Transaction Bonus In addition, in the event of a transaction involving a Change in Control, in a transaction approved by the Company’s Board of Directors, which transaction results in the receipt by the Company’s stockholders of consideration with a value representing, in the sole judgment of the Board of Directors, a significant premium over the average of the closing prices per share of the Company’s common stock as quoted on the Nasdaq National Market for 20 trading days ending one day prior to the public announcement of such transaction (a “Change in Control Transaction”), Executive shall be paid a Transaction Bonus at the closing of such a transaction in the amount equal to one (1) times 50% of Executive’s Base Salary in effect immediately preceding the closing of such a transaction. Executive shall also be paid said Transaction Bonus if the Company enters into a transaction approved by the Board of Directors which is not a Change in Control Transaction, but which, nonetheless, involves a significant change in the ownership of the Company or the composition of the Board of Directors of the Company, and which results in significant additional value for the Company’s stockholders, as determined by the Board of Directors in its sole discretion and as specifically designated a significant event by the Board of Directors (a “Significant Event”). In the event Executive receives a Transaction Bonus, no Achievement Bonus will be paid to Executive in the year in which such Transaction Bonus is paid. If the Company enters into a transaction which is a Change in Control Transaction, then all of the Executive’s stock options received before the date of the transaction shall become exercisable in full and all of the shares of the common stock of the Company awarded to Executive under the Company’s 1997 Stock Incentive Plan (or any subsequent plan) shall become fully vested. If the Company enters into a transaction which is not a Change in Control Transaction but which is a Significant Event, then the Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, determine that all, or a portion, of the Executive’s stock options received before the effective date of the transaction shall become exercisable in full and all, or a portion, of the shares of the common stock of the Company awarded to Executive under the Company’s 1997 Stock Incentive Plan (or any subsequent plan) shall become fully vested.
Retention Bonuses Provided Executive becomes and remains an active employee of Mercantile, Mercantile will pay Executive retention bonuses in accordance with the following schedule:
Change in Control Bonus “Change in Control Bonus” has the meaning set forth in Section 5a(iii)(1).
Retention Bonus You will be eligible for a lump sum cash payment on the first anniversary of the Acquisition Date provided that you are employed by the Company as of such date in an amount equal to the sum of (i) 100% of your annual base salary in effect as of the Acquisition Date, plus (ii) 100% of the annual bonus paid to you for the Company’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2008 (such sum, the “First Year Retention Bonus”). You will be eligible for a lump sum cash payment on the second anniversary of the Acquisition Date provided that you are employed by the Company as of such date in an amount equal to the sum of (i) 100% of your annual base salary in effect as of the Acquisition Date, plus (ii) 100% of the annual bonus paid to you for the Company’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2008 (such sum, the “Second Year Retention Bonus”). Except as set forth below, you will not be eligible for the retention bonuses as set forth above if your employment terminates prior to such applicable anniversary. In the event of your Voluntary Termination for Good Reason (as defined below), the termination of your employment by the Company other than for Justifiable Cause, or in the event of your death or “permanent disability” as defined in the Company’s long-term disability policy (i) during the first twelve month period following the Acquisition Date, you will be eligible for a pro rata portion of the First Year Retention Bonus, counting full months of employment with the Company from the Acquisition Date through such termination, and (ii) during the second twelve month period following the Acquisition Date, you will be eligible for a pro rata portion of the Second Year Retention Bonus, counting full months of employment with the Company from the first anniversary of the Acquisition Date through such termination. Any prorated payment pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be made within 10 business days of such termination. If the annual bonus payment for the Company’s fiscal year ending December 31, 2008 has not been paid to you or otherwise determined by the Company as of the date the prorated payment is due, the prorated payment shall be calculated using your target bonus amount for 2008. Payments under this Section 8 shall be net of any applicable withholding taxes. For purposes of this Section 8, “Voluntary Termination for Good Reason” shall have the same meaning as given to such term under the Key Employee Change in Control Severance Plan as in effect immediately prior to the Acquisition Date, but with respect to the First Year Retention Bonus only, determined without regard to clause (ii) thereof.”
Change in Control Severance Benefits If there is a Change in Control, and within one (1) year of such Change in Control, the Executive’s employment is terminated under the circumstances described in Sections 4(a) through 4(f) above, the Executive shall be entitled to the following: (I) if such termination is a termination by the Company without Cause pursuant to Section 4(a) or the Executive resigns for Good Reason pursuant to Section 4(b), the Company shall pay the Executive the Accrued Obligations and the Pro Rata Bonus and, in addition, subject to the provisions of Section 19, (A) an amount equal to twenty-four (24) months of the Executive’s Base Salary at the rate in effect on the date of termination or resignation, payable in a lump sum within sixty (60) calendar days of the date of termination or resignation; and (B) provided the Executive timely elects continuation coverage under COBRA, the Company shall also pay, on the Executive’s behalf, the portion of monthly premiums for the Executive’s group health insurance, including coverage for the Executive’s dependents, that the Company paid immediately prior to the date of termination or resignation, during the eighteen (18) month period following the date of termination or resignation, subject to the Executive’s continued eligibility for COBRA coverage. The Company will pay for such COBRA coverage for eligible dependents only for those dependents who were enrolled immediately prior to the date of termination or resignation. The Executive will continue to be required to pay that portion of the premium for the Executive’s health coverage, including coverage for the Executive’s eligible dependents, that the Executive was required to pay as an active employee immediately prior to the date of termination or resignation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that under applicable guidance the reimbursement of COBRA premiums causes the Company’s group health plan to violate any applicable nondiscrimination rule, the parties agree to negotiate in good faith a mutually agreeable alternative arrangement; and (II) if such termination is a termination or resignation under the circumstances described in Sections 4(c), 4(d), 4(e) or 4(f), the Executive shall be entitled to the compensation and benefits for which the Executive is eligible under such sections.
Bonus Amount For purposes of this Agreement, "Bonus Amount" shall mean the greater of (a) the target annual bonus payable to the Executive under the Incentive Plan in respect of the fiscal year during which the Termination Date occurs or (b) the highest annual bonus paid or payable under the Incentive Plan in respect of any of the three full fiscal years ended prior to the Termination Date or, if greater, the three (3) full fiscal years ended prior to the Change in Control.
Bonus Severance A lump-sum payment equal to 100% of the Executive’s target annual bonus as in effect for the fiscal year in which the CIC Qualified Termination occurs.
Performance Bonuses The Executive will be eligible to receive an annual cash bonus at an annualized rate of up to 40% of his base salary, based on the achievement of reasonable individual and Company performance targets to be established by the Company and Parent.
Change in Control Severance If, following the occurrence of a Change in Control, the Company or an Affiliate terminates the Executive's employment during the Post-Change Period other than as described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of Section 8(a), or if the Executive terminates his employment pursuant to Section 8(b), the Executive shall not be entitled to the severance compensation described in Section 7, and the Company will (i) pay or cause to be paid to the Executive the amounts described in Sections 8(c)(1), 8(c)(2), 8(c)(3), 8(c)(6) and 8(c)(7) within five business days after the Termination Date; (ii) pay or cause to be paid to the Executive the amount described in Section 8(c)(4), such amount to be payable no earlier than the date on which such Incentive Pay, if any, would have been paid under the applicable plan or policy of the Company absent such termination of employment; and (iii) provide the Executive the benefits described in Section 8(c)(5) for the period described therein.
Incentive and Bonus Compensation The Executive shall be eligible to participate in the Company’s existing and future bonus and stock option plans and other incentive compensation programs for similarly situated executives (collectively, “Plans”), to the extent that the Executive is qualified to participate in any such Plan under the generally applicable provisions thereof in effect from time to time. Such eligibility is not a guarantee of participation in or of the receipt of any award, payment or other compensation under any Plan. To the extent the Executive does participate in a Plan and the Plan does not expressly provide otherwise, the Chief Executive Officer and/or the Board, as appropriate, may determine all terms of participation (including, without limitation, the type and size of any award, payment or other compensation and the timing and conditions of receipt thereof by the Executive) in the Chief Executive Officer’s or the Board’s sole and absolute discretion. Nothing herein shall be deemed to prohibit the Company or the Board from amending or terminating any and all Plans in its sole and absolute discretion. Except as otherwise provided herein, the terms of each Plan shall govern the Executive’s rights and obligations thereunder during the Executive’s employment and upon the termination thereof. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the definition of “Cause” hereunder shall not supersede the definition of “cause” in any Plan (unless the Plan expressly defers to the definition of “cause” under an executive’s employment agreement) and any rights of the Executive hereunder upon and subsequent to the termination of the Executive’s employment shall be in addition to, and not in lieu of, any right of the Executive under any Plan then in effect upon or subsequent to a termination of employment.
