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Exhibit 10(vix)
INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
This Indemnity Agreement ("Agreement") is made as of November 8, 2002, by
and between Dupont Direct Financial Holdings, Inc., a Georgia corporation (the
"Company"), and Xxxxx Xxxxxxx ("Indemnitee"), a director and/or officer or key
executive, employee or consultant of the Company, or a person serving at the
request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
enterprise.
RECITALS
A. The Indemnitee is currently serving or has agreed to serve as a director
and/or officer of the Company and in such capacity has rendered and/or will
render valuable services to the Company.
B. The Company has investigated the availability and sufficiency of
liability insurance and applicable statutory indemnification provisions to
provide its directors and officers with adequate protection against various
legal risks and potential liabilities to which such individuals are subject due
to their positions with the Company and has concluded that such insurance may be
unavailable or too costly, and even if purchased it, and the statutory
provisions, may provide inadequate and unacceptable protection to certain
individuals requested to serve as its directors and/or officers.
C. It is essential to the Company that it attract and retain as officers
and directors the most capable persons available and in order to induce and
encourage highly experienced and capable persons such as the Indemnitee to serve
or continue to serve as a director and/or officer of the Company, the Board of
Directors has determined, after due consideration and investigation of the terms
and provisions of the Agreement and the various other options available to the
Company and the Indemnitee in lieu hereof, that this Agreement is not only
reasonable and prudent but necessary to promote and ensure the best interests of
the Company and its stockholders.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the services or continued services of
the Indemnitee and in order to induce the Indemnitee to serve or continue to
serve as director and/or officer, the Company and the Indemnitee do hereby agree
as follows:
1. Definitions. As used in this Agreement:
(a) The term "Proceeding" shall include any threatened, pending or
completed inquiry, hearing, investigation, action, suit, arbitration or other
alternative dispute resolution mechanism or proceeding, formal or informal,
whether brought in the name of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil,
criminal or administrative or investigative nature, by reason of the fact that
the Indemnitee is or was a director and/or officer of the Company, or is or was
serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent
of another enterprise, whether or not he/she is serving in such capacity at the
time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification or
reimbursement is to be provided under this Agreement.
(b) The term "Expenses" includes, without limitation: attorneys' fees,
costs, disbursements and retainers; accounting and witness fees; fees of
experts; travel and deposition costs; transcript costs, filing fees, telephone
charges, postage, copying costs, delivery service fees and other expenses and
obligations of any nature whatsoever paid or incurred in connection with any
investigations, judicial or administrative proceedings and appeals, amounts paid
in settlement by or on behalf of Indemnitee, and any expenses of establishing a
right to indemnification, pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise, including
reasonable compensation for time spent by the Indemnitee in connection with the
investigation, defense or appeal of a Proceeding or action for indemnification
for which he/she is not otherwise compensated by the Company or any third party.
The term "Expenses" does not include the amount of judgments, fines, penalties
or ERISA excise taxes actually levied against the Indemnitee.
2. Agreement to Serve. The Indemnitee agrees to serve or to continue to
serve as a director and/or officer of the Company for so long as he/she is duly
elected or appointed or until such time as he/she tenders his/her resignation in
writing or is removed as a director and/or officer. However, nothing contained
in this Agreement shall be construed as giving Indemnitee any right to be
retained in the employ of the Company, any subsidiary or any other person.
3. Indemnification in Third Party Actions. The Company shall indemnify the
Indemnitee if the Indemnitee is a party to or threatened to be made a party to
or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding (other that a Proceeding by or in the
name of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor), by reason of the fact
that the Indemnitee is or was a director and/or officer of the Company, or is or
was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or
agent of another enterprise, against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties
and ERISA excise taxes actually and reasonably incurred by the Indemnitee in
connection with the defense or settlement of such a Proceeding, to the fullest
extent permitted by applicable corporate law and the Company's Articles of
Incorporation; provided that any settlement of a Proceeding be approved in
writing by the Company.
4. Indemnification in Proceedings by or In the Name of the Company. The
Company shall indemnify the Indemnitee if the Indemnitee is a party to or
threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any Proceeding by
or in the name of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of
the fact that the Indemnitee was or is a director and/or officer of the Company,
or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer,
employee or agent of another enterprise, against all Expenses, judgments, fines
penalties and ERISA excise taxes actually and reasonably incurred by the
Indemnitee in connection with the defense or settlement of such a Proceeding, to
the fullest extent permitted by applicable corporate law and the Company's
Articles of Incorporation.
5. Conclusive Presumption Regarding Standards of Conduct. The Indemnitee
shall be conclusively presumed to have met the relevant standards of conduct, if
any, as defined by applicable corporate law, for indemnification pursuant to
this Agreement, unless a determination is made that the Indemnitee has not met
such standards (i) by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum
thereof consisting of directors who were not parties to the Proceeding due to
which a claim is made under this Agreement, (ii) by the shareholders of the
Company by majority vote of a quorum thereof consisting of shareholders who are
not parties to the Proceeding due to which a claim is made under this Agreement,
(iii) in a written opinion by independent counsel, selection of whom has been
approved by the Indemnitee in writing, or (iv) by a court of competent
jurisdiction.
6. Indemnification of Expenses of Successful Party. Notwithstanding any
other provision of the Agreement, to the extent that the Indemnitee has been
successful in defense of any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or
matter therein, on the merits or otherwise, including the dismissal of a
Proceeding without prejudice or the settlement of a Proceeding without an
admission of liability, the Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses
incurred in connection therewith to the fullest extent permitted by applicable
corporate law.
7. Advances of Expenses. The Expenses incurred by the Indemnitee in any
Proceeding shall be paid promptly by the Company in advance of the final
disposition of the Proceeding at the written request of the Indemnitee to the
fullest extent permitted by applicable corporate law; provided that the
Indemnitee shall undertake in writing to repay any advances if it is ultimately
determined that the Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification.
8. Partial Indemnification. If the Indemnitee is entitled under any
provision of the Agreement to indemnification by the Company for a portion of
the Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties or ERISA excise taxes actually and
reasonably incurred by him/her in the investigation, defense, appeal or
settlement of any Proceeding but not, however, for the total amount of his/her
Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties or ERISA excise taxes, the Company shall
nevertheless indemnify the Indemnitee for the portion of Expenses, judgments,
fines, penalties or ERISA excise taxes to which the Indemnitee is entitled.
9. Indemnification Procedure; Determination of Right to Indemnification.
(a) Promptly after receipt by the Indemnitee of notice of the commencement
of any Proceeding, the Indemnitee shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be
made against the Company under this Agreement, notify the Company of the
commencement thereof in writing. The omission to so notify the Company, however,
shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to the Indemnitee
otherwise than under this Agreement.
(b) If a claim for indemnification or advances under this Agreement is not
paid by the Company within thirty (30) days of receipt of written notice, the
rights provided by this Agreement shall be enforceable by the Indemnitee in any
court of competent jurisdiction. The burden of proving by clear and convincing
evidence that indemnification or advances are not appropriate shall be on the
Company. Neither the failure of the directors or stockholders of the Company or
its independent legal counsel to have made a determination prior to the
commencement of such action that indemnification or advances are proper in the
circumstances because the Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct,
if any, nor an actual determination by the directors or shareholders of the
Company or independent legal counsel that the Indemnitee has not met the
applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a
presumption for the purpose of an action that the Indemnitee has not been the
applicable standard of conduct.
(c) The Indemnitee's Expenses incurred in connection with any Proceeding
concerning his/her right to indemnification or advances in whole or part
pursuant to this Agreement shall also be indemnified by the Company regardless
of the outcome of such Proceeding.
(d) With respect to any Proceeding for which indemnification is requested,
the Company will be entitled to participate therein at its own expense and,
except as otherwise provided below, to the extent that it may wish, the Company
may assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to the Indemnitee.
After notice from the Company to the Indemnitee of its election to assume the
defense of a Proceeding, the Company will not be liable to the Indemnitee for
any Expenses subsequently incurred by the Indemnitee in connection with the
defense thereof, other than as provided below. The Company shall not settle any
Proceeding in any manner which would impose any penalty or limitation on the
Indemnitee without the Indemnitee's written consent. The Indemnitee shall have
the right to employee his/her counsel in any Proceeding, but the fees and
expenses of such counsel incurred after notice from the Company of its
assumption of the defense of the Proceeding shall be at the expense of the
Indemnitee, unless (i) the employment of counsel by the Indemnitee has been
authorized by the Company, (ii) the Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded
that there may be a conflict of interest between the Company and the Indemnitee
in the conduct of the defense of a Proceeding, in each of which cases the fees
and expenses of the Indemnitee's counsel shall be advances by the Company. The
Company shall not be entitled to assume the defense of any Proceeding brought by
or on behalf of the Company or as to which the Indemnitee has concluded that
there may be a conflict of interest between the Company and the Indemnitee.
10. Limitations on Indemnification. No payments pursuant to this Agreement
shall be made by the Company:
(a) To indemnify or advance funds to the Indemnitee expenses with respect
to Proceeding initiated or brought voluntarily by the Indemnitee and not by way
of defense, except with respect to Proceedings brought to establish or enforce a
right to indemnification under this Agreement or any other statute or law or
otherwise as required under applicable corporate law, but such indemnification
or advancement of expenses may be provided by the Company in specific cases if
the Board of Directors finds it to be appropriate;
(b) To indemnify the Indemnitee for any Expenses, judgment, fines,
penalties or ERISA excise taxes sustained in any Proceeding for which payment is
actually made to the Indemnitee under a valid and collectible insurance policy,
except in respect of any excess beyond the amount of payment under such
insurance;
(c) To indemnify the Indemnitee for any Expenses, judgment, fines, and/or
penalties sustained in any Proceeding for an accounting of profits made from the
purchase or sale by the Indemnitee of securities of the Company pursuant to the
provisions of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the rules
and regulations promulgated thereunder and amendments thereto or similar
provisions of any federal, state or local statutory law; and (d) If a court of
competent jurisdiction finally determines that any indemnification hereunder is
unlawful.
11. Maintenance of Liability Insurance.
(a) The Company hereby covenants and agrees that, as long as the Indemnitee
continues to serve as a director and/or officer of the Company and thereafter as
long as the Indemnitee may be subject to any possible Proceeding, the Company,
subject to subsection (c), shall promptly obtain and maintain in full force and
effect directors' and officers' liability insurance ("D&O Insurance") in
reasonable amounts from established and reputable insurers.
(b) In all D&O insurance policies, the Indemnitee shall be named as an
insured in such a manner as to provide the Indemnitee the same rights and
benefits as are accorded to the most favorably insured of the Company's
directors and/or officers.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall have no obligation to
obtain or maintain D&O Insurance if the Company determines, in its sole
discretion, that such insurance is not reasonably available, the premium costs
for such insurance is so limited by exclusions that it provides an insufficient
benefit, or the Indemnitee is covered by similar insurance maintained by a
subsidiary of the Company.
12. Indemnification Hereunder Not Exclusive. The indemnification provided
by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the
Indemnitee may be entitled under the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, any
agreement, vote of shareholders or disinterested directors, provision of
applicable corporate law, or otherwise, both as to action in his/her official
capacity and as to action in another capacity on behalf of the Company while
holding such office.
13. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and shall
inure to the benefit of the Indemnitee and his/her heirs, executors,
administrators and assigns, whether or not Indemnitee has ceased to be a
director or officer, and the Company and its successors and assigns.
14. Severability. Each and every paragraph, sentence, term and provision
hereof is separate and distinct so that if any paragraph, sentence, term or
provision hereof shall be held to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason,
such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect the validity or
enforceability of any other paragraph, sentence, term or provision hereof. To
the extent required, any paragraph, sentence, term or provision of this
Agreement shall be modified by a court of competent jurisdiction to preserve its
validity and to provide the Indemnitee with the broadest possible
indemnification permitted under applicable corporate law.
15. Savings Clause. If this Agreement or any paragraph, sentence, term or
provision hereof is invalidated on any ground by any court of competent
jurisdiction, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify the Indemnitee as to any
Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties for ERISA excise taxes incurred with
respect to any Proceeding to the full extent permitted by any applicable
paragraph, sentence, term or provision of this Agreement that has not been
invalidated or by any other applicable provision of applicable corporate law.
16. Interpretation; Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed as a
whole and in accordance with its fair meaning. Headings are for convenience only
and shall not be used in construing meaning. This Agreement shall be governed
and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.
17. Amendments. No amendment, waiver, modification, termination or
cancellation of this Agreement shall be effective unless in writing signed by
the party against whom enforcement is sought. The indemnification rights
afforded to the Indemnitee hereby are contract rights and may not be diminished,
eliminated or otherwise affected by amendments to the Articles of Incorporation,
Bylaws, or by other agreements, including D&O Insurance policies.
18. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more
counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and
shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each
party and delivered to the other.
19. Notices. Any notice required to be given under this Agreement shall be
directed:
TO: Dupont Direct Financial Holdings, Inc..
00 Xxxxxxxx, Xxxxx 0000-00
Xxx Xxxx, XX 00000
With a copy to:
Xxxxxx Xxxxxxx, Esq.
00 Xxxxxxxxxxx Xxxx
Xxxxxxxx, XX 00000
TO: __________________
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(Insert home address)
or to such other address as either shall designate in writing.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Indemnity Agreement
as of the date first written above.
INDEMNITEE:
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
By: _________________________
Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx. Secretary and Director
