As of January 1, 2010 John W. Foster Plano, Texas 75075 Dear Mr. Foster:
EXHIBIT 10.1
As of January 1, 2010
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
0000 Xxxx Xx., Xxxxx X
Xxxxx, Xxxxx 00000
Dear Xx. Xxxxxx:
Odyssey Pictures Corporation (“Odyssey” or the “Company”), 0000 Xxxx Xxxx, Xxxxx X, Xxxxx, Xxxxx 00000, agrees to employ you and you agree to accept such employment upon the following terms and conditions:
2. Duties. You agree to devote your entire business time, attention and energies to the business of Odyssey and its subsidiaries during your employment with Odyssey. You will be President and Chief Executive Officer of Odyssey, reporting directly and solely to the Board of Directors of Odyssey (“Board”), and you agree to perform all duties reasonable and consistent with that office as the Board may assign to you from time to time. You will have such authority as is necessary for the performance of your obligations hereunder. Your principal place of business shall be Odyssey’s headquarters in the Dallas, Texas metropolitan area.
(i) Your Bonus for each calendar year during your employment with Odyssey under this Agreement will be determined in accordance with the Odyssey Senior Executive Short-Term Incentive Plan, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “STIP”). To the extent such program has not been adopted for any given year during the Term, your bonus will be determined by the Board of Directors. In the event that this Agreement is terminated other than pursuant to Sections 8(b) or (c), you will not be eligible for a Bonus in such calendar year of termination.
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(ii) Your target bonus (“Target Bonus”) for each of those calendar years shall be 20% of your Salary as in effect on December 1st of such year. Your Bonus may be prorated for any portion of the calendar year that you were employed by Odyssey.
(iii) Your Bonus for any calendar year shall be payable, less applicable deductions and withholding taxes, by February 28th of the following year.
(c) Long-Term Incentive Plans (“LTIP”).
(i) Special Grant: Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, you have been awarded a special grant (the “Special Grant”) of stock in the amount of Five Million (5,000,000) shares of Odyssey’s Class A Common Stock, effective as of January 1, 2010 (the “Date of Special Grant”) . The Special Grant shall be distributed in three equal installments with the first, being made on or before March 31, 2011, and second and third distributed on January 31, 2012 and January 31, 2013. The Special Grant is not barred by Sections 8(b), 8(c) or 9, nor must you be an employee of Odyssey on such distribution date to be eligible to receive such installment.
(ii) Additional Grants: In addition to the Special Grant, during your employment under this Agreement, you shall be eligible to participate in one or more of Odyssey’s long-term incentive plans at a level appropriate to your position as determined by the Odyssey Board of Directors or a committee of the Board, in its sole discretion.
(iii) In addition to other compensation provided for herein, you are granted the following options to purchase common shares of the Company which shall vest on the first day of the option period described in each option as follows:
a.
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Option 1: Option to purchase one million shares of the Company's Common Stock at a price of $.25 per share for and during a period of three years beginning on January 1, 2011 and ending December 31, 2013.
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b.
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Option 2: Option to purchase one million shares of the Company's Common Stock at a price of $.50 per share for and during a period of three years beginning on January 1, 2012 and ending December 31, 2014.
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c.
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Option 3: Option to purchase one million shares of the Company's Common Stock at a price of $1.00 per share for and during a period of three years beginning on January 1, 2013 and ending December 31, 2015.
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d.
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Option 4: Option to purchase one million shares of the Company's Common Stock at a price of $2.00 per share for and during a period of three years beginning on January 1, 2014 and ending December 31, 2016.
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(i) It is understood that there is no conflict of interest or competition interference from Employee’s position as a member of JL Media Services LLC.
Provided however, that in the event that you bring a business opportunity to Odyssey and the Board of Directors elects not to proceed with that opportunity or does not elect in writing to proceed within 10 days of the date that it is presented to the Board, you are free to pursue that opportunity separate and apart from Odyssey.
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(f) No Right to Give Interviews or Write Books, Articles, Etc. during the Term (or any period you are receiving compensation pursuant to this Agreement), except within the context of publicity and promotion of Odyssey and as otherwise authorized by Odyssey, you shall not (i) give any interviews or speeches, or (ii) prepare or assist any person or entity in the preparation of any books, articles, television or motion picture productions or other creations, in either case, concerning Odyssey or any of its affiliated companies or any of their respective officers, directors, agents, employees, suppliers or customers.
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(i) for the portion of the calendar year from January 1st until the date on which you first receive compensation under the STD program, bonus compensation shall be determined in accordance with the STIP (i.e., based upon Odyssey’s achievement of its goals and Odyssey’s good faith estimate of your achievement of your personal goals) and prorated for such period; and
(ii) for any subsequent portion of that calendar year and any portion of the following calendar year in which you receive compensation under the STD program, bonus compensation shall be in an amount equal to your Target Bonus and prorated for such period(s).
Bonus compensation under this paragraph 7 shall be paid, less applicable deductions and withholding taxes, by February 28th of the year(s) following the year as to which such bonus compensation is payable. You will not receive bonus compensation for any portion of the calendar year(s) during the Term while you receive benefits under an LTD program as adopted. For the periods that you receive compensation and benefits under the STD and LTD programs, such compensation and benefits and the bonus compensation provided under this paragraph 7 are in lieu of Salary and Bonus under paragraphs 3(a) and (b). The stock options granted to you under the LTIP (as defined in paragraph 8(d)(vii)) which are exercisable on or prior to the date on which benefits commence under the LTD program, together with all LTIP stock options that would have vested and become exercisable on or before the last day of the Term (which options shall become immediately vested and exercisable), shall be exercisable until the first anniversary of the date on which such benefits commence or, if earlier, the expiration date of the stock options.
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(a) Termination for Cause. Odyssey may, at its option, terminate your employment during the Employment Period forthwith for Cause and thereafter shall have no further obligations under this Agreement, including, without limitation, any obligation to pay Salary or Bonus or provide benefits. Cause shall mean: (i) embezzlement, fraud or other conduct which would constitute a felony; (ii) willful unauthorized disclosure of Confidential Information; (iii) your failure to obey a material lawful directive that is appropriate to your position from an executive(s) in your reporting line; (iv) your material breach of this Agreement; or (v) your failure (except in the event of your Disability) or refusal to substantially perform your material obligations under this Agreement. Odyssey will give you written notice prior to terminating your employment pursuant to (iii), (iv), or (v) of this paragraph 8(a), setting forth the nature of any alleged failure, breach or refusal in reasonable detail and the conduct required to cure. Except for a failure, breach or refusal which, by its nature, cannot reasonably be expected to be cured, you shall have ten (10) business days from the giving of such notice within which to cure any failure, breach or refusal under (iii), (iv), or (v) of this paragraph 8(a); provided, however, that, if Odyssey reasonably expects irreparable injury from a delay of ten (10) business days, Odyssey may give you notice of such shorter period within which to cure as is reasonable under the circumstances.
(i) the assignment to you of duties or responsibilities substantially inconsistent with your position(s) or duties;
(ii) the withdrawal of material portions of your duties described in paragraph 2 or a change in your reporting relationships such that you do not report directly and solely to the Board; (iii) the material breach by Odyssey of its material obligations under this Agreement; or (iv) the relocation of your position outside the Dallas, Texas metropolitan area.
(d) Termination Payments/Benefits. In the event that your employment terminates under paragraph 8(b) or (c), you shall thereafter receive, less applicable withholding taxes:
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(i) your Salary, and any amounts outstanding that are due to you, as in effect on the date on which your employment terminates, until the end of the Term.
(ii) bonus compensation for the calendar year in which such termination occurs, payable by February 28th of the following year, determined as follows:
(a) for the portion of the calendar year from January 1st until the date of the termination, bonus compensation shall be determined in accordance with the STIP (i.e., based on Odyssey’s achievement of its goals and Odyssey’s good faith estimate of your achievement of your personal goals) and prorated for such period; and
(b) for the remaining portion of such calendar year during the Employment Period, bonus compensation shall be in an amount equal to your Target Bonus and prorated for such period;
(iii) bonus compensation for each subsequent calendar year or portion thereof during the Employment Period, in an amount equal to your Target Bonus, prorated for any partial calendar year and payable by February 28th of the following year;
(iv) any reimbursement allowances until the end of the Employment Period, paid in accordance with Odyssey’s then effective payroll practices;
(v) medical and dental insurance coverage for you provided under COBRA at no cost to you (except as hereafter described) pursuant to Odyssey’s then-current benefit plans until the end of the Employment Period or, if earlier, the date on which you become eligible for medical and dental coverage from a third party; provided, that, during the period that Odyssey provides you with this coverage, an amount equal to the applicable COBRA premiums (or such other amounts as may be required by law) will be included in your income for tax purposes to the extent required by law and Odyssey may withhold taxes from your compensation for this purpose; and provided, further, that you may elect to continue your medical and dental insurance coverage under COBRA at your own expense for the balance, if any, of the period required by law;
(vi) life insurance coverage until the end of the Employment Period pursuant to Odyssey’s then-current policy in the amount then furnished to Odyssey employees at no cost (the amount of such coverage will be reduced by the amount of life insurance coverage furnished to you at no cost by a third party employer); and
(vii) the following with respect to any stock options granted to you under the LTIP to be adopted by the Board or as applicable to options granted by the Board in absence of an adopted plan and any predecessor or successor plans (“LTIP”):
(x) all LTIP stock options that have not vested and become exercisable on the date of such termination but that would have vested on or before the end of the Employment Period shall vest on the date of termination; such LTIP stock options shall remain exercisable for six (6) months after such date or, if earlier, until their expiration date; and
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(y) any and all outstanding LTIP stock options that have previously vested and become exercisable by the date of such termination shall remain exercisable for six (6) months after such date or, if earlier, until their expiration date.
You shall be required to notify the Board should alternate employment be secured during the Employment Period, and the amount of such payments shall be reduced by any compensation earned by you from any source, including, without limitation, salary, sign-on or annual bonus compensation, consulting fees, commission payments. No reduction for other compensation shall be made, for twelve (12) months after the termination of your employment or, if less, the balance of the Employment Period.
(i) If (a) Odyssey notifies you less than twelve (12) months before the end of the Employment Period that it has elected not to extend or renew this Agreement (such notice is referred to as a “Non-Renewal Notice”), or (b) your employment terminates under paragraph 8(b) or (c) during the final twelve (12) months of the Employment Period, you shall continue to receive, after your employment terminates, your then-current Salary for the balance of the twelve (12) months from the date on which the Non-Renewal Notice is given or your employment terminates, whichever is earlier, plus any and all outstanding amounts that may be due to you.
(ii) If Odyssey does not give you a Non-Renewal Notice by the end of the Employment Period and you remain employed through that date but have not entered into a new contractual relationship with Odyssey or any of its affiliated companies, and Odyssey thereafter terminates your employment without Cause, you shall continue to receive your then-current Salary for the balance, if any, of the twelve (12) months after the expiration of the Employment Period, plus any and all outstanding amounts that may be due to you.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, you shall not receive Salary under this paragraph 8(e) with respect to any period for which you receive Salary under paragraph 8(d)(i). Payments under this paragraph 8(e) shall be made, less applicable withholding taxes, in accordance with Odyssey’s then effective payroll practices. You shall be required to mitigate the amount of any payment under this paragraph 8(e) by seeking other employment, and the amount of any such payment shall be reduced by any compensation earned by you from any source, including, without limitation, salary, sign-on or annual bonus compensation, consulting fees, commission payments, car allowance and, in the event you receive long-term compensation with a present value, as reasonably determined by Odyssey, greater than you would likely have received from Odyssey during a comparable period (based on historical grants of long-term compensation during your service with Odyssey and Odyssey’s practices with respect to your position, and prorating the value of such long-term compensation over the term of service required to vest therein), in each case as reasonably determined by Odyssey, the amount of such excess.
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12a. it is understood that there is no conflict of interest between Employee’s position as a member of an affiliate company, JL Media Services LLC.
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15. TEXAS LAW, ETC. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS AGREEMENT HAS BEEN EXECUTED, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN TEXAS, AND YOUR EMPLOYMENT DUTIES ARE PRIMARILY PERFORMED IN TEXAS. ACCORDINGLY, YOU AGREE THAT EXCEPT AS SETH FORTH IN SECTION 12, THIS AGREEMENT AND ALL MATTERS OR ISSUES ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO YOUR ODYSSEY EMPLOYMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF TEXAS APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS ENTERED INTO AND PERFORMED ENTIRELY THEREIN. ANY ACTION TO ENFORCE THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE BROUGHT SOLELY IN THE STATE OR FEDERAL COURTS LOCATED IN THE CITY OF PLANO, COLLIN COUNTY.
19. Supersedes Prior Agreements. With respect to the period covered by the Employment Period, this Agreement supersedes and cancels all prior agreements relating to your employment by Odyssey or any of its affiliated companies. If the foregoing correctly sets forth our understanding, please sign, date and return all three (3) copies of this Agreement to the undersigned for execution on behalf of Odyssey; after this Agreement has been executed by Odyssey and a fully-executed copy returned to you, it shall constitute a binding agreement between us.
Very truly yours,
ODYSSEY PICTURES CORPORATION
By: /s/ Stefan Drakelid
Name: Stefan Drakelid
Title: Vice Chairman of the Board
ACCEPTED AND AGREED:
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Xxxx X. Xxxxxx
Dated: January 1, 2010
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