EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.1
THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of September 1, 2011 (the “Effective
Date”), is entered into between CARRIAGE SERVICES, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”),
and L. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx, a resident of Xxxxxx County, Texas (the “Employee”).
1. Employment Term. The Company hereby employs the Employee for an initial term
commencing as of the Effective Date and continuing until the third anniversary of the Effective
Date (the “Initial Term”). On the third anniversary of the Effective Date and on each subsequent
anniversary thereafter, this Agreement shall automatically renew and extend for a period of 12
months (each such 12-month period being a “Renewal Term”) unless written notice of non-renewal is
delivered from either party to the other not less than sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of
the then-existing Initial Term or Renewal Term, as applicable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Employee’s employment pursuant to this Agreement may be terminated prior to the expiration of the
then-existing Initial Term or Renewal Term as provided in Section 7 hereof. The Employee agrees to
accept such employment and to perform the services specified herein, all upon the terms and
conditions hereinafter stated.
2. Duties. The Employee shall serve the Company and shall report to, and be subject
to the general direction and control, of the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Board
of Directors. The Employee shall faithfully, diligently, competently, and to the best of Employee’s
ability, perform the management and administrative duties of Vice Chairman of the Board of the
Company and as an Executive Officer of the Company. The Employee shall also perform such other
duties as are from time to time assigned to him by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of
Directors as are not inconsistent with the provisions hereof. The Employee represents and warrants
to the Company that Employee is not subject to any obligation to any third party that would
restrict or interfere with Employee’s ability to perform hereunder.
3. Extent of Service. The Employee shall devote his full business time and attention
to the business of the Company and, except as may be specifically permitted by the Company, shall
not be engaged in any other business activity during the term of this Agreement. The foregoing
shall not be construed as preventing the Employee (i) from making passive investments in other
businesses or enterprises, and (ii) from engaging in other civic, charitable and business
activities, provided, however, that such investments and activities will not require services on
the part of the Employee which would in any way impair the performance of his duties under this
Agreement.
4. Compensation. During the term of this Agreement, the Company shall pay the
Employee an annual salary at a rate of not less than $425,000 per full calendar year of service
completed (“Base Salary”), appropriately prorated for partial years at the commencement and end of
the term of this Agreement. The Employee’s salary and benefits will be reviewed annually, and any
increase therein shall remain in the sole discretion of the Company, acting through the
Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Compensation Committee”). The salary set forth herein
shall not be subject to reduction and shall be payable in bi-weekly installments in accordance with
the payroll policies of the Company in effect from time to time during the term of this Agreement.
The Company shall have the right to deduct from payment of
all compensation to the Employee hereunder (i) any federal, state or local taxes required by
law to be withheld with respect to such payments, and (ii) any other amounts specifically
authorized to be withheld or deducted by the Employee.
5. Benefits. In addition to the Base Salary, the Employee shall be entitled to
participate in the following benefits during the term of this Agreement:
(a) Employee shall be eligible for an annual, discretionary incentive award (the
“Incentive Award”) for each full calendar year that he is employed hereunder, (prorated for
2011), based on achievement of specified corporate and individual performance goals
established at the beginning of the year by the Compensation Committee of the Board at its
first meeting of the fiscal year. The goals will be established at three levels: (i)
Threshold, (ii) Target, and (iii) Maximum. If the Compensation Committee determines that
performance is achieved (i) at the Target level the Incentive Award will be 65% of Base
Salary, (ii) at the Threshold level the Incentive Award will be 32.5% of Base Salary and
(iii) at the Maximum level the Incentive Award will be 130% of Base Salary. In the
discretion of the Compensation Committee, awards for performance falling between Threshold,
Target and Maximum goals may be ratably scaled above and below the goal levels. The
Incentive Award shall be payable before March 15 of the year following the calendar year to
which the Incentive Award relates, following the certification of applicable year-end
financial results. Employee must be employed by the Company on the payment date in order to
earn and receive an Incentive Award.
(b) Employee shall be eligible for consideration of awards of restricted stock or other
incentive-based compensation under the terms of the Company’s 2006 Long Term Incentive Plan
or one or more of the Company’s other incentive plans, as may be recommended by the Chief
Executive Officer and approved by the Compensation Committee.
(c) Four weeks of paid vacation in each calendar year, subject to the Company’s
personnel policies respecting such matters.
(d) Participation in the Company’s group health and hospitalization program, and
inclusion in such other employee benefits, as are available generally to executive-level
employees of the Company.
(e) Reimbursement for travel, lodging and other out-of-pocket expenses reasonably
incurred by Employee in the exercise of Employee’s duties under this Agreement which are
approved by the Company in advance and are duly substantiated in accordance with the
Company’s policies as to reimbursement. In order to assure compliance with Section 409A of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), (i) such reimbursements shall be
made as soon as practicable, but in no event later than the last day of the calendar year
following the calendar year in which the expense was incurred, (ii) Employee is not
permitted to receive a payment or other benefit in lieu of reimbursement under this Section
5(e), and (iii) the amount of expenses for which Employee is eligible to receive
reimbursement during any calendar year shall
-2-
not affect the amount of expenses for which Employee is eligible to receive
reimbursement during any other calendar year within the term of the Agreement.
6. Certain Additional Matters. The Employee agrees that at all times during the term
of this Agreement and for a period of two years following any cessation of employment with the
Company:
(a) The Employee will not knowingly or intentionally do or say any act or thing which
will or may impair, damage or destroy the goodwill and esteem for the Company held by its
suppliers, employees, patrons, customers and others who may at any time have or have had
business relations with the Company.
(b) The Employee will not knowingly or intentionally do any act or thing detrimental to
the Company or its business.
Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent the Employee from complying with any
requirements of law or legal process or taking such actions as the Company may consent to in
writing.
7. Termination.
(a) Death. If the Employee dies during the Initial Term or any then-existing
Renewal Term and while in the employ of the Company, this Agreement shall automatically
terminate and the Company shall have no further obligation to the Employee or his estate
except that the Company shall pay the Employee’s estate (i) that portion of the Employee’s
Base Salary accrued through the date on which the Employee’s death occurred, (ii) a pro rata
amount of the annual Incentive Award for the year in which the death occurred at the Target
goal level described in Section 5(a) above, based on the number of days the Employee was
employed in the year in comparison to 365, and (iii) all benefits payable under the
governing provisions of any benefit plan or program of the Company (including as provided in
Section 5(f) above). Such payment of Base Salary and Annual Incentive Award to the
Employee’s estate shall be made in the same manner and at the same times as they would have
been paid to the Employee had he not died.
(b) Disability. If during the Initial Term or any then-existing Renewal Term,
the Employee shall be prevented from performing his duties hereunder by reason of
disability, and such disability shall continue for a period of six months, then the Company
may terminate this Agreement at any time after the expiration of such six-month period. For
purposes of this Agreement, the Employee shall be deemed to have become disabled when the
Company, upon the advice of a qualified physician, shall have determined that the Employee
is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically
determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can
be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months. In the event of a
termination pursuant to this paragraph (b), the Company shall be relieved of all its
obligations under this Agreement, except that the Company shall pay to the Employee (or his
estate in the event of his subsequent death): (i) the Employee’s Base Salary
-3-
through the date on which such termination shall have occurred, reduced during such period
by the amount of any benefits received under any disability policy maintained by the
Company, as applicable; (ii) subject to the provisions of Section 20 below, a pro rata
amount of the annual Incentive Award for the year in which Employee’s employment was
terminated at the Target goal level described in Section 5(a) above, based on the number of
days the Employee was employed in the year in comparison to 365, which such pro rata
Incentive Award payment shall be provided on the later of the first business day after the
Release (as defined in Section 20 below) is no longer revocable or the payment date that an
Incentive Award for the year of termination otherwise would have been payable pursuant to
Section 5(a) above had Employee’s employment not terminated (provided, that, in no event
shall such payment occur later than the date necessary to qualify such payment as a
“short-term deferral” within the meaning of Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(4)); and (iii) all
benefits payable under the governing provisions of any benefit plan or program of the
Company (including as provided in Section 5(f) above). Unless otherwise provided above, all
such payments to the Employee or his estate shall be made in the same manner and at the same
times as they would have been paid to the Employee had he remained employed by the Company.
No such termination pursuant to this paragraph (b) will relieve the Employee of his
obligations under Sections 6, 8 and 9 hereunder.
(c) Discharge for Cause. The Company may discharge the Employee for Cause and
terminate this Agreement prior to the end of the Initial Term or any then-existing Renewal
Term. In such case, this Agreement shall automatically terminate and the Company shall have
no further obligation to the Employee or his estate other than to pay to the Employee (or
his estate in the event of his subsequent death) that portion of the Employee’s salary
accrued through the date of termination.
For purposes of this Agreement, the Company shall have “Cause” to discharge the
Employee or terminate the Employee’s employment hereunder upon (i) the Employee’s conviction
of any felony or any other crime involving moral turpitude, (ii) the Employee’s repeated
failure or refusal to perform all of his duties, obligations and agreements herein contained
or imposed by law, including his fiduciary duties, to the reasonable satisfaction of the
Company’s Board of Directors, (iii) the Employee’s commission of acts amounting to gross
negligence or willful misconduct to the material detriment of the Company, or (iv) the
Employee’s material breach of any provision of this Agreement or uniformly applied
provisions of the Company’s employee handbook or other personnel policies, including without
limitation, its Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. Such determination of “Cause” shall be
made by the Company’s Board of Directors, and in the event of circumstances described in
(ii) or (iv), the Board shall give written notice to the Employee specifying such
circumstances and providing a period of 30 days in which the Employee shall be allowed to
cure such circumstances.
Any such termination by virtue of this paragraph (c) shall not prejudice any remedy
that the Company may have at law, in equity, or under this Agreement, for breach hereof by
Employee. No such termination pursuant to this paragraph (c) will relieve the Employee of
his obligations under Sections 6, 8 and 9 hereunder.
-4-
(d) Discharge Without Cause. Prior to the end of the Initial Term or any
then-existing Renewal Term, the Company may discharge the Employee without Cause (as defined
in paragraph (c) above) and terminate this Agreement. In such case this Agreement shall
automatically terminate and the Company shall have no further obligation to the Employee or
his estate, except that, subject to the provisions of Section 20 below, the Company shall
continue to pay to the Employee (or his estate in the event of his subsequent death): (i)
the Employee’s monthly Base Salary, in arrears, for a period of 18 months following the date
of discharge; provided, however, that the first such payment shall be made on the Company’s
first regular payroll date that comes after the Release is no longer revocable (the “First
Payment Date”) and shall include all payments, if any, that would have otherwise been made
pursuant to this Section 7(d)(i) between the date of Employee’s termination of employment
and the First Payment Date; (ii) a pro rata amount of the annual Incentive Award at the
Target goal level described in Section 5(a) above, based on the number of days the Employee
was employed in the year in comparison to 365, for the year of termination, which such pro
rata Incentive Award payment shall be provided on the later of the first business day after
the Release is no longer revocable or the payment date that an Incentive Award for the year
of termination otherwise would have been payable pursuant to Section 5(a) above had
Employee’s employment not terminated (provided, that, in no event shall such payment occur
later than the date necessary to qualify such payment as a “short-term deferral” within the
meaning of Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(4)); and (iii) if following the date of such discharge,
the Employee becomes eligible to elect continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus
Budget Reconciliation Act (“COBRA”) and properly elects such coverage, the Company shall
reimburse the Employee or pay on the Employee’s behalf 100% of applicable medical
continuation premiums for the benefit of the Employee (and his covered dependents as of the
date of his termination, if any) under the Employee’s then-current plan election, with such
coverage to be provided under the closest comparable plan as offered by the Company from
time to time, for so long during the 18-month period following termination as he remains
eligible for and elects COBRA coverage; provided that such reimbursement shall not be
applicable until the Release becomes irrevocable and the first such reimbursement payment
shall include, if applicable, all reimbursement payments that would have otherwise been made
pursuant to this Section 7(d)(iii) between the date of Employee’s termination of employment
and the date that the Release became irrevocable. The Company will also provide all salary
earned by Employee through the date of termination and any applicable benefits payable under
the governing provisions of any benefit plan or program of the Company. No such termination
pursuant to this paragraph (d) will relieve the Employee of his obligations under Sections
6, 8 and 9 hereunder. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 7(d) or
Section 20, in the event the time period (including any applicable revocation period)
prescribed by the Company for Employee’s execution of the Release begins in one taxable year
and ends in a second taxable year, payments under Section 7(d)(i) will not commence and the
First Payment Date shall not occur until the second taxable year, irrespective of when the
Release actually becomes irrevocable.
(e) Corporate Change. If following a Corporate Change (as defined in the
Company’s 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan), the Employee terminates his employment for Good
Reason (as defined below) or the Employee is discharged without Cause, in
-5-
either case within 24 months following the Corporate Change, then this Agreement shall
automatically terminate and the Company shall have no further obligation to the Employee or
his estate, except that, subject to the provisions of Section 20 below, the Company shall
pay to the Employee (or his estate in the event of his subsequent death): (i) a lump sum
payment payable following such termination equal to one and one-half times the Employee’s
Base Salary, which such payment shall be made within ten (10) business days after the
Release is no longer revocable; (ii) 100% of the annual Incentive Award at the Target goal
level described in Section 5(a) above for the year of termination, which such Incentive
Award payment shall be provided on the later of the first business day after the Release is
no longer revocable or the payment date that an Incentive Award for the year of termination
otherwise would have been payable pursuant to Section 5(a) above had Employee’s employment
not terminated (provided, that, in no event shall such payment occur later than the date
necessary to qualify such payment as a “short-term deferral” within the meaning of Treas.
Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(4)); and (iii) if following the date of such discharge, the Employee
becomes eligible to elect continuation coverage under COBRA and properly elects such
coverage, the Company shall reimburse the Employee or pay on the Employee’s behalf 100% of
applicable medical continuation premiums for the benefit of the Employee (and his covered
dependents as of the date of his termination, if any) under the Employee’s then-current plan
election, with such coverage to be provided under the closest comparable plan as offered by
the Company from time to time, for so long during the 36-month period following termination
as he remains eligible for and elects COBRA coverage; provided that such reimbursement shall
not be applicable until the Release becomes irrevocable and the first such reimbursement
payment shall include, if applicable, all reimbursement payments that would have otherwise
been made pursuant to this Section 7(e)(iii) between the date of Employee’s termination of
employment and the date that the Release became irrevocable. The Company will also provide
all salary earned by Employee through the date of termination and any applicable. The
Company will also provide any applicable benefits payable under the governing provisions of
any benefit plan or program of the Company. No such termination pursuant to this paragraph
(e) will relieve the Employee of his obligations under Sections 6 and 9 hereunder.
“Good Reason” means any of the following actions if taken without the Employee’s prior
written consent: (A) any material breach by the Company to comply with its obligations under
the terms of the Agreement; (B) any material diminution in the Employee’s responsibilities,
authority or duties, (C) a material diminution in the Employee’s Base Salary; or (D) any
change greater than 50 miles in the permanent location at which the Employee performs
services for the Company. The Employee shall give written notice to the Board specifying
such actions within 90 days of the initial existence of such action and providing a period
of 30 days in which the Company shall be allowed to cure such circumstances. Provided that
the condition purporting to give rise to the Good Reason event is not cured within the
30-day cure period, Employee must exercise his right to terminate this Agreement for Good
Reason within 120 days after the initial existence of the Good Reason event.
(f) Equity Award Termination Provision. The impact of Employee’s termination
from employment with the Company on stock option, restricted stock and other share-
-6-
based awards made pursuant to a Company incentive plan shall be governed by the terms
of such plan. Where, in the discretion of the Company, the applicable plan(s) is/are silent
about the impact of Employee’s termination from employment on: (i) the vesting of Employee’s
stock option, restricted stock and other share-based awards; or (ii) Employee’s repurchase
rights and obligations following such termination of employment, then the following terms
shall apply with respect to the applicable vested and unvested stock options, restricted
stock and other share-based awards awarded to Employee:
| Reason for | Restricted | Other share-based | ||||
| Termination | Stock Options | Stock | awards | |||
Termination for
Cause (as defined in
Section 7(c) above)
|
Forfeit all unvested awards |
Forfeit all unvested awards |
Forfeit all unvested awards |
|||
Involuntary
Termination without
Cause (as defined in
Section 7(c) above)
or for Good Reason
(as defined in
Section 7(e) above)
|
Forfeit all unvested awards; Employee has 12 months from the date of termination to exercise all vested awards | Forfeit all unvested awards |
Forfeit all unvested awards |
|||
Voluntary Termination
|
Forfeit all unvested awards; Employee has 90 days from the date of termination to exercise all vested awards | Forfeit all unvested awards |
Forfeit all unvested awards |
|||
Death
|
Immediate vesting of all unvested awards; Employee has 12 months to exercise all vested awards | Immediate vesting of all unvested awards | Awards will be prorated based on termination date and prorated payouts will be made within 60 days following the end of the performance period, provided that applicable performance targets have been met | |||
Disability
|
Forfeit all unvested awards; Employee has 12 months to exercise all vested awards | Immediate vesting of all unvested awards | Awards will be prorated based on termination date and prorated payouts will be made within 60 days following the end of the performance period, provided that applicable performance targets have been met | |||
Retirement pursuant
to a plan or policy
adopted by the
Company, if any, or
on terms approved by
the Board of
Directors
|
Forfeit all unvested awards; Employee has 90 days to exercise all vested awards | Immediate vesting of all unvested awards | Awards will be prorated based on termination date and prorated payouts will be made within 60 days following the end of the performance period, provided that applicable performance targets have been met |
-7-
8. Restrictive Covenants. The Company has provided and shall provide in the
future to the Employee, confidential and proprietary information as that term is defined in Section
9 of this Agreement (“Confidential Information”). The Employee acknowledges that in the course of
his employment with the Company as a member of the Company’s senior executive and management team,
he shall be given possession of and access to Confidential Information of the Company and its
Affiliates (as defined on Schedule I hereto), and will develop through such employment business
systems, methods of doing business, and contacts within the death care industry, all of which will
help to identify him with the business and goodwill of the Company. Consequently, it is important
that the Company protect its interests in regard to such matters from unfair competition. In
consideration of the Confidential Information that has been received and that the Company covenants
to provide the Employee in the future, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged by the
Employee, the Employee agrees to enter into the covenants contained in this Agreement. The parties
therefore agree that for so long as the Employee shall remain employed by the Company and, if the
employment of the Employee ceases for any reason (including voluntary resignation), then for a
period of two (2) years thereafter, the Employee shall not, directly or indirectly:
(a) alone or for his own account, or as an officer, director, shareholder, partner,
member, trustee, employee, consultant, advisor, agent or any other capacity of any
corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, or other business organization or entity,
encourage, support, finance, be engaged in, interested in, or concerned with (i) any of the
companies and entities described on Schedule I hereto, except to the extent that any
activities in connection therewith are confined exclusively outside the continental United
States, or (ii) any other business within the death care industry having an office or being
conducted within a radius of fifty (50) miles of any funeral home, cemetery or other death
care business owned or operated by the Company or any of its Affiliates at the time of such
termination;
(b) induce or assist anyone in inducing in any way any employee of the Company or any
of its Affiliates to resign or sever his or her employment or to breach an employment
contract with the Company or any Affiliate; or
(c) own, manage, advise, encourage, support, finance, operate, join, control, or
participate in the ownership, management, operation, or control of or be connected in any
manner with any business which is or may be in the funeral, mortuary, crematory, cemetery or
burial insurance business or in any business related thereto (i) as part of any of the
companies or entities listed on Schedule I, or (ii) otherwise within a radius of fifty (50)
miles of any funeral home, cemetery or other death care business owned or operated by the
Company or any of its Affiliates at the time of such termination.
-8-
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the above covenants shall not prohibit the passive ownership of
not more than one percent (1%) of the outstanding voting securities of any entity within the death
care industry. The foregoing covenants shall not be held invalid or unenforceable because of the
scope of the territory or actions subject hereto or restricted hereby, or the period of time within
which such covenants respectively are operative, but the maximum territory, the action subject to
such covenants and the period of time they are enforceable are subject to any determination by a
final judgment of any court which has jurisdiction over the parties and subject matter.
9. Confidential Information; Copyrightable Material. The Employee acknowledges that
in the course of his employment by the Company he shall receive and access certain trade secrets,
management methods, financial and accounting data (including, but not limited to, reports, studies,
analyses, spreadsheets and other materials and information), operating techniques, prospective
acquisitions, employee lists, training manuals and procedures, personnel evaluation procedures, and
other confidential information and knowledge concerning the business of the Company and its
Affiliates (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Confidential Information”) which the Company
desires to protect. The Employee understands that the Confidential Information is confidential and
he agrees not to reveal the Confidential Information to anyone outside the Company so long as the
confidential or secret nature of the Confidential Information shall continue, except as required by
law or legal process. The Employee further agrees that he will at no time use the Confidential
Information in competing with the Company. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Employee shall
surrender to the Company all papers, documents, writings and other property produced by him or
coming into his possession by or through his employment or relating to the Confidential Information
and the Employee agrees that all such materials will at all times remain the property of the
Company. The Employee acknowledges that all materials and other copyrightable works and subject
matter (regardless of whether or not constituting “Confidential Information”) produced by the
Employee within the scope of his employment (regardless of whether or not denoted as copyrighted
material) shall be deemed “works made for hire” and shall be owned by and proprietary to the
Company and may not be used or reproduced in whole or in part without the Company’s prior written
consent.
10. Remedies. The parties recognize that the services to be rendered under this
Agreement by the Employee are special, unique, and of extraordinary character, and that in the
event of the breach by the Employee of the covenants contained in Section 8 or Section 9 hereof,
the Company may suffer irreparable harm as a result. The parties therefore agree that, in the
event of any breach or threatened breach of any of such covenants, the Company shall be entitled to
specific performance or injunctive relief, or both, and may, in addition to and not in lieu of any
claim or proceeding for damages, institute and prosecute proceedings in any court of competent
jurisdiction to enforce through injunctive relief such covenants. In addition, the Company may, if
it so elects, suspend (if applicable) any payments due under this Agreement pending any such breach
and offset against any future payments the amount of the Company’s damages arising from any such
breach. The Employee agrees to waive and hereby waives any requirement for the Company to secure
any bond in connection with the obtaining of such injunction or other equitable relief.
11. Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications under this
Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date personally
-9-
delivered or three business days after the date mailed, postage prepaid, by certified mail,
return receipt requested, or when sent by electronic means or facsimile and receipt is confirmed,
if addressed to the respective parties as follows:
| If to the Employee: | L. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx | |||
| 00000 Xxxxxx Xxxx | ||||
| Xxxxxxx, XX 00000 | ||||
| If to the Company: | Carriage Services, Inc. | |||
| 0000 Xxxx Xxx Xxxx, Xxxxx 000 | ||||
| Xxxxxxx, Xxxxx 00000 | ||||
| Attn: Chief Executive Officer |
Either party hereto may designate a different address by providing written notice of such new
address to the other party hereto.
12. Severability. Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement shall be
interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law but if any provision
of this Agreement shall be prohibited by or invalid under applicable law, such provision shall be
ineffective to the extent of such provision or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of
such provision or the remaining provisions of this Agreement.
13. Assignment. This Agreement may not be assigned by the Employee. Neither the
Employee nor his estate shall have any right to commute, encumber or dispose of any right to
receive payments hereunder, it being agreed that such payments and the right thereto are
nonassignable and nontransferable.
14. Binding Effect. Subject to the provisions of Section 13 of this Agreement, this
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, the Employee’s
heirs and personal representatives, and the successors and assigns of the Company.
15. Captions. The section and paragraph headings in this Agreement are for reference
purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.
16. Complete Agreement. This Agreement represents the entire agreement between the
parties concerning the subject hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and arrangements between
the parties concerning the subject thereof including without limitation that Employment Agreement
between the parties dated August 7, 2007.
17. Governing Law; Venue. A substantial portion of the Employee’s duties under this
Agreement shall be performed at the Company’s corporate headquarters in Houston, Texas, and this
Agreement has been substantially negotiated and is being executed and delivered in the State of
Texas. This Agreement shall be construed and enforced in accordance with and governed by the laws
of the State of Texas. Any suit, claim or proceeding arising under or in connection with this
Agreement or the employment relationship evidenced hereby must be brought, if at all, in a state
district court in Xxxxxx County, Texas or federal district court in the
-00-
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxx of Texas, Houston Division. Each party submits to the jurisdiction of such
courts and agrees not to raise any objection to such jurisdiction.
18. Survival. The provisions of Sections 6, 8 and 9 shall survive any termination of
this Agreement or the employment relationship of the Company and Employee; provided, however, if
such termination is the result of Corporate Change as provided in Section 7(e) hereof, Employee
shall not thereafter be bound by the provisions of Section 8 hereof.
19. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple original counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the
same instrument.
20. Severance Payments Conditioned on Release; Time of Payments. The amounts payable
to Employee under Sections 7(b)(ii), 7(d)(i)-(iii) and 7(e)(i)-(iii) shall not become payable
unless Employee executes (and does not revoke within seven days of its execution) a release of
claims in a form satisfactory to the Company (the “Release”) within the time period prescribed by
the Company, which such time period shall be no later than fifty (50) days from the date of
Employee’s termination of employment. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the
contrary, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, amounts payable to Employee pursuant
to Section 7 are intended to be made in reliance upon Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(9) (separation pay
plans) or Treas. Reg. § 1.409A-1(b)(4) (short-term deferrals). No amounts payable under Section 7
of this Agreement upon Employee’s termination of employment shall be payable unless Employee’s
termination of employment constitutes a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treas. Reg.
§ 1.409A-1(h). The Company and Employee intend that their exercise of authority or discretion
under this Agreement shall comply with Section 409A of the Code. If any provision of this
Agreement does not satisfy the requirements of Section 409A, such provision shall nevertheless be
applied in a manner consistent with those requirements. In no event whatsoever shall the Company
be liable for any tax, interest or penalties that may be imposed on Employee under Section 409A.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no particular tax result for Employee with respect to any income
recognized by Employee in connection with this Agreement is guaranteed. Neither the Company nor
any of its affiliates shall have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold Employee harmless
from any or all such taxes, interest, penalties, or liability for any damages related thereto.
Each payment under this Agreement is intended to be a “separate payment” and not a series of
payments for purposes of Section 409A. References in this Agreement to Section 409A of the Code
includes rules, regulations and guidance of general applicability issued by the Department of the
Treasury under Code Section 409A. If the Employee is a “specified employee,” as such term is
defined in Section 409A of the Code and related regulations and Treasury pronouncements (“Section
409A”) and determined as described below in this Section 20, any payments payable as a result of
the Employee’s termination (other than death) that are required to be delayed in accordance with
Section 409A of the Code as a result of Employee’s status as a “specified employee” shall not be
payable before the earliest of (i) the date that is six months after the Employee’s termination,
(ii) the date of the Employee’s death, or (iii) the date that otherwise complies with the
requirements of Section 409A. This Section 20 shall be applied by accumulating all payments that
otherwise would have been paid within six months of the Employee’s termination and paying such
accumulated amounts without interest at the earliest date which complies with the requirements of
Section 409A. The Employee shall be a “specified
-11-
employee” for the twelve-month period beginning on April 1 of a year if the Employee is a “key
employee” as defined in Section 416(i) of the Code (without regard to Section 416(i)(5)) as of
December 31 of the preceding year or using such dates as designated by the Company in accordance
with Section 409A and in a manner that is consistent with respect to all of the Company’s
nonqualified deferred compensation plans. For purposes of determining the identity of specified
employees, the Company may establish procedures as it deems appropriate in accordance with Section
409A.
21. Income, Excise or Other Tax Liability. The Company may withhold from any benefits
and payments made pursuant to this Agreement all federal, state, city and other taxes as may be
required pursuant to any law or governmental regulation or ruling and all other normal employee
deductions made with respect to the Company’s employees generally.
22. Deemed Resignations. Unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the Company and
Employee prior to the termination of Employee’s employment, any termination of Employee’s
employment shall constitute: (i) an automatic resignation of Employee as an officer of the Company
and each affiliate and subsidiary of the Company, as applicable, and (ii) an automatic resignation
of Employee from the Board (if applicable), from the board of directors of any affiliate and
subsidiary of the Company (if applicable), and from the board of directors or any similar governing
body of any corporation, limited liability entity or other entity in which the Company or any
affiliate or subsidiary holds an equity interest and with respect to which board or similar
governing body Employee serves as the Company’s or such affiliate’s or subsidiary’s designee or
other representative (if applicable).
-12-
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date and year
first above written.
| CARRIAGE SERVICES, INC. |
||||
| By: | /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx | |||
| Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx | ||||
| Chairman, Board of Directors and President, Carriage Services, Inc. |
||||
| By: | /s/ L. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx | |||
| L. Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxxxx | ||||
| Individually | ||||
-13-
SCHEDULE I
TO
| 1. | The following entities, together with all Affiliates thereof: |
Service Corporation International
Alderwoods Group, Inc.
Xxxxxxx Enterprises, Inc.
Keystone North America, Inc.
Meridian Mortuary Group, Inc.
StoneMor Partners LP
Saber Management LLC
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co.
Legacy Funeral Holdings, LLC
Northstar Memorial Group, LLC
Alderwoods Group, Inc.
Xxxxxxx Enterprises, Inc.
Keystone North America, Inc.
Meridian Mortuary Group, Inc.
StoneMor Partners LP
Saber Management LLC
Xxxxxx Xxxxxx & Co.
Legacy Funeral Holdings, LLC
Northstar Memorial Group, LLC
| For purposes of this Agreement (and Schedule I hereto), an “Affiliate” of an entity is a person that directly or indirectly controls, is under the control of or is under common control with such entity. |
| 2. | Any new entity which may hereafter be established which acquires any combination of ten or more funeral homes and/or cemeteries from any of the entities described in 1 above. |
| 3. | Any funeral home, cemetery or other death care enterprise which is managed by any entity described in 1 or 2 above. |
US 700445v.1
