Exhibit 10.3
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT ("Agreement") made and entered into this 17th day of
June, 1999, by and between XXXXXXXXXXX.XXX, INC., a Delaware corporation
("Company") and XXXX XXXXXXX ("Employee").
BACKGROUND
Employee is employed by Company as its president and chief executive
officer. The parties desire to enter into a formal employment agreement covering
the terms and conditions of such employment.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Employment. Company hereby employs Employee, and Employee hereby
accepts such employment by Company, on the terms and conditions set forth below.
Capacity. Employee shall serve as Company's president and chief
executive officer. Employee shall perform such services for Company as Company's
board of directors ("Board") shall direct from time to time. However, no such
services shall be of a nature which are not commensurate with, and/or are
beneath the dignity of, Employee's position described in the first sentence of
this paragraph or are not of an executive or managerial nature.
Term. Company's employment of Employee under this Agreement shall be
for an initial term of five years commencing on July 1, 1999 and ending on June
30, 2004. The term of Employee's employment under this Agreement shall
automatically be renewed for successive additional one year terms on each
anniversary of the commencement of Employee's employment under this Agreement,
beginning with the July 1, 2000 anniversary date, each of which terms shall be
added at the end of the then existing term (taking into account any prior
extensions or failures to extend), unless either party notifies the other at
least 30 days prior to an anniversary date of this Agreement that he or it does
not desire the additional one year term to be added to the term of the
Agreement. For example, unless either party notifies the other to the contrary
on or before June 1, 2000, the term of this Agreement shall be extended from
July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. For further example, and assuming the term of
this Agreement has been extended to June 30, 2005, if one party notifies the
other that it does not desire to extend the term of this Agreement for an
additional year and such notice is given on or before June 1, 2001, the term of
this Agreement shall not be extended from July 1, 2005 to Jun 30, 2006.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term of this Agreement may end prior to the
termination date determined under this paragraph 3 as provided in paragraphs 9,
10, 11 and 12.
Service While Employed. Employee agrees to devote his best efforts, his
full diligence and substantially all of his business time to his duties
hereunder and shall not engage, either directly or indirectly, in any business
or other activity which is competitive with or adverse to the interests or the
business of Company.
Items Furnished and Relocation. Company shall furnish Employee with
such private office, secretarial assistance, and such other facilities,
equipment and services suitable to his position and adequate to perform his
duties hereunder. Employee shall not be relocated by Company without his
consent.
Compensation, Vacations and Reimbursement. As partial compensation for
his services to Company, Company agrees to pay Employee an annual salary in
regular monthly or other agreed upon installments of not less than $400,000.00
and an annual bonus computed in accordance with Exhibit A which is attached and
is a part of this Agreement. In addition, Employee shall be entitled to receive
such bonuses (in addition to that required under the preceding sentence),
incentive compensation, and other compensation, if any, as the Board , executive
committee, compensation committee, or other designated committee shall award
Employee from time to time whether in cash, Company stock, stock options, other
stock based compensation, other form of remuneration, or any combination of the
foregoing. All such compensation shall be subject to legally required income and
employment tax withholding. Employee shall be entitled to paid vacations and
reimbursement for all reasonable business expenses in accordance with Company's
policies for executive officers.
Pension, Welfare and Related Benefits. In addition to the compensation
described in paragraph 6 above, Employee shall be entitled to participate in
such bonus, profit sharing, deferred compensation and pension plans of Company
for which he is eligible and such welfare and fringe benefits plans and programs
of the Company for which he is eligible.
Other Benefits; Loan. Company shall pay employee the sum of $5,000.00
per month to be used by Employee for such personal, business, financial, club,
automobile or other expenses as he, in his sole discretion, shall determine.
Such amount shall be in addition to any reimbursement to which Employee is
entitled under paragraph 6. In addition, at such time that Employee closes the
purchase of a new principal or secondary residence ("Residence"), Company shall
loan Employee the sum of $1,250,000.00 to be applied against the purchase price
of the Residence and closing costs. Such loan shall be secured by a first lien
on the Residence, be of a 30 year duration (or such shorter duration requested
by Employee), be amortized through equal monthly payments over the term of the
loan, bear an interest rate equal to the applicable federal rate (as defined in
Section 1274(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Code") for
loans of similar duration and payment schedules, and permit prepayment without
penalty. The note evidencing the loan and mortgage or other security instrument
shall contain terms and conditions customarily included in residential secured
loans in the metropolitan area in which the Residence is located.
Death and Disability. If Employee dies during the term of this
Agreement, his employment shall be deemed to have been terminated as of the last
day of the month in which his death occurs, and Company will pay to Employee's
personal representative all salary and any other compensation due Employee
through the end of such month. If Employee becomes permanently disabled so that
he cannot perform his duties , as determined by a physician selected by or
acceptable to Company, his employment shall be deemed to have been terminated as
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of the last day of the month in which such determination is made, and he will
receive his salary and any other compensation due him through the end of such
month.
Termination Upon Retirement or Notice. From and after the time Employee
attains age 65, he may retire at any time by notifying Company at least 120 days
prior to his intended retirement date or be retired by Company upon at least two
years notice. In addition, Employee may terminate his employment at any time
after June 30, 2001, upon one year's notice. If a notice of termination has been
given under this paragraph 10, and the Agreement is terminated under another
provision if this Agreement, such as by death ("Other Termination Provision")
prior to the date of such termination under this paragraph 10, then the
Agreement shall be deemed to have been terminated pursuant to the Other
Termination Provision.
Default. In the event that either party fails to perform material
provision of this Agreement and such failure continues for 15 days after
notification from the nonbreaching party, the nonbreaching party may terminate
this Agreement by notice to the breaching party. Such termination shall be
without prejudice to any rights or remedies which the nonbreaching party may
have.
Change in Control. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement, should a "change of control" occur, Employee, at his sole option and
discretion, may terminate his employment under this Agreement at any time within
one year after such change of control upon 15 days notice. In the event of such
termination, Company shall pay to Employee a severance payment ("Severance
Payment") equal to three times the base amount as defined in Section 280G(b)(3)
of the Code minus $1.00. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (a) if the Severance
Payment and any other amounts payable by Company to Employee are parachute
payments under Code Section 280G (collectively, "Parachute Payments") and, (b),
if reducing the Severance Payment would eliminate the tax provided for in Code
Section 4999 ("Section 4999 Tax") which would otherwise be applicable to the
Parachute Payments, and (c) if, because of such elimination, the net amount of
the Parachute Payments (total payments minus Section 4999 Tax) would be greater
than such net amount without reduction, then the Severance Payment shall be
reduced by the smallest amount required to eliminate the imposition of the
Section 4999 Tax. The foregoing determination shall be made by Company's general
counsel, and his determination shall be binding upon Company and Employee. The
amount determined under the foregoing provisions of this paragraph 12 shall be
payable no later than one month after the effective date of the Employee's
termination of employment. A change in control means: (a) the acquisition by any
person or entity, other than Company or a "related entity," of (i) more than 20%
without the approval of the Board or (ii) more than 50% with the approval of the
Board of the outstanding shares of Company's voting stock on a diluted and/or
converted basis through a tender offer, exchange offer or otherwise; (b) the
sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of Company's assets unless
shareholders of Company prior to such sale or disposition own at least 50% of
the voting stock on a diluted and/or converted basis of the purchaser, and the
purchaser assumes Company's obligations under this Agreement; (c) a merger of
consolidation involving Company which results in Company not being the surviving
parent corporation or after which shareholders of the Company own less than 50%
of the voting stock on a diluted and/or converted basis of the surviving entity;
or (d) any time during any two-year period in which individuals who constituted
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the Board at the start of such period (or, except in the case of a transaction
described in a(i) or (c), whose election was approved by at least two-thirds of
the then members of the Board who were members at the start of the two-year
period) do not constitute at least 50% of the Board for any reason. A related
entity is the parent, a subsidiary or any employee benefit plan (including a
trust forming a part of such a plan) maintained by Company, its parent or a
subsidiary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any changes in stock ownership
resulting from the initial public offering of the Company's shares (("IPO") or a
change in the Board within two years of the IPO and resulting from a change in
stock ownership effected by the IPO shall not be considered a change of control.
Nondisclosure; Return of Records. Employee will not, except as
authorized by Company, publish or disclose to others, or use for his own
benefit, or authorize anyone else to publish or disclose or use, or copy or make
notes of any secret, proprietary, or confidential information or knowledge of
data or trade secrets of or relating to the business activities of Company which
may come to Employee's knowledge during his employment with the Company. Upon
termination of Employee's employment for any reason, Employee will deliver to
Company, without retaining any copies, notes or excerpts, all records, notes,
data, memoranda, and all other documents or materials made or compiled by
Employee, or made available to him by Company during his employment, which are
in Employee's possession and/or control and which are the property of Company
and/or which relate to Employee's employment or the business activities of
Company.
Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of Company and any successors or assigns of Company, and Employee, his
heirs, personal representatives and assigns, except that Employee's obligations
to perform services and rights to receive payment therefore shall be
nonassignable and nontransferable.
Entire Agreement: Modification. This Agreement constitutes the entire
agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter and supersedes
all prior or contemporaneous agreements not set forth in this agreement. This
Agreement may not be modified other than by an agreement in writing signed by
each of the parties.
Waiver. Any failure by either party to enforce any provision of this
Agreement shall not operate as a waiver of such provision or any other
provision. Any waiver by either party of any breach of any provision of this
Agreement shall not operate as a waiver of any other breach of such provision or
any other provision of this agreement.
Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any particular
provision of this Agreement shall not effect the other provisions of this
Agreement, and this Agreement shall be construed in all respects as if such
invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted.
Paragraph Headings. Paragraph headings throughout this Agreement are
solely for the convenience of the parties and shall not be construed as a part
of any section or as modifying the contents of any section.
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Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.
Notices. All notices under this Agreement shall be personally
delivered, sent certified mail, postage prepaid, to Company at its corporate
office and to Employee at his principal residence, or sent by telecopy.
Supplemental Compensation. Except as otherwise provides below, upon the
termination of Employee's employment with Company for any reason, other than due
to his breach of a material provision of his employment as described in
paragraph 11, Employee shall be entitled to receive from Company 36 equal
monthly payments, with the first such payment due on the second first day of the
month after termination of employment, of 8.333% of Employee's compensation over
the 12-consecutive month period for which his compensation was the greatest. If
Employee should die before all or any part of the above described monthly
payments have been made, all payments or all remaining payments shall be made to
his designated beneficiary, if any, otherwise to his estate. The aggregate
amount payable under this paragraph 21 shall be reduced (but not below zero) by
the amount, if any, payable under paragraph 12, and such reduced amount shall
also be payable in 36 equal monthly installments. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
if Employee terminates his employment pursuant to the second sentence of
paragraph 10, the amount payable under this paragraph 21, shall be 50% of the
amount that would otherwise be payable.
Non-Competition. For a three year period from and after termination of
Employee's employment for any reason other than death, Employee shall not
engage, directly or indirectly, either on his own behalf or on behalf of any
other person, firm, corporation or other entity, in any business competitive
with the business of Company, in the geographic area in which Company is
conducting business at the time of termination of Employee's employment, or own
more than 5% of any such firm, corporation or other entity. In addition,
Employee must furnish Company with such information as Company shall from time
to time request in order to determine that Employee is in compliance with the
requirements of the preceding provisions of this paragraph 22. The payments to
be made under paragraph 21 are conditioned upon Employee's complying with the
provisions of this paragraph 22. In the event that such provisions are not
complied with, then, in addition to all other rights and remedies which Company
may have ( and which Employee agrees shall include equitable relief), Company
may suspend such payments for any period of time in which Employee is not in
compliance with the preceding provisions of this paragraph 22. Employee agrees
that the restrictions of this paragraph 22 are reasonable and required to
protect the legitimate business interests of Company.
Modification. In the event that any provision of this Agreement is
invalid or unenforceable, it shall be modified to the extent required to be
valid and enforceable and only to such extent. If it cannot be so modified, then
it shall be deemed to have been deleted from this Agreement but such deletion
shall not affect the remaining terms and provisions of this Agreement.
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Company. For purposes of paragraphs 4, 13, and 22 of this Agreement,
the Company means Xxxxxxxxxxx.xxx, Inc. and all subsidiaries and affiliates of
it.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the
date first above written.
XXXXXXXXXXX.XXX, INC.
"Company"
By: /s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx
-------------------------------
Title: Vice President
/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxxx
-----------------------------------
Xxxx Xxxxxxx
"Employee"
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EXHIBIT A TO
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
BETWEEN XXXXXXXXXXX.XXX, INC.
AND XXXX XXXXXXX
A. Current Annual Bonus Formula.
For each fiscal year, Employee's bonus (if any) shall be 1.0%
of the consolidated earnings of Company and subsidiaries before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortization. The computation of the bonus, if any, to which
Employee is entitled shall be made by Company's chief financial officer in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied.
Any bonus to which Employee is entitled shall be paid as soon as practicable but
in no event later than the 15th day of the third month after the end of the
fiscal year for which the bonus was earned. In the event Employee's employment
terminates prior to the end of the fiscal year, Employee or his personal
representative shall be entitled to a pro rata portion of the bonus for such
fiscal year unless his employment was terminated pursuant to paragraph 11, in
which event no bonus shall be payable. Employee's pro rata portion of his bonus
shall be the same percentage of the bonus as the number of days for which he was
employed for such fiscal year is of 365.
B. Modified Annual Bonus Formula.
If Company adopts a bonus plan or program intended to meet the
requirements for "other performance-based compensation" under Code Section
162(m) (4) ("162(m) Plan") pursuant to which the bonus, if any, to which one or
more of its employees may be determined, if the provisions of the 162 (m) Plan
are applicable to Employee, and if the annual bonus for Employee under the
162(m) Plan can, in the Company's good faith belief, reasonably be expected to
be substantially similar in amount to that determined under A above over the
remaining term of this Agreement, then the provisions of the 162(m) Plan shall
supersede and replace the provisions of A above from and after the first day of
Company's fiscal year for which the 162 (m) Plan is effective.
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