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EXHIBIT 10.3
CHANGE IN CONTROL SEVERANCE AGREEMENT AMONG
INDEPENDENCE COMMUNITY BANK CORP.,
INDEPENDENCE SAVINGS BANK AND _______________
THIS CHANGE IN CONTROL SEVERANCE AGREEMENT is dated this ____ day of
_____ 1998, among Independence Community Bank Corp., a Delaware corporation (the
"Corporation"), Independence Savings Bank, a New York chartered savings bank
(the "Bank"), and _________ (the "Executive"). The Corporation and the Bank are
collectively referred to as the "Employers".
WITNESSETH
WHEREAS, the Executive is presently an officer of each of the
Employers;
WHEREAS, the Employers desire to be ensured of the Executive's
continued active participation in the business of the Employers; and
WHEREAS, in order to induce the Executive to remain in the employ of
the Employers and in consideration of the Executive's agreeing to remain in the
employ of the Employers, the parties desire to specify the severance benefits
which shall be due the Executive in the event that his employment with the
Employers is terminated under specified circumstances;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements herein
contained, and upon the other terms and conditions hereinafter provided, the
parties hereby agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS. The following words and terms shall have the meanings
set forth below for the purposes of this Agreement:
(a) ANNUAL COMPENSATION. The Executive's "Annual Compensation" for
purposes of this Agreement shall be deemed to mean the highest level of
aggregate base salary and cash incentive compensation paid to the Executive by
the Employers or any subsidiary thereof during the calendar year in which the
Date of Termination occurs (determined on an annualized basis) or either of the
two calendar years immediately preceding the calendar year in which the Date of
Termination occurs.
(b) CAUSE. Termination of the Executive's employment for "Cause" shall
mean termination because of personal dishonesty, incompetence, willful
misconduct, breach of fiduciary duty involving personal profit, intentional
failure to perform stated duties, willful violation of any law, rule or
regulation (other than traffic violations or similar offenses) or final
cease-and-desist order. For purposes of this paragraph, no act or failure to act
on the Executive's part shall be considered "willful" unless done, or omitted to
be done, by the Executive not in good faith and without reasonable belief that
the Executive's action or omission was in the best interests of the Employers.
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(c) CHANGE IN CONTROL OF THE CORPORATION. "Change in Control of the
Corporation" shall mean the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the
acquisition of control of the Corporation as defined in 12 C.F.R. Section 574.4,
unless a presumption of control is successfully rebutted or unless the
transaction is exempted by 12 C.F.R. Section 574.3(c)(vii), or any successor to
such sections; (ii) an event that would be required to be reported in response
to Item 1(a) of Form 8-K or Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A pursuant
to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended ("Exchange Act"), or any
successor thereto, whether or not any class of securities of the Corporation is
registered under the Exchange Act; (iii) any "person" (as such 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 securities of the Corporation representing 20% or more of the
combined voting power of the Corporation's then outstanding securities; or (iv)
during any period of three consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning
of such period constitute the Board of Directors of the Corporation cease for
any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof unless the election, or the
nomination for election by stockholders, of each new director was approved by a
vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were
directors at the beginning of the period.
(d) CODE. "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
(e) DATE OF TERMINATION. "Date of Termination" shall mean (i) if the
Executive's employment is terminated for Cause, the date on which the Notice of
Termination is given, and (ii) if the Executive's employment is terminated for
any other reason, the date specified in the Notice of Termination.
(f) DISABILITY. Termination by the Employers of the Executive's
employment based on "Disability" shall mean termination because of any physical
or mental impairment which qualifies the Executive for disability benefits under
the applicable long-term disability plan maintained by the Employers or any
subsidiary or, if no such plan applies, which would qualify the Executive for
disability benefits under the Federal Social Security System.
(g) GOOD REASON. Termination by the Executive of the Executive's
employment for "Good Reason" shall mean termination by the Executive following a
Change in Control of the Corporation based on:
(i) Without the Executive's express written consent, the
assignment by the Employers to the Executive of any
duties which are materially inconsistent with the
Executive's positions, duties, responsibilities and
status with the Employers immediately prior to a
Change in Control of the Corporation, or a material
change in the Executive's reporting responsibilities,
titles or offices as an employee and as in effect
immediately prior to such a Change in Control, or any
removal of the Executive from or any failure to
re-elect the Executive to any of such
responsibilities, titles or offices, except in
connection with the termination of the Executive's
employment for Cause, Disability or Retirement or as
a result of the Executive's death or by the Executive
other than for Good
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Reason;
(ii) Without the Executive's express written consent, a
reduction by either of the Employers in the
Executive's base salary as in effect immediately
prior to the date of the Change in Control of the
Corporation or as the same may be increased from time
to time thereafter or a reduction in the package of
fringe benefits provided to the Executive;
(iii) The principal executive office of either of the
Employers is relocated outside of the Brooklyn, New
York area or, without the Executive's express written
consent, either of the Employers require the
Executive to be based anywhere other than an area in
which the Employers' principal executive office is
located, except for required travel on business of
the Employers to an extent substantially consistent
with the Executive's present business travel
obligations;
(iv) Any purported termination of the Executive's
employment for Disability or Retirement which is not
effected pursuant to a Notice of Termination
satisfying the requirements of paragraph (i) below;
or
(v) The failure by the Employers to obtain the assumption
of and agreement to perform this Agreement by any
successor as contemplated in Section 6 hereof.
(h) IRS. IRS shall mean the Internal Revenue Service.
(i) NOTICE OF TERMINATION. Any purported termination of the Executive's
employment by the Employers for any reason, including without limitation for
Cause, Disability or Retirement, or by the Executive for any reason, including
without limitation for Good Reason, shall be communicated by written "Notice of
Termination" to the other party hereto. For purposes of this Agreement, a
"Notice of Termination" shall mean a dated notice which (i) indicates the
specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon, (ii) sets forth in
reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for
termination of the Executive's employment under the provision so indicated,
(iii) specifies a Date of Termination, which shall be not less than thirty (30)
nor more than ninety (90) days after such Notice of Termination is given, except
in the case of the Employers' termination of the Executive's employment for
Cause, which shall be effective immediately; and (iv) is given in the manner
specified in Section 7 hereof.
(j) RETIREMENT. "Retirement" shall mean voluntary termination by the
Executive in accordance with the Employers' retirement policies, including early
retirement, generally applicable to their salaried employees.
2. BENEFITS UPON TERMINATION. If the Executive's employment by the
Employers shall be terminated subsequent to a Change in Control of the
Corporation by (i) the Employers for other than Cause, Disability, Retirement or
the Executive's death or (ii) the Executive for Good Reason, then
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the Employers shall
(a) pay to the Executive, in either thirty-six (36) equal monthly
installments beginning with the first business day of the month following the
Date of Termination or in a lump sum as of the Date of Termination (at the
Executive's election), a cash severance amount equal to three (3) times the
Executive's Annual Compensation, and
(b) maintain and provide for a period ending at the earlier of (i) the
expiration of the remaining term of this Agreement as of the Date of Termination
or (ii) the date of the Executive's full-time employment by another employer
(provided that the Executive is entitled under the terms of such employment to
benefits substantially similar to those described in this subparagraph (B)), at
no cost to the Executive, the Executive's continued participation in all group
insurance, life insurance, health and accident insurance, disability insurance
and other employee benefit plans, programs and arrangements offered by the
Employers in which the Executive was entitled to participate immediately prior
to the Date of Termination (excluding (y) stock option and restricted stock
plans of the Employers and (z) cash incentive compensation included in Annual
Compensation), provided that in the event that the Executive's participation in
any plan, program or arrangement as provided in this subparagraph (B) is barred,
or during such period any such plan, program or arrangement is discontinued or
the benefits thereunder are materially reduced, the Employers shall arrange to
provide the Executive with benefits substantially similar to those which the
Executive was entitled to receive under such plans, programs and arrangements
immediately prior to the Date of Termination.
3. LIMITATION OF BENEFITS UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. If the payments
and benefits pursuant to Section 2 hereof, either alone or together with other
payments and benefits which the Executive has the right to receive from the
Employers, would constitute a "parachute payment" under Section 280G of the
Code, the payments and benefits payable by the Employers pursuant to Section 2
hereof shall be reduced, in the manner determined by the Executive, by the
amount, if any, which is the minimum necessary to result in no portion of the
payments and benefits payable by the Employers under Section 2 being
non-deductible to the Employers pursuant to Section 280G of the Code and subject
to the excise tax imposed under Section 4999 of the Code. The parties hereto
agree that the present value of the payments and benefits payable pursuant to
this Agreement to the Executive upon termination shall be limited to three times
the Executive's Annual Compensation, subject to reduction as provided hereby.
The determination of any reduction in the payments and benefits to be made
pursuant to Section 2 shall be based upon the opinion of independent counsel
selected by the Employers' independent public accountants and paid by the
Employers. Such counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to the Employers and the
Executive; shall promptly prepare the foregoing opinion, but in no event later
than thirty (30) days from the Date of Termination; and may use such actuaries
as such counsel deems necessary or advisable for the purpose. Nothing contained
herein shall result in a reduction of any payments or benefits to which the
Executive may be entitled upon termination of employment under any circumstances
other than as specified in this Section 3, or a reduction in the payments and
benefits specified in Section 2 below zero.
4. MITIGATION; EXCLUSIVITY OF BENEFITS.
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(a) The Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any
benefits hereunder by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the
amount of any such benefits be reduced by any compensation earned by the
Executive as a result of employment by another employer after the Date of
Termination or otherwise.
(b) The specific arrangements referred to herein are not intended to
exclude any other benefits which may be available to the Executive upon a
termination of employment with the Employers pursuant to employee benefit plans
of the Employers or otherwise.
5. WITHHOLDING. All payments required to be made by the Employers
hereunder to the Executive shall be subject to the withholding of such amounts,
if any, relating to tax and other payroll deductions as the Employers may
reasonably determine should be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or
regulation.
6. ASSIGNABILITY. The Employers may assign this Agreement and their
rights and obligations hereunder in whole, but not in part, to any corporation,
bank or other entity with or into which either of the Employers may hereafter
merge or consolidate or to which either of the Employers may transfer all or
substantially all of its respective assets, if in any such case said
corporation, bank or other entity shall by operation of law or expressly in
writing assume all obligations of the Employers hereunder as fully as if it had
been originally made a party hereto, but may not otherwise assign this Agreement
or their rights and obligations hereunder. The Executive may not assign or
transfer this Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder.
7. NOTICE. For the purposes of this Agreement, notices and all other
communications provided for in this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be
deemed to have been duly given when delivered or mailed by certified or
registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to the
respective addresses set forth below:
To the Corporation: Secretary
Independence Community Bank Corp.
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
To the Bank: Secretary
Independence Savings Bank
000 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxxx, 00xx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000
To the Executive:
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8. AMENDMENT; WAIVER. No provisions of this Agreement may be modified,
waived or discharged unless such waiver, modification or discharge is agreed to
in writing and signed by the Executive and such officer or officers as may be
specifically designated by the Boards of Directors of the Employers to sign on
their behalf. No waiver by any party hereto at any time of any breach by any
other party hereto of, or compliance with, any condition or provision of this
Agreement to be performed by such other party shall be deemed a waiver of
similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any prior or
subsequent time.
9. GOVERNING LAW. The validity, interpretation, construction and
performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the United States
where applicable and otherwise by the substantive laws of the State of New York.
10. NATURE OF EMPLOYMENT AND OBLIGATIONS.
(a) Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to create other than a
terminable at will employment relationship between the Employers and the
Executive, and the Employers may terminate the Executive's employment at any
time, subject to providing any payments specified herein in accordance with the
terms hereof.
(b) Nothing contained herein shall create or require the Employers to
create a trust of any kind to fund any benefits which may be payable hereunder,
and to the extent that the Executive acquires a right to receive benefits from
the Employers hereunder, such right shall be no greater than the right of any
unsecured general creditor of the Employers.
11. TERM OF AGREEMENT. The term of this Agreement shall be for three
years, commencing on the date of this Agreement and, upon approval of the Boards
of Directors of the Employers, shall extend for an additional year on each
annual anniversary of the date of this Agreement such that at any time the
remaining term of this Agreement shall be from two to three years. Prior to the
first annual anniversary of the date of this Agreement and each annual
anniversary thereafter, the Boards of Directors of the Employers shall consider
and review (after taking into account all relevant factors, including the
Executive's performance) an extension of the term of this Agreement, and the
term shall continue to extend each year if the Boards of Directors approve such
extension unless the Executive gives written notice to the Employers of the
Executive's election not to extend the term, with such written notice to be
given not less than thirty (30) days prior to any such anniversary date. If the
Boards of Directors of the Employers elect not to extend the term, they shall
give written notice of such decision to the Executive not less than thirty (30)
days prior to any such anniversary date. If any party gives timely notice that
the term will not be extended as of any annual anniversary date, then this
Agreement shall terminate at the conclusion of its remaining term. References
herein to the term of this Agreement shall refer both to the initial term and
successive terms.
12. HEADINGS. The section headings contained in this Agreement are for
reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or
interpretation of this Agreement.
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13. VALIDITY. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of
this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other
provisions of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect.
14. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which
together will constitute one and the same instrument.
15. REGULATORY PROHIBITION. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement to the contrary, any payments made to the Executive pursuant to this
Agreement, or otherwise, are subject to and conditioned upon their compliance
with Section 18(k) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C.
Section 1828(k)) and the regulations promulgated thereunder, including 12 C.F.R.
Part 359.
16. ENTIRE AGREEMENT. This Agreement embodies the entire agreement
between the Employers and the Executive with respect to the matters agreed to
herein. All prior agreements between the Employers and the Executive with
respect to the matters agreed to herein are hereby superseded and shall have no
force or effect.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Agreement has been executed as of the date
first above written.
Attest: INDEPENDENCE COMMUNITY BANK CORP.
______________________________ By: ______________________________
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Senior Vice President ____________________, Director
and Counsel
Attest: INDEPENDENCE SAVINGS BANK
______________________________ By: ______________________________
Xxxx X. Xxxxxxx, Senior Vice President ____________________, Director
and Counsel
Attest: EXECUTIVE
______________________________ By: ______________________________
