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EXHIBIT 10.71
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This employment agreement (the "Agreement") is effective as of March 22,
2001 (the "Effective Date"), by and between FIDELITY NATIONAL FINANCIAL, INC., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and XXXXXXX X. XXXXX, XX (the "Employee").
In consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein, the
parties agree as follows:
1. Employment and Duties. Subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement, the Company employs the Employee to serve in an executive and
managerial capacity as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board of
Directors of the Company, and the Employee accepts such employment and agrees to
perform such reasonable responsibilities and duties commensurate with the
aforesaid positions as set forth in the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws
of the Company. Any change in such titles or delegation of duties inconsistent
with such titles shall be deemed a Termination Without Cause under Section 7(b)
of this Agreement.
2. Term. The term of this Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date
and shall continue for a period of five (5) years ending March 22, 2006, subject
to prior termination as set forth in Section 7, below (the "Term"). The Term may
be extended at any time upon mutual agreement of the parties.
3. Salary. During the Term, the Company shall pay the Employee a minimum
base annual salary, before deducting all applicable withholdings, of $950,000
per year, payable at the times and in the manner dictated by the Company's
standard payroll policies. Such minimum base annual salary may be periodically
reviewed and increased (but not decreased) at the discretion of the Compensation
Committee of the Board of Directors to reflect, among other matters, cost of
living increases and performance results.
4. Other Compensation and Fringe Benefits. In addition to any executive
bonus, pension, deferred compensation and stock option plans which the Company
may from time to time make available to the employee upon mutual agreement, the
Employee shall be entitled to the following:
(a) The standard Company benefits enjoyed by the Company's other top
executives.
(b) Payment by the Company of the Employee's initiation and membership
dues in all social and/or recreational clubs as deemed necessary and
appropriate by the Employee to maintain various business relationships
on behalf of the Company; provided, however, that the Company shall
not be obligated to pay for any of the Employee's personal purchases
and expenses at such club.
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(c) Provision by the Company during the Term and any extensions thereof to
the Employee and his dependents of medical and other insurance
coverage under the Company's Executive Medical Plan.
(d) Provision by the Company of supplemental disability insurance
sufficient to provide two-thirds of the Employee's pre-disability
minimum base annual salary.
(e) An annual incentive bonus for each calendar year included in this
Agreement calculated pursuant to a formula substantially similar to
(and the formula of which will not yield a bonus less than) the FY
2001 Incentive Plan adopted by the Compensation Committee of the
Company with a target bonus based upon 100% of base annual salary, a
copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A ("Incentive Bonus");
provided, however, that the Employer's stockholders approve an annual
incentive bonus plan containing substantially the terms of the
Incentive Bonus prior to its payment in accordance with Section 162(m)
of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations
promulgated thereunder. The annual bonus shall be paid no later than
March 15th of the following year and is fully vested at the end of
each year in the event of a non-renewal of this Agreement by the
Company. Subject to Section 7 below, the annual bonus shall be
pro-rated for any partial employment year.
The Company shall deduct from all compensation payable under this Agreement
to the Employee any taxes or withholdings the Company is required to deduct
pursuant to state and federal laws or by mutual agreement between the parties
5. Vacation. For and during each year of the Term and any extensions
thereof, the Employee shall be entitled to reasonable paid vacation periods
consistent with his positions with the Company. In addition, the Employee shall
be entitled to such holidays consistent with the Company's standard policies or
as the Company's Board of Directors may approve.
6. Expense Reimbursement. In addition to the compensation and benefits
provided herein, the Company shall, upon receipt of appropriate documentation,
reimburse the Employee each month for his reasonable travel, lodging,
entertainment, promotion and other ordinary and necessary business expenses.
7. Termination.
(a) For Cause. The Company may terminate this Agreement immediately for
cause upon written notice to the Employee, in which event the Company
shall be obligated to pay the Employee that portion of the minimum
base annual salary due him through the date of termination. Cause
shall be limited to (i) the persistent failure to perform duties
consistent with a commercially reasonable standard of care; (ii) the
willful neglect of duties;
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(iii) criminal or other illegal activities involving dishonesty; or
(iv) a material breach of this Agreement.
(b) Without Cause. Either party may terminate this Agreement immediately
without cause by giving written notice to the other. If the Company
terminates under this Section 7(b), then it shall pay to the Employee
an amount equal to the product of (i) the Employee's minimum annual
base salary in effect as of the date of termination, plus the greater
of either (x) the total annual bonus paid, payable, or which would
have been payable to the Employee under this Agreement (had it been in
effect) for 2000 and payable in 2001 or (y) the highest bonus paid for
any year during which this Agreement was in effect ("Base Year
Bonus"), times (ii) the number of years (including partial years)
remaining in the Term or the number 3 (three), whichever is greater.
The Company shall make such payment in a lump sum on or before the
fifth day following the date of termination, or as otherwise directed
by the Employee. In addition, all options granted to the Employee
which had not vested as of the date of termination hereunder shall
vest immediately and the Company shall maintain in full force and
effect for the continued benefit of the Employee for the number of
years (including partial years) remaining in the Term, all employee
benefit plans and programs in which the Employee was entitled to
participate immediately prior to the date of termination, provided
that the Employee's continued participation is possible under the
general terms and provisions of such plans and programs. In the event
that the Employee's participation in any such plan or program is
prohibited, the Company shall, at its expense, arrange to provide the
Employee with benefits substantially similar to those which the
Employee would otherwise have been entitled to receive under such
plans and programs for which his continued participation is
prohibited. If the Employee terminates under this Section 7(b), then
the Company shall be obligated to pay the Employee the minimum annual
base salary due him through the date of termination.
(c) Disability. If the Employee fails to perform his duties hereunder on
account of illness or other incapacity for a period of nine
consecutive months, then the Company shall have the right upon written
notice to the Employee to terminate this Agreement without further
obligation by paying the Employee the minimum base annual salary,
without offset, for the remainder of the Term in a lump sum or as
otherwise directed by the Employee.
(d) Death. If the Employee dies during the Term, then this Agreement shall
terminate immediately and the Employee's legal representatives shall
be entitled to receive the minimum annual base salary for the
remainder of the Term in a lump sum or as otherwise directed by the
Employee's legal representative.
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(e) Mitigation. The Employee shall not be required to mitigate the amount
of any payment provided for in this Section 7 by seeking other
employment or otherwise, nor shall any compensation or other payments
received by the Employee after the date of termination reduce any
payments due under this Section 7.
(f) Effect of Termination. Termination for any reason or for no reason
shall not constitute a waiver of the Company's rights under this
Agreement nor a release of the Employee from any obligation hereunder
except his obligation to perform his day-to-day duties as an employee.
8. Severance Payment.
(a) The Employee may terminate his employment hereunder for "Good Reason,"
which for purposes of this Agreement shall mean a "change in control
of the Company." A "change in control of the Company," for purposes of
this Agreement, shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) there shall be
consummated (x) any consolidation or merger of the Company other than
a consolidation or merger of the Company in which the holders of the
Company's Common Stock immediately prior to the merger own more than
50% of the voting securities of the surviving corporation immediately
after the merger, or (y) any sale, lease exchange or other transfer
(in one transaction or a series of related transactions) of all, of
substantially all, of the assets of the Company, or (ii) the
stockholders of the Company approve any plan or proposal for the
liquidation or dissolution of the Company, or (iii) any "person" (such
as that term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act")), other than the Company or
any "person" who, on the date hereof, is a director or officer of the
Company, is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule
13d-3 under the Exchange Act), of securities of the Company
representing 30% or more of the combined voting power of the Company's
then outstanding securities, or (iv) during any period of two (2)
consecutive years during the Term or any extensions thereof,
individuals, who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the
Board of Directors, cease for any reason to constitute at least a
majority thereof, unless the election of each director who was not a
director at the beginning of such period has been approved in advance
by directors representing at least two-thirds of the directors then in
office who were directors at the beginning of the period.
(b) If the Employee terminates his employment for Good Reason, or, if
after a change in control of the Company, the Company shall terminate
the Employee's employment in breach of this Agreement or pursuant to
Section 7(b), then:
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(i) The Company shall pay the Employee his minimum base annual
salary due him through the date of termination.
(ii) In lieu of any further salary and bonus payments or other
payments due to the Employee for periods subsequent to the date
of termination, the Company shall pay, as severance to the
Employee, an amount equal to the product of (A) the Employee's
minimum base annual salary in effect as of the date of
termination plus the Base Year Bonus, multiplied by (B) the
number of years (including partial years) remaining in the Term
or the number 3 (three), whichever is greater.
(iii) All options granted to the Employee which had not vested as of
the date of termination hereunder shall vest immediately; and
(iv) The Company shall maintain in full force and effect, for the
continued benefit of the Employee for the number of years
(including partial years) remaining in the Term, all employee
benefit plans and programs in which the Employee was entitled
to participate immediately prior to the date of termination,
provided that the Employee's continued participation is
possible under the general terms and provisions of such plans
and programs. In the event that the Employee's participation in
any such plan or program is prohibited, the Company shall, at
its expense, arrange to provide the Employee with benefits
substantially similar to those which the Employee would
otherwise have been entitled to receive under such plans and
programs from which his continued participation is prohibited.
(c) For purposes of this Section 8 and Section 7 hereof, the Employee
shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided
for in Sections 7 and 8 by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor
shall any compensation or other payments received by the Employee
after the date of termination reduce any payments due under such
Sections.
9. Indemnification for Taxes. The Company shall indemnify Employee for
any and all taxes, penalties, additions to tax and interest on tax deficiencies
of any kind (collectively, "Taxes") with respect to any and all payments and
benefits provided by this Agreement or other agreements with Employee which are
subject (if at all) to the excise tax (Excess Tax") pursuant to Section 4999 of
the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. This indemnification shall extend
to any and all Taxes with respect to any and all reimbursements hereunder such
that, on a net-after-tax basis, Employee is in the same position that Employee
would have been in if no payments made by Company to Employee had been subject
to the Excise Tax (and, therefore, no indemnification payments hereunder had
been necessary).
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10. Non-Delegation of Employee's Rights. The obligations, rights and
benefits of the Employee hereunder are personal and may not be delegated,
assigned or transferred in any manner whatsoever, nor are such obligations,
rights or benefits subject to involuntary alienation, assignment or transfer.
11. Confidential Information. The Employee acknowledges that in his
capacity as an employee of the Company he will occupy a position of trust and
confidence and he further acknowledges that he will have access to and learn
substantial information about the Company and its operations that is
confidential or not generally known in the industry including, without
limitation, information that relates to purchasing, sales, customers, marketing,
and the Company's financial position and financing arrangements. The Employee
agrees that all such information is proprietary or confidential, or constitutes
trade secrets and is the sole property of the Company. The Employee will keep
confidential, and will not reproduce, copy or disclose to any other person or
firm, any such information or any documents or information relating to the
Company's methods, processes, customers, accounts, analyses, systems, charts,
programs, procedures, correspondence or records, or any other documents used or
owned by the Company, nor will the Employee advise, discuss with or in any way
assist any other person, firm or entity in obtaining or learning about any of
the items described in this Section 11. Accordingly, the Employee agrees that
during the Term and at all times thereafter he will not disclose, or permit or
encourage anyone else to disclose, any such information, nor will he utilize any
such information, either along or with others, outside the scope of his duties
and responsibilities with the Company.
12. Non-Competition During Employment Term. The Employee agrees that,
during the term and any extensions thereof, he will devote substantially all his
business time and effort, and give undivided loyalty, to the Company. He will
not engage in any way whatsoever, directly or indirectly, in any business that
is competitive with the Company or its affiliates, nor solicit, or in any other
manner work for or assist any business which is competitive with the Company or
its affiliates. In addition, during the Term and any extensions thereof, the
Employee will undertake no planning for or organization of any business activity
competitive with the work he performs as an employee of the Company, and the
Employee will not combine or conspire with any other employee of the Company or
any other person for the purpose of organizing any such competitive business
activity.
13. Non-Competition After Employment Term. The parties acknowledge that as
an executive officer of the Company the Employee will acquire substantial
knowledge and information concerning the business of the Company as a result of
his employment. The parties further acknowledge that the scope of business in
which the Company is engaged as of the Effective Date is national and very
competitive and one in which few companies can successfully compete. Competition
by an executive officer such as the Employee in that business after this
Agreement is terminated would severely injure the Company. Accordingly, for a
period of one year after this Agreement is terminated or the Employee leaves the
employment of the Company for any reason whatsoever, except as otherwise stated
herein below, the Employee agrees (i) not to become an employee,
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consultant, advisor, principal, partner or substantial shareholder of any firm
or business that in any way competes with the Company in any of its
presently-existing or then-existing products and markets; and (ii) not to
solicit any person or business that was at the time of such termination and
remains a customer or prospective customer, or an employee of the Company.
Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions to the contrary, the Employee
shall not be subject to the restrictions set forth in this Section 13 under the
following circumstances:
(a) If the Employee's employment with the Company is terminated by the
Company without cause;
(b) If the Employee's employment with the Company is terminated as a
result of the Company's unwillingness to extend the Term of this
Agreement; or,
(c) If the Employee leaves the employment of the Company for Good Reason
pursuant to Section 8, above.
14. Return of Company Documents. Upon termination of this Agreement,
Employee shall return immediately to the Company all records and documents of or
pertaining to the Company and shall not make or retain any copy or extract of
any such record or document.
15. Other Employment and Location. Anything to the contrary hereinabove
notwithstanding, Company acknowledges that Employee also serves and will in the
future serve as a Director and/or Chairman of the Board of certain other
companies and will direct a reasonable portion of his time to fulfilling his
duties in such capacities. In particular, Employee is a director of American
National Title Insurance Company, in which both the Company and Employee are
shareholders but which is one of the Company's competitors. Company acknowledges
that Employee serving as a Director and/or Chairman of the Board of other
companies shall not constitute a violation of this Agreement or any provision
hereof including but not limited to Sections 11, 12 and 13, so long as Employee
dedicates a reasonable amount of his time to his duties hereunder. The Employee
shall not be required to move from Santa Xxxxxxx Count, California, to perform
his duties hereunder during the Term without his written consent.
16. Improvements and Inventions. Any and all improvements or inventions,
which the Employee may make or participate in during the period of his
employment, shall be the sole and exclusive property of the Company. The
Employee will, whenever requested by the Company, execute and deliver any and
all documents which the Company shall deem appropriate in order to apply for and
obtain patents for improvements or inventions or in order to assign and convey
to the Company the sole and exclusive right, title and interest in and to such
improvements, inventions, patents or applications.
17. Actions. The parties agree and acknowledge that the rights conveyed by
this Agreement are of a unique and special nature and that the Company will not
have an
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adequate remedy at law in the event of a failure by the Employee to abide by its
terms and conditions nor will money damages adequately compensate for such
injury. It is, therefore, agreed between the parties that, in the event of a
breach by the Employee of any of his obligations contained in this Agreement,
the Company shall have the right, among other rights, to damages sustained
thereby and to obtain an injunction or decree of specific performance from any
court of competent jurisdiction to restrain or compel the Employee to perform as
agreed herein. The Employee agrees that this Section 17 shall survive the
termination of his employment and he shall be bound by its terms at all times
subsequent to the termination of his employment for so long a period as Company
continues to conduct the same business or businesses as conducted during the
Term or any extensions thereof. Nothing herein contained shall in any way limit
or exclude any other right granted by law or equity to the Company.
18. Amendment. This Agreement contains, and its terms constitute, the
entire agreement of the parties, and it may be amended only by a written
document signed by both parties to this Agreement.
19. Governing Law. California law shall govern the construction and
enforcement of this Agreement and the parties agree that any litigation
pertaining to this Agreement shall be adjudicated in courts located in
California. This Agreement supercedes and replaces any prior agreements or
understandings between the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.
20. Attorneys' Fees. If any party finds it necessary to employ legal
counsel or to bring an action at law or other proceedings against the other
party to enforce any of the terms hereof, the party prevailing in any such
action or other proceeding shall be paid by the other party its reasonable
attorneys' fees as well as court costs, all as determined by the court and not a
jury.
21. Severability. If any section, subsection or provision hereof is found
for any reason whatsoever, to be invalid or inoperative, that section,
subsection or provision shall be deemed severable and shall not affect the force
and validity of any other provision of this Agreement. If any covenant herein is
determined by a court to be overly broad thereby making the covenant
unenforceable, the parties agree and it is their desire that such court shall
substitute a reasonable judicially enforceable limitation in place of the
offensive part of the covenant and that as so modified the covenant shall be as
fully enforceable as if set forth herein by the parties themselves in the
modified form. The covenants of the Employee in this Agreement shall each be
construed as an agreement independent of any other provision in this Agreement,
and the existence of any claim or cause of action of the Employee against the
Company, whether predicated on this Agreement or otherwise, shall not constitute
a defense to the enforcement by the Company of the covenants in this Agreement.
22. Notices. Any notice, request, or instruction to be given hereunder
shall be in writing and shall be deemed given when personally delivered or three
(3) days after
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being sent by United States Certified Mail, postage prepaid, with Return Receipt
Requested, to the parties at their respective addresses set forth below:
To the Company: Fidelity National Financial, Inc.
0000 Xxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attention: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Executive Vice President
To the Employee: Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, XX
0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxx 00000
23. Waiver of Breach. The Waiver by any party of any provisions of this
Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any prior or
subsequent breach by the other party.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties have executed this Agreement to be effective
as of the date first set forth above.
FIDELITY NATIONAL FINANCIAL, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
-----------------------------
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
Its: Executive Vice President
XXXXXXX X. XXXXX, XX
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx, XX
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