DEF 14A


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

SCHEDULE 14A

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


Filed by the Registrant  ý
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant  ¨
Check the appropriate box:
¨
Preliminary Proxy Statement
 
 
¨
Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
 
 
ý
Definitive Proxy Statement
 
 
¨
Definitive Additional Materials
 
 
¨
Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

CERNER CORPORATION
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

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

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
ý
No fee required.
 
 
¨
Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11

(1) Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
___________________________________________________________________________________

(2) Aggregate number of securities to which transactions applies:
___________________________________________________________________________________

(3) Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0‑11:
___________________________________________________________________________________

(4) Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
___________________________________________________________________________________

(5) Total fee paid:
___________________________________________________________________________________

¨
Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.
 
 
¨
Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
 






 
(1) Amount Previously Paid:
___________________________________________________________________________________

(2) Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
___________________________________________________________________________________

(3) Filing Party:
___________________________________________________________________________________

(4) Date Filed:
___________________________________________________________________________________










April 21, 2016

Dear Shareholder:

You are cordially invited to attend the Annual Shareholders' Meeting of Cerner Corporation to be held at 10:00 a.m., local time, on May 27, 2016, at The Cerner Round Auditorium in the Cerner Vision Center, located on the Cerner campus at 2850 Rockcreek Parkway, North Kansas City, Missouri 64117.

Details of the business to be conducted at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting are provided in the attached Notice of Annual Shareholders' Meeting and Proxy Statement. We will also report on matters of current interest to our shareholders.

We hope you will be able to attend the meeting. However, even if you plan to attend in person, please vote your shares promptly to ensure they are represented at the meeting. You may submit your proxy vote by telephone or internet as described in the following materials or by completing and signing the enclosed Proxy Card and returning it in the envelope provided. If you decide to attend the meeting and wish to change your proxy vote for shares held in your name, you may do so automatically by voting in person at the meeting.

Promptly voting by telephone or internet or returning your Proxy Card in the enclosed postage prepaid envelope will help ensure that as many shares as possible are represented.

Very truly yours,

CERNER CORPORATION

Neal L. Patterson
Chairman of the Board of Directors and
Chief Executive Officer






CERNER CORPORATION
2800 ROCKCREEK PARKWAY
NORTH KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64117

NOTICE OF ANNUAL SHAREHOLDERS' MEETING
MAY 27, 2016

TO OUR SHAREHOLDERS:

The Annual Shareholders' Meeting of Cerner Corporation will be held on May 27, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., local time, in The Cerner Round Auditorium in the Cerner Vision Center, located on the Cerner campus at 2850 Rockcreek Parkway, North Kansas City, Missouri 64117, for the following purposes:

1.
To elect three Class III Directors: Gerald E. Bisbee, Jr., Ph.D., Denis A. Cortese, M.D., and Linda M. Dillman, each to serve for a three year term (see Proposal #1);

2.
The ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of Cerner Corporation for 2016 (see Proposal #2);

3.
To conduct an advisory vote to approve the compensation of our Named Executive Officers (see Proposal #3);

4.
To approve the amendment and restatement of the Cerner Corporation Performance-Based Compensation Plan (see Proposal #4); and

5.
Any other business that may properly come before the Annual Shareholders' Meeting or any postponement or adjournment thereof.

These items are more fully described in the following pages, which are made part of this notice.

The holder of record of each share of our Common Stock at the close of business on Wednesday, March 30, 2016 is entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the meeting. Shares of Common Stock can be voted at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting only if the holder is present in person or by valid proxy. The Board of Directors of Cerner Corporation solicits you to sign, date and promptly mail the Proxy Card in the enclosed postage prepaid envelope or to vote your shares by telephone or the internet, regardless of whether you intend to be present at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting. You are urged, however, to attend the Annual Shareholders' Meeting.











A copy of our Annual Report to Shareholders, which includes audited consolidated financial statements, is enclosed. The Annual Report is not part of our proxy soliciting material.
 
 
 
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Randy D. Sims
 
 
 
 
Secretary
 


You may vote your shares by telephone, via the internet or by mail by following the instructions on your Proxy Card. If you vote by telephone or via the internet, you should not return your Proxy Card. If you choose to vote by mail, please sign, date and return the Proxy Card in the envelope provided. The proxy may be revoked at any time before your shares are voted at the meeting by submitting written notice of revocation to the Secretary of Cerner Corporation or by submitting another timely proxy by telephone, internet or mail. If you are present at the meeting, you may choose to vote your shares in person, and the Proxy Card will not be used. If you hold shares through a broker, bank or other nominee, please check the voting instructions used by that broker, bank or nominee.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Shareholders' Meeting to be held on May 27, 2016: The 2016 Proxy Statement and 2015 Annual Report to Shareholders are available at www.cerner.com under "About Cerner, Investor Relations, Financial Information, Proxy Materials."







PROXY STATEMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
 
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING AND VOTING
 
 
INFORMATION CONCERNING DIRECTORS
 
 
MEETINGS OF THE BOARD AND COMMITTEES
 
 
COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD
 
 
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
 
 
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT
 
 
Guidelines of Cerner Corporation's Audit Committee for Pre-Approval of Independent Auditor Services
 
 
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT
 
 
COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
 
 
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION
 
 
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
 
 
CONSIDERATION OF DIRECTOR NOMINEES
 
 
CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS
 
 
SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
 
 
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT
 
 
PROPOSAL #1 ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
 
 
RELATIONSHIP WITH INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
 
 
Audit and Non-Audit Fees
 
 
PROPOSAL #2 RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF KPMG AS INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
 
 
PROPOSAL #3 ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
 
 
PROPOSAL #4 APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF THE CERNER CORPORATION PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION PLAN
 
 
SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS
 
 
HOUSEHOLDING OF PROXY MATERIALS
 
 
OTHER MATTERS
 
 
CERNER CORPORATION PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION PLAN (AS AMENDED AND RESTATED)
APPENDIX I






CERNER CORPORATION
2800 ROCKCREEK PARKWAY
NORTH KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI 64117
PROXY STATEMENT

2016 ANNUAL SHAREHOLDERS' MEETING
MAY 27, 2016

This Proxy Statement, which is being mailed on or about April 21, 2016, is furnished to you in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors (the "Board") of Cerner Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("Cerner," the "Company," "us," "our" or "we"), for use at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting of the Company to be held on May 27, 2016, commencing at 10:00 a.m., local time, at The Cerner Round Auditorium in the Cerner Vision Center, located on the Cerner campus at 2850 Rockcreek Parkway, North Kansas City, Missouri 64117, and any postponement or adjournment thereof. Your vote is very important. For this reason, the Board is requesting that you allow your Common Stock to be represented at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting by the persons named as proxies on the Proxy Card.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT THE ANNUAL MEETING AND VOTING

Who can vote?

 
You are entitled to vote your outstanding shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of the Company ("Common Stock") if our records show that you held your shares as of the close of business on Wednesday, March 30, 2016, the record date for our meeting. At the close of business on that date, 337,883,965 shares of Common Stock were outstanding and entitled to vote. Each share of Common Stock is entitled to one vote. The Proxy Card shows the number of shares that you are entitled to vote. Your individual vote is confidential and will not be disclosed to third parties.
 
 
 
What is the difference between a shareholder of record and a "street name" holder?
 
If your shares are registered directly in your name with our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company, N.A., you are considered the shareholder of record with respect to those shares.

If your shares are held in a stock brokerage account or by a broker, bank or other nominee, then the broker, bank or other nominee is considered to be the shareholder of record with respect to those shares. However, you still are considered the beneficial owner of those shares and your shares are said to be held in "street name." Street name holders generally cannot vote their shares directly and must instead instruct the broker, bank or other nominee how to vote their shares using the voting instruction form provided by such broker, bank or other nominee.
 
 
 

1



How do I vote?

 
If your Common Stock is held by a broker, bank or other nominee (i.e., in street name or through the Cerner Corporation Foundations Retirement Plan), you will receive instructions from the broker, bank or other nominee that you must follow in order to have your shares voted. These instructions should indicate if internet or telephone voting is available and, if so, provide details regarding how to use those systems to vote your shares. Additionally, you may vote these shares in person at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting if you have requested and received a legal proxy from your broker, bank or other nominee (the shareholder of record) giving you the right to vote these shares in person at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting.

If you hold your shares in your own name (i.e., as a holder of record), you may vote your shares over the internet, by telephone, by mail or in person. PLEASE CHOOSE ONLY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

1.    By Internet:  The website for voting is at http://www.ProxyVote.com. You may vote via the internet 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until 11:59 p.m. (ET) on May 26, 2016.

In order to vote on the internet, you need the control number on your Proxy Card. Each shareholder has a unique control number so we can ensure all voting instructions are genuine and prevent duplicate voting. If you use the internet voting system, you do not need to return your Proxy Card.

2.    By Telephone:  You may vote by telephone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until 11:59 p.m. (ET) on May 26, 2016. If you are in the United States or Canada, you may call toll-free 1 (800) 690-6903.

In order to vote by telephone, you need the control number on your Proxy Card. Each shareholder has a unique control number so we can ensure all voting instructions are genuine and prevent duplicate voting. If you use the telephone voting system, you do not need to return your Proxy Card.

3.    By Mail: To vote by mail, you may instruct the persons named as proxies how to vote your Common Stock by signing, dating and mailing the Proxy Card in the envelope provided. If you mail your Proxy Card, we must receive it before 10:00 a.m. (CT) on Friday, May 27, 2016, the day of the Annual Shareholders' Meeting.

If you are returning your Proxy Card to Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc., they must receive it before 10:00 a.m. (ET) on Thursday, May 26, 2016, the day before the Annual Shareholders' Meeting.
 
4.    In Person:  Of course, you can always come to the meeting and vote your shares in person. You can vote by any of the three methods above prior to the meeting and still attend the Annual Shareholders' Meeting. In all cases, a vote at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting will revoke any prior votes.

Depending on the number of accounts in which you hold Common Stock, you may receive and need to vote more than one control number.
 
 
 

2



How do I vote if my shares are held in the Cerner Corporation Foundations Retirement Plan?
 
If you hold any shares in the Cerner Corporation Foundations Retirement Plan (the "401(k) Plan") you are receiving, or being provided access to, the same proxy materials as any other shareholder of record. However, your proxy vote will serve as voting instructions to the 401(k) Plan trustee. Your voting instructions must be received at least three business days prior to the annual meeting in order to count. In accordance with the terms of the 401(k) Plan, the trustee will vote all of the shares held in the 401(k) Plan in the same proportion as the actual proxy votes submitted by 401(k) Plan participants as of 11:59 p.m. (ET) on May 24, 2016. So we encourage you to provide instructions to the trustee regarding the voting of your shares.
 
 
 
How may I revoke or change my proxy instructions?

 
If you are a shareholder of record and vote your shares, and later desire to revoke or change your vote (prior to the Annual Shareholders' Meeting), you may revoke and then change your initial proxy instructions by any of the following procedures:

1. Follow the telephone or internet voting instructions on how to revoke or change your vote by logging in and resubmitting your vote;

2. Send us another signed proxy with a later date that we receive before 10:00 a.m. (CT) on Friday, May 27, 2016;

3. Send a letter revoking your proxy to our Corporate Secretary that is received before 10:00 a.m. (CT) on Friday, May 27, 2016; or

4. Attend the Annual Shareholders' Meeting and vote your shares in person.

If your shares are held in "street name" through a broker, bank or other nominee, you must contact your broker, bank or nominee to receive instructions as to how to revoke your proxy if such instructions have not already been provided to you. In any case, your last properly-received and timely voted proxy or ballot will be the vote that is counted.
 
 
 
How are votes counted?
 
The Annual Shareholders' Meeting will be held if a majority of our outstanding shares entitled to vote is represented at the meeting, either in person or by properly executed proxy. If you have returned valid proxy instructions or attend the meeting in person, your shares will be counted for the purpose of determining whether there is a quorum, even if you wish to abstain from voting on some or all matters introduced at the meeting. Broker non-votes (which are discussed below) will also be counted for the purpose of determining whether there is a quorum. If a quorum is not present or represented by proxy, the Annual Shareholders' Meeting may be adjourned from time to time, without notice other than announcement at the meeting, until a quorum is obtained.

If you give us a proxy without giving specific voting instructions, your shares will be voted by the persons named as proxies as recommended by the Board. We are not aware of any other matters to be presented at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting except for those described in this Proxy Statement. However, if any other matters not described in this Proxy Statement are properly presented at the meeting, the persons named as proxies will use their own judgment to determine how to vote your shares. If the meeting is postponed or adjourned, your shares may be voted by the persons named as proxies on the new meeting date as well, unless you have revoked your proxy instructions prior to that time. All votes will be tabulated by two Inspectors of Election appointed by the Board.
 
 
 

3



What is a broker non-vote?

 
A "broker non-vote" occurs when a broker, bank or other nominee holding shares for a beneficial owner does not vote on a particular proposal because the broker, bank or other nominee does not have discretionary voting power with respect to that item and has not received instructions from the beneficial owner. Broker non-votes are counted as present or represented for purposes of determining the presence or absence of a quorum for the Annual Shareholders' Meeting, if such shares are otherwise properly represented at the meeting in person or by proxy. Broker non-votes are not counted for purposes of determining the number of shares entitled to vote on any proposal for which the broker, bank or other nominee lacks discretionary authority.

If you are a beneficial shareholder and your broker, bank or other nominee holds your shares in its name, the broker, bank or other nominee is permitted to vote your shares on the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP (Proposal #2) as the Company's independent registered public accounting firm, even if the broker, bank or other nominee does not receive voting instructions from you.

Brokers, banks and other nominees do not have discretionary voting rights with respect to the election of Directors (Proposal #1), the advisory vote to approve the compensation of our Named Executive Officers (Proposal #3), or the approval of the amendment and restatement of the Cerner Corporation Performance-Based Compensation Plan (Proposal #4). Therefore, if you do not instruct your broker, bank or other nominee on how you would like your shares voted with respect to these proposals, your shares will not be voted.  
 
 
 
May I attend the Annual Shareholders' Meeting?
 
If you were a holder of record on the record date, Wednesday, March 30, 2016, you may attend and vote at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting. If you want to vote in person any shares you hold in street name, you must get a proxy in your name from your broker, bank or other nominee.

If you are unable to attend the meeting in person, you may listen to the meeting via audio webcast through Cerner's website, www.cerner.com. Please go to our website prior to the annual meeting for details, which can be found under the About Cerner section (click Investor Relations, then Presentations and Webcasts). For those who cannot listen to the live broadcast, a replay will be available shortly after the meeting.
 
 
 

4



What vote is required?

 
In an uncontested Director election, such as this one, the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast, in person or by proxy, is required for the election of Directors (Proposal #1) (meaning the number of shares voted "For" a nominee must exceed the number of shares voted "Against" a nominee). If any nominee for Director receives a greater number of votes "Against" his or her election than votes "For" such election, our Bylaws require that such person tender his or her resignation to the Board following certification of the vote as further discussed below under "Consideration of Director Nominees - Majority Voting for Directors." Abstentions and broker non-votes are not considered votes cast for the foregoing purpose, and will have no effect on the election of nominees. No shareholder may vote in person or by proxy for more than three nominees at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting. Shareholders do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of Directors.

The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote at the meeting will be required for:

• the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for 2016 (Proposal #2);
• the approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of our Named Executive Officers (Proposal #3);
• the approval of the amendment and restatement of the Cerner Corporation Performance-Based Compensation Plan (Proposal #4); and
• any other proposal that might properly come before the meeting.
Abstentions and broker non-votes are considered to be "present" and "entitled to" vote at the meeting with respect to Proposal #s 2, 3 and 4, and as a result, abstentions and broker non-votes will have the same effect as a vote "Against" these proposals. However, as discussed above, brokers, banks and other nominees may use their discretionary voting authority with respect to the ratification of our independent registered public accounting firm (Proposal #2), so no broker non-votes are expected for this proposal.
With respect to Proposal #3 (the advisory say-on-pay vote on executive compensation), the results of this vote are not binding on the Board, whether or not any resolution is passed at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting. In evaluating the shareholder vote on this advisory resolution, the Board will consider the voting results in their entirety.
 
 
 
How does the Board recommend that I vote?
 
The Board recommends a vote in favor of:

• each nominee for Director (Proposal #1);
• the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for 2016 (Proposal #2);
• the approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of our Named Executive Officers (Proposal #3); and
• the approval of the amendment and restatement of the Cerner Corporation Performance-Based Compensation Plan (Proposal #4).
 
 
 
Who pays the cost of this proxy solicitation?
 
We will bear all costs of solicitation of proxies. We will solicit proxies by mail, except for any incidental personal solicitation made by our Directors, officers and associates (employees), for which they will not be paid. We will request brokers, banks and other nominees to forward proxy soliciting materials to the beneficial owners of stock they hold of record. We will reimburse them for their reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with the distribution of the proxy materials.
 
 
 

5



How can I receive my proxy materials by e-mail in the future?
 
Instead of receiving future paper copies of our proxy materials by mail, you can elect to receive an e-mail with links to these documents, your control number and instructions for voting over the internet. Opting to receive your proxy materials by e-mail will save the cost of producing and mailing documents to you and will also help conserve resources. Your e-mail address will be kept separate from any other company operations and will be used for no other purpose.
If we mailed you our proxy statement and annual report and you would like to sign up to receive these materials by e-mail in the future, you can choose this option by

• following the instructions provided on your proxy card or voting instruction form; or
• following the instructions provided when you vote over the internet.

Your election to receive proxy materials by email will remain in effect until you terminate it.
 
 
 
Who should I call if I have questions?
 
If you have questions about the Annual Shareholders' Meeting or voting, please call our Corporate Secretary, Randy D. Sims, at (816) 201-1024.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Shareholders' Meeting to be held on May 27, 2016: The 2016 Proxy Statement and 2015 Annual Report to Shareholders are available at www.cerner.com under "About Cerner, Investor Relations, Financial Information, Proxy Materials."


6



INFORMATION CONCERNING DIRECTORS

Our Bylaws currently provide for a Board consisting of nine persons, divided into three classes serving staggered terms of three years.

The terms of our three Class III Directors will expire at this year's Annual Shareholders' Meeting. Each of the current Class III Directors has been recommended by our Nominating, Governance & Public Policy ("NG&PP") Committee for re-election and has been nominated by our Board. Those elected as Class III Directors this year will serve as Directors until the 2019 annual meeting. The terms of the Class I and Class II Directors will expire at the 2017 and 2018 annual meetings, respectively.

The Board has determined that all seven current non-employee members of the Board are independent Directors as required by the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC ("NASDAQ"). The names and biographies of the Company's current Directors, including those individuals nominated for re-election as Class III Directors, are set forth below.

CLASS I
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mr. Danforth was a Director of the Company from May 1996 through June 2004 when he resigned to serve as a U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. Mr. Danforth served as a U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations from July 2004 through January 2005. Mr. Danforth was re-appointed by the Board as a Director of the Company in February 2005. Mr. Danforth represented the State of Missouri in the U.S. Senate for 18 years until 1995 and served as a Director of The Dow Chemical Company and MetLife, Inc. until June 2004. Mr. Danforth is a partner in the law firm Dowd Bennett LLP. Prior to joining this firm, he was a partner in the law firm of Bryan Cave LLP until September 2014. Mr. Danforth currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Commission on Presidential Debates and was a director of Greenhill & Co. from February 2005 until March 2014.

The following experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills led the Board to conclude that Mr. Danforth should be nominated and serve as a Director: his government and public policy professional background and experience, current and previously held leadership positions, his service on other public and private company boards, Cerner board experience, board attendance and participation, and his extensive experience with health care related companies and policies.
John C. Danforth
(Age 79)
Member of the:
• Compensation Committee
• Nominating, Governance &
  Public Policy Committee


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mr. Patterson has been a Director of the Company since 1980 and is a co-founder of the Company. Mr. Patterson has been Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of the Company for more than five years. Mr. Patterson also served as President of the Company from July 2010 to September 2013, a position he also held from March 1999 until August 1999.

The following experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills led the Board to conclude that Mr. Patterson should be nominated and serve as a Director: his entrepreneurial and leadership skills and proven visionary leadership while serving as the Company's Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, his information technology expertise and his extensive knowledge and understanding of the Company's business, operations, solutions and services.

Neal L. Patterson
(Age 66)
 
 
 
 

7



 
 
 
 
Mr. Zollars has been a Director of the Company since May 2005. He is the former Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of YRC Worldwide (now known as YRC Freight), which positions he held from November 1999 to July 2011. YRC Freight provides transportation and global logistics services. Prior to that, Mr. Zollars served as President of Yellow Transportation, Inc. from September 1996 through November 1999. From 1994 to 1996, Mr. Zollars was Senior Vice President of Ryder Integrated Logistics, and prior to that, Mr. Zollars held various executive positions with Eastman Kodak. Mr. Zollars also serves on the boards of directors of CIGNA Corporation and Prologis, Inc.

The following experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills led the Board to conclude that Mr. Zollars should be nominated and serve as a Director: his professional background and experience in senior-executive leadership positions at public companies, his service on other public and private company boards, Cerner board experience, board attendance and participation, and his extensive experience with large employers, industry usage of information technology and his extensive understanding of strategic planning, tactical business decision-making, risk management and corporate financial statements.
William D. Zollars
(Age 68)
Member of the:
 Audit Committee
 Compensation Committee
 
 
 
 
CLASS II
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mr. Daniels was appointed to the Board of Directors in December 2013. Mr. Daniels has been the President of Purdue University since January 2013. Prior to joining Purdue University, Mr. Daniels served as Governor of the State of Indiana. He was elected the 49th governor of Indiana in 2004 in his first bid for any elected office. He was re-elected in 2008 to a second and final term, receiving more votes than any candidate for any public office in the state's history. Mr. Daniels came from a successful career in business and government, holding numerous top management positions in both the private and public sectors. His work as the CEO of the Hudson Institute and as President of Eli Lilly & Company's North American Pharmaceutical Operations taught him the business skills he brought to state government. He also served as Chief of Staff to Senator Richard Lugar, Senior Advisor to President Ronald Reagan and Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President George W. Bush. Mr. Daniels currently serves as a member of the boards of directors for Energy Systems Network, the Commission on Presidential Debates and Interactive Intelligence Group, Inc. He also serves on the American Academy of Arts and Sciences' Commission on the Future of Undergraduate Education.

The following experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills led the Board to conclude that Mr. Daniels should serve as a Director: his government and public policy professional background and experience, his current and previously held leadership positions, his service on other public and private company boards, Cerner board experience, board attendance and participation, and his experience with health care related companies and policies.
Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr.
(Age 67)
Member of the:
 Audit Committee
• Nominating, Governance &
  Public Policy Committee
  (Chairperson)

 
 
 
 

8



 
 
 
 
Mr. Illig has been a Director of the Company since 1980 and is a co-founder of the Company. He has served as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors since March 1999. Mr. Illig previously served as Chief Operating Officer of the Company until October 1998 and as President of the Company until March 1999. Mr. Illig is also a member of the Board of Directors of Stowers Resource Management, Inc.

The following experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills led the Board to conclude that Mr. Illig should serve as a Director: his leadership skills acquired while serving as the Company's Vice Chairman of the Board, former President and former Chief Operating Officer, his information technology expertise and his extensive knowledge and understanding of the Company's business, operations, solutions and services.
Clifford W. Illig
(Age 65)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dr. Neaves has been a Director of the Company since March 2001. From June 2000 through June 2010, Dr. Neaves served as the Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board of Directors of the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, which is a biomedical research organization focused on improving our understanding of fundamental biological processes and using this knowledge to guide the development of innovative approaches to diagnose, treat and prevent disease. Dr. Neaves also served as President of the Stowers Institute from June 2000 through July 2009. He continues as a member of the Board of Directors of the Stowers Institute in his current position as President Emeritus (and a member of the boards of directors of various affiliated companies, including Stowers Resource Management, Inc., Biomed Valley Discoveries, Inc., and American Century Companies, Inc.). Prior to joining the Stowers Institute in 2000, he served for more than twenty years in various leadership positions at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He served in succession as Dean of the University of Texas Southwestern Graduate School, Dean of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, and Chief Academic Officer and holder of the Wildenthal Distinguished Chair in Biomedical Science at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Dr. Neaves is presently a member of the Board of Trustees of Washington University in St. Louis and the National Council of the Washington University School of Medicine. He is also Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

The following experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills led the Board to conclude that Dr. Neaves should serve as a Director: his medical and science-based professional background and experience, current and previously held leadership positions at privately funded research institutions and academic institutions, his service on other research-related and academic boards, Cerner board experience, board attendance and participation, and his extensive experience with genomics, health care research and corporate financial statements.
William B. Neaves, Ph.D.
(Age 72)
Member of the:
 Compensation Committee
• Nominating, Governance &
  Public Policy Committee

 


9



CLASS III
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dr. Bisbee has been a Director of the Company since February 1988. Dr. Bisbee is the co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Health Management Academy, which provides leadership development and advisory services for senior executives of the country's largest health systems and corporations and facilitates the exchange of best practices and benchmarking data, focused on increasing the quality, appropriateness and efficiency of care. From 1998 to September 2011, Dr. Bisbee was President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ReGen Biologics, Inc. ("ReGen"), which developed, manufactured and marketed orthopedic tissue repair products worldwide. Dr. Bisbee was President, Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Aros Corporation (formerly known as APACHE Medical Systems, Inc.) commencing in December 1989, serving as Chairman of the Board from December 1989 to November 1997 and from December 2000 to June 2002, when ReGen and Aros Corporation merged. ReGen filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in April 2011 and substantially all of the business and assets of ReGen were purchased by Sports Medicine Holdings Company, LLC in June 2011. Prior to 1989, Dr. Bisbee was Director of the Healthcare Group at Kidder, Peabody & Co., President of the Hospital Research and Educational Trust (the research and development arm of the American Hospital Association), and a faculty member in graduate management programs at Yale University and Northwestern University.

The following experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills led the Board to conclude that Dr. Bisbee should serve as a Director: his medical, financial and health care-based professional background and experience, current and previously held leadership positions in medical and health care-related entities, his service on research-related and academic boards, Cerner board experience, board attendance and participation, his extensive experience with health care research and specialized expertise in public company accounting and mergers and acquisitions.
Gerald E. Bisbee, Jr., Ph.D.
(Age 73)
Member of the:
 Audit Committee
  (Chairperson)
• Nominating, Governance &
  Public Policy Committee

 
 
 
 

10



 
 
 
 
Dr. Cortese has been a Director of the Company since May 2011. Dr. Cortese is currently the Emeritus President and Chief Executive Officer of Mayo Clinic, which is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult medical issues. From 2002 through November 2009, Dr. Cortese was the President, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of Governors and a Member of the Board of Trustees of Mayo Clinic. Dr. Cortese was also the Chief Executive Officer of Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida from 1999 through 2002 and worked as a physician for the Mayo Clinic from 1976 through 1999. Since January 2010, Dr. Cortese has been a Foundation Professor at Arizona State University ("ASU") in the College of Health Solutions, as well as the Director of ASU's Health Care Delivery and Policy Program. He is also the President of the Healthcare Transformation Institute based in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Cortese is currently a board member of the Essence Group, Pinnacle West Capital Corporation and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health System, and a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences (U.S.). Dr. Cortese was the chair of the Institute of Medicine's Roundtable on Evidence-Based Medicine from 2006 to 2009 and served as chair of the Roundtable on Value & Science-Driven Health Care from 2009 to 2010. He was a member of the Board of the Healthcare Leadership Council from 2003 to 2009, serving as board chair for two of those years. Dr. Cortese previously served as a member of the Harvard/Kennedy Health Policy Group and the Division of Engineering and Physical Sciences of the National Research Council and RAND Health. He is an honorary member of the Academia Nacional de Medicina (Mexico) and the Royal College of Physicians (London).

The following experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills led the Board to conclude that Dr. Cortese should serve as a Director: his medical and science-based professional background and experience, his current and previously held senior-executive level leadership positions at academic institutions and at a world-renowned health care enterprise, his service on research-related and academic boards, Cerner board experience, board attendance and participation, his extensive knowledge of and experience with internal medicine and pulmonary diseases, health care leadership and health care information technology.
Denis A. Cortese, M.D.
(Age 72)
Member of the:
 Audit Committee
 Compensation Committee
• Nominating, Governance &
  Public Policy Committee

 
 
 
 

11



 
 
 
 
Ms. Dillman has been a Director of the Company since May 2010. Since January 2012, she has been Chief Information Officer for QVC, Inc., one of the largest multimedia retailers in the world, broadcasting live 24 hours a day, 364 days a year. Prior to joining QVC, Inc., Ms. Dillman was Senior Vice President of Enterprise Services/Global Functions IT for Hewlett-Packard Company, a leading global provider of products, technologies, software, solutions and services to individual consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including customers in the government, health and education sectors, from August 2009 through January 2012. From April 2006 through July 2009, Ms. Dillman was Executive Vice President of Benefits and Risk Management for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., and prior to that, from August 2002 to April 2006, she held the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. She held various positions within Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. from 1991-2002.

The following experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills led the Board to conclude that Ms. Dillman should serve as a Director: her professional background and experience, current and previously held senior-executive level leadership positions at public companies, Cerner board experience, board attendance and participation, and her extensive knowledge of information technology, human resources and health care insurance and health care plans for large employers.
Linda M. Dillman
(Age 59)
Member of the:
 Audit Committee
 Compensation Committee
  (Chairperson)

 
 
 
 



12



MEETINGS OF THE BOARD AND COMMITTEES

The Board has established Audit, Compensation and Nominating, Governance & Public Policy Committees. The Board has adopted a written charter for each of these Committees. The full text of each charter and the Company's Corporate Governance Guidelines are available on our website located at www.cerner.com under "About Cerner, Leadership." The Board does not have an Executive Committee. During 2015, the Board held four regular meetings, the Audit Committee held eight meetings, the Compensation Committee held two meetings and the NG&PP Committee held three meetings. Each current Director attended at least 75% of the aggregate of the total meetings of the Board and the Board Committees on which the Director served during the fiscal year.

Under applicable NASDAQ Stock Market Rules ("NASDAQ Rules"), a Director of the Company will only qualify as an "independent director" if, in the opinion of the Board, that person does not have a relationship which would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a Director. The Board has determined that none of the current non-employee Directors, including the non-employee Director nominees nominated as Class III Directors, has a relationship which would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a Director and that each of the following current Directors (including the non-employee Director nominees) are "independent" as defined under Rule 5605 (a)(2) of NASDAQ Rules: Gerald E. Bisbee, Jr., Ph.D.; Denis A. Cortese, M.D.; John C. Danforth; Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr.; Linda M. Dillman; William B. Neaves, Ph.D.; and William D. Zollars. Additionally, all current and proposed members of the Audit Committee satisfy the additional independence requirements of Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). The independence determination is made by the full Board each May based on all available facts and circumstances of each Director. The "independence" finding is also reviewed and confirmed by the Company's Chief Legal Officer, Chief Financial Officer and outside legal counsel.

Pursuant to the Company's Corporate Governance Guidelines, all individuals nominated for election at the annual meeting of shareholders are expected to attend the Annual Shareholders' Meeting. All other Directors, barring unforeseen circumstances, are expected to attend the Annual Shareholders' Meeting as well. However, some or all of our directors may be unable to attend the 2016 Annual Meeting due to previously scheduled conflicts or other circumstances. All of our current Directors attended the 2015 Annual Shareholders' Meeting.


13



COMMITTEES OF THE BOARD

Audit Committee
The Audit Committee assists the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities with respect to our accounting and financial reporting practices, and in addressing the scope and expense of audit and related services provided by our independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee has the authority to obtain advice and assistance from and receive appropriate funding from the Company for outside legal, accounting or other advisors as the Audit Committee deems necessary to carry out its duties. Audit Committee membership is reviewed annually by the Company's NG&PP Committee, which then recommends the Audit Committee membership to the full Board. Audit Committee members are approved by the full Board each May. The Board has determined that the composition of the Audit Committee, the attributes of its members and the responsibilities of the Audit Committee, as reflected in its charter, are in accordance with applicable SEC rules and NASDAQ Rules for audit committees. In particular, each member of the Audit Committee is an "independent director" as defined by NASDAQ Rules applicable to issuers such as the Company that have shares listed on the NASDAQ Global Select MarketSM. All Audit Committee members possess the required level of financial literacy, and at least one member of the Audit Committee meets the current standard of requisite financial management expertise. The Board has determined that Gerald E. Bisbee, Jr., Ph.D., the Chairperson of the Audit Committee, is an "audit committee financial expert" as defined in Item 407(d)(5) of Regulation S-K of the Securities Act of 1933.

Compensation Committee
The Compensation Committee's primary responsibilities are to review and approve our compensation policies and practices, establish compensation for Directors, evaluate our Chief Executive Officer's performance and establish compensation accordingly, review and approve the total compensation of our Section 16 officers, review and approve executive performance-based compensation plan targets and earned payouts and equity grants to our Section 16 officers and adopt and approve major changes in our benefit plans and compensation philosophy. The Compensation Committee has the authority to obtain advice and assistance from and receive appropriate funding from the Company for outside compensation consultants, independent legal counsel and other consultants as the Compensation Committee deems necessary to carry out its duties.

The Compensation Committee of the Board is currently comprised of five Directors. Each member of the Compensation Committee is an "independent director" as defined by NASDAQ Rules applicable to issuers such as the Company that have shares listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. Compensation Committee membership is reviewed annually by the Company's NG&PP Committee, which then recommends the Compensation Committee membership to the full Board. Compensation Committee members are approved by the full Board each May.

The Compensation Committee meeting dates are reviewed and approved by the entire Compensation Committee, in an effort to ensure attendance, and Compensation Committee agendas are reviewed and approved prior to distribution to the rest of the Compensation Committee by the Compensation Committee Chairperson.

The Compensation Committee reviews its Charter annually and any recommended amendments to the Charter are considered for approval by the full Board of Directors. The Compensation Committee's Charter was last updated in November 2015. The Compensation Committee's scope of authority is as set forth in its Charter. The Compensation Committee has delegated its authority as follows and as approved by the Board:

Section 16 Insider Equity and Incentive Compensation Subcommittee - this subcommittee of the Compensation Committee is appointed annually and consists of "outside directors" for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code and "non-employee directors" for purposes of Section 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. It has authority to review recommendations and approve equity grants and incentive-based compensation (targets, metrics and payments) of our Section 16 officers;

Equity-based Grant Policy - Quarterly Administration Subcommittee - this subcommittee of the Compensation Committee consists of "outside directors" for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code and "non-employee directors" for purposes of Section 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act and has authority to ensure timely administration of the Equity-based Grant Policy for matters that require action between regularly scheduled Compensation Committee meetings. The Equity-based Grant Policy - Quarterly

14



Administration Subcommittee reports to the full Compensation Committee at the next Compensation Committee meeting on any action approved by such subcommittee;

Incentive Compensation Plan - Quarterly Administration Subcommittee - this subcommittee of the Compensation Committee consists of "outside directors" for purposes of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code and "non-employee directors" for purposes of Section16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act and has authority to ensure timely administration of the 401(k) Plan for matters that require action between regularly scheduled Compensation Committee meetings and to make decisions with regard to any discretionary second tier match contribution made by the Company under our 401(k) Plan. The Incentive Compensation Plan - Quarterly Administration Subcommittee reports to the full Compensation Committee at the next Compensation Committee meeting on any action approved by such subcommittee; and

Foundations Retirement Plan Administrative and Investment Committee - this committee currently consists of the Chief Financial Officer, Chief People Officer, Vice President, Compensation & Benefits and one other corporate executive named by the first three members. The committee has authority to: i) select, monitor and manage the third party administrator, recordkeeper, custodian and trustee of our 401(k) Plan; ii) monitor the 401(k) Plan's reporting to the IRS and Department of Labor, the 401(k) Plan's ERISA compliance, 401(k) Plan audits and the payment of 401(k) Plan expenses; iii) monitor and evaluate disclosures by the 401(k) Plan to participants and beneficiaries; iv) ensure maintenance of fiduciary liability insurance coverage and the ERISA fidelity bond coverage; v) research and recommend 401(k) Plan amendments; vi) adopt, review and carry out investment policies and objectives for the 401(k) Plan; vii) review and select the investment options offered under the 401(k) Plan; viii) select and monitor the 401(k) Plan's investment managers and fund providers; ix) supervise, monitor and evaluate the performance of the investment options offered under the 401(k) Plan; x) periodically review the 401(k) Plan's investment performance as a whole; xi) monitor the compensation received by the 401(k) Plan's service providers; xii) retain independent outside consultants; and (xiii) carry out any special assignments given by the Compensation Committee.

Compensation Consultant
The Compensation Committee was advised in 2015 by a compensation consultant, Deloitte Consulting LLP. See "Compensation Discussion and Analysis - Compensation Strategy and Objectives."

Relationship between Compensation and Risk Management
In 2016, the Compensation Committee utilized Cerner's internal Enterprise Risk Management ("ERM") team to perform a review of the Company's 2015 incentive compensation arrangements.  More specifically, the ERM team reviewed the eighteen metrics that make up over 80% of the total planned incentive compensation. Each metric was reviewed and tested for the following: appropriateness for the roles compensated and any unintended behaviors the metric may incent; segregation of duties between the associates setting the metric targets, providing the results, and being compensated on the metric; and the accuracy of the payout calculation.  The Compensation Committee assessed the ERM report and concluded that our incentive compensation arrangements, coupled with internal controls and policies, do not encourage associates to: i) take excessive risks that are likely to cause material adverse harm to the Company or ii) manipulate performance in order to increase incentive award payouts.

Specifically, the Compensation Committee noted a number of design features of our incentive compensation program that mitigate risk, including:

stock ownership guidelines for executives may reduce the risk of executives making decisions that benefit them in the short-term at the expense of the Company's long-term performance;

the design of annual incentives provides for the taking of a reasonable amount of risk in order to provide upside incentive compensation opportunity, while a payout cap on the incentives reduces risk by limiting the amount of short-term compensation that may be earned;

incentive goals are established using a rigorous and time-tested process and are tied to the Company's annual plan;

15




incentive plan metrics and goals for Section 16 officers are approved by the Compensation Committee within the first 90 days of each year and goals are not altered during the performance cycle;

the Company has a rigorous verification and review process to calculate the performance of each incentive plan; and

performance-based cash compensation is subject to "claw back" pursuant to performance plan agreements for all associates receiving cash incentives.

Nominating, Governance & Public Policy Committee
The NG&PP Committee provides assistance and recommendations to the Board and the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company in the areas of: i) Board membership nomination; ii) committee membership selection and rotation practices; iii) evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the Board; iv) review and consideration of developments in corporate governance practices; and v) review and consideration of current and emerging political, corporate citizenship and public policy issues that may affect our business operations, performance or public image.

The NG&PP Committee reviews its Charter annually and any recommended amendments to the Charter are considered for approval by the full Board of Directors. The NG&PP Committee's Charter was last updated in March 2014.


16



DIRECTOR COMPENSATION

For the 2015-2016 Board year (May 2015 - May 2016), non-employee Directors received an annual cash retainer of $66,000. In addition, each Committee Chairperson received an additional annual cash retainer as follows: $27,500 for the Audit Committee Chairperson, $17,500 for the Compensation Committee Chairperson and $12,500 for the NG&PP Committee Chairperson. Also, each member of the committees (excluding the Chairperson) received an additional annual cash retainer as follows: $10,000 for the Audit Committee, $5,000 for the Compensation Committee and $2,500 for the NG&PP Committee. The Directors are not paid meeting fees. All cash retainers as disclosed above are paid in quarterly installments.

Each non-employee Director also receives a grant of restricted stock of the Company for each year of service on the Board. The equity component of the Board compensation package is based on a target dollar amount, not a fixed share amount (in order to avoid unintended compensation fluctuations based on stock price fluctuations, stock-splits, combination or other changes in the number or type of the Company's shares outstanding). The target for the equity compensation component of the total annual Board compensation package for the May 2015 to May 2016 Board service period was set at approximately $250,000. In May 2015, pursuant to the Board equity compensation program, 3,700 shares of restricted stock of the Company were granted to each of the then-current non-employee Directors: Dr. Bisbee, Dr. Cortese, Mr. Danforth, Mr. Daniels, Ms. Dillman, Dr. Neaves and Mr. Zollars. These restricted stock grants will vest in May 2016 at the completion of each respective Director's one year of service to the Board.

Additionally, under the Board equity compensation program, each non-employee Director that is newly appointed or elected to the Board receives an initial grant of shares of restricted stock of the Company with a value equal to the annual equity grant value as discussed above, with a ratable vesting over three years. There were no new Directors eligible to receive an initial appointment or election grant during the 2015-2016 Board year.

The independent compensation consultant retained by the Compensation Committee works with our human resources compensation team each year to review our current Board compensation package relative to our peer group. Our Chief People Officer reviews this work and makes compensation recommendations to our Compensation Committee and Board with respect to the non-employee Directors. The Compensation Committee, after review and discussion of the items set forth above, makes the ultimate decision as to the total compensation and compensation components of our non-employee Directors.

The Directors are subject to the same Stock Ownership Guidelines that apply to the Company's officers. The guidelines are further discussed in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section below. As of January 1, 2016, at the annual measurement date, all non-employee Directors were in compliance with these guidelines.

17



2015 Director Compensation Table

The following table contains information regarding the compensation earned by non-employee Directors during 2015.
Name
 
Fees Earned or Paid in Cash ($)
 
Stock Awards ($) (1)
 
Option Awards ($) (2)
 
Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation ($)
 
Change in Pension Value and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Earnings ($)
 
All Other Compensation ($)
 
Total ($)
Gerald E. Bisbee, Jr., Ph.D.
 
96,000

 
252,821

 

 

 

 

 
348,821

Denis A. Cortese, M.D.
 
83,500

 
252,821

 

 

 

 

 
336,321

John C. Danforth
 
73,500

 
252,821

 

 

 

 

 
326,321

Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr.
 
88,500

 
252,821

 

 

 

 

 
341,321

Linda M. Dillman
 
93,500

 
252,821

 

 

 

 

 
346,321

William B. Neaves, Ph.D.
 
73,500

 
252,821

 

 

 

 

 
326,321

William D. Zollars
 
81,000

 
252,821

 

 

 

 

 
333,821


(1)
These amounts reflect the aggregate grant date fair value of each award granted to the non-employee Director computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. As of January 2, 2016, each then-current non-employee Director had the following number of restricted stock awards outstanding: Gerald E. Bisbee, Jr., Ph.D., 3,700; Denis A. Cortese, M.D., 3,700; John C. Danforth, 3,700; Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr., 6,500; Linda M. Dillman, 3,700; William B. Neaves, Ph.D., 3,700; and William D. Zollars, 3,700.

(2)
As of January 2, 2016, none of the non-employee Directors had any stock options outstanding.

18



AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in any of the Company's filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the following report of the Audit Committee shall not be incorporated by reference into any such filings and shall not otherwise be deemed to be soliciting material or filed under such Acts.

The Audit Committee of the Company is currently composed of five independent members of the Board of Directors (all of whom have been determined by the Board to meet the independence requirements of the SEC and NASDAQ) and operates under a written charter adopted by the Board of Directors that is available at the Company's website, www.cerner.com. The Audit Committee appoints and retains the Company's independent registered public accounting firm. The selection is subsequently submitted to the shareholders of the Company for ratification.

Management is responsible for the Company's internal controls and the financial reporting process. The Company's independent registered public accounting firm, KPMG LLP, is responsible for performing an independent audit of the Company's consolidated financial statements and issuing an opinion on the conformity of those audited consolidated financial statements with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and on the effectiveness of the Company's internal control over financial reporting. The Audit Committee's responsibility is to monitor and oversee these processes and to report to the Board of Directors on its findings.

In this context, the Audit Committee has met and held discussions with management and the Company's independent registered public accounting firm. Management represented to the Audit Committee that the Company's consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and the Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the consolidated financial statements with management and the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee discussed with the Company's independent registered public accounting firm matters required to be discussed by Public Company Accounting Oversight Board Auditing Standard No. 16 (codified as Auditing Standard No. 1301), Communications with Audit Committees.

The Company's independent registered public accounting firm also provided to the Audit Committee the written disclosures and letter required by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board regarding the independent accountant's communications with the Audit Committee concerning independence, and the Audit Committee has discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm that firm's independence.

Based upon the Audit Committee's discussions with management and the independent registered public accounting firm and the Audit Committee's review of the audited financial statements, the representation of management and the report of the independent registered public accounting firm to the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee recommended that the Board of Directors include the audited consolidated financial statements in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 2, 2016 for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Members of the Audit Committee:
Gerald E. Bisbee, Jr., Ph.D.
Denis A. Cortese, M.D.
Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr.
Linda M. Dillman
William D. Zollars
____________________


19



Guidelines of Cerner Corporation's Audit Committee
for Pre-Approval of Independent Auditor Services

The Audit Committee has adopted guidelines regarding the engagement of our independent registered public accounting firm to perform services for the Company. For audit services (including statutory audit engagements as required under local country laws), audit-related services and permissible non-audit services, the independent auditor will provide the Audit Committee with an engagement letter during the first quarter of each year outlining the scope of services proposed to be performed during the fiscal year. If agreed to by the Audit Committee, this engagement letter will be formally accepted by the Audit Committee at its March meeting.

Upon receiving an unforeseen request for audit, audit-related or non-audit services or a change in the fee range, the independent registered public accounting firm will provide our management a detailed scope of service description and fee range. A request is then made for pre-approval of such services or fees from the Chairperson of the Audit Committee. To ensure prompt handling of unexpected matters, the Chairperson of the Audit Committee has been delegated authority from the Audit Committee to amend or modify the scope of pre-approved permissible audit, audit-related or non-audit services and the fees related thereto.

All action taken with respect to pre-approval of audit, audit-related or non-audit services and fees will be included in the independent accounting firm's materials shared with the Audit Committee as part of their required communications with the Audit Committee.  With respect to any such pre-approval of non-audit services, the independent registered public accounting firm will confirm to the Audit Committee Chairperson that such non-audit services are permissible under all applicable legal requirements and do not impair the independent registered public accounting firm's independence under applicable professional standards.

The independent registered public accounting firm must ensure that all audit, audit-related and non-audit services provided to the Company have been approved by the Audit Committee (or the Chairperson, as applicable).


20



COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in any of the Company's filings under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the following report of the Compensation Committee shall not be incorporated by reference into any such filings and shall not otherwise be deemed to be soliciting material or filed under such Acts.

The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed with management the Compensation Discussion and Analysis required by Item 402(b) of Regulation S-K and set forth below, and, based upon that review and discussion, recommended to the Board that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in this Proxy Statement.

Members of the Compensation Committee:
Denis A. Cortese, M.D.
John C. Danforth
Linda M. Dillman
William B. Neaves, Ph.D.
William D. Zollars
____________________


21



COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

This section explains our executive compensation program and specifically describes the application of that program to the following Named Executive Officers ("NEOs") whose compensation information is presented in the tables and narrative discussion below in accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission rules.
Neal L. Patterson
 
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Marc G. Naughton
 
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
Jeffrey A. Townsend
 
Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff
Michael R. Nill
 
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
Zane M. Burke
 
President

In addition, as discussed in Proposal #3 below, we are conducting our annual advisory "say-on-pay" vote requesting your non-binding advisory approval of the compensation to our NEOs as outlined in this Compensation Discussion and Analysis and the tables and narrative discussion that follow. In this discussion, we summarize our executive compensation programs and objectives and provide an overview of how and why the Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors made specific compensation decisions regarding our NEOs.

Executive Summary

2015 Business Results. A significant portion of the total compensation of our NEOs is directly linked to our performance. Highlights of the year include:

A 28% increase in our new business bookings revenue to $5.4 billion compared to $4.3 billion in 2014. New business bookings revenue reflects the value of executed contracts for software, hardware, professional services and managed services.

A 30% increase in our revenues to $4.4 billion compared to $3.4 billion in 2014. The year-over-year increase in revenue was largely driven by the addition of the Cerner Health Services business, but also reflects ongoing demand for Cerner's core solutions and services driven by our clients' needs to keep up with regulatory requirements, increased contributions from Cerner ITWorksSM and Cerner revenue cycle solutions and services, and attaining new clients.

A 29% increase in our adjusted net earnings and a 28% increase in our adjusted diluted earnings per share. Adjusted net earnings and adjusted diluted earnings per share exclude share-based compensation expense, adjustments related to the acquired Cerner Health Services business and costs related to a voluntary separation plan.

Cash collections of receivables of $4.4 billion compared to $3.5 billion in 2014. Days sales outstanding was 80 days for the 2015 fourth quarter compared to 85 days for the 2015 third quarter and 66 days for the 2014 fourth quarter. Operating cash flows were strong at $948 million compared to $847 million in 2014.

The foregoing discussion includes the operating results of the Cerner Health Services business, which was acquired from Siemens AG on February 2, 2015.

Compensation Strategy. Our compensation strategy is designed to offer competitive compensation packages to attract, motivate and reward qualified associates who contribute significant value to us and reward performance, such as attainment of business and individual associate goals, business results, leadership, and strong relationships with clients, and is not based on rewarding seniority. We received a 98% vote of support in favor of our executive compensation in our say-on-pay vote at the 2015 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Given the say-on-pay vote and the results achieved with our compensation policies, the Compensation Committee has determined that our approach to 2016 compensation policies and decisions will remain consistent with our 2015 approach.


22



Performance Management Philosophy. Our compensation strategy is linked to our performance management philosophy which is designed to identify and reward associate performance through compensation. We believe in pay for performance as represented by our NEO pay mix.  In 2015, 82% of the total compensation paid to our Chief Executive Officer ("CEO") and other NEOs combined was performance-based. Our performance-based compensation consists of the performance-based cash incentive plan, stock options and performance-based restricted stock grants. During 2015, our management team continued practices established to closely link pay to performance.  A quarterly performance review process was used to provide quarterly assessments of executives on their performance and attainment of our goals.

Other aspects of our compensation program are intended to further align our executives' interests with shareholders. These include:

An Equity-based Grant Policy, which is designed to ensure equity award grant dates will be outside of trading blackout periods except for new hires and as specifically approved by the Compensation Committee.

Performance-based compensation paid to our NEOs is subject to "claw back" pursuant to performance plan agreements with our NEOs.

Stock ownership guidelines that require the retention of a percentage of the equity awards made to our officers and outside Directors, except that the ownership guidelines apply in decreasing percentages based on tenure, upon retirement or upon hardship.  We believe our retention guidelines generally lead to significantly higher stock ownership requirements than other companies.

Our internal pay equity guidelines provide that the CEO's total cash compensation shall not be more than three times that of the next highest executive officer's total cash compensation.

Compensation Structure. Compensation for our NEOs includes: i) base salary, ii) performance-based cash incentive compensation and iii) long-term incentive plan compensation, consisting of stock options and performance-based restricted shares.  To provide incentives to attain our business goals, a significant portion of executive compensation is at-risk and tied to individual and Company performance. We provide our NEOs with relatively limited perquisites and, except in limited circumstances (see Summary Compensation Table), do not pay tax gross-ups on any of our perquisites, severance pay or change in control payments.

We also have medical, dental, vision, 401(k) and associate stock purchase plans in which Company contributions are made to the NEOs on the same basis as all other associates.  The cost of these plans and opportunity for benefits thereunder are the same for the NEOs as for all other associates.

Compensation Strategy and Objectives
Our compensation strategy is designed to offer competitive compensation packages to attract, motivate and reward qualified associates who contribute significant value to us. Our compensation program is designed to reward performance, such as attainment of business and individual associate goals, business results, leadership, and strong relationships with clients, and is not based on rewarding seniority. We believe this strategy allows us to attract qualified candidates and promote a pay for performance culture. This compensation strategy is linked to our performance management philosophy which is designed to identify and reward associate performance through compensation. We analyze the total compensation for our NEOs compared to the compensation of the corresponding NEOs in our peer group to support alignment with our strategy of paying aggregate compensation that approximates the median (50th percentile) of our peer group, with top performers able to earn above the median. We believe this strategy keeps us competitive in the marketplace.


23



The independent compensation consultant retained by the Compensation Committee works with our human resources compensation team each year to develop, analyze and compare peer group companies whose annual revenue, revenue growth, operating margin, total shareholder return (one year and three year), market capitalization, market capitalization as a multiple of revenue and business model are similar to that of Cerner's. The Compensation Committee then reviews and approves our peer group for the upcoming year. The companies included in our 2015 peer group for compensation comparison were selected based on standard industrial classifications ("SIC") and/or financial measures. The SICs used were computer programming and data processing, computer programming services, prepackaged software, computer integrated system design and computer processing and data preparation services. The financial measures used to obtain information for our 2015 peer group were market capitalization of $4.1 billion to $40.7 billion, market capitalization to revenue multiple of at least 2 times and revenues of $2.3 billion to $13.6 billion. Our peer group changed slightly from 2014 due to the increased range of the financial measures we use each year to reflect the growth of Cerner; therefore Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc., Genpact Limited and Nuance Communications, Inc. were removed from, and Fiserv, Inc., Global Payments, Inc. and Open Text Corporation were added to, the peer group we used in 2015 as compared to 2014. The 17 companies included in our 2015 peer group were:
2015 Compensation Peer Group
Company Name
 
Ticker
Adobe Systems, Inc.
 
ADBE
Akamai Technologies, Inc.
 
AKAM
Autodesk, Inc.
 
ADSK
Cadence Design Systems, Inc.
 
CDNS
Citrix Systems, Inc.
 
CTXS
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation
 
CTSH
Equinix, Inc.
 
EQIX
F5 Networks, Inc.
 
FFIV
Fiserv, Inc.
 
FISV
Global Payments, Inc.
 
GPN
Intuit, Inc.
 
INTU
Open Text Corporation
 
OTEX
Red Hat, Inc.
 
RHT
Salesforce.com, Inc.
 
CRM
Synopsys, Inc.
 
SNPS
Teradata Corporation
 
TDC
VMWare, Inc.
 
VMW

At the beginning of each fiscal year, the Compensation Committee reviews our peer group and the history of all the elements of each NEO's total compensation, including base salary, performance-based cash incentive compensation and long-term incentive plan compensation, over each of the past three years in relation to the total compensation and compensation elements of the corresponding executive officers of the companies in our peer group. Typically, our CEO, along with our Chief People Officer, makes compensation recommendations to the Compensation Committee with respect to the NEOs (excluding the CEO's compensation). The other NEOs do not participate in NEO compensation recommendations. The Compensation Committee Chairperson reviews the peer group comparisons with the Chief People Officer and makes compensation recommendations to the Compensation Committee with respect to the CEO. The Compensation Committee, after review and discussion of the items set forth above, makes the ultimate decision as to the total compensation and compensation components for our CEO and the other NEOs.

The Compensation Committee has authority to secure the services of advisers both internal and external to the Company, including the retention of outside consultants to review executive compensation, Board of Director compensation and to perform any other analysis the Compensation Committee deems appropriate. Historically, the Compensation

24



Committee has worked with our internal resources, such as the Chief People Officer and the human resources compensation team, along with the outside consultant to carry-out its responsibilities. The Compensation Committee engaged Deloitte Consulting LLP ("Deloitte Consulting"), an independent compensation consultant, to assist it in fulfilling its responsibility during 2015. Deloitte Consulting was retained directly by the Compensation Committee and worked with the Compensation Committee for eleven years through 2011 and since the beginning of 2015. During 2015, Deloitte Consulting was engaged to advise the Compensation Committee regarding executive and Board compensation matters, including competitive pay analysis, peer group selection, updates on trends in executive and director compensation, and review of the Compensation Discussion and Analysis and related tables included in our 2015 Proxy Statement.

The fees charged by Deloitte Consulting for compensation consulting services during 2015 were $60,336. During 2015, affiliates of Deloitte Consulting provided other services to Cerner that were unrelated to executive compensation matters. The decision to engage affiliates of Deloitte Consulting for these other services was made by our management. For these non-compensation related consulting services, we paid Deloitte Consulting and its affiliates approximately $13,300,000. The Compensation Committee and the Board have been informed of this ongoing work and the use of affiliates of Deloitte for services unrelated to executive compensation matters, but neither the Board nor the Compensation Committee specifically approved these services.

After considering the independence of Deloitte Consulting by applying the factors required by SEC and NASDAQ Rules and determining that no conflict of interest exists, the Compensation Committee engaged Deloitte Consulting as its independent compensation consultant for 2016.

Aligning Pay with Performance
During 2015, our management team continued practices established to closely link pay to performance. A quarterly performance review process was used to provide regular assessments of executives on their performance and attainment of Company goals. Under this program, any executive whose performance was evaluated as being in the bottom 10% of all executives was not generally eligible for pay increases or additional stock option or other equity grants. In addition, such executive's performance-based cash incentive compensation award, if earned, may be reduced or eliminated due to the individual's performance rating.

Compensation Elements
Compensation for our NEOs includes: i) base salary, ii) performance-based cash incentive compensation, and iii) long-term incentive plan compensation, consisting of stock options and performance-based restricted shares. To provide incentives to attain our business goals, a significant portion of executive compensation is at-risk and tied to individual and Company performance. Additionally, we provide our NEOs with a relatively limited number of perquisites, which the Compensation Committee believes are reasonable. Our process for allocating between short-term and long-term compensation is to ensure adequate base salary and cash bonus opportunity to attract and retain executives, while providing incentives to maximize long-term value for us and our shareholders. We determine the mix of base salary and performance-based cash incentive compensation by balancing the needs of providing adequate guaranteed cash compensation while at the same time providing a meaningful incentive to motivate the executive to achieve the established performance targets. In 2015, cash compensation for the NEOs ranged from 35% to 50% in base salary and 50% to 65% in targeted performance-based cash incentive compensation. Our equity compensation ranged from 56% to 100% in non-qualified stock options and 0% to 44% in performance-based restricted stock awards. Our total compensation package mix for the NEOs in 2015 ranged from 33% to 47% in cash compensation and 53% to 67% in equity compensation. The compensation mix of our NEOs did not change significantly over the previous year. We believe this formula is competitive within the marketplace, appropriate to fulfill our corporate objectives and addresses the goals outlined below under "Long-Term Incentive Plan Compensation."

Base Salary. As set forth above, the Compensation Committee reviews peer group data and recommendations proposed by the CEO, Chief People Officer and human resources compensation team prior to approving the base salary of our NEOs during the first quarter of each calendar year. Base salary is based on the duties and responsibilities that each NEO is expected to discharge during the current year and on the NEO's performance during the prior year. We also perform external market comparisons for the NEOs, relative to industry-specific peers as disclosed above, based

25



on individual job responsibility. This comparison data helps ensure that the proposed NEO's compensation is within reasonable market comparison ranges and in line with our compensation strategy, detailed above.

Performance-Based Cash Incentive Compensation. Our Cerner Corporation Performance-Based Compensation Plan (as Amended and Restated May 22, 2015) ("Performance-Based Compensation Plan") is designed to provide a meaningful incentive on both a quarterly and annual basis to key associates and NEOs and to motivate them to assist in achieving short-term Company goals. In 2015, approximately 25% of our associates were eligible for some form of performance-based cash incentive compensation. The number of associates eligible for compensation under our Performance-Based Compensation Plan during 2015 increased following the acquisition of the Cerner Health Services business, but has decreased during 2016 as we have aligned our pay practices. These associates are typically sales or executive level associates. Individual payments vary, depending on individual performance and, in some cases, business unit operational achievements. We grant these cash incentives pursuant to our shareholder approved Performance-Based Compensation Plan. Each of our NEOs is eligible to participate in this plan.

The Performance-Based Compensation Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee, which establishes performance metrics, eligibility requirements and ranges of incentive amounts. Under the general feature of the plan, for which our NEOs are not eligible, the performance metrics may vary from participant to participant. Adjustments to the performance metrics may be made during the year as appropriate, for example, to take into account unusual or unanticipated Company or industry-wide developments. Final determination of amounts paid to a participant under the general feature of the plan may also be adjusted downward depending on subjective evaluations by the participant's executive or manager.

Performance targets for the upcoming year are initially developed and recommended by management in connection with our annual financial planning process during the last quarter of the year. The Compensation Committee reviews the performance targets proposed by management for the NEOs to ensure they reflect appropriate business growth and return to our shareholders.

All of our NEOs are eligible to participate under the executive feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan. Payments made under the executive feature are designed with the intent to qualify as "performance-based" compensation under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, and to enable us to deduct the amount of the payments to the greatest extent permitted thereunder. The Section 16 Insider Equity and Incentive Compensation Subcommittee of the Compensation Committee ("Equity and Incentive Subcommittee"), comprised solely of outside directors as defined under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, establishes the measure or measures of financial performance and/or the target levels of operational performance ("Executive Targets") prior to or at the beginning of the correlated performance period. The measurement of the achievement of such Executive Targets is determined under pre-established objective formulas. The Equity and Incentive Subcommittee may select metrics such as earnings per share ("EPS"), operating margins, agreement margins or other metrics specifically permitted by the executive feature of the plan. The Equity and Incentive Subcommittee selects Executive Targets which it believes will help drive business growth and return to our shareholders while providing a meaningful incentive on both a quarterly and annual basis to the participants. Once established, the Executive Targets under the executive feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan may not be changed. Payments awarded to NEOs under the executive feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan may only be adjusted downward, based on a subjective analysis of the NEO's overall performance, from the maximum payment amount available to such executive officer. The maximum cash-based award available is 165% of the target incentive amount. This maximum level of award can be reduced by up to 25% of the target incentive amount (which reduces the maximum level of award down to 140% of the target incentive amount) if either an NEO's individual performance rating is less than a predesignated performance level (but which is higher than a threshold level) or management or the Compensation Committee does not elect to factor in individual performance ratings in Performance-Based Compensation Plan payments. The maximum cash-based award available will also be reduced if either the level of achievement of the Executive Targets is less than the maximum target incentive or management or the Compensation Committee elects to reduce the maximum payment amount due to an individual performance rating below a threshold level or for other reasons. Regardless of amounts earned in connection with achieving the Executive Targets, the maximum possible payout under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan is capped at 200% of base salary at the time the performance targets are approved for our CEO and 175% of base salary at the time the performance targets are approved for the other NEOs, unless the administrator of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan expressly

26



acknowledges that the availability of Internal Revenue Code Section 162(m)'s performance-based compensation exemption is not desired.

Between Compensation Committee meetings, the Incentive Compensation Plan - Quarterly Administration Subcommittee may approve quarterly Executive Targets and determine whether one or more Executive Targets have been satisfied, prior to payment by us to any NEO.

During 2015, the Executive Targets for our NEOs consisted solely of EPS, which was chosen to help drive business growth and return to our shareholders while providing a meaningful incentive on both a quarterly and annual basis. We have primarily used EPS as the sole performance metric for our NEOs since 2007. The EPS targets and results we use for our Performance-Based Compensation Plan are non-GAAP financial measures and exclude share-based compensation expense, acquisition-related adjustments, and nonrecurring, infrequent or unusual items, such as a lower than planned tax rate and voluntary separation plan expenses, which were excluded in 2015. We believe this is the best determination of our financial performance and takes into account the impact of certain items that were not originally contemplated in setting plan targets.

As a result of our 2015 performance relative to the attainment of the established Executive Targets, we made cash awards to our NEOs under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan. Aggregate incentives paid to our NEOs in the 2015 fiscal year were 79% of the target incentive amount and 61% of the maximum cash incentive opportunity. Payouts were based solely on attainment of the established EPS targets and no discretionary changes based on individual performance were made to the amounts earned. Additionally, no cash payments tied to individual performance were made in 2015. The following tables detail the payouts by performance plan metric for our NEOs in 2015 and the related performance plan metric attainment by quarter.
NEO
Performance Metric
Perform-ance Plan Target ($)
Results Relative to Performance Plan Target ($) (1)
Target Attain-ment %
Target Incentive Amount ($)
Actual Amount Earned ($) (2)
% Earned Relative to Target Incentive Amount
Maximum Cash Incentive Opportunity ($)
% Earned of Maximum Cash Incentive Opportunity
Neal L. Patterson
Earnings Per Share
2.06
2.04
99%
1,838,250

1,448,813

79%
2,050,000

71%
Marc G. Naughton
Earnings Per Share
2.06
2.04
99%
491,250

387,187

79%
810,563

48%
Jeffrey A. Townsend
Earnings Per Share
2.06
2.04
99%
767,500

605,063

79%
1,050,000

58%
Michael R. Nill
Earnings Per Share
2.06
2.04
99%
767,500

605,063

79%
1,050,000

58%
Zane M. Burke
Earnings Per Share
2.06
2.04
99%
767,500

605,063

79%
1,050,000

58%
Totals of Named Executive Officers
 
 
 
 
4,632,000

3,651,189

79%
6,010,563

61%

(1)
The results relative to the performance plan target reflect adjustments compared to results reported on a Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") basis in our 2015 consolidated financial statements, included in the 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K. These numbers have been adjusted by the Equity and Incentive Subcommittee for performance-based cash incentive calculation purposes to exclude share-based compensation expense and the impact of certain items that were not originally contemplated in setting plan targets, including a lower tax rate than planned, voluntary separation plan expenses, part of Cerner Health Services' performance excluded from the targets, and acquisition-related adjustments.

27



The following table provides a reconciliation of our GAAP diluted EPS compared to the adjusted diluted EPS results used for our Performance-Based Compensation Plan:
Diluted earnings per share (GAAP)
$
1.54

Share-based compensation expense, net of tax
0.15

Acquisition-related adjustments, net of tax
0.33

Voluntary separation plan expense, net of tax
0.09

Cerner Health Services performance excluded from target
(0.02
)
Lower tax rate than planned
(0.05
)
Adjusted diluted earnings per share (Performance-Based Compensation Plan)
$
2.04


k
(2)
Amounts earned were based solely on attainment of the performance metric and do not include any reduction related to individual performance ratings. Also, no amounts tied to individual performance ratings were paid in 2015.
Performance Metric Summary (EPS)
Measurement Period
Target (1)
Results (2)
Attainment %
Payout %
Quarterly Weighting (3)
Q1
$0.42
$0.41
98%
75%
15%
Q2 YTD
$0.94
$0.95
101%
100%
15%
Q3 YTD
$1.48
$1.47
99%
75%
15%
Q4 YTD
$2.06
$2.04
99%
75%
55%

(1)
Target reflects the 100% performance payout level.

(2)
The results relative to the performance plan target reflect adjustments compared to results reported on a GAAP basis. These numbers have been adjusted by the Compensation Committee for performance-based cash incentive calculation purposes to exclude share-based compensation expense and the impact of certain items that were not originally contemplated in setting plan targets, including a lower tax rate than planned, voluntary separation plan expenses, part of Cerner Health Services' performance excluded from the targets, and acquisition-related adjustments.

(3)
Quarterly weightings of the annual target incentive amounts, resulting in a weighted-average aggregate incentive payout of 79% by multiplying the payout percentage for each quarter by that quarter's weighting.

During 2015, the NEOs except for Mr. Patterson, who is discussed separately below, earned total cash compensation as follows:
NEO
Base Salary Earned ($)
Performance-Based Compensation Plan Payments Earned ($)
Total Cash Compensation Earned ($)
Marc G. Naughton
501,827

387,187

889,014

Jeffrey A. Townsend
623,654

605,063

1,228,717

Michael R. Nill
623,654

605,063

1,228,717

Zane M. Burke
623,654

605,063

1,228,717


In 2016, our human resources compensation team, together with executive management, reviewed and considered with the Compensation Committee compensation alternatives related to base salary, performance-based cash incentive

28



compensation and long-term incentive plan compensation. Based on this review, the Compensation Committee determined that our compensation approach under all three types of compensation meets the needs and serves the purposes as set forth in this Compensation Discussion and Analysis. For 2016, the Compensation Committee has approved the continued use of EPS as the sole performance metric for all NEOs. We continue to believe this metric aligns well with our internal financial imperatives to expand operating margin and grow bottom line earnings, and the Compensation Committee believes this is the best performance metric to help drive business growth and return to our shareholders while providing a meaningful incentive on both a quarterly and annual basis to our NEOs. The 2015 EPS performance for incentive compensation purposes represented 26% growth over 2014, which represented a higher growth rate than historical periods due to contributions from the Cerner Health Services business. The 2016 Executive Targets are derived from the 2016 financial plan approved by the Board of Directors and reflect expected earnings growth between 9% and 17%. Similar to 2015, the 2016 maximum performance-based cash incentive opportunity for the NEOs is 165% of the target incentive amount, which can be reduced by up to 25% of the target incentive amount (which reduces the maximum level of award down to 140% of the target incentive amount) if either an NEO's individual performance rating is less than a predesignated performance level (but which is higher than a threshold level) or management or the Compensation Committee does not elect to factor in individual performance ratings in Performance-Based Compensation Plan payments. The maximum cash-based award available will also be reduced if either the level of achievement of the Executive Targets is less than the maximum target incentive or management or the Compensation Committee elects to reduce the maximum payment amount due to an individual performance rating below a threshold level or for other reasons. The EPS target designated for each level of payout, as a percentage of the performance target, is consistent with prior years.

Performance-based compensation paid to our NEOs for all years beginning with 2008 is subject to "claw back" provisions pursuant to performance plan agreements with our NEOs. These agreements have language stating that in the event we implement a Mandatory Restatement (as defined in the Performance-Based Compensation Plan), which restatement relates to the respective fiscal year, some or all of any amounts paid as an incentive payment earned by the NEO under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan and related to such restated period(s) will be recoverable and must be repaid, in most cases, within 90 days of such restatement(s). The amount to be repaid will be the amount by which the incentive compensation paid or received exceeds the amount that would have been paid or received based on the financial results reported in the restated financial statement(s). Additionally, since 2008, the language in our performance agreements pursuant to the Performance-Based Compensation Plan has provided that all participants (including our NEOs) will be required to repay all incentive compensation payments earned under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan that relate to such restated periods if they are individually found by our Board of Directors to have engaged in fraud or misconduct that caused or partially caused the need for a Mandatory Restatement.

Long-Term Incentive Plan Compensation. Awards under our Cerner Corporation 2011 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan (the "Long-Term Incentive Plan") may consist of stock options, restricted stock and performance shares, as well as other awards including stock appreciation rights, phantom stock and performance unit awards, which may be payable in the form of Common Stock or cash at the Compensation Committee's discretion. In 2015, the Equity and Incentive Subcommittee approved NEO awards in the form of stock options and performance-based restricted shares. The performance-based restricted shares made to our NEOs (except Mr. Patterson) in 2015 were intended to add additional long-term compensation incentive, increase focus and alignment to corporate strategies and goals and increase retention. The Equity and Incentive Subcommittee determined not to grant performance-based restricted shares to Mr. Patterson given his high level of ownership in the Company. In 2016, the Equity and Incentive Subcommittee approved NEO awards in the form of stock options.

Our Long-Term Incentive Plan is designed to drive long-term shareholder value and retain valuable associates and executives by: i) positioning us competitively as an employer, ii) creating an incentive for associates to contribute to our sustained, long-term growth, iii) creating a mutuality of interest between our associates and shareholders, and iv) providing financial incentives for associates. The program encourages associate stock ownership in an effort to align associates' interests with the interests of shareholders.

The Compensation Committee approves an annual aggregate value target for all eligible associates excluding the NEOs, other executive officers and members of the Board. The Equity and Incentive Subcommittee also approves specific grant levels for the NEOs, other executive officers and members of the Board on an annual basis. Stock option grants

29



are typically made to an executive upon commencement of employment with us or upon an associate's promotion to an executive role. Executives are eligible for additional Long-Term Incentive Plan grants on an annual basis as individual and Company performance warrants. Grants are also made to the top 20% performers below the executive level based upon individual achievements. After careful review of our financial condition and stock performance, the Compensation Committee has re-determined that stock option grants continue to provide an appropriate incentive for our associates and executives given our historical stock performance, the familiarity of this type of compensation to associates and the fact that exercises have historically generated value to associates in excess of the expense to us.

The Board of Directors has adopted an Equity-based Grant Policy, which outlines the grant practices with respect to equity-based grants awarded under our Long-Term Incentive Plan. This policy establishes grant dates for our equity awards that ensures grant dates will be outside of trading blackout periods except in the case of new hires and as approved by the Compensation Committee. Under the policy, the Board of Directors, the Compensation Committee or an authorized subcommittee of the Compensation Committee approves: i) the equity grant type, ii) the grant date and iii) the number of shares of the annual performance review equity grants made to our NEOs and other executive officers. Grants are made at an exercise price that is equal to the closing market price of our Common Stock on the date of grant. Under the Equity-based Grant Policy, the date of grant must be a date set at the time of grant approval, which date: a) shall be on or after the grant approval date, b) shall not be during a quarterly blackout period as defined in our trading policy, and c) if the Board of Directors or the Compensation Committee is aware of any material, non-public information at the time it approves the grant, shall be a date that is at least two full trading days after the public disclosure of such material, non-public information. Equity grants for new hires shall be the associate's first day of employment or a later equity grant program date. The type and size of the grant is based on the individual's level of responsibility, the individual's contributions to the achievement of our financial and strategic objectives, anticipated future contributions to the Company, market pay and, for our NEOs and other executive officers, by reviewing the individual's current Cerner equity wealth accumulation. Stock option grants typically vest over a five-year period with 40% vesting at the end of the second year and 20% vesting each year thereafter (this vesting schedule has been determined by the Board and is intended to promote retention and long-term investment in our stock). These grants typically expire 10 years from the date of grant. Performance-based restricted shares typically vest over three years based on performance metrics established at the date of grant. Time-based restricted shares have typically vested over a one to three-year period.

In accordance with our overall compensation philosophy and to align the executives' focus on our long-term performance, we granted stock option awards to our NEOs, including Mr. Patterson, and performance-based restricted stock awards to our NEOs (except Mr. Patterson), in March 2015. Individual grants for NEOs were based on job responsibilities, performance during 2014 and contributions to the achievement of our financial and strategic objectives, anticipated future contributions to the Company, market pay and stock option wealth accumulation - all factors the Equity and Incentive Subcommittee believes help ensure we are awarding such executives competitively and fairly. The other considerations in determining the number of shares granted to each NEO were the size of past grants, the value of the grants and the market position of our compensation within our peer group. Although the size of each NEO's equity grant is based on the factors described above, we do not weight these factors or use a formula to determine the current year's award. The decision is based on the judgment of our CEO (for the other NEOs' awards) and Compensation Committee members who have extensive experience in setting motivating and reasonable compensation arrangements for our NEOs. The Equity and Incentive Subcommittee has approved equity grants in the form of stock options to our NEOs for 2016 to increase focus on long-term value and growth for our shareholders. The details of these grants to NEOs are discussed in "Compensation of the other NEOs."

Compensation of the Chief Executive Officer
The Compensation Committee determines compensation for the CEO using the same criteria it uses for other NEOs. The Compensation Committee meets each year in executive session to evaluate the performance of the CEO and determine his compensation package, including base salary, performance-based cash incentive compensation, long-term incentive compensation, benefits and perquisites, if any.

In March 2015, the Compensation Committee determined that it would increase Mr. Patterson's cash compensation as discussed below. Mr. Patterson was also issued a stock option grant of 146,500 shares with an exercise price equal to the closing fair market value on March 12, 2015, the date of the grant. Mr. Patterson's total compensation continued

30



to approximate the median of our peer group, similar to 2014. In particular, the Compensation Committee noted that, under Mr. Patterson's leadership in 2014, we met internal revenue and earnings targets. The Compensation Committee also noted that under Mr. Patterson's leadership we continued to expand our boundaries and new market entry through innovation, development of new solutions and services and the acquisition of the Cerner Health Services business. The Compensation Committee also recognized our solid execution in our global markets and that Mr. Patterson is recognized externally for his visionary leadership in the industry and history of innovation. The Compensation Committee also noted that Mr. Patterson successfully focused the organization on key strategies to compete effectively, including a focus on the physician experience, population health, revenue cycle management and creating value-based relationships with our clients to reduce their cost of providing care. The Compensation Committee also noted Mr. Patterson's continued strong results in organizing and developing management teams and in our Company's strong financial results in 2014 of a 17% increase in revenue, strong margin performance, 13% increase in bookings, 19% increase in backlog and 16% increase in adjusted net earnings.

The Compensation Committee and the Equity and Incentive Subcommittee (with respect to equity and incentive compensation grants) approved a base salary of $1,025,000 effective March 22, 2015 (which is unchanged from Mr. Patterson's 2014 base salary) and performance-based cash incentive target opportunity of $1,870,000 effective April 5, 2015 for Mr. Patterson (with a maximum performance-based cash incentive opportunity of $2,050,000 under his individual payment limit in the Performance-Based Compensation Plan). During 2015, Mr. Patterson earned total cash compensation of $2,473,813 which included $1,025,000 in base salary and $1,448,813 in payments earned under our Performance-Based Compensation Plan. Mr. Patterson earned 79% of the target incentive amount and 71% of the maximum cash incentive opportunity available to him under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan during 2015.

The Compensation Committee has determined that Mr. Patterson's base salary for 2016 will remain at $1,025,000 and his performance-based cash incentive compensation target for 2016 will be increased to $2,000,000. Mr. Patterson's maximum performance-based cash incentive opportunity for 2016 under the terms of our Performance-Based Compensation Plan is currently $2,050,000 (which represents the maximum possible payout under his individual payment limit in our Performance-Based Compensation Plan). If the proposal submitted to the shareholders to amend and restate the Performance-Based Compensation Plan to increase the individual payment limits under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan is approved, then Mr. Patterson's performance-based cash incentive compensation target for 2016 under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan will remain at $2,000,000, but his maximum performance-based cash incentive opportunity under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan for 2016 will increase to $3,246,375 as a result of the increase in his individual payment limit. The Compensation Committee also approved Mr. Patterson's personal use of aircraft owned or leased or otherwise made available to Cerner via fractional leasehold interest (the "Corporate Aircraft") in 2016 up to a value of $300,000 (which is an increase from Mr. Patterson's allotted personal use in 2015). We convert the Compensation Committee approved value of personal use of Corporate Aircraft value into hours of flight time in accordance with corporate policies based on the incremental cost to use Cerner's Corporate Aircraft and excluding any "deadhead" hours. Any personal use of Corporate Aircraft by Mr. Patterson exceeding the Compensation Committee approved value is permitted pursuant to the terms and conditions of a Second Amended and Restated Time Sharing Agreement dated July 24, 2013, as amended, between Mr. Patterson and us (the "Amended and Restated Time Sharing Agreement"), which requires Mr. Patterson to pay us the actual aggregate incremental cost for such personal use flights (including any deadhead hours). Any Compensation Committee approved value for use of Corporate Aircraft that is not used during the year is paid out to Mr. Patterson at the end of the calendar year for which the compensation was awarded. On March 7, 2016, the Equity and Incentive Subcommittee of the Compensation Committee also approved a stock option grant to Mr. Patterson of 157,000 shares which was granted on March 11, 2016. His 2016 base salary became effective March 20, 2016 and his 2016 performance-based cash incentive compensation became effective April 3, 2016.


31



Compensation of the other NEOs
The Compensation Committee and the Equity and Incentive Subcommittee approved the 2015 compensation packages, effective March 22, 2015 for base salaries, April 5, 2015 for performance-based cash incentive compensation and March 12, 2015 for equity grants, for each of the NEOs, other than the CEO, as follows:
NEO
Base Salary ($)
Performance-based Cash Incentive Target ($)
Maximum Performance-based Cash Incentive Opportunity ($)
Equity Grant (Shares)
Marc G. Naughton
505,000
500,000
810,563
44,000(2)
8,500(3)
Jeffrey A. Townsend
630,000
785,000
1,050,000(1)
73,000(2)
18,000(3)
Michael R. Nill
630,000
785,000
1,050,000(1)
73,000(2)
18,000(3)
Zane M. Burke
630,000
785,000
1,050,000(1)
73,000(2)
18,000(3)

(1)
Represents the maximum possible payout under the NEO's individual payment limit under our Performance-Based Compensation Plan. The amounts reflected represent 175% of base salary levels at the time the performance targets were approved.

(2)
Non-qualified stock options.

(3)
Performance-based restricted shares. The terms of these grants are set forth below.

The performance-based restricted stock grants made to four of our NEOs disclosed above will vest on the following schedule based on attainment of the related performance target noted and the NEO's continued employment through the vesting date.

100% of the shares shall vest on June 1, 2018 if our reported adjusted earnings for fiscal year 2017 are equal to or greater than a 20% increase over our reported adjusted earnings for fiscal year 2014

The number of shares vesting is subject to reduction down to zero based on each NEO's individual performance rating and performance goal attainment.


32



The Compensation Committee and the Equity and Incentive Subcommittee have approved the 2016 compensation packages, effective March 20, 2016 for base salaries, April 3, 2016 for performance-based cash incentive compensation and March 11, 2016 for equity grants, for each of the NEOs, other than the CEO, as follows:
NEO
Base Salary ($)
Performance-based Cash Incentive Target ($)
Maximum Performance-based Cash Incentive Opportunity ($)
Equity Grant (Shares)
Marc G. Naughton
530,000
555,000
883,750(1)
87,500(2)
Jeffrey A. Townsend
665,000
860,000
1,102,500(1)
140,000(2)
Michael R. Nill
665,000
860,000
1,102,500(1)
140,000(2)
Zane M. Burke
665,000
860,000
1,102,500(1)
140,000(2)

(1)
Represents the maximum possible payout under the NEO's current individual payout limit under our Performance-Based Compensation Plan. The amounts reflected represent 175% of base salary levels at the time the performance targets were approved (which represents the current individual payment limits under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan). If the proposal submitted to the shareholders to amend and restate the Performance-Based Compensation Plan to increase the individual payment limits under the plan is approved, then the performance-based cash incentive compensation target for each NEO for 2016 under the plan will remain the same, but the maximum performance-based cash incentive opportunity for 2016 will be $893,063 for Mr. Naughton and $1,388,063 for each of Mr. Townsend, Mr. Nill and Mr. Burke, in each case, as a result of the increase in the individual payment limits.

(2)    Non-qualified stock options.

Vesting of Performance-Based Restricted Stock Grants
The following discusses the determination of performance-based shares that will vest in 2016 with respect to performance periods ending in 2015.

We granted performance-based restricted stock to each NEO (other than Mr. Patterson) per the following table. These grants vest based on the attainment of the performance metric noted and continued employment through the vest date. The table reports the performance against the targets and the shares that will vest for each NEO (other than Mr. Patterson) in 2016.
NEO
Grant Date
Vest Date
Possible Shares
Performance Metric
Target
Actual
Subject to reduction based on individual performance goals
Shares to Vest
Marc G. Naughton
3/1/2013
6/1/2016
8,000

2015 adjusted earnings growth over 2012
20%
76%
Yes
8,000

 
3/7/2014
6/1/2016
850

2015 adjusted earnings growth over 2013
14%
49%
Yes
850

 
 
 
8,850

 
 
 
 
8,850

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jeffrey A. Townsend
3/1/2013
6/1/2016
16,000

2015 adjusted earnings growth over 2012
20%
76%
Yes
16,000

 
3/7/2014
6/1/2016
1,800

2015 adjusted earnings growth over 2013
14%
49%
Yes
1,800

 
 
 
17,800

 
 
 
 
17,800

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Michael R. Nill
3/1/2013
6/1/2016
16,000

2015 adjusted earnings growth over 2012
20%
76%
Yes
16,000

 
3/7/2014
6/1/2016
1,800

2015 adjusted earnings growth over 2013
14%
49%
Yes
1,800

 
 
 
17,800

 
 
 
 
17,800

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

33



Zane M. Burke
3/1/2013
6/1/2016
16,000

2015 adjusted earnings growth over 2012
20%
76%
Yes
16,000

 
3/7/2014
6/1/2016
1,800

2015 adjusted earnings growth over 2013
14%
49%
Yes
1,800

 
 
 
17,800

 
 
 
 
17,800


The objective performance metrics for 2015 were attained and, based on management review and Compensation Committee approval of each NEO's (other than Mr. Patterson) performance rating and individual performance goal attainment, it was determined that 100% of the available shares are eligible to vest. The shares to vest for each NEO (other than Mr. Patterson) as noted in the table are contingent upon each individual's continued employment through the June 1, 2016 vesting date.

Internal Pay Equity
Our internal pay equity guidelines provide that the CEO's total cash compensation shall not be more than three times that of the next highest executive officer's total cash compensation. Our Board must approve any exception to these guidelines.

Stock Ownership Guidelines
Under our stock ownership guidelines, our non-employee Directors and every associate that is a vice-president or higher in rank, are required to have a certain level of stock ownership in our Company. Ownership in our Company demonstrates a long-term commitment and ensures strong alignment of interests of Directors and officers with the interests of shareholders. The stock ownership guidelines establish an annual measurement date of January 1st of each year. The Compensation Committee reviewed the guidelines in March 2016 to be sure they remain reasonable and meet the intended purpose.

Unlike typical ownership guidelines that are based on a multiple of salary or fixed number of shares, our guidelines (referred to as an "Ownership Percentage") require the retention of 45% to 75% of equity awards made to our officers and non-employee Directors. We believe this generally leads to significantly higher stock ownership requirements than other stock ownership policies.
Ownership Percentage Requirement
 
 
Board of Directors (non-employees)
 
75
%
Chief Executive Officer
 
75
%
President and Executive Vice President
 
65
%
Senior Vice President
 
55
%
Vice President
 
45
%

Ownership Percentage Formula = Ownership Position (defined below) divided by the number of shares underlying stock options granted during the seven years immediately preceding the annual measurement date + 50% of restricted stock awards granted during the seven years immediately preceding the annual measurement date

The "Ownership Position" includes any shares fully owned, including shares owned by a spouse, dependent children or a trust, outstanding stock options (unexercised vested and non-vested), fully vested shares held in our 401(k) plan, shares purchased through, and subject to restriction under, our Associate Stock Purchase Plan ("ASPP"), 50% of non-vested restricted stock awards and shares held in our deferred compensation plan.

For all Directors and officers subject to the guidelines, a reduced ownership requirement scale will be applied based on tenure. For non-employee Directors, a 10% per year reduced ownership requirement scale will be applied based on years of service with the Board with a minimum ownership requirement of five times the annual cash retainer (as set for a given year), regardless of tenure. For officers, a 2% per year reduced ownership requirement scale will be applied after ten years of service with a minimum ownership requirement of one-half of the Ownership Percentage

34



Requirement noted above regardless of tenure. The guidelines also include hardship and retirement provisions in order to allow executives to diversify a portion of their stock holdings as they approach retirement.

At the annual measurement date on January 1, 2016, all of the NEOs were compliant with the stock ownership guidelines. The guidelines allow any officer or Director who is not currently compliant to submit a plan to the CEO and Chief People Officer indicating how compliance will be achieved within a five-year timeframe.

Retirement
We have a 401(k) retirement plan in which contributions are made to the NEOs on the same basis as all other associates. We offer this plan as part of our overall benefits and compensation package to remain competitive in the market and retain talent. We make matching contributions to the plan, on behalf of participants, in an amount equal to 33% of the first 6% of the participant's salary contribution. We also have the option to make a second tier discretionary match to participants' accounts deferring at least 2% of their base salary, if approved by the Incentive Compensation Plan - Quarterly Administration Subcommittee. The discretionary match is calculated as a percentage of paid base salary to plan participants based on performance against established financial metric targets, such as earnings per share targets used in our Performance-Based Compensation Plan. A second tier match was paid at 0.75% of eligible paid base salary for 2015.

Associate Stock Purchase Plan
We have an Associate Stock Purchase Plan under which participants may elect to contribute 1% to 20% of eligible compensation to the plan, subject to annual limitations determined by the Internal Revenue Code. Participants may purchase our Common Stock at a 15% discount on the last trading day of the purchase period. All associates that meet the eligibility requirements under the ASPP, including the NEOs, are allowed to participate with the exception of those who own an aggregate of 5% or more of the total outstanding shares of our stock.

Health and Welfare Benefits and Insurance
We have medical, dental, vision, group term life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance and travel accident insurance plans in which contributions are made to the NEOs on the same basis as to all other U.S. based associates. The cost of these plans and opportunity for benefits thereunder are the same for the NEOs as for all other U.S. based associates. We offer these plans as part of our overall benefits and compensation package to remain competitive in the market and retain talent.

Perquisites
We consider offering perquisites to our NEOs to help them effectively use their limited personal time and in recognition that they are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

To increase the number of client visits our key executives can make and to reduce the physical strain of their heavy travel schedules, we own and/or lease the Corporate Aircraft. In limited circumstances, the Corporate Aircraft is available for personal use by certain Cerner executives as approved by the Compensation Committee or executive management. Our NEOs, other executive officers and Directors may use the Corporate Aircraft for personal use only if such personal use is pre-approved (with a pre-approved value) by the Compensation Committee. At this time the Compensation Committee has only approved a personal use value for Mr. Patterson (described above). Personal use of the Corporate Aircraft by the approved NEOs, other executive officers and Directors over or in lieu of any personal use value approved by the Compensation Committee is prohibited unless such use is pursuant to a written aircraft time sharing agreement with us. Business travel needs override all personal use requests.

Mr. Patterson's Amended and Restated Aircraft Time Sharing Agreement governs any personal use flights on the Corporate Aircraft by Mr. Patterson that exceed the Compensation Committee approved value. Mr. Patterson will pay us for the actual expenses of each specific flight, including the actual expense items of any "deadhead" flights that are permitted by applicable Federal Aviation Administration regulations and exceed the Compensation Committee approved value. The Compensation Committee has not designated any other NEOs as eligible to use the Corporate Aircraft for personal use up to a pre-approved value, and no other NEOs have entered into an aircraft time sharing agreement with us for personal use of the Corporate Aircraft.


35



In 2015, the Compensation Committee approved Mr. Patterson's use of the Corporate Aircraft for personal use up to $200,000 in value (such value is calculated at the incremental cost to use Cerner's Corporate Aircraft and excludes "deadhead" hours ), which allows Mr. Patterson to use his limited personal time effectively. During 2015, Mr. Patterson's personal use of the Corporate Aircraft was below the Compensation Committee approved value, and therefore we paid him $68,000 which was the difference between the approved value and the value of his personal use. However, for SEC reporting purposes, both the approved value of $200,000 and deadhead costs of $7,720, which were not counted against his personal use limit, must be reported as a perquisite. Therefore, the incremental cost to us of Mr. Patterson's personal use of our Corporate Aircraft was $207,720.

In 2016, the Compensation Committee approved Mr. Patterson's use of the Corporate Aircraft for personal use up to $300,000 in value (calculated at the incremental cost to use Cerner's Corporate Aircraft, including when using non-Cerner aircraft in accordance with corporate policies, and excluding "deadhead" hours), which allows Mr. Patterson to use his limited personal time effectively. Any amounts approved by the Compensation Committee but not used by the end of the calendar year will be paid out directly to Mr. Patterson. Any amounts used by Mr. Patterson in excess of the Compensation Committee approved value are paid by Mr. Patterson to us.

We do not pay any tax gross-ups with regard to the taxable income related to these perquisites.

Severance Arrangements
Because employment with Cerner is at-will, Cerner has no obligation to compensate any associate upon termination from his or her employment other than as may be provided in that associate's Cerner Associate Employment Agreement or as specifically set forth in our Enhanced Severance Pay Plan, which was first approved in 2005. We recognize that business needs, an associate's work performance or other reasons may require termination of employment. Because we value the contributions of our associates, we promote compensation tools that will create and maintain a productive and fulfilling work environment, which tools also help with our recruiting and retention efforts. Our Enhanced Severance Pay Plan is used to: show that we value our associates and that we are interested in helping to mitigate the financial hardship caused by business conditions or other factors necessitating a termination; help recruit and assure retention of valuable associate experience, skills, knowledge and background; and, reinforce and encourage continued attention and dedication to duties without distraction arising from the possibility of a change in control of the Company. We do not pay tax gross-ups on any severance payments.

Our Enhanced Severance Pay Plan is discussed in more detail below under the heading "Employment Agreements & Potential Payments Under Termination or Change in Control."

Employment Agreements
We enter into employment agreements with all of our associates, including all of the NEOs. Refer to "Employment Agreements & Potential Payments Under Termination or Change in Control" for further details.

Deductibility of Executive Compensation
Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code generally disallows a federal income tax deduction to a public company for compensation in excess of $1 million per fiscal year paid to a company's Chief Executive Officer and its next three other most highly compensated officers (other than the Chief Financial Officer) serving at the end of that year. Not subject to the deductibility limit, however, is compensation that qualifies as "performance-based" compensation. We believe it is in the best interest of our shareholders for us to maximize the deductibility of compensation under Section 162(m) to the extent doing so is reasonable and consistent with our strategies and goals. Stock options and performance-based restricted stock awarded under our shareholder approved Long-Term Incentive Plan and payments under our shareholder approved Performance-Based Compensation Plan are designed with the intent to be "performance-based" compensation under Section 162(m), and to enable us to deduct such compensation to the greatest extent permitted under Section 162(m).

Although deductibility of compensation is preferred, tax deductibility is not a primary objective of our compensation programs. We believe it is important to retain the flexibility to compensate executives competitively even if such compensation is potentially not deductible for tax purposes. The Compensation Committee considers the impacts of Section 162(m) in developing, implementing, and administering our compensation programs. However, the

36



Compensation Committee balances this consideration with our primary goal of structuring compensation programs to attract, motivate, reward and retain qualified associates. As such, exceptions may occur when the Compensation Committee, after balancing tax efficiency with our strategies and goals, believes it is in the best interests of our shareholders. In addition, because of the uncertainties associated with the application and interpretation of Section 162(m) and the regulations issued thereunder, there can be no assurance that compensation intended to satisfy the requirements for deductibility under Section 162(m) will in fact be deductible.

SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE

The following table sets forth information regarding compensation earned by our Chief Executive Officer, our Chief Financial Officer and the three other most highly compensated NEOs for the Company's last three fiscal years.
Name and Principal Position
Year
Salary ($) (1)
Bonus ($)
Stock Awards ($) (3)
Option Awards ($) (4)
Non-Equity Incentive Plan Compensation ($) (5)
Change in Pension Value and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Earnings ($)
All Other Compensation ($) (6)
Total ($)
Neal L. Patterson
2015
1,025,000



3,237,193

1,448,813


216,614(7)

5,927,620

Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer

2014
1,044,712



3,864,670

1,558,703


131,325

6,599,410

2013
1,025,000



3,135,200

1,768,500


143,456

6,072,156

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Marc G. Naughton
2015
501,827


602,735

972,263

387,187


7,235

2,471,247

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

2014
495,961


513,145

1,160,720

421,313


7,098

2,598,237

2013
471,538


446,150

979,750

498,450


10,511

2,406,399

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jeffrey A. Townsend
2015
623,654


1,276,380

1,613,072

605,063


44,935(8)

4,163,104

Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff

2014
604,615


1,086,660

1,925,740

643,013


94,067

4,354,095

2013
565,385


892,300

1,567,600

745,500


10,706

3,781,491

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Michael R. Nill
2015
623,654


1,276,380

1,613,072

605,063


7,235

4,125,404

Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
2014
604,615


1,086,660

1,925,740

643,013


7,098

4,267,126

2013
565,385


892,300

1,567,600

745,500


10,511

3,781,296

 
 
 

 
 
 

 


Zane M. Burke (2)
2015
623,654


1,276,380

1,613,072

605,063


7,235

4,125,404

President
2014
604,615


1,086,660

1,925,740

643,013


7,098

4,267,126

 
2013
510,000


3,227,300

1,567,600

655,500


10,511

5,970,911


(1)
2014 salary represents 53 weeks due to the Company's 2014 fiscal year ending on January 3, 2015.

(2)
Mr. Burke received an off-cycle compensation increase during 2013 as a result of his promotion to President. Specifically, Mr. Burke's base salary increased to $570,000 effective September 8, 2013 and his performance-based cash incentive target increased to $650,000 effective June 30, 2013. He also received an additional time-based restricted stock grant on September 6, 2013 with the following vesting schedule: 12,500 shares vested on September 6, 2014; 12,500 shares vested on September 6, 2015; and 25,000 shares will vest on September 6, 2016 (assuming Mr. Burke's continued employment through such date).

(3)
In 2015, restricted stock awards were granted pursuant to a three-year performance vesting timeframe under our Long-Term Incentive Plan.  The amounts above reflect the aggregate grant date fair value computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718 in relation to the 2015 three-year performance vesting timeframe at the probable outcome of the performance metrics being achieved as of the date of grant.  The actual amounts that will be earned under the 2015 restricted stock grants during the three-year vesting timeframe are dependent upon the achievement of pre-established performance goals and potential reduction of vesting amounts based

37



on subjective performance evaluations.  The above numbers assume the maximum level of performance against performance metrics and no reduction in vesting amounts related to the subjective performance evaluations.

(4)
These amounts reflect the grant date fair value of the option awards granted. Refer to the Note 14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year ended January 2, 2016 for the relevant assumptions used to determine the valuation of our option awards.

(5)
Reflects payments earned under our Performance-Based Compensation Plan as described above under "Compensation Elements - Performance-Based Cash Incentive Compensation."

(6)
This column includes the aggregate incremental cost to us of providing perquisites and other personal benefits to the NEOs, as well as our matching contributions (both fixed and discretionary) to the NEOs' accounts pursuant to our 401(k) retirement plan, the expense associated with the discount on Common Stock purchases under our ASPP and the tax gross-ups for Mr. Townsend disclosed below.

(7)
This amount includes perquisites and other personal benefits for Mr. Patterson consisting of (i) personal use of our Corporate Aircraft by Mr. Patterson, which had an incremental cost to us in the amount of $207,720 in 2015 and (ii) amounts paid by us for a home/office security system for Mr. Patterson. The incremental cost to us of Mr. Patterson's personal use of Corporate Aircraft was calculated by combining the variable operating costs of such travel, including the cost of fuel and oil, engine reserves, auxiliary power unit reserves, on-board catering and deicing fluids when applicable, the costs of deadhead hours, and the amount of $68,000 in cash paid to Mr. Patterson because his personal use did not exceed the Compensation Committee approved value.

(8)
This amount includes (i) perquisites and other personal benefits for Mr. Townsend consisting of $20,000 paid in 2015 pursuant to a relocation package approved by the Compensation Committee for Mr. Townsend's temporary relocation from Kansas City, Missouri to Salt Lake City, Utah for an undetermined period of time to lead our partnership with Intermountain Healthcare, and (ii) $17,700 in tax gross-ups related to the foregoing relocation package.


38



2015 GRANTS OF PLAN-BASED AWARDS

The following table reflects estimated possible payouts under non-equity incentive plan awards and the number, exercise price and grant date fair value of option and performance-based restricted stock awards made to the NEOs in 2015. Our non-equity incentive awards are granted to participants of our Performance-Based Compensation Plan based upon pre-established performance targets set annually by the Compensation Committee and the Incentive Compensation Plan - Quarterly Administration Subcommittee. For more detailed information regarding our Performance-Based Compensation Plan, see "Compensation Elements - Performance-Based Cash Incentive Compensation." Our equity incentive awards are granted under our shareholder approved Long-Term Incentive Plan. For more detailed information regarding our Long-Term Incentive Plan, see "Compensation Elements - Long-Term Incentive Plan Compensation."
Name
Grant Date
Estimated Future Payouts Under Non-Equity Incentive Plan Awards
 
Estimated Future Payouts Under Equity Incentive Plan Awards
All Other Stock Awards: Number of Shares of Stock or Units (#)
All Other Option Awards: Number of Securities Underlying Options (#)
Exercise or Base Price of Option Awards ($/Sh) (4)
Grant Date Fair Value of Stock and Option Awards ($) (5)
Threshold ($) (1)
Target ($)
Maximum ($) (2)
 
Threshold
Target (#) (3)
Maximum
Neal L. Patterson
3/12/2015
1,378,688

1,838,250

2,050,000

 




146,500

70.91

3,237,193

Marc G. Naughton
3/12/2015
368,438

491,250

810,563

 

8,500



44,000

70.91

1,574,998

Jeffrey A. Townsend
3/12/2015
575,625

767,500

1,050,000

 

18,000



73,000

70.91

2,889,452

Michael R. Nill
3/12/2015
575,625

767,500

1,050,000

 

18,000



73,000

70.91

2,889,452

Zane M. Burke
3/12/2015
575,625

767,500

1,050,000

 

18,000



73,000

70.91

2,889,452


(1)
These amounts represent the lowest level of payouts, if any payout is triggered, for each metric under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan.

(2)
These amounts reflect the maximum available payout under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan. There is a further limit on the maximum payout relative to Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code as a result of the individual payment limits under the plan approved by shareholders. This maximum is set at 200% of base salary for our CEO and 175% of base salary for the other NEOs. Actual fiscal year 2015 amounts earned under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan are included in the Summary Compensation Table.

(3)
These amounts reflect the number of shares subject to performance metrics as discussed in "Compensation of the other NEOs."

(4)
The exercise price is equal to the closing fair market value of our Common Stock on the date of grant.

(5)
These amounts reflect the grant date fair value of the awards granted computed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 718. Refer to the Note 14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for fiscal year ended January 2, 2016 for the relevant assumptions used to determine the valuation of our option awards.


39



OUTSTANDING EQUITY AWARDS AT 2015 FISCAL YEAR-END

The following table provides information regarding outstanding awards to the NEOs that have been granted but not vested or exercised as of January 2, 2016.

 
Option Awards
 
Stock Awards
Name
Grant Date (1)
Number of Securities Underlying Unexercised Options
Option Exercise Price ($)
Option Expiration Date
 
 
Number of Shares of Stock That Have Not Vested (#) (4)
Market Value at December 31, 2015 of Shares of Stock That Have Not Vested ($)
Equity Incentive Plan Awards
Exercisable (#)
Unexercisable (#)
 
 
Number of Unearned Shares That Have Not Vested (#) (4)
Market Value at December 31, 2015 of Unearned Shares That Have Not Vested ($)
Neal L. Patterson
3/9/2006
400,000


10.88

3/9/2016

(2)
 




 
3/9/2007
320,000


13.45

3/9/2017

(2)
 




 
3/14/2008
288,000


10.06

3/14/2018

(2)
 




 
3/6/2009
280,000


9.18

3/6/2019

(2)
 




 
3/12/2010
240,000


21.30

3/12/2020

(2)
 




 
6/28/1995
1,888,000


3.70

6/28/2020

(3)
 




 
3/11/2011
176,000

44,000

25.80

3/11/2021

(2)
 




 
3/9/2012
96,000

64,000

38.43

3/9/2022

(2)
 




 
3/1/2013
64,000

96,000

44.62

3/1/2023

(2)
 




 
3/7/2014

146,500

60.37

3/7/2024

(2)
 




 
3/12/2015

146,500

70.91

3/12/2025

(2)
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Marc G. Naughton
3/14/2008
90,000


10.06

3/14/2018

(2)
 




 
3/6/2009
60,000


9.18

3/6/2019

(2)
 




 
3/12/2010
60,000


21.30

3/12/2020

(2)
 




 
3/11/2011
44,800

11,200

25.80

3/11/2021

(2)
 




 
2/24/1997
70,000


1.88

2/24/2022

(3)
 




 
3/9/2012
30,000

20,000

38.43

3/9/2022

(2)
 




 
3/1/2013
20,000

30,000

44.62

3/1/2023

(2)
 


8,000

481,360

 
3/7/2014

44,000

60.37

3/7/2024

(2)
 


7,650

460,300

 
3/12/2015

44,000

70.91

3/12/2025

(2)
 


8,500

511,445

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jeffrey A. Townsend
3/9/2006
100,000


10.88

3/9/2016

(2)
 




 
3/9/2007
100,000


13.45

3/9/2017

(2)
 




 
3/14/2008
120,000


10.06

3/14/2018

(2)
 




 
3/6/2009
110,000


9.18

3/6/2019

(2)
 




 
3/9/2012
48,000

32,000

38.43

3/9/2022

(2)
 




 
3/1/2013
32,000

48,000

44.62

3/1/2023

(2)
 


16,000

962,720

 
3/7/2014

73,000

60.37

3/7/2024

(2)
 


16,200

974,754

 
3/12/2015

73,000

70.91

3/12/2025

(2)
 


18,000

1,083,060

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

40



Michael R. Nill
4/25/2008
50,000


11.58

4/25/2018

(2)
 




 
3/6/2009
110,000


9.18

3/6/2019

(2)
 




 
3/9/2012
48,000

32,000

38.43

3/9/2022

(2)
 




 
3/1/2013
32,000

48,000

44.62

3/1/2023

(2)
 


16,000

962,720

 
3/7/2014

73,000

60.37

3/7/2024

(2)
 


16,200

974,754

 
3/12/2015

73,000

70.91

3/12/2025

(2)
 


18,000

1,083,060

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Zane M. Burke
5/3/2010
9,480


21.68

5/3/2020

(2)
 




 
5/16/2011
48,000

12,000

29.56

5/16/2021

(2)
 




 
3/9/2012
36,000

24,000

38.43

3/9/2022

(2)
 




 
7/31/2012
30,000

20,000

36.96

7/31/2022

(2)
 




 
3/1/2013
32,000

48,000

44.62

3/1/2023

(2)
 


16,000

962,720

 
9/6/2013




 
25,000

1,504,250



 
3/7/2014

73,000

60.37

3/7/2024

(2)
 


16,200

974,754

 
3/12/2015

73,000

70.91

3/12/2025

(2)
 


18,000

1,083,060


(1)
Options and restricted stock awards granted in 1995 and 1997 were made from Plan D; grants in 2006, 2010 and on May 16, 2011 were made from Plan F; grants in 2007, 2008, 2009 and on March 11, 2011 were made from Plan G; grants in 2012 to 2015 were made from the Long-Term Incentive Plan. We no longer make grants from Plans D, F or G.

(2)
Option vests over a five-year period with a 40% vest increment two years from date of grant and 20% vest increments for each of the next three years. Option expires 10 years from date of grant.

(3)
Option vests over a 10-year period with 10% vest increments for each of the 10 years from date of grant. Option expires 25 years from date of grant.

(4)
Includes restricted stock awards that are subject to performance metrics and continued employment through the vesting dates. These awards are scheduled to vest as follows assuming attainment of the performance metrics:

Marc G. Naughton
Ÿ
8,850 shares on June 1, 2016
 
Ÿ
6,800 shares on June 1, 2017, and
 
Ÿ
8,500 shares on June 1, 2018
 
 
 
Jeffrey A. Townsend, Michael R. Nill and Zane M. Burke
Ÿ
17,800 shares on June 1, 2016
Ÿ
14,400 shares on June 1, 2017, and
Ÿ
18,000 shares on June 1, 2018

In addition, Mr. Burke has a restricted stock award that is only subject to continued employment through the vesting date as follows: 25,000 shares on September 6, 2016.


41



2015 OPTION EXERCISES AND STOCK VESTED

The following table provides information regarding option exercises by our NEOs and the vesting of restricted stock held by our NEOs during 2015.
 
Option Awards
 
Stock Awards
Name
Number of Shares Acquired on Exercise (#)
Value Realized on Exercise ($) (1)
 
Number of Shares Acquired on Vesting (#)
Value Realized on Vesting ($) (2)
Neal L. Patterson
1,128,000

70,854,357

 


Marc G. Naughton
40,000

2,299,928

 
8,865

601,136

Jeffrey A. Townsend
120,000

7,712,976

 
17,820

1,208,374

Michael R. Nill
50,000

2,943,388

 
17,820

1,208,374

Zane M. Burke
40,000

2,173,065

 
37,520

2,476,356


(1)
Represents the difference between the exercise price and the fair market value of our Common Stock on the date of exercise.

(2)
Represents the aggregate dollar amount realized, which is calculated by multiplying the number of shares of restricted stock by the fair market value of our Common Stock on the vesting date.

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTS &
POTENTIAL PAYMENTS UNDER TERMINATION OR CHANGE IN CONTROL

Employment Agreements
Employment agreements entered into with our associates primarily serve to: i) create an "at-will" employment relationship; ii) assign to us any intellectual property rights the associate may otherwise have to any discoveries, inventions or improvements related to our business made while in our employ or within one year thereafter; and iii) provide for restrictive covenants of the associate in favor of Cerner during and after employment with Cerner, including: confidentiality, non-compete and non-solicit obligations. Such employment agreements help protect our intellectual property, client-base/relationships and associates. We enter into such employment agreements with all of our associates, including all of the NEOs. In November 2015, we asked our U.S.-based associates to consider voluntarily agreeing to mutual arbitration in the event of a dispute with Cerner and implemented a process, effective as of November 20, 2015, whereby all new U.S. based associates are required to execute a mutual arbitration agreement as a condition to employment. All of our NEOs voluntarily executed the mutual arbitration supplement to their employment agreements.

The material terms of Mr. Patterson's employment agreement provide for: a) at-will employment; b) an annual base salary, specified use of our Corporate Aircraft and a potential bonus as determined annually by the Board; c) severance payments and benefits upon certain termination events, as discussed in detail below; d) an assignment provision wherein Mr. Patterson assigns all discoveries, inventions or improvements related to our business to us; e) a nondisclosure provision that survives in perpetuity; f) non-competition and non-solicitation provisions that are effective during the term of Mr. Patterson's employment and for two years following termination of employment, for any reason, with us; and g) a general mutual indemnification provision by Mr. Patterson and us.

We have entered into at-will employment agreements with each of our other NEOs. The material terms of each of these agreements provide for: a) an assignment provision wherein each executive assigns to us all discoveries, inventions or improvements related to our business made while in our employ and, for each NEO other than Mr. Townsend, within one year thereafter; b) a non-disclosure provision that survives in perpetuity; and c) noncompetition and non-solicitation provisions that are effective during the term of the executive's employment and for at least two years following termination of employment, for any reason, with us.

Our Enhanced Severance Pay Plan applies to all of our U.S.-based permanent, full-time salaried associates other than Mr. Patterson (whose severance benefits are set forth in his Employment Agreement) and offers severance pay upon:

42



i) certain termination without cause events (the severance benefits currently range from 16 weeks to 52 weeks and are contingent upon the former associate satisfying certain conditions, including without limitation the execution of a severance and release agreement with us providing for a complete release of all employment-related claims); or ii) qualifying terminations or resignations for Good Reason following a Change in Control, which severance benefits will be paid at 1.5 times the calculated severance (based on role and tenure) as set forth below in the Severance Matrix, and will include both base salary and average cash bonus.
 
 
Severance Matrix -
Determined by Years of Service
Associates
 
Less Than 2 Years Severance Weeks
>2, Less Than 5 Years Severance Weeks
>5, Less Than 10 Years Severance Weeks
>10 Years Severance Weeks
NEOs other than the CEO
 
16
24
36
52

All of our NEOs other than Mr. Patterson are currently entitled to severance calculated at 52 weeks under our Enhanced Severance Pay Plan. The amount of any severance benefit paid out under the Enhanced Severance Pay Plan is in lieu of, and not in addition to, any other severance an eligible associate may otherwise be entitled to receive from us, including under a Cerner Associate Employment Agreement or other document.

Potential Payments Upon Termination or Change in Control
The following summaries set forth potential payments payable to our NEOs upon termination of employment or a Change in Control of the Company under (and as defined in) their current employment agreements and our other compensation programs, including our Enhanced Severance Pay Plan. The Compensation Committee may at its discretion revise, amend or add to the benefits if it deems advisable.

Neal L. Patterson

Termination by us without Cause (prior to a Change in Control): If Mr. Patterson's employment is terminated by us without Cause (as defined in his Employment Agreement), Mr. Patterson will be entitled to:

Severance Pay: i) three years' base salary (based on his annual base salary at the time of the termination) (less normal tax and payroll deductions), and ii) three times the average annual cash bonus received during the prior three year period (less normal tax and payroll deductions) (which severance amounts will be reduced pursuant to his employment agreement to the extent any amounts are classified as a "parachute payment" under Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code, unless, even with the imposition of the 20% excise tax on Mr. Patterson, he would receive a larger benefit than he would if his "parachute payments" were reduced (the "Reduced Amount")). These severance payments will generally be payable pro rata during the three-year severance term on Cerner's regular paydays, other than amounts during the first six months that qualify as "excess severance payments" as defined under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code (which amounts will be paid at a later date in accordance with his Employment Agreement).

Benefits: health benefits for a three-year period following the termination of employment.

Equity Awards: immediate vesting of all equity incentive awards granted to Mr. Patterson to the extent such grants would have vested based on the passage of time during the three year period following the date of Mr. Patterson's termination without Cause had he not been terminated. Upon termination by us without Cause, Mr. Patterson will generally have a period of time following termination of employment to exercise any vested options in accordance with the terms of each specific option agreement.

43



Termination by us without Cause or Resignation by Mr. Patterson for Good Reason (both upon or following a Change in Control): If there is a Change in Control of the Company (as defined in Mr. Patterson's Employment Agreement), 50% of each equity incentive award granted to Mr. Patterson under any of our equity incentive plans that has not yet vested will become vested on the date the Change in Control becomes effective. In addition, Mr. Patterson will be entitled to the following if either: a) Mr. Patterson's employment with us is terminated without Cause within 12 months following the date the Change in Control becomes effective, or b) Mr. Patterson resigns his employment with Good Reason (as defined in his Employment Agreement) within 12 months after the Change in Control becomes effective:

Severance Pay: i) three years' base salary (based on his annual base salary at the time of the termination or resignation) (less normal tax and payroll deductions), and ii) three times the average annual cash bonus received during the prior three-year period (less normal tax and payroll deductions and less any Reduced Amount). These severance payments will be payable either pro rata or in a lump sum payment depending on whether the Change in Control event meets the definition of change in control under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code.

Benefits: health benefits for a three-year period following the termination or resignation.

Equity Awards: The remaining 50% of each equity incentive award that has not yet vested will become fully vested upon the effective date of such termination or resignation. The Compensation Committee or Board, however, may decide to accelerate the vesting of any of Mr. Patterson's options.

Termination by us for Cause or Resignation by Mr. Patterson (other than for Good Reason upon or following a Change in Control): In the event we terminate Mr. Patterson's employment for Cause or if Mr. Patterson resigns his employment (other than for Good Reason within 12 months following a Change in Control), Mr. Patterson will be entitled to no further compensation or benefits under his Employment Agreement other than: unpaid salary earned through the termination date and earned but unpaid incentive pay in accordance with our policies.

Equity Awards: unless otherwise provided in the award agreement entered into with Mr. Patterson at the time of grant, upon termination for Cause (as defined in the award agreements) or resignation by Mr. Patterson (other than for Good Reason within 12 months following a Change in Control), Mr. Patterson will forfeit any outstanding unvested awards on the termination date, and he will generally have a period of time following termination of employment to exercise any vested options in accordance with the terms of each specific option award agreement.

Termination upon Death or Disability: In the event Mr. Patterson's employment is terminated as a result of a Disability (as defined in his Employment Agreement) or in the event of Mr. Patterson's death, we will owe Mr. Patterson no further compensation under his Employment Agreement other than: unpaid salary earned through the termination date and earned but unpaid incentive pay in accordance with our policies.

Benefits: if Mr. Patterson's employment is terminated as a result of his death, his estate is entitled to life insurance benefits under our group life insurance program equal to $500,000. In the event of accidental death, Mr. Patterson's estate would receive an additional $500,000. In the event Mr. Patterson died in a travel accident while on Cerner business, his estate would receive an additional $200,000.

Equity Awards: unless otherwise provided in the award agreement entered into with Mr. Patterson at the time of grant, upon termination due to Disability or death, Mr. Patterson will forfeit any outstanding awards, except that he or his estate will generally have a period of time following termination of employment to exercise any vested options in accordance with the terms of each specific option agreement. The Compensation Committee or Board, however, may decide to accelerate the vesting of any of Mr. Patterson's options.


44



Assuming Mr. Patterson's employment was terminated under each of these circumstances on January 2, 2016, such payments and benefits would have an estimated value of:
Name
 
Payment/Benefit
Termination Without Cause (prior to a CIC) ($)
Termination Without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason (upon or following a CIC) (1) ($)
For Cause Termination or Resignation (other than for Good Reason upon or following a CIC) ($)
Death (2) ($)
Disability ($)
Neal L. Patterson
 
Cash Severance (3)
7,851,016

7,851,016




 
 
Benefits(4)
57,093

57,093


500,000


 
 
Value of Accelerated Equity(5)
4,396,920

4,396,920(6)





(1)
Assumes an effective Change in Control date of January 2, 2016.

(2)
The value of death benefits includes the value of basic life insurance. In the event of accidental death, Mr. Patterson's estate would receive an additional $500,000. In the event Mr. Patterson died in a travel accident while on Cerner business, his estate would receive an additional $200,000.

(3)
Cash severance payments could be made in a lump sum or as salary continuation on regularly scheduled paydays for the applicable severance period as determined by us.

(4)
In the case of a termination without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason, this includes the cost of premiums for health, vision and dental benefits over a three year period, based on the rates in effect on January 1, 2016.

(5)
The payments relating to equity represent the value of unvested, accelerated stock options as of January 2, 2016, calculated by multiplying the number of accelerated options by the difference between the exercise price and the closing price of our Common Stock on December 31, 2015 (the last trading day in fiscal year 2015). Does not include the value of Mr. Patterson's vested options of $188,446,718 as of January 2, 2016.

(6)
50% of this amount relates to options that would vest automatically upon a Change in Control even if Mr. Patterson's employment continued and 50% represents options that would vest upon his termination of employment without Cause or his resignation with Good Reason within 12 months following the date the Change in Control becomes effective.

Marc G. Naughton, Jeffrey A. Townsend, Michael R. Nill and Zane M. Burke

Termination by us without Cause (with or without a Change in Control event) or Resignation (for Good Reason following a Change in Control event): If we terminate any one of the above NEO's employment without Cause (as defined in each such NEO's employment agreement), each of Messers. Naughton, Townsend, Nill and Burke will be entitled to the following (except where otherwise stated):

Severance Pay: the equivalent of two weeks' base salary (exclusive of commissions, bonus and other non-salary compensation and benefits), except Mr. Townsend (who does not have a severance pay provision in his employment agreement). In addition, if we terminate any one of the above NEO's employment without Cause (as defined in our Enhanced Severance Pay Plan, see discussion above), with or without a Change in Control event, each one may be entitled to certain additional severance pay under our Enhanced Severance Pay Plan if he is found to be an Eligible Associate (as defined in the Enhanced Severance Pay Plan), which eligibility would entitle him to both non-Change in Control Severance and Change in Control Severance (both defined in the Enhanced Severance Play Plan) and such amounts would be in lieu of and not in addition to the severance, if any, set forth in their employment agreement.

If any one of the above NEOs resigns for Good Reason upon a Change in Control event, he may be entitled to certain additional severance pay under our Enhanced Severance Pay Plan if he is found to be an Eligible Associate,

45



which eligibility would entitle him to Change in Control Severance in such amounts as set forth in the Enhanced Severance Pay Plan.

Equity Awards: unless otherwise provided in the award agreement at the time of grant, upon termination by us without cause, each of the above NEOs will forfeit any outstanding unvested awards except that they will generally have a period of time following termination of employment to exercise any vested options in accordance with the terms of each specific option agreement. Additionally, stock options issued after June 1, 2005 provide that upon termination of any one of the above NEOs by us other than for Cause (as defined in the option agreement) or upon his resignation for Good Reason (as defined in the option agreement) within 12 months following a Change in Control, all of his remaining unvested options shall vest immediately (at the time of the Change in Control, 50% of such unvested options would have vested upon the Change in Control under the terms of such option agreements). The restricted stock grants issued to the above NEOs from 2010 to 2015 were performance-based and therefore did not contain any Change in Control provisions.

Termination by us for Cause or upon Resignation (other than for Good Reason following a Change in Control event): If we terminate any one of the above NEOs' employment for Cause (as defined in their employment agreements) or if any one of the above NEOs resigns his employment (other than for Good Reason following a Change in Control event), he will be entitled to no further compensation or benefits under his employment agreement other than: unpaid salary earned through the termination date and earned but unpaid incentive pay in accordance with our policies.

Equity Awards: unless otherwise provided in the award agreement at the time of grant, upon termination for Cause (as defined in the award agreements) or resignation (other than for Good Reason if addressed and defined in the award agreements), each of the above NEOs will forfeit any outstanding unvested awards on the termination date, and they will generally have a period of time following termination of employment to exercise any vested options in accordance with the terms of each specific option agreement. The restricted stock grants issued to the above NEOs from 2010 to 2015 were performance-based and therefore did not contain any change in control provisions.

Termination upon Death or Disability: In the event any one of the above NEO's employment is terminated as a result of his disability or in the event of death, we will owe no further compensation under the employment agreement with such NEO other than: unpaid salary earned through the termination date and earned but unpaid incentive pay in accordance with our policies.

Benefits: if employment is terminated as a result of death, each of the above NEOs' estates is entitled to life insurance benefits under our group life insurance program equal to one year's salary, with a cap of $500,000, based upon his base salary at the time of death. In the event of accidental death, each of the above NEOs' estates would receive an additional one year's salary, with a cap of $500,000, based on his base salary at the time of death. If any one of the above NEOs was to die in a travel accident while on Cerner business, his estate would receive an additional $200,000.

Equity Awards: unless otherwise provided in the award agreement at the time of grant, upon termination due to disability or death, each of the above NEOs will forfeit any outstanding unvested awards except that he or his estate will generally have a period of time following termination of employment to exercise any vested options in accordance with the terms of each specific option agreement.

Non-compete Payments: If any of the above NEOs (other than Mr. Townsend) is unable to obtain employment within three months after termination of his employment due solely to the non-compete restrictions set forth in his employment agreement, the non-compete provisions will continue to be enforceable only so long as we make to him monthly payments, during the remaining non-compete period, equivalent on an annualized basis, to his average cash earnings during the last three years of his employment. Mr. Townsend's employment agreement, while containing a non-compete provision, does not address severance pay or non-compete payments.


46



Assuming employment was terminated on January 2, 2016 for each of the four above NEOs (excluding Mr. Patterson, see table above) under each set of circumstances set forth above, the following table provides information regarding the estimated value of all such payments and benefits:
Name
Payment/Benefit
Termination Without Cause (prior to a CIC) ($)
Termination Without Cause or Resignation for Good Reason (following a CIC) ($) (1)
For Cause Termination or Resignation (other than for Good Reason following a CIC) ($)
Death ($) (2)
Disability ($)
Marc G. Naughton
Cash Severance (3)
505,000

1,410,975




 
Benefits



500,000


 
Value of Accelerated Equity (4)

1,286,394(5)




 
Non-compete Payments (6)
1,619,494

1,619,494




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Jeffrey A. Townsend
Cash Severance (3)
630,000

1,941,788




 
Benefits



500,000


 
Value of Accelerated Equity (4)

1,442,320(5)




 
Non-compete Payments (6)





 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Michael R. Nill
Cash Severance (3)
630,000

1,941,788




 
Benefits



500,000


 
Value of Accelerated Equity (4)

1,442,320(5)




 
Non-compete Payments (6)
2,209,218

2,209,218




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Zane M. Burke
Cash Severance (3)
630,000

1,896,788




 
Benefits



500,000


 
Value of Accelerated Equity (4)

2,099,920(5)




 
Non-compete Payments (6)
2,124,410

2,124,410





(1)
Assumes an effective Change in Control date of January 2, 2016.

(2)
The value of death benefits includes the value of basic life insurance. In the event of accidental death, each NEO's estate would receive the value of one additional year's salary based upon his salary at the time of death, with a cap of $500,000. In the event an NEO died in a travel accident while on Cerner business his estate would receive an additional $200,000.

(3)
Cash severance payments could be made in a lump sum or as salary continuation on regularly scheduled paydays for the applicable severance period as determined by us.

(4)
The payments relating to equity represent the value of unvested, accelerated stock options as of January 2, 2016, calculated by multiplying the number of accelerated options by the difference between the exercise price and the closing price of our Common Stock on December 31, 2015 (the last trading day in fiscal year 2015). Does not include the value of the NEO's vested options as of January 2, 2016, which would equal the following amounts: Mr. Naughton, $16,485,676; Mr. Townsend, $22,764,980; Mr. Nill, $9,579,680 and Mr. Burke, $3,810,913.

(5)
50% of this amount relates to options that would vest automatically upon a Change in Control even if each NEO's employment continued and 50% represents options that would vest upon each NEO's termination of employment without Cause or each NEO's resignation with Good Reason within 12 months following the date the Change in Control becomes effective.


47



(6)
Non-compete payments represent payments for months four to 24 per the terms of the employment agreement, assuming the NEO is unable to obtain employment within three months after termination of his employment due solely to the non-compete restrictions set forth in his employment agreement. Mr. Townsend's employment agreement does not address non-compete payments.

48



COMPENSATION COMMITTEE INTERLOCKS AND INSIDER PARTICIPATION

None of our Directors is an executive officer of an entity of which a Company executive officer is a director. Other than Dr. Bisbee, none of our non-employee Directors has an interest in a reportable transaction that would be required to be disclosed under the section in this Proxy Statement titled "Certain Transactions." Both of our non-independent Directors, Mr. Patterson and Mr. Illig, have an interest in certain reportable transactions set forth under the section of this Proxy Statement titled "Certain Transactions." All such reportable transactions have been approved or ratified by disinterested Directors.

None of the Company's current Compensation Committee members (Denis A. Cortese, M.D., John C. Danforth, Linda M. Dillman, William B. Neaves, Ph.D. and William D. Zollars) is or during the last fiscal year was: i) an officer or employee of the Company, or ii) a former officer of the Company.


49



CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
We have adopted a Global Code of Conduct for all Cerner associates and Directors (including our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Accounting Officer). Any amendments to or waivers of the Global Code of Conduct applicable to our Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or Chief Accounting Officer will be posted on www.cerner.com.

Governance Documents
Our Corporate Governance Guidelines, the charters of the Audit, Compensation, and Nominating, Governance & Public Policy Committees of the Board, and the Global Code of Conduct can be found on our website at www.cerner.com under "About Cerner, Leadership, Corporate Governance." Shareholders may also request a free copy of these documents from: Cerner Corporation, c/o Corporate Secretary, 2800 Rockcreek Parkway, North Kansas City, Missouri 64117.

Board Leadership Structure
Our Board is currently comprised of seven independent Directors, plus Mr. Patterson, the Chairman of the Board, and Mr. Illig, Vice Chairman. Messrs. Patterson and Illig are both associates of the Company. Additionally, as prescribed by our Corporate Governance Guidelines (the "Guidelines"), the Board has designated the Chairperson of the NG&PP Committee to preside over all executive sessions of the Board (the "Lead Director"). The Lead Director's responsibilities include acting as chairperson for all meetings of the independent Directors, convening meetings of the independent Directors at the request of any of them, establishing the agenda and approving the materials for those meetings, and acting as a liaison between the Chairman of the Board and the independent Directors. The independent Directors generally meet in executive sessions at each regularly scheduled Board meeting and may hold additional executive sessions as they determine necessary or appropriate. Each of the three Board Committees - i) Audit, ii) Compensation, and iii) NG&PP - is composed solely of independent Directors, each with a different independent Director serving as Committee chair. The Board may establish other committees as it deems appropriate and delegate to those committees any authority permitted by applicable law and Cerner's Bylaws. We believe that the mix of experienced independent and management Directors that make up our Board, along with the independent role of Mr. Daniels, our current Lead Director, and our independent Board Committees, benefits the Company and its shareholders.

The NG&PP Committee oversees an annual self-evaluation by the Board and each Committee, part of which focuses on the governance structure of the Board and its Committees, and seeks recommendations with respect to the structures and practices best suited for us and our shareholders.

With respect to the roles of Chairman and CEO, the Guidelines reserve the right to the Board to vest the responsibilities of Chairman of the Board and CEO in the same individual, and the Board has exercised its discretion in combining these positions and appointing Neal L. Patterson, one of the founders of the Company, to serve as Chairman and CEO. The Board believes that it is in Cerner's best interests for the CEO to serve as the Chairman of the Board in light of Mr. Patterson's vision as a co-founder of the Company and his unique knowledge, experience and relationship with the Board, the health care IT industry and the Company's management. The Board believes that the combination or separation of these positions should continue to be considered as part of the succession planning process and that it is important to retain the flexibility to allocate the responsibilities of the offices of Chairman of the Board and CEO in any manner that it determines to be in the best interests of the Company and our shareholders.

Board Oversight of Enterprise Risk
Much attention continues to be given to the subject of how companies identify and manage corporate risk. We believe that carefully taken risks can lead to innovation and business success. We also recognize that reckless acceptance of risk or the failure to appropriately identify and mitigate risks can be destructive to achieving our objectives and optimizing shareholder value.


50



Our Enterprise Risk Management team conducts an annual survey of our executive management teams to identify risks, and together with our other compliance focused teams (such as Regulatory Affairs, Human Resources and Legal) and executive management, is responsible for assessing and managing our various risk exposures on a day-to-day basis, including the creation of appropriate risk management programs and policies. The risk assessment process is global in nature and has been developed to identify and assess our risks, including the nature, likelihood, magnitude and control of the risks.

While risk oversight is a full Board responsibility, the management oversight of our ERM team has been delegated to the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee also periodically reviews and explores with management our significant risk exposures, including without limitation financial, operational, privacy, data security, business continuity, reputational, legal and regulatory risks, and the steps management has taken to monitor, mitigate and control such exposures, including our risk assessment and risk management policies. Due to the dynamic nature of risk, the overall status of our significant risks are updated and adjustments are made to Board and Committee agendas throughout the year so that risks are reviewed at relevant times. This process facilitates the Board's ability to fulfill its oversight responsibilities of risk management.

In addition, an overall review of risk is inherent in the Board's consideration of our long-term strategies and in the transactions and other matters presented to the Board, including significant capital expenditures, acquisitions and divestitures and financial matters. The Board's role in risk oversight is consistent with our leadership structure, with the CEO and other members of senior management having responsibility for assessing and managing our risk exposure, and the Board and its Committees providing oversight in connection with those efforts.

51



CONSIDERATION OF DIRECTOR NOMINEES

Director Qualifications
The Board's NG&PP Committee considers candidates for Board membership suggested by its members and other Board members, as well as management and shareholders. The NG&PP Committee has retained a third-party executive search firm to identify and assist in evaluating candidates as well. Upon screening and recommendation by the NG&PP Committee, the Board has the responsibility for nominating candidates for election to the Board and for filling vacancies on the Board as they arise. In identifying and evaluating potential candidates, regardless of the source of the nomination, the Board considers the qualifications listed in our Corporate Governance Guidelines and the NG&PP Committee Charter, including without limitation, the requirement that nominees should possess the highest personal and professional ethics, integrity and values and be committed to representing the long-term interests of the shareholders. We endeavor to have a Board representing diverse backgrounds, races, genders, ethnicities and in depth experience in business, health care, information technology, government and in areas that are relevant to our global activities. The NG&PP Committee also considers the composition of the Board as a whole, looking to achieve a balance of the above noted experience across the full Board and a blend of management and independent Directors, while also covering the need for specific skill-sets such as Audit Committee and Compensation Committee expertise. Directors must be willing to devote sufficient time to carrying out their duties and responsibilities effectively and should be committed to serve on the Board for an extended period of time.

The NG&PP Committee and the Board believe that a diverse board leads to improved Company performance by encouraging new ideas, expanding the knowledge base available to management and fostering a boardroom culture that promotes innovation and vigorous deliberation. Thus, our Director nomination process is designed to consider diversity among the many factors that the Board considers in evaluating prospective nominees. Diversity, as considered by the NG&PP Committee, can encompass many attributes, from business experience, to substantive expertise, to background, to age, gender, ethnicity and race. The NG&PP Committee will seek qualified Board candidates from, among other areas, the traditional corporate environment, government, academia, private enterprise, non-profit organizations and professions such as accounting, human resources and legal services. The NG&PP Committee is committed to seeking out qualified and diverse director candidates, including women and individuals from minority groups, to include in the pool from which nominees are chosen. The goal of this process is to assemble a group of Board members with deep, varied experience, sound judgment and commitment to our success.

For a discussion of the individual experience and qualifications of our current Board members, please refer to the section entitled, "Information Concerning Directors" above. 

Nomination Process
As stated above, the NG&PP Committee will consider recommendations for directorships submitted by shareholders. Shareholders who wish the NG&PP Committee to consider their recommendations for Director nominees should submit their recommendations in writing to the NG&PP Committee in care of our Corporate Secretary, Cerner Corporation, 2800 Rockcreek Parkway, North Kansas City, Missouri 64117. Any such recommendations should include the nominee's name and qualifications for Board membership. Generally, such proposed candidates are considered by the NG&PP Committee at its regularly scheduled meetings and, if recommended by the NG&PP Committee, presented for consideration by the Board at its regularly scheduled meeting prior to the annual meeting. Recommendations by shareholders that are made in accordance with these procedures will receive the same consideration given to other potential nominees considered by the NG&PP Committee.

In addition, the Company's Bylaws permit shareholders to nominate Directors for election at an annual shareholder meeting. To nominate a director, the shareholder must deliver the information required by the Company's Bylaws in accordance with the procedures described below in "Shareholder Proposals."
 
The Director nominees nominated for election at the 2016 Annual Shareholders' Meeting, as set forth below in Proposal #1, were recommended by the NG&PP Committee and nominated for re-election by the full Board.


52



Shareholder Access to Directors
The Board provides a process for shareholders and other interested parties to send communications to the Board or any of the individual Directors. Shareholders may send written communications to the Board or any of the individual Directors c/o Corporate Secretary, Cerner Corporation, 2800 Rockcreek Parkway, North Kansas City, Missouri 64117. Communications will be compiled by our Corporate Secretary and submitted to the Board or the individual Directors, as applicable, on a periodic basis. In general, communications relating to corporate governance and Board matters are more likely to be forwarded than communications relating to ordinary business affairs or commercial solicitations.

Majority Voting for Directors
Cerner's Bylaws provide that, in the case of an uncontested Director election (i.e., where the number of nominees is the same as the number of Directors to be elected), Directors are elected by the affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast, in person or by proxy, by the holders of outstanding shares of stock entitled to vote for the election of Directors. Any incumbent nominee for Director who fails to receive the requisite majority vote at an annual or special meeting held for the purpose of electing Directors, where the election is uncontested, must promptly - following certification of the shareholder vote - tender his or her resignation to the Board. The independent Directors (excluding the Director who tendered the resignation) will evaluate any such resignation in light of the best interests of Cerner and its shareholders in determining whether to accept or reject the resignation, or whether other action should be taken. In reaching its decision, the Board may consider any factors it deems relevant, including the Director's qualifications, the Director's past and expected future contributions to Cerner, the overall composition of the Board, and whether accepting the tendered resignation would cause Cerner to fail to meet any applicable rule or regulation (including NASDAQ Rules and federal securities laws). The Board will act on the tendered resignation, and publicly disclose its decision and rationale, within 90 days following certification of the shareholder vote.


53



CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS

The Company participates in the Health Management Academy, an industry-wide education forum, together with over 160 competitors, clients and potential clients of the Company. Dr. Bisbee, a member of our Board, owns approximately 50% of the common stock of the Health Management Academy. The total amount of fees paid by the Company in 2015 to the Health Management Academy was approximately $180,000. We intend to continue our participation in the Health Management Academy in 2016.

GRAND Construction, LLC (the "Coordinator"), has historically provided construction management and related services to the Company in connection with the development, design and construction of our office campuses. An entity that is indirectly owned 50% by Mr. Patterson and 50% by Mr. Illig owns 60% of the voting stock of the Coordinator.

In December 2014, we entered into a Construction Coordinator Agreement with the Coordinator to coordinate, supervise, schedule and assist with managing the development, design and construction of the first two phases of our Trails Campus at a fee of 1.65% of certain construction costs. The agreement was amended in January 2016 to expand the scope of the engagement to include the management of the construction of a LINK at our Trails Campus for approximately $665,000. We paid the Coordinator approximately $1,668,000 in 2015 in connection with the development of our Trails Campus. The total estimated fees to be payable under this agreement approximate $4,278,000. Entry into this agreement, as amended, was approved or ratified by the Audit Committee.

In 2015, we paid approximately $266,000 to OnGoal, LLC for corporate suite and other events at Sporting Park, Sporting Kansas City season and event/group tickets and related expenses. OnGoal, LLC owns the Sporting Kansas City professional soccer team. OnGoal, LLC is owned 78.1% by an entity that is indirectly owned 50% by Mr. Patterson and 50% by Mr. Illig.

Certain executive officers and Board members have family members who are employed by the Company. The compensation of each such family member was established by the Company in accordance with the Company's employment and compensation practices applicable to employees with equivalent qualifications, experience, responsibilities and holding similar positions. Dr. David Nill, the brother of Julia M. Wilson and Michael R. Nill, both executive officers of the Company, is employed by Cerner Health Connections, Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company) as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Nill's aggregate compensation for fiscal year 2015 was $383,942. On May 12, 2015, Dr. Nill was awarded options under the Company's 2011 Omnibus Plan, as amended (the "Omnibus Plan") to purchase 35,500 shares of the Company's Common Stock at an exercise price of $67.24 per share, such options to vest at various amounts over a period of five years. Dr. Nill was also awarded options on December 14, 2015 under the Omnibus Plan to purchase 27 shares at an exercise price of $59.94 that cliff vest in two years. Julia M. Wilson, the sister of Michael R. Nill, an executive officer of the Company, is employed by the Company as Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer. Ms. Wilson's aggregate compensation for fiscal year 2015 was $664,831. On March 12, 2015, Ms. Wilson was awarded options under the Company's Omnibus Plan to purchase 45,500 shares of the Company's Common Stock at an exercise price of $70.91 per share, such options to vest at various amounts over a period of five years. Ms. Wilson was also awarded 9,000 performance-based restricted shares under the Company's Omnibus Plan on March 12, 2015. These shares had a grant date value of $70.91 per share and cliff vest in three years based on attainment of performance targets.

We believe that these various relationships and transactions were reasonable and in the best interests of the Company.

Policies and Procedures for Review and Approval of Transactions with Related Persons

Our Board of Directors has adopted a written policy governing the approval of transactions with related parties that are reasonably expected to be disclosable under Item 404(a) of the SEC's Regulation S-K (a "Related Party Transaction"). Under the policy, the Audit Committee (or the Chairperson or certain members of management via delegation under the policy) will review the material facts of all Related Party Transactions that require approval and either approve or disapprove of the entry into the Related Party Transaction. If advance Audit Committee approval of a Related Party Transaction is not feasible, then the Related Party Transaction will be considered and, if the Audit Committee determines

54



it to be appropriate, ratified at the Audit Committee's next regularly scheduled meeting. In determining whether to approve or ratify a Related Party Transaction, the Audit Committee will take into account, among other factors it deems appropriate, whether the Related Party Transaction is on terms no less favorable than terms generally available to an unaffiliated third-party under the same or similar circumstances and the extent of the related person's interest in the transaction.

Related Party Transactions entered into without the Audit Committee's pre-approval will not violate our policy, or be invalid or unenforceable, so long as the transaction is brought to the Audit Committee or the Chairperson of the Audit Committee as promptly as reasonably practical after it is entered into or after it becomes reasonably apparent that the transaction is covered by our policy.

Our Related Party Transaction Policy is in addition to our written conflict of interest policy that addresses instances in which an associate's or Director's private interests may conflict with the interests of the Company. We have established an ad hoc management committee, consisting of members from our Legal Group, to help administer our conflicts of interest policy and to render objective determinations regarding whether any associate's or Director's private interests may interfere with the interests of the Company. Once a transaction or relationship is identified, it is analyzed by the ad hoc management committee and outside counsel, as necessary, to determine if the transaction is a Related Party Transaction.

Conflicts of interest are also addressed in our Global Code of Conduct, which is published on our website at www.cerner.com under "About Cerner, Investor Relations, Corporate Governance." Any waiver of any provision of our Global Code of Conduct for executive officers or Directors may be made only by the Board, and will be promptly disclosed as required by law or NASDAQ Rule.

We solicit information annually from our Directors and executive officers in connection with the preparation of disclosures in our annual report on Form 10-K and our annual Proxy Statement. We specifically seek information in writing pertaining to any transactions with related parties. Additionally, management informs the Board and/or its Committees regarding any potential Related Party Transaction of which management is aware. All Related Party Transactions, as well as other transactions with related persons which are not Related Party Transactions, are submitted for review and ratification by the Audit Committee on an annual basis.


55



SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE

Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires our Directors, executive officers and persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of our equity securities to file with the SEC initial reports of ownership and reports of changes in ownership of Common Stock and other equity securities of the Company. Executive officers, Directors and holders of 10% or more of our equity securities are required to furnish us with copies of all Section 16(a) reports they file.

Based solely on review of the copies of such reports furnished to us or written representations that no other reports were required, we believe that during the fiscal year ended January 2, 2016 all Section 16(a) filing requirements applicable to our executive officers, Directors and holders of 10% or more of our equity securities were appropriately satisfied.


56



SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT

The table below sets forth information, as of March 4, 2016 (unless otherwise indicated below), with respect to the beneficial ownership of shares of Common Stock by: i) each person known to us to own beneficially more than 5% of the aggregate shares of Common Stock outstanding, ii) each Director and nominee for election as a Director, iii) each Named Executive Officer included in the Summary Compensation Table, and iv) the executive officers and Directors of the Company as a group. Each of the persons, or group of persons, in the table below has sole voting power and sole investment power as to all of the shares shown as beneficially owned by them, except as otherwise indicated.

Name and Address of Beneficial Owner
 Amount and Nature of Beneficial Ownership
Percent of Shares Outstanding
Wellington Management Company LLP (1)
28,346,467

8.32
%
Neal L. Patterson (2)
26,351,643

7.74
%
The Vanguard Group (3)
26,052,197

7.65
%
BlackRock, Inc. (4)
17,810,676

5.23
%
Clifford W. Illig (5)
15,691,160

4.61
%
Jeffrey A. Townsend (6)
616,707

*

Marc G. Naughton (7)
505,225

*

Michael R. Nill (8)
419,887

*

John C. Danforth (9)
411,516

*

Zane M. Burke (10)
252,092

*

William B. Neaves (11)
51,200

*

William D. Zollars
45,186

*

Gerald E. Bisbee, Jr.
44,800

*

Linda M. Dillman
30,992

*

Denis A. Cortese (12)
17,600

*

Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. (13)
9,300

*

All Directors and executive officers, as a group (15 persons)
44,951,658

13.20
%
*Less than one percent.

(1)
Schedule 13G, dated February 16, 2016 and filed by Wellington Management Company LLP, reported shared voting power with respect to 8,428,318 shares of Common Stock and shared investment power with respect to 28,346,467 shares of Common Stock. The address for Wellington Management Company LLP is 280 Congress Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.

(2)
Mr. Patterson reports sole voting and investment power with respect to 23,119,023 shares of Common Stock and shared voting and investment power with respect to 3,232,620 shares of Common Stock. This amount includes 3,518,600 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of options that are vested or will vest within 60 days. 3,258,160 shares are pledged as security. The address for Mr. Patterson is Cerner Corporation, 2800 Rockcreek Parkway, North Kansas City, Missouri 64117.

Such number of shares includes 2,898,940 held by Jeanne Lillig-Patterson, wife of Mr. Patterson, as trustee for their children. Such number of shares excludes 97,552 shares beneficially owned by Jeanne Lillig-Patterson. Mr. Patterson disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares.

(3)
Schedule 13G/A, dated February 10, 2016 and filed by Vanguard Group, Inc., reported sole voting power with respect to 567,556 shares of Common Stock, shared voting power with respect to 30,400 shares of Common

57



Stock, sole investment power with respect to 25,449,348 shares of Common Stock and shared investment power with respect to 602,849 shares of Common Stock. The address for Vanguard Group, Inc. is 100 Vanguard Blvd., Malvern, Pennsylvania 19355.

(4)
Schedule 13G/A, dated January 22, 2016 and filed by BlackRock, Inc. on February 10, 2016, reported sole voting power with respect to 15,337,546 shares of Common Stock and sole investment power with respect to 17,810,676 shares of Common Stock. The address for BlackRock, Inc. is 55 East 52nd St., New York, New York 10055.

(5)
Mr. Illig reports sole voting and investment power with respect to 13,922,824 shares of Common Stock and shared voting and investment power with respect to 1,768,336 shares of Common Stock. This amount includes 678,000 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of options that are vested or will vest within 60 days. 9,272,146 shares are pledged as security. The address for Mr. Illig is Cerner Corporation, 2800 Rockcreek Parkway, North Kansas City, Missouri 64117.

Such number of shares includes 782,668 shares held in trust by Bonne A. Illig, wife of Mr. Illig, serving as trustee for their children.

(6)
Mr. Townsend has sole voting and investment power with respect to 616,707 shares of Common Stock. This amount includes 471,200 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of options that are vested or will vest within 60 days.

(7)
Mr. Naughton has sole voting and investment power with respect to 449,283 shares of Common Stock and shared voting and investment power with respect to 55,942 shares of Common Stock. This amount includes 423,600 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of options that are vested or will vest within 60 days.

Such number of shares includes 55,942 shares held jointly with Janise Naughton, wife of Mr. Naughton. Such number of shares excludes 2,600 shares beneficially owned by Janise Naughton. Mr. Naughton disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares.

(8)
Mr. Nill has sole voting and investment power with respect to 419,887 shares of Common Stock. This amount includes 301,200 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of options that are vested or will vest within 60 days.

(9)
Mr. Danforth has sole voting and investment power with respect to 3,440 shares of Common Stock and shared voting and investment power with respect to 408,076 shares of Common Stock. 93,872 shares held in trust are pledged as security.

Such number of shares includes 3,440 shares held by Sally Danforth, wife of John C. Danforth.

(10)
Mr. Burke has sole voting and investment power with respect to 252,092 shares of Common Stock. This amount includes 212,680 shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of options that are vested or will vest within 60 days.

(11)
Dr. Neaves has shared voting and investment power with respect to 51,200 shares of Common Stock.

(12)
Dr. Cortese has shared voting and investment power with respect to 17,600 shares of Common Stock.

(13)
Mr. Daniels has shared voting and investment power with respect to 9,300 shares of Common Stock.

58




PROPOSAL #1

ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

There are three Director nominees for election to the Board of Directors (the "Board") this year. The Board has nominated Gerald E. Bisbee, Jr., Ph.D., Denis A. Cortese, M.D. and Linda M. Dillman, Class III Directors who have served continuously on our Board since 1988, 2011 and 2010, respectively. Unless otherwise instructed, the persons named as proxies will vote for the election of Messrs. Bisbee and Cortese and Ms. Dillman. Each of the Director nominees has agreed to be named in this Proxy Statement and to serve if elected.

We know of no reason why any of the nominees would not be able to serve. However, in the event a nominee is unable or declines to serve as a Director, or if a vacancy occurs before election (which events are not anticipated), the persons named as proxies will vote for the election of such other person or persons as are nominated by the Board.

Information concerning each Director nominee is set forth above, along with information about other members of our Board.

Vote Required

The affirmative vote of a majority of the votes cast, in person or by proxy, is required for the election of Directors (meaning the number of shares voted "For" a nominee must exceed the number of shares voted "Against" a nominee). If any nominee for Director receives a greater number of votes "Against" his or her election than votes "For" such election, our Bylaws require that such person tender his or her resignation to the Board following certification of the vote as further discussed above under "Consideration of Director Nominees - Majority Voting for Directors." Our Board recommends a vote for the election of each of the nominees.




59



RELATIONSHIP WITH INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

Our independent registered public accounting firm during the year ended January 2, 2016 was KPMG LLP ("KPMG"). KPMG has audited our financial statements since 1983.

Audit and Non-Audit Fees

Audit Fees. KPMG billed us an aggregate of: $2,726,888 and $1,521,618 for professional services rendered for the audit of our consolidated financial statements for the years ended January 2, 2016 and January 3, 2015, respectively, its review of our consolidated financial statements included in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and for routine consultation on accounting and reporting matters that directly affected the consolidated financial statements for the years ended January 2, 2016 and January 3, 2015, respectively. Additionally, KPMG billed us an aggregate of $69,069 and $84,733 for professional services rendered for audits of foreign subsidiaries in support of statutory reporting requirements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2015 and December 31, 2014.

Audit-Related Fees. KPMG billed us an aggregate of $759,291 for audit-related fees for the year ended January 3, 2015, for services related to financial due diligence and consultations for the Siemens Health Services acquisition. There were no audit-related fees billed to us by KPMG for the year ended January 2, 2016.

Tax Fees. KPMG billed us an aggregate of $25,548 and $14,198 for tax services for the years ended January 2, 2016 and January 3, 2015, respectively, including fees for services relating to expatriate return services for associates who are not in a financial reporting oversight role and tax consultation and tax compliance services.

All Other Fees. There were no other fees billed to us by KPMG for the years ended January 2, 2016 or January 3, 2015.

The Audit Committee has determined that the provision of services by KPMG described in the preceding paragraphs is compatible with maintaining KPMG's independence. All permissible non-audit services provided by KPMG in 2015 were pre-approved by the Audit Committee. In addition, audit engagement hours were performed by KPMG's full-time, permanent employees and/or affiliated employees in non-U.S. offices.
 
Pursuant to Section 202 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, our Audit Committee has approved all audit and non-audit services performed to date and currently planned to be provided related to the fiscal year 2016 by our independent registered public accounting firm, KPMG. The services include the annual audit, quarterly reviews, issuances of consents related to SEC filings and certain tax compliance services.


60




PROPOSAL #2

RATIFICATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF KPMG
AS INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

Our Audit Committee has retained the firm of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2016, and we are asking shareholders to ratify that appointment. In the event the shareholders fail to ratify the appointment, the Audit Committee will reconsider this appointment but will not necessarily select another firm. Even if the appointment is ratified, the Audit Committee, in its discretion, may direct the appointment of a different independent registered public accounting firm at any time during the year if the Audit Committee determines that such a change would be in the best interests of the Company and our shareholders. Representatives of KPMG will be present at the Annual Shareholders' Meeting, and will have the opportunity to make a statement and be available to answer questions.

Vote Required

The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the annual meeting is required for approval of this proposal. Our Board recommends a vote in favor of the ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for fiscal year 2016.



61




PROPOSAL #3

ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION
OF OUR NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 and Section 14A of the Exchange Act enable our shareholders to approve, on an advisory or non-binding basis, the compensation of our Named Executive Officers as disclosed in this Proxy Statement in accordance with SEC rules.

Our compensation strategy is to offer competitive compensation packages to attract, motivate and reward qualified associates who contribute significant value to the Company and to reward performance, such as attainment of business and individual associate goals, business results, leadership, and strong relationships with clients, and is not based on rewarding seniority. This pay-for-performance compensation strategy is linked to our performance management philosophy that is designed to identify and reward associate performance through compensation. This approach, which has been used consistently over the years, has resulted in our ability to attract and retain the executive talent necessary to lead us during a period of tremendous growth and transformation. Please refer to "Compensation Discussion and Analysis" for an overview of the compensation of our NEOs.

We are asking our shareholders to indicate their support for our NEOs' compensation as described in this Proxy Statement. This proposal, commonly known as a "say-on-pay" proposal, gives our shareholders the opportunity to express their views on the compensation of our NEOs. This vote is not intended to address any specific item of compensation, but rather the overall compensation of our NEOs and the philosophy, policies and practices described in this Proxy Statement. Accordingly, we are asking our shareholders to approve, on an advisory basis, the following resolution:

"RESOLVED, that the compensation paid to the Company's Named Executive Officers, as disclosed pursuant to Item 402 of Regulation S-K, including Compensation Discussion and Analysis, compensation tables and narrative discussion is hereby APPROVED."

This vote is advisory and therefore not binding on the Company, the Compensation Committee or the Board of Directors. The Board and the Compensation Committee value the opinions of Cerner shareholders and to the extent there is any significant vote against the compensation of our NEOs as disclosed in this Proxy Statement, we will consider those shareholders' concerns, and the Compensation Committee will evaluate whether any actions are necessary to address those concerns.

Currently, the Company conducts the shareholder advisory votes on executive compensation required by Rule 14a-21(a) on an annual basis and therefore, the next such shareholder vote is expected to occur at the Company's 2017 Annual Shareholder Meeting.

Vote Required

The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the annual meeting is required for advisory approval of this proposal. Our Board recommends a vote in favor of the approval of the compensation of the Company's NEOs as disclosed in this Proxy Statement.




62




PROPOSAL #4

APPROVAL OF THE AMENDMENT AND RESTATEMENT OF THE
CERNER CORPORATION PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION PLAN

Our Board recommends approval of the amendment and restatement of the Cerner Corporation Performance-Based Compensation Plan, which serves as one of the central compensation plans for our associates and executive officers. Obtaining shareholder approval of the amendment and restatement of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan increases our ability to be able to deduct, where applicable, the compensation of certain executive officers under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code.

A recent amendment to the Performance-Based Compensation Plan, approved by the Board on April 1, 2016 and subject to shareholder approval, increases and simplifies calculation of the maximum amount payable to the "Section 16 Officers" of the Company under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan in any calendar year. Rather than having two separate payment limits (one for the Chief Executive Officer, which current individual limit for cash-based awards is 200% of base salary, and another for all other Section 16 Officers, which current individual limit for cash-based awards is 175% of base salary) the proposed amendment amends the Performance-Based Compensation Plan to have a single payment limit for all Section 16 Officers of 500% of the Section 16 Officer's base salary. The prior limits were set in 2006 and have not been adjusted appropriately to account for, among other things, the increase in the ratio of at-risk or performance-based compensation to base salary that have occurred over the last ten years, the need for additional flexibility to design incentive-based compensation arrangements to attract, motivate and retain qualified executives in today's competitive environment, the increased experience and leadership of our current Section 16 Officers or growth of the Company. Given the Company's and Compensation Committee's desire and intent to increase the at-risk or performance-based component of the Section 16 Officers' compensation packages, we believe that the current limits in the Performance-Based Compensation Plan need to be raised so that such increased at-risk and performance-based compensation may be deductible for tax purposes. Therefore, after consultation with our Compensation Consultant, the Board has approved, and recommends that the shareholders approve, the proposed amendment and restatement of our Performance-Based Compensation Plan as set forth in Appendix I. At present, the Board has no intent to pay cash-based performance awards equal to the proposed maximum individual limit of 500% of base salary, but desires the flexibility to pay cash-based performance awards in excess of the current limits under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan should the Board determine doing so is in the best interests of Cerner and our shareholders in the future. The Board intends to continue to establish challenging performance targets for executives to earn a cash-based performance award.

The amended and restated Performance-Based Compensation Plan would become effective upon shareholder approval and govern awards paid under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan on or after May 27, 2016, including performance-based cash incentive payments for 2016 performance periods paid thereafter. See "Compensation Discussion and Analysis - Compensation of our Chief Executive Officer" and "Compensation Discussion and Analysis - Compensation of the other NEOs" for a description of these potential performance-based cash incentive payments for 2016 performance periods.

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code

Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code, which we refer to as "Section 162(m)," places a limit of $1,000,000 on our federal income tax deduction for compensation paid in a taxable year to our Chief Executive Officer and our three other most highly-compensated officers (other than our Chief Financial Officer). There is an exception, however, that excludes from this limitation certain performance-based compensation. In particular, qualified performance-based compensation is not subject to the deduction limit, and is therefore deductible if several conditions are met. One of these conditions under Section 162(m) is that our shareholders must approve the material terms of the performance goals no later than the first shareholder meeting that occurs in the fifth year following the year in which shareholders previously approved those terms.


63



The Performance-Based Compensation Plan was first approved by Cerner's shareholders in 2001 and was most recently re-approved by Cerner's shareholders in 2015.

The Board has determined to submit the proposed amendment and restatement of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan to shareholders for their approval at this year's Annual Shareholders' Meeting in order to provide the Company with the flexibility to increase at risk or performance-based compensation under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan and attempt to maximize, to the extent reasonably practicable or desirable, the tax deductibility of such compensation. If the shareholders approve the proposed amendment and restatement of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan, compensation attributable to awards granted and amounts paid pursuant to the Performance-Based Compensation Plan in forthcoming periods, including awards and amounts up to the new maximum payment limit for 2016 performance periods and thereafter, may be eligible to be deductible for federal tax purposes. If the shareholders do not approve of the proposed amendment and restatement of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan, the current version of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan (last approved by our shareholders in 2015) will continue in its current form, including the current individual payment limits, and compensation thereunder may continue to be eligible to be deductible for federal tax purposes; however, the potential tax deductibility of such compensation thereunder will be limited to the current individual payment limits.

Material Terms of the Performance Goals

A general description of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan and how it operates is provided below under the heading "General Description of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan." For purposes of obtaining the requisite approval of our shareholders to qualify for the performance-based compensation under Section 162(m), the material terms of the performance goals under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan that must be approved are: (1) the class of associates eligible to receive compensation upon achievement of performance goals applicable to awards under the plan, (2) the business criteria on which such performance goals may be based, and (3) the maximum amount that may be paid to any associate subject to Section 162(m), sometimes referred to herein as a "covered executive," upon achievement of the performance goals applicable to an award under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan. Each of these material terms is described immediately below, and shareholder approval of this Proposal #4 constitutes approval of each of these aspects for purposes of the Section 162(m) shareholder approval requirements.

Eligible Class

Persons eligible to be considered for awards under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan are key associates and executives whom senior management identifies and the Compensation Committee approves, on an annual basis, as eligible for participation.

We expect the total number of participants in the Performance-Based Compensation Plan in 2016 to be approximately 2,300 associates, of which nine are Section 16 Officers and participate under the executive feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan, as described below. Included within the group of individuals eligible to receive awards under the executive feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan are all of the Named Executive Officers identified in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this Proxy Statement.

Business Criteria

The business criteria that may be used to establish the Performance-Based Compensation Plan's performance goals are:

(a)
Total shareholder return;
(b)
Stock price increase (including attainment of a specified per-share price during the applicable incentive period; growth measures and total shareholder return or attainment by the shares of Cerner common stock of a specified price for a specified period of time);
(c)
Return on equity;
(d)
Return on capital;

64



(e)
Cash flow, including collection of cash, operating cash flows, free cash flow, discounted cash flow return on investment, and cash flow in excess of cost of capital;
(f)
Earnings measures (either in the aggregate or on a per-share basis), including or excluding one or more of interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization or similar financial accounting measurements;
(g)
Operating profit/margin (either in the aggregate or on a per-share basis);
(h)
Operating income (either in the aggregate or on a per-share basis);
(i)
Net earnings (either in the aggregate or on a per-share basis);
(j)
Net income or loss (either in the aggregate or on a per-share basis);
(k)
Ratio of debt to debt plus equity or other debt measurements or ratings;
(l)
Strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified revenue, market share, market penetration, new business bookings revenue or agreement margin, geographic business expansion goals, objectively identified project milestones, production volume levels, cost targets, client/associate satisfaction, associate retention and goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures;
(m)
Achievement of business or operational goals such as market share and/or business development;
(n)
Economic value added;
(o)
Revenue levels;
(p)
Productivity measures, including operating and maintenance cost management and associate productivity, and productivity increases;
(q)
Price to earnings ratio;
(r)
Expense ratios, including reductions in expense levels, determined on a Company-wide basis or with respect to any one or more business units; and/or
(s)
Total expenditures.

Any applicable performance goal may be established as measuring performance on a pre- or post-tax basis and when the applicable performance goals are established, the Compensation Committee may provide that the formula for such goals may include or exclude items to measure specific objectives, such as losses from discontinued operations, the cumulative effect of accounting changes, acquisitions or divestitures, foreign exchange impacts, any unusual, infrequent or nonrecurring gain or loss and GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. In addition to the foregoing performance goals, the performance goals may also include any performance goals which are set forth in a Company bonus or incentive plan, if any, which has been approved by the Company's shareholders.

Maximum Payments

The executive feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan caps the maximum amount that can be payable, under any circumstance, to a covered executive under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan.

Under the proposed amended and restated Performance-Based Compensation Plan, the maximum amount payable to a Section 16 Officer under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan during any single calendar year is 500% of such Section 16 Officer's base salary (at the time the applicable executive targets are established). For purposes of these limitations, in no event will a covered executive's base salary in excess of $3,000,000 be taken into account. If our shareholders do not approve of the currently proposed amendments to the Performance-Based Compensation Plan, the Performance-Based Compensation Plan's existing maximum payment limits will continue. Under these current limits the individual limit for our Chief Executive Officer is 200% of base salary and, for all other Section 16 Officers, 175% of base salary. As under the proposed amended and restated Performance-Based Compensation Plan, under the current Performance-Based Compensation Plan, in no event will a base salary in excess of $3,000,000 be taken into account for the purposes of any maximum payment limit.

For any equity-based award granted under a Cerner equity compensation plan but subject to the performance criteria set forth in the Performance-Based Compensation Plan (e.g., stock options or performance-based restricted stock units) or any equity-based award payable in cash but in an amount determined based solely on the value of one or more of our shares (e.g., performance-based restricted stock units or cash-settled stock appreciation rights), the Performance-Based Compensation Plan prohibits a participant from receiving awards in any single calendar year that relate to more

65



than 2,000,000 shares. If an underlying Cerner equity compensation plan contains a lower limitation, such lower limitation applies.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION PLAN

The following is only a brief summary of the significant provisions of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan, including the proposed amendments, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan, as proposed to be amended and restated, attached as Appendix I to this Proxy Statement.

Purpose

The purpose of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan is to provide meaningful incentives to our key associates and executive officers and to motivate them to assist us in achieving ambitious, attainable short-term and long-term goals during specific performance periods established by management or the Compensation Committee, sometimes referred to herein as "Incentive Periods." Individual payments made under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan will vary, depending upon individual performance and, in some cases, business unit operational achievements. The Performance-Based Compensation Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee, which makes specific determinations, including: the associates/officers eligible for awards, establishment of Incentive Period performance targets under the executive feature and the size of individual awards under the executive feature. As disclosed above in our Compensation Discussion and Analysis, administration of the executive feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan has been delegated to and is performed by the Section 16 Insider Equity and Incentive Compensation Subcommittee. In making determinations, the Compensation Committee evaluates management's input and other relevant information. Awards, if granted, may be paid, settled, exercised or become vested, as the case may be, on a monthly, quarterly, annual or any other applicable performance period established by the Company.

The Performance-Based Compensation Plan has two components: a general feature and an executive feature. In addition, the Performance-Based Compensation Plan also provides for the establishment of payment, exercise, settlement or other vesting-related terms for equity-based awards that may be made under a Company-sponsored equity compensation plan.

General Feature

Under the general feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan, the Performance-Based Compensation Plan establishes certain parameters pursuant to which Cerner may make performance awards to key associates and officers of the Company and its subsidiaries who are determined by us to not be "Section 16 Officers" for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, based on the performance of the Company or certain subsidiaries or business units and/or the job performance of the individual associates or officers in question.

The Compensation Committee and Company management establish general performance targets for the Incentive Period, attainment of which will result in the payment, exercise, settlement or vesting of awards to all eligible participants. The performance targets established by the Compensation Committee and/or Company management may vary from participant to participant and may include but are not limited to one or more of the specifically listed business criteria set forth in Section 11 of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan and described above. Performance measures may also include individual factors including but not limited to associate productivity, associate retention and individual milestone achievement.

Under the general feature, following the initial determination of performance targets, the Compensation Committee and/or Company management will monitor actual corporate performance throughout each Incentive Period, and may decide at any time before the end of the Incentive Period to adjust the established performance measures as appropriate, for example, to take account of unusual or unanticipated corporate or industry-wide developments. Final determination of the amounts to be paid to a participant under the general feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan may also be adjusted upward or downward depending upon subjective evaluations by an associate's executive or manager. Additionally, the Compensation Committee or Company management, in exercising discretion under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan on determinations of awards payable to individuals, may consider particular individual goals

66



as well as subjective factors, including any unique contributions. Compensation under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan may be subjected to a claw back obligation of the Company under applicable law (e.g. Dodd-Frank) or any established Company claw back or recoupment policy.

Executive Feature

The executive feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan was specifically created and has been structured so as to increase the likelihood that amounts paid to Section 16 Officers under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan may be deductible by the Company for federal income tax purposes. However, while Cerner considers the deductibility of payments and benefits under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan as one factor in determining executive compensation, Cerner also considers other factors in approving compensation and retains the flexibility to grant awards and make payments that it determines to be consistent with Cerner's goals for its executive compensation program even if the award or payment is potentially not deductible by Cerner for tax purposes. In addition, because of the uncertainties associated with the application and interpretation of Section 162(m) and the regulations issued thereunder, there can be no assurance that compensation intended to satisfy the requirements for deductibility under Section 162(m) or the executive feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan will in fact be deductible.

The principal difference between the general feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan and the executive feature is that: (a) separate, more rigid performance targets are set under the executive feature which cannot be changed during the applicable Incentive Period, (b) the maximum amounts payable to the eligible executive officers if those targets are reached are determined under pre-established objective formulas, and (c) the applicable performance targets will always be established within a certain time period during the beginning of the applicable Incentive Period (e.g. during the first 90 days of an Incentive Period of a year or more). As with awards under the general feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan, award amounts under the executive feature are still subject to potential reduction even if the applicable performance targets have been met. Payment amounts for achievement at or above an executive's target need not be limited to designated incremental levels only. Rather the Committee may establish payment terms such that the payment amount is correlated directly to the percentage level of achievement at or above the executive's target (e.g. a 104% level of achievement of an established target level will result in a payout of 104% of the amount that would have been paid at a 100% of target level achievement).

Prior to any payment, vesting or settlement of an award to any covered executive of any amount accrued under the executive feature of the Performance-Based Compensation Plan, the Compensation Committee (or its delegated subcommittee as explained above under the Compensation Discussion and Analysis) will confirm in writing that an executive target has been satisfied and authorize the payment.

Future Plan Benefits

Future benefits under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan are not currently determinable. Whether future awards or payments will be made will depend on Compensation Committee action, and the value of any future awards or payments will ultimately depend on the level of achievement of any performance criteria, the future price of the Company's common stock and the Compensation Committee's exercise of discretion, among other factors. However, the performance-based cash awards received by our executive officers, including the NEOs, under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan for 2015 would not have increased if they had been made under the Performance-Based Compensation Plan, as amended and restated. For additional details on the Performance-Based Compensation Plan awards granted as compensation for, and during 2015, please refer to the Named Executive Officer compensation tables in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis section of this Proxy Statement. In addition, see "Compensation Discussion and Analysis - Compensation of our Chief Executive Officer" and "Compensation Discussion and Analysis - Compensation of the other NEOs" for a description of the potential performance-based cash incentive payments for 2016 performance periods.


67



Vote Required

The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote at the annual meeting is required for approval of the proposal to adopt the Cerner Corporation Performance-Based Compensation Plan (as Amended and Restated May 27, 2016). Our Board recommends a vote in favor of the approval of the proposed amendment and restatement of the Cerner Corporation Performance-Based Compensation Plan.

 


68



SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS

Submitting a Shareholder Proposal for the 2017 Annual Meeting
For a shareholder proposal to be considered for inclusion in our proxy statement for the 2017 Annual Shareholders' Meeting, the Corporate Secretary must receive the written proposal at our principal executive offices on or before December 22, 2016. Such proposals must comply with SEC Rule 14a-8 regarding the inclusion of shareholder proposals in company-sponsored proxy materials.

If a shareholder intends to present a proposal for consideration at the 2017 Annual Shareholders' Meeting pursuant to the procedures contemplated in the Company's Bylaws, Amended & Restated as of February 25, 2016 (the "Bylaws"), outside the processes of SEC Rule 14a-8, the shareholder must provide the information required by the Company's Bylaws and give timely notice to the Corporate Secretary in accordance with the Company's Bylaws. In general, the Bylaws require that the notice be received by the Corporate Secretary between the close of business on January 27, 2017 and the close of business on February 26, 2017, unless, the date of the shareholder meeting is moved more than 30 days before or after May 27, 2017, in which case notice must be received not later than the close of business on the later of 120 calendar days in advance of such annual meeting or 10 calendar days following the date on which public announcement of the date of the meeting is first made. Notice received outside of these dates is considered untimely.

Director Nominations
Proxy Access Nominees
We recently amended our Bylaws to allow a single shareholder or group of up to 20 shareholders who have held at least 3% of our common stock for at least three years to submit director nominees (up to 20% of the Board) for inclusion in our Proxy Statement if the shareholder(s) and nominee(s) satisfy the requirements specified in our Bylaws. To nominate an individual for election at our 2017 Annual Shareholders' Meeting and inclusion in our Proxy Statement, notice must be received by our Corporate Secretary at our principal executive offices no earlier than November 22, 2016 and no later than December 22, 2016 to be timely. The notice must contain the specific information required by our Bylaws.

Non-Proxy Access Nominations (Advance Notice Provisions)
To nominate an individual for election at the 2017 Annual Shareholders' Meeting outside of the proxy access process, the shareholder must give timely notice to the Corporate Secretary in accordance with the Company's Bylaws, which, in general, require that the notice be received by the Corporate Secretary between the close of business on January 27, 2017 and the close of business on February 26, 2017, unless the date of the shareholder meeting is moved more than 30 days before or after May 27, 2017, in which case the nomination must be received not later than the close of business on the later of 120 calendar days in advance of such annual meeting or 10 calendar days following the date on which public announcement of the date of the meeting is first made. The notice must contain the specific information required by our Bylaws.

General Information Relating to Shareholder Proposals and Nominations
Any Shareholder who wishes to submit a shareholder proposal or to nominate a Director nominee should send such proposal or nomination to our principal executive offices at Cerner Corporation, Attention: Corporate Secretary, 2800 Rockcreek Parkway, North Kansas City, Missouri 64117. You may contact the Corporate Secretary at our principal executive offices for a copy of the relevant Bylaw provisions regarding the requirements for making shareholder proposals and nominating director candidates. The Company's Bylaws also are available on our website at www.cerner.com under "About Cerner, Investor Relations, Corporate Governance."

We reserve the right to reject, rule out of order, or take other appropriate actions with respect to any proposal or nomination that does not comply with the procedures described above and other applicable requirements. In addition, a proxy may confer discretionary authority to vote on any matter at a meeting if we do not receive notice of the matter within the time frames described above.

69



HOUSEHOLDING OF PROXY MATERIALS

In an effort to reduce printing costs and postage fees, we have adopted a practice approved by the SEC called "householding." Under this practice, shareholders who have the same address and last name will receive only one paper copy of our Annual Report and Proxy Statement, unless one or more of these shareholders notifies us that he or she wishes to receive individual copies. Upon such notice, by written or oral request, we will promptly deliver a separate copy of the Annual Report and Proxy Statement to a shareholder at a shared address.

If: (1) you share an address with another shareholder and received only one copy of our Annual Report and Proxy Statement, and would like to request separate paper copies; or (2) you share an address with another shareholder and together you would in the future like to receive only a single paper copy of the Annual Report and Proxy Statement, please notify our Corporate Secretary by mail at 2800 Rockcreek Parkway, North Kansas City, Missouri 64117 or by telephone at (816) 201-1024.


70



OTHER MATTERS

We know of no other matters to be brought before the Annual Shareholders' Meeting. If any other matter properly comes before the Annual Shareholders' Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed Proxy Card to vote the shares represented by the proxies as the Board may recommend.

 
 
 
BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Randy D. Sims
 
 
 
 
Secretary
 
North Kansas City, Missouri
 
 
 
 
April 21, 2016
 
 
 
 



71



APPENDIX I

CERNER CORPORATION
PERFORMANCE-BASED COMPENSATION PLAN

(As Amended and Restated May 27, 2016)

1.
Name. The name of the Plan is the Cerner Corporation Performance-Based Compensation Plan (the "Plan").

2.
Basic Function. The Plan establishes certain parameters pursuant to which Cerner Corporation (the "Company") may make performance Awards (as defined in Section 4) to key associates and officers of the Company and its subsidiaries, based on the performance of the Company or certain subsidiaries or business units and/or the job performance of the individual associates in question. The Plan also provides for the establishment of payment, exercise, settlement or other vesting-related terms for equity-based Awards that may be made under a Company-sponsored equity compensation plan. Awards, if granted, may be paid, settled, exercised or become vested, as the case may be, on a monthly, quarterly, annual or any other applicable performance period established by the Company (an "Incentive Period"). Awards to certain executives are made pursuant to the "Executive Award Feature" (see Section 11). All Awards will be calculated as soon as administratively practicable following the end of the applicable Incentive Period for which the Award is based or relates. All Awards which are paid in cash will be paid out no later than March 15th of the earlier of the calendar year following achievement of the applicable performance goals or the calendar year following the year in which the Incentive Period relating to the Award ends.

3.
Purpose. The purpose of the Plan is to provide a meaningful incentive to key associates and officers of the Company and to motivate them to assist the Company in achieving ambitious and attainable short-term and long-term goals. Individual payments made under the Plan will vary, depending upon individual performance and, in some cases, business unit operational achievements.

The Plan is also intended to secure the full deductibility of compensation payable to the Company's Covered Executives (as defined in Section 11 below), whose compensation is potentially subject to the tax deduction limitations of Section 162(m) ("Section 162(m)" of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code")). With respect to Awards made to Covered Executives, all compensation payable hereunder or attributable to equity-based Awards, the terms of which are subject to the rules contained herein, is intended to qualify as "performance-based compensation" as described in Code Section 162(m)(4)(C) and may be payable either in cash or, if permitted under a Company shareholder-approved equity plan, shares of the Company's common stock ("Shares").

4.
Applicability to Company Performance-Based Compensation Awards and Company Equity Plans. The Plan serves as a Section 162(m) "platform plan" such that, to the maximum extent permitted by law and to the extent determined appropriate by the Compensation Committee (the "Compensation Committee") of the Company's Board of Directors (the "Board"), the Plan may be utilized for all forms and types of compensatory arrangements, awards, programs or plans (equity or cash-compensation based) sponsored or maintained by the Company (the "Awards"). To the extent applicable and not inconsistent with the terms of any other Company-sponsored compensation plan(s), with the Board's and Company shareholders' approval of this Plan, the terms and conditions of this Plan shall supplement such other Company-sponsored compensation arrangements.

5.
Termination; Amendment. The Plan shall continue to be in effect, unless and until terminated by the Compensation Committee. Certain material terms of the Plan are subject to the approval of the shareholders of the Company at a meeting of the shareholders at which a quorum is present or represented once every five (5) years in accordance with Section 162(m). The Plan may be further amended from time to time by the Compensation Committee provided that any amendment which, if effected without the approval of the shareholders of the Company, would result in the loss of an exemption from federal income tax deduction limitations under Section 162(m) for amounts payable thereunder but would not result in such loss if approved by the shareholders, shall become effective only upon approval thereof by the shareholders of the Company within the meaning of Section 162(m).

6.
Administration. The Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee. The Committee shall have full and complete authority to establish any rules and regulations it deems necessary or appropriate relating to the Plan, to interpret and construe the Plan and those rules and regulations, to correct defects and supply omissions, to determine who shall become Participants for any Plan Year, to determine the performance goals and other terms and conditions applicable to each Award (including the extent to which any payment shall be made under an Award in the event of a change in control of the Company), to certify the achievement of performance goals and approve all Awards,




to make all factual and other determinations arising under the Plan, and to take all other actions the Committee deems necessary or appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan. In suitable circumstances, the Compensation Committee may evaluate and use the Company's management's input as well as input and other relevant information from any outside parties it deems appropriate.

7.
Participation. Key associates and officers eligible for participation in the Plan will be determined by the Compensation Committee on an annual basis. Executive officers eligible to receive Awards under the Executive Award Feature of the Plan will be identified each year by the Compensation Committee as described in Section 11 below.

8.
General Feature; Determination of Annual Targets. The Compensation Committee and Company management will determine the measure or measures of financial performance and/or the target levels of operational performance ("Performance Measures"), the attainment of which in any Incentive Period will result in the payment, exercise, settlement or vesting of Awards to all eligible participants except for those executives covered by the Executive Award Feature. Establishment of Performance Measures may be made, and under appropriate circumstances may subsequently be modified, either by the Compensation Committee or Company management at any time during an Incentive Period. Different Performance Measures may be established for each participant. During an Incentive Period, the Compensation Committee or Company management will monitor corporate performance throughout such period and may elect at any time before the end thereof to adjust the established Performance Measures as appropriate, for example, to take into account unusual or unanticipated corporate or industry-wide developments. Final determinations of the amounts to be paid to a participant under the general feature of the Plan may also be adjusted upward or downward depending upon subjective evaluations by an associate's executive or manager. Subject to any clawback obligation of the Company pursuant to any applicable law or a Company clawback or recoupment policy, in no event will the aggregate amount paid under the general feature of the Plan for all eligible participants be adjusted below 95% of the sum of the amounts calculated for all eligible participants as of the last day of the Incentive Period with reference to the Annual Targets as calculated based upon actual results through the end of the Incentive Period ("Minimum Payout Amount"). In the event that downward adjustments are made that bring the aggregate amounts to be paid to eligible participants below the Minimum Payout Amount, an upward adjustment will be made in the aggregate amount paid to other eligible participants (such upward adjustment allocated among one or more other eligible participants as determined by the Compensation Committee or Company), such that the total amount paid to eligible participants as a group is not less than the Minimum Payout Amount. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Plan to the contrary, in no circumstances will any upward adjustment being made pursuant to this provision result in an increase in the amount of compensation to any eligible participant who is a "covered employee" of the Company as defined in Code Section 162(m)(3).

9.
Performance Measures. Performance Measures for any Incentive Period may include but are not limited to one or more of the Executive Targets set forth in Section 11. Performance Measures may also include individual factors including but not limited to associate productivity, associate retention, and individual milestone achievement. Target performance may be expressed as absolute or average dollar amounts, percentages, changes in dollar amounts or changes in percentages, and may be considered on an institution-alone basis or measured against specified peer groups or companies. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Performance Measures applicable to executive officers covered under the Executive Award Feature and the maximum amount payable, or maximum number of Company Shares subjected to Awards, in any Incentive Period shall be as set forth in the Executive Award Feature of the Plan (see Section 11).

10.
Individual Factors. The Compensation Committee or Company management, in exercising discretion under the Plan on determinations of Awards payable to individuals, may consider particular individual goals as well as subjective factors, including any unique contributions.

11.
Executive Award Feature. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan to the contrary, any Awards granted under the Plan to those individuals identified by the Compensation Committee as Section 16 "insiders" of the Company, within the meaning of Security Exchange Commission Regulations (the "Covered Executives"), for purposes of this Plan, shall be governed by the provisions of this Section 11 while such associate is a Covered Executive.

(i)    On or before the ninetieth (90th) day of any Incentive Period of a year or longer, or on or before the date which is no more than twenty-five percent (25%) of the total number of days in any Incentive Period that is shorter than a calendar year, the Compensation Committee will: (a) identify those individuals who it reasonably believes will be Covered Executives for the Incentive Period for which the payment, vesting or




settlement of an Award will cause the inclusion of taxable income by the Covered Executive, (b) establish in writing the Earnings Per Share Target (as defined below) for such Incentive Period, (c) establish in writing the Company Operating Margin Target (as defined below) for such Incentive Period, (d) establish in writing the Agreement Margin Targets (as defined below) for such Incentive Period, and (e) establish in writing any other targets for the Covered Executives as specifically set forth below and as determined by the Compensation Committee and set forth in the Compensation Committee minutes ("Other Targets") (the Earnings Per Share Target, the Company Operating Margin Target, the Agreement Margin Target and all Other Targets to be referred to collectively as the "Executive Targets"). The Compensation Committee may elect to establish any combination of the above Executive Targets for a given Incentive Period provided that any established Executive Target(s) be established within the applicable time period set forth above. Payment amounts for achievement at or above an Executive Target need not be limited to designated incremental levels only. Rather, the Committee may establish payment terms such that the payment amount is correlated directly to the percentage level of achievement at or above the Executive Target (e.g., a 104% level of achievement of an established target level will result in a payout of 104% of the amount that would have been paid at a 100% of target level of achievement). Due to the Compensation Committee's belief that the disclosure of the Executive Targets would adversely affect the Company, the Compensation Committee, the Covered Executives and all other directors, officers and associates who become aware of such targets shall and will treat such Executive Targets for any Incentive Period as confidential. Executive Targets based on recognized accounting principles shall be determined and deemed satisfied by using the same accounting principles in effect and relied upon when such Executive Target was established.

(ii)     The Earnings Per Share Target shall be expressed as a specific target earnings per Share on a fully diluted basis, before the after-tax effect of any extraordinary items, the cumulative effect of accounting changes, or other nonrecurring items of income or expense including restructuring charges.

(iii)    The Company Operating Margin Target shall be expressed as a target percentage reflecting the leverage of the Company's revenue relative to the expense associated with that revenue.

(iv)    The Agreement Margin Targets shall be expressed as a dollar amount of booking margins on specified types of sales, adjusted for the costs associated with delivery of the solutions.

(v)    The Other Targets shall be determined based solely on the following list of business criteria for the Company on a segregated or consolidated basis, or for one or more of the Company's subsidiaries, segments, divisions or business units, as selected by the Compensation Committee:

(a)
Total shareholder return;
(b)
Stock price increase (including attainment of a specified per-Share price during the Incentive Period; growth measures and total shareholder return or attainment by the Shares of a specified price for a specified period of time);
(c)
Return on equity;
(d)
Return on capital;
(e)
Cash flow, including collection of cash, operating cash flows, free cash flow, discounted cash flow return on investment, and cash flow in excess of cost of capital;
(f)
Earnings measures (either in the aggregate or on a per-Share basis), including or excluding one or more of interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization or similar financial accounting measurements;
(g)
Operating profit/margin (either in the aggregate or on a per-Share basis);
(h)
Operating income (either in the aggregate or on a per-Share basis);
(i)
Net earnings (either in the aggregate or on a per-Share basis);
(j)
Net income or loss (either in the aggregate or on a per-Share basis);
(k)
Ratio of debt to debt plus equity or other debt measurements or ratings;
(l)
Strategic business criteria, consisting of one or more objectives based on meeting specified revenue, market share, market penetration, business bookings revenue or agreement margin, geographic business expansion goals, objectively identified project milestones, production volume levels, cost targets, client/associate satisfaction, associate retention and goals relating to acquisitions or divestitures;
(m)
Achievement of business or operational goals such as market share and/or business development;
(n)
Economic value added;




(o)
Revenue levels;
(p)
Productivity measures, including operating and maintenance cost management and associate productivity, and productivity increases;
(q)
Price to earnings ratio;
(r)
Expense ratios, including reductions in expense levels, determined on a Company-wide basis or with respect to any one or more business units; and/or
(s)
Total expenditures.

Any applicable Executive Target may be applied on a pre- or post-tax basis; and provided further that the Compensation Committee may, when the applicable performance goals are established, provide that the formula for such goals may include or exclude items to measure specific objectives, such as losses from discontinued operations, extraordinary gains or losses, the cumulative effect of accounting changes, acquisitions or divestitures, foreign exchange impacts, and any unusual, infrequent or nonrecurring gain or loss. As established by the Compensation Committee, the Executive Targets may include, without limitation, GAAP and non-GAAP financial measures. In addition to the foregoing performance goals, the performance goals shall also include any performance goals which are set forth in a Company bonus or incentive plan, if any, which has been approved by the Company's shareholders, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such performance goals shall be set by the Compensation Committee within the time period prescribed by, and shall otherwise comply with the requirements of, Code Section 162(m).

(vi)    Prior to any payment, vesting or settlement of an Award to any Covered Executive of any amount accrued under this Section 11, the Compensation Committee (or its delegated subcommittee) shall confirm in writing that an Executive Target has been satisfied and authorize the payment; this can be satisfied by confirmation in the Compensation Committee minutes reflecting such approval was granted by the Compensation Committee or the subcommittee prior to payment. The Compensation Committee shall have no discretion to increase the amount of any Covered Executive's Award, but may reduce the amount of, or totally eliminate, such Award, if it determines, in its absolute and sole discretion, that such a reduction or elimination is appropriate in order to reflect the Covered Executive's performance or unanticipated factors.

(vii)    Covered Executive Individual Limitations.
 
(a)
Subject to adjustment as provided below, with respect to any equity-based Award that could be payable in Shares (e.g., stock options, stock-settled stock appreciation rights, performance-based restricted stock or performance-based restricted stock units) or any equity-based Award that could be payable in cash but in an amount determined based solely on the then fair market value of the Shares underlying such Award (e.g., performance-based restricted stock units or cash-settled stock appreciation rights) (collectively, "Stock Awards"), in no event may any one participant be granted Stock Awards subject to this Plan in any single calendar year covering or relating to the exercise of more than 2,000,000 Shares; provided, however, that to the extent a Company shareholder-approved equity plan contains a lower limitation, the lower limitation in that plan shall control. If any change is made in the Shares without the receipt of consideration by the Company (e.g., through stock dividend, stock split etc.), the above maximum Share limitation shall be appropriately and automatically adjusted to reflect such change.

(b)
With respect to any cash-based Awards, if at the end of an Incentive Period any of the Executive Targets established by the Compensation Committee have been met, the maximum amount payable to a Covered Executive in any calendar year shall be 500% of the Covered Executive's base salary at the time the Executive Targets are established; provided, however, for purposes of this limitation in no event will a Covered Executive's base salary in excess of $3,000,000 be taken into account. The Compensation Committee has discretion to reduce the amount of any Award, provided, however, under no circumstances may the Compensation Committee increase the amount of an Award beyond its maximum limit. For quarterly or annual cash-based Awards, the amount of the Award reduction, if any, will depend upon a subjective cash-based Award reduction factor, formally known as an "Annual Performance Evaluation (APE) Factor," which will be determined at the Covered Executive's end-of-the-year evaluation. This factor will range from 100%




of the maximum Award amount for demonstrated distinguished performance to 0% if performance does not satisfy the required standard.

(viii)    At the election of the Compensation Committee, the Covered Executives' individual performance plan agreements may provide for an Award recovery in the event the Company implements a Mandatory Restatement, which restatement relates to one or more fiscal years. Such Award recovery would require that some or all of any amounts paid to a Covered Executive as an Award earned under this Plan that related to such restated periods would be recoverable and must be repaid within ninety days of such restatement(s). The amount which must be repaid, if any, is the amount by which the compensation paid or received exceeds the amount that would have been paid or received based on the financial results reported in the restated financial statement. For this purpose, a "Mandatory Restatement" is a restatement of the Company's audited financial statements included in any of its periodic reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which, in the good faith opinion of the Company's Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, is required to be implemented pursuant to generally accepted accounting principles, but excluding: a) any restatement which is required with respect to a particular year as a consequence of a change in generally accepted accounting rules effective after the publication of the financial statements for such year; b) any restatement that in the good faith judgment of the Audit Committee of the Board is required due to a change in the manner in which the Company's auditors interpret the application of generally accepted accounting principles (as opposed to a change in a prior accounting conclusion due to a change in the facts upon which such conclusion was based); and, c) any restatement that is otherwise required due to events, facts or changes in law or practice that the Audit Committee concludes were beyond the control and responsibility of the Covered Executives and that occurred regardless of the Covered Executives' diligent and thorough performance of their duties and responsibilities.

12.
Code Section 409A. In the event that any provision of this Plan shall be determined to contravene Code Section 409A ("Section 409A"), the regulations promulgated thereunder, regulatory interpretations or announcements with respect to Section 409A or applicable judicial decisions construing Section 409A, any such provision shall be void and have no effect. Moreover, this Plan shall be interpreted at all times in such a manner that the terms and provisions of the Plan comply with Code Section 409A, the regulations promulgated thereunder, regulatory interpretations or announcements with respect to Section 409A and applicable judicial decisions construing Section 409A. In no event is the Company responsible for any tax or penalty owed by participant with respect to the payments under this Plan.




 
 
From:
SPECIMEN [id@ProxyVote.com]
Sent:
Thursday, April 21, 2016 8:12 AM
To:
Associate
Subject:
#CERNER12# CERNER CORPORATION Annual Meeting %P21033_0_012345678901_0000001%

TO: Cerner Corporation 401(k) Associate Participants
SUBJECT: Cerner 2016 Annual Shareholders' Meeting: Electronic Voting Instructions

The Annual Shareholders' Meeting of Cerner Corporation (the "Company") will be held at 10:00 a.m., local time, on May 27, 2016. You have been enrolled to receive shareholder communications and to submit voting instructions via the Internet.

Please read the following information carefully.

As a participant in the Cerner Corporation Foundations Retirement Plan (the "Plan"), you are entitled to instruct Fidelity (the "Trustee") to vote the shares of Common Stock of the Company held by you under the Plan as of March 30, 2016. As of March 30, 2016 your Plan account reflected 123,456,789,012.000000 shares of Common Stock.

The number of shares of Common Stock shown includes any shares of Common Stock purchased as either an Associate contribution or Company contribution. Therefore, you may not be vested in the total number of shares of Common Stock indicated.

There are four items for which you may vote:

Proposal #1:
The election of three director nominees.

Proposal #2:
Ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company for 2016.

Proposal #3:
Approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of our named executive officers.

Proposal #4:
Approval of the amendment and restatement of the Cerner Corporation Performance-Based Compensation Plan.

Details about each of these items are provided in the 2016 Proxy Statement.

The Board of Directors recommends that you vote for the election of director nominees Gerald E. Bisbee, Jr., Ph.D., Denis A. Cortese, M.D., and Linda M. Dillman and for Proposals 2, 3 and 4.

CONTROL NUMBER: 012345678901

You can enter your voting instructions and view the shareholder material at the following internet site. If your browser supports secure transactions you will automatically be directed to a secure site.

http://www.proxyvote.com/0012345678901

To access Proxy Vote, you will need the above CONTROL NUMBER and a four digit PIN. The PIN number you will need is the last four digits of your social security number. Internet voting is accepted up to 11:59 p.m. ET, May 24, 2016. In accordance with the terms of the Plan, the Trustee will vote all of the shares held in the plan in the same proportion as the actual proxy votes submitted by plan participants by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on May 24, 2016.

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Shareholders' Meeting to be held on May 27, 2016: This communication is not a form for voting and presents only an overview of the more complete proxy materials. The 2015 Annual Report and 2016 Proxy Statement are available at www.cerner.com under "About Cerner, Investor Relations, Financial Information, Proxy Materials" or by following this link: http://www.cerner.com/About_Cerner/Investor_Relations/Proxy_Materials/. We encourage you to access and review the proxy materials before voting.

The Company's 2015 Annual Report and its 2016 Proxy Statement may also be provided, at the participant's request, in hard copy form. To receive a paper copy of the Company's 2015 Annual Report and 2016 Proxy Statement, please contact Rheana Papek at (816) 201-2884.

Once you submit your votes, the process is complete and your votes will remain confidential.




+
 
 
VOTE BY INTERNET - www.proxyvote.com
 
Use the Internet to transmit your voting instructions and for electronic delivery of information up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on May 26, 2016. Have your Proxy Card in hand when you access the web site and follow the instructions to obtain your records and to create an electronic voting instruction form.
CERNER CORPORATION
2800 ROCKCREEK PARKWAY
NORTH KANSAS CITY, MO 64117
 
 
 
 
 
VOTE BY PHONE - 1-800-690-6903
 
 
Use any touch-tone telephone to transmit your voting instructions up until 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on May 26, 2016. Have your Proxy Card in hand when you call and then follow the instructions.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
VOTE BY MAIL
 
 
 
Mark, sign and date your proxy card and return it in the postage-paid envelope we have provided or return it to Vote Processing, c/o Broadridge, 51 Mercedes Way, Edgewood, NY 11717.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
VOTE IN PERSON
 
 
 
All shareholders of record as of March 30, 2016 (or holders in street name who have obtained a valid proxy card) may vote in person at the meeting.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF FUTURE PROXY MATERIALS
 
 
 
If you would like to reduce the costs incurred by our company in mailing proxy materials, you can consent to receiving all future proxy statements, Proxy Cards and annual reports electronically via e-mail. To sign up for electronic delivery, please follow the instructions above to vote using the Internet and, when prompted, indicate that you agree to receive or access proxy materials electronically in future years.







TO VOTE, MARK BLOCKS BELOW IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS FOLLOWS: 
M87372-P59864 KEEP THIS PORTION FOR YOUR RECORDS 
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
DETACH AND RETURN THIS PORTION ONLY 
THIS PROXY CARD IS VALID ONLY WHEN SIGNED AND DATED.
CERNER CORPORATION
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Each of the following Proposals have been proposed by the Company:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Election of Directors
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Nominees
For
Against
Abstain
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1a. Gerald E. Bisbee, Jr., Ph.D.
o
o
o
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1b. Denis A. Cortese, M.D.
o
o
o
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1c. Linda M. Dillman
o
o
o
 
 
 
For
Against
Abstain
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
2. Ratification of the appointment of KPMG LLP as the independent registered public accounting firm of Cerner Corporation for 2016.
 
o
o
o
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Approval, on an advisory basis, of the compensation of our named executive officers.
 
o
o
o
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4. Approval of the amendment and restatement of the Cerner Corporation Performance-Based Compensation Plan.
 
o
o
o
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTE: This Proxy, when properly executed, will be voted in the manner directed herein by the undersigned shareholder(s). If no direction is made, this Proxy will be voted FOR Proposals 1, 2, 3 and 4 . In their discretion, the appointed proxies are to vote upon such other business as may properly come before the meeting which the Board of Directors does not have knowledge of a reasonable period of time before the solicitation of this Proxy.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Please sign exactly as your name(s) appear(s) hereon. When signing as attorney, executor, administrator, or other fiduciary, please give full title as such. Joint owners should each sign personally. All holders must sign. If a corporation or partnership, please sign in full corporate or partnership name, by authorized officer.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Signature [PLEASE SIGN WITHIN BOX]
    Date
 
 
 
Signature (Joint Owners)
    Date
 
 
 
 
 









If you are a registered shareholder possessing a physical stock certificate and you need to update the address on
your stock certificate, please contact our transfer agent, Computershare Trust Company N.A., to make this change. Computershare's contact information is as follows:

Internet: www.computershare.com/investor

Phone: (800) 884-4225









Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting:
The Notice and Proxy Statement and Annual Report are available at www.proxyvote.com.









— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —  
M87373-P59864 
 
 
 
 
CERNER CORPORATION
 
 
 
 
 
This proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors of Cerner Corporation
 
 
 
 
 
This Proxy is solicited by the Board of Directors for the 2016 Annual Shareholders' Meeting of Cerner Corporation, a Delaware corporation, to be held May 27, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., local time, at The Cerner Round auditorium in the Cerner Vision Center, located on the Cerner Campus at 2850 Rockcreek Parkway, North Kansas City, Missouri 64117.

The undersigned hereby appoints Clifford W. Illig and Neal L. Patterson, and each of them, jointly and severally, with full power of substitution, as attorneys-in-fact, to vote all the shares of Common Stock of Cerner Corporation which the undersigned is entitled to vote at the 2016 Annual Shareholders' Meeting of Cerner Corporation to be held on May 27, 2016, and at any postponement or adjournment thereof, on the transaction of any and all business which may come before said meeting, as fully and with the same effect as the undersigned might or could do if personally present for the purposes set forth. The undersigned hereby acknowledges receipt of the Notice of Annual Shareholders' Meeting and Proxy Statement, dated April 21, 2016, and the 2015 Annual Report to Shareholders.

This Proxy Card will be voted "FOR" the election of director nominees: Gerald E. Bisbee, Jr., Ph.D., Denis A. Cortese, M.D., and Linda M. Dillman, and "FOR" Proposals #2, #3 and #4 if no choice is selected for any such proposal.

 
If you want to vote in accordance with the recommendation of the Board of Directors, simply sign where indicated on the other side and return this card.
 
 
PLEASE MARK, SIGN, DATE AND MAIL THIS PROXY IN THE ENVELOPE PROVIDED.
 
 
 
 
 
Continued and to be signed and dated on reverse side