EXHIBIT 10.03
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is entered into effective the 1st day of January, 1999, between
West TeleServices Corporation, a Delaware corporation ("Employer"), and XXXXXX
X. XXXXXX ("Employee").
RECITALS
A. WHEREAS, Employer and Employee have agreed to certain terms and conditions
of employment between the parties; and
B. WHEREAS, the parties desire to enter into this Agreement to memorialize
the terms and conditions of the employment relationship and any prior and
existing employment agreement(s) between the parties.
NOW THEREFORE, the parties agree as follows;
1. Employment. Employer agrees to employ Employee in her capacity as CHIEF
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OPERATING OFFICER of Employer. Employer may also direct Employee to perform
such duties for other entities which now are, or in the future may be,
affiliated with Employer (the "Affiliates"), subject to the limitation that
Employee's total time commitment shall be consistent with that normally expected
of similarly situated executive level employees. Employee shall serve Employer
and the Affiliates faithfully, diligently and to the best of her ability.
Employee agrees during the term of this Agreement to devote her best efforts,
attention, energy and skill to the performance of her employment and/or
consulting duties and to furthering the interest of Employer and the Affiliates.
2. Term of Employment. Employee's employment under this Agreement shall
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commence effective the 1st day of January, 1999, and shall continue for a period
of two years unless terminated or renewed under the provisions of Paragraph 6
below.
(a) Unless terminated pursuant to paragraph 6(a), the term of employment shall
be extended by one year at the end of each successive year so that at the
beginning of each successive year the term of this Agreement will be two
years.
3. Compensation. Employer shall pay Employee as set forth in Exhibit A
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attached hereto and incorporated herein as is fully set forth in this paragraph.
Employee may receive additional discretionary bonuses as determined by the Board
of Directors of Employer in its sole discretion provided nothing contained
herein shall be construed as a commitment by the corporation to declare or pay
any such bonuses.
4. Benefits. In addition to the compensation provided for in Paragraph 3
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above, Employer will provide Employee with employment benefits commensurate to
those received by other executive level employees of Employer during the term of
this Agreement.
5. Other Activities. Employee shall devote substantially all of her
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working time and efforts during the Company's normal business hours to the
business and affairs of the Company and to the duties and responsibilities
assigned to her pursuant to this Agreement. Employee may devote a reasonable
amount of her time to civic, community or charitable activities. Employee in
all events shall be free to invest her assets in such manner as will not require
any substantial services by Employee in the conduct of the businesses or affairs
of the entities or in the management of the assets in which such investments are
made.
6. Term and Termination. The termination of this Agreement shall be
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governed by the following:
(a) The term of this Agreement shall be for the period set out in
paragraph 2 unless earlier terminated in one of the following ways:
(1) Death. This Agreement shall immediately terminate upon the
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death of Employee.
(2) For Cause. The Employer, upon written notice to Employee, may
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terminate the employment of Employee at any time for "cause."
For purposes of this paragraph, "cause" shall be deemed to exist
if, and only if, the CEO of Employer, in good faith, determine
that Employee has engaged, during the performance of her duties
hereunder, in significant objective acts or omissions
constituting dishonesty, willful misconduct or gross negligence
relating to the business of Employer.
(3) Without Cause. The Employer, upon written notice to Employee,
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may terminate the employment of Employee at any time without
cause.
(4) Resignation. Employee, upon written notice to Employer, may
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resign from the employment of Employer at any time.
(b) Accrued Compensation on Termination. In the event of termination of
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the Agreement, Employee shall be entitled to receive:
(1) salary earned prior to and including the date of termination;
(2) any bonus earned as of the end of the month immediately
preceding the date of termination; and
(3) all benefits, if any, which have vested as of the date of
termination.
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7. Consulting.
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(a) In the event of termination of employment pursuant to paragraph
6(a)(3) or 6(a)(4) above, Employer and Employee agree that Employee
shall, for a minimum period of twenty-four (24) months from the date
of termination serve as a consultant to Employer.
(b) In the event of termination pursuant to paragraph 6(a)(2), Employer
and Employee agree that Employer may, at its sole option, elect to
retain the services of Employee as a consultant for a period of
twenty-four (24) months from the date of termination and that Employee
will serve as a consultant to Employer if Employer so elects.
c) During any period of consulting, Employee shall be acting as an
independent contractor. As part of the consulting services, Employee
agrees to provide certain services to Employer, including, but not
limited to, the following:
(1) oral and written information with reference to continuing
programs and new programs which were developed or under
development under the supervision of Employee;
(2) meeting with officers and managers of Employer to discuss and
review programs and to make recommendations;
(3) analysis, opinion and information regarding the effectiveness and
public acceptance of their programs.
d) During the consulting period, Employee shall continue to receive, as
compensation for her consulting, the annualized salary set forth in
Exhibit A. No bonus of any kind will be paid during any period of
consulting.
e) Employee hereby agrees that during any period of consulting, he will
devote her full attention, energy and skill to the performance of her
duties and to furthering the interest of Employer and the affiliates,
which shall include, and Employee acknowledges a fiduciary duty and
obligation to Employer. Employee acknowledges that this prohibition
includes, but is not necessarily limited to, a preclusion from any
other employment or consulting by Employee during the consulting
period except pursuant to paragraph 7(f) hereafter.
f) During the term of this Agreement, including any period of consulting,
Employee shall not, singly, jointly, or as a member, employer or agent
of any partnership, or as an officer, agent, employee, director,
stockholder or investor of any other corporation or entity, or in any
other capacity, engage in any business endeavors of any kind or nature
whatsoever, other than those of Employer or its Affiliates without the
express written consent of Employer, provided, however, that Employee
may own stock in a publicly traded corporation. Employee agrees that
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Employer may in its sole discretion give or withhold its consent and
understands that Employer's consent will not be unreasonably withheld
if the following conditions are met:
(1) Employee's intended employment will not interfere in Employer's
opinion with Employee's duties and obligations as a consultant,
including the fiduciary duty assumed hereunder; and
(2) Employee's intended employment or activity would not, in the
opinion of Employer, place Employee in a situation where
confidential information of Employer or its Affiliates known to
Employee may benefit Employee's new employer; and
(3) Employee's new employment will not, in Employer's opinion,
result, directly or indirectly, in competition with Employer or
its Affiliates, then or in the future.
g) Notwithstanding any provisions in this Agreement to the contrary, the
provisions of paragraph 7 shall survive the termination of this
Agreement.
h) Employer shall reimburse Employee for all reasonable expenses incurred
by Employee in furtherance of her consulting duties pursuant to this
Agreement provided the expenses are pre-approved by Employer.
i) Benefits During Consulting Period. Employee and her dependents shall
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be entitled to continue their participation in all benefit plans in
effect on the date of Employee's termination from employment during
the period of consulting, under the same terms and conditions and at
the same net cost to Employee as when employed by Employer unless
Employee accepts new employment during the consulting term in
accordance with paragraph 7 above, in which event all benefits will
cease, at Employer's option, when the new employment is accepted by
Employee.
8. Confidential Information. In the course of Employee's employment,
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Employee will be provided with certain information, technical data and know-how
regarding the business of Employer and its Affiliates and their products, all of
which is confidential (hereinafter referred to as "Confidential Information").
Employee agrees to receive, hold and treat all confidential information received
from Employer and its Affiliates as confidential and secret and agrees to
protect the secrecy of said Confidential Information. Employee agrees that the
Confidential Information will be disclosed only to those persons who are
required to have such knowledge in connection with their work for Employer and
that such Confidential Information will not be disclosed to others without the
prior written consent of the Employer. The provisions hereof shall not be
applicable to: (a) information which at the time of disclosure to Employee is a
matter of public knowledge; or (b) information which, after disclosure to
Employee, becomes public knowledge other than through a breach of this
Agreement. Unless the Confidential
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Information shall be of the type herein before set forth, Employee shall not use
such Confidential Information for her own benefit or for a third party's or
parties' benefit at any time. Upon termination of employment, Employee will
return all books, records and other materials provided to or acquired by
Employee during the course of employment which relate in any way to Employer or
its business. The obligations imposed upon Employee by this paragraph shall
survive the expiration or termination of this Agreement.
9. Covenant Not to Compete. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
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Agreement to the contrary, Employee covenants and agrees that for the period of
two (2) years following termination of her employment with Employer for any
reason she will not:
a) directly or indirectly, for herself, or as agent of, or on behalf of,
or in connection with, any person, firm, association or corporation,
engage in any business competing directly for the customers,
prospective customers or accounts of the Employer or any of its
Affiliates with whom Employee had contact or about whom Employee
learned during the course of her employment with Employer and during
the one (1) year immediately preceding the end of her employment.
b) induce or attempt to induce any person employed by Employer or any of
its Affiliates, in any capacity, at the time of the termination of
Employee's service with Employer, to leave her employment, agency
directorship or office with Employer or the Affiliate.
c) induce or attempt to induce any customer of Employer or any of its
Affiliates to terminate or change in any way its business relationship
with Employer or the Affiliate.
Employee agrees the knowledge and information gained by her in the
performance of her duties would be valuable to those who are now, or might
become, competitors of the Employer or its Affiliates and that the business of
Employer and its Affiliates by its nature, covers at least the entire United
States of America and Canada. In the event these covenants not to compete are
held, in any respect, to be an unreasonable restriction upon the Employee, the
Court so holding may reduce the territory, or time, to which it pertains or
otherwise reasonably modify the covenant to the extent necessary to render this
covenant enforceable by said Court for the reasonable protection of Employer and
its Affiliates. The obligations imposed upon Employee by this paragraph are
severable from, and shall survive the expiration or termination of, this
Agreement.
10. Developments.
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a) Employee will make full and prompt disclosure to Employer of all
inventions, improvements, discoveries, methods, developments, software
and works of authorship, whether patentable or not, which are created,
made, conceived, reduced to practice by Employee or under her
direction or jointly with others during her employment by Employer,
whether or not during normal working
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hours or on the premises of Employer which relate to the business of
Employer as conducted from time to time (all of which are collectively
referred to in this Agreement as "Developments").
b) Employee agrees to assign, and does hereby assign, to Employer (or any
person or entity designated by Employer) all of her right, title and
interest in and to all Developments and all related patents, patent
applications, copyrights and copyright applications.
c) Employee agrees to cooperate fully with Employer, both during and
after her employment with Employer, with respect to the procurement,
maintenance and enforcement of copyrights and patents (both in the
United States and foreign countries) relating to Developments.
Employee shall sign all papers, including, without limitation,
copyright applications, patent applications, declarations, oaths,
formal assignments, assignment or priority rights, and powers of
attorney, which Employer may deem necessary or desirable in order to
protect its rights and interest in any Developments.
11. Injunction and Other Relief. Both parties hereto recognize that the
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services to be rendered under this Agreement by Employee are special, unique and
of extraordinary character, and that in the event of the breach of Employee of
the terms and conditions of this Agreement to be performed by her, or in the
event Employee performs services for any person, firm or corporation engaged in
the competing line of business with Employer as provided in Paragraph 9, or if
Employee shall breach the provisions of this Agreement with respect to
Confidential Information or consulting services, then Employer shall be
entitled, if it so elects, in addition to all other remedies available to it
under this Agreement or at law or in equity to affirmative injunctive relief.
12. Severability. In the event that any of the provisions of this
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Agreement shall be held invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent
jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the remainder
of this Agreement and same shall be construed as if such invalid or
unenforceable provisions had never been a part hereof. In the event any court
would invalidate or fail to enforce any provision of Paragraph 7 and or
Paragraph 9 of this Agreement, Employee shall return any sums paid to Employee
by Employer pursuant to the consulting provision in paragraph 7 hereof.
13. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the
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State of Nebraska.
14. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement
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between the parties respecting the employment of Employee by Employer and
supersedes all prior understandings, arrangements and agreements, whether oral
or written, including without limitation, any existing employment agreement, and
may not be amended except by a writing signed by the parties hereto.
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15. Notice. Notices to Employer under this Agreement shall be in writing
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and sent by registered mail, return receipt requested, at the following address:
President and CEO
West TeleServices Corporation
00000 Xxxxxxx Xxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx, XX 00000
16. Miscellaneous. Employee acknowledges that:
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a) She has consulted with or had an opportunity to consult with an
attorney of Employee's choosing regarding this Agreement.
b) She will receive substantial and adequate consideration for her
obligations under this Agreement.
c) She believes the obligations, terms and conditions hereof are
reasonable and necessary for the protectable interests of Employer and
are enforceable.
d) This Agreement contains restrictions on her post-employment
activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Employer has, by its appropriate officers, executed
this Agreement and Employee has executed this Agreement as of the day and year
first above written.
WEST TELESERVICES CORPORATION,
Employer
By: /S/ Xxx Xxxxxx
_____________________________________________
Its: President and Chief Executive Officer
_____________________________________________
/S/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxx
_________________________________________________
____________________________, Employee
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To: Xxxxxx Xxxxxx
From: Xxx Xxxxxx
Date: September 1, 1998
Subject: WTSC - C.O.O. Compensation Plan
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Your Compensation Plan through December 31, 1999 while you are employed as Chief
Operating Officer of West TeleServices Corporation is outlined below.
1. Your annual base salary will be $250,000.00 while you are employed as Chief
Operating Officer of West TeleServices Corporation. Should you elect to
voluntarily terminate your employment, you will be compensated for your
services through the date of your actual termination, per your Employment
Agreement.
2. You will be paid at the annual rate of $350,000.00 through December 31, 1999.
This represents your base salary plus an annualized incentive of $100,000.00
as you learn the operations of the other two West divisions. You will also
be eligible for a quarterly bonus of $50,000.00 for third and fourth quarter
of 1999 if WTSC meets or exceeds the consensus street estimate for those
quarters. This bonus will be paid after consolidated financial statements
are prepared for the quarter, but in any event will be paid no later than
thirty days after the end of the quarter.
3. At the discretion of Management, you may receive an additional bonus based on
the Companies and your individual performance.
4. Your Compensation Plan for the year 2000 will be presented no later than
December 1, 1999.
/S/ N Xxxxxx 9/17/98
