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Exhibit
10.2
CHANGE IN CONTROL
SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
THIS CHANGE IN CONTROL SEVERANCE
AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of
April 26, 2005, (the “Effective Date”), by and between
Bradley Sparks (“Executive”) and WatchGuard
Technologies, Inc., a Delaware corporation, (the
“Company”).
As of the Effective Date, Executive will
serve as an employee of the Company in the position of Chief
Financial Officer (“CFO”) with appropriate authority
and responsibilities for such role. As CFO, Executive shall report
directly to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer.
Executive’s office will be located in the Seattle, Washington
area and Executive’s duties shall primarily be performed
there. Executive will earn an annual base salary of $220,000
(subject to adjustment in accordance with the Company’s
policy), which shall cover all hours worked, payable in the time
and manner that salary is paid by the Company to employees
generally, and subject to required tax withholding. Executive will
be eligible to receive a bonus (if any) in accordance with the
Company’s policy.
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Definitions . The following definitions shall apply for
all purposes under this Agreement: |
(a) Cause .
“Cause” has the same meaning as in the Plan.
(b) Corporate
Transaction . “Corporate Transaction” has the same
meaning as in the Plan.
(c) Good Reason .
“Good Reason” has the same meaning as in the
Plan.
(d) Plan .
“Plan” means the Company’s Amended and Restated
1996 Stock Incentive Compensation Plan.
(e) Total Disability .
“Total Disability” shall be deemed to occur on the
ninetieth (90th) consecutive or non-consecutive calendar day within
any twelve (12) month period that Executive is unable to perform
his duties because of any mental or physical impairment of
Executive which is expected to result in death or which has lasted
or is expected to last for a continuous period of 12 months or more
and which causes Executive to be unable, in the opinion of the
Company, to perform his duties for the Company and to be engaged in
any substantial gainful activity.
(a) Executive shall be
entitled to receive a severance payment from the Company (the
“Severance Payment”) if within the first eighteen (18)
month period after the occurrence of a Corporate Transaction,
either:
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(i) |
Executive resigns his employment for Good Reason within sixty
(60) days after Executive becomes aware of the occurrence of an
event specified in Section 1(c); or |
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(ii) |
The Company terminates Executive’s employment for any
reason other than Cause, death or Total Disability. |
For all purposes under this Agreement,
the amount of the Severance Payment shall be equal to one (1) times
Executive’s annual base salary as in effect on the date of
termination of Executive’s employment. The Severance Payment
shall be paid to Executive in a single cash lump sum payment not
later than seven (7) business days following the date that the
conditions in Section 2(c) with respect to the release of claims
are satisfied.
The Severance Payment shall be in lieu
of any other post-termination of employment payments or
benefits.
(b) Mitigation .
Except as may be expressly provided elsewhere in this Agreement,
Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any
payment or benefit contemplated by this Section 2 (whether by
seeking new employment or in any other manner). No such payment
shall be reduced by earnings that Executive may receive from any
other source. Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent
Executive receives severance or similar payments and/or benefits
under any other Company plan, program, agreement, policy, practice,
or the like, not referenced herein, the Severance Payment due to
Executive under this Agreement will be correspondingly reduced (and
vice-versa).
(c) Conditions . All
payments and benefits provided under this Section 2 are conditioned
on Executive’s continuing compliance with this Agreement and
the Company’s policies and Executive’s execution (and
effectiveness) of a severance agreement including a release of
claims and covenant not to sue in a form reasonably acceptable to
the Company. No Severance Payment shall be provided to Executive
unless and until such severance agreement is effective.
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Tax Effect of Payments . |
(a) Excise Taxes . In
the event that it is determined that any payment or distribution of
any type to or for the benefit of Executive made by the Company, by
any of its affiliates, by any person who acquires ownership or
effective control of the Company or ownership of a substantial
portion of the Company’s assets (within the meaning of
section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and
the regulations thereunder (the “Code”)) or by any
affiliate of such person, whether paid or payable or distributed or
distributable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise
(the “Total Payments”), would be subject to the excise
tax imposed by section 4999 of the Code or any interest or
penalties with respect to such excise tax (such excise tax,
together with any such interest or penalties, are collectively
referred to as the “Excise Tax”), then such payments or
distributions shall be payable either (x) in full or (y) as to such
lesser amount which would result in no portion of such payments or
distri
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