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Exhibit 10.17
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
THIS INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") is dated as of March
30, 1998 by and between AVTEAM, INC., a Florida corporation (the Company"), and
XXXXXXX XXXXXX (the "Indemnitee").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, it is essential to the Company to retain and attract as
directors the most capable persons available;
WHEREAS Indemnitee is a director of the Company;
WHEREAS, both the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increased risk
of litigation and other claims being asserted against directors and officers of
public companies in today's environment; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of Indemnitee's need for substantial protection
against personal liability in order to enhance Indemnitee's continued service to
the Company in an effective manner and in part to provide Indemnitee with
specific contractual assurance that the indemnification protection provided by
the Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as amended (the "Articles of
Incorporation"), and Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, as amended,
(the "Bylaws") will be available to Indemnitee (regardless of, among other
things, any amendment to or revocation of such Articles of Incorporation and
Bylaws or any change in the composition of the Company's Board of Directors or
acquisition transaction relating to the Company), and in order to induce
Indemnitee to continue to provide services to the Company as a director thereof,
the Company wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of and
the advancing of expenses to Indemnitee to the fullest extent (whether partial
or complete) permitted by law and as set forth in this Agreement, and, to the
extent insurance is maintained, for the continued coverage of Indemnitee under
the Company's directors and officers' liability insurance policies.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of Indemnitee
continuing to serve the Company directly or, at its request, another enterprise,
and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties agree as follows:
1. CERTAIN DEFINITIONS.
(a) CHANGE IN CONTROL: shall be deemed to have occurred if (i) any
"person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended), other than a trustee or other fiduciary
holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or a
corporation owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders of the Company in
substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company,
is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Act),
directly or indirectly of securities of the Company representing twenty percent
(20%) or more of the total voting power represented
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by the Company's then outstanding Voting Securities, or (ii) during any period
of two (2) consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period
constitute the Board of Directors of the Company and any new director whose
election by the Board of Directors or nomination for election by the Company's
stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the
directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the
period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved,
cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof, or (iii) the stockholders
of the Company approve a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other
corporation, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the
Voting Securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto
continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted
into Voting Securities of the surviving entity) at least eighty percent (80%) of
the total voting power represented by the Voting Securities of the Company or
such surviving entity outstanding immediately after such merger or
consolidation, or the stockholders of the Company approve a plan of complete
liquidation of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the
Company (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially
all the Company's assets.
(b) CLAIM: any threatened, pending or completed action, suit,
proceeding or alternate dispute resolution mechanism, or any inquiry, hearing or
investigation, whether conducted by the Company or any other party, that
Indemnitee in good faith believes might lead to the institution of any such
action, suit, proceeding or alternate dispute resolution mechanism, whether
civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or other.
(c) EXPENSES: include attorneys' fees and all other costs, travel
expenses, fees of experts, transcript costs, filing fees, witness fees,
telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, expenses and obligations of
any nature whatsoever paid or incurred in connection with investigating,
defending, being a witness in or participating in (including on appeal), or
preparing to defend, be a witness in or participate in any Claim relating to any
Indemnifiable Event.
(d) INDEMNIFIABLE EVENT: any event or occurrence that takes place
either prior to or after the execution of this Agreement related to the fact
that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of
the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director,
officer, employee, trustee, agent or fiduciary of another corporation,
partnership, joint venture, employee benefit plan, trust or other enterprise, or
by reason of anything done or not done by Indemnitee in any such capacity.
(e) POTENTIAL CHANGE IN CONTROL: shall be deemed to have occurred if
(i) the Company enters into an agreement or arrangement, the consummation of
which would result in the occurrence of a Change in Control; (ii) any person
(including the Company) publicly announces an intention to take or to consider
taking actions which if consummated would constitute a Change in Control; (iii)
any person, other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an
employee benefit plan of the Company acting in such capacity or a corporation
owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in
substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company,
who is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of
the Company representing ten percent (10%) or more of the combined
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voting power of the Company's then outstanding Voting Securities, increases his
beneficial ownership of such securities by five percent (5%) or more over the
percentage so owned by such person on the date hereof; or (iv) the Board of
Directors adopts a resolution to the effect that, for purposes of this
Agreement, a Potential Change in Control has occurred.
(f) REVIEWING PARTY: any appropriate person or body consisting of a
member or members of the Company's Board of Directors or any other person or
body appointed by the Board who is not a party to the particular Claim for which
Indemnitee is seeking indemnification, or Independent Legal Counsel.
(g) INDEPENDENT LEGAL COUNSEL: Independent Legal Counsel shall refer to
an attorney, selected in accordance with the provisions of SECTION 3 hereof, who
shall not have otherwise performed services for the Company or Indemnitee within
the last five years (other than in connection with seeking indemnification under
this Agreement). Independent Legal Counsel shall not be any person who, under
the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a
conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an
action to determine Indemnitee's rights under this Agreement, nor shall
Independent Legal Counsel be any person who has been sanctioned or censured for
ethical violations of applicable standards of professional conduct.
(h) VOTING SECURITIES: any securities of the Company which vote
generally in the election of directors.
2. BASIC INDEMNIFICATION ARRANGEMENT.
(a) In the event Indemnitee was, 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, a Claim by reasons of (or arising in part out of) an
Indemnifiable Event, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the fullest
extent permitted by law as soon as practicable but in any event no later than
thirty (30) days after written demand is presented to the Company, against any
and all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement
(including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in
connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties or
amounts paid in settlement) of such 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 (including the creation of the
trust referred to in SECTION 4 hereof). If so requested by Indemnitee, the
Company shall advance (within five (5) business days of such request) any and
all Expenses to Indemnitee (an "Expense Advance"). Notwithstanding anything in
this Agreement to the contrary and except as provided in SECTION 5, prior to a
Change in Control Indemnitee shall not be entitled to indemnification pursuant
to this Agreement in connection with any Claim initiated by Indemnitee against
the Company or any director or officer of the Company unless the Company has
joined in or consented to the initiation of such Claim.
(b) Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the obligations of the Company
under SECTION 2(A) shall be subject to the condition that the Reviewing Party
shall not have determined (in a written opinion, in any case in which the
Independent Legal Counsel referred to in SECTION 3
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hereof is involved) that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be indemnified
under applicable law, and (ii) the obligation of the Company to make an Expense
Advance pursuant to SECTION 2(A) shall be subject to the condition that, if,
when and to the extent that the Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee would
not be permitted to be so indemnified under applicable law, the Company shall be
entitled to be reimbursed by Indemnitee (who hereby agrees to reimburse the
Company) for all such amounts theretofore paid; provided, however, that if
Indemnitee has commenced legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction
to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable
law, any determination made by the Reviewing Party that Indemnitee would not be
permitted to be indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding and
Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any Expense
Advance 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 Expense Advances shall be
unsecured and no interest shall be charged thereon. If there has not been a
Change in Control, the Reviewing Party shall be selected by the Board of
Directors, and if there has been such a Change in Control, (other than a Change
in Control which has been approved by a majority of the Company's Board of
Directors who were directors immediately prior to such Change in Control) the
Reviewing Party shall be the Independent Legal Counsel referred to in SECTION 3
hereof. If there has been no determination by the Reviewing Party or if the
Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee substantively would not be permitted
to be indemnified in whole or in part under applicable law, Indemnitee shall
have the right to commence litigation in any court in the State of Florida
having subject matter jurisdiction thereof and in which venue is proper seeking
an initial determination by the court or challenging any such determination by
the Reviewing Party or any aspect thereof, or the legal or factual bases
therefor and the Company hereby consents to service of process and to appear in
any such proceeding. Any determination by the Reviewing Party otherwise shall be
conclusive and binding on the Company and Indemnitee.
3. CHANGE IN CONTROL. The Company agrees that if there is a Change in
Control of the Company (other than a Change in Control which has been approved
by a majority of the Company's Board of Directors who were directors immediately
prior to such Change in Control) then Independent Legal Counsel shall be
selected by Indemnitee and approved by the Company (which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld) and such Independent Legal Counsel shall determine
whether the officer or director is entitled to indemnity payments and Expense
Advances under this Agreement or any other agreement of Articles of
Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company now or hereafter in effect relating to
Claims for Indemnifiable Events. Such Independent Legal Counsel, among other
things, shall render its written opinion of the Company and Indemnitee as to
whether and to what extent the Indemnitee will be permitted to be indemnified.
The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees of the Independent Legal Counsel
and to indemnify fully such Independent Legal Counsel against any and all
expenses (including attorneys' fees), claims, liabilities and damages arising
out of or relating to this Agreement or the engagement of Independent Legal
Counsel pursuant hereto.
4. ESTABLISHMENT OF TRUST. In the event of a Potential Change in
Control, the Company shall, upon written request by Indemnitee, create a trust
for the benefit of Indemnitee and from time to time upon written request of
Indemnitee shall fund such trust in an
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amount sufficient to satisfy any and all Expenses reasonably anticipated at the
time of each such request to be incurred in connection with investigating,
preparing for and defending any Claim relating to an Indemnifiable Event, and
any and all judgments, fines, penalties and settlement amounts of any and all
Claims relating to an Indemnifiable Event from time to time actually paid or
claimed, reasonably anticipated or proposed to be paid. The amount or amounts to
be deposited in the trust pursuant to the foregoing funding obligation shall be
determined by the Reviewing Party, in any case in which the Independent Legal
Counsel referred to above is involved. The terms of the trust shall provide that
upon a Change in Control (i) the trust shall not be revoked or the principal
thereof invaded, without the written consent of Indemnitee, (ii) the trustee
shall advance, within five (5) business days of a request by Indemnitee, any and
all Expenses to indemnitee (and Indemnitee hereby agrees to reimburse the trust
under the circumstances under which Indemnitee would be required to reimburse
the Company under SECTION 2(B) of this Agreement), (iii) the trust shall
continue to be funded by the Company in accordance with the funding obligation
set forth above, (iv) the trustee shall promptly pay to Indemnitee all amounts
for which Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification pursuant to this
Agreement or otherwise, and (v) all unexpended funds in such trust shall revert
to the Company upon a final determination by the Reviewing Party or a court of
competent jurisdiction, as the case may be, that Indemnitee has been fully
indemnified under the terms of this Agreement. The trustee shall be chosen by
Indemnitee. Nothing in this SECTION 4 shall relieve the Company of any of its
obligations under this Agreement. All income earned on the assets held in the
trust shall be reported as income by the Company for federal, state, local and
foreign tax purposes.
5. INDEMNIFICATION FOR ADDITIONAL EXPENSES. The Company shall indemnify
Indemnitee against any and all expenses (including attorneys' fees) and, if
requested by Indemnitee, shall (within five business days of such request)
advance such expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in
connection with any claim asserted against or in connection with any action
brought by Indemnitee for (i) indemnification or advance payment of Expenses by
the Company under this Agreement or any other agreement or Articles of
Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company now or hereafter in effect relating to
Claims for Indemnifiable Events and/or (ii) recovery under any directors' and
officers' liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless of
whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such
indemnification, advance expense payment or insurance recovery, as the case may
be.
6. PARTIAL INDEMNITY, ETC. If Indemnitee is entitled under any
provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a
portion of the Expenses, judgment, fines, penalties and amounts paid in
settlement of a Claim but not, however, for all of the total amount thereof, the
Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which
Indemnitee is entitled. Moreover, notwithstanding any other provision of this
Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or
otherwise in defense of any or all Claims relating in whole or in party an
Indemnifiable Event or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including
dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all
Expenses incurred in connection therewith.
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7. DEFENSE TO INDEMNIFICATION, BURDEN OF PROOF AND PRESUMPTIONS. It
shall be a defense to any action brought by the Indemnitee against the Company
to enforce this Agreement (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for
expenses incurred in defending a claim in advance of its final disposition where
the required undertaking has been tendered to the Company) that the Indemnitee
has not met the standards of conduct that make it permissible under the Florida
Business Corporation Act for the Company to indemnify the Indemnitee for the
amount claimed. In connection with any determination by the Reviewing Party or
otherwise as to whether the Indemnitee is entitled to be indemnified hereunder,
the burden of providing such a defense shall be on the Company. Neither the
failure of the Company (including its Board of Directors, independent legal
counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the
commencement of such action by the Indemnitee that Indemnification of the
claimant is proper under the circumstances because he or she has met the
applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Florida Business Corporation
Act, nor an actual determination by the Company (including its Board of
Directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the Indemnitee
had not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the
action or create a presumption that the Indemnitee has not mete the applicable
standard of conduct. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any
claim, action, suit or proceeding, 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 applicable law.
8. NON-EXCLUSIVITY, ETC.. The rights of Indemnitee hereunder shall be
in addition to any other rights Indemnitee may have under the Articles of
Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company or the Florida Business Corporation Act
or otherwise. To the extent that a change in the Florida Business Corporation
Act (whether by statute or judicial decision) permits greater indemnification by
agreement than would be afforded currently under the Articles of Incorporation
and Bylaws of the Company and this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties
hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so
afforded by such change.
9. NO CONSTRUCTION AS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT. Nothing contained herein
shall be construed as giving Indemnitee any right to be retained in the employ
of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.
10. LIABILITY INSURANCE. To the extent the Company maintains an
insurance policy or policies providing directors' and officers' liability
insurance, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies, in accordance
with its or their terms, to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any
Company director or officer.
11. PERIOD OF LIMITATIONS. No legal action shall be brought and no
cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company or any
affiliate of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee's spouse, heirs,
executors, administrators or personal or legal representatives after the
expiration of two years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and
any claim or cause of action of the Company or its affiliate shall be
extinguished and deemed
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released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such
two-year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is
otherwise applicable to any such cause of action such shorter period shall
govern.
12. AMENDMENTS, ETC. No supplement, modification or amendment of this
Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties
hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or
shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not
similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.
13. 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 papers required and shall do
everything that may be necessary to secure such rights, including the execution
of such documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to
enforce such rights.
14. 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, Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws of the Company
or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder.
15. BINDING EFFECT, ETC. 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
and/or assets of the Company, spouses, heirs, and personal and legal
representatives. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether
direct or indirect by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all,
substantially all, or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the
Company, by written agreement in form and substance 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 or officer of the Company
or of any other enterprise at the Company's request.
16. 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 of 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.
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17. GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Florida applicable to contracts made
and to be performed in such state without giving effect to the principles of
conflicts of laws.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed and delivered
this Agreement as of December 6, 1996.
AVTEAM, INC.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
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Xxxxxx X. Xxxx
President and Chief Executive Officer
INDEMNITEE:
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
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Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
