EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Exhibit
10.1
This employment agreement (“Agreement”)
is made and entered into effective as of January 1, 2010 (the “Effective Date”),
by and between Neoprobe Corporation, a Delaware Corporation with a place of
business at 000 Xxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx, Xxxxx 000, Xxxxxx, Xxxx 00000-0000 (the
“Company”) and Xxxxx X. Xxxx of Dublin, Ohio (the “Employee”).
WHEREAS, the Company and the Employee
entered into a series of employment agreements effective as of January 1, 1996
and for subsequent periods, including an employment agreement that was generally
effective commencing as of January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009;
and
WHEREAS, the Company and the Employee
wish to establish terms, covenants, and conditions for the Employee’s continued
employment effective as of January 1, 2010, as set forth in this
Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the
mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereto agree as
follows:
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1.
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Duties. From
and after the Effective Date, and based upon the terms and conditions set
forth herein, the Company agrees to employ the Employee and the Employee
agrees to be employed by the Company, as President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Company and in such equivalent, additional or higher
executive level position or positions as shall be assigned to him by the
Company’s Board of Directors. While serving in such executive
level position or positions, the Employee shall report to, be responsible
to, and shall take direction from the Board of Directors of the
Company. The Board of Directors shall not require the Employee
to perform any task that is inconsistent with the office of President or
the position of Chief Executive Officer. During the Term of
this Agreement (as defined in Section 2 below), the Employee agrees to
devote substantially all of his working time to the position he holds with
the Company and to faithfully, industriously, and to the best of his
ability, experience and talent, perform the duties which are assigned to
him. The Employee shall observe and abide by the reasonable
corporate policies and decisions of the Company in all business
matters.
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The
Employee represents and warrants to the Company that Exhibit A attached hereto
sets forth a true and complete list of (a) all offices, directorships and other
positions held by the Employee in corporations and firms other than the Company
and its subsidiaries and (b) any investment or ownership interest in any
corporation or firm other than the Company beneficially owned by the Employee
(excluding investments in life insurance policies, bank deposits, publicly
traded securities that are less than five percent (5%) of their class and real
estate). The Employee will promptly notify the Board of Directors of the Company
of any additional positions undertaken or investments made by the Employee
during the Term of this Agreement if they are of a type which, if they had
existed on the date hereof, should have been listed on Exhibit A
hereto. As long as the Employee’s other positions or investments in
other firms do not create a conflict of interest, violate the Employee’s
obligations under Section 7 below or cause the Employee to neglect his duties
hereunder, such activities and positions shall not be deemed to be a breach of
this Agreement.
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2.
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Term of this
Agreement. Subject to Sections 4 and 5 hereof, the Term
of this Agreement shall be for a period of Thirty-Six (36) months,
commencing January 1, 2010 and terminating December 31,
2012.
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3.
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Compensation. During
the Term of this Agreement, the Company shall pay, and the Employee agrees
to accept as full consideration for the services to be rendered by the
Employee hereunder, compensation consisting of the
following:
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A.
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Salary. Beginning
on the first day of the Term of this Agreement, the Company shall pay the
Employee a salary of Three Hundred Fifty-Five Thousand Dollars ($355,000)
per year, payable in semi-monthly or monthly installments as requested by
the Employee. The Committee (as hereinafter defined) shall review the
Employee’s annual salary on an annual basis and may increase, but not
decrease, the salary at its
discretion.
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B.
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Bonus. The
Compensation, Nominating and Governance Committee (the “Committee”) of the
Board of Directors will, on an annual basis, review the performance of the
Company and of the Employee and will pay such bonus as it deems
appropriate, in its discretion, to the Employee based upon such
review. Such review and bonus shall be consistent with any
bonus plan adopted by the Committee, which covers the executive officers
and employees of the Company generally. For the calendar year ending
December 31, 2010, the Committee has determined that the maximum bonus
payment to the Employee will be One Hundred Twenty Five Thousand Dollars
($125,000). The Employee shall be eligible for the payment of the pro rata
portion of the bonus for the calendar year ending December 31, 2010 in the
event the employment of the Employee terminates (other than a termination
of employment by the Company for Cause or a resignation of Employee
subject to paragraph B of Section 4) before December 31,
2010. Any bonus payment to Employee for the calendar year
ending December 31, 2010 will be consistent with the guidelines
established by the Committee for other officer employees of the Company
for the payment of any bonus to officer employees of the Company for the
same period, including compliance with Section 162(m) of the Internal
Revenue Code (the “Code”). The maximum bonus payment to the
Employee for subsequent calendar years during the term of this Agreement
shall be determined at the discretion of the Committee, (but with a target
bonus of not less than $125,000) and shall be payable consistent with the
provisions set forth above regarding the payment of the bonus for the year
ending December 31, 2010.
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C.
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Benefits. During
the Term of this Agreement, the Employee will receive such employee
benefits as are generally available to all employees of the
Company. In addition, following the Employee’s termination of
employment with the Company at any time, other than a termination by the
Company for Cause or a resignation by the Employee without Good Reason,
the Company shall provide continuation of health coverage for the Employee
on the same terms and conditions as such coverage is available to other
Company executive employees for a period of Thirty-Six (36)
months. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company
reasonably determines that such a continuation of health coverage may not
be exempt from federal income tax, then for a period of six (6) months
after the date of the Employee’s termination, the Employee shall pay to
the Company an amount equal to the stated taxable cost of such coverage.
After the expiration of the six-month period, the Employee shall receive
from the Company a reimbursement of the amounts paid by the
Employee. Further notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event
that such a continuation of coverage cannot be made available after the
end of the period during which continuation coverage is generally
available under the Company’s group health plan (which normally would
extend for only eighteen (18) months following a termination of
employment), the Company shall assist the Employee in finding other
comparable coverage and shall reimburse the Employee for the costs of such
coverage so as to make the net benefit to the Employee of such other
continued coverage consistent, to the extent possible, with the coverage
that was available under the Company’s group health plan during
the period such coverage was permitted to be continued. Any
such reimbursements shall be subject to the following
conditions: (i) the benefits or payments provided during any
taxable year of the Executive may not affect the benefits or payments to
be provided to the Executive in any other taxable year; (ii) reimbursement
of any eligible expense must be made on or before the last day of the
Executive’s taxable year following the taxable year in which the expense
was incurred; and (iii) the right to such benefits or payments is not
subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit or
payment.
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D.
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Stock Options and Stock Based
Awards. The Committee of the Board of Directors may,
from time-to-time, grant stock options, restricted stock purchase
opportunities and such other forms of stock-based incentive compensation
as it deems appropriate, in its discretion, to the Employee under the
Company’s Stock Option and Restricted Stock Purchase Plan and the 1996 and
2002 Stock Incentive Plan or any successor plan or plans (the “Stock
Plans”). The terms of the Stock Plans and the relevant award
agreements shall govern the rights of the Employee and the Company
thereunder in the event of any conflict between such terms and this
Agreement. In addition, the Company and the Employee
specifically agree that (a) the 300,000 shares of restricted stock
previously granted to the Employee remain outstanding and subject to the
terms of the original award agreement and plan under which such award was
granted, without change, and (b) nothing in this Agreement shall create
any limitation on or after the Effective Date on grants that may be made,
from time to time, to the Employee under the terms of the Stock Plans, or
under any other plan permitting grants of equity based
compensation.
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E.
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Vacation. The
Employee shall be entitled to thirty (30) days of vacation during each
calendar year during the Term of this
Agreement.
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F.
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Expenses. The
Company shall reimburse the Employee for all reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses incurred by him in the performance of his duties hereunder,
including expenses for travel, entertainment and similar items, promptly
after the presentation by the Employee, from time-to-time, of an itemized
account of such expenses.
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4.
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Termination.
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A.
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For Cause. The Company
may terminate the employment of the Employee prior to the end of the Term
of this Agreement “for cause.” Termination “for cause” shall be defined as
a termination by the Company of the employment of the Employee occasioned
by (i) the Employee being formally charged with a felony (other than a
traffic offense), or a crime involving moral turpitude, that in the
reasonable good faith judgment of the Board of Directors, would result in
material damage to the Company or its reputation, or would materially
interfere with the performance of Employee’s obligations under this
Agreement, (ii) acts by the Employee of fraud, embezzlement,
theft or other material dishonesty directed against the Company; or (iii)
the failure by the Employee to cure a willful breach of a material duty
imposed on the Employee under this Agreement within 15 days after written
notice thereof by the Company or the continuation by the Employee after
written notice by the Company of a willful and continued neglect of a duty
imposed on the Employee under this Agreement. In the event of
termination by the Company “for cause,” all salary, benefits and other
payments shall cease at the time of termination, and the Company shall
have no further obligations to the
Employee.
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B.
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Resignation. If the
Employee resigns for any reason, all salary, benefits and other payments
(except as otherwise provided in paragraph G of this Section 4 below)
shall cease at the time such resignation becomes effective. At
the time of any such resignation, the Company shall pay the Employee the
value of any accrued but unused vacation time, and the amount of all
accrued but previously unpaid base salary through the date of such
termination. The Company shall promptly reimburse the Employee
for the amount of any expenses incurred prior to such termination by the
Employee as required under paragraph F of Section 3
above.
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C.
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Disability, Death. The
Company may terminate the employment of the Employee prior to the end of
the Term of this Agreement if the Employee has been unable to perform his
duties hereunder or a similar job for a continuous period of Twelve (12)
months due to a physical or mental condition that, in the opinion of a
licensed physician, will be of indefinite duration or is without a
reasonable probability of recovery for a period of at least Six (6)
months. The Employee agrees to submit to an examination by a
licensed physician of his choice in order to obtain such opinion, at the
request of the Company, made after the Employee has been absent from his
place of employment for at least six (6) months. Any requested
examination shall be paid for by the Company. However, this
provision does not abrogate either the Company’s or the Employee’s rights
and obligations pursuant to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, and
a termination of employment under this paragraph C shall not be deemed to
be a termination for Cause.
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If during
the Term of this Agreement, the Employee dies or his employment is terminated
because of his disability, all salary, benefits and other payments shall cease
at the time of death or disability, provided, however, that the Company shall
provide such health, dental and similar insurance or benefits as were provided
to Employee immediately before his termination by reason of death or disability,
to Employee or his family for the longer of Thirty-six (36) months after such
termination or the full unexpired Term of this Agreement on the same terms and
conditions (including cost) as were applicable before such
termination. In addition, for the first six (6) months of disability,
the Company shall pay to the Employee the difference, if any, between any cash
benefits received by the Employee from a Company-sponsored disability insurance
policy and the Employee’s salary hereunder. At the time of any such
termination, the Company shall pay the Employee, the value of any accrued but
unused vacation time, and the amount of all accrued but previously unpaid base
salary through the date of such termination. The Company shall
promptly reimburse the Employee for the amount of any expenses incurred prior to
such termination by the Employee as required under paragraph F of Section 3
above.
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Notwithstanding
the foregoing, if the Company reasonably determines that any of the benefits
described in this paragraph C may not be exempt from federal income tax, then
for a period of six (6) months after the date of the Employee’s termination, the
Employee shall pay to the Company an amount equal to the stated taxable cost of
such coverages. After the expiration of the six-month period, the Employee shall
receive from the Company a reimbursement of the amounts paid by the
Employee.
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D.
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Termination without
Cause. A termination without Cause is a termination of the
employment of the Employee by the Company that is not “for cause” and not
occasioned by the resignation, death or disability of the
Employee. If the Company terminates the employment of the
Employee without Cause, (whether before the end of the Term of this
Agreement or, if the Employee is employed by the Company under paragraph E
of this Section 4 below, after the Term of this Agreement has ended) the
Company shall, at the time of such termination, pay to the Employee the
severance payment provided in paragraph F of this Section 4 below together
with the value of any accrued but unused vacation time and the amount of
all accrued but previously unpaid base salary through the date of such
termination and shall provide him with all of his benefits under paragraph
C of Section 3 above for the longer of Thirty-six (36) months or the full
unexpired Term of this Agreement. The Company shall promptly
reimburse the Employee for the amount of any expenses incurred prior to
such termination by the Employee as required under paragraph F of Section
3 above.
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If the
Company terminates the employment of the Employee because it has ceased to do
business or substantially completed the liquidation of its assets or because it
has relocated to another city and the Employee has decided not to relocate also,
such termination of employment shall be deemed to be without Cause.
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E.
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End of the Term of this
Agreement. Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs F
and G of this Section 4 below, the Company may terminate the employment of
the Employee at the end of the Term of this Agreement without any
liability on the part of the Company to the Employee but, if the Employee
continues to be an employee of the Company after the Term of this
Agreement ends, his employment shall be governed by the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, but he shall be an employee at will and his
employment may be terminated at any time by either the Company or the
Employee without notice and for any reason not prohibited by law or no
reason at all. If the Company terminates the employment of the
Employee at the end of the Term of this Agreement, the Company shall, at
the time of such termination, pay to the Employee the severance payment
provided in paragraph F of this Section 4 below together with the value of
any accrued but unused vacation time and the amount of all accrued but
previously unpaid base salary through the date of such
termination. The Company shall promptly reimburse the Employee
for the amount of any reasonable expenses incurred prior to such
termination by the Employee as required under paragraph F of Section 3
above.
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X.
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Xxxxxxxxx. At
such time as the employment of the Employee is terminated for any reason,
whether during the Term of this Agreement or thereafter (and including a
termination that occurs as of the expiration of the Term of this
Agreement), other than by the Company for Cause or by the Employee without
Good Reason, as hereinafter defined, the Employee shall be paid, as a
severance payment, the amount of Five Hundred Thirty-Two Thousand Five
Hundred Dollars ($532,500) together with the value of any accrued but
unused vacation time. If the termination is by the Company other than for
Cause or by the Employee for Good Reason during the Term of this
Agreement, such amount shall be paid ratably over the balance of the Term;
otherwise it shall be paid in a single payment at the time of termination.
For these purposes, the Employee shall be treated as having terminated for
Good Reason only if (I) the Employee’s resignation occurs within six
months following the initial existence of one or more of the following
conditions arising without the Employee’s consent: (1) A
material diminution in the service provider’s base compensation; (2) a
material diminution in the service provider’s authority, duties, or
responsibilities; (3) a requirement that the Employee report to a person
or body in authority other than the Board of Directors of the Company or a
committee comprised of members of the Board of Directors; (4) a material
diminution in the budget over which the Employee retains authority; (5) a
material change in the geographic location that constitutes the Employee’s
principal place of business; or (6) any other action or inaction that
constitutes a material breach by the Company of this Agreement, and (II)
the Employee has provided notice to the Company of the existence of the
condition forming the basis for the Employee’s intent to resign for Good
Reason within 90 days of the initial existence of such condition, and the
Company has failed to remedy the condition within 30 days of such
notice.
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G.
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Change of Control
Severance. In addition to the rights of the Employee
under the Company’s employee benefit plans (paragraphs C of Section 3
above) but in lieu of any severance payment under paragraph F of this
Section 4 above, if there is a Change in Control of the Company (as
defined below) and the employment of the Employee is concurrently
terminated, or subsequently terminated within six months, (a) by the
Company without Cause, (b) by the expiration of the Term of this
Agreement, or (c) by the resignation of the Employee because he has
reasonably determined in good faith that his titles, authorities,
responsibilities, salary, bonus opportunities or benefits have been
materially diminished, that a material adverse change in his working
conditions has occurred, that his services are no longer required in light
of the Company’s business plan, or the Company has breached this
Agreement, the Company shall pay the Employee, as a severance payment, at
the time of such termination, the greater of the amount equal to Thirty
(30) months of the Employee’s Salary as defined in Section 3 (A) above or
Eight Hundred Eighty-Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($887,500)
together with the value of any accrued but unused vacation time, and the
amount of all accrued but previously unpaid base salary through the date
of termination and shall provide him with all of the Employee benefits
under paragraph C of Section 3 above for the longer of Thirty-six (36)
months or the full unexpired Term of this Agreement. The
Company shall promptly reimburse the Employee for the amount of any
expenses incurred prior to such termination by the Employee as required
under paragraph F of Section 3 above. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
before the Employee may resign pursuant to Section 4(G)(c) above, the
Employee shall deliver to the Company a written notice of the Employee’s
intent to terminate his employment pursuant to Section 4(G)(c), and the
Company shall have been given a reasonable opportunity to cure any such
act, omission or condition within Thirty (30) days after the Company’s
receipt of such notice.
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For the
purpose of this Agreement, a Change in Control of the Company has occurred
when: (a) any person (defined for the purposes of this paragraph G to
mean any person within the meaning of Section 13(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”)), other than Neoprobe, an employee benefit plan
created by its Board of Directors for the benefit of its employees, or a
participant in a transaction approved by its Board of Directors for the
principal purpose of raising additional capital, either directly or indirectly,
acquires beneficial ownership (determined under Rule 13d-3 of the Regulations
promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission under Section 13(d) of the
Exchange Act) of securities issued by Neoprobe having thirty percent (30%) or
more of the voting power of all the voting securities issued by Neoprobe in the
election of Directors at the next meeting of the holders of voting securities to
be held for such purpose; (b) a majority of the Directors elected at any meeting
of the holders of voting securities of Neoprobe are persons who were not
nominated for such election by the Board of Directors or a duly constituted
committee of the Board of Directors having authority in such matters; (c) the
stockholders of Neoprobe approve a merger or consolidation of Neoprobe with
another person other than a merger or consolidation in which the holders of
Neoprobe’s voting securities issued and outstanding immediately before such
merger or consolidation continue to hold voting securities in the surviving or
resulting corporation (in the same relative proportions to each other as existed
before such event) comprising eighty percent (80%) or more of the voting power
for all purposes of the surviving or resulting corporation; or (d) the
stockholders of Neoprobe approve a transfer of substantially all of the assets
of Neoprobe to another person other than a transfer to a transferee, eighty
percent (80%) or more of the voting power of which is owned or controlled by
Neoprobe or by the holders of Neoprobe’s voting securities issued and
outstanding immediately before such transfer in the same relative proportions to
each other as existed before such event. The parties hereto agree
that for the purpose of determining the time when a Change of Control has
occurred that if any transaction results from a definite proposal that was made
before the end of the Term of this Agreement but which continued until after the
end of the Term of this Agreement and such transaction is consummated after the
end of the Term of this Agreement, such transaction shall be deemed to have
occurred when the definite proposal was made for the purposes of the first
sentence of this paragraph G of this Section 4.
Notwithstanding
anything in this paragraph G of this Section 4 to the contrary, in the event it
shall be determined that any payment or distribution by the Company to or for
the benefit of the Employee is treated as compensation that is contingent on a
change in “the ownership or effective control of” the Company, or on a change
“in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of” the Company (as
these phrases are used for purposes of Code Section 280G(b) (regarding “excess
parachute payments”), and that these amounts, when aggregated for purposes of
Code Section 280G would result in all or a portion of such payments being
treated as an “excess parachute payment” (as that phrase is defined in Code
Section 280G(b), then a reduction in the amounts payable as severance under this
paragraph G of this Section 4 shall be made (such reduction being referred to
hereinafter as a “280G Cutback”) to the extent necessary, and only if possible,
so that no portion of any compensation provided to the Employee is treated as an
“excess parachute payment” for purposes of Code Section 280G. In the
event that the amount payable to the Employee as severance under this Agreement
must be reduced under this Paragraph G, such amounts are intended to be reduced
or modified in a manner so as not to change the time and form of any payment to
the Employee in a manner that causes the Employee to incur excise tax,
penalties, or interest under Code Section 409A.
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H.
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Release. Notwithstanding
the provisions of paragraphs F. and G. of this Section 4, the Employee
will not be deemed to be entitled to any severance payment upon
termination of employment unless Employee executes a release of claims in
a form substantially similar to the form attached as Exhibit B hereto and
does not revoke his execution within the 7 day period as provided
therein.
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I.
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Benefit and Stock
Plans. In the event that a benefit plan or Stock Plan
which covers the Employee has specific provisions concerning termination
of employment, or the death or disability of an employee (e.g., life
insurance or disability insurance), then such benefit plan or Stock Plan
shall control the disposition of the benefits or stock
options.
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5.
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Proprietary Information
Agreement. Employee has executed a Proprietary
Information Agreement as a condition of employment with the
Company. The Proprietary Information Agreement shall not be
limited by this Agreement in any manner, and the Employee shall act in
accordance with the provisions of the Proprietary Information Agreement at
all times during the Term of this
Agreement.
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6.
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Non-Competition. Employee
agrees that for so long as he is employed by the Company under this
Agreement and for one (1) year thereafter, the Employee will
not:
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A.
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enter
into the employ of or render any services to any person, firm, or
corporation, which is engaged, in any part, in a Competitive Business (as
defined below);
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B.
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engage
in any directly Competitive Business for his own
account;
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C.
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become
associated with or interested in through retention or by employment any
Competitive Business as an individual, partner, shareholder, creditor,
director, officer, principal, agent, employee, trustee, consultant,
advisor, or in any other relationship or
capacity;
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D.
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solicit,
interfere with, or endeavor to entice away from the Company, any of its
customers, strategic partners, or sources of supply;
or
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E.
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hire
any person who is an employee of the Company or any subsidiary, or
otherwise induce or attempt to induce any employee of the Company or any
subsidiary to leave the employ of the Company or such subsidiary, or in
any way interfere with the relationship between the Company or any
subsidiary and any employee
thereof.
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Nothing
in this Agreement shall preclude Employee from taking employment in the banking
or related financial services industries nor from investing his personal assets
in the securities or any Competitive Business if such securities are traded on a
national stock exchange or in the over-the-counter market and if such investment
does not result in his beneficially owning, at any time, more than one percent
(1%) of the publicly-traded equity securities of such Competitive
Business. “Competitive Business” for purposes of this Agreement shall
mean any business or enterprise which:
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(a)
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is
engaged in the development and/or commercialization of products and/or
systems for use in intraoperative detection of cancer,
or
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(b)
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reasonably
understood to be competitive in the relevant market with products and/or
systems described in clause a above,
or
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(c)
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the
Company engages in during the Term of this Agreement pursuant to a
determination of the Board of Directors and from which the Company derives
a material amount of revenue or in which the Company has made a material
capital investment.
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The
covenant set forth in this Section 6 shall terminate immediately upon the
substantial completion of the liquidation of assets of the Company or the
termination of the employment of the Employee by the Company without cause or at
the end of the Term of this Agreement.
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7.
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Arbitration. Any
dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this Agreement
shall be settled exclusively by arbitration in Columbus, Ohio, in
accordance with the non-union employment arbitration rules of the American
Arbitration Association (“AAA”) then in effect. If specific
non-union employment dispute rules are not in effect, then AAA commercial
arbitration rules shall govern the dispute. If the amount
claimed exceeds $100,000, the arbitration shall be before a panel of three
arbitrators. Judgment may be entered on the arbitrator’s award
in any court having jurisdiction. The Company shall indemnify
the Employee against and hold him harmless from any attorney’s fees, court
costs and other expenses incurred by the Employee in connection with the
preparation, commencement, prosecution, defense, or enforcement of any
arbitration, award, confirmation or judgment in order to assert or defend
any right or obtain any payment under paragraph C of Section 4 above or
under this sentence; without regard to the success of the Employee or his
attorney in any such arbitration or
proceeding.
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8.
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Withholding of
Taxes. The Company may withhold from any amounts payable
under this Agreement all federal, state, city, or other taxes or
withholding obligations as allowed or required by law. If the
amounts payable under this Agreement are not large enough to allow the
Company to satisfy any such withholding obligation, the Company may
require the Employee to pay cash to the Company in an amount necessary to
satisfy its withholding obligation.
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9.
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Right of
Offset. The parties agree that by this Agreement Company
shall have the right, during or after Employee’s employment, to offset
from any compensation or severance owed to Employee, the amounts of any
monies and/or the value of any property due and owed to Company by
Employee. The Company will discuss and/or notify Employee of
any such offset prior to implementing the same and will provide Employee
with a written accounting of any such
offset.
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10.
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Governing
Law. The Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio without regard to its
principles of conflicts of laws.
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11.
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Validity. The
invalidity or unenforceability of any provision or provisions of this
Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other
provision of the Agreement, which shall remain in full force and
effect.
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12.
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Compliance with Section 409A of
the Code. If, when the Employee's employment with the
Company terminates, the Employee is a "specified employee" as defined in
Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any payments under this Agreement,
including payments under Section 4, will result in the inclusion of any
amounts in the Employee’s gross income pursuant to Code Section 409A(a),
then despite any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Employee
will not be entitled to payments until the earliest date that such payment
can be made without violating the requirements of Code Section
409A(a)(2)(B) (generally requiring that payments of deferred compensation
by reason of a specified employee’s separation from service be made no
earlier than the date which is six months after such separation from
service). As soon as practicable after the end of the period
during which payments are delayed under this provision, the entire amount
of the delayed payments shall be paid to the Employee in a lump
sum. All payments to be made upon a termination of employment
under this Agreement may only be made upon a “separation from service” as
defined under Section 409A of the Code. Additionally, if
any provision of this Agreement could violate any requirements of Code
Section 409A, the Company will interpret and apply such provision, to the
extent possible, in a manner consistent with the requirements of Code
Section 409A.
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13.
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Entire
Agreement.
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A.
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All
prior employment agreements are terminated as of the Effective
Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any previously granted
equity based compensation awards shall continue in full force and effect
under the terms of the applicable grant or award agreements and the
applicable Stock Plan.
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|
B.
|
This
Agreement and the Proprietary Information Agreement constitute the entire
understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter
hereof, superseding all negotiations, prior discussions, and preliminary
agreements. This Agreement may not be amended except in writing
executed by the parties hereto.
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|
14.
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Effect on Successors of
Interest. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon heirs, administrators, executors, successors and
assigns of each of the parties hereto. Notwithstanding the
above, the Employee recognizes and agrees that his obligation under this
Agreement may not be assigned without the consent of the
Company.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto
have executed and delivered this Agreement as of the date first written
above.
NEOPROBE CORPORATION
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EMPLOYEE
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|||
By:
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/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Xx.
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/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxx
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||
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx, Xx.
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Xxxxx X. Xxxx
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Chairman Board of Directors
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10
Exhibit
A
None
11
Exhibit
B
Form of Release of
Claims
In
consideration for the severance pay and benefits to be provided by Neoprobe
Corporation (“Neoprobe”) to Xxxxx X. Xxxx (the “Employee”) under paragraphs F.
and G. of Section 4 of the Employment Agreement between the parties effective as
of January 1, 2010 (the “Employment Agreement”), the Employee, individually
and on behalf of Employee’s heirs, executors, administrators,
beneficiaries, and assigns hereby releases and discharges Neoprobe, its past and
present subsidiaries and affiliates, and any of their officers, directors,
agents, employees, successors, and assigns (separately and collectively
“Releasees”), jointly and individually, from any and all claims, liabilities,
demands, and causes of action, known or unknown, of any nature whatsoever,
including but not limited to those arising under the Civil Rights Acts of
1866,1964, and 1991, as amended, the Age Discrimination in Employment act of
1967, as amended, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
mended, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, the Family and
Medical Leave Act, all Medical Leave Acts, all state civil rights and fair
employment laws, and all state common law claims which Employee may have or
claim to have against Releasees with regard to or arising out of Employee’s
separation from employment with Neoprobe. Nothing herein shall act to
release Employee’s vested or unvested rights pertaining to (a) any severance pay
or benefits due under the Employment Agreement; (b) any post-employment
entitlement to any pay or benefits under any benefit or incentive pay plan
administered or sponsored by Employer in effect during Employee’s employment;
(c) any post-employment entitlement to coverage under any applicable Directors’
and Officers’ Liability policy and any similar policy, including any right or
legal requirement to be indemnified, defended and held harmless for any acts or
omissions committed while acting within the scope of Employee’s employment with
Neoprobe; (d) any claim Employee may have under Ohio’s Worker’s Compensation
laws, or (e) any claim that cannot be released as a matter of law.
Neoprobe,
in turn, agrees to release and discharge Employee, individually and on behalf of
Employee’s heirs, executors, administrators, beneficiaries, and assigns, jointly
and individually (“Employee Releasees”), from any and all claims, liabilities,
demands, and causes of action, known or unknown, of any nature whatsoever,
whether arising under any federal, state or local law, statute or ordinance,
which Neoprobe may have or claim to have against Employee Releasees with regard
to or arising out of Employee’s employment with or separation from Neoprobe,
except that Neoprobe expressly does not release or discharge Employee Releasees
from any claims or actions arising out of Employee’s breach of any obligation
under the Employment Agreement (or the Proprietary Information Agreement
referenced therein) or Employee’s intentional violation of any civil or criminal
laws which Employee committed while acting outside the scope and authority of
his employment with Neoprobe.
The
severance payments and the undertakings under this Release are the compromise of
alleged and disputed claims and neither the undertakings nor the severance
payments are to be construed as an admission of liability of Releasees, by whom
liability is expressly denied.
Employee
is hereby advised to consult an attorney before signing this
Release. Employee hereby acknowledges that:
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·
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Employee
has been given the opportunity to read and review this Release and fully
understands the meaning and intent of
it;
|
|
·
|
Employee
has been given a period of at least 21 days within which to consider
whether to execute this Release;
|
|
·
|
Employee
has been advised in writing to consult an attorney before signing and
returning this Release;
|
|
·
|
Employee
has received valuable and good consideration to which Employee is not
otherwise entitled in exchange for Employee’s execution of this
Agreement;
|
|
·
|
Employee
was not coerced in any manner into signing this Release;
and
|
12
|
·
|
Employee
is competent to execute this
Release.
|
|
·
|
Employee
may revoke this Release within seven days after Employee signs it by so
indicating in writing to the Chief Human Resources Officer or
Neoprobe. This Release shall not become effective until the
expiration of the seven day revocation
period.
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EMPLOYEE:
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|||
Xxxxx
X. Xxxx
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Date
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13