Exhibit 10.1
CHANGE OF CONTROL EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT (BE4 AND HIGHER)
CHANGE OF CONTROL EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT, dated as of the
day
of
, 20 (this
“Agreement”), by and between COMERICA INCORPORATED, a
Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and
(the “Executive”).
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of
the Company (the “Board”), has determined that it is in
the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to assure
that the Company will have the continued dedication of the
Executive, notwithstanding the possibility, threat or occurrence of
a Change of Control (as defined herein). The Board believes
it is imperative to diminish the inevitable distraction of the
Executive by virtue of the personal uncertainties and risks created
by a pending or threatened Change of Control and to encourage the
Executive’s full attention and dedication to the Company in
the event of any threatened or pending Change of Control, and to
provide the Executive with compensation and benefits arrangements
upon a Change of Control that ensure that the compensation and
benefits expectations of the Executive will be satisfied and that
provide the Executive with compensation and benefits arrangements
that are competitive with those of other corporations.
Therefore, in order to accomplish these objectives, the Board has
caused the Company to enter into this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY AGREED
AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1.
Certain Definitions .
(a) “Effective Date” means the first date during
the Change of Control Period (as defined herein) on which a Change
of Control occurs. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement
to the contrary, if (A) the Executive’s employment with
the Company is terminated by the Company, (B) the Date of
Termination is prior to the date on which a Change of Control
occurs, and (C) it is reasonably demonstrated by the Executive
that such termination of employment (i) was at the request of
a third party that has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect
a Change of Control or (ii) otherwise arose in connection with
or anticipation of a Change of Control (such a termination of
employment, an “Anticipatory Termination”), then for
all purposes of this Agreement, the “Effective Date”
means the date immediately prior to such Date of
Termination.
(b)
“Change of
Control Period” means the period commencing on the date
hereof and ending on the third anniversary of the date hereof;
provided , however , that, commencing on the date one
year after the date hereof, and on each annual anniversary of such
date (such date and each annual anniversary thereof, the
“Renewal Date”), unless previously terminated, the
Change of Control Period shall be automatically extended so as to
terminate three years from such Renewal Date, unless, at least 60
days prior to the Renewal Date, the Company shall give notice to
the Executive that the Change of Control Period shall not be so
extended.
(c)
“Affiliated
Company” means any company controlled by, controlling or
under common control with the Company.
(d)
“Change of
Control” means:
(1)
Any individual,
entity or group (within the meaning of
Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”))
(a “Person”) becomes the beneficial owner (within the
meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of
20% or more of either (A) the then-outstanding shares of
common stock of the Company (the “Outstanding Company Common
Stock”) or (B) the combined voting power of the
then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors (the “Outstanding
Company Voting Securities”); provided , however
, that, for purposes of this Section 1(d), the following
acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control:
(i) any acquisition directly from the Company, (ii) any
acquisition by the Company, (iii) any acquisition by any
employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by
the Company or any Affiliated Company or (iv) any acquisition
pursuant to a transaction that complies with Sections 1(d)(3)(A),
1(d)(3)(B) and 1(d)(3)(C);
(2)
Individuals who,
as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent
Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a
majority of the Board; provided , however , that any
individual becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose
election, or nomination for election by the Company’s
stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the
directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered
as though such individual was a member of the Incumbent Board, but
excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial
assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened
election contest with respect to the election or removal of
directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or
consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the
Board;
(3)
Consummation of a
reorganization, merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation
or similar transaction involving the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, a sale or other disposition of all or substantially
all of the assets of the Company, or the acquisition of assets or
stock of another entity by the Company or any of its subsidiaries
(each, a “Business Combination”), in each case unless,
following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially
all of the individuals and entities that were the beneficial owners
of the Outstanding Company Common Stock and the Outstanding Company
Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination
beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the
then-outstanding shares of common stock (or, for a non-corporate
entity, equivalent securities) and the combined voting power of the
then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in
the election of directors (or, for a non-corporate entity,
equivalent governing body), as the case may be, of the entity
resulting from such Business Combination (including, without
limitation, an entity that, as a result of such transaction, owns
the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s
assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in
substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately
prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding Company
Common Stock and the Outstanding Company Voting Securities, as the
case may be, (B) no Person (excluding any corporation
resulting from such Business Combination or any employee benefit
plan (or related trust) of the Company or such corporation
resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns,
directly or indirectly, 20% or more of, respectively, the
then-outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation
resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting
power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such
corporation, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior
to the Business Combination, and (C) at least a majority of
the members of the board of directors (or, for a non-corporate
entity, equivalent governing body) of the entity resulting from
such Business
2
Combination were members of
the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial
agreement or of the action of the Board providing for such Business
Combination; or
(4)
Approval by the
stockholders of the Company of a complete
liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
Section 2.
Employment Period . The Company hereby
agrees to continue the Executive in its employ, subject to the
terms and conditions of this Agreement, for the period commencing
on the Effective Date and ending on the last day of the thirtieth
consecutive month following the Effective Date (the
“Employment Period”). The Employment Period shall
terminate upon the Executive’s termination of employment for
any reason.
Section 3.
Terms of Employment . (a)
Position and Duties
.
(1)
During the
Employment Period, (A) the Executive’s position
(including status, offices, titles and reporting requirements),
authority, duties and responsibilities shall be at least
commensurate in all respects with the most significant of those
held, exercised and assigned at any time during the 120-day period
immediately preceding the Effective Date, and (B) the
Executive’s services shall be performed at the location where
the Executive was employed immediately preceding the Effective Date
or at any office or location less than 60 miles from such
location.
(2)
During the
Employment Period, and excluding any periods of vacation and sick
leave to which the Executive is entitled, the Executive agrees to
devote reasonable attention and time during normal business hours
to the business and affairs of the Company and, to the extent
necessary to discharge the responsibilities assigned to the
Executive hereunder, to use the Executive’s reasonable best
efforts to perform faithfully and efficiently such
responsibilities. During the Employment Period, it shall not
be a violation of this Agreement for the Executive to
(A) serve on corporate, civic or charitable boards or
committees, (B) deliver lectures, fulfill speaking engagements
or teach at educational institutions and (C) manage personal
investments, so long as such activities do not significantly
interfere with the performance of the Executive’s
responsibilities as an employee of the Company in accordance with
this Agreement. It is expressly understood and agreed that,
to the extent that any such activities have been conducted by the
Executive prior to the Effective Date, the continued conduct of
such activities (or the conduct of activities similar in nature and
scope thereto) subsequent to the Effective Date shall not
thereafter be deemed to interfere with the performance of the
Executive’s responsibilities to the Company.
(b)
Compensation
. (1)
Base Salary
. During the Employment
Period, the Executive shall receive an annual base salary (the
“Annual Base Salary”) at an annual rate at least equal
to 26 times the highest bi-weekly base salary paid or payable,
including any base salary that has been earned but deferred, to the
Executive by the Company and the Affiliated Companies in respect of
the one-year period immediately preceding the month in which the
Effective Date occurs. The Annual Base Salary shall be paid
to the Executive at such intervals as the Company pays executive
salaries generally, unless the Executive shall elect to defer the
receipt of such Base Salary pursuant to an arrangement that meets
the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). During the
Employment Period, the Annual Base Salary shall be reviewed at
least annually, beginning no more than 12
3
months after the last salary
increase awarded to the Executive prior to the Effective
Date. Any increase in the Annual Base Salary shall not serve
to limit or reduce any other obligation to the Executive under this
Agreement. The Annual Base Salary shall not be reduced after
any such increase and the term “Annual Base Salary”
shall refer to the Annual Base Salary as so increased.
(2)
Annual Bonus
. In addition to the
Annual Base Salary, the Executive shall be awarded, for each fiscal
year ending during the Employment Period, an annual bonus (the
“Annual Bonus”) in cash at least equal to the aggregate
of the Executive’s highest bonus under each of
(i)
the Company’s Management
Incentive Plan; and
(ii)
any business unit incentive plan of
the Company in which the Executive has participated during any
portion of the last three fiscal years (or any predecessor or
successor plan to any thereof), as applicable, for the last three
full fiscal years prior to the Effective Date, including any bonus
or portion thereof that has been earned but deferred (annualized in
the event that the Executive was not employed by the Company for
the whole of such fiscal year and not otherwise paid a full
year’s bonus for such year) (the “Recent Annual
Bonus”). For purposes of determining the Recent Annual
Bonus, the highest bonus under the Management Incentive Plan shall
be determined by including bonuses earned for both the annual and
multiyear performance periods ending in each of the last three full
fiscal years prior to the Effective Date (or for such lesser number
of full fiscal years prior to the Effective Date for which the
Executive was eligible to earn such a bonus and annualized in the
case of any pro rata bonus earned for a partial fiscal year).
Each such Annual Bonus shall be paid no later than two and a half
months after the end of the fiscal year for which the Annual Bonus
is awarded, unless the Executive shall elect to defer the receipt
of such Annual Bonus pursuant to an arrangement that meets the
requirements of Section 409A of the Code.
(3)
Long-Term Equity Incentives,
Savings and Retirement Plans . During the Employment Period,
the Executive shall be entitled to participate in all equity
incentive, savings and retirement plans, practices, policies, and
programs applicable generally to other peer executives of the
Company and the Affiliated Companies, but in no event shall such
plans, practices, policies and programs provide the Executive with
incentive opportunities (measured with respect to both regular and
special incentive opportunities, to the extent, if any, that such
distinction is applicable), savings opportunities and retirement
benefit opportunities, in each case, less favorable, in the
aggregate, than the most favorable of those provided by the Company
and the Affiliated Companies for the Executive under such plans,
practices, policies and programs as in effect at any time during
the 120-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if
more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any
time after the Effective Date to other peer executives of the
Company and the Affiliated Companies.
(4)
Welfare Benefit Plans
. During the Employment
Period, the Executive and/or the Executive’s family, as the
case may be, shall be eligible for participation in and shall
receive all benefits under welfare benefit plans, practices,
policies and programs provided by the Company and the Affiliated
Companies (including, without limitation, medical, prescription,
dental, disability, employee life, group life, accidental death and
travel accident insurance plans
4
and programs) to the extent
applicable generally to other peer executives of the Company and
the Affiliated Companies, but in no event shall such plans,
practices, policies and programs provide the Executive with
benefits that are less favorable, in the aggregate, than the most
favorable of such plans, practices, policies and programs in effect
for the Executive at any time during the 120-day period immediately
preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the
Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective
Date to other peer executives of the Company and the Affiliated
Companies.
(5)
Expenses . During the Employment
Period, the Executive shall be entitled to receive prompt
reimbursement for all reasonable expenses incurred by the Executive
in accordance with the most favorable policies, practices and
procedures of the Company and the Affiliated Companies in effect
for the Executive at any time during the 120-day period immediately
preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the
Executive, as in effect generally at any time thereafter with
respect to other peer executives of the Company and the Affiliated
Companies.
(6)
Fringe Benefits
. During the Employment
Period, the Executive shall be entitled to fringe benefits,
including, without limitation, tax planning services, payment of
club dues, and, if applicable, use of an automobile and payment of
related expenses, in accordance with the most favorable plans,
practices, programs and policies of the Company and the Affiliated
Companies in effect for the Executive at any time during the
120-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more
favorable to the Executive, as in effect generally at any time
thereafter with respect to other peer executives of the Company and
the Affiliated Companies.
(7)
Office and Support
Staff .
During the
Employment Period, the Executive shall be entitled to an office or
offices of a size and with furnishings and other appointments, and
to exclusive personal secretarial and other assistance, at least
equal to the most favorable of the foregoing provided to the
Executive by the Company and the Affiliated Companies at any time
during the 120-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date
or, if more favorable to the Executive, as provided generally at
any time thereafter with respect to other peer executives of the
Company and the Affiliated Companies.
(8)
Vacation . During the Employment
Period, the Executive shall be entitled to paid vacation in
accordance with the most favorable plans, policies, programs and
practices of the Company and the Affiliated Companies as in effect
for the Executive at any time during the 120-day period immediately
preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the
Executive, as in effect generally at any time thereafter with
respect to other peer executives of the Company and the Affiliated
Companies.
Section 4.
Termination of Employment . (a)
Death or Disability
. The Executive’s
employment shall terminate automatically if the Executive dies
during the Employment Period. If the Company determines in
good faith that the Disability (as defined herein) of the Executive
has occurred during the Employment Period (pursuant to the
definition of “Disability”), it may give to the
Executive written notice in accordance with
Section 11(b) of its intention to terminate the
Executive’s employment. In such event, the
Executive’s employment with the Company shall terminate
effective on the 30th day after receipt of such
5
notice by the Executive (the
“Disability Effective Date”), provided that,
within the 30 days after such receipt, the Executive shall not have
returned to full-time performance of the Executive’s
duties. “Disability” means the absence of the
Executive from the Executive’s duties with the Company on a
full-time basis for 180 consecutive business days as a result of
incapacity due to mental or physical illness that is determined to
be total and permanent by a physician selected by the Company or
its insurers and acceptable to the Executive or the
Executive’s legal representative.
(b)
Cause . The Company may terminate
the Executive’s employment during the Employment Period with
or without Cause. “Cause” means:
(1)
the willful and
continued failure of the Executive to perform substantially the
Executive’s duties with the Company or any Affiliated Company
(other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to
physical or mental illness), after a written demand for substantial
performance is delivered to the Executive by the Board or the Chief
Executive Officer of the Company that specifically identifies the
manner in which the Board or the Chief Executive Officer of the
Company believes that the Executive has not substantially performed
the Executive’s duties, or
(2)
the willful
engaging by the Executive in illegal conduct or gross misconduct
that is materially and demonstrably injurious to the
Company.
For purposes of this Section 4(b), no act,
or failure to act, on the part of the Executive shall be considered
“willful” unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by
the Executive in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the
Executive’s action or omission was in the best interests of
the Company. Any act, or failure to act, based upon
(A) authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by
the Board, or if the Company is not the ultimate parent corporation
of the Affiliated Companies and is not publicly-traded, the board
of directors of the ultimate parent of the Company (the
“Applicable Board”), (B) the instructions of the
Chief Executive Officer of the Company or a senior officer of the
Company or (C) the advice of counsel for the Company shall be
conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the
Executive in good faith and in the best interests of the
Company. The cessation of employment of the Executive shall
not be deemed to be for Cause unless and until there shall have
been delivered to the Executive a copy of a resolution duly adopted
by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters of the
entire membership of the Applicable Board (excluding the Executive,
if the Executive is a member of the Applicable Board) at a meeting
of the Applicable Board called and held for such purpose (after
reasonable notice is provided to the Executive and the Executive is
given an opportunity, together with counsel for the Executive, to
be heard before the Applicable Board), finding that, in the good
faith opinion of the Applicable Board, the Executive is guilty of
the conduct described in Section 4(b)(1) or 4(b)(2), and
specifying the particulars thereof in detail.
(c)
Good Reason
. The Executive’s
employment may be terminated during the Employment Period by the
Executive for Good Reason or by the Executive voluntarily without
Good Reason. “Good Reason” means:
(1)
the assignment to
the Executive of any duties inconsistent in any respect with the
Executive’s position (including status, offices, titles and
reporting requirements), authority,
6
duties or responsibilities
as contemplated by Section 3(a), or any action by the Company
that results in a diminution in such position, authority, duties or
responsibilities, excluding for this purpose an isolated,
insubstantial and inadvertent action not taken in bad faith and
that is remedied by the Company promptly after receipt of notice
thereof given by the Executive;
(2)
any failure by
the Company to comply with any of the provisions of
Section 3(b), other than an isolated, insubstantial and
inadvertent failure not occurring in bad faith and that is remedied
by the Company promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by
the Executive;
(3)
the
Company’s requiring the Executive to be based at any office
or location other than as provided in
Section 4(a)(i)(B) hereof or the Company’s
requiring the Executive to travel on Company business to a
substantially greater extent than required immediately prior to the
Effective Date;
(4)
any purported
termination by the Company of the Executive’s employment
otherwise than as expressly permitted by this Agreement;
or
(5)
any failure by
the Company to comply with and satisfy
Section 10(c).
For purposes of this Section 4(c) of
this Agreement, any good faith determination of Good Reason made by
the Executive shall be conclusive. Anything in this
Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, a termination by the
Executive for any reason pursuant to a Notice of Termination given
during the 30-day period immediately following the first
anniversary of the Effective Date shall be deemed to be a
termination for Good Reason for all purposes of this
Agreement. The Executive’s mental or physical
incapacity following the occurrence of an event described above in
clauses (1) through (5) shall not affect the
Executive’s ability to terminate employment for Good
Reason.
(d)
Notice of Termination
. Any termination by the
Company for Cause, or by the Executive for Good Reason, shall be
communicated by Notice of Termination to the other party hereto
given in accordance with Section 11(b). “Notice of
Termination” means a written notice that (1) indicates
the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon,
(2) to the extent applicable, sets forth in reasonable detail
the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for
termination of the Executive’s employment under the provision
so indicated, and (3) if the Date of Termination (as defined
herein) is other than the date of receipt of such notice, specifies
the Date of Termination (which Date of Termination shall be not
more than 30 days after the giving of such notice). The
failure by the Executive or the Company to set forth in the Notice
of Termination any fact or circumstance that contributes to a
showing of Good Reason or Cause shall not waive any right of the
Executive or the Company, respectively, hereunder or preclude the
Executive or the Company, respectively, from asserting such fact or
circumstance in enforcing the Executive’s or the
Company’s respective rights hereunder.
(e)
Date of Termination
. “Date of
Termination” means (1) if the Executive’s
employment is terminated by the Company for Cause, or by the
Executive for Good Reason, the date of receipt of the Notice of
Termination or such later date specified in the Notice of
Termination, as the case may be, (2) if the Executive’s
employment is terminated by the Company other than for Cause or
Disability, the date on which the Company notifies the Executive of
such termination, (3) if the Executive resigns without Good
Reason, the date on
7
which the Executive notifies
the Company of such termination, and (4) if the
Executive’s employment is terminated by reason of death or
Disability, the date of death of the Executive or the Disability
Effective Date, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in no event shall the Date of Termination occur until
the Executive experiences a “separation from service”
within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, and
notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the date
on which such separation from service takes place shall be the
“Date of Termination.”
Section 5.
Obligations of the Company upon Termination .
(a) By the Executive for Good Reason; By the Company Other
Than for Cause, Death or Disability . If, during the
Employment Period, the Company terminates the Executive’s
employment other than for Cause, Death
|