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Exhibit 10.17
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is effective as of
March 20, 1997 between AVTEAM, INC., a Florida corporation (the Company"), and
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx (the "Indemnitee").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, it is essential to the Company to retain and attract as
directors and officers the most capable persons available;
WHEREAS Indemnitee is a director of the Company;
WHEREAS, both the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increased risk
of litigation and other claims being asserted against directors and officers of
public companies in today's environment; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of Indemnitee's need for substantial
protection against personal liability in order to enhance Indemnitee's
continued service to the Company in an effective manner and in part to provide
Indemnitee with specific contractual assurance that the indemnification
protection provided by the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended
(the "Articles of Incorporation"), and Amended and Restated Bylaws of the
Company (the "Bylaws") will be available to Indemnitee (regardless of, among
other things, any amendment to or revocation of such Articles of Incorporation
and Bylaws or any change in the composition of the Company's Board of
Directors or acquisition transaction relating to the Company), and in order to
induce Indemnitee to continue to provide services to the Company as a director
and officer thereof, the Company wishes to provide in this Agreement for the
indemnification of and the advancing of expenses to Indemnitee to the fullest
extent (whether partial or complete) permitted by law and as set forth in this
Agreement, and, to the extent insurance is maintained, for the continued
coverage of Indemnitee under the Company's directors and officers' liability
insurance policies.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of Indemnitee
continuing to serve the Company directly or, at its request, another
enterprise, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties agree as
follows:
1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.
(a) Change in Control: shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) any
"person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), other than a trustee or other fiduciary
holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or a
corporation owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in
substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company,
is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Act),
directly or indirectly of securities of the Company representing twenty percent
(20%) or more of the total voting power represented
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by the Company's then outstanding Voting Securities, or (ii) during any period
of two (2) consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period
constitute the Board of Directors of the Company and any new director whose
election by the Board of Directors or nomination for election by the Company's
stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the
directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of
the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so
approved, cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof, or (iii) the
stockholders of the Company approve a merger or consolidation of the Company
with any other corporation, other than a merger or consolidation which would
result in the Voting Securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior
thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being
converted into Voting Securities of the surviving entity) at least eighty
percent (80%) of the total voting power represented by the Voting Securities of
the Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger
or consolidation, or the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete
liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the
Company (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all or
substantially all the Company's assets.
(b) Claim: any threatened, pending or completed action, suit,
proceeding or alternate dispute resolution mechanism, or any inquiry, hearing
or investigation, whether conducted by the Company or any other party, that
Indemnitee in good faith believes might lead to the institution of any such
action, suit, proceeding or alternate dispute resolution mechanism, whether
civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other.
(c) Expenses: include attorneys' fees and all other costs, travel
expenses, fees of experts, transcript costs, filing fees, witness fees,
telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, expenses and obligations of
any nature whatsoever paid or incurred in connection with investigating,
defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or
preparing to defend, be a witness in or participate in any Claim relating to
any Indemnifiable Event.
(d) Indemnifiable Event: any event or occurrence that takes place
either prior to or after the execution of this Agreement related to the fact
that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of
the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director,
officer, employee, trustee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust or other enterprise,
or by reason of anything done or not done by Indemnitee in any such capacity.
(e) Potential Change in Control: shall be deemed to have occurred
if (i) the Company enters into an agreement or arrangement, the consummation of
which would result in the occurrence of a Change in Control; (ii) any person
(including the Company) publicly announces an intention to take or to consider
taking actions which if consummated would constitute a
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Change in Control; (iii) any person, other than a trustee or other fiduciary
holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company acting in such
capacity or a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders
of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of
stock of the Company, who is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or
indirectly, of securities of the Company representing ten percent (10%) or more
of the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding Voting
Securities, increases his beneficial ownership of such securities by five
percent (5%) or more over the percentage so owned by such person on the date
hereof; or (iv) the Board of Directors adopts a resolution to the effect that,
for purposes of this Agreement, a Potential Change in Control has occurred.
(f) Reviewing Party: any appropriate person or body consisting of
a member or members of the Company's Board of Directors or any other person or
body appointed by the Board who is not a party to the particular Claim for
which Indemnitee is seeking indemnification, or Independent Legal Counsel.
(g) Independent Legal Counsel: Independent Legal Counsel shall
refer to an attorney, selected in accordance with the provisions of Section 3
hereof, who shall not have otherwise performed services for the Company or
Indemnitee within the last five years (other than in connection with seeking
indemnification under this Agreement). Independent Legal Counsel shall not be
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, nor shall Independent Legal Counsel be any person who has been
sanctioned or censured for ethical violations of applicable standards of
professional conduct.
(h) Voting Securities: any securities of the Company which vote
generally in the election of directors.
2. BASIC INDEMNIFICATION ARRANGEMENT.
(a) In the event Indemnitee was, is or becomes a party to or
witness or other participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or
witness or other participant in, a Claim by reasons of (or arising in part out
of) an Indemnifiable Event, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the
fullest extent permitted by law as soon as practicable but in any event no
later than thirty (30) days after written demand is presented to the Company,
against any and all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in
settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or
payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines,
penalties or amounts paid in settlement) of such Claim and any federal, state,
local or foreign taxes imposed on the Indemnitee as a result of the actual or
deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement (including the creation of
the trust referred to in Section 4 hereof). If so requested by Indemnitee,
the Company shall advance (within five (5) business days
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of such request) any and all Expenses to Indemnitee (an "Expense Advance").
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary and except as
provided in Section 5, prior to a Change in Control Indemnitee shall not be
entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement in connection with any
Claim initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or any director or officer of
the Company unless the Company has joined in or consented to the initiation of
such Claim.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the obligations of the
Company under Section 2(a) shall be subject to the condition that the Reviewing
Party shall not have determined (in a written opinion, in any case in which the
Independent Legal Counsel referred to in Section 3 hereof is involved) that
Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law, and
(ii) the obligation of the Company to make an Expense Advance pursuant to
Section 2(a) shall be subject to the condition that, if, when and to the extent
that the Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to
be so indemnified under applicable law, the Company shall be entitled to be
reimbursed by Indemnitee (who hereby agrees to reimburse the Company) for all
such amounts theretofore paid; provided, however, that if Indemnitee has
commenced legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a
determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, any
determination made by the Reviewing Party that Indemnitee would not be
permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and
Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any Expense
Advance until a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto (as
to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed).
Indemnitee's obligation to reimburse the Company for Expense Advances shall be
unsecured and no interest shall be charged thereon. If there has not been a
Change in Control, the Reviewing Party shall be selected by the Board of
Directors, and if there has been such a Change in Control, (other than a Change
in Control which has been approved by a majority of the Company's Board of
Directors who were directors immediately prior to such Change in Control) the
Reviewing Party shall be the Independent Legal Counsel referred to in Section 3
hereof. If there has been no determination by the Reviewing Party or if the
Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee substantively would not be permitted
to be indemnified in whole or in part under applicable law, Indemnitee shall
have the right to commence litigation in any court in the State of Florida
having subject matter jurisdiction thereof and in which venue is proper seeking
an initial determination by the court or challenging any such determination by
the Reviewing Party or any aspect thereof, or the legal or factual bases
therefor and the Company hereby consents to service of process and to appear in
any such proceeding. Any determination by the Reviewing Party otherwise shall
be conclusive and binding on the Company and Indemnitee.
3. CHANGE IN CONTROL. The Company agrees that if there is a
Change in Control of the Company (other than a Change in Control which has been
approved by a majority of the Company's Board of Directors who were directors
immediately prior to such Change in Control) then Independent Legal Counsel
shall be selected by Indemnitee and approved by the Company (which approval
shall not be unreasonably withheld) and such Independent Legal
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Counsel shall determine whether the officer or director is entitled to
indemnity payments and Expense Advances under this Agreement or any other
agreement of Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company now or
hereafter in effect relating to Claims for Indemnifiable Events. Such
Independent Legal Counsel, among other things, shall render its written opinion
of the Company and Indemnitee as to whether and to what extent the Indemnitee
will be permitted to be indemnified. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable
fees of the Independent Legal Counsel and to indemnify fully such Independent
Legal Counsel against any and all expenses (including attorneys' fees), claims,
liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the
engagement of Independent Legal Counsel pursuant hereto.
4. ESTABLISHMENT OF TRUST. In the event of a Potential Change in
Control, the Company shall, upon written request by Indemnitee, create a trust
for the benefit of Indemnitee and from time to time upon written request of
Indemnitee shall fund such trust in an amount sufficient to satisfy any and all
Expenses reasonably anticipated at the time of each such request to be incurred
in connection with investigating, preparing for and defending any Claim
relating to an Indemnifiable Event, and any and all judgments, fines, penalties
and settlement amounts of any and all Claims relating to an Indemnifiable
Event from time to time actually paid or claimed, reasonably anticipated or
proposed to be paid. The amount or amounts to be deposited in the trust
pursuant to the foregoing funding obligation shall be determined by the
Reviewing Party, in any case in which the Independent Legal Counsel referred to
above is involved. The terms of the trust shall provide that upon a Change in
Control (i) the trust shall not be revoked or the principal thereof invaded,
without the written consent of Indemnitee, (ii) the trustee shall advance,
within five (5) business days of a request by Indemnitee, any and all Expenses
to indemnitee (and Indemnitee hereby agrees to reimburse the trust under the
circumstances under which Indemnitee would be required to reimburse the Company
under Section 2(b) of this Agreement), (iii) the trust shall continue to be
funded by the Company in accordance with the funding obligation set forth
above, (iv) the trustee shall promptly pay to Indemnitee all amounts for which
Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement or
otherwise, and (v) all unexpended funds in such trust shall revert to the
Company upon a final determination by the Reviewing Party or a court of
competent jurisdiction, as the case may be, that Indemnitee has been fully
indemnified under the terms of this Agreement. The trustee shall be chosen by
Indemnitee. Nothing in this Section 4 shall relieve the Company of any of its
obligations under this Agreement. All income earned on the assets held in the
trust shall be reported as income by the Company for federal, state, local and
foreign tax purposes.
5. INDEMNIFICATION FOR ADDITIONAL EXPENSES. The Company shall
indemnify Indemnitee against any and all expenses (including attorneys' fees)
and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within five business days of such
request) advance such expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee
in connection with any claim asserted against or in connection with any action
brought by Indemnitee for (i) indemnification or advance payment of Expenses by
the Company under this Agreement or any other agreement or Certificate of
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Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company now or hereafter in effect relating to
Claims for Indemnifiable Events and/or (ii) recovery under any directors' and
officers' liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless of
whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such
indemnification, advance expense payment or insurance recovery, as the case may
be.
6. PARTIAL INDEMNITY, ETC. If Indemnitee is entitled under any
provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a
portion of the Expenses, judgment, fines, penalties and amounts paid in
settlement of a Claim but not, however, for all of the total amount thereof,
the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to
which Indemnitee is entitled. Moreover, notwithstanding any other provision of
this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits
or otherwise in defense of any or all Claims relating in whole or in party an
Indemnifiable Event or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including
dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all
Expenses incurred in connection therewith.
7. DEFENSE TO INDEMNIFICATION, BURDEN OF PROOF AND PRESUMPTIONS.
It shall be a defense to any action brought by the Indemnitee against the
Company to enforce this Agreement (other than an action brought to enforce a
claim for expenses incurred in defending a claim in advance of its final
disposition where the required undertaking has been tendered to the Company)
that the Indemnitee has not met the standards of conduct that make it
permissible under the Florida Business Corporation Act for the Company to
indemnify the Indemnitee for the amount claimed. In connection with any
determination by the Reviewing Party or otherwise as to whether the Indemnitee
is entitled to be indemnified hereunder, the burden of providing such a defense
shall be on the Company. Neither the failure of the Company (including its
Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have
made a determination prior to the commencement of such action by the Indemnitee
that Indemnification of the claimant is proper under the circumstances because
he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Florida
Business Corporation Act, nor an actual determination by the Company (including
its Board of Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that
the Indemnitee had not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a
defense to the action or create a presumption that the Indemnitee has not mete
the applicable standard of conduct. For purposes of this Agreement, the
termination of any claim, action, suit or proceeding, by judgment, order,
settlement (whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a
plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, shall not create a presumption that
Indemnitee did not meet any particular standard of conduct or have any
particular belief or that a court has determined that indemnification is not
permitted by applicable law.
8. NON-EXCLUSIVITY, ETC.. The rights of Indemnitee hereunder
shall be in addition to any other rights Indemnitee may have under the
Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company or the Florida Business
Corporation Act or otherwise. To the extent that
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a change in the Florida Business Corporation Act (whether by statute or
judicial decision) permits greater indemnification by agreement than would be
afforded currently under the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws of the
Company and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that
Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by
such change.
9. NO CONSTRUCTION AS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT. Nothing contained
herein shall be construed as giving Indemnitee any right to be retained in the
employ of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
10. LIABILITY INSURANCE. To the extent the Company maintains an
insurance policy or policies providing directors' and officers' liability
insurance, 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 Company director or officer.
11. PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS. No legal action shall be brought and
no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company or any
affiliate of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee's spouse, heirs,
executors, administrators or personal or legal representatives after the
expiration of two years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and
any claim or cause of action of the Company or its affiliate shall be
extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a
legal action within such two-year period; provided, however, that if any
shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of
action such shorter period shall govern.
12. AMENDMENTS, ETC. 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.
13. SUBROGATION. In the event of 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 shall do
everything that may be necessary to secure such rights, including the execution
of such documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to
enforce such rights.
14. NO DUPLICATION OF PAYMENTS. The Company shall not be liable
under this Agreement to make any payment in connection with any claim made
against Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received
payment (under any insurance policy, Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the
Company or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder.
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15. BINDING EFFECT, ETC. This Agreement shall be binding upon and
inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their
respective successors, assigns, including any direct or indirect successor by
purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the
business and/or assets of the Company, spouses, heirs, and personal and legal
representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether
direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all,
substantially all, or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the
Company, by written agreement in form and substance satisfactory to Indemnitee,
expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and
to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such
succession had taken place. This Agreement shall continue in effect regardless
of whether Indemnitee continues to serve as a director and officer of the
Company or of any other enterprise at the Company's request.
16. SEVERABILITY. The provisions of this Agreement shall be
severable in the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any
provision within a single section, paragraph of sentence) are held by a court
of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, and
the remaining provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent
permitted by law. Furthermore, to the fullest extent possible, the provisions
of this Agreement (including, without limitation, each portion of this
Agreement containing any provision held to be invalid, void or otherwise
unenforceable, that is not itself invalid, void or unenforceable) shall be
construed so as to give effect to the intent manifested by the provision held
invalid, illegal or unenforceable.
17. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida applicable to
contracts made and to be performed in such state without giving effect to the
principles of conflicts of laws.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed and
delivered this Agreement as of ______________.
AVTEAM, INC., a Florida corporation
By:__________________________________
Name:________________________________
Title:_______________________________
_____________________________________
Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
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