Exhibit 10.14
SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.
DIRECTOR INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is made as of this ___
day of ____________, 2005, by and between Spirit AeroSystems, Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company"), and _______________ (the "Indemnitee").
RECITALS:
The Company and Indemnitee recognize the substantial increase in corporate
litigation in general, subjecting corporate directors to expensive litigation
risks at the same time as the availability and coverage of liability insurance
has been severely limited. Indemnitee does not regard the currently available
insurance protection as adequate under the present circumstances, and Indemnitee
may not be willing to serve as a director of the Company without additional
protection. The Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly
qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve as directors of the Company
and to indemnify its directors so as to provide them with the maximum protection
permitted by law.
The Company and Indemnitee, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as
follows:
1. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) Third Party Proceedings. The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee if
Indemnitee was or is a party to or witness in or is threatened to be made a
party to or witness in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or
proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (other than
an action by or in the right of the Company) by reason of the fact that
Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or
any subsidiary of the Company, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or
was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or
agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines 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 by Indemnitee in connection with such action, suit or
proceeding if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company
and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause
to believe Indemnitee's conduct was unlawful. The termination of any action or
proceeding by judgment, order, settlement, conviction or upon a plea of nolo
contendere or its equivalent, shall not, of itself, create a presumption that
(i) Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Company, and (ii) with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, Indemnitee
had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee's conduct was unlawful.
(b) Proceedings By or in the Right of the Company. The Company shall
indemnify Indemnitee if Indemnitee was or is a party to or witness in or is
threatened to be made a party to or witness in to any threatened, pending or
completed action or suit by or in the right of the Company or any subsidiary of
the Company to procure a judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that
Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or
any subsidiary of the Company, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or
was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or
agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably
incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the defense or settlement of such
action or suit if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee
reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the
Company, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any claim,
issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been adjudged to be liable to
the Company, or any subsidiary of the Company, unless and only to the extent
that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or the court in which such
action or suit is or was pending shall determine upon application that, despite
the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case,
Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for expenses and then
only to the extent that the court shall deem proper.
(c) Successful Defense. To the extent Indemnitee has been successful on the
merits or otherwise in defense of any action, suit or proceeding referred to in
Section 1(a) or (b) hereof, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against expenses
(including attorney fees) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee in
connection therewith.
2. EXPENSES; INDEMNIFICATION PROCEDURE.
(a) Advancement of Expenses. The Company shall advance all expenses
incurred by Indemnitee in connection with the investigation, defense, settlement
or appeal of any civil or criminal action or proceeding referenced in Section
1(a) or (b) hereof (but not amounts actually paid in settlement of any such
action or proceeding). Indemnitee hereby undertakes to repay such amounts
advanced only if, and to the extent that, it shall ultimately be determined that
Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company as authorized
hereby. The advances to be made hereunder shall be paid by the Company to
Indemnitee within 20 days following delivery of a written request therefor by
Indemnitee to the Company, accompanied by such supporting documentation as may
be reasonably requested by the Company.
(b) Notice/Cooperation by Indemnitee. Indemnitee shall, as a condition
precedent to his right to be indemnified 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. In
addition, Indemnitee shall give the Company such information and cooperation as
it may reasonably require and as shall be within Indemnitee's power.
(c) Procedure. Any indemnification provided for in Section 1 shall be made
no later than forty-five (45) days after receipt of the written request of
Indemnitee made following final disposition of the action or proceeding to which
such indemnification relates. If a claim by Indemnitee under this Agreement,
under any statute, or under any provision of the Company's Certificate of
Incorporation or Bylaws providing for indemnification, is not paid in full by
the Company within 45 days after a written request for payment thereof has first
been received by the Company, Indemnitee may, but need not, at any time
thereafter bring an action against the Company to recover the unpaid amount of
the claim and, subject to Section 12 hereof, Indemnitee shall also be entitled
to be paid for the expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) of bringing
such action. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action
brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in connection with any action
or proceeding in advance of its final disposition) that Indemnitee has not met
the standards of conduct which make it permissible under applicable law for the
Company to indemnify Indemnitee for the amount claimed, but the burden of
proving such defense shall be on the Company, and Indemnitee shall be entitled
to receive interim payments of expenses pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof unless
and until such defense may be finally adjudicated by court order or judgment
from which no further right of appeal exists. It is the parties' intention that
if the Company contests Indemnitee's right to indemnification, the question of
Indemnitee's right to indemnification shall be for the court to decide, and
neither the failure of the Company (including its Board of Directors, any
committee or subgroup of the Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or
its stockholders) to have made a determination that indemnification of
Indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the
applicable standard of conduct required by applicable law, nor an actual
determination by the Company (including its Board of Directors, any committee or
subgroup of the Board of Directors, independent legal counsel or its
stockholders) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct,
shall create a presumption that Indemnitee has or has not met the applicable
standard of conduct.
(d) Notice to Insurers. If, at the time of the receipt of a notice of a
claim pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof, the Company has director and officer
liability insurance that may cover the claim in effect, the Company shall give
prompt notice of the commencement of such proceeding 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 Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such
proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies in partial or complete
satisfaction of the Company's obligations hereunder.
(e) Selection of Counsel. In the event the Company shall be obligated under
Section 2(a) hereof to pay the expenses of any proceeding against Indemnitee,
the Company shall be entitled to assume the defense of such proceeding, with
counsel approved by Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably
withheld, upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election so
to do. 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 of counsel subsequently incurred by
Indemnitee with respect
to the same proceeding, provided that (i) Indemnitee shall have the right to
employ his own counsel in any such proceeding at Indemnitee's expense; and (ii)
if (A) the employment of 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, in fact, have employed counsel to
assume the defense of such proceeding, then the fees and expenses of
Indemnitee's counsel shall be at the expense of the Company.
3. ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION RIGHTS; NONEXCLUSIVITY.
(a) Scope. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the
Company hereby agrees to indemnify the Indemnitee to the fullest extent
permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law (other than Section 145(f)
thereof or any successor non-exclusivity provision), 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, such
changes shall be, ipso facto, within the purview of Indemnitee's rights and the
Company's obligations, under this Agreement. 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, such changes, 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.
(b) Nonexclusivity. The indemnification provided by this Agreement shall
not be deemed exclusive of any rights to which Indemnitee may be entitled under
the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, its Bylaws, any agreement, any vote
of stockholders or disinterested directors, the Delaware General Corporation Law
or otherwise, both as to action in Indemnitee's official capacity and as to
action in another capacity while holding such office. The indemnification
provided under this Agreement shall continue as to Indemnitee for any action
taken or not taken while serving in an indemnified capacity even though he may
have ceased to serve in such capacity at the time of any action or other covered
proceeding.
4. PARTIAL INDEMNIFICATION. If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision
of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of the
expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines 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 by
Indemnitee in connection with an action, suit or proceeding described in Section
1(a), but not, however, for the total amount thereof, the Company shall
nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion of such expenses (including
attorneys' fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement to which
Indemnitee is entitled.
5. 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 and officers 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.
6. SEVERABILITY. Nothing in this Agreement is intended to require or shall
be construed as requiring the Company to do or fail to do any act in violation
of applicable law. The Company's inability, pursuant to court order, to perform
its obligations under this Agreement shall not constitute a breach of this
Agreement. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable as provided in
this Section 6. If this Agreement or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on
any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Company shall
nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent permitted by any applicable
portion of this Agreement that shall not have been invalidated, and the balance
of this Agreement not so invalidated shall be enforceable in accordance with its
terms.
7. EXCEPTIONS. Any other provision herein to the contrary notwithstanding,
the Company shall not be obligated pursuant to the terms of this Agreement:
(a) Excluded Acts. To indemnify Indemnitee for any acts or omissions or
transactions from which a director may not be relieved of liability under the
Delaware General Corporation Law; or
(b) Claims Initiated by Indemnitee. To indemnify or advance expenses to
Indemnitee with respect to proceedings or claims initiated or brought
voluntarily by 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
Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, but such indemnification or
advancement of expenses may be provided by the Company in specific cases if the
Board of Directors has approved the initiation or bringing of such suit; or
(c) Lack of Good Faith. To indemnify Indemnitee for any expenses incurred
by Indemnitee with respect to any proceeding instituted by Indemnitee to enforce
or interpret this Agreement, to the extent that a court of competent
jurisdiction determines that the material assertions made by Indemnitee in such
proceeding were not made in good faith or were frivolous; or
(d) Insured Claims. To indemnify Indemnitee for expenses or liabilities of
any type whatsoever (including, but not limited to, judgments, fines, Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 excise taxes or penalties, and amounts
paid in settlement) which have been paid directly to Indemnitee by an insurance
carrier under a policy of directors' and officers' liability insurance
maintained by the Company or its affiliates; or
(e) 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 Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
as amended, or any similar successor statute.
8. EFFECTIVENESS OF AGREEMENT. To the extent that the indemnification
permitted under the terms of certain provisions of this Agreement exceeds the
scope of the indemnification provided for in the Delaware General Corporation
Law, such provisions shall not be effective unless and until the Company's
Certificate of Incorporation authorizes such additional rights of
indemnification. In all other respects, the balance of this Agreement shall be
effective as of the date set forth on the first page hereof and may apply to
acts or omissions of Indemnitee which occurred prior to such date if Indemnitee
was an officer, director, employee or other agent of the Company, or was serving
at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of
another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, at
the time such act or omission occurred.
9. CONSTRUCTION OF CERTAIN PHRASES.
(a) Company. For purposes of this Agreement, references to the "Company"
shall include, in addition to the resulting corporation, any constituent
corporation (including any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a
consolidation or merger which, if its separate existence had continued, would
have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees or
agents, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent
of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such
constituent corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another
corporation, partnership, joint venture, 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.
(b) Other Enterprise, etc. For purposes of this Agreement, references to
"other enterprises" shall include employee benefit plans; references to "fines"
shall include any excise taxes assessed on Indemnitee with respect to any
employee benefit plan; and references to "serving at the request of the Company"
shall include any service as a director, officer, employee or agent of the
Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director,
officer, employee or agent with respect to an employee benefit plan, its
participants or beneficiaries.
10. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original.
11. SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. This Agreement shall be binding upon the
Company and its successors and assigns, and shall inure to the benefit of
Indemnitee and Indemnitee's estate, heirs, legal representatives and assigns.
12. ATTORNEYS' FEES. In the event that any action is instituted by
Indemnitee under this Agreement to enforce or interpret any of the terms hereof,
Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all court costs and expenses, including
reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by Indemnitee with respect to such action,
except to the extent that, as a part of such action, the court of competent
jurisdiction determines that the material assertions made by Indemnitee as a
basis for such action were not made in good faith or were frivolous. In the
event of an action instituted by or in the name of the Company under this
Agreement or to enforce or interpret any of the terms of this Agreement,
Indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid all court costs and expenses, including
reasonable attorneys' fees, incurred by Indemnitee in defense of such action
(including with respect to Indemnitee's counterclaims and cross claims made in
such action), except to the extent that, as a part of such action, the court
determines that Indemnitee's material defenses to such action were made in bad
faith or were frivolous.
13. NOTICES. 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 receipted for by the party addressee, on the date of such
receipt, (ii) if mailed by domestic certified or registered mail with postage
prepaid, on the fifth business day after the date postmarked, or (iii) if sent
by telecopier (with receipt confirmed), on the date of such receipt. Addresses
for notice to either party are as shown on the signature page of this Agreement,
or as subsequently modified by written notice and in the case of notices to the
Company shall be marked for the attention of the Chief Executive Officer.
14. 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 brought only in the state courts of the State of Delaware.
15. CHOICE OF LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and its provisions
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware as applied to
contracts between Delaware residents entered into and to be performed entirely
within Delaware.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of
the date first above written.
SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.
By:
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Name:
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Title:
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AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED:
INDEMNITEE:
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Name:
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Address:
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