Committee (the Chairman) from among the members of the
Compensation Committee and (b) remove any such member as Chairman, either with
or without cause. If the Board has not so acted, the members of the Compensation
Committee may designate the Chairman by majority vote of the full Compensation
Committee membership. Any Chairman who ceases to be a member of the Board or
Compensation Committee automatically shall simultaneously cease to be Chairman
of the Compensation Committee. |
| 1. |
The Compensation Committee may hold regular meetings, with or without notice,
and may fix the time and place at which such meetings shall be held, with all
notices given or waived and all meetings held in accordance with the By-Laws.
Each scheduled Board meeting shall be deemed to include a corresponding
scheduled Compensation Committee meeting unless expressly stated otherwise in
scheduling such Board meeting. |
| 2. |
The notice of a meeting may provide, or the Compensation Committee may request
(in advance or at the meeting), that members of the Companys senior
management or others attend a meeting of the Compensation Committee and provide
pertinent information as necessary and available. |
| 3. |
As part of its responsibility to foster open communication, the Compensation
Committee shall meet at least semi-annually with the Companys senior
management and the Companys Independent Accountants in separate executive
sessions to discuss any matters that the Compensation Committee or any of these
groups believe should be discussed privately. In addition, the Compensation
Committee shall meet with the Companys Independent Accountants and the
Companys senior management to review and discuss the Companys
quarterly financial statements consistent with Section IV below. |
| 4. |
The Compensation Committee shall maintain minutes or other records of its
meetings and activities, which shall be maintained with the minutes of the
Board, and shall report the same to the Board as and when requested. Written
consents by the Compensation Committee shall be filed with the minutes of the
Board. |
| IV. |
RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES |
The
Compensation Committees responsibilities, duties and powers shall consist of the
following:
Compensation, Reports
and Documents
| 1. |
|
On an annual basis, and more often as it determines circumstances reasonably
warrant, the Compensation Committee shall review and discuss this Charter and
recommend to the Board any changes in or additions to this Charter that it may
deem necessary or desirable. |
| 2. |
|
On an annual basis (and prior to the commencement of each fiscal year to the
extent practicable), and more often as it determines circumstances reasonably
warrant, in consultation with the Companys senior management as and to the
extent the Compensation Committee deems appropriate, the Compensation Committee
shall: |
| (a) |
|
Review and approve the Companys existing and proposed Compensation
Objectives and recommend to the Board any changes in or additions to them that
it may deem necessary or desirable; |
| (b) |
|
Review and approve the performance goals (and the extent to which they further
the Companys Compensation Objectives), the evaluation process and the
compensation structure for the Companys senior executive officers and
recommend to the Board any changes in or additions to them that it may deem
necessary or desirable; and |
| (c) |
|
Evaluate the performance (against the applicable years goals) and approve
the annual compensation (including salary, bonus, and incentive and equity
compensation) of the Companys senior executive officers. |
| 3. |
|
The Compensation Committee shall oversee the Companys stock option, stock
purchase and other benefit plans, all other incentive and equity compensation,
and all severance policies and practices, in consultation with the
Companys senior management as and to the extent the Compensation Committee
deems appropriate. In particular (and without limitation), the Compensation
Committee shall: |
| (a) |
|
approve all employee stock options and other equity compensation, individually
in the case of senior executives and either individually or in the form of one
or more budgets, plans or policies in the case of other officers and employees; |
| (b) |
|
approve all stock option policies and other equity compensation for outside
directors, in the form of budgets, plans or policies; |
| (c) |
|
act as and discharge the responsibilities of the Administrators
under (and as defined in) the 2000 Stock Option Plan of SPAR Group, Inc., as the
Committee under (and as defined in) the SPAR Group, Inc., 2001
Employee Stock Purchase Plan, as amended, and the SPAR Group, Inc., 2001
Consultant Stock Purchase Plan, and as the Administrators,
Committee or any similar authority under (and as defined in) any
other option, stock or similar benefit plan of the Company, as each may be
adopted, supplemented, modified, amended, restated or replaced from time to time
in the manner provided therein; provided, however, that
this grant of authority is not exclusive and shall not limit the right of the
Board or any other authorized person to act in any such capacity; |
| (d) |
|
review and approve any severance or similar termination benefit for any
director, officer or employee of the Company, which may be individually or in
the form of a plan or policy; and |
| (e) |
|
review and approve each supplement, modification or amendment to or restatement
or replacement of any of the items referenced in subsections (a), (b), (c) or
(d) of this Section and recommend to the Board any changes in or additions to
them that it may deem necessary or desirable. |
| 4. |
|
On an annual basis, and more often as it determines circumstances reasonably
warrant, in consultation with the Companys senior management as and to the
extent the Compensation Committee deems appropriate, the Compensation Committee
shall review and assess the adequacy and effectiveness of the following in
furthering the Companys Compensation Objectives and recommend any proposed
changes or new items to the Board that it may deem necessary or desirable
respecting the following: |
| (a) |
|
outside director compensation plans and practices; |
| (b) |
|
the Companys stock option, stock purchase and other benefit plans and
their utilization; |
| (c) |
|
the other compensation plans, policies and practices of the Company; and |
| (d) |
|
any proposed supplement, modification or amendment to any such plan, policy or
practice. |
| 5. |
|
On an annual basis, and more often as it determines circumstances reasonably
warrant, the Compensation Committee shall: |
| (a) |
|
furnish the Compensation Committees annual report to be included in the
Proxy Statement as required by the Exchange Act Rules; and |
| (b) |
|
review and discuss such other reports or documents within its authority and
knowledge for submission to the SEC, Nasdaq or the public as |
| (i) |
|
may from time to time be required under the Exchange Act Rules, the Nasdaq
Rules, the DGCL (as defined below) or other applicable law; or |
| (ii) |
|
the Compensation Committee may from time to time deem appropriate,
provided that the Compensation Committee or Chairman shall have
given the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer reasonable prior
written notice of its desire to make such review; |
provided that in the
case of paragraph (b) the Chairman may represent and act on behalf of the entire
Compensation Committee for purposes of this review, with or without consultation of the
other members, and shall present the results thereof at the next meeting of the
Compensation Committee.
Legal Compliance and
Updates
| 6. |
The Compensation Committee periodically (as often as it determines that
circumstances reasonably warrant) shall, in consultation with the Companys
counsel, alone and/or with the Companys senior management, as and to the
extent the Compensation Committee deems appropriate: |
| (a) |
review and discuss any regulatory, compliance, legal or other issue within its
knowledge respecting any compensation or related matter that could have a
significant impact on the Company or its financial statements, SEC filings or
other public disclosures, and recommend to the Board any corrective or other
action that it may deem necessary or desirable; |
| (b) |
review and discuss the potential effect on any compensation or related issue of
any applicable material change or initiative in any Nasdaq Rule, any Exchange
Act Rule, the DGCL or other applicable law or the interpretation thereof within
its knowledge, and recommend to the Board any changes in or additions to the
Companys governing documents, policies, principles, practices or processes
respecting compensation or related matters that it deems necessary or desirable
to deal with such effect; |
| (c) |
review the implementation of changes in and additions to the Companys
governing documents, policies, principles, practices or processes respecting
compensation or related matters within its knowledge, whether as previously
approved or recommended by the Compensation Committee or as previously required
by the Nasdaq Rules, the Exchange Act Rules, the DGCL or other applicable law; |
| (d) |
recommend to the Board the advisability of having the Companys counsel,
auditors or other experts or professionals make specified studies and reports as
to compensation or related matters; and |
| (e) |
receive direct reports from the Companys counsel. |
| 7. |
The Compensation Committee shall establish regular and separate systems of
communication with each of the Companys senior management and the
Companys counsel, review and discuss with them any matter within its
authority and knowledge that is reasonably likely to have a significant impact
on the Company, and recommend to the Board any corrective or other action that
it may deem necessary or desirable. |
Other Responsibilities,
Duties and Powers
| 8. |
The Compensation Committee shall report its actions and any recommendations to
the Board after each Compensation Committee meeting. |
| 9. |
The Compensation Committee shall have the responsibility, duty and power, at any
time and from time to time, to the same extent and with the same effect as if
the entire Board were acting: |
| (a) |
to conduct or authorize investigations into matters within the Compensation
Committees scope of responsibilities under this Charter and applicable
law; |
| (b) |
to retain independent counsel, accountants or others to assist it in the conduct
of an investigation or such other action as the Compensation Committee may
otherwise determine as necessary to carry out its duties under this Charter and
applicable law, the fees and expenses of all of which will be paid by the
Company; and |
| (c) |
to perform any other activities related or incidental to the duties and rights
conferred on the Compensation Committee (by this Charter or otherwise) as the
Compensation Committee or the Board from time to time may deem necessary or
reasonably appropriate. |
| 10. |
In addition to the responsibilities, duties and powers of the Compensation
Committee set forth in this Charter, the Compensation Committee also shall have
such other responsibilities, duties and powers (if any) as may from time to time
be expressly granted to it under the Certificate, the By-Laws, any Board
resolution with continuing effect, any Nasdaq Rule, any Exchange Act Rule, the
DGCL or any other applicable law. |
| 1. |
Notwithstanding anything in this Charter to the contrary: (a) the Compensation
Committee is an oversight body, and it is not the role or duty of the
Compensation Committee to (i) implement, administer or apply the accounting,
auditing or financial reporting or disclosure policies, practices or controls of
the Company, (ii) plan or conduct any audit of the Company or any audit of the
work of the Companys management or independent accountants, (iii) prepare
or certify any of the Companys financial statements or any portion
thereof, (iv) determine or assure that the Companys financial statements
and disclosures are complete or accurate or are in accordance with GAAP or any
applicable rule or regulation, or (v) determine or assure the Companys
compliance with any legal or regulatory requirement, all of
which are and continue to be the responsibilities of the Companys
management and/or the Companys directors, as the case may be; (b) the
members of the Compensation Committee are not, and shall not under any
circumstance be deemed or construed to be (by virtue of their Compensation
Committee membership, this Charter or any action taken as contemplated hereunder
or otherwise), (i) officers, employees or auditors of SGRP or any of its
subsidiaries and (ii) directors of any of SGRPs subsidiaries; (c) the
Compensation Committee may rely on the representations of and other information
provided by the Companys directors, the Companys officers, employees
and counsel and experts or other professionals retained by the Company or the
Compensation Committee; and (d) the legal liability (actual, potential or
otherwise) of the Compensation Committee members shall not be (and shall not be
deemed or construed to be) any greater than that of any outside director of SGRP
who is not a member of the Compensation Committee. |
| 2. |
For the purposes of this Charter: |
| (a) |
Certificate shall mean the Certificate of Incorporation of
SGRP filed on November 29, 1995, with the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware, as the same may have been and from time to time hereafter may be duly
amended or restated in the manner provided under applicable law. |
| (b) |
By-Laws shall mean the Amended and Restated By-Laws of SGRP
dated as of May 18, 2004, as the same may have been and from time to time
hereafter may be supplemented, amended or restated in the manner provided
therein. |
| (c) |
DGCL shall mean the General Corporation Law of the State of
Delaware, as the same may have been and from time to time hereafter may be
amended or restated, and any succeeding statute. |
| 3. |
This Charter constitutes supplemental by-laws of SGRP and shall be governed and
supplemented by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the By-Laws.
Without in any way limiting the preceding sentence, the provisions of Article X
of the By-Laws (and the applicable definitions appearing elsewhere) are hereby
incorporated into this Charter by reference as if fully set forth herein and
shall be construed as if this Charter were the By-Laws referred to
in those incorporated provisions. In the event of any conflict between any
specific provision of this Charter and the By-Laws, the specific provision of
this Charter shall control and be given effect. |
| 4. |
The terms and provisions of this Charter are each subject to the relevant terms
and provisions of the Certificate and applicable law. In the event that any term
or provision of this Charter conflicts or is inconsistent with any term or
provision of the Certificate or applicable law, the term or provision of the
Certificate or applicable law shall control and be given effect. |
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