EXHIBIT 10.3
AGREEMENT
This Agreement, made and entered into as of this 30th day of May, 2002
("AGREEMENT"), by and between Insituform Technologies, Inc., a Delaware
corporation ("COMPANY"), and Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx ("INDEMNITEE"):
WHEREAS, highly competent persons are becoming more reluctant to serve
publicly-held corporations as directors or in other capacities unless they are
provided with adequate protection through insurance or adequate indemnification
against inordinate risks of claims and actions against them arising out of their
service to and activities on behalf of the corporation; and
WHEREAS, the current impracticability of obtaining adequate insurance and
the uncertainties relating to indemnification have increased the difficulty of
attracting and retaining such persons;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has determined that the
inability to attract and retain such persons is detrimental to the best
interests of the Company's stockholders and that the Company should act to
assure such persons that there will be increased certainty of such protection in
the future; and
WHEREAS, it is reasonable, prudent and necessary for the Company
contractually to obligate itself to indemnify such persons to the fullest extent
permitted by applicable law so that they will serve or continue to serve the
Company free from undue concern that they will not be so indemnified; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee is willing to serve, continue to serve and to take on
additional service for or on behalf of the Company on the condition that he be
so indemnified;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the covenants
contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as
follows:
Section 1. Services by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees to serve as a
director of the Company. Indemnitee may at any time and for any reason resign
from such position (subject to any other contractual obligation or any
obligation imposed by operation of law), in which event the Company shall have
no obligation under this Agreement to continue Indemnitee in such position.
Section 2. Indemnification - General. The Company shall indemnify, and
advance Expenses (as hereinafter defined) to, Indemnitee (a) as provided in this
Agreement and (b) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law in effect on
the date hereof and as amended from time to time. The rights of Indemnitee
provided under the preceding sentence shall include, but shall not be limited
to, the rights set forth in the other Sections of this Agreement.
Section 3. Proceedings Other Than Proceedings By Or In The Right of the
Company. Indemnitee shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided
in this Section 3 if, by reason of his Corporate Status (as hereinafter
defined), he is, or is threatened to be made, a party to any threatened,
pending, or completed Proceeding (as hereinafter defined), other than a
Proceeding by or in the right of the Company. Pursuant to this Section 3,
Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses, judgments, penalties,
fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably
incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any
claim, issue or matter therein, if he acted in good faith and in a manner he
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company
and, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe
his conduct was unlawful.
Section 4. Proceedings By Or In The Right Of The Company. Indemnitee
shall be entitled to the rights of indemnification provided in this Section 4
if, by reason of his Corporate Status, he is, or is threatened to be made, a
party to any threatened, pending or completed Proceeding brought by or in the
right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Pursuant to this
Section 4, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and
reasonably incurred by him or on his behalf in connection with such Proceeding
if he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the Company; provided, however, that, if
applicable law so provides, no indemnification against such Expenses shall be
made in respect of any claim, issue or matter in such Proceeding as to which
Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to the Company unless and to
the extent that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or the court in
which such Proceeding shall have been brought or is pending, shall determine
that such indemnification may be made.
Section 5. Indemnification For Expenses of A Party Who is Wholly Or
Partly Successful. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the
extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of his Corporate Status, a party to and is
successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding, he shall be
indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by him or on
his behalf in connection therewith. If Indemnitee is not wholly successful in
such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more
but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company
shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred
by him or on his behalf in connection with each successfully resolved claim,
issue or matter. For purposes of this Section and without limitation, the
termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal,
with or without prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such
claim, issue or matter.
Section 6. Indemnification For Expenses Of A Witness. Notwithstanding any
other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason
of his Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not
a party, he shall be indemnified against all Expenses actually and reasonably
incurred by him or on his behalf in connection therewith.
Section 7. Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance all
reasonable Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with
any Proceeding within ten days after the receipt by the Company of a statement
or statements from Indemnitee requesting such advance or advances from time to
time, whether prior to or after final disposition of such Proceeding. Such
statement or statements shall reasonably evidence the Expenses incurred by
Indemnitee and shall include or be preceded or accompanied by an undertaking by
or on behalf of Indemnitee to repay any Expenses advanced if it shall ultimately
be determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified against such
Expenses.
Section 8. Procedure For Determination Of Entitlement to Indemnification.
(a) To obtain indemnification under this Agreement, Indemnitee shall
submit to the Company a written request, including therein or therewith such
documentation and information as is reasonably available to Indemnitee and is
reasonably necessary to determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is
entitled to indemnification. The Secretary of the Company shall, promptly upon
2
receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board of Directors in
writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.
(b) Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to
the first sentence of Section 8(a) hereof, a determination, if required by
applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee's entitlement thereto shall be made
in the specific case: (i) if a Change in Control (as hereinafter defined) shall
have occurred, by Independent Counsel (as hereinafter defined) in a written
opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to
Indemnitee; or (ii) if a Change of Control shall not have occurred, (A) by the
Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of Disinterested
Directors (as hereinafter defined), or (B) if a quorum of the Board of Directors
consisting of Disinterested Directors is not obtainable or, even if obtainable,
such quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by Independent Counsel in a
written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered to
Indemnitee or (C) if so directed by the Board of Directors, by the stockholders
of the Company; and, if it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to
indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten (10) days after
such determination. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the person, persons or
entity making such determination with respect to Indemnitee's entitlement to
indemnification, including providing to such person, persons or entity upon
reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not
privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably
available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination. Any
costs or expenses (including attorneys' fees and disbursements) incurred by
Indemnitee in so cooperating with the person, persons or entity making such
determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination
as to Indemnitee's entitlement to indemnification) and the Company hereby
indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.
(c) In the event the determination of entitlement to indemnification is
to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 8(b) hereof, the
Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 8(c). If a
Change of Control shall not have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be
selected by the Board of Directors, and the Company shall give written notice to
Indemnitee advising him of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected.
If a Change of Control shall have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be
selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be
made by the Board of Directors, in which event the preceding sentence shall
apply), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of
the identity of the Independent proceedings Counsel so selected. In either
event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within 10 days after
such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company
or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection;
provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that
the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of
Independent Counsel as defined in Section 17 of this Agreement, and the
objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such
assertion. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the
Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and
until such objection is withdrawn or a court has determined that such objection
is without merit. If, within 20 days after submission by Indemnitee of a written
request for indemnification pursuant to Section 8(a) hereof, no Independent
Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or
Indemnitee may petition the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or other
court of competent jurisdiction for resolution of any objection which shall have
been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other's selection of Independent
Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected
by the Court or by such other person as the Court shall designate, and the
person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so
appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 8(b) hereof. The
Company shall pay any and all reasonable fees and expenses of Independent
3
Counsel incurred by such Independent Counsel in connection with acting pursuant
to Section 8(b) hereof, and the Company shall pay all reasonable fees and
expenses incident to the procedures of this Section 8(c), regardless of the
manner in which such Independent Counsel was selected or appointed. Upon the due
commencement of any judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to Section
10(a)(iii) of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and
relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the
applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).
Section 9. Presumptions and Effect of Certain Proceedings.
(a) If a Change of Control shall have occurred, in making a
determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the
person or persons or entity making such determination shall presume that
Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has
submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 8(a) of this
Agreement, and the Company shall have the burden of proof to overcome that
presumption in connection with the making by any person, persons or entity of
any determination contrary to that presumption.
(b) The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter
therein, by judgment, order, settlement or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo
contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided
in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to
indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good
faith and in a manner which he reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to
the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding,
that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful.
Section 10. Remedies of Indemnitee.
(a) In the event that (i) a determination is made pursuant to Section 8
of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this
Agreement, (ii) advancement of Expenses is not timely made pursuant to Section 7
of this Agreement, (iii) no determination of entitlement to indemnification
shall have been made pursuant to Section 8(b) of this Agreement within 90 days
after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, (iv) payment of
indemnification is not made pursuant to Section 5 or 6 of this Agreement within
ten (10) days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, or (v)
payment of indemnification is not made within ten (10) days after a
determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification,
Indemnitee shall be entitled to an adjudication in an appropriate court of the
State of Delaware, or in any other court of competent jurisdiction, of his
entitlement to such indemnification or advancement of Expenses. Alternatively,
Indemnitee, at his option, may seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a
single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American
Arbitration Association. Indemnitee shall commence such proceeding seeking an
adjudication or an award in arbitration within 180 days following the date on
which Indemnitee first has the right to commence such proceeding pursuant to
this Section 10(a); provided, however, that the foregoing clause shall not apply
in respect of a proceeding brought by Indemnitee to enforce his rights under
Section 5 of this Agreement.
(b) In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to
Section 8(b) of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to
indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to
this Section 10 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or
arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of
that adverse determination. If a Change of Control shall have occurred, in any
judicial proceeding or arbitration
4
commenced pursuant to this Section 10 the Company shall have the burden of
proving that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of
Expenses, as the case may be.
(c) If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 8(b) of
this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall
be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration
commenced pursuant to this Section 10, absent (i) a misstatement by Indemnitee
of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make
Indemnitee's statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request
for indemnification, or (ii) a prohibition of such indemnification under
applicable law.
(d) In the event that Indemnitee, pursuant to this Section 10, seeks a
judicial adjudication of or an award in arbitration to enforce his rights under,
or to recover damages for breach of , this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be
entitled to recover from the Company, and shall be indemnified by the Company
against, any and all expenses (of the types described in the definition of
Expenses in Section 17 of this Agreement) actually and reasonably incurred by
him in such judicial adjudication or arbitration, but only if he prevails
therein. If it shall be determined in said judicial adjudication or arbitration
that Indemnitee is entitled to receive part but not all of the indemnification
or advancement of expenses sought, the expenses incurred by Indemnitee in
connection with such judicial adjudication or arbitration shall be appropriately
prorated.
Section 11. Non-Exclusivity; Survival of Rights; Insurance; Subrogation.
(a) The rights of indemnification and to receive advancement of Expenses
as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights
to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the
Certificate of Incorporation, the By-Laws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders
or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. No amendment, alteration or repeal
of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right
of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by
such Indemnitee in his Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or
repeal.
(b) To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or
policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, employees, or
agents of the Company or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture,
trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise which such person serves at the
request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies
in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage
available for any such director, officer, employee or agent under such policy or
policies.
(c) In the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall
be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of
Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and take all action necessary
to secure such rights, including execution of such documents as are necessary to
enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.
(d) The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any
payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder if and to the extent that
Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance
policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.
Section 12. Duration of Agreement. This Agreement shall continue until and
terminate upon the later of: (a) 10 years after the date that Indemnitee shall
have ceased to serve as a director, officer, employee, or agent of the Company
or of any other corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit
plan or other enterprise which Indemnitee served at the request of the Company;
or (b) the final termination of any Proceeding then pending in respect of which
Indemnitee
5
is granted rights of indemnification or advancement of expenses hereunder and of
any proceeding commenced by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement
relating thereto. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its
successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and his
heirs, executors and administrators.
Section 13. Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement
shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable for any reason whatsoever:
(a) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of
this Agreement (including without limitation, each portion of any Section of
this Agreement containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not
in any way be affected or impaired thereby; and (b) to the fullest extent
possible, the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each
portion of any Section of this Agreement containing any such provision held to
be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, illegal or
unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested
thereby.
Section 14. Exception to Right of Indemnification or Advancement of
Expenses. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, Indemnitee
shall not be entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses under this
Agreement with respect to any Proceeding brought by Indemnitee, or any claim
therein prior to a Change in Control, unless the bringing of such Proceeding or
making of such claim shall have been approved by the Board of Directors.
Section 15. Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one
or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an
original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.
Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is
sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.
Section 16. Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are
inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this
Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.
Section 17. Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement:
(a) "CHANGE IN CONTROL" means a change in control of the Company
occurring after the Effective Date of a nature that would be required to be
reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A (or in
response to any similar item on any similar schedule or form) promulgated under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "ACT"), whether or not the Company is
then subject to such reporting requirement; provided, however, that, without
limitation, such a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred if after
the Effective Date (i) any person (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and
14(d) of the Act) is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined Rule 13d-3
under the Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company
representing 20% or more of the combined voting power of the Company's then
outstanding securities without the prior approval of at least two-thirds of the
members of the Board of Directors in office immediately prior to such person
attaining such percentage interest; (ii) there occurs a proxy contest, or the
Company is a party to a merger, consolidation, sale of assets, plan of
liquidation or other reorganization not approved by at least two-thirds of the
members of the Board of Directors then in office, as a consequence of which
members of the Board of Directors in office immediately prior to such
transaction or event constitute less than a majority of the Board of Directors
thereafter; or (iii) during any period of two consecutive years, other than as a
result of an event described in clause (a) (ii) of this Section 17, individuals
who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board of Directors
(including for this purpose any new director whose election or nomination for
election by
6
the Company's stockholders 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) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board of
Directors.
(b) "CORPORATE STATUS" describes the status of a person who is or was a
director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or of any other corporation,
partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise
which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.
(c) "DISINTERESTED DIRECTOR" means a director of the Company who is not
and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is
sought by Indemnitee.
(d) "EFFECTIVE DATE" means May 30, 2002.
(e) "EXPENSES" shall include all reasonable attorneys' fees, retainers,
court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses,
duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage,
delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types
customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to
prosecute to defend, investigating, or being or preparing to be a witness in a
Proceeding.
(f) "INDEPENDENT COUNSEL" means a law firm, or a member of a law firm,
that is experienced in matters of corporation law and neither presently is, nor
in the past five years has been, retained to represent: (i) the Company or
Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party, or (ii) any other party
to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term "Independent Counsel" shall not include
any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then
prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company
or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee's rights under this
Agreement.
(g) "PROCEEDING" includes any action, suit, arbitration, alternate
dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, administrative hearing or any other
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, except one
(i) initiated by an Indemnitee pursuant to Section 10 of this Agreement to
enforce his rights under this Agreement (ii) pending on or before the Effective
Date or (iii) involving any act or omission occurring prior to September 2,
1987.
Section 18. Modification and Waiver. No supplement, modification or
amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both
of the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement
shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof
(whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
Section 19. Notice by Indemnitee. Indemnitee agrees promptly to notify the
Company in writing upon being served with any summons, citation, subpoena,
complaint, indictment, information or other document relating to any Proceeding
or matter which may be subject to indemnification or advancement of Expenses
covered hereunder.
Section 20. Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other
communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been
duly given if (i) delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said
notice or other communication shall have been directed, or (ii) mailed by
certified or registered mail with postage prepaid, on the third business day
after the date on which it is so mailed:
7
(a) If to Indemnitee, to:
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
---------------------
---------------------
---------------------
(b) If to the Company to:
Insituform Technologies, Inc.
702 Spirit 00 Xxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxx 00000
or to such other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee by the Company
or to the Company by Indemnitee, as the case may be.
Section 21. Governing Law. The parties agree that this Agreement shall be
governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the
State of Delaware.
Section 22. Miscellaneous. Use of the masculine pronoun shall be deemed to
include usage of the feminine pronoun where appropriate.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the
day and year first above written.
ATTEST: INSITUFORM TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
BY BY
-------------------------------- -----------------------------------
Xxxxxx X. X. Xxxx, Secretary Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
Chairman of the Board and President
INDEMNITEE:
-------------------------------------
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
8
