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2009 Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award

Performance Unit Award Agreement

2009 Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award | Document Parties: WILLIAMS COMPANIES INC You are currently viewing:
This Performance Unit Award Agreement involves

WILLIAMS COMPANIES INC

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Title: 2009 Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award
Date: 2/26/2009
Industry: Natural Gas Utilities     Sector: Utilities

2009 Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award, Parties: williams companies inc
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Exhibit 99.1

 

 

 

TO:

 

[Name]

FROM:

 

Steven J. Malcolm

SUBJECT:

 

2009 Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award

You have been selected to receive a performance-based restricted stock unit award to be paid if the Company exceeds the Threshold goal for Total Shareholder Return, as established by the Committee, over the Performance Period. This award, which is subject to adjustment under the 2009 Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Agreement (the “Agreement”), is granted to you in recognition of your role as a key employee whose responsibilities and performance are critical to the attainment of long-term goals. This award and similar awards are made on a selective basis and are, therefore, to be kept confidential. It is granted and subject to the terms and conditions of The Williams Companies, Inc. 2007 Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time, and the Agreement.

Subject to all of the terms of the Agreement, you will become entitled to payment of the award if you are an active employee of the Company on [February 25] of the third year following the year in which this award is made, and performance measures are certified for the three-year period beginning January 1 of the year in which this award is made to you. The termination provisions associated with this award are included in the Agreement.

If you have any questions about this award, you may contact a dedicated Fidelity Stock Plan Representative at 1-800-544-9354.

1

2009 PERFORMANCE-BASED RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT

THIS 2009 PERFORMANCE-BASED RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), which contains the terms and conditions for the Restricted Stock Units (“Restricted Stock Units” or “RSUs”) referred to in the 2009 Performance-Based Restricted Stock Unit Award Letter delivered in hard copy or electronically to Participant (“2009 Award Letter”), is by and between THE WILLIAMS COMPANIES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and the individual identified on the last page hereof (the “Participant”).

1.  Grant of RSUs . Subject to the terms and conditions of The Williams Companies, Inc. 2007 Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time (the “Plan”), this Agreement, and the 2009 Award Letter, the Company hereby grants to the Participant an award (the “Award) of [Number] RSUs effective [Effective Date] (the “Effective Date”). The Award, which is subject to adjustment under the terms of this Agreement, gives the Participant the opportunity to earn the right to receive the number of shares of the Common Stock of the Company equal to the number of RSUs shown in the prior sentence if the Target goal, as established by the Committee, is achieved by the Company over the Performance Period. These shares, together with any other shares that are payable under this Agreement, are referred to in the Agreement as “Shares.” Until the Participant both becomes vested in the Shares under the terms of Paragraph 5 and is paid such Shares under the terms of Paragraph 6, the Participant shall have no rights as a stockholder of the Company with respect to the Shares.

2.  Incorporation of Plan . The Plan is hereby incorporated herein by reference and all capitalized terms used herein which are not defined in this Agreement shall have the meaning set forth in the Plan. The Participant acknowledges that he or she has received a copy of, or has online access to, the Plan, and hereby accepts the RSUs subject to all the terms and provisions of the Plan and this Agreement.

3.  Committee Decisions and Interpretations; Committee Discretion . The Participant hereby agrees to accept as binding, conclusive and final all actions, decisions and/or interpretations of the Committee, its delegates, or agents, upon any questions or other matters arising under the Plan or this Agreement.

4.  Performance Measures; Number of Shares Payable to the Participant .

(a) Performance measures established by the Committee shall be based on targeted levels of both absolute and relative Total Shareholder Return. The Committee establishes (i) “Threshold,” “Target” and “Stretch” goals for Total Shareholder Return (both for absolute and relative Total Shareholder Return) during the Performance Period and (ii) the designated numbers of Shares that may be received by a Participant based upon the achievement of each such goal during the Performance Period, all as more fully described in Subparagraphs 4(b) through 4(c) below. The number of Shares that may be received by the Participant if the Target goal is reached is equal to the number of RSUs set forth in Paragraph 1 above.

(b) The RSUs awarded to Participant and subject to this Agreement as reflected in Paragraph 1 above represents Participant’s opportunity to earn the right to payment of an equal number of Shares (“Target Number of Shares”) upon (i) certification by the Committee that 100% of the Target goal for Total Shareholder Return for the Performance Period has been met and (ii) satisfaction of all the other conditions set forth in Paragraph 5 below.

(c) Subject to the Committee’s discretion as set forth in Subparagraph 4(d) below and to satisfaction of all other conditions set forth in Paragraph 5 below, the actual number of Shares earned by and payable to Participant upon certification of Total Shareholder Return results and satisfaction of all other conditions set forth in Paragraph 5 below will be determined on a continuum ranging from 0% (at the Threshold goal) to 200% (at the Stretch goal) of the Target Number of Shares depending on the level of Total Shareholder Return certified by the Committee at the end of the Performance Period.

(d) Notwithstanding (i) any other provision of this Agreement or the Plan or (ii) certification by the Committee that targets for Total Shareholder Return above the Threshold goal have been achieved during the Performance Period, the Committee may in its sole and absolute discretion reduce, but not below zero (0), the number of Shares payable to the Participant based on such factors as it deems appropriate, including but not limited to the Company’s performance. Accordingly, any reference in this Agreement to Shares that (i) become payable, (ii) may be received by a Participant or (iii) are earned by a Participant, and any similar reference, shall be understood to mean the number of Shares that are received, payable or earned after any such reduction is made.

5.  Vesting; Legally Binding Rights .

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, a Participant shall not be entitled to any payment of Shares under this Agreement unless and until such Participant obtains a legally binding right to such Shares and satisfies applicable vesting conditions for such payment.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in Subparagraphs 5(c) – 5(g) below and subject to the provisions of Subparagraph 4(d) above, the Participant shall vest in Shares under this Agreement only if and at the time that both of the following conditions are fully satisfied:

(i) The Participant remains an active employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates on [February 25] of the third year following the year that contains the Effective Date (the “Maturity Date”); and

(ii) The Committee certifies that the Company has met Total Shareholder Return targets above the Threshold goal as defined by the Committee for the three-year performance period beginning January 1, 2009 (the “Performance Period”). Certification, if any, by the Committee for the Performance Period shall be made by the Maturity Date or as soon thereafter as is administratively practicable.

(c) If a Participant dies, becomes Disabled (as defined below) or qualifies for Retirement (as defined below) prior to the Maturity Date while an active employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates, at but not prior to the Maturity Date, and only to the extent and at the time that the Committee certifies that the performance measures for the Performance Period are satisfied under Subparagraph 5(b)(ii) above, upon such certification, the Participant shall vest in that number of Shares the Participant might otherwise have received for the Performance Period in accordance with Paragraph 4 above pro rated to reflect that portion of the Performance Period prior to such Participant’s ceasing being an active employee of the Company and its Affiliates. The pro rata number of Shares in which the Participant may become vested in such case shall equal that number determined by multiplying (i) the number of Shares the Participant might otherwise have received for the Performance Period in accordance with Paragraph 4 above times (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of full and partial months in the period that begins the month following the month that contains the Effective Date and ends on (and includes) the date of the Participant ceases being an active employee of the Company and its Affiliates, and the denominator of which is the total number of full and partial months in the period that begins the month following the month that contains the Effective Date and ends on (and includes) the Maturity Date.

(d) As used in this Agreement, the terms “Disabled,” “qualify for Retirement”, “Separation from Service” and “Affiliate” shall have the following respective meanings:

(i) A Participant shall be considered Disabled if such Participant (A) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, or (B) is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three (3) months under an accident and health plan covering employees o


 
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