Contract
AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”), dated as of May 1, 2010, by
and between HI-TECH PHARMACAL CO., INC., a Delaware corporation with offices at
000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx, Xxx Xxxx 00000 (the “Corporation”), and
XXXXX X. XXXXXXX, an individual residing at 00 Xxxxxxxx Xxxxx,
Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000 (the “Executive”).
W
I T N E S S E T H:
WHEREAS, the Corporation
desires to secure the services of the Executive upon the terms and conditions
hereinafter set forth; and
WHEREAS, the Executive desires
to render services to the Corporation upon the terms and conditions hereinafter
set forth.
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties
mutually agree as follows:
Section
1. Employment. On
the date hereof (the “Effective Date”), the Corporation hereby employs the
Executive and the Executive on the Effective Date accepts such employment, as an
executive of the Corporation, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in
this Agreement.
Section
2. Duties. The
Executive shall serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the
Corporation and shall properly perform such duties as may be assigned to him
from time to time by the Board of Directors of the
Corporation. During the term of this Agreement, the Executive shall
devote substantially all of his available business time to the performance of
his duties hereunder unless otherwise authorized by the Board of
Directors.
Section
3. Term of
Employment. The term of the Executive’s employment shall
commence on the Effective Date and shall continue for three (3) years or until
terminated pursuant to Section 5 hereof (the “Term”).
Section
4. Compensation of
Employee.
4.1. Compensation. The
Corporation shall pay to the Executive as annual compensation for his services
hereunder a base salary (“Base Salary”) as follows: (i) for the
fiscal year May 1, 2010 through April 30, 2011, the Executive shall be
paid a Base Salary equal to Four Hundred Sixty-Four Thousand Five Hundred and
Sixty-Five 00/100 ($464,565.00) Dollars and (ii) for each fiscal year
thereafter, the Executive shall be paid a Base Salary equal to the sum of (a)
the Base Salary for the immediately preceding fiscal year and (b) an amount
determined by multiplying the Base Salary in effect for the immediately
preceding fiscal year by five (5%) percent. The increased Base Salary
thereby established shall continue in effect and for all purposes of this
Agreement be defined as Base Salary during the term of this Agreement until
again adjusted as hereinabove provided.
The Base
Salary shall be payable weekly less such deductions as shall be required to be
withheld by applicable law and regulations.
4.2. Bonus. In
addition to his annual Base Salary, the Executive may receive a bonus (“Bonus”)
during each year of employment during the term of this
Agreement. The Executive’s Bonus for each year shall be
determined in accordance with an Executive Bonus Plan to be adopted by
management and approved by the Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors. Such Bonus Plan may be based on the Corporation meeting
certain fiscal goals and also taking into account, among other things, progress
towards strategic objectives not fully measured by pre-tax net income, including
but not limited to the Corporation’s acquisitions, strategic alliances,
submissions to the FDA, operational efficiencies, and approvals of Abbreviated
New Drug Applications by the Food and Drug Administration. In the
event a portion of the Bonus is based on certain financial performance goals,
the Bonus shall be payable within thirty (30) days after the Corporation’s
regularly employed independent certified public accountants (“Accountants”), in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied,
determine the Corporation’s pre-tax net income for such year.
4.3. Expenses. The
Corporation shall pay or reimburse the Executive for all reasonable and
necessary business, travel or other expenses, upon proper documentation thereof,
which may be incurred by him in connection with the rendition of the services
contemplated hereunder. In order to facilitate travel by the
Executive in the performance of his duties hereunder, the Corporation shall
furnish the Executive, without cost to him, with a Corporation owned or leased
automobile of his choice. The Corporation shall pay all the expenses
of maintaining, insuring and operating said automobile upon presentation of
appropriate vouchers and/or receipts to the extent that the Corporation does not
pay such expenses directly.
4.4. Benefits. During
the term of this Agreement, the Executive shall be entitled to participate in
such pension, profit sharing, group insurance, option plans, hospitalization,
group health benefit plans and all other benefits and plans as the Corporation
provides to its senior executives.
4.5. Discretionary
Payments. Nothing herein shall preclude the Corporation from
paying the Executive such bonus or bonuses or other compensation as the Board of
Directors, in its discretion, may authorize from time to time.
4.6. Employee Stock
Options. During the term of this Agreement, the Executive
shall be eligible to receive annually options to purchase a minimum amount of
fifty (50,000) thousand shares of the Corporation’s Common Stock in accordance
with the terms and provisions of the Corporation’s 2009 Stock Option Plan
(the “Plan”). Such options shall vest in accordance with the terms of
the Plan, a copy of which has been provided to the Executive.
Section
5. Termination.
5.1. Base Salary and Bonus
Payments. This Agreement shall terminate upon the death, Total
Disability, as hereinafter defined, or termination of employment of the
Executive. The Corporation shall pay to the Executive, any person
designated in writing or if no such person is designated, to his estate, as the
case may be, the aggregate amount of the Base Salary up to the end of the month
in which death or termination of employment occurs. In the event of
either death or a Total Disability, the Executive or his estate, as the case may
be, shall continue to receive his Base Salary for the remaining term of this
Agreement; provided, however, that in the case of a Total Disability, to
the extent any proceeds from a disability insurance policy owned by the
Corporation are paid to the Executive or his designee, the Corporation shall
receive a credit against its salary payment obligations in an amount equal to
the insurance proceeds paid to the Executive, his designee or his
estate. In addition to the Base Salary, the Executive, his designee
or his estate shall be paid an amount equal to the product of (i) the Bonus for
such year in which death, Total Disability or termination of employment occurred
and (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which are the number of months during the
year of such death, Total Disability or termination of employment during which
the Executive was employed by the Corporation through and including the month of
his death, Total Disability or termination of employment, and the denominator of
which is twelve (12).
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5.2. Termination For
Cause. In the event the Executive is terminated For Cause, as
hereinafter defined, or because Executive wrongfully leaves his employment
hereunder, then, upon such occurrence, this Agreement shall be deemed terminated
and the Corporation shall be released from all obligations to the Executive with
respect to this Agreement except for any Base Salary and Bonuses accrued and
unpaid through the date of termination.
5.3. Definitions. As
used herein, the term “For Cause” shall mean (i) the Executive’s final
non-appealable conviction in a court of law of any crime or offense which
constitutes a felony in the jurisdiction involved, or (ii) willful
misconduct, or (iii) reckless disregard of his responsibilities under this
Agreement.
Section
6. Disability.
6.1. Total
Disability. In the event the Executive is mentally or
physically incapable or unable to perform his regular and customary duties of
employment with the Corporation for a period of one hundred eighty (180)
consecutive days in any one hundred eighty (180) consecutive day period during
the term, the Executive shall be deemed to be suffering from a “Total
Disability”.
6.2. Payment During
Disability. In the event the Executive is unable to perform
his duties hereunder by reason of a disability, which disability does not
constitute a Total Disability, the Corporation shall continue to pay the
Executive his Base Salary during the continuance of such disability; provided,
however, that in the event the Executive shall, within twelve (12) months after
his disability, recover sufficiently to return to work for a period of sixty
(60) consecutive working days, he shall be fully reinstated. Any
relapse which thereafter occurs shall be deemed to be a subsequent
disability. To the extent the Corporation maintains disability
insurance for its employees, the Corporation shall pay to the Executive the
difference between the Executive’s Base Salary and the disability payments made
under such insurance on behalf of the Employee.
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Section
7. Vacations. The
Executive shall be entitled to a vacation of four (4) weeks per year, during
which period his Base Salary shall be paid in full. The Executive
shall take his vacation at such time or times as the Executive and the
Corporation shall determine is mutually convenient.
Section
8. Disclosure of Confidential
Information.
8.1. Disclosure. Executive
recognizes that he will have access to secret and confidential information
regarding the Corporation, its products, know-how, customers and
plans. Executive acknowledges that such information is of great value
to the Corporation, is the sole property of the Corporation, and has been and
will be acquired by him in confidence. In consideration of the
obligations undertaken by the Corporation herein, Executive will not, at any
time, during or after his employment hereunder, reveal, divulge or make known to
any person, any information acquired by Executive during the course of his
employment, which is treated as confidential by the Corporation and not
otherwise in the public domain.
8.2. Survival. The
provisions of this Section 8 shall survive Executive’s employment
hereunder.
Section
9. Covenant Not To
Compete.
9.1. Covenant. Executive
recognizes that the services to be performed by him hereunder are special,
unique and extraordinary. The parties confirm that it is reasonably
necessary for the protection of the Corporation that Executive agrees, and,
accordingly, Executive does hereby agree, that he will not, directly or
indirectly, at any time during the Restricted Period, as hereinafter
defined:
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(i)
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except
as provided in Section 9.3 hereof, engage in any business competitive
with the business conducted by the Corporation either on his own behalf or
as an officer, director, stockholder, partner, consultant, associate,
employee, owner, agent, creditor, independent contractor, or co-venturer
of any third party; or
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(ii)
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employ
or engage, or cause or authorize, directly or indirectly, to be employed
or engaged, for or on behalf of himself or any third party, any employee,
representative or agent of the
Corporation.
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9.2. Enforceability. If
any of the restrictions contained in this Section 9 shall be deemed to be
unenforceable by reason of the extent, duration or geographical scope thereof,
or otherwise, then the court making such determination shall have the right to
reduce such extent, duration, geographical scope, or other provisions hereof,
and in its reduced form this Section shall then be enforceable in the manner
contemplated hereby.
9.3. Exception. This
Section 9 shall not be construed to prevent Executive from owning, directly and
indirectly, in the aggregate, an amount not exceeding five percent (5%) of the
issued and outstanding voting securities of any class of any corporation whose
voting capital stock is traded on a national securities exchange or in the
over-the-counter market.
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9.4. Restricted Period
Defined. The term “Restricted Period”, as used in this
Section 9, shall mean the period of one (1) year after the date
Executive leaves his employment hereunder.
9.5. Survival. The
provisions of this Section 9 shall survive the termination of Executive's
employment hereunder and until the end of the Restricted Period as provided in
Section 9.4 hereof.
Section
10. Indemnification.
10.1. Indemnification. The
Corporation hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Executive to the
fullest extent permitted by the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation,
By-Laws, the Delaware General Corporation Law or any other applicable law, as
any or all may be amended from time to time. Such reimbursements
shall include but not be limited to Executive’s reasonable and necessary out of
pocket expenses including attorneys fees, settlement payments and any other such
costs and expenses.
10.2. Directors and Officers’
Policy. The Corporation shall ensure that its Directors’,
Officers’, Insured Entity and Employment Practices Liability Insurance policy
(“D&O Policy”) shall cover Executive as an Insured Person, as such term is
defined in the D&O Policy. Such D&O Policy is currently in
effect and the Corporation knows of no reason why such policy would be
terminated or allowed to lapse. If so, the Corporation shall immediately notify
Executive of such policy termination.
10.3. Undertaking. To
the extent that the Corporation advances payment for any fees or expenses to
Executive pursuant to this Section 10, such advance shall be accompanied by a
written undertaking by Executive to repay such amounts if it shall be ultimately
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final disposition, that
Executive (i) is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation or (ii) that
the amount advanced exceeded the indemnification to which he is entitled, in
which case the amount of such excess shall be repaid to the
Corporation.
10.4. Notice. As
a condition precedent to his right to be indemnified hereunder, Executive shall
give the Corporation notice in writing as soon as practicable of any claim made
against him for which indemnity will or could be sought under this
Agreement.
10.5. Cooperation. Executive
shall fully cooperate with the Corporation in connection with any matter, which
results in the assertion of a claim by Executive for indemnification
hereunder. The Corporation shall be entitled at its own expense to
participate in the defense of any proceeding, claim or action, or, if it shall
elect, to assume such defense, in which event such defense shall be conducted by
counsel chosen by the Corporation, subject to the consent of Executive, which
consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.
10.6. Exceptions. The
Corporation shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment in
connection with any claim:
(a) For which
payment is actually made to Executive under valid and collectable insurance
policies, premiums for which are paid by the Corporation or any of its
affiliates, except in respect of any deductible and excess beyond the amount of
payment under such insurance;
(b) For which
Executive is indemnified by the Corporation otherwise than pursuant to this
Agreement, provided such amount has previously been paid to
Executive;
(c) Brought
about or contributed to by the dishonesty of Executive seeking payment
hereunder; and
(d) By
Executive who acts as a plaintiff suing the Corporation, its affiliates or other
directors, officers or shareholders of the Corporation or its affiliates or
other directors or officers of the Corporation or its affiliates except with
regard to Executive’s successful enforcement of Section 10.1 hereof.
10.7. Survival. The
obligations of the Corporation hereunder will survive (i) any actual or
purported termination of this Agreement by the Corporation or its successors or
assigns, whether by operation of law or otherwise, (ii) any change in the
Corporation’s Certificates of Incorporation or By-laws, and (iii) termination of
Executive’s services to the Corporation or its affiliates (whether such services
were terminated by the Corporation, such affiliate or Executive), if such claim
arises as a result of an occurrence prior to the termination of this Agreement,
whether or not a claim is made or an action or proceeding is threatened or
commenced before or after the actual or purported termination of this Agreement,
change in the Corporation’s Certificate of Incorporation or By-laws, or
termination of Executive’s services.
Section
11. Change in
Control.
11.1. (a) Payment on Change in
Control. In the event of a Change in Control, as hereinafter defined, of
the Corporation at any time during the term of the Executive’s employment
hereunder, followed by the Executive’s employment hereunder being terminated for
any reason whatsoever, including voluntary termination of the Executive within
twenty-four (24) months of a Change in Control, by the Executive or the
Corporation and/or its successor, the Corporation and/or its successor shall be
obligated to furnish the Executive with an office consistent with the office
provided to the Executive immediately prior to such termination at a comparable
location for a period of one (1) year and to pay to the Executive a lump sum in
an amount equal to three (3) times: (i) the Salary to be paid to the Executive
pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof for the calendar year in which such termination
occurs, plus (ii) the bonus declared payable to the Executive for the
immediately preceding calendar year. The payment of the above amount
shall be made as soon as practicable after Executive’s termination of
employment, but in no event more than thirty (30) days after termination and
shall be in addition to any other payments to which the Executive may be
entitled pursuant to Sections 4.1 and 4.2 hereof. In addition, the
Corporation shall: (i) continue to allow Executive to participate in the
hospitalization, group health benefit and disability plans of the Corporation
for 24 months from the date of Executive’s termination of employment on the same
terms and conditions as immediately prior to Executive’s termination (or provide
the equivalent thereof if such plans do not allow such participation), (ii)
continue to pay to Executive the automobile allowance provided in Section 4.3
hereof until the end of the automobile lease then in effect (but not for more
than three (3) years), (iii) provide appropriate outplacement services the cost
of which shall not exceed $15,000 as selected by the Executive for up to 12
months from the date of Employee’s termination of employment, and (iv) all stock
options under the Company’s 2009 Stock Option Plan held by the Executive
immediately prior to the effective date of the Change in Control shall
immediately vest and become fully exercisable for the period of time indicated
in the terms of the option. In the event it shall be determined that
any payment or distribution to or for the benefit of the Executive (whether paid
or payable or distributed or distributable pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement or otherwise, but determined without regard to any additional payments
required under this paragraph of Section 11.1 (a “Payment”)) is subject to
the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the “Code”) in connection with a Change in Control of the Corporation
or any interest or penalties are incurred by the Executive with respect to such
excise tax (such excise tax, together with any such interest and penalties, are
hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Excise Tax”), then the Executive
shall be entitled to receive an additional payment (a “Gross-Up Payment”) from
the Corporation in an amount such that after payment by the Executive of all
taxes, including, without limitation, any income taxes (and any interest and
penalties imposed with respect thereto) and any Excise Tax imposed upon the
Gross-Up Payment, the Executive retains an amount of the Gross-Up
Payment equal to the Excise Tax imposed upon the Payments.
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(b) The
Executive shall not be required to mitigate the payment of all amounts set forth
in Section 11.1(a) above or other benefits or payments by seeking other
employment. To the extent that the Executive shall, after the Term of
this Agreement, receive compensation from any other employment, the payment of
all amounts set forth in Section 11.1(a) above or other benefits or payments
shall not be adjusted.
11.2. Change in Control
Defined. A “Change in Control” shall be deemed to occur upon
the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following
events:
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(i)
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Acquisition of Stock
by Third Party. Any Person (as hereinafter defined) is
or becomes the Beneficial Owner (as hereinafter defined), directly or
indirectly, of securities of the Corporation representing twenty-five
percent (25%) or more of the combined voting power of the Corporation’s
then outstanding securities and such Person has initiated in the past or
thereafter initiates actions or demonstrates an intent to influence or
control the business, affairs or management of the Corporation or to cause
the Corporation to enter into a transaction or a series of transactions
with such Person or a third party without the prior consent or request of
the Board of Directors;
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(ii)
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Change in Board of
Directors. During any period of 12 months, individuals who at the
beginning of such period constitute the Board, and any new director whose
election by the Board or nomination for election by the Corporation’s
shareholders was approved by a vote of at least a majority 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 at least a majority of the
Board;
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(iii)
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Corporate
Transactions. The effective date of a merger or consolidation of
the Corporation with any other entity, other than a merger or
consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the
Corporation outstanding immediately prior to such merger or consolidation
continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being
converted into voting securities of the surviving entity) more than 51% of
the combined voting power of the voting securities of the surviving entity
outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation and with the
power to elect at least a majority of the board of directors or other
governing body of such surviving
entity;
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(iv)
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Liquidation. The
approval by the shareholders of the Corporation of a complete liquidation
of the Corporation or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the
Corporation of all or substantially all of the Corporation’s
assets;
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(v)
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Other
Events. There occurs any other event of a nature that
would be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of Schedule 14A
of Regulation 14A (or a response to any similar item on any similar
schedule or form) promulgated under the Exchange Act, whether or not the
Corporation is then subject to such reporting
requirement.
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(vi)
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Certain
Definitions. For purposes of this Section 11, the
following terms shall have the following
meanings:
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(a)
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“Exchange
Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
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(b)
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“Person”
shall have the meaning as set forth in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the
Exchange Act; provided, however, that Person shall exclude (i) the
Corporation, (ii) any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under
an employee benefit plan of the Corporation, and (iii) any corporation
owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Corporation in
substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the
Company.
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(c)
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“Beneficial
Owner” shall have the meaning given to such term in Rule 13d-3 under the
Exchange Act: provided, however, that Beneficial Owner shall exclude any
Person otherwise becoming a Beneficial Owner by reason of the shareholders
of the Corporation approving a merger of the Corporation with another
entity.
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Section
12. Miscellaneous.
12.1. Injunctive
Relief. Executive acknowledges that the services to be
rendered under the provisions of this Agreement are of a special, unique and
extraordinary character and that it would be difficult or impossible to replace
such services. Accordingly, Executive agrees that any breach or threatened
breach by him of Sections 8 or 9 of this Agreement shall entitle the
Corporation, in addition to all other legal remedies available to it, to apply
to any court of competent jurisdiction to enjoin such breach or threatened
breach. The parties understand and intend that each restriction
agreed to by Executive hereinabove shall be construed as separable and divisible
from every other restriction, that the unenforceability of any restriction shall
not limit the enforceability, in whole or in part, of any other restriction, and
that one or more of all of such restrictions may be enforced in whole or in part
as the circumstances warrant. In the event that any restriction in
this Agreement is more restrictive than permitted by law in the jurisdiction in
which the Corporation seeks enforcement thereof, such restriction shall be
limited to the extent permitted by law.
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12.2. Assignment. Neither
Executive nor the Corporation may assign or delegate any of their rights or
duties under this Agreement.
12.3. Entire
Agreement. This Agreement constitutes and embodies the full
and complete understanding and agreement of the parties with respect to the
Executive's employment by the Corporation, supersedes all prior understandings
and agreements, if any, whether oral or written, between the Executive and the
Corporation and shall not be amended, modified or changed except by an
instrument in writing executed by the party to be charged. The
invalidity or partial invalidity of one or more provisions of this Agreement
shall not invalidate any other provision of this Agreement. No waiver
by either party of any provision or condition to be performed shall be deemed a
waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or any
prior or subsequent time.
12.4. Binding
Effect. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, be
binding upon and enforceable against, the parties hereto and their respective
successors and permitted assigns.
12.5. Captions. The
captions contained in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and
shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this
Agreement.
12.6. Notices. All
notices, requests, demands and other communications required or permitted to be
given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given
when personally delivered or sent by certified mail, postage prepaid to the
party at the address set forth above or to such other address as either party
may hereafter give notice of in accordance with the provisions
hereof.
12.7. Governing
Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and interpreted under
the laws of the State of New York.
12.8. Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute
one and the same instrument.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date set forth
above.
HI-TECH PHARMACAL CO., INC. | |||
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By:
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/s/Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx | |
XXXXXXX XXXXXX | |||
/s/Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |||
XXXXX X. XXXXXXX |
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