Exhibit 10.4
CHANGE IN CONTROL
AGREEMENT
(As amended and restated)
This Change in Control Agreement, as
amended and restated (“Agreement”), is entered into by
and between SunTrust Banks, Inc., a Georgia corporation
(“SunTrust”), and William H. Rogers, Jr.
(“Executive”).
WHEREAS, Executive is employed by
SunTrust or provides services directly or indirectly to SunTrust as
a senior executive of SunTrust or one, or more than one, SunTrust
Affiliate; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to a prior Change
in Control Agreement between the Executive and SunTrust (the
“Prior Agreement”), the Board and the Compensation
Committee decided that SunTrust should provide certain benefits to
Executive in the event Executive’s employment is terminated
without Cause or Executive resigns for Good Reason following a
Change in Control; and
WHEREAS, SunTrust and Executive
desire to amend and restate the terms of the Prior Agreement to
comply with Code Section 409A, and the terms of this Agreement
shall supersede the terms of the Prior Agreement and govern the
Executive’s rights to such benefits in the event of a Change
in Control.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the mutual promises and agreements contained in this Agreement and
other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency
of which are hereby acknowledged, SunTrust and Executive hereby
agree as follows:
§ 1.
Definitions
1.1 Board . The term
“Board” for purposes of this Agreement shall mean the
Board of Directors of SunTrust.
1.2 Cause . The term
“Cause” for purposes of this Agreement shall (subject
to § 1.2(e)) mean:
(a) The willful and continued
failure by Executive to perform satisfactorily the duties of
Executive’s job;
(b) Executive is convicted of a
felony or has engaged in a dishonest act, misappropriation of
funds, embezzlement, criminal conduct or common law
fraud;
(c) Executive has engaged in a
material violation of the SunTrust Code of Business Conduct and
Ethics or the Code of Conduct of a SunTrust Affiliate;
or
(d) Executive has engaged in any
willful act that materially damages or materially prejudices
SunTrust or a SunTrust Affiliate or has engaged in conduct or
activities materially damaging to the property, business or
reputation of SunTrust or a SunTrust Affiliate; provided,
however,
(e) No such act, omission or event
shall be treated as “Cause” under this Agreement unless
(i) Executive has been provided a detailed, written statement
of the basis for SunTrust’s belief that such act, omission or
event constitutes “Cause” and an opportunity to meet
with the Compensation Committee (together with Executive’s
counsel if Executive chooses to have Executive’s counsel
present at such meeting) after Executive has had a reasonable
period in which to review such statement and, if the allegation is
under § 1.2(a), has had at least a thirty (30) day period
to take corrective action and (ii) the Compensation Committee
after such meeting (if Executive meets with the Compensation
Committee) and after the end of such thirty (30) day
correction period (if applicable) determines reasonably and in good
faith and by the affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the
members of the Compensation Committee then in office at a meeting
called and held for such purpose that “Cause” does
exist under this Agreement.
1.3 Change in Control . The
term “Change in Control” for purposes of this Agreement
shall mean a change in control of SunTrust of a nature that would
be required to be reported in response to Item 6(e) of
Schedule 14A of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act
as in effect at the time of such “change in control”,
provided that such a change in control shall be deemed to have
occurred at such time as (i) any “person” (as that
term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act),
is or becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under
the Exchange Act) directly or indirectly, of securities
representing 20% or more of the combined voting power for election
of directors of the then outstanding securities of SunTrust or any
successor of SunTrust; (ii) during any period of two
consecutive years or less, individuals who at the beginning of such
period constitute the Board cease, for any reason, to constitute at
least a majority of the Board, unless the election or nomination
for election of each new director was approved by a vote of at
least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who were
directors at the beginning of the period; (iii) there is a
consummation of any reorganization, merger, consolidation or share
exchange as a result of which the common stock of SunTrust shall be
changed, converted or exchanged into or for securities of another
corporation (other than a merger with a wholly-owned subsidiary of
SunTrust) or any dissolution or liquidation of SunTrust or any sale
or the disposition of 50% or more of the assets or business of
SunTrust; or (iv) there is a consummation of any
reorganization, merger, consolidation or share exchange unless
(A) the persons who were the beneficial owners of the
outstanding shares of the common stock of SunTrust immediately
before the consummation of such
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transaction beneficially own more than 65% of
the outstanding shares of the common stock of the successor or
survivor corporation in such transaction immediately following the
consummation of such transaction and (B) the number of shares
of the common stock of such successor or survivor corporation
beneficially owned by the persons described in § 1.3(iv)(A)
immediately following the consummation of such transaction is
beneficially owned by each such person in substantially the same
proportion that each such person had beneficially owned shares of
SunTrust common stock immediately before the consummation of such
transaction, provided (C) the percentage described in §
1.3(iv)(A) of the beneficially owned shares of the successor or
survivor corporation and the number described in § 1.3(iv)(B)
of the beneficially owned shares of the successor or survivor
corporation shall be determined exclusively by reference to the
shares of the successor or survivor corporation which result from
the beneficial ownership of shares of common stock of SunTrust by
the persons described in § 1.3(iv)(A) immediately before the
consummation of such transaction.
1.4 Code . The term
“Code” for purposes of this Agreement shall mean the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
1.5 Compensation Committee .
The term “Compensation Committee” for purposes of this
Agreement shall mean the Compensation Committee of the
Board.
1.6 Confidential or Proprietary
Information . The term “Confidential or Proprietary
Information” for purposes of this Agreement shall mean any
secret, confidential, or proprietary information of SunTrust or a
SunTrust Affiliate (not otherwise included in the definition of
Trade Secret in § 1.24 of this Agreement) that has not become
generally available to the public by the act of one who has the
right to disclose such information without violating any right of
SunTrust or a SunTrust Affiliate.
1.7 Current Compensation
Package . The term “Current Compensation Package”
for purposes of § 3.1(c)(1) of this Agreement shall mean the
sum of the amounts described in § 1.7(a) and in § 1.7(b)
and, if applicable, in § 1.7(c) as follows:
(a) Base Salary .
Executive’s highest annual base salary from SunTrust and any
SunTrust Affiliate which (but for any salary deferral election) is
in effect at any time during the one-year period which ends on the
date Executive’s employment with SunTrust or a SunTrust
Affiliate terminates under the circumstances described in §
3.1 or § 3.6.
(b) Bonus Award .
(1) General Rule . If
Executive participates in the MIP at termination, the amount
described in this § 1.7(b) shall (subject to § 1.7(b)(2))
be the greater of (i) Executive’s target annual bonus
under the MIP for the calendar year in which Executive’s
employment with SunTrust or a SunTrust Affiliate terminates under
the circumstances described in § 3.1 or § 3.6, or
(ii) the average of the annual bonus earned by
Executive
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(disregarding any deferral) for the
3 full calendar years in which Executive participated in the MIP
(or, if less, the number of full calendar years in which Executive
participated in the MIP) which immediately precede the calendar
year in which Executive’s employment so terminates. If
Executive was not eligible to participate in the MIP at
termination, but participates in a FIP, the amount described in
this § 1.7(b)(1) shall (subject to § 1.7(b)(2)) be the
greater of (i) Executive’s target annual bonus under the
FIP for the calendar year in which Executive’s employment
with SunTrust or a SunTrust Affiliate terminates under the
circumstances described in § 3.1 or § 3.6, or
(ii) the average of the annual bonus earned by Executive
(disregarding any deferral) for the three (3) full calendar
years in which Executive participated in the FIP (or, if less, the
number of full calendar years in which Executive participated in
the FIP) which immediately precede the calendar year in which
Executive’s employment so terminates. In the event Executive
was not eligible to participate in the MIP or any FIP at
termination, the amount described in this § 1.7(b)(1) shall
(subject to § 1.7(b)(2)) be the last annual bonus earned by
Executive (disregarding any deferral).
(2) Exceptions to General
Rule .
(i) No MIP . If Executive
participates in a FIP but not in the MIP, or if Executive is not
eligible to participate in the MIP or any FIP at termination, the
amount described in this § 1.7(b) shall not exceed the amount
which would have been described in § 1.7(b)(1) if Executive
instead had been a participant in the MIP.
(ii) Determination Rules .
SunTrust shall determine the amount which would have been described
in § 1.7(b)(1) if Executive had been a participant in the MIP
based on the target bonus or, if greater, the projected bonus for a
MIP participant, or for a class of such participants, whose duties,
responsibilities and compensation match, or most closely match,
Executive’s duties, responsibilities and compensation before
Executive’s employment terminated.
(c) PUP Awards . To the
extent applicable, the amount described in this § 1.7(c) shall
be the average of the PUP bonus earned by the Executive
(disregarding any deferral) for the three (3) full performance
cycles ending before 2008, if any, in which Executive participated
in the PUP (or, if less, for the number of full performance cycles
in which Executive participated in the PUP) and which ended in the
three (3) calendar years immediately preceding the calendar
year in which Executive’s employment terminates under the
circumstances described in § 3.1 or § 3.6. For example,
if an Executive terminates from employment during 2009, the amount
described in this § 1.7(c) shall be the average of PUP amounts
earned for performance cycles ending on December 31, 2006 and
December 31, 2007 (no PUP awards exist for periods ending
after December 31, 2007).
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1.8 Disability Termination .
The term “Disability Termination” for purposes of this
Agreement shall mean a termination of Executive’s employment
exclusively as a result of an event causing such Executive to
become eligible to receive disability income benefits under
SunTrust’s long term disability plan or any successor to or
replacement for such plan.
1.9 Exchange Act . The term
“Exchange Act” for purposes of this Agreement shall
mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
1.10 FIP . The term
“FIP” for purposes of this Agreement shall mean an
alternative functional incentive plan which provides a short-term
bonus or commissions to certain Executives that are not eligible to
participate in the MIP.
1.11 Good Reason . The term
“Good Reason” for purposes of this Agreement shall
(subject to § 1.11(e)) mean:
(a) SunTrust or any SunTrust
Affiliate after a Change in Control but before the end of
Executive’s Protection Period reduces Executive’s base
salary or opportunity to receive comparable incentive compensation
or bonuses without Executive’s express written
consent;
(b) SunTrust or any SunTrust
Affiliate after a Change in Control but before the end of
Executive’s Protection Period reduces the scope of
Executive’s principal or primary duties, responsibilities or
authority, without Executive’s express written
consent;
(c) SunTrust or any SunTrust
Affiliate at any time after a Change in Control but before the end
of Executive’s Protection Period (without Executive’s
express written consent) transfers Executive’s primary work
site from Executive’s primary work site on the date of such
Change in Control or, if Executive subsequently consents in writing
to such a transfer under this Agreement, from the primary work site
which was the subject of such consent, to a new primary work site
which is outside the “standard metropolitan statistical
area” which then includes Executive’s then current
primary work site unless such new primary work site is closer to
Executive’s primary residence than Executive’s then
current primary work site; or
(d) SunTrust or any SunTrust
Affiliate after a Change in Control but before the end of
Executive’s Protection Period fails (without
Executive’s express written consent) to continue to provide
to Executive health and welfare benefits, deferred compensation and
retirement benefits, stock option and restricted stock grants that
are in the aggregate comparable to those provided to Executive
immediately prior to the Change in Control; provided,
however,
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(e) No such act or omission shall be
treated as “Good Reason” under this Agreement
unless:
(1) (i) Executive delivers to the
Compensation Committee a detailed, written statement of the basis
for Executive’s belief that such act or omission constitutes
Good Reason, (ii) Executive delivers such statement before the
later of (A) the end of the ninety (90) day period which
starts on the date there is an act or omission which forms the
basis for Executive’s belief that Good Reason exists or
(B) the end of the period mutually agreed upon for purposes of
this § 1.11(e)(1)(ii) in writing by Executive and the Chairman
of the Compensation Committee, (iii) Executive gives the
Compensation Committee a thirty (30) day period after the
delivery of such statement to cure the basis for such belief and
(iv) Executive actually submits Executive’s written
resignation to the Compensation Committee during the sixty
(60) day period which begins immediately after the end of such
thirty (30) day period if Executive reasonably and in good
faith determines that Good Reason continues to exist after the end
of such thirty (30) day period, or
(2) SunTrust states in writing to
Executive that Executive has the right to treat such act or
omission as Good Reason under this Agreement and Executive resigns
during the sixty (60) day period which starts on the date such
statement is actually delivered to Executive;
(f) If (1) Executive gives the
Compensation Committee the statement described in § 1.11(e)(1)
before the end of the thirty (30) day period which immediately
follows the end of the Protection Period and Executive thereafter
resigns within the period described in § 1.11(e)(1), or
(2) SunTrust provides the statement to Executive described in
§ 1.11(e)(2) before the end of the thirty (30) day period
which immediately follows the end of the Protection Period and
Executive thereafter resigns within the period described in §
1.11(e)(2); then (3) such resignation shall be treated under
this Agreement as if made in Executive’s Protection Period;
and
(g) If Executive consents in writing
to any reduction described in § 1.11(a) or § 1.11(b), to
any transfer described in § 1.11(c) or to any failure
described in § 1.11(d) in lieu of exercising Executive’s
right to resign for Good Reason and delivers such consent to
SunTrust, the date such consent is delivered to SunTrust thereafter
shall be treated under this definition as the date of a Change in
Control for purposes of determining whether Executive subsequently
has Good Reason under this Agreement to resign under § §
3.1 or § 3.6 as a result of any subsequent reduction described
in § 1.11(a) or § 1.11(b), any subsequent transfer
described in § 1.11(c) or any subsequent failure described in
§ 1.11(d).
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1.12 Gross Up Payment . The
term “Gross Up Payment” for purposes of this Agreement
shall mean a payment to or on behalf of Executive which shall be
sufficient to pay (i) any excise tax described in § 9 in
full, (ii) any federal, state and local income tax and social
security and other employment tax on the payment made to pay such
excise tax as well as any additional taxes on such payment and
(iii) any interest or penalties assessed by the Internal
Revenue Service on Executive which are related to the payment of
such excise tax unless such interest or penalties are attributable
to Executive’s willful misconduct or negligence.
1.13 Key Employee . The term
“Key Employee” for purposes of this Agreement shall
mean an employee treated as a “specified employee” (as
defined under Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i)) of SunTrust or
its affiliates (any member of its controlled group, as determined
under Code Section 414(b), (c), or (m)) as of his or her
Separation from Service if SunTrust or any affiliate’s common
stock is publicly traded on an established securities market or
otherwise (i.e., a key employee (as defined in Code
Section 416(i) without regard to paragraph (5) thereof)).
Key Employees shall be determined in accordance with Code
Section 409A using a December 31 identification date. A
listing of Key Employees as of an identification date shall be
effective for the 12-month period beginning on the April 1
following the identification date.
1.14 Key Employee Delay . The
term “Key Employee Delay” for purposes of this
Agreement shall mean the period of delay set forth in §
3.1.
1.15 MIP . The term
“MIP” for purposes of this Agreement shall mean the
SunTrust Banks, Inc. Management Incentive Plan or, if there is any
material change in the terms, operation or administration of such
plan following a Change in Control, any successor to such plan in
which Executive is eligible to participate and which provides an
opportunity for a short-term bonus for Executive which is
comparable to the opportunity which Executive had under such plan
before such Change in Control or, if Executive reasonably
determines that there is no such plan in which Executive is
eligible to participate but SunTrust or a parent corporation
maintains a short term bonus plan for the benefit of senior
executives which provides for such an opportunity, such other plan
as agreed to by Executive and the Compensation
Committee.
1.16 Protection Period . The
term “Protection Period” for purposes of this Agreement
shall (subject to § 1.11(f)) mean the two (2) year period
which begins on a Change in Control.
1.17 PUP . The term
“PUP” for purposes of this Agreement shall mean the
SunTrust Banks, Inc. Performance Unit Plan effective for
performance cycles ending on or before December 31,
2007.
1.18 Restricted Period . The
term “Restricted Period” for purposes of this Agreement
shall mean the period which starts on the date Executive’s
employment by SunTrust or a SunTrust Affiliate terminates under
circumstances which require SunTrust to make the payments and
provide the benefits described in § 3 and which ends on
the
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earlier of (a)(i) the first anniversary of such
termination date for purposes of § 5 and (ii) the second
anniversary of such termination date for all other purposes under
this Agreement, or (b) on the first date following such a
termination on which SunTrust either breaches any obligation to
Executive under § 3 or no longer has any obligation to
Executive under § 3.
1.19 S