CHANGE OF CONTROL SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
Exhibit 10.3
CHANGE OF CONTROL SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
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, THEREFORE, 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 Executive’s 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 case, 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 property of the 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 20% 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, and (D) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company by any Person pursuant to a Business Combination that complies with clauses (A), (B) 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) if 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 and 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 Benefit, deferred compensation, incentive compensation, group or other 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 as 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 a 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 case may be, which the Executive held immediately prior to a 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 the 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.
(l) “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 a level previously designated 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)).
(o) “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 will 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) The 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 be 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 fails 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 the 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 may 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 will disclose 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 the part of the Company or the Executive to have the 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 as 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 hereto or compliance with any condition or provision of this 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 WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first above written.
SOLOGIC, INC. | ||
By: |
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx III | |
Xxxx X. Xxxxx III | ||
By: |
/s/ Xxxx X. Xxxxx, III | |
[Executive] |
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 the 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, 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 the Executive to the Company.
(3) Reimbursement for relocation expenses on a basis consistent with the Company’s practices for senior executives, in an 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 her Termination Date.
FIRST MODIFICATION AGREEMENT OF Change of Control Severance Agreement dated December 21, 2005
THIS FIRST MODIFICATION AGREEMENT, dated as of July 10, 2007, by and between SUN ENERGY SOLAR, INC., a Delaware corporation formerly known as Sologic, Inc. (the “Company”), and XXXX X. XXXXX, III (“Executive”).
Recitals
A. |
The Company and Executive are parties to that certain Change of Control Severance Agreement dated December 21, 2005 (the “Agreement”). |
B. |
The Company and Executive desire to modify certain provisions of the Agreement relating to the assignment provisions to Executive, subject to and in accordance with the terms set forth in this First Modification Agreement. |
C. |
Amendment was approved unanimously by the Company’s board of Directors on July 10, 2007. |
Agreement
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of these premises, the mutual covenants and agreements of the parties hereunder, and for other good and valuable consideration the sufficiency and receipt of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:
1. Modification of Provision. Section 4(d) of the Agreement is hereby deleted in its entirety and said provision is replaced with the following:
At the option of Executive, in the event of a Change in Control, Executive shall be issued by the Company such number of common shares that would result in Executive having a majority of the issued shares of the Company’s outstanding common stock, provided the Company has sufficient outstanding shares of common stock.
2. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which may be executed by less than all of the parties to this Agreement, each of which shall be enforceable against the parties actually executing such counterparts, and all of which together shall constitute one instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date first above written.
COMPANY:
SUN ENERGY SOLAR, INC. |
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By: |
[SEAL] | |||
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx Secretary |
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EXECUTIVE: |
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[SEAL] | ||||
Xxxx X. Xxxxx III |