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 three (3) 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, or which results in receipt of a premium for the Company's stockholders (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 granted prior to July 27, 1999 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 and the 1993 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan prior to July 27, 1999 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 granted prior to July 27, 1999 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 and the 1993 Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan prior to July 27, 1999 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: (i) $42,750.00 [25% of salary and target incentive compensation], to be paid on the first payroll period following the Effective Time, (ii) $42,750.00 [25% of salary and target incentive compensation], to be paid on the first payroll period following six (6) months of Executive’s employment with Mercantile, (iii) $42,750.00 [25% of salary and target incentive compensation], to be paid on the first payroll period following twelve (12) months of Executive’s employment with Mercantile. After twelve (12) months of Executive’s employment with Mercantile, Executive will not be entitled to any further Severance or Retention benefits. The above-listed payments and benefits are in lieu of any and all payments and benefits to which Executive may otherwise have been entitled under the CIC Agreement or any other agreement or practice.
Retention Bonus (a) Subject to Sections 2(b), 2(c) and 2(d) below and your continued employment through the Determination Date (as defined below), you will be eligible to receive a Retention Bonus equal to the annual bonus you would have been eligible to receive under the Company’s Annual Incentive Plan based on the Company’s actual performance for 2023, as determined by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors (the “Committee”) following the completion of 2023, had you been a participant in the Annual Incentive Plan with a target bonus opportunity of up to 40% of your base salary (such amount as determined by the Committee, the “Retention Bonus”), which determination shall occur between January 1, 2024 and March 15, 2024 (the date of such determination, the “Determination Date”). The Retention Bonus, if any, will be paid in cash in a lump sum between January 1, 2025 and March 15, 2025. You will continue to be considered an employee of the Company for purposes of this letter agreement if you are on a Company- approved leave of absence. (b) In the event of a Change in Control during 2024, subject to your continued employment through the earlier of: (1) the Determination Date; or (2) the date of the Change in Control, you will be eligible to receive your Retention Bonus in cash in a lump sum within 10 days following the date of the Change in Control. (c) In the event of your Involuntary Termination (as defined in the Employment Agreement) on or after the Determination Date but on or prior to the date you have received the Retention Bonus, you will be eligible to receive your Retention Bonus in cash in a lump sum within 10 days following the effective date of your Release (as defined below). As a condition to your receipt of the Retention Bonus pursuant to this Section 2(c), you shall execute and not revoke a general release of all claims in favor of the Company and its affiliates (the “Release”) in the form attached to the Employment Agreement as Exhibit A. In the event the Release does not become effective within the 55-day period following the date of your Involuntary Termination, you shall not be entitled to the Retention Bonus. (d) If your employment terminates prior to the Determination Date for any reason, then this letter agreement will terminate, and you will forfeit any right you may have to receive the Retention Bonus.
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. (1) A lump sum payment in an amount equal to all Base Pay and Incentive Pay (other than for the calendar year of such termination of employment) owed to the Executive for periods on or prior to the Termination Date. (2) A lump sum payment in an amount equal to two times the Executive's base salary pursuant to Section 4(a) (at the rate in effect immediately prior to the Termination Date). (3) A lump sum payment equal to two times Incentive Pay (in an amount equal to the highest amount of Incentive Pay earned by the Executive in any calendar year during the three calendar years immediately preceding the calendar year in which the Change in Control occurred). (4) In the event that the Termination Date occurs after June 30 in any calendar year, a lump sum payment equal to one times Incentive Pay for such calendar year, multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days between (and including) January 1 of the calendar year in which the Termination Date occurs and the Termination Date, and the denominator of which is 365. (5) For a period of 24 months following the Termination Date (the "Continuation Period"), the Company will provide the Executive with medical, dental and life insurance benefits consistent with the terms in effect for such benefits for active employees of the Company during the Continuation Period. If and to the extent that any benefit described in this Section 8(c)(5) is not or cannot be paid or provided under any Company plan or program, then the Company will pay or provide for the payment to the Executive, his dependants and beneficiaries, of such employee benefits. Without otherwise limiting the purposes of Section 8(d), employee benefits otherwise receivable by the Executive pursuant to this Section 8(c)(5) will be reduced to the extent comparable welfare benefits are actually received by the Executive from another employer during the Continuation Period following the Executive's Termination Date, and any such benefits actually received by the Executive shall be reported by the Executive to the Company. (6) The Company will pay to the Executive the cost of employee outplacement services for the Executive in the amount of $30,000. (7) The Company will pay the Executive a two-year automobile allowance in the amount provided to the Executive immediately prior to the Termination Date.
Incentive Bonuses After the Company attains profitability, the Employee shall be eligible to be considered for an annual incentive bonus. Such bonus (if any) shall be awarded based on objective or subjective criteria established in advance by the Board or its Compensation Committee. The determinations of the Board or its Compensation Committee with respect to such bonus shall be final and binding. Except as expressly provided in this Agreement, the Employee shall not be entitled to an incentive bonus if he is not employed by the Company on the date when such bonus is payable.
Employees; Benefit Plans (a) During the period commencing at the Effective Time and ending on the date which is FIVE (“5”) months from the Effective Time (or if earlier, the date of the employee's termination of employment with Parent and its Subsidiaries), Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation and each of its Subsidiaries, as applicable, to provide the employees of the Company and its Subsidiaries who remain employed immediately after the Effective Time (collectively, the "Company Continuing Employees") with base salary, target bonus opportunities (excluding equity-based compensation), and employee benefits that are, in the aggregate, no less favorable than the base salary, target bonus opportunities (excluding equity-based compensation), and employee benefits provided by the Company and its Subsidiaries on the date of this Agreement. (b) With respect to any "employee benefit plan" as defined in Section 3(3) of ERISA maintained by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries, excluding both any retiree healthcare plans or programs maintained by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries and any equity compensation arrangements maintained by Parent or any of its Subsidiaries (collectively, "Parent Benefit Plans") in which any Company Continuing Employees will participate effective as of the Effective Time, Parent shall, or shall cause the Surviving Corporation to, recognize all service of the Company Continuing Employees with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be as if such service were with Parent, for vesting and eligibility purposes (but not for (i) purposes of early retirement subsidies under any Parent Benefit Plan that is a defined benefit pension plan or (ii) benefit accrual purposes, except for vacation, if applicable) in any Parent Benefit Plan in which such Company Continuing Employees may be eligible to participate after the Effective Time; (iii) Continuing Company shall honor all consulting or advisory agreement previously entered into, or employment pending equity awards stock options or warrants to purchase equity based upon performance. provided, that such service shall not be recognized to the extent that (A) such recognition would result in a duplication of benefits or (B) such service was not recognized under the corresponding Company Employee Plan. (c) This Section 5.07 shall be binding upon and inure solely to the benefit of each of the parties to this Agreement, and nothing in this Section 5.07, express or implied, shall confer upon any other Person any rights or remedies of any nature whatsoever under or by reason of this Section 5.07. Nothing contained herein, express or implied (i) shall be construed to establish, amend or modify any benefit plan, program, agreement or arrangement or (ii) shall alter or limit the ability of the Surviving Corporation, Parent or any of their respective Affiliates to amend, modify or terminate any benefit plan, program, agreement or arrangement at any time assumed, established, sponsored or maintained by any of them. The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that the terms set forth in this Section 5.07 shall not create any right in any Company Employee or any other Person to any continued employment with the Surviving Corporation, Parent or any of their respective Subsidiaries or compensation or benefits of any nature or kind whatsoever. (d) With respect to matters described in this Section 5.07, the Company will not send any written notices or other written communication materials to Company Employees without the prior written consent of Parent.
