EXECUTIVE AGREEMENT
Exhibit
10.79
THIS AGREEMENT is made as of this 1st
day of January 1, 2008, among NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC., a Pennsylvania
business corporation having its principal place of business in Boyertown,
Pennsylvania ("NPB"), NATIONAL PENN BANK, a national banking association having
its principal place of business in Boyertown, Pennsylvania ("Bank"), and H.
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, an individual residing at 00 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxx., Xxxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxxxxx ("Executive").
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, Executive is employed by NPB
and Bank as Executive Vice President of Bank’s SEC Reporting; and
WHEREAS, the Boards of Directors of NPB
and Bank deem it advisable to provide Executive with certain additional benefits
in the event of certain changes in control of NPB or Bank so that Executive will
continue to attend to the business of NPB and Bank without distraction in the
face of the potentially disturbing circumstances arising therefrom.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the
mutual covenants and promises set forth herein, and each intending to be legally
bound, NPB, Bank and Executive agree as follows:
1.
Definitions. The
following terms have the meanings specified below:
a.
"Affiliate"
means any corporation which is included within a "controlled group of
corporations" including NPB, as determined under Code Section 1563.
b.
"Base Salary" means the Executive's annual base salary, established either by
contract or by the Employer, prior to any reduction of such salary pursuant to
any contribution to a tax-qualified plan under Section 401(k) ofthe
Code.
c.
"Cause" means the occurrence of either of the following, the result of which is
the termination of Executive’s Employment:
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i.
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Executive's
conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony or a
crime of falsehood or involving moral turpitude;
or
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ii.
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the
willful failure by Executive to substantially perform his duties to
Employer, other than a failure resulting from Executive's incapacity as a
result of the Executive's disability, which willful failure results in
demonstrable material injury and damage to
Employer.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing,
Executive's Employment shall not be deemed to have been terminated for Cause if
such termination took place as a result of:
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x.
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questionable
judgment on the part of Executive;
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y.
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any
act or omission believed by Executive in good faith, to have been in or
not opposed to the best interests of the Employer;
or
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z.
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any
act or omission in respect of which a determination could properly be made
that Executive met the applicable standard of conduct prescribed for
indemnification or reimbursement or payment of expenses under the By-laws
of NPB or the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or the directors
and officers' liability insurance of NPB or any Employer, in each case as
in effect at the time of such act or
omission.
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d.
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"Change
in Control" means:
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i.
An
acquisition by any "person" or "group" (as those terms are defined or used in
Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) of "beneficial ownership" (within the meaning
of Rule 13d-3 under the ExchangeAct) of securities of NPB representing 24.99% or
more of the combined voting power of NPB's securities then
outstanding;
ii.
A merger,
consolidation or other reorganization of Bank, except where the resulting entity
is controlled, directly or indirectly, by NPB;
iii.
A merger,
consolidation or other reorganization of NPB, except where shareholders of NPB
immediately prior to consummation of any such transaction continue to hold at
least a majority of the voting power of the outstanding voting securities of the
legal entity resulting from or existing after any transaction and a majority of the
members of the Board of Directors of the legal entity resulting from or existing
after any such transaction are former members of NPB's Board of
Directors;
iv.
A sale,
exchange, transfer or other disposition of substantially all of the
assets of the Employer to another entity, except to an entitycontrolled,
directly or indirectly, by NPB;
v.
A sale,
exchange, transfer or other disposition of substantially all of the assets of
NPB to another entity, or a corporate division involving NPB; or
vi.
A
contested proxy solicitation of the shareholders of NPB that results in the
contesting party obtaining the ability to cast 25% or more of the votes entitled
to be cast in an election of directors of NPB.
e.
"Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and as the
same may be amended from time to time.
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f.
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"Employer"
means Bank, NPB or any Affiliate which employs Executive at any particular
time.
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g.
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"Employment"
means Executive's employment by Bank, NPB or any Affiliate at any
particular time.
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h.
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"Exchange
Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
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2.
Resignation of
Executive. If a Change in Control shall occur and if within
one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date of a Change in Control
(or thirty (30) days after the completion of the conversion of the computer
systems if such conversion is later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the
effective date of a Change in Control, in either event, the “Transition Period”)
there shall be:
a.
Any
involuntary termination of Executive's employment (other than for
Cause);
b.
Any
reduction in Executive's title, responsibilities or authority, including such
title, responsibilities or authority as such may be increased from time to
time;
c.
Any
reduction in Executive's Base Salary in effect immediately prior to a Change in
Control, or any failure to provide Executive with benefits at least as favorable
as those enjoyed by Executive under any of the pension, life insurance, medical,
health and accident, disability or other employee plans of NPB or an Affiliate
in which Executive participated immediately prior to a Change in Control, or the
taking of any action that would materially reduce any of such compensation or
benefits in effect at the time of the Change in Control, unless such reduction
relates to a reduction applicable to all employees generally;
d.
Any
reassignment of Executive beyond a thirty (30) mile commute by automobile from
Boyertown, Pennsylvania; or
e.
Any
requirement that Executive travel in performance of his duties on behalf of NPB
or an Affiliate for a greater period of time during any year than was required
of Executive during the year preceding the year in which the Change in Control
occurred (each of the foregoing, a “Triggering Event”);
then, at
the option of Executive, exercisable by Executive within one hundred eighty
(180) days of the occurrence of any Triggering Event within the Transition
Period, Executive may resign from Employment (or, if involuntarily terminated,
give notice of intention to collect benefits hereunder) by delivering a notice
in writing to NPB, in which case Executive shall be entitled to a
lump sum cash severance payment equal to 150% of Executive's Base Salary in
effect immediately prior to a Change in Control, which Employer shall pay to
Executive within fifteen (15) days of Executive's termination of
employment.
Executive shall not be required to
mitigate the amount of any payment providedfor in the preceding paragraph by
seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the amount of any payment or
benefit provided for in the preceding paragraph be reduced by any compensation
earned by Executive as the result of employment by another employer or by reason
of Executive's receipt of or right to receive any retirement or other benefits
after the date of termination of employment or otherwise, except as otherwise
provided therein.
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3. Out-Placement
Services. If a Change in Control occurs and Executive
exercises the option to resign from Employment (or is involuntarily terminated)
as described in Section 2, Employer shall provide Executive with the services of
a professional out-placement firm, if Executive so requests, for the period not
to exceed one year from the date of Executive’s resignation (or termination), at
Employer’s sole cost and expense, up to a maximum amount of Seven Thousand Five
Hundred Dollars ($7,500).
4. No Implied Rights; Rights on
Termination of Employment.
a. No Right to Continued
Employment. Nothing in this Agreement shall confer upon
Executive any right with respect to continuance of Employment by Employer, nor
shall it interfere with or limit in any way theright of Employer to terminate
Executive’s Employment at any time.
b. Voluntary Termination of
Employment. If Executive terminates Executive’s Employment
with Employer at any time prior to a Change in Control, this Agreement shall
terminate at that time and Employer shall have no further liability
hereunder.
c. Termination--Cause. If
Employer terminates Executive's Employment at any time for Cause, this Agreement
shall terminate at that time and Employer shall have no further liability
hereunder.
d. Termination—Without
Cause. Employer may terminate Executive’s Employment at any
time without Cause. If Employer terminates Executive's employment at
any time without Cause prior to a Change in Control, and if no event has been
publicly announced that with the passing of time would constitute a Change in
Control, this Agreement shall terminate at that time and Employer shall have no
further liability hereunder. If Employer terminates Executive’s
Employment at any time prior to a Change in Control but subsequent to the
occurrence of an event that has been publicly announced that with the passing of
time would constitute a Change in Control, the provisions of Sections 2 and 3 of
this Agreement shall apply to same extent as if Executive’s Employment had been
involuntarily terminated subsequent to a Change in Control.
5.
Arbitration. Any
dispute or controversy arising out of or relating to thisAgreement and any
controversy as to a termination for Cause shall be settled exclusively by
arbitration, conducted before a panel of three arbitrators, in Reading,
Pennsylvania, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration
Association then in effect. Judgment may be entered on the
arbitrators' award in any court having jurisdiction.
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6.
Exclusive
Benefit. Executive shall have no right to commute, sell,
assign,transfer or otherwise convey the right to receive any payments hereunder,
which payment and the right thereto are expressly declared to be non-assignable
and non-transferrable. In the event of any attempted assignment or
transfer, this Agreement shall terminate at that time and Employer shall have no
further liability hereunder.
7.
Notices. Any
notice required or permitted to be given under this Agreement shallbe properly
given if in writing and if mailed by registered or certified mail, postage
prepaid with return receipt requested, to Executive's residence in the case of
any notice to Executive, or to the attention of the President at the principal
office of Bank, in the case of any notice to the Employer.
8.
Entire
Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire agreement
relating to the subject matter hereof and may not be modified, amended or
changed orally but only by an agreement in writing, consented to in writing by
NPB, and signed by the party against whom enforcement of any modification,
amendment or change is sought.
9.
Benefits.
a. This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of NPB and Bank and
their respective successors and assigns. Each of NPB and Bank shall
require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger,
consolidation, or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or
assets of NPB or Bank to expressly assume and agree to perform this Agreement in
the same manner and to the same extent that NPB or Bank would be required to
perform it if no such succession had taken place. Failure to obtain
such assumption and agreement prior to the effectiveness of any such succession
shall constitute a breach of this Agreement and the provisions of Sections 2 and
3 of this Agreement shall apply. As used in this Agreement, "NPB" or
"Bank" shall mean NPB or Bank as defined previously and any successor to the
business and/or assets of NPB or Bank as aforesaid which assumes and agrees to
perform this Agreement by operation of law or otherwise.
b. This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable
by Executive's personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators,
heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees.
10. Applicable
Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the domestic internal law (but not the law of conflicts of law)
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
11. Headings. The
headings of the sections and subsections hereof are for convenience only and
shall not control or affect the meaning or construction or limit the scope or
intent of any of the sections or subsections of this Agreement.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, NPB and Bank have
each duly caused this Agreement to be executed on its behalf by its duly
authorized officers, and Executive has hereunto set his hand and seal, as of the
day and year first above written.
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NATIONAL
PENN BANCSHARES, INC.
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NATIONAL
PENN BANK
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By: /s/ Xxxxx X.
Xxxxx
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By: |
/s/ Xxxxx X.
Xxxxx
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Name:
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Xxxxx
X. Xxxxx
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Name:
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Xxxxx
X. Xxxxx
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Title:
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President/CEO
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Title:
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Chair,
President, CEO
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Attest:
/s/ Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxx
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Attest: |
/s/ Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxx
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Name:
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Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
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Name:
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Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
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Title:
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GEVP
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Title:
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GEVP
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Witness:
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/s/ Xxxxxx X.
Xxxxxxxxxxxx
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/s/ X. Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx | |||||
X.
Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx
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