CHANGE IN CONTROL
AGREEMENT
THIS CHANGE IN
CONTROL AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), is between
Developers Diversified Realty Corporation, an Ohio corporation (the
“Employer”), and Christa Vesy (“Executive”)
made as of this 9th day of April, 2007.
WHEREAS, Executive
is presently employed by Employer as its Senior Vice President and
Chief Accounting Officer;
WHEREAS, Employer
wishes to induce Executive to continue as its Senior Vice President
and Chief Accounting Officer and, accordingly, to provide certain
employment security to Executive in the event of a “Change in
Control” (as hereinafter defined);
WHEREAS, Employer
believes that it is in the best interest of its shareholders for
Executive to continue in her position on an objective and impartial
basis and without distraction or conflict of interest as a result
of a possible or actual Change in Control; and
WHEREAS, In
consideration of this Agreement Executive is willing to continue as
Employer’s Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting
Officer;
NOW THEREFORE, IN
CONSIDERATION OF EXECUTIVE CONTINUING AS THE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT
AND CHIEF ACCOUNTING OFFICER OF EMPLOYER AND OF THE MUTUAL PROMISES
HEREIN CONTAINED, EXECUTIVE AND EMPLOYER, INTENDING TO BE LEGALLY
BOUND, HEREBY AGREE AS FOLLOWS:
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1.
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A “Change
in Control” for the purpose of this Agreement means the
occurrence of any of the following:
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(a)
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the Board of
Directors or shareholders of the Employer approve a consolidation
or merger in which the Employer is not the surviving corporation,
the sale of substantially all of the assets of the Employer, or the
liquidation or dissolution of the Employer;
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(b)
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any person or
other entity (other than the Employer or a Subsidiary or any
Employer employee benefit plan (including any trustee of any such
plan acting in its capacity as trustee)) purchases any Shares (or
securities convertible into Shares) pursuant to a tender or
exchange offer without the prior consent of the Board of Directors,
or becomes the beneficial owner of securities of the Employer
representing 20% or more of the voting power of the
Employer’s outstanding securities;
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(c)
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during any
two-year period, individuals who at the beginning of such period
constitute the entire Board of Directors cease to constitute a
majority of the Board of Directors, unless the election or the
nomination for election of each new director is approved by at
least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were
directors at the beginning of that period; or
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(d)
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A record date
is established for determining shareholders of Employer entitled to
vote upon (i) a merger or consolidation of Employer with
another real estate investment trust, partnership, corporation or
other entity in which Employer is not the surviving or continuing
entity or in which all or a substantial part of the outstanding
shares are to be converted into or exchanged for cash, securities
or other property, (ii) a sale or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the assets of Employer or (iii) the
dissolution of Employer.
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2.
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“Code” means the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended.
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3.
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“Shares” means the Common Shares,
without par value, of the Employer.
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4.
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“Subsidiary” means any corporation
(other than the Employer) in an unbroken chain of corporations
beginning with the Employer if each of the corporations (other than
the last corporation in the unbroken chain) owns stock possessing
50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of
stock in one of the other corporations in that chain.
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5.
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A
“Triggering Event” for the purpose of this Agreement
will be deemed to have occurred if:
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(a)
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Within two
years from the date on which the Change in Control occurred,
Employer terminates the employment of Executive, other than in the
case of a Termination For Cause, as herein defined;
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(b)
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Within two
years from the date on which the Change in Control occurred,
Employer reduces Executive’s title, responsibilities, power
or authority in comparison with the Executive’s title,
responsibilities, power or authority at the time of the Change in
Control;
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(c)
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Within two
years from the date on which the Change in Control occurred,
Employer assigns Executive duties which are inconsistent with the
duties assigned to Executive on the date on which the Change in
Control occurred and which duties Employer persists in assigning to
Executive despite the prior written objection of
Executive;
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(d)
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Within two
years from the date on which the Change in Control occurred,
Employer (i) reduces Executive’s base compensation, her
incentive opportunity bonus percentages of salary, her group
health, life, disability or other insurance programs (including any
such benefits provided to Executive’s family), her pension,
retirement or profit-sharing benefits or any benefits provided by
any of Employer’s equity-based award plans, or any substitute
therefor, (ii) establishes criteria and factors to be achieved
for the payment of bonus compensation that are substantially
different than the criteria and factors established for other
similar executive officers of the Employer, (iii) fails to pay
Executive any bonus compensation to which Executive is entitled
through the achievement of the criteria and factors established for
the payment of such bonus, or (iv) excludes the Executive from
any plan, program or arrangement in which similar executive
officers of Employer are included; or
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Page 2
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(e)
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Within two
years from the date on which the Change in Control occurred,
Employer requires Executive to be based at or generally work from
any location more than fifty miles from the geographical center of
Cleveland, Ohio.
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6.
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A
“Termination For Cause” for the purposes of this
Agreement will be deemed to have occurred if, and only if,
Executive has committed a felony under the laws of the United
States of America, or of any state or territory thereof, and has
been convicted of that felony, or has pled guilty or nolo
contendere with respect to that felony, and the commission of that
felony resulted in, or was intended to result in, a loss (monetary
or otherwise) to Employer or its clients, customers, directors,
officers or employees.
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7.
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“Executive’s Annual
Bonus
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