EXECUTIVE AGREEMENT
Exhibit
10.85
THIS AGREEMENT is made as of this 1st
day of February, 2008, among NATIONAL PENN BANCSHARES, INC., a Pennsylvania
business corporation having its principal place of business in Boyertown,
Pennsylvania ("NPB"), NATIONAL PENN BANK, a national banking association having
its principal place of business in Boyertown, Pennsylvania ("Bank"), and Xxxx
Xxxxxx, an individual residing at 0000 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxx, Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxxxxxxxxx
("Executive").
W I T N E S S E T H :
WHEREAS, Executive is employed by NPB
and Bank as Group Executive Vice President with responsibility for Bank’s
Operations & Technology; and
WHEREAS, the Boards of Directors of NPB
and Bank deem it advisable to provide Executive with certain additional benefits
in the event of certain changes in control of NPB or Bank so that Executive will
continue to attend to the business of NPB and Bank without distraction in the
face of the potentially disturbing circumstances arising therefrom.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the
mutual covenants and promises set forth herein, and each intending to be legally
bound, NPB, Bank and Executive agree as follows:
1. Definitions. The
following terms have the meanings specified below:
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a.
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"Affiliate"
means any corporation which is included within a "controlled group of
corporations" including NPB, as determined under Code Section
1563.
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b.
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"Base
Salary" means the Executive's annual base salary, established either by
contract or by the Employer, prior to any reduction of such salary
pursuant to any contribution to a tax-qualified plan under Section 401(k)
of the Code.
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c.
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"Cause"
means the occurrence of either of the following, the result of which is
the termination of Executive’s
Employment:
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i.
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Executive's
conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere to, a felony or a
crime of falsehood or involving moral turpitude;
or
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ii.
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the
willful failure by Executive to substantially perform his duties to
Employer, other than a failure resulting from Executive's incapacity as a
result of the Executive's disability, which willful failure results in
demonstrable material injury and damage to
Employer.
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1
Notwithstanding the foregoing,
Executive's Employment shall not be deemed to have been terminated for Cause if
such termination took place as a result of:
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x.
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questionable
judgment on the part of Executive;
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y.
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any
act or omission believed by Executive in good faith, to have been in or
not opposed to the best interests of the Employer;
or
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z.
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any
act or omission in respect of which a determination could properly be made
that Executive met the applicable standard of conduct prescribed for
indemnification or reimbursement or payment of expenses under the By-laws
of NPB or the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or the directors
and officers' liability insurance of NPB or any Employer, in each case as
in effect at the time of such act or
omission.
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d.
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"Change
in Control" means:
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i.
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An
acquisition by any "person" or "group" (as those terms are defined or used
in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) of "beneficial ownership" (within
the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of NPB
representing 24.99% or more of the combined voting power of NPB's
securities then outstanding;
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ii.
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A
merger, consolidation or other reorganization of Bank, except where the
resulting entity is controlled, directly or indirectly, by
NPB;
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iii.
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A
merger, consolidation or other reorganization of NPB, except where
shareholders of NPB immediately prior to consummation of any such
transaction continue to hold at least a majority of the voting power of
the outstanding voting securities of the legal entity resulting from or
existing after any transaction and a majority
of the members of the Board of Directors of the legal entity resulting
from or existing after any such transaction are former members of NPB's
Board of Directors;
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iv.
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A
sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition of substantially all of the
assets of the Employer to another entity, except to an entity controlled,
directly or indirectly, by NPB;
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2
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v.
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A
sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition of substantially all of the
assets of NPB to another entity, or a corporate division involving NPB;
or
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vi.
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A
contested proxy solicitation of the shareholders of NPB that results in
the contesting party obtaining the ability to cast 25% or more of the
votes entitled to be cast in an election of directors of
NPB.
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e.
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"Code"
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and as the same may
be amended from time to time.
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f.
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"Employer"
means Bank, NPB or any Affiliate which employs Executive at any particular
time.
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g.
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"Employment"
means Executive's employment by Bank, NPB or any Affiliate at any
particular time.
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h.
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"Exchange
Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
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2.
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Resignation of
Executive. If a Change in Control shall occur and if
within one hundred eighty (180) days after the effective date of a Change
in Control (or thirty (30) days after the completion of the conversion of
the computer systems if such conversion is later than one hundred eighty
(180) days after the effective date of a Change in Control, in either
event, the “Transition Period”) there shall
be:
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a.
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Any
involuntary termination of Executive's employment (other than for
Cause);
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b.
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Any
reduction in Executive's title, responsibilities or authority, including
such title, responsibilities or authority as such may be increased from
time to time;
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c.
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Any
reduction in Executive's Base Salary in effect immediately prior to a
Change in Control, or any failure to provide Executive with benefits at
least as favorable as those enjoyed by Executive under any of the pension,
life insurance, medical, health and accident, disability or other employee
plans of NPB or an Affiliate in which Executive participated immediately
prior to a Change in Control, or the taking of any action that would
materially reduce any of such compensation or benefits in effect at the
time of the Change in Control, unless such reduction relates to a
reduction applicable to all employees
generally;
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d.
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Any
reassignment of Executive beyond a thirty (30) mile commute by automobile
from Boyertown, Pennsylvania; or
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3
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e.
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Any
requirement that Executive travel in performance of his duties on behalf
of NPB or an Affiliate for a greater period of time during any year than
was required of Executive during the year preceding the year in which the
Change in Control occurred (each of the foregoing, a “Triggering
Event”);
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then, at
the option of Executive, exercisable by Executive within one hundred eighty
(180) days of the occurrence of any Triggering Event within the Transition
Period, Executive may resign from Employment (or, if involuntarily terminated,
give notice of intention to collect benefits hereunder) by delivering a notice
in writing to NPB, in which case Executive shall be
entitled to a lump sum cash severance payment equal to 200% of Executive's
Base Salary in effect immediately prior to a Change in Control, which Employer
shall pay to Executive within fifteen (15) days of Executive's termination of
employment.
Executive
shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment provided for in the
preceding paragraph by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the
amount of any payment or benefit provided for in the preceding paragraph be
reduced by any compensation earned by Executive as the result of employment by
another employer or by reason of Executive's receipt of or right to receive any
retirement or other benefits after the date of termination of employment or
otherwise, except as otherwise provided therein.
3.
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Out-Placement
Services. If a Change in Control occurs and Executive
exercises the option to resign from Employment (or is involuntarily
terminated) as described in Section 2, Employer shall provide Executive
with the services of a professional out-placement firm, if Executive so
requests, for the period not to exceed one year from the date of
Executive’s resignation (or termination), at Employer’s sole cost and
expense, up to a maximum amount of Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars
($7,500).
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4.
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No Implied Rights;
Rights on Termination of
Employment.
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a.
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No Right to Continued
Employment. Nothing in this Agreement shall confer upon
Executive any right with respect to continuance of Employment by Employer,
nor shall it interfere with or limit in any way the right of Employer to
terminate Executive’s Employment at any
time.
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b.
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Voluntary Termination
of Employment. If Executive terminates Executive’s
Employment with Employer at any time prior to a Change in Control, this
Agreement shall terminate at that time and Employer shall have no further
liability hereunder.
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c.
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Termination--Cause. If
Employer terminates Executive's Employment at any time for Cause, this
Agreement shall terminate at that time and Employer shall have no further
liability hereunder.
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d.
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Termination—Without
Cause. Employer may terminate Executive’s Employment at
any time without Cause. If Employer terminates Executive's
employment at any time without Cause prior to a Change in Control, and if
no event has been publicly announced that with the passing of time would
constitute a Change in Control, this Agreement shall terminate at that
time and Employer shall have no further liability hereunder. If
Employer terminates Executive’s Employment at any time prior to a Change
in Control but subsequent to the occurrence of an event that has been
publicly announced that with the passing of time would constitute a Change
in Control, the provisions of Sections 2 and 3 of this Agreement shall
apply to same extent as if Executive’s Employment had been involuntarily
terminated subsequent to a Change in
Control.
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5.
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Arbitration. Any
dispute or controversy arising out of or relating to this Agreement and
any controversy as to a termination for Cause shall be settled exclusively
by arbitration, conducted before a panel of three arbitrators, in Reading,
Pennsylvania, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration
Association then in effect. Judgment may be entered on the
arbitrators' award in any court having
jurisdiction.
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6.
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Exclusive
Benefit. Executive shall have no right to commute, sell,
assign, transfer or otherwise convey the right to receive any payments
hereunder, which payment and the right thereto are expressly declared to
be non-assignable and non-transferrable. In the event of any
attempted assignment or transfer, this Agreement shall terminate at that
time and Employer shall have no further liability
hereunder.
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7.
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Notices. Any
notice required or permitted to be given under this Agreement shall be
properly given if in writing and if mailed by registered or certified
mail, postage prepaid with return receipt requested, to Executive's
residence in the case of any notice to Executive, or to the attention of
the President at the principal office of Bank, in the case of any notice
to the Employer.
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8.
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Entire
Agreement. This Agreement contains the entire agreement
relating to the subject matter hereof and may not be modified, amended or
changed orally but only by an agreement in writing, consented to in
writing by NPB, and signed by the party against whom enforcement of any
modification, amendment or change is
sought.
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9.
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Benefits.
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a.
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This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of NPB and Bank
and their respective successors and assigns. Each of NPB and
Bank shall require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase,
merger, consolidation, or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the
business and/or assets of NPB or Bank to expressly assume and agree to
perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that NPB
or Bank would be required to perform it if no such succession had taken
place. Failure to obtain such assumption and agreement prior to
the effectiveness of any such succession shall constitute a breach of this
Agreement and the provisions of Sections 2 and 3 of this Agreement shall
apply. As used in this Agreement, "NPB" or "Bank" shall mean
NPB or Bank as defined previously and any successor to the business and/or
assets of NPB or Bank as aforesaid which assumes and agrees to perform
this Agreement by operation of law or
otherwise.
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b.
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This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be
enforceable by Executive's personal or legal representatives, executors,
administrators, heirs, distributees, devisees and
legatees.
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10.
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Applicable
Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the domestic internal law (but not the law of conflicts
of law) of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
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11.
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Headings. The
headings of the sections and subsections hereof are for convenience only
and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction or limit the
scope or intent of any of the sections or subsections of this
Agreement.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, NPB and Bank have
each duly caused this Agreement to be executed on its behalf by its duly
authorized officers, and Executive has hereunto set his hand and seal, as of the
day and year first above written.
NATIONAL
PENN BANCSHARES, INC.
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NATIONAL
PENN BANK
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By:
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/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
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By:
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/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Name:
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Xxxxx
X. Xxxxx
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Name:
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Xxxxx
X. Xxxxx
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Title:
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President
& CEO
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Title:
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Chairman
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Attest:
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/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Attest:
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/s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxx
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Name:
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Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
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Name:
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Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
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Title:
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GEVP
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Title:
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GEVP
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Witness:
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/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
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/s/ Xxxx Xxxxxx
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Xxxx
Xxxxxx
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