NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA FINANCIAL CORP.
TWO-YEAR CHANGE IN CONTROL AGREEMENT
This AGREEMENT is made effective as of March 31, 1998, by and between
Northeast Pennsylvania Financial Corp. (the "Holding Company"), a corporation
organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, with its office at 00 Xxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx, and Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx. ("Executive").
The term "Bank" refers to First Federal Bank, the wholly-owned subsidiary of the
Holding Company or any successor thereto.
WHEREAS, the Holding Company recognizes the substantial contribution
Executive has made to the Holding Company and wishes to protect his position
therewith for the period provided in this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, Executive has agreed to serve in the employ of the Holding
Company or an affiliate thereof.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the contribution and
responsibilities of Executive, and upon the other terms and conditions
hereinafter provided, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. TERM OF AGREEMENT.
The period of this Agreement shall be deemed to have commenced as of
the date first above written and shall continue for a period of twenty-four (24)
full calendar months thereafter. Commencing on the date of the execution of this
Agreement, the term of this Agreement shall be extended for one day each day
until such time as the board of directors of the Holding Company (the "Board")
or Executive elects not to extend the term of the Agreement by giving written
notice to the other party in accordance with Section 4 of this Agreement, in
which case the term of this Agreement shall be fixed and shall end on the second
anniversary of the date of such written notice.
2. CHANGE IN CONTROL.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Holding Company
(as herein defined) followed at any time during the term of this Agreement by
the termination of Executive's employment, the provisions of Section 3 shall
apply. Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, Executive shall have the
right to elect to voluntarily terminate his employment at any time during the
term of this Agreement following any demotion, loss of title, office or
significant authority, reduction in annual compensation or material reduction in
benefits, or relocation of his principal place of employment by more than 25
miles from its location immediately prior to the Change in Control, unless such
termination is because of death or termination for cause.
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(b) For purposes of this Agreement, a "Change in Control" of the Bank
or Holding Company shall mean an event of a nature that: (i) would be required
to be reported in response to Item 1(a) of the Current Report on Form 8-K, as in
effect on the date hereof, pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 0000 (xxx "Xxxxxxxx Xxx"); or (ii) results in a Change in
Control of the Bank or the Holding Company within the meaning of the Home
Owners' Loan Act of 1933, as amended, the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, or the
Rules and Regulations promulgated by the Office of Thrift Supervision ("OTS")
(or its predecessor agency), as in effect on the date hereof (provided, that in
applying the definition of change in control as set forth under the rules and
regulations of the OTS, the Board shall substitute its judgment for that of the
OTS); or (iii) without limitation such a Change in Control shall be deemed to
have occurred at such time as (A) any "person" (as the term is used in Sections
13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as
defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of voting
securities of the Bank or the Holding Company representing 20% or more of the
Bank's or the Holding Company's outstanding voting securities except for any
voting securities of the Bank purchased by the Holding Company in connection
with the conversion of the Bank to the stock form and any voting securities
purchased by any employee benefit plan of the Bank, or (B) individuals who
constitute the Board on the date hereof (the "Incumbent Board") cease for any
reason to constitute at least a majority thereof, provided that any person
becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose election was approved by
a vote of at least three-quarters of the directors comprising the Incumbent
Board, or whose nomination for election by the Holding Company's stockholders
was approved by the same Nominating Committee serving under an Incumbent Board,
shall be, for purposes of this clause (B), considered as though he were a member
of the Incumbent Board, or (C) a plan of reorganization, merger, consolidation,
sale of all or substantially all the assets of the Bank or the Holding Company
or similar transaction occurs in which the Bank or Holding Company is not the
resulting entity; provided, however, that such an event listed above will be
deemed to have occurred or to have been effectuated upon the receipt of all
required federal regulatory approvals not including the lapse of any statutory
waiting periods, or (D) a proxy statement is distributed soliciting proxies from
stockholders of the Holding Company, by someone other than the current
management of the Holding Company, seeking stockholder approval of a plan of
reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Holding Company or Bank with one
or more corporations as a result of which the outstanding shares of the class of
securities then subject to such plan or transaction are exchanged for or
converted into cash or property or securities not issued by the Bank or the
Holding Company shall be distributed, or (E) a tender offer is made for 20% or
more of the voting securities of the Bank or Holding Company then outstanding.
(c) Executive shall not have the right to receive termination benefits
pursuant to Section 3 hereof upon Termination for Cause. The term "Termination
for Cause" shall mean termination because of a material loss to the Holding
Company or one of its Subsidiaries caused by Executive's intentional failure to
perform stated duties, personal dishonesty, willful violation of any law, rule,
regulation (other than traffic violations or similar offenses), final cease and
desist order, or any material breach of this Agreement. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Executive shall not be deemed to have been Terminated for Cause
unless and until there shall have been delivered to him a copy of a resolution
duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not less
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than three-fourths of the members of the Board at a meeting of the Board called
and held for that purpose (after reasonable notice to Executive and an
opportunity for him, together with counsel, to be heard before the Board),
finding that in the good faith opinion of the Board, Executive was guilty of
conduct justifying Termination for Cause and specifying the particulars thereof
in detail. Executive shall not have the right to receive compensation or other
benefits for any period after Termination for Cause. During the period beginning
on the date of the Notice of Termination for Cause pursuant to Section 4 hereof
through the Date of Termination, stock options and related limited rights
granted to Executive under any stock option plan shall not be exercisable nor
shall any unvested awards granted to Executive under any stock benefit plan of
the Bank, the Holding Company or any subsidiary or affiliate thereof, vest. At
the Date of Termination, such stock options and related limited rights and any
such unvested awards, shall become null and void and shall not be exercisable by
or delivered to Executive at any time subsequent to such Termination For Cause.
3. TERMINATION BENEFITS.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, followed at any time
during the term of this Agreement by the voluntary or involuntary termination of
Executive's employment, other than for Termination for Cause, the Holding
Company shall be obligated to pay Executive, or in the event of his subsequent
death, his beneficiary or beneficiaries, or his estate, as the case may be, a
sum equal to three (3) times Executive's average annual compensation for the
five most recent taxable years that Executive has been employed by the Bank or
such lesser number of years in the event that Executive shall have been employed
by the Bank for less than five years. Such annual compensation shall include
Base Salary, commissions, bonuses, contributions on behalf of Executive to any
pension and profit sharing plan, severance payments, director or committee fees
and fringe benefits paid or to be paid to the Executive during such years. At
the election of Executive which election is to be made prior to a Change in
Control, such payment shall be made in a lump sum. In the event that no election
is made, payment to Executive will be made on a monthly basis in approximately
equal installments during the remaining term of this Agreement. Such payments
shall not be reduced in the event Executive obtains other employment following
termination of employment.
(b) Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Bank or the
Holding Company followed at any time during the term of this Agreement by
Executive's termination of employment, other than for Termination for Cause, the
Holding Company shall cause to be continued life, medical and disability
coverage substantially identical to the coverage maintained by the Bank for
Executive prior to his severance, except to the extent such coverage may be
changed in its application to all Bank employees. Such coverage and payments
shall cease upon expiration of twenty-four (24) full calendar months following
the Date of Termination.
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(c) Notwithstanding the preceding paragraphs of this Section 3, in the
event that:
(i) the aggregate payments or benefits to be made or afforded to Executive,
which are deemed to be parachute payments as defined in Section 280G of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") or any successor
thereof, (the "Termination Benefits") would be deemed to include an "excess
parachute payment" under Section 280G of the Code; and
(ii) if such Termination Benefits were reduced to an amount (the "Non-Triggering
Amount"), the value of which is one dollar ($1.00) less than an amount
equal to three (3) times Executive's "base amount," as determined in
accordance with said Section 280G and the Non-Triggering Amount less the
product of the marginal rate of any applicable state and federal income tax
and the Non Triggering Amount would be greater than the aggregate value of
the Termination Benefits (without such reduction) minus (i) the amount of
tax required to be paid by the Executive thereon by Section 4999 of the
Code and further minus (ii) the product of the Termination Benefits and the
marginal rate of any applicable state and federal income tax, then the
Termination Benefits shall be reduced to the Non-Triggering Amount. The
allocation of the reduction required hereby among the Termination Benefits
shall be determined by the Executive.
4. NOTICE OF TERMINATION.
(a) Any purported termination by the Holding Company, or by Executive
shall be communicated by Notice of Termination to the other party hereto. For
purposes of this Agreement, a "Notice of Termination" shall mean a written
notice which shall indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement
relied upon and shall set forth in detail the facts and circumstances claimed to
provide a basis for termination of Executive's employment under the provision so
indicated.
(b) "Date of Termination" shall mean the date specified in the Notice
of Termination (which, in the case of Termination for Cause, shall not be less
than thirty (30) days from the date such Notice of Termination is given).
(c) If, within thirty (30) days after any Notice of Termination is
given, the party receiving such Notice of Termination notifies the other party
that a dispute exists concerning the termination, the Date of Termination shall
be the date on which the dispute is finally determined, either by mutual written
agreement of the parties, by a binding arbitration award, or by a final
judgment, order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction (the time for
appeal therefrom having expired and no appeal having been perfected) and
provided further that the Date of
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Termination shall be extended by a notice of dispute only if such notice is
given in good faith and the party giving such notice pursues the resolution of
such dispute with reasonable diligence. Notwithstanding the pendency of any such
dispute, the Holding Company will continue to pay Executive his full
compensation in effect when the notice giving rise to the dispute was given
(including, but not limited to his current annual salary) and continue him as a
participant in all compensation, benefit and insurance plans in which he was
participating when the notice of dispute was given, until the dispute is finally
resolved in accordance with this Agreement. Amounts paid under this Section 4(c)
are in addition to all other amounts due under this Agreement and shall not be
offset against or reduce any other amounts due under this Agreement.
5. SOURCE OF PAYMENTS.
It is intended by the parties hereto that all payments provided in this
Agreement shall be paid in cash or check from the general funds of the Holding
Company. Further, the Holding Company guarantees such payment and provision of
all amounts and benefits due hereunder to Executive and, if such amount and
benefits due from the Bank are not timely paid or provided by the Bank, such
amounts and benefits shall be paid and provided by the Holding Company.
6. EFFECT ON PRIOR AGREEMENTS AND EXISTING BENEFIT PLANS.
This Agreement contains the entire understanding between the parties
hereto and supersedes any prior agreement between the Holding Company and
Executive, except that this Agreement shall not affect or operate to reduce any
benefit or compensation inuring to Executive of a kind elsewhere provided. No
provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted to mean that Executive is
subject to receiving fewer benefits than those available to him without
reference to this Agreement.
Nothing in this Agreement shall confer upon Executive the right to
continue in the employ of the Holding Company or shall impose on the Holding
Company any obligation to employ or retain Executive in its employ for any
period.
7. NO ATTACHMENT.
(a) Except as required by law, no right to receive payments under this
Agreement shall be subject to anticipation, commutation, alienation, sale,
assignment, encumbrance, charge, pledge, or hypothecation, or to execution,
attachment, levy, or similar process or assignment by operation of law, and any
attempt, voluntary or involuntary, to affect any such action shall be null,
void, and of no effect.
(b) This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of,
Executive, the Holding Company and their respective successors and assigns.
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8. MODIFICATION AND WAIVER.
(a) This Agreement may not be modified or amended except by an
instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto.
(b) No term or condition of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been
waived, nor shall there be any estoppel against the enforcement of any provision
of this Agreement, except by written instrument of the party charged with such
waiver or estoppel. No such written waiver shall be deemed a continuing waiver
unless specifically stated therein, and each such waiver shall operate only as
to the specific term or condition waived and shall not constitute a waiver of
such term or condition for the future or as to any act other than that
specifically waived.
9. REINSTATEMENT OF BENEFITS UNDER BANK AGREEMENT.
In the event Executive is suspended and/or temporarily prohibited from
participating in the conduct of the Bank's affairs by a notice described in
Section 9(b) of the Change-in-Control Agreement between Executive and the Bank
dated March 31, 1998, (the "Bank Agreement") during the term of this Agreement
and a Change in Control, as defined herein, occurs the Holding Company will
assume its obligation to pay and Executive will be entitled to receive all of
the termination benefits provided for under Section 3 of the Bank Agreement upon
the notification of the Holding Company of the Bank's receipt of a dismissal of
charges in the Notice.
10. EFFECT OF ACTION UNDER BANK AGREEMENT.
Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, to the extent
that payments and benefits are paid to or received by Executive under the Bank
Agreement between Executive and Bank, the amount of such payments and benefits
paid by the Bank will be subtracted from any amount due simultaneously to
Executive under similar provisions of this Agreement.
11. SEVERABILITY.
If, for any reason, any provision of this Agreement, or any part of any
provision, is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect any other provision
of this Agreement or any part of such provision not held so invalid, and each
such other provision and part thereof shall to the full extent consistent with
law continue in full force and effect.
12. HEADINGS FOR REFERENCE ONLY.
The headings of sections and paragraphs herein are included solely for
convenience of reference and shall not control the meaning or interpretation of
any of the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, references herein to the
masculine shall apply to both the masculine and the feminine.
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13. GOVERNING LAW.
The validity, interpretation, performance, and enforcement of this
Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware without regard
to principles of conflicts of law of this state.
14. ARBITRATION.
Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this
Agreement shall be settled exclusively by arbitration, conducted before a panel
of three arbitrators sitting in a location selected by Executive within fifty
(50) miles from the location of the Holding Company, in accordance with the
rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect. Judgment may be
entered on the arbitrator's award in any court having jurisdiction; provided,
however, that Executive shall be entitled to seek specific performance of his
right to be paid until the Date of Termination during the pendency of any
dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this Agreement.
15. PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES.
All reasonable legal fees paid or incurred by Executive pursuant to any
dispute or question of interpretation relating to this Agreement shall be paid
or reimbursed by the Holding Company if Executive is successful pursuant to a
legal judgment, arbitration or settlement.
16. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Holding Company shall provide Executive (including his heirs,
executors and administrators) with coverage under a standard directors' and
officers' liability insurance policy at its expense, and shall indemnify
Executive (and his heirs, executors and administrators) to the fullest extent
permitted under Delaware law and as provided in the Holding Company's
certificate of incorporation against all expenses and liabilities reasonably
incurred by him in connection with or arising out of any action, suit or
proceeding in which he may be involved by reason of his having been a director
or officer of the Holding Company (whether or not he continues to be a director
or officer at the time of incurring such expenses or liabilities), such expenses
and liabilities to include, but not be limited to, judgments, court costs and
attorneys' fees and the cost of reasonable settlements.
(b) Any payments made to Executive pursuant to this Section are subject
to and conditioned upon compliance with 12 U.S.C. Section 1828(k) and 12 C.F.R.
Part 359 and any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder.
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17. SUCCESSOR TO THE HOLDING COMPANY.
The Holding Company shall require any successor or assignee, whether
direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise, to all or
substantially all the business or assets of the Bank or the Holding Company,
expressly and unconditionally to assume and agree to perform the Holding
Company's obligations under this Agreement, in the same manner and to the same
extent that the Holding Company would be required to perform if no such
succession or assignment had taken place.
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SIGNATURES
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Holding Company has caused this Agreement to be
executed by its duly authorized officer, and Executive has signed this
Agreement, on the 31st day of March, 1998.
ATTEST: NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA FINANCIAL
CORP.
/s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx By: /s/ E. Xxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx E. Xxx Xxxxx
Secretary President and Chief Executive Officer
For the Entire Board of Directors
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx.
---------------------------------
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, Xx.
Executive
Seal
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