CHANGE OF CONTROL SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
Exhibit
10.4
THIS
CHANGE OF CONTROL SEVERANCE
AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as of December 21, 2005, is made and entered
by and between Sologic, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Xxxx
X. Xxxxx III (the “Executive").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS,
the Executive is a key employee
of the Company or one or more of It's Subsidiaries (as defined below) and has
made and is expected to continue to Make major contributions to the short-and
long-term profitability, growth and Financial strength of the
Company;
WHEREAS,
the Company recognizes that, as
is the case for most Companies, the possibility of a Change in Control (as
defined below) exists and That such possibility, and the uncertainty it may
create among management, may Result in the distraction or departure of
management personnel, to the detriment of the Company and its
stockholders;
WHEREAS,
the Company desires to assure
itself of both present and future Continuity of management and desires to
establish certain minimum severance benefits for certain of its senior
executives, including the Executive, applicable in the event of a Change in
Control; and
WHEREAS,
the Company wishes to ensure
that its senior executives are not unduly distracted by the circumstances
attendant to the possibility of a Change in Control and to encourage the
continued attention and dedication of such executives, including the Executive,
to their assigned duties with the Company; and
WHEREAS,
the Company desires to provide
additional inducement for the Executive to continue to remain in the employ
of the
Company.
NOW,
THERFORE, the Company and the
Executive agree as follows:
1.
Certain Defined Terms. In addition to
terms defined elsewhere herein, the following terms have the following meanings
when used in this Agreement with initial capital letters:
(a)
"Base Pay" means the annual base
salary rate as in effect from time to time.
(b)
"Board” means the Board of Directors
of the Company.
(c)
“Cause"
means that, prior to any
termination pursuant to Section 3(b), the Executive shall
have
(i) been
convicted of a
criminal Violation involving, in
each fraud, embezzlement or theft in
connection with his duties or in the course of his employment with the Company
or any Subsidiary;
(ii)
committed intentional wrongful
damage to of Company or any
Subsidiary;
or
(iii)
committed intentional wrongful
disclosure of secret processes or confidential information of the Company or
any
Subsidiary and any such act shall have been demonstrably and materially harmful
to the Company. For purposes of this Agreement, no act or failure to act
on
the part of the Executive shall be
deemed "intentional” if
it was due primarily to an error in
judgment or negligence, but shall be deemed "intentional" only if 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 interest of the
Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Executive shall not be deemed to
have been terminated for “Cause" hereunder unless and until there shall have
been delivered to the Executive a copy of a resolution duly adopted by the
affirmative vote of not less than three quarters of the Board then in office
at
a meeting of the Board called and held for such purpose, after reasonable notice
to the Executive and an opportunity for the Executive, together with the
Executive's counsel (if the Executive chooses to have counsel present at such
meeting), to be heard before the Board, finding that, in the good faith opinion
of the Board, the Executive had committed an act constituting "Cause" as herein
defined and specifying the particulars thereof in detail. Nothing herein will
limit the right of the Executive or his beneficiaries to contest the validity
or
propriety of any such determination.
(d)
"Change in Control" means the
occurrence during the Term of any of the following events:
(i)
the acquisition by any individual,
entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d) (3) or 14(d) (2) of the
Exchange Act) (a "Person”) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule
13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of or more of the combined voting
power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Company; provided, however,
that:
(1)
for
purposes of this Section
1(d)
(i), the following acquisitions
shall not constitute a Change in Control: (A) any acquisition of Voting Stock
of
the Company directly from the Company that is approved by a majority
of the Incumbent
Directors, (B) any acquisition
of Voting Stock of the Company by the Company or any Subsidiary; (C) any
acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company by any employee benefit plan (or
related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary, (D)
any
acquisition of Voting Stock of the
Company by any Person pursuant to a
Business Combination that complies with clauses (A), (8) and (C) of Section
1(d)
(iii) below;
(2)
if
any Person acquires beneficial
ownership of 20% or more of combined voting power of the then-outstanding Voting
Stock of the Company as a result of a transaction described in clause
(1) (A)
of Section 1(d)
(i) and such Person thereafter
becomes the beneficial owner of any additional shares of Voting Stock of the
Company representing 1% or more of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the
Company, other than in an acquisition directly from the Company that is approved
by a majority of
the Incumbent Directors or other than
as a result of a stock dividend, stock split or similar transaction effected
by
the Company in which all holders of Voting Stock are treated equally, such
subsequent acquisition shall be treated as a Change in Control;
(3)
a Change in Control will not be
deemed to have occurred if a Person acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or
more
of the Voting Stock of the Company as a result of a reduction in the number
of
shares of Voting Stock of the Company outstanding unless and until such Person
thereafter becomes the beneficial owner of any additional shares of Voting
Stock
of the Company representing 1% or
more of the then-outstanding Voting
Stock of the Company, other than as a result of a stock dividend, stock split
or
similar transaction effected by the Company in which all holders of Voting
Stock
are treated equally; and
(4)
at least a majority of the Incumbent
Directors determine in good faith that a Person has acquired beneficial
ownership of 20 % or more of the Voting Stock of the Company inadvertently,
and
such Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of shares
so
that such Person beneficially owns less than 20% of the Voting Stock of the
Company then no Change in Control shall have occurred as a result of such
Person's acquisition; or
(ii)
a majority of the Directors are not
Incumbent Directors; or
(iii)
the consummation of a
reorganization, merger or consolidation, or sale or other disposition of all
or
substantially all of the assets of the Company or the acquisition of assets
of
another corporation, or other transaction (each, a “Business
Combination"), unless, in each
case, immediately following such Business Combination (A) all or substantially
all of the individuals entities who were the beneficial owners of Voting Stock
of the Company immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially
own,
directly or indirectly, more than 60% of the combined voting power of the then
outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the entity resulting from such Business
Combination (including, without limitation, an entity which as a result of
such
transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company's assets
either directly or through one or more subsidiaries), (B) no Person (other
than
the Company, such entity resulting from such Business Combination, or any
employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company,
any Subsidiary or such entity
resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or
indirectly, 20% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding
shares of Voting Stock of the entity resulting from such Business Combination,
and (C) at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the
entity resulting from such Business Combination were Incumbent Directors at
the
time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Board
providing for such Business Combination; or
(iv)
approval
by the shareholders of the
Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company, except pursuant
to a Business Combination that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of Section
1(d) (iii).
(e)
"Employee Benefits" means the
perquisites, benefits and service credit for benefits as provided under any
and
all employee retirement income and Welfare Benefit policies, plans, programs
or
arrangements in which Executive is entitled to participate, including without
limitation any stock option,
performance share, performance unit, stock purchase, stock appreciation,
savings, pension, supplemental executive retirement, or other retirement income
or Welfare deferred compensation, incentive compensation, group or life; health,
medical/hospital or other insurance (whether funded by actual insurance or
self-insured by the Company or a Subsidiary),
disability, salary
continuation, expense reimbursement and other employee benefit policies. plans,
programs or arrangements that may now exist or any equivalent successor
policies, plans, programs or arrangements that may be adopted hereafter by
the
Company or a Subsidiary, providing perquisites, benefits and service credit
for
benefits at least great in the aggregate as are payable hereunder immediately
prior to a Change in Control.
(f)
“Exchange
Act" means the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
(g)
"Good Reason" means the occurrence
of one or more of the following events (regardless of whether any other reason,
other than Cause, for such termination exists or has occurred, including without
limitation other employment):
(i)
Failure to elect or reelect or
otherwise to maintain the Executive in the office or the position, or
substantially equivalent or better office or position, of or with the Company
and/or a Subsidiary (or any successor thereto by operation of law of or
otherwise), as the may be, which the Executive held immediately prior to Change
in Control, or the removal of the Executive as a Director of the Company and/or
a Subsidiary (or any successor thereto) if the Executive shall have been a
Director of the Company and/or a Subsidiary immediately prior to the Change
in
Control;
(ii)
Failure of the Company to remedy
any of the following within 10 calendar
days after receipt by the
Company of written notice thereof from the Executive: (A) A significant adverse
change in the nature
or
scope of the
authorities, powers, functions, responsibilities or duties attached to the
position with the Company and any Subsidiary which the Executive held
immediately prior to the Change in Control, (B) a reduction in the Executive's
Base Pay received from
the Company or any Subsidiary, (C)
a reduction in the Executive's Incentive Pay as compared with the Incentive
Pay
most recently paid prior to the Change in Control, or (D) the termination or
denial of the Executive's rights to Employee Benefits or a reduction in
the scope
or value
thereof;
(iii)
The liquidation, dissolution,
merger, consolidation or reorganization of the Company or the transfer of all
or
substantially all of its business and/or assets, unless the successor or
successors (by liquidation, merger, consolidation reorganization, transfer
or
otherwise) to which all or substantially all of its business and/or assets
have
been transferred (by operation of law or otherwise) assumed all duties and
obligations of the Company under this Agreement pursuant to Section
11(a);
(iv)
The Company requires the Executive
to have his principal location of work changed to any location that is in excess
of 50 miles from the location thereof immediately prior to the Change in
Control, or requires the Executive to travel away from his office in the course
of discharging his responsibilities or duties hereunder at least
20%
more
(in terms of aggregate days in any
calendar year or in any calendar quarter when annualized for purposes of
comparison to any prior year) than was required of Executive in any of the
three
full years immediately prior to Change in Control
without in
either case, his prior written
consent; or
(v)
Without limiting the generality or
effect of the foregoing, any material breach of this Agreement by the Company
or
any successor thereto which is not remedied by the Company within 10 calendar
days after receipt by the Company of written notice from the Executive of such
breach.
(h)
"Incentive Pay" means an annual
bonus, incentive or other payment compensation, in addition to Base Pay, made
or
to be made in regard to services rendered in any year
or other period pursuant to any
bonus, incentive, profit-sharing, performance, discretionary pay or similar
agreement, policy, plan, program or arrangement (whether or not funded) of
the
Company or a Subsidiary, or any successor thereto. "Incentive Pay" does not
include any stock option, stock appreciation, stock purchase, restricted stock
or similar plan, program, arrangement or
grant, whether or not provided under
an arrangement described in the preceding sentence"
(I)
Incumbent Directors" means
the individuals
who, as of the date hereof,
are Directors of the Company and any individual becoming a Director subsequent
to the date hereof whose election, nomination for election by the Company's
shareholders, or appointment, were approved by a vote of at least two-thirds
of
the then Incumbent Directors (either by a specific vote or by approval of the
proxy statement of the Company in which such person is named as a nominee for
director, without objection to such nomination); provided, however, that an
individual shall not be an Incumbent Director if such individual's election
or
appointment to the Board occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election
contest (as described in Rule 14a-12(c) of the Exchange Act) with respect to
the
election or removal of Directors or other actual or threatened solicitation
of
proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the
Board.
(j)
"Retirement
Plans" means the benefit
plans of the Company
that are intended to be
qualified under Section 401
(a)
of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and any supplemental executive retirement
benefit plan or any other plan that is a successor thereto if
the Executive was a participant in
such Retirement Plan on the date of the Change
in Control.
(k)
“Severance
Period" means the period
of time commencing on the date of the first occurrence of a Change in Control
and continuing until the earlier of (i) the second anniversary of the occurrence
of the Change in Control, or (ii) the Executive's death; provided, however,
that
commencing on each anniversary of the Change in Control, the Severance Period
will automatically be extended for an additional year unless, not later than
90
calendar days prior to such
anniversary date, either the
Company or the Executive shall have given written notice to the other that
the
Severance Period is not to be so extended.
(I)
"Subsidiary" means an entity in
which the Company directly or indirectly beneficially owns 50% or more of the
outstanding Voting Stock"
(m)
"Term" means the period commencing
as of the date hereof and expiring on the close of business on December 31,
2015, or the end of executive's employment with the Company in any capacity
(including a seat on the board of directors or a consultancy arrangement);
provided, however, that (i) commencing on January 1,2006 and each January 1
thereafter, the term of this Agreement will automatically be extended for an
additional year unless, not later than September 30 of the immediately preceding
year, the Executive shall have given notice that he does not wish to
have the
Term extended; (ii) if
a Change in Control occurs during the
Term, the Term shall expire and this Agreement will terminate on the last day
of
the Severance Period; and (iii) subject to Section 3(c), if, prior to a Change
in Control, the Executive ceases for any reason to be
an employee of the Company
or any Subsidiary (including
termination arising in
connection
with the Company
ceasing to beneficially own 50% or more of the Voting Stock of a Subsidiary),
or
ceases to be an employee at level previously designatect for the benefits set
forth in Annex A hereto, thereupon without further action the Term shall
be deemed
to have expired and this
Agreement will immediately terminate and be of no further effect. For purposes
of this Section 1(n), the Executive shall not be deemed to have ceased to be
an
employee of the Company and any Subsidiary by reason of the transfer of
Executive's employment between the Company and any Subsidiary, or among any
Subsidiaries.
(n)
"Termination Date” means
the date on which the Executive's
employment is terminated (the effective date
of Which shall be the date of
termination, or such other date that
may be specified by the Executive if the termination is pursuant to Section
3(b)).
(0)
"Voting Stock" means securities
entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.
(p)
“Welfare
Benefits" means Employee
Benefits that are provided under any "welfare plan" (within the meaning of
Section 3(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended)
of the Company.
(q)
"Tax” means
taxes that would be due on any
unexercised stock options owned by executive.
2.
Operation of Agreement. This
Agreement will be effective and binding immediately upon its execution, but,
anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, except as provided
in Section 3(c), this Agreement will not be operative unless and until a Change
in Control occurs. Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control at any time during
the Term, without further action, this Agreement become immediately
operative.
3.
Termination Following a Change in
Control. (a) In the event of the occurrence of a Change in Control, the
Executive's employment may be terminated by the Company or a Subsidiary during
the Severance Period and the Executive will be entitled to the benefits provided
by Section 4 unless such termination is the result of the occurrence of one
or
more of the following events:
(i)
Executive's
death;
(ii)
If the Executive becomes
permanently disabled within the meaning of, and begins actually to receive
disability benefits pursuant to, the long-term disability plan in effect for,
or
applicable to, Executive immediately prior to the Change in Control;
or
(iii)
Cause. If during the Severance Period, the Executive's employment is terminated
by the Company or any Subsidiary other than pursuant to Section 3(a) (i), 3(a)
(ii) or 3(a) (iii), the Executive will be entitled to the benefits provided
by
Section 4.
(b)
In the event of the occurrence of a
Change In Control, the Executive may terminate employment with the Company
and
any Subsidiary during the Severance Period for Good Reason with the right to
severance compensation as provided in Section 4.
(c)
Anything in this Agreement to the
contrary notwithstanding, if a
Change in Control occurs and not more
than twelve months prior to the date on which the Change in Control occurs,
the
Executive’s employment with
the Company ceases at the
previously designated level or is terminated by the Company (or the Executive
terminates his employment for Good Reason), such cessation or termination of
employment will be deemed to a cessation or termination of employment after
a
Change in Control for purposes of this Agreement if the Executive has reasonably
demonstrated that such cessation or termination of employment (i) was
at the request of a third
party who has taken steps
reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control,
or (ii) otherwise arose in
connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control.
(d)
A termination by the Company
pursuant to Section 3(a) or by the Executive pursuant to Section 3(b) will
not
affect any rights that the Executive may have pursuant to any agreement, policy,
plan, program or arrangement of the Company or Subsidiary providing Employee
Benefits, which rights shall be governed by the terms thereof except for any
rights to severance
compensation to which
Executive may be entitled upon termination of employment under any severance
or
employment agreement between the Company and the Executive which rights, to
the
extent not
greater than those provided
by this
Agreement, shall, during the
Severance Period, be superseded by this Agreement
4.
Severance Compensation. (a) If,
following the occurrence of a Change
in Control, the Company or Subsidiary terminates the Executive's employment
during the Severance Period other than pursuant to Section 3(a)(i) 3(a)(ii)
or
3(a)(iii) or if the Executive terminates his employment pursuant to Section
3(b), provided that the Executive executes a release substantially in the form
rendered by senior executives of the Company prior to the Change in Control.
The Company will pay to the
Executive the amounts described in Annex A within five business days after
the
Termination Date and will continue to provide to the Executive the benefits
described on Annex A for the periods described therein.
b)
Without limiting the rights of the
Executive at law or in equity, if the Company to make any payment or provide
any
benefit required to be made
or
provided hereunder on a
timely basis, the Company will pay interest on the amount or value thereof
at an
annualized rate of interest equal to the "prime rate” as
set forth from time to time during
the relevant period in The Wall Street Journal "Money Rates: column,
plus 2%. Such interest will be
payable as it accrues on demand. Any change
in
such
prime rate will be
effective on and as of the date of
such change"
(c)
Unless
otherwise expressly provided by
applicable annual incentive compensation plan or program, after the occurrence
of a Change in Control, the Company will pay in cash to the Executive a lump
sum
amount equal to the value of the Executive's annual bonus for the performance
period that includes the date on which the Change in Control occurred,
disregarding any applicable vesting requirements; provided that such amount
will
be equal to the product of the target award percentage under the applicable
annual incentive plan or program in effect immediately prior to the Change
in
Control times Base Pay, but prorated to base payment only on the portion of
the
Executive's service that
had
elapsed during the
applicable performance period
through the Change in Control. Such payment will be made within five business
days after the Change in Control.
(d)
At
the option of Executive, in the event of a Change in Control, Executive shall
be
granted voting rights on such number of common shares that would result in
Executive having a voting majority of shares (including, if necessary, a number
of shares that would result in a total voting shares that exceeds the number
of
authorized shares) needed for any shareholder meeting as governed by the
Company's bylaws.
5.
No Limitation on Payments and
Benefits., notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary,
if
any amount or benefit to be paid or provided under this Agreement would be
an
"Excess Parachute Payment," within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code,
but
for the application of this sentence, then the payments and benefits to be
paid
or provided under this Agreement will not be reduced to the minimum extent
necessary (but in no event to less than zero) so that a portion of any such
payment or benefit constitute an Excess Parachute Payment and any tax triggered
to the Executive will be covered by the Company.
6.
No Mitigation Obligation. The Company
hereby acknowledges
that it will be difficult
and may be impossible for the Executive to find reasonably comparable employment
following the Termination Date. Accordingly, the payment of the severance
compensation by the Company to the Executive in accordance with the terms
of this Agreement is hereby
acknowledged by the Company to be reasonable, and the Executive will not be
required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided for in this Agreement
by
seeking other employment or otherwise, nor will any profits, income, earnings
or other benefits
from any source whatsoever
create any mitigation. offset, reduction or any other obligation on the part
of
the Executive hereunder or otherwise, except as expressly provided in the last
sentence of Paragraph 2 of Annex A.
7.
Legal Fees and Expenses. It is the
intent of the Company that the Executive not be required to incur legal fees
and
the related expenses associated with the preparation, interpretation,
enforcement or defense of Executive's rights under this or any other agreement
with the Company for any reason, including litigation or otherwise because
the
cost and expense thereof would substantially detract from the benefits intended
to be extended to the Executive hereunder. Accordingly, for any reason, or
if it
should appear to the Executive that the Company has failed to comply with any
of
its obligations under this Agreement or in the event that the Company or any
other person takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement
void or unenforceable, or institutes any litigation or other action or
proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, the Executive the benefits
provided or intended to be provided to the Executive hereunder, the Company
irrevocably authorizes the Executive from time to time to retain counsel of
Executive's choice, at the expense of the Company as hereafter provided, to
advise and represent the Executive in connection with any such interpretation,
enforcement or defense, including without limitation the initiation or defense
of any litigation or other legal action in regard thereto, whether by or against
the Company or any Director, officer, stockholder or other person affiliated
with the Company, in any jurisdiction, Notwithstanding any existing or prior
attorney-client relationship between the Company and such counsel, the Company
irrevocably consents to the Executive's entering into an attorney-client
relationship with such counsel, and in that connection the Company and the
Executive agree that a confidential relationship will exist between the
Executive and such counsel. Without respect to whether the Executive prevails,
in whole or in part, in connection with any of the foregoing, the Company will
pay and be solely financially responsible for any and all attorneys' and
related fees and
expenses incurred by the Executive
in connection with any of the foregoing: provided that, in regard to such
matters, the Executive has not acted in bad faith or with no colorable claim
of
success.
8.
Confidentiality; No solicitation; No
disparagement.
(a)
During the Term, the Company agrees
that it disclose will to Executive its confidential or proprietary information
(as defined in this Section 8(a)) to the extent necessary for Executive to
carry
out his obligations to the Company. The Executive hereby covenants and agrees
that he will not, without the prior written consent of the Company, during
the
Term or thereafter disclose to any person not employed by the Company, or use
in
connection with engaging in competition with the Company, any confidential
or proprietary
information of the Company.
For purposes of this Agreement, the term “confidential or proprietary
information" will include all information of any nature and in any form that
is
owned by the Company and that is not publicly available (other than by Executive's
breach of this Section 8(a))
or generally known to persons engaged in businesses similar or related to
those of the Company. Confidential
or proprietary
information will include,
without limitation, the Company's financial matters, customers, employees,
industry contracts, strategic business plans, product development (or other
proprietary product data), marketing plans, and all other secrets and all other
information of a confidential or proprietary nature, For purposes of the
preceding two sentences, the term
"Company"
will
also include any Subsidiary
(collectively, the "Restricted Group”). The foregoing obligations imposed by
this Section 8(a) will not apply (i) during the Term, in the course of the
business of and for the benefit of the Company, (ii) if such confidential or
proprietary information has become, through no fault of the Executive generally
known to the public or (iii) if the Executive is required by law to make
disclosure (after giving
the
Company notice and an
opportunity to contest such requirement).
(b)
The Executive hereby covenants and
agrees that during the Term and for one year thereafter Executive will not,
without the prior written consent of the Company, on behalf of Executive or on
behalf of any person, firm or
company, directly or indirectly, attempt to influence, persuade or induce,
or
assist any other person in so persuading or inducing, any employee of the
Restricted Group to give up, or to not
commence, employment or a business
relationship with the Restricted Group.
(c)
The Executive hereby covenants and
agrees that the Executive will not make Publish or cause to be made or published
any public or private statement disparaging the Company or Its present or former
officers, directors or employees.
(d)
Executive and the Company agree that
the covenants contained in this Section 8 is reasonable under the circumstances,
and further agrees that if in the opinion of any court of competent jurisdiction
any such covenant is not reasonable in any respect, such court will have the
right, power and authority to excise or modify any provision or provisions
of
such covenants as to the court will appear not reasonable and to enforce the
remainder of the covenants as so amended. Executive acknowledges and agrees
that
the remedy at law available to the Company for breach of any of his obligations
under this Section 8 would be inadequate and that damages flowing from such
a
breach may not readily be susceptible to being measured in monetary terms.
Accordingly, Executive acknowledges, consents and agrees
that, in addition to any
other rights
or remedies that the Company may
have at law, in equity or under this Agreement, upon adequate proof of his
violation of any such provision of this Agreement, the Company will be entitled
to immediate injunctive relief and may obtain a temporary order restraining
any
threatened or further breach, without the necessity of proof of actual
damage.
9.
Employment
Rights. Nothing expressed or
implied in this Agreement will create any right or duty on part of the Company
or the Executive to have Executive remain in the employment of the Company
or
any Subsidiary prior to or following any Change in Control.
10.
Withholding of Taxes. The Company
may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement all federal, state,
city or other taxes as the Company is required to withhold pursuant to any
applicable law, regulation or ruling.
11.
Successors and Binding Agreement.
(a) The Company will require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by
purchase, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise) to all or
substantially all of the business or assets of the Company, by agreement in
form
and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Executive, expressly to assume
and
agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent the
Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.
This
Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and
any
successor to the Company, including without limitation any persons acquiring
directly or indirectly all or substantially all of the business or assets of
the
Company whether by purchase, merger, consolidation, reorganization or otherwise
(and such successor shall thereafter be deemed the "Company" for the purposes
of
this Agreement), but will not otherwise be assignable, transferable or delegable
by the Company.
(b)
this Agreement will inure to the
benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive’s personal or legal
representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributes
and
legatees.
(c)
This Agreement is personal in nature
and neither of the parties hereto will, without the consent of the other,
assign, and transfer or delegate this Agreement or any rights or obligations
hereunder except expressly provided in Sections 11(a) and 11 (b). Without
limiting the generality or
effect of the foregoing, the Executive's right to receive payments hereunder
will not be assignable, transferable or delegable, whether by pledge, creation
of a security interest, or otherwise, other than by a transfer by Executive's
will or by the laws of descent and distribution and, in the event of
any attempted assignment or transfer
contrary to this Section 11 (c), the
Company will have no liability
to pay any amount so
attempted to be assigned, transferred
or delegated.
12.
Notices. For all purposes of this
Agreement, all communications, including without limitation notices, consents,
requests or approvals, required or permitted to be given hereunder will be
in
writing and will be deemed
to
have
been duly given when hand
delivered or
dispatched by electronic facsimile transmission (with receipt thereof orally
confirmed), or five business days after having been mailed by United
States registered or certified
mail, return receipt requested. postage prepaid, or three business days after
having been sent by a nationally recognized overnight courier service such
as
FedEx or UPS addressed
to the Company (to the
attention of the Secretary of the Company) at its principal executive office
and
to the Executive at his principal residence, or to
such other address as any party may
have furnished to
the
other in writing and in
accordance herewith, except that notices of changes of address shall be
effective only upon receipt.
13.
Governing Law. The validity,
interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement will be governed
by and construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of
Delaware, without giving effect to the principles of conflict of laws of such
State.
14.
Validity. If any provision of this
Agreement or the application of any provision hereof to any person or
circumstance is held invalid, unenforceable or otherwise illegal, the remainder
of this Agreement and the application of such provision to any other person
or
circumstance will not be affected, and the provision so held to be invalid,
unenforceable or otherwise illegal will be reformed to the extent (and only
to
the extent) necessary to make it enforceable, valid or
legal.
15.
Miscellaneous. No provision of this
Agreement may be modified, waived or discharged unless such waiver, modification
or discharge is agreed to in writing Signed by the Executive and the Company.
No
waiver by either party hereto at any time of any breach by the other party
heretoor compliance with
any condition or provision of Agreement to be performed by such
other
party will be deemed a waiver of
Similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the same or at any prior
or
subsequent time. No agreements or representations, oral or otherwise, expressed
or implied with respect to the subject matter hereof have been made by either
party that are not set forth expressly in this Agreement. References to Sections
are to Sections of this Agreement References to Paragraphs are to Paragraphs
of
an Annex to this Agreement. Any reference in this Agreement to
a provision of a statute, rule or
regulation will also include any successor provision thereto.
16.
Survival. Notwithstanding any
provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the parties' respective rights
and
obligations under Sections 3(c), 4, 5, 7 and
8
will
survive any termination
or
expiration
of this Agreement or the
termination of the Executive's employment following a Change in Control for
any reason
whatsoever.
17.
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
agreement.
IN
WITNESS the parties have caused this
Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above
written.
SOLOGIC
INC.
Annex
A
Severance
Compensation
(1)
A lump sum payment in an amount
equal to one times the sum of (A) Base Pay (at the highest rate in effect for
any period within three years prior to the Termination Date). plus (B) Incentive
Pay (in an amount equal to the product of the target award percentage under
the
applicable Incentive Pay plan or program in effect immediately prior to the
Change in Control times Base Pay).
(2)
For a period of 12 months following
the Termination Date (the ”Continuation Period”), the Company will arrange to
provide the Executive with Welfare Benefits Substantially similar to those
that
the Executive was receiving or entitled to
receive immediately prior to
Termination Date (or, if greater, immediately prior to the reduction,
termination, or denial described in Section 1(g)
(ii))" If and to the extent that any
benefit described in this Paragraph 2 is not or
cannot be paid
or provided under any policy, plan.
program or arrangement of the Company or any Subsidiary, as the case may be
then
the Company will itself pay or provide for the payment to the Executive, his
dependents and beneficiaries of such Employee Benefits along with, in the case
of any benefit described in this Paragraph 2 which is subject to tax
because it is not or cannot be paid
or provided under any such policy, plan, program or arrangement of the Company
or any Subsidiary, an additional amount such that after payment by the
Executive, or his dependents or beneficiaries. as the case may be, of all taxes
so imposed, the recipient retains an amount equal to such taxes. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, or any other provision of the Agreement, for purposes of
determining the period of continuation coverage to which the Executive or any
of
his dependents is entitled pursuant to Section 4980B of the Code under the
Company's medical l dental and other group health plans, or successor plans,
the
Executive's “qualifying event" will be the termination of the Continuation
Period and the Executive will be considered to have remained actively employed
on a full-time basis through that date. Further, for purposes of the immediately
preceding sentence and for any other purpose, including, without limitation,
the
calculation of service or age to determine the Executive's eligibility for
benefits under any retiree
medical
benefits or life
insurance plan or policy, the Executive shall be considered to have remained actively
employed on a full-time basis
through the termination of the Continuation Period, Without otherwise limiting
the purposes or
effect
of Section 5
or this Paragraph
2. Employee Benefits otherwise
receivable by the Executive pursuant to this Paragraph 2 will be reduced to
the
extent comparable welfare
benefits
are actually
received by the Executive from another employer during the Continuation Period
following the Executive's
Termination Date, and any
such benefits actually received by the Executive will be reported by Executive
to the Company.
(3)
Reimbursement for relocation
expenses on a basis consistent with the Company's practices for senior
executives, in amount up to
$50,000;
provided such
executive was relocated at the request of the Company (including but not limited
to as a result of initial hire) within five years of his or Termination
Date.