SEC Info - Lode-Star Mining Inc. - ‘DEF 14C’ for 11/24/15

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The actions have been approved by our board of directors and by the holders of a majority of the shares of common stock. As a result, the foregoing actions are approved by the stockholders of the company and neither a meeting of the stockholders nor additional written consents are necessary.

We have asked brokers and other custodians, nominees and fiduciaries to forward this Information Statement to the beneficial owners of the common stock held of record by such persons and will reimburse such persons for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in forwarding such material.

The actions described will become effective at the opening of business on the first day after the 20th day after the date of mailing this Information Statement (the “Effective Date”).

We are mailing the Information Statement in compliance with the provisions of Section 14(c) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on or about November 24, 2015 to stockholders of record of the company at the close of business on the day immediately preceding the date of mailing (the “Record Date”).

EFFECTIVE TIME	1

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS	1

REASONS FOR AUTHORITY TO CHANGE OUR NAME	2

DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS	2

AMENDED AND RESTATED ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION	5

2016 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN	6

REASONS FOR THE INCREASE IN AUTHORIZED SHARES	11

VOTING SECURITIES AND OWNERSHIP BY CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT	11

DIRECTOR AND EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION	12

COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 16(a) OF THE EXCHANGE ACT	12

DEFENSES AGAINST HOSTILE TAKEOVERS	12

DISCLOSURE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS	14

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION	14

CONCLUSION	14

EXHIBIT LIST

Exhibit A - Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation
Exhibit B - 2016 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan

The Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and other changes will be effective in the State of Nevada on the first day after the 20th day after the date of mailing of this Information Statement meeting the requirements of Section 14(c) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 14c-101 of the Securities Act of 1934 (the “Effective Time”).

This Information Statement is first being sent to stockholders on or about November 24, 2015. The following questions and answers are intended to respond to frequently asked questions concerning the matters described in this Information Statement. These questions do not, and are not intended to, address all the questions that may be important to you. You should carefully read the entire Information Statement, as well as its appendices and the documents incorporated by reference in this Information Statement.

A : The board of directors has already approved the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and has received the written consent of our stockholders who represent a majority of our outstanding voting shares. Under the Nevada Revised Statutes this transaction may be approved by the written consent of a majority of the shares entitled to vote, but only after the board of directors have authorized the action. Because a majority of our voting shares have approved the transaction discussed herein, a formal stockholders meeting is not necessary and represents a substantial and avoidable expense.

Our board of directors may authorize, without further shareholder approval, a change of our corporate name to any name selected by the board of directors. We have no present plans, understandings or agreements, and we are not engaged in any negotiations that will involve a name change. However, in the event of any substantial business change, our board of directors will have the authority to select a new name that reflects our principal business.

The business background of our directors and chief executive officer is included in the annual report for the year ended December 31, 2014 we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and posted on our website on November 13, 2014. The information statement is incorporated herein by reference and is available on the SEC web site: www.sec.gov.

Mark Walmesley was appointed as our Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and director on September 22, 2014, and our President and Chief Executive Officer on the Closing Date. He has been LSG’s Director of Operations since 2005 and a director of the company since March 2009.

From 2005 to 2010, Mr. Walmesley directed operations on the Property, during which time LSG had a crew of up to eight people performing surface and underground exploratory drilling and mine rehabilitation work. In 2010 and 2011, he negotiated the terms of the ICN Option Agreement on behalf of LSG, and he is currently directing all of LSG’s advancement activities.

Since 1985, Mr. Walmesley has been the owner and operator of Mark Walmesley, Inc., a private Texas corporation, and MWI Utah, Inc., a private Utah corporation, both of which specialize in the sale of window etching theft deterrent products that are distributed throughout the United States in the automotive aftermarket industry. Through an established network of agents and car dealerships, he has achieved product fulfillment on millions of vehicles over his 30 year career.

Since 2008, Mr. Walmesley has been developing an emergency medical communications platform for FAST Alert Support Team, Inc., a company dedicated to facilitating worldwide communication between emergency medical technicians (EMTs), incapacitated individuals and people assigned by those individuals to accommodate pre-determined essential support. Although the project is currently on hold, Mr. Walmesley originally developed this online software solution for the medical industry in the United States and plans to build the business using his existing network of automotive industry contacts. He remains the company’s Founder and Chief Software Architect.

Mr. Walmesley has also been involved in financing and mentoring a variety of other private companies throughout his professional career. Mr. Walmesley does not have a written employment or other compensatory agreement with the Company. He is not being paid for his services to the Company.

The Company has not entered into any transactions with Mr. Walmesley described in Item 404(a) of Regulation S-K.

Mr. Walmesley was not appointed pursuant to any arrangement or understanding between Mr. Walmesley and any other person.

Thomas Temkin was appointed as Chief Operating Officer and to the Board of Directors on January 19, 2015. Mr. Temkin is a Certified Professional Geologist and a Qualified Person under National Instrument (NI) 43101, with more than 38 years of experience in the mining industry, primarily in exploration in the Western United States. As senior project manager for several major mining companies, Mr. Temkin has been associated with several advanced gold exploration projects, some of which developed into significant mines. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Economic Geology in 1976 from the Mackay School of Mines, Mr. Temkin began his career as an exploration Geologist. He is currently a consulting geologist working with Lode Star Gold, Inc. Mr. Temkin has been associated with LSG and the project for over 15 years and has been instrumental through its entire exploration program to date.

Pam Walters was appointed as our Secretary on April 22, 2015. Since 1985 Ms. Walter, age 66, has been working as the Corporate Administration person responsible for employee relations as well as managing the day-to-day corporate finance and business operations of Lode Star Gold, Inc. (an affiliate of Lode-Star Mining Inc.). Ms. Walters has been associated with the mining industry for over 25 years. She attended the University of New Orleans in the early 1970s and since 1998 she has been acquiring and practicing the skills required to manage and maintain our busy and growing corporate needs.

We have not appointed members of our audit committee. However the chairman will be independent within the meaning of applicable SEC rules and NYSE MKT listing standards as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in the rules and regulations of the SEC, and that is financially literate under the current listing standards of the NYSE MKT. The audit committee has oversight responsibilities regarding matters including:

We will rely on the phase-in rules of the SEC and NYSE MKT with respect to the independence of our audit committee. These rules permit us to have an audit committee that has at least one member who is independent by the NYSE MKT listing date, at least two members (a majority of whom are independent) within 90 days after the listing date, and at least three members (all of whom are independent) within one year thereafter.

Our written charter for our audit committee will be available on our website, www.lode-starmining.com. The information on our website is not and will not be deemed to be part of this information statement and our web address is included herein as an inactive textual reference only.

We have not appointed members of our compensation committee. However, the chairman of the committee will be independent within the meaning of the listing standards of the NYSE MKT. The compensation committee is authorized to assist the board in discharging the board’s responsibilities relating to matters including:

We will rely on the phase-in rules of the SEC and NYSE MKT with respect to the independence of our compensation committee. These rules permit us to have a compensation committee that has at least one member who is independent by five business days from the NYSE MKT listing date, at least a majority of members who are independent within 90 days of the NYSE MKT listing date and all independent members within one year of the NYSE MKT listing date.

Our board has adopted a written charter for our compensation committee, which will be available on our website, www.lode-starmining.com. The information on our website is not and will not be deemed to be part of this prospectus and our web address is included herein as an inactive textual reference only. To assist the compensation committee in discharging its responsibilities, the compensation committee may engage a compensation consulting firm or other advisors.

We have not appointed members of our nominating and governance committee. However, the chairman of the committee will be independent within the meaning of the listing standards of NYSE MKT. The nominating and governance committee is authorized to:

We will rely on the phase-in rules of the SEC and NYSE MKT with respect to the independence of our nominating and governance committee. These rules permit us to have a nominating and governance committee that has at least one member who is independent by five business days from the NYSE MKT listing date, at least a majority of members who are independent within 90 days of the NYSE listing date and all independent members within one year of the NYSE listing date.

The committee will assist the board in the selection of nominees for election as directors at each annual meeting of our stockholders and will establish policies and procedures regarding the consideration of director nominations from stockholders. Our board has adopted a written charter for our nominating and governance committee, which will be available on our website, www.lode-starmining.com. The information on our website is not and will not be deemed to be part of this prospectus and our web address is included herein as an inactive textual reference only.

Immediately upon the grant of any award, the number of shares that may be issued or optioned under the plan will be increased such that the total number of shares issuable under the plan and reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants or conversion of shares of preferred stock will equal 10% of the total number of issued and outstanding shares. Such increase in the number of shares subject to the plan shall occur without the necessity of any further corporate action of any kind or character.

Our directors and officers are indemnified as provided by the Nevada Revised Statutes, as amended and our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation.

Currently, we have no existing written employment agreements.

The following discussion summarizes certain aspects of our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation which is attached hereto as Exhibit A. Copies of our amended and restated bylaws are available for inspection at our principal office and we will send copies to stockholders upon request.

We believe that the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation will provide a greater measure of flexibility and simplicity in corporate governance and will increase the marketability of our securities. Nevada has adopted a modern code governing the formation and operation of corporations. In addition, the Nevada law provides for greater flexibility in raising capital and other corporate transactions. Nevada imposes no franchise taxes or corporate income taxes on corporations that are incorporated in Nevada.

The Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation will become effective on the Effective Date.

The Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation and amended and restated bylaws of the Company are significantly different from the Articles of Incorporation and bylaws of the Company. Your rights as shareholders will be substantially affected by the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation by, among other things.

The board of directors and officers of the Company will consist of the persons who are our directors and officers prior to the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation. Our daily business operations will continue at the principal executive offices at 13529 Skinner Road, Suite N, Cypress, Texas 77429-1775.

Our authorized capital on the date of this Information Statement consisted of 100,000,000 shares of common stock, $$0.00001 par value. On the date of this Information Statement there were 47,658,000 shares of our common stock outstanding. The authorized capital of our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation consists of 500,000,000 shares of capital stock divided into 480,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.001 par value per share, and 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.001 par value per share. We will reserve 10,000,000 shares of common stock for issuance under the 2016 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan. Accordingly, the board of directors of the Company will have available approximately 428,463,866 shares of common stock and 20,000,000 shares of preferred stock which are authorized but presently unissued and unreserved. The Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation will not affect our total stockholders’ equity or total capitalization.

The board of directors of the Company may authorize, without further shareholder approval, the issuance of such shares of common stock or preferred stock to such persons, for such consideration, and upon such terms as the board of directors determines. Such issuance could result in a significant dilution of the voting rights and the stockholders’ equity, of then existing shareholders.

There are no present plans, understandings or agreements, and we are not engaged in any negotiations that will involve the issuance of preferred stock. However, the board of directors believes it prudent to have shares of preferred stock available for such corporate purposes as the board of directors may from time to time deem necessary and advisable including, without limitation, acquisitions, the raising of additional capital and assurance of flexibility of action in the future.

Issuance of additional authorized common stock or preferred stock may have the effect of deterring or thwarting persons seeking to take control of the Company through a tender offer, proxy fight or otherwise or to bring about removal of incumbent management or a corporate transaction such as merger. For example, the issuance of common stock or preferred stock could be used to deter or prevent such a change of control through dilution of stock ownership of persons seeking to take control or by rendering a transaction proposed by such persons more difficult. See “Defenses Against Hostile Takeovers.”

The Board of Directors of the Company and the owners of a majority of the outstanding voting stock have approved the 2016 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan. The purpose of the Plan is to maintain the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to attract and retain highly qualified and experienced directors, officers and consultants and to give such directors, officers and consultants a continued proprietary interest in the success of the Company and its subsidiaries. The Plan is posted on our website at www.lode-starmining.com and is available to any stockholder by request to the Company. A brief summary of the provisions of the 2016 Plan is set forth below and the complete text of said Sections is attached as Exhibit B.

The purpose of the 2016 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (“Plan”) is to maintain the ability of the corporation (the “Company”) and its subsidiaries to attract and retain highly qualified and experienced directors, employees and consultants and to give such directors, employees and consultants a continued proprietary interest in the success of the Company and its subsidiaries. In addition the Plan is intended to encourage ownership of common stock, $0.001 par value (“Common Stock”), of the Company by the directors, employees and consultants of the Company and its Affiliates (as defined below) and to provide increased incentive for such persons to render services and to exert maximum effort for the success of the Company’s business. The Plan provides eligible employees and consultants the opportunity to participate in the enhancement of shareholder value by the grants of warrants, options, restricted common or convertible preferred stock, unrestricted common or convertible preferred stock and other awards under the Plan and to have their bonuses and/or consulting fees payable in warrants, restricted common or convertible preferred stock, unrestricted common or convertible preferred stock and other awards, or any combination thereof. In addition, the Company expects that the Plan will further strengthen the identification of the directors, employees and consultants with the stockholders. Certain options and warrants to be granted under the Plan are intended to qualify as Incentive Stock Options (“ISOs”) pursuant to Section 422 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Code”), while other options and warrants and preferred stock granted under the Plan will be nonqualified options or warrants which are not intended to qualify as ISOs (“Nonqualified Options”), either or both as provided in the agreements evidencing the options or warrants described and shares of preferred stock. Employees, consultants and directors who participate or become eligible to participate in the Plan from time to time are referred to collectively herein as “Participants”. As used in the Plan, the term “Affiliates” means any “parent corporation” of the Company and any “subsidiary corporation” of the Company within the meaning of Code Sections 424(e) and (f), respectively.

The Plan shall be administered by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”). When acting in such capacity the Board is herein referred to as the “Committee,” which shall also designate the Chairman of the Committee. If the Company is governed by Rule 16b-3 promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), no director shall serve as a member of the Committee unless he or she is a “disinterested person” within the meaning of such Rule 16b-3.

The Committee shall have sole and absolute discretionary authority (i) to determine, authorize, and designate those persons pursuant to the Plan who are to receive warrants, options, restricted common or convertible preferred stock, or unrestricted common or convertible preferred stock under the Plan, (ii) to determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be covered by such grant or such options or warrants and the terms thereof, (iii) to determine the type of Common Stock granted: restricted common or convertible preferred stock, unrestricted common or convertible preferred stock or a combination of restricted and unrestricted common or convertible preferred stock, and (iv) to determine the type of option or warrant granted: ISO, Nonqualified Option or a combination of ISO and Nonqualified Options. The Committee shall thereupon grant options or warrants in accordance with such determinations as evidenced by a written option or warrant agreement. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have discretionary authority to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, to interpret the Plan, to prescribe and amend the terms of the option or warrant agreements (which need not be identical) and to make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.

The fair market value (determined in accordance with the Plan at the time the option or warrant is granted) of the Common Stock with respect to which ISOs may be exercisable for the first time by any Participant during any calendar year under all such plans of the Company and its Affiliates shall not exceed $1,000,000.

The Committee shall promptly notify the Participant of the option or warrant grant and a written agreement shall promptly be executed and delivered by and on behalf of the Company and the Participant, provided that the option or warrant grant shall expire if a written agreement is not signed by said Participant (or his agent or attorney) and returned to the Company within 60 days from date of receipt by the Participant of such agreement. The date of grant shall be the date the option or warrant is actually granted by the Committee, even though the written agreement may be executed and delivered by the Company and the Participant after that date. Each option or warrant agreement shall specify the period for which the option or warrant thereunder is granted (which in no event shall exceed ten years from the date of grant) and shall provide that the option or warrant shall expire at the end of such period. If the original term of an option or warrant is less than ten years from the date of grant, the option or warrant may be amended prior to its expiration, with the approval of the Committee and the Participant, to extend the term so that the term as amended is not more than ten years from the date of grant. However, in the case of an ISO granted to an individual who, at the time of grant, owns stock possessing more than 10 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or its Affiliate (“Ten Percent Stockholder”), such period shall not exceed five years from the date of grant.

The purchase price of each share of Common Stock subject to each option or warrant granted pursuant to the Plan shall be determined by the Committee at the time the option or warrant is granted and, in the case of ISOs, shall not be less than 100% of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date the option or warrant is granted, as determined by the Committee. In the case of an ISO granted to a Ten Percent Stockholder, the option or warrant price shall not be less than 110% of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock on the date the option or warrant is granted. The purchase price of each share of Common Stock subject to a Nonqualified Option or Warrant under the Plan shall be determined by the Committee prior to granting the option or warrant. The Committee shall set the purchase price for each share subject to a Nonqualified Option or Warrant at either the fair market value of each share on the date the option or warrant is granted, or at such other price as the Committee in its sole discretion shall determine.

At the time a determination of the fair market value of a share of Common Stock is required to be made hereunder, the determination of its fair market value shall be made by the Committee in such manner as it deems appropriate.

Awards of restricted stock under the Plan shall be subject to all the applicable provisions of the Plan, including the following terms and conditions, and to such other terms and conditions not inconsistent therewith, as the Committee shall determine:

(a) Awards of restricted stock may be in addition to or in lieu of option or warrant grants. Awards may be conditioned on the attainment of particular performance goals based on criteria established by the Committee at the time of each award of restricted stock. During a period set forth in the agreement (the “Restriction Period”), the recipient shall not be permitted to sell, transfer, pledge, or otherwise encumber the shares of restricted stock; except that such shares may be used, if the agreement permits, to pay the option or warrant price pursuant to any option or warrant granted under the Plan, provided an equal number of shares delivered to the Participant shall carry the same restrictions as the shares so used. Shares of restricted stock shall become free of all restrictions if during the Restriction Period, (i) the recipient dies, (ii) the recipient’s directorship, employment, or consultancy terminates by reason of permanent disability, as determined by the Committee, (iii) the recipient retires after attaining both 59 1/2 years of age and five years of continuous service with the Company and/or a division or subsidiary, or (iv) if provided in the agreement, there is a “change in control” of the Company (as defined in such agreement). The Committee may require medical evidence of permanent disability, including medical examinations by physicians selected by it. Unless and to the extent otherwise provided in the agreement, shares of restricted stock shall be forfeited and revert to the Company upon the recipient’s termination of directorship, employment or consultancy during the Restriction Period for any reason other than death, permanent disability, as determined by the Committee, retirement after attaining both 59 1/2 years of age and five years of continuous service with the Company and/or a subsidiary or division, or, to the extent provided in the agreement, a “change in control” of the Company (as defined in such agreement), except to the extent the Committee, in its sole discretion, finds that such forfeiture might not be in the best interests of the Company and, therefore, waives all or part of the application of this provision to the restricted stock held by such recipient. Certificates for restricted stock shall be registered in the name of the recipient but shall be imprinted with the appropriate legend and returned to the Company by the recipient, together with a stock power endorsed in blank by the recipient. The recipient shall be entitled to vote shares of restricted stock and shall be entitled to all dividends paid thereon, except that dividends paid in Common Stock or other property shall also be subject to the same restrictions.

(b) Restricted Stock shall become free of the foregoing restrictions upon expiration of the applicable Restriction Period and the Company shall then deliver to the recipient Common Stock certificates evidencing such stock. Restricted stock and any Common Stock received upon the expiration of the restriction period shall be subject to such other transfer restrictions and/or legend requirements as are specified in the applicable agreement.

(a) In lieu of cash bonuses otherwise payable under the Company’s or applicable division’s or subsidiary’s compensation practices to employees and consultants eligible to participate in the Plan, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine that such bonuses shall be payable in unrestricted Common Stock or partly in unrestricted Common Stock and partly in cash. Such bonuses shall be in consideration of services previously performed and as an incentive toward future services and shall consist of shares of unrestricted Common Stock subject to such terms as the Committee may determine in its sole discretion. The number of shares of unrestricted Common Stock payable in lieu of a bonus otherwise payable shall be determined by dividing such bonus amount by the fair market value of one share of Common Stock on the date the bonus is payable, with fair market value determined as of such date.

(b) In lieu of salaries and fees otherwise payable by the Company to employees, attorneys and consultants eligible to participate in the Plan that were incurred for services rendered during, prior or after the year of 2015, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may determine that such unpaid salaries and fees shall be payable in unrestricted Common Stock or partly in unrestricted Common Stock and partly in cash. Such awards shall be in consideration of services previously performed and as an incentive toward future services and shall consist of shares of unrestricted Common Stock subject to such terms as the Committee may determine in its sole discretion. The number of shares of unrestricted Common Stock payable in lieu of a salaries and fees otherwise payable shall be determined by dividing each calendar month’s of unpaid salary or fee amount by the average trading value of the Common Stock for the calendar month during which the subject services were provided.

The Committee, in granting options or warrants hereunder, shall have discretion to determine whether or not options or warrants shall include a right of relinquishment as hereinafter provided. The Committee shall also have discretion to determine whether an option or warrant agreement evidencing an option or warrant initially granted by the Committee without a right of relinquishment shall be amended or supplemented to include such a right of relinquishment. Neither the Committee nor the Company shall be under any obligation or incur any liability to any person by reason of the Committee’s refusal to grant or include a right of relinquishment in any option or warrant granted hereunder or in any option or warrant agreement evidencing the same. Subject to the Committee’s determination in any case that the grant by it of a right of relinquishment is consistent, any option or warrant granted under the Plan, and the option or warrant agreement evidencing such option or warrant, may provide.

The Committee shall have sole discretion to consent to or disapprove, and neither the Committee nor the Company shall be under any liability by reason of the Committee’s disapproval of, any election by a holder of preferred stock to relinquish such preferred stock in whole or in part as provided in Paragraph 7(a), except that no such consent to or approval of a relinquishment shall be required under the following circumstances. Each Participant who is subject to the short-swing profits recapture provisions of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act (“Covered Participant”) shall not be entitled to receive shares of Common Stock when options or warrants are relinquished during any window period commencing on the third business day following the Company’s release of a quarterly or annual summary statement of sales and earnings and ending on the twelfth business day following such release (“Window Period”). A Covered Participant shall be entitled to receive shares of Common Stock upon the relinquishment of options or warrants outside a Window Period.

No right of relinquishment may be exercised after the initial award of any option or warrant containing, or the amendment or supplementation of any existing option or warrant agreement adding the right of relinquishment, unless such right of relinquishment is effective upon the Participant’s death, disability or termination of his relationship with the Company for a reason other than “for cause.”

The Committee shall have sole and absolute discretionary authority (i) to determine, authorize, and designate those persons pursuant to the Plan who are to receive restricted preferred stock, or unrestricted preferred stock under the Plan, and (ii) to determine the number of shares of Common Stock to be issued upon conversion of such shares of preferred stock and the terms thereof. The Committee shall thereupon grant shares of preferred stock in accordance with such determinations as evidenced by a written preferred stock designation. Subject to the express provisions of the Plan, the Committee shall have discretionary authority to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to the Plan, to interpret the Plan, to prescribe and amend the terms of the preferred stock designation (which need not be identical) and to make all other determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of the Plan.

Each series of preferred stock granted under the Plan shall be evidenced by a designation in the form for filing with the Secretary of State of the state of incorporation of the Company, containing such terms as approved by the Committee, which shall be subject to the following express terms and conditions and to such other terms and conditions as the Committee may deem appropriate:

(iii) Shares of preferred stock shall be converted in the manner specified in the preferred stock designation. The notice of conversion shall specify the address to which the certificates for such shares are to be mailed. A Participant shall be deemed to be a stockholder with respect to shares covered by preferred stock on the date specified in the preferred stock agreement. As promptly as practicable, the Company shall deliver to the Participant or other holder of the warrant, certificates for the number of shares with respect to which such preferred stock has been so converted, issued in the holder’s name or such other name as holder directs; provided, however, that such delivery shall be deemed effected for all purposes when a stock transfer agent of the Company shall have deposited such certificates with a carrier for overnight delivery, addressed to the holder at the address specified pursuant to this Section 6(d).

(A) Awards of restricted preferred stock may be in addition to or in lieu of preferred stock grants. Awards may be conditioned on the attainment of particular performance goals based on criteria established by the Committee at the time of each award of restricted preferred stock. During a period set forth in the agreement (the “Restriction Period”), the recipient shall not be permitted to sell, transfer, pledge, or otherwise encumber the shares of restricted preferred stock. Shares of restricted preferred stock shall become free of all restrictions if during the Restriction Period, (i) the recipient dies, (ii) the recipient’s directorship, employment, or consultancy terminates by reason of permanent disability, as determined by the Committee, (iii) the recipient retires after attaining both 59 1/2 years of age and five years of continuous service with the Company and/or a division or subsidiary, or (iv) if provided in the agreement, there is a “change in control” of the Company (as defined in such agreement). The Committee may require medical evidence of permanent disability, including medical examinations by physicians selected by it. Unless and to the extent otherwise provided in the agreement, shares of restricted preferred stock shall be forfeited and revert to the Company upon the recipient’s termination of directorship, employment or consultancy during the Restriction Period for any reason other than death, permanent disability, as determined by the Committee, retirement after attaining both 59 1/2 years of age and five years of continuous service with the Company and/or a subsidiary or division, or, to the extent provided in the agreement, a “change in control” of the Company (as defined in such agreement), except to the extent the Committee, in its sole discretion, finds that such forfeiture might not be in the best interests of the Company and, therefore, waives all or part of the application of this provision to the restricted preferred stock held by such recipient. Certificates for restricted preferred stock shall be registered in the name of the recipient but shall be imprinted with the appropriate legend and returned to the Company by the recipient, together with a preferred stock power endorsed in blank by the recipient. The recipient shall be entitled to vote shares of restricted preferred stock and shall be entitled to all dividends paid thereon, except that dividends paid in Common Stock or other property shall also be subject to the same restrictions.

(vi) Except as hereinbefore expressly provided, (i) the issuance by the Company of shares of stock or any class of securities convertible into shares of stock of any class, for cash, property, labor or services, upon direct sale, upon the conversion of rights or warrants to subscribe therefor, or upon conversion of shares or obligations of the Company convertible into such shares or other securities, (ii) the payment of a dividend in property other than Common Stock or (iii) the occurrence of any similar transaction, and in any case whether or not for fair value, shall not affect, and no adjustment by reason thereof shall be made with respect to, the number of shares of Common Stock subject to preferred stock theretofore granted, unless the Committee shall determine, in its sole discretion, that an adjustment is necessary to provide equitable treatment to Participant. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the Plan, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, accelerate the time at which any preferred stock may be converted, including, but not limited to, upon the occurrence of the events specified in this Section 7(xiv).

The Board may amend, alter or discontinue the Plan, but no amendment or alteration shall be made which would impair the rights of any Participant, without his consent, under any option, warrant or preferred stock theretofore granted.

The Plan, the grant and exercise of options or warrants and grant and conversion of preferred stock thereunder, and the obligation of the Company to sell and deliver shares under such options, warrants or preferred stock, shall be subject to all applicable federal and state laws, rules and regulations and to such approvals by any governmental or regulatory agency as may be required. The Company shall not be required to issue or deliver any certificates for shares of Common Stock prior to the completion of any registration or qualification of such shares under any federal or state law or issuance of any ruling or regulation of any government body which the Company shall, in its sole discretion, determine to be necessary or advisable.

Unless the options, warrants, shares of convertible preferred stock and shares of Common Stock covered by the Plan have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Company has determined that such registration is unnecessary, each person acquiring or exercising an option or warrant under the Plan or converting shares of preferred stock may be required by the Company to give a representation in writing that he or she is acquiring such option or warrant or such shares for his own account for investment and not with a view to, or for sale in connection with, the distribution of any part thereof.

(a) The Company may make such provisions as it may deem appropriate for the withholding of any taxes which it determines is required in connection with any options, warrants or preferred stock granted under the Plan.

(b) Notwithstanding the terms of Paragraph 11 (a), any Participant may pay all or any portion of the taxes required to be withheld by the Company or paid by him or her in connection with the exercise of a nonqualified option or warrant or conversion of preferred stock by electing to have the Company withhold shares of Common Stock, or by delivering previously owned shares of Common Stock, having a fair market value, determined in accordance with Paragraph 5(d)(ii), equal to the amount required to be withheld or paid. A Participant must make the foregoing election on or before the date that the amount of tax to be withheld is determined (“Tax Date”). All such elections are irrevocable and subject to disapproval by the Committee. Elections by Covered Participants are subject to the following additional restrictions: (i) such election may not be made within six months of the grant of an option or warrant, provided that this limitation shall not apply in the event of death or disability, and (ii) such election must be made either six months or more prior to the Tax Date or in a Window Period. Where the Tax Date in respect of an option or warrant is deferred until six months after exercise and the Covered Participant elects share withholding, the full amount of shares of Common Stock will be issued or transferred to him upon exercise of the option or warrant, but he or she shall be unconditionally obligated to tender back to the Company the number of shares necessary to discharge the Company’s withholding obligation or his estimated tax obligation on the Tax Date.

The Committee from time to time may permit a Participant under the Plan to surrender for cancellation any unexercised outstanding option or warrant or unconverted Preferred stock and receive from the Company in exchange an option, warrant or preferred stock for such number of shares of Common Stock as may be designated by the Committee. The Committee may, with the consent of the holder of any outstanding option, warrant or preferred stock, amend such option, warrant or preferred stock, including reducing the exercise price of any option or warrant to not less than the fair market value of the Common Stock at the time of the amendment, increasing the conversion ratio of any preferred stock and extending the exercise or conversion term of and warrant, option or preferred stock.

The Plan shall be effective on the date the Board adopts the Plan. The Plan shall expire ten years after the date the Board approves the Plan and thereafter no option, warrant or preferred stock shall be granted pursuant to the Plan.

Neither the adoption by the Board nor the submission of the Plan to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including without limitation, the granting of restricted stock or stock options, warrants or preferred stock otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either generally applicable or applicable only in specific cases.

The Plan and any agreements hereunder shall be interpreted and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of incorporation of the Company and applicable federal law.

The Committee also may allow cashless exercises as permitted under Federal Reserve Board’s Regulation T, subject to applicable securities law restrictions or by any other means which the Committee determines to be consistent with the Plan’s purpose and applicable law. The proceeds from such a payment shall be added to the general funds of the Company and shall be used for general corporate purposes.

Our board of directors may authorize, without further shareholder approval, the issuance of shares of preferred stock or common stock to such persons, for such consideration, and upon such terms as the board of directors determines. Such issuance could result in a significant dilution of the voting rights and the stockholders' equity, of then existing shareholders.

There are no present plans, understandings or agreements, and we are not engaged in any negotiations that will involve the issuance of capital stock. However, the board of directors believes it prudent to have shares of common stock and preferred stock available for such corporate purposes as the board of directors may from time to time deem necessary and advisable including, without limitation, acquisitions, the raising of additional capital and assurance of flexibility of action in the future.

The additional shares of capital stock authorized by our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation can be used to minimize the possibility of a sudden acquisition of control of the company which has not been negotiated with and approved by our board of directors. (See “Defenses Against Hostile Takeovers.”)

If the board of directors issues an additional class of voting for less than fair value, the value of your interest in the company will be diluted. The company has no present intention to issue any additional class of voting securities.

The following table lists the beneficial ownership of shares of our common stock by (i) all persons and groups known by the company to own beneficially more than 5% of the outstanding shares of our common stock, (ii) each director, (iii) each person who held the office of chief executive officer at any time during the year ended December 31, 2014, (iv) up to two executive officers other than the Chief Executive Officer who were serving as executive officers on December 31, 2014 and to whom the company paid more than $100,000 in compensation during the last fiscal year, (v) up to two additional persons to whom the company paid more than $100,000 during the last fiscal year but who were not serving as an executive officer on December 31, 2014 and (vi) all directors and officers as a group. None of the directors, nominees, or officers of the company owned any equity security issued by the company’s subsidiaries. Information with respect to officers, directors and their families is as of December 31, 2014, updated to February 23, 2015, and is based on the books and records of the company and information obtained from each individual. Information with respect to other stockholders is based upon the Schedule 13D or Schedule 13G filed by such stockholders with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Unless otherwise stated, the business address of each individual or group is the same as the address of the company’s principal executive office.

The following table sets forth information concerning the annual and long-term compensation of our former chief executive officer, and the most highly compensated employees and/or executive officers who served at the end of the fiscal years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, and whose salary and bonus exceeded $100,000 for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, for services rendered in all capacities to us. The listed individuals shall be hereinafter referred to as the “Named Executive Officers.”

Name and Principal Position

Fiscal Year

Salary ($)

Bonus ($)

Stock Awards ($)

Option Awards ($)

Qualified Equity Incentive Plan Compensation (shares) (3)

Nonqualified Deferred Compensation ($)

All Other Compensation ($)

Total ($)

Mark Walmesley(1)

2014

nil

CEO

2013

Robert Baker (2)

2014

$60,653

nil

$60,653

Former CEO

2013

$108,000

nil

$2,581

$110,581

Thomas Temkin

2015

nil

1,000,000

nil

Director and COO

2014

nil

Pam Walters

2015

nil

500,000

nil

Secretary

2014

nil

(1)	Mr. Walmesley received no cash compensation during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2014. He received no other form of compensation. Mr. Walmesley was elected CEO and President December 11, 2014. He is not covered under a written employment agreement

(2)

Mr. Baker was Director and Chief Executive Officer and resigned all positions December 11, 2014. Mr. Baker was compensated $108,000 per year for his services, and was reimbursed certain business expenses. The consulting agreement for those services, originally effective January 1, 2012, was cancelled in accordance with a settlement agreement dated December 5, 2014.

(3)	The qualified equity incentive plan compensation is represented by options with an exercise price of $.02, expiring 10 years after November 11, 2015.

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act, as amended, requires our executive officers, directors and persons who beneficially own more than 10% of our common stock to file reports of their beneficial ownership and changes in ownership (Forms 3, 4 and 5, and any amendment thereto) with the SEC. Executive officers, directors, and greater-than-ten percent holders are required to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file. Based solely on a review of the Forms 3 and 4 and amendments thereto furnished pursuant to Rule 16a-3(c) during its most recent fiscal year and Form 5 and amendments thereto furnished with respect to our most recent fiscal year, and any written representations to the effect that no Form 5 is required.

To the best of our knowledge, no person who, at any time during such fiscal year, was a director, officer, or beneficial owner of more than 10% of our common stock, or any other reporting person (as defined in Item 405 of Regulation S-K) (“reporting person”), other than Lode Star Gold, Inc., failed to file on a timely basis, as disclosed in the above forms, reports required by Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act during the most recent fiscal year or prior fiscal year: 2014.

There were no outstanding equity awards at our most recent fiscal year end.

The following discussion summarizes the reasons for, and the operation and effects of, certain provisions in our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation which management has identified as potentially having an anti-takeover effect.

The anti-takeover provisions of our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation are designed to minimize the possibility of a sudden acquisition of control of the company which has not been negotiated with and approved by our board of directors. These provisions may tend to make it more difficult to remove the incumbent members of the board of directors. The provisions would not prohibit an acquisition of control of the company or a tender offer for all of our capital stock. However, to the extent these provisions successfully discourage the acquisition of control or tender offers for all or part of our capital stock without approval of the board of directors, they may have the effect of preventing an acquisition or tender offer which might be viewed by stockholders to be in their best interests.

Tender offers or other non-open market acquisitions of stock are usually made at prices above the prevailing market price. In addition, acquisitions of stock by persons attempting to acquire control through market purchases may cause the market price of the stock to reach levels which are higher than would otherwise be the case. Anti-takeover provisions may discourage such purchases, particularly those of less than all of the outstanding capital stock, and may thereby deprive stockholders of an opportunity to sell their stock at a temporarily higher price. These provisions may therefore decrease the likelihood that a tender offer will be made that adversely affects those stockholders who would desire to participate in a tender offer. These provisions may also serve to insulate incumbent management from change and to discourage not only sudden or hostile takeover attempts, but any attempts to acquire control which are not approved by the board of directors, whether or not stockholders deem such transactions to be in their best interests.

Authorized shares of capital stock

Our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 20,000,000 shares of serial preferred stock, without any action on the part of the stockholders. Shares of our serial preferred stock with voting rights could be issued and would then represent an additional class of stock required to approve any proposed acquisition. This preferred stock, together with authorized but unissued shares of common stock (the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 480,000,000 shares of common stock), could represent additional capital stock required to be purchased by an acquirer. If our board of directors determined to issue an additional class of voting preferred stock to a person opposed to a proposed acquisition, such person might be able to prevent the acquisition single-handedly.

Stockholder meetings

Nevada law provides that the annual stockholder meeting may be called by a corporation's board of directors or by such person or persons as may be authorized by a corporation's Articles of Incorporation or bylaws. Our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation provide that annual stockholder meetings may be called only by our board of directors or a duly designated committee of the board. Although we believe that this provision will discourage stockholder attempts to disrupt our business between annual meetings, its effect may be to deter hostile takeovers by making it more difficult for a person or entity to obtain immediate control of our company.

Classified board of directors

Our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation provide that the board of directors is to be divided into three classes which shall be as nearly equal in number as possible. The directors in each class serve for terms of three years, with the terms of one class expiring each year. Each class currently consists of approximately one-third of the number of directors. Each director will serve until his successor is elected and qualified. A classified board of directors could make it more difficult for stockholders, including those holding a majority of our outstanding stock, to force an immediate change in the composition of a majority of the board of directors. Since the terms of only one-third of the incumbent directors expire each year, it requires at least two annual elections for the stockholders to change a majority, whereas a majority of a non-classified board may be changed in one year. The provision for a staggered board of directors affects every election of directors and is not triggered by the occurrence of a particular event such as a hostile takeover. Thus a staggered board of directors makes it more difficult for stockholders to change the majority of directors even when the reason for the change would be unrelated to a takeover.

Nevada law provides that any or all directors may be removed only by the vote of two-thirds of the voting interests entitled to vote for the election of directors. The Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation will not change the number of shares that must be voted for removal.

Nevada law requires that the board of directors of a corporation consist of one or more members and that the number of directors shall be set by or in the manner described in the corporation's Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation or bylaws. Our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation provides that the number of directors (exclusive of directors, if any, to be elected by the holders of preferred stock) shall not be less than one or more than 15, as shall be provided from time to time in accordance with the bylaws. The power to determine the number of directors within these numerical limitations is vested in the board of directors and requires the concurrence of at least two-thirds of the entire board of directors. The effect of such provisions may be to prevent a person or entity from quickly acquiring control of the company through an increase in the number of the directors and election of nominees to fill the newly created vacancies.

Our Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation provide that any stockholder desiring to make a nomination for the election of directors or a proposal for new business at a stockholder meeting must submit written notice not less than 30 or more than 60 days in advance of the meeting. This advance notice requirement may give management time to solicit its own proxies in an attempt to defeat any dissident slate of nominations. Similarly, adequate advance notice of stockholder proposals will give management time to study such proposals and to determine whether to recommend to the stockholders that such proposals be adopted. In certain instances, such provisions could make it more difficult to oppose management's nominees or proposals, even if the stockholders believe such nominees or proposals are in their interests. These provisions may tend to discourage persons from bringing up matters disclosed in the proxy materials furnished to the stockholders and could inhibit the ability of stockholders to bring up new business in response to recent developments.

This Information Statement and the documents incorporated by reference into this Information Statement contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical fact contained in this Information Statement and the materials accompanying this Information Statement are forward-looking statements.

Frequently, but not always, forward-looking statements are identified by the use of the future tense and by words such as believes,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “will,” “may,” “could,” “would,” “projects,” “continues,” “estimates,” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results could differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks.

There have been no proposals for action submitted to the company by any stockholders other than the proposals which are the subject of this Information Statement.

We will pay the costs associated with this Information Statement, including the costs of printing and mailing. We will reimburse brokerage firms, nominees, custodians and fiduciaries for their out-of-pocket expenses for forwarding the Information Statement to beneficial owners.

We are a reporting company and file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy these reports, proxy statements and other information at the Commission’s public reference rooms at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. You can request copies of these documents by writing to the SEC and paying a fee for the copying cost. Please call the Commission at 1-800-SEC-0330 for more information about the operation of the public reference rooms. Our SEC filings are also available at the SEC’s web site at http://www.sec.gov and our website at www.lode-starmining.com. We have not incorporated by reference into this Information Statement the information contained on our website and you should not consider it to be part of this Information Statement.

As a matter of regulatory compliance, we are sending you this Information Statement which describes the purpose and effect of the actions and amendment. Your consent to the actions is not required and is not being solicited in connection with this action. This Information Statement is intended to provide our stockholders information required by the rules and regulations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

The name of the Corporation's registered agent in the State of Nevada is Corporation Services of Nevada, Inc. and the street address of the said registered agent where process may be served on the Corporation is 6767 West Tropicana Ave, Ste 229, Las Vegas, Nevada 89103. The mailing address and the street address of the said registered agent are identical.

The purpose for which the Corporation is organized is to transact all lawful business for which corporations may be incorporated pursuant to the laws of the State of Nevada. The Corporation shall have all the powers of a corporation organized under the Revised Statutes of the State of Nevada.

Number and Designation. The total number of shares of all classes that this Corporation shall have authority to issue shall be 500,000,000, of which 480,000,000 shall be shares of common stock, par value $0.001 per share, and 20,000,000 shall be shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share. The shares may be issued by the Corporation from time to time as approved by the board of directors of the Corporation without the approval of the stockholders except as otherwise provided in this Article V or the rules of a national securities exchange if applicable. The consideration for subscriptions to, or the purchase of, the capital stock to be issued by the corporation shall be paid in such form and in such manner as the board of directors shall determine. In the absence of actual fraud in the transaction, the judgment of the directors as to the value of such consideration shall be conclusive. The capital stock so issued shall be deemed to be fully paid and nonassessable stock upon receipt by the corporation of such consideration. In the case of a stock dividend, the part of the surplus of the Corporation which is transferred to stated capital upon the issuance of shares as a stock dividend shall be deemed to be the consideration for their issuance.

A description of the different classes and series (if any) of the Corporation's capital stock, and a statement of the relative powers, designations, preferences and rights of the shares of each class and series (if any) of capital stock, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, are as follows:

Designated common stock. Shares of common stock not at the time designated as shares of a particular series pursuant to this Article V or any other provision of these Articles of Incorporation may be issued from time to time in one or more designated series. The board of directors may determine, in whole or in part, the preferences, voting powers, qualifications and special or relative rights or privileges of any such series before the issuance of any shares of that series. The board of directors shall determine the number of shares constituting each series of common stock and each series shall have a distinguishing designation.

Undesignated common stock. Shares of common stock not at the time designated as shares of a particular series, pursuant to this Article V or any other provision of these Articles of Incorporation may be issued from time to time without any distinctive designation. Such undesignated common stock is referred to herein as “common stock”. Except as provided in these Articles or the designation of any series or class of capital stock, the holders of the common stock shall exclusively possess all voting power. Subject to the provisions of these Articles, each holder of shares of common stock shall be entitled to one vote for each share held by such holder. The term “common stock” shall mean all shares now or hereafter authorized of any class of common stock of the Corporation.

Whenever there shall have been paid, or declared and set aside for payment, to the holders of the outstanding shares of any class or series of stock having preference over the common stock as to the payment of dividends, the full amount of dividends and sinking fund or retirement fund or other retirement payments, if any, to which such holders are respectively entitled in preference to the common stock, then dividends may be paid on the common stock, and on any class or series of stock entitled to participate therewith as to dividends, out of any assets legally available for the payment of dividends, but only when and as declared by the board of directors of the Corporation.

In the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, after there shall have been paid, or declared and set aside for payment, to the holders of the outstanding shares of any class having preference over the common stock in any such event, the full preferential amounts to which they are respectively entitled, the holders of the common stock and of any class or series of stock entitled to participate therewith, in whole or in part, as to distribution of assets shall be entitled, after payment or provision for payment of all debts and liabilities of the Corporation, to receive the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution, in cash or in kind.

Each share of undesignated common stock shall have the same relative powers, preferences and rights as, and shall be identical in all respects with, all the other shares of common stock of the Corporation.

Serial Preferred Stock. Shares of Preferred Stock not at the time designated as shares of a particular series pursuant to this Article V or any other provision of these Articles of Incorporation may be issued from time to time in one or more additional series. The board of directors may determine, in whole or in part, the preferences, voting powers, qualifications and special or relative rights or privileges of any such series before the issuance of any shares of that series. The board of directors shall determine the number of shares constituting each series of Preferred Stock and each series shall have a distinguishing designation. Each share of each series of serial preferred stock shall have the same relative powers, preferences and rights as, and shall be identical in all respects with, all the other shares of the Corporation of the same series, except the times from which dividends on shares which may be issued from time to time of any such series may begin to accrue.

No holder of any of the shares of any class or series of stock or of options, warrants or other rights to purchase shares of any class or series of stock or of other securities of the Corporation shall have any preemptive right to purchase or subscribe for any unissued stock of any class or series, or any unissued bonds, certificates of indebtedness, debentures or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for stock or carrying any right to purchase stock may be issued pursuant to resolution of the board of directors of the Corporation to such persons, firms, corporations or associations, whether or not holders thereof, and upon such terms as may be deemed advisable by the board of directors in the exercise of its sole discretion.

(a) Number; Vacancies. The number of directors of the Corporation shall be such number, not less than one nor more than 15 (exclusive of directors, if any, to be elected by holders of preferred stock of the Corporation), as shall be provided from time to time in a resolution adopted by the board of directors, provided that no decrease in the number of directors shall have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent director, and provided further that no action shall be taken to decrease or increase the number of directors from time to time unless at least two-thirds of the directors then in office shall concur in said action. Exclusive of directors, if any, elected by holders of preferred stock, vacancies in the board of directors of the Corporation, however caused, and newly created directorships shall be filled by a vote of two-thirds of the directors then in office, whether or not a quorum, and any director so chosen shall hold office for a term expiring at the annual meeting of stockholders at which the term of the class to which the director has been chosen expires and when the director's successor is elected and qualified. The board of directors shall be classified in accordance with the provisions of Section (b) of this Article VII.

(b) Classified Board. The board of directors of the Corporation (other than directors which may be elected by the holders of preferred stock) shall be divided into three classes of directors which shall be designated Class I, Class II and Class III. Such classes shall be as nearly equal in number as the then total number of directors constituting the entire board of directors shall permit, exclusive of directors, if any, elected by holders of preferred stock, with the terms of office of all members of one class expiring each year. Should the number of directors not be equally divisible by three, the excess director or directors shall be assigned to Classes I or II as follows: (1) if there shall be an excess of one directorship over the number equally divisible by three, such extra directorship shall be classified in Class I; and (2) if there be an excess of two directorships over a number equally divisible by three, one shall be classified in Class I and the other in Class II. At the first meeting of the board of directors of the Corporation, directors of Class I shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of stockholders, directors of Class II shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the second succeeding annual meeting of stockholders and directors of Class III shall be elected to hold office for a term expiring at the third succeeding annual meeting thereafter. Thereafter, at each succeeding annual meeting, directors of each class shall be elected for three-year terms. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the director whose term shall expire at any annual meeting shall continue to serve until such time as his successor shall have been duly elected and shall have qualified unless his position on the board of directors shall have been abolished by action taken to reduce the size of the board of directors prior to said meeting.

(c) Increase and Reduction in Number of Directors. Should the number of directors of the Corporation be reduced, the directorship(s) eliminated shall be allocated among classes as appropriate so that the number of directors in each class is as specified in the position(s) to be abolished. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no decrease in the number of directors shall have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent director. Should the number of directors of the Corporation be increased, other than directors which may be elected by the holders of preferred stock, the additional directorships shall be allocated among classes as appropriate so that the number of directors in each class is as specified in the immediately preceding paragraph.

(d) Directors Elected by Preferred Stockholders. Whenever the holders of any one or more series of preferred stock of the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a class, to elect one or more directors of the Corporation, the board of directors shall include said directors so elected in addition to the number of directors fixed as provided in this Article VII. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and except as otherwise may be required by law, whenever the holders of any one or more series of preferred stock of the Corporation elect one or more directors of the Corporation, the terms of the director or directors elected by such holders shall expire at the next succeeding annual meeting of stockholders.

(e) Removal of Directors. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Articles or the bylaws of the Corporation, any director or all the directors of a single class (including the entire board of directors) of the Corporation may be removed, at any time, but only by the affirmative vote or consent of the holders of at least 2/3ds of the voting power of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (considered for this purpose as one class). Notwithstanding the foregoing, whenever the holders of any one or more series of preferred stock of the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a class, to elect one or more directors of the Corporation, the preceding provisions of this Article VII shall not apply with respect to the director or directors elected by such holders of preferred stock.

(f) Additional Authority of Directors. In furtherance, but not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the board of directors is expressly authorized to do the following:

(ii) As provided by Nevada Revised Statutes 78.140, without repeating the section in full here, the same is adopted and no contract or other transaction between this Corporation and any of its officers, agents or directors shall be deemed void or voidable solely for that reason. The balance of the provisions of the code section cited, as it now exists, allowing such transactions, is hereby incorporated into this Article as though more fully set forth, and such Article shall be read and interpreted to provide the greatest latitude in its application.

(iii) As provided by Nevada Revised Statutes 78.207, without repeating the section in full here, the board of directors shall have the authority to change the number of shares of any class or series, if any, of authorized stock by increasing or decreasing the number of authorized shares of the class or Series and correspondingly increasing or decreasing the number of issued and outstanding shares of the same class or series held by each stockholder of record at the effective date and time of the change by a resolution adopted by the board of directors, without obtaining the approval of the stockholders.

(iv) If a proposed increase or decrease in the number of issued and outstanding shares of any class or series would adversely alter or change any preference or any relative or other right given to any other class or series of outstanding shares, then the decrease must be approved by the vote, in addition to any vote required, of the holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power of each class or series whose preference or rights are adversely affected by the increase or decrease, regardless of limitations or restrictions on the voting power thereof. The increase or decrease does not have to be approved by the vote of the holders of shares representing a majority of the voting power in each class or series whose preference or rights are not adversely affected by the increase or decrease.

(a) Cumulative Voting. Except for the right, if any, of holders of shares of preferred stock then outstanding to cumulate votes expressly set forth in the resolution, resolutions or designation providing for the issuance of such shares, cumulative voting is not permitted with respect to the election of directors.

(b) Stockholder Proposals. Any stockholder desiring to make a nomination for the election of directors or a proposal for new business at a stockholder meeting must submit written notice not less than 30 or more than 60 days in advance of the meeting: provided, however, that if less than forty days' notice of the meeting is given to stockholders, such written notice shall be delivered or mailed, as prescribed, to the secretary of the company not later than the close of the tenth day following the day on which notice of the meeting was mailed to stockholders.

Any person who was or is a party or was or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending, or completed action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative (whether or not by or in the right of the Corporation) by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer, incorporator, employee, or agent of the Corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, officer, incorporator, employee, partner, trustee, or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other enterprise (including an employee benefit plan), shall be entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation to the full extent then permitted by law against expenses (including counsel fees and disbursements), judgments, fines (including excise taxes assessed on a person with respect to an employee benefit plan), and amounts paid in settlement incurred by him in connection with such action, suit, or proceeding and, if so requested, the Corporation shall advance (within two business days of such request) any and all such expenses to the person indemnified; provided, however, that (i) the foregoing obligation of the Corporation shall not apply to a claim that was commenced by the person indemnified without the prior approval of the Board of Directors. Such right of indemnification shall inure whether or not the claim asserted is based on matters which antedate the adoption of this Article IX. Such right of indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director, officer, incorporator, employee, partner, trustee, or agent and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs and personal representatives of such a person.

The indemnification provided by this Article IX shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights which may be provided now or in the future under any provision currently in effect or hereafter adopted of the bylaws, by any agreement, by vote of stockholders, by resolution of disinterested directors, by provisions of law, or otherwise.

No director or officer of the Corporation shall be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director or officer, except: (a) for acts or omissions that involve intentional misconduct, fraud or a knowing violation of law; or (b) the payment of distributions in violation of Nevada Revised Statutes Section 78.300. If the Nevada Revised Statutes are amended after the date of filing of these Articles to further eliminate or limit the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the Nevada Revised Statutes, as so amended. Any repeal or modification of the foregoing paragraph by the stockholders of the Corporation shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation existing at the time of such repeal or modification.

If any voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of any class or series of capital stock and qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof is invalid, unlawful or incapable of being enforced by reason of any rule of law or public policy, all other voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of all classes and series of capital stock and qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof set forth in these Articles of Incorporation which can be given effect without the invalid, unlawful or unenforceable voting powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of any series or class of capital stock and qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof shall, nevertheless, remain in full force and effect, and no voting powers, preferences or relative, participating, optional or other special rights of any class or series of capital stock and qualifications, limitations, and restrictions thereof set forth shall be deemed dependent upon any other such voting powers, preferences or relative, participating, optional or other special rights of any class or series of capital stock and qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof unless so expressed herein.

(a) The Corporation hereby elects not to be governed by, and to otherwise opt out of, the provisions of NRS 78.378 to 78.3793, inclusive, relating to acquisition of a controlling interest in the Corporation.

(b) The Corporation hereby elects not to be governed by, and to otherwise opt out of, the provisions of NRS 78.411 to 78.444, inclusive, relating to combinations with interested stockholders.

In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the board of directors of the Corporation is expressly authorized to adopt, repeal, alter, amend and rescind the bylaws of the Corporation only by a unanimous vote of the board of directors without a vote or other action by the stockholders.

This Plan has been adopted to promote the interests of the Corporation and its stockholders by strengthening the ability of the Company to attract, motivate and retain directors, employees and others in a position to affect the financial and operational performance of the Company. This plan document replaces any and all existing Lode-Star Mining Inc. stock option plans.

Wherever the following capitalized terms are used in this Plan, they shall have the meanings specified below:

(A) any reorganization, restructuring, recapitalization, reincorporation, merger, consolidation or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Corporation (a “Business Combination”) unless, following such Business Combination, (1) all or substantially all of the Persons who were the beneficial owners of Common Stock and voting securities of the Corporation outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the common equity securities, and more than 50% the combined voting power of the voting securities of the entity resulting from such Business Combination (which phrase, for purposes of this clause (v), includes the Corporation, if it is such resulting entity, and an entity that, as a result of such Business Combination, owns the Corporation or all or substantially all of the consolidated assets of the Corporation either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) outstanding after such Business Combination in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of Common Stock and combined voting power of voting securities of the Corporation, respectively, outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination, (2) no “person” or “group” within the meaning of Section 13(d) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act (excluding (x) any entity resulting from such Business Combination and (y) any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of any entity resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns 50% or more of the common equity securities, or 50% or more of the combined voting power of the voting securities, of the entity resulting from such Business Combination outstanding after such Business Combination (except to the extent that such beneficial ownership existed prior to such Business Combination with respect to Common Stock and voting securities of the Corporation outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination) and (3) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors (or similar governing body) of the entity resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Board at the earliest of the time of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Business Combination, the time of the action of the Board approving such Business Combination or, if such approval is required or sought, at the time of action of the stockholders approving such Business Combination; or

(iv) For purposes of this definition, references to “beneficial owner” and correlative phrases shall have the same meanings as set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act (except that ownership by underwriters (including when acting as initial purchasers in a private offering) solely for purposes of a distribution or offering shall not be deemed to be “beneficial ownership”), references to “affiliate” and “associates” shall have the same meanings as set forth under the Exchange Act and references to the Exchange Act shall mean the Exchange Act as in effect on January 31, 2011.

(p) “Detrimental Conduct” means activities which have been, are or would reasonably be expected to be detrimental to the interests of the Company, as determined in the sole and good faith judgment of the Board. Such activities include unlawful conduct under securities, antitrust, tax or other laws, improper disclosure or use of confidential or proprietary information or trade secrets, competition with or improper taking of a corporate opportunity of any business of the Company, failure to cooperate in any investigation or legal proceeding, or misappropriation of property.

(q) “Disability,” unless otherwise provided in the applicable Award Agreement, means a Participant is (i) unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, or (ii) by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period of not less than three months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the service provider’s employer, in each case, as determined in accordance with rules established by the Committee and in compliance with Section 409A.

(hh) “Performance Measures” means one or more performance criteria, which may be applied with respect to an individual Participant, the Corporation, any Subsidiary, the Company or any division, line of business or functional or business unit and which may be measured on an absolute, adjusted or relative basis, including: stock price; earnings or earnings per share; stockholder return; return on capital, investment or stockholders’ equity; cash flow or throughput; EBIT or EBITDA; return on assets employed; gross margin; operating profit; working capital; market share; net worth; inventory turnover; completion of significant projects or implementation of significant new processes; and achievement of strategic milestones. For Awards which are Section 162(m) Awards, “Performance Measures” means those that satisfy the requirements of and are adopted as required by Section 162(m). For Awards which are not Section 162(m) Awards, “Performance Measures” means those prescribed by the Committee.

(ll) “Permitted Transferee”, with respect to a Participant, means a member (including by reason of adoption) of such Participant’s immediate family, which shall include the grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, spouse, siblings, children and grandchildren and lineal descendants (“Family Members”) thereof, and any estate, trust, corporation, limited liability company or partnership, 90% of the voting ownership and beneficial interests in which are held by or for such persons and such other person as the Committee may authorize.

3.1 Number of Shares. Subject to Sections 3.2 and 3.3, the number of Shares that may be delivered under this Plan is 10,000,000 Shares. The Shares delivered under this Plan may consist of authorized but unissued Shares, treasury Shares or issued Shares that have been reacquired by the Company on the open market or otherwise. All Awards under this Plan, other than Dividend Equivalents, shall be expressed in reference to a number of Shares. The individual limits described in this Plan shall apply without regard to whether the Awards are to be settled by the issuance or transfer of Shares or in cash. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, in no event shall the number of Shares subject to Awards granted to any one Participant during any one calendar year exceed the number of Shares that may be delivered under the Plan.

3.2 Calculation of Shares. To the extent that any Award is terminated, forfeited or cancelled or expires or is otherwise surrendered or returned to the Company, in each case prior to delivery of Shares thereunder, or is paid or settled in cash, the underlying Shares will no longer be charged against the number set forth in Section 3.1 (until they become subject to another Award) and may again be made subject to Awards under this Plan. For purposes of calculating the number of Shares used and available for use under this Plan, (i) only Shares underlying Awards that have been or, by their terms, may be settled by delivery of Shares shall be charged against such number, (ii) Awards in respect of which payment of cash is made in lieu of delivery of Shares shall be deemed to have been terminated prior to the delivery of Shares thereunder, (iii) Shares deliverable or delivered under Substitute Awards shall not be charged against such number and (iv) upon the payment of any Exercise Price or satisfaction of tax withholding obligations under this Plan in respect of an Award by the Transfer or relinquishment of Shares, only the number of Shares actually delivered by the Corporation, less the number of Shares so Transferred or relinquished, shall be charged against such number.

3.3 Adjustments. If any reincorporation, recapitalization, reorganization, reclassification, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split or other change in the capital stock of the Corporation shall occur or any acquisition, divestiture, asset sale, merger, consolidation, share exchange, spin-off, split-up or other business combination or corporate transaction or event (such as an unusual and material impairment, judgment, settlement, change in accounting principles, change in tax or other laws, rules or regulations, change in fiscal year, or gain or loss) involving the Corporation shall occur or any dividend or distribution (other than a cash dividend that is ordinary in nature and amount) shall be declared or made with respect to the Common Stock (each, a “Corporate Event”), the Committee shall, in the manner and to the extent that it deems appropriate and equitable, cause an adjustment to be made in: (i) the maximum number and kind of securities subject to this Plan; (ii) the number, kind and amount of securities, rights and cash subject to some or all then outstanding Awards and/or the Plan; (iii) the Exercise Price of some or all then outstanding Awards; and (iv) the other terms of this Plan and some or all then outstanding Awards (including, if the Common Stock is Publicly Traded, Performance Goals, Performance Periods and Performance Measures, to the extent permitted under Section 162(m)); provided , however , that, in the case of Incentive Stock Options and, if the Common Stock is Publicly Traded, Section 162(m) Awards, such adjustments shall be made in a manner consistent with the applicable requirements of Sections 424 and, if applicable, 162(m) of the Code; provided further , however , that, in the case of Options intended to not provide for the deferral of compensation within the meaning of Section 409A, such adjustment shall be made in a manner consistent with the applicable requirements of Section 409A. Such adjustment shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes. Immediately upon the grant of any Award, the number of Shares that may be issued or optioned under the Plan will be increased. The number of Shares of such increase shall be an amount such that immediately after such increase the total number of Shares issuable under the Plan and reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants or conversion of shares of preferred stock will equal 10% of the total number of issued and outstanding Shares. Such increase in the number of Shares subject to the Plan shall occur without the necessity of any further corporate action of any kind or character.

3.4 Notices. The Corporation shall use reasonable efforts to inform Participants of the record date, if any, for any Corporate Event sufficiently in advance to enable them to exercise vested Awards or, if otherwise permitted by the terms thereof then in effect, unvested Awards prior to such record date and of any adjustments pursuant to Section 3.3; provided , however , that neither the Company nor any director, officer, employee, agent, consultant or representative of the Company shall be liable for failure to do so and the failure to do so shall not affect the authorization, validity, enforceability or consummation of any Corporate Event.

3.5 Stockholder Approval.(a) For purposes of making Awards of Incentive Stock Options, this Plan must be approved by the stockholders in a manner intended to comply with Sections 422(b)(i) of the Code no later than the earlier of (i) 12 months following the Effective Date and (ii) the date an Award is first settled under the Plan.

(b) If the Common Stock is Publicly Traded, for purposes of making Awards that are intended to be Section 162(m) Awards, until such time as this Plan is approved by the stockholders in a manner intended to comply with Section 162(m), which approval may include an approval if the Common Stock is not Publicly Traded (“Initial Stockholder Approval”), any such Awards must be contingent on such stockholder approval and no such Awards may be settled prior to such stockholder approval. In addition, for purposes of making grants of Section 162(m) Awards following the expiration of the Initial Stockholder Approval, this Plan must be reapproved by the Corporation’s stockholders in accordance with the requirements of Section 162(m).

3.6 Foreign Employees. In order to facilitate the grant of Awards under this Plan to Participants who are foreign nationals, or who are employed by the Company outside of the United States, the Committee may prescribe such special terms for Awards, approve such supplements or amendments to, or alternative versions of, this Plan, as it may consider necessary or appropriate to accommodate differences in local law, rule, regulation, tax policy or custom without thereby affecting the terms of this Plan for any other purpose; provided , however , that no such supplements, amendments or alternative versions shall include any provisions that are inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as then in effect, unless this Plan could have been supplemented or amended to eliminate such inconsistency without further approval by the stockholders under rules of any securities market or exchange on which the Shares are then listed.

4.1 Committee and Board. This Plan shall be administered by the Committee, which shall have all rights, powers and authorities necessary or appropriate in connection therewith. Neither the Company nor any member of the Committee or the Board shall be liable for any action, omission or determination made in good faith with respect to this Plan or any Award, including any failure of an Award to qualify as a Section 162(m) Award or an Incentive Stock Option Award or meet the requirements for exemption from or compliance with Section 409A. Except to the extent prohibited by applicable laws, rules or regulations, the Committee shall have the authority to delegate administration of this Plan, in whole or in part, to third party service providers and administrators as well as Employees. Without limiting the preceding sentence, the Committee shall have the authority to delegate to the CEO, or his designee, authority to (i) administer the Plan and (ii) designate Employees to participate in a pool of Awards, the terms and conditions of which (including the number of Shares subject to Awards within the pool) shall have been specified by the Committee. Except to the extent prohibited by applicable laws, rules or regulations, the Board shall have the right, power and authority to exercise any and all rights, powers and authorities of the Committee in respect of this Plan and any Award.

4.2 Discretionary Authority. Subject only to the express limitations of this Plan, the Committee shall have authority to determine the Eligible Persons to whom, and the time or times at which, Awards are granted, the type of Awards granted, the number of Shares subject to Awards, the Award Price (if any) of Awards, the time or times at which Awards vest and become exercisable or payable, the form in which Awards become payable, the term of Awards, the procedures for exercise and settlement of Awards and all other terms and conditions of Awards. Subject only to the express limitations of this Plan, the Committee shall have sole authority to interpret this Plan and each Award, to make all factual determinations under this Plan and each Award (including determinations as to the achievement of Performance Measures), to amend this Plan or any Award Agreement to correct any defect, error or omission or to reconcile any inconsistency herein or therein, and to make all other decisions necessary or advisable for administration of this Plan. The Committee shall have the authority to prescribe, amend and rescind rules and regulations relating to this Plan and the administration thereof. The determinations of the Committee under this Plan need not be uniform and may be made selectively among Persons who receive, or are eligible to receive, Awards, whether or not such Persons are similarly situated. All interpretations, determinations, decisions and actions by the Committee may be made in the exercise of its sole discretion and shall be final and binding upon all parties.

4.3 Terms of Awards. The Committee shall establish the material terms and conditions of each Award at the time it grants such Award. Such terms and conditions may include payment of any Award Price in Shares, cash or a combination thereof (which form of payment may be either prescribed by the Committee or subject to the discretion of the Company or the Participant), Performance Measures, tandem or reload features, vesting schedules (and provisions regarding acceleration of vesting), registration provisions (including indemnification and contribution arrangements), provisions relating to withholding of taxes, Transferability provisions, forfeiture and clawback provisions, anti-dilution provisions and provisions relating to the effect of a Change in Control or Corporate Event, provisions relating to voting, dividends and distributions, and exercise provisions (including provisions relating to conditional exercises, net exercises and timing of payment of Award Prices). Each Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement between the Corporation and the applicable Participant that shall include such terms and conditions. An Award Agreement may, but need not be, executed or acknowledged by the applicable Participant.

4.4 Changes to Awards. Except as provided in Section 4.5 (and without otherwise limiting the authority granted hereunder to the Committee), the Committee shall have the authority, to effect, at any time and from time to time, upon the occurrence of a Change in Control or Corporate Event (i) the cancellation of any or all outstanding Awards and the grant in substitution therefor of new Awards covering the same or different numbers or kinds of securities and having an Award Price which may be the same as or different than the Award Price of the Awards being cancelled, (ii) the cancellation of any or all outstanding Awards in exchange for payment to the applicable Participants of an amount equal to the value of the underlying Shares over the Award Prices of the Awards being cancelled and (iii) the amendment of the terms and conditions of any and all outstanding Awards; provided , however , that no such action shall adversely affect the rights or benefits of a Participant under any outstanding Award without the consent of such Participant. The Committee shall have authority to accelerate the vesting, exercisability or payment of any and all outstanding Awards at any time or on the occurrence of any event or circumstance.

4.5 Section 162(m) Awards. If the Common Stock is Publicly Traded, the Committee may prescribe that an Award granted to a Participant is intended to constitute a Section 162(m) Award. To the extent applicable, any Award intended to constitute a Section 162(m) Award shall be conditioned on the achievement of one or more Performance Measures selected by the Committee. The Committee shall take such action as is required to ensure that Awards intended to constitute Section 162(m) Awards comply with Section 162(m). Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, Section 162(m) Awards shall be granted only by vote or consent of a committee or by unanimous vote or consent of the Board where at least two directors shall satisfy the requirements for an “outside director” under Section 162(m) and the grant of Section 162(m) Awards and establishment of Performance Measures shall be made during the times specified and in accordance with the terms of Section 162(m).

All Eligible Persons are eligible to be selected by the Committee to receive an Award under this Plan. Except as otherwise agreed by the Company, no Person shall have a right to receive an Award or, having received an Award in the past, have a right to again receive an Award. The Committee is expected to consult with the CEO before granting Awards, except in cases where the Committee determines that such consultation would be inappropriate; provided , however , the authorization, validity and enforceability of any Award shall not be adversely affected due to any failure to so consult. Where appropriate in order to give effect to this Section 5 or Section 4.1, references to the Committee shall also include the CEO.

6.2 Exercise Price. Except in the case of Substitute Awards, the Committee shall prescribe the exercise price per Share under each Option Award; provided , however , that the Exercise Price per Share under an Option Award shall not be less than the Fair Market Value per Share on the Grant Date.

6.3 Vesting; Term of Option Award. The Committee shall prescribe the number of Shares covered by an Option Award and the time or times at which, and the conditions upon which, each Option Award shall become vested and exercisable, if any. The Committee shall prescribe the term of each Option Award; provided , however , that no Option Award shall have a term that is longer than ten years after the applicable Grant Date.

6.4 Repricing. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Committee shall not have authority, without stockholder approval, to (i) amend previously granted Option Awards to reduce the Exercise Price of such Option Awards or (ii) except pursuant to Section 3.3 or 14, cancel such Option Awards and grant replacement Awards with a lower Exercise Price than the Option Awards being cancelled.

6.5 Exercise of Option Award. Subject to such terms and conditions set forth in this Plan or as may be prescribed by the Committee, or as may be prescribed by the Corporation to comply with applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations, an exercisable Option Award may be exercised in whole or in part at any time during the term thereof by delivery of written notice to the Corporation, together with payment of the exercise price applicable to the Shares underlying such Option Award, or the part thereof, exercised. Such exercise shall be complete upon the delivery of all of the following to the Secretary of the Corporation or his office:

(f) full cash payment to the Secretary of the Corporation for the Shares with respect to which the Award, or portion thereof, is exercised; provided , however , that the Committee may: (i) allow a delay in payment of up to thirty (30) days from the date of exercise; (ii) allow payment, in whole or in part, through the delivery of Shares already owned by the Participant, duly endorsed for Transfer to the Corporation with a Fair Market Value on the date of delivery equal to such exercise price; (iii) allow payment, in whole or in part, through the surrender of Shares then issuable upon exercise of such Award having a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to such exercise price; (iv) allow payment, in whole or in part, through the delivery of a full recourse promissory note bearing interest (at no less than such rate as shall then preclude the imputation of interest under the Code) and payable upon such terms as may be prescribed by the Committee; (v) if the Common Stock is then Publicly Traded, allow payment, in whole or in part, through the delivery of a notice that the Participant has placed a market sell order with a broker with respect to Shares issuable upon such exercise and that the broker has been directed to pay a portion of the net proceeds of the sale to the Corporation sufficient to satisfy such exercise price; or (vi) allow payment through any combination thereof. In the case of a promissory note, the Committee may also prescribe the form of such note and the security, if any, to be given for such note. The Award may not be exercised, however, by delivery of a promissory note or by a loan from the Company when or where such loan or other extension of credit is prohibited by law.

(a) No Incentive Stock Option shall be granted to a Participant to the extent that, as a result of such grant, the Fair Market Value (determined as of the proposed Grant Date) of the Shares with respect to which “incentive stock options” under Section 422 of the Code are exercisable for the first time in any calendar year under this Plan and any other plans of the Company would exceed the maximum amount permitted under Section 422(d) of the Code. This limitation shall be applied by taking “incentive stock options” under Section 422 of the Code into account in the order in which granted. Subject to Section 3.3, the maximum number of Shares that may be made subject to Incentive Stock Options granted to any one Participant during any one calendar year shall be 5,224,082 Shares.

(c) Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the terms and conditions of an Incentive Stock Option Award may contain such additional terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan, as are deemed necessary or desirable by the Committee so as to cause such Incentive Stock Option to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code; provided , however , the authorization, validity and enforceability of any Incentive Stock Option Award shall not be adversely affected due to a failure to comply with Section 422 of the Code. Such terms and conditions, together with the terms of this Plan, shall be interpreted so as to cause such Incentive Stock Option to qualify as an “incentive stock option” under Section 422 of the Code. Such terms and conditions shall include, if applicable, limitations on Incentive Stock Options granted to owners of ten percent or more of the Company. An Incentive Stock Option shall be treated as a Non-Qualified Stock Option to the extent that requirements applicable to “incentive stock options” under Section 422 of the Code shall not be satisfied, shall be nontransferable other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and shall be exercisable during the lifetime of the applicable Participant only by such Participant.

7.1 Grant of SAR Awards. An SAR Award may be granted to any Eligible Person selected by the Committee.

7.2 Base Price. The Committee shall prescribe the base price under each SAR Award; provided , however , that the base price per Share under a SAR Award shall not be less than the Fair Market Value of a Share on the Grant Date.

7.3 Vesting; Term of SAR Award. The Committee shall prescribe the number of Shares covered by SAR Award and the time or times at which, and the conditions upon which, each SAR Award shall become vested and exercisable, if any. The Committee shall prescribe the term of each SAR Award; provided , however , that no SAR Award shall have a term that is longer than ten years after the applicable Grant Date.

7.4 Exercise of SAR Award. Subject to such terms and conditions set forth in this Plan or as may be prescribed by the Committee, or set forth in this Plan or as may be prescribed by the Corporation to comply with applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations, an SAR Award may be exercised in whole or in part at any time during the term thereof by delivery of written notice to the Corporation. Upon exercise of an SAR Award in whole or in part, the Participant shall be entitled to receive such number of Shares that have a Fair Market Value equal to the excess, if any, of (i) the Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying such SAR Award or the part thereof exercised as of the date of exercise over (ii) the base price applicable to such Shares.

7.5 Freestanding Awards. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, no SAR Award shall be awarded in tandem with an Option Award.

8.1 Grant of Restricted Stock Awards. A Restricted Stock Award may be granted to any Eligible Person selected by the Committee.

8.2 Purchase Price. A Restricted Stock Award may provide for an award of Shares without requiring payment of any purchase price, or may require the Participant to pay a specified purchase price, for the Shares underlying such Restricted Stock Award. The Committee shall prescribe any such purchase price under any Restricted Stock Award.

8.3 Vesting. The Committee shall prescribe the time or times at which, and the conditions upon which, each Restricted Stock Award shall become vested, if any.

8.4 Restrictions. The Shares underlying a Restricted Stock Award may be immediately Transferable or subject to restrictions on Transfer. The Committee shall prescribe the time or times at which, and the conditions upon which, each Restricted Stock Award shall become Transferable. The Committee shall prescribe the term for satisfying any conditions to vesting or Transferability of any Restricted Stock Award; provided , however , that such term shall not be longer than seven years after the Grant Date. The Committee may prescribe that the certificates representing the Shares underlying a Restricted Stock Award shall remain in the physical custody of the Company or an agent designated by the Company until all such restrictions and conditions have been satisfied on or are waived, terminated or expired. Unless otherwise prescribed by the Committee failure to satisfy any such conditions shall result in the forfeiture (and return to the Corporation) by the Participant of the Shares underlying the applicable Restricted Stock Award and the return by the Company to the Participant of any purchase price paid by the Participant in respect thereof.

8.5 Rights as Stockholder. Subject to this Section 8 and unless otherwise prescribed by the Committee or as may be prescribed by the Corporation to comply with applicable securities and other laws, rules and regulations, the Participant will have all rights of a stockholder with respect to the Shares underlying a Restricted Stock Award, including the right to vote such Shares and, subject to such requirements as the Committee may prescribe (including requirements as to vesting, Transferability, custody and forfeiture consistent with those applicable to the underlying Shares), to receive all dividends and other distributions paid with respect to such Shares, at the same time and form as other stockholders of the Corporation receive such dividends or distributions or such other time and form as may be prescribed by the Committee.

8.6 Section 83(b) Election. The Committee may prescribe that a Restricted Stock Award is conditioned upon the applicable Participant refraining from making an election with respect to such Restricted Stock Award under Section 83(b) of the Code. Irrespective of whether a Restricted Stock Award is so conditioned, the applicable Award Agreement shall specify that, if the applicable Participant makes an election pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code with respect to such Restricted Stock Award, such Participant shall be required to promptly file a copy of such election with the Corporation.

9.1 Grant of Restricted Stock Unit Awards and Phantom Stock Award. A Restricted Stock Unit Award or a Phantom Stock Award may be granted to any Eligible Person selected by the Committee.

9.2 Vesting. The Committee shall prescribe the time or times at which, and the conditions upon which, each Restricted Stock Unit Award and Phantom Stock Award shall become vested, if any. The Committee shall prescribe the term for satisfying any such requirements; provided , however , that such term shall not be longer than ten years after the applicable Grant Date.

9.3 Benefit Upon Vesting. Unless otherwise prescribed by the Committee upon vesting of a Restricted Stock Unit Award and Phantom Stock Award, the applicable Participant shall be entitled to receive Shares (with respect to Restricted Stock Unit Awards) or cash (with respect to Phantom Stock Awards) in an amount equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares underlying such Phantom Stock Award on such date.

9.4 Dividends. The Compensation Committee may, in its sole discretion, prescribe that a Participant holding a Restricted Stock Unit Award or Phantom Stock Award shall have the right to receive, subject to satisfying a vesting requirement, with respect to each Share underlying such Restricted Stock Unit Award or Phantom Stock Award, payments of amounts equal to any and all dividends and distributions paid to stockholders during the term of such an Award.

10.1 Grant of Performance Share Awards and Performance Unit Awards. Performance Share Awards and Performance Unit Awards may be granted to any Eligible Person selected by the Committee. Performance Share Awards and Performance Unit Awards shall be based on the achievement, over a specified period, of Performance Measures as prescribed by the Committee. Performance Share Awards and Performance Unit Awards may be paid in Shares, cash or a combination thereof as prescribed by the Committee.

10.2 Designation as Qualified Performance-Based Compensation.(a) The Committee may specify which Performance Share Awards and Performance Unit Awards granted to an Employee are intended to be considered “qualified performance-based compensation” under Section 162(m), such that it would be a Section 162(m) Award. To the extent that any such Awards are intended to be a Section 162(m) Award, no such Award may be made as an alternative to another Award that is not designated as “qualified performance-based compensation” but instead must be separate and apart from all other Awards. Notwithstanding anything in this Plan to the contrary, the Committee’s obligations under Sections 10.2 through 10.4 cannot be delegated.

(b) When Performance Share Awards or Performance Unit Awards intended to be considered “qualified performance-based compensation” are granted, the Committee shall establish (i) the objective Performance Goals that must be met, (ii) the Performance Period during which performance will be measured, (iii) the maximum amounts that may be paid if the Performance Goals are met and (iv) any other conditions that the Committee deems appropriate and consistent with this Plan and the requirements of Section 162(m) for “qualified performance-based compensation.” The Committee shall establish the Performance Goals either before the beginning of the Performance Period or during a period ending no later than the earlier of (A) 90 days after the beginning of the Performance Period or (B) the date on which 25% of the Performance Period has been completed or such other date as may be required or permitted under Section 162(m). The Committee may, at any time during the first 90 days of the Performance Period (or, if shorter, the first 25% of the Performance Period, as allowed under Section 162(m)), to adjust or modify the calculation of a Performance Goal. Performance Goals must be established in a written form within the time prescribed by Section 162(m). The Performance Goals shall satisfy the requirements for “qualified performance-based compensation,” including the requirement that the achievement of the Performance Goals be substantially uncertain at the time they are established and that the Performance Goals be established in such a way that a third party with knowledge of the relevant facts could determine whether and to what extent the Performance Goals have been met. Except as provided in this Section 10.2(b), the Committee shall not have discretion to increase the amount of compensation that is payable upon achievement of Performance Goals.

10.3 Payment of Award. Unless the Committee prescribes otherwise, Performance Share Awards and Performance Unit Awards will be payable in a lump sum prior to the 15th day of the third month of the year immediately following the year in which the close of the Performance Period occurs in accordance with the applicable short-term deferral exception provisions of Section 409A or, in accordance with procedures established by the Committee and the applicable provisions of Section 409A, on a deferred basis.

Substitute Awards, Dividend Equivalents and Awards other than Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Phantom Stock, Performance Share and Performance Unit Awards may be granted to any Eligible Person selected by the Committee. Such other Awards may be granted alone or in addition to any other Awards granted under this Plan and may be paid in Shares or cash as the Committee shall determine. The terms and conditions of such Awards shall be prescribed by the Committee.

12.1 Stock Certificate. Shares issued hereunder may be evidenced in such manner as the Corporation shall deem appropriate, including book entry registration or issuance of a stock certificate or certificates.

12.2 Securities Laws. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Plan to the contrary, no Shares shall be issued or Transferred in connection with any Award unless and until all requirements under securities and other laws, rules and regulations and under the rules of any securities exchange or market on which the Common Stock is then listed shall have been complied with. The Committee shall have the right to condition any Award on the Participant’s undertaking to comply with such restrictions on his or her subsequent disposition of the Shares covered thereby as the Committee shall deem necessary or advisable.

12.3 Legends. Certificates and book entries representing Shares issued or Transferred under this Plan may be subject to such stop-transfer orders and other restrictions, and bear such other legends, as the Corporation may deem necessary or appropriate.

12.4 Registration. If the Common Stock is Publicly Traded, the Corporation shall use commercially reasonable efforts to file, at its expense, a registration statement or statements on Form S-8 (or any applicable successor Form) to register the sale, issuance, transfer or resale of the Shares subject to this Plan under the Securities Act, at such time or times as the Corporation may deem necessary or appropriate. Any issuance, transfer or resale of Shares pursuant to such registration statement or statements shall be subject to (i) the continued effectiveness or use, at the Corporation’s discretion, of such registration statement or statements and (ii) any blackout, insider trading, short-swing profits, holdback or other trading restrictions which the Corporation may impose or to which the Participant may be subject, by law, under the Corporation’s policies or otherwise. For so long as the Shares subject to this Plan are not registered for issuance by the Corporation, the Corporation shall be under no obligation to issue or deliver any Shares pursuant to an Award unless such Shares may be issued and delivered without such registration pursuant to an available exemption therefrom, the terms and conditions of such exemption shall have been fully complied with and the Corporation elects to rely thereon (which it shall be under no obligation to do).

12.5 No Company Liability. The Corporation shall have no liability to a Participant if the Fair Market Value of Shares decreases between the date on which the Participant first attempts to exercise an Award in respect thereof and the date on which the Corporation issues or delivers such Shares. In addition, the Corporation shall have no liability in respect of any Award that expires prior to exercise or settlement, or that is cancelled or otherwise forfeited, pursuant to the terms of this Plan or the applicable Award Agreement.

12.6 Indemnification. Any Participant for whom the resale of Shares is included in a registration statement or statements will indemnify the Corporation, each of its directors and officers and each Person who Controls the Corporation (other than such Participant) against all claims, losses, damages, expenses and liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arising out of or based upon any untrue statement (or alleged untrue statement) of a material fact contained in any such registration statement or statements, or any omission (or alleged omission) to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse the Corporation, each of its directors and officers and each Person Controlling the Corporation (other than such Participant) for all legal and any other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending any such claim, loss, damage, liability or action, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement (or alleged statement) or omission (or alleged omission) is made in such registration statement or statements in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Corporation by such Participant with respect to such Participant; provided , however , that the liability of any such Participant under this Section 12.4 shall be limited to the amount of proceeds received by such Participant in the resale giving rise to such liability.

Prior to vesting and payment of any applicable loans, the Shares will be subject to stop transfer instructions given by the Corporation to the Broker and the transfer agent for the Shares. Upon vesting of any Shares, such stop transfer instructions will be terminated (except to the extent that any Shares may be subject to loans or sold to satisfy applicable withholding requirements). Upon forfeiture of any Shares, the Broker and such transfer agent will be instructed to debit such Shares from such account and return them to the Corporation. Each physical certificate and each book entry, in each case relating to Shares may include such restrictive legends in such forms as the Corporation may deem convenient, expedient, necessary or appropriate relating to the restrictions under this Plan or the applicable Award Agreement, as applicable, applicable securities, tax or other laws or applicable rules of any securities exchange or market.

13.2 Delivery of Cash. All cash payments in satisfaction of an Award (other than Dividend Equivalents) shall equal the Fair Market Value of the Shares to which the cash payment relates, determined as of the Exercise Date, and such payment shall be made within 3 business days after the Exercise Date.

13.3 Representation Regarding Acquisition of Restricted Shares. Unless and until a Form S-8 or Form S-3 has been filed with respect to the Shares, each Participant will be required to make representations regarding Shares acquired pursuant to an Award, which representations shall be set forth in the applicable Award Agreement or exercise notice and may include, without limitation, the following representations:

(a) the Participant understands, represents and agrees that the acquisition of the Shares has not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission or any administrative agency charged with the administration of the securities laws of any state; that he has access to all material information and is knowledgeable about the Company, its business, opportunities, risks and uncertainties, and the material facts and circumstances relating to any investment therein; and that all documents, records and books pertaining to this investment have been made available upon reasonable notice for inspection by the Participant or his purchaser representative, counsel, accountant or business advisor;

“THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR THE SECURITIES LAW OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON EXEMPTIONS FROM REGISTRATION THEREUNDER. THE SALE OR OTHER DISPOSITION OF THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY IS RESTRICTED THEREUNDER AND, IN ANY EVENT, IS PROHIBITED UNLESS THE CORPORATION RECEIVES AN OPINION OF COUNSEL SATISFACTORY TO IT THAT SUCH SALE OR OTHER DISPOSITION CAN BE MADE WITHOUT REGISTRATION THEREUNDER. BY ACQUIRING THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY, THE STOCKHOLDER REPRESENTED THAT HE HAS ACQUIRED SUCH SECURITIES FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSES ONLY, AND THE STOCKHOLDER AGREED THAT HE WOULD NOT SELL OR OTHERWISE DISPOSE OF SUCH SECURITIES WITHOUT REGISTRATION OR OTHER COMPLIANCE THEREWITH.”

13.4 Market Stand-Off Agreement. In the event of a public offering of the Corporation’s securities and upon request of the Corporation or the underwriters managing any underwritten offering of the Corporation’s securities, the Participant shall agree not to sell, make any short sale of, loan, grant any option for the purchase of, or otherwise dispose of any Shares (other than those included in the registration), without the prior written consent of the Corporation or such underwriters, as the case may be, for such period of time (not to exceed one hundred eighty (180) days) from the effective date of such registration as may be requested by the Corporation or such managing underwriters.

13.5 Right of First Refusal.

(a) Subject to Section 13.9, if the Participant would like to transfer any Shares that have vested and are not subject to a note, the Participant shall give a written notice (a “Transfer Notice”) to the Corporation describing the proposed transfer, including: (i) the number of Shares to be transferred in such transfer (“Offered Shares”); (ii) the identity of the prospective transferee(s); and (iii) the consideration and other material terms and conditions upon which the proposed Transfer is to be made. The Transfer Notice shall certify that the Participant has received a bona fide offer from the prospective transferee(s) and in good faith reasonably believes a binding agreement for the transfer is obtainable on the terms set forth in the Transfer Notice. The Transfer Notice shall also include a copy of any written proposals, term sheets, letters of intent or other agreements relating to the proposed transfer.

(b) The Corporation shall have the right (but not the obligation) to purchase all or any part of the Offered Shares on the terms of the proposal described in the Transfer Notice (a “Right of First Refusal”) by delivery of a notice of exercise of the Right of First Refusal within thirty (30) days after the date on which the Transfer Notice is received by the Corporation. If the Corporation provides such notice to the Participant, then the closing of the Corporation’s purchase of the Offered Shares with respect to which it elects to exercise its Right of First Refusal shall occur no later than ninety (90) days after the Corporation’s receipt of the Transfer Notice. To the extent that the Corporation does not fully exercise its Right of First Refusal to purchase some or all of the Offered Shares within the applicable time period, the Participant may, not later than one hundred (100) days following receipt of the Transfer Notice by the Corporation, transfer the Offered Shares to the proposed transferee on the terms and conditions described in the Transfer Notice, subject to the transferee executing and delivering an agreement with the Company granting the Company a Right of First Refusal and a Call Right (as defined in this Section 13) with respect to such Shares on terms and conditions the same, in all material respects, as those set forth in this Section 13. Any proposed transfer of the Offered Shares occurring after such one hundred (100) day time period or on terms and conditions different from those described in the Transfer Notice shall again be subject to the Right of First Refusal and require compliance with the procedure described above. The Corporation may, at its option, pay the purchase price for Shares purchased in exercise of its Right of First Refusal in three (3) or fewer annual installments, the first of which shall be paid upon the closing of the purchase. Interest shall accrue on the installments at the federal short-term interest rate in effect on the first day of the month of exercise of the Right of First Refusal, to be recalculated on the first day of each month thereafter until all payments due are made.

13.6 Corporation Repurchase Right.

(b) When exercising a Call Right following a termination of the Participant’s employment by the Company or any Subsidiary for Cause or by the Participant other than due to Retirement, the Corporation shall pay, per Share purchased pursuant to the Call Right, the lesser of (i) the price paid by the Participant for such Share or (ii) the Specified Value (as defined below). When exercising a Call Right following a termination of the Participant’s death, Disability or Retirement or by the Company without Cause, the Corporation shall pay, per Share purchased pursuant to the Call Right, the Specified Value. For purposes of this Section 13, “Specified Value” shall mean [two times the trailing twelve months’ revenue of the Company determined as of the date of termination of the Participant’s employment or the date of the exercise of the Call Right, whichever is less]. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation may, at its option, pay the amount, if any, that it shall be obligated to pay under this Section 13.6(b) in three (3) or fewer annual installments, the first of which shall be paid upon the closing of the purchase. Interest shall accrue on the installments at the federal short-term interest rate in effect on the first day of the month of exercise of the Call Right, to be recalculated on the first day of each month thereafter until all payments due are made.

(c) Notwithstanding Section 13.6(a) to the contrary, the Corporation shall not be obligated to repurchase any of the Shares from the Participant, or from the estate of the Participant, and may defer such repurchase, if there exists and is continuing a default or an event of default on the part of the Corporation or under any guarantee or other agreement under which the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries has borrowed money or if such repurchase would constitute a breach of, or result in a default or an event of default on the part of the Corporation or any of its Subsidiaries under, any such guarantee or agreement, or if the repurchase would not be permitted under any applicable laws. If the Corporation is unable to purchase Shares generally in accordance with the preceding sentence, the Corporation shall pay the Participant for such Shares as soon as possible, with interest at the federal short-term interest rate in effect on the first day of the month of exercise of the Call Right, to be recalculated on the first day of each month thereafter until all payments due are made.

(d) The Corporation may exercise its Call Right(s) under this Section 13.6 by giving written notice thereof to the Participant (or his successor in interest, if applicable). Upon delivery (or promptly following delivery) of such notice(s) of exercise of a Call Right, the Corporation shall deliver to the Participant (or his successor in interest, if applicable) a calculation of the purchase price therefor determined in accordance with Section 13.6(b). The consummation of the repurchase, to the extent such repurchase would require the delivery of payment to the Participant, shall take place at the principal offices of the Corporation on the tenth (10 th ) business day following the delivery of the calculation of the purchase price (or at such other time and/or place as the Corporation and the Participant (or such successor in interest) shall agree).

13.7 Assignment of Rights.

13.8 Conflict with Agreements. The provisions of this Section 13 are intended to be in addition to, and not in conflict with the rights and restrictions in any Award Agreement and the Corporation’s Stockholder’s Agreement. To the extent there is a conflict between the terms of this Section 13 and any of the rights or restrictions in an Award Agreement, the terms of this Section 13 shall prevail, notwithstanding any other provisions of such Award Agreement.

13.9 Exchange Listed Stock. If the Common Stock becomes listed on a national stock exchange, the transfer restrictions and rights set forth in Sections 13.5 through 13.7 shall terminate as of the first date that the Common Stock is so listed.

13.10 Violation of Law. No Award may be exercised at a time when the exercise thereof or the issuance of Shares thereunder would constitute a violation of any law, rule or regulation or any rule of any securities market or exchange on which the Common Stock is then listed.

14.1 In addition to the adjustments required or permitted under Section 3.3, the Committee may prescribe additional provisions relating to the effect of a Change in Control or a Corporate Event on an Award. Such provisions need not be in an Award Agreement, and will not require the consent of a Participant and may include: (i) acceleration of the vesting and exercisability of any Award; (ii) extension of time periods for satisfying vesting or Transferability conditions with respect to, or exercising or realizing payments, rights, benefits or gains from, any Award; (iii) elimination or modification of conditions related to vesting, Transferability or exercisability of or payments, rights, benefits or gains under, any Award; (iv) provision for the settlement of any Award with an equivalent value in other securities, cash or properties; (v) requirement that outstanding Awards that are “in-the-money” be settled in cash in an amount equal to the amount by which they are “in-the-money”, as determined by the Committee; (vi) requirement that Participants surrender their outstanding Awards that are “in-the-money” in exchange for a settlement immediately following the Change in Control, as determined by the Committee; (vii) cancellation of any or all Awards that are not “in the money” without consideration; and (viii) cancellation or forfeiture of any Awards that are not vested as of the date of the Change in Control without consideration. Such surrender, settlement and cancellation shall take place as of the date of the Change in Control or such other date as the Committee may specify. For purposes of this Section 14, an Award being “in the money” means that the excess of the Fair Market Value as of the date of the Change in Control over the Award Price is a positive value.

14.2 The Committee shall provide in an Award Agreement whether an Award that is subject to Section 409A is payable upon a Change in Control. If an Award that is subject to Section 409A provides for vesting upon a Change in Control that is not permissible payment event, then such Award Agreement shall state the event upon which such Award may be payable.

15.1 Conflicts. In the event of a conflict between the terms of this Plan and any Award Agreement, the terms of this Plan shall prevail.

15.2 Forfeiture Events. Unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, a Participant’s rights, payments, gains and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction, cancellation, forfeiture and recoupment upon the occurrence of specified events, in addition to any otherwise applicable continued employment or performance conditions as prescribed by the Committee. Such events include termination of employment for Cause, violation of material policies, breach of noncompetition, confidentiality or other restrictive covenants, engagement in Detrimental Conduct and any other events determined by the Committee that may be set forth in an Award Agreement.

15.3 Section 409A. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the terms of the Plan are intended to, and shall be interpreted and applied so as to, comply in all respects with Section 409A. The Committee may amend the terms of any Award, in order to cure any potential defects under Section 409A, in a manner deemed appropriate by the Committee, without the consent of the Participant. It is the intention of the Corporation that no Award be subject to the additional tax imposed by Section 409A(b)(5)(i) of the Code. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, it is intended that (i) all Options granted under this Plan will be exempt from Section 409A and (ii) all other Award may be granted hereunder either (a) in a manner such that the Award will not provide for a deferral of compensation subject to Section 409A or (b) in a manner such that the Award will be subject to Section 409A. If an Award is intended to be so subject to Section 409A, then the Award shall be settled and paid in a single lump sum (I) as of a specified date, (II) upon the Participant’s Separation from Service, or (III) the earlier of such dates, as specified by the Committee at the time of grant and shall otherwise be granted, administered, settled and paid in accordance with Section 409A; provided , however , that no such settlement or payment shall be made to a Specified Employee upon a Separation from Service before the date which is 6 months after the date of the Specified Employee’s Separation from Service (or, if earlier, the date of death of the Specified Employee); provided, further, that Performance Share Awards and Performance Unit Awards may be paid upon a Change in Control that is a permissible payment event under Section 409A. Nothing in this Section 15.3 shall be construed as an admission that any of the compensation and or benefits payable under this Plan constitutes “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A.

16.1 No Transfer of Awards; Plan Binding; Beneficiaries. Unless otherwise prescribed by the Committee, Awards shall not be Transferable, except by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and, during the lifetime of a Participant, Awards shall be exercised only by the Participant or by his guardian or legal representative. Subject to the other provisions hereof, Awards other than Incentive Stock Options Awards may be Transferred to a Permitted Transferee, but shall not be Transferable for value. This Plan shall be binding upon the Corporation and its successors and the Participants and their permitted successors in interest. Each Participant shall have the right to designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries who shall be entitled to take any action, make any election and receive any rights, payments, benefits or gains under an applicable Award following such Participant’s death.

16.2 Deferrals of Payment. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the Committee may permit a Participant to defer the receipt of payment or delivery of cash, securities, rights or other property that would otherwise be due to such Participant by virtue of the exercise of or the satisfaction of vesting or other conditions or restrictions with respect to an Award. If any such deferral is to be permitted, the Committee shall establish the rules and procedures relating to such deferral, including the period of time in advance of payment or delivery when an election to defer is required to be made, the time period of the deferral, the events that would result in payment or delivery of the deferred amount, the interest or other earnings attributable to the deferred amount and the method of funding (if any) attributable to the deferred amount. Any deferrals made pursuant to this Section 16.2 shall be made in a manner and subject to terms and conditions so as to comply with Section 409A.

16.3 Rights as Stockholder. Except as otherwise provided in this Plan, no Participant shall have any rights (including rights with respect to voting, dividends or distributions) with respect to any securities underlying an Award until the date such securities are delivered to the Participant.

16.4 Employment or Service. Nothing in this Plan, in the grant of any Award or in any Award Agreement shall confer upon any Eligible Person or Participant the right to continue in any capacity in which he is employed by, or otherwise serves, the Company and shall not interfere in any way with any right that the Company would otherwise have to terminate his or her employment or other service at any time.

16.5 Other Compensation and Benefit Plans. The adoption of this Plan shall not affect any other stock incentive or other compensation plans of the Company and shall not preclude the Company from establishing any other forms of stock incentive or other compensation for Employees, Non-Employee Directors or other Persons. The amount of any compensation deemed to be received by a Participant pursuant to an Award shall not constitute compensation with respect to which any other benefits of such Participant are determined, including benefits under any bonus, pension, profit sharing, life insurance or salary continuation plan, except as otherwise specifically provided by the terms of such plan. The Plan shall not entitle Participants to any future compensation. The Plan is not an element of the Employees’ base salary or base compensation and shall not be considered as part of such in the event of severance, redundancy, or resignation. The Company has no obligation to offer incentive plans to Participants in the future, and the Plan shall be effective only for the time period specified in the Plan and shall not be deemed to renew year over year and there is not obligation for uniformity of treatment of Employees or Participants under the Plan. Specifically, the Company assumes no obligation to the Participant under this Plan with respect to any doctrine or principle of acquired rights or similar concept.

16.6 Tax Withholding. The Participant or successor in interest shall be responsible for payment of all taxes and other charges required by law to be withheld from an Award or securities, cash or other property paid or delivered in settlement of an Award. Payment shall be made: (i) in cash or by check; (ii) at the discretion of the Committee, in Shares, valued at the Fair Market Value of such Shares on the applicable date; (iii) by deduction from the settlement of the applicable Award; (iv) at the discretion of the Committee, by a combination of the methods described above; or (v) by such other method as may be approved by the Committee. The Company is hereby authorized to, at its election, (i) require that the Participant or successor in interest make a payment to the Company, (ii) deduct from other compensation, including wages, to be paid by the Company or (iii) withhold from any Shares or cash or other property deliverable under this Plan in settlement of an Award, in each case, the amount of any federal, state or local taxes that the Company is required to withhold with respect to such Awards.

16.7 Unfunded Plan. This Plan shall be unfunded. Neither the Company nor any other Person shall be required to establish any special or separate fund or to make any other segregation of assets to assure the settlement of any Awards. Nothing contained in this Plan and no action taken pursuant hereto shall create or be construed to create a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any other Person and any Participant (or any of his successors in interest). No Participant or other Person shall under any circumstances acquire any property interest in any specific assets of the Company or any other Person. To the extent that any Person acquires a right to receive settlement from the Corporation hereunder, such right shall be no greater than the right of any unsecured general creditor of the Corporation. Neither the adoption of this Plan nor the setting aside of securities, cash or other property by the Company with which to discharge its obligations hereunder shall be deemed to create a trust or other funded arrangement. The Company shall have the right to implement or set aside securities, cash or other property in a grantor trust, subject to the claims of the Company’s creditors, to discharge its obligations under this Plan.

16.8 Construction and Interpretation. Whenever used herein, nouns in the singular shall include the plural, and the masculine pronoun shall include the feminine gender. Whenever used herein, the word “including” shall be deemed to be followed by the phrase “without limitation.” Headings of Sections hereof are inserted for convenience of reference and constitute no part of this Plan.

16.9 Severability. If any provision of this Plan or any Award is or becomes, or is deemed by the Committee to be, invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any Person or Award, or would disqualify this Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws or, if it cannot be so construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of this Plan or such Award, such provision shall be stricken as to such jurisdiction, Person or Award and the remainder of this Plan and such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

16.10 GOVERNING LAW. THE VALIDITY AND CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PLAN AND OF THE AWARD AGREEMENTS SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAWS PRINCIPLES THEREOF.

16.11 Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be delivered pursuant to this Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine whether cash or other securities shall be paid or delivered in lieu of any fractional Shares or whether any fractional Shares or rights thereto shall be canceled or otherwise eliminated.

16.12 Assignment and Successor. The obligations of the Corporation under the Plan shall be binding upon any successor corporation or organization resulting from the merger, consolidation or other reorganization of the Company, or upon any successor corporation or organization succeeding to substantially all of the assets and business of the Company. The Corporation shall take all such actions as may be necessary so the Plan and any Award Agreement entered into hereunder is binding on its successors.

(b) With respect to Participants subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act (“Members”) transactions under this Plan are intended to comply with all applicable conditions of Rule 16b-3 or its successors under the Exchange Act. To the extent that compliance with any Plan provision applicable solely to such Members that is included solely for purposes of complying with Rule 16b-3 is not required in order to bring a transaction by such Member in compliance with Rule 16b-3, it shall be deemed null and void as to such transaction, to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by the Committee. To the extent any provision in the Plan or action by the Committee involving such Members is deemed not to comply with an applicable condition of Rule 16b-3, it shall be deemed null and void as to such Members, to the extent permitted by law and deemed advisable by the Committee.

17.1 Effective Date. This Plan shall become effective on the date of approval of this Plan by the Board.

17.2 Termination. The authority to grant new Awards under this Plan shall terminate on the date immediately preceding the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date. The Board may, at any earlier date, terminate this Plan. No termination of this Plan shall adversely affect any Award theretofore granted, without the consent of the applicable Participant (or his permitted successor in interest).

17.3 Amendment. The Board may, at any time and from time to time and in any respect, amend or supplement this Plan. The Board may seek the approval of any amendment or supplement by the stockholders to the extent that it deems necessary or advisable, in its sole discretion, for purposes of compliance with the Code, the listing requirements of any securities exchange or market or any other purpose. No amendment or supplement of this Plan shall adversely affect any Award theretofore granted without the consent of the applicable Participant (or his permitted successor in interest), unless such right has been reserved in this Plan or such amendment or supplement is required to comply with applicable law, rule or regulation. The authority of the Committee to take any action (other than grant new Awards) hereunder shall continue after the authority for grant of new Awards hereunder has been exhausted or terminated (and, for these purposes, new Awards do not include actions taken under Section 3.3 or Substitute Awards).

	o	Preliminary Information Statement.
	o	Confidential, for use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2)).
	þ	Definitive Information Statement.

	By Order of the Board of Directors,
Cypress, Texas	/s/ *Mark Walmesley*
November 24, 2015	Mark Walmesley, President and CEO

Name of Beneficial Owner (1)	Number of Shares Beneficially Owned		Percentage of Outstanding Common Stock Owned (3)
Lode Star Gold, Inc.(2)		35,015,000		73,47	%

Lonnie S. Humphries Non Exempt Trust (4)		200,000		0.42	%

Mark Walmesley 17213 Bending Oak Ct. Cypress, TX 77429		1,225,000		2.57	%

Thomas Temkin 9120 Double Diamond Pkwy Reno, NV 89521		20,000		0.04	%

Lonnie Humphries 17213 Bending Oak Ct. Cypress, TX 77429		1,369,756		2.87	%

All directors and executive officers as a group (2 persons).		1,245,000		2.61	%

This ‘DEF 14C’ Filing	Date	Other Filings

Filed on / Effective on / For Period End:	11/24/15
	11/11/15
	10/22/15
	4/22/15	8-K
	2/23/15
	1/19/15	8-K
	12/31/14	10-K
	12/11/14	4, 8-K
	12/5/14
	11/13/14
	9/22/14
	12/31/13	10-K, 10-K/A, NT 10-K
	1/1/12
	1/31/11
		List all Filings

Lode-Star Mining Inc. – ‘DEF 14C’ for 11/24/15

On: Tuesday, 11/24/15, at 12:27pm ET · Effective: 11/24/15 · For: 11/24/15 · Accession #: 1199835-15-556 · File #: 0-53676

4 References:

Definitive Proxy Information Statement — Schedule 14C
Filing Table of Contents

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Dates Referenced Herein and Documents Incorporated by Reference

4 Subsequent Filings that Reference this Filing

NAME	AGE	POSITION
Mark Walmesley	58	President, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, Director
Thomas Temkin	62	Chief Operating Officer, Director
Pam Walters	66	Secretary

Lode-Star Mining Inc. – ‘DEF 14C’ for 11/24/15

On: Tuesday, 11/24/15, at 12:27pm ET · Effective: 11/24/15 · For: 11/24/15 · Accession #: 1199835-15-556 · File #: 0-53676

4 References: By: Lode-Star Mining Inc. – ‘10-K’ on 3/22/24 for 12/31/23 By: Lode-Star Mining Inc. – ‘10-K’ on 3/24/23 for 12/31/22 By: Lode-Star Mining Inc. – ‘10-K’ on 4/15/22 for 12/31/21 By: Lode-Star Mining Inc. – ‘10-K’ on 3/29/21 for 12/31/20

Definitive Proxy Information Statement — Schedule 14CFiling Table of Contents

This is an HTML Document rendered as filed. [ Alternative Formats ]

Dates Referenced Herein and Documents Incorporated by Reference

4 Subsequent Filings that Reference this Filing

4 References:

Definitive Proxy Information Statement — Schedule 14C
Filing Table of Contents