Change of Status Contractor shall immediately notify H-GAC, in writing, of ANY change in ownership, control, dealership/franchisee status, Motor Vehicle license status, or name. Contractor shall offer written guidance to advise H-GAC if this Agreement shall be affected in any way by such change. H-GAC shall have the right to determine whether or not such change is acceptable, and to determine what action shall be warranted, up to and including cancellation of Agreement.
Effect of Change of Control Notwithstanding the other provisions of Paragraph 9.3, in the event that: (i) the Company terminates the Executive’s employment without Cause in anticipation of, or pursuant to a notice of termination delivered to the Executive within 24 months after, a Change in Control; (ii) the Executive terminates his employment for Good Reason pursuant to a notice of termination delivered to the Company in anticipation of, or within 24 months after, a Change in Control; or (iii) the Company fails to renew this Agreement in anticipation of, or within 24 months after, a Change of Control, the Company shall have no further obligation to the Executive under this Agreement or otherwise, except the Executive shall be entitled to receive the Accrued Obligations and the following benefits:
(a) the Company shall pay to the Executive, within 30 days following the Executive’s Separation from Service (as defined below), a lump-sum cash amount equal to: (i) two times the sum of (A) his Salary then in effect and (B) 75% of his then current Salary; plus (ii) a bonus for the then current fiscal year equal to 75% of his Salary (irrespective of whether performance objectives have been achieved); plus (iii) if such notice is given within the first 12 months after the date first set forth above, then, the Salary the Executive should have been paid from the date of termination through the end of such 12 month period, provided, however, that in the event of a termination for Good Reason pursuant to Clause Paragraph 15.1(h)(ii), the annual salary used for computation under this Paragraph 9.4(a) shall be the one in effect prior to the reduction referred to in Paragraph 15.1(h)(ii); and
(b) during the portion, if any, of the 24-month period (unless otherwise limited by COBRA or similar state law) commencing on the date of the Executive’s Separation from Service (as defined below) that the Executive is eligible to elect and elects to continue coverage for himself and his eligible dependents under the Company’s or an affiliate’s group heath plan pursuant to COBRA or similar state law, the Company shall reimburse the Executive on a monthly basis for the difference between the amount the Executive pays to effect and continue such coverage and the employee contribution amount that active senior executive employees of the Company pay for the same or similar coverage. For purposes of this Agreement, a Change of Control shall not be considered to be anticipated unless (a) the sale of the Company is being actively marketed, (b) a letter of intent outlining provisional sale terms and conditions are being negotiated and/or have been offered and/or exchanged, (c) nondisclosure/confidentiality agreements have been proposed to allow further due diligence for a prospective buyer(s) of the Company and/or its assets, and/or (d) a contract for the sale/purchase of the Company and/or its assets is being/has been negotiated or has been executed.
Effect of Change in Control In the event of a Change in Control, except to the extent that the Committee determines to cash out the Option in accordance with Section 13.1(c) of the Plan, the surviving, continuing, successor, or purchasing corporation or other business entity or parent thereof, as the case may be (the “Acquiror”), may, without the consent of the Participant, assume or continue in full force and effect the Company’s rights and obligations under all or any portion of the Option or substitute for all or any portion of the Option a substantially equivalent option for the Acquiror’s stock. For purposes of this Section, the Option or any portion thereof shall be deemed assumed if, following the Change in Control, the Option confers the right to receive, subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Option Agreement, for each share of Stock subject to such portion of the Option immediately prior to the Change in Control, the consideration (whether stock, cash, other securities or property or a combination thereof) to which a holder of a share of Stock on the effective date of the Change in Control was entitled; provided, however, that if such consideration is not solely common stock of the Acquiror, the Committee may, with the consent of the Acquiror, provide for the consideration to be received upon the exercise of the Option for each share of Stock to consist solely of common stock of the Acquiror equal in Fair Market Value to the per share consideration received by holders of Stock pursuant to the Change in Control. The Option shall terminate and cease to be outstanding effective as of the time of consummation of the Change in Control to the extent that the Option is neither assumed or continued by the Acquiror in connection with the Change in Control nor exercised as of the time of the Change in Control.
Sale of Assets, Consolidation, Merger, Dissolution, Etc Each Borrower and Guarantor shall not directly or indirectly:
(a) merge into or with or consolidate with any other Person or permit any other Person to merge into or with or consolidate with it except that (i) any Borrower or Guarantor may merge with or into or consolidate with any other Borrower or Guarantor (including any Person which becomes a Borrower or Guarantor in connection with a Permitted Acquisition subject to the terms of Section 9.21(d) hereof) and (ii) any Borrower or Guarantor may merge with a newly formed corporation or limited liability company organized in any state in the United States of America which has no assets or liabilities solely for the purpose of either changing the type of organization of such Borrower or Guarantor to a corporation or limited liability company or changing the jurisdiction of organization of such Borrower or Guarantor to any state in the United States of America, provided, that, in each case each of the following conditions is satisfied as determined by Agent in good faith: (A) Agent shall receive prompt written notice of any such merger or consolidation, (B) as of the effective date of the merger or consolidation and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (C) in the case of a merger between any Borrower or Guarantor and such newly formed corporation or limited liability company where such corporation or limited liability company is the surviving corporation or limited liability company, such corporation or limited liability company shall have expressly confirmed, ratified and assumed the Obligations of such Borrower or Guarantor and the Financing Agreements to which such Borrower or Guarantor is a party, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent, and in the case of a merger between any Borrower or Guarantor and such newly formed corporation or limited liability company, such Borrower, Guarantor or newly formed corporation or limited liability company shall execute and deliver such other agreements, documents and instruments as Agent may reasonably request in connection therewith, and (D) Agent shall promptly receive true, correct and complete copies of all material agreements, documents and instruments relating to such merger or consolidation; provided, further, that, prior to the Petro Existing Security Agreement Termination Date, no Petro Company shall be merged with or consolidate into any Borrower or Guarantor other than another Petro Company;
(b) sell, issue, assign, lease, license, transfer, abandon or otherwise dispose of any Capital Stock or Indebtedness to any other Person or any of its assets to any other Person, except for
(i) sales of Inventory in the ordinary course of business,
(ii) the sale or other disposition of Equipment (including worn-out or obsolete Equipment or Equipment no longer used or useful in the business of any Borrower or Guarantor) and the sale of Real Property or the Capital Stock of any Propco; provided, that, (A) as of the date of such sale or disposition and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (B) such sale or disposition shall be on commercially reasonable terms in a bona fide arms length transaction, (C) as of the date of such sale or disposition and after giving effect thereto, Excess Availability plus Unrestricted Cash shall not be less than $20,000,000, (D) such sale or disposition shall not be in connection with any sale-leaseback transaction (it being understood that any such sale-leaseback transaction shall be governed by the terms of Section 9.7(b)(x) hereof), (E) if the Equipment or Real Property to be sold or disposed of (including the Equipment or Real Property owned by any Propco) is included in the Borrowing Base or if a Cash Dominion Period exists, all of the net cash proceeds of such sale or disposition shall promptly be paid to Agent for application to the Obligations in accordance with Section 6.4(a) hereof,
(iii) the issuance and sale by Parent of Capital Stock of Parent (other than Disqualified Capital Stock) after the date hereof; provided, that, (A) if a Cash Dominion Period exists, Agent shall receive prompt written notice of such issuance and sale and (B) if a Cash Dominion Period exists, all of the net cash proceeds of the sale and issuance of such Capital Stock shall promptly be paid to Agent for application to the Obligations in accordance with Section 6.4(a) hereof,
(iv) the issuance of Capital Stock of any Borrower or Guarantor consisting of common stock pursuant to an employee stock option or grant or similar equity plan or 401(k) plans of such Borrower or Guarantor for the benefit of its employees, directors and consultants, provided, that, in no event shall such Borrower or Guarantor be required to issue, or shall such Borrower or Guarantor issue, Capital Stock pursuant to such stock plans or 401(k) plans which would result in a Change of Control or other Event of Default, and
(v) the sale, transfer, lease, sublease or other disposition of assets of any Borrower or Guarantor to another Borrower or Guarantor,
(vi) the grant of non-exclusive licenses of Intellectual Property in the ordinary course of business,
(vii) leases or subleases of Real Property permitted under Section 9.8(m) or 9.12 hereof,
(viii) the sale or other disposition of Cash Equivalents for fair market value in the ordinary course of business,
(ix) the issuance and sale by any Borrower (other than Parent) or Guarantor of its Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Capital Stock) to another Borrower or Guarantor; provided, that, Agent shall have received, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Agent (A) evidence that Agent has a valid and perfected first priority security interest in and lien upon all such Capital Stock and (B) such other agreements, documents and instruments as Agent may reasonably request to effectuate the purpose and intent of clause (A) above,
(x) the sale of Real Estate and Equipment in connection with a sale-leaseback transaction permitted under Section 9.7(d) hereof (including the sale of the Capital Stock of any Propco and the leaseback of Real Property and Equipment owned by such Propco),
(xi) the sale, transfer or other disposition by the Petro Companies to an Excluded Subsidiary of the franchise agreements between any of the Petro Companies and its franchisees; provided, that, as of the date of such sale, transfer or disposition and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, and
(xii) the sale or other disposition of assets of any Borrower or Guarantor not otherwise permitted under the foregoing provisions of this Section 9.7(b) above (other than the sale or disposition of Accounts of any Borrower or Guarantor or Capital Stock of any Borrower); provided, that, (A) as of the date of such sale or disposition and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (B) such sale or disposition shall be on commercially reasonable terms in a bona fide arms length transaction, (C) as of the date of such sale or disposition and after giving effect thereto, the aggregate net book value of all of the assets so sold or disposed of in any fiscal year of Parent shall not exceed $20,000,000, (D) as of the date of such sale or disposition and after giving effect thereto, Excess Availability plus Unrestricted Cash shall not be less than $20,000,000, (E) such sale or disposition shall not be in connection with any sale-leaseback transaction (it being understood that any such sale-leaseback transaction shall be governed by the terms of Section 9.7(b)(x) hereof), (F) if any of the assets to be sold or disposed of (including the Equipment or Real Property owned by any Propco) is included in the Borrowing Base or if a Cash Dominion Period exists, all of the net cash proceeds of such sale or disposition shall promptly be paid to Agent for application to the Obligations in accordance with Section 6.4(a) hereof,
(c) wind up, liquidate or dissolve except that any Guarantor may wind up, liquidate and dissolve, provided, that, each of the following conditions is satisfied, (i) effective upon such winding up, liquidation or dissolution, all of the assets and properties of such Guarantor shall be duly and validly transferred and assigned to a Borrower or another Guarantor, (ii) Agent shall have received all documents and agreements that any Borrower or Guarantor has filed with any Governmental Authority or as are otherwise required to effectuate such winding up, liquidation or dissolution, (iii) no Borrower or Guarantor shall assume any Indebtedness, obligations or liabilities as a result of such winding up, liquidation or dissolution, or otherwise become liable in respect of any obligations or liabilities of the entity that is winding up, liquidating or dissolving, unless such Indebtedness is otherwise expressly permitted hereunder, (iv) Agent shall receive prompt written notice of any such winding up, liquidation or dissolution, and (v) as of the date of such winding up, liquidation or dissolution and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;
(d) enter into any sale-leaseback transaction, except for the sale-leaseback of Real Property and Equipment (including the sale of the Capital Stock of any Propco and the leaseback of Real Property and Equipment owned by such Propco); provided, that, each of the following conditions is satisfied: (i) Agent shall receive prompt written notice of any such sale-leaseback, (ii) promptly upon Agent’s request, Agent shall have received true, correct and complete copies of all material agreements, documents and instruments related to such sale-leaseback, (iii) as of the date of the consummation of such sale-leaseback and after giving effect thereto, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (iv) if any Equipment or Real Property subject to such sale leaseback transaction (whether directly or indirectly through Propco) is included in the Borrowing Base or if a Cash Dominion Period exists, all of the net cash proceeds of such sale-leaseback shall promptly be paid to Agent for application to the Obligations in accordance with Section 6.4(a) hereof, (v) such sale-leaseback transaction shall be on commercially reasonable terms in a bona fide arms-length transaction, and (vi) as of the date of such sale-leaseback transaction and after giving effect thereto, Excess Availability plus Unrestricted Cash shall not be less than $20,000,000; and
(e) agree to do any of the foregoing. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, no Borrower or Guarantor (other than a Petro Company) shall, prior to the Petro Existing Security Agreement Termination Date, sell, lease, transfer, assign, license, abandon or otherwise dispose of any Capital Stock, Indebtedness or other assets to a Petro Company unless, as of the date of any such sale, lease, transfer, assignment, license, abandonment or disposition, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and Excess Availability plus Unrestricted Cash shall not be less than an amount equal to the thirty-five (35%) percent of the Maximum Credit.
Termination Following a Change of Control If the Employee's employment terminates at any time within eighteen (18) months following a Change of Control, then, subject to Section 5, the Employee shall be entitled to receive the following severance benefits:
Definition of Change of Control For purposes of this Agreement, “Change of Control” shall mean:
Definition of Change in Control For purposes of the Agreement, a “Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence of any one of the following events:
Termination Upon or Following a Change of Control (a) A Change of Control of the Company (“Change of Control”) shall be deemed to have occurred upon the happening of any of the following events:
(i) the consummation of a transaction that results in the reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company with one or more other persons, other than a transaction following which:
(A) at least 51% of the equity ownership interests of the entity resulting from such transaction are beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) in substantially the same relative proportions by persons who, immediately prior to such transaction, beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) at least 51% of the outstanding equity ownership interests in the Company; and
(B) at least 51% of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the entity resulting from such transaction are beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) in substantially the same relative proportions by persons who, immediately prior to such transaction, beneficially owned (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) at least 51 % of the securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the Company;
(ii) the acquisition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or more of the outstanding securities of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors by any person or by any persons acting in concert;
(iii) a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company, or approval by the stockholders of the Company of a plan for such liquidation or dissolution;
(iv) the occurrence of any event if, immediately following such event, at least 50% of the members of the Board do not belong to any of the following groups:
(A) individuals who were members of the Board on the Initial Effective Date; or
(B) individuals who first became members of the Board after the Initial Effective Date either:
(I) upon election to serve as a member of the Board by affirmative vote of three-quarters of the members of such Board, or of a nominating committee thereof, in office at the time of such first election; or
(II) upon election by the stockholders of the Company to serve as a member of the Board, but only if nominated for election by affirmative vote of three-quarters of the members of the Board, or of a nominating committee thereof, in office at the time of such first nomination; provided, however, that such individual's election or nomination did not result from an actual or threatened election contest (within the meaning of Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act) or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents (within the meaning of Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act) other than by or on behalf of the Board; or
(v) any event which would be described in Section 11(a)(i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) if the term “Association” were substituted for the term “Company” therein or the term “Board of Directors of the Association” were substituted for the term “Board”. In no event, however, shall a Change of Control be deemed to have occurred as a result of any acquisition of securities or assets of the Company, the Association, or an affiliate or subsidiary of either of them, by the Company, the Association, or a subsidiary of either of them, or by any employee benefit plan maintained by any of them. For purposes of this Section 11 (a), the term “person” shall have the meaning assigned to it under Sections 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act.
(b) In the event of a Change of Control, the Executive shall be entitled to the payments and benefits contemplated by Section 9(b) in the event of his or her termination of employment with the Company under any of the circumstances described in Section 9(a) of this Agreement or under any of the following circumstances:
(i) resignation, voluntary or otherwise, by the Executive at any time during the Employment Period within six (6) months following his or her demotion, loss of title, office or significant authority or responsibility or following any reduction in any element of his or her package of compensation and benefits;
(ii) resignation, voluntary or otherwise, by the Executive at any time during the Employment Period within six (6) months following any relocation of his or her principal place of employment or any change in working conditions at such principal place of employment which the Executive, in his or her reasonable discretion, determines to be embarrassing, derogatory or otherwise adverse;
(iii) resignation, voluntary or otherwise, by the Executive at any time during the Employment Period within six (6) months following the failure of any successor to the Company in the Change of Control to include the Executive in any compensation or benefit program maintained by it or covering any of its executive officers, unless the Executive is already covered by a substantially similar plan of the Company which is at least as favorable to him or her; or
(iv) resignation, voluntary or otherwise, for any reason whatsoever during the Employment Period within six months following the effective date of the Change of Control.
Effect of a Change in Control In the event of a Change in Control, Sections 6 through 13 of this Agreement shall become applicable to Executive. These Sections shall continue to remain applicable until the third anniversary of the date upon which the Change in Control occurs. On such third anniversary date, and provided that the employment of Executive has not been terminated on account of a Qualifying Termination (as defined in Section 5 below), this Agreement shall terminate and be of no further force or effect.
Termination After Change of Control In the event that, before the expiration of the TERM and in connection with or within one year of a CHANGE OF CONTROL (as defined hereinafter) of either one of the EMPLOYERS, (A) the employment of the EMPLOYEE is terminated for any reason other than JUST CAUSE before the expiration of the TERM, (B) the present capacity or circumstances in which the EMPLOYEE is employed is changed before the expiration of the TERM, or (C) the EMPLOYEE's responsibilities, authority, compensation or other benefits provided under this AGREEMENT are materially reduced, then the following shall occur:
(I) The EMPLOYERS shall promptly pay to the EMPLOYEE or to his beneficiaries, dependents or estate an amount equal to the sum of (1) the amount of compensation to which the EMPLOYEE would be entitled for the remainder of the TERM under this AGREEMENT, plus (2) the difference between (x) the product of three, multiplied by the total compensation paid to the EMPLOYEE for the immediately preceding calendar year as set forth on the Form W-2 of the EMPLOYEE, less (xx) the amount paid to the EMPLOYEE pursuant to clause (1) of this subparagraph (I);
(II) The EMPLOYEE, his dependents, beneficiaries and estate shall continue to be covered under all BENEFIT PLANS of the EMPLOYERS at the EMPLOYERS' expense as if the EMPLOYEE were still employed under this AGREEMENT until the earliest of the expiration of the TERM or the date on which the EMPLOYEE is included in another employer's benefit plans as a full-time employee; and
(III) The EMPLOYEE shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided for in this AGREEMENT by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall any amounts received from other employment or otherwise by the EMPLOYEE offset in any manner the obligations of the EMPLOYERS thereunder, except as specifically stated in subparagraph (II). In the event that payments pursuant to this subsection (ii) would result in the imposition of a penalty tax pursuant to Section 280G(b)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder (hereinafter collectively referred to as "SECTION 280G"), such payments shall be reduced to the maximum amount which may be paid under SECTION 280G without exceeding such limits.
