Termination Following Change in Control In the event of the occurrence of Constructive Termination within twelve (12) months after the effective date of a Change in Control, Employee may, at Employee's option, terminate Employee's employment due to Constructive Termination unless Employee has entered into an employment agreement with Successor. Such termination shall be effective upon Employee giving notice to Successor. In the event of termination of Employee's employment (1) by Successor within twelve (12) months after the effective date of a Change of Control, or (2) by Employee within twelve (12) months after the effective date of a Change of Control as a result of a Constructive Termination, then (a) Successor shall pay Employee a lump sum cash payment equal to the Severance Amount within 10 business days after the termination of employment; (b) Successor shall make available to Employee, at Employee's cost and expense, medical and other insurance coverage at a level and to the extent required by COBRA; and (c) any outstanding options held by Employee that remain unvested as of the date of termination shall become fully vested and exercisable as of the date of termination of Employee's employment with Successor and prior to the occurrence of an event otherwise terminating the options. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event that any payments under this Section 2 will be deemed to constitute an "excess parachute payment" as defined in Section 280G(b)(i) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (an "Excess Parachute Payment"), then the payments to Employee under this Section 2 shall be limited to an amount equal to the maximum amount that could be paid to Employee so that no such amount, along with all other payments to Employee by Successor, will be deemed to constitute an Excess Parachute Payment. Subject to the terms of this Section 2, Employee shall not be entitled to receive any other compensation or benefits under this Agreement as a result of the termination of Employee's employment following a Change of Control or Constructive Termination.
Employment Status Termination Following Change in Control (a) No benefits shall be payable under this Agreement unless there has been a Change in Control of the Company during the Term. You acknowledge that this Agreement does not constitute a contract of employment or impose on the Company any obligation to retain you as an employee. You may terminate your employment at any time, with or without Good Reason. If your employment with the Company terminates for any reason and subsequently a Change in Control shall have occurred, you shall not be entitled to any benefits hereunder.
(b) Any termination of your employment by the Company or by you following a Change in Control of the Company during the Term shall be communicated by written notice of termination that indicates the specific provision in this Agreement relied upon and sets forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of your employment under the provision so indicated ("Notice of Termination"). A Notice of Termination shall be delivered to the other party hereto in accordance with Section 6.
Termination of Employment Following Change in Control (a) If a Change in Control (as defined in Section 5(b) of this Agreement) shall occur and, thereafter, if at any time during the term of this Agreement there shall be:
(i) any involuntary termination of Executive’s employment (other than for the reasons set forth in Section 3(c) of this Agreement;
(ii) any reduction in Executive’s title, responsibilities, including reporting responsibilities, or authority, including such title, responsibilities or authority as such may be increased from time to time during the term of this Agreement;
(iii) the assignment to Executive of duties inconsistent with Executive’s office on the date of the Change in Control or as the same may be increased from time to time after the Change in Control;
(iv) any reassignment of Executive to a location greater than fifty (50) miles from the location of Executive’s office on the date of the Change in Control;
(v) any significant reduction in Executive’s compensation as provided in Section 4 in effect on the date of the Change in Control or as the same may be increased from time to time after the Change in Control;
(vi) any failure to provide Executive with benefits at least as favorable as those enjoyed by Executive under any of Corporation or Bank’s retirement or pension, life insurance, medical, health and accident, disability or other employee plans in which Executive participated at the time of the Change in Control, or the taking of any action that would materially reduce any of such benefits in effect at the time of the Change in Control;
(vii) any requirement that Executive travel in performance of his duties on behalf of Corporation or Bank for a significantly greater period of time during any year than was required of Executive during the year preceding the year in which the Change in Control occurred; or
(viii) any sustained pattern of interruption or disruption of Executive for matters substantially unrelated to Executive’s discharge of Executive’s duties on behalf of Corporation and Bank; then, at the option of Executive, exercisable by Executive within ninety (90) days of the Change in Control and occurrence of any of the foregoing events, Executive may resign from employment with Corporation and Bank (or, if involuntarily terminated, give notice of intention to collect benefits under this Agreement) by delivering a notice in writing (the “Notice of Termination”) to Corporation and Bank and the provisions of Section 6 of this Agreement shall apply. In addition, notwithstanding the payments to Executive contemplated by Section 6, if Executive is requested by the Corporation, Bank, or a successor thereto to remain in the employ of the Corporation, Bank, or a successor to the Corporation or Bank following the Date of Change of Control, Executive expressly agrees, subject to the condition set forth below, to remain in the employ of the Corporation, Bank, or a successor to the Corporation or Bank for not less than six months following the Date of Change of Control. The Corporation, Bank, or successor to the Corporation or Bank shall have the right to request Executive remain in the employ of the Corporation, Bank, or a successor to the Corporation or Bank for a period of less than six months following the Date of Change of Control. Executive agrees to remain an employee of the Corporation, Bank or successor to the Corporation or Bank pursuant to their request conditioned upon Executive being compensated in the same amount and on the same terms as he was compensated immediately prior to the Date of Change of Control, including participation in all employee benefit plans to which he would otherwise be entitled.
(b) As used in this Agreement, “Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following:
Termination Following a Change in Control (a) If the Executive's employment is terminated by the Company or any Subsidiary during the Severance Period, the Executive shall be entitled to the benefits provided by Section 4 unless such termination is the result of the occurrence of one or more of the following events:
(i) The Executive's death;
(ii) If the Executive becomes permanently disabled within the meaning of, and begins actually to receive disability benefits pursuant to, the long-term disability plan in effect for, or applicable to, Executive immediately prior to the Change in Control; or
Termination Following Change of Control Should Employee at any time within two years of a change of control cease to be an employee of the Company (or its successor), by reason of (i) involuntary termination by the Company (or its successor) other than for “cause” (following a change of control), “cause” shall be limited to the conviction of or a plea of nolo contendere to the charge of a felony (which, through lapse of time or otherwise, is not subject to appeal), a material breach of fiduciary duty to the Company through the misappropriation of Company funds or property) or (ii) voluntary termination by Employee for “good reason upon change of control” (as defined below), the Company (or its successor) shall pay to Employee within ten days of such termination the following severance payments and benefits:
(a) A lump-sum payment equal to two times the base salary of the Employee at the then current rate; and
(b) A lump-sum payment equal to (i) two times the sum of the target bonuses under all of the Company’s incentive bonus plans applicable to the Employee for the year in which the termination occurs or the year in which the change of control occurred, whichever is greater, and (ii) if termination occurs in the fourth quarter of a calendar year, the sum of the target bonuses under all of the Company’s incentive bonus plans applicable to Employee for the year in which the termination occurs prorated daily based on the number of days from the beginning of the calendar year in which the termination occurs to and including the date of termination. The Company (or its successor) shall also provide continuing coverage and benefits comparable to all life, health and disability plans of the Company for a period of 24 months from the date of termination, and Employee shall receive two years additional service credit under the current non-qualified supplemental pension plans, or successors thereto, of the Company applicable to the Employee on the date of termination. For purposes of this Agreement, a “change of control” shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) there shall be consummated (A) any consolidation or merger of the Company in which the Company is not the continuing or surviving corporation or pursuant to which shares of the Company’s Common Stock would be converted into cash, securities or other property, other than a merger of the Company where a majority of the Board of Directors of the surviving corporation are, and for a two year period after the merger continue to be, persons who were directors of the Company immediately prior to the merger or were elected as directors, or nominated for election as directors, by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors of the Company immediately prior to the merger, or (B) any sale, lease, exchange or transfer (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company, or (ii) the shareholders of the Company shall approve any plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company, or (iii) (A) any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), other than the Company or a subsidiary thereof or any employee benefit plan sponsored by the Company or a subsidiary thereof, shall become the beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company representing 20 percent or more of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding securities ordinarily (and apart from rights accruing in special circumstances) having the right to vote in the election of directors, as a result of a tender or exchange offer, open market purchases, privately negotiated purchases or otherwise, and (B) at any time during a period of one year thereafter, individuals who immediately prior to the beginning of such period constituted the Board of Directors of the Company shall cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof, unless the election or the nomination by the Board of Directors for election by the Company’s shareholders of each new director during such period was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were directors at the beginning of such period. For purposes of this Section 1, “good reason upon change of control” shall exist if any of the following occurs:
(i) without Employee’s express written consent, the assignment to Employee of any duties inconsistent with the employment of Employee immediately prior to the change of control, or a significant diminution of Employee’s positions, duties, responsibilities and status with the Company from those immediately prior to a change of control or a diminution in Employee’s titles or offices as in effect immediately prior to a change of control, or any removal of Employee from, or any failure to reelect Employee to, any of such positions;
(ii) a reduction by the Company in Employee’s base salary in effect immediately prior to a change of control;
(iii) the failure by the Company to continue in effect any thrift, stock ownership, pension, life insurance, health, dental and accident or disability plan in which Employee is participating or is eligible to participate at the time of the change of control (or plans providing Employee with substantially similar benefits), except as otherwise required by the terms of such plans as in effect at the time of any change of control or the taking of any action by the Company which would adversely affect Employee’s participation in or materially reduce Employee’s benefits under any of such plans or deprive Employee of any material fringe benefits enjoyed by Employee at the time of the change of control or the failure by the Company to provide the Employee with the number of paid vacation days to which Employee is entitled in accordance with the vacation policies of the Company in effect at the time of a change of control;
(iv) the failure by the Company to continue in effect any incentive plan or arrangement (including without limitation, the Company’s Incentive Compensation Plan and similar incentive compensation benefits) in which Employee is participating at the time of a change of control (or to substitute and continue other plans or arrangements providing the Employee with substantially similar benefits), except as otherwise required by the terms of such plans as in effect at the time of any change of control;
(v) the failure by the Company to continue in effect any plan or arrangement with respect to securities of the Company (including, without limitation, any plan or arrangement to receive and exercise stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock or grants thereof or to acquire stock or other securities of the Company) in which Employee is participating at the time of a change of control (or to substitute and continue plans or arrangements providing the Employee with substantially similar benefits), except as otherwise required by the terms of such plans as in effect at the time of any change of control or the taking of any action by the Company which would adversely affect Employee’s participation in or materially reduce Employee’s benefits under any such plan;
(vi) the relocation of the Company’s principal executive offices to a location outside the San Antonio, Texas, area, or the Company’s requiring Employee to be based anywhere other than at the location of the Company’s principal executive offices, except for required travel on the Company’s business to an extent substantially consistent with Employee’s present business travel obligations, or, in the event Employee consents to any such relocation of the Company’s principal executive or divisional offices, the failure by the Company to pay (or reimburse Employee for) all reasonable moving expenses incurred by Employee relating to a change of Employee’s principal residence in connection with such relocation and to indemnify Employee against any loss (defined as the difference between the actual sale price of such residence and the higher of (a) Employee’s aggregate investment in such residence or (b) the fair market value thereof as determined by a real estate appraiser reasonably satisfactory to both Employee and the Company at the time the Employee’s principal residence is offered for sale in connection with any such change of residence;
(vii) any failure by the Company to obtain the assumption of this Agreement by any successor or assign of the Company; In the event of a change of control as “change of control” is defined in any stock option plan or stock option agreement pursuant to which the Employee holds options to purchase common stock of the Company, Employee shall retain the rights to all accelerated vesting and other benefits under the terms thereof. The Company shall pay any attorney fees incurred by Employee in reasonably seeking to enforce the terms of this Paragraph 1.
Termination of Employment Following a Change in Control Subject to Section 11(a) hereunder, the Executive shall be entitled to the Change in Control Severance Benefits (as defined in Section 4(c) below) set forth in this Section 4, in lieu of the severance benefits the Executive is entitled to under Section 3 of this Agreement, if there has been a Change in Control and the Executive has incurred a Termination of Employment. The severance benefit provided under this Section 4 is in lieu of cash severance payments offered under the Company's documented severance policy, if any.
(a) For purposes of Section 4 of the Agreement, "Termination of Employment" shall be defined as:
(i) The Executive's involuntary termination by the Company for any reason other than death, Disability or Cause; or
(ii) The Executive's termination for "Good Reason," defined as the occurrence of any of the following events without the Executive's written consent, if the Executive terminates employment within one (1) year following the occurrence of such event:
(A) Any reassignment of the Executive to substantial duties materially inconsistent with the Executive's position, duties, responsibilities and status with the Company immediately prior to the Change in Control or a substantial diminution in the Executive's position, duties, responsibilities or status with the Company from his position, duties, responsibilities or status with the Company immediately prior to the Change in Control; provided that the fact that the Company is no longer a publicly traded company or the Executive no longer has duties and responsibilities associated exclusively with a publicly traded company, such as Securities and Exchange Commission or stock exchange reporting responsibilities or investor or analyst relations responsibilities, shall not be deemed to be a reassignment of the Executive to substantial duties materially inconsistent with the Executive's position, duties, responsibilities and status with the Company immediately prior to the Change in Control or a substantial diminution in the Executive's position, duties, responsibilities or status with the Company from his position, duties, responsibilities or status with the Company immediately prior to the Change in Control;
(B) Any reduction in the Executive's base salary or targeted incentive bonus or commissions in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control, or failure by the Company to continue any bonus, stock or other incentive plans in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control (without the implementation of comparable successor plans that provide comparable award opportunities/benefits), or any removal of the Executive from participation in such aforementioned plans;
(C) The discontinuance or reduction in benefits to the Executive under any qualified or nonqualified retirement or welfare plan maintained by the Company immediately prior to the Change in Control (without the implementation of comparable successor plans that provide comparable benefits), or the discontinuance of any fringe benefits or other perquisites that the Executive received immediately prior to the Change in Control (without the implementation of comparable successor plans that provide comparable benefits);
(D) Required relocation of the Executive's principal place of employment more than 50 miles from the Executive's place of employment prior to the Change in Control; or
(E) The Company's breach of any provision in this Agreement, provided that the Company has not cured such breach within 10 days following written notice by the Executive to the Company of such breach.
(b) The Executive who believes the Executive is entitled to a Termination of Employment for Good Reason, as defined in Section 4 above, may apply in writing to the Company for confirmation of such entitlement prior to the Executive's actual separation from employment, by following the claims procedure set forth in Section 15 hereof. The submission of such a request by the Executive shall not constitute "Cause" for the Company to terminate the Executive as defined under Section 2(a) hereof. If the Executive's request for a Good Reason Termination of Employment is denied under both the request and appeal procedures set forth in paragraphs (b) and (c) of Section 15 hereof, then the parties shall use their best efforts to resolve the claim within 90 days after the claim is submitted to arbitration pursuant to Section 15(d).
(c) Upon satisfaction of the requirements set forth in Sections 4 or 11(a) hereof and with respect to any one or more Changes in Control that may occur during the term of this Agreement, upon the Executive's execution of a release (in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A), the Executive shall be entitled to (the "Change in Control Severance Benefits"):
(i) A cash severance benefit equal to one times the Executive's current annual base salary, as in effect at the time of the Change in Control;
(ii) A prorated portion of the Executive's target bonus for the year of termination, based on the number of days worked in the year of termination;
(iii) Subject to Section 6, continuation of Company-provided health (including vision and dental, if provided by the Company immediately prior to the Change in Control) and welfare benefits (including executive life insurance coverage, if provided by the Company to the Executive immediately prior to the Change in Control) for one year, on the terms (or comparable terms) provided by the Company to the Executive immediately prior to the Change in Control. Health benefits shall be provided through continued coverage under the Company's group health plan, if allowed under the terms of such plan, or by the reimbursement of COBRA continuation coverage premiums paid by the Executive, as determined by the Company; provided, however, if the health plan is self-insured by the Company, then the determination shall be made by the Executive. Any continuation of group health plan coverage under this paragraph shall run concurrently with the period of required COBRA continuation coverage under the Code. If COBRA continuation coverage is not available, the Company shall reimburse the Executive for premiums for comparable coverage, provided, however, that the reimbursement shall not exceed the greater of (i) two times the annual premium paid by the Company for such coverage at the date of termination or (ii) two times the amount of the COBRA premium under the Company's group health plan for coverage comparable to that elected by the Executive, (A) at the time of the Change of Control or (B) at the time of the required payment, whichever is greater. Welfare benefits (other than health benefits) shall be continued only to the extent permitted under the terms of such plans;
(iv) Continuation of the Executive's then current car benefit for one year in accordance with the Company car policy in effect at the time of termination.
(v) Continued coverage, during the six (6) years following the Executive's termination for his actions or omissions as an officer and, if applicable, director of the Company prior to the date of termination of his employment, under any directors and officers liability insurance policy maintained by the Company (or, if the Company does not maintain such a policy, by its affiliates) for its former directors and officers or, at the Company's election, for the current directors and officers. If the Company or its affiliates does not otherwise maintain such a policy, then the Company shall be required to provide the Executive with such a policy, to the extent available. The policy dollar coverage limits of any such policy shall be not less than the policy limit under any Company policy in place within the one (1) year prior to the Executive's termination of employment (the "Existing Policy") or, if less, the policy dollar coverage limit that can be purchased by the Company for all of its current and former directors and officers at an annual premium equal to two times the Company's annual premium for the Existing Policy.
(d) Subject to Section 11(a) hereof, the Executive's cash severance benefit under Section 4(c)(i) and (ii) shall be paid in a lump sum cash payment within ten (10) days following the Executive's Termination of Employment, as defined in Section 4. Any payment made later than 10 days following the Executive's Termination of Employment (or applicable due date under Section 11(a) hereof) for whatever reason, shall include interest at the prime rate plus two percent, which shall begin accruing on the 10th day following the Executive's Termination of Employment (or applicable due date under Section 11(a) hereof). For purposes of this Section 4, "prime rate" shall be determined by reference to the prime rate established by Comerica Bank (or its successor), in effect from time to time commencing on the 10th day following the Executive's Termination of Employment (or applicable due date under Section 11(a) hereof).
(e) Section 4 of this Agreement shall terminate upon the first of the following events to occur:
(i) Three years from the date hereof if a Change in Control has not occurred within such three-year period;
(ii) Termination of the Executive's employment with the Company prior to a Change in Control, provided, however, if there is a Change in Control within six months after the termination of the Executive's employment with the Company, other than a termination due to the Executive's death or Disability, an involuntary termination by the Company for Cause or a termination of employment by the Executive, then the Agreement shall not be deemed to have terminated and the Executive shall be entitled to receive the Change in Control Severance Benefits provided in Section 4, less any Regular Severance Benefits the Executive has been paid under Section 3, in lieu of the severance benefits the Executive is entitled to under Section 3;
(iii) The expiration of two years following a Change in Control;
(iv) Termination of the Executive's employment with the Company following a Change in Control due to the Executive's death or Disability;
(v) Termination of the Executive's employment by the Company for Cause following a Change in Control; or
(vi) Termination of employment by the Executive for other than Good Reason following the date of a Change in Control. Unless Section 4 of this Agreement has first terminated under clauses (ii) through (vi) hereof, commencing on the third anniversary of the date of this Agreement, and on each one-year anniversary thereafter, Section 4 of this Agreement shall be extended for one additional year, unless at least 180 days prior to any such anniversary, the Company notifies the Executive in writing that it shall not extend the term of Section 4 of this Agreement.
Qualifying Termination If, prior to Executive’s attainment of age 65, Executive’s employment is involuntarily terminated by the Company without Cause (and other than due to his Disability) or is voluntarily terminated by Executive for Good Reason, in either case only during the period commencing on the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Company and ending on the second anniversary of date of the Change in Control (“Protection Period”), then the Company shall pay or provide Executive with:
(i) Executive’s Accrued Obligations, payable in accordance with Section 8(a)(i);
(ii) Any unpaid annual cash incentive award earned with respect to any fiscal year ending on or preceding the date of termination, payable when awards are paid generally to senior executives for such year;
(iii) A pro-rated annual cash incentive for the fiscal year in which such termination occurs, the amount of which shall be based on target performance and a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days elapsed during the performance year through the date of termination and the denominator of which is 365, which pro-rated annual cash incentive award shall be paid when awards are paid generally to senior executives for such year;
(iv) A lump sum severance payment in the aggregate amount equal to the product of (A) the sum of (1) Executive’s highest Base Salary during the Protection Period plus (2) his annual target annual cash incentive award multiplied by (B) two (2); provided, unless the Change of Control occurring on or preceding such termination also meets the requirements of Section 409A(a)(2)(A)(v) and Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-3(i)(5) (or any successor provision) thereunder (a “409A Change in Control”), the amount payable to Executive under this subparagraph (iv) shall be paid to Executive in equal semi-monthly payroll installments over a period of twenty-four (24) months, not in a lump sum, to the extent necessary to avoid the application of Section 409A(a)(1)(A) and (B);
(v) Subject to Executive’s continued co-payment of premiums, continued participation for two (2) years in the Company’s medical benefits plan which covers Executive and his eligible dependents upon the same terms and conditions (except for the requirements of Executive’s continued employment) in effect for active employees of the Company. In the event Executive obtains other employment that offers substantially similar or more favorable medical benefits, such continuation of coverage by the Company under this subsection shall immediately cease. The continuation of health benefits under this subsection shall reduce the period of coverage and count against Executive’s right to healthcare continuation benefits under COBRA; and
(vi) Payments falling under Section 10(b)iv shall, if to be paid in a lump sum pursuant to such section, be paid within ten (10) business days after the Executive’s termination of employment. Provided, to the extent applicable under Section 409A as a “deferral of compensation,” and not as a “short-term deferral” under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(4), the payments and benefits payable to Executive under this Section 10(b) shall be subject to the Safe Harbor and Postponement provided at Section 8(c)(iv).
Termination After a Change in Control You will receive Severance Benefits under this Agreement if, during the Term of this Agreement and after a Change in Control has occurred, your employment is terminated by the Company without Cause (other than on account of your Disability or death) or you resign for Good Reason.
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:
Termination After Change in Control Sections 9.2 and 9.3 set out provisions applicable to certain circumstances in which the Term may be terminated after Change in Control.
