David Dineen Employment Agreement
Exhibit 10.14
Xxxxx Xxxxxx Employment Agreement
This Employment Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of July 11, 2016 effective July 11, 2016 by and among Xxxxx Xxxxxx (the “Executive”) on the one side, and Bankwell Financial Group, Inc., a Connecticut bank holding company (the “Company”) and its wholly-owned bank subsidiary, Bankwell Bank (the "Bank"). Unless a distinction is appropriate, the term "Company" in this Agreement shall include the Bank.
WHEREAS, the Executive currently is not employed by the Company;
WHEREAS Company desires to employ the Executive on the terms and conditions set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, the Executive desires to be employed by the Company on such terms and conditions.
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(a) (i) with the prior written consent of the Company’s Chairman of the Compensation Committee act or serve as a director, trustee, committee member or principal of any type of business, civic or charitable organization, (ii) deliver lectures or fulfill speaking engagements, and (iii) manage personal investments; and
(b) with the prior written consent of the Company’s Chairman of the Compensation Committee purchase or own less than two percent (2%) of the securities or ownership interests of any corporation, partnership or limited liability company; provided that, such ownership represents a passive investment and that the Executive is not a controlling person of, or a member of a group that controls, such corporation, partnership or limited liability company; provided further that, the activities described in clauses (a) and (b) do not materially interfere with the performance of the Executive's duties and responsibilities to the Company as provided hereunder.
Attached as Schedule A to the Agreement is a list of pre-approved outside engagements of the Executive.
3. Place of Performance. The principal place of the Executive’s employment shall be the Company’s executive office currently located in New Canaan, Connecticut; provided that, the Executive will be required to travel on Company business during the Employment Term as his responsibilities require.
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4.3 Equity Awards. During the Employment Term, the Executive shall be eligible to participate in equity awards under the 2012 Bankwell Financial Group, Inc. Stock Plan or any successor plan (“Equity Awards”) as available to other similarly situated executives of the Company, with customized targets and incentives as determined by the Company. In addition, an initial equity award will be made of 7,500 shares of restricted stock vesting ratably over the first 4 anniversary dates of your hire (1,875 shares per year). This restricted stock and any future grants will be granted pursuant to a separate Restricted Stock Agreement.
In accordance with HIPAA, all information obtained in connection with the above-referenced insurance will be regarded as confidential and subject to applicable privacy laws.
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5.1 Expiration of the Term, for Cause or Without Good Reason.
(a) The Executive’s employment hereunder may be terminated upon the expiration of the Employment Term without renewal by the Company in accordance with Section 1, or during the Employment Term by the Company for Cause or by the Executive without Good Reason. If the Executive’s employment is so terminated, the Executive shall be entitled to receive:
(i) any accrued but unpaid Base Salary and accrued but unused vacation pay which shall be paid on the pay date immediately following the Termination Date (as defined in Section 5.6 below) in accordance with the Company’s customary payroll procedures;
(ii) any earned but unpaid Annual Incentive with respect to any completed calendar year immediately preceding the Termination Date, which shall be paid on the otherwise applicable payment date, except to the extent payment is otherwise deferred pursuant to any applicable deferred compensation arrangement;
(iii) reimbursement for unreimbursed business expenses properly incurred by the Executive, which shall be subject to and paid in accordance with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy; and
(iv) such employee benefits (including equity compensation), if any, as to which the Executive may be entitled under the Company’s employee benefit plans or Equity Awards as of the Termination Date; provided that, in no event shall the Executive be entitled to any payments in the nature of severance or termination payments except as specifically provided herein.
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Items 5.1(a)(i) through 5.1(a)(iv) are referred to herein collectively as the “Accrued Amounts”.
(b For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” shall mean:
(i) the Executive’s conviction of any crime involving fraud, embezzlement, theft or dishonesty, moral turpitude or any similar issue that in the reasonable opinion of the Board of Directors of the Company would materially and negatively impact the reputation of the Company, the Bank or any of their affiliates or the Executive’s ability to perform his duties hereunder;
(ii) serious willful misconduct by the Executive, including a material violation of the Company’s Code of Conduct or the Executive’s material personal dishonesty in connection with the business or customers of the Company or the material breach of fiduciary duty to the Company, the Bank or their customers for personal profit;
(iii) any material breach by the Executive of this Agreement;
(iv) any willful failure by the Executive to follow a reasonable and lawful directive of the Company as described in Sections 2.1 and 2.2 above, other than any failure resulting from the Executive’s incapacity due to physical or mental injury or illness;
(v) any willful failure to keep Confidential Information of the Company, Bank or their affiliates confidential in violation of the terms of this Agreement;
(vi) the Executive’s arrest for any crime involving fraud, embezzlement, theft or dishonesty that in the reasonable opinion of a majority of the full membership of the Board of Directors of the Company excluding the Executive which, as direct result of such arrest, has caused a material negative impact on the reputation of the Company or the Bank or prevents the Executive’s from substantially performing his duties hereunder; or
(vii) if the regulatory authorities of the Company or the Bank issue an order removing the Executive from his positions at the Company or the Bank, or if such regulatory authorities inform the Board of Directors that the continuation of the Executive in his officer positions at the Company or the Bank would constitute an unsafe and unsound banking practice.
For purposes of this Agreement, no act or failure to act on the part of the Executive shall be considered “willful” unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the Executive’s action or omission was in the best interests of the Company and the Bank. Any act or failure to act based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company or either of the Bank or based upon the written advice of counsel for the Company or the Bank shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in good faith and in the best interests of the Company and the Bank. The Executive’s termination of employment shall not be deemed to be for Cause unless and until there shall have been delivered to the Executive a copy of a resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of the majority of the Board of Directors of the Company called and held for such purpose (after reasonable notice is provided to the Executive and the Executive is given an opportunity, together with counsel, to be heard before the Board of Directors) finding that, in the good faith opinion of the Board of Directors, the Executive is guilty of any of the conduct described above, and specifying the particulars thereof in detail. To the extent that the Board of Directors wishes to terminate the Executive for Cause and the action or actions giving rise to Cause may be cured by the Executive, the Board of Directors will provide the Executive a thirty (30) day period within which he may cure such action or actions.
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In the event that the Executive is terminated for Cause based on Section 5.1(b)(i) or (vii) above and, after the case is fully adjudicated (including all appeals), the Executive is subsequently found innocent of these charges on the merits of the case by any court of competent jurisdiction or the appropriate administrative agency, then the Executive will be entitled to receive at that time the amounts payable due to a termination without Cause. Such amounts will be paid no later than the end of the calendar year in which the Executive is fully adjudicated to be innocent of the charges.
(c) For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following, in each case during the Employment Term without the Executive’s written consent:
(i) a reduction in the Executive's Base Salary;
(ii) a material reduction in the Executive's target annual incentive opportunity under any annual incentive compensation or incentive plan or program;
(iii) any breach by the Company of any material provision of this Agreement;
(iv) the Company's failure to obtain an agreement from any successor to the Company to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no succession had taken place, except where such assumption occurs by operation of law;
(v) a material, adverse change in the Executive's title, authority, duties or responsibilities (other than with consent as provided for in Section 2.2 above and/or temporarily while the Executive is physically or mentally incapacitated or as required by applicable law); or
(vi) relocation of Executive’s principal place of business more than 50 miles from the Company’s executive office currently located in New Canaan, Connecticut, without Executive’s agreement.
The Executive cannot terminate his employment for Good Reason unless he has provided written notice to the Company of the existence of the circumstances providing grounds for termination for Good Reason within thirty (30) days of Executive’s knowledge of the initial existence of such grounds and the Company has had thirty (30) days from the date on which such notice is provided to cure such circumstances. If the Company remedies the condition within such thirty (30) day cure period, then no Good Reason shall be deemed to exist with respect to such condition. If the Company does not remedy the condition within such thirty (30) day cure period, then the Executive may deliver a notice of termination for Good Reason at any time within sixty (60) days following the expiration of such cure period. If the Executive does not terminate his employment for Good Reason within sixty (60) days following the expiration of the cure period, then the Executive will be deemed to have waived his right to terminate for Good Reason with respect to such grounds.
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(a) A lump sum payment equal to the greater of (i) the amount of Base Salary that would otherwise be due through the end of the Term of Employment; and (ii) a minimum payment of 0.5 times Base Salary. The lump sum payment shall be paid within thirty (30) business days following the expiration of the Release Execution Period;
(b) A payment equal to the product of (i) the target annual Incentive that the Executive could have earned under any incentive compensation or incentive plan or program (the “Target Incentive”) for the full calendar year in which the Date of Termination occurs and (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days the Executive was employed by the Company during the year of termination and the denominator of which is the number of days in such year. This amount shall be paid no later than March 15th of the year following the year in which the Termination Date occurs;
(c) If the Executive timely and properly elects continuation coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1985 ("COBRA"), the Company shall reimburse the Executive for the difference between the monthly COBRA premium paid by the Executive for himself and his dependents and the monthly premium amount paid by similarly situated active executives. Such reimbursement shall be paid to the Executive on or before the fifteenth (15th) day of the month immediately following the month in which the Executive timely remits the premium payment. The Executive shall be eligible to receive such reimbursement until the earliest of: (i) the expiration of the twelve (12) month period beginning on the Termination Date (the “Severance Period”); (ii) the date the Executive is no longer eligible to receive COBRA continuation coverage; and (iii) the date on which the Executive receives/becomes eligible to receive substantially similar coverage from another employer; and
(d) The treatment of any outstanding equity awards shall be determined in accordance with the terms of the relevant plan and the applicable award agreements, provided however with respect to the initial equity award set forth in Section 4.3, the Restricted Shares that would have vested on the vesting date immediately following termination for any reason other than Cause or Executive’s voluntary resignation shall automatically become vested upon such termination.
(a) The Executive’s employment hereunder shall terminate automatically upon the Executive’s death during the Employment Term, and the Company may terminate the Executive’s employment on account of the Executive’s Disability.
(b) If the Executive’s employment is terminated during the Employment Term on account of the Executive’s death or Disability, the Executive (or the Executive’s estate and/or beneficiaries, as the case may be) shall be entitled to receive the following:
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(i) the Accrued Amounts; and
(ii) the treatment of any outstanding equity awards shall be determined in accordance with the terms of applicable plan and the applicable award agreements.
(c) For purposes of this Agreement, Disability shall mean that the Executive is entitled to receive long-term disability benefits under the Company's long-term disability plan, or if there is no such plan, the Executive's inability, due to physical or mental incapacity, to substantially perform his duties and responsibilities under this Agreement for ninety (90) days out of any three hundred sixty-five (365) day period; provided however, in the event the Company temporarily replaces the Executive, or transfers the Executive's duties or responsibilities to another individual on account of the Executive's inability to perform such duties due to a mental or physical incapacity which is, or is reasonably expected to become, a Disability, then the Executive shall not be able to resign with Good Reason as a result thereof.
Any question as to the existence of the Executive's Disability as to which the Executive and the Company cannot agree shall be determined in writing by a qualified independent physician mutually acceptable to the Executive and the Company. If the Executive and the Company cannot agree as to a qualified independent physician, each shall appoint such a physician and those two physicians shall select a third who shall make such determination in writing. The determination of Disability made in writing to the Company and the Executive shall be final and conclusive for all purposes of this Agreement.
5.4 Change in Control Termination.
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision contained herein, if the Executive's employment hereunder is terminated by the Executive for Good Reason or by the Company without Cause (other than on account of the Executive's death or Disability), in each case either concurrently with or within twenty-four (24) months following a Change in Control, the Executive shall be entitled to receive the Accrued Amounts and, subject to the Executive's compliance with Section 6, Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement and his execution of a Release which becomes effective as provided therein, for which the Company assigns significant value in agreeing to this Section 5.4, the Executive shall be entitled to receive the following:
(i) a lump sum payment equal to two (2) times the sum of the Executive’s Base Salary and Target Incentive for the year in which the Termination Date occurs, which shall be paid within thirty (30) business days following the expiration of the Release Execution Period;
(ii) a payment equal to the product of (i) the Target Bonus for the full calendar year in which the Date of Termination occurs and (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days the Executive was employed by the Company during the year of termination and the denominator of which is the number of days in such year. This amount shall be paid no later than March 15th of the year following the year in which the Termination Date occurs;
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(iii) If the Executive timely and properly elects continuation coverage under COBRA, the Company shall reimburse the Executive for the difference between the monthly COBRA premium paid by the Executive for himself and his dependents and the monthly premium amount paid by similarly situated active executives. Such reimbursement shall be paid to the Executive on the fifteenth (15th) day of the month immediately following the month in which the Executive timely remits the premium payment. The Executive shall be eligible to receive such reimbursement until the earliest of: (A) the two year anniversary of the termination date; (B) the date the Executive is no longer eligible to receive COBRA continuation coverage; and (C) the date on which the Executive receives or becomes eligible to receive substantially similar coverage from another employers; and
(iv) The terms of any equity incentive plan or award agreements will determine to what extent, if any, such awards are accelerated for vesting and/or exercise periods, provided however with respect to the initial equity award set forth in Section 4.3, the Restricted Shares that would have vested on the vesting date immediately following such termination shall automatically become vested upon such termination.
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, “Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following:
(i) one person (or more than one person acting as a group) acquires ownership of stock of the Company that, together with the stock held by such person or group, constitutes more than fifty percent (50%) of the total fair market value or total voting power of the stock of the Company; provided that, a Change in Control shall not occur if any person (or more than one person acting as a group) owns more than fifty percent (50%) of the total fair market value or total voting power of the Company's stock and acquires additional stock; and
(ii) a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the surviving Company following the Change in Control were not Directors of the Company before the Change in Control.
For purposes of this Agreement, the terms "person" and "acting as a group" shall have the meanings specified in the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder. In no event, however, shall a Change in Control be deemed to have occurred as a result of any acquisition of securities or assets of the Company, the Bank, or a subsidiary of either of them, by the Company, the Bank, or any subsidiary of either of them, or by any employee benefit plan maintained by any of them. The defined circumstances herein are intended to be read to be consistent with the provisions of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations thereunder.
In no event shall the Executive be obligated to seek other employment or take any other action by way of mitigation of the amounts payable to the Executive under any of the provisions of this Agreement and except as provided with respect to COBRA reimbursements, any amounts payable pursuant to this Agreement shall not be reduced by compensation the Executive earns on account of employment with another employer.
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(a) The termination provision of this Agreement relied upon;
(b) To the extent applicable, the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Executive’s employment under the provision so indicated; and
(c) The applicable Termination Date.
5.6 Termination Date. The Executive’s Termination Date shall be:
(a) If the Executive’s employment hereunder terminates on account of the Executive’s death, the date of the Executive’s death;
(b) If the Executive’s employment hereunder is terminated on account of the Executive’s Disability, the date that it is determined that the Executive has a Disability;
(c) If the Company terminates the Executive’s employment hereunder for Cause, the date the Notice of Termination is delivered to the Executive;
(d) If the Company terminates the Executive’s employment hereunder without Cause, the date specified in the Notice of Termination, which shall be no less than thirty (30) days following the date on which the Notice of Termination is delivered; provided that, the Company shall have the option to provide the Executive with a lump sum payment equal to thirty (30) days’ Base Salary in lieu of such notice, which shall be paid in a lump sum on the Executive’s Termination Date and for all purposes of this Agreement, the Executive’s Termination Date shall be the date on which such Notice of Termination is delivered;
(e) If the Executive terminates his employment hereunder with or without Good Reason, the date specified in the Executive’s Notice of Termination, which shall be no less than thirty (30) days following the date on which the Notice of Termination is delivered; provided that, the Company may waive all or any part of the thirty (30) day notice period for no consideration by giving written notice to the Executive and for all purposes of this Agreement, the Executive’s Termination Date shall be the date determined by the Company; and
(f) If the Executive’s employment hereunder terminates because the Company provides notice of non-renewal pursuant to Section 1, the end of the Employment Term.
Notwithstanding anything contained herein, the Termination Date shall not occur until the date on which the Executive incurs a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A.
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(a) If any of the payments or benefits received or to be received by the Executive (including, without limitation, any payment or benefits received in connection with a Change in Control or the Executive’s termination of employment, whether pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any other plan, arrangement or agreement, or otherwise) (all such payments collectively referred to herein as the “280G Payments”) constitute “parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and will be subject to the excise tax imposed under Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), the Executive shall receive the greatest of the following, whichever gives the Executive the highest net after-tax amount (after taking into account federal, state, local and social security taxes):
(1) the 280G Payments or
(2) one dollar less than the amount of the Payments that would subject the Executive to the Excise Tax (the “Safe Harbor Amount”).
If a reduction in the 280G Payments is necessary so that the 280G Payments equal the Safe Harbor Amount and none of the 280G Payments constitute a deferral of compensation within the meaning of and subject to Section 409A (“Nonqualified Deferred Compensation”), then the reduction shall occur in the manner the Executive elects in writing prior to the date of payment. If any 280G Payments constitute Nonqualified Deferred Compensation or if the Executive fails to elect an order, then the 280G Payments to be reduced will be determined in a manner which has the least economic cost to the Executive and, to the extent the economic cost is equivalent, will be reduced in the inverse order of when payment would have been made to you, until the reduction is achieved.
(b) All calculations and determinations under this Section 5.9 shall be made by an independent accounting firm or independent tax counsel appointed by the Company (the “Tax Counsel”) whose determinations shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and the Executive for all purposes. For purposes of making the calculations and determinations required by this Section 5.9, the Tax Counsel may rely on reasonable, good faith assumptions and approximations concerning the application of Section 280G and Section 4999 of the Code. The Company and the Executive shall furnish the Tax Counsel with such information and documents as the Tax Counsel may reasonably request in order to make its determinations under this
Section 5.9. The Company shall bear all costs the Tax Counsel may reasonably incur in connection with its services.
(c) The Executive hereby agrees with the Company and any successor thereto to in good faith consider and take steps commonly used to minimize or eliminate any “parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code if requested to do so by the Company or any successor thereto; provided, however, that the foregoing language shall neither require the Executive to take or not take any specific action in furtherance thereof nor contravene, limit or remove any right or privilege provided to the Executive under this Agreement.
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7.1 Confidential Information Defined.
(a) Definition.
For purposes of this Agreement, “Confidential Information” includes, but is not limited to, all information not generally known to the public, in spoken, printed, electronic or any other form or medium, relating directly or indirectly to the Company, the Bank or their affiliates, or of any other person or entity that has entrusted information to the Company in confidence.
The Executive understands and agrees that Confidential Information includes information developed by him in the course of his employment by the Company as if the Company furnished the same Confidential Information to the Executive in the first instance. Confidential Information shall not include information that is generally available to and known by the public at the time of disclosure to the Executive or later; provided that, such disclosure is through no direct or indirect fault of the Executive or person(s) acting on the Executive’s behalf.
(b) Disclosure and Use Restrictions.
The Executive agrees and covenants: (i) to treat all Confidential Information as strictly confidential; (ii) not to directly or indirectly disclose, publish, communicate or make available Confidential Information, or allow it to be disclosed, published, communicated or made available, in whole or part, to any entity or person whatsoever except as required in the performance of the Executive's authorized employment duties to the Company; and (iii) not to access or use any Confidential Information, and not to copy any documents, records, files, media or other resources containing any Confidential Information, or remove any such documents, records, files, media or other resources from the premises or control of the Company, except as required in the performance of the Executive's authorized employment duties to the Company and the Bank. Nothing herein shall be construed to prevent disclosure of Confidential Information as may be required by applicable law or regulation, or pursuant to the valid order of a court of competent jurisdiction or an authorized government agency, provided that the disclosure does not exceed the extent of disclosure required by such law, regulation or order.
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The Executive understands and acknowledges that his obligations under this Agreement with regard to any particular Confidential Information shall commence immediately upon the Executive first having access to such Confidential Information (whether before or after he begins employment by the Company) and shall continue during and after his employment by the Company until such time as such Confidential Information has become public knowledge other than as a result of the Executive's breach of this Agreement or breach by those acting in concert with the Executive or on the Executive's behalf. Nothing herein shall prevent the Executive from disclosing Contract Information to his personal attorneys, accountants and other advisors, as necessary for the performance of their duties and on a confidential basis. Additionally nothing herein shall prohibit the Executive from retaining, at any time, his personal correspondence and documents related to his own personal benefits, entitlements and obligations.
The Executive further understands and acknowledges that the Company’s ability to reserve these services for the exclusive knowledge and use of the Company is of great competitive importance and commercial value to the Company, and that improper use or disclosure by the Executive is likely to result in unfair or unlawful competitive activity.
Non-competition. Because of the Company's legitimate business interest as described herein and the good and valuable consideration offered to the Executive, during the Employment Term and for the term of six (6) months, beginning on the last day of the Executive's employment with the Company, for any reason or no reason and whether employment is terminated at the option of the Executive or the Company, the Executive agrees and covenants not to engage in Prohibited Activity within Fairfield or New Haven Counties or any other county in which the Company, the Bank or any of their affiliates maintains as of the Termination Date a branch, loan production office, or mortgage production office and from which the Company does a significant portion of its business. For the purposes of this Agreement, “significant portion of its business” shall mean ten percent (10%) or more of the Company’s total interest income for the most recent full twelve month period preceding termination is attributable to the office(s) in such county (the “Restricted Area”). Without otherwise limiting the foregoing, the Restricted Area shall not include New York County (Manhattan), New York. Notwithstanding the foregoing and for the avoidance of doubt, nothing herein shall prevent Executive from engaging in any activity with, or holding any financial interest in, a non-competitive affiliate or division of an entity engaged in a business that may engage in a Prohibited Activity, provided, that none of Executive’s activities or financial interests in respect of such non-competitive affiliate or division would be a Prohibited Activity under this Agreement in respect of the entity engaged in a business that competes with Company.
For purposes of this Section 8.2:
(a) “Prohibited Activity” is activity in which the Executive, directly or indirectly, solely or jointly with any person or persons, as an employee, consultant, or advisor (whether or not engaged in business for profit), or as an individual proprietor, partner, shareholder, director, officer, joint venturer, investor or lender, or in any other capacity: (i) becomes affiliated with any bank or commercial lender headquartered or with branches in the counties in which the Company has branches at the time of employment termination; or (ii) becomes affiliated with a different Community Banking Institution in the Restricted Area;
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(b) “become affiliated” shall mean, without limitation, engaging, participating, or being involved in any respect in the business of banking (other than as a depositor, borrower or other customer), or furnishing any aid, assistance or service of any kind to any person in connection with the business of the Company, the Bank and any of their affiliates, and shall include without limitation being employed by any Community Banking Institution which has a branch or other place of business in the Restricted Area; and
(c) “Community Banking Institution” shall mean a bank with assets equal to or less than five billion dollars.
Nothing herein shall prohibit the Executive from purchasing or owning less than five percent (5%) of the securities or ownership interests of any corporation, partnership or limited liability company, provided that such ownership represents a passive investment and that the Executive is not a controlling person of, or a member of a group that controls, such corporation, partnership or limited liability company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 8.2 shall not apply in the event the Executive is employed by the Company for the entire Employment Term and the Company determines not to renew or extend this Agreement on substantially similar terms.
This Section 8 does not, in any way, restrict or impede the Executive from exercising protected rights to the extent that such rights cannot be waived by agreement or from complying with any applicable law or regulation or a valid order of a court of competent jurisdiction or an authorized government agency, provided that such compliance does not exceed that required by the law, regulation or order. The Executive shall promptly provide written notice of any such order to the Board of Directors.
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(a) solicit, employ, or otherwise materially interfere with any of the contracts or relationships of the Company, the Bank or any of their affiliates with any employee, officer, director or any independent contractor who is employed by or associated with the Company, the Bank or any of their affiliates as of the Termination Date; or
(b) actively solicit or cause to be solicited, or otherwise actively and materially interfere with, any of the contracts or relationships of the Company, the Bank or any of their affiliates with any independent contractor, customer, client or supplier of the Company, the Bank or any of their affiliates.
If a court or arbitration panel concludes that the time period of the restriction set forth in this Section 8 is not enforceable or that a specific geographical scope must be stated herein, then the parties agree that such court or arbitration panel may rewrite the time period of this restriction and/or prescribe a geographical restriction to the maximum enforceable time period and geographical area permitted by law.
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The Executive further acknowledges that the amount of his compensation reflects, in part, his obligations and the Company's rights under Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement; that he has no expectation of any additional compensation, royalties or other payment of any kind not otherwise referenced herein in connection herewith; and that he will not be subject to undue hardship by reason of his full compliance with the terms and conditions of Section 7 and Section 8 of this Agreement or the Company's enforcement thereof.
11. Arbitration. Any dispute whatsoever relating to the Executive’s employment by the Company, or any other dispute arising out of this Agreement which cannot be resolved by any party upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to the other party, shall be settled by binding arbitration at a mutually agreed location in Fairfield County, Connecticut in accordance with the then prevailing Employment Dispute Resolution Rules of the American Arbitration Association. The judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrators may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction. It is the purpose of this Agreement, and the intent of the parties hereto, to make the submission to arbitration of any dispute or controversy arising out of this Agreement, as set forth hereinabove, binding upon all parties hereto. This Section 11 shall not in any way restrict the right of the Company to obtain injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction.
All arbitration costs and all other costs, including but not limited to reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred by the Executive in an arbitration proceeding shall be paid by the Company in the event the Executive materially or substantively prevails in such arbitration proceeding. All arbitration costs and all other costs, including but not limited to reasonable attorneys’ fees, incurred by the Company in an arbitration proceeding shall be paid by the Executive in the event the Company materially or substantively prevails in such arbitration proceeding. As part of the judgment rendered by the arbitrators in an arbitration proceeding, the arbitrators shall determine which party (if any) has materially or substantively prevailed in such arbitration proceeding.
12. Governing Law: Jurisdiction and Venue. This Agreement, for all purposes, shall be construed in accordance with the laws of Connecticut without regard to conflicts of law principles. Any action or proceeding by either of the parties to enforce this Agreement that is not covered by the Arbitration provision of Section 11 above shall be brought only in a state or federal court located in the state of Connecticut, county of Fairfield. The parties hereby irrevocably submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of such courts and waive the defense of inconvenient forum to the maintenance of any such action or proceeding in such venue.
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The parties further agree that any such court is expressly authorized to modify any such unenforceable provision of this Agreement in lieu of severing such unenforceable provision from this Agreement in its entirety, whether by rewriting the offending provision, deleting any or all of the offending provision, adding additional language to this Agreement or by making such other modifications as it deems warranted to carry out the intent and agreement of the parties as embodied herein to the maximum extent permitted by law.
The parties expressly agree that this Agreement as so modified by the court shall be binding upon and enforceable against each of them. In any event, should one or more of the provisions of this Agreement be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions hereof, and if such provision or provisions are not modified as provided above, this Agreement shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions had not been set forth herein.
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Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any payment or benefit provided to the Executive in connection with his termination of employment is determined to constitute "nonqualified deferred compensation" within the meaning of Section 409A and the Executive is determined to be a "specified employee" as defined in Section 409A(a)(2)(b)(i), then such payment or benefit shall not be paid until the first payroll date to occur following the six-month anniversary of the Termination Date (the "Specified Employee Payment Date"), unless the payment otherwise satisfies the short-term deferral exemption or another exemption under Section 409A of the Code. The aggregate of any payments that would otherwise have been paid before the Specified Employee Payment Date shall be paid to the Executive in a lump sum on the Specified Employee Payment Date and thereafter, any remaining payments shall be paid without delay in accordance with their original schedule.
(a) In the event that the Executive is made a party or threatened to be made a party to any action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (a “Proceeding”), other than any Proceeding initiated by the Executive or the Company related to any contest or dispute between the Executive and the Company or any of its affiliates with respect to this Agreement or the Executive’s employment hereunder, by reason of the fact that the Executive is or was a director or officer of the Company, or any affiliate of the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, member, employee or agent of another corporation or a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, the Executive shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law from and against any liabilities, costs, claims and expenses, including all costs and expenses incurred in defense of any Proceeding (including attorneys’ fees).
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(b) During the Employment Term and for a period of six (6) years thereafter, the Company or any successor to the Company shall purchase and maintain, at its own expense, directors’ and officers’ liability insurance providing coverage to the Executive on terms that are no less favorable than the coverage provided to other directors and senior officers of the Company.
If to the Company:
Chairman
Compensation Committee
Bankwell Financial Group, Inc.
000 Xxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxxxx, XX 00000
If to the Executive:
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
00 Xxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
With a copy to:
Xxxxxx & Associates LLC
Xxxxxx Xxx, Esq.
0 Xxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx, XX 00000
25. Representations of the Executive. The Executive represents and warrants to the Company that:
25.1 The Executive’s acceptance of employment with the Company and the performance of his duties hereunder will not conflict with or result in a violation of, a breach of, or a default under any contract, agreement or understanding to which he is a party or is otherwise bound.
25.2 The Executive’s acceptance of employment with the Company and the performance of his duties hereunder will not violate any non-solicitation, non-competition or other similar covenant or agreement of a prior employer.
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[SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS]
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BANKWELL FINANCIAL GROUP, INC. | ||
By | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||
Title: Chairman of the Compensation Committee | ||
BANKWELL BANK | ||
By | /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx | |
Name: Xxxxx X. Xxxxxx | ||
Title: Chairman of the Compensation Committee |
EXECUTIVE
Signature: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx
Print Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx
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SCHEDULE A
The Executive’s involvement in the following outside activities is approved:
Boards
Darien Board of Education
Town of Darien Firefighters Foundation
[Lincoln Center Business Council - based on role at Bank - currently off this board - but good networking opportunity - would like to stay in touch for future ]
Memberships
Darien Volunteer Fire Department
The Tiny Miracles Foundation
Darien RTC - on and off
Darien RTM - off based on being elected to Board of Education
EXHIBIT A