Note

. Employee Benefit Plans

Defined Benefit Plans

The Company maintains

two

nonqualified domestic, noncontributory defined benefit plans (the “Benefit Plans”) for key members of senior management and non-management directors. The Company’s unfunded Benefit Plans include the Supplemental Executive Retention Plan (“SERP”) and the Directors’ Supplemental Retirement Plan (“Directors’ Plan”). The SERP provides for a defined benefit, at normal retirement age, targeted at

35%

of the participant’s projected final average compensation, subject to a defined maximum annual benefit. Benefits under the SERP generally become payable at age

62.

The Directors’ Plan provides for a defined benefit, at normal retirement age, up to

100%

of the participant’s highest consecutive

three

-year average compensation. Benefits under the Directors’ Plan generally become payable at age

70.

The following table presents the changes in the aggregate actuarial benefit obligation during the periods indicated:

	December 31,
	2019			2018
(Amounts in thousands)
Beginning balance	$	9,265		$	9,635
Plan change		262			-
Service cost		320			245
Interest cost		404			358
Actuarial loss (gain)		1,570			(565	)
Benefits paid		(509	)		(408	)
Ending balance	$	11,312		$	9,265

The following table presents the components of net periodic pension cost, the effect on the consolidated statements of income, and the assumed discount rate for the periods indicated:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2019			2018			2017			Income Statement Location
(Amounts in thousands)
Service cost	$	320		$	245		$	231		Salaries and employee benefits
Interest cost		404			358			372		Other expense
Amortization of prior service cost		257			228			228		Other expense
Amortization of losses		20			57			31		Other expense
Net periodic cost	$	1,001		$	888		$	862

Assumed discount rate		3.10	%		4.28	%		3.85	%

The following schedule presents the projected benefit payments to be paid under the Benefit Plans, by year, as of

December 31, 2019:

(Amounts in thousands)
2020	$	590
2021		648
2022		652
2023		651
2024		679
2025 through 2029		3,520

Deferred Compensation Plan

The Company maintains deferred compensation agreements with certain current and former officers that provide benefit payments, over various periods, commencing at retirement or death. There were

accrued benefits, which are based on the present values of expected payments and estimated life expectancies, as of

December 31, 2019

2018.

There was

deferred compensation plan expense in

2019,

compared to

none

2018

and

$11

thousand in

2017.

Employee Welfare Plan

The Company provides various medical, dental, vision, life, accidental death and dismemberment, and long-term disability insurance benefits to all full-time employees who elect coverage under this program. A

third

-party administrator manages the health plan. Monthly employer and employee contributions are made to a tax-exempt employee benefits trust where the

third

-party administrator processes and pays claims. As of

December 31, 2019,

stop-loss insurance coverage generally limits the Company’s risk of loss to

$175

thousand for individual claims and

$4.60

million for aggregate claims. Health plan expenses were

$3.97

million in

2019,

$3.72

million in

2018,

and

$3.50

million in

2017.

Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan

The Company maintains the Employee Stock Ownership and Savings Plan (“KSOP”) that consists of a

401

(k) savings feature that covers all employees that meet minimum eligibility requirements. The Company matches employee contributions at levels determined by the Board of Directors annually. These contributions are made in the

first

quarter following each plan year and employees must be employed on the last day of the plan year to be eligible. Matching contributions to qualified deferrals under the

401

(k) savings component of the KSOP totaled

$1.10

million in

2019,

$1.06

million in

2018,

and

$1.18

million in

2017.

The KSOP held

346,833

shares of the Company’s common stock as of

December 31, 2019,

366,969

shares as of

December 31, 2018,

and

387,935

shares as of

December 31, 2017.

Equity-Based Compensation Plans

The Company maintains equity-based compensation plans to promote the long-term success of the Company by encouraging officers, employees, directors, and other individuals performing services for the Company to focus on critical long-range objectives. The Company’s equity-based compensation plans include the

2012

Omnibus Equity Compensation Plan (

“2012

Plan”),

2004

Omnibus Stock Option Plan,

2001

Director’s Option Plan,

1999

Stock Option Plan, and various other plans obtained through acquisitions. As of

December 31, 2019,

the

2012

Plan was the only plan available for the issuance of future grants. All plans issued or obtained before the

2012

Plan are frozen and

new grants

may

be issued; however, any options or awards unexercised and outstanding under those plans remain in effect per their respective terms. The

2012

Plan authorized

600,000

shares available for potential grants of incentive stock options, nonqualified stock options, performance awards, restricted stock, restricted stock units, stock appreciation rights, bonus stock, and stock awards. Grants issued under the

2012

Plan state the period of time the grant

may

be exercised,

not

to exceed more than

ten

years from the date granted. The Company’s Compensation and Retirement Committee determines the vesting period for each grant; however, if

vesting period is specified the vesting occurs in

25%

increments on the

first

four

anniversaries of the grant date.

The following table presents the pre-tax compensation expense and excess tax benefit recognized in earnings for all equity-based compensation plans for the periods indicated:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2019		2018		2017
(Amounts in thousands)
Pre-tax compensation expense	$	1,481	$	1,158	$	790
Excess tax benefit		-		95		17

Stock Options

The following table presents stock option activity and related information for the year ended

December 31, 2019:

	Option			Weighted Average Exercise Price		Weighted Average Remaining Contractual		Aggregate Intrinsic
(Amounts in thousands, except share and per share data)	Shares			Per Share		Term (Years)		Value

Outstanding, January 1, 2019		156,255		$	20.85
Granted		-			-
Exercised		(8,459	)		16.14
Canceled		(596	)		24.72
Outstanding, December 31, 2019		147,200		$	21.10		4.6	$	1,460
Exercisable, December 31, 2019		126,699		$	20.52		4.2	$	1,331

There were

options granted in

2019

2018.

The intrinsic value of options exercised was

$150

thousand in

2019,

$423

thousand in

2018,

and

$84

thousand in

2017.

As of

December 31, 2019,

unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested stock options totaled

$10

thousand with an expected weighted average recognition period of

0.27

years. The actual compensation cost recognized might differ from this estimate due to various items, including new grants and changes in estimated forfeitures.

Restricted Stock Awards

The following table presents restricted stock activity and related information for the year ended

December 31, 2019:

				Weighted Average
	Shares			Grant-Date Fair Value

Nonvested, January 1, 2019		51,113		$	27.37
Granted		50,521			34.22
Vested		(43,784	)		29.26
Canceled		(197	)		32.76
Nonvested, December 31, 2019		57,653		$	31.93

As of

December 31, 2019,

unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested restricted stock awards totaled

$1.23

million with an expected weighted average recognition period of

1.90

years. The actual compensation cost recognized might differ from this estimate due to various items, including new awards granted and changes in estimated forfeitures.