EXHIBIT 10.1
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DAYTON SUPERIOR CORPORATION
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Indemnification Agreement ("Agreement") is effective as of __________,
200_ by and between DAYTON SUPERIOR CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and [INSERT NAME OF DIRECTOR] ("Indemnitee").
WHEREAS, the Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly
qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve the Company and its direct
and indirect subsidiaries, if any;
WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to continue to provide services to
the Company and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, if any, the Company wishes
to provide for the indemnification of, and the advancement of expenses to,
Indemnitee to the maximum extent permitted by law;
WHEREAS, the stockholders of the Company have adopted Amended and Restated
Bylaws (the "Bylaws") providing for the indemnification of the Company's
officers and directors to the maximum extent authorized by law;
WHEREAS, the Bylaws and Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation
Law, by their non-exclusive nature, permit contracts between the Company and the
members of its Board of Directors, its officers and its employees;
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee recognize the continued difficulty in
obtaining liability insurance for the Company's directors, officers, employees,
agents and fiduciaries, the significant increases in the cost of such insurance
and the general reductions in the coverage of such insurance;
WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial
increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting directors, officers,
employees, agents and fiduciaries to expensive litigation risks at the same time
as the availability and coverage of liability insurance has been severely
limited; and
WHEREAS, in view of the considerations set forth above, the Company desires
that Indemnitee shall be indemnified and advanced expenses by the Company as set
forth herein;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and Indemnitee hereby agree as set forth below.
1. Certain Definitions.
(a) "Board of Directors" shall mean the Board of Directors of the
Company.
(b) "Change in Control" shall mean:
(1) the acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning
of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (a "Person")) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of 15% or
more of either (i) the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company
(the "Outstanding Company Common Stock") or (ii) the combined voting power of
the then outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote generally
in the election of directors (the "Outstanding Company Voting Securities");
provided, however, that for purposes of this part (1), the following
acquisitions shall not constitute a Change in Control: (i) any acquisition
directly from the Company or any acquisition from other stockholders where (A)
such acquisition was approved in advance by the Board of Directors of the
Company, and (B) such acquisition would not constitute a Change in Control under
part (3) of this definition, (ii) any acquisition by the Company, (iii) any
acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or
maintained by the Company or any corporation controlled by the Company, or (iv)
any acquisition by any corporation pursuant to a transaction which complies with
clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of part (3) of this definition; or
(2) individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board of
Directors (the "Incumbent Board") cease for any reason to constitute at least a
majority of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that any individual
becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose election, or nomination
for election by the stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority
of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as
though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for
this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a
result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election
or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies of
consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board of Directors; or
(3) consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale or
other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (a
"Business Combination"), in each case, unless, immediately following such
Business Combination, (i) all or substantially all of the individuals and
entities who were the beneficial owners, respectively, of the Outstanding
Company Common Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities immediately prior
to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than
50% of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common stock and the
combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation
resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a
corporation 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) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership,
immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company Common
Stock and Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the case may be, (ii) no
Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination or
any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or such corporation
resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or
indirectly, 15% or more of, respectively, the then outstanding shares of common
stock of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination or the
combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of such
corporation except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the
Business Combination, and (iii) at least a majority of the members of the Board
of Directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were
members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial
agreement, or of the action of the Board of Directors, providing for such
Business Combination; or
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(4) approval by the stockholders of a complete liquidation or dissolution
of the Company.
(c) "Claim" shall mean with respect to a Covered Event: any threatened,
pending or completed action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution
mechanism, or any hearing, inquiry or investigation that Indemnitee in good
faith believes might lead to the institution of any such action, suit,
proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, whether civil, criminal,
administrative, investigative or other.
(d) References to the "Company" shall include, in addition to Dayton
Superior Corporation, any constituent corporation (including any constituent of
a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which Dayton Superior
Corporation (or any of its wholly-owned subsidiaries) is a party which, if its
separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to
indemnify its directors, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries, so that if
Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of such
constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent
corporation as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust or other
enterprise, Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the provisions of
this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation as
Indemnitee would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its
separate existence had continued.
(e) "Covered Event" shall mean any event or occurrence related to the fact
that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of
the Company, or any subsidiary of the Company, or is or was serving at the
request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, or
by reason of any action or inaction on the part of Indemnitee while serving in
such capacity.
(f) "Disinterested Director" shall mean a director of the Company who is
not and was not a party to the matter in respect of which indemnification is
sought by the Indemnitee.
(g) "Expenses" shall mean any and all expenses (including attorneys' fees
and all other costs, expenses and obligations incurred in connection with
investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on
appeal), or preparing to defend, to be a witness in or to participate in, any
action, suit, proceeding, alternative dispute resolution mechanism, hearing,
inquiry or investigation), judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in
settlement (if such settlement is approved in advance by the Company, which
approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), actually and reasonably incurred,
of any Claim and any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on the
Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under
this Agreement.
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(h) "Expense Advance" shall mean a payment to Indemnitee pursuant to
Section 3 of Expenses in advance of the settlement of or final judgment in any
action, suit, proceeding or alternative dispute resolution mechanism, hearing,
inquiry or investigation which constitutes a Claim.
(i) "Independent Legal Counsel" shall mean a law firm, a member of a law
firm, or an independent practitioner, that is experienced in matters of
corporation law and shall include any person who, under the applicable standards
of professional conduct then prevailing, would not have a conflict of interest
in representing either the Company or the Indemnitee in an action to determine
the Indemnitee's rights under this agreement.
(j) References to "other enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans;
references to "fines" shall include any excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with
respect to an employee benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request
of the Company" shall include any service as a director, officer, employee,
agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services
by, such director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an
employee benefit plan, its participants or its beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee
acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the
interest of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan,
Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner "not opposed to the best
interests of the Company" as referred to in this Agreement.
(k) "Reviewing Party" shall mean, subject to the provisions of Section
2(d), any person or body appointed by the Board of Directors in accordance with
applicable law to review the Company's obligations hereunder and under
applicable law, which may include a member or members of the Board of Directors,
Independent Legal Counsel or any other person or body not a party to the
particular Claim for which Indemnitee is seeking indemnification.
(l) "Section" refers to a section of this Agreement unless otherwise
indicated.
(m) "Voting Securities" shall mean any securities of the Company that vote
generally in the election of directors.
2. Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification of Expenses. Subject to the provisions of Section
2(b) below, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee for Expenses to the fullest
extent permitted by law if Indemnitee was or is or becomes a party to or witness
or other participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or witness or
other participant in, any Claim (whether by reason of or arising in part out of
a Covered Event), including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or
payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses.
(b) Review of Indemnification Obligations. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in the event any Reviewing Party shall have determined (in a written
opinion, in any case in which Independent Legal Counsel is the Reviewing Party)
that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified hereunder under applicable
law, (i) the Company shall have no further obligation under Section 2(a) to make
any payments to Indemnitee not made prior to such determination by such
Reviewing Party, and (ii) the Company shall be entitled to be reimbursed by
Indemnitee (who hereby agrees to reimburse the Company) for all Expenses
theretofore paid in indemnifying Indemnitee; provided, however, that if
Indemnitee has commenced or thereafter commences legal proceedings in a court of
competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee is entitled to
be indemnified hereunder under applicable law, any determination made by any
Reviewing Party that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified hereunder
under applicable law shall not be binding and Indemnitee shall not be required
to reimburse the Company for any Expenses theretofore paid in indemnifying
Indemnitee until a final judicial determination is made with respect thereto (as
to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed).
Indemnitee's obligation to reimburse the Company for any Expenses shall be
unsecured and no interest shall be charged thereon.
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(c) Indemnitee Rights on Unfavorable Determination, Binding Effect. If
any Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee substantively is not entitled to
be indemnified hereunder in whole or in part under applicable law, Indemnitee
shall have the right to commence litigation seeking an initial determination by
the court or challenging any such determination by such Reviewing Party or any
aspect thereof, including the legal or factual bases therefor, and, subject to
the provisions of Section 16, the Company hereby consents to service of process
and to appear in any such proceeding. Absent such litigation, any determination
by any Reviewing Party shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and
Indemnitee.
(d) Selection of Reviewing Party; Change in Control. If requested by
Indemnitee, any Reviewing Party with respect to all matters thereafter arising
concerning the rights of Indemnitee to indemnification of Expenses under this
Agreement or any other agreement or under the Company's Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation (the "Certificate of Incorporation") or Bylaws as
now or hereafter in effect, or under any other applicable law shall be
Independent Legal Counsel. If no request is made by Indemnitee for a
determination by Independent Legal Counsel, any Reviewing Party shall be
selected by (i) the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting
of Disinterested Directors, or (ii) if a quorum of the Board of Directors
consisting of Disinterested Directors is not obtainable or, even if obtainable,
such quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs, by Independent Legal Counsel
in written opinion to the Board of Directors, a copy of which shall be delivered
to the Indemnitee, or (iii) if a quorum of Disinterested Directors so directs,
by the stockholders of the corporation. In the event the Reviewing Party shall
be Independent Legal Counsel at the request of the Indemnitee, the Independent
Legal Counsel shall be selected by the Board of Directors unless there shall
have occurred within two years prior to the date of the commencement of the
action, suit or proceeding for which indemnification is claimed a Change in
Control, in which case the Independent Legal Counsel shall be selected by the
Indemnitee and approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld) unless the claimant shall request that such selection be made by the
Board of Directors. Such counsel, among other things, shall render its written
opinion to the Company and Indemnitee as to whether and to what extent
Indemnitee would be entitled to be indemnified hereunder under applicable law
and the Company agrees to abide by such opinion. The Company agrees to pay the
reasonable fees of the Independent Legal Counsel referred to above and to
indemnify fully such counsel against any and all expenses (including attorneys'
fees), claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this
Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. Notwithstanding any other provision
of this Agreement, the Company shall not be required to pay Expenses of more
than one Independent Legal Counsel in connection with all matters concerning a
single Indemnitee, and such Independent Legal Counsel shall be the Independent
Legal Counsel for any or all other Indemnitees unless (i) the Company otherwise
determines or (ii) any Indemnitee shall provide a written statement setting
forth in detail a reasonable objection to such Independent Legal Counsel
representing other Indemnitees.
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(e) Mandatory Payment of Expenses. Notwithstanding any other provision
of this Agreement other than Section 10 hereof, to the extent that Indemnitee
has been successful on the merits or otherwise, including, without limitation,
the dismissal of an action without prejudice, in defense of any Claim,
Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee in
connection therewith.
3. Expense Advances.
(a) Obligation to Make Expense Advances. Upon receipt of a written
undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnitee to repay such amounts if it shall
ultimately be determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified
therefor by the Company, the Company shall make Expense Advances to Indemnitee.
(b) Form of Undertaking. Any written undertaking by the Indemnitee to
repay any Expense Advances hereunder shall be unsecured and no interest shall be
charged thereon.
(c) Determination of Reasonable Expense Advances. The parties agree that
for the purposes of any Expense Advance for which Indemnitee has made written
demand to the Company in accordance with this Agreement, all Expenses included
in such Expense Advance that are certified by affidavit of Indemnitee's counsel
as being reasonable shall be presumed conclusively to be reasonable.
4. Procedures for Indemnification and Expense Advances.
(a) Timing of Payment. All payments of Expenses (including, without
limitation, Expense Advances) by the Company to the Indemnitee pursuant to this
Agreement shall be made to the fullest extent permitted by law as soon as
practicable after written demand by Indemnitee therefor is presented to the
Company, but in no event later than forty-five (45) business days after such
written demand by Indemnitee is presented to the Company, except in the case of
Expense Advances, which shall be made no later than twenty (20) business days
after such written demand by Indemnitee is presented to the Company.
(b) Notice/Cooperation by Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall, as a condition
precedent to Indemnitee's right to be indemnified or Indemnitee's right to
receive Expense Advances under this Agreement, give the Company notice in
writing as soon as practicable of any Claim made against Indemnitee for which
indemnification will or could be sought under this Agreement. Notice to the
Company shall be directed to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company at the
address shown on the signature page of this Agreement (or such other address as
the Company shall designate in writing to Indemnitee). In addition, Indemnitee
shall give the Company such information and cooperation as it may reasonably
require and as shall be within Indemnitee's power.
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(c) No Presumptions, Burden of Proof. For purposes of this Agreement,
the termination of any Claim by judgment, order, settlement (whether with or
without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere, or its
equivalent, shall not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet any
particular standard of conduct or have any particular belief or that a court has
determined that indemnification is not permitted by this Agreement or applicable
law. In addition, neither the failure of any Reviewing Party to have made a
determination as to whether Indemnitee has met any particular standard of
conduct or had any particular belief, nor an actual determination by any
Reviewing Party that Indemnitee has not met such standard of conduct or did not
have such belief, prior to the commencement of legal proceedings by Indemnitee
to secure a judicial determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under
this Agreement or applicable law, shall be a defense to Indemnitee's claim or
create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met any particular standard of
conduct or did not have any particular belief in connection with any
determination by any Reviewing Party or otherwise as to whether the Indemnitee
is entitled to be indemnified hereunder, the burden of proof shall be on the
Company to establish that Indemnitee is not so entitled.
(d) Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt by the Company of
a notice of a Claim pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof, the Company has liability
insurance in effect which may cover such Claim, the Company shall give prompt
notice of the commencement of such Claim to the insurers in accordance with the
procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter
take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf
of the Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Claim in accordance
with the terms of such policies.
(e) Selection of Counsel. In the event the Company shall be obligated
hereunder to provide indemnification for or make any Expense Advances with
respect to the Expenses of any Claim, the Company, if appropriate, shall be
entitled to assume the defense of such Claim with counsel approved by Indemnitee
(which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld) upon the delivery to
Indemnitee of written notice of the Company's election to do so. After delivery
of such notice, approval of such counsel by Indemnitee and the retention of such
counsel by the Company, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this
Agreement for any fees or expenses of separate counsel subsequently employed by
or on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to the same Claim; provided that, (i)
Indemnitee shall have the right to employ Indemnitee's separate counsel in any
such Claim at Indemnitee's expense and (ii) if (A) the employment of separate
counsel by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company, (B)
Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that there may be a conflict of
interest between the Company and Indemnitee in the conduct of any such defense,
or (C) the Company shall not continue to retain such counsel to defend such
Claim, then the fees and expenses of Indemnitee's separate counsel shall be
Expenses for which Indemnitee may receive indemnification or Expense Advances
hereunder.
(f) Settlement by Company. The Company shall be permitted to settle any
action except that it shall not settle any action or claim in any manner which
would impose any penalty or limitation on Indemnitee without Indemnitee's
written consent. Neither the Company nor Indemnitee will unreasonably withhold
its consent to any proposed settlement.
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5. Additional Indemnification Rights, Nonexclusivity.
(a) Scope. The Company hereby agrees to indemnify the Indemnitee to the
fullest extent permitted by law, notwithstanding that such indemnification is
not specifically authorized by the other provisions of this Agreement, the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation, the Company's Bylaws or by statute. In
the event of any change after the date of this Agreement in any applicable law,
statute or rule which expands the right of a Delaware corporation to indemnify a
member of its board of directors or an officer, employee, agent or fiduciary, it
is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this
Agreement the greater benefits afforded by such change. In the event of any
change in any applicable law, statute or rule which narrows the right of a
Delaware corporation to indemnify a member of its board of directors or an
officer, employee, agent or fiduciary, such change, to the extent not otherwise
required by such law, statute or rule to be applied to this Agreement, shall
have no effect on this Agreement or the parties' rights and obligations
hereunder except as set forth in Section 10(a) hereof.
(b) Nonexclusivity. The indemnification and the payment of Expense
Advances provided by this Agreement shall be in addition to any rights to which
Indemnitee may be entitled under the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, its
Bylaws, any other agreement, any vote of stockholders or Disinterested
Directors, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, or otherwise.
The indemnification and the payment of Expense Advances provided under this
Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action taken or not taken
while serving in an indemnified capacity even though subsequent thereto
Indemnitee may have ceased to serve in such capacity.
6. No Duplication of Payments The Company shall not be liable under this
Agreement to make any payment in connection with any Claim made against
Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment
(under any insurance policy, provision of the Company's Certificate of
Incorporation, Bylaws or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise payable hereunder.
7. Partial Indemnification. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision
of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of
Expenses incurred in connection with any Claim, but not, however, for all of the
total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for
the portion of such Expenses to which Indemnitee is entitled.
8. Mutual Acknowledgment. Both the Company and Indemnitee acknowledge that
in certain instances, federal law or applicable public policy may prohibit the
Company from indemnifying its directors, officers, employees, agents or
fiduciaries under this Agreement or otherwise. Indemnitee understands and
acknowledges that the Company has undertaken or may be required in the future to
undertake with the Securities and Exchange Commission to submit the question of
indemnification to a court in certain circumstances for a determination of the
Company's right under public policy to indemnify Indemnitee.
9. Liability Insurance. To the extent the Company maintains liability
insurance applicable to directors, officers, employees, agents or fiduciaries,
Indemnitee shall be covered by such policies in such a manner as to provide
Indemnitee the same rights and benefits as are provided to the most favorably
insured of the Company's directors, if Indemnitee is a director; or of the
Company's officers, if Indemnitee is not a director of the Company but is an
officer; or of the Company's key employees, agents or fiduciaries, if Indemnitee
is not an officer or director but is a key employee, agent or fiduciary.
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10. Exceptions. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement:
(a) Excluded Action or Omissions. To indemnify Indemnitee for Expenses
resulting from acts, omissions or transactions for which Indemnitee is
prohibited from receiving indemnification under this Agreement or applicable
law; provided, however, that notwithstanding any limitation set forth in this
Section 10(a) regarding the Company's obligation to provide indemnification,
Indemnitee shall be entitled under Section 3 to receive Expense Advances
hereunder with respect to any such Claim unless and until a court having
jurisdiction over the Claim shall have made a final judicial determination (as
to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed) that
Indemnitee has engaged in acts, omissions or transactions for which Indemnitee
is prohibited from receiving indemnification under this Agreement or applicable
law.
(b) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or make Expense
Advances to Indemnitee with respect to Claims initiated or brought voluntarily
by Indemnitee and not by way of defense, counterclaim or crossclaim, except (i)
with respect to actions or proceedings brought to establish or enforce a right
to indemnification under this Agreement or any other agreement or insurance
policy or under the Company's Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws now or
hereafter in effect relating to Claims for Covered Events or (ii) in specific
cases if the Board of Directors has approved the initiation or bringing of such
Claim.
(c) Lack of Good Faith. To indemnify Indemnitee for any Expenses
incurred by the Indemnitee with respect to any action instituted (i) by
Indemnitee to enforce or interpret this Agreement, if a court having
jurisdiction over such action determines as provided in Section 14 that each of
the material assertions made by the Indemnitee as a basis for such action was
not made in good faith, or (ii) by or in the name of the Company to enforce or
interpret this Agreement, if a court having jurisdiction over such action
determines as provided in Section 14 that each of the material defenses asserted
by Indemnitee in such action was made in bad faith or was frivolous.
(d) Claims Under Section 16(b). To indemnify Indemnitee for expenses and
the payment of profits arising from the purchase and sale by Indemnitee of
securities in violation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act, or any similar
successor statute.
(e) Illegal Remuneration. To indemnify Indemnitee in respect to
remuneration paid to Indemnitee if it shall be determined by final judgment or
final adjudication that such remuneration was in violation of law.
(f) Unauthorized Settlement. To indemnify Indemnitee for any amounts
paid in settlement of any action or claim without Company's written consent.
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11. Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Agreement is
unavailable by reason of a court decision described in Section 8 hereof based on
grounds other than any of those set forth in paragraphs (a) through (f) of
Section 10 hereof, then in respect of any Claim in which the Company is jointly
liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Claim), the Company, in
lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall contribute to the Expenses incurred by
Indemnitee in connection with any Claim relating to an indemnifiable event under
this Agreement, in such proportion as is deemed fair and reasonable in light of
all of the circumstances of such Claim in order to reflect (i) the relative
benefits received by the Company on the one hand and Indemnitee on the other
hand as a result of the events(s) and/or transaction(s) giving cause to such
Claim, and (ii) the relative fault of the Company (and its directors, officers,
employees and agents) on the one hand and Indemnitee on the other hand in
connection with such event(s) and/or transaction(s). The relative fault of the
Company on the one hand and of Indemnitee on the other shall be determined by
reference to, among other things, the parties' relative intent, knowledge,
access to information, and opportunity to correct or prevent the circumstances
resulting in such Expenses. The Company agrees that it would not be just and
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 11 were determined by pro
rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of
the foregoing equitable considerations.
12. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
13. Binding Effect, Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding
upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and
their respective successors, assigns (including any direct or indirect successor
by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of
the business or assets of the Company), spouses, heirs and personal and legal
representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether
direct or indirect, and whether by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise)
to all, substantially all, or a substantial part, of the business or assets of
the Company, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory
to Indemnitee, expressly 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 such succession had taken place. This Agreement shall continue in effect
regardless of whether Indemnitee continues to serve as a director, officer,
employee, agent or fiduciary (as applicable) of the Company or of any other
enterprise at the Company's request.
14. Expenses Incurred in Action Relating to Enforcement or Interpretation.
In the event that any action is instituted by Indemnitee under this Agreement or
under any liability insurance policies maintained by the Company to enforce or
interpret any of the terms hereof or thereof, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be
indemnified for all Expenses incurred by Indemnitee with respect to such action
(including, without limitation, attorneys' fees), regardless of whether
Indemnitee is ultimately successful in such action, unless as a part of such
action a court having jurisdiction over such action makes a final judicial
determination (as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or
lapsed) that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee as a basis for
such action was not made in good faith or was frivolous; provided, however, that
until such final judicial determination is made, Indemnitee shall be entitled
under Section 3 to receive payment of Expense Advances hereunder with respect to
such action. In the event of an action instituted by or in the name of the
Company under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms of this
Agreement, Indemnitee shall be entitled to be indemnified for all Expenses
incurred by Indemnitee in defense of such action (including, without limitation,
costs and expenses incurred with respect to Indemnitee's counterclaims and
cross-claims made in such action), unless as a part of such action a court
having jurisdiction over such action makes a final judicial determination (as to
which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed) that each of
the material defenses asserted by Indemnitee in such action was made in bad
faith or was frivolous; provided, however, that until such final judicial
determination is made, Indemnitee shall be entitled under Section 3 to receive
payment of Expense Advances hereunder with respect to such action.
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15. Notice. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under
this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed duly given (i) if
delivered by hand and signed for by the party addressed, on the date of such
delivery, or (ii) if mailed by domestic certified or registered mail with
postage prepaid, on the third business day after the date postmarked. Addresses
for notice to either party are as shown on the signature page of this Agreement,
or as subsequently modified by written notice.
16. Consent to Jurisdiction. The Company and Indemnitee each hereby
irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Delaware
for all purposes in connection with any action or proceeding which arises out of
or relates to this Agreement and agree that any action instituted under this
Agreement shall be commenced, prosecuted and continued only in the Court of
Chancery of the State of Delaware in and for New Castle County, which shall be
the exclusive and only proper forum for adjudicating such a claim.
17. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in
the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any provision within a
single section, paragraph or sentence) are held by a court of competent
jurisdiction to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, and the remaining
provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.
Furthermore, to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Agreement
(including, without limitation, each portion of this Agreement containing any
provision held to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, that is not
itself invalid, void or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to give effect
to the intent manifested by the provision held invalid, illegal or
unenforceable.
18. Choice of Law. This Agreement, and all rights, remedies, liabilities,
powers and duties of the parties to this Agreement, shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware without regard to
principles of conflicts of laws.
19. Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement the Company
shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of
recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all documents required and shall do
all acts that may be necessary to secure such rights and to enable the Company
effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
20. Amendment and Termination. No amendment, modification, termination or
cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless it is in writing signed
by both the parties hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement
shall be deemed to be or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions
hereof (whether or not similar), nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing
waiver.
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21. Integration and Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire
understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes and merges all previous
written and oral negotiations, commitments, understandings and agreements
relating to the subject matter hereof between the parties hereto.
22. No Construction as Employment Agreement. Nothing contained in this
Agreement shall be construed as giving Indemnitee any right to be retained in
the employ of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliated entities.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Indemnification
Agreement as of the date first above written.
"Company"
DAYTON SUPERIOR CORPORATION
By____________________________________
Name:
Title:
Address: 0000 Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxx 000
Xxxxxx, Xxxx 00000
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED
"Indemnitee"
______________________________________
[INSERT NAME OF DIRECTOR]
Address:______________________________
______________________________
