UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549


SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934


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MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
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2019











                                    2022

NOTICE

OF

ANNUAL

MEETING

AND

PROXY

STATEMENT








Notice of the
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SHAREHOLDERS
To be held February 21, 201917, 2022



To Our Shareholders:

The annual meeting of the Shareholders of Matthews International Corporation (“Matthews” or the “Company”) will be held at 9:00 AM (EST) on Thursday, February 21, 2019 at Hotel Covington, located at 638 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 4101117, 2022 (the "Annual Meeting"),. Due to the public health impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) pandemic and to support the health and well-being of the Company's employees and shareholders, this year's meeting will be held in a virtual-only meeting format. Any shareholder who participates virtually will be deemed to be in attendance “in person” for the purposes of such meeting. The Company will provide a live webcast of the Annual Meeting at www.meetnow.global/M6KTJFA. For more information, see the following "About the Meeting" section. The purpose of consideringthe Annual Meeting is to consider and actingact upon the following:

1.To elect four (4) directors of the Company for a term of three (3) years;
1.To elect three (3) directors of the Company for a term of three (3) years;

2.To approve the adoption of the 2019 Director Fee Plan;
2.To approve the adoption of the Amended and Restated 2017 Equity Incentive Plan;

3.To ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit the records of the Company for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019;
3.To ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit the records of the Company for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2022;

4.To provide an advisory (non-binding) vote on the executive compensation of the Company’s named executive officers; and
4.To provide an advisory (non-binding) vote on the executive compensation of the Company’s named executive officers; and

5.To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting.
5.To transact such other business as may properly come before the meeting.

Shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 31, 20182021 will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting or any adjournments thereof.

Please indicate on the enclosed proxy card whether you will or will not be able to attend the virtual-only Annual Meeting. Return the card in the enclosed envelope as soon as possible. If you receive more than one proxy card (for example, because you own common stock in more than one account), please be sure to complete and return all of them.

We hope you can be with us forparticipate in this important occasion.meeting.

            Sincerely,

            /s/ Steven F. Nicola

            Steven F. Nicola
            Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

January 18, 2022
January 22, 2019









ABOUT THE MEETING

How You Can Attend the Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting will be a virtual meeting of shareholders held via live webcast, which will be accessible at www.meetnow.global/M6KTJFA at 9:00 AM (EST) on Thursday, February 17, 2022. The live webcast will provide shareholders with the opportunity to vote and ask questions.

The process for attending the Annual Meeting depends on how your Common Stock is held. Generally, you may hold Common Stock in your name as a “record holder” or in an account with a bank, broker, or other nominee (i.e., in “street name”).

If you are a record shareholder (i.e., you hold your shares through our transfer agent, Computershare), you do not need to register to attend the Annual Meeting virtually on the internet. Record shareholders should follow the instructions provided on their Notice and in their proxy materials.

If you hold your shares in “street name,” you must register in advance to attend and vote at the virtual Annual Meeting webcast. If you hold your shares in “street name” and do not register, you may still listen to the Annual Meeting webcast by visiting www.meetnow.global/M6KTJFA, but you will not be able to participate or vote in the meeting. To register, you must obtain a “legal proxy” from the bank, broker or other nominee of your shares and submit the legal proxy to Computershare in order to be entitled to vote those shares electronically. Please note that obtaining a legal proxy may take several days. Requests must be received no later than 5:00 PM (EST) on February 14, 2022. You will receive a confirmation of your registration by email. Requests must include your legal proxy (an image of the legal proxy or a forward of the email from your broker including the legal proxy are acceptable) and be sent by email to legalproxy@computershare.com with the subject “Legal Proxy” or by mail to Computershare, Matthews International Corporation Legal Proxy, P.O. Box 43001, Providence, RI 02940-3001. If you wish to observe the Annual Meeting (without being able to vote or submit questions) you may do so by visiting the above website and using your name and email address.

Please note that you may vote by proxy prior to February 17, 2022 and still attend the Annual Meeting. Even if you currently plan to attend the Annual Meeting webcast, we strongly recommend that you also submit your proxy as described above so that your vote will be counted if you later decide not to attend the Annual Meeting. If you hold your shares in street name, we urge you to submit your proxy in advance as described below.

How You Can Access the Proxy Materials

This proxy statement and the accompanying proxy card are being sent and made available to shareholders on or about January 18, 2022. A copy of the Company’s Annual Report for fiscal year 2021 will be mailed with this proxy statement and is available online at www.matw.com/investors/sec-filings.





How You Can Vote in Advance

The process for voting your Common Stock depends on how your Common Stock is held. If you are a record holder, you can vote your shares by going to www.investorvote.com/MATW, or by calling the toll-free number (for residents of the United States and Canada) listed on your proxy card, using the 15-digit control number on your proxy card. You can also complete, sign and date the enclosed proxy card and mail it in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. If you vote online or by phone, there is no need to return a proxy card by mail. The proxy you submit will be voted in accordance with your instructions.

If you hold your shares in “street name,” you must follow the voting instructions provided by your bank, broker or other nominee to ensure that your shares are represented and voted at the Annual Meeting.

If a proxy is executed and returned but no instructions are given, the shares will be voted according to the recommendations of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors unanimously recommends a vote FOR all of the nominees and FOR Proposals 2, 3 and 4.

How You Can Vote Electronically at the Annual Meeting

If you are a record holder, in order to vote and/or submit a question during the Annual Meeting, you will need to follow the instructions posted at www.meetnow.global/M6KTJFA and will need the 15-digit control number on your proxy card.

If you hold your shares in street name, you must obtain a “legal proxy” from the bank, broker or other nominee of your shares and send the “legal proxy” to Computershare as described above.

Revocation of Proxies

If you submit your proxy over the Internet, by telephone or by mail, you may change your voting instructions by subsequently properly submitting a new proxy. Only your most recent proxy will be exercised and all others will be disregarded, regardless of the method by which the proxies were authorized. You may also revoke your earlier proxy by voting "in person" at the Annual Meeting. Your attendance at the Annual Meeting "in person" will not cause your previously granted proxy to be revoked unless you specifically so request. If you hold your shares in “street name,” you should follow the instructions provided by your bank, broker or other nominee to revoke your proxy.

Notices of revocation of proxies delivered by mail must be delivered by February 6, 2022 to the Company’s principal offices at Two NorthShore Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-5851, Attention: Steven F. Nicola, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary.






Matthews International Corporation
Proxy Statement
Table of Contents
Page
Proposal 1 – Election of Directors
Proposal 2 - Approval of the Adoption of the 2019 Director FeeAmended and Restated 2017 Equity Incentive Plan
Proposal 3 – Selection of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Proposal 4 – Advisory (non-binding) vote on the executive compensation of the Company's
                     named executive officers
CEO Pay Ratio
Shareholders Sharing the Same Address
Shareholder Proposals for the 20202023 Annual Meeting



Matthews International Corporation
Two NorthShore Center
Pittsburgh, PA 15212 - 5851
412-442-8200



Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the
Shareholder Meeting to Be Held on February 21, 201917, 2022

The Company’s 20192022 Proxy Statement and the Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended September 30, 20182021 are available free of charge on the Company’s website at http://www.matw.com/investor/financial-reports.investors/sec-filings.



PROXY STATEMENT

The accompanying proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors of Matthews International Corporation (“Matthews” or the “Company”) whose principal executive offices are located at Two NorthShore Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212. This proxy statement is being sent and made available to shareholders on or about January 22, 2019.18, 2022.

Execution of the proxy will not affect a shareholder's right to attend the meeting and vote in person."in person". Any shareholder giving a proxy has the right to revoke it at any time before it is voted by giving notice to the Corporate Secretary or by attending the meeting and voting in person."in person". See the above “About the Meeting” section for additional details.

Matters to be considered at the Annual Meetingannual meeting of the shareholders of the Company (the "Annual Meeting") are those set forth in the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of the Shareholders (the “Notice”). Shares represented by proxy will be voted in accordance with instructions. In the absence of instructions to the contrary, the proxy solicited will be voted FOR all of the nominees and FOR the proposals set forth therein.

Management of the Company does not intend to bring before the meeting any business other than that set forth in the Notice. If any other business should properly come before the meeting, it is the intention of management that the persons named in the proxy will vote in accordance with their best judgment.


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OUTSTANDING STOCK AND VOTING RIGHTS

The Company has one class of stock outstanding: Class A Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share, referred to as the "Common Stock."

Each outstanding share of Common Stock of the Company entitles the holder to one vote upon any business properly presented at the shareholders' meeting. As provided in the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, cumulative voting is not applicable to the election of directors.

The Board of Directors of the Company has established December 31, 20182021 as the record date for shareholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. The transfer books of the Company will not be closed, but only shareholders of record as of the close of business on December 31, 20182021 will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. A total of 31,871,24331,550,416 shares of Common Stock are outstanding and entitled to vote at the meeting. A quorum (the presence in person"in person" or by proxy of the majority of the voting power of the Common Stock) is required to transact business at the Annual Meeting. The holders of 15,935,62215,775,208 shares will constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting.

Broker Authority to Vote

Abstentions and broker non-votes (explained herein) will be counted for purposes of determining a quorum. If your shares are held in street name, follow the voting instructions that you receive from your broker, bank or other nominee. If you want to vote in person,"in person", you must obtain a legal proxy from your broker, bank, or other nominee and bring it toas further described in the Annual Meeting.above "About the Meeting" section. If you do not submit voting instructions, your broker, bank, or other nominee may still be permitted to vote your shares under the following circumstances:

Discretionary items - The ratification of the selection of the independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal 3) is a discretionary item. Generally, brokers, banks and other nominees that do not receive instructions from beneficial owners may vote on this proposal in their discretion.


Non-discretionary items - The election of directors (Proposal 1), approval of the adoption of the 2019 Director FeeAmended and Restated 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (Proposal 2) and the advisory resolution to approve executive compensation (Proposal 4) are non-discretionary items and may not be voted on by brokers, banks or other nominees who have not received voting instructions from beneficial owners (referred to as “broker non-votes”).
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GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors (sometimes referred to throughout the remainder of this Proxy Statement as the “Board”) is the ultimate governing body of the Company. As such, it functions within a framework of duties and requirements established by Pennsylvania statute, government regulations, court decisions and the Company’s organizational documents. Generally, the Board of Directors reviews and confirms the basic objectives and broad policies of the Company, approves various important transactions, appoints the officers of the Company and monitors Companythe Company's performance in key results areas. The Board also has oversight responsibility of the processes established to report and monitor systems for material risks applicable to the Company. The full Board regularly reviews enterprise-wide risk management, which includes risks in the areas of compliance, operations, strategy, reporting, treasury, enterprise value, and insurable risks. In addition, each Board committee plays a significant role in carrying out the risk oversight function. The Executive Committeeexecutive committee of the Board (the "Executive Committee") assists in monitoring and assessing relevant risks between the times at which the full Board convenes. The Nominatingnominating and corporate governance committee of the Board (the "Nominating and Corporate Governance CommitteeCommittee" or "Corporate Governance Committee") oversees risks related to corporate governance and ethics. The Audit Committeeaudit committee of the Board (the "Audit Committee") oversees risks related to financial reporting and control; environmental, health and sustainability matters; management policies and guidelines; legal claims and issues; and information technology. The Finance Committeefinance committee of the Board (the "Finance Committee") oversees the Company’s financial policies, strategies and capital structure. The Compensation Committeecompensation committee of the Board (the "Compensation Committee") oversees risks related to human resources, succession planning and compensation. The Special Committeespecial committee of the Board (the "Special Committee") provides oversight of integration planning and implementation of the Company's significant acquisitions.acquisitions on an as-needed basis.

Board Composition

The Articles of Incorporation of the Company provide that the Board of Directors has the power to set the number of directors constituting the full Board, provided that such number shall not be less than five or more than fifteen. Until further action,In connection with the retirement of John D. Turner as Chairman of the Board and a director of the Company pursuant to the Company’s Bylaws and Corporate Governance Guidelines, effective February 17, 2022, the Board has decreased the number of directors from eleven to ten. Following the Annual Meeting, subject to the re-election of each of the Board nominees, the Board will be comprised of ten members, two of whom are female and one of whom is Hispanic. Pursuant to the Company’s Articles of Incorporation, the Board of Directors has fixed the number of directors constituting the full Board at ten,is divided into three classes. The terms of office of the three classes of directors end in successive years.

After reviewing the independence standards contained in the Nasdaq listing requirements, the Board of Directors has determined that each of its directors is independent under these standards, other than Joseph C. Bartolacci, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer; David A. Schawk, retired Group President of the Company’s SGK Brand Solutions segment;segment effective as of November 1, 2019; and Gregory S. Babe, the Company’s Chief Technology Officer.

In the event a nominee does not receive a majority of votes cast, such director is required under the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines to conditionally resign from the Board of Directors.Board. Acceptance of such resignation is at the discretion of the Board of Directors.Board.


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The Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that an employee member must offer to submit his or her letter of resignation as a director upon his or her retirement or termination of employment, and if such offer is accepted, such employee member can remain on the Board for a period of no longer than one year following retirement from, or termination of, employment with the Company. Additionally, the Company's Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that any director must offer to submit his or her letter of resignation as a director upon a change in principal occupation that differs from that which they were engaged and elected to the Board. Further, the Company’s By-lawsBylaws and Corporate Governance Guidelines provide that no person may be eligible for nomination, nor elected to fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors after attaining 75 years of age, and any director that, if nominated would attain 75 years of age during such term as a director, shall retire from the Board of Directors immediately prior to the next annual meeting of the shareholders following such director attaining 75 years of age.

John D. Turner, the Company’s current Chairman of the Board, has attained the mandatory retirement age and will retire from the Board at the Annual Meeting. The Board of Directors and management of the Company express their sincerest gratitude to Mr. Turner for his service on the Board of Directors and as Chairman of the Board. Mr. Turner’s expertise and leadership have been invaluable to the Company during his tenure as a director and Chairman of the Board.

The Board has currently determined that an independent, non-employee member should be appointed to serve as Chairman of the Board. The Board believes that separation of the positions of Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, with the appointment of an independent, non-employee director as Chairman of the Board, strengthens the Company’s corporate governance. John D.Mr. Turner is the Company’s current independent, non-employee Chairman of the Board. Subject to, and in anticipation of, the re-election of Alvaro Garcia-Tunon to the Board, the Board has elected Mr. Garcia-Tunon to assume the office of Chairman of the Board upon Mr. Turner’s retirement at the Annual Meeting. Upon his election as Chairman of the Board, Mr. Garcia-Tunon will resign from each of the committees other than the Executive Committee.

Mr. TurnerThe Chairman of the Board and the other independent directors meet at such times as are necessary and generally on the dates of regularly scheduled Board meetings. The independent directors met a total of fourfive (5) times in fiscal 2018.2021.

During fiscal 2018,2021, there were sixfive (5) regularly scheduled meetings and threeno special Board meetings.

Board Committees
There are six (6) standing committees appointed by the Board of Directors -- the Executive Committee, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, the Audit Committee, the Finance Committee, the Compensation Committee and the Special Committee.

Each Committee has the same power as the Board of Directors to employ the services of outside consultants and to have discussions and interviews with personnel of the Company and others.


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The principal functions of the six standing Committees are summarized as follows:

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee is appointed by the Board of Directors to have and exercise during periods between Board meetings all of the powers of the Board, of Directors, except that the Executive Committee may not elect directors, change the membership of or fill vacancies on the Executive Committee, change the By‑laws of the Company or exercise any authority specifically reserved by the Board of Directors.Board. Among the functions customarily performed by the Executive Committee during periods between Board meetings are the approval, within limitations previously established by the Board, of Directors, of the principal terms involved in sales of securities of the Company, and such reviews as may be necessary of significant developments in major events and litigation involving the Company. In addition, the Executive Committee is called upon periodically to provide advice and counsel in the formulation of corporate policy changes and, where it deems advisable, make recommendations to the Board of Directors.Board.

The members of the Executive Committee are currently John D. Turner (Chairperson), Katherine E. Dietze, Alvaro Garcia-Tunon, Morgan K. O’Brien and Jerry R. Whitaker. Upon Mr. Turner’s retirement from the Board at the Annual Meeting and subject to the anticipated re-election of Mr. Garcia-Tunon to the Board, Mr. Garcia-Tunon shall become the Chairperson of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee holds meetings at such times as are required. The Executive Committee did not meet in fiscal 2018.2021.


Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

The principal functions of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are toto: (1) identify individuals qualified to become members of the Board of Directors; (2) review the qualifications of directors and the composition of the Board of Directors, (2)and recommend to the Board of Directors the director nominees for the next annual meeting of the shareholders,shareholders; (3) monitor and recommend to the Board of Directors changes, as necessary, to the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines,Guidelines; (4) lead the Board of Directors in complying with its Corporate Governance GuidelinesGuidelines; (5) review and make recommendations to the Board of Directors concerning director compensationcompensation; and (6) review and approve related person transactions pursuant to the Company’s Code of Conduct.Business Conduct and Ethics (the "Code of Conduct"). The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is also responsible for the annual evaluations of the performance of the Board of Directors and the Committees of the Board, including individual directors. The Committee is committed to ensuring thatthat: (i) the nominees for membership on the Board of Directors are of the highest possible caliber and are able to provide insightful, intelligent and effective guidance to the management of the CompanyCompany; and (ii) the governance of the Company is in full compliance with applicable law, reflects generally accepted principles of good corporate governance, encourages flexible and dynamic management without undue burdens and effectively manages the risks of the business and operations of the Company. From time to time, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee has retained the services of a third-party search firm to assist in the identification and evaluation of potential nominees for the Board of Directors. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee operates pursuant to a Chartercharter and the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, which are available for viewing on the Company’s investor relations website at www.matw.comwww.matw.com/investors under the “Corporate”“Governance Documents” tab in the section entitled “Corporate Governance”“Governance”. The Board has determined that all members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are independent in accordance with the listing standards of Nasdaq. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee met four (4) times during fiscal 2018.2021. The current members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are Jerry R. Whitaker (Chairperson), Katherine E. Dietze and Terry L. Dunlap.

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Audit Committee

The principal functions of the Audit Committee are to provide oversight ofof: (1) the integrity of the Company's financial statements, reports on internal controls and other of the Company's financial information,information; (2) the Company's compliance with legal and regulatory requirements,requirements; (3) the qualifications and independence of the Company's independent registered public accounting firmfirm; and (4) the performance of the Company's internal audit function (including disclosure controls and procedures for internal controls over financial reporting) and independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee serves as a vehicle to provide an open avenue of communication between the full Board of Directors and the Company’s financial management team and internal audit department, and the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee is responsible for appointing the Company's independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee operates pursuant to a Charter,charter, which is available for viewing on the Company’s investor relations website at www.matw.comwww.matw.com/investors under the “Governance Documents” tab in the section entitled “Corporate Governance”"Governance".

All of the Audit Committee members, Alvaro Garcia-Tunon (Chairperson), Terry L. Dunlap andLillian D. Etzkorn, Morgan K. O’Brien and Jerry R. Whitaker, have been determined in the Board’s business judgment to be independent from the Company and its management within the meaning of regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"(the "SEC") relating to audit committee independence, Nasdaq regulationregulations and the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines. All of the Audit Committee members are financial experts, as determined by SEC regulations, and, as such Mr. Garcia-Tunon, Mr. Dunlap and Mr. O'Brien arehowever Ms. Etzkorn has been designated as the ranking Audit Committee financial experts.expert. During fiscal 2018,2021, the Audit Committee met six (6) times. Subject to, and in anticipation of, the election of Mr. Garcia-Tunon to the office of Chairman of the Board and his resignation from the Audit Committee, Ms. Etzkorn will assume the office of Chairperson of the Audit Committee.




Finance Committee

The Finance Committee provides oversight of the Company’s financial policies, strategies and capital structure. The Committee’s principal responsibilities include reviewreviewing and monitoring of the Company’sCompany’s: (1) significant capital expenditures,expenditures; (2) mergers, acquisitions and divestitures,divestitures; (3) capital structure, debt and equity offerings,offerings; (4) the dividend policy and share repurchase program,program; (5) risk management programsprograms; and (6) investor relations program. The Committee also provides oversight to the Pension Board on employee benefit plan matters and related plan investment management. Ms. Katherine E. Dietze is Chairperson of the Finance Committee. The other members of the Finance Committee are Gregory S. Babe, Don W. Quigley, Jr., David A. Schawk and Jerry R. Whitaker.Lillian D. Etzkorn. The Finance Committee met six (6) times in fiscal 2018.2021.

Compensation Committee

The principal functions of the Compensation Committee, the members of which are Morgan K. O’Brien (Chairperson), Terry L. Dunlap, Alvaro Garcia-Tunon and Don W. Quigley, Jr., are to review periodically the suitability of the remuneration arrangements (including benefits) for the Company's Chief Executive Officer and other members of management of the Company, and to prepare an annual report on executive compensation for inclusion in the Company’s Proxy Statement. The Committee also reviews, at least annually, succession plans for the position of Chief Executive Officer and other senior executive positions of the Company. The Compensation Committee operates pursuant to a Charter,charter, which is available for viewing on the Company’s investor relations website at www.matw.comwww.matw.com/investors under the “Governance Documents” tab in the section entitled “Corporate Governance”"Governance". The Board has determined that all members of the Compensation Committee are independent in accordance with the listing standards of Nasdaq. During fiscal 2018,2021, the Compensation Committee met four (4) times.

6


Special Committee

The Special Committee was initially established in 2014 to provide oversight of integration planning and implementation for the Company’s significant acquisitions, including Schawk, Inc. (“Schawk”) that was completed on July 29, 2014, Aurora Casket Products Group, LLC (“Aurora”) that was completed on August 19, 2015 and A. + E. Ungricht GmbH + Co KG ("Ungricht") that was completed on January 3, 2017.acquisitions. The members of the Special Committee arewere Alvaro Garcia-Tunon (Chairperson), Gregory S. Babe, Joseph C. Bartolacci, and Terry L. Dunlap. The Committee met oncedid not meet in fiscal 2018.2021. Subject to, and in anticipation of, the election of Mr. Garcia-Tunon to the office of Chairman of the Board, Mr. Garcia-Tunon shall resign from the Special Committee and the Board shall identify a new Chairperson of the Special Committee.

Compensation Committee Interlocks and Insider Participation

The Compensation Committee currently consists of Mr. O’Brien, Mr. Dunlap, Mr. Garcia-Tunon and Mr. Quigley. None of thesethe members of the Compensation Committee members hashave ever been an officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries. None of our executive officers serves or has served as a member of the board of directors, compensation committee or other board committee performing equivalent functions of any entity that has one or more executive officers serving as one of our directors or on our Compensation Committee.

Meeting Attendance

During fiscal 2018,2021, all directors attended at least 75% of Board and respective Committee meetings.

Although the Company does not have a formal policy with regard to Board members attending the Annual Meeting of the Shareholders, it is customary for the Board members to do so, and in general all or most of the Board members have attended annual meetings in the recent past.



Compensation of Directors

Director compensation is determined and administered by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. In performing its duties, the Corporate Governance Committee consults with various independent third-party advisors. In fiscal 2018,2021, the Corporate Governance Committee consulted with Pay Governance, LLC, an independent human resourcesexecutive compensation consulting firm.

Under the Company’s Amended and Restated 20142019 Director Fee Plan, ("2014 Director Plan"), for fiscal 20182021 each eligible non-employee director received an annual retainer valued at $85,000, which was payable either in cash or in shares of the Company’s Common Stock,common stock, as determined by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. If payable in cash, a director may elect to receive the annual retainer in shares of Company Common Stock or Common Stock credited to a deferred stock account as phantom stock. If the annual retainer is paid in shares of Company Common Stock, a director may defer the receipt of such Common Stock into a deferred stock account as phantom stock.

Each non-employee director is also receiveseligible to receive an annual stock-based grant (non-statutoryin the form of either non-statutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, and/restricted shares or restricted shares)share units ("RSUs"). The form and value of the awards are determined by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The value of the annual grants awarded for fiscal 20182021 was $125,000, issued in the form of restricted stock,RSUs, which vestsvest on the second anniversary of the date of the grant. At December 31, 2018,2021, there were 67,219132,643 shares available for future grantissuance under the Amended2019 Director Fee Plan, including 74,639 RSUs that have been granted and Restated 201415,966 share units that have been deferred under the 2019 Director Fee Plan.


7


The non-employee Chairman of the Board received an additional annual retainer fee of $100,000 in fiscal 2018,2021, which was paid in cash. In fiscal 20182021, each Committee chairperson of a committee of the Board received an additional $10,000 retainer fee for their services as a Committee chairperson ($15,000 in the case of the Audit Committee chairperson). for their services as a committee chairperson. In addition, in fiscal 2018, Mr. Garcia-Tunon and Mr. Dunlap, the non-employee members of2021, the Special Committee did not meet and therefore its chairperson did not receive any additional retainer fee. Directors received $1,500 per day of service on the Committee. Other than this daily fee with respect to the Special Committee, directors receive no other meeting fees.fees in fiscal 2021.

The Company is submitting the 2019 Director Fee Plan to a vote of the shareholders as Proposal 2 of this Proxy Statement. If adopted, each eligible independent director will be compensated as described in Proposal 2 of this Proxy Statement.

The Company does not provide any retirement benefits or perquisites to any of its non-employee directors.

The following table summarizes the director compensation earned by the non-employee directors of the Company for fiscal 2018.2021.

Non-Employee Director Compensation Table
NameFees Earned or Paid in Cash
Stock Awards (2)
Total
J.D. Turner$185,000 $125,000 $310,000 
K.E. Dietze95,000 125,000 220,000 
T.L. Dunlap85,000 125,000 210,000 
L.D. Etzkorn (1)
127,500 183,418 310,918 
A. Garcia-Tunon100,000 125,000 225,000 
M.K. O’Brien95,000 125,000 220,000 
D.W. Quigley, Jr.85,000 125,000 210,000 
D.A. Schawk85,000 125,000 210,000 
J.R. Whitaker95,000 125,000 220,000 
NameFees Earned or Paid in Cash (2)Stock Awards (1)Total
J.D. Turner$185,000
$125,000
$310,000
K.E. Dietze95,000
125,000
220,000
T.L. Dunlap86,500
125,000
211,500
A. Garcia-Tunon101,500
125,000
226,500
M.K. O’Brien95,000
125,000
220,000
D.W. Quigley, Jr.85,000
125,000
210,000
J.R. Whitaker95,000
125,000
220,000


(1)Amounts in this column reflect the grant date fair value of awards of restricted shares of the Company’s Common Stock granted during fiscal 2018 computed in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board ASC Topic 718; however, the estimate of forfeiture related to service-based vesting conditions is disregarded for purposes of this valuation. There were no forfeitures of restricted shares by any of the directors during fiscal 2018. On March 8, 2018, each of the non-employee directors were awarded 2,301 restricted shares with a grant date fair value of $125,000. Mr. Garcia-Tunon and Mr. Whitaker elected to have the restricted share awards credited to a deferred stock account as phantom shares.
(2)Mr. Garcia-Tunon elected to receive fees of $101,500 in shares of the Company's Common Stock credited to a deferred stock account as 1,868 phantom shares.

(1)Ms. Etzkorn was appointed to the Board of Directors on October 1, 2020 (Fiscal 2021). Cash payments reflect a pro-rata retainer fee payment of $42,500 in October 2020 and an annual retainer fee payment in March 2021 of $85,000. Stock awards reflect a pro-rata award of $58,418 in October 2020 and an annual award in March 2021 of $125,000.

(2)Amounts in this column reflect the grant date fair value of awards of restricted share units of the Company’s Common Stock granted during fiscal 2021 computed in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board ASC Topic 718; however, the estimates of forfeitures related to service-based vesting conditions are disregarded for purposes of this valuation. There were no forfeitures of restricted awards by any of the directors during fiscal 2021. On March 11, 2021, each of the non-employee directors were awarded 2,988 restricted share units with a grant date fair value of $125,000.


Access to Directors

The security holders of the Company may communicate in writing to the Board of Directors by sending such communication to the Board or a particular director in care of Steven F. Nicola, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary, at the Company’s principleprincipal executive offices. At present, such communications will be directly forwarded to the Board or such particular director, as applicable.

8


PROPOSAL 1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

Nominations for election to the Board of Directors may be made by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee or by the shareholders.shareholders pursuant to the provisions set forth in the Company’s Restated Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.

Terry L. Dunlap, Alvaro Garcia-Tunon, John D. Turner, and Jerry R. Whitaker, whose terms of office are expiring, have been nominated by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to serve for three-year terms that will end in 2022.2025.

Shareholder nominations for directors to be elected at the 20202023 Annual Meeting must be submitted to the Company in writing no earlier than 120 days prior to the anniversary date of the 20192022 Annual Meeting, or October 24, 2019,20, 2022, and no later than 75 days prior to the anniversary date of the 20192022 Annual Meeting, or December 8, 2019.4, 2022. Such nominations must be in writing in accordance with Section 6.1 of the Company’s Restated Articles of Incorporation, and must include (1) the name and address of the shareholder who intends to make the nomination and of the person(s) to be nominated; (2) a representation that the shareholder is a holder of record of Common Stock of the Company entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person"in person" or by proxy at the meeting to nominate the person(s) specified in the notice; (3) a description of all arrangements or understandings between the shareholder and each nominee and any other person(s) (naming such person(s)) pursuant to which the nomination or nominations are to be made by the shareholder; (4) such other information regarding each nominee proposed by such shareholder as would be required to be included in a proxy statement filed pursuant to the proxy rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission, had the nominee been nominated by the Board of Directors; and (5) the consent of each nominee to serve as a director of the Company if so elected. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Board will consider any candidate for nominee as a director that is properly submitted by a shareholder in accordance with the Company’s Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and does not maintain a policy with regard to such nominations distinct from such requirements. No such nominations have been received with respect to the 20192022 Annual Meeting.

The Company’s process for filling director vacancies includes determination of the professional skills and background desired to serve the best interests and current needs of the Company and its shareholders, possible retention of a third-party search firm to assist in the identification and evaluation of director candidates, consideration of candidates nominated by shareholders (if any), evaluation of a candidate’s credentials and experience by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (including personal interviews with selected candidates), and a formal recommendation by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee to the Board of Directors regarding the candidate considered to be the most qualified to fill the director vacancy.

The Corporate Governance Committee assesses a candidate’s background, skills, diversity, personal characteristics and business experience and applies the following criteria and qualifications: candidates are to be of the highest ethical character, share the values of the Company, have reputations, both personal and professional, consistent with the image and reputation of the Company, be highly accomplished in their respective field, with superior credentials and recognition, and provide the relevant expertise and experience necessary to assist the Board and the Company to increase shareholder value. The Board may prioritize the foregoing criteria depending on the current needs of the Board and the Company. The Board does not have a formal diversity policy for selecting directors, but considers diversity of race, gender and national origin to be relevant factors that are weighed with other criteria in recommending and nominating directors for election to the Board of Directors of Matthews.

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Under the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, any director who experiences a change in principal occupation or primary business affiliation while serving as a director, must promptly offer to submit a letter of resignation as a director to the Chief Executive Officer and to the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The Board, with input from the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Chief Executive Officer, will consider whether to accept such offer.

The Board of Directors has no reason to believe that any of the current nominees for director will become unavailable for election. However, if any nominee should become unavailable prior to the Annual Meeting, the accompanying proxy will be voted for the election in the nominee's place of such other person as the Board of Directors may recommend in the nominee’s place.

Only affirmative votes are counted in the election of directors. The nominees for election as directors of the Class of 2022 who receive the highest number of votes cast for the election of directors at the Annual Meeting by the holders of the Company’s Common Stock present in person"in person" or voting by proxy, a quorum being present, will be elected as directors. Abstentions, broker non-votes and instructions to withhold authority to vote for one or more of the nominees will result in those nominees receiving fewer votes but will not count as votes against the nominee.
The Board of Directors has implemented a director resignation policy under the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines. The director resignation policy requires each nominee to the Board of Directors, prior to any election of directors, to submit a conditional resignation to the Board of Directors in connection with such nominee’s nomination. In the event a nominee fails to receive the vote of at least a majority of the votes cast, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will make a recommendation to the Board whether to accept or reject the tendered conditional resignation. The Board of Directors must act on the tendered resignation, taking into account the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee’s recommendation, within 90ninety (90) days from the date of the certification of the election results. The Board shall promptly disclose its decision regarding the tendered resignation by furnishing a Current Report on Form 8-K to the SEC, including its rationale for accepting or rejecting the tendered resignation. In making their recommendation and decision, the Nominating and Governance Committee and Board may consider the following factors or other information that it considers appropriate and relevant: (i) the stated reasons, if any, why shareholders withheld their votes,votes; (ii) possible alternativealternatives for curing the underlying cause of the withheld votes,votes; (iii) the director’s qualifications in light of the overall composition of the Board,Board; (iv) the director’s past and expected future contributions to the Company,Company; (v) potential adverse consequences of accepting the resignation, including failure to comply with any applicable rule or regulationregulation; and (vi) the best interests of the Company and its shareholders. If the Board accepts a director’s tendered resignation, the Board, in its sole discretion, may fill any resulting vacancy or decrease the size of the Board, pursuant to the Bylaws of the Company. If a director’s resignation is not accepted by the Board, such director will continue to serve in accordance with existing Company regulations. Any director whose tendered resignation is being considered shall not participate in the deliberations conducted by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee or the Board.
The Board of Directors recommends that you vote FOR the election of the nominated directors.


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The following information is furnished with respect to the persons nominated by the Board of Directors of the Company for election as directors and with respect to the continuing directors.

Nominees

Terry L. Dunlap, age 59,62, has served on the Board of Directors since February 2015. Mr. Dunlap currently serves as the principal of Sweetwater LLC, a consulting and investing firm with a focus on manufacturingmanufacturing. Mr. Dunlap served as the Interim Chief Executive Officer and technology.President of TimkenSteel Corporation, a specialty steel producer, from October 2019 to December 2020. Prior thereto, Mr. Dunlap spent 31 years with Allegheny Technologies, where he served as Executive Vice President, Flat-Rolled Products from May 2011 until his retirement in December 2014, President, ATI Allegheny Ludlum from 2002 to 2014, and Group President, ATI Flat-Rolled Products from 2008 to May 2011. Mr. Dunlap’s experience and knowledge in the global manufacturing industry are valuable resources to the Board of Directors.Company's Board. Mr. Dunlap received a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and attended the Loyola University of Chicago MBA program. Mr. Dunlap is a member of the Audit, Nominating andCompensation, Corporate Governance, and Special Committees of the Board. Mr. Dunlap serves on the Boardboard of Directors and Audit Committeedirectors of TimkenSteel Corp., a specialty steel producer, and is a director and Chairman of the Compensation Committee of Elliot Group/EBARA Corp.,Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation, a global producer of turbomachinery, compressorsforged and turbines.cast engineered products. He also serves as a board member for the Vice President of theFoundation for Indiana University of Pennsylvania Foundation Board and as Vice President of the Lauri Ann West Community Center Board.(FIUP).

Alvaro Garcia-Tunon, age 66,69, has served on the Board of Directors since October 2009. Mr. Garcia-Tunon retired as the Chief Financial Officer of Wabtec Corporation, (“Wabtec”), a provider of products and services for the global rail industry, effective January 1, 2014. He continued to work with Wabtec as a strategic advisor through December 2017. Mr. Garcia-Tunon was named Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Wabtec in February 2012. Prior to that, he was Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of Wabtec since December 2010. Prior thereto, he served as Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Secretary of Wabtec since 2003. Having served as the Chief Financial Officer of a public company with global operations, Mr. Garcia-Tunon has leadership skills in international business, corporate governance and risk management. As a Certified Public Accountant, he also provides the Board and the Audit Committee, of which he is a Chairman, the strong financial and accounting skills required to be considered a financial expert. Mr. Garcia-Tunon is also Chairman of the Special Committee and is a member of the Executive and Compensation Committees. Mr. Garcia-Tunon currently is serving on the Boardboard of Directors of MSA Safety, Inc., a global leader in the development, manufacturedirectors,audit committee and supply of safety products that protect people and facility infrastructures, since 2012, and serves on the Audit, Legal and Finance Committees of that Board. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors and Audit Committeefinance committee of Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc., a global provider of commercial-duty automatic transmissions and hybrid propulsion systems. Mr. Garcia-Tunon is a board member of the William and Mary Law School foundation and Senator John Heinz History Center, where he serves as its Treasurer. Mr. Garcia-Tunon graduated from the College of William and Mary with a Juris Doctor degree and is a graduate of the University of Virginia with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce and Accounting.
John D. Turner, age 72, has served as a director of the Company since 1999. Mr. Turner retired as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Copperweld Corporation, a manufacturer of tubular and bimetallic wire products, in 2003, where he had served as Chief Executive Officer since 1988. Mr. Turner’s experience, knowledge and expertise as an executive in the metal manufacturing industry are valuable resources to the Company. During his tenure as a director, Mr. Turner has also served or participated on each of the Committees of the Board, providing him with the experience and perspective of the Board’s decision making process in all areas of the Company’s operations. Mr. Turner also has experience as a director for several large public companies. Mr. Turner serves as Chairman of the Executive Committee. Mr. Turner received a Bachelor's Degree in Biology from Colgate University. He currently also serves on the Board of Directors of Allegheny Technologies Incorporated, a position he has held since February 2004, and is the chairman of the Technology Committee of that Board.

Jerry R. Whitaker, age 68,71, has served on the Board of Directors of the Company since July 2011. Mr. Whitaker was President of Electrical Sector-Americas, Eaton Corporation, a global manufacturer of highly engineered products, until his retirement in June 2011. Prior thereto, he served in various management positions at Eaton Corporation since 1994. Prior to joining Eaton Corporation, Mr. Whitaker spent 22 years with Westinghouse Electric Corporation. Mr. Whitaker’s experience and knowledge as an executive in global manufacturing industries and acquisition integration are valuable resources to the Company. Mr. Whitaker is the Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and a member of the FinanceAudit and Executive Committees.Committees of the Company. Mr. Whitaker received a Bachelor of Science degree from Syracuse University and a Masters in Business Administration from George Washington University. He currently serves as a director on the boards of Crescent Electric Company, an independent distributor of electrical hardware and supplies, where he is a member of the Audit Committee and Chairman of the Compensation Committee, The Milliken Company, a privately-held diversified industrial company, where he is a member of the Compensation Committeecompensation committee and serves as Chairmanchairman of the Audit Committee,audit committee, and Sealed Air Corporation, a global leader in packaging, food safety and hygiene, where he serves as Chairmanchairman of the Board of Directors. He is also on the advisory board for Universal Electric Company, a manufacturer of customizable power distribution systems. Mr. Whitaker also serves on the Advisory Boardadvisory board of the School of Engineering at Syracuse University.

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Continuing Directors

Joseph C. Bartolacci, age 58,61, was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Company in 2006, and has served on the Board of Directors since 2005. Prior to his appointment as Chief Executive Officer, he was President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company since 2005. Prior thereto, he held various positions within Matthews, including President, Casket Division; Executive Vice President of Matthews; President, Matthews Europe; President, Caggiati, S.p.A. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Matthews) and General Counsel of Matthews. Mr. Bartolacci provides management’s perspective in Board decisions about the business and strategic direction of the Company. He has first-handfirsthand operating experience in many of the Company’s diverse global businesses and brings a well-developed understanding of the industries in which the Company operates, as well as the opportunities within those industries to drive shareholder value. Mr. Bartolacci received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Saint Vincent College and a Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh. Mr. Bartolacci serves on the Special Committee of the Board. He also serves on the Company’s Pension Board the Board of the Jas. H. Matthews & Co. Educational and Charitable Trust, and on the boards of various subsidiaries of Matthews. Other than the Company, Mr. Bartolacci serves on the board of one publicly-traded company. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Federated Investors,Hermes, a global investment management company. Mr. Bartolacci is also a member of the Board of Directors of Saint Vincent Collegecompany and the Carnegie Science Center.publicly-traded company.

Gregory S. Babe, age 61,64, has served on the Board of Directors since November 2010. Mr. Babe has served as the Company’s Chief Technology Officer since November 2015, and prior to that served as the Company’s Executive Vice President, Global Information Technology and Integration starting in November 2014. Mr. Babe also serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Liquid X Printed Metals, Inc., a Carnegie Mellon University spin out. From July 2012 to June 2013, Mr. Babe served as Chief Executive Officer of Orbital Engineering, Inc., a privately held engineering services company. Mr. Babe retired as President and Chief Executive Officer of Bayer Corporation and Bayer MaterialScience LLC in June 2012. Mr. Babe was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of Bayer Corporation and Senior Bayer Representative for the United States and Canada in October 2008. Mr. Babe was responsible for the North American activities of the worldwide Bayer Group, an international health care, nutrition and high-tech materials group based in Leverkusen, Germany. In addition, he held the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of Bayer MaterialScience LLC, a producer of polymers and high-performance plastics in North America, from July 2004 until June 2012. Mr. Babe is considered well-qualified to serve on the Company’s Board of Directors based on his experience as a Chief Executive Officer of a multinational manufacturing company. He possesses a strong background in manufacturing and regulatory and government affairs. Mr. Babe is a member of the

Finance and Special Committees. He serves on the Boardboard of the Benedum Foundation, where he is a member of the Investment Committee.investment committee. Mr. Babe holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from West Virginia University.

Katherine E. Dietze, age 61,64, has served on the Board of Directors of the Company since July 2008. Ms. Dietze was Global Chief Operating Officer, Investment Banking Division of Credit Suisse First Boston, a financial services company, until her retirement in 2005. She had also held the position of Managing Director, Investment Banking. Prior to joining Credit Suisse First Boston, Ms. Dietze was a Managing Director for Salomon Brothers Inc., a financial services company. Ms. Dietze brings a strong background in global investment and financial matters. With her background in investment banking, Ms. Dietze provides a unique and valuable perspective on global financial markets, investments and financial transactions. Ms. Dietze received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brown University and graduated from Columbia University with a Masters in Business Administration in Finance and Marketing. Ms. Dietze serves as Chairperson of the Finance Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee. She is also a director and Chairpersonchairperson of the Audit Committee and a member of the Governance Committeeaudit committee of Cowen Group, Inc., a financial services firm. She previously served as Chairpersonchairperson of the Audit Committeeaudit committee and member of both the Governancegovernance and Compensation Committeescompensation committees for LaBranche, LLC, a financial services firm purchased by the Cowen Group in June 2011. InMs. Dietze served as a Trustee on the Liberty Property Trust board from January, 2011 Ms. Dietzeto March, 2020.
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Lillian D. Etzkorn, age 52, was electedappointed to the Board of TrusteesDirectors on October 1, 2020. Ms. Etzkorn currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Covia Corporation, a provider of Liberty Property Trust,high-quality minerals and material solutions for the industrial and energy markets, since October 2021. Ms. Etzkorn previously served as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Shiloh Industries, Inc. from July 2018 to October 2021. Prior thereto, Ms. Etzkorn served as Chief Financial Officer for CPI Card Group, and was the Vice President, Treasurer of Dana Inc. from September 2011 to January 2017. Ms. Etzkorn’s strong leadership skills and financial acumen are important assets to Matthews. She holds a real estate investment trust, where she currently is a memberBachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Eastern Michigan University and an MBA from the Audit and ChairpersonUniversity of the Governance Committees.Michigan.

Morgan K. O’Brien, age 58,61, has served on the Board of Directors of the Company since July 2011. Mr. O’Brien has served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Peoples Natural Gas Company LLC, a utility serving the southwestern Pennsylvania market, sincefrom February 2010.2010 until March 16, 2020. Prior thereto, Mr. O’Brien served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Duquesne Light Holdings, an electric utility company serving western Pennsylvania, since 2001. He held various senior executive positions at Duquesne Light Holdings since 1991. Prior to joining Duquesne Light Holdings, Mr. O’Brien served in various management positions at PNC Bank and at major accounting firms. AsHaving served as a current Chief Executive Officer and with more than 10 years experience in that role, Mr. O’Brien brings significant leadership skills to the Board of Directors. With his experience in the areas of accounting and taxation, he also provides the Board and the Audit Committee, of which he is a member, with strong financial skills. Mr. O’Brien is also Chairman of the Compensation Committee and is a member of the Executive Committee. Mr. O’Brien received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Masters degree in taxation from Robert Morris University. Mr. O’Brien serves on the Boardboard of Directors of Peoples Natural Gas Company LLC, HFF, Inc. and on the Board of Trusteestrustees of Robert Morris University. He also serves on the boards of several civic and charitable organizations in westernWestern Pennsylvania.

Don W. Quigley, Jr., age 63,66, has served on the Board of Directors of the Company since September 2015. Mr. Quigley is currently a Senior Advisor for the Boston Consulting Group, a global management consulting firm. Mr. Quigley served as President of U.S. Sales of Mondelez International, Inc., a global provider of snack food and beverage products to consumers from 2012 until his retirement in March 2015. Prior thereto, he served as President, Global Consumer Sales of Kimberly-Clark Corporation from 2004 to 2012, and Vice President of Sales for PepsiCo from 1998 to 2004. Mr. Quigley’s experience and knowledge as a senior sales and marketing executive at consumer products companies is a valuable resource to the Company. Mr. Quigley is a member of the Compensation and Finance Committees. Mr. Quigley received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from the Kelley School at Indiana University. He currently serves on the Boardboard of Directorsdirectors of Gold Eagle Company, a family-owned provider of automotive fluids and additives.

David A. Schawk, age 63, was named66, has served on the Board of Directors of the Company since the Company's acquisition of Schawk Inc. ("Schawk") on July 29, 2014. Effective November 1, 2019, Mr. Schawk retired from his role as Group President, SGK Brand Solutions and elected toas an officer of the Company’s Board of Directors effective upon the Company’s acquisition of Schawk onCompany, which he held from July 29, 2014. Mr. Schawk previously served as Schawk’s Chief Executive Officer from July 2012,since 1992, and Chief Executive Officer and President for more than five years prior thereto. He also served on the Schawk Board of Directors since 1992. Mr. Schawk is considered well-qualified to serve on the Company’s Board of Directors based on his experience as a Chief Executive Officer and director of a multinational brand development and brand management company. Mr. Schawk received a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Business Relations from DePaul University.

13


The term for each nominee and director is listed below:


Nominees:
Term to expire at Annual
Meeting of Shareholders in:
Terry L. Dunlap20222025
Alvaro Garcia-Tunon2022
John D. Turner20222025
Jerry R. Whitaker20222025
Continuing Directors:
Gregory S. Babe20202023
Don W. Quigley, Jr.20202023
David A. Schawk20202023
Joseph C. Bartolacci20212024
Katherine E. Dietze20212024
Lillian D. Etzkorn2024
Morgan K. O’Brien20212024


































14


PROPOSAL 2

APPROVAL OF THE ADOPTION OF THE
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2017 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

On November 17, 2021 (the “Adoption Date”), the Board approved, subject to shareholder approval, the adoption of the Company’s Amended and Restated 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Restated Plan”). If the Restated Plan is approved by our shareholders, it will authorize the issuance of 1,750,000 additional shares of the Company’s Common Stock. Following such approval, the aggregate number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock authorized for issuance under the Restated Plan would increase to 3,450,000. The Restated Plan will amend and restate the Matthews International Corporation 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Initial Plan”).

The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast in person or by proxy at a meeting held prior to the anniversary of the Adoption Date in which the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of the Company’s Common Stock are present (in person or by proxy) and voting is required for approval of adoption of the Restated Plan. If the shareholders of the Company do not approve the Restated Plan as proposed in this proxy statement, the Restated Plan will not be used by the Company.

The Restated Plan is being adopted to maintain alignment of executive compensation with shareholder interests and maintain a sufficient share reserve to facilitate equity grants as determined by the Compensation Committee. Through the various awards under the Restated Plan, employees may acquire shares based on the achievement of certain goals.

In order to determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be authorized under the Restated Plan, the Compensation Committee and the Board considered the needs by the Company for the shares and the potential dilution that awarding the requested shares may have on the existing shareholders. As set forth in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the Compensation Committee consulted Pay Governance LLC as an independent compensation advisor to assist in this regard. The compensation advisor examined a number of factors, including the Company’s burn rate and an overhang analysis, which the Compensation Committee considered. As a result, the Compensation Committee recommended to the Board that 1,750,000 additional shares be authorized under the Restated Plan.

As of December 31, 2021, approximately 776,472 shares of Common Stock remained available for future grant under the share counting provisions of the Initial Plan. Pursuant to the terms of the Initial Plan the shares remaining available for future grant do not give effect to shares subject to outstanding performance unit awards. Under the Restated Plan, performance unit awards are included in share counting upon grant, assuming the performance goals are satisfied (and will be adjusted at the end of the performance period based on the actual number of shares issued). If the share counting terms under the Restated Plan were in effect as of December 31, 2021, only approximately 8,887 shares would have remained available for future grant.

Initial Plan share authorization1,700,000 
Common stock issued(211,788)
Outstanding time-based restricted awards(711,740)
Shares available for issuance under the Initial Plan (1)
776,472 
Outstanding performance-based restricted awards (at target)(767,585)
Shares available for issuance under the Restated Plan (2)
8,887 
(1)    Share counting provisions under the Initial Plan do not count shares subject to performance unit awards until the time of vesting.
(2)    Share counting provisions under the Restated Plan count performance unit awards at target level performance at time of grant.
15


In addition to the shares available for grant as of December 31, 2021, shares subject to any award that is forfeited, or any option or stock appreciation right, or SARs, that expires or lapses without being exercised, or any award that is settled for cash, in each case whether issued under the Initial Plan or the Restated Plan will become available for future grant. The Board is seeking shareholder approval for the Restated Plan and the pool of shares available under the Restated Plan, which it expects is sufficient for approximately five years of awards based upon the historic rates of awards by the Compensation Committee under the predecessor plans.

The Compensation Committee and the Board also considered the burn rate with respect to Company equity awards. The burn rate is the total equity awards granted by the Company in a fiscal year divided by the total Common Stock outstanding at the beginning of the year.

In fiscal 2019, DIRECTOR FEE PLAN2020 and 2021, the Company made the following equity awards:

Fiscal Year
Number of Full-Value Shares Granted to Employees
(A)
Number of Full-Value Shares Granted to Non-Employee Directors
(B)
Total Number of Full-Value Shares Granted
(A+B)
Total Number of Stock Options Granted
(C)
2021499,05030,429529,47975,000
2020303,66045,112348,772-
2019262,20023,037285,237-

Using the ISS Proxy Advisory Services methodology for calculating burn rate, which applies a multiplier of 2.0 to any full value awards (such as restricted shares and performance restricted shares for which the participant does not pay for the shares) granted by the Company, the Company’s three-year average (ISS adjusted) burn rate for equity grants made in fiscal 2019, 2020 and 2021 was 2.54%, which was below the Commercial & Professional Services (GICS 2020) industry benchmark of 3.57%, based on the Company’s industry group and volatility. If the burn rate was not adjusted in accordance with ISS policy, the burn rate would decrease to 1.31%. The Compensation Committee and the Board were satisfied that the Company’s burn rate over the past three years was an acceptable level and well below limits established by ISS.

An additional metric that the Compensation Committee and the Board used to measure the cumulative dilutive impact of the equity program is overhang. Overhang is defined as:
outstanding stock options, plus
outstanding full value awards, plus
deferred full value awards under the Company's director fee plans, plus
the number of shares available of future grant under the Company's 2019 Director Fee Plan and the proposed Restated Plan (including the remaining shares available under the Initial Plan),
collectively divided by the total outstanding shares of Common Stock as of the record dates.

As of December 31, 2021, the record date for shareholders entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, the Company had 75,000 outstanding stock options (with a weighted average exercise price of $41.70 and weighted average remaining term of 4.3 years), 1,404,325 restricted share units (issuable as full value shares upon settlement of such restricted share units) under the Initial Plan; plus no outstanding stock options, 15,966 deferred share units (issuable as full value shares upon settlement of such deferred share units), 74,639 restricted share units (issuable as full value shares upon settlement of such restricted share units), and 42,038 shares available for future grant under the Company’s 2019 Director Plan; plus no outstanding stock options, 12,761 deferred share units (issuable as full value shares upon settlement of such deferred share units), and no shares available for future grant under the Company’s Amended and
16


Restated 2014 Director Plan; plus no outstanding stock options, 10,104 deferred share units (issuable as full value shares upon settlement of such deferred share units), and no shares available for future grant under the Company’s 1994 Director Fee Plan; plus 1,758,887 shares available for future grant under the proposed Restated Plan. As of that date, the Company had 31,550,416 outstanding shares of Common Stock. This results in an overhang of 10.8%.

The need for and value of such long-term equity grants within the Company’s overall compensation structure is also discussed in the “Long Term Incentive Compensation” section in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis.

Shareholder approval of the Restated Plan will also enable the Company to grant awards under the Restated Plan that are designed to qualify for special tax treatment under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

Key Features

The following features of the Restated Plan will continue to protect the interests of our shareholders:
No liberal share counting.The Restated Plan prohibits the Company from re-using shares that are tendered or surrendered to pay the exercise cost or tax obligation of grants (such a practice is an example of a “liberal share counting” provision that is disfavored by many institutional investors). The only shares that are re-used in the Restated Plan are for awards that have been canceled, forfeited, expired or for awards settled in cash.
Limitation on terms of stock options and stock appreciation rights.The maximum term of each stock option and SARs is ten years.
No repricing or grant of discounted stock options.The Restated Plan does not permit the repricing of options or stock appreciation rights either by amending an existing award or by substituting a new award at a lower price unless such action is approved by the Company’s shareholders. The Restated Plan prohibits the granting of stock options or stock appreciation rights with an exercise price less than the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date of grant.
Clawback.Awards granted under the Restated Plan are subject to recovery or clawback in the event the participant engages in certain proscribed activities.
Minimum Vesting Requirement. The Restated Plan generally provides for a minimum vesting requirement of not less than one year for all award types and three years for restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units and certain other stock-based awards.
Dividends.We do not pay dividends or dividend equivalents on stock options, stock appreciation rights or unearned performance shares subject to vesting requirements or the achievement of performance criteria before such award has become earned and payable.

Description of Equity Incentive Plan

The full text of the 2019 Director FeeRestated Plan (the “2019 Plan”) is set forth as Exhibit A to this Proxy Statement. The following description of the 2019Restated Plan is qualified in its entirety by reference to Exhibit A.

The 2019 Plan in
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General. The purposes of the 2019Restated Plan are to provideencourage eligible non-employee directors of the Company with a fee arrangement that is not only competitive with those at corporations similar to the Company but which increases the identification of interests between the non-employee directors and the shareholdersemployees of the Company and its subsidiaries to increase their efforts to make the Company and each subsidiary more successful, to provide an additional inducement for such employees to remain with the Company or a subsidiary, to reward such employees by providing an opportunity to acquire shares of the Company’s Class A Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share, on favorable terms and to provide a programmeans through which is suitable for the recruitment and retention of capable peopleCompany may attract able persons to serve as non-employee directorsenter the employ of the Company.  AsCompany or one of December 31, 2018, there were seven (7) such directors. Directors whoits subsidiaries. The eligible employees are those employees of the Company are not separately compensatedor any subsidiary who share responsibility for servicethe management, growth or protection of the business of the Company or any subsidiary, as a director.determined by the Committee. As of September 30, 2021, there were approximately 11,000 employees in the Company.

The totalUnder the Restated Plan, the maximum number of shares available for grants or awards is an aggregate of 3,450,000 shares, including 1,700,000 shares that were reserved for issuance under the Initial Plan. Restated Plan also includes a fixed sub-limit for the granting of incentive stock options. In general, without further shareholder approval, the maximum number of shares for which incentive stock options may be granted is 1,000,000 shares.

The Restated Plan provides for (i) the grant of incentive stock options under Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code, (ii) the grant of nonstatutory stock options, (iii) the grant of stock appreciation rights, either granted in conjunction with stock options (i.e., tandem stock appreciation rights) or not in conjunction with options (i.e., freestanding stock appreciation rights), (iv) restricted share awards, (v) restricted stock units, (vi) performance units and (vii) other stock based awards. Although the Restated Plan permits the grant of incentive stock options, the Company has not granted incentive stock options under the Initial Plan or its prior equity incentive plans.

The maximum number of shares as to which awards other than performance units or “other stock-based awards” may be issuedmade under the 2019Restated Plan to any one employee in any one calendar year is 250,000 shares. The maximum value of the property, including cash, that may be paid or crediteddistributed to any participant pursuant to a deferred stock compensation account for subsequent issuancegrant of performance units in any one calendar year is 150,000 shares$5,000,000, and the maximum value of Common Stock. This total will be adjusted upon certain events such as a stock dividend on, or stock split of, the Common Stock. The shares whichStock and other property, including cash, that may be issued under the 2019 Plan may be either authorized but unissued sharespaid or shares previously issued and thereafter acquired by the Company, or a combinationdistributed to any participant with respect to “other stock based awards” in any one calendar year is also $5,000,000.

Share Counting. For purposes of each. On December 31, 2018, the fair market value of a share of the Company’s Common Stock was $40.62.

Notwithstanding the limit on the number of shares of stock which may be issuedavailable under the 2019Restated Plan during any calendar yearand available for the maximum aggregate fair market valuesub-limit on incentive stock options (but not for the individual limit on shares that can be granted), each share of Common Stock which is subject to an award other than a stock option or a stock appreciation right is counted as one share, except that mayin case of performance units, one share shall be madecounted for each performance unit subject to an award, assuming the applicable performance goals are satisfied at target levels (as described in the applicable award agreement) (the “Target Level”), provided, however, that upon issuance of shares pursuant to the performance unit award, (x) if greater than 100% of the performance goals are satisfied, one additional share shall be counted for each share actually issued in excess of the number of shares that would have been issued at Target Level and (y) if less than 100% of the performance goals are satisfied, such number of shares shall be forfeited equal to the difference between (a) the number of shares that would have been issued at 100% of Target Level and (b) the number of shares actually issued, and become eligible for reissuance under the 2019 Plan to a director may not exceed $400,000 during such calendar year. In addition, during a calendar yearRestated Plan.

Except in the maximum aggregate fees paid under the 2019 Plan to a director and the fair market valuecase of equityperformance unit awards issued under the 2019 Plan shall not exceed $600,000 during such calendar year.
The Board of Directors of the Company will have full power and authority to administer the 2019 Plan. The Board may delegate some or all of those rights(which are described above), to the Nominatingextent that any award is forfeited, or any option and Corporate Governance Committee or other committees of the Board. The Board of Directors also has, subject to certain limitations, the right to amend or terminate the 2019 Plan.

The 2019 Plan provides that the Board or by any committee of the Board which the Board authorizes to determine such amounts may determine the amount of any annual fees paid to directors (“Director Fees”).  The 2019 Plan also provides that the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Company (or another committee of the Board designated to act for these matters) (the “Governance Committee”) may determine that Director Fees can be paid in cash or in Common Stock of the Company, with the default election being the payment of the Director Fees in shares of the Company’s Common Stock. Notwithstanding the Governance Committee’s determination to pay Director Fees in cash, a director may elect to receive the Director Fee in Common Stock or defer the payment of Director Fees into a deferred stock compensation account.

The 2019 Plan also permits the Board (or a committee of the Board which the Board authorizes to make such determinations) to determine the amount, if any, of fees paid to non-employee directors (other than a non-employee director who serves as Chairman of the Board) for attendance at Board meetings, committee meetings and shareholders’ meetings (“Meeting Fees”). Upon inception, the Board intends that each non-employee director will not receive Meeting Fees for Board, committee and shareholders’ meetings attended

The 2019 Plan also presently permits the grant of stock options,tandem stock appreciation rights, restricted shares and restricted stock units (“RSUs”). The 2019 Plan provides that each director will receive an annual grant of non-statutory stock options,right (if any) or any free-standing stock appreciation rights, restricted shares,right terminates, expires or RSUs with such value determined bylapses without being exercised, or any award is settled for cash, the Board or by any committee of the Board which the Board authorizes to determine such amounts. The precise awards to be granted and their valuation will be determined by the Governance Committee (subject to the limitations set forth in the 2019 Plan). For 2018, each director received a grant of restricted shares with a total value of $125,000 under the Company’s Amended and Restated 2014 Director Fee Plan (the “2014 Plan”).

The term of the 2019 Plan runs until March 31, 2024.
The 2019 Plan also permits a director to name a death beneficiary with respect to the director’s deferred stock compensation account, provides for hardship withdrawals, and allows a director to make subsequent elections to further delay payments under a previous deferral made by the director.

Director Fees. Under the 2019 Plan, each eligible non-employee director will receive a Director Fee in such amounts determined by the Board or by any committee of the Board which the Board authorizes to determine such amounts. The 2019 Plan provides that the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Company (or another committee of the Board designated to act for these matters) (the “Governance Committee”) may determine that Director Fees can be paid in cash or in Common Stock of the Company, with the default election being the payment of the Director Fees in shares of the Company’s Common Stock. Notwithstanding the Governance Committee’s determination to pay Director Fees in cash, a director may elect to receive the Director Fee in Common Stock or defer the payment of Director Fees into a deferred stock compensation account.

Director Fees will be paid or credited fifteen (15) business days after the annual meeting of the shareholders, for each non-employee director as of that payment or crediting date. Director Fees for the retainer of a committee chairperson will be paid on the fifteenth (15th) business day after a director’s annual election or re-election as a Committee chairperson. Director Fees will thereby be paid or credited in advance and are not subject to proration or refund in the event that a director receiving such fees should die or resign prior to the next annual meeting of the shareholders.
The 2019 Plan also permits the Board (or a committee of the Board which the Board authorizes to make such determinations) to determine the amount, if any, of Meeting Fees paid to non-employee directors (other than a non-employee director who serves as Chairman of the Board) for attendance at Board meetings, committee meetings and shareholders’ meetings. Upon inception, the Board intends that each non-employee director will not receive Meeting Fees for Board, committee and shareholders’ meetings attended, and each Committee chairperson will receive an annual Director Fee, described above. Under the 2019 Plan, the Board has the authority to increase or decrease the amount of the annual Director Fee or and Meeting Fees.

Deferrals. A director may elect to defer receipt of his or her annual Director Fees, Meeting Fees or restricted stock award grant if made by filing a notice of election with the Company. The amount of any Director Fees, Meeting Fees or restricted shares elected to be deferred in accordance with a deferral election for a calendar year will be credited, in the form of shares of deferred stock units (“DSUs”), to a deferred stock compensation account maintained only on the books of the Company. DSUs represent the right to receive an equivalent number of shares of Common Stock subject to such awards will again be available for awards under the terms of the 2019Restated Plan. On each payment date for Director Fees or Meeting Fees for which a proper deferral election is effective for a participant or on which DSUs are to be credited pursuant to a proper deferral election, the Director's deferred stock compensation account(s) will be credited on the payment date with the number of DSUs (including fractional shares to at least two decimal places) (i) equal to that number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock that otherwise would have been payable to the participant on such payment date where the Director Fees had been payable to the

Director inHowever, shares of Common Stock subject to such awards will continue to be counted for purposes of the individual limits on shares that can be granted.

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If the exercise price of any stock option and/or (ii) equalthe tax withholding obligations relating to any awards are satisfied by delivering shares or withholding shares relating to such award, the gross number of shares subject to the award will nonetheless be deemed to have been granted for purposes of the Restated Plan and any shares which are delivered back to the Company will not be added to the aggregate amountnumber of all Director Fees or Meeting Fees subject to such deferral election otherwise payable during such calendar year to such participant in cash divided byshares for which awards may be made under the fair market value of one share of the Company’s Common Stock on such payment date. No shares of DSUs or other assets shall be set aside until shares of DSUs actually become payable to a director or his beneficiary. No person shall have voting rights with respect to shares of DSUs credited to a deferred stock compensation account.
Payment ofRestated Plan. If shares of Common Stock underare issued upon the exercise of a DSU creditedstock appreciation right, all shares subject to the stock appreciation right are counted regardless of the number of shares issued upon exercise. Additionally, if any shares of Common Stock are repurchased on the open market with the proceeds of a director’s deferred stock compensation accountoption exercise, each such repurchased share of Common Stock is deemed to have been granted for purposes of the Restated Plan and any year wouldshares of Common Stock so repurchased will not be added to the aggregate number of shares for which Awards may be made either inunder the Restated Plan.

Administration. The Restated Plan will be administered by a lump sum or in installments according to the deferral election. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a director is permitted to further defer the receipt of payments from his or her deferred stock compensation account by making a further deferral election at least twelve months prior to the date on which payments would have otherwise commenced, and by deferring for at least five years from the date payments would have otherwise commenced. Further, a director may file a notice with the Company pursuant to which the director would be paid amounts credited to his or her deferred stock compensation account after the effective date of such notice upon the occurrence of certain changes in control at the Company as described in the 2019 Plan.
Upon the death of a director, payment would be made to the beneficiary designated by the director or to the estate of the director. Advance payment of deferred amounts may be permittedCommittee appointed by the Board only toof Directors. At present, this is the extent necessary to avoid severe financial hardship resulting from an unanticipated financial emergency beyond the controlCompensation Committee. None of the director or his or her beneficiary.

Under the 2019 Plan, any deferral election will be valid only if technical timing rules have been met.

Dividend Equivalent Rights. If the Board declares a dividend on the Company’s Common Stock in cash or property other than Common Stock at a time when DSUsmembers of such Committee are outstanding in an deferred stock account, then on the date the dividend is paid the Company shall, based on each participant’s election in effect at the time, either (i) pay directlyeligible to the participant an amount in cash or property other than Common Stock, as the case may be, or (ii) increase the number of DSUs credited to the director’s deferred stock account by an amount, determined in accordance with a formula. Under the formula, the additional number of DSUs to be credited to the participant’s account, or paid in cash, based on the participant’s election then in effect, is equal to (A x B)/C)-D, where
A = the number of DSUsparticipate in the Director’s deferred stock account;
B = the per share amount of the dividend;
C = the average of the high and low per share selling prices of the Corporation’s Common Stock on the payment date of such dividend;
D = the taxes, if any, required to be withheld on such amount, including but not limited to any taxes required to be withheld due to the characterization of such amounts as wages or compensation.

Restated Plan.
Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock and RSUs. The 2019 Plan provides for the grant of non-statutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted share awards and RSUs.

Administration.Subject to the provisions of the 2019Restated Plan, the Governance Committee has full and final authority, in its discretion, to grant non-statutory stock options and stock appreciation rights,make awards under the Restated Plan, and to make restricted share awardsdetermine the employees to whom each award is made and RSUs under the 2019 Plan,number of shares covered thereby. In determining the eligibility of any employee, as well as in such amount determineddetermining the number of shares covered by each award, the Board or by any committeeCommittee considers the position and responsibilities of the Board whichemployee being considered, the Board authorizesnature and value to determine such amount (subject limitations set forth in the 2019 Plan). Grants and awards will be made effective asCompany or a subsidiary of his or her services, his or her present and/or potential contribution to the success of the same dateCompany or a subsidiary and such other factors as Director Fees are paid after the annual meeting. Under the 2019 Plan, the Board has the authority to increase or decrease the value of the grants and awards to be made; the Governance Committee has the sole discretion to determine whether the grants and awards should be stock options, stock appreciation rights or restricted shares or partly of each.may deem relevant.

The Board and the Governance Committee havealso has the power to interpret the 2019Restated Plan and to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures in connection with the operations of the 2019Restated Plan as they deemit deems necessary and advisable in theirits administration of the 2019Restated Plan.

Terms of Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. The option price for each stock option may not be less than 100% of the fair market value of the Company’s Common Stock on the date of the grant of the stock option.option except that, in the case of an incentive stock option granted to an employee who owns actually or constructively pursuant to the rules contained in Section 424(d) of the Internal Revenue Code more than 10% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or any subsidiary (a “Ten Percent Employee”), the option price may not be less than 110% of such fair market value. Fair market value of the Common Stock for all purposes under the 2019Restated Plan is the mean between the publicly reported highest and lowest sales prices per share of Class A Common Stock of the Company as quoted on the Nasdaq Exchange on the date as of which fair market value is determined. As of December 31, 2021, the fair market value of the Common Stock of the Company as determined by the above-stated formula was $36.63 per share.

Except in certain cases (principally certain change in control events) and as the Governance Committee may otherwise determine, noNo stock option may be exercised prior to two years from the date of grant or after the expiration of ten years from the date of grant.grant (five years in the case of an incentive stock option granted to a Ten Percent Employee). Unless the Governance Committee, in its discretion, otherwise determines, an exercisable stock option may be exercised in whole or in part. Otherwise stock options may be exercised at such times, in such amounts and subject to such restrictions as are determined in its discretion by the Governance Committee.

The option price for each stock option is payable in full in cash at the time of exercise; however, in lieu of cash the person exercising the stock option may, if authorized by the Governance Committee at the time of grant in the case of an incentive stock option or at any time in the case of a nonstatutory stock option, pay the option price in whole or in part by delivering to the Company shares of Common Stock having a fair market value on the date of exercise of the stock option equal to the option price for the shares being purchased, except that any portion of the option price representing a fraction of a share must be paid in cash.
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If the person exercising a stock option participates in a broker or other agent-sponsored exercise or financing program, the Company willmay cooperate with all reasonable procedures of the broker or other agent to permit participation by the person exercising the stock option in the exercise or financing program. But, in such a case,program, but the exercise of the stock option shall not be deemed to occur and no shares of the Common Stock will be issued until the Company has received full payment in cash for the option price from the broker or other agent.

The grant of stock appreciation rights provides the holder with the right, upon the exerciseaggregate fair market value (determined as of the time the incentive stock appreciation rights, to receive a numberoptions are granted) of the shares of Common Stock with respect to which incentive stock options are exercisable for the first time by a participant in the Restated Plan during any calendar year may not exceed $100,000. If the date on which any incentive stock options may first be exercised would be accelerated pursuant to any provision of the Restated Plan or any stock option agreement, or amendment thereto, and the acceleration of such exercise date would result in a violation of this $100,000 restriction, then, notwithstanding any such provision, but subject to the authorization provided for in the following sentence, the exercise dates of such incentive stock options will be accelerated only to the date or dates, if any, that do not result in a violation of the $100,000 restriction, and in such event the exercise dates of the incentive stock options with the lowest option prices would be accelerated to the earliest such dates. The Committee may, in its discretion, authorize the acceleration of the exercise date of one or more incentive stock options even if such acceleration would violate the $100,000 restriction and one or more incentive stock options would thereby be converted in whole or in part to nonstatutory stock options.

Stock Appreciation Rights. A stock appreciation right (“SAR”) entitles the holder to receive, on exercise, the excess of the fair market value equal toof the difference betweenCommon Stock on the exercise date over the SAR grant price. The Committee may grant SAR awards as stand-alone awards or in tandem with a related option award under the Restated Plan. The SAR grant price is set by the Committee and may not be less than the fair market value of the Common Stock on the date of the grant. Payment upon exercise will be in cash, shares of Common Stock, or both. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, any related option will no longer be exercisable to the extent a tandem SAR has been exercised, and the exercise of an option will cancel the stock appreciation rights andrelated tandem SAR.

Repricing Prohibited. The Restated Plan prohibits repricing of options or SARs without further shareholder approval. Repricing means the basegrant of a new option or SAR in return for the cancellation, exchange or forfeiture of an award that has a higher grant price than the new award, the amendment of an outstanding award to reduce the stock appreciation rightsgrant price, the cancellation or repurchase of an option or SAR at a time when granted (which may not be lessgrant price is greater than 100% of the fair market value of the Company’s Common Stock on the date of theor any action that would be treated, for accounting purposes, as a repricing. The grant of a substitute award under the stock appreciation rights)anti-dilution and anti-enlargement provisions explained under “Miscellaneous,” below, is not a repricing.

Other Terms of Options and SARS. The Governance Committee also has the right to pay cash upon the exercise of the stock appreciation rights in certain circumstances.

Unless the Governance Committee determines otherwise, the following provisions of the following sentencethis paragraph will apply in the event of any termination of employment, except that the third preceding paragraph will apply in any event if the exercise date of any incentive stock option is accelerated. If the employment of a grantee ceases to beparticipant who is not a directorDisabled Participant (as defined in the Restated Plan) is voluntarily terminated with the consent of the Company foror a subsidiary or a participant retires under any reason other than removal for cause or resignation without consentretirement plan of the Board. AnyCompany or a subsidiary (i) any then outstanding incentive stock option and stock appreciation right held by such grantee will vest and bethe participant is exercisable (but only to the extent the stock option was exercisable immediately prior to the termination of employment) at any time prior to the second anniversary of the date on which the grantee ceases to be a director or the expiration date of the stock option or within three months after the date of termination of employment, whichever is the shorter period, and (ii) any nonstatutory stock appreciation right,option or SAR held by the participant is exercisable (but only to the extent the stock option or SAR was exercisable immediately prior to the termination of employment of the participant) at any time prior to the expiration of the stock option or SAR or within one year after the date of termination of employment, whichever is the shorter period. UnlessIf the exercise period has been extended pursuant toemployment of any participant is voluntarily terminated with such
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consent and such termination occurs because the change in control provisions of the 2019 Plan, ifparticipant is a grantee is removed from office for cause or resigns without the consent of the Board,Disabled Participant, any then outstanding stock option and stock appreciation rightor SAR held by such grantee will terminate asthe participant is exercisable in full (whether or not so exercisable immediately prior to the termination of employment) at any time prior to the expiration of the closestock option or SAR or within one year after the date of business ontermination of employment, whichever is the last day on whichshorter period. In the granteeevent of the death of a participant during employment, any then outstanding stock option or SAR is exercisable in full (whether or not so exercisable immediately prior to the death of the participant) by the person or persons entitled to do so under the will of the participant or, if the participant shall fail to make testamentary disposition of the stock option or SAR or shall die intestate, by the legal representative of the participant, in either case at any time prior to the expiration of the stock option or SAR or within one year after the date of death, whichever is the shorter period. In the event of the death of a director.participant after termination of employment during a period when a stock option or SAR is exercisable, any outstanding stock option or SAR held by the participant at the time of death is exercisable by the person or persons entitled to do so under the will of the participant or by the legal representative of the participant (but only to the extent the stock option or SAR was exercisable immediately prior to the death of the participant) at any time prior to the expiration of the stock option or SAR within one year after the date of death, whichever is the shorter period.

If the employment of any participant terminates for any other reason, unless the exercise period of a stock option or SAR following termination of employment has been extended upon the occurrence of one or more of the events described under “Additional Rights in Certain Events” below, the rights of the participant under any then outstanding stock option or SAR terminate at the time of such termination of employment.

Unless the Governance Committee, in its discretion, otherwise determines, no stock option or stock appreciation rightSAR granted under the 2019Restated Plan is transferable other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, or to certain types of trusts. Aand a stock option or stock appreciation rightSAR may be exercised during a grantee’sparticipant’s lifetime only by the granteeparticipant. If the Committee determines that an award is transferable, it may do so only to the extent that such transfer is made without the payment of value or consideration to the trustee of such trust.participant.

Each grant of a stock option or stock appreciation rightSAR must be confirmed by an agreement between the Company and the granteeparticipant which sets forth the terms of the grant.stock option or SAR.

Performance Goals. The Committee may establish performance goals (“Performance Goals”) in connection with the grant of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units or “other stock-based awards.”

Restricted SharesStock. Restricted sharestock awards are actual shares of Common Stock issued to a participant subject to such restrictions (including restrictions on the right of the awardeeparticipant to sell, assign, transfer, pledge or otherwise encumber the shares awarded while such shares are subject to restrictions) as the Governance Committee may impose thereonthereon. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, the participant shall have, with respect to the shares of the restricted stock, all the rights of a shareholder of the Company, including the right to vote the shares and arereceive cash dividends, provided that such cash dividends will not be paid to such participant unless and until the shares of Common Stock subject to forfeiturethe restricted stock award become vested. Prior to the extent events (which may, in the discretion of the Governance Committee, include termination of service as a director and/or performance-based events) specified by the Governance Committee occur prior toat the time of restrictions lapse.
Each restricted share award must be confirmed by a restricted share agreement between the Company and the awardee, which sets forth the number of restricted shares awarded, the restrictions imposed thereon, the duration of such restrictions, events the occurrence of which would cause a forfeiture of the restricted shares, and such other terms and conditions asgrant, the Committee shall condition the award on the continued employment by the participant, Performance Goals as set by the Committee, or both. Except in its discretion deems appropriate.  the case of certain qualified performance-based awards, the Committee may modify or waive any restrictions it imposes.


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Following a restricted sharestock award and prior to the lapse of the applicable restrictions, atto the Company’s discretion, the Company may holdextent that share certificates representing the restricted shares in escrow, issue shareare issued, such certificates to the awardee withwill either bear a legend referring toreferencing the restrictions or issue the shares in book-entry form in the name of the awardee. Except in certain circumstances, the Governance Committee, in its discretion, may determine that dividends and other distributions on the restricted shares shall notwill be paid to the awardee until the lapse or termination of the applicable restrictions. Unless otherwise provided, in its discretion,held by the Governance Committee, any such dividends or other distributions shall not bear interest.Company in escrow. Upon the lapse of the applicable restrictions unlegended(and not before such time), any share certificates representing the restricted shares and unpaid dividends, if any, will be delivered to the awardee. From the date a restricted share award is effective, however, the awardeeparticipant, or any shares evidenced by book-entry will be a shareholder with respectmarked unrestricted. If the restrictions applicable to allthe restricted stock award are not satisfied within the applicable period, the shares subject to the award will be forfeited, any certificates returned to the Company and any book entries changed to evidence transfer of the shares to the Company.

Restricted Stock Unit Awards. Restricted stock units are awards denominated in shares of Common Stock that will be settled, subject to the terms and conditions of the restricted sharesstock units and will have allat the rightssole discretion of a shareholder with respect to the restricted shares, including the right to vote the restricted shares and to receive all dividends and other distributions paid with respect to the restricted shares, subject only to the preceding provisionsCommittee, in an amount of this paragraph and the restrictions imposed by the Governance Committee.

Restricted Stock Units (RSUs). RSUs represent an unsecured right of participants to receive future payment (in cash, shares of Common Stock, or a combination of both) equal toboth, based upon the fair market value of a specified number of shares of Common Stock. RSUs are subjectThe vesting of such units will be conditioned upon the continued service of the participant, the attainment of Performance Goals as set by the Committee, or both. Except in the case of certain qualified performance-based awards, the Committee may modify or waive any of the conditions applicable to such restrictions (including restrictionsrestricted stock units. Restricted stock units generally may not be transferred by a participant. Participants granted restricted stock units will not be entitled to any dividends payable on the right ofCommon Stock unless the awardee to sell, assign, transfer or encumber the shares awarded while such shares are subject to restrictions) as the Governance Committee may impose thereon and are subject to forfeitureagreement relating to the extent events (which may, in the discretion of the Governance Committee, include termination of service as a director and/or performance-based events) specified by the Governance Committee occur prior to the time of restrictions lapse.

Following a RSU award provides otherwise and prior to the lapse of the applicable restrictions, the participant may not sell, assign, transfer, pledge or otherwise encumber RSUs. Holders of RSUs doshall not have any voting rights with respect to such units.

Performance Units. Performance units may be granted by the Committee either alone or in addition to other awards under the Restated Plan and subject to the satisfaction of Performance Goals specified by the Committee. The Committee may select periods during which the Performance Goals chosen by the Committee are measured for the purpose of determining the extent to which a performance unit has been earned. The Committee decides whether the Performance Goals have been achieved, what amount of the award will be paid and the form of payment, which may be cash, shares of Common Stock under the RSU awardsor other property or any combination. Performance units will not have any voting rights and holders of RSUs areperformance units will not be shareholders of the Company unless and until the shares of Common Stock are issued. Performance units generally may not be transferred by a participant.

Other Awards. The Committee may award Common Stock and other awards that are valued in whole or in part by reference to, or are otherwise based upon, Common Stock, including but not limited to, unrestricted stock or dividend equivalents. Any such award shall be subject to such terms and conditions as established by the Committee.

Certain Restrictions on Certain Awards. Except as otherwise provided in the Restated Plan, and subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Restated Plan, awards of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units, or other stock-based awards are generally subject to vesting during a restriction period of at least three years following the date of grant. However, a restriction period of only at least one year following the date of grant may be used if vesting is conditional, in whole or in part, upon the achievement of performance goals. Awards with restriction periods of at least three years may first vest upon completion of one year of service measured from the vesting commencement date of the award and thereafter on a pro rata basis over the remainder of any such restriction period.In addition, except as otherwise provided in the Restated Plan, and subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Restated Plan, awards of stock options and SARS are generally subject to vesting during a restriction period of at least one year following the date of grant. The Committee may grant or accelerate awards without regard to the foregoing requirements for up to, collectively for all such awards, five percent (5%) of the shares available for award under the RSU award are granted. Dividends and other distributions on the RSUs shall not be paid to the awardee until the Common Stock under the RSU award is issued. The Governance Committee may, in its sole discretion, decide to issue dividend equivalent units with respect to RSU award. A dividend equivalent unit may be credited to an account for the participant that provides for the deferral of such amounts until a statement time. Additionally, the Governance Committee may decide whether the award will be settled in cash or shares of Common Stock.Restated Plan.


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Additional Rights in Certain Events. The 2019Restated Plan provides for acceleration of the exercisability and extension of the expiration date of stock options and stock appreciation rights, andSARs, for the lapse of the restrictions on restricted share awards, and for the vesting of restricted stock units and performance units upon the occurrence of one or more events described in Section 1511 of the 2019Restated Plan (“Section 1511 Events”). Such an event is deemed to have occurred when (i) the Company acquires actual knowledge that any person (other than the Company, a subsidiary or any employee benefit plan sponsored by the Company) has acquired beneficial ownership, directly or indirectly, of securities representing 20% or more of the voting power of the Company, (ii) during any period of two consecutive years less than a majority of the total number of authorized members of the Board of Directors (excluding vacant seats) are filled by persons who were (a)either directors at the beginning of such period and (b) individuals whose election by the Company’s security holders, or nomination for election, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (consisting of directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of such period or who were approved byfor election or nomination in accordance with Section 1511 of the 2019Restated Plan) or at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors on the effective date of the 2019 PlanAdoption Date or who were so approved (other than an individualindividuals whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a person other than the Board relating to the election of directors which would be subject to Rule 14a-11 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), including by reason of any agreement intended to avoid or settle any such election contest or proxy contest), provided that for purposes of determining whether a Section 11 Event has occurred, each Board then-authorized seat shall count once, (iii) the consummation of a merger, consolidation, share exchange, division or sale or other disposition of assets of the Company as a result of which the shareholders of the Company immediately prior to such transaction shalldo not hold, directly or indirectly, immediately following such transaction, a majority of the voting power of (a)(x) in the case of a merger or consolidation, the surviving or resulting corporation, (b)(y) in the case of a share exchange, the acquiring corporation or (c)(z) in the case of a division or a sale or other disposition of assets, each surviving, resulting or acquiring corporation which, immediately following the transaction, holds more than 30% of the consolidated assets of the Company immediately prior to the transaction or (iv) the commencement of any liquidation or dissolution of the Company (other than pursuant to any transfer of 70% or more of the consolidated assets of the Company to an entity or entities controlled by the Company and/or its shareholders following such liquidation or dissolution). The Section 15 Events described above may be limited in effect and otherwise subject to the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, which provides certain limitations on the ability to accelerate deferred compensation upon changes in control.

Unless the confirming agreement or an amendment thereto otherwise provides, but subject to the $100,000 restriction described above for incentive stock options and exceptions for certain participants described in Section 11 of the Restated Plan, notwithstanding any other provision contained in the 2019Restated Plan, upon the occurrence of any Section 1511 Event (i) all outstanding stock options and stock appreciation rightsSARs become immediately and fully exercisable whether or not otherwise exercisable by their terms, and(ii) all stock options and stock appreciation rightsSARs held by a directorparticipant whose service onemployment with the BoardCompany or a subsidiary terminates within one year of any Section 1511 Event for any reason other than voluntary termination with the consent of the Company or a subsidiary, retirement under any retirement plan of the Company or a subsidiary or death are exercisable for the longer of a period of three months from the date of such termination of service or the standard periods of expiration or termination as described above,employment, but in no event after the expiration date of the stock option or the stock appreciation rights.

Unless the restricted share agreement or an amendment thereto otherwise provides, notwithstanding any other provision contained in the 2019 Plan, upon the occurrence of any Section 15 Event prior to the scheduled lapse ofSARs, (iii) all restrictions applicable to restricted sharestock awards under the 2019Restated Plan all such restrictionswhich have not previously lapsed will lapse regardless of the scheduled lapse of such restrictions.restrictions and (iv) all restricted stock units and performance units are considered to be earned and payable in full, any vesting conditions are considered to have been satisfied, and such restricted stock units and performance units will be settled in cash as promptly as is practicable after the Section 11 Event. None of the provisions (i) to (iv) above in this paragraph will apply to a participant whose securities are included in those determining the beneficial ownership of a person referred to in subsection (i) of the Section 11 Events above.

Miscellaneous. If, on the date on which any shares of common stock would be issued pursuant to a current stock payment under Director Fees or annual restricted share award any DSUs or credited to a deferred stock account and after consideration of any shares of common stock subject to outstanding equity awards under the 2019 Plan, sufficient shares of common stock are not available under the 2019 Plan or the Company is not obligated to issue shares pursuant to under applicable securities laws, then no shares of common stock

shall be issued or DSUs credited but rather, in the case of a current stock payment under Director Fees or annual restricted share award, cash shall be paid in payment of the Director Fees payable, and in the case of DSUs, Director Fees and Meeting Fees shall instead be credited in cash to a deferred cash compensation account in the name of the Director.

In the event that any outstanding stock option, stock appreciation right or RSU is canceled by mutual consent, terminates, or expires for any reason without having been exercised in full, the shares of Common Stock not purchased under the stock option or stock appreciation right are again available for all purposes of the 2019 Plan. If any shares of Common Stock are forfeited to the Company pursuant to the restrictions applicable to restricted shares awarded under the 2019 Plan, the number of shares so forfeited are again available for all purposes of the 2019 Plan. The number of shares of Common Stock which are surrendered in full or partial payment to the Company of the option price of a stock option will be available for the purpose of granting awards under the 2019 Plan.
The Board of Directors may alter or amend the 2019Restated Plan at any time except that, without approval of the shareholders of the Company, no alteration or amendment may (i) increase the maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock for which awards may be made under the Restated Plan, (ii) increase the maximum aggregate number of shares as to which incentive stock options may be granted pursuant to the sub-limit under the Restated Plan, (iii) make any changes in the class of
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employees eligible to be granted awards under the Restated Plan, (iv) change the maximum number of shares as to which awards may be made to any participant under the Restated Plan, (v) change the maximum amount that may be paid or distributed to any participant in any one calendar year under the Restated Plan pursuant to a grant of performance units or other stock-based awards, (vi) change the restrictions regarding repricing explained above, (vii) change the option price or base price of any SAR permitted under the Restated Plan, (viii) be made if shareholder approval of the amendment is at the time required for sharesawards under the 2019Restated Plan to qualify for the exemption from Section 16(b) of Exchangethe 1934 Act provided by Rule 16b-3 or by the rules of the Nasdaq Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange on which the Common Stock may then be listed.listed or (ix) be made to the extent such approval is needed for certain qualified performance-based awards to qualify for an exemption under Section 162(m) of the Code. In addition, no alteration or amendment of the 2019Restated Plan may, without the written consent of the holder of a stock option, stock appreciation rights, restricted shares or RSUsany award theretofore granted or awarded under the 2019Restated Plan, prior thereto, adversely affect the rights of such holder with respect thereto.

No shares of Common Stock shall be issued or credited, nor any options or stock appreciation rights granted, nor restricted stock awarded under the 2019 Plan after March 31, 2024, provided that this does not preclude the issuance of shares in payment of the balance of a director’s deferred stock compensation account or the exercise of previously granted stock options or stock appreciation rights.  Additionally, theThe Board of Directors may also terminate the 2019Restated Plan at any time, but termination of the 2019Restated Plan would not terminate any outstanding stock options or stock appreciation rightsawards granted under the 2019Restated Plan or cause a revocation or forfeiture of any restricted sharestock award under the 2019Restated Plan.

The 2019Restated Plan contains anti-dilution and anti-enlargement provisions providing for proportionate adjustment or substitution in the shares available for awards under the Restated Plan, in the various maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock for which stock options, stock appreciation rights and RSUs may be granted, as to which restricted shares may be awarded, andlimitations on awards under the Restated Plan, in the number of shares covered by outstanding stock options, stock appreciation rightsawards under the Restated Plan and RSUsin the exercise price of outstanding awards in certain events, including stock dividends on shares of outstanding Common Stock. The 2019 Plan also contains provisions providing for the substitutionmergers, consolidations, acquisitions of shares, stock rights offering, liquidation, separation, spinoff, disaffiliation of a subsidiary, extraordinary dividend, stock dividend, stock split, revenue stock split, reorganization, share combination or recapitalization.

Awards to a participant may, in the eventCommittee’s sole discretion at any time between the date of a reorganization, recapitalization, merger or similar event. The 2019 Plan provides for adjustments to stock options, stock appreciation rightsgrant and RSUs, and restrictions on distributions with respect to, or exchanges for restricted shares in the casethird anniversary of any spin-off, split-off, dividend in partial liquidationexercise, payment or in property other than cash,vesting of such awards, be cancelled, suspended or extraordinary distributionrequired to holders ofbe repaid to the Common Stock.

If a director who has been granted stock options or stock appreciation rights or awarded restricted shares or RSUs underCompany if the 2019 Plan engages in the operation or management of a business, whether as owner, partner, officer, director, employee or otherwise and whether during or after Board service, which is in competitionparticipant (i) competes with the Company or its subsidiaries, (ii) induces or attempts to induce any customer, supplier, licensee or certain others to cease doing business with the Company or its subsidiaries, or interferes with the Company’s or any of its subsidiaries’ relationships with such customer, supplier, licensee or other person, (iii) solicits employees to leave the employment of the Company or its subsidiaries or interferes with their employment relationship, or (iv) defames or disparages the Governance Committee may inCompany, its discretion immediately terminate all stock options and stock appreciation rights held by such person (except whensubsidiaries or certain related persons. Unless the exercise periodagreement related to an award or an amendment otherwise provides, these provisions do not apply following the occurrence of a stock option or stock appreciation right has been extended because one or more of the events described under “Additional Rights in Certain Events” aboveabove.

All awards under the Restated Plan constitute a special incentive payment to the participant and are not taken into account in computing the amount of salary or compensation of the participant for the purpose of determining benefits under any other benefit plan or under any agreement between the Company and the participant, unless such plan or agreement specifically provides otherwise.

The Restated Plan has occurred)indemnification provisions providing indemnity for actions taken under the Restated Plan by members of the Company’s Board and declare forfeited all restrictedthe Company’s officers.

The Restated Plan contains provisions intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code (related to deferred compensation). The Committee may establish procedures allowing payment of an award to be deferred, provided any deferral is consistent with Section 409A of the Code. In such cases of deferral, the participant may be entitled to receive interest or dividends, or dividend equivalents, with respect to shares and RSUs heldcovered by the award, but in no event will any of the same be paid on any unearned performance units or performance share units until such person as to which the restrictions have not yet lapsed.units vest.
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Possible Anti-takeover Effect

The provisions of the 2019Restated Plan providing for the acceleration of the exercise date of outstanding stock options and stock appreciation rightsSARs upon the occurrence of a Section 1511 Event, the extension of the period during which outstanding stock options and stock appreciation rightsSARs may be exercised upon termination of Board serviceemployment following a Section 1511 Event, and the lapse of restrictions applicable to restricted stock and other awards, and RSUsaccelerated vesting of restricted stock units and performance units upon the occurrence of a Section 1511 Event may be considered as having an anti-takeover effect.

New Plan BenefitsAwards to Named Officers and Other Employees

All fees and awards to directorsAwards under the 2019Restated Plan are made atwill be granted in such amounts and to such individuals entitled to participate in the discretion ofRestated Plan, as determined by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. The amounts of future awards to our directors underCommittee in its sole discretion. Therefore, the 2019 Plan are discretionary. As a result, thebenefits or amounts that will be received or allocatedby employees, officers, directors and consultants under the Restated Plan are currently not determinable at this time. We have therefore not includeddeterminable.

Share Repurchases May Prevent Dilution

For a table that reflectsnumber of years, the Company has had and the Company currently has in place an active share repurchase program. The Company has no specific policy or practice with respect to the repurchase of shares under such awards.program in order to offset grants of shares under its equity plans. However, the effect of any such share repurchase program will be to prevent or minimize the dilutive effect of stock-based compensation plans.

Federal Income Tax Consequences

The rules governingfollowing is a brief summary of certain of the federalFederal income tax treatmentconsequences of an award are very technical.  Consequently,awards under the following discussionRestated Plan. It is intended for the information of shareholders considering how to vote at the meeting and not as tax guidance to participants in the Restated Plan. This summary is not intended to be exhaustive, is based on U.S. federal income tax consequences is necessarily generallaw currently in nature andeffect, does not purport to be exhaustive or complete,constitute tax advice and, among other things, does not describeaddress possible state, local or foreign tax consequences.  Moreover, statutory provisionsconsequences under present law nor does it describe consequences based on particular circumstances.

Incentive Stock Options. A participant does not recognize any taxable income upon receipt of an incentive stock option or generally, at the time of exercise of an incentive stock option, whether cash or shares are subjectused to change, as are their interpretations,pay the exercise price. The exercise of an incentive stock option, however, generally does result in an increase in a participant’s taxable income for alternative minimum tax purposes.

If a participant exercises an incentive stock option and their applications may vary in individual circumstances.

Although the Company may endeavor to (i) qualify the payment of fees or a grant or award for favorable United States tax treatment or avoid adverse tax treatment (e.g., under Section 409Adoes not dispose of the Code)shares received in a subsequent “disqualifying disposition” (generally, a sale, gift or other transfer within two years after the date of grant of the incentive stock option or within one year after the shares are transferred to a participant), upon disposition of the shares any amount realized in excess of the participant’s tax basis in the shares disposed of is treated as a long-term capital gain, and any loss is treated as a long-term capital loss. In the event of a “disqualifying disposition”, the Company has made no representation to that effect and expressly disavows any covenant to maintain favorable or avoid unfavorable tax treatment.  Section 409A is a provision of the Code that imposes a number of strict and complex requirements that deferred compensation plans and arrangements must satisfy in order for participants of such compensation plans or arrangements to avoid immediate taxation, plus a 20% penalty tax, on the deferred compensation provided by such plan or arrangement.

Director Fees

Current Payment. Directors who receive current payment of Director Fees in cash or in shares of Common Stock generally recognize compensation income on the date on which they receive payment equal to the amount of cash received ordifference between the fair market value of the shares received on the payment date.

DSUs. Directors who properly electdate of exercise and the option price (limited, in the case of a taxable sale or exchange, to defer receiptthe excess of Director Feesthe amount realized upon disposition over the participant’s tax basis in DSUs generally should recognizethe shares) is treated as compensation income onlyreceived by the participant in the year of disposition. Any additional gain is taxable as a capital gain and any loss as a capital loss, which is long-term or short-term depending on whether the date on which such Director Feeshares were held for more than one year. Special rules apply in determining the compensation income recognized upon a disqualifying disposition if the option price of the incentive stock option is payable to the director upon settlement of DSUs inpaid with shares of Common Stock. In general, the compensation income to be recognized by a director upon distribution of Common Stock upon settlement of DSUs is equal to the fair market value of theIf shares of Common Stock onreceived upon the date on which the sharesprior exercise
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of an incentive stock option are payabletransferred to the director from such account, plus the amount of cash, if any, receivedCompany in lieu of a fractional share.

Meeting Fees

Current Cash Payment. Meeting fees paid in cash constitute compensation and must be recognized as compensation income by the directors for the taxable year in which they are received.


Deferred Stock Payment. Directors who properly elect to defer receipt of Meeting Fees otherwise payable in cash and receive DSUs should recognize compensation income only on the date on which Meeting Fees are payable to the director upon settlementspayment of the DSUs in sharesoption price of Common Stock. In general,an incentive stock option within either of the compensation incomeperiods referred to be recognized byabove, the transfer is considered a director upon distribution of Common Stock upon settlement of DSUs is equal to the fair market value“disqualifying disposition” of the shares transferred, but only compensation income determined as stated above, and no capital gain or loss, is recognized.

Neither the Company nor any of Common Stock onits subsidiaries is entitled to a deduction with respect to shares received by a participant upon exercise of an incentive stock option and not disposed of in a “disqualifying disposition.” If an amount is treated as compensation received by a participant because of a “disqualifying disposition,” the date on whichCompany or one of its subsidiaries generally is entitled to a deduction in the shares are payablesame amount for compensation paid, subject to the director from such account, plus the amount of cash, if any, received in lieu of a fractional share.“Limits on Deductions/Other Tax Matters” below.


Non-statutoryNonstatutory Stock Options
. A directorparticipant generally does not recognize any taxable income for Federal income tax purposes upon receipt of a non-statutorynonstatutory stock option. Upon the exercise of a non-statutorynonstatutory stock option with cash, the amount by which the fair market value of the shares received, determined as of the date of exercise, exceeds the option price is generally treated as compensation income received by the participant in the year of exercise. If the option price of a non-statutorynonstatutory stock option is paid in whole or in part in shares, of Common Stock, no income, gain or loss is recognized by a participant on the receipt of shares equal in value on the date of exercise to the shares delivered in payment of the option price. The fair market value of the remainder of the shares received upon exercise of the non-statutorynonstatutory stock option, determined as of the daydate of exercise, less the amount of cash, if any, paid upon exercise is generally treated as compensation income received by the participant on the date of exercise.

Stock Appreciation Rights

Generally a director would not recognize any taxable income upon receiptexercise of a stock appreciation right. If the stock appreciation rightoption.

The Company or one of its subsidiaries generally is payable in shares of the Common Stock, the director would recognizeentitled to a deduction for compensation incomepaid in the year in whichsame amount that is treated as compensation received by the stock appreciation right is exercised, in an amount equal to the fair market value of the Common Stock paid to the director at the time of exercise. If the Company pays cash to a directorparticipant upon the exercise of a nonstatutory stock appreciation right, the director likely would recognize compensation income in the year in which the stock appreciation right is exercised in an amount equaloption, subject to the cash paid to the director at the time of exercise.“Limits on Deductions/Other Tax Matters” below.

RSUs

Stock Appreciation Rights. A directorparticipant generally does not recognize any taxable income upon receipt of RSUs. Any cash anda SAR (whether as a stand-alone award or in tandem with a related option award). Upon the exercise of a SAR the amount by which the fair market value of any shares ofthe Common Stock received by a director uponsubject to the vesting of RSUs areSAR on the exercise date exceeds the SAR grant price is treated as compensation income received by the participant in the year of receipt.exercise, whether received in cash, shares of Common Stock or both. The Company or one of its subsidiaries generally is entitled to a deduction for compensation paid in the same amount that is treated as compensation received by the participant upon exercise of the SAR, subject to the “Limits on Deductions/Other Tax Matters” below.

Restricted Stock

. A director wouldparticipant does not recognize any taxable income for Federal income tax purposes inupon the yeargrant of the award, provided the shares wereare subject to restrictions (that is, they are nontransferable and subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture.forfeiture). However, the director couldparticipant may elect under Section 83(b) of the Internal Revenue Code to recognize compensation income in the year of the award in an amount equal to the fair market value of the shares on the date of the award, determined without regard to thesethe restrictions. If this 83(b) election is made, the director will recognize compensation income at the time of the award of the restricted stock even though such shares may remain subject to restrictions on transfer and risks of forfeiture.  When the vesting and forfeiture restrictions lapse, no compensation will be includable in gross income.  Rather, subsequent appreciation in the value of the stock will be taxed as capital gain or loss upon the sale of such stock.  If, however, the stock is forfeited prior to becoming vested, the tax paid in connection with making an 83(b) election is not directly recoverable.

If the directorparticipant does not make a Section 83(b) election, the fair market value of the shares on the date thesethe restrictions lapse generally is treated as compensation income to the directorparticipant and is taxable in the year the restrictions lapse.

Disposition of Shares Received

If the participant does not make a director sells shares of Common Stock acquired underSection 83(b) election, dividends paid to the 2019 Plan, the difference between the amount realizedparticipant on the sale and the director’s tax basis in the shares sold generally is taxed as a capital gain or a capital loss, which is long-term or short-term depending on whether the more-than one-year holding period has been satisfied with respectprior to the shares sold.

The Company

In each instance that an amount isdate the restrictions lapse will be treated as compensation received by a director, theincome. The Company or one of its subsidiaries generally is entitled to a corresponding deduction for compensation paid in the same amount forthat is treated as compensation paid.

Other Considerations Relatedincome to the 2019 Planparticipant, subject to the “Limits on Deductions/Other Tax Matters” below.

By adopting
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Restricted Stock Units. A participant generally does not recognize any taxable income upon receipt of restricted stock units. Any cash and the 2019 Plan, the Company is increasing the numberfair market value of shares available for equity incentives under all of the Company’s equity incentive plans by one hundred fifty thousand (150,000) shares, which comprises 0.47% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock as of December 31, 2018.  In order to determine the number ofany shares of Common Stock received by a participant upon the vesting of restricted stock units are treated as compensation income received by the participant in the year of receipt. The Company or one of its subsidiaries generally is entitled to be authorized undera deduction for compensation paid in the 2019 Plan, Nominating and Corporate Governance Committeesame amount that is treated as compensation income received by the participant upon vesting of the restricted stock units, subject to the “Limits on Deductions/Other Tax Matters” below.

Performance Units. A participant generally does not recognize any taxable income upon receipt of performance units. Any cash and the Board considered the needs by the Company for the shares and the potential dilution that awarding the requested shares may have on the existing shareholders.  As set forth above in this proxy statement, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee consulted Pay Governance, LLC as an independent compensation advisor to assist in this regard.  The compensation advisor examined a numberfair market value of factors, including the Company’s burn rate and an overhang analysis, which the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee considered.

As of December 31, 2018, approximately 67,219any shares of Common Stock remained availableand other property received by a participant when performance units are earned are treated as compensation income received by the participant in the year of receipt. The Company or one of its subsidiaries generally is entitled to a deduction for future grantcompensation paid in the same amount that is treated as compensation income received by the participant upon the earning of performance units, subject to the “Limits on Deductions/Other Tax Matters” below.

Other Awards. The tax consequences to the participant and the Company of awards of Common Stock and other awards that are valued by reference to or otherwise based upon Common Stock will be dependent upon the nature and structure of the award.

Deferred Compensation. While the Committee may establish procedures allowing payment of an award to be deferred, any deferral under the current 2014 Plan.  The NominatingRestated Plan is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code so as to avoid additional taxes under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code being imposed on the participant.

Limits on Deductions/Other Tax Matters. Certain events described above under “Additional Rights in Certain Events” may result in (i) a 20% Federal excise tax (in addition to Federal income tax) to a participant on certain compensation resulting from awards previously received under the Restated Plan and Corporate Governance Committee recommended(ii) the loss of a compensation deduction which would otherwise be allowable to the Board that 150,000 shares be authorized under the 2019 Plan.  Company or one of its subsidiaries as explained above.
If the Plan is approved, no further grants will be made under the 2014 Plan, so the 67,219 shares referred to above would no longer be available for future awards.  The Board is seeking shareholder approval for the 2019 Plan and the pool of shares available under the 2019 Plan, which it expects is sufficient for up to approximately five years of awards based upon the historic rates of awards by the Compensation Committee under the predecessor plans, and if directors choose to defer cash fees into Company stock.

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee andCompany or one of its subsidiaries generally is entitled to a deduction for compensation paid provided the Board also measured the cumulative dilutive impactcompensation is reasonable. However, Section 162(m) of the 2019 Plan is overhang.  Overhang is defined as:
·  outstanding stock options, plus
·  outstanding full value awards, plus
·  the numberCode disallows a compensation deduction for compensation paid to the principal executive officer and any of the other three highest compensated officers (other than the principal financial officer) of shares available for future grant under the Company’s 2017 Equity Incentive Plan and the proposed 2019 Plan (disregarding the remaining 2014 Plan shares because no future grants would be made if the 2019 Plan is approved),
·  collectively divided by the total outstanding shares of Common Stock as of the record date.

As of September 30, 2018, the Company had no outstanding stock options, 22,745 outstanding full value restricted and performance restricted shares, DSUs and RSUs, and 1,700,000 shares available for future grant under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, plus 150,000 shares available for future grant under the proposed 2019 Plan.  Asin excess of that date,$1,000,000 each in any taxable year of the Company, had 32,074,786 outstanding shares of Common Stock.  This results in an overhang of 5.8%.

Because the Committee or the Board has discretion in granting awards under the 2019 Plan, and the number of shares toexcept that compensation that is performance-based may be awarded will vary with the stock price, Proposal 2 does not contemplate the amount or timing of specific equity awards in the future as itexcluded from this deduction limitation. (The $1,000,000 deduction limit is not possible to calculate with certainty the number of years of awards that will be available andreduced by the amount of subsequent dilution that may ultimately result from such awards.  However, because the number of shares reservedany compensation deduction disallowed under the 2019immediately preceding paragraph.) The Restated Plan is relatively small in relationintended to the total of number of shares outstanding it does not change the overhang or in the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee view cause dilution in any material way.
In adopting the 2019 Plan, the Board also considered thebe structured so that compensation of non-employee directors of the Company’s peer group, the Company’s proxy advisor’s recommendation, the total shareholder return, the fair value transfer and shareholder value transfer, and the burn rate that would resultarising from the 2019 Plan.  The Board discussed these additional concepts with its independent compensation consultant prior to approving the 2019 Plan.

The inclusionexercise of this information in this Proxy Statementcertain grand-fathered awards should not be regarded as an indication that the assumptions used to determine the number of additional shares will be predictive of actual future equity grants.  These assumptions are forward-looking statementsperformance-based within the meaning of Section 27A162(m) of the Securities ActCode. Nevertheless, it is possible that such awards may be made which may be subject to the limits of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E162(m) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomesCode.

In addition to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, includingRestated Plan, the Company’s ability to attract and retain talent, achievement of performance metrics with respective to certain equity-based awards, the extent of option exercise activity, and othersCompany also has a Director Fee Plan. The Director Fee Plan is more fully described in the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2018.“Compensation of Directors” section of this Proxy Statement.


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Equity Plan Information

The following table provides information about grants under the Company's equity compensation plans as of September 30, 2018:2021:
 Equity Compensation Plan Information 
Plan categoryNumber of securities
to be issued upon
exercise of
outstanding 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))
 
 (a)(b)(c) 
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders113,657 (1)$41.70 (2)3,185,283 (3)
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holdersNoneNoneNone
Total113,657 $41.70 3,185,283 
Equity Compensation Plan Information 
 Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rightsNumber of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity compensation plans (excluding securities reflected in column (a)) 
Plan category(a) (b)(c) 
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders22,745
(1)
3,275,891
(2)
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holdersNone
 None
None
 
Total22,745
(1)$
3,275,891
(2)
(1) - Includes 10,105 deferred stock units (issuable as full value shares upon settlement of such deferred stock units) granted under the 1994 Director Fee Plan, 12,640 deferred stock units (issuable as full value shares upon settlement of such deferred stock units) granted under the Amended and Restated 2014 Director Fee Plan.
(2) - Includes 1,508,610 shares authorized for issuance under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan, 67,281 shares authorized for issuance under the Amended and Restated 2014 Director Fee Plan, and 1,700,000 shares authorized for issuance under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan.
(1) Includes (1) deferred awards under Director Fee Plans; and (2) outstanding stock options.
(2) Weighted-average exercise price of outstanding stock options included in column (a).
(3) Includes (1) shares reserved under the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, which provides for the grant or award of stock options, restricted shares, stock-based performance units and certain other types of stock based awards; (2) shares reserved under the 2019 Director Fee Plan, which provides for the grant, award or deferral of stock options, restricted shares, stock-based performance units and certain other types of stock based awards and compensation; and (3) the shares purchased under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan which are purchased in the open market by employees at the fair market value of the Company's stock. The Company provides a matching contribution of 10% of such purchases subject to certain limitations under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan. As the Employee Stock Purchase Plan is an open market purchase plan, it does not have a dilutive effect.

Vote Required

The vote required for approval of Proposal 2 is the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast by all the shareholders entitled to vote thereon. The Board of Directors recommends that you vote FOR approval of Proposal 2. The proxy holders will vote your proxy FOR this item unless you give instructions to the contrary on the proxy.
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PROPOSAL 3

SELECTION OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Audit Committee of the Company's Board of Directors has appointed Ernst & Young LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit the records of the Company for the year ending September 30, 2019.2022.

The Audit Committee has determined that it would be desirable as a matter of good corporate practice to request an expression of opinion from the shareholders on the appointment. Ratification of the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shares represented at the meeting and entitled to vote, a quorum being present. Abstentions and non-broker votes will have the effect of a vote cast “against” the proposal.

If the shareholders do not ratify the selection of Ernst & Young LLP, the selection of an alternative independent registered public accounting firm will be considered by the Audit Committee; provided, further, however, even if the shareholders do ratify the selection of Ernst & Young LLP, as requested in this Proxy Statement, the Audit Committee reserves the right, at any time, to re-designate and retain a different independent registered public accounting firm to audit the records of the Company for the year ending September 30, 2019.2022.

It is not expected that any representative of Ernst & Young LLP will be present at the Annual Meeting of the Shareholders.

The Board of Directors recommends that you vote FOR Proposal 3.

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PROPOSAL 4
ADVISORY (NON-BINDING) VOTE ON THE EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
OF THE COMPANY’S NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
As described in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis in this Proxy Statement, and summarized in the “Executive Summary” thereto, the Compensation Committee of the Board has developed an executive compensation program designed to pay for performance and to align the long-term interests of our named executive officers with the long-term interests of our shareholders. The Company presents a proposal for an advisory (non-binding) vote on the executive compensation of the Company’s named executive officers on an annual basis. Accordingly, the Company is presenting the following proposal, which gives our shareholders the opportunity to endorse or not endorse our pay program for named executive officers by voting for or against the resolution set forth below. This resolution is required pursuant to Section 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). Approval of the compensation paid to our named executive officers, as disclosed in this Proxy Statement, will be approved (on a non-binding basis) if the proposal receives the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the shares represented, in person"in person" or by proxy, at the meeting and entitled to vote, a quorum being present. Abstentions and broker non-votes will have the effect of a vote cast “against” the proposal. Because the vote is advisory, it will not be binding on the Board. However, the Board and the Compensation Committee will review the voting results and take into account the outcome when considering future executive compensation arrangements. The Board and management are committed to our shareholders and understand that it is useful and appropriate to obtain the views of our shareholders when considering the design and implementation of executive compensation programs.
RESOLVED, that the shareholders approve (on a non-binding basis) the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers, as disclosed in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the compensation tables, and the related disclosure contained in the Proxy Statement set forth under the caption “Executive Compensation and Retirement Benefits.”
The Board of Directors recommends that you vote FOR approval (on a non-binding basis) of the compensation of our named executive officers as disclosed in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis, the compensation tables, and the related disclosure contained in this Proxy Statement set forth under the caption “Executive Compensation and Retirement Benefits” of this Proxy Statement. Proxies will be voted FOR approval of the proposal unless otherwise specified.
The Board of Directors recommends that you vote FOR Proposal 4.



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STOCK OWNERSHIP

The Company's Articles of Incorporation divide its voting stock into three (3) classes: Preferred Stock, and Class A and Class B Common Stock. At the present time, no shares of Preferred Stock or Class B Common Stock are issued or outstanding. The following information is furnished with respect to persons who the Company believes, based on its records and filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission,SEC, beneficially own five percent or more of the outstanding shares of Common Stock of the Company, and with respect to directors, officers and executive management. Those individuals with more than five percent of the Company's Common Stock could be deemed to be "control persons" of the Company.

This information presented is as of November 30, 2018,2021, except as otherwise noted.
Name of Beneficial Owner (1)
Number of
Class A Shares
Beneficially
Owned (1)(2)
Percent
of Class
Deferred
Stock
Compensation Shares (9)
Directors, Officers and Executive Management:
J.C. Bartolacci324,885 (3)1.0 — 
G.S. Babe36,564 (3)*5,798 
K.E. Dietze27,768 *— 
T.L. Dunlap12,020 *— 
B.J. Dunn49,504 (3)*— 
L.D. Etzkorn— *— 
S.D. Gackenbach57,522 (3)*— 
A. Garcia-Tunon27,259 *20,414 
G.R. Kohl15,088 (3)*— 
S.F. Nicola126,444 (3)*— 
M.K. O’Brien19,960 *— 
D.W. Quigley, Jr.9,725 *— 
D.A. Schawk200,819 (3)(4)*— 
J.D. Turner35,768 *4,307 
J.R. Whitaker13,331 *8,313 
All directors, officers and executive
management as a group (19 persons)
999,956 (5)3.2 38,832 
Others:
BlackRock, Inc.
55 East 52nd Street
New York, NY 10005
5,291,699 (6)**16.9 
The Vanguard Group, Inc.
100 Vanguard Boulevard
Malvern, PA 19355-2331
3,179,063 (7)**10.2 
Dimensional Fund Advisors, L.P.
6300 Bee Cave Road
Austin, TX 78746
1,622,331 (8)**5.2 
* Less than 1%.
** Information as of September 30, 2021, derived from Schedule 13D or 13G filings filed by the beneficial owner.
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Name of Beneficial Owner (1)
Number of
Class A Shares
Beneficially
Owned (1)(2)
 
Percent
of Class
 
Deferred
Stock
Compensation Shares (9)
Directors, Officers and Executive Management:     
J.C. Bartolacci359,742
(3)1.1 
G.S. Babe37,876
(3)0.1 5,798
K.E. Dietze24,477
(4)0.1 
T.L. Dunlap8,729
(4)* 
B.J. Dunn53,545
(3)0.2 
A. Garcia-Tunon24,759
(4)0.1 8,398
S.F. Nicola145,293
(3)0.5 
M.K. O’Brien16,669
(4)0.1 
D.W. Quigley, Jr.6,434
(4)* 
D.A. Schawk203,861
(3)(5)0.6 
J.D. Turner32,477
(4)0.1 4,307
J.R. Whitaker13,331
(4)* 4,242
All directors, officers and executive
management as a group (20 persons)
1,167,189
(6)3.7 22,745
Others:     
BlackRock, Inc.
525 Washington Boulevard, Suite 1405
Jersey, NJ 07310
4,564,558
(7)**14.3  
The Vanguard Group, Inc.
100 Vanguard Boulevard
Malvern, PA 19355-2331
3,356,290
(8)**10.5  
Franklin Advisors, Inc.
One Franklin Parkway
San Mateo, CA 94403
2,941,520
**9.2  
* Less than 0.1%.     
** Information as of September 30, 2018, derived from Schedule 13D or 13G filings filed by the beneficial owner.


(1)Any shares that may be beneficially owned within 60 days of November 30, 2018 are included in beneficial ownership. Unless otherwise noted, the mailing address of each beneficial owner is the same as that of the Company.
(2)To the best of the Company’s knowledge, the nature of the beneficial ownership for all shares is sole voting and investment power, except as otherwise noted in these footnotes.
(3)Includes restricted shares with performance and time vesting provisions as follows: Mr. Bartolacci, 109,499 shares; Mr. Babe, 15,775 shares; Mr. Dunn, 7,850 shares; Mr. Nicola, 29,450 shares; and Mr. Schawk, 9,250 shares.
(4)Includes 4,188 restricted shares with time vesting provisions.
(5)Includes 3,581 shares held in the David and Teryl Schawk Family Foundation over which Mr. Schawk has voting and investment control but no pecuniary interest; 35,548 shares held in the Teryl Alyson Schawk 1998 Trust; 51,514 shares held in trusts for the benefit of Mr. Schawk’s children for which Mr. Schawk or his spouse serves as trustee; 106,143 shares held in the David A. Schawk 1998 Trust for which Mr. Schawk serves as trustee with voting and investment power over such shares; 87,809 shares held in trusts for the benefit of Mr. Schawk’s niece for which Mr. Schawk serves as custodian with voting and investment power but no pecuniary interest; and 97 shares held as custodian.
(6)Includes 153,137 restricted shares with time vesting provisions and 86,987 restricted shares with performance vesting provisions.
(7)Pursuant to that certain Amendment No. 9 to Schedule 13G filed January 19, 2018 by BlackRock, Inc., as parent holding company or control person for certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, the “BlackRock Entities”), the BlackRock Entities have (i) sole voting power with respect to 4,090,844 shares of Class A Common Stock and (ii) sole investment power with respect to 4,166,858 shares of Class A Common Stock
(8)Pursuant to that certain Amendment No. 7 to Schedule 13G filed February 9, 2018 by The Vanguard Group, Inc., as beneficial owner and parent holding company or control person for certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Vanguard Entities”), the Vanguard Entities have (i) sole voting power with respect to 61,839 shares of Class A Common Stock, (ii) shared voting power with respect to 4,746 shares of Class A Common Stock, (iii) sole investment power with respect to 3,153,542 shares of Class A Common Stock, and (iv) shared investment power with respect to 63,536 shares of Class A Common Stock.
(9)Represents shares of Common Stock held in a deferred stock compensation account for the benefit of the director under the Company’s Director Fee Plan. See “General Information Regarding Corporate Governance--Compensation of Directors” of this Proxy Statement.

(1)Any shares that may be beneficially owned within 60 days of November 30, 2021 are included in beneficial ownership. Unless otherwise noted, the mailing address of each beneficial owner is the same as that of the Company.
(2)To the best of the Company’s knowledge, the nature of the beneficial ownership for all shares is sole voting and investment power, except as otherwise noted in the footnotes to the table.
(3)Includes restricted shares with performance provisions as follows: Mr. Bartolacci, 11,250 shares; Mr. Babe, 1,850; Mr. Dunn, 1,300 shares; Mr. Gackenbach, 1,700 shares; Mr. Kohl, 600 shares; Mr. Nicola, 3,100 shares; and Mr. Schawk 1,850.
(4)Includes 35,548 shares held in the Teryl Alyson Schawk 1998 Trust; 51,514 shares held in trusts for the benefit of Mr. Schawk’s children for which Mr. Schawk or his spouse serves as trustee; 110,357 shares held in the David A. Schawk 1998 Trust for which Mr. Schawk serves as trustee with voting and investment power over such shares; 77,395 shares held in trust for the benefit of Mr. Schawk’s niece for which Mr. Schawk serves as custodian with voting and investment power but no pecuniary interest; and 97 shares held as custodian.
(5)Includes 23,777 restricted shares with performance vesting provisions.
(6)Pursuant to Schedule 13G filed January 25, 2021 by BlackRock, Inc., as parent holding company or control person for certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, the “BlackRock Entities”), the BlackRock Entities have (i) sole voting power with respect to 5,181,923 shares of Class A Common Stock and (ii) sole dispositive power with respect to 5,291,699 shares of Class A Common Stock.
(7)Pursuant to that certain Amendment No. 10 to Schedule 13G filed February 10, 2021 by The Vanguard Group, Inc., as beneficial owner and parent holding company or control person for certain of its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Vanguard Entities”), the Vanguard Entities have (i) shared voting power with respect to 31,537 shares of Class A Common Stock, (ii) sole dispositive power with respect to 3,118,251 shares of Class A Common Stock, and (iii) shared dispositive power with respect to 60,812 shares of Class A Common Stock.
(8)Pursuant to that certain Amendment No. 2 Schedule 13G filed February 12, 2021 by Dimensional Fund Advisors LP (“Dimensional”), Dimensional has (i) sole voting power with respect to 1,562,111 shares of Class A Common Stock and (ii) sole dispositive power with respect to 1,622,331 shares of Class A Common Stock. Such Schedule 13G indicates that Dimensional, acts as an investment adviser to four registered investment companies, and as investment manager to certain other commingled group trusts and separate accounts (such investment companies, trusts and accounts, collectively, the “Dimensional Funds”), and in certain cases, subsidiaries of Dimensional may act as an adviser or sub-adviser to certain Dimensional Funds. Such Schedule 13G indicates that in its role as investment advisor, sub-adviser and/or manager, neither Dimensional or its subsidiaries possess voting and/or investment power over the shares of Class A Common Stock owned by the Dimensional Funds, and may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the shares of Class A Common Stock held by the Dimensional Funds. Such Schedule 13G indicates that all shares of Class A Common Stock reported on such Schedule 13G are owned by the Dimensional Funds.
(9)Represents shares of Common Stock held in a deferred stock compensation account for the benefit of the director under the Company’s Director Fee Plans, which are excluded from the Number of Class A Shares Beneficially Owned. See the information provided under “General Information Regarding Corporate Governance--Compensation of Directors” in this Proxy Statement.






































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Stock Ownership Guidelines

The Company has established guidelines for stock ownership by management, which are intended to promote the alignment of the interests of management with the Company’s shareholders. As more fully described under “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” of this Proxy Statement, the guidelines provide for ownership by management of shares of the Company’s Common Stock with a minimum market value ranging up to six times base salary depending upon the individual’s position with the Company. Individuals are expected to achieve compliance with these guidelines within a reasonable period of time after appointment to their respective positions.

For purposes of these guidelines, stock ownership includes all shares directly owned (including shares held under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan and time-vesting restricted share units or shares), but does not include outstanding stock options or unvested performance-based restricted share units or shares. Immediate compliance with these guidelines is not mandatory; however, individuals are expected to undertake a program to achieve compliance within five years of their hire date or promotion to their respective position. The ownership policy mandates that at least 50% of the after-tax shares realized upon an option exercise or vesting of restricted stock or restricted share units must be retained until the ownership guideline is met. Compliance with these ownership guidelines is one of the factors considered by the Compensation Committee in determining eligibility for participation in the Company’s equity compensation programs. As of November 30, 2018,2021, all of the Named Executive Officers hadNEOs (as defined below) exceeded the Company’s stock ownership guidelines.

The Company has also adopted guidelines for stock ownership by non-employee directors, which require that each director maintain ownership of shares of the Company’s Common Stock (either directly, through restricted shares or restricted share units issued under the Company’s Director Fee Plan or through shares held in a deferred stock compensation account for the benefit of the director under the Company’s Director Fee Plan) with a market value approximating five times the current annual retainer ($85,000). Directors are expected to achieve compliance with these guidelines within a reasonable period of time after becoming a director. As of November 30, 2018,2021, all of the directors had met or exceeded the Company’s stock ownership guidelines or are within the reasonable time period for compliance.





















33


EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the following Compensation Discussion and Analysis with the Company’s management. Based upon such review and discussion, the Compensation Committee recommends to the Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the Company’s 20192022 Proxy Statement, and incorporated by reference in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2018.2021.

Submitted by:

The Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors of Matthews International Corporation
                        
M.K. O’Brien, Chairperson
T.L. Dunlap
A. Garcia-Tunon
D.W. Quigley, Jr.


Compensation Discussion and AnalysisCOMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Matthews International Corporation’s Named Executive Officers in Fiscal 2018

2021
Joseph C. BartolacciPresident & Chief Executive Officer
Gregory S. BabeChief Technology Officer
Brian J. DunnExecutive Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development
Steven D. GackenbachGroup President, Memorialization
Gary R. KohlGroup President, SGK Brand Solutions
Steven F. NicolaChief Financial Officer & Secretary
David A. SchawkGroup President, SGK Brand Solutions

The Company's executive compensation policies are administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The Compensation Committee consists of threefour independent directors: Mr. O’Brien (Chairperson), Mr. Dunlap, Mr. Garcia-Tunon and Mr. Quigley. Compensation for the Company's CEO, Chief Financial Officer, and the three other most highly compensated executives is presented in the Summary Compensation Table.

Executive Summary
Compensation Philosophy and Objectives

Continuous improvement in operating results and the creation of shareholder value are key elements of the compensation philosophy of Matthews International Corporation. Matthews.This philosophy serves as the framework for the Company’s executive compensation program.Our program is designed to provide incentive arrangements that reward executives for improvement in the Company’s operating results and appreciation in our stock value.


34


To underscore the importance of “pay-for-performance” in our compensation philosophy and our Company’s culture, our Compensation Committee (referred to throughout this section as the Committee) has developed incentive arrangements based on rigorous performance standards. Our annual incentive compensation plan rewards executives for the achievementattainment of operating profit (oradjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA")) and, economic value added, targets whileand adjusted operating cash flow targets. Adjusted net income is utilized instead of adjusted EBITDA for Corporate participants. For purposes of our long-termannual incentive plan, rewards for the achievement of earnings per share targets and appreciation in our stock price. “Economic“economic value added” is the measure of operating profitadjusted EBITDA (or adjusted net income for Corporate participants) compared to the cost of the capital utilized to generate this profit.income. Adjusted operating cash flow is defined as adjusted EBITDA less capital expenditures plus/minus changes in working capital. Our long-term incentive plan in fiscal 2021 rewards participants for the achievement of stock price appreciation targets and return on invested capital ("ROIC").

The principal objectives of the Company’s executive compensation program for the Company’s named executive officers ("NEOs") and other executive officers, are to:
Attract, retain and motivate highly-qualifiedhighly qualified executives;
Reward continuous improvement in operating results and the creation of shareholder value; and
Align the interests of the Company’s executives with our shareholders.

The Company seeks to accomplish these objectives by maintaining a compensation philosophy that emphasizes rigorous performance-based programs. The foundation of its philosophy is to:
Emphasize rigorous performance-based compensation elements in our pay mix while providing fixedtotal compensation (base salary)opportunities commensurate with market levels;
Provide retirement and otherhealth benefits that are competitive with market levels; and
Avoid entering into employment contracts or other guarantees of employment except as customary in certain foreign countries, in certain cases in connection with acquired companies or as necessary in the recruitment of a new executive; and
De-emphasize the use of perquisites except for business purposes.

Beginning in fiscal year 2019, ourOur compensation philosophy targets the market median for all elements of compensation.
Fiscal 2018 Business Performance Highlights
Selected performance highlights for Fiscal 2018 include:
The Company reported another record year of sales in fiscal 2018 of $1.6 billion, representing an increase of approximately 6% over fiscal 2017.
The Company reported a record year of adjusted EBITDA in fiscal 2018.
The Company reported diluted EPS of $3.37 for fiscal 2018, compared to $2.28 last year.
The Company achieved 10% growth in adjusted earnings per share over fiscal 2017.
In November 2018, the Company raised the dividend on its common stock for the 24th consecutive year, every year since becoming a public company.
As a result of the Company’s continued strong cash flow generation, the Company reduced its outstanding long-term debt balance by $85.7 million since the fiscal 2018 second quarter, which was the quarter that the Company completed the acquisition of Star Granite and Bronze.

Response to 20182021 Say on Pay Vote and Investor Engagement Efforts
At the Annual MeetingCompany’s annual meeting held in February 2018,2021, approximately 69%94% of votes cast were in support of the compensation of our NEOs as described in the 2018 Proxy Statement for the 2018 annual meeting of the Company's shareholders.NEOs. Given this level of support, and considering that support over the previous three years had approximated 95%, the Committee engaged inis satisfied that the Company’s executive compensation programs appropriately link our executive compensation to the performance of the Company and reflect contemporary practices. The Committee remains committed to routinely reviewing and updating our executive compensation program as appropriate.

In addition, the Committee routinely evaluates responses from the Company’s ongoing outreach efforts with its majorlargest shareholders and, conducted a review ofconsistent with fiscal 2020, deemed that the current executive compensation programdesign aligns with assistancethe expectations of our shareholders. Therefore, based on the results of our latest Say-on-Pay vote and feedback from investors, the Committee maintained its independent consultant Pay Governance, LLC.

In our outreach efforts, we contacted the Company's largest shareholders representing in aggregate over 50% of the Company's outstanding shares, several of whom had voted against our Say-on-Pay proposal in the Proxy Statement for the 2018 annual meeting of the Company's shareholders, and we specifically solicited feedback on ourcore executive compensation program. In several of these calls, our Compensation Committee Chair or a member of the Committee participated, in addition to our CFO and the Committee’s independent consultant. Feedback received from investors was accumulated and was considered in conjunction with the review of our executive compensation program.

Over the course of its meetings subsequent to the 2018 Annual Meeting, the Committee conducted a comprehensive reviewdesign. A summary of our executive compensation program consideringfor fiscal 2021 is included in the investor feedback, elements of our business strategy for the next several years, and contemporarytable below.



35


Executive Compensation Elements for Fiscal 2021

Our executive compensation practices and policies. The Committee’s objective was to identify program changes that best motivate and retain our executives to achieve our business strategy of creating shareholder value within the context of contemporary market practices. This review resulted in the Committee’s approvalis comprised of the following changes adopted for Fiscal 2019key elements. Each is designed to meet the objectives of our executive compensation program:

program as established by the Committee:
Compensation Program Changes Approved Beginning Fiscal Year 2019ElementForm and Key CharacteristicsDescription and Performance Metrics
Changed from…Base SalaryChanged to…- Fixed cash component
- Reviewed annually and adjusted as appropriate
Rationale for Change- Positioned competitively to attract and retain executive talent
- Considers scope and complexity of the role as well as individual performance and experience
Annual Incentive Compensation Philosophy that targets long-term incentive (LTI)
 - Variable cash compensation at levels modestly above the market median
Compensation Philosophy that targets the market median for all elements of pay, including awards under our LTI plan
- Aligns with competitive marketcomponent
- Supports transition to new LTI planPerformance-based opportunity
Long-term incentives consisting of restricted stock with 50% vesting based on achieving performance targets and 50% vesting on continued employmentLong-term incentives with a 60%
'- Executives other than SGK Brand Solutions:
- 40% weighting assigned to performance share units (PSUs) andadjusted net income (corporate executives) or adjusted EBITDA (business unit executives)
- 40% assigned to time vesting restricted share units
- Heavier weighting assigned to PSUs provides a stronger incentiveeconomic value added (improvement in adjusted EBITDA greater than the cost of the capital utilized to achieve long-term strategic goalsgenerate this adjusted EBITDA)
- 20% weighting assigned to adjusted operating cash flow
- SGK Brand Solutions executives: 80% weighting assigned to adjusted EBITDA and 20% weighting assigned to adjusted operating cash flow
Performance-based restricted stock vesting based on achieving annualLong-Term Incentive Compensation- Variable equity-based compensation component
- 50% performance goals over three yearsunits
- 50% time-based units
PSUs
'- Performance units earned based on achieving performance goals at the end of a cumulativethe three-year performance period
period:
- StrengthensUpon the long-term orientationattainment of pre-established stock price appreciation
- Upon the attainment of ROIC Goals
- Time-based units vest 100% on the third anniversary of the incentive
Performance-based restricted stock based on annual EPS goals and stock price hurdlesPSUs earned based on EPS and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) metrics
-EPS remains a key indicator of profitability and driver of shareholder value
- ROIC ensures the appropriate use of investors’ capitalgrant
Performance-based restricted stock payout limited to number of shares granted - one-third vests upon achieving annual EPS goals or three levels of stock price hurdlesPSUs vest in a range of 50% of target for achieving threshold performance to 200% of target for achieving performance at the high end of the range determined by the Committee
- Adopt contemporary PSU performance/payout design
- High-end level goals represent stretch performance
Upon a Change in Control unvested equity awards accelerate (“single trigger”)
Severance Policy
Upon- Compensation and benefit continuation in the event of involuntary or good reason termination and a Changechange in Control,control of the Company
- Cash severance equal to 2 times base salary and target bonus
- Acceleration of unvested or unearned equity awards accelerate upon involuntary or good reason termination ((“double trigger”)

- Adopt a contemporary approach to equity acceleration
- Prevent windfall inHealth care benefit continuation over the event executive is not terminated
severance period (2 years)


In addition, beginning in fiscal 2019, the minimum vesting period, in general, for all restricted share units (time and performance) is three years. Previously, the minimum vesting period for performance-based restricted shares was one year.

36


Executive Compensation Governance Practices

The following executive compensation practices and policies have been adopted by the Committee to ensure sound corporate governance and alignment of the interests of executives and the Company’s shareholders.Many of these policies and practices have been adopted to discourage excessive risk-taking by our executive team.

What We Do:
üDesignate a non-executive board chair to provide effective independent board leadership and oversight of management
üReview risks associated with our compensation arrangements and adopt mitigating features, practices, and policies
üEngage in a rigorous CEO performance evaluation process
üEmploy shareholder-value creating metrics and challenging targets such as operating profit (or EBITDA) andadjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, economic value added and operating cash flow in our annual incentive plan, and earnings per share and beginning in fiscal year 2019, return on invested capital within our long-term incentive plan
üCap annual and long-term incentive payouts
üMaintain significant stock ownership guidelines for both executives and directors
üBeginning in fiscal year 2019, requireRequire both a qualified change in control and termination of employment (“Double Trigger”) in order to receive cash severance benefits and for unvested equity awards to accelerate
üMaintain a “clawback” policy that provides for the recoupment of incentive awards under certain conditions in the event of a financial restatement
üRetain an independent compensation consultant who regularly provides advise to the compensation committee on matters pertaining to executive compensation

What We Don’t Do:
ûEnter into individual employment contracts with our executives, except in an instance where an agreement is assumed, or is necessary, as part of an acquisition
ûAllow hedging or pledging of the Company's common stock
ûProvide excise tax gross-ups related to change in control terminations
ûAllow repricing or exchanging of stock options or other equity awards without shareholder approval
ûProvide excessive perquisites and tax gross-up perquisites



37


Executive Compensation Elements for Fiscal 2018
Our executive compensation program is comprised of the following three key elements. Each is designed to meet the objectives of our executive compensation program as established by the Compensation Committee:
Compensation ElementForm and Key CharacteristicsDescription and Performance Metrics
Base Salary
- Fixed cash component
- Reviewed annually and adjusted as appropriate
- Positioned competitivelyResponse to attract and retain executive talent
- Considers scope and complexity of the role as well as individual performance and experience
Annual Incentive Compensation
- Variable cash compensation component
- Performance-based opportunity
- Executives other than SGK Brand Solutions executives:
- 50% weighting assigned to Net Income (corporate executives) or operating profit (business unit executives)
- 50% weighting assigned to economic value added (improvement in operating profit greater than the cost of the capital utilized to generate this profit)
- SGK Brand Solutions executives: 100% weighting assigned to EBITDA
Long-Term Incentive Compensation
- Variable equity-based compensation component
- 50% performance vesting restricted stock
- 50% time vesting restricted stock
- As noted above, for November 2018 (fiscal 2019) awards, changed to a 60% weighting assigned to performance share units (PSUs) and 40% assigned to time vesting restricted share units
- Performance-vesting shares vest:
- Upon the attainment of non-GAAP annual earnings per share
- Upon the attainment of appreciation in the Company’s stock price established at grant
- Time vesting shares vest 100% on the third anniversary of the grant
- As noted above, for November 2018 (fiscal 2019) awards, changed PSU metrics to EPS and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)
COVID-19

The Committee made no significant changes to the base salary and annual incentive plan components of executive compensation for fiscal 2021 as a result of COVID-19.

With respect to the Company’s long-term incentive plan, the Committee did not make any changes to its methodology in determining target awards to plan participants. Target amounts for the November 2020 annual awards were maintained at market median levels. The allocation of restricted share units was set at 50% performance units and 50% time-based units. This allocation between time and performance vesting was only intended for fiscal 2021 in consideration of the pandemic. For fiscal 2022 awards, the allocation of restricted share units was restored to 60% performance units and 40% time-based units.

In addition, for fiscal 2021 awards, the three-year performance targets were established as follows:
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 25% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of growth in the Company’s stock price of 40%, 20%, and 60%, respectively, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award; and
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 25% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of return on invested capital of 12%, 10%, and 14%, respectively, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award.

The utilization of stock price as a performance goal was temporary in consideration of the pandemic and was intended to better align the interests of participants with the Company’s shareholders. For fiscal 2022 awards, the three-year performance targets were established as follows:
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 30% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of consolidated adjusted earnings per share growth 9%, 6.5%, and 12%, respectively, based on the fiscal 2022 budget, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award; and
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 30% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of return on invested capital of 12%, 10%, and 14%, respectively, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award. The Committee established the minimum threshold ROIC goal of 10% to exceed the Company’s estimated cost of capital. The Committee established this threshold to reward executives only when shareholder value is created.
CEO Compensation Decisions for Fiscal 20182021

Despite the challenging conditions of the pandemic, the Committee emphasized the importance of remaining consistent with the Company’s executive compensation philosophies, which target base salaries at market median levels and reward executives for performance against pre-established targets and creation of shareholder value. As noted in the pie chart on page 39, variable, at-risk compensation accounted for 83% of our CEO’s target compensation. Key performance considerations in determining Mr. Bartolacci’s compensation for fiscal 2021 were as follows:
The Company reported record consolidated sales in fiscal year 2021;
The Company generated record operating cash flow in fiscal year 2020;
Adjusted EBITDA significantly increased in fiscal year 2021, which also exceeded fiscal year 2019 (pre-pandemic);
Outstanding debt was reduced in excess of $200 million since inception of the pandemic (fiscal year 2020 second quarter);
The Company’s net leverage ratio was reduced from 4.3 to 3.1 since the inception of the pandemic; and
The Company’s stock price increased over 50% during fiscal year 2021.
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In consideration of the Committee’s executive compensation philosophy and these performance factors, the Committee approved the following compensation changes based on an evaluation of factors including: overall company and business unit performance, performance against pre-established personal objectives and goals, execution of business strategy, and consideration ofchanges. Mr. Bartolacci’s total compensation shown in the competitive market.Summary Compensation Table increased 3.6% in fiscal 2021.
Base Salary: Mr. Bartolacci’s base salary for 2018calendar 2021 was increased 4.5%2% to approximate the market median. The Committee rated his fiscal 2017 performance as Distinguished (highest level).
Annual Incentive CompensationCompensation:: Our Compensation Committee approved a payout under this program Target annual incentive compensation for Mr. Bartolacci forwas set at the market median. Based on the Company’s fiscal year 2018 performance equal to 109%2021 operating results (as noted above), Mr. Bartolacci achieved 191% of target annual incentive compensation based upon above target performance against pre-established adjusted net income, and economic value added and operating cash flow performance goals. The fiscal year 2018 performance targets required growth of 17.9% and 20.9% in net income and economic value added, respectively, over fiscal year 2017.goals (see Annual Incentive Compensation below).

Long-Term Incentive CompensationCompensation: : Mr. Bartolacci received an annual equity award for fiscal year 2018 in November 20172021 equal to $3,478,922, a decrease of $783,623 or 18.4% when compared$3,639,530 to his grant of $4,262,545 the previous year. In November 2018, the Committee approved an annual equity award equal to $2,874,161, a further decrease of $604,761 or 17.4% as it implements our new compensation philosophy of targetingapproximate the market median.
Change in Pension Value: In fiscal 2021, the Company approved the termination of its non-qualified Supplemental Retirement Plan ("SERP") in which Mr. Bartolacci is a participant. As a result, his Change in Pension Value shown in the Summary Compensation Table (which includes the SERP and his participation in the Company’s principal defined benefit retirement plan ("DB Plan")) significantly declined from $1,864,250 for fiscal 2020 to $284,123 for fiscal 2021.

Further,In addition, as shown in the annualtable on page 43, Mr. Bartolacci forfeited equity awards in November 2021 and November 2020 with original grant date values of $1,650,444 and $641,813, respectively. As further emphasis on the Committee’s philosophy to align long-term incentive compensation with the Company’s executive management (including Mr. Bartolacci) were reduced by approximately 15% compared toperformance, the previous year as a resultactual realized portion of the implementation of our newperformance-based long-term incentive compensation philosophy of targetingawards that were granted over the market median.past five years for the Company's CEO was 49.0% (see table on page 43).


Fiscal 20182021 Target Compensation Mix

The pie charts below show the mix of target compensation provided to our CEO and other NEOs in fiscal 2018.2021. Variable, at-risk compensation accounted for 83% of our CEO’s target compensation and 66%68% of our other NEOs compensation on average.

proxycomppiechart.jpgcompensationmix.jpg

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Compensation Committee Administration

The principal function of the Compensation Committee is to review the Company’s compensation and benefit programs, including executive compensation and benefits, to ensure that total compensation is appropriate, competitive and consistent with the Company’s compensation philosophy. In performing its duties, the Compensation Committee consults with the Company’s CEO, the Company’s Vice President, Human Resources Leadership and various independent external advisors. In fiscal 2018,2021, the Compensation Committee consulted principally with Pay Governance, LLC, an independent executive compensation consulting firm. Pay Governance, LLC does not perform any other services for the Company and reports directly to the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee has full authority to retain external advisors, consultants and agents, as necessary, in the fulfillment of its responsibilities. The Compensation Committee reviews the performance and the fees of the independent consultant each year and determines whether to retain such consultant for the upcoming year.


Among its other duties, the Compensation Committee has responsibility for setting executive base salary levels and administering the terms and policies of the following key executive benefit plans:
2015 Incentive Compensation PlanPlan;
2017 Equity Incentive PlanPlan;
Supplemental Retirement Plan ("SERP")SERP; and
Officers Retirement Restoration Plan ("ORRP").

In general, the Compensation Committee’s desire to align the Company's executive compensation program with market levels drives the allocation between short-term and long-term compensation, as well as cash and equity components. The Compensation Committee believes that the level of compensation provided to an executive should be based on success against pre-established performance goals that drive the creation of shareholder value. To achieve this objective, the Company has built its current annual cash incentive plan based on achievement of adjusted EBITDA, economic value-added and operating profit (or EBITDA) and economic value addedcash flow targets. For the long-term plan, the Compensation Committee provided equity awards in November 2017fiscal 2021 (November 2020) with a level of value and rate of vesting that areprovisions dependent on time and service (50%) and the achievement of earnings per share and stock price growth. In response to shareholder feedback, beginningappreciation (25%) and return on invested capital (25%) targets. For fiscal 2022 (November 2021), the Compensation Committee provided equity awards with the November 2018 awards, the vesting provisions of the equity grants are dependent on time and service (40%) and the achievement of earnings per share (30%) and return on invested capital (30%) targets. The Company has no formal policy regarding the allocation of variable and fixed compensation for its NEOs.

The Compensation Committee has considered whether its executive compensation program promotes risk taking at levels that are unacceptable to the Company. The Compensation Committee considered the following factors related to risk:
Compensation philosophy that targets salaries and incentives at the market median and incentives modestly above median median;
(market median beginning in fiscal 2019);
Annual incentive design that caps maximum awards for the achievement of operating profitadjusted EBITDA and economic value addedvalue-added targets reflective of the Company’s business plan;
Long-term incentives with performance and time-based vesting criteria;
Stock ownership guidelines; and
Incentive compensation recoupment policy.

The Compensation Committee believes that the above factors as well as the overall executive compensation design, policies and mix of compensation serve to manage risk in a manner that is acceptable to the Company and its shareholders.


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The Compensation Committee makes decisions regarding executive compensation with input from its independent consultant. When making decisions regarding compensation for the CEO, the Compensation Committee has a process in which it considers comparative market data provided by its independent consultant and the CEO’s performance assessment prepared by the Company’s Board of Directors. When making decisions regarding compensation for executives other than the CEO, the Compensation Committee considers comparative market data and seeks input and evaluates recommendations from the CEO. In order to obtain comparative market data for evaluating executive compensation, the Company, through its independent consultant, utilizes compensation data published by Willis Towers Watson. The Company targets industrial and manufacturing companies of similar size, complexity, employment region and performance in developing this set of comparative data. Because data sample sizes for these types of companies may not be sufficient, the Company supplements such data with broader and more general industry data to develop its market data.


In evaluating compensation for fiscal 2018,2021, the Compensation Committee’s independent consultant developed a group of peer companies to make assessments of market compensation and to determine the alignment of compensation earned relative to Company and peer performance. The peer group targeted industrial/manufacturing companies of similar size, complexity, employment region and performance. The peer group of companies used in evaluating compensation (“Peer Group”) for 20182021 was:

Actuant CorporationBarnes Group Inc.Deluxe Corp.EnPro Industries Inc.
Graco Inc.Hillenbrand IndustriesInc.ICF International, Inc.
IDEX CorporationInnerWorkings, Inc.John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Kaman Corporation
MDC Partners, Inc.Meredith CorporationMinerals Technologies Inc.
MSA Safety IncorporatedMoog, Inc.Schweitzer-Mauduit Intl.
Service Corp. InternationalStandex International Corp.Teledyne Technologies, Inc.
TriMas CorporationViad CorporationWoodward, Inc.
Westinghouse Air Brake
     Technologies Corporation

For calendar 2019,2022, the Committee removed Westinghouse Air Brake Technologiesapproved the removals of InnerWorkings, Inc. (acquisition) and Viad Corporation from the Peer Group as a result of the planned consummation of its acquisition.(size).

The Compensation Committee does not consider amounts from prior performance-based compensation, such as prior bonus awards or realized or unrealized equity compensation gains, in its decisions to increase or decrease compensation in the current year. The Compensation Committee believes that this would not be in the best interest of retaining and motivating the executive.

Pay-for-Performance Alignment

The Compensation Committee believes there are different ways of assessing whether compensation paid to executives aligns with the performance of the Company. For the Compensation Committee’s consideration in understanding the Company’s pay-for-performance alignment, the Compensation Committee’s compensation consultant examined the relationship of the Company's CEO’s realizable compensation and the Company’s performance relative to the CEO compensation and performance of the Peer Group. Performance was defined as the relative ranking of the following four performance metrics:
Net sales growth;
Return on invested capital;
Growth in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA); and
Total shareholder return (stock price appreciation plus dividends).


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The consultant evaluated each performance metric independently relative to the Peer Group for the three-year period 20152018 through 2017,2020, and the five-year period 20132016 through 2017.2020. The relative ranking of each performance metric was averaged to form a composite ranking. The Company’s relative composite performance ranking was aligned with the Peer Group as follows:
2015 through 2017: 69
2018 through 2020: 28th percentile
2016 through 2020: 25th percentile

th percentile
2013 through 2017: 63rd percentile

For the three-year period 20152018 through 2017,2020, the CEO’s three-year realizable compensation relative to the Peer Group ranked at the 5928th percentile while the Company’s performance composite ranked at the 6924th percentile of the Peer Group. Realizable compensation includes base salary, actual bonuses paid, the intrinsic value of equity awards at the fiscal year-end 20162020 stock price and performance shares earned or expected to be earned.

For the five-year period 20132016 through 2017,2020, the CEO’s five-year realizable compensation relative to Peer Group ranked at the 5225ndth percentile while the Company’s performance composite ranked at the 6326rdth percentile of the Peer Group.

payonperformancegrapha01.jpgpayforperformance.jpg

The Compensation Committee evaluated this information and concluded that the Company’s relative performance was aligned with the relative realizable value of compensation paid to the CEO on a three-year and five-year basis.


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As further emphasis on the Compensation Committee’s philosophy to align long-term incentive compensation with the Company’s performance, below is a table which reflects, as of September 30, 2018,2021, the actual realized portion of the performance-based long-term incentive compensation awards that were granted over the past five fiscal years for the Company's CEO:

Grant Date (Fiscal Year)Performance MeasureGrant ValueGrant Date Stock PriceVesting ThresholdsPercent of Shares EarnedExpiration Date
Forfeited Share Value (1)
2017Non-GAAP EPS$985,295 $66.610 $3.65 $3.94 $4.26 66.7%2020$394,065
2017Stock Price$912,594 $66.610 $69.91 $76.61 $83.27 33.3%2022$788,196
2018Non-GAAP EPS$802,265 $57.050 $3.89 $4.20 $4.54 33.3%2021$641,813
2018Stock Price$751,220 $57.050 $59.91 $65.61 $71.32 33.3%2023
2019Non-GAAP EPS$862,248 $42.205 $4.33 $4.72 $5.42 %2022$862,248
2019ROIC$862,248 $42.205 12%14%16%114.7%2022
2020Non-GAAP EPS$925,586 $35.290 $3.62 $3.94 $4.53 %2023
2020ROIC$925,551 $35.290 12%14%16%%2023
2021Stock Price$909,883 $26.860 20%40%60%200.0%2024
2021ROIC$909,883 $26.860 10%12%14%%2024
Total49.0%
(1) The forfeited share value represents the number of shares/RSUs forfeited multiplied by the grant date stock price.The fiscal 2017 EPS shares were forfeited on November 21, 2019.The fiscal 2018 EPS shares were forfeited on November 19, 2020.The fiscal 2019 EPS RSUs and fiscal 2017 stock price shares were forfeited on November 18, 2021.
GrantPerformance MeasureGrant ValueGrant Date Stock PriceVesting ThresholdsPercent of Shares EarnedForfeiture Date
2014Non-GAAP EPS$427,770
 $40.74
 $2.69
 $2.94
 $3.14
 100.0% 2017
2014Stock Price558,810
 40.74
 42.78
 46.85
 50.93
 100.0% 2019
2015Non-GAAP EPS499,200
 46.08
 2.88
 3.11
 3.36
 100.0% 2018
2015Stock Price591,012
 46.08
 48.39
 53.00
 57.60
 100.0% 2020
2016Non-GAAP EPS850,403
 57.50
 3.25
 3.51
 3.79
 100.0% 2019
2016Stock Price790,585
 57.50
 60.38
 66.13
 71.88
 100.0% 2021
2017Non-GAAP EPS985,295
 66.61
 3.65
 3.94
 4.26
 66.7% 2020
2017Stock Price912,594
 66.61
 69.91
 76.61
 83.27
 66.7% 2022
2018Non-GAAP EPS802,265
 57.05
 3.89
 4.20
 4.54
 33.3% 2021
2018Stock Price751,220
 57.05
 59.91
 65.61
 71.32
 33.3% 2023
 Total     76.7%  


The unvested restricted shares/RSUs awarded in fiscal 2017, fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2019 subject to the non-GAAP EPS performance measure and the unvested restricted shares awarded in fiscal 2017 subject to the stock price performance measure have expired and, accordingly, were forfeited.




Base Salaries

The Compensation Committee determines and approves the base salaries of the Company’s executives, including the CEO, and considers recommendations from the CEO with respect to the other executives. The Compensation Committee employs the same principles that are applied in developing the base salaries of all employees. Base salary ranges are determined for each executive position based on their level, responsibilities and complexity using the 50th percentile survey data for similar positions at comparable companies. A base salary market median amount is determined for each position based on this competitive data and ranges are established to provide that the Company’s salary levels are managed between 80% and 120% of such market median.

In determining base salary adjustments for each executive, the Compensation Committee considers the individual’s performance evaluation, the level of responsibility for the position, an individual’s current base salary in relation to market median and industry competition for executive talent. As discussed earlier, the Compensation Committee’s philosophy is to target fixed base salaries at the median of market levels. On this basis, base salaries were increased for calendar 20182021 as follows:
NEOPercent Increase
Mr. Bartolacci4.5%
Mr. Babe8.4%2.0%
Mr. Dunn4.5%2.0%
Mr. Gackenbach2.0%
Mr. Kohl2.0%
Mr. Nicola4.5%
Mr. Schawk3.0%2.0%

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As a result of these adjustments, the calendar 20182021 base salaries of each NEO approximated market median, except Mr. Schawk. Mr. Schawk’s base salary is above median due to his former position as CEO of Schawk, Inc., prior to its acquisition in 2014 (see “Employment and Severance Agreements” below).median.

Executives are also subject to an annual individual performance evaluation. The evaluations are designed to rate each executive on various criteria, both objective and subjective, including the areas of leadership, technical expertise, initiative, judgment and personal development. An overall rating is assessed to each individual from these evaluations and is an important element in determining annual adjustments to base salaries. The rating levels include: DistinguishedSurpassed (highest rating), Commendable, Competent, AdequateAchieved, and ProvisionalProgressed/Missed (lowest rating). The Compensation Committee conducts an evaluation of the CEO’s performance and the CEO conducts an evaluation of each executive officer’s performance. Each of the NEOs was rated at either the CommendableSurpassed or Distinguished levels.Achieved level.

Annual Incentive Compensation

The Company’s 2015 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2015 Incentive Plan”) covers the annual incentive compensation to be paid to key managers of the Company, including the NEOs. The 2015 Incentive Plan provides an incentive arrangement based on the achievement of annual goals reflective of the Company’s business plan. The objective of the program is to promote the Company’s goal of increasing shareholder value. The Company believes that twothree of the key elements in the creation of shareholder value are:
growth in operating profit (or EBITDA); andadjusted EBITDA;
improvement in operating profitadjusted EBITDA greater than the cost of the capital utilized to generate this profitadjusted EBITDA (referred to as “economic value added”).; and
strong operating cash flow generation.

Accordingly, the 2015 Incentive Planannual incentive plan for fiscal 2021 was designed to motivate management to achieve levels of operating profit (or EBITDA) andadjusted EBITDA, economic value added, and operating cash flow reflective of the Company’s business plan.


Designated managers within each of the Company’s business segments participate in the incentive program for their respective business unit. IncentiveFor fiscal 2021, incentive compensation for these participants (except the SGK Brand Solutions segment) iswas calculated based on the achievement of operating profit andadjusted EBITDA, economic value added, and operating cash flow targets established for their individual business unit. Economic value added for business units is defined as the unit’s operating profitadjusted EBITDA less its cost of capital (cost of capital is determined based on a pre-tax rate of 12% multiplied by net controllable assets, which is estimated to beexceed the Company’sCompany's weighted average pre-tax cost of capital). Operating cash flow for business units for the purposes of incentive compensation is defined as adjusted EBITDA less capital expenditures plus/minus changes in working capital. Incentive compensation for SGK Brand Solutions participants iswas calculated based on the achievement of adjusted EBITDA and operating cash flow targets established for this business unit.

Incentive compensation for corporate executives iswas calculated based on the achievement of pre-established targets for adjusted net income, and economic value added, and operating cash flow performance of the Company on a consolidated basis. Corporate economic value added is defined as the Company’s adjusted net income less its after-tax cost of capital (with cost of capital based on an after-tax rate of 8%, which is estimated to beapproximate the Company’s weighted average after-tax cost of capital).

Operating profit,
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Adjusted EBITDA (adjusted net income andfor Corporate participants), economic value added, and operating cash flow targets are established at the beginning of the fiscal year by the Committee. In determining these targets for fiscal 2018,2021, the Committee considered the long-term growth objectives of the Company; fiscal 20182021 operating budgets approved by the Company’s Board of Directors; and current economic, industry and competitive market conditions.

No adjustments were made to the annual incentive compensation program for fiscal 2021 as a result of COVID-19. Fiscal 20182021 performance targets established for the respective business units of the NEO’s were as follows:

Adjusted
Net Income/EBITDA
Economic Value AddedOperating
Cash Flow
Corporate$85,470 $36,320 $188,995 
Industrial Technologies/Environmental Solutions35,478 13,302 32,853 
Memorialization (excl. Environmental Solutions)130,994 60,257 127,527 
SGK Brand Solutions (brand packaging only)78,315 n/a83,812 

Corporate amounts (Mr. Bartolacci Mr. Babe, and Mr. Nicola)Nicola are participants) were based on consolidated adjusted net income, economic value added, and operating cash flow of the Company. The adjusted net income target was calculated based on the Company’s adjusted EBITDA target of $202.4 million for fiscal year 2021, which was relatively consistent with the Company’s adjusted EBITDA for fiscal year 2020. Although the Company expected a significant reduction in Memorialization segment sales volume with the anticipated subsidence of the pandemic, the Committee determined that target Corporate annual incentive compensation for fiscal year 2021 should generally be based on profitability levels not less than the previous year.
 Net IncomeEconomic Value AddedRelative Incentive %
Target $87,700
  $22,168
 100% 
Minimum78,930  16,626  50% 
Maximum96,470  27,710  200% 

Industrial Technologies / Environmental Solutions amounts (Mr. Dunn)
 Operating ProfitEconomic Value AddedRelative Incentive %
Target $27,073
  $7,826
 100% 
Minimum21,658  5,409  50% 
Maximum32,488  10,243  200% 

SGK Brand Solutions (Mr. Schawk)
 
Adjusted
EBITDA
Relative Incentive %
Target $148,070
 100% 
Minimum133,263  50% 
Maximum177,684  200% 

Corporate amounts were based on consolidated net income and economic value added of the Company and required growth of 17.9% and 20.9%, respectively, over fiscal 2017 to achieve target payout. Industrial Technologies / Environmental Solutions amounts were based on the combined operating profit andadjusted EBITDA, economic value added, and operating cash flow for these businesses. Memorialization amounts (Mr. Gackenbach) were based on the adjusted EBITDA, economic value added and operating cash flow of this segment excluding Environmental Solutions. SGK Brand Solutions amounts (Mr. Kohl) were based on the adjusted EBITDA, foreconomic value added and operating cash flow of the brand packaging portion this business unit. The performance targets for Industrial Technologies / Environmental Solutions and SGK Brand Solutions also required growth over actual fiscal 2017 results to achieve target payout.segment.

The attainment of target performance levels resultresults in an earned incentive equivalent to the participant’s target incentive amount (discussed below). No incentive amounts are earned for operating results that do not achieve the defined minimum performance levels. Incentive amounts cannot exceed the defined maximum percentage of the participant’s target incentive amount. Earned incentive percentages are interpolated within the ranges.

For the NEOs for fiscal 2018, except Mr. Schawk, one-half2021, 40% of the participant’s incentive compensation opportunity was based on the achievement of operating profit targets (net income in the case of Corporate participants), with the remaining portion based on the achievement of economic value added targets. Mr. Schawk’starget annual incentive compensation opportunity was based on the achievement of adjusted EBITDA targets (adjusted net income for Corporate participants), 40% was based on the achievement of economic value added targets, and the remaining 20% was based on the achievement of operating cash flow targets. To better align business unit performance with the Company’s consolidated objectives, 25% of the annual incentive compensation opportunities for Mr. Dunn, Mr. Gackenbach and Mr. SchawkKohl were based on the achievement of the Company’s consolidated results.


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The target incentive amount is expressed as a percentage of the participant’s base salary and based upon the executive’s position and the industry recommended percentage target for the position as provided to the Company by Pay Governance, LLC. Target, minimum and maximum incentive award opportunities for the CEO and other NEOs are included in the table below.

Named Executive OfficerTarget Incentive Award as a Percent of Base SalaryMinimum Incentive Award as a Percent of Base SalaryMaximum Incentive Award as a Percent of Base Salary
J.C. Bartolacci100%50%200%
B.J. Dunn55%27.5%110%
S.D. Gackenbach55%27.5%110%
G.R. Kohl55%27.5%110%
S.F. Nicola70%35%140%
Named Executive OfficerTarget Incentive Award as a Percent of Base SalaryMinimum Incentive Award as a Percent of Base SalaryMaximum Incentive Award as a Percent of Base Salary
J.C. Bartolacci100%50%200%
G.S. Babe60%30%120%
B.J. Dunn55%27.5%110%
S.F. Nicola70%35%140%
D.A. Schawk75%37.5%150%

Actual results for fiscal 20182021 compared to target levels were as follows. ActualAdjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income amounts reflectreflected the following adjustments as pre-approved by the Committee: acquisition-related costs, restructuring costs, asset impairments, ERP implementation costs, intangible amortization expense, and certain other non-GAAP adjustments as presented in the Company’s quarterly and annual earnings reports.

Corporate
ActualTargetRelative Incentive %AllocationIncentive
Earned
Adjusted net income$104,913 $85,470 200 %40 %80 %
Economic value added55,063 36,320 200 %40 %80 %
Operating cash flow210,553 188,995 157 %20 %31 %
Total191 %
 ActualTargetRelative Incentive %Allocation
Incentive
Earned
Net income $89,093
  $87,700
 116% 50% 58% 
Economic value added22,305  22,168  102% 50% 51% 
Total    109% 

Industrial Technologies / Environmental Solutions
ActualTargetRelative Incentive %AllocationIncentive
Earned
Adjusted EBITDA$31,829 $35,478 58 %40 %23 %
Economic value added10,687 13,302 73 %40 %29 %
Operating cash flow40,712 32,853 168 %20 %34 %
Total86 %

Memorialization (excluding Environmental Solutions)
ActualTargetRelative Incentive %AllocationIncentive
Earned
Adjusted EBITDA$162,034 $130,994 200 %40 %80 %
Economic value added90,307 60,257 200 %40 %80 %
Operating cash flow155,960 127,527 200 %20 %40 %
Total200 %

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 ActualTargetRelative Incentive %Allocation
Incentive
Earned
Operating profit $27,752
  $27,073
 133% 50% 67% 
Economic value added4,163  7,826  % 50% % 
Total    67% 



SGK Brand Solutions (brand packaging only)
ActualTargetRelative Incentive %AllocationIncentive
Earned
Adjusted EBITDA$78,870 $78,315 104 %80 %83 %
Operating cash flow78,621 83,812 69 %20 %14 %
Total97 %
 ActualTarget
Incentive
Earned
Adjusted EBITDA $132,025
  $148,070
 % 

Based on actual results, the calculationcalculations of the earned incentive amounts were as follows:
Named Executive OfficerBase SalaryTarget Incentive
Target
Incentive Amount
Earned Incentive
Earned
Incentive Amount
Named Executive OfficerBase SalaryTarget IncentiveTarget
Incentive Amount
Earned IncentiveEarned
Incentive Amount
J.C. Bartolacci $884,540
 100%  $884,540
 109%  $965,741
 J.C. Bartolacci$948,600 100 %$948,600 191 %$1,815,715 
G.S. Babe440,000  60% 264,000  109% 288,235  
B.J. Dunn410,000  55% 225,500  67% 193,712  B.J. Dunn439,000 55 %241,450 86 %322,984 
S.D. GackenbachS.D. Gackenbach440,000 55 %242,000 200 %478,803 
G.R. KohlG.R. Kohl445,500 55 %245,025 97 %294,845 
S.F. Nicola525,000  70% 367,500  109% 401,237  S.F. Nicola562,500 70 %393,750 191 %753,677 
D.A. Schawk651,000  75% 488,250  % 133,268  
Note: 25% of the target incentive amounts for Mr. Dunn, Mr. Gackenbach and Mr. SchawkKohl were based on the achievement of the Corporate results.

Incentive amounts are subject to reduction at the discretion of the Compensation Committee based on the performance of the NEO relative to pre-established, quantifiable personal goals. Each incentive compensation plan participant develops personal goals, which are subject to review and approval by the business unit President or CEO, as appropriate. The personal goals of the CEO are reviewed and approved by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee may use discretion to decrease calculated awards based on the participant’s performance relative to the quantifiable individual goals. No such adjustments were made in fiscal 2018.2021.

Long-Term Incentive Compensation

Long-term incentive compensation for fiscal 2018 was provided to key managers and executives under the Company’s 2012 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2012 Equity Plan”). In February 2018, the Company’s shareholders approved the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2017 Equity Plan”). Accordingly, future awards will be provided under the 2017 Equity Plan and no further awards will be made under the 2012 Equity Plan.

The 2012 Equity Plan and the 2017 Equity Plan are equity compensation plans designed to directly align the interests of employees with the Company’s shareholders. The plans are intended to encourage eligible employees to increase their efforts to make the Company more successful, to provide an additional inducement for such employees to remain with the Company, to reward such employees by providing an opportunity to acquire shares of the Company’s common stock on favorable terms and to provide a means through which the Company may attract able persons to enter the employ of the Company. The eligible employees are those employees of the Company or any subsidiary who share responsibility for the management, growth or protection of the business of the Company.

Under the 2012 Equity Plan and the 2017 Equity Plan, equity grants can be made in the form of:
Stock options;Ownership Guidelines
Restricted share awards;
Restricted share units (including performance-based share units);
Stock appreciation rights; and
Other stock-based awards.

The Company has generally issued restricted shares with time and performance-vesting provisions. In November 2018 (fiscal 2019)established guidelines for stock ownership by management, which are intended to promote the awards were in the formalignment of restricted share units with time and performance vesting provisions.

The Committee believes that the use of stock-based compensation provides a strong link in aligning the interests of management with the Company’s shareholdersshareholders. As more fully described under “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” of this Proxy Statement, the guidelines provide for ownership by incentivizingmanagement of shares of the Company’s Common Stock with a minimum market value ranging up to six times base salary depending upon the individual’s position with the Company. Individuals are expected to achieve compliance with these guidelines within a reasonable period of time after appointment to their respective positions.
For purposes of these guidelines, stock ownership includes all shares directly owned (including shares held under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan and time-vesting restricted share units or shares), but does not include outstanding stock options or unvested performance-based restricted share units or shares. Immediate compliance with these guidelines is not mandatory; however, individuals are expected to undertake a program to achieve compliance within five years of their hire date or promotion to their respective position. The ownership policy mandates that at least 50% of the after-tax shares realized upon an option exercise or vesting of restricted stock or restricted share units must be retained until the ownership guideline is met. Compliance with these ownership guidelines is one of the factors considered by the Compensation Committee in determining eligibility for participation in the Company’s equity compensation programs. As of November 30, 2021, all NEOs (as defined below) exceeded the Company’s stock ownership guidelines.

The Company has also adopted guidelines for stock ownership by non-employee directors, which require that each director maintain ownership of shares of the Company’s Common Stock (either directly, through restricted shares or restricted share units issued under the Company’s Director Fee Plan or through shares held in a deferred stock compensation account for the benefit of the director under the Company’s Director Fee Plan) with a market value approximating five times the current annual retainer ($85,000). Directors are expected to achieve compliance with these guidelines within a reasonable period of time after becoming a director. As of November 30, 2021, all of the directors had met or exceeded the Company’s stock ownership guidelines or are within the reasonable time period for compliance.





















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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the following Compensation Discussion and Analysis with the Company’s management. Based upon such review and discussion, the Compensation Committee recommends to the Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the Company’s 2022 Proxy Statement, and incorporated by reference in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2021.

                        Submitted by:

                        The Compensation Committee of the Board of
                        Directors of Matthews International Corporation
                        M.K. O’Brien, Chairperson
T.L. Dunlap
                        A. Garcia-Tunon
                        D.W. Quigley, Jr.


COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Matthews International Corporation’s Named Executive Officers in Fiscal 2021
Joseph C. BartolacciPresident & Chief Executive Officer
Brian J. DunnExecutive Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development
Steven D. GackenbachGroup President, Memorialization
Gary R. KohlGroup President, SGK Brand Solutions
Steven F. NicolaChief Financial Officer & Secretary

The Company's executive compensation policies are administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The Compensation Committee consists of four independent directors: Mr. O’Brien (Chairperson), Mr. Dunlap, Mr. Garcia-Tunon and Mr. Quigley. Compensation for the Company's CEO, Chief Financial Officer, and the three other most highly compensated executives is presented in the Summary Compensation Table.

Executive Summary
Compensation Philosophy and Objectives

Continuous improvement in operating results and the creation of shareholder value creation. are key elements of the compensation philosophy of Matthews.This philosophy serves as the framework for the Company’s executive compensation program.Our program is designed to provide incentive arrangements that reward executives for improvement in the Company’s operating results and appreciation in our stock value.


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To underscore the importance of “pay-for-performance” in our compensation philosophy and our Company’s culture, our Compensation Committee (referred to throughout this section as the Committee) has developed incentive arrangements based on rigorous performance standards. Our annual incentive compensation plan rewards executives for the attainment of adjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA"), economic value added, and adjusted operating cash flow targets. Adjusted net income is utilized instead of adjusted EBITDA for Corporate participants. For purposes of our annual incentive plan, “economic value added” is the measure of adjusted EBITDA (or adjusted net income for Corporate participants) compared to the cost of the capital utilized to generate this income. Adjusted operating cash flow is defined as adjusted EBITDA less capital expenditures plus/minus changes in working capital. Our long-term incentive plan in fiscal 2021 rewards participants for the achievement of stock price appreciation targets and return on invested capital ("ROIC").

The principal objectives of the Company’s executive compensation program for the Company’s named executive officers ("NEOs") and other executive officers, are to:
Attract, retain and motivate highly qualified executives;
Reward continuous improvement in operating results and the creation of shareholder value; and
Align the interests of the Company’s executives with our shareholders.

The Company seeks to accomplish these objectives by maintaining a compensation philosophy that emphasizes rigorous performance-based programs. The foundation of its philosophy is to:
Emphasize rigorous performance-based compensation elements in our pay mix while providing total compensation opportunities commensurate with market levels;
Provide retirement and health benefits that are competitive with market levels; and
De-emphasize the use of perquisites except for business purposes.

Our compensation philosophy targets the market median for all elements of compensation.
Response to 2021 Say on Pay Vote and Investor Engagement Efforts
At the Company’s annual meeting held in February 2021, approximately 94% of votes cast were in support of the compensation of our NEOs. Given this level of support, the Committee is satisfied that the Company’s executive compensation programs appropriately link our executive compensation to the performance of the Company and reflect contemporary practices. The Committee remains committed to routinely reviewing and updating our executive compensation program as appropriate.

In keepingaddition, the Committee routinely evaluates responses from the Company’s ongoing outreach efforts with its largest shareholders and, consistent with fiscal 2020, deemed that the current executive compensation design aligns with the Committee’s philosophyexpectations of providing performance-based incentives,our shareholders. Therefore, based on the restricted shares awardedresults of our latest Say-on-Pay vote and feedback from investors, the Committee maintained its core executive compensation design. A summary of our executive compensation program for fiscal 2021 is included in November 2017 generally contained performance-vesting provisions for one-halfthe table below.



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Executive Compensation Elements for Fiscal 2021

Our executive compensation program is comprised of the shares granted. Further, in orderfollowing key elements. Each is designed to enhancemeet the objectives of our executive compensation program as established by the Committee:
Compensation ElementForm and Key CharacteristicsDescription and Performance Metrics
Base Salary- Fixed cash component
- Reviewed annually and adjusted as appropriate
- Positioned competitively to attract and retain executive talent
- Considers scope and complexity of the role as well as individual performance and experience
Annual Incentive Compensation
 - Variable cash compensation component
- Performance-based opportunity
'- Executives other than SGK Brand Solutions:
- 40% weighting assigned to adjusted net income (corporate executives) or adjusted EBITDA (business unit executives)
- 40% weighting assigned to economic value added (improvement in adjusted EBITDA greater than the cost of the capital utilized to generate this adjusted EBITDA)
- 20% weighting assigned to adjusted operating cash flow
- SGK Brand Solutions executives: 80% weighting assigned to adjusted EBITDA and 20% weighting assigned to adjusted operating cash flow
Long-Term Incentive Compensation- Variable equity-based compensation component
- 50% performance units
- 50% time-based units
'- Performance units earned at the end of the three-year performance period:
- Upon the attainment of pre-established stock price appreciation
- Upon the attainment of ROIC Goals
- Time-based units vest 100% on the third anniversary of the grant
Change in Control Severance Policy- Compensation and benefit continuation in the event of involuntary or good reason termination and a change in control of the Company- Cash severance equal to 2 times base salary and target bonus
- Acceleration of unvested or unearned equity awards (“double trigger”)
- Health care benefit continuation over the severance period (2 years)


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Executive Compensation Governance Practices

The following executive compensation practices and policies have been adopted by the Committee to ensure sound corporate governance and alignment of the interests of executives and the Company’s retention objectives,shareholders.Many of these policies and practices have been adopted to discourage excessive risk-taking by our executive team.

What We Do:
üDesignate a non-executive board chair to provide effective independent board leadership and oversight of management
üReview risks associated with our compensation arrangements and adopt mitigating features, practices, and policies
üEngage in a rigorous CEO performance evaluation process
üEmploy shareholder-value creating metrics and challenging targets such as adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, economic value added and operating cash flow in our annual incentive plan, and earnings per share and return on invested capital within our long-term incentive plan
üCap annual and long-term incentive payouts
üMaintain significant stock ownership guidelines for both executives and directors
üRequire both a qualified change in control and termination of employment (“Double Trigger”) in order to receive cash severance benefits and for unvested equity awards to accelerate
üMaintain a “clawback” policy that provides for the recoupment of incentive awards under certain conditions in the event of a financial restatement
üRetain an independent compensation consultant who regularly provides advise to the compensation committee on matters pertaining to executive compensation

What We Don’t Do:
ûEnter into individual employment contracts with our executives, except in an instance where an agreement is assumed, or is necessary, as part of an acquisition
ûAllow hedging or pledging of the Company's common stock
ûProvide excise tax gross-ups related to change in control terminations
ûAllow repricing or exchanging of stock options or other equity awards without shareholder approval
ûProvide excessive perquisites and tax gross-up perquisites


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Response to COVID-19

The Committee made no significant changes to the remaining one-halfbase salary and annual incentive plan components of executive compensation for fiscal 2021 as a result of COVID-19.

With respect to the Company’s long-term incentive plan, the Committee did not make any changes to its methodology in determining target awards to plan participants. Target amounts for the November 2020 annual awards were maintained at market median levels. The allocation of restricted share units was set at 50% performance units and 50% time-based units. This allocation between time and performance vesting was only intended for fiscal 2021 in consideration of the shares granted contain a time-vesting feature in which such shares vest three years frompandemic. For fiscal 2022 awards, the grant date subjectallocation of restricted share units was restored to continued employment of60% performance units and 40% time-based units.

In addition, for fiscal 2021 awards, the executive by the Company.three-year performance targets were established as follows:

For the November 2017 (fiscal 2018) grant, the Company established two criteria for the performance-vesting shares, with each criteria further containing three separate, pro-rated performance requirements:
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting sharesunits (i.e., 25% of the overall award) vestare based upon the attainment of non-GAAP annual earnings per sharegrowth in the Company’s stock price of $3.89, $4.2040%, 20%, and $4.54;60%, respectively, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award; and
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting sharesunits (i.e., 25% of the overall award) vestare based upon the attainment of appreciationreturn on invested capital of 12%, 10%, and 14%, respectively, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award.

The utilization of stock price as a performance goal was temporary in consideration of the pandemic and was intended to better align the interests of participants with the Company’s stock price to $59.91, $65.61 and $71.32.shareholders. For fiscal 2022 awards, the three-year performance targets were established as follows:

Failure to achieve the earnings per share targets within three years of the date of grant or the stock price hurdles within five years of the date of grant will result in forfeiture of the applicable portion of the respective performance-share awards.

In response to feedback from our shareholders, for the November 2018 (fiscal 2019) grant, the Company established the following two criteria for the performance-vesting units, representing 60% of the units subject to such award, to be measured three years following the award:
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 30% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of compounded annual growth in non-GAAP annualconsolidated adjusted earnings per share of 6%growth 9%, 3%6.5%, and 11%12%, respectively, based on the fiscal 2022 budget, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award; and
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 30% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of return on invested capital of 14%12%, 12%10%, and 16%14%, respectively, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award. The Committee established the minimum threshold ROIC goal of 10% to exceed the Company’s estimated cost of capital. The Committee established this threshold to reward executives only when shareholder value is created.
CEO Compensation Decisions for Fiscal 2021

Despite the challenging conditions of the pandemic, the Committee emphasized the importance of remaining consistent with the Company’s executive compensation philosophies, which target base salaries at market median levels and reward executives for performance against pre-established targets and creation of shareholder value. As noted in the pie chart on page 39, variable, at-risk compensation accounted for 83% of our CEO’s target compensation. Key performance considerations in determining Mr. Bartolacci’s compensation for fiscal 2021 were as follows:
The Company reported record consolidated sales in fiscal year 2021;
The Company generated record operating cash flow in fiscal year 2020;
Adjusted EBITDA significantly increased in fiscal year 2021, which also exceeded fiscal year 2019 (pre-pandemic);
Outstanding debt was reduced in excess of $200 million since inception of the pandemic (fiscal year 2020 second quarter);
The Company’s net leverage ratio was reduced from 4.3 to 3.1 since the inception of the pandemic; and
The Company’s stock price increased over 50% during fiscal year 2021.
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In consideration of the Committee’s executive compensation philosophy and these performance factors, the Committee approved the following compensation changes. Mr. Bartolacci’s total compensation shown in the Summary Compensation Table increased 3.6% in fiscal 2021.
Base Salary: Mr. Bartolacci’s base salary for calendar 2021 was increased 2% to approximate the market median.
Annual Incentive Compensation: Target annual incentive compensation for Mr. Bartolacci was set at the market median. Based on the Company’s fiscal 2021 operating results (as noted above), Mr. Bartolacci achieved 191% of target annual incentive compensation based upon performance against pre-established adjusted net income, economic value added and operating cash flow performance goals (see Annual Incentive Compensation below).
Long-Term Incentive Compensation: Mr. Bartolacci received an annual equity award for fiscal year 2021 equal to $3,639,530 to approximate the market median.
Change in Pension Value: In fiscal 2021, the Company approved the termination of its non-qualified Supplemental Retirement Plan ("SERP") in which Mr. Bartolacci is a participant. As a result, his Change in Pension Value shown in the Summary Compensation Table (which includes the SERP and his participation in the Company’s principal defined benefit retirement plan ("DB Plan")) significantly declined from $1,864,250 for fiscal 2020 to $284,123 for fiscal 2021.

In addition, as shown in the table on page 43, Mr. Bartolacci forfeited equity awards in November 2021 and November 2020 with original grant date values of $1,650,444 and $641,813, respectively. As further emphasis on the Committee’s philosophy to align long-term incentive compensation with the Company’s performance, the actual realized portion of the performance-based long-term incentive compensation awards that were granted over the past five years for the Company's CEO was 49.0% (see table on page 43).


Fiscal 2021 Target Compensation Mix

The pie charts below show the mix of target compensation provided to our CEO and other NEOs in fiscal 2021. Variable, at-risk compensation accounted for 83% of our CEO’s target compensation and 68% of our other NEOs compensation on average.

compensationmix.jpg

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Compensation Committee Administration

The principal function of the Compensation Committee is to review the Company’s compensation and benefit programs, including executive compensation and benefits, to ensure that total compensation is appropriate, competitive and consistent with the Company’s compensation philosophy. In performing its duties, the Compensation Committee consults with the Company’s CEO, the Company’s Human Resources Leadership and various independent external advisors. In fiscal 2021, the Compensation Committee consulted principally with Pay Governance, LLC, an independent executive compensation consulting firm. Pay Governance, LLC does not perform any other services for the Company and reports directly to the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee has full authority to retain external advisors, consultants and agents, as necessary, in the fulfillment of its responsibilities. The Compensation Committee reviews the performance and the fees of the independent consultant each year and determines whether to retain such consultant for the upcoming year.

Among its other duties, the Compensation Committee has responsibility for setting executive base salary levels and administering the terms and policies of the following key executive benefit plans:
2015 Incentive Compensation Plan;
2017 Equity Incentive Plan;
SERP; and
Officers Retirement Restoration Plan ("ORRP").

In general, the Compensation Committee’s desire to align the Company's executive compensation program with market levels drives the allocation between short-term and long-term compensation, as well as cash and equity components. The Compensation Committee believes that the level of compensation provided to an executive should be based on success against pre-established performance goals that drive the creation of shareholder value. To achieve this objective, the Company has built its current annual cash incentive plan based on achievement of adjusted EBITDA, economic value-added and operating cash flow targets. For this measurement,the long-term plan, the Compensation Committee provided equity awards in fiscal 2021 (November 2020) with vesting provisions dependent on time and service (50%) and the achievement of stock price appreciation (25%) and return on invested capital (25%) targets. For fiscal 2022 (November 2021), the Compensation Committee provided equity awards with vesting provisions dependent on time and service (40%) and the achievement of earnings per share (30%) and return on invested capital (30%) targets. The Company has no formal policy regarding the allocation of variable and fixed compensation for its NEOs.

The Compensation Committee has considered whether its executive compensation program promotes risk taking at levels that are unacceptable to the Company. The Compensation Committee considered the following factors related to risk:
Compensation philosophy that targets salaries and incentives at the market median;
Annual incentive design that caps maximum awards for the achievement of adjusted EBITDA and economic value-added targets reflective of the Company’s business plan;
Long-term incentives with performance and time-based vesting criteria;
Stock ownership guidelines; and
Incentive compensation recoupment policy.

The Compensation Committee believes that the above factors as well as the overall executive compensation design, policies and mix of compensation serve to manage risk in a manner that is acceptable to the Company and its shareholders.


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The Compensation Committee makes decisions regarding executive compensation with input from its independent consultant. When making decisions regarding compensation for the CEO, the Compensation Committee has a process in which it considers comparative market data provided by its independent consultant and the CEO’s performance assessment prepared by the Company’s Board of Directors. When making decisions regarding compensation for executives other than the CEO, the Compensation Committee considers comparative market data and seeks input and evaluates recommendations from the CEO. In order to obtain comparative market data for evaluating executive compensation, the Company, through its independent consultant, utilizes compensation data published by Willis Towers Watson. The Company targets industrial and manufacturing companies of similar size, complexity, employment region and performance in developing this set of comparative data. Because data sample sizes for these types of companies may not be sufficient, the Company supplements such data with broader and more general industry data to develop its market data.

In evaluating compensation for fiscal 2021, the Compensation Committee’s independent consultant developed a group of peer companies to make assessments of market compensation and to determine the alignment of compensation earned relative to Company and peer performance. The peer group targeted industrial/manufacturing companies of similar size, complexity, employment region and performance. The peer group of companies used in evaluating compensation (“Peer Group”) for 2021 was:

Barnes Group Inc.Deluxe Corp.EnPro Industries Inc.
Graco Inc.Hillenbrand Inc.ICF International, Inc.
InnerWorkings, Inc.John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Kaman Corporation
MDC Partners, Inc.Meredith CorporationMinerals Technologies Inc.
MSA Safety IncorporatedMoog, Inc.Schweitzer-Mauduit Intl.
Service Corp. InternationalStandex International Corp.Teledyne Technologies, Inc.
TriMas CorporationViad CorporationWoodward, Inc.

For calendar 2022, the Committee approved the removals of InnerWorkings, Inc. (acquisition) and Viad Corporation (size).

The Compensation Committee does not consider amounts from prior performance-based compensation, such as prior bonus awards or realized or unrealized equity compensation gains, in its decisions to increase or decrease compensation in the current year. The Compensation Committee believes that this would not be in the best interest of retaining and motivating the executive.

Pay-for-Performance Alignment

The Compensation Committee believes there are different ways of assessing whether compensation paid to executives aligns with the performance of the Company. For the Compensation Committee’s consideration in understanding the Company’s pay-for-performance alignment, the Compensation Committee’s compensation consultant examined the relationship of the Company's CEO’s realizable compensation and the Company’s performance relative to the CEO compensation and performance of the Peer Group. Performance was defined as the relative ranking of the following four performance metrics:
Net sales growth;
Return on invested capital;
Growth in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA); and
Total shareholder return (stock price appreciation plus dividends).


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The consultant evaluated each performance metric independently relative to the Peer Group for the three-year period 2018 through 2020, and the five-year period 2016 through 2020. The relative ranking of each performance metric was averaged to form a composite ranking. The Company’s relative composite performance ranking was aligned with the Peer Group as follows:
2018 through 2020: 28th percentile
2016 through 2020: 25th percentile

For the three-year period 2018 through 2020, the CEO’s three-year realizable compensation relative to the Peer Group ranked at the 28th percentile while the Company’s performance composite ranked at the 24th percentile of the Peer Group. Realizable compensation includes base salary, actual bonuses paid, the intrinsic value of equity awards at the fiscal year-end 2020 stock price and performance shares earned or expected to be earned.

For the five-year period 2016 through 2020, the CEO’s five-year realizable compensation relative to Peer Group ranked at the 25th percentile while the Company’s performance composite ranked at the 26th percentile of the Peer Group.

payforperformance.jpg

The Compensation Committee evaluated this information and concluded that the Company’s relative performance was aligned with the relative realizable value of compensation paid to the CEO on a three-year and five-year basis.


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As further emphasis on the Compensation Committee’s philosophy to align long-term incentive compensation with the Company’s performance, below is a table which reflects, as of September 30, 2021, the actual realized portion of the performance-based long-term incentive compensation awards that were granted over the past five fiscal years for the Company's CEO:
Grant Date (Fiscal Year)Performance MeasureGrant ValueGrant Date Stock PriceVesting ThresholdsPercent of Shares EarnedExpiration Date
Forfeited Share Value (1)
2017Non-GAAP EPS$985,295 $66.610 $3.65 $3.94 $4.26 66.7%2020$394,065
2017Stock Price$912,594 $66.610 $69.91 $76.61 $83.27 33.3%2022$788,196
2018Non-GAAP EPS$802,265 $57.050 $3.89 $4.20 $4.54 33.3%2021$641,813
2018Stock Price$751,220 $57.050 $59.91 $65.61 $71.32 33.3%2023
2019Non-GAAP EPS$862,248 $42.205 $4.33 $4.72 $5.42 %2022$862,248
2019ROIC$862,248 $42.205 12%14%16%114.7%2022
2020Non-GAAP EPS$925,586 $35.290 $3.62 $3.94 $4.53 %2023
2020ROIC$925,551 $35.290 12%14%16%%2023
2021Stock Price$909,883 $26.860 20%40%60%200.0%2024
2021ROIC$909,883 $26.860 10%12%14%%2024
Total49.0%
(1) The forfeited share value represents the number of shares/RSUs forfeited multiplied by the grant date stock price.The fiscal 2017 EPS shares were forfeited on November 21, 2019.The fiscal 2018 EPS shares were forfeited on November 19, 2020.The fiscal 2019 EPS RSUs and fiscal 2017 stock price shares were forfeited on November 18, 2021.

The unvested restricted shares/RSUs awarded in fiscal 2017, fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2019 subject to the non-GAAP EPS performance measure and the unvested restricted shares awarded in fiscal 2017 subject to the stock price performance measure have expired and, accordingly, were forfeited.

Base Salaries

The Compensation Committee determines and approves the base salaries of the Company’s executives, including the CEO, and considers recommendations from the CEO with respect to the other executives. The Compensation Committee employs the same principles that are applied in developing the base salaries of all employees. Base salary ranges are determined for each executive position based on their level, responsibilities and complexity using the 50th percentile survey data for similar positions at comparable companies. A base salary market median amount is determined for each position based on this competitive data and ranges are established to provide that the Company’s salary levels are managed between 80% and 120% of such market median.

In determining base salary adjustments for each executive, the Compensation Committee considers the individual’s performance evaluation, the level of responsibility for the position, an individual’s current base salary in relation to market median and industry competition for executive talent. As discussed earlier, the Compensation Committee’s philosophy is to target fixed base salaries at the median of market levels. On this basis, base salaries were increased for calendar 2021 as follows:
NEOPercent Increase
Mr. Bartolacci2.0%
Mr. Dunn2.0%
Mr. Gackenbach2.0%
Mr. Kohl2.0%
Mr. Nicola2.0%

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As a result of these adjustments, the calendar 2021 base salaries of each NEO approximated market median.

Executives are also subject to an annual individual performance evaluation. The evaluations are designed to rate each executive on various criteria, both objective and subjective, including the areas of leadership, technical expertise, initiative, judgment and personal development. An overall rating is assessed to each individual from these evaluations and is an important element in determining annual adjustments to base salaries. The rating levels include: Surpassed (highest rating), Achieved, and Progressed/Missed (lowest rating). The Compensation Committee conducts an evaluation of the CEO’s performance and the CEO conducts an evaluation of each executive officer’s performance. Each of the NEOs was rated at either the Surpassed or Achieved level.

Annual Incentive Compensation

The Company’s 2015 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2015 Incentive Plan”) covers the annual incentive compensation to be paid to key managers of the Company, including the NEOs. The 2015 Incentive Plan provides an incentive arrangement based on the achievement of annual goals reflective of the Company’s business plan. The objective of the program is to promote the Company’s goal of increasing shareholder value. The Company believes that three of the key elements in the creation of shareholder value are:
growth in adjusted EBITDA;
improvement in adjusted EBITDA greater than the cost of the capital utilized to generate this adjusted EBITDA (referred to as “economic value added”); and
strong operating cash flow generation.

Accordingly, the annual incentive plan for fiscal 2021 was designed to motivate management to achieve levels of adjusted EBITDA, economic value added, and operating cash flow reflective of the Company’s business plan.

Designated managers within each of the Company’s business segments participate in the incentive program for their respective business unit. For fiscal 2021, incentive compensation for these participants (except the SGK Brand Solutions segment) was calculated based on the achievement of adjusted EBITDA, economic value added, and operating cash flow targets established for their individual business unit. Economic value added for business units is defined as the unit’s adjusted EBITDA less its cost of capital (cost of capital is determined based on consolidateda pre-tax rate of 12% multiplied by net controllable assets, which is estimated to exceed the Company's weighted average pre-tax cost of capital). Operating cash flow for business units for the purposes of incentive compensation is defined as adjusted EBITDA divided by average investedless capital (net debt plus shareholders' equity)expenditures plus/minus changes in working capital. Incentive compensation for SGK Brand Solutions participants was calculated based on the achievement of adjusted EBITDA and operating cash flow targets for this business unit.

Incentive compensation for corporate executives was calculated based on the achievement of pre-established targets for adjusted net income, economic value added, and operating cash flow performance of the Company.Company on a consolidated basis. Corporate economic value added is defined as the Company’s adjusted net income less its after-tax cost of capital (with cost of capital based on an after-tax rate of 8%, which is estimated to approximate the Company’s weighted average after-tax cost of capital).

Every
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Adjusted EBITDA (adjusted net income for Corporate participants), economic value added, and operating cash flow targets are established at the beginning of the fiscal year by the Committee. In determining these targets for fiscal 2021, the Committee determines individual grant levels through consultation withconsidered the independent compensation advisor. The Committee is provided grant guidelines by Pay Governance, LLC, which provide recommended grant award ranges based on current market thresholds.

For the November 2017 and prior awards, the recommended ranges provide a minimum, maximum and target grant award for each position / salary level. The grant ranges were developed such that the minimumlong-term growth objectives of the range aligned withCompany; fiscal 2021 operating budgets approved by the Company’s Board of Directors; and current economic, industry and competitive market 50conditions.

th percentile, the maximum of the range aligned with the market 75th percentile and the target level in the range represented the average of the market 50th and 75th percentile opportunity. However, the grants
No adjustments werecapped at the number of shares awarded on the date of grant and require achievement of all performance thresholds to be fully earned. Grants made to the NEOs in November 2017 were within the above range.

As noted earlier, in response to feedback from the Company’s shareholders, beginning with the November 2018 awards, the target level of grants represent the market median (50th percentile). The relative recommended grant ranges have been developed such that the minimum of the range is set at 20% below the market median and the maximum of the range is set at 20% above the market median.


Grant recommendations are developed using a valuation model consistent with accounting policiesannual incentive compensation program for stock-based compensation and is based on the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the dates of grant. Grants to executive officers are generally made only once a year in the Company’s first fiscal quarter (usually at the November meeting of the Committee), except for new hires and promotions. The Company does not time the release of material non-public information around the granting of equity compensation awards.

Restricted shares may also vest under certain change-in-control circumstances. Effective with the November 2018 awards, restricted share units are subject to double-trigger change-in-control provisions which require a change in control and involuntary or good reason employment termination (see “Employment and Severance Agreements” below).

Beginning with the November 2018 awards, the minimum vesting period, in general, for all restricted share units (time and performance-based) is three years. For the November 2017 and prior awards, performance-based restricted shares cannot vest earlier than one year from the date of grant and expire on the earlier of three or five years (depending on the vesting criteria) from the date of grant, upon employment termination, or within specified time limits following voluntary employment termination (with consent of the Company), retirement or death.

The minimum holding periods for vested restricted share awards are governed by the Company’s stock ownership guidelines, which provides that at least 50% of the after-tax shares realized upon vesting of restricted stock must be retained until the ownership guideline is met.

Dividends are not paid on unvested restricted shares. Dividends associated with unvested restricted shares only become payable if and upon the vesting of the restricted shares. Accordingly, dividends will not be paid if the restricted shares do not become vested and are instead forfeited.

Adjustments or Recovery of Prior Compensation

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires the CEO and Chief Financial Officer to reimburse the Company for any awards received following the release of financial results that subsequently require an accounting restatement due to noncompliance with a material financial reporting requirement2021 as a result of misconduct. Additionally, our 2015 Incentive Plan hasCOVID-19. Fiscal 2021 performance targets established for the respective business units of the NEO’s were as follows:

Adjusted
Net Income/EBITDA
Economic Value AddedOperating
Cash Flow
Corporate$85,470 $36,320 $188,995 
Industrial Technologies/Environmental Solutions35,478 13,302 32,853 
Memorialization (excl. Environmental Solutions)130,994 60,257 127,527 
SGK Brand Solutions (brand packaging only)78,315 n/a83,812 

Corporate amounts (Mr. Bartolacci and Mr. Nicola are participants) were based on consolidated adjusted net income, economic value added, and operating cash flow of the Company. The adjusted net income target was calculated based on the Company’s adjusted EBITDA target of $202.4 million for fiscal year 2021, which was relatively consistent with the Company’s adjusted EBITDA for fiscal year 2020. Although the Company expected a recoupment provision under whichsignificant reduction in Memorialization segment sales volume with the anticipated subsidence of the pandemic, the Committee hasdetermined that target Corporate annual incentive compensation for fiscal year 2021 should generally be based on profitability levels not less than the previous year.

Industrial Technologies / Environmental Solutions amounts (Mr. Dunn) were based on the combined adjusted EBITDA, economic value added, and operating cash flow for these businesses. Memorialization amounts (Mr. Gackenbach) were based on the adjusted EBITDA, economic value added and operating cash flow of this segment excluding Environmental Solutions. SGK Brand Solutions amounts (Mr. Kohl) were based on the adjusted EBITDA, economic value added and operating cash flow of the brand packaging portion this segment.

The attainment of target performance levels results in an earned incentive equivalent to the participant’s target incentive amount (discussed below). No incentive amounts are earned for operating results that do not achieve the defined minimum performance levels. Incentive amounts cannot exceed the defined maximum percentage of the participant’s target incentive amount. Earned incentive percentages are interpolated within the ranges.

For the NEOs for fiscal 2021, 40% of the participant’s target annual incentive compensation opportunity was based on the achievement of adjusted EBITDA targets (adjusted net income for Corporate participants), 40% was based on the achievement of economic value added targets, and the remaining 20% was based on the achievement of operating cash flow targets. To better align business unit performance with the Company’s consolidated objectives, 25% of the annual incentive compensation opportunities for Mr. Dunn, Mr. Gackenbach and Mr. Kohl were based on the achievement of the Company’s consolidated results.


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The target incentive amount is expressed as a percentage of the participant’s base salary and based upon the executive’s position and the industry recommended percentage target for the position as provided to the Company by Pay Governance, LLC. Target, minimum and maximum incentive award opportunities for the CEO and other NEOs are included in the table below.

Named Executive OfficerTarget Incentive Award as a Percent of Base SalaryMinimum Incentive Award as a Percent of Base SalaryMaximum Incentive Award as a Percent of Base Salary
J.C. Bartolacci100%50%200%
B.J. Dunn55%27.5%110%
S.D. Gackenbach55%27.5%110%
G.R. Kohl55%27.5%110%
S.F. Nicola70%35%140%

Actual results for fiscal 2021 compared to target levels were as follows. Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income amounts reflected the following adjustments as pre-approved by the Committee: acquisition-related costs, restructuring costs, ERP implementation costs, intangible amortization expense, and certain other non-GAAP adjustments as presented in the Company’s quarterly and annual earnings reports.

Corporate
ActualTargetRelative Incentive %AllocationIncentive
Earned
Adjusted net income$104,913 $85,470 200 %40 %80 %
Economic value added55,063 36,320 200 %40 %80 %
Operating cash flow210,553 188,995 157 %20 %31 %
Total191 %

Industrial Technologies / Environmental Solutions
ActualTargetRelative Incentive %AllocationIncentive
Earned
Adjusted EBITDA$31,829 $35,478 58 %40 %23 %
Economic value added10,687 13,302 73 %40 %29 %
Operating cash flow40,712 32,853 168 %20 %34 %
Total86 %

Memorialization (excluding Environmental Solutions)
ActualTargetRelative Incentive %AllocationIncentive
Earned
Adjusted EBITDA$162,034 $130,994 200 %40 %80 %
Economic value added90,307 60,257 200 %40 %80 %
Operating cash flow155,960 127,527 200 %20 %40 %
Total200 %

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SGK Brand Solutions (brand packaging only)
ActualTargetRelative Incentive %AllocationIncentive
Earned
Adjusted EBITDA$78,870 $78,315 104 %80 %83 %
Operating cash flow78,621 83,812 69 %20 %14 %
Total97 %

Based on actual results, the calculations of the earned incentive amounts were as follows:
Named Executive OfficerBase SalaryTarget IncentiveTarget
Incentive Amount
Earned IncentiveEarned
Incentive Amount
J.C. Bartolacci$948,600 100 %$948,600 191 %$1,815,715 
B.J. Dunn439,000 55 %241,450 86 %322,984 
S.D. Gackenbach440,000 55 %242,000 200 %478,803 
G.R. Kohl445,500 55 %245,025 97 %294,845 
S.F. Nicola562,500 70 %393,750 191 %753,677 
Note: 25% of the target incentive amounts for Mr. Dunn, Mr. Gackenbach and Mr. Kohl were based on the achievement of the Corporate results.

Incentive amounts are subject to reduction at the discretion of the Compensation Committee based on the performance of the NEO relative to adjust forpre-established, quantifiable personal goals. Each incentive compensation plan participant develops personal goals, which are subject to review and approval by the recoverybusiness unit President or CEO, as appropriate. The personal goals of previously paidthe CEO are reviewed and approved by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee may use discretion to decrease calculated awards from any participant, where appropriate, inbased on the event of restatement of prior financial statements.participant’s performance relative to the quantifiable individual goals. No such adjustments have been necessary under these provisions.were made in fiscal 2021.

The 2015 Incentive Plan, the 2017 Equity Plan and the 2012 Equity Plan provide the Committee with the discretion over the three-year period following the grant of awards to cancel, suspend or require repayment to the Company of outstanding awards if the participant (i) competes with the Company or its subsidiaries, (ii) violates solicitation provisions with customers or employees, or (iii) defames or disparages the Company, its subsidiaries or certain related persons.

Stock Ownership Guidelines

The Company has established guidelines for stock ownership by management, which are intended to promote the alignment of the interests of management with the Company’s shareholders. As more fully described under “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” of this Proxy Statement, the guidelines provide for ownership by management of shares of the Company’s Common Stock with a minimum market value ranging up to six times base salary depending upon the individual’s position with the Company. Individuals are expected to achieve compliance with these guidelines within a reasonable period of time after appointment to their respective positions.
For purposes of these guidelines, stock ownership includes all shares directly owned (including shares held under the Employee Stock Purchase Plan and time-vesting restricted share units or shares), but does not include outstanding stock options or unvested performance-based restricted share units or shares. Immediate compliance with these guidelines is not mandatory; however, individuals are expected to undertake a program to achieve compliance within five years of their hire date or promotion to their respective position. The ownership policy mandates that at least 50% of the after-tax shares realized upon an option exercise or vesting of restricted stock or restricted share units must be retained until the ownership guideline is met. Compliance with these ownership guidelines is one of the factors considered by the Compensation Committee in determining eligibility for participation in the Company’s equity compensation programs. As of November 30, 2021, all NEOs (as defined below) exceeded the Company’s stock ownership guidelines.

The Company has also adopted guidelines for stock ownership by non-employee directors, which require that each director maintain ownership of shares of the Company’s Common Stock (either directly, through restricted shares or restricted share units issued under the Company’s Director Fee Plan or through shares held in a deferred stock compensation account for the benefit of the director under the Company’s Director Fee Plan) with a market value approximating five times the current annual retainer ($85,000). Directors are expected to achieve compliance with these guidelines within a reasonable period of time after becoming a director. As of November 30, 2021, all of the directors had met or exceeded the Company’s stock ownership guidelines or are within the reasonable time period for compliance.





















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EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS

COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed the following Compensation Discussion and Analysis with the Company’s management. Based upon such review and discussion, the Compensation Committee recommends to the Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the Company’s 2022 Proxy Statement, and incorporated by reference in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2021.

                        Submitted by:

                        The Compensation Committee of the Board of
                        Directors of Matthews International Corporation
                        M.K. O’Brien, Chairperson
T.L. Dunlap
                        A. Garcia-Tunon
                        D.W. Quigley, Jr.


COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Matthews International Corporation’s Named Executive Officers in Fiscal 2021
Joseph C. BartolacciPresident & Chief Executive Officer
Brian J. DunnExecutive Vice President, Strategy & Corporate Development
Steven D. GackenbachGroup President, Memorialization
Gary R. KohlGroup President, SGK Brand Solutions
Steven F. NicolaChief Financial Officer & Secretary

The Company's executive compensation policies are administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors. The Compensation Committee consists of four independent directors: Mr. O’Brien (Chairperson), Mr. Dunlap, Mr. Garcia-Tunon and Mr. Quigley. Compensation for the Company's CEO, Chief Financial Officer, and the three other most highly compensated executives is presented in the Summary Compensation Table.

Executive Summary
Compensation Philosophy and Objectives

Continuous improvement in operating results and the creation of shareholder value are key elements of the compensation philosophy of Matthews.This philosophy serves as the framework for the Company’s executive compensation program.Our program is designed to provide incentive arrangements that reward executives for improvement in the Company’s operating results and appreciation in our stock value.


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To underscore the importance of “pay-for-performance” in our compensation philosophy and our Company’s culture, our Compensation Committee (referred to throughout this section as the Committee) has developed incentive arrangements based on rigorous performance standards. Our annual incentive compensation plan rewards executives for the attainment of adjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA"), economic value added, and adjusted operating cash flow targets. Adjusted net income is utilized instead of adjusted EBITDA for Corporate participants. For purposes of our annual incentive plan, “economic value added” is the measure of adjusted EBITDA (or adjusted net income for Corporate participants) compared to the cost of the capital utilized to generate this income. Adjusted operating cash flow is defined as adjusted EBITDA less capital expenditures plus/minus changes in working capital. Our long-term incentive plan in fiscal 2021 rewards participants for the achievement of stock price appreciation targets and return on invested capital ("ROIC").

The principal objectives of the Company’s executive compensation program for the Company’s named executive officers ("NEOs") and other executive officers, are to:
Attract, retain and motivate highly qualified executives;
Reward continuous improvement in operating results and the creation of shareholder value; and
Align the interests of the Company’s executives with our shareholders.

The Company seeks to accomplish these objectives by maintaining a compensation philosophy that emphasizes rigorous performance-based programs. The foundation of its philosophy is to:
Emphasize rigorous performance-based compensation elements in our pay mix while providing total compensation opportunities commensurate with market levels;
Provide retirement and health benefits that are competitive with market levels; and
De-emphasize the use of perquisites except for business purposes.

Our compensation philosophy targets the market median for all elements of compensation.
Response to 2021 Say on Pay Vote and Investor Engagement Efforts
At the Company’s annual meeting held in February 2021, approximately 94% of votes cast were in support of the compensation of our NEOs. Given this level of support, the Committee is satisfied that the Company’s executive compensation programs appropriately link our executive compensation to the performance of the Company and reflect contemporary practices. The Committee remains committed to routinely reviewing and updating our executive compensation program as appropriate.

In addition, the Committee routinely evaluates responses from the Company’s ongoing outreach efforts with its largest shareholders and, consistent with fiscal 2020, deemed that the current executive compensation design aligns with the expectations of our shareholders. Therefore, based on the results of our latest Say-on-Pay vote and feedback from investors, the Committee maintained its core executive compensation design. A summary of our executive compensation program for fiscal 2021 is included in the table below.



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Executive Compensation Elements for Fiscal 2021

Our executive compensation program is comprised of the following key elements. Each is designed to meet the objectives of our executive compensation program as established by the Committee:
Compensation ElementForm and Key CharacteristicsDescription and Performance Metrics
Base Salary- Fixed cash component
- Reviewed annually and adjusted as appropriate
- Positioned competitively to attract and retain executive talent
- Considers scope and complexity of the role as well as individual performance and experience
Annual Incentive Compensation
 - Variable cash compensation component
- Performance-based opportunity
'- Executives other than SGK Brand Solutions:
- 40% weighting assigned to adjusted net income (corporate executives) or adjusted EBITDA (business unit executives)
- 40% weighting assigned to economic value added (improvement in adjusted EBITDA greater than the cost of the capital utilized to generate this adjusted EBITDA)
- 20% weighting assigned to adjusted operating cash flow
- SGK Brand Solutions executives: 80% weighting assigned to adjusted EBITDA and 20% weighting assigned to adjusted operating cash flow
Long-Term Incentive Compensation- Variable equity-based compensation component
- 50% performance units
- 50% time-based units
'- Performance units earned at the end of the three-year performance period:
- Upon the attainment of pre-established stock price appreciation
- Upon the attainment of ROIC Goals
- Time-based units vest 100% on the third anniversary of the grant
Change in Control Severance Policy- Compensation and benefit continuation in the event of involuntary or good reason termination and a change in control of the Company- Cash severance equal to 2 times base salary and target bonus
- Acceleration of unvested or unearned equity awards (“double trigger”)
- Health care benefit continuation over the severance period (2 years)


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Executive Compensation Governance Practices

The following executive compensation practices and policies have been adopted by the Committee to ensure sound corporate governance and alignment of the interests of executives and the Company’s shareholders.Many of these policies and practices have been adopted to discourage excessive risk-taking by our executive team.

What We Do:
üDesignate a non-executive board chair to provide effective independent board leadership and oversight of management
üReview risks associated with our compensation arrangements and adopt mitigating features, practices, and policies
üEngage in a rigorous CEO performance evaluation process
üEmploy shareholder-value creating metrics and challenging targets such as adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income, economic value added and operating cash flow in our annual incentive plan, and earnings per share and return on invested capital within our long-term incentive plan
üCap annual and long-term incentive payouts
üMaintain significant stock ownership guidelines for both executives and directors
üRequire both a qualified change in control and termination of employment (“Double Trigger”) in order to receive cash severance benefits and for unvested equity awards to accelerate
üMaintain a “clawback” policy that provides for the recoupment of incentive awards under certain conditions in the event of a financial restatement
üRetain an independent compensation consultant who regularly provides advise to the compensation committee on matters pertaining to executive compensation

What We Don’t Do:
ûEnter into individual employment contracts with our executives, except in an instance where an agreement is assumed, or is necessary, as part of an acquisition
ûAllow hedging or pledging of the Company's common stock
ûProvide excise tax gross-ups related to change in control terminations
ûAllow repricing or exchanging of stock options or other equity awards without shareholder approval
ûProvide excessive perquisites and tax gross-up perquisites


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Response to COVID-19

The Committee made no significant changes to the base salary and annual incentive plan components of executive compensation for fiscal 2021 as a result of COVID-19.

With respect to the Company’s long-term incentive plan, the Committee did not make any changes to its methodology in determining target awards to plan participants. Target amounts for the November 2020 annual awards were maintained at market median levels. The allocation of restricted share units was set at 50% performance units and 50% time-based units. This allocation between time and performance vesting was only intended for fiscal 2021 in consideration of the pandemic. For fiscal 2022 awards, the allocation of restricted share units was restored to 60% performance units and 40% time-based units.

In addition, for fiscal 2021 awards, the three-year performance targets were established as follows:
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 25% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of growth in the Company’s stock price of 40%, 20%, and 60%, respectively, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award; and
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 25% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of return on invested capital of 12%, 10%, and 14%, respectively, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award.

The utilization of stock price as a performance goal was temporary in consideration of the pandemic and was intended to better align the interests of participants with the Company’s shareholders. For fiscal 2022 awards, the three-year performance targets were established as follows:
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 30% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of consolidated adjusted earnings per share growth 9%, 6.5%, and 12%, respectively, based on the fiscal 2022 budget, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award; and
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 30% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of return on invested capital of 12%, 10%, and 14%, respectively, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award. The Committee established the minimum threshold ROIC goal of 10% to exceed the Company’s estimated cost of capital. The Committee established this threshold to reward executives only when shareholder value is created.
CEO Compensation Decisions for Fiscal 2021

Despite the challenging conditions of the pandemic, the Committee emphasized the importance of remaining consistent with the Company’s executive compensation philosophies, which target base salaries at market median levels and reward executives for performance against pre-established targets and creation of shareholder value. As noted in the pie chart on page 39, variable, at-risk compensation accounted for 83% of our CEO’s target compensation. Key performance considerations in determining Mr. Bartolacci’s compensation for fiscal 2021 were as follows:
The Company reported record consolidated sales in fiscal year 2021;
The Company generated record operating cash flow in fiscal year 2020;
Adjusted EBITDA significantly increased in fiscal year 2021, which also exceeded fiscal year 2019 (pre-pandemic);
Outstanding debt was reduced in excess of $200 million since inception of the pandemic (fiscal year 2020 second quarter);
The Company’s net leverage ratio was reduced from 4.3 to 3.1 since the inception of the pandemic; and
The Company’s stock price increased over 50% during fiscal year 2021.
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In consideration of the Committee’s executive compensation philosophy and these performance factors, the Committee approved the following compensation changes. Mr. Bartolacci’s total compensation shown in the Summary Compensation Table increased 3.6% in fiscal 2021.
Base Salary: Mr. Bartolacci’s base salary for calendar 2021 was increased 2% to approximate the market median.
Annual Incentive Compensation: Target annual incentive compensation for Mr. Bartolacci was set at the market median. Based on the Company’s fiscal 2021 operating results (as noted above), Mr. Bartolacci achieved 191% of target annual incentive compensation based upon performance against pre-established adjusted net income, economic value added and operating cash flow performance goals (see Annual Incentive Compensation below).
Long-Term Incentive Compensation: Mr. Bartolacci received an annual equity award for fiscal year 2021 equal to $3,639,530 to approximate the market median.
Change in Pension Value: In fiscal 2021, the Company approved the termination of its non-qualified Supplemental Retirement Plan ("SERP") in which Mr. Bartolacci is a participant. As a result, his Change in Pension Value shown in the Summary Compensation Table (which includes the SERP and his participation in the Company’s principal defined benefit retirement plan ("DB Plan")) significantly declined from $1,864,250 for fiscal 2020 to $284,123 for fiscal 2021.

In addition, as shown in the table on page 43, Mr. Bartolacci forfeited equity awards in November 2021 and November 2020 with original grant date values of $1,650,444 and $641,813, respectively. As further emphasis on the Committee’s philosophy to align long-term incentive compensation with the Company’s performance, the actual realized portion of the performance-based long-term incentive compensation awards that were granted over the past five years for the Company's CEO was 49.0% (see table on page 43).


Fiscal 2021 Target Compensation Mix

The pie charts below show the mix of target compensation provided to our CEO and other NEOs in fiscal 2021. Variable, at-risk compensation accounted for 83% of our CEO’s target compensation and 68% of our other NEOs compensation on average.

compensationmix.jpg

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Compensation Committee Administration

The principal function of the Compensation Committee is to review the Company’s compensation and benefit programs, including executive compensation and benefits, to ensure that total compensation is appropriate, competitive and consistent with the Company’s compensation philosophy. In performing its duties, the Compensation Committee consults with the Company’s CEO, the Company’s Human Resources Leadership and various independent external advisors. In fiscal 2021, the Compensation Committee consulted principally with Pay Governance, LLC, an independent executive compensation consulting firm. Pay Governance, LLC does not perform any other services for the Company and reports directly to the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee has full authority to retain external advisors, consultants and agents, as necessary, in the fulfillment of its responsibilities. The Compensation Committee reviews the performance and the fees of the independent consultant each year and determines whether to retain such consultant for the upcoming year.

Among its other duties, the Compensation Committee has responsibility for setting executive base salary levels and administering the terms and policies of the following key executive benefit plans:
2015 Incentive Compensation Plan;
2017 Equity Incentive Plan;
SERP; and
Officers Retirement Restoration Plan ("ORRP").

In general, the Compensation Committee’s desire to align the Company's executive compensation program with market levels drives the allocation between short-term and long-term compensation, as well as cash and equity components. The Compensation Committee believes that the level of compensation provided to an executive should be based on success against pre-established performance goals that drive the creation of shareholder value. To achieve this objective, the Company has built its current annual cash incentive plan based on achievement of adjusted EBITDA, economic value-added and operating cash flow targets. For the long-term plan, the Compensation Committee provided equity awards in fiscal 2021 (November 2020) with vesting provisions dependent on time and service (50%) and the achievement of stock price appreciation (25%) and return on invested capital (25%) targets. For fiscal 2022 (November 2021), the Compensation Committee provided equity awards with vesting provisions dependent on time and service (40%) and the achievement of earnings per share (30%) and return on invested capital (30%) targets. The Company has no formal policy regarding the allocation of variable and fixed compensation for its NEOs.

The Compensation Committee has considered whether its executive compensation program promotes risk taking at levels that are unacceptable to the Company. The Compensation Committee considered the following factors related to risk:
Compensation philosophy that targets salaries and incentives at the market median;
Annual incentive design that caps maximum awards for the achievement of adjusted EBITDA and economic value-added targets reflective of the Company’s business plan;
Long-term incentives with performance and time-based vesting criteria;
Stock ownership guidelines; and
Incentive compensation recoupment policy.

The Compensation Committee believes that the above factors as well as the overall executive compensation design, policies and mix of compensation serve to manage risk in a manner that is acceptable to the Company and its shareholders.


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The Compensation Committee makes decisions regarding executive compensation with input from its independent consultant. When making decisions regarding compensation for the CEO, the Compensation Committee has a process in which it considers comparative market data provided by its independent consultant and the CEO’s performance assessment prepared by the Company’s Board of Directors. When making decisions regarding compensation for executives other than the CEO, the Compensation Committee considers comparative market data and seeks input and evaluates recommendations from the CEO. In order to obtain comparative market data for evaluating executive compensation, the Company, through its independent consultant, utilizes compensation data published by Willis Towers Watson. The Company targets industrial and manufacturing companies of similar size, complexity, employment region and performance in developing this set of comparative data. Because data sample sizes for these types of companies may not be sufficient, the Company supplements such data with broader and more general industry data to develop its market data.

In evaluating compensation for fiscal 2021, the Compensation Committee’s independent consultant developed a group of peer companies to make assessments of market compensation and to determine the alignment of compensation earned relative to Company and peer performance. The peer group targeted industrial/manufacturing companies of similar size, complexity, employment region and performance. The peer group of companies used in evaluating compensation (“Peer Group”) for 2021 was:

Barnes Group Inc.Deluxe Corp.EnPro Industries Inc.
Graco Inc.Hillenbrand Inc.ICF International, Inc.
InnerWorkings, Inc.John Wiley & Sons, Inc.Kaman Corporation
MDC Partners, Inc.Meredith CorporationMinerals Technologies Inc.
MSA Safety IncorporatedMoog, Inc.Schweitzer-Mauduit Intl.
Service Corp. InternationalStandex International Corp.Teledyne Technologies, Inc.
TriMas CorporationViad CorporationWoodward, Inc.

For calendar 2022, the Committee approved the removals of InnerWorkings, Inc. (acquisition) and Viad Corporation (size).

The Compensation Committee does not consider amounts from prior performance-based compensation, such as prior bonus awards or realized or unrealized equity compensation gains, in its decisions to increase or decrease compensation in the current year. The Compensation Committee believes that this would not be in the best interest of retaining and motivating the executive.

Pay-for-Performance Alignment

The Compensation Committee believes there are different ways of assessing whether compensation paid to executives aligns with the performance of the Company. For the Compensation Committee’s consideration in understanding the Company’s pay-for-performance alignment, the Compensation Committee’s compensation consultant examined the relationship of the Company's CEO’s realizable compensation and the Company’s performance relative to the CEO compensation and performance of the Peer Group. Performance was defined as the relative ranking of the following four performance metrics:
Net sales growth;
Return on invested capital;
Growth in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA); and
Total shareholder return (stock price appreciation plus dividends).


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The consultant evaluated each performance metric independently relative to the Peer Group for the three-year period 2018 through 2020, and the five-year period 2016 through 2020. The relative ranking of each performance metric was averaged to form a composite ranking. The Company’s relative composite performance ranking was aligned with the Peer Group as follows:
2018 through 2020: 28th percentile
2016 through 2020: 25th percentile

For the three-year period 2018 through 2020, the CEO’s three-year realizable compensation relative to the Peer Group ranked at the 28th percentile while the Company’s performance composite ranked at the 24th percentile of the Peer Group. Realizable compensation includes base salary, actual bonuses paid, the intrinsic value of equity awards at the fiscal year-end 2020 stock price and performance shares earned or expected to be earned.

For the five-year period 2016 through 2020, the CEO’s five-year realizable compensation relative to Peer Group ranked at the 25th percentile while the Company’s performance composite ranked at the 26th percentile of the Peer Group.

payforperformance.jpg

The Compensation Committee evaluated this information and concluded that the Company’s relative performance was aligned with the relative realizable value of compensation paid to the CEO on a three-year and five-year basis.


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As further emphasis on the Compensation Committee’s philosophy to align long-term incentive compensation with the Company’s performance, below is a table which reflects, as of September 30, 2021, the actual realized portion of the performance-based long-term incentive compensation awards that were granted over the past five fiscal years for the Company's CEO:
Grant Date (Fiscal Year)Performance MeasureGrant ValueGrant Date Stock PriceVesting ThresholdsPercent of Shares EarnedExpiration Date
Forfeited Share Value (1)
2017Non-GAAP EPS$985,295 $66.610 $3.65 $3.94 $4.26 66.7%2020$394,065
2017Stock Price$912,594 $66.610 $69.91 $76.61 $83.27 33.3%2022$788,196
2018Non-GAAP EPS$802,265 $57.050 $3.89 $4.20 $4.54 33.3%2021$641,813
2018Stock Price$751,220 $57.050 $59.91 $65.61 $71.32 33.3%2023
2019Non-GAAP EPS$862,248 $42.205 $4.33 $4.72 $5.42 %2022$862,248
2019ROIC$862,248 $42.205 12%14%16%114.7%2022
2020Non-GAAP EPS$925,586 $35.290 $3.62 $3.94 $4.53 %2023
2020ROIC$925,551 $35.290 12%14%16%%2023
2021Stock Price$909,883 $26.860 20%40%60%200.0%2024
2021ROIC$909,883 $26.860 10%12%14%%2024
Total49.0%
(1) The forfeited share value represents the number of shares/RSUs forfeited multiplied by the grant date stock price.The fiscal 2017 EPS shares were forfeited on November 21, 2019.The fiscal 2018 EPS shares were forfeited on November 19, 2020.The fiscal 2019 EPS RSUs and fiscal 2017 stock price shares were forfeited on November 18, 2021.

The unvested restricted shares/RSUs awarded in fiscal 2017, fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2019 subject to the non-GAAP EPS performance measure and the unvested restricted shares awarded in fiscal 2017 subject to the stock price performance measure have expired and, accordingly, were forfeited.

Base Salaries

The Compensation Committee determines and approves the base salaries of the Company’s executives, including the CEO, and considers recommendations from the CEO with respect to the other executives. The Compensation Committee employs the same principles that are applied in developing the base salaries of all employees. Base salary ranges are determined for each executive position based on their level, responsibilities and complexity using the 50th percentile survey data for similar positions at comparable companies. A base salary market median amount is determined for each position based on this competitive data and ranges are established to provide that the Company’s salary levels are managed between 80% and 120% of such market median.

In determining base salary adjustments for each executive, the Compensation Committee considers the individual’s performance evaluation, the level of responsibility for the position, an individual’s current base salary in relation to market median and industry competition for executive talent. As discussed earlier, the Compensation Committee’s philosophy is to target fixed base salaries at the median of market levels. On this basis, base salaries were increased for calendar 2021 as follows:
NEOPercent Increase
Mr. Bartolacci2.0%
Mr. Dunn2.0%
Mr. Gackenbach2.0%
Mr. Kohl2.0%
Mr. Nicola2.0%

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As a result of these adjustments, the calendar 2021 base salaries of each NEO approximated market median.

Executives are also subject to an annual individual performance evaluation. The evaluations are designed to rate each executive on various criteria, both objective and subjective, including the areas of leadership, technical expertise, initiative, judgment and personal development. An overall rating is assessed to each individual from these evaluations and is an important element in determining annual adjustments to base salaries. The rating levels include: Surpassed (highest rating), Achieved, and Progressed/Missed (lowest rating). The Compensation Committee conducts an evaluation of the CEO’s performance and the CEO conducts an evaluation of each executive officer’s performance. Each of the NEOs was rated at either the Surpassed or Achieved level.

Annual Incentive Compensation

The Company’s 2015 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “2015 Incentive Plan”) covers the annual incentive compensation to be paid to key managers of the Company, including the NEOs. The 2015 Incentive Plan provides an incentive arrangement based on the achievement of annual goals reflective of the Company’s business plan. The objective of the program is to promote the Company’s goal of increasing shareholder value. The Company believes that three of the key elements in the creation of shareholder value are:
growth in adjusted EBITDA;
improvement in adjusted EBITDA greater than the cost of the capital utilized to generate this adjusted EBITDA (referred to as “economic value added”); and
strong operating cash flow generation.

Accordingly, the annual incentive plan for fiscal 2021 was designed to motivate management to achieve levels of adjusted EBITDA, economic value added, and operating cash flow reflective of the Company’s business plan.

Designated managers within each of the Company’s business segments participate in the incentive program for their respective business unit. For fiscal 2021, incentive compensation for these participants (except the SGK Brand Solutions segment) was calculated based on the achievement of adjusted EBITDA, economic value added, and operating cash flow targets established for their individual business unit. Economic value added for business units is defined as the unit’s adjusted EBITDA less its cost of capital (cost of capital is determined based on a pre-tax rate of 12% multiplied by net controllable assets, which is estimated to exceed the Company's weighted average pre-tax cost of capital). Operating cash flow for business units for the purposes of incentive compensation is defined as adjusted EBITDA less capital expenditures plus/minus changes in working capital. Incentive compensation for SGK Brand Solutions participants was calculated based on the achievement of adjusted EBITDA and operating cash flow targets for this business unit.

Incentive compensation for corporate executives was calculated based on the achievement of pre-established targets for adjusted net income, economic value added, and operating cash flow performance of the Company on a consolidated basis. Corporate economic value added is defined as the Company’s adjusted net income less its after-tax cost of capital (with cost of capital based on an after-tax rate of 8%, which is estimated to approximate the Company’s weighted average after-tax cost of capital).


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Adjusted EBITDA (adjusted net income for Corporate participants), economic value added, and operating cash flow targets are established at the beginning of the fiscal year by the Committee. In determining these targets for fiscal 2021, the Committee considered the long-term growth objectives of the Company; fiscal 2021 operating budgets approved by the Company’s Board of Directors; and current economic, industry and competitive market conditions.

No adjustments were made to the annual incentive compensation program for fiscal 2021 as a result of COVID-19. Fiscal 2021 performance targets established for the respective business units of the NEO’s were as follows:

Adjusted
Net Income/EBITDA
Economic Value AddedOperating
Cash Flow
Corporate$85,470 $36,320 $188,995 
Industrial Technologies/Environmental Solutions35,478 13,302 32,853 
Memorialization (excl. Environmental Solutions)130,994 60,257 127,527 
SGK Brand Solutions (brand packaging only)78,315 n/a83,812 

Corporate amounts (Mr. Bartolacci and Mr. Nicola are participants) were based on consolidated adjusted net income, economic value added, and operating cash flow of the Company. The adjusted net income target was calculated based on the Company’s adjusted EBITDA target of $202.4 million for fiscal year 2021, which was relatively consistent with the Company’s adjusted EBITDA for fiscal year 2020. Although the Company expected a significant reduction in Memorialization segment sales volume with the anticipated subsidence of the pandemic, the Committee determined that target Corporate annual incentive compensation for fiscal year 2021 should generally be based on profitability levels not less than the previous year.

Industrial Technologies / Environmental Solutions amounts (Mr. Dunn) were based on the combined adjusted EBITDA, economic value added, and operating cash flow for these businesses. Memorialization amounts (Mr. Gackenbach) were based on the adjusted EBITDA, economic value added and operating cash flow of this segment excluding Environmental Solutions. SGK Brand Solutions amounts (Mr. Kohl) were based on the adjusted EBITDA, economic value added and operating cash flow of the brand packaging portion this segment.

The attainment of target performance levels results in an earned incentive equivalent to the participant’s target incentive amount (discussed below). No incentive amounts are earned for operating results that do not achieve the defined minimum performance levels. Incentive amounts cannot exceed the defined maximum percentage of the participant’s target incentive amount. Earned incentive percentages are interpolated within the ranges.

For the NEOs for fiscal 2021, 40% of the participant’s target annual incentive compensation opportunity was based on the achievement of adjusted EBITDA targets (adjusted net income for Corporate participants), 40% was based on the achievement of economic value added targets, and the remaining 20% was based on the achievement of operating cash flow targets. To better align business unit performance with the Company’s consolidated objectives, 25% of the annual incentive compensation opportunities for Mr. Dunn, Mr. Gackenbach and Mr. Kohl were based on the achievement of the Company’s consolidated results.


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The target incentive amount is expressed as a percentage of the participant’s base salary and based upon the executive’s position and the industry recommended percentage target for the position as provided to the Company by Pay Governance, LLC. Target, minimum and maximum incentive award opportunities for the CEO and other NEOs are included in the table below.

Named Executive OfficerTarget Incentive Award as a Percent of Base SalaryMinimum Incentive Award as a Percent of Base SalaryMaximum Incentive Award as a Percent of Base Salary
J.C. Bartolacci100%50%200%
B.J. Dunn55%27.5%110%
S.D. Gackenbach55%27.5%110%
G.R. Kohl55%27.5%110%
S.F. Nicola70%35%140%

Actual results for fiscal 2021 compared to target levels were as follows. Adjusted EBITDA and adjusted net income amounts reflected the following adjustments as pre-approved by the Committee: acquisition-related costs, restructuring costs, ERP implementation costs, intangible amortization expense, and certain other non-GAAP adjustments as presented in the Company’s quarterly and annual earnings reports.

Corporate
ActualTargetRelative Incentive %AllocationIncentive
Earned
Adjusted net income$104,913 $85,470 200 %40 %80 %
Economic value added55,063 36,320 200 %40 %80 %
Operating cash flow210,553 188,995 157 %20 %31 %
Total191 %

Industrial Technologies / Environmental Solutions
ActualTargetRelative Incentive %AllocationIncentive
Earned
Adjusted EBITDA$31,829 $35,478 58 %40 %23 %
Economic value added10,687 13,302 73 %40 %29 %
Operating cash flow40,712 32,853 168 %20 %34 %
Total86 %

Memorialization (excluding Environmental Solutions)
ActualTargetRelative Incentive %AllocationIncentive
Earned
Adjusted EBITDA$162,034 $130,994 200 %40 %80 %
Economic value added90,307 60,257 200 %40 %80 %
Operating cash flow155,960 127,527 200 %20 %40 %
Total200 %

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SGK Brand Solutions (brand packaging only)
ActualTargetRelative Incentive %AllocationIncentive
Earned
Adjusted EBITDA$78,870 $78,315 104 %80 %83 %
Operating cash flow78,621 83,812 69 %20 %14 %
Total97 %

Based on actual results, the calculations of the earned incentive amounts were as follows:
Named Executive OfficerBase SalaryTarget IncentiveTarget
Incentive Amount
Earned IncentiveEarned
Incentive Amount
J.C. Bartolacci$948,600 100 %$948,600 191 %$1,815,715 
B.J. Dunn439,000 55 %241,450 86 %322,984 
S.D. Gackenbach440,000 55 %242,000 200 %478,803 
G.R. Kohl445,500 55 %245,025 97 %294,845 
S.F. Nicola562,500 70 %393,750 191 %753,677 
Note: 25% of the target incentive amounts for Mr. Dunn, Mr. Gackenbach and Mr. Kohl were based on the achievement of the Corporate results.

Incentive amounts are subject to reduction at the discretion of the Compensation Committee based on the performance of the NEO relative to pre-established, quantifiable personal goals. Each incentive compensation plan participant develops personal goals, which are subject to review and approval by the business unit President or CEO, as appropriate. The personal goals of the CEO are reviewed and approved by the Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee may use discretion to decrease calculated awards based on the participant’s performance relative to the quantifiable individual goals. No such adjustments were made in fiscal 2021.

Long-Term Incentive Compensation

Long-term incentive compensation for fiscal 2021 was provided to key managers and executives under the Company’s 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2017 Equity Plan”). The 2017 Equity Plan is an equity compensation plan designed to directly align the interests of employees with the Company’s shareholders. The plan is intended to encourage eligible employees to increase their efforts to make the Company more successful, to provide an additional inducement for such employees to remain with the Company, to reward such employees by providing an opportunity to acquire shares of the Company’s common stock on favorable terms and to provide a means through which the Company may attract able persons to enter the employ of the Company. The eligible employees are those employees of the Company or any subsidiary who share responsibility for the management, growth or protection of the business of the Company.

Under the 2017 Equity Plan, equity grants can be made in the form of:
Stock options;
Restricted share awards;
Restricted share units (including performance-based share units);
Stock appreciation rights; and
Other stock-based awards.

Beginning in November 2018 (fiscal 2019), the awards were issued in the form of restricted share units with time and performance vesting provisions.

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The Compensation Committee believes that the use of stock-based compensation provides a strong link in aligning the interests of management with the Company’s shareholders by incentivizing shareholder value creation. In keeping with the Compensation Committee’s philosophy of providing performance-based incentives, the restricted share units awarded in November 2020 generally contained performance-vesting provisions for 50% of the units granted. Further, in order to enhance the Company’s retention objectives, the remaining 50% of the units granted contain a time-vesting feature in which such units vest three years from the grant date subject to continued employment of the executive by the Company.

For the November 2020 grant, the Company established the following two criteria for the performance-vesting units, to be measured three years following the grant of the award:
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 25% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of growth in the Company’s stock price of 40%, 20%, and 60%, respectively, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award; and
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 25% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of return on invested capital of 12%, 10%, and 14%, respectively, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award. For this measurement, return on invested capital is determined based on consolidated adjusted EBITDA divided by average invested capital (net debt plus shareholders' equity) of the Company.

The utilization of stock price as a performance goal was temporary in consideration of the pandemic and was intended to better align the interests of participants with the Company’s shareholders. Additionally, at the time performance-goals were approved, the Committee and management were uncertain of the speed of the economic recovery and its impact on company operating and financial performance. The Committee established the minimum threshold ROIC goal of 10% to exceed the Company’s estimated cost of capital.

For the November 2021 grant, the allocation of performance-based restricted share units was raised to 60%, with the remaining 40% allocated to time-based units. In addition, the Company established the following two criteria for the performance-vesting units, to be measured three years following the grant of the award:
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 30% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of annual growth in consolidated adjusted earnings per share of 9%, 6.5%, and 12%, respectively, based on the fiscal 2022 budget, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award; and
One-half (50%) of the performance-vesting units (i.e., 30% of the overall award) are based upon the attainment of return on invested capital of 12%, 10%, and 14%, respectively, to earn 100%, 50% and 200% of the award.

Every year, the Compensation Committee determines individual grant levels through consultation with the independent compensation advisor. The Compensation Committee is provided grant guidelines by Pay Governance, LLC, which provide recommended grant award ranges based on current market thresholds.

For the November 2020 awards, the target level of grants represented the market median (50th percentile). The relative recommended grant ranges have been developed such that the minimum of the range is set at 20% below the market median and the maximum of the range is set at 20% above the market median.

Grant recommendations are developed using a valuation model consistent with accounting policies for stock-based compensation and is based on the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the dates of grant. Grants to executive officers are generally made only once a year in the Company’s first fiscal quarter (usually at the November meeting of the Compensation Committee), except for new hires and promotions. The Company does not time the release of material non-public information around the granting of equity compensation awards.
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The minimum vesting period, in general, for all restricted share units (time and performance-based) is three years. Restricted share units may also vest under certain change-in-control circumstances, subject to double-trigger change-in-control provisions which require a change in control and involuntary or good reason employment termination (see “Employment and Severance Agreements” below).

The minimum holding periods for vested restricted share awards are governed by the Company’s stock ownership guidelines, which provides that at least 50% of the after-tax shares realized upon vesting of restricted stock must be retained until the ownership guideline is met.

Dividends are not paid on unvested restricted shares. Dividends associated with unvested restricted shares only become payable if and upon the vesting of the restricted shares. Accordingly, dividends will not be paid if the restricted shares do not become vested and are instead forfeited.

Adjustments or Recovery of Prior Compensation

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires the CEO and Chief Financial Officer to reimburse the Company for any awards received following the release of financial results that subsequently require an accounting restatement due to noncompliance with a material financial reporting requirement as a result of misconduct.

Additionally, the Company's equity- and cash-based compensation plans permit it to clawback compensation paid by the Company to participants, including executive officers and directors, if they engage in specified activities. For example, our 2015 Incentive Plan has a recoupment provision under which the Compensation Committee has the discretion to adjust for the recovery of previously paid awards from any participant, where appropriate, in the event of restatement of prior financial statements. No such adjustments have been necessary under these provisions. The 2015 Incentive Plan and the 2017 Equity Plan also provide the Compensation Committee with the discretion over the three-year period following the grant of awards to cancel, suspend or require repayment to the Company of outstanding awards if the participant (i) competes with the Company or its subsidiaries, (ii) violates solicitation provisions with customers or employees, or (iii) defames or disparages the Company, its subsidiaries or certain related persons.

Stock Ownership Guidelines

The Company has established stock ownership guidelines for executive officers and business unit management in order to support a culture of ownership among the management team. The Compensation Committee believes significant ownership levels will provide additional motivation to executives to perform in accordance with the interests of the Company’s shareholders. The ownership guidelines are expressed as a multiple of base salary and are as follows:

PositionMinimum Equivalent Stock Value
Chief Executive Officer6 times base salary
Chief Financial Officer5 times base salary
Group Presidents4 times base salary
Other Officers and Executive Management of the Registrant3 times base salary
Vice Presidents2 times base salary
Director level and other managers eligible for equity compensation and other incentive compensation plan participants1 timeAnnual base salary


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For purposes of these guidelines, stock ownership includes all shares directly owned (including shares held under the Company's Employee Stock Purchase Plan and time-vesting restricted share units or shares), but does not include outstanding stock options or unvested performance-based restricted share units or shares. Immediate compliance with these guidelines is not mandatory; however, individuals are expected to undertake a program to achieve compliance within five years of their hire date or promotion to their respective position. The ownership policy mandates that at least 50% of the after-tax shares realized upon an option exercise or vesting of restricted stock or restricted share units must be retained until the ownership guideline is met. Compliance with these ownership guidelines is one of the factors considered by the Compensation Committee in determining eligibility for participation in the Company’s equity compensation programs.

As of November 30, 2018,2021, all NEOs exceeded the Company’s stock ownership guidelines.

Anti-Hedging Policy

The Company has a policy that prohibits its directors, executive officers and employees from hedging its ownership of the Company’s stock.stock, including the use of financial instruments such as prepaid variable forwards, equity swaps, collars and exchange funds related to Company stock or debt. Directors, executive officers and employees are prohibited from purchasing the Company’s stock on margin, borrowing against the Company’s stock held in a margin account, or pledging the Company’s stock as collateral for a loan.

Retirement Benefits

Retirement benefits arewere generally provided to executives under the Company’s principal retirement planDB Plan and in some cases, a supplemental retirement plan. The purpose of both these plans is to provide post-retirement compensation and stability to executives. The Committee’s goal is to provide a benefit that is competitive with plans which would be available to executives of similar companies. The Committee believes this philosophy will allow the Company to effectively attract and retain talented executives.

Executive officers may become eligible to participate in a supplemental retirement plan. To be eligible for participation, the individual must be an executive officer of the Company as designated bySERP or ORRP.In fiscal 2021, the Board of Directors annually,approved the terminations of the Company’s DB Plan, the SERP, and meet certain lengththe defined benefit portion of service requirements as a designated executive officer and in total with the Company.

ORRP.Of the NEOs, Mr. Bartolacci, Mr. Dunn and Mr. Nicola participated in the Company's DB Plan and SERP.Mr. Gackenbach was a participant in the Company's DB Plan and defined benefit portion of the ORRP.

Beginning October 1, 2021, all executives, in addition to participation in the Company’s 401k plan, are eligible to participate in the SERP. Unlike the principal retirement plan, the SERP is an unsecured obligationa deferred compensation program (defined contribution portion of the Company and is not a tax-qualified plan. FundingORRP) which generally provides for the SERP is provided through a non-revocable trust arrangement. The SERP is intended to make-up the tax-related limitation of benefits under the principal retirement plan and to provide retirement benefits at competitive market rates. In addition, the SERP serves as a retention vehicle as benefits generally do not fully vest until the completion of a minimum of 15 years of service.

In 2009, the Committee closed the SERP to new participants, including Mr. Babe and Mr. Schawk, and created the ORRP for any new designated executive going forward, which limits the benefit available to the restoration of amounts lost to tax-related limitations under the Company's other retirement and 401(k) plans.

Other Compensation

The Company generally provides all domestic employees with the following:
401(k) plan;
Employee stock purchase plan;
Health and dental coverage;
Company-paid term life insurance;
Disability insurance;
Educational assistance; and
Paid time off (vacations and holidays).

These benefits are designed to be competitive with overall market practices. Educational assistance for dependent children is also provided to any employee of the Company whose child meets the scholastic eligibility criteria and is attending an eligible college or university. Educational assistance is limited to $1,200 for each semester and $2,400 annually.


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The Company provides executives with other benefits, reflected in the “All Other Compensation” column in the Summary Compensation Table, which the Committee considers reasonable, competitive and consistent with the Company’s compensation philosophy. These benefits include supplemental life insurance coverage, costs associated with personal use of a vehicle and, in certain circumstances, club dues and financial counseling and tax preparation services.dues.

Employment and Severance Agreements

Except for Mr. Schawk, noneNone of the NEOs have employment or severance agreements. Mr. Schawk signed an employment agreement with the Company upon the acquisition of Schawk, Inc., on July 29, 2014. Under his employment agreement, which has an initial term of three years with successive annual one (1) year renewal provisions thereafter, his base salary was set at an initial annual rate of $595,000 and he is entitled to an annual incentive bonus at a target rate of 75% of base salary based on the performance of his business unit. The employment agreement also specifies other compensation generally consistent with the Company’s employee benefit plans.

The Company’s executive management, including the NEOs, are subjectparties to change-in-control agreements.agreements with the Company. These agreements provide certain benefits upon a change in control of the Company provided that, upon a change-in-control, the executive’s employment is terminated involuntarily or for good reason (“double-trigger”). Upon such double-trigger, the executive (including the CEO) is generally entitled to two times theirhis or her base salary and target bonus, and accelerated vesting of awards under the long-term incentive plan. See "Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control - Restricted Stock" below.


Tax Policy

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, (“Section 162(m)”) disallows federal income tax deductions for compensation paid to the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and any of the other three highestmost highly compensated executives and certain former NEOs in excess of $1 million in any taxable year, subject to certain exceptions. One exception involved compensation paid pursuant to shareholder-approved compensation plans that are performance-based. Certain of the provisions in the 2015 Incentive Plan were intended to cause awards earned under such plan to be eligible for this exception (so that compensation related to such awards should be deductible under the Internal Revenue Code). In addition, certain of the provisions in the 2017 Equity Plan and the 2012 Equity Plan were intended to cause grants of performance-based stock compensation under such plan to be eligible for this exception (so that compensation related to the vesting or exercise of such shares should be deductible under the Internal Revenue Code). Payments of cash compensation to executives (except annual incentive compensation awards earned under the 2015 Incentive Plan) and time-based grants of restricted shares under the equity plans were not eligible for this performance-based exception. Section 162(m) was amended on December 22, 2017 by the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act”. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the exception under Section 162(m) for performance-based compensation wouldis no longer be available. The amendment to Section 162(m) applies to remuneration paid by the Company in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017, except for remuneration which is provided pursuant to a written binding contract that was in effect on November 2, 2017 and which was not modified in any material respect on or after such date.




Annual Compensation of the Named Executive Officers

The table below summarizes the compensation for fiscal 2018, 20172021, 2020 and 20162019 earned by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and each of the three other most highly paid executive officers who were serving as executive officers atas of September 30, 2018.2021. These individuals are sometimes referred to in this Proxy Statement as the “named executive officers”, or the “NEOs”.

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Summary Compensation Table
Name and
Principal Position
Year
(1)
SalaryBonus
Stock
Awards
(2)
Option
Awards
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation (3)
Change in Pension Value and Nonqualified Deferred Plan Compensation (4)
All Other
Compensation
(5)
Total
Joseph C. Bartolacci
Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
2018$874,285
$
$3,478,922
$
$965,741
$1,129,826
$116,064
$6,564,838
2017836,637

4,262,545

1,189,008
633,643
114,175
7,036,008
2016800,267

3,682,263

1,243,755
1,836,921
127,315
7,690,521
Gregory S. Babe
Director and Chief Technology Officer
2018430,846

572,089

288,235

50,464
1,341,634
2017401,692

522,308

285,154

31,350
1,240,504
Brian J. Dunn
Executive Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development
2018405,154

402,009

193,712
280,002
51,584
1,332,461
2017388,231

108,064

268,026
117,677
29,949
911,947
2016374,365

77,794

145,105
583,959
37,667
1,218,890
Steven F. Nicola
Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
2018518,808

958,636

401,237
565,386
53,407
2,497,474
2017496,077

1,116,659

493,612
338,156
48,525
2,493,029
2016475,692

898,233

515,928
1,059,040
50,896
2,999,789
David A. Schawk
Group President, SGK Brand Solutions
2018646,623

572,090

133,268

65,194
1,417,175
2017627,605



273,986

33,730
935,321
2016608,731



398,506

29,035
1,036,272
Name and
Principal Position
Year
(1)
SalaryBonus
Stock
Awards (2)
Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation (3)
Change in Pension Value and Nonqualified Deferred Plan Compensation (4)
All Other
Compensation (5)
Total
Joseph C. Bartolacci
Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
2021$943,592 $— $3,639,530 $1,815,715 $284,123 $130,344 $6,813,304 
2020921,600 — 2,847,903 747,255 1,864,250 196,859 6,577,867 
2019892,223 — 2,874,161 — 3,008,481 144,664 6,919,529 
Brian J. Dunn
Executive Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development
2021436,712 — 577,490 322,984 148,829 32,501 1,518,516 
2020426,654 — 458,770 118,388 480,824 55,659 1,540,295 
2019415,846 — 443,153 — 833,335 24,304 1,716,638 
Steven D. Gackenbach
Group President,
Memorialization
2021437,712 — 577,490 478,803 49,290 43,471 1,586,766 
2020427,654 — 458,770 340,811 228,493 72,139 1,527,867 
2019416,846 — 443,153 91,448 236,965 47,029 1,235,441 
Gary R. Kohl
President,
SGK Brand Solutions
2021443,212 — 797,742 294,845 — 26,948 1,562,747 
2020432,423 — 564,640 197,591 — 24,868 1,219,522 
2019409,769 — 443,153 — — 22,767 875,689 
Steven F. Nicola
Chief Financial Officer and Secretary
2021559,539 — 1,017,994 753,677 179,650 56,972 2,567,832 
2020546,577 — 868,135 310,191 1,009,743 103,729 2,838,375 
2019532,673 — 785,013 — 1,676,654 54,084 3,048,424 
    
(1)For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016.
(2)Amounts in this column reflect the grant date fair value of awards of restricted shares of the Company’s Common Stock granted during fiscal 2018, 2017 and 2016 computed in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board ASC Topic 718; however, the estimate of forfeiture related to service-based vesting conditions is disregarded for purposes of this valuation. For details of individual grants of restricted shares during fiscal 2018, see the Grants of Plan-Based Awards table below. There were no restricted shares forfeited by the named executive officers during fiscal 2018, 2017 or 2016. The assumptions on which this valuation is based are set forth in Note 10 to the audited financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 20, 2018.
(3)The amounts shown in this column reflect amounts earned and paid under the 2015 Incentive Plan in fiscal 2018, 2017 and 2016. For a full explanation of the operation of the Incentive Compensation Plan, refer to the narrative disclosure above and the Annual Incentive Compensation section of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis beginning on page 39 of this Proxy Statement.
(4)The amount shown in this column for each of the named executive officers is the increase, if any, in the actuarial present value of the accumulated benefits under all defined benefit plans for the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016. For additional information regarding defined benefit pension plans, see the Pension Benefits table below.
(5)Amounts represent one or more of the following: premiums for officer’s life insurance, incremental premiums for long-term disability insurance, club dues, dividends on restricted shares, the value for personal use of Company leased vehicles or vehicle allowance, matching contributions to the Company’s 401(k) Plan and educational assistance. The fiscal 2018, 2017 and 2016 amounts for Mr. Bartolacci include dividends on restricted shares of $74,121, $78,603 and $87,124, respectively, the value of a leased vehicle of $15,707, $10,480 and $10,071, respectively, and club membership dues of $15,430, $14,289 and $18,681, respectively. The fiscal 2018 and 2017 amounts for Mr. Babe includes dividends on restricted shares of $7,347 and $2,063, respectively, vehicle allowances of $12,900 and $11,325, respectively, and club membership dues of $8,048 and $7,253, respectively. The fiscal 2018, 2017 and 2016 amounts for Mr. Dunn include dividends on restricted shares of $30,788, $10,695 and $17,869, respectively, and vehicle allowances of $12,900, $11,675 and $10,800, respectively. The fiscal 2018, 2017 and 2016 amounts for Mr. Nicola include dividends on restricted shares of $24,259, $24,105 and $28,256, respectively, the value of a leased vehicle of $13,224, $8,479 and $7,835, respectively, and club membership dues of $7,966, $7,711 and $6,912, respectively. The fiscal 2018 and 2016 amounts for Mr. Schawk include dividends on restricted shares of $33,123 and $3,654, respectively and for fiscal years 2018, 2017 and 2016 included amounts for the value of a leased vehicle of $12,900, $11,675 and $10,800, respectively, and club membership dues of $9,871, $11,800 and $8,226, respectively.

(1)    For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019.
(2)    Amounts in this column reflect the grant date fair value of awards of restricted shares/units of the Company’s Common Stock granted during fiscal 2021, 2020 and 2019 computed in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board ASC Topic 718; however, the estimate of forfeiture related to service-based vesting conditions is disregarded for purposes of this valuation. For details of individual grants of restricted share units during fiscal 2021, see the Grants of Plan-Based Awards table below. Performance-based shares that were forfeited in fiscal 2021 were as follows: 11,250 for Mr. Bartolacci, 1,300 for Mr. Dunn, 1,700 for Mr. Gackenbach, 600 for Mr. Kohl and 3,100 for Mr. Nicola. Performance-based shares that were forfeited in fiscal 2020 were as follows: 5,916 for Mr. Bartolacci, 150 for Mr. Dunn, 925 for Mr. Gackenbach, 252 for Mr. Kohl and 1,550 for Mr. Nicola. Mr. Dunn forfeited 4,303 performance-based shares in fiscal 2019. The assumptions on which this valuation is based are set forth in Note 12 to the audited financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 19, 2021.
(3)The amounts shown in this column reflect amounts earned under the 2015 Incentive Plan in fiscal 2021, 2020 and 2019. For a full explanation of the operation of the Incentive Compensation Plan, refer to the narrative disclosure above and the Annual Incentive Compensation section of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis beginning on page 44 of this Proxy Statement.
(4)    The amount shown in this column for each of the named executive officers is the increase, if any, in the actuarial present value of the accumulated benefits under all defined benefit plans for the years ended September 30, 2021, 2020 and 2019. For additional information regarding defined benefit pension plans, see the Pension Benefits table below.
(5)    Amounts represent one or more of the following: premiums for officer’s life insurance, incremental premiums for long-term disability insurance, club dues, dividends on restricted shares, the value for personal use of Company leased vehicles or vehicle allowance, matching contributions to the Company’s 401(k) Plan and educational assistance. The fiscal 2021 amounts for Mr. Bartolacci include dividends on restricted shares of $81,000, the value of a leased vehicle of $14,490 and club membership dues of $20,065. The fiscal 2021 amounts for Mr. Dunn include dividends on restricted shares of $9,360 and vehicle allowances of $12,900. The fiscal 2021 amounts for Mr. Gackenbach includes dividends on restricted shares of $12,240, vehicle allowances of $12,900 and club membership dues of $7,575. The fiscal 2021 amounts for Mr. Kohl include dividends on restricted shares of $4,320 and the value of a leased vehicle of $12,900. The fiscal 2021 amounts for Mr. Nicola include dividends on restricted shares of $22,320, the value of a leased vehicle of $14,486 and club membership dues of $8,537.
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The following table provides information on grants of plan-based awards held by the named executive officers during fiscal 2018.2021.
Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table
Name
Grant Date (1)
Estimated Future Payouts Under Non-Equity Incentive Plan AwardsEstimated Future Payouts Under Equity Incentive Plan Awards
All Other Stock Awards: Number of Shares of Stock or Units
(#) (4)
Grant Date
Fair Value of Stock Awards
($)
Threshold
($)
Target
($) (2)
Maximum
($)
Threshold
(#)
Target
(# ) (3)
Maximum
(#)
J.C. Bartolacci11/16/2033,875 $909,883 (5)
11/16/2033,875 909,883 (5)
11/16/2067,750 1,819,764 (6)
11/16/20$474,300 $948,600 $1,897,200 
B.J. Dunn11/16/205,375 144,373 (5)
11/16/205,375 144,373 (5)
11/16/2010,750 288,744 (6)
11/16/20120,725 241,450 482,900 
S.D. Gackenbach11/16/205,375 144,373 (5)
11/16/205,375 144,373 (5)
11/16/2010,750 288,744 (6)
11/16/20121,000 242,000 484,000 
G.R. Kohl11/16/207,425 199,436 (5)
11/16/207,425 199,436 (5)
11/16/2014,850 398,870 (6)
11/16/20122,513 245,025 490,050 
S.F. Nicola11/16/209,475 254,499 (5)
11/16/209,475 254,499 (5)
11/16/2018,950 508,996 (6)
11/16/20196,875 393,750 787,500 
(1)All grants were effective as of the date on which the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors met to approve them.
(2)Amounts represent target payouts under the Company’s 2015 Incentive Plan. The target represents the named executive officer’s annual salary multiplied by his respective target incentive award percentage. The target incentive award percentages, expressed as a percentage of annual base salary are 100% for Mr. Bartolacci, 55% for Mr. Dunn, Mr. Gackenbach and Mr. Kohl, and 70% for Mr. Nicola. For a full explanation refer to the Annual Incentive Compensation section of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis beginning on page 44 of this Proxy Statement.
(3)    Amounts represent the number of restricted share units granted pursuant to the 2017 Equity Plan that vest upon certain performance criteria. Performance-based restricted share units granted in November 2020 were awarded such that, in general, 25% of the grant vests at target based upon the Company achieving certain metrics based on Return on Invested Capital ("ROIC"); and 25% of the grant vests at target based upon stock price appreciation for the Company's common stock. Vesting of all units are generally subject to continuing employment through November 16, 2023. Upon vesting, performance based units will be converted to the Company's common stock using a factor ranging from 50% to 200% based upon the level of achievement of the performance thresholds related to the above targets. Performance related units that do not achieve the ROIC or stock price appreciation thresholds by the end of the performance period will be forfeited. For a full explanation of the operation of the 2017 Equity Plan, refer to the Long-Term Incentive Compensation section of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis beginning on page 47 of this Proxy Statement.
(4)    Amounts represent the number of shares of restricted share units granted pursuant to the 2017 Equity Plan that fully vest on the third anniversary of the grant date. Upon vesting, time-based units will be converted to an equal number of shares of the Company's common stock. Restricted share units may also vest under certain change-in-control circumstances, subject to double-trigger change-in-control provisions which require a change in control and involuntary or good reason employment termination. The restricted share units are forfeited upon employment termination, or within specified time limits following voluntary employment termination (with consent of the Company), retirement or death. For a full explanation of the operation of the 2017 Equity Plan, refer to the Long-Term Incentive Compensation section of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis beginning on page 47 of this Proxy Statement.
(5)    Values are calculated based on the grant date fair value of the Company’s common stock and the expected probability that the shares will ultimately vest at target (see footnote 3 above).
(6)    Values are calculated based on the grant date fair value of the Company’s common stock. The vesting period for retirement-eligible employees is accelerated.
53
NameGrant Date (1)Estimated Future Payouts Under Non-Equity Incentive Plan AwardsEstimated Future Payouts Under Equity Incentive Plan AwardsAll Other Stock Awards: Number of Shares of Stock or Units
(#) (4)
Grant Date
Fair Value of Stock Awards
($)
Threshold
($)
Target
($) (2)
Maximum
($)
Threshold
(#)
Target
(# ) (3)
Maximum
(#)
J.C. Bartolacci11/15/17    5,625
  $286,988
(5)
 11/15/17    5,625
  249,694
(5)
 11/15/17    5,625
  214,538
(5)
 11/15/17    5,625
  320,906
(6)
 11/15/17    5,625
  320,906
(6)
 11/15/17    5,625
  160,453
(6)
 11/15/17      33,750
1,925,437
(7)
 11/15/17$442,270
$884,540
$1,769,080
      
G.S. Babe11/15/17    925
  47,194
(5)
 11/15/17    925
  41,061
(5)
 11/15/17    925
  35,279
(5)
 11/15/17    925
  52,771
(6)
 11/15/17    925
  52,771
(6)
 11/15/17    925
  26,386
(6)
 11/15/17      5,550
316,627
(7)
 11/15/17132,000
264,000
528,000
      
B.J. Dunn11/15/17    650
  33,163
(5)
 11/15/17    650
  28,853
(5)
 11/15/17    650
  24,791
(5)
 11/15/17    650
  37,083
(6)
 11/15/17    650
  37,083
(6)
 11/15/17    650
  18,541
(6)
 11/15/17      3,900
222,495
(7)
 11/15/17112,750
225,500
451,000
      
S.F. Nicola11/15/17    1,550
  79,081
(5)
 11/15/17    1,550
  68,805
(5)
 11/15/17    1,550
  59,117
(5)
 11/15/17    1,550
  88,427
(6)
 11/15/17    1,550
  88,427
(6)
 11/15/17    1,550
  44,214
(6)
 11/15/17      9,300
530,565
(7)
 11/15/17183,750
367,500
735,000
      
D.A. Schawk11/15/17    925
  47,194
(5)
 11/15/17    925
  41,061
(5)
 11/15/17    925
  35,280
(5)
 11/15/17    925
  52,771
(6)
 11/15/17    925
  52,771
(6)
 11/15/17    925
  26,386
(6)
 11/15/17      5,550
316,627
(7)
 11/15/17244,125
488,250
976,500
      


(1)All grants were effective as of the date on which the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors met to approve them.
(2)Amounts represent target payouts under the Company’s 2015 Incentive Plan. The target represents the named executive officer’s annual salary multiplied by his respective target incentive award percentage. The target incentive award percentages, expressed as a percentage of annual base salary are 100% for Mr. Bartolacci, 60% for Mr. Babe, 55% for Mr. Dunn, 70% for Mr. Nicola, and 75% for Mr. Schawk. For a full explanation refer to the Annual Incentive Compensation section of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis beginning on page 39 of this Proxy Statement.
(3)Amounts represent the number of shares of restricted stock granted pursuant to the 2012 Equity Plan that vest upon certain performance criteria. Performance-based restricted shares granted in November 2017 were granted such that for 50% of such shares vesting occurs in one-third increments upon the attainment of annual adjusted earnings per share of $3.89, $4.20 and $4.54, respectively; and for 50% of such shares vesting occurs upon the attainment of 5%, 15% and 25% appreciation, respectively, in the market value of the Company’s Common Stock, but in no event prior to the expiration of one year from the date of the grant. Restricted shares may also vest under certain change in control circumstances. The restricted shares are forfeited if the adjusted earnings per share and stock price appreciation performance vesting criteria have not been met on the earlier of three and five years from the date of grant, respectively, upon employment termination, or within specified time limits following voluntary employment termination (with consent of the Company), retirement or death. For a full explanation of the operation of the 2012 Equity Plan, refer to the Long-Term Incentive Compensation section of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis beginning on page 42 of this Proxy Statement.
(4)Amounts represent the number of shares of restricted stock granted pursuant to the 2012 Equity Plan that fully vest on the third anniversary of the grant date. Restricted shares may also vest under certain change in control circumstances. The restricted shares are forfeited upon employment termination, or within specified time limits following voluntary employment termination (with consent of the Company), retirement or death. For a full explanation of the operation of the 2012 Equity Plan, refer to the Long-Term Incentive Compensation section of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis beginning on page 42 of this Proxy Statement.
(5)Grant date fair values are developed using a Binomial pricing model based on the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the dates of grant. The assumptions on which this valuation is based are set forth in Note 10 to the audited financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 20, 2018.
(6)Values are calculated based on the grant date fair value of the Company’s common stock and the expected probability that the shares will ultimately vest.
(7)Values are calculated based on the grant date fair value of the Company’s common stock.



The following table sets forth information concerning the fiscal 20182021 year-end value of unearned restricted sharesshares/share units for each of the named executive officers.

Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End Table
Stock Awards
No. of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested (#)
Market Value of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested ($) (4)
Equity Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have Not Vested (#)
Equity Incentive Plan Awards: Market or Payout Value of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have Not Vested ($) (4)
J.C. Bartolacci— $— 23,083 (5)$800,749 
27,240 (1)944,956 40,860 (6)1,417,433 
28,245 (2)979,819 52,455 (7)1,819,664 
67,750 (3)2,350,248 67,750 (8)2,350,248 
B.J. Dunn— — 1,600 (5)55,504 
4,200 (1)145,698 6,300 (6)218,547 
4,550 (2)157,840 8,450 (7)293,131 
10,750 (3)372,918 10,750 (8)372,918 
S.D. Gackenbach— — 3,550 (5)123,150 
4,200 (1)145,698 6,300 (6)218,547 
4,550 (2)157,840 8,450 (7)293,131 
10,750 (3)372,918 10,750 (8)372,918 
G.R. Kohl— — 1,105 (5)38,332 
4,200 (1)145,698 6,300 (6)218,547 
5,600 (2)194,264 10,400 (7)360,776 
14,850 (3)515,147 14,850 (8)515,147 
S.F. Nicola— — 6,200 (5)215,078 
7,440 (1)258,094 11,160 (6)387,140 
8,610 (2)298,681 15,990 (7)554,693 
18,950 (3)657,376 18,950 (8)657,376 
(1)Represents restricted share units that were fully vested on November 14, 2021 and converted to an equal number of shares of the Company's common stock.
(2)Represents restricted share units that will be earned and fully vested on November 12, 2022. Upon vesting, these restricted share units will be converted to an equal number of shares of the Company's common stock.
(3)Represents restricted share units that will be earned and fully vested on November 16, 2023. Upon vesting, these restricted share units will be converted to an equal number of shares of the Company's common stock.
(4)Represents the value of all unvested restricted shares/share units as of September 30, 2021. The value is computed by multiplying all unvested restricted shares/share units by $34.69, the closing price of the Company’s common stock on September 30, 2021. The value calculated for restricted share units is based on vesting at target for performance related shares (see footnotes 6 and 7 below).
(5)Represents restricted shares that will be earned and vested as follows: one-half upon the stock price of the Company’s common stock reaching 115% of the grant date fair value of the Company’s common stock for ten consecutive trading days, one-half upon the price of the Company’s common stock reaching 125% of the grant date fair value of the Company’s common stock for ten consecutive trading days. One-half of these shares were cancelled on November 18, 2021.
(6)Represents restricted share units that will be earned and vested as follows: one-half upon achieving certain metrics based on Return on Invested Capital ("ROIC") and one-half upon achieving certain metrics based on adjusted earnings per share. Upon vesting, these performance based units will be converted to the Company's common stock using a factor ranging from 50% to 200% based upon the level of achievement of the performance thresholds related to the above targets. On November 18, 2021, the ROIC portion vested and converted into shares of the Company's common stock at a rate of approximately 114.72%; the adjusted earnings per share portion cancelled.
(7)Represents restricted share units that will be earned and vested as follows: one-half upon achieving certain metrics based on ROIC and one-half upon achieving certain metrics based on adjusted earnings per share. Upon vesting, these performance based units will be converted to the Company's common stock using a factor ranging from 50% to 200% based upon the level of achievement of the performance thresholds related to the above targets.
(8)Represents restricted share units that will be earned and vested as follows: one-half upon achieving certain metrics based on stock price appreciation and one-half upon achieving certain metrics based on ROIC. Upon vesting, these performance based units will be converted to the Company's common stock using a factor ranging from 50% to 200% based upon the level of achievement of the performance thresholds related to the above targets.

54
 Stock Awards
 No. of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested (#)Market Value of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested ($) (4)Equity Incentive Plan Awards: Number of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have Not Vested (#)Equity Incentive Plan Awards: Market or Payout Value of Unearned Shares, Units or Other Rights That Have Not Vested ($) (4)
J.C. Bartolacci35,500
(1)$1,780,325
5,916
(5)$296,687
 35,500
(2)1,780,325
23,666
(6)1,186,850
 33,750
(3)1,692,563
33,750
(7)1,692,563
G.S. Babe3,660
(1)183,549
610
(5)30,592
 4,350
(2)218,153
2,900
(6)145,435
 5,550
(3)278,333
5,550
(7)278,333
B.J. Dunn750
(1)37,613
125
(5)6,269
 900
(2)45,135
600
(6)30,090
 3,900
(3)195,585
3,900
(7)195,585
 
 
4,303
(8)215,795
S.F. Nicola8,660
(1)434,299
1,444
(5)72,417
 9,300
(2)466,395
6,200
(6)310,930
 9,300
(3)466,395
9,300
(7)466,395
D.A. Schawk5,550
(3)278,333
5,550
(7)278,333
 
 
4,685
(8)234,953


(1)Represents restricted shares that were fully vested on November 11, 2018.
(2)Represents restricted shares that will be earned and fully vested on November 16, 2019.
(3)Represents restricted shares that will be earned and fully vested on November 15, 2020.
(4)Represents the value of all unvested restricted shares as of September 30, 2018. The value is computed by multiplying all unvested restricted shares by the $50.15, the closing price of the Company’s common stock on September 30, 2018.
(5)Represents restricted shares that will be earned and vested upon the adjusted earnings per share of the Company reaching $3.79. These shares vested on November 15, 2018.
(6)Represents restricted shares that will be earned and vested as follows: one-fourth upon the stock price of the Company’s common stock reaching 115% of the grant date fair value of the Company’s common stock for ten consecutive trading days, one-fourth upon the price of the Company’s common stock reaching 125% of the grant date fair value of the Company’s common stock for ten consecutive trading days, one-fourth upon the adjusted earnings per share of the Company reaching $3.94, and one-fourth upon the adjusted earnings per share of the Company reaching $4.26. One-fourth of these shares vested on November 15, 2018.
(7)Represents restricted shares that will be earned and vested as follows: one-sixth upon the stock price of the Company’s common stock reaching 105% of the grant date fair value of the Company’s common stock ($57.05) for ten consecutive trading days, one-sixth upon the stock price of the Company’s common stock reaching 115% of the grant date fair value of the Company’s common stock for ten consecutive trading days, one-sixth upon the price of the Company’s common stock reaching 125% of the grant date fair value of the Company’s common stock for ten consecutive trading days, one-sixth upon the adjusted earnings per share of the Company reaching $3.89, one-sixth upon the adjusted earnings per share of the Company reaching $4.20, and one-sixth upon the adjusted earnings per share of the Company reaching $4.54. One-third of these shares vested on November 15, 2018.
(8)Represents restricted shares that will be earned and vested upon a portion of the Company’s annual adjusted EBITDA reaching $170 million. These shares canceled on November 15, 2018.


The following table provides information on the vesting of restricted shares for each of the named executive officers during fiscal 2018.2021.

Stock Vested
Stock Awards
NameNumber of Shares Acquired on VestingValue Realized on Vesting
J.C. Bartolacci33,750$878,344 
B.J. Dunn3,900101,498
S.D. Gackenbach5,100132,728
G.R. Kohl1,80046,845
S.F. Nicola9,300242,033
 Stock Awards
NameNumber of Shares Acquired on VestingValue Realized on Vesting
J.C. Bartolacci50,251$2,635,439
G.S. Babe5,060267,895
B.J. Dunn42527,408
S.F. Nicola15,823811,695
Retirement Benefits

The Company's domestic retirementDB Plan, a noncontributory defined benefit plan, is noncontributorywas terminated on October 1, 2021. Benefit accruals for the DB Plan were initially frozen as of September 30, 2021, and providesplan participants subsequently received either lump sum payments or annuity contracts (based on their elections), representing full settlement and distribution of their accrued DB Plan benefits. NEO participants in the DB Plan were impacted by these actions in the same manner as all other U.S. eligible employees. The DB Plan previously provided benefits based upon length of service and final average earnings. Generally, employees age 21 with one year of continuous service are eligible to participate in the retirement plan. The benefit formula iswas 3/4 of 1% of the first $550 of final average monthly earnings plus 1‑1/4% of the excess times years of credited service (maximum 35 years). The plan is a defined benefit plan and coveredCovered compensation iswas limited generally to base salary or wages. Benefits arewere not subject to any deduction or offset for Social Security.

In addition to benefitsThe SERP, which provided by the Company's retirement plan, the Company has a Supplemental Retirement Plan (“SERP”), which provides for supplemental pension benefits to certain executive officers of the Company designated by the Board of Directors. UponDirectors, was terminated on August 2, 2021. Benefit accruals for the SERP were initially frozen as of April 30, 2021, and lump sum payments are expected to be made to participants in fiscal 2023 as full settlement and distribution of their accrued SERP benefits. Prior to the plan termination, upon normal retirement, under this plan, such individuals who meetmet stipulated age and service requirements arewere entitled to receive monthly supplemental retirement payments which, when added to their pension under the Company's retirement planDB Plan and their maximum anticipated Social Security primary insurance amount, equal,equaled, in total, 1.85% of final average monthly earnings (including incentive compensation) times the individual's years of continuous service (subject to a maximum of 35 years). Upon early retirement under the SERP, reduced benefits will bewere provided, depending upon age and years of service. Benefits under the SERP vestvested based upon the attainment of certain levels of qualified and total continuous service. The SERP was closed to new participants in 2009. The Company has established a non-revocable trust to fund the SERP, and a provision has been made on the Company's booksbalance sheet for the actuarially computed obligation.obligations under this plan.

InThe ORRP was created in 2009 the Committee closed the SERP to new participants and created a separate plan, Officers Retirement Restoration Plan ("ORRP"), for any new designated executive going forward, limiting its benefitbenefits to restoring amounts lost to tax-related limitations under the Company’s regular retirement and 401(k) plans. The defined benefit portion of the ORRP was frozen as of April 30, 2021, and lump sum payments are expected to be made to participants in fiscal 2023 as full settlement and distribution of their accrued defined benefit ORRP amounts.


55


The table below sets forth the number of years of credited service and the present value at September 30, 20182021 of the accumulated benefits under the each of the retirement plans for each of the participating named executive officers.


Pension Benefits Table

NamePlan Name
Number of Years Credited Service
(#) (1)
Present Value of Accumulated Benefit
($) (2)
Payments During Last Fiscal Year
($)
J.C. BartolacciDB Plan23$2,719,723 $— 
SERP249,715,137 — 
B.J. DunnDB Plan212,622,513 — 
SERP22970,188 — 
S.D. GackenbachDB Plan9886,137 — 
ORRP10108,599 — 
S.F. NicolaDB Plan272,679,897 — 
SERP284,361,101 — 
(1)As of September 30, 2021. Years of credited service for the DB Plan begin on the first of the month following the completion of one year of service. Years of credited service for the Company’s SERP and ORRP begin on the initial date of service.
NamePlan NameNumber of Years Credited Service
(#) (1)
Present Value of Accumulated Benefit
($) (2)
Payments During Last Fiscal Year
($)
J.C. BartolacciMatthews International Corporation Employees Retirement Plan20$662,146
$
 Matthews International Corporation SERP216,615,860

B.J. DunnMatthews International Corporation Employees Retirement Plan18717,153

 Matthews International Corporation SERP191,412,560

S.F. NicolaMatthews International Corporation Employees Retirement Plan24802,131

 Matthews International Corporation SERP253,374,820

(2)The assumptions on which this valuation is based are set forth in Note 14 to the audited financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 19, 2021.
(1)As of September 30, 2018. Years of credited service for the Matthews International Corporation Employees Retirement Plan begin on the first of the month following the completion of one year of service. Years of credited service for the Company’s SERP and ORRP begin on the initial date of service.
(2)The assumptions on which this valuation is based are set forth in Note 12 to the audited financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 20, 2018.

The Company provides a 401(k) Plan covering substantially all domestic employees of the Company. Participants may make pre-tax contributions to their account of 1% up to 75% of their annual compensation. For employees and NEOs covered under the Matthews International Corporation Employees RetirementDB Plan, which includes the named executive officers,prior to its termination, the Company makesmade matching contributions to each participant at a rate of 50% of participants’ deferrals up to 1% of their annual compensation. Subsequent to the termination of the DB Plan, described above, the Company will make matching contributions to each participant at a rate of 100% for the first 3% deferred and 50% for the next 2% deferred up to 4% of their annual compensation. Participants are fully vested immediately in the value of their contributions and fully vested in the value of Company matching contributions after three years of service, provided they are a participant of the plan.

CEO Pay Ratio

Section 953(b) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 requires most companies with publicly traded stock in the United States to identify the median total compensation of their worldwide employee population (other than the chief executive officer) and to compare that amount with the total compensation of their chief executive officer. Total compensation amounts are required to be calculated using the SEC’s compensation disclosure rules applicable to reporting compensation in the Summary Compensation Table of the proxy statement. Median employee compensation used to calculate the pay ratio is required to be the total compensation paid to an actual employee of the company.

56


To identify our median employee, we reviewed the annual base salary of all our employees other than the CEO as of September 30, 2018.2021. As permitted by SEC rules, we excluded from our review employees based in Brazil, China, Costa Rica, and Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Mexico and Thailand because those individuals, in the aggregate, make up less than 5% of our total employee base, representing approximately 490508 employees. Contingent workers who provide services to Matthews International but whose compensation is determined by an unaffiliated third party were also excluded from our determination of the median employee. We used an annual base salary as our consistently applied compensation measure as it represents the primary compensation component paid to all of our employees. As a result, annual base salary provides an accurate depiction of total earnings for the purpose of identifying our median employee. We then calculated the median employee’s total annual compensation in accordance with the requirements of the Summary Compensation Table. We did not use any material estimates, assumptions, adjustments or statistical sampling to determine the worldwide median employee.

Our median employee’s 20182021 compensation was $49,329.$68,165. Our Chief Executive Officer’s total 20182021 compensation was $6,564,838$6,813,304 as reported in the Summary Compensation Table on page 48.52. Accordingly, our 20182021 CEO to Median Employee Pay Ratio was 133:100:1.

Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control

The following discussion describes and quantifies the payments that would be made to each of the NEOs under a variety of circumstances, assuming that each had taken place on September 30, 2018:2021: (1) the executive resigns voluntarily without the consent of the Company; (2) the executive resigns voluntarily with the consent of the Company; (3) the executive is involuntarily terminated without cause; (4) the executive is involuntarily terminated with cause; (5) the executive dies or becomes permanently disabled while employed; (6) the executive retires; or (7) a change in control of the Company takes place.

The Company’s executive management, including the NEOs, are subject to change-in-control agreements. These agreements provide certain benefits upon a change-in-control of the Company provided that, upon a change-in-control, the executive’s employment is terminated involuntarily or for good reason (“double-trigger”). Upon such double-trigger, the executive (including the CEO) is generally entitled to two times theirhis or her base salary and target bonus, and accelerated vesting of awards under the long-term incentive plan.

Restricted Stock. Under the terms of the existing restricted stock grants,and restricted share unit awards, in the event of voluntary termination of employment without the Company’s consent or any involuntary terminations, any unvested restricted sharesshares/share units are forfeited at the time of termination. In the event of death or termination due to permanent disability, retirement or voluntary termination with the Company’s consent, unvested performance-based restricted shares continue to performance vest for a period of two years following termination.termination and unvested performance-based restricted share units continue to performance vest over the term of the award. In the event of death or termination due to permanent disability, retirement or voluntary termination with the Company’s consent, unvested time-based restricted sharesshares/share units become immediately vested. In the event of a change in control of the Company, all unvested time-based restricted sharesshares/share units immediately vest.

Supplemental Retirement Plan. Uponvest in full. In addition, in the event of a change in control of the Company, all unvested performance-based restricted shares/share units immediately vest to the greater of (i) the amount that would have vested at target-level performance and (ii) the amount that would have vested assuming that applicable performance levels were extrapolated to the end of the applicable performance period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, time-based and performance-based restricted shares/share units held by the Company's executive management that are subject to change in control agreements will accelerate upon satisfaction of the double-trigger conditions.

57


SERP/ORRP. The SERP and the defined-benefit portion of ORRP were frozen in fiscal 2021 and therefore, upon a change in control the Company participants accrue five additional yearsreceive the payout of credited service under the SERP.frozen accumulated benefits.


The following table provides information on the potential incremental value of executive benefits upon termination of employment prior to and after a change in control, assuming termination would have occurred as of September 30, 2018.2021.
Named ExecutiveExecutive Benefit and Payment upon SeparationVoluntary Termination Without Consent
Voluntary Termination With
Consent(1) (2)
Involuntary Termination Without CauseInvoluntary Termination With Cause
Death or Disability (1) (2)
Retirement (1) (2)
Change in Control (3) (4)
J.C. BartolacciPerformance-based Restricted Shares/Share Units$— $— $— $— $— $— $— 
Time-based
Restricted Shares/Share Units
— 4,275,022 — — 4,275,022 4,275,022 — 
SERP— — — — — — 9,715,137 
Total— 4,275,022 — — 4,275,022 4,275,022 9,715,137 
B.J. DunnPerformance-based Restricted Shares/Share Units— — — — — — — 
Time-based
Restricted Shares/Share Units
— 676,455 — — 676,455 676,455 — 
SERP— — — — — — 970,188 
Total— 676,455 — — 676,455 676,455 970,188 
S.D. GackenbachPerformance-based Restricted Shares/Share Units— — — — — — — 
Time-based
Restricted Shares/Share Units
— 676,455 — — 676,455 676,455 — 
ORRP— — — — — — 108,599 
Total— 676,455 — — 676,455 676,455 108,599 
G.R. KohlPerformance-based Restricted Shares/Share Units— — — — — — — 
Time-based
Restricted Shares/Share Units
— 855,109 — — 855,109 855,109 — 
Total— 855,109 — — 855,109 855,109 — 
S.F. NicolaPerformance-based Restricted Shares/Share Units— — — — — — — 
Time-based
Restricted Shares/Share Units
— 1,214,150 — — 1,214,150 1,214,150 — 
SERP— — — — — — 4,361,101 
Total— 1,214,150 — — 1,214,150 1,214,150 4,361,101 

(1)The performance-based restricted share value represents the value of unvested restricted shares as of September 30, 2021 that had not met performance vesting criteria as of that date, but for which the performance vesting threshold was less than $34.69, the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the last trading day of fiscal 2021 (the “assumed performance vested shares”). The value of the restricted shares is computed by multiplying the number of assumed performance vested shares by $34.69. As of September 30, 2021 there were no assumed performance vested shares.
(2)The time-based restricted share unit value represents the value of unvested restricted share units as of September 30, 2021 that would vest upon termination as of September 30, 2021 (the “assumed time vested shares”). The value of the restricted share units is computed by multiplying the number of assumed time vested share units by $34.69, the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the last trading day of fiscal 2021.
(3)Time and performance restricted share units may vest under certain change-in-control circumstances, subject to double-trigger change-in-control provisions which require a change in control and involuntary or good reason employment termination. See "Potential Payments upon Termination or Change in Control - Restricted Stock" above.
(4)The value of the SERP represents the accumulated benefit obligation when the plan was frozen for eligible participants.


58
Named ExecutiveExecutive Benefit and Payment upon SeparationVoluntary Termination Without Consent
Voluntary Termination With
Consent (1) (2)
Involuntary Termination Without CauseInvoluntary Termination With CauseDeath or Disability (1) (2)Retirement (1) (2)
Change in Control
  (3) (4)
J.C. BartolacciPerformance-based Restricted Shares





3,176,100
 
Time-based
 Restricted Shares

5,253,213


5,253,213
5,253,213
5,253,213
 SERP





12,777,981
 Total
5,253,213


5,253,213
5,253,213
21,207,294
G.S. BabePerformance-based Restricted Shares





454,359
 
Time-based
 Restricted Shares

680,034


680,034
680,034
680,034
 Total
680,034


680,034
680,034
1,134,393
B.J. DunnPerformance-based Restricted Shares





447,739
 
Time-based
 Restricted Shares

278,333


278,333
278,333
278,333
 SERP





3,319,996
 Total
278,333


278,333
278,333
4,046,068
S.F. NicolaPerformance-based Restricted Shares





849,742
 Time-based
Restricted Shares

1,367,089


1,367,089
1,367,089
1,367,089
 SERP





6,837,098
 Total
1,367,089


1,367,089
1,367,089
9,053,929
D.A. SchawkPerformance-based Restricted Shares





513,285
 
Time-based
 Restricted Shares

278,333


278,333
278,333
278,333
 Total
278,333


278,333
278,333
791,618


(1)The performance-based restricted share value represents the value of unvested restricted shares as of September 30, 2018 that had not met performance vesting criteria as of that date, but for which the performance vesting threshold was less than $50.15, the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the last trading day of fiscal 2018 (the “assumed performance vested shares”). The value of the restricted shares is computed by multiplying the number of assumed performance vested shares by $50.15. As of September 30, 2018 there were no assumed performance vested shares.
(2)The time-based restricted share value represents the value of unvested restricted shares as of September 30, 2018 that would vest upon termination as of September 30, 2018 (the “assumed time vested shares”). The value of the restricted shares is computed by multiplying the number of assumed time vested shares by $50.15, the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the last trading day of fiscal 2018.
(3)The performance-based and time-based restricted share value represents the value of all unvested restricted shares as of September 30, 2018. The value is computed by multiplying all unvested restricted shares by $50.15, the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the last trading day of fiscal 2018.
(4)The incremental value of the SERP represents the increase in the accumulated benefit obligation resulting from an additional five years of vested service for eligible participants.



AUDIT COMMITTEE MATTERS

Report of the Audit Committee

The Audit Committee of Matthews International Corporation (the "Company") is composed of threefour directors who the Board has determined to be independent under the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regulations related to audit committee independence, the Nasdaq listing requirements and the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors.

Management of the Company has the primary responsibility for preparing the financial statements, establishing the system of internal controls, and assessing the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. The Audit Committee is responsible for reviewing the Company’s financial reporting process on behalf of the Board of Directors.

In this context, the Audit Committee has met and held discussions with management, internal audit and the independent registered public accounting firm. Management represented to the Audit Committee that the Company’s consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the Audit Committee has discussed the consolidated financial statements with management, internal audit and the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm matters required to be discussed by Auditing Standard No. 1301, "Communications with Audit Committees", and such other matters as are required to be discussed under the standards applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) and the SEC.

The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm also provided to the Audit Committee the written disclosures required by Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Rule 3526, “Communicationapplicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding the independent registered public accounting firm’s communications with Audit Committees Concerning Independence”,the audit committee concerning independence, and the Audit Committee discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm that firm’s independence.

The Committee discussed with the Company's independent registered public accounting firm and internal auditors the overall scope and plan for their respective audits. The Audit Committee meets with the independent registered public accounting firm and internal auditors to discuss the results of their examinations, their evaluations of the Company's internal controls, and the overall quality of the Company's financial reporting.

Based on the Audit Committee’s discussions referred to above and the Audit Committee’s review of the report of the independent registered public accounting firm on the consolidated financial statements of the Company for the year ended September 30, 2018,2021, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited consolidated financial statements be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 20182021 for filing with the SEC.
                            
Audit Committee:

A. Garcia-Tunon, Chairman
T.L. Dunlap
M.K. O’Brien

December 5, 2018
Audit Committee:
A. Garcia-Tunon, Chairman
L.D. Etzkorn
M.K. O’Brien
J.R. Whitaker
                                

December 15, 2021
59



Relationship with Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

Ernst & Young LLP (“EY”) has been the independent registered public accounting firm performing the audits of the consolidated financial statements of the Company since December 28, 2015. In addition to performing the audit of the Company's consolidated financial statements, EY provided fees for services related to the Company’s compliance with Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and various other services during fiscal 20182021 and 2017,2020, respectively. The aggregate fees (including out-of-pocket expenses) billed for fiscal 20182021 and 20172020 for each of the following categories of services are set forth below.
20212020
20182017
Audit fees (includes audits and reviews of the Company’s fiscal 2018 and 2017 financial statements)$1,448,694
$1,396,324
Audit-related fees (primarily due diligence and regulatory compliance work)273,540
358,477
Audit fees (includes audits and reviews of the Company’s fiscal 2021 and 2020 financial statements)Audit fees (includes audits and reviews of the Company’s fiscal 2021 and 2020 financial statements)$1,490,000 $1,520,000 
Audit-related fees (primarily regulatory compliance work)Audit-related fees (primarily regulatory compliance work)216,660 354,415 
Tax fees (primarily tax compliance and advisory work)336,414
570,550
Tax fees (primarily tax compliance and advisory work)414,303 207,746 
All other fees-
-
All other fees-
Fiscal 20182021 and 20172020 tax fees include tax compliance and planning fees. All services provided by EY for significant audit, audit-related, tax and other services are approved in advance by the Audit Committee. Fees for the annual audit, including quarterly reviews, are approved by the Audit Committee upon appointment of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. Other services are approved in advance on a specific project basis during the year. Examples of such projects include acquisition due diligence and tax assistance engagements. Where approval in advance by the Audit Committee is not practical due to time constraints, management provides a written description of the engagement to the Chairman of the Audit Committee and obtains the Chairman’s approval prior to proceeding with the engagement. Ratification of such services by the full Audit Committee is obtained at the next scheduled Audit Committee meeting. The Company’s independent registered public accounting firm provides a summary of audit and other services and related fees to the Audit Committee at each of its regularly scheduled Committee meetings. The summary includes total estimated fees for each individual project. The Audit Committee also considered whether the provision of non-audit services by EY is compatible with maintaining the independence of EY.
EY’s reports on the Company’s consolidated financial statements as of and for the fiscal years ended September 30, 20182021 and 20172020 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion, and were not qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or accounting principle.
During the fiscal years ended September 30, 20182021 and 2017,2020, the Company had not consulted with EY regarding either (i) the application of accounting principles to a specific transaction, either completed or proposed; or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the Company's financial statements, or (ii) any matter that was the subject of a disagreement within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(iv) of Regulation S-K, or (iii) any reportable event within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.
During the two most recent fiscal years ended September 30, 20182021 and 2017,2020, there were no disagreements between Matthews and EY on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure or auditing scope or procedure, which disagreement, if not resolved to the satisfaction of EY, would have caused EY to make reference to the subject matter of the disagreement in connection with its reports on the consolidated financial statements for such years.

60


CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS WITH RELATED PERSONS

Transactions with related persons are subject to review and approval by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Directors. Written policies and procedures relative to the identification of related party transactions are contained in the Company’s Code of Conduct and the Committee reviews and evaluates each such transaction based on the specific facts and circumstances involved.

During fiscal 2018, Matthews, through a subsidiary, leasedBrandon Babe, an approximately 55,000 square foot facility located in Des Plaines, Illinois from Graphics IV, Ltd., a limited partnership (“Graphics IV”). David A. Schawk, a director and executive officeremployee of the Company, is the son of Greg Babe, one of our Executive Officers and member of our Board of Directors. Compensation paid to Brandon Babe on an annual basis, consisting of salary, bonus and equity awards, exceeds the $120,000 related person transaction threshold and as a partnerresult was reviewed by the Audit and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committees. His total compensation is consistent with other Company employees in similar positions.

The Company made additional investments of $130,265 during fiscal 2021 in Liquid X Printed Metals Inc. (“LiquidX”), a 20% interestprivate company, in Graphics IV. The Graphics IV lease was in place atwhich Matthews participates as a strategic investor. Greg Babe, the timeCompany’s Chief Technology Officer and a member of the Schawk acquisition on July 29, 2014Board of Directors, serves as President and had an annual base rent amountCEO of $520,134.50. The base rent was established based upon a market-rent appraisal performed by a third-party appraisal firm. The Graphics IV lease was terminated during fiscal 2018 on September 1, 2018. The total amount paid during fiscal 2018 under the Graphics IV lease was approximately $464,580.LiquidX. Mr. Babe received no direct benefit in connection with these transactions.

COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(a) OF THE EXCHANGE ACT

The Company’s directors and executive officers are required under Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership of the company’s common stock with the SEC. Based solely upon a review of Forms 3 and 4 and amendments thereto, if any, furnished to the Company during its most recent year and filed with the SEC, and representations from reporting persons that no Forms 5 were required; we believe that all of our directors and executive officers complied during fiscal 2018 with the reporting requirements of Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, with the exception of Edward M. Brady, Jr., Chief Information Officer, and Gary R. Kohl, President SGK Brand Solutions, each of whom filed a Form 3 on April 25, 2018 reporting his appointment as an executive officer.

SHAREHOLDERS SHARING THE SAME ADDRESS

The SEC has adopted rules that permit companies and intermediaries (such as brokers) to implement a delivery procedure called “householding.” Under this procedure, multiple shareholders who reside at the same address may receive a single copy of our annual report and proxy materials, unless the affected shareholder has provided contrary instructions. This procedure reduces printing costs and postage fees.

A number of brokers with account holders who beneficially own our common stock will be “householding” our annual report and proxy materials. A single set of annual report and other proxy materials will be delivered to multiple shareholders sharing an address unless contrary instructions have been received from the affected shareholders. Once you have received notice from your broker that it will be “householding” communications to your address, “householding” will continue until you are notified otherwise or until you revoke your consent. Shareholders may revoke their consent at any time by contacting the Company at Matthews International Corporation, Two NorthShore Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212-5851, Attention: Investor Relations, telephone (412) 442-8200.

Upon written or oral request, the Company will promptly deliver a separate copy of the annual report and other proxy materials to any beneficial owner at a shared address to which a single copy of any of those documents was delivered. To receive a separate copy of the annual report and other proxy materials, you may write or call the Company’s Investor Relations Department at Matthews International Corporation, Two NorthShore Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212-5851, Attention: Investor Relations, telephone (412) 442-8200. The annual report and proxy materials are also available on the Company's website at www.matw.com/investor/financial-reports.investors/sec-filings.


Shareholders who share the same address and currently receive multiple copies of our annual report and other proxy materials, who wish to receive only one set in the future, can contact their bank, broker or other holder of record to request information about householding.

61


SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR 20202023 ANNUAL MEETING

Shareholders may make proposals for inclusion in the proxy statement and proxy form for the 20202023 Annual Meeting of the Shareholders. To be considered for inclusion, any such proposal should be written and mailed to the Secretary of the Company at the corporate office for receipt by September 24, 201920, 2022 (120 days prior to the anniversary date of the Company's fiscal 20182022 Proxy Statement).
Section 2.09 of the By-lawsBylaws of the Company requires that any shareholder intending to present a proposal for action at an Annual Meeting must give written notice of the proposal, containing the information specified in such Section 2.09, so that it is received by the Company neither later nor earlier than the notice deadline determined under such Section 2.09. This period will generally be 75 to 120 days prior to the anniversary of the Company's Annual Meeting for the previous year, or October 24, 201920, 2022 to December 8, 20194, 2022 for the Company's Annual Meeting in 2020.2023. Any shareholder proposal received by the Secretary of the Company before October 24, 201920, 2022 and after December 8, 20194, 2022 will be considered untimely under Rule 14a-8(c)14a-8(e)(2) promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

OTHER MATTERS

The cost of soliciting proxies in the accompanying form will be paid by the Company. Shareholder votes at the Annual Meeting will be tabulated by the Company's transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A. A copy of the Company's Annual Report for 20182021 has previously been mailed to each shareholder of record, or will be mailed with this Proxy Statement.


                By Order of The Board of Directors
                
/s/                 /s/ Steven F. Nicola
    
                 Steven F. Nicola
                 Chief Financial Officer and Secretary






















62


Exhibit A


MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
2019 DIRECTOR FEE
AMENDED AND RESTATED 2017 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN


SECTION 1
Purposes; Reservation of Shares
Purpose; Definitions
(a)1.1 PurposesPurpose. The purposes of the 2019 Director FeeAmended and Restated 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) are to encourage eligible employees of Matthews International Corporation (the “Corporation”) and its Subsidiaries to increase their efforts to make the Corporation and each Subsidiary more successful, to provide an additional inducement for such employees to remain with the Corporation or a Subsidiary, to reward such employees by providing an opportunity to acquire shares of Common Stockon favorable terms and to provide a means through which the Corporation may attract able persons to enter the employ of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries.
1.2 Certain Definitions. In addition to terms defined herein in the first place where they are used, the following terms are defined as set forth below:

(a) “Award” means a stock option, a stock appreciation right, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units or other stock-based award granted under the Plan.

(b) “Base Price” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.3.

(c) “Common Stock” shall mean the Class A Common Stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Corporation.

(d) “Fair Market Value” with respect to a share of the Common Stock shall mean the mean between the following prices, as applicable, for the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined as quoted in such reliable publication as the Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine to rely upon: (i) if the Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the highest and lowest sales prices per share of the Common Stock as quoted in the NYSE-Composite Transactions listing for such date, (ii) if the Common Stock is not listed on such exchange, the highest and lowest sales prices per share of Common Stock for such date on (or on any composite index including) the NASDAQ Exchange or the principal United States of America securities exchange registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Plan"“1934 Act”) are:on which the Common Stock is listed. If there are no such sale price quotations for the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined but there are such sale price quotations within a reasonable period both before and after such date, then Fair Market Value shall be determined by taking a weighted average of the means between the highest and lowest sales prices per share of the Common Stock as so quoted on the nearest date before and the nearest date after the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined. The average should be weighted inversely by the respective numbers of trading days between the selling dates and the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined. If there are no such sale price quotations on or within a reasonable period both before and after the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined, then Fair Market Value of the Common Stock shall be the weighted average of the means between such bona fide bid and asked prices on the nearest trading date before and the nearest trading date after the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined, if both such dates are within a reasonable period. The average is to be determined in the manner described above
63


in this definition. If the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock cannot be determined on the basis previously set forth in this definition on the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined, the Committee shall in good faith and in conformance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, to the extent applicable to an Award, determine the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on such date. Fair Market Value shall be determined without regard to any restriction other than a restriction which, by its terms, will never lapse.

(e) “Free-Standing SARs” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.2.

(f) “Participant” means an eligible employee selected by the Committee who has received an Award under the Plan and any transferee or transferees of such employee to the extent the transfer is permitted under the Plan.

(g) “Performance Goals” means the performance goals, if any, established by the Committee in connection with the grant of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units or other Awards. In the case of Qualified Performance-Based Awards, the “Performance Goals” means such performance goals based on one or more of the following:
(1)
(i)
The following criteria for the Corporation on a consolidated basis, one or more of its direct or indirect Subsidiaries, and/or one or more divisions of the foregoing, either in absolute terms or relative to provide each Directorthe performance of Matthews International(x) the Corporation, (the "Corporation")its Subsidiaries or divisions (for a different period), who is not also(y) one or more other companies or (z) an employeeindex covering multiple companies:
1net income
2net income growth
3economic value added (earnings less a capital charge)
4EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) or adjusted EBITDA
5sales
6revenue growth
7costs
8expenses
9gross margin
10operating margin
11pre-tax profit or income
12market share
13return on net assets
14return on assets
15return on capital
16return on invested capital
17cash flow
64


18free cash flow
19operating cash flow
20operating income
21EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes)
22debt to earnings (including EBITDA and EBIT)
23working capital
24working capital as a percent of sales
25performance versus budgeted amounts
26innovation as measured by a percentage of sales from new products
27environmental emissions improvement
28workforce diversity
29safety performance
(ii)The following criteria for the Corporation, either in absolute terms or relative to the performance of the Corporation (for a different period), one or any of its Subsidiaries ("Director"), with the payment of (i)more other companies or an annual retainer fee, (ii) in the case of a Director who serves as Chairman of the Board (the "NE Chairperson") or serves as the lead director of the Board (the "Lead Director"), an additional annual retainer fee, (iii) an annual retainer fee for each Committee chairperson and to any Lead Director, in each case, for future services to be performed by such Director (collectively, "Director Fees") as a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the "Board");index covering multiple companies:
(2)
to provide payment to each Director (except the NE Chairperson shall only be entitled to Meeting Fees for attending Board meetings and the Annual Meeting) for the following (collectively, the “Meeting Fees”): (i) fees if any, paid for attendance at meetings of the Board or committees of the Board; and (ii) fees, if any, paid to a Director for attendance at the Annual Meeting;
1
stock price
(3)
to increase the identification of interests between the Directors and the shareholders of the Corporation by permitting (i) the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the Board or a Stock Compensation Subcommittee of the Committee (the "Subcommittee") to award restricted stock awards (“RSA”), restricted stock units (“RSU”), nonstatutory stock options and/or stock appreciation rights to each Director2
return on the fifteenth (15th) business day after the Annual Meeting, andshareholders’ equity
(4)
to allow Directors to elect to (i) receive payment of certain fees in shares of Class A Common Stock, par value $1.003
earnings per share of the Corporation (the “Common Stock”), (ii) defer receipt of certain fees and awards into a deferred stock account as deferred stock units (“DSU”), and (iii) reinvest dividends payable on Common Stock for awards(basic, diluted, GAAP or stock issued under this Plan instead of receiving cash.non-GAAP)
4cash flow per share
5total shareholder return (stock price appreciation plus dividends)
(h) “Qualified Peformance-Based Award” means an Award intended to qvided in Section 12.
(h) “Qualified Performance-Based Award” means an Award intended to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption, as provided in Section 12.
For purposes of the Plan, the term "
Subsidiary"
(i) “Subsidiary” means any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company joint venture, trust or estateother entity in an unbroken chain of entities beginning with the Corporation if each of the entities other than the last entity in the unbroken chain owns an equity interest possessing at least fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of equitystock in one of the other entities in the chain. As used hereinafter,

(j) “Tandem SARs” shall have the term "meaning set forth in Section 5.2.


SECTION 2

Administration

2.1. Committee". The Plan shall mean either the Nominating and Corporate Governancebe administered by a Committee or the Subcommittee, if the Subcommittee is authorized(the “Committee”) appointed by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board”) and consisting of not less than two members of the Board, who, at the time of their appointment to act under this Plan; provided, however, that the Committee and at all times during their service as members of the Committee, must be composed solely of two or more "non-employee directors" in accordance withare (a) “Non-Employee Directors” as then defined under Rule 16b-3(d)16b-3 under the 1934 Act.Act, or any successor rule, (b) “outside directors” under Section 162(m)(4)(C) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 as amended (the “Code”) or any successor provision, and (c) independent directors
65


under the applicable rules of any applicable stock exchange, if the Common Stock is subject to such rules. The term "Annual Meeting"Committee shall referhave plenary authority to interpret the Plan and prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures in connection with the operations of the Plan as it shall deem to be necessary and advisable for the administration of the Plan consistent with the purposes of the Plan. Without limitation of the foregoing, the Committee shall have the authority, subject to the annual shareholders’ meetingterms and conditions of the Corporation. The term "Plan:

(a) to select the employees to whom Awards may be made;
business day
(b) to determine whether and to what extent incentive stock options, nonstatutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units, other Awards of or based upon Common Stock, or any combination thereof, are to be granted hereunder;
" means a day
(c) to determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by each Award made hereunder;

(d) to determine the terms and conditions of each Award made hereunder, based on such factors as the Committee shall determine;

(e) subject to Section 2.5, to modify, amend or adjust the terms and conditions of any Award;

(f) to adopt, alter and repeal such administrative rules, guidelines and practices governing the Plan as it shall from time to time deem advisable;

(g) to interpret the terms and provisions of the Plan and any Award under the Plan (and any agreement under Section 2.5 relating thereto);

(h) subject to Section 2.5, to accelerate the vesting or lapse of restrictions on any outstanding Award, other than a Saturday, SundayQualified Performance-Based Award, based in each case on such considerations as the Committee in its sole discretion determines;

(i) to decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with an Award;

(j) to determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances cash, shares of Common Stock and other property and other amounts payable with respect to an Award under this Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the employee;

(k) to establish any “blackout” period that the Committee in its sole discretion deems necessary or advisable; and

(l) to otherwise administer the Plan.

In determining any Award to be made to any eligible employee, the Committee shall consider the position and the responsibilities of the employee being considered, the nature and value to the Corporation or a Subsidiary of his or her services, his or her present and/or potential contribution to the success of the Corporation or a Subsidiary and such other day onfactors as the Committee may deem relevant. The Committee may, except to the extent prohibited by applicable law or the listing standards of the stock exchange which commercial banksis the principal market for the Common Stock, allocate all or any portion of its responsibilities and powers to any one or more of its members and may delegate all or any part of its responsibilities and powers to any officers of the Corporation or committee of officers of the Corporation selected by it, except with respect to Awards (including Qualified Performance-Based Awards) to any covered employees as defined in Section 162(m)(3) of the Code (“Covered Employees”) or persons subject to Section 16 of the 1934 Act.
66


2.2. Committee Action. The Committee shall keep records of action taken at its meetings. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum at any meeting and the acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, or acts approved in writing by all members of the Committee, shall be the acts of the Committee.

2.3 Committee Discretion. Any determination made by the Committee or by an appropriately delegated officer pursuant to delegated authority under the provisions of the Plan with respect to any Award shall be made in the Citysole discretion of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania are authorizedthe Committee or such officer at the time of the Award or, unless in contravention of any express term of the Plan, at any time thereafter. All decisions made by the Committee or any appropriately delegated officer pursuant to the provisions of the Plan shall be final and binding on all persons, including the Corporation and the employees eligible under the Plan.

2.4 Cancellation; Suspension; Clawback. Any or all outstanding Awards to a Participant may, at any time between the date of grant and the third anniversary of any exercise, payment or vesting of such Awards, in the Committee’s sole discretion and subject to such terms and conditions established by the Committee, be cancelled, suspended, or required to close.be repaid to the Corporation if the Participant (whether during or after termination of employment with the Corporation and its Subsidiaries) (i) engages in the operation or management of a business (whether as owner, partner, officer, director, employee or otherwise) which is in competition with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) induces or attempts to induce any customer, supplier, licensee or other individual, corporation or other business organization having a business relationship with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries to cease doing business with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries or in any way interferes with the relationship between any such customer, supplier, licensee or other person and the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) solicits any employee of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries to leave the employment thereof or in any way interferes with the relationship of such employee with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) makes any statements or comments, orally or in writing, of a defamatory or disparaging nature regarding the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries (including but not limited to regarding any of their respective businesses, officers, directors, personnel, products or policies), provided, however, that this sentence shall not apply following the occurrence of a Section 11 Event (as defined in Section 11) unless the agreement under Section 2.5 specifically so provides. Whether a Participant has engaged in any such activities shall also be determined, in its sole discretion, by the Committee, and any such determination by the Committee shall be final and binding.
(b)
Reservation2.5 Agreements. The terms and conditions of each Award shall be set forth in a written (or electronic) agreement, which shall be delivered to the Participant receiving such Award upon, or as promptly as is reasonably practicable following, the making of such Award. The effectiveness of an Award shall be subject to the agreement being signed by the Corporation and the Participant receiving the Award unless otherwise provided in the agreement. Unless otherwise provided in the agreement, each agreement or amendment thereto shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by the Chief Executive Officer (if other than the President), the President or any Vice President and by the Participant. The agreement confirming a stock option shall specify whether the stock option is an incentive stock option or a nonstatutory stock option. The provisions of such agreements need not be identical. Without the consent of the Participant, upon notice to the Participant thereof, the Committee may amend any Award to the Participant and the corresponding agreement in any respect not materially adverse to the Participant. All other amendments to the agreement shall be in writing (including electronic amendments) and executed on behalf of the Corporation and by the Participant. Any reference in the Plan to the agreement under Section 2.5 shall include any amendment to such agreement.




67


SECTION 3

Eligibility

Those employees of the Corporation or any Subsidiary (including, but not limited to, Covered Employees) who share responsibility for the management, growth or protection of the business of the Corporation or any Subsidiary shall be eligible to receive Awards as described herein, provided however, that incentive stock options may be granted only to employees of the Corporation and Subsidiaries which are its subsidiaries within the meaning of Section 424(f) of the Code.


SECTION 4

Shares Subject to the Plan

4.1 Number of Shares. ExceptSubject to adjustment as otherwise provided in Section 4.5, the maximum aggregate number of shares of the Common Stock for which Awards may be made under the Plan shall be 3,450,000 shares. The maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be granted pursuant to options intended to be incentive stock options shall be 1,000,000 shares.

4.2 Individual Limit. The maximum number of shares of Common Stock as to which Awards other than performance units under Section 8 or Awards under Section 9 may be made under the Plan to any one Participant in any one calendar year is 250,000 shares, subject to adjustment and substitution as set forth in Section 4.5. For the purposes of this limitation, any adjustment or substitution made pursuant to Section 1(b)4.5 in a calendar year with respect to the maximum number of shares set forth in the preceding sentence shall also be made with respect to any shares subject to Awards previously granted under the Plan to such Participant in the same calendar year.

4.3 Share Counting.

(a) For purposes of the limit set forth in the first sentence of Section 4.1 (but not for purposes of Section 4.2), (i) each share of Common Stock which is subject to an Award, other than performance units, shall be counted as one (1) share, and (ii) with respect to any performance unit Award, one (1) share shall be counted for each performance unit subject to the Award, assuming the Performance Goals are satisfied at target level (as described in the Award Agreement) (the “Target Level”), provided, however, that upon the issuance of shares pursuant to the performance unit Award, (x) if greater than 100% of the Performance Goals are satisfied, one (1) additional share shall be counted for each share actually issued in excess of the number of shares that would have been issued at Target Level, and (y) if less than 100% of the Performance Goals are satisfied, such number of shares shall be forfeited pursuant to Section 4.3(b) equal to the difference between (a) the number of shares that would have been issued at 100% of Target Level and (b) the number of shares actually issued.

(b) To the extent that any Award is forfeited, or any option and the Tandem SAR (if any) or any Free-Standing SAR terminates, expires or lapses without being exercised, or any Award is settled for cash, the shares of Common Stock subject to such Awards shall again be available for Awards under the Plan under Section 4.1. However, shares of Common Stock subject to such Awards shall continue to be counted for purposes of Section 4.2 or Section 9, as applicable.

(c) If the exercise price of any option and/or the tax withholding obligations relating to any Awards are satisfied by delivering shares (either actually or through attestation) or withholding shares relating to such Award, the gross number of shares subject to the Award shall nonetheless be deemed to
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have been granted for purposes of Sections 4.1 and 4.2 and any shares which are delivered will not be added to the aggregate number of shares under Section 4.1 for which Awards may be made under the Plan.

(d) If a Tandem SAR is granted, each share of Common Stock subject to both the Tandem SAR and related stock option shall be counted as only one share of Common Stock for purposes of Sections 4.1 and 4.2.

(e) Each share of Common Stock subject to a stock option (with or without a Tandem SAR) or a Free-Standing SAR shall be counted as one share of Common Stock for purposes of Sections 4.1 and 4.2.

(f) All shares of Common Stock covered by a stock appreciation right, to the extent it is exercised and shares of Common Stock are actually issued upon exercise of the right, shall be counted for purposes of Sections 4.1 and 4.2, regardless of the number of shares used to settle the stock appreciation right upon exercise.

(g) Each share of Common Stock repurchased on the open market with the proceeds of a stock option exercise shall be deemed to have been granted for purposes of Sections 4.1 and 4.2 and any shares of Common Stock so repurchased will not be added to the aggregate number of shares under Section 4.1 for which Awards may be made under the Plan.

4.4 Common Stock. To the extent that the Corporation has such shares of Common Stock available to it and can issue such shares without violating any law or regulation, the Corporation will reserve Common Stock for issuance with respect to an Award payable in Common Stock. The shares of Common Stock which may be issued under the Plan or credited (in DSUs) to deferred stock compensation accounts for subsequent issuance under the Plan from the date of its first adoption is limited to one hundred fifty thousand (150,000) shares, subject to adjustment and substitution as set forth in Section 14 hereof. Shares of Common Stock issued under the Plan may be either authorized but unissued shares or shares previously issued and thereafter acquired by the Corporation or partly each, as shall be determined from time

to time by the Board (orBoard.

4.5 Adjustment and Substitution of Shares. In the event of a committee thereof). If any stock option, RSU or stock appreciation right granted under the Plan is cancelled by mutual consent, forfeited, or terminates or expires for any reason without having been exercised in full, or if any RSAs under the Plan are forfeited, the numbermerger, consolidation, acquisition of shares, subject thereto, instock rights offering, liquidation, separation, spinoff, disaffiliation of a Subsidiary from the caseCorporation, extraordinary dividend of stock options, RSUscash or stock appreciation rights,other property, or similar event affecting the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries (each, a “Corporate Transaction”), the Committee or the number of shares forfeited, inBoard shall make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable to prevent the case of RSAs, shall again be available for all purposesdilution or enlargement of the Plan. Allrights of Participants to (A) the aggregate number and kind of shares of Common Stock covered by a stock appreciation right or RSU,reserved for issuance and delivery under the Plan, (B) the various maximum limitations set forth in Sections 4.1 and 4.2 upon certain types of Awards and upon the Awards to individuals, (C) the extent it is exercised or vests, as applicable,number and kind of shares of Common Stock are actually issued uponsubject to outstanding Awards; and (D) the exercise price of outstanding Awards. In the event of a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, share combination, or vesting ofrecapitalization or similar event affecting the right, shall be counted, regardless of the number of shares used to settle the stock appreciation right upon exercise.
(c)Individual Limits. During any calendar year:
(i) the maximum aggregate Fair Market Value of Equity Awards (as determined on the date of issuance of each such Equity Award) issued under this Plan to a Director in a calendar year shall not exceed $400,000 during such calendar year; and
(ii) the maximum aggregate (x) Director Fees or Meeting Fees payable under this Plan to a Director in a calendar year and (y) Fair Market Value of Equity Awards issued under this Plan (as determined pursuant to clause (i) above) shall not exceed $600,000 during such calendar year.
SECTION 2
Eligibility
Any Directorcapital structure of the Corporation who is separately compensated in(each, a “Share Change”), the form of Director FeesCommittee or Meeting Fees for services on the Board shall be eligiblemake such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable to participate inprevent the Plan.
SECTION 3
Payment of Director Fees
(a)Director Fee Payment. Subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof, on the fifteenth (15th) business day following the Annual Meeting (or the electiondilution or re-election to a committee chair or lead director position if such election is not made at the timeenlargement of the Annual Meeting) (each such daterights of payment referredParticipants to as a "RegularPayment Date"), each Director as(A) the aggregate number and kind of that date shall receive payment of Director Fees by:
(1)
the payment to  the Director of such amounts determined by the Board or by any committee of the Board which the Board authorizes to determine such amounts (collectively, the "Director Fee Amount"); or

(2)the issuance to the Director of a number of whole shares of Common Stock equal to the Director Fee Amount divided by the Fair Market Value of one share of the Common Stock, as defined in Section 17 hereof, on such Payment Date (rounded upward to the next whole share).
Subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof, each Director who first becomes a Director after a Regular Payment Date and before the next Annual Meeting shall, on the fifteenth (15th) business day following his or her election as a Director (the "Interim Payment Date", and collectively with any Regular Payment Date, a “Payment Date”), receive payment of a pro-rata portion of the Director Fee Amount (in cash or in shares of Common Stock asreserved for issuance and delivery under the case may be), equalPlan, (B) the various maximum limitations set forth in Sections 4.1 and 4.2 upon certain types of Awards and upon the Awards to the applicable Director Fee Amount multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall beindividuals, (C) the number of Board meetings scheduled between the date of such Director's election and the datekind of the next Annual Meeting (excluding any Board meeting on the date of such Annual Meeting), and the denominator of which shall be the total number of Board meetings (actual and scheduled) between the date of the last Annual Meeting (including any Board meeting on the date of such

Annual Meeting) and the date of the next Annual Meeting (excluding any Board meeting on the date of such Annual Meeting).
(b)Stock Election. The Committee shall determine by November 30 of each year whether Director Fees in the following calendar year will be paid in cash or in shares of Common Stock withsubject to outstanding Awards; and (D) the default election beingexercise price of outstanding Awards. In the paymentcase of Directors FeesCorporate Transactions, such adjustments may include, without limitation, (1) the cancellation of outstanding Awards in sharesexchange for payments of Common Stock. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Director Fees are to be paid in cash, property or a Director may elect to receive payment of the Director Fees in shares (a "Stock Election"). A Stock Election shall be made by filing a notice of election with the Secretary of the Corporation in the form prescribed by the Corporation (each, a "Notice of Election"). Once made, a Stock Election shall be effective on January 1 of the year following the date on which the Notice of Election is filed; provided, however, that Stock Elections shall be effective on the date on which the Notice of Election is filed with respect to Director Fees payable after the time of a person's initial electioncombination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the officevalue of Director, or any subsequent re-election if immediately prior thereto such person was not servingAwards, as a Director, provided the Director files such Notice of Election within ten (10) business days subsequent to being elected or re-elected as a Director. A Stock Election shall apply to all Director Fees otherwise payable while such election is effective. A Director may terminate a current Stock Election and receive current payment of Director Fees in cash (where the Committee has elected to pay Director Fees in cash) by filing a notice of termination with the Secretary of the Corporation in the form prescribed by the Corporation (each, a "Notice of Termination"), which shall be effective on January 1 of the year following the date on which a Notice of Termination is filed.
(c)Evidence of Shares. As of the date on which the Director Fees are payable in shares of Common Stock pursuant to Section 3(a) or 3(b) hereof, (i) the Corporation, at its sole discretion, shall either issue share certificates to the Director for any shares of Common Stock received under the Plan or cause such shares to be registered in the name of the Director on any book-entry registration maintained by the Corporation or its transfer agent, and (ii) the Director shall be a shareholder of the Corporation with respect to any such shares of Common Stock so issued.
(d)Deferral Election. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, each Director may elect to defer the receipt of Director Fees in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 5.
SECTION 4
Payment of Meeting Fees
(a)Current Cash Payment. Subject to the provisions of Section 5 hereof, each Director shall receive payment of Meeting Fees in cash in such amounts determined by the BoardCommittee or by any committee of the Board which the Board authorizes to determine such amounts, except that the NE Chairperson shall only be entitled to fees for attending Board meetings and the Annual Meeting, if any.
Except as set forth in Section 5 hereof, payment of Meeting Fees, if any, shall be paid within ten (10) business days following the meeting with respect to which such fees are payable. The amount and time of payment of Meeting Fees may be changed from time to time by the Board in its sole discretion through a duly adopted Board resolution.
(b)Deferral Election. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section, each Director may elect to defer the receipt of Meeting Fees in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 5.

SECTION 5
Deferral Elections
(a)Deferred Payment of Director Fees and Meeting Fees. Regardless of whether Director Fees or Meeting Fees are scheduled to be paid in cash or shares of Common Stock, each Director may elect to defer the receipt of Director Fees, Meeting Fees and/or RSAs granted pursuant to Section 12, as provided under this Section 5 (a “Deferral Election”).
(b)Deferral Election Procedures. A Deferral Election may be made by timely filing a Notice of Election with the Secretary of the Corporation in the form prescribed by the Corporation, subject to the following terms and conditions:
(1)
A Deferral Election shall be effective only if made on or prior to December 31st of the calendar year immediately preceding the beginning of the calendar year to which the Deferral Election relates (or such other date as may be established by the Committee to the extent consistent with Section 409A);
(2)
Deferral Elections are entirely voluntary and shall be irrevocable once made; provided, however, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may permit a Deferral Election to be changed at any time prior to the last permissible date for making a Deferral Election;
(3)
A Deferral Election shall apply to all Director Fees and/or RSAs earned and payable in each calendar year while such Deferral Election remains effective, and to all Meeting Fees paid or payable for meetings held in each calendar year while such Deferral Election remains effective;
(4)
A Deferral Election shall, to the extent permitted by the Committee, allow a Director to select whether any dividends or distributions payable with respect to the Director’s DSUs shall be paid currently in cash (or other property, as applicable) or otherwise credited in additional DSUs to the Director’s Account (the “Dividend Election”).
(c)Elections for New Plan Participants. A Director who first becomes eligible to participate in the Plan may, to the extent permitted by the Committee, file a Deferral Election (the “Initial Election”) at any time on or before the 10th business day following the date on which the Director initially becomes eligible to participate in the Plan. Any such Initial Election shall only apply to fees and awards earned and payable for services rendered after the date on which the Initial Election is delivered to the Corporation. Accordingly, an Initial Election shall apply to all Director Fees or RSAs earned and payable subsequent to the date the Initial Election is delivered to the Corporation, and to all Meeting Fees earned and payable for meetings held following the date the Initial Election is delivered to the Corporation.
(d)Termination/Modification of Deferral Elections. Unless otherwise specifically provided in a Notice of Election, a Deferral Election shall remain in effect for future calendar years unless and until such election is timely revoked. A Director may increase, decrease, terminate or recommence a Deferral Election (including an Initial Election) by filing a new Deferral Election on or prior to the last date for filing a Deferral Election for the next calendar year. A new Deferral Election shall be effective January 1st of the calendar year following the date on which the election is filed with the Corporation.

SECTION 6
Deferred Stock Compensation Account
(a)General. The amount of any Director Fees, RSAs or Meeting Fees elected to be deferred in accordance with a Deferral Election for a calendar year shall be credited, in the form of shares of DSUs, to a deferred stock compensation account maintained by the Corporation in the name of the Director (an "Account"). On each Payment Date(it being understood that a Deferral Election is effective for a Director, or on which DSUs are to be credited pursuant to a Deferral Election, the Director's Account(s) shall be credited on the Payment Date with the number of DSUs (including fractional shares to at least two decimal places) (i) equal to that number of shares of Common Stock that otherwise would have been payable to the Director on such Payment Date where the Director Fees had been payable to the Director in shares of Common Stock, (ii) equal to the aggregate amount of all Director Fees and/or Meeting Fees subject to such Deferral Election otherwise payable during such calendar year to such Director in cash divided by the Fair Market Value of one share of the Common Stock, as defined in Section 17 hereof, on such Payment Date, and/or (iii) equivalent to the number of shares of restricted stock granted. DSUs shall represent the right to receive an equivalent number of shares of Common Stock upon the terms and conditions outlined in this Section. No interest or other amount shall be paid or credited to a Director notwithstanding that Director Fees and/or Meeting Fees which otherwise would have been payable under the Plan are not reflected as DSUs until the Payment Date. A separate Account shall be maintained for each amount of deferred Director Fees, Meeting Fees or RSAs for which a Director has elected a different payment option or as otherwise determined by the Committee. Separate Accounts shall be maintained for deferred Director Fees, Meeting Fees and/or RSAs under the Plan as opposed to those deferred, if any, under the 1994 Director Fee Plan, as amended or the 2014 Director Fee Plan, as amended.
The Account of a Director shall be charged on the date of distribution with any distribution of DSUs made to the Director from such Account pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof.
(b)Dividend Equivalent Rights. If DSUs are outstanding in an Account on the record date with respect to a dividend was declared on the Corporation’s Common Stock in cash or property other than Common Stock, then on the date of such payment of the dividend the Corporation shall, based on each Director’s Dividend Election in effect at the time, either (i) pay directly to the Director an amount in cash or property other than Common Stock, as the case may be, or (ii) increase the number of DSUs credited to the Director’s Account by an amount, determined in accordance with the following formula, rounded down to the nearest hundredth of a whole share: X =((A x B)/C)-D, where
X = the additional number of DSUs to be credited to the Account, or paid in cash, based on the Director’s Dividend Election then in effect;
A = the number of DSUs in the Director’s Account;
B = the per share amount of the dividend;
C = the average of the high and low per share selling prices of the Corporation’s Common Stock on the payment date of such dividend;
D = the taxes, if any, required to be withheld on such amount, including but not limited to any taxes required to be withheld due to the characterization of such amounts as wages or compensation.
(c)Manner of Payment of Account. The DSUs held in a Director's Account will be paid in shares of Common Stock to the Director or, in the event of the Director's death, to the Director's Beneficiary as defined in Section 6(d) hereof.
(1)
Elections. For Deferral Elections, a Director may elect at the time of filing the Notice of Election to receive payment of the DSUs credited to the Director's Account, in whole or in part, as follows (except as otherwise provided in Sections 6(d) and 7(b) hereof, if applicable):


(i)
In a lump sum on April 1 (or if April 1 is not a business day, on the immediately preceding business day) of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the Director first separates from service with the Corporation under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), or any successor Section, upon or after ceasing to be a member of the Board for any reason, including by reason of death or disability (the "Separation from Service Payment Commencement Date");

(ii)In two to five annual installments commencing on the Separation From Service Payment Commencement Date and continuing on the same date (or if such date is not a business day, on the immediately preceding business day) in the calendar year(s) thereafter;

(iii)
In a lump sum on April 1 (or if April 1 is not a business day, on the immediately preceding business day) of the calendar year specified by the Director at the time of filing of such Notice of Election (the "Designated Payment Commencement Date");

(iv)In two to five annual installments commencing on the Designated Payment Commencement Date and continuing on the same date (or if such date is not a business day, on the immediately preceding business day) in the calendar year(s) thereafter; or

(v)If earlier than the date on which payment would be received under (i)-(iv) of this Section  6(c)(1), in a lump sum or in two to five annual installments, with payment commencing on the sixtieth (60th) day (or if such date is not a business day, on the immediately preceding business day) following the death of the Director or following the date on which the Director becomes disabled (within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code) and continuing on the same date (or if such date is not a business day, on the immediately preceding business day) in the calendar year(s) thereafter.

(2)
Installment Payments. In any case where payments are made in installments, the number of shares of Common Stock distributed in each installment shall be determined by multiplying (A) the number of DSUs in the Account on the date of payment of such installment, by (B) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is the number of remaining unpaid installments, and by rounding such result down to the nearest whole number of shares. The balance of the number of DSUs in the Account shall be appropriately reduced in accordance with Section 6(a) hereof to reflect the installment payments made hereunder. DSUs remaining in an Account pending distribution pursuant to this Section 6(c) shall be subject to adjustment pursuant to Section 14 hereof.

(3)
General. If a lump sum payment or the final installment payment hereunder would result in the issuance of a fractional share of Common Stock, such fractional share shall not be issued and cash in lieu of such fractional share shall be paid to the Director based on the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock, as defined in Section 17 hereof, on the date immediately preceding the date of such payment. The Corporation, at its sole discretion, shall either issue share certificates to the Director, or the Director's Beneficiary, for the shares of Common Stock distributed hereunder or cause such shares to be registered in the name of the Director, or the Director's Beneficiary, on any book-entry registration maintained by the Corporation or its transfer agent. As of the date on which the Director is entitled to receive payment of shares

of Common Stock pursuant to this Section 6(c) hereof, a Director or the Director's Beneficiary shall be a shareholder of the Corporation with respect to such shares. For purposes of Section 409A and the Plan, a payment shall be treated as made on a scheduled Payment Date if such payment is made at such date or a later date in the same calendar year or, if later, by the 15th day of the third calendar month following the scheduled Payment Date.

(d)Director's Beneficiary. The "Director's Beneficiary" means any beneficiary or beneficiaries (who may be named contingently or successively) named by a Director under the Plan to whom any benefit under the Plan is to be paid in the case of his or her death before he or she receives any or all of such benefit. Each such designation shall revoke all prior designations by the same Director, shall be in a form prescribed by the Committee, and will be effective only when filed by the Director in writing with the Secretary of the Corporation during the Director's lifetime. In the absence of such a designation, Director's Beneficiary means the person designated by the Director in the Director's Will, or, if the Director fails to make a testamentary disposition of the shares or dies intestate, to the person entitled to receive the shares pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution of the state of domicile of the Director at the time of death.
SECTION 7
Other Payment Commencement Dates
(a)General. If, in the case of a Deferral Election, the first DSUs credited to a particular AccountCorporate Transaction with respect to which shareholders of Common Stock receive consideration other than publicly-traded equity securities of the ultimate surviving entity, any such Director is credited afterdetermination by the relevant payment commencement date specifiedCommittee that the value of an option or stock appreciation right shall for this purpose be deemed to equal the excess, if any, of the value of the consideration being paid for each share pursuant to such Corporate Transaction
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over the exercise price of such option or stock appreciation right shall conclusively be deemed valid); (2) the substitution of other property (including, without limitation, cash or other securities of the Corporation and securities of entities other than the Corporation) for the shares subject to outstanding Awards; and (3) in connection with any disaffiliation of a Subsidiary, arranging for the assumption of Awards, or replacement of Awards with new Awards based on other property or other securities (including, without limitation, other securities of the Corporation and securities of entities other than the Corporation), by the affected Subsidiary, or by the entity that controls such Subsidiary following such disaffiliation (as well as any corresponding adjustments to Awards that remain based upon Corporation securities). The Committee shall adjust the Performance Goals applicable to any Awards to reflect any unusual or non-recurring events and other extraordinary items, impact of charges for restructurings, discontinued operations, and the cumulative effects of accounting or tax changes, each as defined by generally accepted accounting principles or as identified in the Corporation’s financial statements, notes to the financial statements, management’s discussion and analysis or other of the Corporation’s SEC filings, provided that in the case of Performance Goals applicable to any Qualified Performance-Based Awards, such adjustment does not violate Section 162(m) of the Code or cause such Awards not to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption, as defined in Section 6(c) hereof12.1. No adjustment or substitution provided in this Section 4.5 shall require the Corporation or any DSUs are creditedother entity to an Account afterissue or sell a lump sum payment has beenfraction of a share or other security. Except as provided in this Section 4.5, a Participant shall not have any rights with respect to any Corporate Transaction or Share Change.

4.6 Section 409A; Section 162(m); Incentive Stock Options. Notwithstanding the foregoing: (i) any adjustments made pursuant to Section 6(c) hereof from such Account, payment4.5 to Awards that are considered “deferred compensation” within the meaning of shares credited to such AccountSection 409A of the Code shall be made or commence on the April 1 (or if April 1 is not a business day, on the immediately preceding business day) following the date on which the shares are so credited.
(b)Delay in Payment. Notwithstanding Section 6(c) hereof and except as otherwise provided in Section 7(c) hereof, a Director may irrevocably elect, by filing a Notice of Electioncompliance with the Secretaryrequirements of Section 409A of the Corporation in the form prescribed by the Corporation,Code; (ii) any adjustments made pursuant to commence payment on a date later than the date specified under Section 6(c) hereof provided that:
(i)Such election must be made at least twelve (12) months prior4.5 to Awards that are not considered “deferred compensation” subject to the date on which payments (or the initial scheduled Payment Date in the case of installment payments) otherwise would have commenced pursuant to the election under Section 6(c) hereof; and
(ii)The payment commencement date specified in such election under this Section 7(b) must be not less than five (5) years from the date on which payments (or the initial scheduled Payment Date in the case of installment payments) otherwise would have commenced pursuant to the election under Section 6(c) hereof.
The provisions of this Section 7(b) are intended to comply with Section 409A(4)(C)409A of the Code or any successor Section, and shall be interpreted consistently therewith.
(c)Changemade in Control Event. Notwithstanding Sections 6(c) and 7(b) hereof, effective for Director Fees, Meeting Fees and/or RSAs payable (but for any Deferral Elections) on andsuch a manner as to ensure that after January 1 ofsuch adjustment, the year following the date on which the Notice of Election is filed, a Director may irrevocably elect, by filing a Notice of Election with the Secretary of the Corporation in a form prescribed by the Corporation, to receive payment of all DSUs credited to the Director's Account with respect to such Director Fees, Meeting Fees and/or RSAs, upon the earlier of when payment would be made pursuant to the election under Section 6(c) or 7(b) hereof or in a lump sum immediately following the occurrence of any Change in Control Event, as defined below (a "Change in Control Event Election").

A Change in Control Event Election shall be effective on the date on which it is filed with respect to Director Fees, Meeting Fees and RSAs payable (but for any Deferral Elections) after the time of a person's initial election to the office of Director, or any subsequent re-election if immediately prior thereto such person wasAwards either (A) continue not serving as a Director, provided (i) the Director files such Change in Control Event Election within ten (10) business days subsequent to being elected or re-elected as a Director and (ii) a Change in Control Event Election shall only be effective for Director Fees, Meeting Fees and RSAs payable for services performed after the Change in Control Event Election is filed. A Director may terminate a Change in Control Event Election only by filing a Notice of Termination of Change in Control Event Election with the Secretary of the Corporation in the form prescribed by the Corporation, which shall be effective for Director Fees, Meeting Fees and/or RSAs payable (but for any Deferral Elections) on and after January 1 of the year following the date on which such Notice of Termination of Change in Control Event Election is filed. If payments from a Director's Account have previously commenced at the time of a Change in Control Event which results in a permissible lump sum payment pursuant to this Section 7(c), for purposes of applying this Section 7(c) shares previously paid from the Director's Account shall be deemed to be from Director Fees, Meeting Fees and RSAs not subject to a Change in Control Event Election, to the extent thereof. A “Change in Control Event” shall mean the date upon which any event occurs which constitutes a change in the ownership or effective control of the Corporation or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Corporation under Section 409A of the Code or (B) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; and (iii) in any successor Section and Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5)(v)-(vii) thereunder or any successor Section, provided that:
(i)The percentage specified in Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5)(v) (addressing the percentage change in the ownership of the total fair market value or voting power of the Corporation's stock) shall be 50 percent and not a higher percentage;
(ii)The percentage specified in Treasury Regulation §1.409-3(i)(5)(vi)(A)(1) (addressing the percentage change in the ownership of the voting power of the Corporation's stock) shall be 30 percent and not a higher percentage;
(iii)For purposes of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5)(vi)(A)(2) (addressing a change in the effective control of the Corporation by virtue of a change in the composition of the Board), the words "a majority of the members of the corporation's board of directors" shall not be replaced by a higher portion; and
(iv)The percentage specified in Treasury Regulation §1.409A-3(i)(5)(vii)(A) (addressing the percentage change in the ownership of the Corporation's assets) shall be 40 percent and not a higher percentage.
SECTION 8
Non-Alienability of Benefits
Except as may be required by law,event, neither the DirectorCommittee nor the Director's BeneficiaryBoard shall have the rightauthority to directly or indirectly, alienate, assign, transfer, pledge, anticipate or encumber (except by reasonmake any adjustments pursuant to Section 4.5 to the extent the existence of death) any amounts or sharessuch authority would cause an Award that is not intended to be subject to Section 409A of Common Stock or DSUs that are or maythe Code at the grant date of the Award to be payable hereunder, including but not limited to in respect of any liability of a Director or the Director's Beneficiary for alimony or other payments for the support of a spouse, former spouse, child or other dependent, prior to such amount actually being received by the Director or the Director's Beneficiary hereunder, nor shallsubject thereto. If any such amountsadjustment or shares be subjectsubstitution provided for in any mannerSection 4.5 requires the approval of shareholders in order to anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, attachment or garnishment by creditors of the Director or the Director's Beneficiary or to the debts, contracts, liabilities, engagements, or torts of any Director or Director's Beneficiary, or transfer by operation of law in the event of bankruptcy or insolvency of the Director or the Director's Beneficiary, or any legal process.

SECTION 9
Nature of Deferred Stock Compensation Accounts
Any Account, and any DSUs reflected in such Account, shall be established and maintained only on the books and records of the Corporation. No assets or funds of the Corporation, a Subsidiary or the Plan shall be removed from the claims of the Corporation's or a Subsidiary's general or judgment creditors or otherwise made available, and no shares of Common Stock ofenable the Corporation to be issued pursuantgrant incentive stock options or to an Accountcomply with Section 162(m) of the Code, then no such adjustment or substitution shall be issued or outstanding, until such amounts and shares are actually payable to a Director or a Director's Beneficiary as provided herein. DSUs credited to an Account constitute a mere promise bymade without the Corporation to make paymentsrequired shareholder approval. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the future. Each Director and Director's Beneficiary shall havecase of incentive stock options, if the statuseffect of and their rightsany such adjustment or substitution would be to receivecause the option to fail to continue to qualify as an incentive stock option or to cause a paymentmodification, extension or renewal of sharessuch option within the meaning of Common Stock under the Plan shall be no greater than the rights of, general unsecured creditorsSection 424 of the Corporation. No person shall be entitled to any voting rights with respect to DSUs credited to an Account. The Corporation shallCode, the Committee may determine that such adjustment or substitution not be obligated under any circumstancesmade but rather shall use reasonable efforts to fund any financial obligations undereffect such other adjustment of each then outstanding incentive stock option as the Plan and the Plan is intended to constitute an unfunded plan for tax purposes. However, the Corporation may,Committee, in its sole discretion, set aside fundsshall deem equitable and which will not result in a trustany disqualification, modification, extension or other vehicle, subject torenewal (within the claimsmeaning of its creditors, in order to assist it in meeting its obligations underSection 424 of the Plan, if:Code) of such incentive stock option.
(a)such arrangement will not cause the Plan to be considered a funded deferred compensation plan under the Code;
(b)any trust created by the Corporation, and any assets held by such trust to assist the Corporation in meeting its obligations under the Plan, will conform to the terms of the model trust, as described in Rev. Proc. 92-64, 1992-2 C.B. 422 or any successor; and
(c)such set aside of funds is not described in Section 409A(b) of the Code, or any successor provision.


SECTION 105

Grant of Equity AwardsStock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights

5.1 Types of Options; Limit on Incentive Stock Options. The Committee shall have authority, in its sole discretion, (a) to grant "nonstatutory“incentive stock options"options” pursuant to Section 422 of the Code, to grant “nonstatutory stock options” (i.e., stock options which do not qualify under Sections 422 andor 423 of the Code), (b) or to grant both types of stock appreciation rights, (c)options (but not in tandem). Notwithstanding any other provision contained in the Plan or in any agreement under Section 2.5, but subject to award RSAs,the possible exercise of the Committee’s discretion
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contemplated in the last sentence of this Section 5.1, the aggregate Fair Market Value on the date of grant of the shares with respect to which such incentive stock options are exercisable for the first time by a Participant during any calendar year under all plans of the corporation employing such Participant, any parent or subsidiary corporation of such corporation and (d) to award RSUs (collectively “Equity Awards”). All grants and awardsany predecessor corporation of any such corporation shall not exceed $100,000. If the date on which one or more incentive stock options could first be exercised would be accelerated pursuant to thisany provision of the Plan or any agreement under Section 102.5 and the acceleration of such exercise date would result in a violation of the $100,000 restriction set forth in the preceding sentence, then, notwithstanding any such provision, but subject to the provisions of the next succeeding sentence, the exercise dates of such incentive stock options shall be made on oraccelerated only to be effective onthe extent, if any, that does not result in a Payment Date. On or asviolation of each Payment Date,such restriction and, in such event, the Committee shall grant or award to each Director on such Payment Date Equity Awards with such amount determined by the Board or by any committeeexercise dates of the Board whichincentive stock options with the Board authorizeslowest option prices shall be accelerated to determinethe earliest such amount (subject to such limitations set forth under this Plan).dates. The Committee shall determinemay, in its sole discretion, authorize the portionacceleration of each grant and/the exercise date of one or awardmore incentive stock options even if such acceleration would violate the $100,000 restriction set forth in the second sentence of this Section 5.1 and even if one or more such incentive stock options are thereby converted in whole or in part to nonstatutory stock options.

5.2 Types and Nature of Stock Appreciation Rights. Stock appreciation rights may be comprised oftandem stock appreciation rights which are granted in conjunction with incentive stock options or nonstatutory stock options (“Tandem SARs”), or stock appreciation rights RSAs and RSUs andwhich are not granted in conjunction with options (“Free-Standing SARs”). Upon the exercise of a stock appreciation right, the Participant shall be entitled to receive an amount in cash, shares of Common Stock, or both, in value equal to the product of each.
SECTION 11
Terms and Conditions(i) the excess of
the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock Options andon the date of exercise of the stock appreciation right over, in the case of a Tandem SAR, the exercise price of the related option, or in the case of a Free-Standing SAR, the Base Price per share (the “Spread”), multiplied by (ii) the number of shares of Common Stock Appreciation Rights
Stock options andin respect of which the stock appreciation right has been exercised. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee at the time it grants a stock appreciation right may provide that the Spread covered by such stock appreciation right may not exceed a lower specified amount. The applicable agreement under Section 2.5 governing the stock appreciation rights shall specify whether such payment is to be made in cash or Common Stock or both, or shall reserve to the Committee or the Participant the right to make that determination prior to or upon the exercise of the stock appreciation right. Tandem SARs may be granted at the grant date of the related stock options or, in the case of a related nonstatutory stock option, also at a later date. At the time a Tandem SAR is granted, the Committee may limit the exercise period for such Tandem SAR, before and after which period no Tandem SAR shall attach to the underlying stock option. In no event shall the exercise period for a Tandem SAR exceed the exercise period for the related stock option. A Tandem SAR shall be exercisable only at such time or times and to the extent that the related option is exercisable in accordance with the provisions of this Section 5. A Tandem SAR shall terminate or be forfeited upon the exercise or forfeiture of the related stock option, and the related stock option shall terminate or be forfeited upon the exercise or forfeiture of the Tandem SAR. Any Tandem SAR granted with a related incentive stock option shall be exercisable only when the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock exceeds the exercise price for a share of Common Stock under the Planrelated incentive stock option.

5.3 Exercise Price and Base Price. The exercise price per share of Common Stock subject to an option and any Tandem SAR, and the base price per share for any Free-Standing SAR (the “Base Price”), shall be subject todetermined by the following termsCommittee and conditions:
(A)
The purchase price at which each stock option may be exercised (the "option price")set forth in the applicable agreement under Section 2.5, and the base price at which each stock appreciation right may be granted (the "Base Price") shall be such price as the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine but shall not be less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value per share of the Common Stock covered by the stock option or stock appreciation right on the date of grant. For purposes of this Section 11, the Fair

Market Value of a share of the Common Stock on the applicable grant date, except that in the case of an incentive stock option granted to a Participant who, immediately prior to such grant, owns stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Corporation or any Subsidiary which is a corporation (a “Ten Percent Employee”), the exercise price shall not be less than one hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value on the date of grant. For purposes of this Section 5.3, an individual (i) shall be determinedconsidered as providedowning not only shares of stock owned
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individually but also all shares of stock that are at the time owned, directly or indirectly, by or for the spouse, ancestors, lineal descendants and brothers and sisters (whether by the whole or half blood) of such individual and (ii) shall be considered as owning proportionately any shares owned, directly or indirectly, by or for any corporation, partnership, estate or trust in Section 17 hereof.which such individual is a shareholder, partner or beneficiary. In no event may any stock option or stock appreciation right granted under this Plan, other than pursuant to Section14,Section 4.5, be amended to decrease the exercise price or Base Price thereof, be cancelled in conjunction with the grant of any new stock option or stock appreciation right with a lower exercise price or Base Price, be cancelled or repurchased for cash, property, or another awardAward at a time when the exercise price or Base Price is greater than the Fair Market Value of the underlying Common Stock, or otherwise be subject to any action that would be treated, for accounting purposes, as a "repricing"“repricing” of such stock option or stock appreciation right, unless such amendment, cancellation, or action is approved by the Corporation'sCorporation’s shareholders.
(B)The option price for

5.4 Term; Vesting and Exercisability. The term of each option and each stock appreciation right shall be fixed by the Committee, but shall not exceed ten years from the date of grant (five years in the case of an incentive stock option granted to a Ten Percent Employee). Except as otherwise provided herein, including without limitation, Section 15.11, options and stock appreciation rights shall be exercisable at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the Committee.

5.5 Method of Exercise. Subject to the provisions of this Section 5, options and stock appreciation rights may be exercised, in whole or in part (unless otherwise specified by the Committee in its sole discretion), at any time during the applicable term by giving written notice of exercise to the Corporation specifying the number of shares of Common Stock as to which the option or stock appreciation rights is being exercised. In the case of the exercise of an option, such notice shall be accompanied by payment in full of the exercise price in United States of America dollars by certified or bank check or wire of immediately available funds. If approved by the Committee (at the time of grant in the case of an incentive stock option or at any time in the case of a nonstatutory stock option), payment, in full or in part, may also be made as follows:

(a) Payment may be made in the form of unrestricted shares of Common Stock (by delivery of such shares or by attestation) of the same class as the Common Stock subject to the option already owned by the Participant (based on the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date the option is exercised) provided however, that any portion of the exercise price representing a fraction of a share shall be paid in cash;

(b) To the extent permitted by applicable law, payment may be made by delivering a properly executed exercise notice to the Corporation, together with a copy of irrevocable instructions to a broker to deliver promptly to the Corporation the amount of sale or loan proceeds necessary to pay the exercise price, and, if requested, the amount of any federal, state, local or foreign withholding taxes. To facilitate the foregoing, the Corporation may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, enter into agreements for coordinated procedures with one or more brokerage firms. In the event the broker sells any shares on behalf of a Participant, the broker shall be acting solely as the agent of the Participant, and the Corporation disclaims any responsibility for the actions of the broker in making any such sales; and/or

(c) With such other instrument as approved by the Committee, including Corporation loans, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

5.6 Delivery; Rights of Shareholders. No shares shall be delivered pursuant to the exercise of an option until the exercise price for the option has been fully paid and applicable taxes have been withheld. Unless otherwise specified by the Committee, the applicable Participant shall have all of the rights of a shareholder of the Corporation holding Common Stock with respect to the shares of Common Stock to be
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issued upon the exercise of the option or stock appreciation right (including the right to vote the applicable shares and the right to receive dividends), when the Participant (i) has given written notice of exercise in accordance with the procedures established by the Committee, (ii) if requested, has given the representation described in Section 10, and (iii) in the case of an option, has paid in full the exercise price for such shares.

5.7 Nontransferability of Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. Unless the Committee shall be paid in full upon exercise and shall be payable in cash in United States dollars (including check, bank draft or money order), which may include cash forwarded through a broker or other agent-sponsored exercise or financing program; provided, however, that in lieu of such cash the person exercising the stock option may if authorized by the Committee pay the option price in whole or in part by delivering to the Corporation shares of the Common Stock (by delivery of such shares or by attestation) not restricted under Section 12 and having a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise of the stock option, determined as provided in Section 17 hereof, equal to the option price for the shares being purchased, except that any portion of the option price representing a fraction of a share shall in any event be paid in cash. If the person exercising a stock option participates in a broker or other agent-sponsored exercise or financing program, the Corporation will cooperate with all reasonable procedures of the broker or other agent to permit participation by the person exercising the stock option in the exercise or financing program. Notwithstanding any procedure of the broker or other agent-sponsored exercise or financing program, if the option price is paid in cash, the exercise of the stock option shall not be deemed to occur and no shares of the Common Stock will be issued until the Corporation has received full payment in cash (including check, bank draft or money order) for the option price from the broker or other agent. To facilitate the foregoing, the Corporation may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, enter into agreements for coordinated procedures with one or more brokerage firms. In the event the broker sells any shares on behalf of a Director, the broker shall be acting solely as the agent of the Director, and the Corporation disclaims any responsibility for the actions of the broker in making any such sales. The date of exercise of a stock option shall be determined under procedures established by the Committee, and as of the date of exercise the person exercising the stock option shall be considered for all purposes to be the owner of the shares with respect to which the stock option has been exercised.
(C)
Upon the exercise of stock appreciation rights the Corporation shall pay to the person exercising the stock appreciation rights a number of shares of the Common Stock with a Fair Market Value, as defined in Section 17 hereof, equal to the difference between the aggregate Fair Market Value, as defined in Section 17 hereof, of the Common Stock on the date of exercise of the stock appreciation rights and the aggregate Base Prices for the stock appreciation rights which are exercised (the "Spread") (rounded down to the next whole number of shares). No fractional shares of the Common Stock shall be issued nor shall cash in lieu of a fraction of a share of Common Stock be paid. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the sole discretion of the Committee, the Corporation may pay to the person exercising the stock appreciation rights an amount of cash, rather than shares of the Common Stock, equal to the Spread if and only if the payment of cash upon exercise of the stock appreciation rights would not cause the stock appreciation rights to provide for a deferral of compensation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. The date of exercise of a stock appreciation right shall be determined under procedures established by the Committee.
(D)Unless the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall otherwise determine and subject to the terms of Sections 11(G) and 11(H) hereof, stock options and stock appreciation rights shall be exercisable by a Director commencing on the second anniversary of the date of grant. Subject to the terms of Sections 11(G) and 11(H) hereof providing for earlier termination of a stock option or stock appreciation right, no stock option or stock appreciation right shall be exercisable after the expiration of ten years from the date of grant. Unless the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall

otherwise determine in the case of nonstatutory stock options and stock appreciation rights and limited to a transfer without the payment of value or consideration to the Participant, (i) no option or stock appreciation right shall be transferable by a Participant other than by will, or if the Participant dies intestate, by the laws of descent and distribution of the state of domicile of the Participant at the time of death, and (ii) all stock options and stock appreciation rights shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the Participant only by the Participant (or the Participant’s guardian or legal representative). Any Tandem SAR shall be transferable only when the related stock option is transferable and with the related stock option.

5.8 Termination of Employment. Unless the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall otherwise determine at the time of grant of the Award or, other than in the case of incentive stock options, thereafter, but subject to the provisions of Section 5.1 in the case of incentive stock options:

(a) If the employment of a Participant who is not disabled within the meaning of Section 422(c)(6) of the Code (a “Disabled Participant”) is voluntarily terminated with the consent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary or a Participant retires under any retirement plan of the Corporation or a Subsidiary, any then outstanding incentive stock option held by such Participant shall be exercisable by the Participant (but only to the extent exercisable by the Participant immediately prior to the termination of employment) at any time prior to the expiration date of such incentive stock option or within three months after the date of termination of employment, whichever is the shorter period;

(b) If the employment of a Participant who is not a Disabled Participant is voluntarily terminated with the consent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary or a Participant retires under any retirement plan of the Corporation or a Subsidiary, any then outstanding nonstatutory stock option or stock appreciation right held by such Participant shall be exercisable by the Participant (but only to the extent exercisable by the Participant immediately prior to the termination of employment) at any time prior to the expiration date of such nonstatutory stock option or stock appreciation right or within one year after the date of termination of employment, whichever is the shorter period;

(c) If the employment of a Participant who is a Disabled Participant is voluntarily terminated with the consent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary, any then outstanding stock option or stock appreciation right held by such Participant shall be exercisable in full (whether or not so exercisable by the Participant immediately prior to the termination of employment) by the Participant at any time prior to the expiration date of such stock option or stock appreciation right or within one year after the date of termination of employment, whichever is the shorter period;

(d) Following the death of a Participant during employment, any outstanding stock option or stock appreciation right held by the Participant at the time of death shall be exercisable in full (whether or not so exercisable by the Participant immediately prior to the death of the Participant) by the person entitled to do so under the will of the Participant, or, if the Participant shall fail to make testamentary disposition of the stock option or stock appreciation right or shall die intestate, by the legal representative of the Participant at any time prior to the expiration date of such stock option or stock appreciation right or within one year after the date of death, whichever is the shorter period;

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(e) Following the death of a Participant after termination of employment during a period when a stock option or stock appreciation right to the extentis exercisable, at any time may be exercised in whole or in part.
(E)Unless the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall otherwise determine:
(i)no stock option or stock appreciation right shall be transferable or assignable by the grantee otherwise than:
(a)by Will; or
(b)if the grantee dies intestate, by the laws of descent and distribution of the state of domicile of the grantee at the time of death; or
(c)to the trustee of a trust that is revocable by the grantee alone, both at the time of the transfer or assignment and at all times thereafter prior to such grantee's death; and
(ii)all stock options and stock appreciation rights shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the grantee only by the grantee (or the grantee's guardian or legal representative) or by the trustee of a trust described in Section 11(E)(i)(c) hereof.

A transfer or assignment of aoutstanding stock option or a stock appreciation right held by a trusteethe Participant at the time of a trust described in Section 11(E)(i)(c) to any person other than the granteedeath shall be permittedexercisable by such person entitled to do so under the will of the Participant or by such legal representative (but only to the extent approved in advance by the Committee in writing, in its sole discretion and subject to applicable law. Stock options or stock appreciation rights held by such trustee also shall be subject to all of the conditions and restrictions set forth in the Plan and in the applicable agreement with the grantee as if such trustee were a party to such agreement as the grantee. In the event the grantee ceases to be a Director of the Corporation, the provisions set forth in the Plan and in the applicable agreement with the grantee shall continue to be applicable to the stock option or stock appreciation right and shall limitwas exercisable by the abilityParticipant immediately prior to the death of the Participant) at any time prior to the expiration date of such trustee to exercise any such transferred stock optionsoption or stock appreciation rights toright or within one year after the same extent they would have limiteddate of death, whichever is the grantee. The Corporation shall not have any obligation to notify such trustee of any terminationshorter period; and

(f) Unless the exercise period of a stock option or stock appreciation right due to thefollowing termination of service ofemployment has been extended as provided in Section 11.3, if the grantee as a Director of the Corporation.
(F)Unless otherwise specified by the Committee, the applicable Director shall have all of the rights of a shareholder of the Corporation holding Common Stock with respect to the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon the exercise of a stock option or stock appreciation right (including the right to vote the applicable shares and the right to receive dividends), when the Director (i) has given written notice of exercise in accordance with the procedures established by the Committee, (ii) if requested, has given the representation described in Section 18, and (iii) in the case of a stock option, has paid in full the option price for such shares.
(G)Unless the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall otherwise determine, if a grantee ceases to be a Director of the Corporation, any outstanding stock options and stock appreciation rights held by the grantee shall vest and be exercisable and shall terminate, according to the following provisions:
(i)
Notwithstanding Section 11(D) hereof, if a grantee ceases to be a Director of the Corporation for any reason other than those set forth in Section 11(G)(ii) or (iii) hereof, any then outstanding stock option and stock appreciation right held by such grantee (whether or not vested and exercisable by the grantee immediately prior to such time) shall vest and be exercisable by the grantee (or, in the event of the grantee's death, by the person entitled to do so under the Will of the grantee, or, if the grantee shall fail to make testamentary disposition of the stock option or stock appreciation right or shall die intestate, by the legal representative of the grantee (the "Grantee's Heir or Representative")), at any time prior to the second anniversary of the date on which the grantee ceases to be a Director of the Corporation or the expiration date of the stock option or stock appreciation right, whichever is the shorter period;
(ii)Unless the exercise period of a stock option or stock appreciation right following termination of service as Director has been extended as provided in Section 15(c) hereof, if during his or her term of office as a non-employee Director a grantee is removed from office for cause or resigns without the consent of the Board, any then outstanding stock option and stock appreciation right held by such grantee shall terminate as of the close of business on the last day on which the grantee is a Director of the Corporation; and

(iii)Notwithstanding Section 11(D) hereof, following the death of a grantee during service as a Director of the Corporation, or upon the disability of a Director which requires his or her termination as a Director of the Corporation, any outstanding stock option and stock appreciation right held by the grantee at the time of death or termination as a Director due to disability (whether or not vested and exercisable by the grantee immediately prior to such time) shall vest and be exercisable, in the case of death of the grantee, by the Grantee's Heir or Representative, or, in the case of disability of the grantee, by the grantee at any time prior to the second anniversary of the date on which the grantee ceases to be a Director of the Corporation or the expiration date of the stock option or stock appreciation right, whichever is the shorter period.

Whether a resignationemployment of a Director isParticipant terminates for any reason other than voluntary termination with or without the consent of the BoardCorporation or a Subsidiary, retirement under any retirement plan of the Corporation or a Subsidiary or death, all outstanding stock options and stock appreciation rights held by the Participant at the time of such termination of employment shall automatically terminate.

Whether termination of employment is a voluntary termination with the consent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary and whether a granteeParticipant is disableda Disabled Participant shall be determined in each case, in its sole discretion, by the Committee (or, in the case of Participants who are not (i) Covered Employees as of the end of the Corporation’s immediately preceding fiscal year or (ii) the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, by such Chief Executive Officer, in his sole discretion) and any such determination by the Committee or such Chief Executive Officer shall be final and binding.
(H)If a grantee of a stock option or stock appreciation right engages in the operation or management of a business (whether as owner, partner, officer, director, employee or otherwise and whether during or after service as a Director of the Corporation) which is in competition with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, or solicits any of the Corporation's customers or employees other than for the benefit of the Corporation, the Committee may immediately terminate all outstanding stock options and stock appreciation rights held by the grantee; provided, however, that this sentence shall not apply if the exercise period of a stock option or stock appreciation right following termination of service as a Director of the Corporation has been extended as provided in Section 15(c) hereof. Whether a grantee has engaged in the operation or management of a business which is in competition with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, or solicits any of the Corporation's customers or employees other than for the benefit of the Corporation, shall be determined, in its sole discretion, by the Committee, and any such determination by the Committee shall be final and binding.
(I)All stock options and stock appreciation rights shall be confirmed by a written agreement or an amendment thereto in a form prescribed by the Committee, in its sole discretion. Each agreement or amendment thereto shall be executed on behalf of the Corporation by the Chief Executive Officer (if other than the President), the President or any Vice President and by the grantee. The provisions of such agreements need not be identical.

Without limitation of the foregoing, a termination of employment by the Participant shall not be a voluntary termination with the consent of the Corporation unless the Committee or, if applicable, such Chief Executive Officer, in its or his sole discretion, specifically consents to the termination of employment in writing. Termination of employment under the Plan shall occur only if the Participant is no longer employed by the Corporation or any Subsidiary. An approved leave of absence by the Participant from the Corporation or any Subsidiary shall not constitute a termination of employment under the Plan.

5.9 Other Terms and Conditions. Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 115 and the other provisions of the Plan, any stock option or stock appreciation right granted under the Plan may be exercised at such times and in such amounts and be subject to such restrictions and other terms and conditions, if any, as shall be determined, in its sole discretion, by the Committee and set forth in the agreement referred to inunder Section 11(I) hereof or an amendment thereto.2.5.


SECTION 12
Terms and Conditions of Restricted Share Awards6
(a)
Restricted Stock

6.1 Restricted Share AwardsStock Awards; Certificates. RSAsShares of restricted stock are actual shares of Common Stock issued to a Participant, and shall be evidenced by a written agreement in a form prescribed bysuch manner as the Committee may deem appropriate, including book-entry registration or issuance of one or more stock certificates. Any certificate issued in its sole discretion, which shall set forth the numberrespect of shares of the Common Stock awarded, the restrictions imposed thereon (including, without limitation, restrictions on the right of the awardee to sell, assign, transfer, pledge or otherwise encumber such shares while such shares are subject to the other restrictions imposed under this Section 12), the duration of such restrictions, events (which may,restricted stock shall be registered in the sole discretion of the Committee, include performance-based events) the occurrence of which would cause a forfeiture of the RSAs and such other terms and conditions as the Committee in its sole discretion deems appropriate. Restricted share awards shall be effective only upon executionname of the applicable RSA agreementParticipant and, unless held by or on behalf of the Corporation byin escrow or custody until the Chief Executive Officer (if other than the President), the President or any Vice President, and by the awardee. The provisions of such agreements need not be identical. Notwithstanding

the foregoing provisions of this Section, each Director may elect to defer the receipt of any such RSAs in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 5; provided, that the receipt of any DSUs in lieu of restricted share awards shall remain subject to the same vesting and forfeiture restrictions as the original equity award.
(b)Transfers to Trusts. Neither this Section 12 nor any other provision of the Plan shall preclude an awardee from transferring or assigning RSAs to (i) the trustee of a trust that is revocable by such awardee alone, both at the time of the transfer or assignment and at all times thereafter prior to such awardee's death or (ii) the trustee of any other trust to the extent approved in advance by the Committee in writing. A transfer or assignment of RSAs from such trustee to any person other than such awardee shall be permitted only to the extent approved in advance by the Committee in writing, and RSAs held by such trustee shall be subject to all of the conditions and restrictions set forth in the Plan and in the applicable agreement as if such trustee were a party to such agreement.
(c)Default Vesting Restrictions. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, RSAs awarded to a Director shall be forfeited if the awardee terminates as a Director of the Corporation within two (2) years following the grant of such RSAs due to the voluntary resignation of the Director without the consent of the Boardlapse or the removal of the Director with cause. Any RSAs which have not previously vestedshares are forfeited, shall vest and the restrictions related to service as a Director shall lapse upon the death of a Director or the disability of a Director which requires his or her termination as a Director of the Corporation.
(d)Evidence of Shares. Following a grant of RSA and prior to the lapse or termination of the applicable restrictions, the Corporation, at its sole discretion, shall (i) issue share certificates in the name of the awardee and hold them in escrow together with related stock powers in blank signed by the awardee, (ii) issue such share certificates and deliver them to the awardee withbear an appropriate conspicuous legend referring to the terms, conditions, and restrictions applicable to such award,Award, substantially in the following form:
"
The transferability of this certificate and the shares of stock represented hereby are subject to the terms and conditions (including forfeiture) of the Matthews International Corporation 2019 Director FeeAmended and Restated 2017 Equity Incentive Plan and a corresponding agreement. Copies of such Plan and agreement
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are on file at the offices of Matthews International Corporation, Two NorthShore Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15212-5851.";

The Committee may require that the certificates evidencing such shares be held in escrow or (iii) issuecustody by or on behalf of the Corporation until the restrictions thereon shall have lapsed or the shares in book-entry form inare forfeited and that, as a condition of any Award of restricted stock, the name of the awardee. If share certificates are issued in the name of the awardee, the awardee shall execute andapplicable Participant deliver to the Corporation a blank stock power, endorsed in form acceptableblank, relating to the CorporationCommon Stock covered by such Award.

6.2 Terms and Conditions. Shares of restricted stock shall be subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 15.11 and the following terms and conditions:

(a) The Committee shall, prior to or at the time of grant, condition the vesting of an Award of restricted stock upon (i) the continued service of the applicable Participant, (ii) the attainment of Performance Goals, or (iii) the attainment of Performance Goals and the continued service of the applicable Participant. The Committee shall establish at the time the restricted stock is granted the performance periods during which any Performance Goals specified by the Committee with respect to the restricted stock Award are to be measured. In the event that the Committee conditions the vesting of an Award of restricted stock upon the attainment of Performance Goals or the attainment of Performance Goals and the continued service of the applicable Participant, the Committee may, prior to or at the time of grant, designate an Award of restricted stock as a Qualified Performance-Based Award. The conditions for vesting and the other provisions of restricted stock Awards (including without limitation any applicable Performance Goals) need not be the same with respect to each recipient, and shall be established by the Committee in its sole discretion. Except in the case of the certificatesa Qualified Performance-Based Award and subject to the RSAs. Inrestrictions set forth in Section 15.11, the Committee at any time after the date of grant, in its sole discretion, may modify or waive any of the conditions applicable to an Award of restricted stock.

(b) Subject to the provisions of the Plan (including Section 6.3) and the applicable agreement under Section 2.5, during the period, if any, set by the Committee, commencing with the date of such restricted stock Award for which such vesting restrictions apply (the “Restriction Period”), and until the expiration of the Restriction Period, the Participant shall not be permitted to sell, assign, transfer, pledge or otherwise encumber shares of such restricted stock. A restricted stock Award may vest in part on a pro rata basis prior to the expiration of any Restriction Period.

(c) Except as provided in this Section 6 and in the applicable agreement under Section 2.5, the applicable Participant shall have, with respect to the shares of restricted stock, all of the rights of a shareholder of the Corporation holding the Common Stock that is the subject of the restricted stock, including, if applicable, the right to vote the shares and the right to receive any cash dividends. If so determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable agreement under Section 2.5 and subject to Section 15.4, cash dividends on the Common Stock that is the subject of the restricted stock Award may be (i) automatically deferred and reinvested in additional restricted stock, and held subject to the same vesting and forfeiture conditions of the underlying restricted stock, or (ii) held by the Corporation in cash (without any payment of interest thereon) subject to the same vesting and forfeiture conditions of the restricted stock with respect to which the dividends are payable. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable agreement under Section 2.5, any Common Stock or other securities payable with respect to any restricted stock as a result of or pursuant to Section 4.5, shall be held subject to the same vesting and forfeiture conditions of the underlying restricted stock.

(d) As soon as practicable after the applicable Restriction Period has ended, the Committee shall determine and certify (in writing in the case of Qualified Performance-Based Awards) whether and the extent to which the service period and/or the Performance Goals were met for the applicable restricted stock. If the vesting condition or conditions applicable to the restricted stock are not satisfied by the time
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the Restriction Period has expired, such restricted stock shall be forfeited. If and when the Restriction Period expires without a prior forfeiture of the shares the Corporation shall use theof restricted stock power(s) to transfer ownership of the(i) if legended certificates have been issued, unlegended certificates for such shares to the Corporation. Upon the lapse or termination of the applicable restrictions, certificate(s) without the legend referenced in (ii) above and the blank stock power(s) shall be delivered to the awardee (or the awardee's personal representative)Participant upon the surrender by such person of the legended certificates, (ii) if they werelegended certificates have not yet been issued, unlegended certificates (and any related blank stock powers previously providedexecuted by the Participant) shall be delivered to such person. If shares are issued in book-entry form, the Corporation shall instruct its transfer agent that the shares are to be designated as restricted on the transfer agent's book-entry records of the owners of the Common Stock,Participant, and may not be transferred from the name of the awardee until the earlier of (i) in the case of forfeiture of the shares, when the Corporation instructs its transfer agent in writing to record the shares as owned(iii) any cash dividends held by the Corporation (rather thanpursuant to Section 6.2(c) shall be delivered to the Participant.

6.3 Permitted Transfers. Neither this Section 6 nor any other provision of the Plan shall preclude a Participant from transferring or assigning restricted stock, without the payment of value or consideration to the Participant, to (i) the trustee of a trust that is revocable by such Participant alone, both at the awardee),time of the transfer or assignment and at all times thereafter prior to such Participant’s death or (ii) when requested in writing by the awardee (or the awardee's personal representative) after the Corporation has instructed its transfer agent in writing that such shares are no longer to be designated as restricted on the transfer agent's book-entry records duetrustee of any other trust to the lapse or termination of the applicable restrictions.
(e)Dividends; Dividend Reinvestment. From the date a RSA is effective, the awardee shall be a shareholder with respect to all of the restricted shares and shall have all the rights of a shareholder with respect to the restricted shares, including the right to vote the restricted shares and to receive all dividends, and other distributions paid with respect to the restricted shares, subject only to the preceding provisions of this Section 12(e) and the other restrictions imposedextent approved in advance by the Committee. Except as provided in Section 14 hereof, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine that dividends andin writing. A transfer or assignment of restricted stock from such trustee to any person other distributions on the shares

than such Participant shall not be paidpermitted only to the awardee untilextent approved in advance by the lapse or termination of the applicable restrictions. Unless otherwise provided,Committee, in its sole discretion, by the Committee, any such dividends or other distributions shall not bear interest. Upon the lapse or termination of the applicable restrictions (and not before such time), the unpaid dividends, if any, shall be delivered to the awardee. Further, the Committee shall have the ability, in its sole discretion following a written request of a Director, to authorize the automatic reinvestment of such dividends in additional shares ofwriting, and restricted stock at the time of any dividend payment (such shares referred to herein as “Reinvested Shares”), provided that sufficient shares of Common Stock are available under Section 1(B) for the issuance of such Reinvested Shares (taking into account then outstanding awards). In the event that sufficient shares of Common Stock are not available for such Reinvestment Shares to be issued, such reinvestment of dividends shall be made in the form of a grant of RSUs equal in number to the shares of Common Stock that would have been obtainedheld by such reinvestment, the terms of which RSUs shall provide for settlement in cash and for dividend equivalent reinvestment in further RSUs on the terms contemplated by Section 13. Any Reinvestment Shares issued in connection with a Director’s election hereundertrustee shall be subject to all of the same termsconditions and conditions, including vesting schedule,restrictions set forth in the Plan and in the applicable agreement under Section 2.5 as the shares of restricted stock upon which the dividend was issued.if such trustee were a party to such agreement.
(f)
Competition. If an awardee of restricted shares engages in the operation of management of a business (whether as owner, partner, officer, director, employee or otherwise) which is in competition with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries or solicits any of the Corporation's customers or employees other than for the benefit of the Corporation, the Committee may immediately declare forfeited all restricted shares, including any Reinvested Shares, held by the awardee as to which the restrictions have not yet lapsed. Whether an awardee has engaged in the operation or management of a business which is in competition with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries or has solicited any of the Corporation's customers or employees other than for the benefit of Corporation, shall also be determined, in its sole discretion, by the Committee, and any such determination by the Committee shall be final and binding.
SECTION 137

Restricted Stock Units
(a)
7.1 Restricted Stock Unit Awards. An RSU award representsRestricted stock units are Awards denominated in shares of Common Stock that will be settled, subject to the unsecured right to receiveterms and conditions of the restricted stock units and at the sole discretion of the Committee, in the future payment (inan amount in cash, shares of Common Stock, or a combination of both, as contemplated in the award) equal tobased upon the Fair Market Value of a specified number of shares of Common Stock, which is subject to a risk of forfeiture or a restriction period or both. RSUs shall be evidenced by a written agreement in a form prescribed by the Committee, in its sole discretion. RSU awards shall be effective only upon execution of the applicable RSU agreement on behalf of the Corporation by the Chief Executive Officer (if other than the President), the President or any Vice President, and by the awardee. The provisions of such agreements need not be identical.Stock.
(b)
7.2 Terms and Conditions. Restricted stock units shall be subject to the restrictions imposed thereon,set forth in Section 15.11 and the durationfollowing terms and conditions:

(a) The Committee shall, prior to or at the time of such restrictions, events (which may, ingrant, condition the sole discretionvesting of restricted stock units upon (i) the continued service of the Committee, include performance-based events)applicable Participant, (ii) the occurrenceattainment of which would cause a forfeiturePerformance Goals or (iii) the attainment of Performance Goals and the continued service of the RSUs and such other terms and conditions asapplicable Participant. In the event that the Committee in its sole discretion deems appropriate. Unless otherwise determined byconditions the vesting of restricted stock units upon the attainment of Performance Goals or the attainment of Performance Goals and the continued service of the applicable Participant, the Committee RSUs awardedmay, prior to a Director shall be forfeited ifor at the awardee terminatestime of grant, designate the restricted stock units as a DirectorQualified Performance-Based Award. The Committee shall determine the performance period(s) during which any Performance Goals are to be achieved. The conditions for grant or vesting and the other provisions of restricted stock units (including without limitation any applicable Performance Goals) need not be the Corporation within two (2) years following the grantsame with respect to each recipient. An Award of such RSU due to the voluntary resignation of the Director without the consent of the Board or the removal of the Director with cause. An award of RSUsrestricted stock units shall be settled as and when the RSUsrestricted stock units vest, as determined and certified (in writing in the case of Qualified Performance-Based Awards) by the Committee, or at a later time specified by the Committee or in accordance with an election of the Director,Participant, if the Committee so permits. SubjectExcept in the case of a Qualified Performance-Based Award and subject to the restrictions set forth in this Plan,Section 15.11, the Committee at any time after the date of grant, in its sole discretion, may modify or waive any of the conditions applicable to an awardAward of RSUs. Duringrestricted stock units.

(b) Subject to the provisions of the Plan and the applicable agreement under Section 2.5, during the period, if any, set by the Committee, commencing with the date of grant of such RSUsrestricted stock units for which such vesting restrictions apply (the “Units Restriction Period”), and until the expiration thereof,of the Director
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Units Restriction Period, the Participant shall not be permitted to sell, assign, transfer, pledge or otherwise encumber RSUs.restricted stock units. A restricted stock unit may vest in part prior to the expiration of any Units Restriction Period.



(c)Dividends Participants granted restricted stock units shall not be entitled to any dividends payable on the Common Stock unless the agreement under Section 2.5 for restricted stock units specifies to what extent and on what terms and conditions the applicable Participant shall be entitled to receive current or deferred payments of cash, Common Stock or other property corresponding to the dividends payable on the Common Stock (subject to Section 15.4 below). RSUsRestricted stock units shall not have any voting rights, and holders of RSUsrestricted stock units shall not be shareholders of the Corporation unless and until shares of Common Stock are issued by the Corporation (in book-entry form or otherwise). An award of RSUs shall not entitle the Director to receive dividends during the Restriction Period, nor vote the Common Stock subject to such award, or to otherwise enjoy any other stockholder rights; provided, however that the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, prescribe additional terms, conditions or restrictions relating to RSU awards, including but not limited to the issuance of any dividend equivalent units in tandem with a Restricted Stock Unit Award.

(d)
SECTION 8
Dividend Equivalent
Performance Units

. Subject to the terms of this Plan, the Administrator will determine all terms and conditions of each award of dividend equivalent units, including but not limited to whether: (i) such award will be granted in tandem with another award; (ii) payment of the award shall be made currently or credited to an account for the Director that provides for the deferral of such amounts until a stated time; and (iii) the award will be settled in cash or shares; provided that dividend equivalent
Performance units may be granted onlyhereunder to eligible employees, for no cash consideration or for such minimum consideration as may be required by applicable law, either alone or in addition to other Awards granted under the Plan. The Committee shall establish at the time the performance unit is granted the performance period(s) during which any Performance Goals specified by the Committee with respect to the Award are to be measured, provided, however, that performance units shall be subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 15.11. The Performance Goals to be achieved during any performance period(s) and the length of the performance period(s) shall be determined by the Committee upon the grant of each performance unit. The Committee may, in connection with a “full-value award.” For this purpose, a “full-value award” includes Restricted Stock, RSUsthe grant of performance units, designate them as Qualified Performance-Based Awards. The conditions for grant or vesting and the other provisions of performance units (including without limitation any other similar award under whichapplicable Performance Goals) need not be the value of the award is measured as the full value of a share, rather than the increasesame with respect to each Participant. Performance units may be paid in the value of a share.

SECTION 14
Adjustment and Substitution of Shares
In the event of a (i) merger, consolidation, acquisition of shares, stock rights offering, liquidation, separation, spinoff, disaffiliation of a Subsidiary from the Corporation, extraordinary dividend of cash, or other property, or similar event affecting the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, including but not limited to a Section 15 Event (each, a "Corporate Transaction") or (ii) a stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, share combination, or recapitalization or similar event affecting the capital structure of the Corporation (each, a "Share Change") the Committee or the Board shall make such substitutions or adjustments as it deems appropriate and equitable, to prevent the dilution or enlargement of the rights of Directors, to (A) the aggregate number and kind of shares of Common Stock, reserved for issuance and delivery under the Plan, (B) the number of DSUs credited to any Account, (C) the number and kind of shares of Common Stock subject to outstanding grants and awards; (D) the option price and Base Price of outstanding stock options and stock appreciation rights, respectively, carried to at least three decimal places with the last decimal place being rounded up to the nearest whole number.
In the case of Corporate Transactions, such adjustments may include, without limitation, (1) the cancellation of outstanding stock options, stock appreciation rights or RSUs in exchange for payments of cash, property or a combination thereof having an aggregate value equal to the value of such grants and awards, as determined by the Committee or the Board in its sole discretion (it being understood that in the case of a Corporate Transaction with respect to which shareholders of Common Stock receive consideration other than publicly-traded equity securities of the ultimate surviving entity, any such determination by the Committee that the value of an option stock appreciation right shall for this purpose be deemed to equal the excess, if any, of the value of the consideration being paid for each share pursuant to such Corporate Transaction over the option price of such option or the Base Price of such stock appreciation right shall conclusively be deemed valid); (2) the substitution of other property (including, without limitation, cash or other securities of the Corporation and securities of entities other than the Corporation) for the shares subject to outstanding grants and awards; and (3) in connection with any disaffiliation of a Subsidiary, arranging for the assumption of grants and awards, or replacement of grants and awards with new grants and awards based on other property or other securities (including, without limitation, other securities of the Corporation and securities of entities other than the Corporation), by the affected Subsidiary, or by the entity that controls such Subsidiary following such disaffiliation (as well as any corresponding adjustments to grants and awards that remain based upon Corporation securities). No adjustment or substitution provided in this Section 14 shall require the Corporation or any other entity to issue or sell a fraction of a share or other security. Except as provided in this Section 14, a Director shall not have any rights with respect to any Corporate Transaction or Share Change. Notwithstanding the foregoing: (i) any adjustments made pursuant to this Section 14 to Accounts shall be made in compliance

with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; (ii) any adjustments made pursuant to this Section 14 to grants and awards that are not considered "deferred compensation" subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be made in such a manner as to ensure that after such adjustment, the grants and awards either (A) continue not to be subject to Section 409A of the Code or (B) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code; and (iii) in any event, neither the Committee nor the Board shall have the authority to make any adjustments pursuant to this Section 14 to the extent the existence of such authority would cause a grant or award that is not intended to be subject to Section 409A of the Code at the grant or award date of the Award to be subject thereto.
SECTION 15
Additional Rights in Certain Events
(a)Definitions. For purposes of this Section 15, the following terms shall have the following meanings:
(1)
The term "Person" shall be used as that term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the 1934 Act as in effect on the effective date of the Plan.
(2)
"Beneficial Ownership" shall be determined as provided in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act as in effect on the effective date of the Plan.
(3)
Voting Shares" shall mean all securities of a corporation entitling the holderscombination thereof, to vote in an annual election of directors (without consideration of the rights of any class of stock other than the Common Stock to elect directors by a separate class vote); and a specified percentage of "Voting Power" of a corporation shall mean such number of the Voting Shares as shall enable the holders thereof to cast such percentage of all the votes which could be cast in an annual election of directors (without consideration of the rights of any class of stock other than the Common Stock to elect Directors by a separate class vote).
(4)
"Section 15 Event" shall mean the date upon which any of the following events occurs:
(i)The Corporation acquires actual knowledge that any Person other than the Corporation, a Subsidiary or any employee benefit plan(s) sponsored by the Corporation has acquired the Beneficial Ownership, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Corporation entitling such Person to 20% or more of the Voting Power of the Corporation;
(ii)During any period of two consecutive years, less than a majority of the total number of authorized members of the Board (excluding vacant seats) are filled by individuals who were (i) Directors at the beginning of such period and (ii) individuals whose election by the Corporation’s security holders, or nomination for election, was approved by a vote (including a vote approving a merger or other agreement providing the membership of such individuals on the Board) of at least a majority of the members of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee (consisting of directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of such period or who were approved for election or nomination hereunder) or at least two-thirds of the Directors then still in office who were Directors on the effective date of the Plan or who were so approved (other than an individual whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board of Directors relating to the election of Directors which would be subject to Rule 14a-11 under the 1934 Act, or any successor rule, including by reason of any agreement intended to avoid or settle any such election contest or proxy contest), provided that for purposes of this Section 15(a)(4)(ii), each Board then-authorized seat shall count once for determining whether a Section 15 Event has occurred;

(iii)The consummation of a merger, consolidation, share exchange, division or sale or other disposition of assets of the Corporation as a result of which the shareholders of the Corporation immediately prior to such transaction shall not hold, directly or indirectly, immediately following such transaction, a majority of the Voting Power of (i) in the case of a merger or consolidation, the surviving or resulting corporation, (ii) in the case of a share exchange, the acquiring corporation or (iii) in the case of a division or a sale or other disposition of assets, each surviving, resulting or acquiring corporation which, immediately following the transaction, holds more than 30% of the consolidated assets of the Corporation immediately prior to the transaction; or
(iv)The commencement of any liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation (other than pursuant to any transfer of 70% or more of the consolidated assets of the Corporation to an entity or entities controlled by the Corporation and/or its shareholders following such liquidation or dissolution);
provided, however, that if securities beneficially owned by a Director are included in determining the Beneficial Ownership of a Person referred to in paragraph 4(a) above, then no Section 15 Event with respect to such Director shall be deemed to have occurred by reason of such event.
(b)Acceleration of the Exercise Date of Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. Subject to Section 15(e), unless the agreement referred to in Section 11(I) hereof, or an amendment thereto, shall otherwise provide, notwithstanding any other provision contained in the Plan, in case any Section 15 Event occurs all outstanding stock options and stock appreciation rights (other than those held by a Director referred to in the proviso to Section 15 (a)) shall become immediately and fully exercisable whether or not otherwise exercisable by their terms.
(c)Extension of the Expiration Date of Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. Subject to Section 15 (e), unless the agreement referred to in Section 11(I) hereof, or an amendment thereto, shall otherwise provide, notwithstanding any other provision contained in the Plan, all outstanding stock options and stock appreciation rights held by a grantee whose service with the Corporation as a Director terminates within one year of any Section 15 Event (other than those held by a Director referred to in the proviso to Section 15 (a)) for any reason shall be exercisable for the longer of (i) a period of three months from the date of such termination of service or (ii) the period specified in Section 11(G) hereof, but in no event after the expiration date of the stock option or stock appreciation right.
(d)Lapse of Restrictions on Restricted Share Awards and RSUs. Unless the agreement referred to in Section 12 hereof, or an amendment thereto, shall otherwise provide, notwithstanding any other provision contained in the Plan, if any Section 15 Event occurs prior to the scheduled lapse of all restrictions applicable to restricted share awards or RSUs under the Plan, all such restrictions (other than those applicable to a Director referred to in the proviso to Section 15 (a)) shall lapse upon the occurrence of any such Section 15 Event regardless of the scheduled lapse of such restrictions.
(e)Code Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any grant or award is subject to Section 409A of the Code, this Section 15 shall be applicable only to the extent specifically provided in the agreement under Sections 11(I) or 12 applicable to the grant or award and permitted pursuant to Section 409A.

SECTION 16
Administration of Plan; Hardship Withdrawal
(a)Administration of Plan. Except where the terms of the Plan specifically grant authority to the Committee of the Board or where the Board delegates authority to the Committee, full power and authority to construe, interpret, and administer the Plan shall be vested in the Board and it and the Committee shall have plenary authority to interpret the Plan and prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures in connection with the operations of the Plan as it shall deem to be necessary and advisable for the administration of the Plan consistent with the purposes of the Plan. Decisions of the Committee and the Board shall be final, conclusive, and binding upon all parties. Without limitation of the foregoing, the Committee shall have the authority, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan:
(i)To determine the grants or awards to be made to the Directors pursuant to Sections 10-13 and all of the relevant terms thereof;
(ii)Subject to Sections 11(I) and 12(a), to modify, amend or adjust the terms and conditions of any such grant or award;
(iii)To adopt, alter and repeal such administrative rules, regulations, procedures, guidelines and practices governing the Plan as it shall from time to time deem advisable;
(iv)To interpret the terms, provisions and conditions of the Plan and any such grant or award (and any agreement under Sections 11(I) and 12(a) relating thereto);
(v)Subject to Sections 11(I) and 12(a), to accelerate the vesting or lapse of restrictions on any outstanding award, based in each case on such considerations as the Committee in its sole discretion determines;
(vi)To decide all other matters that must be determined in connection with such grants and awards;
(vii)To establish any "blackout" period that the Committee in its sole discretion deems necessary or advisable; and
(viii)To otherwise administer the Plan in connection with such grants and awards.

The Committee may, except to the extent prohibited by applicable law or the listing standards of the stock exchange which is the principal market for the Common Stock, allocate all or any portion of its responsibilities and powers to any one or more of its members and may delegate all or any part of its responsibilities and powers to any officers of the Corporation or committee of officers of the Corporation selected by it. The Committee shall keep records of action taken at its meetings. A majority of the Committee shall constitute a quorum at any meeting and the acts of a majority of the members present at any meeting at which a quorum is present, or acts approved in writing by all members of the Committee, shall be the acts of the Committee. Any determination made by the Committee or by an appropriately delegated officer pursuant to delegated authority under the provisions of the Plan with respect to any grant or award pursuant to Section 10 shall be made in the sole discretion of the Committee or such officer atas set forth in the timeapplicable agreement under Section 2.5. Performance units shall not have any voting rights, and holders of such grant or award or, unless in contravention of any express termperformance units shall not be shareholders of the Plan,Corporation unless and until shares of Common Stock are issued by the Corporation (in book-entry form or otherwise). The Performance Goals to be achieved for each performance period, whether the Performance Goals have been achieved, and the amount of the Award to be distributed shall be conclusively determined and certified (in writing in the case of Qualified Performance-Based Awards) by the Committee. Performance units may be paid in a lump sum or in installments following the close of the performance period(s). The Participant shall not be permitted to sell, assign, transfer, pledge or otherwise encumber performance units. The maximum value of the property, including cash, that may be paid or distributed to any Participant pursuant to a grant of performance units made in any one calendar year shall be five million United States of America dollars ($5,000,000). Except in the case of a Qualified Performance-Based Award and subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 15.11, the Committee at any time thereafter. All decisions made byafter the Committee or any appropriately delegated officer pursuant to the provisionsgrant of the Plan and shall be final and binding on all persons, including the Corporation, its Subsidiaries, and the Directors eligible under the Plan.
(b)Hardship Withdrawal. Notwithstanding the terms of Deferral Election made by a Director hereunder, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, permit the issuance of shares in accordance with the number of DSUs held in an Account with respect to Director Fees or Meeting Fees previously payable upon the request of a Director or the Director's representative, or following the death of a Director upon the request of a Director's Beneficiary or such beneficiary's representative, if the Board determines that the Director or the Director's Beneficiary, as the case may be, is confronted with an unforeseeable emergency.
For this purpose, an unforeseeable emergency means a severe financial hardship to the Director or the Director's Beneficiary resulting from an illness or accident of the Director or the Director's Beneficiary, the spouse, or a dependent (as defined in Section 152(a) of the Code) of the Director or the Director's Beneficiary,

loss of the Director or the Director's Beneficiary's property due to casualty, or other similar extraordinary and unforeseeable circumstances arising as a result of events beyond the control of the Director or the Director's Beneficiary. The Director or the Director's Beneficiary shall provide to the Committee evidence as the Committee,performance units, in its sole discretion, may require to demonstrate that such emergency exists and financial hardship would occur if the withdrawal were not permitted. The withdrawal shall be limited to the amount reasonably necessary to satisfy such emergency plus amounts necessary to pay taxes reasonably anticipated as a resultmodify or waive any of the distribution, after taking into account the extentconditions applicable to which such hardship is oran Award of performance units.


SECTION 9

Other Stock-Based Awards

The Committee may be relieved through reimbursement or compensation by insurance or otherwise, by liquidation of the Director or the Director's Beneficiary's assets (to the extent the liquidation of such assets would not itself cause severe financial hardship) or by the cessation of deferrals under the Plan. Cash needs arising from foreseeable events, such as the purchase or building of a house or education expenses, will not be considered to be the result of an unforeseeable financial emergency. Payment shall be made, as soon as practicable after the Committee approves the paymentaward Common Stock and determines the number of shares which shall be issued under and pursuant to the Account(s) providing for the latest payments or series of payments. No Director shall participateother Awards that are valued in any decision of the Committee regarding such Director's request for a withdrawal under this Section 16.
(c)Cancellation; Suspension; Clawback. Any or all outstanding grants and awards to a Director may, at any time between the date of grant or award and the third anniversary of any exercise, payment or vesting of such grant and award, in the Board's or the Committee's sole discretion and subject to such terms and conditions established by the Board or the Committee, be cancelled, suspended, or required to be repaid to the Corporation if the Director (whether during or after service as a Director of the Corporation) (i) engages in the operation or management of a business (whether as owner, partner, officer, director, employee or otherwise) which is in competition with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) induces or attempts to induce any customer, supplier, licensee or other individual, corporation or other business organization having a business relationship with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries to cease doing business with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiarieswhole or in any way interferes with the relationship between any such customer, supplier, licenseepart by reference to, or other person and the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) solicits any employee of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries to leave the employment thereof or in any way interferes with the relationship of such employee with the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries, or (iv) makes any statements or comments, orally or in writing, of a defamatory or disparaging nature regarding the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries (includingare otherwise based upon, Common Stock, including but not limited to, regarding any of their respective businesses, officers, directors, personnel, productsunrestricted stock or policies), provided, however, that this sentencedividend equivalents. Any such Award shall not apply followingbe subject to the occurrence of arestrictions set forth in Section 15 Event unless the agreement under Sections 11(I) or 12(a) specifically so provides. Whether a Director has engaged in any 15.11 and
77


such activities shall also be determined, in its sole discretion,other terms and conditions as established by the Board or the Committee, and may include Qualified Performance-Based Awards. The maximum value of Common Stock and other property, including cash, that may be paid or distributed to any such determination byParticipant pursuant to this Section 9 (and not pursuant to other sections of the Board or the CommitteePlan) in any one calendar year shall be final and binding.five million United States of America dollars ($5,000,000).


SECTION 17
Fair Market Value10
"Fair Market Value" of the Common Stock shall be the mean between the following prices, as applicable, for the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined as quoted in The Wall Street Journal (or in any other reliable publication (electronic or otherwise) as the Board of the Corporation or its delegate, in its sole discretion, may determine to rely upon):
(a)if the Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, the highest and lowest sales prices per share of the Common Stock as quoted in the NYSE-Composite Transactions listing for such date; or
(b)
if the Common Stock is not listed on such exchange, the highest and lowest sales prices per share of Common Stock for such date on (or on any composite index including) the NASDAQ Exchange or the principal United States securities exchange registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act") on which the Common Stock is listed.

If there are no such sale price quotations for the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined but there are such sale price quotations within a reasonable period both before and after such date, then Fair Market Value shall be determined by taking a weighted average of the means between the highest and lowest sales prices per share of the Common Stock as so quoted on the nearest date before and the nearest date after the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined. The average should be weighted inversely by the respective numbers of trading days between the selling dates and the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined. If there are no such sale price quotations on or within a reasonable period both before and after the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined, then Fair Market Value of the Common Stock shall be the weighted average of the means between such bona fide bid and asked prices on the nearest trading date before and the nearest trading date after the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined, if both such dates are within a reasonable period. The average is to be determined in the manner described above in this Section 17. If the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock cannot be determined on the basis previously set forth in this Section 17 on the date as of which Fair Market Value is to be determined, the Board or its delegate shall in good faith and in conformance with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, to the extent applicable, determine the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on such date. Fair Market Value shall be determined without regard to any restriction other than a restriction which, by its terms, will never lapse.
SECTION 18
Securities Laws; Issuance of Shares

The Committee may require each person purchasing or receiving shares of Common Stock pursuant to an Award to represent to and agree with the Corporation in writing that such person is acquiring the shares only for investment and without a present view to the sale or distribution thereof. The certificates for such shares may include any legend which the Committee deems appropriate to reflect any restrictions on transfer. The obligation of the Corporation to issue shares of Common Stock or credit DSUs under the Plan shall be subject to:
(i)the effectiveness of a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to such shares, if deemed necessary or appropriate by counsel for the Corporation;
(ii)the condition that the shares shall have been listed (or authorized for listing upon official notice of issuance) upon each stock exchange, if any, on which the Common Stock shares may then be listed;
(iii)if required by the Committee, the representation and agreement of the Director that the Director is acquiring the shares only for investment and without a present view of the sale or distribution of such shares, with a corresponding legend on any stock certificates;
(iv)all other applicable laws, regulations, rules and orders which may then be in effect; and
(v)obtaining any other consent, approval, or permit from any state or federal governmental agency which the Committee shall, in its sole discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable.

to (i) the effectiveness of a registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, with respect to such shares, if deemed necessary or appropriate by counsel for the Corporation, (ii) the condition that the shares shall have been listed (or authorized for listing upon official notice of issuance) upon each stock exchange, if any, on which the shares of Common Stock may then be listed, (iii) all other applicable laws, regulations, rules and orders which may then be in effect and (iv) obtaining any other consent, approval, or permit from any state or federal governmental agency which the Committee shall, in its sole discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable. The inability or impracticability of the Corporation to obtain or maintain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which authority is deemed by the Corporation'sCorporation’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful issuance, sale or delivery of any shares of Common Stock or credit DSUs in an Account hereunder, shall relieve the Corporation of any liability in respect of the failure to issue, sell or deliver such shares of Common Stock or credit DSUs in an Account as to which such requisite authority shall not have been obtained. If,


SECTION 11

Additional Rights in Certain Events

11.1 Definitions.

For purposes of this Section 11, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) The term “Person” shall be used as that term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the 1934 Act as in effect on the effective date of the Plan.

(2) “Beneficial Ownership” shall be determined as provided in Rule 13d-3 under the 1934 Act as in effect on the effective date of the Plan.

(3) “Voting Shares” shall mean all securities of a corporation entitling the holders thereof to vote in an annual election of Directors (without consideration of the rights of any class of stock other than the common stock of the corporation to elect directors by a separate class vote); and a specified percentage of “Voting Power” of a corporation shall mean such number of the Voting Shares as shall enable the holders thereof to cast such percentage of all the votes which could be cast in an annual election of directors (without consideration of the rights of any class of stock other than the common stock of a corporation to elect directors by a separate class vote).

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(4) “Section 11 Event” shall mean the date upon which any shares of Common Stock wouldthe following events occurs:

(a) The Corporation acquires actual knowledge that any Person other than the Corporation, a Subsidiary or any employee benefit plan(s) sponsored by the Corporation has acquired the Beneficial Ownership, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Corporation entitling such Person to 20% or more of the Voting Power of the Corporation;
(b) At any time less than 60% of the members of the Board of Directors (excluding vacant seats) shall be issued pursuant to a current stock payment under Section 3(a) hereof any DSUs or credited to an Account and after considerationindividuals who were either (i) Directors on the effective date of any shares of Common Stock subject to outstanding Equity Awards, sufficient shares of Common Stock are not available under the Plan or (ii) individuals whose election, or nomination for election, was approved by a vote (including a vote approving a merger or other agreement providing the membership of such individuals on the Board of Directors) of at least two-thirds of the Directors then still in office who were Directors on the effective date of the Plan or who were so approved (other than an individual whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board of Directors relating to the election of Directors which would be subject to Rule 14a-11 under the 1934 Act, or any successor rule, including by reason of any agreement intended to avoid or settle any such election contest or proxy contest);

(c) The consummation of a merger, consolidation, share exchange, division or sale or other disposition of assets of the Corporation isas a result of which the shareholders of the Corporation immediately prior to such transaction shall not obligated to issue shares pursuant to this Section 18, then no shareshold, directly or indirectly, immediately following such transaction, a majority of Common Stock shall be issued or DSUs credited but rather,the Voting Power of (i) in the case of a current stock payment under Section 3(a) hereof, cash shall be paid in payment ofmerger or consolidation, the Director Fees payable, andsurviving or resulting corporation, (ii) in the case of DSUs, Director Feesa share exchange, the acquiring corporation or (iii) in the case of a division or a sale or other disposition of assets, each surviving, resulting or acquiring corporation which, immediately following the transaction, holds more than 30% of the consolidated assets of the Corporation immediately prior to the transaction; or

(d) The commencement of any liquidation or dissolution of the Corporation (other than pursuant to any transfer of 70% or more of the consolidated assets of the Corporation to an entity or entities controlled by the Corporation and/or its shareholders following such liquidation or dissolution);

provided, however, that if securities beneficially owned by a Participant are included in determining the Beneficial Ownership of a Person referred to in paragraph 4(a) above, then no Section 11 Event with respect to such Participant shall be deemed to have occurred by reason of such event.

11.2 Acceleration of the Exercise Date of Stock Options and Meeting FeesStock Appreciation Rights. Subject to the provisions of Section 5 in the case of incentive stock options and Section 11.6, unless the agreement under Section 2.5 shall insteadotherwise provide, notwithstanding any other provision contained in the Plan, in case any Section 11 Event occurs all outstanding stock options and stock appreciation rights (other than those held by a Participant referred to in the proviso to Section 11.1(4)) shall become immediately and fully exercisable whether or not otherwise exercisable by their terms.

11.3 Extension of the Expiration Date of Stock Options and Stock Appreciation Rights. Subject to the provisions of Section 5 in the case of incentive stock options and Section 11.6, unless the agreement under Section 2.5 shall otherwise provide, notwithstanding any other provision contained in the Plan, all stock options and stock appreciation rights held by a Participant (other than those held by a Participant referred to in the proviso to Section 11.1(4)) whose employment with the Corporation or a Subsidiary terminates within one year of any Section 11 Event for any reason other than voluntary termination with the consent of the Corporation or a Subsidiary, retirement under any retirement plan of the Corporation or a Subsidiary
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or death shall be creditedexercisable for a period of three months from the date of such termination of employment, but in no event after the expiration date of the stock option or stock appreciation right.

11.4 Lapse of Restrictions on Restricted Stock Awards. Unless the agreement under Section 2.5 shall otherwise provide, notwithstanding any other provision contained in the Plan other than Section 11.6, if any Section 11 Event occurs prior to the scheduled lapse of all restrictions applicable to restricted stock Awards under the Plan (including but not limited to Qualified Performance-Based Awards), all such restrictions (other than those applicable to a Participant referred to in the proviso to Section 11.1(4)) shall lapse upon the occurrence of any such Section 11 Event regardless of the scheduled lapse of such restrictions.

11.5 Vesting of Restricted Stock Units and Performance Units. Unless the agreement under Section 2.5 shall otherwise provide, notwithstanding any other provision contained in the Plan other than Section 11.6, if any Section 11 Event occurs, all restricted stock units and performance units (including but not limited to Qualified Performance-Based Awards) (other than those held by a Participant referred to in the proviso to Section 11.1(4)) shall be considered to be earned and payable in full, any vesting conditions shall be considered to have been satisfied, and such restricted stock units and performance units shall be settled in cash as promptly as is practicable after the Section 11 Event.

11.6 Code Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Award is subject to a deferred cash compensation accountSection 409A of the Code, this Section 11 shall be applicable only to the extent specifically provided in the name ofagreement under Section 2.5 applicable to the Director. The Board shall adopt appropriate rulesAward and regulationspermitted pursuant to carry out the intent of the immediately preceding sentence if the need for such rules and regulations arises.Section 12.2.


SECTION 19
Governing Law; Integration12
(a)
Qualified Performance-Based Awards; Section 409A
Governing Law
12.1 Qualified Performance-Based Awards.

(a) The provisions of this Plan shallare intended to ensure that all options and stock appreciation rights granted hereunder to any Participant who is or may be construed, administered and governeda Covered Employee in the tax year in which any amount     attributable to such option or stock appreciation right is expected to be deductible to the Corporation qualify for the exemption from the limitation on deductions imposed by the lawsSection 162(m) of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania including its statute of limitations provisions, but without reference to conflicts of law principals. Titles of Sections of the Plan are for convenience of reference onlyCode (the “Section 162(m) Exemption”), and are not toall such Awards shall therefore be taken into account when construingconsidered Qualified Performance-Based Awards and interpreting the Plan. In case any provision of thethis Plan shall be held illegalinterpreted and operated consistent with that intention. When granting any Award other than an option or invalidstock appreciation right, the Committee may designate such Award as a Qualified Performance-Based Award, based upon a determination that (i) the recipient is or may be a Covered Employee with respect to such Award, and (ii) the Committee wishes such Award to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption, and the terms of any reason, such illegal or invalid provision shall not affect the remaining partsAward (and of the Plan, butgrant thereof) shall be consistent with such designation. With respect to Qualified Performance-Based Awards, within 90 days after the commencement of a performance period or, if earlier, by the expiration of 25% of a performance period, the Committee will designate one or more performance periods, determine the Participants for the performance periods and establish the Performance Goals for the performance periods.

(b) Each Qualified Performance-Based Award (other than an option or stock appreciation right) shall be earned, vested and/or payable (as applicable) upon certification in writing by the Committee of the achievement of one or more Performance Goals, together with the satisfaction of any other conditions, such as continued employment, as previously established by the Committee with respect to such Award.

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(c) Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan or in any agreement under Section 2.5, to the extent that any such provision or action of the Committee would cause any Qualified Performance-Based Award not to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption, such provision or action shall be construednull and enforced without regardvoid as it relates to such.Covered Employees, to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by the Committee.

(b)12.2 IntegrationCode Section 409A. The Plan contains allIt is the intention of the understandingsCorporation that no Award shall be “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code, unless and representations betweento the Corporation, its Subsidiariesextent that the Committee specifically determines otherwise as provided in the immediately following sentence, and the Plan and the terms and conditions of all Awards shall be interpreted accordingly. The terms and conditions governing any Awards that the Committee determines will be subject to Section 409A of the Code, including any rules for elective or mandatory deferral of the delivery of cash or shares of Common Stock pursuant thereto and any rules regarding treatment of such Awards in the event of a Section 11 Event, shall be set forth in the applicable agreement under Section 2.5, and shall comply in all respects with Section 409A of the Directors and supersedes any prior understandings and agreements entered into between them regarding the subject matter of the Plan. There are no representations, agreements, arrangements or understandings, oral or written, between the Corporation, its Subsidiaries and any of the Directors relating to the subject matter of the Plan which are not fully expressed in the Plan.Code.


SECTION 2013

Effect of the Plan on the Rights of CorporationEmployees and ShareholdersEmployer

Neither the adoption of the Plan nor any action of the Board or the Committee pursuant to the Plan shall be deemed to give any employee any right to be granted any Award under the Plan. Nothing in the Plan, or in any stock option, stock appreciation right or restricted share awardAward under the Plan or in any agreement under Section 2.5 providing for any ofAward under the foregoing or any amendment theretoPlan shall confer any right to any personemployee to continue as a Directorin the employ of the Corporation or any Subsidiary or interfere in any way with the rights of the shareholders of the Corporation or any Subsidiary to terminate the Board to elect and remove Directors.employment of any employee at any time or adjust the compensation of any employee at any time.


SECTION 2114

Amendment andor Termination
(a)
General.
The right to amend the Plan at any time and from time to time and the right to terminate the Plan at any time are hereby specifically reserved to the Board; provided that no such amendment of the Plan shall:
(i)be made without shareholder approval if shareholder approval of the amendment is at the time required by the rules of any stock exchange on which the Common Stock may then be listed; or
(ii)otherwise amend the Plan in any manner that would cause the shares of Common Stock issued or DSUs credited under the Plan not to qualify for the exemption from Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act provided by Rule 16b-3.
shall, without shareholder approval (a) increase the maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock for which Awards may be made under Section 4.1 of the Plan, (b) increase the maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock as to which incentive stock options may be granted under Section 4.1 of the Plan, (c) make any changes in the class of employees eligible to receive Awards under the Plan, (d) change the maximum number of shares of Common Stock as to which Awards may be made to any Participant under Section 4.2 of the Plan, or the maximum amount that may be paid or distributed to any Participant pursuant to a grant of performance units or other stock-based Awards made in any one calendar year under Section 8 or 9 of the Plan, respectively, (e) change the exercise price or Base Price permitted under Section 5.3 of the Plan or the restrictions regarding repricing under Section 5.3 of the Plan, (f) be made if shareholder approval of the amendment is at the time required for Awards under the Plan to qualify for the exemption from Section 16(b) of the 1934 Act provided by Rule 16b-3 or by the rules of any stock exchange on which the Common Stock may then be listed or (g) be made to the extent such approval is needed for Qualified Performance-Based Awards to qualify for the Section 162(m) Exemption. No amendment or termination of the Plan shall, without the written consent of the holder of shares of Common Stock issued or credited under the Plan or the holder of an Equity Award theretofore granted or awarded under the Plan, adversely affect the rights of such holder with respect thereto.
(b)

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SECTION 15

General Provisions

15.1 Rule 16b-3Additional Compensation Arrangements. Notwithstanding anythingNothing contained in the preceding paragraphPlan shall prevent the Corporation or any Subsidiary from adopting other provisionor additional compensation arrangements for its employees.
15.2 Tax Withholding. No later than the date as of which an amount first becomes includible in the Plan, the Board shall have the powergross income of a Participant for federal, state, local or foreign income or employment or other tax purposes with respect to amend the Plan in any manner deemed necessary or advisable for shares of Common Stock issued or DSUs creditedAward under the Plan, such Participant shall pay to qualify for the exemption providedCorporation (or, if applicable, a Subsidiary), or make arrangements satisfactory to the Corporation (or, if applicable, a Subsidiary) regarding the payment of, any federal, state, local or foreign taxes of any kind required by Rule 16b-3 (or any successor rule relatinglaw to exemption from Section 16(b)be withheld with respect to such amount. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee, withholding obligations may be settled with Common Stock, including Common Stock that is part of the 1934 Act), and any such amendment shall,Award that gives rise to the extent deemed necessary or advisablewithholding requirement, having a Fair Market Value on the date of withholding equal to the minimum amount (and not any greater amount unless otherwise determined by the Board,Committee) required to be applicablewithheld for tax purposes, all in accordance with such procedures as the Committee establishes, and provided that any fractional share amount must be paid in cash or withheld from compensation otherwise due to any outstanding shares of Common Stock theretofore issued or credited under the Plan.




(c)Termination Date. Notwithstanding any other provisionParticipant. The obligations of the Plan:
(i)no shares of Common Stock shall be issued or DSUs credited on a Payment Date under the Plan after March 31, 2024;
(ii)no shares of Common Stock shall be credited with respect to Meeting Fees payable under the Plan after March 31, 2024;
(iii)no stock option or stock appreciation right shall be granted under the Plan after March 31, 2024; and
(iv)no RSAs or vesting after March 31, 2024 of RSAs or RSUs shall be awarded under the Plan after March 31, 2024;
provided, however, that the preceding provisions of this Section 21(c) shall not preclude the issuance of shares of Common Stock under the Plan in payment of the balance of a Director's Account or upon the exercise after March 31, 2024 of a stock option or stock appreciation right or vesting after March 31, 2024 of RSAs or RSUs.
SECTION 22
Unsecured Creditor
The Plan constitutes a mere promise by the Corporation to make benefit payments in the future. The Corporation's obligations under the Plan shall be unfundedconditional on such payment or arrangements, and unsecured promises to pay. Any amount payable under the Plan shall be established and maintained only on the books and records of the Corporation. The Corporation and its Subsidiaries shall, not be obligated under any circumstance to fund the Corporation's financial obligations under the Plan and no assets or funds of the Corporation, any Subsidiary, or the Plan shall be removed from the claims of the Corporation's general or judgment creditors or otherwise made available until such amounts are actually paid to a Director as provided herein. Any of them may, in its sole discretion, set aside funds in a trust or other vehicle, subject to the claims of its creditors, in order to assist it in meeting its obligations underextent permitted by law, have the Plan, if such arrangement will not cause the Plan to be considered a funded deferred compensation plan. To the extent that any Director or Director's Beneficiary or other person acquires a right to receive payments underdeduct any such taxes from any payment otherwise due to such Participant. The Committee may establish such procedures as it deems appropriate, including making irrevocable elections, for the Plan, such right shall be no greater than the right, and each Director and Director's Beneficiary shall at all times have the status,settlement of a general unsecured creditor of the Corporation.withholding obligations with Common Stock.
SECTION 23
15.3 Limitation of Liability. The grant of any Award shall not:
Any grant or award under the Plan shall not
(a) give a Director or Director's BeneficiaryParticipant any rights except as expressly set forth in the Plan andor in any such grant or award orthe agreement under Section 2.5;

(b) create (i) any fiduciary or other obligation of the Corporation or any Subsidiary to take any action or provide to the Director or Director's BeneficiaryParticipant any assistance or dedicate or permit the use of any assets of the Corporation or any Subsidiary inthat would permit the Participant to be able to attain any manner; (ii)Performance Goals associated with any Award;

(c) create any trust, fiduciary or other duty or obligation of the Corporation or any Subsidiary to engage in any particular business, continue to engage in any particular business, engage in any particular business practices or sell any particular product or products; or (iii)

(d) create any obligation of the Corporation or any Subsidiary that shall be greater than the obligation of the Corporation or that Subsidiary to any of itstheir general unsecured creditors.
SECTION 24
15.4 Limitation on Dividend Reinvestment and Dividend Equivalents. Reinvestment of dividends in additional restricted stock at the time of any dividend payment, and the payment of shares with respect to dividends to Participants holding Awards of restricted stock units, shall only be permissible if authorized by the Committee and if sufficient shares of Common Stock are available under Section 4 for such reinvestment or payment (taking into account then outstanding Awards). In the event that sufficient shares of Common Stock are not available for such reinvestment or payment, such reinvestment or payment shall be made in the form of a grant of restricted stock units equal in number to the shares of Common Stock that would have been obtained by such payment or reinvestment, the terms of which restricted stock units shall provide for settlement in cash and for dividend equivalent reinvestment in further restricted stock units on the terms contemplated by this Section 15.4.

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15.5 Governing Law and Interpretation. To the extent not preempted by federal law, the Plan and all Awards made and actions taken thereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, without reference to principles of conflict of laws. The captions of this Plan are not part of the provisions hereof and shall have no force or effect.

15.6 Dispute Resolution
. Since feesAwards are paid and grants or awards are made under the Plangranted in Western Pennsylvania, records relating to the Plan and fees, grants or awards thereunderAwards are located in Western Pennsylvania, and the Plan and fees, grants or awardsAwards are administered in Western Pennsylvania, the Corporation and the Director participating in the Plan,Participant to whom an Award is granted, for themselves and their heirs, representatives, successors and assigns (collectively, the "Parties"“Parties”) irrevocably submit to the exclusive and sole jurisdiction and venue of the state courts of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania and the federal courts of the Western District of Pennsylvania with respect to any and

all disputes arising out of or relating to the Plan, the subject matter of the Plan or fees, grants or awardsany Awards under the Plan, including but not limited to any disputes arising out of or relating to the interpretation and enforceability of any fees, grants or awardsAwards or the terms and conditions of the Plan. To achieve certainty regarding the appropriate forum in which to prosecute and defend actions arising out of or relating to the Plan, and to ensure consistency in application and interpretation of the governing law under Section 1915.5 of the Plan, the Parties agree that (a) sole and exclusive appropriate venue for any such action shall be the Pennsylvania courts described in the immediately preceding sentence, and no other, (b) all claims with respect to any such action shall be heard and determined exclusively in such Pennsylvania courts, and no other, (c) such Pennsylvania courts shall have sole and exclusive jurisdiction over the Parties and over the subject matter of any dispute relating hereto and (d) the Parties waive any and all objections and defenses to bringing any such action before such Pennsylvania courts, including but not limited to those relating to lack of personal jurisdiction, improper venue or forum non conveniens.
SECTION 25
Non-Uniform Determinations
The Committee's determinations15.7 Non-Transferability. Except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan or by the Committee and limited to a transfer without the payment of value or consideration to the Participant, Awards under the Plan are not transferable except by will or by laws of descent and distribution of the state of domicile of the Participant at the time of death.

15.8 Deferrals. The Committee shall be authorized to establish procedures pursuant to which the payment of any Award may be deferred, provided that any such deferral is consistent with all aspects of Section 409A of the Code. Subject to the provisions of this Plan and any agreement under Section 2.5, the recipient of an Award (including, without limitation, any deferred Award) may, if so determined by the Committee, be entitled to receive, currently or on a deferred basis, interest or dividends, or interest or dividend equivalents, with respect to the number of shares covered by the Award, as determined by the Committee, in its determinationssole discretion, and the Committee may provide that such amounts (if any) shall be deemed to have been reinvested in additional shares or otherwise reinvested; provided, however, that in no event shall interest, dividends or dividend equivalents be paid on any unearned Awards until such Awards have vested.

15.9 Integration. The Plan and any written agreements executed by Participants and the Corporation under Section 2.5 contain all of the grantsunderstandings and awardsrepresentations between the parties and supersede any prior understandings and agreements entered into between them regarding the subject matter within. There are no representations, agreements, arrangements or understandings, oral or written, between the parties relating to the subject matter of the Plan which are not fully expressed in the Plan and the written agreements.

15.10 Foreign Employees and Foreign Law Considerations. The Committee may grant Awards to eligible employees who are foreign nationals, who are located outside the United States of America or who are not compensated from a payroll maintained in the United States of America, or who are otherwise subject to (or could cause the Corporation to be subject to) legal or regulatory provisions of countries or jurisdictions
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outside the United States of America, on such terms and conditions different from those specified in the Plan as may, in the judgment of the Committee, be necessary or desirable to foster and promote achievement of the purposes of the Plan, and, in furtherance of such purposes, the Committee may make such modifications, amendments, procedures, or subplans as may be necessary or advisable to comply with such legal or regulatory provisions.

15.11 Certain Restrictions on Awards. Subject to the terms of the Plan and more restrictive terms, if any, of the applicable agreement under Section 10,2.5, (a) any Award of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units, or other stock-based Awards under Section 9 shall be subject to vesting during a restriction period of at least three (3) years following the form, amountdate of grant and timing(b) any Award of such grantsoptions and awards andstock appreciation rights under Section 5 shall be subject to vesting during a restriction period of at least one (1) year following the terms and provisionsdate of such grants and awards)grant, provided, however, that:

(i) With respect to any Award of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units, or other stock-based Awards under Section 9, a restriction period of only at least one (1) year following the date of grant is permissible if vesting is conditional, in whole or in part, upon the achievement of Performance Goals, except that there need not be uniformany minimum restriction period for a Performance Goal based upon stock price if there is also a service-based restriction of at least one (1) year following the date of grant;

(ii) To the extent permitted by the Committee, in its sole discretion, and specified in the applicable agreement under Section 2.5, an Award of restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units, or other stock-based Awards under Section 9 with a restriction period of at least three (3) years may first vest in part upon completion of one year of service measured from the vesting commencement date of the Award and thereafter on a pro rata basis over the remainder of any such restriction period;

(iii) To the extent permitted by the Committee, in its sole discretion, and specified in the applicable agreement under Section 2.5, an Award may vest prior to the expiration of any restriction period required under this Section 15.11 in the event of a Participant’s death or retirement, the Participant becoming a Disabled Participant, or an involuntary termination of the Participant’s employment by the Corporation or a Subsidiary;


(iv) In the event of the occurrence of a Section 11 Event, an Award may vest prior to the expiration of any restriction period required under this Section 15.11 pursuant to Section 11.4 or Section 11.5 or as otherwise permitted by the Committee, in its sole discretion, and specified in the applicable agreement under Section 2.5; and

(v) The Committee may grant Awards without regard to the foregoing requirements, and the Committee may accelerate the vesting of and lapse any restrictions with respect to, any such Awards (in addition to the potential acceleration under (ii)-(iv) of the foregoing), for up to, collectively for all such Awards, five percent (5%) of the shares of Common Stock for which Awards may be made by it selectively among Directors who receive, or are eligible to receive, grants and awardsunder Section 4.1 of the Plan, as adjusted under the Plan, whetherterms of the Plan.

15.12 Other Benefit Plans. All Awards shall constitute a special incentive payment to the Participant and shall not be taken into account in computing the amount of salary or notcompensation of the Participant for the purpose of determining any benefit under any pension, retirement, profit sharing, bonus, life insurance or other benefit plan of the Corporation or any Subsidiary or under any agreement between the Corporation or any Subsidiary and the Participant, unless such persons are similarly situated.plan or agreement specifically provides otherwise.
SECTION 26
Indemnification
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15.13 Indemnification. Subject to the requirements of Pennsylvania state law, each individual who is or shall have been a member of the Board, or a Committee appointed by the Committee,Board, or an officer of the Corporation to whom authority was delegated in accordance with Section 16,2.1, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation against and from any loss, cost, liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by reason of any action taken or failure to act under this Plan and against and from any and all amounts paid by him or her in settlement thereof, with the Corporation'sCorporation’s approval, or paid by him or her in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her, provided he or she shall give the Corporation an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his/her own behalf, unless such loss, cost, liability, or expense is a result of his/her own willful misconduct or except as expressly provided by statute. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of indemnification to which such individuals may be entitled under the Corporation'sCorporation’s Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any power that the Corporation may have to indemnify them or hold them harmless.
SECTION 27
15.14 No Representations or Covenants With Respect to Tax Qualification
. Although the Corporation may endeavor to (i) qualify the payment of fees or a grant or awardan Award for favorable United States or foreign tax treatment (e.g., incentive stock options under Section 422 of the Code) or (ii) avoid adverse tax treatment (e.g., under Section 409A of the Code), the Corporation makes no representation to that effect and expressly disavows any covenant to maintain favorable or avoid unfavorable tax treatment. The Corporation shall be unconstrained in its corporate activities without regard to anythe potential negative tax impact to Directorson holders of Awards under the Plan.

SECTION 28
15.15 Compliance With Laws
. Without limitation payment of fees or a grant or award underSection 10, the Plangranting of Awards and anythe issuance of shares of Common Stock under the Plan shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies or stock exchanges on which the Corporation is listed as may be required.


SECTION 2916

Effective Date and Duration of Plan

The effective date and date of adoption of the original Plan was November 15, 2018,(as amended and restated) shall be the date of adoption of the Plan (as amended and restated) by the Board (the “Adoption Date”), provided that on or prior to November 15, 2019 such adoption of the Plan by the Board was(as amended and restated) is approved by the affirmative vote of holders of record of a majority of the sharesvotes cast at a meeting of voting stockshareholders duly called, convened and held prior to the anniversary of the Adoption Date (the day prior to such anniversary, the “Forfeiture Date”), at which a quorum representing a majority of the outstanding Voting Shares of the Corporation representedis, either in person or by proxy, present and entitledvoting on the Plan. Except with respect to vote at a duly called1,700,000 shares of Common Stock initially reserved under the Plan and convened meetingsubject to Awards granted prior to, on or following the Adoption Date, no stock option or stock appreciation right granted under the Plan on or after the Adoption Date may be exercised until after such approval and any restricted stock, restricted stock units, performance units or other Award awarded under the Plan shall be forfeited to the Corporation on the Forfeiture Date if such approval has not been obtained on or prior to that date. No Award under the Plan may be made subsequent to the day prior to the ten-year anniversary of the Adoption Date, but Awards granted prior to such holders at which a quorum is present.date may extend beyond such date.

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Exhibit B


This proxy is solicited from you by the Board of Directors for use at the Annual Meeting of the Shareholders of Matthews International Corporation on February 21, 2019.17, 2022.

PROXY - MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

Notice of:
20192022 ANNUAL MEETING OF THE SHAREHOLDERS
To be held on February 21, 201917, 2022


Virtually via live webcast
Hotel CovingtonMeeting Link - www.meetnow.global/M6KTJFA
638 Madison Avenue
Covington, KY 41011

The Annual Meeting of the Shareholders of Matthews International Corporation (the “2019“2022 Annual Meeting”) will be held at 9:00 AM (EST), Thursday, February 21, 201917, 2022 virtually via a live webcast at Hotel Covington, 638 Madison Avenue, Covington, Kentucky 41011,www.meetnow.global/M6KTJFA, for the purpose of considering and acting upon the the proposals set forth on the reverse side of this form.

Shareholders of record at the close of business on December 31, 20182021 will be entitled to vote at the 20192022 Annual Meeting or any adjournments thereof.

The undersigned hereby appoints Joseph C. Bartolacci and Steven F. Nicola and each of them, with full power of substitution and revocation, as proxies to vote all shares of Common Stock of Matthews International Corporation (the “Company”) which the undersigned is entitled to vote at the 20192022 Annual Meeting of the Shareholders or any adjournment thereof, with the authority to vote as designated on the reverse side.

THE SHARES REPRESENTED BY THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED AS INSTRUCTED BY YOU ON THE REVERSE SIDE OF THIS CARD WITH RESPECT TO THE PROPOSALS SET FORTH IN THE PROXY STATEMENT, AND IN THE DISCRETION OF THE PROXIES ON ALL OTHER MATTERS WHICH MAY PROPERLY COME BEFORE THE 20192022 ANNUAL MEETING AND ANY ADJOURNMENT THEREOF. IF NO DIRECTION IS MADE, THIS PROXY WILL BE VOTED FOR ALL THE NOMINEES AND FOR PROPOSALS 2, 3 AND 4 IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.

PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND RETURN THIS PROXY CARD PROMPTLY
USING THE ENCLOSED PREPAID ENVELOPE.

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Continued and to be signed on reverse side



C. Non-Voting Items

Change of Address - Please print new address below


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ANNUAL MEETING PROXY CARD

A. Proposals – The Board of Directors recommends a vote FOR all the nominees and FOR Proposals 2, 3 and 4.
1.Election of Directorsthree (3) directors of the Company for a term of three (3) years:
FORWITHHOLD
01 -Terry L. Dunlap (three year term)[ ][ ]
02 -Alvaro Garcia-Tunon (three year term)[ ][ ]
03 -John D. Turner (three year term)[ ][ ]
04 -Jerry R. Whitaker (three year term)[ ][ ]
FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
2.Approve the adoption of the 2019 Director FeeAmended and Restated 2017 Equity Incentive Plan[ ][ ][ ]
FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
3.Ratify the appointment of Ernst & Young LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm to audit the records of the Company for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019.2022.[ ][ ][ ]
FORAGAINSTABSTAIN
4.Provide an advisory (non-binding) vote on the executive compensation of the Company’s named executive officers.[ ][ ][ ]


B. Non-Voting Items
Change of Address - Please print new address belowMeeting Attendance
Mark box to the right if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting[ ]
C. Authorized Signatures – This section must be completed for your instructionsvote to be executed. – Datecount. Please date and Sign Belowsign below
Please sign exactly as name appears hereon. When shares are held by joint tenants, both should sign. When signing as an attorney, executor, administrator, trustee, or guardian, please give full title as such. If a corporation, please sign in full corporate name by President or other authorized officer. If a partnership, please sign in partnership name by authorized person.

Date (mm/dd/yyyy): ______________
Signature 1 - Please keep signature within the boxSignature 2 - Please keep signature within the box

Date (mm/dd/yyyy): ______________



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