UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Filed by the Registrant [X]

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant [  ]

 

Check the appropriate box:

 

 [  ]Preliminary Proxy Statement
   
 [  ]Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
 
[X]Definitive Proxy Statement
   
 [  ]Definitive Additional Materials
   
 [  ]Soliciting Material Pursuant to Rule Sec.240.14a-12§240.14a-12

 

U.S. GOLD CORP.

(Name of Registrant as Specified Inin Its Charter)

 

N/A

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

 

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U.S. GOLD CORP.

777 Alexander Road

Princeton, NJ 08543

(609) 799-0071

Dear Shareholder,

You are cordially invited to attend the 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of U.S. Gold Corp. to be held at 10:00 a.m. (local time) on July 31, 2017, at the office of Sichenzia Ross Ference Kesner LLP, 61 Broadway, 32ndFloor, New York, NY 10006. The attached notice of Annual Meeting and proxy statement describe the matters to be presented at the Annual Meeting and provide information about us that you should consider when you vote your shares.

The principal business of the meeting will be (i) to elect as directors the nominees named in this proxy statement to serve until 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and until their successors are duly elected and qualified, (ii) to ratify the appointment of Marcum LLP as our independent public accountant for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2018, (iii) to advise us as to whether you approve the compensation of our named executive officers (Say-on-Pay), (iv) to approve the Company’s 2017 Equity Incentive Plan and the reservation of 1,650,000 shares of common stock for issuance thereunder and (v) to transact such other business as may be properly brought before the Annual Meeting and any adjournments thereof.

We hope you will be able to attend the Annual Meeting. Whether you plan to attend the Annual Meeting or not, it is important that your shares are represented. Therefore, when you have finished reading the proxy statement, you are urged to complete, sign, date and return the enclosed proxy card promptly in accordance with the instructions set forth on the card. This will ensure your proper representation at the Annual Meeting, whether or not you can attend.

Sincerely,
Edward M. Karr

President and Chief Executive Officer, Director

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YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT.

PLEASE RETURN YOUR PROXY PROMPTLY.October 26, 2022

 

U.S. GOLD CORP.

777 Alexander Road1910 East Idaho Street, Suite 102-Box 604,

Princeton, NJ 08543Elko, Nevada 89801

(609) 799-0071(800) 557-4550

 

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERSSTOCKHOLDERS

To be Held July 31, 2017TO BE HELD December 16, 2022

 

To the ShareholdersStockholders of U.S. Gold Corp.:

 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the 20172022 Annual Meeting of ShareholdersStockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of U.S. Gold Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Company”), will be held at 10:9:00 a.m. (local time)Mountain Time on July 31, 2017,December 16, 2022, or such later date and time as such Annual Meeting date may be adjourned, in a virtual format only via live website at www.usgold.vote. The Annual Meeting will be held for the following purposes:

1.To elect the six (6) nominees named in this proxy statement to serve on the Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”) until the 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders or until their successors are duly elected and qualified (the “Election of Directors Proposal”).
2.To ratify the appointment of Marcum LLP as our independent registered public accountant for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2023 (the “Auditor Ratification Proposal”).
3.To approve, by a non-binding advisory vote, the compensation of our named executive officers, as described in this proxy statement (the “Say-on-Pay Proposal”).
4.To approve an amendment to the Company’s 2020 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan Proposal”).

In addition, stockholders may be asked to consider and vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. Stockholders are referred to the proxy statement for more detailed information with respect to the matters to be considered at the Annual Meeting. The Board of Directors recommends a vote “FOR” Proposals 1, 2, 3 and 4.

In light of public health concerns regarding the coronavirus outbreak, this year’s Annual Meeting will be conducted in a virtual format only in order to assist in protecting the health and well-being of our stockholders and employees and to provide access to our stockholders regardless of geographic location. Stockholders will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in person; however, stockholders of record will be able to participate, vote electronically and submit questions during the live website of the Annual Meeting by visiting www.usgold.vote and entering the control number found on the voting form. If you encounter any difficulties accessing the virtual Annual Meeting, please call the technical support number available on the virtual meeting page on the morning of the Annual Meeting.

Our Board has set October 25, 2022, as the record date for the Annual Meeting and any adjournment(s) or postponement(s) thereof. Only stockholders of record as of the close of business on October 25, 2022, are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting. This Notice of Annual Meeting of Stockholders and related proxy materials are first being distributed or made available to stockholders beginning on or about October 26, 2022.

Your vote is important. Please read the proxy statement and the instructions on the proxy card and then, whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, and no matter how many shares you own, please submit your proxy promptly by telephone or via the Internet, or by completing, dating and returning your proxy card in the envelope provided. This will not prevent you from voting at the Annual Meeting. It will, however, help to assure a quorum and to avoid added proxy solicitation costs.

You may revoke your proxy at any time before the vote is taken by delivering to the office of the Corporate Secretary of U.S. Gold Corp. a written revocation or a proxy with a later date (including a proxy by telephone or via the Internet) or by voting your shares virtually at the Annual Meeting, in which case your prior proxy would be disregarded.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
/s/ Eric Alexander
Eric Alexander
Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary
October 26, 2022

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING1
PROPOSALS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AT 2022 ANNUAL MEETING9
ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K9
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT10
PROPOSAL 1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS PROPOSAL12
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE16
General16
Code of Ethics and Business Conduct and Whistleblower Policy16
Board Composition16
Independence of Directors16
Board Leadership Structure17
Director Attendance at Board, Committee, and Other Meetings17
Board of Directors Role in Risk Oversight18
Committees of the Board18
Consideration of Director Nominees20
Report of the Audit Committee21
Communications with the Board of Directors21
Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports21
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION22
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS23
Summary Compensation Table23
Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table25
Equity Compensation Plan Information25
Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End26
Compensation and Risk27
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE28
PROPOSAL 2: AUDITOR RATIFICATION PROPOSAL30
Audit Committee Pre-approval Policies and Procedures30
No Appraisal Rights31
Vote Required31
PROPOSAL 3: Say-on-Pay PROPOSAL32
Vote Required32
PROPOSAL 4: PLAN AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT PROPOSAL33
Background and Purpose33
Summary of the Proposed Changes in the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan33
Key Features of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan34
Description of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Incentive Plan34
Federal Income Tax Consequences38
Interest of Directors and Executive Officers41
New Plan Benefits41
Vote Required41
OTHER MATTERS42

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PROXY STATEMENT

FOR THE

ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

U.S. GOLD CORP.

1910 East Idaho Street, Suite 102-Box 604,

Elko, Nevada 89801

(800) 557-4550

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING

The Board of Directors (the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”) of U.S. Gold Corp. is soliciting the enclosed proxy for use at the 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders (referred to herein as the “Annual Meeting”) to be conducted in a virtual format only via live website at www.usgold.vote on Friday, December 16, 2022, at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Time, or such later date or dates as such Annual Meeting date may be adjourned, at the office of Sichenzia Ross Ference Kesner LLP, 61 Broadway, 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10006, for the purpose of considering and taking action on the following proposals:adjourned.

 

1.Elect as directors the nominees named in the proxy statement;
2.To ratify the appointment ofMarcum LLPas our independent public accountant for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2018;
3.To advise us as to whether you approve the compensation of our named executive officers (Say-on-Pay);
4.To approve the Company’s 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, including the reservation of 1,650,000 shares of common stock thereunder; and
5.To transact such other business as may be properly brought before the Annual Meeting and any adjournments thereof.

The foregoing business items are more fully describedIn light of public health concerns regarding the coronavirus (“COVID-19”) outbreak, this year’s Annual Meeting will be conducted in a virtual format only in order to assist in protecting the following pages, which are made parthealth and well-being of this notice.our stockholders and employees and to provide access to our stockholders regardless of geographic location. Stockholders will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting in person; however, stockholders of record will be able to participate, vote electronically and submit questions during the Annual Meeting.

 

The Board recommends that you voteThis proxy statement is furnished to holders of our common stock as follows:

FOR” for the election of the Board nominees as directors;
FOR” ratification of the selection ofMarcum LLPas our independent public accountant for our fiscal year ending April 30, 2018;
FOR” the compensation of our named executive officers as set forth in this proxy statement; and
FOR” approval of the Company’s 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, including the reservation of 1,650,000 shares of common stock thereunder

You may vote if you were the record ownerdate as part of the Company’s common stock at the closesolicitation of business on July 10, 2017. Theproxies by our Board of Directors ofin connection with the Companyproposals to be presented at the Annual Meeting. Our Board has fixed the close of business on July 10, 2017set October 25, 2022, as the record date (the “Record Date”) for. Only holders of our common stock as of the determinationclose of shareholdersbusiness on October 25, 2022 are entitled to notice of, and to vote at, the Annual Meeting and at any adjournments thereof.

Meeting. As of the Record Date, there were 11,029,2708,348,136 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding. Each share of common stock outstanding entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. The foregoing shares are referred to herein as the “Shares,” holders of the Shares are entitled tohas one vote for each Share held. A list of shareholders of record will be available at the meeting and, during the 10 days prior to the meeting, at the office of the Secretary of the Company at 777 Alexander Road, Princeton, NJ 08543.

All shareholders are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting. Whether you plan to attend the Annual Meeting or not, you are requested to complete, sign, date and return the enclosed proxy card as soon as possible in accordance with the instructions on the proxy card. A pre-addressed, postage prepaid return envelope is enclosed for your convenience.

By Order of the Board of Directors of U.S. Gold Corporation,

Sincerely,

Edward M. Karr

President and Chief Executive Officer, Director

YOUR VOTE AT THE SPECIAL MEETING IS IMPORTANT

Your vote is important. Please vote as promptly as possible even if you plan to attend the Meeting.

For information on how to vote your shares, please see the instruction from your broker or other fiduciary, as applicable, as well as “Information About the Meeting and Voting” in the proxy statement accompanying this notice.

We encourage you to vote by completing, signing, and dating the proxy card, and returning it in the enclosed envelope.

If you have questions about voting your shares, please contact our Corporate Secretary at U.S. Gold Corp, at 777 Alexander Road, Suite 100, Princeton, NJ 08540, telephone number (609) 799-0071.

If you decide to change your vote, you may revoke your proxy in the manner described in the attached proxy statement/prospectus at any time before it is voted.

We urge you to review the accompanying materials carefully and to vote as promptly as possible. Note that we have enclosed with this notice a proxy statement/prospectus.

THE PROXY STATEMENT IS AVAILABLE AT:http://equitystock.com/issuers/

By Order of the Board of Directors,

Sincerely,

Edward M. Karr

President and Chief Executive Officer, Director

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting OF SHAREHOLDERS to Be Held onJuly 31,2017 at10:00A.M. EDT.

The Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and our Proxy Statement are available at:

http://equitystock.com/issuers/

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REFERENCES TO ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This proxy statement incorporates important business and financial information about U.S. Gold Corp. that is not included in or delivered with this document. You may obtain this information without charge through the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) website (www.sec.gov) or upon your written or oral request by contacting the Chief Executive Officer of U.S. Gold Corp., 777 Alexander Road, Suite 100, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 or by calling (609) 799-0071.

To ensure timely delivery of these documents, any request should be made no later than July 20, 2017 to receive them before the annual meeting.

For additional details about where you can find information about U.S. Gold Corp., please see the section entitled “Where You Can Find More Information” in this proxy statement.

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Table of Contents

Page
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING8
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT12
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS13
MANAGEMENT AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE15
CORPORATE CODE OF CONDUCT AND ETHICS20
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION21
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS25
RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS26
ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS28
APPROVAL OF THE COMPANY’S 2017 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN AND THE RESERVATION OF 1,650,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK FOR ISSUANCE THEREUNDER29
OTHER MATTERS35

U.S. GOLD CORP.

777 Alexander Road

Princeton, NJ 08543

(609) 799-0071

FOR U.S. GOLD CORP.

2017 ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON JULY 31, 2017

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING

This proxy statement, along with the accompanying notice of the 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, contains information about the 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of U.S. Gold Corp., including any adjournments or postponements thereof (referred to herein as the “Annual Meeting”). We are holding the Annual Meeting at 10:00 a.m. (local time) on July 31, 2017, at the office of Sichenzia Ross Ference Kesner LLP, 61 Broadway, 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10006, or such later date or dates as such Annual Meeting date may be adjourned. For directions to the meeting, please call (609) 799-0071.

vote. In this proxy statement, we refer to U.S. Gold Corp. as “USG,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our.”

 

Why Did You Send Me This Proxy Statement?The executive offices of the Company are located at, and the mailing address of the Company is 1910 East Idaho Street, Suite 102-Box 604, Elko, Nevada 89801.

 

We sent you this proxy statement in connection with the solicitationIMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR THE

STOCKHOLDER MEETING TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 16, 2022, AT 9:00 A.M. MOUNTAIN TIME

As permitted by the Board of Directors“Notice and Access” rules of the Company (referred to herein asU.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the “Board of Directors” or the “Board”) of proxies, in the accompanying form, to be used at the Annual Meeting to be held at 10:00 a.m. (local time) on July 31, 2017, at the office of Sichenzia Ross Ference Kesner LLP, 61 Broadway, 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10006 and any adjournments thereof. This proxy statement along with the accompanying Notice of Annual Stockholder Meeting, of Shareholders summarizes the purposesour proxy statement, a form of the Annual Meetingproxy card and the information you need to know to vote at the Annual Meeting.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Shareholder Meeting to Be Held on July 31, 2017: The proxy statement andour annual report to security holders are available at www.usgold.gold.

This proxy statement, the accompanying proxy and, though not part of this proxy statement, our 2016 Annual Report, which includes our financial statementson Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2016,2022 (the “Annual Report”) are being mailedavailable online at: www.usgold.vote.

This proxy statement and the accompanying form of proxy are dated October 26, 2022. On or about October 28, 2022, we commenced mailing to our stockholders a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials (the “Notice of Internet Availability”) that contains instructions on how stockholders may access and review all of the proxy materials and how to vote. Also, on or about July 14, 2017October 28, 2022, we began mailing printed copies of the proxy materials to all shareholdersstockholders that previously requested printed copies. If you received a Notice of Internet Availability by mail, you will not receive a printed copy of the proxy materials in the mail unless you request a copy. If you received a Notice of Internet Availability by mail and would like to receive a printed copy of our proxy materials, you should follow the instructions for requesting such materials included in the Notice of Internet Availability.

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Information About the Annual Meeting and Voting

Why am I receiving these proxy materials?

The Board of Directors of the Company is asking for your proxy for use at the 2022 Annual Meeting to be conducted in a virtual format only via live webcast at www.usgold.vote on December 16, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. Mountain Time, and at any adjournment or postponement of the Annual Meeting. As a stockholder, you are invited to attend the virtual Annual Meeting and are entitled to noticeand requested to vote on the items of business described in this proxy statement.

This proxy statement is furnished to stockholders of U.S. Gold Corp., a Nevada corporation, in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors on behalf of the Company for use at the Annual Meeting.

Why did I receive a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials instead of paper copies of the proxy materials?

We are using the SEC’s Notice and Access model (“Notice and Access”), which allows us to deliver proxy materials over the Internet, as the primary means of furnishing proxy materials. We believe Notice and Access provides stockholders with a convenient method to access the proxy materials and vote, while allowing us to conserve natural resources and reduce the costs of printing and distributing the proxy materials. On or about October 28, 2022, we began mailing to stockholders a Notice of Internet Availability containing instructions on how to access our proxy materials on the Internet and how to vote online. The Notice of Internet Availability is not a proxy card and cannot be used to vote your shares. If you received a Notice of Internet Availability this year, you will not receive paper copies of the proxy materials unless you request the materials by following the instructions on the Notice of Internet Availability.

What should I do if I receive more than one set of voting materials?

You may receive more than one Notice of Internet Availability (or, if you requested a printed copy of the proxy materials, this proxy statement and the proxy card) or voting instruction card. For example, if you hold your shares in more than one brokerage account, you will receive a separate voting instruction card for each brokerage account in which you hold shares. Similarly, if you are a stockholder of record and hold shares in a brokerage account, you will receive a Notice of Internet Availability (or, if you requested a printed copy of the proxy materials, a proxy card) for shares held in your name and a voting instruction card for shares held in “street name.” Please follow the separate voting instructions that you received for your shares of common stock held in each of your different accounts to ensure that all of your shares are voted.

Who is soliciting my vote?

The Board of Directors is soliciting your vote on behalf of the Company. Our officers, directors, and employees may also solicit proxies personally or in writing, by telephone, e-mail, or otherwise. These officers and employees will not receive additional compensation but will be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees, and fiduciaries, in connection with shares registered in their names, will be asked to forward solicitation material to the beneficial owners of such shares. We will reimburse brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees, and fiduciaries for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses for forwarding solicitation materials and collecting voting instructions.

When were the solicitation materials first given to stockholders?

This proxy statement and the accompanying form of proxy are dated October 26, 2022. We expect to commence mailing to our stockholders a Notice of Internet Availability indicating that this proxy statement, a proxy card, and our 2022 Annual Report are available on or about October 28, 2022.

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How Does The Board Recommend That I Vote On The Proposals?

The Board recommends that you vote as follows:

FOR” the Election of Directors Proposal;
FOR” the Auditor Ratification Proposal;
FOR” the Say-on-Pay Proposal; and
FOR” the Plan Amendment and Restatement Proposal.

If any other matter is presented, the proxy card provides that your shares will be voted by the proxy holder listed on the proxy card in accordance with his or her best judgment. At the time this proxy statement was published, we knew of no matters that needed to be acted on at the Annual Meeting, other than those discussed in this proxy statement.

Who is entitled to vote at the meeting. You can also find a copy of our 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K onmeeting, what is the Internet through the Securities“record date”, and Exchange Commission’s electronic data system called EDGAR atwww.sec.gov or through the “Investors” section of our website atwww.usgoldcorp.gold.how many votes do they have?

 

Who Can Vote?

Shareholders who owned USGHolders of record of our common stock at the close of business on July 10, 2017 (the “Record Date”), areOctober 25, 2022 will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. Onmeeting. As of the Record Date, there were 11,029,2708,348,136 shares of USGour common stock issued and outstanding. Each share of common stock is entitled to one vote.

What is a quorum of stockholders?

In order to carry on the business of the Annual Meeting, a quorum must be present. If 33 1/3% of the shares outstanding and entitled to vote. Thevote on the record date are present, either in person (by attending via live website www.usgold.vote) or by proxy, we will have a quorum at the meeting. Any shares represented by proxies that are marked for, against, withhold, or abstain from voting on a proposal will be counted as present in determining whether we have a quorum. If a broker, bank, custodian, nominee, or other record holder of our common stock indicates on a proxy card that it does not have discretionary authority to vote certain shares on a particular matter, and if it has not received instructions from the beneficial owners of such shares as to how to vote on such matters, the shares held by that record holder will not be voted on such matter (referred to as “broker non-votes”) but will be counted as present for purposes of determining whether we have a quorum. There were 8,348,136 shares of our common stock issued and outstanding on the Record Date, and each share of common stock are herein referred to as the “Shares.”has one vote. The presence of holders of 2,782,712 (33 1/3%) votes will represent a quorum.

 

How many votes does it take to pass each matter?

Proposal 1: Election of Directors

Proposal

The nominees for director who receive the most votes (also known as a plurality) will be elected. You may vote either FOR all of the nominees, WITHHOLD your vote from all of the nominees or WITHHOLD your vote from any one or more of the nominees. Votes that are withheld will not be included in the vote tally for the election of directors. Brokerage firms do not have authority to vote customers’ unvoted shares held by the firms in street name for the election of directors. As a result, any shares not voted by a beneficial owner will be treated as a broker non-vote. Such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results of this vote.

Proposal 2: Auditor Ratification

Proposal

The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for or against this proposal is required to ratify the appointment of the Company’s independent public accountant. Abstentions will not be counted as either a vote cast for or against this proposal. Broker non-votes are not applicable to the Auditor Ratification Proposal because your broker has discretionary authority to vote your shares with respect to such proposal. We are not required to obtain the approval of our stockholders to appoint the Company’s independent accountant. However, if our stockholders do not ratify the appointment of Marcum LLP as the Company’s independent public accountant for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2023, the Audit Committee of the Board may reconsider its appointment.

3

Proposal 3: Say-on-Pay ProposalThe affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for this proposal is required to approve, on a non-binding basis, the compensation of our executive officers. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not be counted as either votes cast for or against this proposal. While the results of this advisory vote are non-binding, the Compensation Committee of the Board and the Board as a whole value the opinions of our stockholders and will consider the outcome of the vote, along with other relevant factors, in deciding whether any actions are necessary to address the concerns raised by the vote and when making future compensation decisions for executive officers.
Proposal 4: Plan ProposalThe affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for this proposal is required to approve an amendment to the 2020 Stock Incentive Plan. Abstentions will be counted towards the tabulation of votes cast on this proposal and will have the same effect as a negative vote. Brokerage firms do not have authority to vote customers’ unvoted shares held by the firms in street name for this proposal. As a result, any shares not voted by a beneficial owner will be treated as a broker non-vote. Such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results of this vote.

Who may attend and how do I attend?

All holders of our common stock as of the Record Date, or their duly appointed proxies, may attend the Annual Meeting (via webinar or phone call). Set forth below is a summary of the information you need to attend the Annual Meeting:

Access the webinar by visiting www.usgold.vote and following the webinar registration link and have your control number available to enter for verification;
Access the audio-only conference call by calling 877-407-3088 (Toll Free) or +1-877-407-3088 (International);
Instructions on how to attend and participate in the Annual Meeting, including how to demonstrate proof of stock ownership, are also available as follows:

Stockholders of Record

Stockholders of record as of the Record Date can attend the Annual Meeting by visiting www.usgold.vote and following the webinar registration link to register at any time prior to the start of the Annual Meeting or by calling the live audio conference call at +1-877-407-3088 and presenting your unique control number on the proxy card.

Beneficial Owners

If you were a beneficial owner of record as of the Record Date (i.e., you held your shares in an account at a brokerage firm, bank or other similar agent), you will need to obtain a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other agent. Once you have received a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other agent, it should be emailed to our transfer agent, Equity Stock Transfer, at proxy@equitystock.com and should be labeled “Legal Proxy” in the subject line. Please include proof from your broker, bank or other agent of your legal proxy (e.g., a forwarded email from your broker, bank or other agent with your legal proxy attached, or an image of your valid proxy attached to your email). Requests for registration must be received by Equity Stock Transfer no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, on December 14, 2022. You will then receive a confirmation of your registration, with a control number, by email from Equity Stock Transfer. At any time prior to the start of the Annual Meeting, visit www.usgold.vote and follow the instructions for webinar registration or access the live audio conference call at +1-877-407-3088 and present your unique control number.
Stockholders may submit live questions via webinar or on the conference line while attending the Annual Meeting.

4

What if I have technical difficulties or trouble accessing the Annual Meeting?

We will have technicians ready to assist you with any technical difficulties you may have in accessing the Annual Meeting. If you encounter any difficulties, please call: 877-804-2062 (Toll Free) or email proxy@equitystock.com.

How to participate in and vote at the meeting

If you are a shareholder of record, you can participate and vote your shares in the Annual Meeting by visiting www.usgold.vote and then clicking “Vote Your Proxy”. You may then enter the control number included on your Proxy Card and view the proposals and cast your vote.

If you are a beneficial owner of shares held in street name, you can participate and vote at the meeting by obtaining a legal proxy from your nominee and emailing a copy to proxy@equitystock.com no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, on December 14, 2022. You will be able to vote your shares. Shares representedshares at the meeting by valid proxies, received in time forgoing to www.usgold.vote and clicking “Vote Your Proxy”. You will then enter the same control number you used to enter the meeting.

Even if you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, and not revoked prior to the Annual Meeting,we recommend that you also vote by proxy as described below so that your vote will be voted at the Annual Meeting. A shareholder may revoke a proxy before the proxy is voted by deliveringcounted if you later decide not to our Secretary a signed statement of revocation or a duly executed proxy card bearing a later date. Any shareholder who has executed a proxy card but attends the Annual Meetingparticipate in person may revoke the proxy and vote at the Annual Meeting.

 

How Many Votes Do I Have?to vote without participating in the meeting

 

Each shareShareholders of USG common stock thatrecord may vote without participating in the Annual Meeting by any of the following means:

By Internet. The website address for Internet voting is www.usgold.vote. Please click “Vote Your Proxy” and enter your control number.

By Email. Mark, date, sign and email the Proxy Card to proxy@equitystock.com, ATTN: Shareholder Services.

By mail. Mark, date, sign and mail promptly the Proxy Card, ATTN: Shareholder Services.

By Fax. Mark, date, sign and fax the Proxy Card to 646-201-9006, ATTN: Shareholder Services.

At the Annual Meeting: If you own entitlesare a shareholder of record, you to onecan participate and vote your shares in the Annual Meeting by visiting www.usgold.vote and then clicking “Vote Your Proxy”. You may then enter the control number included on your Proxy Card and view the proposals and cast your vote.

If you vote by Internet, fax or email, please do not mail your Proxy Card.

 

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Because of possible delays with the mails, we recommend you use the Internet or telephone to vote.

If you are a beneficial owner of shares held in street name, you must email to proxy@equitystock.com a legal proxy from your nominee authorizing you to vote your shares no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 14, 2022. Once submitted, you will receive a control number enabling you to vote your shares by any of the means set forth above.

What is a proxy?

A proxy is another person you authorize to vote on your behalf. We ask stockholders to instruct the proxy how to vote so that all common shares may be voted at the meeting even if the holders do not attend the meeting.

How are abstentions and broker non-votes treated?

Abstentions and broker non-votes count for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum. Broker non-votes will not be counted as votes cast either for or against Proposal 1, 3 and 4 and will have no impact on the result of the vote on these proposals. Broker non-votes are not applicable to Proposal 2 because your broker has discretion to vote your shares on such proposals. Abstentions will not be counted as votes cast either for or against Proposals 1, 2 and 3; however, abstentions on Proposal 4 will have the same effect as a negative vote on that proposal.

 

How Do I Vote?

 

Whether you plan to attend the Annual Meeting or not, we urge you to vote by proxy. All shares represented by valid proxies that we receive through this solicitation, and that are not revoked, will be voted in accordance with your instructions on the proxy card or as instructed via Internet or telephone. You may specify whether your shares should be voted for or against“withheld” for each nominee for director, and whether your shares should be voted for, against or abstain with respect to each of the other proposals. Except as set forth below, if you properly submit a proxy without giving specific voting instructions, your shares will be voted in accordance with the Board’sBoard of Director’s recommendations as noted below. The Board has appointed George Bee and Eric Alexander, or either of them, to serve as the proxy for the Annual Meeting. Voting by proxy will not affect your right to attend the Annual Meeting. If your shares are registered directly in your name through our stock transfer agent, Equity Stock Transfer, or you have stock certificates, you may vote:

 

 1.By mail. CompleteInternet. The website address for Internet voting is www.usgold.vote. Please click “Vote Your Proxy” and mail the enclosed proxy card in the enclosed postage prepaid envelope. Your proxy will be voted in accordance withenter your instructions. If you sign the proxy card but do not specify how you want your shares voted, they will be voted as recommended by the Board.control number.
 2.By Email. Mark, date, sign and email the Proxy Card to proxy@equitystock.com, ATTN: Shareholder Services.
 3.In person atBy mail. Mark, date, sign and mail promptly the meeting.Proxy Card, ATTN: Shareholder Services.
4.By Fax. Mark, date, sign and fax the Proxy Card to 646-201-9006, ATTN: Shareholder Services.
5.At the Annual Meeting. If you attend the meeting,are a shareholder of record, you may delivercan participate and vote your completed proxy cardshares in person or you may vote by completing a ballot, which will be available at the Annual Meeting.Meeting by visiting www.usgold.vote and then clicking “Vote Your Proxy”. You may then enter the control number included on your Proxy Card and view the proposals and cast your vote.

 

If you hold your shares in “street name,” your bank, broker or other nominee should provide to you a request for voting instructions along with the Company’s proxy solicitation materials. By completing the voting instruction card, you may direct your nominee how to vote your shares. If you partially complete the voting instruction but fail to complete one or more of the voting instructions, then your nominee may be unable to vote your shares with respect to the proposal as to which you provided no voting instructions. See “If my shares are held in “street name” (held in the name of a bank,by my broker, or other nominee),will my broker vote my shares for me?” Alternatively, if you must provide the bank, broker or other nominee with instructions on howwant to vote your shares during the Annual Meeting, you must contact your nominee directly in order to obtain a proxy issued to you by your nominee holder. Note that a broker letter that identifies you as a stockholder is not the same as a nominee-issued proxy. If you fail to present a nominee-issued proxy to proxy@equitystock.com by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on December 14, 2022, you will not be able to vote your nominee-held shares during the Annual Meeting.

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YOUR PROXY CARD WILL BE VALID ONLY IF YOU COMPLETE, SIGN, DATE, AND RETURN IT BEFORE THE MEETING DATE.

How will my proxy vote my shares?

If your proxy card is properly completed and canreceived, and if it is not revoked, before the meeting, your shares will be voted at the meeting according to the instructions indicated on your proxy card. If you are a record holder and sign and return your proxy card, but do sonot give any voting instructions, your shares will be voted as follows:

 

 By Internet or by telephone. Follow the instructions you receive from your broker to vote by Internet or telephone.
By mail. You will receive instructions from your broker or other nominee explaining how to vote your shares.
In person at the meeting. Contact the broker or other nominee who holds your shares to obtain a broker’s proxy card and bring it with you to the meeting. You will not be able to attend the Annual Meeting unless you have a proxy card from your broker.

How Does The Board Recommend That I Vote On The Proposals?

The Board recommends that you vote as follows:

FOR” for the election of the Board nominees as directors;
FOR” ratification of the selection ofMarcum LLPas our independent public accountant for our fiscal year ending April 30, 2018;
FOR” the compensationElection of our named executive officers as set forth in this proxy statement;Directors Proposal;
FOR” the Auditor Ratification Proposal;
FOR” the Say-on-Pay Proposal; and
 FORapproval of the Company’s 2017 Equity Incentive Plan including the reservation of 1,650,000 shares of common stock thereunderAmendment and Restatement Proposal.

 

IfTo our knowledge, no other matters will be presented at the meeting. However, if any other matter ismatters of business are properly presented, the proxy card provides that your shares will be voted by the proxy holder listedholders named on the proxy card in accordance with his or her bestare authorized to vote the shares represented by proxies according to their judgment. At the time this proxy statement was printed, we knew of no matters that needed to be acted on at the Annual Meeting, other than those discussed in this proxy statement.

 

May I Change or Revoke My Proxy?

If you give us your proxy, you may change or revoke it at any time before the Annual Meeting. You may change or revoke your proxy in any one of the following ways:

signing a new proxy card and submitting it as instructed above;

if yourmy shares are held in street name, re-voting by Internet or by telephone as instructed above — only your latest Internet or telephone vote will be counted;
if your shares are registered in your name, notifying USG’s Secretary in writing before the Annual Meeting that you have revoked your proxy; or
attending the Annual Meeting in person and voting in person. Attending the Annual Meeting in person will not in and of itself revoke a previously submitted proxy unless you specifically request it.

What If I Receive More Than One Proxy Card?

You may receive more than one proxy card or voting instruction form if you hold shares of our common stock in more than one account, which may be in registered form or held in street name. Please“street name” by my broker, will my broker vote in the manner described under “How Do I Vote?” on the proxy cardmy shares for each account to ensure that all of your shares are voted.

Will My Shares Be Voted If I Do Not Return My Proxy Card?me?

 

If your shares are registered in your name or if you have stock certificates, they will not be voted if you do not return your proxy card by mail or vote at the Annual Meeting as described above under “How Do I Vote?”. If your shares are held in street name and your broker cannot vote your shares on a particular matter because it has not received instructions from you and does not have discretionary voting authority on that matter, or because your broker chooses not to vote on a matter for which it does have discretionary voting authority, this is referred to as a “broker non-vote.” The New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) has rules that govern brokers who have record ownership of listed company stock (including stock such as ours that is listed on The Nasdaq Capital Market) held in brokerage accounts for their clients who beneficially own the shares. Under these rules, brokers who do not receive voting instructions from their clients have the discretion to vote uninstructed shares on certain matters (“routine matters”), but do not have the discretion to vote uninstructed shares as to certain other matters (“non-routine matters”). Under NYSE interpretations, Proposal 1 (election of directors), Proposal 3 (advisory vote to approve executive compensation), and Proposal 4 (approval of the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan) are considered non-routine matters, and Proposal 2 (the ratification of our independent public accountant)

The following matter is considered a routine matter. If your shares are held in street name andTherefore, if you do not provide voting instructionsvote on this proposal, your brokerage firm may choose to the bank, brokervote for you or other nominee that holdsleave your shares as described above under “How Do I Vote?,” the bank, broker or other nominee has the authority, even if it does not receive instructions from you, to vote your unvoted shares for Proposal 2 (the ratification of our independent public accountant), but does not have authority to vote your unvoted shares for Proposal 1 (election of directors), Proposal 3 (advisory vote to approve executive compensation), and Proposal 4 (approval of the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan). We encourage you to provide voting instructions. This ensures your shares will be voted at the Annual Meeting in the manner you desire.

What Vote is Required to Approve Each Proposal and How are Votes Counted?

Proposal 1: Election of DirectorsThe nominees for director who receive the most votes (also known as a plurality) will be elected. You may vote either FOR all of the nominees, WITHHOLD your vote from all of the nominees or WITHHOLD your vote from any one of the nominees. Votes that are withheld will not be included in the vote tally for the election of directors. Brokerage firms do not have authority to vote customers’ unvoted shares held by the firms in street name for the election of directors. As a result, any shares not voted by a beneficial owner will be treated as a broker non-vote. Such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results of this vote.
Proposal 2: Ratification of the Appointment ofMarcum LLPas Our Independent Public Accountant for the Fiscal Year Ending April 30, 2018The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for this proposal is required to ratify the appointment of the Company’s independent public accountant. Abstentions will be counted towards the tabulation of votes cast on this proposal and will have the same effect as a negative vote. Brokerage firms have authority to vote customers’ unvoted shares held by the firms in street name on this proposal. If a broker does not exercise this authority, such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results of this vote. We are not required to obtain the approval of our shareholders to appoint the Company’s independent accountant. However, if our shareholders do not ratify the appointment of Marcum LLP as the Company’s independent public accountant for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2018, the Audit Committee of the Board may reconsider its appointment.

Proposal 3: Advisory Vote to Approve the Compensation of Our Named Executive OfficersThe advisory vote to approve the compensation of our executive officers will be approved if the votes cast in favor of the proposal exceed the votes cast against the proposal. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not be counted as either votes cast for or against this proposal. While the results of this advisory vote are non-binding, the Compensation Committee of the Board and the Board values the opinions of our shareholders and will consider the outcome of the vote, along with other relevant factors, in deciding whether any actions are necessary to address the concerns raised by the vote and when making future compensation decisions for executive officers.
Proposal 4: Approval of the Company’s 2017 Equity Incentive PlanThe affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for this proposal is required to approve the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan. Abstentions will be counted towards the tabulation of votes cast on this proposal and will have the same effect as a negative vote. Brokerage firms do not have authority to vote customers’ unvoted shares held by the firms in street name for this proposal. As a result, any shares not voted by a beneficial owner will be treated as a broker non-vote. Such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results of this vote.

What Constitutes a Quorum for the Annual Meeting?

The presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of a majority of the Shares entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is necessary to constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting. Votes of shareholders of record who are present at the Annual Meeting in person or by proxy, abstentions, and broker non-votes are counted for purposes of determining whether a quorum exists.

Householding of Annual Disclosure Documents

The Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) previously adopted a rule concerning the delivery of annual disclosure documents. The rule allows us or brokers holding our shares on your behalf to send a single set of our annual report and proxy statement to any household at which two or more of our shareholders reside, if either we or the brokers believe that the shareholders are members of the same family. This practice, referred to as “householding,” benefits both shareholders and us. It reduces the volume of duplicate information received by you and helps to reduce our expenses. The rule applies to our annual reports, proxy statements and information statements. Once shareholders receive notice from their brokers or from us that communications to their addresses will be “householded,” the practice will continue until shareholders are otherwise notified or until they revoke their consent to the practice. Each shareholder will continue to receive a separate proxy card or voting instruction card.

Those shareholders who either (i) do not wish to participate in “householding” and would like to receive their own sets of our annual disclosure documents in future years or (ii) who share an address with another one of our shareholders and who would like to receive only a single set of our annual disclosure documents should follow the instructions described below:this proposal:

 

 shareholders whose shares are registered in their own name should contact our transfer agent, Equity Stock Transfer, and inform them of their request by calling them at 212-575-5757 or writing them at 237 W. 37th Street, Suite 601, New York, New York 10018.Proposal 2: Auditor Ratification Proposal

Applicable rules, however, do not permit brokerage firms to vote their clients’ unvoted shares on the following proposals:

 Proposal 1: Election of Directors Proposal;
 Shareholders whose shares are held by a broker or other nominee should contact such broker or other nominee directlyProposal 3: Say-on-Pay Proposal; and inform them of their request, shareholders should be sure to include their name, the name of their brokerage firm
Proposal 4: Plan Amendment and their account number.Restatement Proposal.

Therefore, if you do not vote on these proposals, your shares will remain unvoted on those proposals. We urge you to provide voting instructions to your brokerage firm so that your vote will be cast on those proposals.

 

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How do I revoke my proxy and change my vote prior to the meeting?

If you are a registered stockholder (meaning your shares are registered directly in your name with our transfer agent) you may change your vote at any time before voting takes place at the meeting. You may change your vote by:

1.Delivering voter instructions to U.S. Gold Corp., ATTN: Corporate Secretary, 1910 East Idaho Street, Suite 102-Box 604, Elko, Nevada 89801, with a written notice dated later than the proxy you want to revoke stating that the proxy is revoked, which notice must be received before 5:00 p.m. ET on December 14, 2022;
2.Completing and sending in voter instructions with a later date; or
3.Attending the Annual Meeting and voting virtually.

For shares you hold beneficially or in “street name,” you may change your vote by submitting new voting instructions to your bank, broker or other nominee or fiduciary in accordance with that entity’s procedures, or if you obtained a legal proxy form giving you the right to vote your shares, by virtually attending the Annual Meeting and voting during the Annual Meeting.

 

Who is paying forDo I have any dissenters’ or appraisal rights with respect to any of the matters to be voted on at the Annual Meeting?

No. None of our stockholders has any dissenters’ or appraisal rights with respect to the matters to be voted on at the Annual Meeting.

What are the solicitation expenses and who pays the cost of this proxy solicitation?

 

Our Board is asking for your proxy and we will pay all of the costs of asking for stockholder proxies. We will reimburse brokerage houses and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses for forwarding solicitation material to the beneficial owners of common stock and collecting voting instructions. We may use officers and employees of the Company to ask for proxies, as described below.

Is this proxy statement the only way that proxies are being solicited?

No. In addition to mailed proxy materials, our directors,the solicitation of proxies by use of the Notice of Internet Access, officers and employees of the Company may also solicit the return of proxies, in person,either by mail, telephone, telecopy, e-mail or by other means of communication. We will not pay our directors,through personal contact. These officers and employees anywill not receive additional compensation for soliciting proxies. We may reimburse brokerage firms, bankstheir efforts but will be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses. Brokerage houses and other agents forcustodians, nominees and fiduciaries, in connection with shares of the costcommon stock registered in their names, will be requested to forward solicitation material to the beneficial owners of forwarding proxy materials to beneficial owners.shares of common stock.

 

When are shareholder proposals due for next year’s annual meeting?Are there any other matters to be acted upon at the Annual Meeting?

 

At our annual meeting each year, our Board of Directors submitsManagement does not intend to shareholders its nomineespresent any business at the Annual Meeting for election as directors. In addition,a vote other than the Board of Directors may submitmatters set forth in the Notice and has no information that others will do so. If other matters requiring a vote of the stockholders properly come before the Annual Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the form of proxy to vote the shareholders for action atshares represented by the annual meeting.proxies held by them in accordance with applicable law and their judgment on such matters.

 

Where can I find voting results?

We expect to publish the voting results in a current report on Form 8-K, which we expect to file with the SEC within four business days after the Annual Meeting.

Who can help answer my questions?

The information provided above in this “Question and Answer” format is for your convenience only and is merely a summary of the information contained in this proxy statement. We urge you to carefully read this entire proxy statement, including the documents we refer to in this proxy statement. If you have any questions, or need additional materials, please feel free to contact our Corporate Secretary, Eric Alexander, at 800-557-4550.

Proposals to be Presented at the Annual Meeting

We will present four proposals at the meeting. We have described in this proxy statement all of the proposals that we expect will be made at the meeting. If any other proposal is properly presented at the meeting, we will, to the extent permitted by applicable law, use your proxy to vote your shares of common stock on such proposal in our best judgment.

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PROPOSALS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AT 2023 ANNUAL MEETING

Pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Securities Exchange Act, of 1934, shareholders may present proper proposalsa stockholder proposal submitted for inclusion in the Company’sour proxy statement for considerationthe 2023 annual meeting must be received no later than June 30, 2023. However, pursuant to such rule, if the 2023 annual meeting is held on a date that is before November 16, 2023 or after January 15, 2024, then a stockholder proposal submitted for inclusion in our proxy statement for the 2023 annual meeting must be received by us a reasonable time before we begin to print and mail our proxy statement for the 2023 annual meeting. Such proposal must be submitted on or before the close of business at the 2018our headquarters at 1910 East Idaho Street, Suite 102-Box 604, Elko, Nevada 89801, Attention: Secretary.

Stockholders wishing to submit proposals to be presented directly at our next annual meeting of shareholdersstockholders instead of by submitting their proposals to the Company in a timely manner.These proposals must meet the shareholders eligibility and other requirements of the SEC. To be considered for inclusion in next year’s proxy materials, youstatement must submit yourfollow the submission criteria set forth in our bylaws, and applicable law concerning stockholder proposals. To be timely in connection with our next annual meeting, a stockholder proposal concerning director nominations or other business must be received by the Company at its principal executive offices between August 18, 2023 and September 17, 2023; provided, however, if and only if the 2023 annual meeting is not scheduled to be held between November 16, 2023 and February 24, 2024, such stockholder’s notice must be received by the Company at its principal executive offices not earlier than 120 days prior to the date of the 2023 annual meeting and not later than the later of (A) the tenth day following the date of the public announcement of the date of the 2023 annual meeting or (B) the date which is 90 days prior to the date of the 2023 annual meeting.

OTHER MATTERS

Should any other matter or business be brought before the meeting, a vote may be cast pursuant to the accompanying proxy in writingaccordance with the judgment of the proxy holder. The Company does not know of any such other matter or business.

ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K

Our Annual Report is available online at www.usgold.vote. Upon the written request of a stockholder, the Company will provide, without charge, a copy of its Annual Report, including the financial statements and schedules and documents incorporated by April 2, 2018reference therein but without exhibits thereto, as filed with the SEC. The Company will furnish any exhibit to our Corporate Secretary,the Annual Report to any stockholder upon request and upon payment of a fee equal to the Company’s reasonable expenses in furnishing such exhibit. All requests for the Annual Report or its exhibits should be addressed to Chief Financial Officer, U.S. Gold Corp., 777 Alexander Road, Princeton, NJ 08543.1910 E. Idaho Street, Suite 102-Box 604, Elko, NV 89801 or ir@usgoldcorp.gold.

9

 

SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

 

The following table sets forth certain information, as of July 10, 2017,the Record Date, with respect to the beneficial ownership of the outstanding Common Stock bycommon stock by: (i) any holder of more than five (5%) percent; (ii) each of the Company’s executive officers, directors and directors;director nominees; and (iii) the Company’s directorsexecutive officers and executive officersdirectors as a group. The percentages of voting securities beneficially owned are reported on the basis of regulations of the SEC governing the determination of beneficial ownership of securities. Under the rules of the SEC, a person is deemed to be a beneficial owner of a security if that person has or shares voting power, which includes the power to vote or to direct the voting of the security, or investment power, which includes the power to dispose of or to direct the disposition of the security. Except as otherwise indicated, each of the shareholdersstockholders listed below has sole voting and investment power over the shares beneficially owned and addresses are c/o U.S. Gold Corp., 777 Alexander Road,1910 East Idaho Street, Suite 100, Princeton, NJ 08540.102-Box 604, Elko, Nevada 89801. For each current director and nominee for director, each executive officer named in the table and our directors and executive officers as a group, percentage of common stock ownership is based on 8,348,136 shares of common stock issued and outstanding as of the Record Date. For each owner of more than 5% of our common stock, the percentage of ownership is as of the Record Date unless otherwise indicated.

 

  

Amount and Nature of

Beneficial Ownership(1,2,3)

 
Name of Beneficial Owner Role Number  Percent 
Edward M. Karr Chief Executive Officer, President and Director of USG and Director of Dataram Memory  290,244   2.6%
           
David A. Moylan President and Director of Dataram Memory and Director of USG  53,527   * 
           
Anthony M. Lougee Chief Financial Officer of USG and Dataram Memory  9,831   * 
           
Timothy M. Janke Director of USG  20,833   * 
           
James Dale Davidson Director of USG  -   * 
           
John N. Braca Director of USG  -   * 
           
Directors and Executive Officers as a group (6 persons)    374,435   3.4%
           
5% or Greater Shareholders    -     
  

Amount of Beneficial Ownership
of Common Stock(1,2)

 
Name of Beneficial Owner Number  Percent 
Luke Norman(3)  463,828   5.56%
         
George Bee(4)  168,829   2.02%
         
Tara Gilfillan(5)  13,237   * 
         
Robert W. Schafer(6)  114,757   1.37%
         
Michael Waldkirch(7)  19,450   * 
         
Ryan K. Zinke(8)  30,861   * 
         
Eric Alexander(9)  3,903   * 
         
Kevin Francis(10)  1,437   * 
         
Current Directors and Executive Officers as a group (8 persons)  816,302   9.78%
         
Phoenix Gold Fund Ltd(11)  628,652   7.53%

 

* Less than 1%.

 

(1)The number of shares has been adjusted to reflect the reverse 1-for-4 stock split effective May 8, 2017.

(2)On July 10, 2017 11,029,270 shares of Common Stock and Common Stock equivalents were outstanding.

(3)Beneficial ownership includes all stock options and restricted units held by a shareholder that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of July 10, 2017 (which would be September 8, 2017).

(1)The number of shares has been adjusted to reflect the reverse 1-for-10 reverse stock split effective March 17, 2020.
(2)Beneficial ownership includes all stock options, warrants and restricted awards held by a shareholder that are currently exercisable or exercisable within 60 days of October 25, 2022.
(3)Includes: (i) 307,098 unrestricted shares of common stock, (ii) 3,463 shares of common stock underlying vested restricted stock units, (iii) options to purchase 5,310 shares of common stock, all of which are currently exercisable and (iv) warrants to purchase 147,957 shares of common stock, all of which are currently exercisable. Mr. Norman has no voting rights with respect to the restricted stock units until the underlying shares are issued.

 

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 12(4)Includes: (i) 164,077 unrestricted shares of common stock, (ii) options to purchase 15,928 shares of common stock, of which 3,982 are currently exercisable and (iii) warrants to purchase 770 shares of common stock, all of which are currently exercisable. Excludes: (i) 125,450 shares of common stock underlying vested restricted stock units which are issuable upon Mr. Bee’s resignation from the Company (subject to acceleration and forfeiture in certain circumstances), (ii) 100,000 shares of common stock underlying unvested restricted stock units granted to Mr. Bee which are issuable upon Mr. Bee’s resignation from the Company (subject to acceleration and forfeiture in certain circumstances) and (iii) options to purchase 11,946 shares of common stock. Mr. Bee has no voting rights with respect to the restricted stock units until the underlying shares are issued.
(5)Includes: (i) 7,927 shares of common stock underlying vested restricted stock units which are issuable upon Ms. Gilfillan’s resignation from the Company (subject to acceleration and forfeiture in certain circumstances) and (ii) options to purchase 5,310 shares of common stock, all of which are currently exercisable. Ms. Gilfillan has no voting rights with respect to the restricted stock units until the underlying shares are issued.
(6)Includes: (i) 100,750 unrestricted shares of common stock, (ii) 7,927 shares of common stock underlying vested restricted stock units which are issuable upon Mr. Schafer’s resignation from the Company (subject to acceleration and forfeiture in certain circumstances), (iii) options to purchase 5,310 shares of common stock, all of which are currently exercisable and (iv) warrants to purchase 770 shares of common stock, all of which are currently exercisable. Mr. Schafer has no voting rights with respect to the restricted stock units until the underlying shares are issued.
(7)Includes: (i) 6,154 unrestricted shares of common stock, (ii) 7,409 shares of common stock underlying vested restricted stock units which are issuable upon Mr. Waldkirch’s resignation from the Company (subject to acceleration and forfeiture in certain circumstances), (iii) options to purchase 5,310 shares of common stock, all of which are currently exercisable and (iv) warrants to purchase 577 shares of common stock, all of which are currently exercisable. Mr. Waldkirch has no voting rights with respect to the restricted stock units, the stock options or the warrants until the underlying shares are issued.
(8)Includes: (i) 16,854 unrestricted shares of common stock, (ii) 7,927 shares of common stock underlying vested restricted stock units which are issuable upon Mr. Zinke’s resignation from the Company (subject to acceleration and forfeiture in certain circumstances), (iii) options to purchase 5,310 shares of common stock, all of which are currently exercisable and (iv) warrants to purchase 770 shares of common stock, all of which are currently exercisable. Mr. Zinke has no voting rights with respect to the restricted stock units until the underlying shares are issued.
(9)Includes: (i) 1,540 unrestricted shares of common stock, (ii) options to purchase 6,372 shares of common stock, of which 1,593 are currently exercisable and (iii) warrants to purchase 770 shares of common stock, all of which are currently exercisable. Excludes: (i) 42,186 shares of common stock underlying vested restricted stock units which are issuable upon Mr. Alexander’s resignation from the Company (subject to acceleration and forfeiture in certain circumstances), (ii) 25,000 shares of common stock underlying unvested restricted stock units granted to Mr. Alexander which are issuable upon Mr. Alexander’s resignation from the Company (subject to acceleration and forfeiture in certain circumstances) and (iii) options to purchase 4,779 shares of common stock. Mr. Alexander has no voting rights with respect to the restricted stock units until the underlying shares are issued.
(10)Includes: (i) 308 unrestricted shares of common stock, (ii) options to purchase 3,900 shares of common stock, of which 975 are currently exercisable and (iii) warrants to purchase 154 shares of common stock, all of which are currently exercisable. Excludes: (i) 12,133 shares of common stock underlying vested restricted stock units which are issuable upon Mr. Francis’s resignation from the Company (subject to acceleration and forfeiture in certain circumstances), (ii) 7,661 shares of common stock underlying unvested restricted stock units granted to Mr. Francis which are issuable upon Mr. Francis’s resignation from the Company (subject to acceleration and forfeiture in certain circumstances) and (iii) options to purchase 2,925 shares of common stock. Mr. Francis has no voting rights with respect to the restricted stock units until the underlying shares are issued.
(11)Includes: (i) 429,819 unrestricted shares of common stock reported in the Schedule 13 G/A filed with the SEC on January 4, 2022 (the “Phoenix SC 13 G/A”), (ii) 77,000 unrestricted shares of common stock and (iii) warrants to purchase 121,833 shares of common stock, all of which are currently exercisable. The business address of the beneficial owner as disclosed in the Phoenix SC 13 G/A is Suite 10.3, West Wing, Rohas PureCircle, No. 9 Jalan P. Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

11
 

 

PROPOSAL NO. 1

1: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS PROPOSAL

 

Our Board currently consists of fivesix members. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and Board have unanimously approved the recommended slate of foursix directors. Mr. Moylan is not standing for reelection at this meeting.

 

The following table shows the Company’s nominees for election to the Board. Each nominee, if elected, will serve until the next Annual Meeting of ShareholdersStockholders and until a successor is named and qualified, or until his earlier resignation or removal. All nominees are members of the present Board of Directors. We have no reason to believe that any of the nominees is unable or will decline to serve as a director if elected. Unless otherwise indicated by the shareholder,stockholder, the accompanying proxy will be voted for the election of the foursix persons named under the heading “Nominees for Directors.” Although the Company knows of no reason why any nominee could not serve as a director, if any nominee shall be unable to serve, the accompanying proxy will be voted for a substitute nominee.

 

NOMINEES FOR DIRECTOR

 

Name of Nominee Age Principal Occupation Director Since
Edward M. Karr 47 Chief Executive Officer, President and Director of USG and Director of Dataram Memory 2015
Timothy M. Janke 65 Director of USG 2017
James Dale Davidson 70 Director of USG 2017
John N. Braca 59 Director of USG 2017
Name Age Position Director Since
Luke Norman 51 Chairman 2022
George Bee 64 President, Chief Executive Officer and Director 2020
Tara Gilfillan 52 Director 2020
Robert W. Schafer 69 Director 2020
Michael Waldkirch 53 Director 2021
Ryan K. Zinke 60 Director, Consultant 2019

 

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Board seek, and the Board is comprised of, individuals whose characteristics, skills, expertise, and experience complement those of other Board members. We have set out below biographical and professional information about each of the nominees, along with a brief discussion of the experience, qualifications, and skills that the Board considered important in concluding that the individual should serve as a current director and as a nominee for election or re-election as a member of our Board.

 

Nominees Biographies

 

Edward M. KarrLuke Norman has served since December 2017 as the chief executive officer, president and director of Northern Lion Gold Corp., a Canada-based mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. Since March 2021, he has also served as the chief executive officer and director of Leviathan Gold Ltd., another mineral exploration company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. Since 2000, Mr. Norman has served as an independent consultant to companies in the metals and mining industry. He has also served since 2016 as the chairman of Silver One Resources and since 2020 as a director of Black Mountain Gold USA Corp., both of which are mineral exploration companies listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. Mr. Norman was among the founding shareholders of Gold King Corp., a private company that combined with our predecessor, Dataram Corporation, in 2016 to form U.S. Gold Corp. Mr. Norman is qualified to serve as Chairman of our Board of Directors because of his expertise in mineral exploration, finance, corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions and corporate leadership.

George Bee has been serving as our director since November 2020, as our President since August 2020 and as our Chief Executive Officer since November 2020. Mr. Bee was appointed Chairman of our Board in March 2021 and served in this role until May 2022. He is a Directorsenior mining industry executive, with deep mine development and operational experience. He has an extensive career advancing world-class gold mining projects in eight countries on three continents for both major and junior mining companies. Currently, he serves as the Company’s President, a position he has held since August 2020, when, pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, Mr. Karr relinquished his position as President and our Board appointed Mr. Bee as President of the Company, since Juneeffective on the closing of the Merger. In 2018, Mr. Bee concluded a third term with Barrick Gold Corporation (“Barrick Gold”) (NYSE: GOLD) as Senior VP Frontera District in Chile and Argentina working to advance Pascua Lama feasibility as an underground mine. This capped a 16-year tenure at Barrick Gold, where he served in multiple senior level positions, including Mine Manager at Goldstrike during early development and operations, Operations Manager at Pierina Mine taking Pierina from construction to operations, and General Manager of Veladero developing the project from advanced exploration through permitting, feasibility and into production. Previously, Mr. Bee held positions as CEO and Director of Jaguar Mining Inc. between March 2014 and December 2015, and has been the President and Chief Executive Officer, and a DirectorCEO of USG since April 2016. Mr. Karr became the PresidentAndina Minerals Inc. from February 2009 until January 2013 and Chief ExecutiveOperating Officer for Aurelian Resources, Inc. from 2007 to 2009. As Chief Operating Officer of the Company on May 23, 2017 and remains a memberAurelian Resources in 2007, he was in charge of the board.project development for Fruta del Norte in Ecuador until Aurelian was acquired by Kinross Gold in 2008. Mr. Karr is an international entrepreneur and founder of several investment management companies based in Geneva, Switzerland. In addition, Mr. Karr is a Director of Pershing Gold Corp., an emerging Nevada gold producer, member of the Audit Committee of the Company and a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Levon Resources. Mr. Karr previouslyBee has served on the boards of PolarityTE, Inc. (formerly Majesco Entertainment Company) and Spherix Incorporated. Mr. Karr is a board member and past President of the American International Club of Geneva and Chairman of Republican’s Overseas Switzerland. Mr. Karr has more than 25 years of capital markets experience as an executive manager, financial analyst, money manager and investor. In 2004, Futures Magazine named Mr. Karr as one of the world’s Top Traders. He is a frequent contributor to the financial press. Mr. Karr previously worked for Prudential Securities in the United States. Before his entry into the financial services arena, Mr. Karr was affiliated with the United States Antarctic Program and spent thirteen consecutive months working in the Antarctic, receiving the Antarctic Service Medal for winter over contributions of courage, sacrifice and devotion. Mr. Karr studied at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Lansdowne College in London, England and received a B.S. in Economics/Finance with Honours (magna cum laude) from Southern New Hampshire University. Mr. Karr is qualified to serve on our Board because of his global operating and executive management experience; deep knowledge of capital markets; experience in public company accounting, finance, and audit matters as well as his experience in a range of board and committee functions as a member of various boards.

Timothy M. Janke has been serving as a member of the board of directors of USG since April 2016. In addition, he has been serving as the Chief Operating Officer of Pershing Gold Corp. since August 2014. Since November 2010, Mr. Janke has been the president of his own consulting business providing mine operatingStillwater Mining Company, Sandspring Resources Ltd., Jaguar Mining, Peregrine Metals Ltd. and evaluation services to several mining companies. Beginning in July 2012, he provided consulting services at the Relief Canyon Project advising the Company on mine start-up plans and related activities. From June 2010 to August 2014, Mr. Janke served as Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Renaissance Gold, Inc. and its predecessor Auex Ventures, Inc.Minera IRL. He was General Manager-Projects for Goldcorp Inc. and its predecessor Glamis Gold, Inc. from July 2009 to May 2010, Vice President and General Manager of the Marigold Mine from February 2006 to June 2009, and its Manager of Technical Services from September 2004 to January 2006. Since August 2011, Mr. Janke has served as a director for Renaissance Gold. He is a past Director of both the Nevada Mining Association, and Silverado Area Council Boy Scouts. He has a B.S. in Mining Engineering from the Mackay School of Mines. Mr. Janke is qualified to serve on our Board because of his more than 40 years of engineering and operational experience in the mining industry, and broad range of expertise in mining operations throughout the USA, Canada and Australia.

James Dale Davidson has been a member of S.A.C.S. OF Beaverton LLC since 2015, Founding Director of Vamos Holdings since 2012, Director of Solar Avenir since 2016, Founding Director of Telometrix since 2016, and Founding Managing Member of Goldrock Resources, LLC since 2016. Mr. Davidson first became active in the mining business after his forecast of the collapse of the Soviet Union was born out. After several small successes, Davidson teamed with Richard Moores in 1996 to launch Anatolia Minerals with an initial capital of $800,000. At its peak, the company attained a market cap of $3.5 billion. Davidson, a graduate of Oxford University, has had a successful career as a serial entrepreneur. He is the author ofBlood in the Streets: Investment Profits in a World Gone Mad, The Great Reckoning: Protect Yourself in the Coming Depression andThe Sovereign Individual (all with Lord William Rees-Mogg) andBrazil is the New America, The Age of Deception, andThe Breaking Point. Mr. Davidson qualified to serve on our Board because of his experience in mining operations and corporate governance.

John N. Braca is a financial executive and business partner with a strong track record in portfolio management, venture capital fundraising, as well as financial and operational management. He has served as a director and board observer for life science, technology and development companies over the course of his career. Mr. Braca has also served as an active member of both Audit and Compensation Committees for both public and private companies and has led several of the public companies as the Chairman of the Audit Committee. John N. Braca has been a director of Sevion Therapeutics since October 2003. Since April 2013, Mr. Braca has been the President and sole proprietor of JNB Consulting, which provides strategic business development counsel to biotechnology companies. From August 2010 through April 2013, Mr. Braca had been the executive director controller for Iroko Pharmaceuticals, a privately-held global pharmaceutical company based in Philadelphia. From April 2006 through July 2010, Mr. Braca was the managing director of Fountainhead Venture Group, a healthcare information technology venture fund based in the Philadelphia area, and has been working with both investors and developing companies to establish exit and business development opportunities. From May 2005 through March 2006, Mr. Braca was also consultant and advisor to GlaxoSmithKline management in their research operations. From 1997 to April 2005, Mr. Braca was a general partner and director of business investments for S.R. One, Limited, or S.R. One, the venture capital subsidiary of GlaxoSmithKline. In addition, from January 2000 to July 2003, Mr. Braca was a general partner of Euclid SR Partners Corporation, an independent venture capital partnership. Prior to joining S.R. One, Mr. Braca held various finance and operating positions of increasing responsibility within several subsidiaries and business units of GlaxoSmithKline. Mr. Braca is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the state of Pennsylvania and is affiliated with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Braca received a Bachelor of Science degree from the Camborne School of Mines in AccountingCornwall, United Kingdom. He also holds ICD.D designation from Villanova University and a Masterthe Institute of Business Administration in Marketing from Saint Joseph’s University.Corporate Directors. Mr. BracaBee is qualified to serve on the Board because of his deep industry-knowledge and global experience in senior leadership roles.

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Tara Gilfillan has been serving as our director since November 2020. She is a CPA with over 25 years of experience as a financial executive and serial entrepreneur. She is currently the Founder and President of Optimize Group Inc. established November 2017, a mine-to-mill project development engineering company with offices in three continents. As part of the start-up of Optimize Group Inc. she recently held the position of CFO for Red Pine Exploration Inc. (TSX-V: RPX) from February 2018 to November 2019, and Honey Badger Exploration Inc. (TSX-V: TUF) and MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd. (TSX-V: BMK) from May 2019 to December 2019. Prior to that she co-founded Halyard Inc. a project engineering company where she was the CFO and VP of Corporate Development from December 2013 to June 2017. Ms. Gilfillan has held senior executive positions including CFO and Controller of several mining companies, CFO, and interim CEO of a global engineering consulting company as well as senior executive positions outside of the mining industry. Ms. Gilfillan is a certified Independent Corporate Director, Director (ICD.D) with over 10 year of board experience including being the Chairperson and Chair of the audit committee of two gold junior mining companies, Honey Badger Exploration Inc. and MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd. from May 2017 until May 2019. In addition, she has held the position of Director of DRA Americas Inc. from November 2009 to June 2013 and several non-profit industry boards. On July 2020 she became a director of Mining Supplier Trade Association. Ms. Gilfillan is experienced in financial turnarounds, acquisitions, valuations, risk reviews, corporate governance, business and tax strategy, project development, international operations, marketing, and financial reporting for privately held & public companies (US & Canada). She gained her CPA while working at PricewaterhouseCoopers and received a Bachelor of Commerce from Queens University, Ontario Canada. Ms. Gilfillan is qualified to serve on the Board because of her financial expertise coupled with her deep knowledge of financialthe mining industry.

Robert W. Schafer, P.GEO, MSC., has been serving as our director since November 2020. He is a registered professional geologist with over 35 years international experience exploring for and operational issues;discovering mineral deposits, four were producing mines including the Briggs (over one million ounces) and Griffon gold mines in the Western United States and Birkachan (over one million ounces) gold mine in far east Russia, and identifying, evaluating and structuring business transactions globally having worked in more than 80 countries. Currently, Mr. Schafer is the Chief Executive Officer of Eagle Mines Management LLC, a globally active private natural resources corporation, which he founded in 2016. Prior to this, from 2004 to 2015, he served as Executive Vice President of Business Development at Hunter Dickinson Services Inc., a diversified, global mining group. Mr. Schafer also previously served as Vice President, Exploration of Kinross Gold Corporation (NYSE: KGC), a senior gold mining company with a diverse portfolio of mines and projects, from 1996 to 2003. Prior to that, he held senior positions at BHP Minerals and Billiton Metals. Mr. Schafer is the 2020 to 2021 president of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (“SME”). He is also past president and board member of the Prospector & Developers Association of Canada (“PDAC”), past president of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (“CIM”), and past president of the Mining and Metallurgical Society of America. He was a member of the board of governors for the U.S. National Mining Hall of Fame and a member of the board of directors of the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame. He is the first person to hold all of these leadership roles in both the U.S. and Canada. Mr. Schafer is also the recipient of the William Lawrence Saunders Gold Medal from AIME, as well as the prestigious Daniel C. Jackling Award and Robert A. Dreyer Award from SME for technical achievements and leadership in the mining industry during his career. He is a fellow of the Society of Economic Geologists, CIM, and SME, and a certified director under Institute of Corporate Directors. Mr. Schafer has served on the board of directors of select mining companies, including his current service on the boards of directors of Amur Minerals Corporation (AIM: AMC), Volcanic Gold Mines Inc. (TSX-V: VG) and Trillium Gold Mines Inc. (TSX-V: TGM). His prior board service includes, Lincoln Mining (TSX-V: LMG), Orex Minerals (TSX -V: REX), Orosur Minerals (TSX: OMI), and Cardinal Resources (ASX and TSX: CDV). Robert earned a BS and MS in Geology at Miami University (Ohio) as well as an MS in Mineral Economics and completed studies and research toward a PhD in Geology at the University of Arizona. He also completed the Executive Business Management program at Stanford. Mr. Schafer is qualified to serve on the Board because of his exceptional industry knowledge and experience as well as his extensive experience serving on boards of directors.

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Michael Waldkirch has been serving as our director since January 2021. Mr. Waldkirch is a Chartered Professional Accountant in operationalthe U.S. and executive management,Canada since 1998 and was the Chief Financial Officer of Gold Standard Ventures Corp. (TSX: GSV) (NYSE American: GSV) in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He has also held the position of Senior Partner with the public accounting firm Michael Waldkirch and Company Inc., Chartered Professional Accountants, in Vancouver, B.C. since 1999. From 1997 to 2011, he held the position of principal with JBH Professional Services Inc., a business consulting firm located in Richmond, B.C. Mr. Waldkirch holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of British Columbia. Mr. Waldkirch is qualified to serve on the Board because of his financial expertise coupled with his deep governance acumen, and strong knowledge of early stagethe mining industry.

The Honorable Ryan K. Zinke has been serving as our director since April 2019. He was elected as a Montana State Senator and later twice elected as Montana’s sole member of the US House of Representatives. He served on the House Armed Services and Natural Resources committees. In 2016, Congressman Zinke was nominated by President Donald J. Trump and later confirmed by the US Senate to serve as the 52nd US Secretary of the Interior. As Secretary, he was a champion of restoring the voice of state and local communities in land and wildlife management decisions, established and protected wildlife corridors, budgeted for the largest investment in our Nation’s history for National Parks, increased public access for recreation and traditional use, and was the principle architect of the American Energy “Dominance” policy. After 31 years of public service, President Trump accepted his resignation in 2019. He has also served on the boards of directors of Continental Divide International, LCC Director and Double Tap, LLC. The Honorable Ryan K. Zinke is the author of American Commander and serves on numerous boards. He holds an MBA in Finance, an MS in Global Leadership, and a BS in Geology. Mr. Zinke is qualified to serve on the Board because of his extensive knowledge of governmental regulations as well as his proven track record of exceptional leadership and public companies.service.

 

Unless authority to vote for the nominees named above is withheld, the shares represented by the enclosed proxy will be voted FOR the election of such nominees as directors. In the event that any of the nominees shall become unable or unwilling to serve, the shares represented by the enclosed proxy will be voted for the election of such other person as the Board may recommend in such nominee’s place. The Board has no reason to believe that any of the nominees will be unable or unwilling to serve.

Board Diversity Matrix (as of October 25, 2022)

Total Number of Directors: 6

 

  Female Male Non-Binary Did Not Disclose Gender
Part I: Gender Identity        
Directors 1 5 0 0
Part II: Demographic Background        
African American or Black 0 0 0 0
Alaskan Native or Native American 0 0 0 0
Asian 0 0 0 0
Hispanic or Latinx 0 0 0 0
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0 0 0 0
White 1 5 0 0
Two or More Races or Ethnicities 0 0 0 0
LGBTQ+ 0
Did Not Disclose Demographic Background 0

Family Relationships

 

There are no family relationships among our executive officers and directors.

 

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Involvement in Certain Legal Proceedings

 

DuringThere have been no material legal proceedings that would require disclosure under the past ten years, nonefederal securities laws that are material to an evaluation of the ability or integrity of our directors or executive officers, promoters, control persons, or nomineesin which any director, officer, nominee or principal stockholder, or any affiliate thereof, is a party adverse to us or has been:a material interest adverse to us.

the subject of any bankruptcy petition filed by or against any business of which such person was a general partner or executive officer either at the time of the bankruptcy or within two years prior to that time;
convicted in a criminal proceeding or is subject to a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses);
subject to any order, judgment, or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction or any Federal or State authority, permanently or temporarily enjoining, barring, suspending or otherwise limiting his involvement in any type of business, securities or banking activities;
found by a court of competent jurisdiction (in a civil action), the Commission or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law;
the subject of, or a party to, any Federal or State judicial or administrative order, judgment, decree, or finding, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, relating to an alleged violation of (a) any Federal or State securities or commodities law or regulation; (b) any law or regulation respecting financial institutions or insurance companies including, but not limited to, a temporary or permanent injunction, order of disgorgement or restitution, civil money penalty or temporary or permanent cease-and-desist order, or removal or prohibition order; or (c) any law or regulation prohibiting mail or wire fraud or fraud in connection with any business entity; or
the subject of, or a party to, any sanction or order, not subsequently reversed, suspended or vacated, of any self-regulatory organization (as defined in Section 3(a)(26) of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(26))), any registered entity (as defined in Section 1(a)(29) of the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1(a)(29))), or any equivalent exchange, association, entity or organization that has disciplinary authority over its members or persons associated with a member.

 

Vote Required

 

The nominees for director who receive the most votes (also known as a plurality) will be elected. You may vote either FOR all of the nominees, WITHHOLD your vote from all of the nominees or WITHHOLD your vote from any one or more of the nominees. Votes that are withheld will not be included in the vote tally for the election of directors. Brokerage firms do not have authority to vote customers’ unvoted shares held by the firms in street name for the election of directors. As a result, any shares not voted by a beneficial owner will be treated as a broker non-vote. Such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results of this vote.

 

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR“FOR” THE ELECTION OF THE NOMINEES NAMED ABOVE AS DIRECTORS, AND PROXIES SOLICITED BY THE BOARD WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR THEREOF UNLESS A SHAREHOLDER HAS INDICATED OTHERWISE ON THE PROXY.DIRECTORS.

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CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

General

 

Information aboutWe are committed to maintaining strong corporate governance practices that benefit the long-term interests of our stockholders by providing for effective oversight and management of our Company. Our governance policies, including our Corporate Governance Principles, Code of Ethics, and committee charters can be found on our website at www.usgoldcorp.gold by following the link to “Investors” and then to “Governance” and then to “Governance Documents.”

The Nominating and Governance Committee regularly reviews our Corporate Governance Principles, Code of Ethics, and committee charters to ensure that they take into account our developments, changes in regulations and listing requirements, and the continuing evolution of best practices in the area of corporate governance.

The Board conducts an annual self-evaluation in order to assess whether the directors, the committees, and the Board are functioning effectively.

Code of DirectorsEthics and CommitteesBusiness Conduct and Whistleblower Policy

 

Corporate GovernanceOur Code of Ethics and Business Conduct (the “Code”), which was amended and restated as of November 2020, applies to our employees, directors, officers, contractors, consultants, and persons performing similar functions. This includes our President and Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer. We require that they avoid conflicts of interest, comply with applicable laws, protect our assets, and conduct business in an ethical and responsible manner and in accordance with the Code. The Code prohibits employees from taking unfair advantage of our business partners, competitors, and employees through manipulation, concealment, misuse of confidential or privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other practice of unfair dealing or improper use of information. The Code requires employees to comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations wherever in the world we conduct business. This includes applicable laws on privacy and data protection, anti-corruption and anti-bribery, and trade sanctions. Our Code was initially amended and restated in 2014 (and subsequently amended and restated in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2020) to better reflect our expanding global operations and diverse employee base, enhance its clarity and general readability, and to make other stylistic changes to more closely align the Code with our overall brand. If we make substantive amendments to the Code, or grant any waiver, including any implicit waiver, from a provision of the Code to our President and Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, and any of our other officers, financial professionals, and persons performing similar functions, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on our website (www.usgoldcorp.gold) or in a report filed with the SEC on Form 8-K.

We also have adopted a Whistleblower Policy in November 2020, providing a platform to receive, retain and retreat concerns and complaints about accounting, internal accounting controls, auditing matters, fraud, any violation of law, or rules or regulations or our Code, free of any retaliation or harassment. The Whistleblower Policy can be found on our website at www.usgoldcorp.gold by following the link to “Investors.” We intend to disclose any amendments to, or waivers from, our Whistleblower Policy at the same website address provided above.

Board Composition

Our Articles of Incorporation, as amended (the “Charter”), and our Second Amended and Restated Bylaws (“Bylaws”) provide that our Board will consist of no more than fifteen (15) and no less than three (3) members, such number of directors to be determined from time to time pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors. Vacancies or newly created directorships resulting from an increase in the authorized number of directors elected by all of the stockholders having the right to vote as a single class may be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director.

Independence of Directors

 

Our Board is currently comprised of fivesix members, threefour of whom are independent directors. Messrs. KarrAssuming the Company’s Director Nominees are elected at the Annual Meeting, the Board will be comprised of six members, four of whom will be independent directors. If elected at the Annual Meeting, Mr. Bee and Moylan areMr. Norman will not be independent directors.

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The Board, upon recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, unanimously determined that each of our three non-employee directorsMessrs. Zinke, Schafer and Waldkirch and Ms. Gilfillan is “independent,” as such term is defined in the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules (“Stock Market Rules”).

 

The definition of “independent director” included in the Stock Market Rules includes a series of objective tests, such as that the director is not an employee of the Company, has not engaged in various types of specified business dealings with the Company, and does not have an affiliation with an organization that has had specified business dealings with the Company. Consistent with the Company’s Corporate Governance Principles, the Board’s determination of independence is made in accordance with the Stock Market Rules, as the Board has not adopted supplemental independence standards. As required by the Stock Market Rules, the Board also has made a subjective determination with respect to each director that such director has no material relationship with the Company (either directly or as a partner, shareholder or officer of an organization that hasdoes not have a relationship that, in the opinion of the Board, would interfere with the Company),exercising independent judgment in carrying out such director’s responsibilities, even if the director otherwise satisfies the objective independence tests included in the definition of an “independent director” included in the Stock Market Rules.

 

In determining that each individual who served as a member of the Board is independent, the Board considered (i) relationships and transactions involving directors or their affiliates or immediate family members that inwould be required to be disclosed as related party transactions and (ii) other relationships and transactions involving directors or their affiliates or immediate family members that did not rise to the ordinary courselevel of business, transactions may occur between the Company and entities withrequiring such disclosure, of which some of our directors are affiliated. The Board unanimously determined that the relationships discussed belowthere were not material. No unusual discounts or terms were extended.none.

 

Board Leadership Structure

 

The Board believes that the Company’s shareholdersstockholders are best served if the Board retains the flexibility to adapt its leadership structure to applicable facts and circumstances, which necessarily change over time. Accordingly, the Company’s Corporate Governance Principles provide that the Board may combine or separate the roles of the CEOChief Executive Officer and chairman,Chairman, as it deems advisable and in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders.stockholders.

 

The independent directors have concluded that the most effective leadership structure for the Companyus at the present time is for Mr. KarrBee to serve as both our CEOChief Executive Officer and Mr. Norman as Chairman. The Board made this determination in light of Mr. Karr’sBee and Mr. Norman’s experience, with the Company, which allow himthem to bring to the Board a broad and uniquely well-informed perspective on the Company’s business, as well as insight into the trends and opportunities that can affect the Company’s future. In adopting the structure, the Board also concluded that the strong independent membership of the Board and its standing committees ensures robust and effective communication between the directors and members of management, and that the overall leadership structure is effective in providing the Board with a well-informed and current view of the Company’sour business that enhances its ability to address strategic considerations, as well as focus on the opportunities and risks that are of greatest importance to the Companyus and its shareholders.our stockholders. The Board believes this structure has served the Companyus well since July 2017. May 2022.

 

Under our Corporate Governance Principles, the Board has the flexibility to modify or continue the leadership structure, as it deems appropriate. Until July 2017, the Board separated the roles of Chairman and CEO. As part of its ongoing evaluation of the most effective leadership structure for the Company,us, in July 2017,May 2022, the independent directors decided to combineseparate the roles of CEOChief Executive Officer and Chairman. Mr. Norman has served as Chairman and also appoint a lead director. The independent directors believe that having a lead director enhances the Board’s independent oversight of management by further providing for strong independent leadership; independent discussion among directors; and independent evaluation of, and communication with, senior management of the Company.Board since May 2022 and Mr. Braca currently servesBee has served as lead director, and hasour Chief Executive Officer since July 2017. The independent directors unanimously approved Mr. Braca to be lead director based on his experience knowledge of governance practices, strategic considerations, and the Company’s business interests.November 2020.

Specific duties of the lead director include:

presiding at meetings of the independent directors;
serving as a liaison between the chairman and the independent directors;
consulting on meeting agendas;
working with management to assure that meeting materials are fulfilling the needs of directors;
consulting on the meeting calendar and schedules to assure there is sufficient time to discuss all agenda items;
calling meetings of the independent directors, including at the request of such directors;
presiding at Board meetings when the chairman is not present;
working with the independent directors to respond to shareholder inquiries involving the Board; and
performing such other duties as the Board may from time to time delegate.

 

Director Attendance at Board, Committee, and Other Meetings

 

Directors are expected to attend Board meetings and meetings of the committees on which they serve, with the understanding that on occasion a director may be unable to attend a meeting. The Board does not have a policy on director attendance at the Company’sour annual meeting. Each member of the Board that was a director at the time attended the annual meeting of stockholders in 2021.

 

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The

Excluding Luke Norman, the non-management directors (who also constitute all of the independent directors) meet in executive sessions in connection with regularly scheduled Board meetings and at such other times as the non-management directors deem appropriate. In 2016, these sessions were led by the lead director.

 

In 2016,During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022, the Board held eleven5 regular and special meetings, the non-management directors held four regular and special executive sessions, the Audit Committee held four4 regular and special meetings, the Compensation Committee held two2 regular and special meetings, and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee held two1 regular andmeeting. The Technical Committee did not hold any regular or special meetings.meetings during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022. Each director attended 90% or moreat least 80% of the regular and specialtotal number of meetings of the Board and of the committees on which he or she served that were held during his or her term of office. Each of the non-management (and independent) directors attended 90% or more of the regular and special executive sessions that were held during his or her term of office.

 

Board of Directors Role in Risk Oversight

 

The Company’sOur Board plays an active role in our risk oversight, of the Company.including with respect to risks related to cybersecurity. The Board does not have a formal risk management committee but administers this oversight function through various standing committees of the Board, which are described below. The Audit Committee periodically reviews overall enterprise risk management, in addition to maintaining responsibility for oversight of financial reporting-related risks, including those related to the Company’sour accounting, auditing and financial reporting practices. The Audit Committee also reviews reports and considers any material allegations regarding potential violations of the Company’sour Code of Ethics.Ethics and Business Conduct (the “Code of Ethics” or the “Code”). The Compensation Committee oversees risks arising from the Company’sour compensation policies and programs. ThisThe Compensation Committee has responsibility for evaluating and approving theour executive compensation and benefit plans, policies and programs of the Company.programs. The Nominating Committee oversees corporate governance risks and oversees and advises the Board with respect to the Company’sour policies and practices regarding significant issues of corporate responsibility.

 

The Board of Directors has a process for shareholders to communicate with directors. Shareholders should write to the President at the Company’s mailing address and specifically request that a copy of the letter be distributed to a particular Board member or to all Board members. Where no such specific request is made, the letter will be distributed to Board members if material, in the judgment of the President, to matters on the Board’s agenda.

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Committees of the Board

 

Our Board has threefour standing committees: (1) Audit (the “Audit Committee”), (2) Compensation and(the “Compensation Committee”), (3) Nominating and Corporate Governance.Governance (the “Nomination and Governance Committee”) and (4) Technical (the “Technical Committee”). Each of the committees is solely comprised of and chaired by independent directors, each of whom the Board has affirmatively determined is independent pursuant to the Stock Market Rules.Rules (as defined below). Each of the committees operates pursuant to its charter. The committee Charterscharters are reviewed annually by the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. If appropriate, and in consultation with the chairs of the other committees, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee proposes revisions to the charters. The responsibilities of each committee are described in more detail below. The charters for the three committees are available on the Company’sour website atwww.usgoldcorp.goldby following the link to “Investor Relations”“Investors” and then to “Corporate Governance.”

 

Audit Committee

 

The Audit Committee, among other things, is responsible for:

 

 appointing; approving the compensation of; overseeing the work of; and assessing the independence, qualifications, and performance of the independent auditor;
 reviewing the internal audit function, including its independence, plans, and budget;
 approving, in advance, audit and any permissible non-audit services performed by our independent auditor;
 reviewing our internal controls with the independent auditor, the internal auditor, and management;
 reviewing the adequacy of our accounting and financial controls as reported by the independent auditor, the internal auditor, and management;
 overseeing our financial compliance system; and
 overseeing our major risk exposures regarding the Company’s accounting and financial reporting policies, the activities of our internal audit function, and information technology.

 

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The Audi CommitteeBoard has reviewedadopted a written charter setting forth the authority and discussed the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended April 30, 2016 with managementresponsibilities of the Company and has discussed with Marcum LLP the matters required to be discussed by the statement on Auditing Standards No. 61, as amended, as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in Rule 3200T.

Audit Committee. The Board has affirmatively determined that each member of the Audit Committee meets the additional independence criteria applicable to audit committee members under SEC rules and the Nasdaq’s Stock Market Rules.Rules (the “Stock Market Rules”). The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter setting forth the authority and responsibilities of the Audit Committee. The Board has affirmatively determined that John Braca meetsTara Gilfillan and Michael Waldkirch meet the qualifications of an Audit Committee financial expert. The Company’sexpert as defined by the rules of the SEC. Our Audit Committee currently consists of the following members: John Braca, Timothy JankeTara Gilfillan, Michael Waldkirch and James Davidson. Mr. BracaRobert W. Schafer. Ms. Gilfillan serves as Chairman of the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee is in compliance with Stock Market Rule 5605(2)(A).

 

Compensation Committee

 

The Compensation Committee was formed in October 2014. Among other things, it is responsible for:

 

 reviewing and making recommendations to the Board with respect to the compensation of our officers and directors, including the CEO;Chief Executive Officer;
 overseeing and administering the Company’s executive compensation plans, including equity-based awards;
 negotiating and overseeing employment agreements with officers and directors; and
 overseeing how the Company’s compensation policies and practices may affect the Company’s risk management practices and/or risk-taking incentives.

The Board has adopted a written charter setting forth the authority and responsibilities of the Compensation Committee. The Company’sOur Compensation Committee currently consists of the following members: John Braca, Timothy JankeRobert W. Schafer, Michael Waldkirch and James Davidson.Tara Gilfillan. Mr. DavidsonSchafer serves as Chairman of the Compensation Committee. The Board has affirmatively determined that each member of the Compensation Committee meets the additional independence criteria applicable to compensation committee members under SEC rules and the Stock Market Rules. Pursuant to its charter, the Compensation Committee has the authority to delegate its responsibilities to subcommittees if the Compensation Committee determines such delegation would be in the best interest of the Company. In reviewing the compensation of our executive officers other than our Chief Executive Officer, we consider the input of our Chief Executive Officer.

The Company paid Bedford Resources Inc. (“Bedford Resources”) $15,576 to perform a compensation analysis as it relates to the Company’s directors and executive officers, during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022. Bedford Resources was engaged by our Chief Executive Officer and the Compensation Committee and was asked to address the following: (1) develop a compensation peer group for the Company that reflects its profile, stage of development and headquarters location, (2) based upon the approved peer group, benchmark the following: (a) executive management cash compensation, including base salary, annual bonus and short-term incentive plan eligibility, (b) executive management long-term incentive plan awards and total compensation, (c) executive management long-term incentive plan composition breakdown (options, restricted stock units, performance stock units) and (d) director compensation, and (3) to work with the Company’s management and Board to develop a short-term incentive plan scorecard.

 

Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee

 

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, among other things, is responsible for:

 

 reviewing and assessing the development of the executive officers, and considering and making recommendations to the Board regarding promotion and succession issues;
 evaluating and reporting to the Board on the performance and effectiveness of the directors, committees, and the Board as a whole;
 working with the Board to determine the appropriate and desirable mix of characteristics, skills, expertise, and experience, including diversity considerations, for the full Board and each committee;
 annually presenting to the Board a list of individuals recommended to be nominated for election to the Board;
 reviewing, evaluating, and recommending changes to the Company’s Corporate Governance Principles and committee Charters;

19

 recommending to the Board individuals to be elected to fill vacancies and newly created directorships;
 overseeing the Company’s compliance program, including the Code of Conduct; and
 overseeing and evaluating how the Company’s corporate governance and legal and regulatory compliance policies and practices, including leadership, structure, and succession planning, may affect the Company’s major risk exposures.

 

The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter setting forth the authority and responsibilities of the Corporate Governance/Nominating Committee. The Company’s Nominating and CorporateGovernance Committee. Our Nominating and Governance Committee currently consists of the following members: John Braca, Timothy JankeRobert W. Schafer, Michael Waldkirch and James Davidson.Tara Gilfillan. Mr. DavidsonSchafer serves as Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee.

 

Technical Committee

The Technical Committee, among other things, is responsible for:

assisting management and the Board of Directors in fulfilling its responsibilities regarding the advancement of the Company’s projects, including economic analysis, preparations for mining and such other matters as may be requested.

The Board of Directors has adopted a written charter setting forth the authority and responsibilities of the Technical Committee. Our Technical Committee currently consists of the following members: George Bee, Ryan K. Zinke, Robert W. Schafer and Tara Gilfillan. Mr. Zinke serves as the Chairman of the Technical Committee.

Consideration of Director Nominees

 

As specified in our Corporate Governance Principles, we seek directors with the highest standards of ethics and integrity, sound business judgment, and the willingness to make a strong commitment to the Companyus and itsour success. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee works with the Board on an annual basis to determine the appropriate and desirable mix of characteristics, skills, expertise, and experience for the full Board and each committee, taking into account both existing directors and all nominees for election as directors, as well as any diversity considerations and the membership criteria reflected in the Corporate Governance Principles. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee and the Board, which do not have a formal diversity policy, consider diversity in a broad sense when evaluating board composition and nominations; and they seek to include directors with a diversity of experience, professions, viewpoints, skills, and backgrounds that will enable them to make significant contributions to the Board and the Company,us, both as individuals and as part of a group of directors. The Board evaluates each individual in the context of the full Board, with the objective of recommending a group that can best contribute to the success of the business and represent shareholderstockholder interests through the exercise of sound judgment. In determining whether to recommend a director for re-election, the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee also considers the director’s attendance at meetings and participation in and contributions to the activities of the Board and its committees. We did not pay fees to any third party to assist in the process of identifying or evaluating director candidates for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022.

 

The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will consider director candidates recommended by shareholders,stockholders, and its process for considering such recommendations is no different than its process for screening and evaluating candidates suggested by directors, management, of the Company, or third parties. Our Bylaws contain provisions that address the process by which a stockholder may nominate an individual to stand for election to the Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting. To recommend a nominee for election to the Board of Directors, a stockholder must submit his or her recommendation to the Corporate Secretary at the address appearing on the first page of this proxy statement. Such nomination must satisfy the notice, information and consent requirements set forth in our Bylaws and must be received by us prior to the date set forth under “Submission of Future Stockholder Proposals” included herein. A stockholder’s recommendation must be accompanied by the information with respect to stockholder nominees that is specified in our Bylaws, including among other things, the name, age and address of the recommended person, the proposing stockholder’s name and address, the ownership interests of the proposing stockholder and any material monetary or other relationships between the recommended person and the proposing stockholder and/or the beneficial owners, if any, on whose behalf the nomination is being made.

 

1920
 

 

Corporate Governance MattersReport of the Audit Committee

 

We are committed to maintaining strong corporate governance practices that benefitOur Audit Committee reviewed the long-term interests of our shareholders by providingCompany’s audited financial statements for effective oversight and managementthe year ended April 30, 2022. The following is the report of the Company. Our governance policies, including our Corporate Governance Principles, CodeAudit Committee with respect to the Company’s audited financial statements for the year ended April 30, 2022, which includes the consolidated balance sheets of Conduct,the Company as of April 30, 2022 and Committee Charters canApril 30, 2021, and the related consolidated statements of operations, changes in stockholders’ equity and cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended April 30, 2022, and the notes thereto. The information contained in this report shall not be found on our website atwww.usgoldcorp.golddeemed to be “soliciting material” or to be “filed with the SEC” or subject to Regulation 14A or 14C under the Exchange Act or to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, nor shall such information be incorporated by followingreference into any future filing under the linkSecurities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Exchange Act except to “Investors”the extent that the Company specifically incorporates it by reference into such filing.

Reviews and then to “Governance.”Discussions with Management

 

The NominatingAudit Committee has reviewed and Corporate Governance Committee regularly reviews our Corporate Governance Principles, Code of Conduct,discussed the Company’s audited financial statements with management.

Review and Committee Charters to ensure that they take into account developments at the Company, changes in regulations and listing requirements, and the continuing evolution of best practices in the area of corporate governance.Discussions with Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

The Board conducts an annual self-evaluation in orderAudit Committee has discussed with its independent auditor the matters required to assess whetherbe discussed by the directors,applicable requirements of the committees,Public Company Accounting Oversight Board and the Board are functioning effectively.SEC.

 

CodeThe Audit Committee has also received written disclosures and the letter from the independent auditor required by applicable requirements of Conductthe Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent auditor’s communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence and has discussed with the independent auditor its independence from the Company. The Audit Committee has also reviewed and discussed the selection, application and disclosure of the critical accounting policies of the Company with the independent auditor.

 

Our CodeBased on the review and discussions referred to above, the Audit Committee approved the inclusion of Conduct (the “Code”), which was amended and restated as of December 3, 2015, applies to the Company’s employees, directors, officers, contractors, consultants, and persons performing similar functions (“Covered Persons”). This includes our CEO and Chairman, our CFO, and our controller/treasurer. We require that they avoid conflicts of interest, comply with applicable laws, protect Company assets, and conduct business in an ethical and responsible manner and in accordance with the Code. The Code prohibits employees from taking unfair advantage of our business partners, competitors, and employees through manipulation, concealment, misuse of confidential or privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts, or any other practice of unfair dealing or improper use of information. The Code requires employees to comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations whereveraudited financial statements in the world we conduct business. This includes applicable laws on privacy and data protection, anti-corruption and anti-bribery, and trade sanctions. Our Code was initially amended and restated in 2014 (and subsequently amended and restated in 2015) to better reflect our expanding global operations and diverse employee base, enhance its clarity and general readability, and to make other stylistic changes to more closely align the Code with our overall brand. Our Code is publicly available and can be found on our website atwww.usgoldcorp.gold by following the link to “Investors” and then to “Governance.”Company’s Annual Report.

 

If we make substantive amendments to the Code, or grant any waiver, including any implicit waiver, from a provision of the Code to our CEO and Chairman, CFO, controller/treasurer, and any of our other officers, financial professionals, and persons performing similar functions, we will disclose the nature of such amendment or waiver on our website or in a report filed with the SEC on Form 8-K.

AUDIT COMMITTEE
Tara Gilfillan
Michael Waldkirch
Robert W. Schafer

 

Communications with the Board of Directors

 

ShareholdersStockholders and other parties may communicate directly with the Board of Directors or the relevant board member by addressing communications to:

 

U.S. Gold Corp.

c/o Corporate Secretary

777 Alexander Road1910 E. Idaho Street, Suite 102-Box 604,

Princeton, NJ 08543Elko, Nevada 89801

 

All shareholderstockholder correspondence will be compiled by our corporate secretary and forwarded as appropriate. Stockholders should specifically request that a copy of the letter be distributed to a particular Board member or to all Board members. Where no such specific request is made, the letter will be distributed to Board members if material, in the judgment of the corporate secretary, to matters on the Board’s agenda.

Delinquent Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting ComplianceReports

 

Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 requires the Company’sour directors, executive officers, and shareholdersstockholders who own more than 10% of the Company’sour stock to file forms with the SEC to report their ownership of the Company’sour stock and any changes in ownership. The Company assists itsWe assist our directors and executivesexecutive officers by identifying reportable transactions of which it is aware and preparing and filing thetheir forms on their behalf. All persons required to file forms with the SEC must also send copies of the forms to the Company.us. We have reviewed all forms provided to us. Based on that review and on written information given to ususe by our executive officers and directors, we believe that all Section 16(a) filings during the past fiscal year were filed on a timely basis and that all directors, executive officers and 10% beneficial owners have fully complied with such requirements during the past fiscal year.year except for one late filing involving Kevin Francis, our Vice President - Exploration and Technical Services.

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EXECUTIVE OFFICERSDIRECTOR COMPENSATION

 

The Compensation Committee periodically evaluates the compensation of directors and recommends compensation changes to the Board as appropriate. We currently pay members of our Board $6,000 per quarter in cash and compensate the Board through the issuance of restricted stock units. Until November 9, 2021, we also compensated our Board through the issuance of stock option awards and restricted stock. Our Audit Committee chair receives $2,500 per quarter in cash and all other committee chairs receive $2,000 per quarter in cash. These arrangements compensate our directors for their Board responsibilities while aligning their interests with the long-term interests of our stockholders. Directors who are employees of the Company receive no additional cash compensation or equity compensation for serving on the Board.

While the Company does not require directors and officers to own a specific minimum number of shares of the Company’s common stock, the Company believes that each director and corporate officer should have a substantial personal investment in the Company. Under the Company’s Policy on Insider Information and Insider Trading, which applies to the Company’s directors, it is improper for directors to engage in short-term or speculative transactions in the Company’s securities.

The following table sets forth information concerning director compensation during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022 paid or provided to each of our non-employee directors who served in such capacity at any time during the most recent fiscal year. Other than as set forth in the table, we did not pay any compensation, reimburse any expense of, make any equity awards or non-equity awards to, or pay any other compensation to any of the other members of our Board in such period.

Name 

Fees Earned or Paid in Cash

($)

  Stock Awards ($)(1)  Option Awards ($)(2)  All Other Compensation ($)  Total ($) 
Ryan K. Zinke(3) $32,000  $74,000  $24,000  $36,000  $166,000 
Robert W. Schafer(4) $40,000  $24,000  $24,000  $-  $88,000 
Tara Gilfillan(5) $34,000  $24,000  $24,000  $-  $82,000 
Michael Waldkirch(6) $24,000  $24,000  $24,000  $-  $72,000 

(1)Represents the aggregate grant date fair value for stock awards granted by us in fiscal year 2022 computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. See Note 10 to our consolidated financial statements reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022 for details as to the assumptions used to determine the fair value of the stock awards.
(2)Represents the aggregate grant date fair value for options granted by us in fiscal year 2022 computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. See Note 10 to our consolidated financial statements reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022 for details as to the assumptions used to determine the fair value of the option awards.
(3)Concurrent with the appointment of Mr. Zinke to our Board of Directors, we retained Mr. Zinke as a consultant, and pursuant to such arrangement, Mr. Zinke provided certain consulting services under the terms of a one-year consulting agreement (the “Consulting Agreement”). Effective April 16, 2019, the Consulting Agreement was expanded, to which Mr. Zinke provided certain consulting services to us, including investor relations and governmental relations services. On January 7, 2021, we entered into another one-year consulting agreement (the “January 2021 Agreement”) with Mr. Zinke, which was again extended on January 6, 2022 (the “January 2022 Agreement”). Pursuant to the January 2022 Agreement, Mr. Zinke will provide services related to investor and strategic introductions to potential industry partners and assistance with government relations. In consideration for the services, Mr. Zinke will be paid an annual fee of $86,000 consisting of shares of the Company’s common stock with a value of $50,000 and cash payments of $36,000, paid $3,000 per month. In January 2022, we issued 3,222 shares of common stock pursuant to the January 2022 Agreement. We paid a total of $86,000 in cash and shares for consulting fees to Mr. Zinke during the year ended April 30, 2022. As of April 30, 2022, Mr. Zinke had outstanding options to purchase 5,310 shares of our common stock and outstanding restricted stock unit awards of 7,927 shares of our common stock.
(4)As of April 30, 2022, Mr. Schafer had outstanding options to purchase 5,310 shares of our common stock and outstanding restricted stock unit awards of 7,927 shares of our common stock.
(5)As of April 30, 2022, Ms. Gilfillan had outstanding options to purchase 5,310 shares of our common stock and outstanding restricted stock unit awards of 7,927 shares of our common stock.
(6)As of April 30, 2022, Mr. Waldkirch had outstanding options to purchase 5,310 shares of our common stock and outstanding restricted stock unit awards of 7,409 shares of our common stock.

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EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

As of October 24, 2022, the following persons are our executive officers and hold the offices set forth opposite their names.

 

Name Age Principal Occupation Officer/
Director Since
Edward M. Karr 47 Chief Executive Officer, President and Director of USG; Director of Dataram Memory 2015
Anthony M. Lougee 55 Chief Financial Officer of USG and Dataram Memory 2002
Name Age Principal Occupation Officer/ Director Since
George Bee 64 President, Chief Executive Officer and Director 2020
Eric Alexander 55 Chief Financial Officer 2020
Kevin Francis 62 Vice President – Exploration and Technical Services 2021

 

The biography Edward Karrfor George Bee is contained in the information disclosures relating to the Company’s nominees for director.

 

Anthony M. LougeeEric Alexander has been serving as theour Chief Financial Officer since September 2020. Mr. Alexander has over 30 years of corporate, operational and business experience, and over 15 years of mining industry experience. Previously he served as Corporate Controller of Helix Technologies, Inc., a publicly traded software and technology company from April 2019 to September 2020. Prior to that, he served as the Company sinceVice President Finance and Controller of Pershing Gold Corporation, a mining company (formerly NASDAQ: PGLC), from September 2012 until April 2019. Prior to that, Mr. Alexander was the Corporate Controller for Sunshine Silver Mines Corporation, a privately held mining company with exploration and pre-development properties in Idaho and Mexico, from March 2011 to August 20152012. He was a consultant to Hein & Associates LLP from August 2012 to September 2012 and a Manager with Hein & Associates LLP from July 2010 to March 2011. He served from July 2007 to May 2010 as the Corporate Secretary from June 2015 until May 23, 2017. He served asController for Golden Minerals Company (and its predecessor, Apex Silver Mines Limited), a publicly traded mining company with operations and exploration activities in South America and Mexico. In addition to his direct experience in the Company’s Chief Accounting Officer from September 2002 through August 2015. Mr. Lougee is an accomplished senior financial executive with significant experience working in accounting, finance, compliance, and management roles. Hemining industry, he has beenalso held the position of Senior Manager with the Company for over 20 years.public accounting firm KPMG LLP, focusing on mining and energy clients. Mr. Lougee wasAlexander has a B.S. in Business Administration (concentrations in Accounting and Finance) from the State University of New York at Buffalo and is also a General Accounting Manager for Dialight Corporation and Accountant with Philips Electronics. Mr. Lougee is a graduate of Monmouth University, and holds a BS and MBA degree.licensed CPA.

 

EXECUTIVE COMPENSATIONKevin Francis has been our Vice President – Exploration and Technical Services since July 2021. Mr. Francis has held many senior roles within the mining industry, including VP of Project Development for Aurcana Corporation, VP of Technical Services for Oracle Mining Corporation, VP of Resources for NovaGold Resources and Principal Geologist for AMEC Mining and Metals. Most recently, he consulted to U.S. Gold Corp. as Principal of Mineral Resource Management LLC, a consultancy providing technical leadership to the mining industry, as well as through his association with Gustavson Associates (a member of WSP) since September 2020. Mr. Francis is a “qualified person” as defined by SEC S-K 1300 and Canadian NI 43-101 reporting standards and holds both an M.S. degree and a B.A. in geology from the University of Colorado.

 

SUMMARYSummary Compensation TableCOMPENSATION TABLE Pre-Merger

 

The following table sets forthpurpose of this Executive Compensation discussion is to provide information about the material elements of compensation paidthat we pay or award to, or that is earned by or awarded toby: (i) the individuals who served as our Principal Executive Officerprincipal executive officer (“PEO”), and during the nextfiscal year ended April 30, 2022; (ii) our two highestmost highly compensated executive officers, other than the individuals who served as our PEO, who were serving as executive officers, as determined in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC, as of April 30, 2017.

(In Dollars)

Name and Principal PositionFiscal Year Salary Bonus Equity Awards(2) Other Compensation(3) Total
David A. Moylan(1)    2017  $236,000  $0  $84,000  $10,620  $330,620 
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (PEO)  2016  $212,000  $0  $243,977  $9,540  $465,517 
                         
Anthony M. Lougee  2017  $144,000  $1,250  $63,000  $6,480  $214,730 
Chief Financial Officer (PF&AO)  2016  $141,506  $0  $36,060  $6,368  $183,934 

(1)David A. Moylan started2022, with compensation during such fiscal year of $100,000 or more; and (iii) up to two additional individuals for whom disclosure would have been provided pursuant to clause (ii) but for the Companyfact that such individuals were not serving as executive officers on January 22, 2015. On May 23, 2017,April 30, 2022. We refer to these individuals as our “named executive officers.” For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022, other than our PEO, we had two executive officers, Mr. Moylan resigned as Chief Executive OfficerAlexander and Mr. Francis, who received compensation of the Company.

(2)We measure the fair value of stock options using the Black-Scholes option pricing model based upon the market price of the underlying Common Stock as of the date of grant, reduced by the present value of estimated future dividends, using an expected quarterly dividend rate of $0 in fiscal years 2017 and 2016. Risk-free interest rates ranging from [0.5% to 5.0%] were used.

(3)Payments by the Company to a plan trustee under the Company’s Savings and Investment Retirement Plan, a 401(k) plan. The Company does not have a pension plan.

$100,000 or more.

 

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Name and principal
position
 Year  Salary
($)
  

Bonus

($)(1)

  

Stock

Awards

($)(2)

  

Option

awards

($)(3)

  All other
compensation
($)
  Total
($)
 
George Bee  2022  $300,000  $176,375  $176,375(4) $72,000(6) $-  $724,750 
Chief Executive Officer (PEO)  2021  $225,000   -  $2,242,000(5)  -   -  $2,467,000 
                             
Eric Alexander  2022  $232,000  $119,105  $119,105(7) $28,800(9) $-  $499,010 
Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)
  2021  $135,000   -  $560,500(8)  -   -  $695,500 
                             
Kevin Francis
Vice President - Exploration and Technical Services
  2022  $172,917  $30,995  $30,995(10) $17,600(11) $-  $252,507 

(1)21The annual bonus for the executives is determined by the Board of Director’s Compensation Committee and subject to annual review and renegotiation. The current bonus targets for each executive as a percentage of base salary are as follows:

President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO): 100%, bonus paid in a form to be determined by the Board.
Chief Financial Officer (CFO): 100%, bonus paid in a form to be determined by the Board.
Vice President - Exploration and Technical Services (VP): 75%, bonus paid in a form to be determined by the Board.

(2)Represents the aggregate grant date fair value for stock awards granted by us in fiscal years 2022 and 2021 computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. See Note 10 to our consolidated financial statements reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022 for details as to the assumptions used to determine the fair value of the stock awards.
(3)Represents the aggregate grant date fair value for options granted by us in fiscal years 2022 and 2021 computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. See Note 10 to our consolidated financial statements reported in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022 for details as to the assumptions used to determine the fair value of the option awards.
(4)Represents restricted stock units covering 25,450 shares granted as long-term incentive compensation on January 24, 2022. The restricted stock units vested immediately on the date of grant.
(5)Represents restricted stock units covering 200,000 shares granted as long-term incentive compensation on December 9, 2020. 25% vested immediately upon grant and 25% vests annually on the anniversary of the grant-date over the three years ending December 9, 2021 through December 9, 2023.
(6)Represents stock options covering 15,928 shares granted as long-term incentive compensation on January 24, 2022. 25% vested immediately upon grant and 25% vests annually on the anniversary of the grant-date over the three years ending January 24, 2023 through January 24, 2025.
(7)Represents restricted stock units covering 17,186 shares granted as long-term incentive compensation on January 24, 2022. The restricted stock units vested immediately on the date of grant.
(8)Represents restricted stock units covering 50,000 shares granted as long-term incentive compensation on December 9, 2020. 25% vested immediately upon grant and 25% vests annually on the anniversary of the grant-date over the three years ending December 9, 2021 through December 9, 2023.
(9)Represents stock options covering 6,372 shares granted as long-term incentive compensation on January 24, 2022. 25% vested immediately upon grant and 25% vests annually on the anniversary of the grant-date over the three years ending January 24, 2023 through January 24, 2025.
(10)Represents restricted stock units covering 4,472 shares granted as long-term incentive compensation on January 24, 2022. The restricted stock units vested immediately on the date of grant.
(11)Represents stock options covering 3,900 shares granted as long-term incentive compensation on January 24, 2022. 25% vested immediately upon grant and 25% vests annually on the anniversary of the grant-date over the three years ending January 24, 2023 through January 24, 2025.

24
 

 

Grant of Plan-Based Awards in 2017Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table

 

The Company made grants of plan-based awards to executive officers of the Company in the Company’s fiscal year ended April 30, 2017.

The Company has two equity incentive plans – the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan and the 2014 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2014 Plan”). The size of grants under the 2011 Equity Incentive Plan and 2014 Plan are not predetermined in accordance with an incentive award. As of July 10, 2017, no shares remain available for issuance under the 2011 plan  and approximately 2,722 remain available for grant under the 2014 Plan. 

Salary and bonus constituted approximately 85% of total compensation for the executive officers in fiscal 2017. All options granted are at an exercise price equal to the closing market price of the Company’s Common Stock on the date of grant. No dividends are paid or accrued with respect to options for the benefit of employees prior to the date of option exercise.

Summary Compensation TablePost-Merger

The following table sets forth certain information regarding the executive compensation, following the consummation of the merger between Dataram Corporation and U.S. Gold Corp., of the combined company’s directors and executive officers, individually, and the combined company’s directors and executive officers as a group as of July 10, 2017.

Name and principal position(1) Year  Salary
($)(1)
  Bonus
($)(2)
  Stock
Awards
($)
  Option
awards
($)
  Non-equity
incentive plan compensation
($)
  Change in pension value and nonqualified deferred compensation earnings
($)
  All other compensation
($)
  Total
($)
 
Edward M. Karr
Chief Executive Officer (PEO)
  2017  $250,000  $-  $-  $-  $-  $-  $-  $250,000 
                                     
David A. Moylan
President
  2017  $236,000  $-  $84,000  $-  $-  $-  $10,620  $330,620 
                                     
Anthony M. Lougee
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
  2017  $144,000  $1,250  $63,000  $-  $-  $-  $6,480  $214,730 

Notes:

(1) All executivesWe have entered into employment agreements with Dataram or USG. A summary follows:each of our Named Executive Officers.

 

a. Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Edward Karr. On April 12, 2016, USGDecember 4, 2020, we entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Karr.our President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, George Bee (the “Bee Employment Agreement”). The initial term of employment commenced on or about October 28, 2020 and is not for a definite period, but rather will continue indefinitely until terminated in accordance with the Agreement is for two years ending on April 30, 2018, with automatic renewals for successive one year terms unless terminated by written notice at least 90 days prior to the expirationand conditions of the term.Bee Employment Agreement. Mr. Karr is to receiveBee receives a base salary of $250,000$300,000 per year, and annual incentive compensation targeted at 100% of base salary.

b. President, Mr. David A. Moylan: On June 8, 2017,year. The agreement provides for a bonus in an amount up to the Company and David A. Moylan, the Company’s former President and Chief Executive Officer, entered into a separation agreement (the “Moylan Separation Agreement”). Mr. Moylan remains a directoramount of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary Dataram Memory and remainsbase salary, to be awarded in the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dataram Memory. Mr. Moylan resigned as Chairmandiscretion of the Board of Directors and as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company on May 23, 2017 in connection with the closing of the transactions contemplated by the Agreement and Plan of Merger, as amended and restated on July 29, 2016, and further amended and restated on September 14, 2016 and November 28, 2016 with Dataram Acquisition Sub, Inc., a Nevada corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“DAS”), USG and Copper King LLC, the principal shareholder of USGNYV pursuant to which USGNV merged (the “Merger”) with and into DAS, with USG surviving the merger as the surviving corporation.

Under the terms of the Moylan Separation Agreement, Mr. Moylan received a severance payment of an aggregate of $494,227. Such severance payment is the sole and exclusive payment by the Company and is in lieu of any and all payments or obligations, including any separation payments under prior agreements between Mr. Moylan and the Company. Also as set forth in the Moylan Separation Agreement, Mr. Moylan will, until terminated by the Company’s Board of Directors at its sole option with two weeks’ notice, serve as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Dataram Memory for a monthly fee of $19,667, payable 90% in common stock of the Company and 10% in cash and provide general consulting and support services to the Company.

c. Chief Financial Officer, Anthony M. Lougee: On June 6, 2017, Anthony Lougee resigned as Chief Financial Officer of the Company pursuant to a Change in Control and Severance Agreement by and between the Company and Mr. Lougee dated July 31, 2015 (the “Lougee Severance Agreement”). Mr. Lougee’s decision to resign did not result from any disagreement with the Company, the Company’s management or the Board of Directors. On June 8, 2017, the Company entered into a separation agreement with Mr. Lougee (the “Lougee Separation Agreement”). Under the terms of the Lougee Separation Agreement, Mr. Lougee received a severance payment of an aggregate of $221,718. Such severance payment is the sole and exclusive payment by the Company and is in lieu of any and all payments or obligations, including any separation payments under prior agreements between Mr. Lougee and the Company, including the Lougee Severance Agreement.

On June 8, 2017, we reappointed Mr. Lougee to serve as our Chief Financial Officer and as the Chief Financial Officer of Dataram Memory and entered into an amended and restated offer letter agreement (the “Employment Agreement”). Mr. Lougee’s compensation shall remain the same as his compensation immediately prior to his resignation: a base salary of $144,000 with additional monthly cash payments of $2,500 through the earliest to occur of (i) his resignation or removal as Chief Financial Officer of the Company or of Dataram Memory or (ii) November 23, 2017. He shall also receive a monthly award of 500 shares of restricted common stock. Mr. Lougee’s employment is on an at-will basis and may be terminated without notice at any time by Mr. Lougee or the Board of Directors. The Employment Agreement cancels and supersedes the Lougee Severance Agreement, the offer letter agreement by and between the Company and Mr. Lougee dated July 31, 2015 and the incentive agreement by and between the Company and Mr. Lougee dated February 7, 2017.

(2) The annual bonus for the executives is determined by the Board of Director’s Compensation Committee and subject to annual review and renegotiation. The current bonus targets for each executive as a percentage of base salary are as follows:

a.Chief Executive Officer (CEO): 100%
b.President: 100%
c.Chief Financial Officer (CFO): 100%

Outstanding Equity Awards at Year-End

As of July 10, 2017, there are no outstanding equity awards held by any of the named executive officers of the combined Company.

Employment and Separation Agreements

The Company has current and active employment and/or separation agreements with executive officers as noted below.

On April 12, 2016, the Company entered into an employment agreement with its Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Edward Karr. The initial term of the Agreement is for two years ending on April 30, 2018, with automatic renewals for successive one year terms unless terminated by written notice at least 90 days prior to the expiration of the term. Mr. Karr is to receive a base salary of $250,000 per year. The Agreement calls for a bonus of $250,000 to be awarded upon meeting certain milestone goal which is concluding a financing of at least $10,000,000, a minimum of $2,500,000 of which must come from foreign investors. The bonus may be paid in cash, stock, or a combination thereof in the discretion of the board. Any bonus forMr. Bee would also be entitled to receive certain payments upon separation either before or after a calendar year shall be subject tochange of control, as summarized below in “Potential Payments upon Termination”. Mr. Karr’s continued employment with the Company through the end of the calendar year in which it is earnedBee was issued 25,450 restricted stock units and shall be paid after the conclusion of the calendar year in accordance with the Company’s regular bonus payment policies in15,928 stock options as long-term incentive compensation during the year following the year with respect to which the bonus relates, and in any case not later than two and one half (2-1/2) months following the end of the year with respect to which a bonus is earned.ended April 30, 2022.

 

On June 27, 2016, the CompanyDecember 4, 2020, we entered into an employment agreement with itsour Chief Geologist, Mr. David Mathewson.Financial Officer, Eric Alexander (the “Alexander Employment Agreement”). The initial term of employment commenced on or about October 28, 2020 and is not for a definite period, but rather will continue indefinitely until terminated in accordance with the Agreement is for one year, with automatic renewals for successive one year terms unless terminated by written notice at least 30 days prior to the expirationand conditions of the term by either party.

Alexander Employment Agreement. Effective September 2021, Mr. Mathewson is to receiveAlexander receives a base salary of $200,000$240,000 per year. The base salary shall be payable as follows: (a) 25%agreement provides for a bonus in an amount up to the amount of the base salary, shallto be payableawarded in equal monthly cash installments and (b) the remaining 75%discretion of the base salary shall be payable in equal monthly installments in the form of common stock of the Company. Each installment of common stock shall be issued on the first business day of the monthsBoard and shall be valued at the market price on the trading day immediately prior to the date of issuance. Market price is the closing bid price on the principal securities exchange or trading market. Mr. Mathewson shall be entitled to receive bonus to be paid in cash, stock, or a combination thereof in the discretion of the board. Mr. Alexander would also be entitled to receive certain payments upon separation either before or after a change of control, as summarized below in “Potential Payments upon Termination”. Mr. Alexander was issued 17,186 restricted stock units and equity awards.6,372 stock options as long-term incentive compensation during the year ended April 30, 2022.

On July 19, 2021, we entered into an employment agreement with our Vice President - Exploration and Technical Services, Kevin Francis (the “Francis Employment Agreement”). The term of employment commenced on or about July 19, 2021 and is not for a definite period, but rather will continue indefinitely until terminated in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Francis Employment Agreement. Effective September 2021, Mr. Francis receives an annual base salary of $220,000 per year. The agreement provides for a bonus in an amount up to 75% of the base salary, to be awarded in the discretion of the Board and to be paid in cash, stock, or a combination thereof in the discretion of the board. Mr. Francis would also be entitled to receive certain payments upon separation either before or after a change of control, as summarized below in “Potential Payments upon Termination”. Mr. Francis was issued 4,472 restricted stock units and 3,900 stock options as long-term incentive compensation during the year ended April 30, 2022.

 

Outstanding Equity Awards at April 30, 2017Compensation Plan Information

 

There were no outstanding optionsOn August 6, 2019, the Board approved and adopted, subject to stockholder approval, the U.S. Gold Corp. 2020 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2020 Stock Plan”). The 2020 Stock Plan reserves 1,167,095 shares for future issuance to officers, directors, employees and contractors as directed from time to time by the Compensation Committee. The Board directed that the 2020 Stock Plan be submitted to the Company’s stockholders for their approval at the 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company (the “2019 Annual Meeting”), which was held on September 18, 2019. The 2020 Stock Plan was approved by a vote of stockholders at the 2019 Annual Meeting.

Equity Compensation Plan Information (as of April 30, 2017.2022)

  (a)  (b)  (c) 
Plan Category 

Number 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))

 
Equity compensation plans approved by security holders  589,462  $11.65   577,633 
Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders  -   -   - 
Total  589,462  $11.65   577,633 

 

2325
 

 

Option Exercises and Stock Vested in 2017Outstanding Equity Awards at Fiscal Year-End

 

There were noThe following table shows grants of stock options exercised norand grants of unvested stock awards vested for executive officers duringoutstanding on the last day of the fiscal year ended April 30, 2017.2022, to each of our named executive officers and directors during the 2022 fiscal year.

   Option Awards     Stock Awards 
Name  Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options Exercisable (#)   Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options Unexercisable (#)   Option Exercise Price ($)  

Option

Expiration

Date

  

Number of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested

(#)

   Market Value of Shares or Units of Stock That Have Not Vested
($)
 
George Bee  3,982   11,946  $6.93  01/24/2027  100,000(1) $1,121,000 
Eric Alexander  1,593   4,779  $6.93  01/24/2027  25,000(2) $280,250 
Kevin Francis  975   2,925  $6.93  01/24/2027  11,492(3) $112,502 

(1)The restricted stock unit awards vests 25% on the date of grant, and 25% on the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant, subject to certain restrictions and conditions set forth in the 2020 Stock Plan.
(2)The restricted stock unit awards vests 25% on the date of grant, and 25% on the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant, subject to certain restrictions and conditions set forth in the 2020 Stock Plan.
(3)The restricted stock unit awards vests 25% on the date of grant, and 25% on the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant, subject to certain restrictions and conditions set forth in the 2020 Stock Plan.

 

EQUITY COMPENSATION PLAN INFORMATION AT APRIL 30, 2017Potential Payments upon Termination

 

The Company reserved 83,333 shares of our Common Stock for issuance pursuant toUnder the 2014 Plan. Equity incentive awards play a significant role in the compensation provided to executive officers and employees in the current market. We intend on relying on equity compensation in order to attract and retain key employees, align the interests of our executive officers with those of our shareholders and to provide executive officers and other employees with the opportunity to accumulate retirement income. The 2014 Plan is designed to provide flexibility to meet our need to remain competitive in the marketplace in order to attract and retain executive talent and other key employees. There are approximately 2,722 shares available for future grant . They were no options granted during fiscal year ended April 30, 2017. There are no stock options outstanding.

Bee Employment Agreements and Potential Termination and Change in Control Payments

The Company has entered into severance agreements with Mr. Karr and Mr. Rector which include Change in Control provisions. The Company does not have agreements with Mr. Lougee or Mr. Moylan. The Company also sponsors several equity incentive compensation plans that provide the executive officers with additional compensation in connection with a termination of employment and/or change of control under certain circumstances. The information below describes certain compensation that is paid under plans and contractual arrangements currently in effect to each of the executive officersAgreement, in the event of a termination of such executive’s employment with the Company and/or change of control of the Company as of that date.following occurs:

 

  Before Change of Control  After Change of Control 
Name / Benefit Termination Without Cause  Termination For Good Reason  Termination other than for Cause or Voluntary Resignation 
Edward M. Karr            
Termination Payment $250,000  $0  $250,000 
Vesting of Stock Awards - Grants  Unvested awards forfeit   Unvested awards forfeit   100%
Vesting of Stock Awards - Options  Unvested awards forfeit   Unvested awards forfeit   100%
Health and welfare benefits $0  $0  $0 
             
David S. Rector            
Termination Payment $0  $0  $0 
Vesting of Stock Awards - Grants  Unvested awards forfeit   Unvested awards forfeit   100%
Vesting of Stock Awards - Options  Unvested awards forfeit   Unvested awards forfeit   100%
Health and welfare benefits $0  $0  $0 
Termination by us for cause, by Mr. Bee for good reason, or due to Mr. Bee’s disability or death: We shall pay Mr. Bee in a lump sum (i) any unpaid portion of his accrued base salary and unused paid time off; (ii) any amounts payable to him pursuant to the terms of any retirement or welfare benefit plan, and (iii) any expense reimbursements payable pursuant to our reimbursement policy (the “Bee Accrued Obligations”). Unvested equity grants shall be forfeited as of the date of termination, and any vested equity awards shall be treated as specified in the applicable equity plan and award agreement;

Termination by us without cause or by Mr. Bee for good reason outside of change in control period: In addition to the Bee Accrued Obligations, Mr. Bee shall be entitled to receive a lump-sum severance payment in an amount equal to the sum of his then in effect annual base salary and a portion of his target bonus, calculated at 100% of target performance completion of goals and objectives, prorated for the portion of the calendar year that has passed as of his last day of employment, in each case, less all applicable withholdings and deductions. Any unvested equity grants, any annual long-term incentive awards, or any other equity awards made during the term of Mr. Bee’s employment shall fully and immediately vest (and in the case of options become exercisable), as of the date of termination, and any vested equity awards shall be treated as specified in the applicable equity plan and award agreement; and

Termination by us without cause or by Mr. Bee for good reason within the change in control period: Mr. Bee shall be entitled to receive the payments and benefits provided in the immediately preceding bullet point, except that the amount of the lump-sum severance payment to be paid to Mr. Bee shall instead be equal to the sum of two times his then in effect annual base salary and 100% of his target annual bonus for the year in which the termination occurs. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event Mr. Bee’s termination of employment by us without cause or Mr. Bee’s resignation for good reason occurs within the change in control period and at the time of such termination Mr. Bee’s base salary is equal to or less than $500,000, the lump-sum severance payment payable shall instead be equal to the sum of three times Mr. Bee’s then in effect annual base salary and 100% of Mr. Bee’s target annual bonus for the year in which the termination occurs.

 

2426
 

 

Under the Alexander Employment Agreement, in the event the following occurs:

Termination by us for cause, by Mr. Alexander for good reason, or due to Mr. Alexander’s disability or death: We shall pay Mr. Alexander in a lump sum (i) any unpaid portion of his accrued base salary and unused paid time off; (ii) any amounts payable to him pursuant to the terms of any retirement or welfare benefit plan, and (iii) any expense reimbursements payable pursuant to our reimbursement policy (the “Alexander Accrued Obligations”). Unvested equity grants shall be forfeited as of the date of termination, and any vested equity awards shall be treated as specified in the applicable equity plan and award agreement;

Termination by us without cause or by Mr. Alexander for good reason outside of change in control period: In addition to the Alexander Accrued Obligations, Mr. Alexander shall be entitled to receive a lump-sum severance payment in an amount equal to the sum of his then in effect annual base salary and a portion of his target bonus, calculated at 100% of target performance completion of goals and objectives, prorated for the portion of the calendar year that has passed as of his last day of employment, in each case, less all applicable withholdings and deductions. Any unvested equity grants, any annual long-term incentive awards, or any other equity awards made during the term of Mr. Alexander’s employment shall fully and immediately vest (and in the case of options become exercisable), as of the date of termination, and any vested equity awards shall be treated as specified in the applicable equity plan and award agreement; and

Termination by us without cause or by Mr. Alexander for good reason within the change in control period: Mr. Alexander shall be entitled to receive the payments and benefits provided in the immediately preceding bullet point, except that the amount of the lump-sum severance payment to be paid to Mr. Alexander shall instead be equal to the sum of two times his then in effect annual base salary and 100% of his target annual bonus for the year in which the termination occurs.

Under the Francis Employment Agreement, in the event the following occurs:

Termination by us for cause, by Mr. Francis for good reason, or due to Mr. Francis’s disability or death: We shall pay Mr. Francis in a lump sum (i) any unpaid portion of his accrued base salary and unused paid time off; (ii) any amounts payable to him pursuant to the terms of any retirement or welfare benefit plan, and (iii) any expense reimbursements payable pursuant to our reimbursement policy (the “Francis Accrued Obligations”). Unvested equity grants shall be forfeited as of the date of termination, and any vested equity awards shall be treated as specified in the applicable equity plan and award agreement;

Termination by us without cause or by Mr. Francis for good reason outside of change in control period: In addition to the Francis Accrued Obligations, Mr. Francis shall be entitled to receive a lump-sum severance payment in an amount equal to the sum of his then in effect annual base salary and a portion of his target bonus, calculated at 100% of target performance completion of goals and objectives, prorated for the portion of the calendar year that has passed as of his last day of employment, in each case, less all applicable withholdings and deductions. Any unvested equity grants, any annual long-term incentive awards, or any other equity awards made during the term of Mr. Francis’s employment shall fully and immediately vest (and in the case of options become exercisable), as of the date of termination, and any vested equity awards shall be treated as specified in the applicable equity plan and award agreement; and

Termination by us without cause or by Mr. Francis for good reason within the change in control period: Mr. Francis shall be entitled to receive the payments and benefits provided in the immediately preceding bullet point, except that the amount of the lump-sum severance payment to be paid to Mr. Francis shall instead be equal to the sum of one and a half times his then in effect annual base salary and 100% of his target annual bonus for the year in which the termination occurs.

Compensation and Risk

 

The Compensation Committee believes that the Company’s compensation programs appropriately reward prudent business judgment and risk-taking over the long term. The Compensation Committee provides oversight with respect to any risks that may be created by these compensation programs. Management has evaluated the risks that are created by the Company’s compensation programs for all employees, including non-executive officers, and the Compensation Committee has reviewed this evaluation. Based on our review, we have concluded that these compensation programs do not create risks that are reasonably likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company.

 

Compensation of Non-Employee Directors and Stock Ownership Guidelines

The Compensation Committee periodically evaluates the compensation of directors and recommends compensation changes to the Board as appropriate. Until August 2015, non-employee directors received only cash for their service on the Board. Commencing in September 2015, non-employee directors will receive a combination of cash and equity compensation for service on the Board. Directors who are employees of the Company shall receive no additional cash compensation for serving on the Board, but receive equity compensation for service on the Board in alignment with other directors.

While the Company does not require directors and officers to own a specific minimum number of shares of the Company’s Common Stock, the Company believes that each director and corporate officer should have a substantial personal investment in the Company. Directors and officers may not engage in short sales or put or call transactions with respect to Company shares.

Non-employee directors receive cash compensation of $24,000 per year for their service on our Board. There is no incremental compensation provided for committee chair or lead director roles. Company employees who are also directors receive no additional cash compensation for serving on the Board.

Commencing August 2015, all directors (non-employee and employee) began receiving equity awards in addition to cash compensation received for their service. These arrangements compensate them for their Board responsibilities while aligning their interests with the long-term interests of our shareholders.

The Compensation Committee makes recommendations to the Board concerning director compensation under the Company’s equity compensation plans and determines other director compensation arrangements, as appropriate. Under the Company’s Policy on Insider Information and Insider Trading, which applies to the Company’s directors, it is improper for directors to engage in short-term or speculative transactions in the Company’s securities.

27

 

The following table sets forth information concerning director compensation during the fiscal year ended April 30, 2017(1):

Name Fees
Earned
or Paid in
Cash ($)(1)
  Stock
Awards
($)(6)
  Option
Awards
($)
  Non-Equity
Incentive Plan
Compensation
($)
  Nonqualified
Deferred
Compensation
Earnings
($)
  All
Other
($)
  Total
Compensation
($)
 
Edward M. Karr (2) $24,000   11,760   0   0   0   0  $35,760 
Trent D. Davis (3) $24,000   95,760   0   0   0   0  $119,760 
Michael E. Markulec $24,000   53,760   0   0   0   0  $77,760 

(1)All directors’ fees, except for equity awards, are paid in cash in the year earned. Directors who are not employees of the Company receive a quarterly payment of $6,000. During fiscal 2017, equity awards were issued to directors of the Company as noted above.

(2)Effective June 16, 2015, Mr. Karr was appointed to the Company’s Board of Directors

(3)Effective June 8, 2015, Mr. Davis was appointed to the Company’s Board of Directors, and effective May 23, 2017, Mr. Davis resigned as a member of the Company’s Board.

(6)The aggregate grant date fair value computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718.

CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE

 

The Audit Committee has responsibility for reviewing and, if appropriate, for approving any related party transactions that would be required to be disclosed pursuant to applicable SEC rules. The Audit Committee has not adopted any specific procedures for conducting reviews of potential conflicts of interest and considers each transaction in light of the specific facts and circumstances presented. However, to the extent a potential related party transaction is presented to the Audit Committee, the Company expects that the Audit Committee would become fully informed regarding the potential transaction and the interests of the related party and would have the opportunity to deliberate outside of the presence of the related party. The Company expects that the Audit Committee would only approve a related party transaction that was in the best interests of, and fair to, the Company, and further would seek to ensure that any completed related party transaction was on terms no less favorable to the Company than could be obtained in a transaction with an unaffiliated third party.

 

Described below are any transactions during the fiscal yearyears ended April 30, 20172022 and 20162021 and any currently proposed transactions to which the Company was a party in which:which the amounts involved exceeded, or will exceed, the lower of either $120,000 or 1% of the average of our total assets at the year-end for the last two completed fiscal years.

Apart from any transactions disclosed herein and the agreements with our executive officers as disclosed under “Executive Officers—Narrative Disclosure to Summary Compensation Table”, no such transaction was entered into with any related person during the last two fiscal years. Such transactions were entered into and will be entered into only if found to be in our best interest and approved in accordance with our Code of Ethics, which is available on our website.

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022, we entered into the following transactions:

 

 

On January 7, 2022, we extended (the “January 2022 Extension”) the January 2021 Agreement (as defined below) for an additional year. The amounts involved exceeded orremuneration described in the January 2021 Agreement remained the same. The January 2022 Extension with Ryan K. Zinke, a director, is to provide services related to investor and strategic introductions to potential industry partners and assistance with government relations. In consideration for the services provided pursuant to the January 2022 Extension, Mr. Zinke will exceed the lowerbe paid an annual fee of either $120,000 or 1%$86,000 consisting of the averageshares of the Company’s common stock with a value of $50,000 and cash payments of $36,000, paid $3,000 per month. In January 2022, we issued 5,814 shares of common stock pursuant to the January 2022 Extension. We paid a total assets at year-endof $86,000 in cash and shares for consulting fees to Mr. Zinke during the year ended April 30, 2022.

On March 10, 2021, we entered into a consulting agreement (the “March 2021 Agreement”) with Luke Norman pursuant to which Mr. Norman is to provide services related to investor and strategic introductions for potential mergers and acquisitions and other potential and strategic relationships to add shareholder value. On March 10, 2022, we extended the March 2021 Agreement for an additional 12 months (the “March 2022 Extension”). The terms of the March 2022 Extension remain the same as stipulated in the March 2021 Agreement. In consideration for the last two completed fiscal years;services provided pursuant to the March 2022 Extension, Mr. Norman will be paid an annual fee of $250,000 consisting of shares of the Company’s common stock with a value of $130,000 and cash payments of $120,000, paid $10,000 per month. In March 2022, we issued 14,286 shares of common stock pursuant to the extension of the March 2021 Agreement. We paid a total of $250,000 in cash and shares for consulting fees to Mr. Norman during the year ended April 30, 2022.

28

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2021, we entered into the following transactions:

On January 7, 2021, we entered into a one-year consulting agreement (“January 2021 Agreement”) with Ryan K. Zinke, a director, to provide services related to investor and strategic introductions to potential industry partners and assistance with government relations. In consideration for the services, Mr. Zinke will be paid an annual fee of $86,000 consisting of shares of the Company’s common stock with a value of $50,000 and cash payments of $36,000, paid $3,000 per month. In January 2021, we issued 3,222 shares of common stock pursuant to the January 2021 Agreement. We paid a total of $65,750 in cash and shares for consulting fees to Mr. Zinke during the year ended April 30, 2021.
   
 A director, executive

On September 16, 2020, we and David Rector, our former Chief Operating Officer, agreed by mutual understanding, that Mr. Rector’s employment as an officer holder of more than 5% of the outstanding capital stockand employee of the Company or anywas terminated, effective as of October 31, 2020. In connection with Mr. Rector’s departure, we entered into a General Release and Severance Agreement with Mr. Rector, pursuant to which Mr. Rector provided certain transition services to us from the Separation Date until December 31, 2020. We paid consulting fees to Mr. Rector of $30,000 in cash after his termination.

On March 19, 2021, we and Edward Karr, the Company’s former Chairman, agreed by mutual understanding, that Mr. Karr’s employment as an officer and employee, and his service as a member of such person’s immediate family had or will havethe board of directors, of the Company was terminated, effective March 19, 2021. In connection with Mr. Karr’s departure, we entered into a direct or indirect material interest.General Release and Severance Agreement (the “Karr Separation Agreement”) with Mr. Karr, as amended, pursuant to which Mr. Karr provided certain transition services to us through the Separation Date (as defined in the Karr Separation Agreement). Pursuant to the Karr Separation Agreement, Mr. Karr was entitled to receive any equity awards granted to Mr. Karr by us. Additionally, on March 19, 2021, we entered into a one-year agreement (“March 2021 Agreement”) for general corporate advisory services to be provided by Mr. Karr for an annual fee of $180,000 consisting of shares of the Company’s common stock with a value of $60,000 and cash payments of $120,000 payable $10,000 per month. We paid consulting fees to Mr. Karr of $13,871 in cash during the year ended April 30, 2021.

 

For the fiscal year ended April 30, 2017, there were no such transactions entered into since May 1, 2016, and the Audit Committee reviewed and approved these transactions. Apart from any transactions disclosed herein, no such transaction was entered into with any director or executive officer during the last fiscal year. Such transactions will be entered into only if found to be in the best interest of the Company and approved in accordance with the Company’s Code of Ethics, which are available on the Company’s website.

During the fiscal years ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, the Company purchased inventories for resale totaling approximately $381,000 and $1,348,000, respectively, from Sheerr Memory, LLC (“Sheerr Memory”). Sheerr Memory’s owner (“Mr. Sheerr”) was employed by the Company as an advisor until August 31, 2016. Accounts payable of nil and approximately $11,000 in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets as of April 30, 2017 and April 30, 2016 respectively, was payable to Sheerr Memory. Sheerr Memory offers the Company trade terms of net 30 days and all invoices were settled in the normal course of business. No interest was paid.

During the fiscal years ended April 30, 2017 and 2016, the Company purchased inventories for resale totaling approximately $501,000 and $1,181,000, respectively, from Keystone Memory Group (“Keystone Memory”). Keystone Memory’s owner is a relative of Mr. Sheerr. Accounts payable of nil and approximately $190,000 in the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets as of April 30, 2017 and April 30, 2016 respectively was payable to Keystone Memory. Keystone Memory offers the Company trade terms of net due and all invoices are settled in the normal course of business. No interest was paid.

On October 31, 2013, the Company entered into an agreement with Mr. Sheerr to leaseback the equipment and furniture that was sold to Mr. Sheerr on October 31, 2013 for $500,000. The lease is for a term of 60 months and the Company is obligated to pay approximately $7,500 per month for the term of the lease. The Company has an option to extend the lease for an additional two year period. The transactions described have been accounted for as a sale-leaseback transaction. Accordingly, the Company recognized a gain on the sale of assets of approximately $103,000, which is the amount of the gain on sale in excess of present value of the future lease payments and will recognize the remaining deferred gain of approximately $358,000 in proportion to the related gross rental charged to expense over the term of the lease, 60 months. The current portion of $72,000 deferred gain was reflected in accrued liabilities and the long-term portion of $107,000 is reflected in other liabilities ��� long-term in the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of April 30, 2016. As of April 30, 2017, the current portion of $72,000 deferred gain is reflected in accrued liabilities and the long-term portion of $42,000 is reflected in other liabilities – long-term in the consolidated balance sheet as of April 30, 2017.

On June 13, 2016, the Company entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, as amended and restated on July 29, 2016, and further amended and restated on September 14, 2016 and November 28, 2016, with Dataram Acquisition Sub, Inc., a Nevada corporation and our wholly-owned subsidiary, USG and Copper King LLC, the principal shareholder of USG On May 23, 2017, the Company closed the transactions contemplated under the Merger Agreement and filed Articles of Merger with the State of Nevada, pursuant to which USG was merged with and into DAS, with USG surviving the merger as the surviving corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Edward Karr is a member of the Board of Directors of the Company and the President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of USG and, upon consummation of the Merger, became the Chief Executive Officer of the Company.

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PROPOSAL NO. 22: AUDITOR RATIFICATION PROPOSAL

 

RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF MARCUM LLP AS INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING APRIL 30, 2018

The Audit Committee has appointed Marcum LLP (“Marcum”), independent public accountant, to audit our financial statements for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2018.2023. A representative ofMarcumis not expected to be present in person but will attend telephonicallyattendance at the 2017 Annual Meeting and will have an opportunity to make a statement if he or she desires to do so. It is also expected that such representative will be available to respond to appropriate questions.

 

The Audit Committee retained Marcum as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm to perform the audit of the Company’s consolidated financial statements for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2017, and the audit of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of April 30, 2017.

On November 2, 2015, we dismissed Anton & Chia LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm effective on such date. The report of Anton & Chia LLP on our financial statements as of and for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2015 did not contain an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion and were not qualified or modified as to audit scope or accounting principles, but included an explanatory paragraph relating to the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. We engaged Marcum as our new principal accountant as of November 2, 2015. The decision to change accountants was recommended and approved by our Audit Committee following the Committee’s further process to determine our independent registered public accounting firm.

During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2015 and the subsequent interim periods through November 2, 2015, the date of dismissal, there were (i) no disagreements between Anton & Chia LLP and us upon any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosures, or auditing scope or procedure, any of which, if not resolved to Anton & Chia LLP’s satisfaction, would have caused Anton & Chia LLP to make reference thereto in its reports, and (ii) no “reportable events” within the meaning of Item 304(a)(1)(v) of Regulation S-K.

During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2015 and the subsequent interim periods through November 2, 2015, neither we nor anyone on our behalf consulted with Marcum regarding (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 our financial statements, and neither a written report nor oral advice was provided to us that Marcum concluded was an important factor considered by us in reaching a decision as to any accounting, auditing, or financial reporting issue, (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.2022.

 

The following table sets forth the aggregate fees billed to the Company for the last two fiscal years by the Company’s independent accounting firms. Anton & Chia LLP has been used for professional services through November 2, 2015. Marcum LLP has been used thereafter:firm:

  2017  2016 
Audit Fees(1) $143,000  $116,000 
All related Fees(2)  57,000    
Total fees $200,000  $116,000 

 

  2022  2021 
Audit Fees (1) $198,790  $118,693 
Audit-related fees (2)  11,330   18,025 
Tax fees(3)  -   - 
All Other Fees(4)  -   - 
Total fees $210,120  $136,718 

 

(1)Audit Fees: Audit fees paid to Marcum LLP and Anton & Chia LLP and for professional services associated with the annual audit, the reviews of the Company’sour quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, statutory and subsidiary audits required in certain locations, consultations concerning financial accounting and reporting standards, and regulatory filings.

 

(2)All relatedAudit-related fees: in 2017 $57,000 was paid to Marcum LLP for mergerFor assurance and related services primarily associated withthat were reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of financial statements and not reported under “Audit Fees”.

(3) Tax Fees: Consist of fees billed for professional services for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning. These services include preparation of federal and state income tax returns.

(4) Other Fees: Consist of fees for product and services other than the merger documentsservices reported above.

Audit Committee Pre-approval Policies and related filings.Procedures

Our Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in overseeing and monitoring the integrity of our financial reporting process, its compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and the quality of its internal and external audit processes. The role and responsibilities of the Audit Committee are set forth in a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors, which is available on our website at www.usgoldcorp.gold. The Audit Committee is responsible for selecting, retaining and determining the compensation of our independent public accountant, approving the services they will perform, and reviewing the performance of the independent public accountant. The Audit Committee reviews with management and our independent public accountant our annual financial statements on Form 10-K and our quarterly financial statements on Forms 10-Q. The Audit Committee reviews and reassesses the charter annually and recommends any changes to the Board of Directors for approval. The Audit Committee is responsible for overseeing our overall financial reporting process. In fulfilling its responsibilities for the financial statements for fiscal year 2022, the Audit Committee took the following actions:

reviewed and discussed the audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2022 with management and Marcum, our independent public accountant;
discussed with Marcum the matters required to be discussed in accordance with the rules set forth by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”), relating to the conduct of the audit; and

 

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Policy on Audit Committee Pre-Approval of Audit and Permissible Non-Audit Services of Independent Auditors

received written disclosures and the letter from Marcum regarding its independence as required by applicable requirements of the PCAOB regarding Marcum communications with the Audit Committee and the Audit Committee further discussed with Marcum its independence. The Audit Committee also considered the status of pending litigation, taxation matters and other areas of oversight relating to the financial reporting and audit process that the Audit Committee determined appropriate.

 

Consistent with SEC policies and guidelines regarding audit independence, the Audit Committee is responsible for the pre-approval of all audit and permissible non-audit services provided by our principal accountants on a case-by-case basis. Our Audit Committee has established a policy regarding approval ofapproved all audit and permissible non-audit services that our independent accountant provided by our principal accountants. Our Audit Committee pre-approves these services by category and service. Our Audit Committee has pre-approved all ofto us in the services provided by our principal accountants.past two fiscal years.

 

No Appraisal Rights

 

Under the Nevada Revised Statutes, our shareholdersstockholders are not entitled to appraisal rights with respect to our proposed ratification of the appointment of Marcum as our independent public accountant, and we will not independently provide our shareholdersstockholders with any such rights.

 

Vote Required

 

The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for or against this proposal is required to ratify the appointment of the Company’s independent public accountant. Abstentions will not be counted towardsas either a vote cast for or against this proposal. Broker non-votes are not applicable to the tabulation of votes cast on this proposal and will have the same effect as a negative vote. Brokerage firms haveAuditor Ratification Proposal because your broker has discretionary authority to vote customers’ unvotedyour shares held by the firms in street name on thiswith respect to such proposal. If a broker does not exercise this authority, such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results of this vote. We are not required to obtain the approval of our shareholdersstockholders to appoint the Company’s independent accountant. However, if our shareholdersstockholders do not ratify the appointment of Marcum LLP as the Company’s independent public accountant for the fiscal year ending April 30, 2018,2023, the Audit Committee of the Board may reconsider its appointment.

 

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS A VOTE FOR“FOR” THE AUDITOR RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF MARCUM LLP AS INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT, AND PROXIES SOLICITED BY THE BOARD WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR THEREOF UNLESS A SHAREHOLDER HAS INDICATED OTHERWISE ON THE PROXY.PROPOSAL.

 

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PROPOSAL NO. 33: SAY-ON-PAY PROPOSAL

 

ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

TheSection 14A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (which was put in place by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) requires the Company’s shareholdersstockholders to have the opportunity to cast a non-binding advisory vote regarding the approval of the compensation disclosed in this Proxy Statement of the Company’s executive officers who are named in the Summary Compensation Table (the “Named Executive Officers”). The Company has disclosed the compensation of the Named Executive Officers pursuant to rules adopted by the SEC.

 

We believe that our compensation policies for the Named Executive Officers are designed to attract, motivate and retain talented executive officers and are aligned with the long-term interests of the Company’s shareholders.stockholders. This advisory shareholdersstockholders’ vote, commonly referred to as a “say-on-pay vote,” gives you as a shareholderstockholder the opportunity to approve or not approve the compensation of the Named Executive Officers that is disclosed in this Proxy Statement by voting for or against the following resolution (or by abstaining with respect to the resolution):

 

RESOLVED, that the shareholdersstockholders of the Company approve all of the compensation of the Company’s executive officers who are named in the Summary Compensation Table of the Company’s 20172022 Proxy Statement, as such compensation is disclosed in the Company’s 20172022 Proxy Statement pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K, which disclosure includes the Proxy Statement’s Summary Compensation Table and other executive compensation tables and related narrative disclosures.

 

Because your vote is advisory, it will not be binding on either the Board of Directors or the Company. However, the Company’s Compensation Committee will take into account the outcome of the shareholderstockholder vote on this proposal at the Annual Meeting when considering future executive compensation arrangements. In addition, your non-binding advisory votes described in this Proposal 3 will not be construed: (1) as overruling any decision by the Board, of Directors, any board committee or the Company relating to the compensation of the Named Executive Officers,Officers; or (2) as creating or changing any fiduciary duties or other duties on the part of the Board, of Directors, any board committee or the Company. It is anticipated that the next advisory vote to approve executive compensation will be presented at our annual meeting of stockholders held in 2025 and that the next advisory vote to determine the frequency of future advisory votes on executive compensation will be presented at our annual meeting of stockholders in 2025.

 

Vote Required

 

The advisoryaffirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for this proposal is required to approve, on a non-binding basis the compensation of our executive officers will be approved if the votes cast in favor of the proposal exceed the votes cast against the proposal.officers. Abstentions and broker non-votes will not be counted as either votes cast for or against this proposal. While the results of this advisory vote are non-binding, the Compensation Committee of the Board and the Board values the opinions of our shareholdersstockholders and will consider the outcome of the vote, along with other relevant factors, in deciding whether any actions are necessary to address the concerns raised by the vote and when making future compensation decisions for executive officersofficers.

 

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT SHAREHOLDERSSTOCKHOLDERS VOTE FOR“FOR” THE APPROVAL OF THE COMPENSATION OF THE COMPANY’S NAMED EXECUTED OFFICER, AS STATED IN THE ABOVE NON-BINDING RESOLUTION, AND PROXIES SOLICITED BY THE BOARD WILL BE VOTED IN FAVOR THEREOF UNLESS A SHAREHOLDER HAS INDICATED OTHERWISE ON THE PROXY.SAY-ON-PAY PROPOSAL.

 

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PROPOSAL NO. 44: PLAN AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT PROPOSAL

 

APPROVAL OF THE COMPANY’S 2017 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLANBackground and Purpose

 

DescriptionThe Board is seeking the approval of Our 2017 Equity Incentiveour stockholders of an amendment and restatement of the U.S. Gold Corp. 2020 Stock Plan, which amendment and restatement was adopted by the Board on October 25, 2022, subject to stockholder approval (the “Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan”). The 2020 Stock Plan was originally approved by the Board on August 6, 2019 and became effective upon its approval by our stockholders on September 18, 2019 (the “Effective Date”). The 2020 Stock Plan was subsequently amended on August 31, 2020 to increase the number of shares available under the 2020 Stock Plan, and that amendment was approved by the stockholders at our 2020 Annual Meeting (the “2020 Amendment”).

 

Under the 2020 Stock Plan, we originally reserved a total of 3,307,104 shares of the Company’s common stock, plus shares of our common stock covered by Prior Plan Awards (defined below), for issuance as awards to key employees, officers, consultants, independent contractors, and non-employee directors of the Company and its affiliates. On June 1, 2017,March 17, 2020, the Board adoptedCompany effected a 1-for-10 reverse stock split of its issued and outstanding shares of common stock such that, after giving effect to the reverse stock split and other adjustments, there were 330,710 shares of the Company’s common stock, plus shares covered by Prior Plan Awards, reserved for issuance under the 2020 Stock Plan. The 2020 Amendment increased the number of shares of our common stock available for issuance pursuant to awards under the 2020 Stock Plan by 836,385 shares, to a total of 1,167,095 shares of our common stock, plus any shares covered by Prior Plan Awards. As of October 25, 2022, and after giving effect to both the stock split and 2020 Amendment, there were 577,633 shares remaining available for future issuance of awards under the 2020 Stock Plan. “Prior Plan Awards” means awards granted under the U.S. Gold Corp. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2017“Prior Stock Plan”), that are not purchased by the participant, are forfeited or are reacquired by the Company, or otherwise not delivered to the participant due to termination or cancellation of such award after the Effective Date.

We believe that operation of the 2020 Stock Plan is a necessary and powerful tool in enabling us to attract and retain the services of key employees, officers, consultants, independent contractors, and non-employee directors of the Company and its affiliates. The 2020 Stock Plan is expected to provide flexibility to our compensation methods in order to adapt the compensation of such individuals to a changing business environment, after giving due consideration to competitive conditions and the impact of federal tax laws. We have strived to use our 2020 Stock Plan resources effectively and to maintain an omnibus equity incentive planappropriate balance between stockholder interests and the ability to recruit and retain valuable employees, officers, consultants, independent contractors, and non-employee directors of the Company and its affiliates. However, we believe there is an insufficient number of shares remaining under our 2020 Stock Plan to meet our current and projected needs. Accordingly, it is the judgment of the Board that adopting the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan is in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders. We believe that the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan, which increases the number of shares of common stock available for issuance pursuant to whichawards under the Company may2020 Stock Plan, reflects best practices in our industry and is appropriate to permit the grant cash and equity-linkedof equity awards to certain officers, directors, consultants and others. The Board recommends adoption of the 2017 Plan as a means to offer incentives and attract, motivate and retain and reward persons eligible to participateat expected levels in the 2017 Plan. Accordingly the Board unanimously approved and adopted the 2017 Plan.future.

 

Set forthA copy of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan is included as Appendix A to this proxy statement. Described below is a summary of certain key provisions of the 2017Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan, which is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the 2017 Plan, a copy of which is included asAppendix A to this proxy statement.Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan.

 

Shares AvailableSummary of the Proposed Changes in the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan

 

The 2017Board adopted the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan authorizes issuance of 1,650,000 shares of the Company’s Common Stock (the “Share Limit”) which represents  approximately 15% of the Company’s issued and outstanding Common Stock on a fully diluted basis.

As of the Record Date, 18,111, adjusted for reverse stock splits, shares of Common Stock were issued under the previously adopted 2014 Plan.

“Evergreen”

PursuantOctober 25, 2022, subject to the terms of the 2017, on January 1st of each year (the “Calculation Date”), the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the 2017 Plan will automatically be increased by such number of shares as is equalstockholder approval, primarily to the number of shares sufficient to cause the Share Limit to equal twenty percent (15%) of the issued and outstanding Common Stock of the Corporation at such time;provided, however, that if on any Calculation Date the number of shares equal twenty percent (15%) of the Company’s total issued and outstanding Common Stock is less thanincrease the number of shares of Common Stockour common stock available for issuance pursuant to awards under the 20172020 Stock Plan no change will be madeby 1,252,476 shares, to a total of 2,419,571 shares of our common stock, plus any shares covered by Prior Plan Awards. The Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan also makes certain additional changes designed to provide increased flexibility to the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock issuable under the 2017 Plan for that year (suchCompany and to participants, as well as other changes that the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan will never decrease).Board deemed necessary or desirable based on applicable legal and accounting rules.

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AdministrationKey Features of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan

 

The 2017following features of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan reflect certain equity incentive plan “best practices” intended to protect the interests of our stockholders:

Limitation on Shares Available for Award. The aggregate number of shares that may be issued under all stock-based awards made under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan will be (on a post-split basis): the sum of (i) 2,419,571shares (reflecting an increase of 1,252,476 shares from the share reserve previously in effect) and (ii) any shares subject to an outstanding award under the Prior Stock Plan that, after the Effective Date, are not purchased, are forfeited or are reacquired by the Company, or otherwise not delivered to the participant due to termination or cancellation of such award (“Prior Plan Awards”).

No Evergreen Provision. The Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan does not contain an “evergreen” provision that will automatically increase the number of shares of our common stock authorized for issuance under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan.

No Liberal Share “Recycling.” The Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan provides that any shares: (i) surrendered to pay the exercise price of an option; (ii) withheld by the Company or tendered to satisfy tax withholding obligations with respect to any award; (iii) covered by a stock-settled stock appreciation right that are not issued upon exercise; or (iv) repurchased by the Company using option proceeds will not be added back (“recycled”) to the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan.

No Discounted Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights. Stock options and stock appreciation rights must have an exercise price equal to or greater than the fair market value of our common stock on the date of grant.

No Repricing of Stock Options or Stock Appreciation Rights. The Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan prohibits the repricing of stock options and stock appreciation rights (including a prohibition on the repurchase of “underwater” stock options or stock appreciation rights for cash or other securities).

No Dividend Equivalents Paid on Unvested Awards. The Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan prohibits the payment of dividend equivalents on awards until those awards are earned and vested. In addition, the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan prohibits the granting of dividend equivalents with respect to stock options, stock appreciation rights, or an award the value of which is based solely on an increase in the value of the Company’s common stock after the grant of awards.

Awards Subject to Forfeiture. Awards under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan will be subject to any forfeiture and penalty conditions determined by the Committee (defined below) and as set forth in the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan or the applicable award agreement.

Minimum Vesting Period. A maximum of 5% of the aggregate number of shares available for issuance under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan may be issued with a vesting period of less than one year following the date of grant.

Independent Committee Administration. The Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan will be administered by a committee of the Board comprised entirely of independent directors (determined in accordance with Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act).

Description of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Incentive Plan

Purpose. The purpose of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan is to promote the interests of the Company and its stockholders by aiding the Company in attracting and retaining key employees, officers, consultants, independent contractors, and non-employee directors capable of assuring the future success of the Company; to provide such persons with opportunities for stock ownership in the Company; and to offer such persons incentives to put forth their maximum effort for the success of the Company’s business.

Effective Date and Expiration. The 2020 Stock Plan was originally adopted by the Board on August 6, 2019 and became effective upon stockholder approval of the 2020 Stock Plan on the Effective Date. The Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan was adopted by the Board on October 25, 2022 and will become effective upon stockholder approval of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan at the 2022 Annual Meeting. If so approved, the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan will continue in effect for a term of ten years measured from the Effective Date (September 18, 2019), unless earlier terminated by the Board.

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Administration. The Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan will be administered by the Board or by one or more committeesCompensation Committee of directors appointed by the Board, or anothersuch other committee (within its delegated authority)designated by it to administer all or certain aspectsthe Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan (the “Committee”), which will have full power and authority to determine when and to whom awards will be granted as well as the type, amount, and other terms and conditions of each award, consistent with the provisions of the 2017Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan. Subject to the provisions of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan, (the “Administrator”). Anythe Committee may amend the terms of, or accelerate the exercisability of, an outstanding award. The Committee will have authority to interpret and administer the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan and any instrument or agreement relating to the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan, including, without limitation, award agreements, and to establish, amend, suspend, or waive rules and regulations and appoint such committeeagents as deemed necessary or desirable for the administration of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions under or with respect to the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan, any award, and any award agreement shall be comprised solelywithin the sole discretion of one or more directors or such number of directors asthe Committee, may be required under applicable law. Any committee delegated administrative authoritymade at any time, and shall be final, conclusive, and binding upon all persons. The Committee may delegate certain of its powers under the 2017Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan may further delegate its authority under the 2017 Plan to another committee of directors, and any such delegate shall be deemed to be an Administrator of the 2017 Plan. The Administrator comprised solely of directors may also delegate, to the extent permitted by Section 78.200 of the Nevada Revised Statutes and any other applicable law, to one or more officers of the Company, its powersprovided that such delegated officers will not be permitted to grant awards to any members of the Board of Directors or executive officers who are subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

Eligibility. Any employee, officer, consultant, independent contractor, or non-employee director providing services to the Company or an affiliate, or any person to whom an offer of employment or engagement has been made, whose judgment, initiative, and efforts contributed to or may be expected to contribute to the successful performance of the Company, is eligible to receive an award under the 2017Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan, (a)provided that any awards granted to Eligible Persons (as defined below)a prospective employee, officer, consultant, independent contractor, or non-employee director shall not be effective unless and until such individual commences employment with or service to the Company or an affiliate. As of October 25, 2022, there were approximately four employees and officers, eight consultants and independent contractors, and five non-employee directors who will receive grants ofwould be eligible for awards under the 2017Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan.

Shares Available for Awards. The aggregate number of shares that may be issued under all stock-based awards made under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan will be (on a post-split basis and (b)subject to determinecertain adjustments): the sum of (i) 2,419,571shares and (ii) any shares subject to any outstanding Prior Plan Awards that, after the Effective Date, are not purchased, are forfeited or are reacquired by the Company, or otherwise not delivered to the participant due to termination or cancellation of such award. In general, if an award entitles a participant to receive or purchase shares, the number of shares covered by such award will be counted on the date of grant against the aggregate number of shares available under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan. If, after the Effective Date, awards under the Prior Stock Plan expire or otherwise terminate without being exercised, the shares of common stock not acquired pursuant to such awards will become available for issuance under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan in accordance with its share counting provisions. However, under such share counting provisions, the following shares will not again be available for issuance under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan: (i) shares unissued due to a “net exercise” of a stock option; (ii) any shares withheld or shares tendered to satisfy tax withholding obligations under any award; (iii) shares covered by a stock-settled stock appreciation right that are not issued upon exercise; and (iv) shares repurchased using stock option exercise proceeds.

Type of Awards and Terms and Conditions. The Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan provides that the Committee may grant awards to eligible participants in any of the following forms, subject to such terms, conditions, and provisions as the Committee may determine to be necessary or desirable:

stock options, including both incentive stock options (“ISOs”) and non-qualified stock options (together with ISOs, referred to herein as “options”);

stock appreciation rights (“SARs”);

restricted stock;

restricted stock units;

dividend equivalents; and

other stock-based awards.

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1.Options and SARs. The holder of an option is entitled to purchase a number of shares of our common stock at a specified exercise price during a specified time period, all as determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable award agreement. The holder of a SAR is entitled to receive the excess of the fair market value (calculated as of the exercise date) of a specified number of shares of our common stock over the grant price of the SAR. The Committee has the discretion to determine when and under what circumstances an option or SAR will vest as well as whether such vesting provisions may be modified or accelerated.

Exercise Price. The exercise price per share of an option will in no event be less than 100% of the fair market value per share of our common stock underlying the award on the date of grant, unless such option is granted in substitution for an option previously granted by a merged or acquired entity. The Committee has the discretion to determine the exercise price and other terms applicable to SARs, except that the exercise price will in no event be less than 100% of the fair market value per share of our common stock underlying the award on the date of grant, unless such SAR is granted in substitution for a SAR previously granted by a merged or acquired entity. Without the approval of stockholders, we will not amend or replace previously granted options or SARs in a transaction that constitutes a “repricing” as defined in the Amended and conditionsRestated 2020 Stock Plan.

Exercise. The Committee has the discretion to determine the method or methods by which an option or SAR may be exercised, which methods may include a net exercise or by payment to the Company of such awards.cash, shares of common stock, or other securities or property (or any combination thereof) having a fair market value on the exercise date equal to the applicable exercise price. The Board may delegate different levels of authority to different committees with administrative and grant authorityCommittee is not authorized under the 2017 Plan. It is anticipatedAmended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan to accept a promissory note in satisfaction of the exercise price.

Expiration. Options and SARs will expire at such time as the Committee determines; provided, however, that no option or SAR may be exercised more than ten years from the Administrator (either generally ordate of grant, except in the case of an ISO held by a participant who, at the time the ISO was granted, owns (determined in accordance with respect to specific transactions) will be constituted so as to comply, as necessary or desirable, withSection 422 of the requirements of Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), Section 162(m)) more than 10% of the Codecombined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company and Rule 16b-3 promulgatedits affiliates (a “Greater than 10% Stockholder”), the option may not be exercised more than five years from the date of grant.

Special Limitation on ISOs. ISOs may only be granted to employees of the Company and its subsidiaries (excluding subsidiaries that are not corporations). In the case of a grant of an option intended to qualify as an ISO, no such option may be granted to a Greater than 10% Stockholder unless the exercise price per share of common stock subject to such ISO is at least 110% of the fair market value per share on the date of grant, and such ISO award is not exercisable more than five years after its date of grant. In addition, options designated as ISOs shall not be eligible for treatment under the Securities Exchange ActCode as ISOs to the extent that either: (i) the aggregate fair market value of 1934,shares of common stock (determined as amended.of the time of grant) with respect to which such ISOs are exercisable for the first time by the participant during any calendar year exceeds $100,000; or (ii) such ISOs otherwise remain exercisable but are not exercised within three months after a participant’s termination of employment (or such other period of time provided in Section 422 of the Code).

2.Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. The holder of restricted stock will own shares of our common stock subject to restrictions imposed by the Committee for a specified time period determined by the Committee and as set forth in the applicable award agreement. The holder of restricted stock units will have the right, subject to restrictions imposed by the Committee and set forth in the applicable award agreement, to receive shares of our common stock at some future date determined by the Committee. The grant, issuance, retention, vesting, and/or settlement of restricted stock and restricted stock units will occur at such times and in such installments as are determined by the Committee and as set forth in the applicable award agreement. The Committee will have the right to make the timing of the grant or issuance, ability to retain, vesting, and/or settlement of restricted stock or restricted stock units subject to completion of a minimum period of service, achievement of one or more performance goals, or a combination of both as deemed appropriate by the Committee.

3.Dividend Equivalents. The holder of a dividend equivalent will be entitled to receive payments (in cash, shares of our common stock, other securities, or other property as determined by the Committee) equivalent to the amount of cash dividends paid by the Company to stockholders with respect to the number of shares determined by the Committee. Dividend equivalents will be subject to other terms and conditions determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable award agreement, but the Committee may not: (i) grant dividend equivalents in connection with options, SARs, or other awards the value of which is based solely on an increase in the value of our shares after the applicable date of grant; or (ii) pay a dividend equivalent with respect to a share underlying an award prior to the date on which all conditions or restrictions on such shares have been satisfied or lapsed.

 

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Eligibility

Awards may be granted pursuant to the 2017 Plan only to persons who are eligible persons. Under the 2017 Plan, “Eligible Person” means any person who is either: (a) an officer (whether or not a director) or employee of the Company or one of its subsidiaries; (b) a director of the Company or one of its subsidiaries; or (c) an individual consultant who renders bona fide services (other than services in connection with the offering or sale of securities of the Company or one of its subsidiaries in a capital-raising transaction or as a market maker or promoter of securities of the Company or one of its subsidiaries) to the Company or one of its subsidiaries and who is selected to participate in the 2017 Plan by the Administrator; provided, however, that an Eligible Person may only participate in the 2017 Plan if such participation would not adversely affect either the Company’s eligibility to use Form S-8 to register, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the offering and sale of shares issuable under the 2017 Plan by the Company or the Company’s compliance with any other applicable laws. As of the Record Date, the approximate number of Eligible Persons under the 2017 Plan included * officers or employees of the Company, * directors of the Company (* of which are also officers), and * individual consultants to the Company.

4.Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee is also authorized to grant other types of awards that are denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to shares of our common stock, subject to terms and conditions determined by the Committee and set forth in the applicable award agreement. No such stock-based awards will contain a purchase right or an option-like exercise feature.

 

Awards

Vesting, Forfeiture, Assignment. The 2017 Plan permits theCommittee, in its sole discretion, may determine that an award will be immediately vested in whole or in part, or that all or any portion may not be vested until a date or dates subsequent to its date of grant of: (a) stock options, which may be intended as an incentive stock option within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code (an “ISO”) or as a nonqualified stock option (an option not intended to be an ISO); (b) stock appreciation rights (“SARs”); (c) restricted shares; (d) restricted share units; (e) cash awards; or (f) other awards, including: (i) stock bonuses, performance stock, performance units, dividend equivalents, or similar rights to purchase or acquire shares, whether at a fixed or variable price or ratio related to the Common Stock (subject to certain requirements as discussed in the 2017 Plan and in compliance with applicable laws), upon the passage of time,until the occurrence of one or more specified events, orsubject in any case, to the satisfactionterms of performance criteria or otherthe Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan. If the Committee imposes conditions upon vesting, then, except as otherwise provided below, subsequent to the date of grant, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the date on which all or any combination thereof; or (ii) any similar securities with a value derived from the value of or related to the Common Stock and/or returns thereon. Allportion of the reserved shares under the 2017 Planaward may be issued as ISOs.

The Administrator may adopt reasonable counting procedures to ensure appropriate counting, avoid double counting (as, for example, invested. Notwithstanding the caseforegoing, a maximum of tandem or substitute awards) and make adjustments in accordance with the 2017 Plan. Shares shall be counted against those reserved to the extent such shares have been delivered and are no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture. Accordingly, (i) to the extent that an award under the 2017 Plan, in whole or in part, is canceled, expired, forfeited, settled in cash, settled by delivery of fewer shares than the number of shares underlying the award, or otherwise terminated without delivery of shares to the participant, the shares retained by or returned to the Company will not be deemed to have been delivered under the 2017 Plan and will be deemed to remain or to become available under the 2017 Plan; and (ii) shares that are withheld from such an award or separately surrendered by the participant in payment5% of the exercise price or taxes relating to such an award shall be deemed to constitute shares not delivered and will be deemed to remain or to become available under the 2017 Plan. The foregoing adjustments to the share limit of the 2017 Plan are subject to any applicable limitations under Section 162(m) of the Code with respect to awards intended to qualify as performance-based compensation thereunder.

Theaggregate number of shares available for issuance under the 2017Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan (as wellmay vest or be exercised earlier than the first anniversary of an award’s date of grant.

The Committee may impose on any award at the time of grant or thereafter, such additional terms and conditions as the numberCommittee determines, including, without limitation, terms requiring forfeiture of shares that may be issued as ISOs, and the share limitations set forth below under the heading “— Performance Based Compensation”) are subject to proportionate adjustment by the Administratorawards in the event of a participant’s termination of employment or service. Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, restricted stock will be forfeited upon a participant’s termination of employment or service during the applicable restriction period.

Except as otherwise provided by the Committee, no award or other right or interest of a participant under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan (other than fully vested and unrestricted shares issued pursuant to an award) shall be transferable by a participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and no right or award may be pledged, alienated, attached or otherwise encumbered, and any reclassification, recapitalization,purported pledge, alienation, attachment or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any of its affiliates. If a transfer is allowed by the Committee to family members (other than for fully vested and unrestricted shares), the transfer will be for no value and shall comply with the applicable Form S-8 rules. The Committee may establish procedures to allow a named beneficiary to exercise the rights of the participant and receive any property distributable with respect to any award upon the participant’s death.

Recoupment for Restatements. The Company may recoup all or any portion of any shares of our common stock split (includingor cash paid to a stock splitparticipant in connection with an award, in the formevent of a stock dividend) or reverse stock split, or upon any merger, arrangement, combination, consolidation, or other reorganization, or upon any spin-off, split-uprestatement of our financial statements as set forth in our clawback or similar extraordinary dividend distributionrecoupment policy as may be in respecteffect from time to time.

Effect of Corporate Transaction. Awards under the CommonAmended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan are generally subject to special provisions upon the occurrence of any reorganization, merger, consolidation, spin-off, combination, split-up, plan of arrangement, take-over bid or upon anytender offer, repurchase or exchange of Common Stockshares or other securities of the Company, or upon any other similar unusual or extraordinary corporate transaction in respector event involving the Company. In the event of such a corporate transaction, the Committee or the Board may provide for any of the Common Stock.following to be effective upon the occurrence of the event (or effective immediately prior to the consummation of such event, provided the event is consummated):

termination of any award, whether vested or not, in exchange for an amount of cash and/or other property equal to the amount that would have been attained upon exercise of the award or the realization of the participant’s rights under the award. Awards may be terminated without payment if the Committee or Board determines that no amount is realizable under the award as of the time of the transaction;
replacement of any award with other rights or property selected by the Committee or the Board, in its sole discretion;
the assumption of any award by the successor or surviving entity (or its parent or subsidiary) or the arrangement for the substitution for similar awards covering the stock of such successor entity with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and exercise or purchase prices;

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the acceleration of vesting or the waiver of restrictions applicable to outstanding awards, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the applicable award agreement; or
require that the award cannot vest, be exercised or become payable until after a future date, which may be the effective date of the corporate transaction, subject to certain limitations in the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan.

OptionTermination and SAR AwardsAmendment. OptionThe Board of Directors may, from time to time, amend, suspend, or terminate the Amended and SARRestated 2020 Stock Plan. No amendment or modification of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan may be made that would materially and adversely affect any outstanding awards grantedwithout the consent of the participant or the current holder of such awards. Amendments of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan must be approved by the stockholders if required under the 2017 Plan must havelisting requirements of NASDAQ or any other securities exchange applicable to the Company or if the amendment would: (i) increase the number of shares authorized under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan; (ii) permit a repricing of options or SARs; (iii) permit the award of options or SARs with an exercise price or base price of no less than 100% of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grantgrant; or (iv) increase the maximum term of options or SARs.

Federal Income Tax Consequences

The following is a brief summary of certain federal income tax consequences relating to the transactions described under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan as set forth below. This summary does not purport to address all aspects of federal income taxation and does not describe any potential state, local, or foreign tax consequences. This discussion is based upon provisions of the optionCode and the applicable Treasury Regulations issued thereunder, as well as judicial and administrative interpretations under the Code and Treasury Regulations, all as in effect as of the date hereof and all of which are subject to change (possibly on a retroactive basis) or different interpretation.

Law Affecting Deferred Compensation. In 2004, Section 409A was added to the Code to regulate all types of deferred compensation. If the requirements of Section 409A of the Code are not satisfied, deferred compensation and earnings thereon will be subject to tax as it vests, plus (i) an interest charge at the then-current underpayment rate plus 1% and (ii) a 20% penalty tax. Certain stock options, SARs, restricted stock units, and certain types of restricted stock units may be subject to Section 409A of the Code depending on how they are structured, although it is the Company’s intent generally to structure such awards in a manner intended to be exempt from the requirement of Section 409A.

ISOs. A participant will not recognize income at the time an ISO is granted. When a participant exercises an ISO, he or she also generally will not be required to recognize income (either as ordinary income or capital gain). However, to the extent that the fair market value (determined as of the date of grant) of the shares with respect to which the participant’s ISOs are exercisable for the first time during any year exceeds $100,000, the ISOs for the shares over $100,000 in value will be treated as nonqualified stock options, and not ISOs, for federal tax purposes, and the participant will recognize income as if the ISOs were nonqualified stock options (discussed below). In addition to the foregoing, if the fair market value of the shares received upon exercise of an ISO exceeds the exercise price, then the excess may be deemed a tax preference adjustment for purposes of the federal alternative minimum tax calculation. The federal alternative minimum tax may produce significant tax repercussions depending upon the participant’s particular tax status.

The tax treatment of any shares acquired by exercise of an ISO will depend upon whether the participant disposes of his or her shares prior to the later of: (i) two years after the date the ISO was granted and (ii) one year after the shares were transferred to the participant (referred to as, the “Holding Period”). If a participant disposes of shares acquired by exercise of an ISO after the expiration of the Holding Period, any amount received in excess of the participant’s tax basis for such shares will be treated as a short-term or long-term capital gain, depending upon how long the participant has held the shares. If the amount received is less than the participant’s tax basis for such shares, the loss will be treated as a short-term or long-term capital loss, depending upon how long the participant has held the shares. If the participant disposes of shares acquired by exercise of an ISO prior to the expiration of the Holding Period, the disposition will be considered a “disqualifying disposition.” If the amount received for the shares is greater than the fair market value of the shares on the exercise date, then the difference between the ISO’s exercise price and the fair market value of the shares at the time of exercise will be treated as ordinary income (or 110%short-term capital gain subject to tax at ordinary income rates) for the tax year in which the disqualifying disposition occurs. The participant’s basis in the shares will be increased by an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value over the exercise price on the date of grant,exercise. In addition, the amount received in such disqualifying disposition over the participant’s increased basis in the caseshares will be treated as capital gain. However, if the price received for shares acquired by exercise of ISOs granted to certain ten percent shareholdersan ISO is less than the fair market value of the Company). Optionsshares on the exercise date and SAR awards shall become exercisable upon such conditions as the Administrator may establishdisposition is a transaction in its sole discretion. The exercise pricewhich the participant sustains a loss that otherwise would be recognizable under the Code, then the amount of any option shall be paid in cash or byordinary income that the participant will recognize is the excess, if any, of the methods set forth below underamount realized on the heading “— Consideration for Awards.” Option and SAR awards are exercisable for a period established bydisqualifying disposition over the Administrator, which in no event shall exceed ten years from the date of grant (five yearsbasis in the case of ISOs granted to certain ten percent shareholders of the Company). If the Administrator does not specify otherwise in an award agreement, upon termination of a participant’s employment or other service to the Company, option and SAR awards shall expire (1) three months after the last day that the participant is employed by or provides services to the Company or any subsidiary (provided, however, that in the event of the participant’s death during this period, those persons entitled to exercise the option or SAR pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution shall have one year following the date of death within which to exercise such option or SAR); (2) in the case of a participant whose termination of employment or services is due to death or disability (as defined in the applicable award agreement), twelve months after the last day that the participant is employed by or provides services to the Company or any subsidiary; and (3) immediately upon a participant’s termination for “cause.”shares.

 

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Restricted SharesNonqualified Stock Options. A participant thatgenerally will not recognize income at the time a nonqualified stock option is granted restrictedgranted. When a participant exercises a nonqualified stock underoption, the 2017 Plan shall have alldifference between the exercise price and any higher market value of the rights of a shareholder, including the right to vote the shares of restrictedcommon stock and the right to receive dividends thereon (subject to any mandatory reinvestment or other requirements imposed by the Administrator). As a condition to the grant of an award of restricted stock, subject to applicable law, the Administrator may require or permit a participant to elect that any cash dividends paid on a share of restricted stock be automatically reinvested in additional shares of restricted stock or applied to the purchase of additional awards under the 2017 Plan. Unless otherwise determined by the Administrator, stock distributed in connection with a stock split or stock dividend, and other property distributed as a dividend, shall be subject to restrictions and a risk of forfeiture to the same extent as the restricted stock with respect to which such stock or other property has been distributed.

Restricted Share Units. At the time an award of restricted share units is made, the Administrator shall determine the period of time during which the restricted share units shall vest and the timing of settlement. Subject to the 2017 Plan, the applicable award agreement and any other procedures established by the Administrator, the Administrator may determine to pay dividend equivalent rights with respect to restricted share units, in which case, the Company shall establish an account for the participant and reflect in that account any securities, cash or other property comprising any dividend or property distribution with respect to the shares of Common Stock underlying each restricted share unit. Each amount or other property credited to any such account shall be subject to the same vesting conditions as the restricted share unit to which it relates. The participant shall have the right to be paid the amounts or other property credited to such account upon vesting of the subject restricted share unit. Each participant receiving restricted share units shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to such restricted share units until such time as shares of Common Stock are issued to the participant.

Performance Based Compensation

The 2017 Plan provides for the grant of certain awards, the vesting or payment of which may be contingent on the satisfaction of certain performance criteria. Such performance-based awards are designed to be exempt from the limitations of Section 162(m) of the Code, as described below under “—Certain Federal Tax Consequences.” The maximum number of shares that may be issued to any single participant pursuant to options and SARs during the term of the 2017 Plan shall not exceed 1,650,000 shares. The maximum number of shares of Common Stock which may be delivered pursuant to other performance-based equity awards granted during the 162(m) Term (as defined below) may  not exceed 1,650,000 shares, and the maximum amount of cash compensation payable pursuant to performance-based cash awards granted during the 162(m) Term (as defined below) may not exceed $1,000,000. The 162(m) Term is the period beginning on the effective date of the 2017 Plan and ending on the date of exercise will be treated as compensation taxable as ordinary income to the first shareholder meeting that occursparticipant. The participant’s tax basis for the shares acquired under a nonqualified stock option will be equal to the exercise price paid for such shares, plus any amounts included in the fifth year following the yearparticipant’s taxable income as compensation. When a participant disposes of shares acquired by exercise of a nonqualified stock option, any amount received in which the Company’s shareholders first approve this 2017 Plan (the “162(m) Term”).

The 2017 Plan includes the following performance criteria that may be used by the Administrator when granting performance-based awards: (1) earnings per share, (2) cash flow (which means cash and cash equivalents derived from either (i) net cash flow from operations or (ii) net cash flow from operations, financing and investing activities, (3) total shareholder return, (4) price per share of Common Stock, (5) gross revenue, (6) revenue growth, (7) operating income (before or after taxes), (8) net earnings (before or after interest, taxes, depreciation and/or amortization), (9) return on equity, (10) capital employed, or on assets or on net investment, (11) cost containment or reduction, (12) cash cost per ounce of production, (13) operating margin, (14) debt reduction, (15) resource amounts, (16) production or production growth, (17) resource replacement or resource growth, (18) successful completion of financings, or (19) any combinationexcess of the foregoing.

Fair Market Valueparticipant’s tax basis for such shares will be treated as short-term or long-term capital gain, depending upon how long the participant has held the shares. If the amount received is less than the participant’s tax basis for such shares, the loss will be treated as a short-term or long-term capital loss, depending upon how long the participant has held the shares.

 

Under the 2017 Plan, “Fair Market Value” means, unless otherwise determined or provided by the Administrator under the circumstances, the closing priceSpecial Rule if Exercise Price is Paid for a share of Common Stock on the trading day immediately before the grant date, as furnished by The NASDAQ Capital Market or other principal stock exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed for the date in question, or if the Common Stock is no longer listed on a principal stock exchange, then by the OTC Markets.Shares. If the Common Stock is no longer listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market or listed on a principal stock exchange or is no longer actively traded on the OTC Markets as of the applicable date, the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock shall be the value as reasonably determined by the Administrator for purposes of the award under the circumstances.

Consideration for Awards

The purchase price for any award granted under the 2017 Plan or the Common Stock to be delivered pursuant to any such award, as applicable, may be paid by means of any lawful consideration as determined by the Administrator, including, without limitation, one or a combination of the following methods:

services rendered by the recipient of such award;
cash, check payable to the order of the Company, or electronic funds transfer;
notice and third party payment in such manner as may be authorized by the Administrator;
the delivery of previously owned shares of Common Stock that are fully vested and unencumbered;
by a reduction in the number of shares otherwise deliverable pursuant to the award; or
subject to such procedures as the Administrator may adopt, pursuant to a “cashless exercise” with a third party who provides financing for the purposes of (or who otherwise facilitates) the purchase or exercise of awards.

In the event that the Administrator allows a participant to exercise an award by delivering shares of Common Stock previously owned by such participant and unless otherwise expressly provided by the Administrator, any shares delivered which were initially acquired by the participant from the Company (upon exercise of a stock option or otherwise) must have been owned by the participant at least six months as of the date of delivery (or such other period as may be required by the Administrator in order to avoid adverse accounting treatment). Shares of Common Stock used to satisfypays the exercise price of a nonqualified stock option with previously-owned shares of our common stock and the transaction is not a disqualifying disposition of shares previously acquired under an option shallISO, the shares received equal to the number of shares surrendered are treated as having been received in a tax-free exchange. The participant’s tax basis and holding period for these shares received will be valued atequal to the participant’s tax basis and holding period for the shares surrendered. The number of shares received in excess of the number of shares surrendered will be treated as compensation taxable as ordinary income to the participant to the extent of their fair market value. The participant’s tax basis in these shares will be equal to their fair market value on the date of exercise, and the participant’s holding period for such shares will begin on the date of exercise.

If the use of previously acquired shares to pay the exercise price of a nonqualified stock option constitutes a disqualifying disposition of shares previously acquired under an ISO, the participant will have ordinary income as a result of the disqualifying disposition in an amount equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares surrendered, determined at the time such shares were originally acquired upon exercise of the ISO, over the aggregate exercise price paid for such shares. As discussed above, a disqualifying disposition of shares previously acquired under an ISO occurs when the participant disposes of such shares before the end of the Holding Period. The Companyother tax results from paying the exercise price with previously-owned shares are as described above, except that the participant’s tax basis in the shares that are treated as having been received in a tax-free exchange will be increased by the amount of ordinary income recognized by the participant as a result of the disqualifying disposition.

Restricted Stock. A participant who receives restricted stock generally will recognize as ordinary income the excess, if any, of the fair market value of the shares granted as restricted stock at such time as the shares are no longer subject to forfeiture or restrictions, over the amount paid, if any, by the participant for such shares. However, a participant who receives unvested restricted stock may make an election under Section 83(b) of the Code within 30 days of the date of transfer of the shares to recognize ordinary income on the date of transfer equal to the excess of the fair market value of such shares (determined without regard to the restrictions on such shares) over the purchase price, if any, paid for such shares. If a participant does not make a timely election under Section 83(b) of the Code, then the participant will recognize as ordinary income any dividends received with respect to such shares during the time when such shares are unvested. At the time of the sale of such shares, any gain or loss realized by the participant will be treated as either short-term or long-term capital gain or loss depending upon how long the participant has held the shares. For purposes of determining any gain or loss realized, the participant’s tax basis will be the amount previously taxable as ordinary income, plus the purchase price paid by the participant, if any, for such shares.

Stock Appreciation Rights. Generally, a participant who receives a stand-alone SAR will not recognize taxable income at the time the stand-alone SAR is granted, provided that the SAR is exempt from or complies with Section 409A of the Code. If an individual receives the appreciation inherent in the SARs in cash, the cash will be obligatedtaxed as ordinary income to deliverthe recipient at the time it is received. If a recipient receives the appreciation inherent in the SARs in stock, the fair market value of the stock received (which will generally be equal to the spread between the then-current fair market value and the grant price, if any, of the total number of SARs exercised) will be taxed as ordinary income to the participant at the time it is received.

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Other Awards. In the case of an award of restricted stock units, dividend equivalents, or other stock-based awards, the recipient will generally recognize ordinary income in an amount equal to any cash received and the fair market value of any shares unless and until it receives fullreceived on the date of payment or delivery, provided that the award is exempt from or complies with Section 409A of the Code.

Federal Tax Withholding. Any ordinary income realized by a participant upon the granting, vesting, exercise, or purchase price thereforconversion of an award under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan, as applicable, is generally subject to withholding of federal, state, and local income tax and to withholding of the participant’s share of tax under the Federal Insurance Contribution Act and the Federal Unemployment Tax Act. To satisfy our federal income tax withholding requirements, we (or, if applicable, any relatedof our affiliates) will have the right to require, as a condition to the delivery of any certificate for shares of our common stock or the registration of the shares in the participant’s name, that the participant remit to us an amount sufficient to satisfy the withholding requirements. Alternatively, we may withhold a portion of the shares (valued at fair market value) that otherwise would be issued to the participant to satisfy all or part of the withholding tax obligations (along with such additional withholding requested by the participant, subject to certain accounting limitations) or may, if we consent, accept delivery of shares with an aggregate fair market value that equals or exceeds the required tax withholding payment. Withholding does not represent an increase in the participant’s total income tax obligation because it is fully credited toward his or her tax liability for the year. Additionally, withholding does not affect the participant’s tax basis in any shares. Compensation income realized and tax withheld will be reflected on Forms W-2 supplied by us to employees no later than January 31st of the succeeding year. Deferred compensation that is subject to Section 409A of the Code will also be subject to certain federal income tax withholding and reporting requirements.

Tax Consequences to Us. To the extent a participant recognizes ordinary income in the circumstances described above, we will be entitled to a corresponding deduction, provided that, among other things, the income meets the test of reasonableness, is an ordinary and necessary business expense is not an “excess parachute payment” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code, and is not disallowed by the $1,000,000 limitation on certain executive compensation under Section 162(m) of the Code.

Million Dollar Deduction Limit and Other Tax Matters. We may not deduct compensation of more than $1,000,000 that is paid to “covered employees” (as defined in Section 162(m) of the Code), which include (i) an individual (or, in certain circumstances, his or her beneficiaries) who, at any time during the taxable year, is either our principal executive officer or principal financial officer; (ii) an individual who is among our three highest compensated officers for the taxable year (other than an individual who was either our principal executive officer or principal financial officer at any time during the taxable year); or (iii) anyone who was a covered employee for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Code for any tax year beginning on or after January 1, 2017. This limitation on deductions (x) only applies to compensation paid by a publicly-traded corporation (and not compensation paid by non-corporate entities) and (z) may not apply to certain types of compensation, such as qualified performance-based compensation that is payable pursuant to a written, binding contract that was in effect as of November 2, 2017, so long as the contract is not materially modified after that date.

If an individual’s rights under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan are accelerated as a result of a change in control and the individual is a “disqualified individual” under Section 280G of the Code, the value of any such accelerated rights received by such individual may be included in determining whether such individual has received an “excess parachute payment” under Section 280G of the Code, which could result in (i) the imposition of a 20% federal excise tax (in addition to federal income and employment taxes, if applicable) payable by the individual on the value of such accelerated rights and (ii) the loss by us of a corresponding compensation deduction.

The foregoing general tax discussion is intended for the information of stockholders considering how to vote with respect to this proposal and not as tax guidance to participants in the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan. Participants are strongly urged to consult their own tax advisors regarding the federal, state, local, foreign, and any other conditionstax consequences to exercisethem by participating in the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan.

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THE FOREGOING IS ONLY A SUMMARY OF THE EFFECT OF FEDERAL INCOME TAXATION UPON PARTICIPANTS AND THE COMPANY UNDER THE AMENDED AND RESTATED 2020 STOCK PLAN. IT DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE COMPLETE AND DOES NOT DISCUSS THE TAX CONSEQUENCES OF A PARTICIPANT’S DEATH OR THE PROVISION OF THE INCOME TAX LAWS OF ANY MUNICIPALITY, STATE, OR FOREIGN COUNTRY IN WHICH THE PARTICIPANT MAY RESIDE.

Interest of Directors and Executive Officers

All members of the Board and all of our executive officers are eligible for awards under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan and, thus, have a personal interest in the approval of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan.

New Plan Benefits

With respect to the increased number of shares reserved under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan, we cannot currently determine the benefits or purchase,number of shares subject to awards that may be granted in the future to eligible Participants under the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan because the grant of awards and terms of such awards are to be determined in the discretion of the Compensation Committee.

The market value of our common stock is $3.69 per share based on the closing price of our common stock on October 25, 2022.

Vote Required

The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for or against the proposal is required for the approval of the Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Plan. If your shares are held by a broker and you do not give the broker specific instructions on how to vote your shares, your broker may not vote your shares at its discretion. Abstentions will have no effect on the outcome of the vote on this proposal.

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR” THE PLAN AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT PROPOSAL.

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OTHER MATTERS

As of the date of this proxy statement, the Board knows of no other business that will be presented at the Annual Meeting. If any other business is properly brought before the Annual Meeting, it is intended that proxies will be voted in respect thereof in accordance with the best judgment and in the discretion of the persons voting the proxies.

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Appendix A

U.S. Gold Corp. Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Incentive Plan

Section 1.Purpose

The purpose of the Plan is to promote the interests of the Company and its stockholders by aiding the Company in attracting and retaining employees, officers, consultants, independent contractors and non-employee Directors capable of assuring the future success of the Company, to provide such persons with opportunities for stock ownership in the Company and to offer such persons other incentives to put forth maximum efforts for the success of the Company’s business.

Section 2.

Definitions

As used in the Plan, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

(a) “Affiliate” shall mean: (i) any entity that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, is controlled by the Company; and (ii) any entity in which the Company has a significant equity interest.

(b) “Award” shall mean any Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Dividend Equivalent, or Other Stock-Based Award granted under the Plan.

(c) “Award Agreement” shall mean any written agreement, contract or other instrument or document evidencing an Award granted under the Plan (including a document in an electronic medium) executed in accordance with the requirements of Section 9(b).

(d) “Board” shall mean the Board of Directors of the Company.

(e) “Change in Control” shall mean the consummation of one of the following events:

(A) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total voting power represented by the Company’s then outstanding voting securities;

(B) the consummation of the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets;

(C) a change in the composition of the Board occurring within a two-year period, as a result of which fewer than a majority of the directors are Incumbent Directors. “Incumbent Directors” means directors who either: (A) are Directors as of the effective date of the Plan; or (B) are elected, or nominated for election, to the Board with the affirmative votes of at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors at the time of such election or nomination (but will not include an individual whose election or nomination is in connection with an actual or threatened proxy contest relating to the election of directors to the Company); or

(D) the consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or its parent) at least fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power represented by the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or its parent outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation.

(f) “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time, and any regulations promulgated thereunder.

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(g) “Committee” shall mean the Compensation Committee of the Board or such other committee designated by the Board to administer the Plan. The Committee shall be comprised of not less than such number of Directors as shall be required to permit Awards granted under the Plan to qualify under Rule 16b-3, and each member of the Committee shall be a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3.

(h) “Company” shall mean U.S. Gold Corp., a Nevada corporation, and any successor corporation.

(i) “Director” shall mean a member of the Board.

(j) “Dividend Equivalent” shall mean any right granted under Section 6(d) of the Plan.

(k) “Eligible Person” shall mean any employee, officer, non-employee Director, consultant, independent contractor, or advisor providing services to the Company or any Affiliate, or any person to whom an offer of employment or engagement with the Company or any Affiliate is extended.

(l) “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

(m) “Fair Market Value” shall mean, with respect to any property (including, without limitation, any Shares or other securities), the fair market value of such property determined by such methods or procedures as shall be established from time to time by the Administrator, have been satisfied. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the applicable award agreement, the Administrator may at any time eliminate or limit a participant’s ability to pay the purchase or exercise price of any award or shares by any method other than cash payment to the Company.

Change in Control

Upon a Change in Control (as defined below), each then-outstanding option and SAR shall automatically become fully vested, all restricted shares then outstanding shall automatically fully vest free of restrictions, and each other award granted under the 2017 Plan that is then outstanding shall automatically become vested and payable to the holder of such award unless the Administrator has made appropriate provision for the substitution, assumption, exchange or other continuation of the award pursuant to the Change in Control.Committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator, in its sole and absolute discretion, may choose (in an award agreement or otherwise) to provide for full or partial accelerated vesting of any award upon a Change in Control (or upon any other event or other circumstance related to the Change in Control, such as an involuntary termination of employment occurring after such Change in Control, as the Administrator may determine), irrespective of whether such any such award has been substituted, assumed, exchanged orunless otherwise continued pursuant to the Change in Control.

For purposes of the 2017 Plan, “Change in Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if:

(i) a tender offer (or series of related offers) shall be made and consummated for the ownership of 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Company, unless as a result of such tender offer more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the surviving or resulting corporation shall be owned in the aggregate by the shareholders of the Company (as of the time immediately prior to the commencement of such offer), any employee benefit plan of the Company or its subsidiaries, and their affiliates;

(ii) the Company shall be merged or consolidated with another entity, unless as a result of such merger or consolidation more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the surviving or resulting entity shall be owned in the aggregate by the shareholders of the Company (as of the time immediately prior to such transaction), any employee benefit plan of the Company or its subsidiaries, and their affiliates;

(iii) the Company shall sell substantially all of its assets to another entity that is not wholly owned by the Company, unless as a result of such sale more than 50% of such assets shall be owned in the aggregate by the shareholders of the Company (as of the time immediately prior to such transaction), any employee benefit plan of the Company or its Subsidiaries and their affiliates; or

(iv) a person shall acquire 50% or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Company (whether directly, indirectly, beneficially or of record), unless as a result of such acquisition more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the surviving or resulting corporation shall be owned in the aggregate by the shareholders of the Company (as of the time immediately prior to the first acquisition of such securities by such person), any employee benefit plan of the Company or its subsidiaries, and their affiliates.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) the Administrator may waive the requirement described in paragraph (iv) above that a person must acquire more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the Company for a Change in Control to have occurred if the Administrator determines that the percentage acquired by a person is significant (as determined by the Administrator in its discretion) and that waiving such condition is appropriate in lightCommittee, the Fair Market Value of all facts and circumstances, and (2) no compensation that has been deferred for purposes of Section 409A of the Code shall be payable asShares on a result of a Change in Control unless the Change in Control qualifies as a change in ownership or effective control of the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.

The “spread” under an ISO—i.e., the difference between the fair market value of the shares at exercise and the exercise price—is classified as an item of adjustment in the year of exercisegiven date for purposes of the alternative minimum tax. If a participant’s alternative minimum tax liability exceedsPlan shall be the closing sale price of the Shares as reported on the NASDAQ Capital Market on such participant’s regular income tax liability,date or, if such market is not open for trading on such date, on the participant will owe the alternative minimum tax liability.most recent preceding date when such market is open for trading.

 

(n) “Incentive Stock Option” shall mean an option granted under Section 6(a) of the Plan that is intended to meet the requirements of Section 422 of the Code or any successor provision.

(o) “Non-Qualified Stock Option” shall mean an option granted under Section 6(a) of the Plan that is not intended to be an Incentive Stock Option.

(p) “Option” shall mean an Incentive Stock Option or a Non-Qualified Stock Option to purchase shares of the Company.

(q) “Other Stock-Based Award” shall mean any right granted under Section 6(e) of the Plan.

(r) “Participant” shall mean an Eligible Person designated to be granted an Award under the Plan.

(s) “Plan” shall mean this U.S. Gold Corp. Amended and Restated 2020 Stock Incentive Plan, as same may be further amended from time to time.

(t) “Prior Stock Plan” shall mean the U.S. Gold Corp. 2017 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended from time to time.

(u) “Restricted Stock. ” shall mean any Share granted under Section 6(c) of the Plan.

(v) “Restricted stock is generally taxableStock Unit” shall mean any unit granted under Section 6(c) of the Plan evidencing the right to the participant as ordinary compensation income on the date that the restrictions lapse (i.e. the date that the stock vests), in an amountreceive a Share (or a cash payment equal to the excessFair Market Value of the fair market value of the shares on such date over the amount paid for such stock (if any). If the participant is an employee, this income is subject to withholding for federal income and employment tax purposes. The Company is entitled to an income tax deduction in the amount of the ordinary income recognized by the participant, subject to possible limitations imposed by the Code, including Section 162(m) thereof. Any gain or loss on the participant’s subsequent disposition of the shares will be treated as long-term or short-term capital gain or loss treatment depending on the sales price and how long the stock has been held since the restrictions lapsed. The Company does not receive a tax deduction for any subsequent gain.

Participants receiving restricted stock awards may make an election under Section 83(b) of the Code (“Section 83(b) Election”) to recognize as ordinary compensation income in the year that such restricted stock is granted, the amount equal to the excess of the fair market value on the date of the issuance of the stock over the amount paid for such stock. If such an election is made, the recipient recognizes no further amounts of compensation income upon the lapse of any restrictions and any gain or loss on subsequent disposition will be long-term or short-term capital gain or loss to the recipient. The Section 83(b) Election must be made within 30 days from the time the restricted stock is issued.

Other Awards. Other awards (such as restricted stock units) are generally treated as ordinary compensation income as and when Common Stock or cash are paid to the participant upon vesting or settlement of such awards. If the participant is an employee, this income is subject to withholding for income and employment tax purposes. The Company is generally entitled to an income tax deduction equal to the amount of ordinary income recognized by the recipient, subject to possible limitations imposed by the Code, including Section 162(m) thereof.Share) at some future date.

 

(w) “Section 162(m) ofRule 16b-3” shall mean Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the Internal Revenue Code. Under Code Section 162(m), no deduction is allowed inSecurities and Exchange Commission under the Exchange Act, or any taxable year of the Company for compensation in excess of $1 million paid to the Company’s “covered employees.” A “covered employee” is the Company’s chief executive officer and the three other most highly compensated officers of the Company other than the chief financial officer. An exception to thissuccessor rule applies to “qualified performance based compensation,” which generally includes stock options and stock appreciation rights granted under a shareholder approved plan, and other forms of equity incentives, the vesting or payment of which is contingent upon the satisfaction of certain shareholder approved performance goals. The Company intends that the 2017 Plan allow for the grant of options and stock appreciation rights that may be treated as “qualified performance based compensation” that is exempt from the limitations of Code Section 162(m), and for the grant of other performance-based awards that may be treated as “qualified performance based compensation,” but it makes no assurance that either such type of award will be so treated.regulation.

 

Certain Federal Tax Consequences

The following summary(x) “Section 409A” shall mean Section 409A of the federal income tax consequences of the 2017 Plan transactions is based upon federal income tax laws in effect on the date of this Proxy Statement. This summary does not purport to be complete,Code, or any successor provision, and does not discuss state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences.

Nonqualified Stock Options. The grant of a nonqualified stock option under the 2017 Plan will not result in any federal income tax consequences to the participant or to the Company. Upon exercise of a nonqualified stock option, the participant will recognize ordinary compensation income equal to the excess of the fair market value of the shares of Common Stock at the time of exercise over the option exercise price. If the participant is an employee, this income is subject to withholding for federal incomeapplicable Treasury Regulations and employment tax purposes. The Company is entitled to an income tax deduction in the amount of the income recognized by the participant, subject to possible limitations imposed by the Code, including Section 162(m) thereof. Any gain or loss on the participant’s subsequent disposition of the shares will be treated as long-term or short-term capital gain or loss, depending on the sales proceeds received and whether the shares are held for more than one year following exercise. The Company does not receive a tax deduction for any subsequent capital gain.other applicable guidance thereunder.

 

(y) “Incentive OptionsSecurities Act. The grant of an ISO under the 2017 Plan will not result in any federal income tax consequences to the participant or to the Company. A participant recognizes no federal taxable income upon exercising an ISO (subject to the alternative minimum tax rules discussed below), and the Company receives no deduction at the time of exercise. In the event of a disposition of stock acquired upon exercise of an ISO, the tax consequences depend upon how long the participant has held the shares. If the participant does not dispose of the shares within two years after the ISO was granted, nor within one year after the ISO was exercised, the participant will recognize a long-term capital gain (or loss) equal to the difference between the sale price of the shares and the exercise price. The Company is not entitled to any deduction under these circumstances.

If the participant fails to satisfy either of the foregoing holding periods (referred to as a “disqualifying disposition”), he or she will recognize ordinary compensation income in the year of the disposition. The amount of ordinary compensation income generally is the lesser of (i) the difference between the amount realized on the disposition and the exercise price or (ii) the difference between the fair market value of the stock at the time of exercise and the exercise price. Such amount is not subject to withholding for federal income and employment tax purposes, even if the participant is an employee of the Company. Any gain in excess of the amount taxed as ordinary income will generally be treated as a short-term capital gain. The Company, in the year of the disqualifying disposition, is entitled to a deduction equal to the amount of ordinary compensation income recognized by the participant, subject to possible limitations imposed by the Code, including Section 162(m) thereof.

New Plan Benefits

SEC rules require us to disclose any amounts that we currently are able to determine will be allocated to our named executive officers, directors and other employees following approval of the 2017 Plan. The Company has not made any issuances pursuant to the 2017 Plan.

No Appraisal Rights

Under the Nevada Revised Statutes, our shareholders are not entitled to appraisal rights with respect to the approval of the 2017 Plan, and we will not independently provide our shareholders with any such rights.

Vote Required

The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast for this proposal is required to approve the 2017 Equity Incentive Plan. Abstentions will be counted towards the tabulation of votes cast on this proposal and will have the same effect as a negative vote. Brokerage firms do not have authority to vote customers’ unvoted shares held by the firms in street name for this proposal. As a result, any shares not voted by a beneficial owner will be treated as a broker non-vote. Such broker non-votes will have no effect on the results of this vote.

THE BOARD RECOMMENDS THAT YOU VOTE “FOR”APPROVAL OF THE 2017 EQUITY INCENTIVEPLAN AND THE RESERVATION OF 1,650,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK FOR ISSUANCE THEREUNDER.

OTHER MATTERS

As of the date of this Proxy Statement, the Board knows of no other business that will be presented at the Annual Meeting. If any other business is properly brought before the Annual Meeting, it is intended that proxies in the enclosed form will be voted in respect thereof in accordance with the best judgment and in the discretion of the persons voting the proxies.

Appendix A

U.S. GOLD CORP.

2017 EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

1.PURPOSE OF PLAN

1.1The purpose of this 2017 Equity Incentive Plan (this “Plan”) of U.S. Gold Corp., a Nevada corporation (the “Corporation”), is to promote the success of the Corporation and to increase shareholder value by providing an additional means through the grant of awards to attract, motivate, retain and reward selected employees and other eligible persons.

2.ELIGIBILITY

2.1The Administrator (as such term is defined in Section 3.1) may grant awards under this Plan only to those persons that the Administrator determines to be Eligible Persons. An “Eligible Personis any person who is either: (a) an officer (whether or not a director) or employee of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries; (b) a director of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries; or (c) a consultant who renders bona fide services (other than services in connection with the offering or sale of securities of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries in a capital-raising transaction or as a market maker or promoter of securities of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries) to the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries and who is selected to participate in this Plan by the Administrator;provided, however, that a person who is otherwise an Eligible Person under clause (c) above may participate in this Plan only if such participation would not adversely affect either the Corporation’s eligibility to use Form S-8 to register undershall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), the offering and sale of shares issuable under this Plan by the Corporation, or the Corporation’s compliance with any other applicable laws. An Eligible Person who has been granted an award (a “participant”) may, if otherwise eligible, be granted additional awards if the Administrator shall so determine. As used herein, “Subsidiary” means any corporation or other entity a majority of whose outstanding voting stock or voting power is beneficially owned directly or indirectly by the Corporation; and “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

3.PLAN ADMINISTRATION

3.1The Administrator. This Plan shall be administered by and all awards under this Plan shall be authorized by the Administrator. The “Administrator” means the Board or one or more committees appointed by the Board or another committee (within its delegated authority) to administer all or certain aspects of this Plan. Any such committee shall be comprised solely of one or more directors or such number of directors as may be required under applicable law. A committee may delegate some or all of its authority to another committee so constituted. The Board or a committee comprised solely of directors may also delegate, to the extent permitted by Section 78.200 of the Nevada Revised Statutes and any other applicable law, to one or more officers of the Corporation, its powers under this Plan (a) to designate Eligible Persons who will receive grants of awards under this Plan, and (b) to determine the number of shares subject to, and the other terms and conditions of, such awards. The Board may delegate different levels of authority to different committees with administrative and grant authority under this Plan. Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws of the Corporation or the applicable charter of any Administrator: (a) a majority of the members of the acting Administrator shall constitute a quorum, and (b) the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present assuming the presence of a quorum or the unanimous written consent of the members of the Administrator shall constitute due authorization of an action by the acting Administrator.amended.

 

With respect to awards intended to satisfy the requirements for performance-based compensation under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), this Plan shall be administered by a committee consisting solely of two or more outside directors (as this requirement is applied under Section 162(m) of the Code);provided, however, that the failure to satisfy such requirement shall not affect the validity of the action of any committee otherwise duly authorized and acting in the matter. Award grants, and transactions in or involving awards, intended to be exempt under Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), must be duly and timely authorized by the Board or a committee consisting solely of two or more non-employee directors (as this requirement is applied under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act). To the extent required by any applicable stock exchange, this Plan shall be administered by a committee composed entirely of independent directors (within the meaning of the applicable stock exchange). Awards granted to non-employee directors shall not be subject to the discretion of any officer or employee of the Corporation and shall be administered exclusively by a committee consisting solely of independent directors.

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3.2Powers of the Administrator. Subject to the express provisions of this Plan, the Administrator is authorized and empowered to do all things necessary or desirable in connection with the authorization of awards and the administration of this Plan (in the case of a committee or delegation to one or more officers, within the authority delegated to that committee or person(s)), including, without limitation, the authority to:

(a) determine eligibility and, from among those persons determined to be eligible, the particular Eligible Persons who will receive awards under this Plan;

(b) grant awards to Eligible Persons, determine the price at which securities will be offered or awarded and the number of securities to be offered or awarded to any of such persons, determine the other specific terms and conditions of such awards consistent with the express limits of this Plan, establish the installments (if any) in which such awards shall become exercisable or shall vest (which may include, without limitation, performance and/or time-based schedules), or determine that no delayed exercisability or vesting is required, establish any applicable performance targets, and establish the events of termination or reversion of such awards;

(c) approve the forms of award agreements (which need not be identical either as to type of award or among participants);

(d) construe and interpret this Plan and any agreements defining the rights and obligations of the Corporation, its Subsidiaries, and participants under this Plan, further define the terms used in this Plan, and prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the administration of this Plan or the awards granted under this Plan;

(e) cancel, modify, or waive the Corporation’s rights with respect to, or modify, discontinue, suspend, or terminate any or all outstanding awards, subject to any required consent under Section 8.6.5;

(f) accelerate or extend the vesting or exercisability or extend the term of any or all such outstanding awards (in the case of options or stock appreciation rights, within the maximum ten-year term of such awards) in such circumstances as the Administrator may deem appropriate (including, without limitation, in connection with a termination of employment or services or other events of a personal nature) subject to any required consent under Section 8.6.5;

(g) adjust the number of shares of Common Stock subject to any award, adjust the price of any or all outstanding awards or otherwise change previously imposed terms and conditions, in such circumstances as the Administrator may deem appropriate, in each case subject to compliance with applicable stock exchange requirements, Sections 4 and 8.6 and the applicable requirements of Code Section 162(m) and treasury regulations thereunder with respect to awards that are intended to satisfy the requirements for performance-based compensation under Section 162(m), and provided that in no case (except due to an adjustment contemplated by Section 7 or any repricing that may be approved by shareholders) shall such an adjustment constitute a repricing (by amendment, cancellation and regrant, exchange or other means) of the per share exercise or base price of any stock option or stock appreciation right or other award granted under this Plan, and further provided that any adjustment or change in terms made pursuant to this Section 3.2(g) shall be made in a manner that, in the good faith determination of the Administrator will not likely result in the imposition of additional taxes or interest under Section 409A of the Code;

(h) determine the date of grant of an award, which may be a designated date after but not before the date of the Administrator’s action (unless otherwise designated by the Administrator, the date of grant of an award shall be the date upon which the Administrator took the action granting an award);

(i) determine whether, and the extent to which, adjustments are required pursuant to Section 7 hereof and authorize the termination, conversion, substitution, acceleration or succession of awards upon the occurrence of an event of the type described in Section 7;

(j) acquire or settle (subject to Sections 7 and 8.6) rights under awards in cash, stock of equivalent value, or other consideration; and

(k) determine the Fair Market Value (as defined in Section 5.6) of the Common Stock or awards under this Plan from time to time and/or the manner in which such value will be determined.

3.3Binding Determinations. Any action taken by, or inaction of, the Corporation, any Subsidiary, or the Administrator relating or pursuant to this Plan and within its authority hereunder or under applicable law shall be within the absolute discretion of that entity or body and shall be conclusive and binding upon all persons. Neither the Board, the Administrator, nor any Board committee, nor any member thereof or person acting at the direction thereof, shall be liable for any act, omission, interpretation, construction or determination made in good faith in connection with this Plan (or any award made under this Plan), and all such persons shall be entitled to indemnification and reimbursement by the Corporation in respect of any claim, loss, damage or expense (including, without limitation, legal fees) arising or resulting therefrom to the fullest extent permitted by law and/or under any directors and officers liability insurance coverage that may be in effect from time to time.

3.4Reliance on Experts. In making any determination or in taking or not taking any action under this Plan, the Administrator may obtain and may rely upon the advice of experts, including professional advisors to the Corporation. The Administrator shall not be liable for any such action or determination taken or made or omitted in good faith based upon such advice.

3.5Delegation of Non-Discretionary Functions. In addition to the ability to delegate certain grant authority to officers of the Corporation as set forth in Section 3.1, the Administrator may also delegate ministerial, non-discretionary functions to individuals who are officers or employees of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries or to third parties.

4.SHARES OF COMMON STOCK SUBJECT TO THE PLAN; SHARE LIMIT

4.1(z) “Shares Available. Subject to the provisions of Section 7.1, the capital stock available for issuance under this Plan shall be shares of the Corporation’s authorized but unissued Common Stock. For purposes of this Plan, “Common Stock” shall mean theshares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, of the Corporation andCompany or such other securities or property as may become the subject of awards under this Plan, or may become subject to such awards,Awards pursuant to an adjustment made under Section 7.1.4(c) of the Plan.

 

4.2(aa) “Share Limit.Specified Employee” shall mean a specified employee as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(B) of the Code or applicable proposed or final regulations under Section 409A, determined in accordance with procedures established by the Company and applied uniformly with respect to all plans maintained by the Company that are subject to Section 409A.

(bb) “Stock Appreciation Right” shall mean any right granted under Section 6(b) of the Plan.

Section 3.Administration

(a) Power and Authority of the Committee. The maximumPlan shall be administered by the Committee. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan and to applicable law, the Committee shall have full power and authority to:

(i) designate Participants;

(ii) determine the type or types of Awards to be granted to each Participant under the Plan;

(iii) determine the number of sharesShares to be covered by (or the method by which payments or other rights are to be calculated in connection with) each Award;

(iv) determine the terms and conditions of Common Stockany Award or Award Agreement, including any terms relating to the forfeiture of any Award and the forfeiture, recapture or disgorgement of any cash, Shares or other amounts payable with respect to any Award;

(v) amend the terms and conditions of any Award or Award Agreement, subject to the limitations under Section 6 and Section 7;

(vi) accelerate the exercisability of any Award or the lapse of any restrictions relating to any Award, subject to the limitations under Section 6 and Section 7;

(vii) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances Awards may be exercised in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property (but excluding promissory notes), or canceled, forfeited or suspended;

(viii) determine whether, to what extent and under what circumstances amounts payable with respect to an Award under the Plan shall be deferred either automatically or at the election of the holder thereof or the Committee, subject to the requirements of Section 409A and Section 6;

(ix) interpret and administer the Plan and any instrument or agreement, including an Award Agreement, relating to the Plan;

(x) establish, amend, suspend or waive such rules and regulations and appoint such agents as it shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan;

(xi) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan; and

(xii) adopt such modifications, rules, procedures and subplans as may be necessary or desirable to comply with provisions of the laws of non-U.S. jurisdictions in which the Company or an Affiliate may operate, including, without limitation, establishing any special rules for Affiliates, Eligible Persons or Participants located in any particular country, in order to meet the objectives of the Plan and to ensure the viability of the intended benefits of Awards granted to Participants located in such non-United States jurisdictions.

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Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations and other decisions under or with respect to the Plan or any Award or Award Agreement shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award or Award Agreement, and any employee of the Company or any Affiliate.

(b) Delegation. The Committee shall have the right, from time to time, to delegate to one or more officers of the Company the authority of the Committee to grant and determine the terms and conditions of Awards granted under the Plan, subject to the requirements of applicable law and such other limitations as the Committee shall determine. In no event shall any such delegation of authority be permitted with respect to Awards to any members of the Board or to any Eligible Person who is subject to Rule 16b-3 under the Exchange Act. The Committee shall also be permitted to delegate, to any appropriate officer or employee of the Company, responsibility for performing certain ministerial functions under the Plan. In the event that the Committee’s authority is delegated to officers or employees in accordance with the foregoing, all provisions of the Plan relating to the Committee shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the foregoing by treating any such reference as a reference to such officer or employee for such purpose. Any action undertaken in accordance with the Committee’s delegation of authority hereunder shall have the same force and effect as if such action were undertaken directly by the Committee and shall be deemed for all purposes of the Plan to have been taken by the Committee.

(c) Power and Authority of the Board. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Board may, at any time and from time to time, without any further action of the Committee, exercise the powers and duties of the Committee under the Plan, unless the exercise of such powers and duties by the Board would cause the Plan not to comply with the requirements of Rule 16b-3 or applicable corporate law.

Section 4.Shares Available for Awards

(a) Shares Available. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section 4(c) of the Plan, the aggregate number of Shares that may be delivered pursuant to awards granted to Eligible Personsissued under thisall Awards under the Plan may not exceed 1,650,000 shares of Common Stock (the “Share Limit”).shall equal:

 

The foregoing Share Limit is subject to adjustment as contemplated by Section 4.3, Section 7.1, and Section 8.10.(i) 2,419,571, plus

 

4.3(ii) any Shares subject to any outstanding award under the Prior Stock Plan that, after the effective date of the Plan, are not purchased or are forfeited or reacquired by the Company, or otherwise not delivered to the Participant due to termination or cancellation of such award, subject to the share counting provisions of Section 4(b) below.

The aggregate number of Shares that may be issued under all Awards Settled in Cash, Reissue of Awards and Shares. The Administrator may adopt reasonable counting procedures to ensure appropriate counting, avoid double counting (as, for example, inunder the case of tandem or substitute awards) and make adjustments in accordance with this Section 4.3. SharesPlan shall be counted against those reserved to the extent such shares have been delivered and are no longerreduced by Shares subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture. Accordingly, (i) to the extent that an awardAwards issued under the Plan in whole oraccordance with the Share counting rules described in part, is canceled, expired, forfeited, settled in cash, settled by delivery of fewer shares thanSection 4(b) below. When determining the number of shares underlyingany recycled Shares from the Prior Stock Plan that are added to the aggregate reserve under paragraph (ii) above, the number of Shares added shall be determined in accordance with the Share counting rules described in this Plan (and not the Prior Stock Plan under which the related Share award was issued).

(b) Counting Shares. Except as set forth below in this Section 4(b), if an Award entitles the holder thereof to receive or purchase Shares, the number of Shares covered by such Award or to which such Award relates shall be counted on the date of grant of such Award against the aggregate number of Shares available for granting Awards under the Plan.

(i) Shares Added Back to Reserve. Subject to the limitations in Section 4(b)(ii) below, if any Shares covered by an Award or to which an Award relates are not purchased or are forfeited or are reacquired by the Company, or if an Award otherwise terminatedterminates or is cancelled without delivery of shares toany Shares, then the participant,number of Shares counted against the shares retained by or returned to the Corporation will not be deemed to have been deliveredaggregate number of Shares available under the Plan andwith respect to such Award, to the extent of any such forfeiture, reacquisition by the Company, termination or cancellation, shall again be available for granting Awards under the Plan.

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(ii) Shares Not Added Back to Reserve. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 4(b)(i) above, the following Shares will be deemed to remain or tonot again become available for issuance under this Plan; and (ii) sharesthe Plan: (A) any Shares which would have been issued upon any exercise of an Option but for the fact that are withheld from such an award the exercise price was paid by a “net exercise” pursuant to Section 6(a)(iii)(B) or separately surrendered by the participantany Shares tendered in payment of the exercise price of an Option; (B) any Shares withheld by the Company or taxes relatingShares tendered to satisfy any tax withholding obligation with respect to an Award; (C) Shares covered by a stock-settled Stock Appreciation Right issued under the Plan that are not issued in connection with settlement in Shares upon exercise; or (D) Shares that are repurchased by the Company using Option exercise proceeds.

(iii) Cash Only Awards. Awards that do not entitle the holder thereof to receive or purchase Shares shall not be counted against the aggregate number of Shares available for Awards under the Plan.

(iv) Substitute Awards Relating to Acquired Entities. Shares issued under Awards granted in substitution for awards previously granted by an entity that is acquired by or merged with the Company or an Affiliate shall not be counted against the aggregate number of Shares available for Awards under the Plan.

(c) Adjustments. In the event that any dividend (other than a regular cash dividend) or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to purchase Shares or other securities of the Company or other similar corporate transaction or event affects the Shares such that an award shalladjustment is necessary in order to prevent dilution or enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be deemed to constitute shares not delivered and will be deemed to remain or to becomemade available under the Plan. The foregoing adjustmentsPlan, then the Committee shall, in such manner as it may deem equitable, adjust any or all of: (i) the number and type of Shares (or other securities or other property) that thereafter may be made the subject of Awards; (ii) the number and type of Shares (or other securities or other property) subject to outstanding Awards; (iii) the purchase price or exercise price with respect to any Award; and (iv) the limitations contained in Section 4(d) below; provided, however, that the number of Shares covered by any Award or to which such Award relates shall always be rounded down to the Share Limitnearest whole number. Such adjustment shall be made by the Committee or the Board, whose determination in that respect shall be final, binding and conclusive.

(d) Reserved.

(e) Reserved.

Section 5.

Eligibility

Any Eligible Person shall be eligible to be designated as a Participant. In determining which Eligible Persons shall receive an Award and the terms of this Planany Award, the Committee may take into account the nature of the services rendered by the respective Eligible Persons, their present and potential contributions to the success of the Company or such other factors as the Committee, in its discretion, shall deem relevant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an Incentive Stock Option may only be granted to full-time or part-time employees (which term as used herein includes, without limitation, officers and Directors who are subjectalso employees), and an Incentive Stock Option shall not be granted to any applicable limitations underan employee of an Affiliate unless such Affiliate is also a “subsidiary corporation” of the Company within the meaning of Section 162(m)424(f) of the Code with respect to awards intended as performance-based compensation thereunder.or any successor provision.

4.4Reservation of Shares; No Fractional Shares. The Corporation shall at all times reserve a number of shares of Common Stock sufficient to cover the Corporation’s obligations and contingent obligations to deliver shares with respect to awards then outstanding under this Plan (exclusive of any dividend equivalent obligations to the extent the Corporation has the right to settle such rights in cash). No fractional shares shall be delivered under this Plan. The Administrator may pay cash in lieu of any fractional shares in settlements of awards under this Plan.

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5.Section 6.AWARDSAwards

 

5.1Type(a) Options. The Committee is hereby authorized to grant Options to Eligible Persons with the following terms and Formconditions and with such additional terms and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of Awards.the Plan as the Committee shall determine:

(i) Exercise Price. The Administratorpurchase price per Share purchasable under an Option shall be determined by the Committee and shall not be less than one-hundred (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of such Option; provided, however, that the Committee may designate a purchase price below Fair Market Value on the date of grant if the Option is granted in substitution for a stock option previously granted by an entity that is acquired by or merged with the Company or an Affiliate.

(ii) Option Term. The term of each Option shall be fixed by the Committee at the time of grant but shall not be longer than ten (10) years from the date of grant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if an Eligible Person’s service with the Company and all Affiliates terminates for any reason during the term, then, unless otherwise provided by the Participant’s Award Agreement, the Eligible Person’s Option shall expire on the earliest of the following dates: (A) the Option’s term expiry date fixed by the Committee in the Award Agreement at the date of grant; (B) the 180th day after the termination of the Eligible Person’s service for any reason (including death or disability), or (C) any earlier date as the Committee may determine and specify in the Award Agreement at the date of grant.

(iii) Time and Method of Exercise. The Committee shall determine the typetime or types of award(s) to be made to each selected Eligible Person. Awardstimes at which an Option may be granted singly,exercised within the Option term, either in combinationwhole or in tandem.part, and the method or methods by which, and the form or forms, including, but not limited to, cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards alsoor other property, or any combination thereof, having a Fair Market Value on the exercise date equal to the applicable exercise price, in which, payment of the exercise price with respect thereto may be made in combination or in tandem with, in replacement of, as alternativesdeemed to or as the payment form for grants or rights under any other employee or compensation plan of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries. The types of awards that may be granted under this Plan are:have been made.

 

5.1.1(A) Promissory Notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may not accept a promissory note as consideration.

(B) Net Exercises. The terms of any Option may be written to permit the Option to be exercised by delivering to the Participant a number of Shares having an aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date of exercise) equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying the Option being exercised, on the date of exercise, over the exercise price of the Option for such Shares.

(iv) Incentive Stock Options. A stock option isOptions. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, the following additional provisions shall apply to the grant of a rightstock options which are intended to purchase a specified numberqualify as Incentive Stock Options:

(A) The Committee will not grant Incentive Stock Options in which the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of sharesthe time the Option is granted) of Commonthe Shares with respect to which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Participant during a specified period as determinedany calendar year (under this Plan and all other plans of the Company and its Affiliates) shall exceed $100,000.

(B) All Incentive Stock Options must be granted within ten (10) years from the earlier of the date on which this Plan was adopted by the Administrator. An option mayBoard or the date this Plan was approved by the stockholders of the Company.

(C) Unless sooner exercised, all Incentive Stock Options shall expire and no longer be intended asexercisable no later than ten (10) years after the date of grant; provided, however, that in the case of a grant of an incentive stock option withinIncentive Stock Option to a Participant who, at the time such Option is granted, owns (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code (an “ISO”) or a nonqualifiedCode) stock option (an option not intended to be an ISO). The award agreement for an option will indicate if the option is intended as an ISO; otherwise it will be deemed to be a nonqualified stock option. The maximum term of each option (ISO or nonqualified) shall be ten (10) years. The per share exercise price for each option shall be not less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant of the option. When an option is exercised, the exercise price for the shares to be purchased shall be paid in full in cash or such other method permitted by the Administrator consistent with Section 5.5.

5.1.2Additional Rules Applicable to ISOs. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined at the time of grant of the applicable option) of stock with respect to which ISOs first become exercisable by a participant in any calendar year exceeds $100,000, taking into account both Common Stock subject to ISOs under this Plan and stock subject to ISOs under all other plans of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries (or any parent or predecessor corporation to the extent required by and within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder), such options shall be treated as nonqualified stock options. In reducing the number of options treated as ISOs to meet the $100,000 limit, the most recently granted options shall be reduced first. To the extent a reduction of simultaneously granted options is necessary to meet the $100,000 limit, the Administrator may, in the manner and to the extent permitted by law, designate which shares of Common Stock are to be treated as shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of an ISO. ISOs may only be granted to employees of the Corporation or one of its subsidiaries (for this purpose, the term “subsidiary” is used as defined in Section 424(f) of the Code, which generally requires an unbroken chain of ownership of at least 50% of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of each subsidiary in the chain beginning with the Corporation and ending with the subsidiary in question). There shall be imposed in any award agreement relating to ISOs such other terms and conditions as from time to time are required in order that the option be an “incentive stock option” as that term is defined in Section 422 of the Code. No ISO may be granted to any person who, at the time the option is granted, owns (or is deemed to own under Section 424(d) of the Code) shares of outstanding Common Stock possessing more than 10%ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Corporation, unlessCompany or of its Affiliates, such Incentive Stock Option shall expire and no longer be exercisable no later than five (5) years from the exercisedate of grant.

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(D) The purchase price of such option is at least 110%per Share for an Incentive Stock Option shall be not less than one-hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of the Incentive Stock Option; provided, however, that, in the case of the grant of an Incentive Stock Option to a Participant who, at the time such Option is granted, owns (within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code) stock possessing more than ten percent (10%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of its Affiliates, the purchase price per Share purchasable under an Incentive Stock Option shall be not less than one-hundred ten percent (110%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of the Incentive Stock Option.

(E) Any Incentive Stock Option authorized under the Plan shall contain such other provisions as the Committee shall deem advisable, but shall in all events be consistent with and contain all provisions required in order to qualify the Option as an Incentive Stock Option.

(b) Stock Appreciation Rights. The Committee is hereby authorized to grant Stock Appreciation Rights to Eligible Persons subject to the optionterms of the Plan and such option by its terms is not exercisable after the expiration of five years from the date such option is granted.

5.1.3any applicable Award Agreement. A Stock Appreciation Rights. A stock appreciation right or “SAR” isRight granted under the Plan shall confer on the holder thereof a right to receive a payment, in cash and/or Common Stock, equal to the number of shares of Common Stock being exercised multiplied byupon exercise thereof the excess ofof: (i) the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stockone Share on the date the SAR is exercised,of exercise over (ii) the grant price of the Stock Appreciation Right as specified by the Committee, which price shall not be less than one-hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stockone Share on the date of grant of the SAR wasStock Appreciation Right; provided, however, that the Committee may designate a grant price below Fair Market Value on the date of grant if the Stock Appreciation Right is granted in substitution for a stock appreciation right previously granted by an entity that is acquired by or merged with the Company or an Affiliate. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, the grant price, term, methods of exercise, dates of exercise, methods of settlement and any other terms and conditions of any Stock Appreciation Right shall be as specifieddetermined by the Committee (except that the term of each Stock Appreciation Right shall be subject to the term limitations in theSection 6(a)(ii) applicable award agreement (the “base price”)to Options). The maximum termCommittee may impose such conditions or restrictions on the exercise of a SAR shall be ten (10) years.

5.1.4Restricted Shares.any Stock Appreciation Right as it may deem appropriate.

 

(a)Restrictions(c) Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units. The Committee is hereby authorized to grant an Award of Restricted shares are sharesStock and Restricted Stock Units to Eligible Persons with the following terms and conditions and with such additional terms and conditions not inconsistent with the provisions of Commonthe Plan as the Committee shall determine:

(i) Restrictions. Shares of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units shall be subject to such restrictions on transferability, risk of forfeiture andor other restrictions, if any,conditions as the AdministratorCommittee may impose (including, without limitation, an agreement by the Participant not to vote Shares of Restricted Stock while such Shares are unvested or the requirement that any dividend or other right or property issued with respect to Restricted Stock be subject to the same conditions or limitations as the Shares of Restricted Stock to which the dividend or other property relates), which restrictions may lapse separately or in combination at such times, under such circumstances (including based on achievement of performance goals and/time or future service requirements),times, in such installments or otherwise as the AdministratorCommittee may determinedeem appropriate. For purposes of clarity and without limiting the Committee’s general authority under Section 3(a), vesting of such Awards may, at the dateCommittee’s discretion, be conditioned upon the Participant’s completion of granta minimum period of service with the Company or thereafter. Exceptan Affiliate, or upon the achievement of one or more performance goals established by the Committee, or upon any combination of service-based and performance-based conditions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, rights to dividends or Dividend Equivalent payments shall be subject to the extent restricted under the terms of this Plan and the applicable award agreement relating to the restricted stock, a participant granted restricted stock shall have all of the rights of a shareholder, including the right to vote the restricted stock and the right to receive dividends thereon (subject to any mandatory reinvestment or other requirement imposed by the Administrator)limitations described in Section 6(d).

 

(b)Certificates for(ii) Issuance and Delivery of Shares. Any Restricted sharesStock granted under thisthe Plan shall be issued at the time such Awards are granted and may be evidenced in such manner as the Administrator shall determine. If certificates representing restricted stock are registered in the nameCommittee may deem appropriate, including book-entry registration or issuance of the participant, the Administrator may require that such certificates bear an appropriate legend referring to the terms, conditions and restrictions applicable to such restricted stock, that the Corporation retain physical possession of the certificates, and that the participant deliver a stock power tocertificate or certificates, which certificate or certificates shall be held by the Corporation, endorsed in blank, relating to the restricted stock. The Administrator may require that restricted shares areCompany or held in escrow until all restrictions lapse

(c)Dividends and Splits. As a condition to the grant of an award of restricted stock, subject to applicable law, the Administrator may require or permit a participant to elect that any cash dividends paid on a share of restricted stock be automatically reinvested in additional shares of restricted stock or applied to the purchase of additional awards under this Plan. Unless otherwise determinednominee name by the Administrator, stock distributed in connection with a stock splittransfer agent or stock dividend, and other property distributed as a dividend, shall bebrokerage service selected by the Company to provide such services for the Plan. Shares representing Restricted Stock that are no longer subject to restrictions and a risk of forfeitureshall be delivered (including by updating the book-entry registration) to the same extent asParticipant promptly after the restricted stock with respect to which such stockapplicable restrictions lapse or other property has been distributed.

5.1.5Restricted Share Units.

(a)Grantare waived. In the case of Restricted ShareStock Units,. A restricted share unit, or “RSU”, represents the right to receive from the Corporation on the respective scheduled vesting or payment date for such RSU, one Common Share. An award of RSUs may be subject to the attainment of specified performance goals or targets, forfeitability provisions and such other terms and conditions as the Administrator may determine, subject to the provisions of this Plan. At the time an award of RSUs is made, the Administrator shall establish a period of time during which the restricted share units shall vest and the timing for settlement of the RSU.

(b)Dividend Equivalent Accounts. Subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and the applicable award agreement, as well as any procedures established by the Administrator, prior to the expiration of the applicable vesting period of an RSU, the Administrator may determine to pay dividend equivalent rights with respect to RSUs, in which case, the Corporation shall establish an account for the participant and reflect in that account any securities, cash or other property comprising any dividend or property distribution with respect to the shares of Common Stock underlying each RSU. Each amount or other property credited to any such account shall be subject to the same vesting conditions as the RSU to which it relates. The participant shall have the right to be paid the amounts or other property credited to such account upon vesting of the subject RSU.

(c)Rights as a Shareholder. Subject to the restrictions imposed under the terms and conditions of this Plan and the applicable award agreement, each participant receiving RSUs shall have no rights as a shareholder with respect to such RSUs until such time as shares of Common Stock are issued to the participant. No shares of Common StockShares shall be issued at the time a RSU is granted,such Awards are granted. Upon the lapse or waiver of restrictions and the restricted period relating to Restricted Stock Units evidencing the right to receive Shares, such Shares shall be issued and delivered to the holder of the Restricted Stock Units.

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(d) Dividend Equivalents. The Committee is hereby authorized to grant Dividend Equivalents to Eligible Persons under which the Participant shall be entitled to receive payments (in cash, Shares, other securities, other Awards or other property as determined in the discretion of the Committee) equivalent to the amount of cash dividends paid by the Company to holders of Shares with respect to a number of Shares determined by the Committee. Subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement, such Dividend Equivalents may have such terms and conditions as the Committee shall determine. Notwithstanding the foregoing: (i) the Committee may not grant Dividend Equivalents to Eligible Persons in connection with grants of Options, Stock Appreciation Rights or other Awards the value of which is based solely on an increase in the value of the Shares after the grant of such Award; and (ii) dividend and Dividend Equivalent amounts with respect to any Share underlying an Award may be accrued but not paid to a Participant until all conditions or restrictions relating to such Share have been satisfied or lapsed.

(e) Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee is hereby authorized to grant to Eligible Persons such other Awards that are denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or otherwise based on or related to, Shares (including, without limitation, securities convertible into Shares), as are deemed by the Committee to be consistent with the purpose of the Plan. The Committee shall determine the terms and conditions of such Awards, subject to the terms of the Plan and any applicable Award Agreement. No Award issued under this Section 6(e) shall contain a purchase right or an option-like exercise feature.

(f) Additional Terms and Limitations.

(i) Consideration for Awards. Awards may be granted for no cash consideration or for any cash or other consideration as may be determined by the Committee or required by applicable law.

(ii) Awards May Be Granted Separately or Together. Awards may, in the discretion of the Committee, be granted either alone or in addition to, in tandem with or in substitution for any other Award or any award granted under any other plan of the Company or any Affiliate. Awards granted in addition to or in tandem with other Awards or in addition to or in tandem with awards granted under any other plan of the Company or any Affiliate may be granted either at the same time as or at a different time from the grant of such other Awards or awards.

(iii) Forms of Payment under Awards. Subject to the terms of the Plan and of any applicable Award Agreement, payments or transfers to be made by the Company or an Affiliate upon the grant, exercise or payment of an Award may be made in such form or forms as the Committee shall determine (including, without limitation, cash, Shares, other securities (but excluding promissory notes), other Awards or other property or any combination thereof), and may be made in a single payment or transfer, in installments or on a deferred basis, in each case in accordance with rules and procedures established by the Committee.

(iv) Limits on Transfer of Awards. No Award (other than fully vested and unrestricted Shares issued pursuant to any Award) and no right under any such Award shall be transferable by a Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and no Award (other than fully vested and unrestricted Shares issued pursuant to any Award) or right under any such Award may be pledged, alienated, attached or otherwise encumbered, and any purported pledge, alienation, attachment or encumbrance thereof shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or any Affiliate. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may permit the transfer of an Award, other than a fully vested and unrestricted Share, to family members if such transfer is for no value and in accordance with the rules of Form S-8. The Committee may also establish procedures as it deems appropriate for a Participant to designate a person or persons, as beneficiary or beneficiaries, to exercise the rights of the Participant and receive any property distributable with respect to any Award in the event of the Participant’s death.

(v) Restrictions; Securities Exchange Listing. All Shares or other securities delivered under the Plan pursuant to any Award or the exercise thereof shall be subject to such restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan, applicable federal or state securities laws and regulatory requirements, and the Committee may cause appropriate entries to be made with respect to, or legends to be placed on the certificates for, such Shares or other securities to reflect such restrictions. The Company shall not be required to set aside a fund for the payment ofdeliver any such award. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable award agreement, shares of Common Stock issuable underShares or other securities covered by an RSU shall be treated as issued on the first date that the holder of the RSU is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture as determined for purposes of Section 409A of the Code,Award unless and the holder shall be the owner of such shares of Common Stock on such date. An award agreement may provide that issuance of shares of Common Stock under an RSU may be deferred beyond the first date that the RSU is no longer subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, provided that such deferral is structured in a manner that is intended to comply withuntil the requirements of Section 409Aany federal or state securities or other laws, rules or regulations (including the rules of any securities exchange) as may be determined by the Code.Company to be applicable are satisfied.

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5.1.6Cash Awards.The Administrator may, from time to time, subject to the provisions of the Plan and such other terms and conditions as it may determine, grant cash bonuses (including without limitation, discretionary awards, awards based on objective or subjective performance criteria, awards subject to other vesting criteria or awards granted consistent with Section 5.2 below). Cash awards shall be awarded in such amount and at such times during the term of the Plan as the Administrator shall determine.

 

5.1.7Other Awards. The other types of awards that may be granted under this Plan include: (a) stock bonuses, performance stock, performance units, dividend equivalents, or similar rights to purchase or acquire shares, whether at a fixed or variable price or ratio related to the Common(vi) Prohibition on Option and Stock (subject to the requirements of Section 5.1.1 and in compliance with applicable laws), upon the passage of time, the occurrence of one or more events, or the satisfaction of performance criteria or other conditions, or any combination thereof; or (b) any similar securities with a value derived from the value of or related to the Common Stock and/or returns thereon.

5.2Section 162(m) Performance-Based Awards. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any of the types of awards listed in Sections 5.1.4 through 5.1.7 above may be, and options and SARs granted with an exercise or base price not less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock at the date of grant (“Qualifying Options” and “Qualifying SARs,” respectively) typically will be, granted as awards intended to satisfy the requirements for “performance-based compensation” within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code (“Performance-Based Awards”)Appreciation Right Repricing. The grant, vesting, exercisability or payment of Performance-Based Awards may depend (or, in the case of Qualifying Options or Qualifying SARs, may also depend) on the degree of achievement of one or more performance goals relative to a pre-established targeted level or levels using the Business Criteria provided for below for the Corporation on a consolidated basis or for one or more of the Corporation’s subsidiaries, segments, divisions or business units, or any combination of the foregoing. Such criteria may be evaluated on an absolute basis or relative to prior periods, industry peers, or stock market indices. Any Qualifying Option or Qualifying SAR shall be subject to the requirements of Section 5.2.1 and 5.2.3 in order for such award to satisfy the requirements for “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of the Code. Any other Performance-Based Award shall be subject to all of the following provisions of this Section 5.2.

5.2.1Class; Administrator. The eligible class of persons for Performance-Based Awards under this Section 5.2 shall be officers and employees of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries. The Administrator approving Performance-Based Awards or making any certification required pursuant to Section 5.2.4 must be constitutedExcept as provided in Section 3.1 for awards that are intended as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m)4(c) hereof, the Committee may not, without prior approval of the Code.

5.2.2Performance Goals. The specific performance goals for Performance-Based Awards (other than Qualifying Options and Qualifying SARs) shall be, on an absolute or relative basis, established based on such business criteria as selected by the Administrator in its sole discretion (“Business Criteria”), including the following: (1) earnings per share, (2) cash flow (which means cash and cash equivalents derived from either (i) net cash flow from operations or (ii) net cash flow from operations, financing and investing activities), (3) total shareholder return, (4) price per share of Common Stock, (5) gross revenue, (6) revenue growth, (7) operating income (before or after taxes), (8) net earnings (before or after interest, taxes, depreciation and/or amortization), (9) return on equity, (10) capital employed, or on assets or on net investment, (11) cost containment or reduction, (12) cash cost per ounce of production, (13) operating margin, (14) debt reduction, (15) resource amounts, (16) production or production growth, (17) resource replacement or resource growth, (18) successful completion of financings, or (19)Company’s stockholders, seek to effect any combination of the foregoing. To qualify awards as performance-based under Section 162(m), the applicable Business Criterion (or Business Criteria, as the case may be) and specific performance goal or goals (“targets”) must be established and approved by the Administrator during the first 90 days of the performance period (and, in the case of performance periods of less than one year, in no event after 25% or more of the performance period has elapsed) and while performance relating to such target(s) remains substantially uncertain within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code. Performance targets shall be adjusted to mitigate the unbudgeted impact of material, unusual or nonrecurring gains and losses, accounting changes or other extraordinary events not foreseen at the time the targets were set unless the Administrator provides otherwise at the time of establishing the targets; provided that the Administrator may not make any adjustment to the extent it would adversely affect the qualificationre-pricing of any compensation payable under such performance targets as “performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m) of Code. The applicable performance measurement period may not be less than 3 months nor more than 10 years.

5.2.3Form of Payment.Grantspreviously granted, “underwater” Option or awards intended to qualify under this Section 5.2 may be paid in cashStock Appreciation Right by: (i) amending or shares of Common Stock or any combination thereof.

5.2.4Certification of Payment. Before any Performance-Based Award under this Section 5.2 (other than Qualifying Options and Qualifying SARs) is paid and tomodifying the extent required to qualify the award as performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code, the Administrator must certify in writing that the performance target(s) and any other material terms of the Performance-BasedOption or Stock Appreciation Right to lower the exercise price; (ii) canceling the underwater Option or Stock Appreciation Right and granting either (A) replacement Options or Stock Appreciation Rights having a lower exercise price; or (B) Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units or Other Stock-Based Award were in fact timely satisfied.

5.2.5Reservation of Discretion. The Administrator will haveexchange; or (iii) cancelling or repurchasing the discretion to determine the restrictionsunderwater Option or Stock Appreciation Right for cash or other limitations of the individual awards granted under this Section 5.2 including the authority to reduce awards, payoutssecurities. An Option or vesting or to pay no awards, in its sole discretion, if the Administrator preserves such authority at the time of grant by language to this effect in its authorizing resolutions or otherwise.

5.2.6Expiration of Grant Authority. As required pursuant to Section 162(m) of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder, the Administrator’s authority to grant new awards that are intended to qualify as performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code (other than Qualifying Options and Qualifying SARs) shall terminate upon the first meeting of the Corporation’s shareholders that occurs in the fifth year following the year in which the Corporation’s shareholders first approve this Plan (the “162(m) Term”).

5.2.7Compensation Limitations. The maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that mayAppreciation Right will be issued to any Eligible Person during the term of this Plan pursuant to Qualifying Options and Qualifying SARs may not exceed the Share Limit. The maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that may be issued to any Eligible Person pursuant to Performance-Based Awards granted during the 162(m) Term (other than cash awards granted pursuant to Section 5.1.6 and Qualifying Options or Qualifying SARs) may not exceed the Share Limit. The maximum amount that may be paid to any Eligible Person pursuant to Performance-Based Awards granted pursuant to Sections 5.1.6 (cash awards) during the 162(m) Term may not exceed $1,000,000.

5.3Award Agreements. Each award shall be evidenced by a written or electronic award agreement in the form approved by the Administrator and, if required by the Administrator, executed by the recipient of the award. The Administrator may authorize any officer of the Corporation (other than the particular award recipient) to execute any or all award agreements on behalf of the Corporation (electronically or otherwise). The award agreement shall set forth the material terms and conditions of the award as established by the Administrator consistent with the express limitations of this Plan.

5.4Deferrals and Settlements. Payment of awards may be in the form of cash, Common Stock, other awards or combinations thereof as the Administrator shall determine, and with such restrictions as it may impose. The Administrator may also require or permit participants to elect to defer the issuance of shares of Common Stock or the settlement of awards in cash under such rules and procedures as it may establish under this Plan. The Administrator may also provide that deferred settlements include the payment or crediting of interest or other earnings on the deferral amounts, or the payment or crediting of dividend equivalents where the deferred amounts are denominated in shares. All mandatory or elective deferrals of the issuance of shares of Common Stock or the settlement of cash awards shall be structured in a manner that is intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.

5.5Consideration for Common Stock or Awards. The purchase price for any award granted under this Plan or the Common Stockdeemed to be delivered pursuant to an award, as applicable, may be paid by means of any lawful consideration as determined by the Administrator and subject to compliance with applicable laws, including, without limitation, one or a combination of the following methods:

services rendered by the recipient of such award;
cash, check payable to the order of the Corporation, or electronic funds transfer;
notice and third party payment in such manner as may be authorized by the Administrator;
the delivery of previously owned shares of Common Stock that are fully vested and unencumbered;
by a reduction in the number of shares otherwise deliverable pursuant to the award; or
subject to such procedures as the Administrator may adopt, pursuant to a “cashless exercise” with a third party who provides financing for the purposes of (or who otherwise facilitates) the purchase or exercise of awards.

In the event that the Administrator allows a participant to exercise an award by delivering shares of Common Stock previously owned by such participant and unless otherwise expressly provided by the Administrator, any shares delivered which were initially acquired by the participant from the Corporation (upon exercise of a stock option or otherwise) must have been owned by the participant at least six months as of the date of delivery (or such other period as may be required by the Administrator in order to avoid adverse accounting treatment). Shares of Common Stock used to satisfy the exercise price of an option shall be valued at their Fair Market Value on the date of exercise. The Corporation will not be obligated to deliver any shares unless and until it receives full payment of the exercise or purchase price therefor and any related withholding obligations under Section 8.5 and any other conditions to exercise or purchase, as established from time to time by the Administrator, have been satisfied. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the applicable award agreement, the Administrator may“underwater” at any time eliminate or limit a participant’s ability to pay the purchase or exercise price of any award by any method other than cash payment to the Corporation.

5.6Definition of Fair Market Value. For purposes of this Plan “Fair Market Value” shall mean, unless otherwise determined or provided by the Administrator in the circumstances, the closing price for a share of Common Stock on the trading day immediately before the grant date, as furnished by the NASDAQ Stock Market or other principal stock exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed for the date in question, or if the Common Stock is no longer listed on a principal stock exchange, then by the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board or OTC Markets. If the Common Stock is no longer listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market or listed on a principal stock exchange or is no longer actively traded on the Over-the-Counter Bulletin Board or OTC Markets as of the applicable date,when the Fair Market Value of the CommonShares covered by such Option or Stock shall beAppreciation Right is less than the value as reasonably determined by the Administrator for purposes of the award in the circumstances.exercise price.

 

5.7Transfer Restrictions.

5.7.1Limitations on Exercise and Transfer. Unless otherwise expressly(vii) Minimum Vesting. Except as provided in (or pursuant to) this Section 5.7, by applicable law and by the award agreement, as the same may be amended, (a) all awards are non-transferable and shall not be subject in any manner to sale, transfer, anticipation, alienation, assignment, pledge, encumbrance or charge; (b) awardsparagraph below, no Award shall be exercised only by the participant; and (c) amounts payablegranted with terms providing for any right of exercise or shares issuable pursuant to any award shall be delivered only to (or for the account of) the participant.

5.7.2Exceptions. The Administrator may permit awards to be exercised by and paid to, or otherwise transferred to, other persons or entities pursuant to such conditions and procedures, including limitations on subsequent transfers, as the Administrator may, in its sole discretion, establish in writing (provided that any such transfers of ISOs shall be limited to the extent permitted under the federal tax laws governing ISOs). Any permitted transfer shall be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws.

5.7.3Further Exceptions to Limits on Transfer. The exercise and transfer restrictions in Section 5.7.1 shall not apply to:

(a) transfers to the Corporation,

(b) the designation of a beneficiary to receive benefits in the event of the participant’s death or, if the participant has died, transfers to or exercise by the participant’s beneficiary, or, in the absence of a validly designated beneficiary, transfers by will or the laws of descent and distribution,

(c) subject to any applicable limitations on ISOs, transfers to a family member (or former family member) pursuant to a domestic relations order if approved or ratified by the Administrator,

(d) subject to any applicable limitations on ISOs, if the participant has suffered a disability, permitted transfers or exercises on behalf of the participant by his or her legal representative, or

(e) the authorization by the Administrator of “cashless exercise” procedures with third parties who provide financing for the purpose of (or who otherwise facilitate) the exercise of awards consistent with applicable laws and the express authorization of the Administrator.

5.8International Awards. One or more awards may be granted to Eligible Persons who provide services to the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries outside of the United States. Any awards granted to such persons may, if deemed necessary or advisable by the Administrator, be granted pursuant to the terms and conditionslapse of any applicable sub-plans, if any, appended to this Plan and approved by the Administrator.

5.9Vesting. Subject to Section 5.1.2 hereof, awards shall vestvesting obligations earlier than a date that is at such time or times and subject to such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the Administrator at the time of grant;provided, however, that in the absence of any award vesting periods designated by the Administrator at the time of grant in the applicable award agreement, awards shall vest as to one-third of the total number of shares subject to the award on each of the first, second and third anniversaries of the date of grant.

6. EFFECT OF TERMINATION OF SERVICE ON AWARDS

6.1Termination of Employment.

6.1.1The Administrator shall establish the effect of a termination of employment or service on the rights and benefits under each award under this Plan and in so doing may make distinctions based upon, inter alia, the cause of termination and type of award. If the participant is not an employee of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries and provides other services to the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries, the Administrator shall be the sole judge for purposes of this Plan (unless a contract or the award agreement otherwise provides) of whether the participant continues to render services to the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries and the date, if any, upon which such services shall be deemed to have terminated.

6.1.2For awards of stock options or SARs, unless the award agreement provides otherwise, the exercise period of such options or SARs shall expire: (1) three months after the last day that the participant is employed by or provides services to the Corporation or a Subsidiary (provided; however, that in the event of the participant’s death during this period, those persons entitled to exercise the option or SAR pursuant to the laws of descent and distribution shall haveleast one year following the date of death within which to exercise such option or SAR); (2)grant (or, in the case of vesting based upon performance-based objectives, exercise and vesting restrictions cannot lapse earlier than the one-year anniversary measured from the commencement of the period over which performance is evaluated). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a participant whose terminationmaximum of employment is due to death or disability (as defined infive percent (5%) of the aggregate number of Shares available for issuance under this Plan may be issued as Awards that do not comply with the applicable award agreement), 12 months afterone-year minimum exercise and vesting requirements set forth above. For purposes of counting Shares against the last day thatfive percent (5%) limitation, the participant is employed byShare counting rules under Sections 4(a) and 4(b) of the Plan apply. Nothing in this Section 6 shall limit the authority of the Committee to provide for the acceleration of the exercisability of any Award or provides services to the Corporation or a Subsidiary; and (3) immediately upon a participant’s termination for “cause”. The Administrator will, in its absolute discretion, determine the effectlapse of all matters and questionsany restrictions relating to a termination of employment, including, but not by way of limitation, the question of whether a leave of absence constitutes a termination of employment and whether a participant’s termination is for “cause.”any Award except where expressly limited in Section 6(f)(viii).

 

If not defined in(viii) Acceleration of Vesting or Exercisability. No Award Agreement shall, by operation of its terms, accelerate the applicable award agreement, “Cause” shall mean:

(i) conviction of a felony or a crime involving fraud or moral turpitude; or

(ii) theft, material act of dishonesty or fraud, intentional falsificationexercisability of any employmentAward or Company records,the lapse of restrictions relating to any Award in connection with a reorganization, merger or commissionconsolidation of, any criminal act which impairs participant’s ability to perform appropriate employment duties foror sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the Corporation; or

(iii) intentional or reckless conduct or gross negligence materially harmful toassets of, the Company or the successor to the Corporation afterunless such transaction constitutes a Change in Control , including violationand unless such acceleration occurs upon the consummation of a non-competition or confidentiality agreement; or

(iv) willful failure(or effective immediately prior to follow lawful instructionsthe consummation of, provided that the person or body to which participant reports; or

(v) gross negligence or willful misconductconsummation subsequently occurs) the Change in the performance of participant’s assigned duties. Cause shallnot include mere unsatisfactory performance in the achievement of participant’s job objectives.Control.

 

6.1.3For awards(ix) Section 409A Provisions. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan or any Award Agreement to the contrary, to the extent that any amount or benefit that constitutes “deferred compensation” to a Participant under Section 409A and applicable guidance thereunder is otherwise payable or distributable to a Participant under the Plan or any Award Agreement solely by reason of restricted shares,the occurrence of a Change in Control or due to the Participant’s disability or “separation from service” (as such term is defined under Section 409A), such amount or benefit will not be payable or distributable to the Participant by reason of such circumstance unless the award agreement provides otherwise, restricted shares that are subject to restrictions atCommittee determines in good faith that: (i) the time that a participant whose employment or service is terminated shall be forfeited and reacquired by the Corporation;provided that, the Administrator may provide, by rule or regulation or in any award agreement, or may determine in any individual case, that restrictions or forfeiture conditions relating to restricted shares shall be waived in whole or in part in the event of terminations resulting from specified causes, and the Administrator may in other cases waive in whole or in part the forfeiture of restricted shares. Similar rules shall apply in respect of RSUs.

6.2Events Not Deemed Terminations of Service. Unless the express policy of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries, or the Administrator, otherwise provides, the employment relationship shall not be considered terminated in the case of (a) sick leave, (b) military leave, or (c) any other leave of absence authorized by the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries, or the Administrator; provided that unless reemployment upon the expiration of such leave is guaranteed by contract or law, such leave is for a period of not more than 3 months. In the case of any employee of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries on an approved leave of absence, continued vesting of the award while on leave from the employ of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries may be suspended until the employee returns to service, unless the Administrator otherwise provides or applicable law otherwise requires. In no event shall an award be exercised after the expiration of the term set forth in the award agreement.

6.3Effect of Change of Subsidiary Status. For purposes of this Plan and any award, if an entity ceases to be a Subsidiary of the Corporation, a termination of employment or service shall be deemed to have occurred with respect to each Eligible Person in respect of such Subsidiary who does not continue as an Eligible Person in respect of another entity within the Corporation or another Subsidiary that continues as such after giving effect to the transaction or other eventcircumstances giving rise to such Change in Control, disability or separation from service meet the definition of a change in status.

7. ADJUSTMENTS; ACCELERATION

7.1Adjustments. (a) Uponcontrol event, disability, or separation from service, as the case may be, in contemplation of anySection 409A(a)(2)(A) of the following events described in thisCode and applicable proposed or final regulations; or (ii) the payment or distribution of such amount or benefit would be exempt from the application of Section 7.1,: any reclassification, recapitalization, stock split (including a stock split in the form of a stock dividend) or reverse stock split (“stock split”); any merger, arrangement, combination, consolidation, or other reorganization; any spin-off, split-up, or similar extraordinary dividend distribution in respect409A by reason of the Common Stock (whether in the form of securitiesshort-term deferral exemption or property); any exchange of Common Stockotherwise. Any payment or other securities of the Corporation, or any similar, unusual or extraordinary corporate transaction in respect of the Common Stock; then the Administrator shall in such manner, to such extent and at such time as it deems appropriate and equitable in the circumstances (but subject to compliance with applicable laws and stock exchange requirements) proportionately adjust any or all of (1) the number and type of shares of Common Stock (or other securities)distribution that thereafter may be made the subject of awards (including the number of shares provided for in this Plan), (2) the number, amount and type of shares of Common Stock (or other securities or property) subject to any or all outstanding awards, (3) the grant, purchase, or exercise price (which term includes the base price of any SAR or similar right) of any or all outstanding awards, (4) the securities, cash or other property deliverable upon exercise or payment of any outstanding awards, and (5) the 162(m) compensation limitations set forth in Section 5.2.7 and (subject to Section 8.8.3(a)) the performance standards applicable to any outstanding awards (provided that no adjustment shall be allowed to the extent inconsistent with the requirements of Code section 162(m)). Any adjustment made pursuant to this Section 7.1 shall be made in a manner that, in the good faith determination of the Administrator, will not likely result in the imposition of additional taxes or interest under Section 409A of the Code. With respect to any award of an ISO, the Administrator may make such an adjustment that causes the option to cease to qualify as an ISO without the consent of the affected participant.

(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, on each Calculation Date commencing on January 1, 2018, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock that are available for issuance shall automatically be increased by such number of shares as is equal to the number of shares sufficient to cause the Share Limit to equal twenty percent (20%) of the issued and outstanding Common Stock of the Corporation at such time,provided, however, that if on any Calculation Date the number of shares equal twenty percent (20%) of our total issued and outstanding Common Stock is less than the number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan, no change willotherwise would be made to a Participant who is a Specified Employee (as determined by the aggregate numberCommittee in good faith) on account of shares of Common Stock issuable underseparation from service may not be made before the Plan for that year (such thatdate which is six (6) months after the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock available for issuance under the Plan will never decrease). “Calculation Date“ means January 1st of each year during the termdate of the Plan.Specified Employee’s separation from service (or if earlier, upon the Specified Employee’s death) unless the payment or distribution is exempt from the application of Section 409A by reason of the short-term deferral exemption or otherwise.

 

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Section 7.

Amendment and Termination; Corrections

7.2Change(a) Amendments to the Plan and Awards. The Board may from time to time amend, suspend or terminate this Plan, and the Committee may amend the terms of any previously granted Award, provided that no amendment to the terms of any previously granted Award may (except as expressly provided in Control. Uponthe Plan) materially and adversely alter or impair the terms or conditions of the Award previously granted to a Change in Control, each then-outstanding option and SAR shall automatically become fully vested, all restricted shares then outstanding shall automatically fully vest free of restrictions, and each other award grantedParticipant under this Plan that is then outstanding shall automatically become vested and payablewithout the written consent of the Participant or holder thereof. Any amendment to this Plan, or to the holderterms of such awardunlessany Award previously granted, is subject to compliance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations and policies of any applicable governmental entity or securities exchange, including receipt of any required approval from the Administrator has made appropriate provision for the substitution, assumption, exchangegovernmental entity or other continuation of the award pursuant to the Change in Control. Notwithstandingstock exchange. For greater certainty and without limiting the foregoing, the Administrator,Board may amend, suspend, terminate or discontinue the Plan, and the Committee may amend or alter any previously granted Award, as applicable, without obtaining the approval of stockholders of the Company in its sole and absolute discretion, may choose (in an award agreement or otherwise) to provide for full or partial accelerated vesting of any award upon a Change In Control (or upon any other event or other circumstance related to the Change in Control, such as an involuntary termination of employment occurring after such Change in Control, as the Administrator may determine), irrespective of whether such any such award has been substituted, assumed, exchanged or otherwise continued pursuant to the Change in Control.order to:

 

(i) amend the eligibility for, and limitations or conditions imposed upon, participation in the Plan;

For purposes(ii) amend any terms relating to the granting or exercise of this Plan, “ChangeAwards, including but not limited to terms relating to the amount and payment of the exercise price, or the vesting, expiry, assignment or adjustment of Awards, or, subject to the limitations in ControlSection 6(f)(viii), otherwise waive any conditions of or rights of the Company under any outstanding Award, prospectively or retroactively;

(iii) make changes that are necessary or desirable to comply with applicable laws, rules, regulations and policies of any applicable governmental entity or stock exchange (including amendments to Awards necessary or desirable to maximize any available tax deduction or to avoid any adverse tax results, and no action taken to comply with such laws, rules, regulations and policies shall be deemed to have occurred if:

(i) a tender offer (or seriesimpair or otherwise adversely alter or impair the rights of related offers) shall be made and consummated for the ownershipany holder of 50%an Award or more of the outstanding voting securities of the Corporation, unless as a result of such tender offer more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the surviving or resulting corporation shall be owned in the aggregate by the shareholders of the Corporation (as of the time immediately prior to the commencement of such offer), any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or its Subsidiaries, and their affiliates;

(ii) the Corporation shall be merged or consolidated with another entity, unless as a result of such merger or consolidation more than 50% of the outstanding voting securities of the surviving or resulting entity shall be owned in the aggregate by the shareholders of the Corporation (as of the time immediately prior to such transaction), any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or its Subsidiaries, and their affiliates;

(iii) the Corporation shall sell substantially all of its assets to another entity that is not wholly owned by the Corporation, unless as a result of such sale more than 50% of such assets shall be owned in the aggregate by the shareholders of the Corporation (as of the time immediately prior to such transaction), any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or its Subsidiaries and their affiliates;beneficiary thereof); or

 

(iv) a Person (as defined below) shall acquire 50% or moreamend any terms relating to the administration of the outstanding voting securitiesPlan, including the terms of any administrative guidelines or other rules related to the Plan.

For greater certainty, prior approval of the Corporation (whether directly, indirectly, beneficially or of record), unless as a result of such acquisition more than 50%stockholders of the outstanding voting securitiesCompany shall be required for any amendment to the Plan or an Award that would:

(I) require stockholder approval under the rules or regulations of the survivingSecurities and Exchange Commission, the NASDAQ Capital Market or resulting corporation shall be owned in the aggregate by the shareholders of the Corporation (as of the time immediately priorany other securities exchange that are applicable to the first acquisition of such securities by such Person), any employee benefit plan of the Corporation or its Subsidiaries, and their affiliates.Company;

 

For purposes(II) increase the number of this shares authorized under the Plan as specified in Section 5(c), ownership4(a) of voting securities shall take into account and shall include ownership as determinedthe Plan;

(III) permit repricing of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights, which is currently prohibited by applyingSection 6 of the Plan;

(IV) permit the award of Options or Stock Appreciation Rights at a price less than one-hundred percent (100%) of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of such Option or Stock Appreciation Right, contrary to the provisions of Rule 13d-3(d)(I)(i) (as in effect on the date hereof) under the Exchange Act. In addition, for such purposes, “Person” shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9)6(a)(i) and Section 6(b) of the Exchange Act,Plan; or

(V) increase the maximum term permitted for Options and Stock Appreciation Rights as modifiedspecified in Section 6(a) and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof;providedSection 6(b),.

(b) howeverCorporate Transactions, that a Person shall not include (A). In the Companyevent of any reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off, combination, plan of arrangement, take-over bid or anytender offer, repurchase or exchange of its Subsidiaries; (B) a trusteeShares or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any ofother similar corporate transaction or event involving the Company (or the Company shall enter into a written agreement to undergo such a transaction or event), the Committee or the Board may, in its Subsidiaries; (C) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuantsole discretion but subject to an offering of such securities; or (D) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholderslimitations in Section 6(f)(viii), provide for any of the Company in substantiallyfollowing to be effective upon the same proportion as their ownership of stockconsummation of the Company.event (or effective immediately prior to the consummation of the event, provided that the consummation of the event subsequently occurs), and no action taken under this Section 7(b) shall be deemed to impair or otherwise adversely alter or impair the rights of any holder of an Award or beneficiary thereof:

 

Notwithstanding(i) either (A) termination of any Award, whether or not vested, in exchange for an amount of cash and/or other property, if any, equal to the foregoing, (1)amount that would have been attained upon the Administrator may waiveexercise of the requirementAward or realization of the Participant’s rights (and, for the avoidance of doubt, if, as of the date of the occurrence of the transaction or event described in paragraph (iv) abovethis Section 7(b)(i)(A), the Committee or the Board determines in good faith that a Person must acquire more than 50%no amount would have been attained upon the exercise of the outstanding voting securitiesAward or realization of the Corporation for a Change in Control to have occurred ifParticipant’s rights, then the Administrator determines that the percentage acquired by a person is significant (as determinedAward may be terminated by the AdministratorCompany without any payment) or (B) the replacement of the Award with other rights or property selected by the Committee or the Board, in its discretion) and that waiving such condition is appropriate in light of all facts and circumstances, and (2) no compensation that has been deferred for purposes of Section 409A of the Code shall be payable as a result of a Change in Control unless the Change in Control qualifies as a change in ownership or effective control of the Corporation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.sole discretion;

 

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7.3Early Termination of Awards. Any award

(ii) that has been accelerated as required or permitted by Section 7.2 upon a Change in Control (or would have been so accelerated but for Section 7.4 or 7.5) shall terminate upon such event, subject to any provision that has been expressly madethe Award be assumed by the Administrator, throughsuccessor or survivor corporation, or a plan of reorganizationparent or otherwise, for the survival, substitution, assumption, exchangesubsidiary thereof, or other continuation of such award and provided that, in the case of options and SARs that will not survive,shall be substituted for assumed, exchanged,by similar options, rights or otherwise continuedawards covering the stock of the successor or survivor corporation, or a parent or subsidiary thereof, with appropriate adjustments as to the number and kind of shares and prices;

(iii) that the Award shall be exercisable or payable or fully vested with respect to all Shares covered thereby, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the transaction,applicable Award Agreement; or

(iv) that the holder of such award shallAward cannot vest, be given reasonable advance noticeexercised or become payable after a date certain in the future, which may be the effective date of the impending termination and a reasonable opportunity to exercise his or her outstanding options and SARs in accordance with their terms before the termination of such awards (exceptevent; provided, however, that in no case shall more than ten days’ noticecircumstance may the Committee or the Board use the foregoing provision to provide for the forfeiture of accelerated vesting andan Award solely by virtue of the impending termination be required and any accelerationcorporate transaction, it being understood that the foregoing provision may be made contingent upon the actual occurrence of the event).

The Administrator may make provision for payment in cash or property (or both) in respect of awards terminated pursuant to this section as a result of the Change in Control and may adopt such valuation methodologies for outstanding awards as it deems reasonable and,used only in the case of options, SARscircumstance in which the Award is paid out or similarthe Participant is otherwise entitled to receive the requisite value or exercise the requisite rights and without limiting other methodologies, may base such settlement solely upon the excess if any of the per share amount payable uponin an Award immediately prior to or in respect of such event overconnection with the exercise or base price of the award.transaction.

 

7.4Other Acceleration Rules(c) Correction of Defects, Omissions and Inconsistencies. Any acceleration of awards pursuant to this Section 7 shall comply with applicable legal and stock exchange requirements and, if necessary to accomplish the purposesThe Committee may, without prior approval of the acceleration or if the circumstances require, may be deemed by the Administrator to occur a limited period of time not greater than 30 days before the event. Without limiting the generalitystockholders of the foregoing, the Administrator may deem an acceleration to occur immediately prior to the applicable event and/Company, correct any defect, supply any omission or reinstate the original terms of an award if an event giving rise to the acceleration does not occur. Notwithstandingreconcile any other provision ofinconsistency in the Plan to the contrary, the Administrator may override the provisions of Section 7.2, 7.3, and/or 7.5 by express provisionin any Award or Award Agreement in the award agreement or otherwise. The portion of any ISO accelerated pursuant to Section 7.2 or any other action permitted hereunder shall remain exercisable as an ISO onlymanner and to the extent it shall deem desirable to implement or maintain the applicable $100,000 limitation on ISOs is not exceeded. To the extent exceeded, the accelerated portioneffectiveness of the option shall be exercisable as a nonqualified stock option under the Code.Plan.

 

7.5Possible Rescission of Acceleration. If the vesting of an award has been accelerated expressly in anticipation of an event and the Administrator later determines that the event will not occur, the Administrator may rescind the effect of the acceleration as to any then outstanding and unexercised or otherwise unvested awards;provided, that, in the case of any compensation that has been deferred for purposes of Section 409A of the Code, the Administrator determines that such rescission will not likely result in the imposition of additional tax or interest under Code Section 409A.
Section 8.

Income Tax Withholding

 

8. OTHER PROVISIONS

8.1Compliance with Laws. This Plan, the granting and vesting of awards under this Plan, the offer, issuance and delivery of shares of Common Stock, the acceptance of promissory notes and/or the payment of money under this Plan or under awards are subjectIn order to compliancecomply with all applicable federal, state, local or foreign income tax laws or regulations, the Company may take such action as it deems appropriate to ensure that all applicable federal, state, local or foreign payroll, withholding, income or other taxes, which are the sole and state laws, rulesabsolute responsibility of a Participant, are withheld or collected from such Participant. In order to assist a Participant in paying all or a portion of the applicable taxes to be withheld or collected upon exercise or receipt of (or the lapse of restrictions relating to) an Award, the Committee, in its discretion and regulations (including but not limited to state and federal securities law, federal margin requirements) andsubject to such approvals by any applicable stock exchange listing, regulatory or governmental authorityadditional terms and conditions as it may adopt, may permit the Participant to satisfy such tax obligation up to the maximum rates in the opinionParticipant’s applicable jurisdiction(s) by: (a) electing to have the Company withhold a portion of counsel for the Corporation,Shares otherwise to be necessarydelivered upon exercise or advisable in connection therewith. The person acquiring any securities under this Plan will, if requested byreceipt of (or the Corporation or onelapse of its Subsidiaries, providerestrictions relating to) such assurances and representationsAward with a Fair Market Value equal to the Corporationamount of such taxes (subject to any limitations required by ASC Topic 718 to avoid adverse accounting treatment); or one(b) delivering to the Company Shares other than Shares issuable upon exercise or receipt of its Subsidiaries as(or the Administrator may deem necessarylapse of restrictions relating to) such Award with a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such taxes (subject to any limitations required by ASC Topic 718 to avoid adverse accounting treatment). The election, if any, must be made on or desirablebefore the date that the amount of tax to assure compliance with all applicable legal and accounting requirements.be withheld is determined.

Section 9.

General Provisions

 

8.2Future Awards/Other Rights.(a) No Rights to Awards. No Eligible Person, Participant or other person shall have any claim or rights to be granted any Award under the Plan, and there is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Eligible Persons, Participants or holders or beneficiaries of Awards under the Plan. The terms and conditions of Awards need not be the same with respect to any Participant or with respect to different Participants.

(b) Award Agreements. No Participant shall have rights under an award (or additional awards,Award granted to such Participant unless and until an Award Agreement shall have been signed by the Participant (if requested by the Company), or until such Award Agreement is delivered and accepted through an electronic medium in accordance with procedures established by the Company. Each Award will be evidenced by an Award Agreement signed by the Participant and a representative of the Company unless the Committee expressly provides otherwise. Each Award Agreement shall be subject to the applicable terms and conditions of the Plan and any other terms and conditions (not inconsistent with the Plan) determined by the Committee.

(c) Plan Provisions Control. In the event that any provision of an Award Agreement conflicts with or is inconsistent in any respect with the terms of the Plan as set forth herein or subsequently amended, the terms of the Plan shall control.

(d) No Rights of Stockholders. Except with respect to Shares issued under Awards (and subject to such conditions as the caseCommittee may be) under this Plan, subjectimpose on such Awards pursuant to Section 6(c)(i) or Section 6(d)), neither a Participant nor the Participant’s legal representative shall be, or have any of the rights and privileges of, a stockholder of the Company with respect to any express contractual rights (set forthShares issuable upon the exercise or payment of any Award, in a document other than this Plan) to the contrary.whole or in part, unless and until such Shares have been issued.

 

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8.3(e) No Employment/Service Contract.Limit on Other Compensation Arrangements. Nothing contained in thisthe Plan (orshall prevent the Company or any Affiliate from adopting or continuing in effect other or additional compensation plans or arrangements, and such plans or arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

(f) No Right to Employment. The grant of an Award shall not be construed as giving a Participant the right to be retained as an employee of the Company or any Affiliate, nor will it affect in any other documentsway the right of the Company or an Affiliate to terminate a Participant’s employment at any time, with or without cause, in accordance with applicable law. In addition, the Company or an Affiliate may at any time dismiss a Participant from employment free from any liability or any claim under thisthe Plan or any Award, unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in any award) shall confer upon any Eligible Person or other participant any right to continue in the employ or other service of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries, constitute any contract or agreement of employment or other service or affect an employee’s status as an employee at will, nor shall interfere in any way with the right of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries to change a person’s compensation or other benefits, or to terminate his or her employment or other service, with or without cause.Award Agreement. Nothing in this Section 8.3, however,Plan shall confer on any person any legal or equitable right against the Company or any Affiliate, directly or indirectly, or give rise to any cause of action at law or in equity against the Company or an Affiliate. Under no circumstances shall any person ceasing to be an employee of the Company or any Affiliate be entitled to any compensation for any loss of any right or benefit under the Plan which such employee might otherwise have enjoyed but for termination of employment, whether such compensation is intendedclaimed by way of damages for wrongful or unfair dismissal, breach of contract or otherwise. By participating in the Plan, each Participant shall be deemed to adversely affecthave accepted all the conditions of the Plan and the terms and conditions of any express independent right of such person under a separate employment or service contract other than an award agreement.rules and regulations adopted by the Committee and shall be fully bound thereby.

 

8.4(g) Governing Law. The internal law, and not the law of conflicts, of the State of Nevada shall govern all questions concerning the validity, construction, and effect of the Plan Not Funded. Awards payableor any Award, and any rules and regulations relating to the Plan or any Award.

(h) Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under this Planany law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be payableconstrued or deemed amended to conform to applicable laws, or if it cannot be so construed or deemed amended without, in shares or from the general assetsdetermination of the Corporation, and no specialCommittee, materially altering the purpose or separate reserve, fundintent of the Plan or depositthe Award, such provision shall be madestricken as to assure payment of such awards. No participant, beneficiaryjurisdiction or other person shall have any right, title or interest in any fund or in any specific asset (including shares of Common Stock, except as expressly otherwise provided)Award, and the remainder of the CorporationPlan or one of its Subsidiaries by reason of any award hereunder.such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

(i) No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the provisions of this Plan (or of any related documents), nor the creation or adoption of this Plan nor any action taken pursuant to the provisions of this PlanAward shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the CorporationCompany or one of its Subsidiariesany Affiliate and a Participant or any participant, beneficiary or other person. To the extent that a participant, beneficiary or otherany person acquires a right to receive paymentpayments from the Company or any Affiliate pursuant to any award hereunder,an Award, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Corporation.Company or any Affiliate.

 

8.5Tax Withholding. Upon(j) Other Benefits. No compensation or benefit awarded to or realized by any exercise, vesting,Participant under the Plan shall be included for the purpose of computing such Participant’s compensation or payment ofbenefits under any award, the Corporationpension, retirement, savings, profit sharing, group insurance, disability, severance, termination pay, welfare or one of its Subsidiaries shall have the right at its option to:

(a) require the participant (or the participant’s personal representative or beneficiary, as the case may be) to pay or provide for payment of at least the minimum amount of any taxes which the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries may be required to withhold with respect to such award event or payment; or

(b) deduct from any amount otherwise payable in cash to the participant (or the participant’s personal representative or beneficiary, as the case may be) the minimum amount of any taxes which the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries may be required to withhold with respect to such cash payment.

In any case where a tax is required to be withheld in connection with the delivery of shares of Common Stock under this Plan, the Administrator may in its sole discretion (subject to Section 8.1) grant (either at the timeother benefit plan of the awardCompany, unless required by law or thereafter) to the participant the right to elect, pursuant tootherwise provided by such rules and subject to such conditions as the Administrator may establish, to have the Corporation reduce the number of shares to be delivered by (or otherwise reacquire) the appropriate number of shares, valued in a consistent manner at their Fair Market Value or at the sales price in accordance with authorized procedures for cashless exercises, necessary to satisfy the minimum applicable withholding obligation on exercise, vesting or payment. In no event shall the shares withheld exceed the minimum whole number of shares required for tax withholding under applicable law.

8.6Effective Date, Termination and Suspension, Amendments.other plan.

 

8.6.1Effective Date(k) No Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and Termination. This Plan was approved by the Boardunless an Award Agreement expressly provides otherwise, all fractional Shares and became effective on June 1, 2017. Unless earlierany rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated by the Board, this Plan shall terminate at the close of business on June 1, 2027. After the termination of this Plan either upon such stated expiration date or its earlier termination by the Board, no additional awards may be granted under this Plan, but previously granted awards (and the authority of the Administrator with respect thereto, including the authority to amend such awards) shall remain outstanding in accordance with their applicable terms and conditions and the terms and conditions of this Plan.otherwise eliminated without consideration.

 

8.6.2Board Authorization. The Board may, at any time, terminate or, from time to time, amend, modify or suspend this Plan, in whole or in part. No awards may be granted during any period that the Board suspends this Plan.

8.6.3Shareholder Approval. To the extent then required by applicable law or any applicable stock exchange or required under Sections 162, 422 or 424 of the Code to preserve the intended tax consequences of this Plan, or deemed necessary or advisable by the Board, this Plan and any amendment to this Plan shall be subject to shareholder approval.

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8.6.4Amendments to Awards. Without limiting any other express authority of the Administrator under (but subject to) the express limits of this Plan, the Administrator by agreement or resolution may waive conditions of or limitations on awards to participants that the Administrator in the prior exercise of its discretion has imposed, without the consent of a participant, and (subject to the requirements of Sections 3.2 and 8.6.5) may make other changes to the terms and conditions of awards. Any amendment or other action that would constitute a repricing of an award is subject to the limitations set forth in Section 3.2(g)(l) Headings.

8.6.5Limitations on Amendments to Plan and Awards. No amendment, suspension or termination of this Plan or change of or affecting any outstanding award shall, without written consent of the participant, affect in any manner materially adverse to the participant any rights or benefits of the participant or obligations of the Corporation under any award granted under this Plan prior to the effective date of such change. Changes, settlements and other actions contemplated by Section 7 shall not be deemed to constitute changes or amendments for purposes of this Section 8.6.

8.7Privileges of Stock Ownership. Except as otherwise expressly authorized by the Administrator or this Plan, a participant shall not be entitled to any privilege of stock ownership as to any shares of Common Stock not actually delivered to and held of record by the participant. No adjustment will be made for dividends or other rights as a shareholder for which a record date is prior to such date of delivery.

8.8Governing Law; Construction; Severability.

8.8.1Choice of Law. This Plan, the awards, all documents evidencing awards and all other related documents shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada.

8.8.2Severability. If a court of competent jurisdiction holds any provision invalid and unenforceable, the remaining provisions of this Plan shall continue in effect.

8.8.3Plan Construction.

(a)Rule 16b-3. It is the intent of the Corporation that the awards and transactions permitted by awards be interpreted in a manner that, in the case of participants who are or may be subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act, qualify, to the maximum extent compatible with the express terms of the award, for exemption from matching liability under Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall have no liability to any participant for Section 16 consequences of awards or events under awards if an award or event does not so qualify.

(b)Section 162(m). Awards under Sections 5.1.4 through 5.1.7 to persons described in Section 5.2 that are either granted or become vested, exercisable or payable based on attainment of one or more performance goals related to the Business Criteria, as well as Qualifying Options and Qualifying SARs granted to persons described in Section 5.2, that are approved by a committee composed solely of two or more outside directors (as this requirement is applied under Section 162(m) of the Code) shall be deemed to be intended as performance-based compensation within the meaning of Section 162(m) of the Code unless such committee provides otherwise at the time of grant of the award. It is the further intent of the Corporation that (to the extent the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries or awards under this Plan may be or become subject to limitations on deductibility under Section 162(m) of the Code) any such awards and any other Performance-Based Awards under Section 5.2 that are granted to or held by a person subject to Section 162(m) will qualify as performance-based compensation or otherwise be exempt from deductibility limitations under Section 162(m).

(c)Code Section 409A Compliance. The Board intends that, except as may be otherwise determined by the Administrator, any awards under the Plan are either exempt from or satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Code and related regulations and Treasury pronouncements (“Section 409A”) to avoid the imposition of any taxes, including additional income or penalty taxes, thereunder. If the Administrator determines that an award, award agreement, acceleration, adjustment to the terms of an award, payment, distribution, deferral election, transaction or any other action or arrangement contemplated by the provisions of the Plan would, if undertaken, cause a participant’s award to become subject to Section 409A, unless the Administrator expressly determines otherwise, such award, award agreement, payment, acceleration, adjustment, distribution, deferral election, transaction or other action or arrangement shall not be undertaken and the related provisions of the Plan and/or award agreement will be deemed modified or, if necessary, rescinded in order to comply with the requirements of Section 409A to the extent determined by the Administrator without the content or notice to the participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither the Company nor the Administrator shall have any obligation to take any action to prevent the assessment of any excise tax or penalty on any participant under Section 409A and neither the Company nor the Administrator will have any liability to any participant for such tax or penalty.

(d)No Guarantee of Favorable Tax Treatment. Although the Company intends that awards under the Plan will be exempt from, or will comply with, the requirements of Section 409A of the Code, the Company does not warrant that any award under the Plan will qualify for favorable tax treatment under Section 409A of the Code or any other provision of federal, state, local or foreign law. The Company shall not be liable to any participant for any tax, interest or penalties the participant might owe as a result of the grant, holding, vesting, exercise or payment of any award under the Plan

8.9Captions. Captions and headings Headings are given to the sections and subsections of thisthe Plan solely as a convenience to facilitate reference. Such headings shall not be deemed in any way material or relevant to the construction or interpretation of thisthe Plan or any provision thereof.

 

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8.10Stock-Based Awards

Section 10.Clawback or Recoupment

In addition to such forfeiture and/or penalty conditions as specified in Substitution for Stock Options orany Award Agreement, Awards Granted by Other Corporation. Awards may be granted to Eligible Persons in substitution for or in connection with an assumption of employee stock options, SARs, restricted stock or other stock-based awards granted by other entities to persons who are or who will become Eligible Persons in respect of the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries, in connection with a distribution, arrangement, business combination, merger or other reorganization by or with the granting entity or an affiliated entity, or the acquisition by the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, of all or a substantial part of the stock or assets of the employing entity. The awards so granted need not comply with other specific terms of this Plan, provided the awards reflect only adjustments giving effect to the assumption or substitution consistent with the conversion applicable to the Common Stock in the transaction and any change in the issuer of the security. Any shares that are delivered and any awards that are granted by, or become obligations of, the Corporation, as a result of the assumption by the Corporation of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by an acquired company (or previously granted by a predecessor employer (or direct or indirect parent thereof) in the case of persons that become employed by the Corporation or one of its Subsidiaries in connection with a business or asset acquisition or similar transaction) shall not be counted against the Share Limit or other limits on the number of shares available for issuance under this Plan except as may otherwiseshall be provided by the Administrator at the time of such assumptionsubject to forfeiture or substitutionother penalties pursuant to any clawback or similar recoupment policy as may be requiredestablished or amended from time to comply withtime.

Section 11.

Effective Date of the Plan

The Plan was originally adopted by the requirementsBoard on August 6, 2019 and was subsequently approved by the stockholders of any applicable stock exchange.the Company at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Company held on September 18, 2019, and the Plan was effective as of the date of such stockholder approval. The Plan, as amended and restated by this document, was adopted by the Board on October 25, 2022, and is subject to approval by the stockholders of the Company at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Company to be held on December 16, 2022.

Section 12.

Term of the Plan

 

8.11Non-Exclusivity of Plan. Nothing in thisNo Award shall be granted under the Plan, and the Plan shall limitterminate, on the tenth (10th) anniversary of the original effective date of the Plan (September 18, 2019) or be deemedany earlier date of discontinuation or termination established pursuant to limitSection 7(a) of the Plan. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan or in an applicable Award Agreement, any Award theretofore granted may extend beyond such dates, and the authority of the Committee provided for hereunder with respect to the Plan and any Awards, and the authority of the Board orto amend the Administrator to grant awards or authorize any other compensation, with or without reference toPlan, shall extend beyond the Common Stock, under any other plan or authority.

8.12No Corporate Action Restriction. The existence of this Plan, the award agreements and the awards granted hereunder shall not limit, affect or restrict in any way the right or powertermination of the Board or the shareholders of the Corporation to make or authorize: (a) any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the capital structure or business of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, (b) any merger, arrangement, business combination, amalgamation, consolidation or change in the ownership of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, (c) any issue of bonds, debentures, capital, preferred or prior preference stock ahead of or affecting the capital stock (or the rights thereof) of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, (d) any dissolution or liquidation of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, (e) any sale or transfer of all or any part of the assets or business of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, or (f) any other corporate act or proceeding by the Corporation or any Subsidiary. No participant, beneficiary or any other person shall have any claim under any award or award agreement against any member of the Board or the Administrator, or the Corporation or any employees, officers or agents of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, as a result of any such action.Plan.

 

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8.13Other Corporation Benefit and Compensation Programs. Payments and other benefits received by a participant under an award made pursuant to this Plan shall not be deemed a part of a participant’s compensation for purposes of the determination of benefits under any other employee welfare or benefit plans or arrangements, if any, provided by the Corporation or any Subsidiary, except where the Administrator expressly otherwise provides or authorizes in writing or except as otherwise specifically set forth in the terms and conditions of such other employee welfare or benefit plan or arrangement. Awards under this Plan may be made in addition to, in combination with, as alternatives to or in payment of grants, awards or commitments under any other plans or arrangements of the Corporation or its Subsidiaries. 

8.14Prohibition on Repricing. Subject to Section 4, the Administrator shall not, without the approval of the shareholders of the Corporation (i) reduce the exercise price, or cancel and reissue options so as to in effect reduce the exercise price or (ii) change the manner of determining the exercise price so that the exercise price is less than the fair market value per share of Common Stock.

As adopted by the Board of Directors of U.S. Gold Corp. on June 1, 2017.