EXHIBIT 10.30
INTERLINE BRANDS, INC.
CHANGE IN CONTROL SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is entered into as of
the 30 th day of April, 2007 (the “Effective
Date”) by and between INTERLINE BRANDS, INC., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”), and Kenneth D. Sweder
(“Executive”).
W I T N E S S E T H
WHEREAS, the Company considers the
establishment and maintenance of a sound and vital management to be
essential to protecting and enhancing the best interests of the
Company and its stockholders; and
WHEREAS, the Company recognizes
that, as is the case with many publicly held corporations, the
possibility of a change in control may arise and that such
possibility may result in the departure or distraction of
management personnel to the detriment of the Company and its
stockholders; and
WHEREAS, the Compensation Committee
of the “Board” (as defined in Section 1) has
determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders to secure Executive’s continued services and to
ensure Executive’s continued and undivided dedication to
Executive’s duties in the event of any threat or occurrence
of a “Change in Control” (as defined in Section 1)
of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Compensation Committee,
at a meeting held on March 1, 2007, has authorized the Company
to enter into this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in
consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein
contained, the Company and Executive hereby agree as
follows:
1.
Definitions
. As used
in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the respective
meanings set forth below:
(a)
“Affiliate” means, with respect to a specified
person, a person that, directly or indirectly through one or
more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common
control with, the person specified.
(b)
“Board” means the Board of Directors of the
Company.
(c)
“Bonus Amount” means (i) the average of the annual
bonus earned by Executive from the Company (or its Affiliates) in
respect of the last three (3) completed fiscal years of the
Company or such lesser number of fiscal years for which Executive
was employed by the Company and eligible to earn an annual bonus
from the Company immediately preceding Executive’s Date of
Termination (annualized in the event Executive was not employed by
the Company (or its Affiliates) for the whole of any such fiscal
year), or (ii) if the Date of Termination occurs before
Executive has been employed for a full fiscal year, and before the
date Company pays Executive Executive’s annual bonus for the
fiscal year in which Executive’s employment
commenced,
Executive’s target
annual bonus for the fiscal year of the Company which includes
Executive’s Date of Termination.
(d)
“Cause” means (i) Executive’s conviction of,
or pleading nolo contendere to, a felony,
(ii) Executive’s gross neglect of Executive’s
duties to the Company, (iii) Executive’s willful
misconduct in connection with the performance of Executive’s
duties to the Company, which results in material and demonstrable
damage to the Company or (iv) Executive’s failure to
follow the lawful directions of the Board, consistent with
Executive’s position with the Company; provided, however that
Executive shall not be deemed to have been terminated for Cause
unless (A) written notice has been delivered to Executive
setting forth the reasons for the Company’s intention to
terminate Executive for Cause and (B) a period of 14 days has
elapsed since delivery of such notice and, in the case of clauses
(ii) and (iv) above, Executive has failed to cure the
circumstances claimed to constitute Cause within such 14-day
period. For purpose of the preceding sentence, no act or
failure to act by Executive shall be considered
“willful” unless done or omitted to be done by
Executive in bad faith and without reasonable belief that
Executive’s action or omission was in the best interests of
the Company. Any act, or failure to act, based upon authority
given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board, based
upon the advice of counsel for the Company (or upon the
instructions of any other officer of the Company senior to
Executive) shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to
be done, by Executive in good faith and in the best interests of
the Company. Cause shall not exist unless and until the
Company has delivered to Executive a copy of a resolution duly
adopted by three-quarters (3/4) of the entire Board (excluding
Executive if Executive is a Board member) at a meeting of the Board
called and held for such purpose (after reasonable notice to
Executive and an opportunity for Executive, together with counsel,
to be heard before the Board), finding that in the good faith
opinion of the Board an event set forth in clauses (i), (ii),
(iii), or (iv) has occurred and specifying the particulars
thereof in detail. The Company must notify Executive of any
event constituting Cause within ninety (90) days following
knowledge of any member of the Board other than Executive (if
applicable) of its existence or such event shall not constitute
Cause under this Agreement.
(e)
“Change in Control” means any of the following:
(i) 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”))
(other than an Affiliate or any employee benefit plan (or any
related trust) of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company), (a
“Person”) becomes after the date hereof the beneficial
owner of 50% or more of either the then outstanding Stock or the
combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of
the Company entitled to vote in the election of directors;
(ii) during any 24-month period individuals who, as of the
Effective Date, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent
Directors”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a
majority of the Board; provided that any individual who becomes a
director after the Effective Date whose election, or nomination for
election by the Company’s shareholders, was approved by a
vote or written consent of at least two-thirds of the directors
then comprising the Incumbent Directors shall be considered as
though such individual were an Incumbent Director, but excluding,
for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of
office is in connection with an actual or threatened
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election contest relating to
the election of the directors of the Company (as such terms are
used in Rule 14a-11 under the Exchange Act); (iii) the
consummation of a merger, reorganization or consolidation with
respect to which the individuals and entities who were the
respective beneficial owners of the Stock and voting securities of
the Company immediately before such merger, reorganization or
consolidation do not, after such merger, reorganization or
consolidation, beneficially own, in substantially the same
proportion as their ownership, immediately before such merger,
reorganization or consolidation, directly or indirectly, more than
50% of, respectively, the then outstanding common shares and the
combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities
entitled to vote in the election of directors; or (iv) the
approval by shareholders of the Company of (A) the sale
or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of
the Company (other than to an Affiliate of the Company), or
(B) the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a
Change in Control of the Company shall not be deemed to occur
solely because any Person acquires beneficial ownership of more
than 50% of the then outstanding Stock as a result of the
acquisition of the Stock by the Company which reduces the number of
shares of Stock outstanding; provided , that if after
such acquisition by the Company such person becomes the beneficial
owner of additional Stock that increases the percentage of
outstanding Stock beneficially owned by such person, a Change in
Control of the Company shall then occur.
(f)
“Code” means the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and regulations and
rulings thereunder. References to a particular section of the
Code shall include references to successor provisions.
(g)
“Date of
Termination” means (1) the effective date on which
Executive’s employment by the Company terminates as specified
in a prior written notice by the Company or Executive, as the case
may be, to the other, delivered pursuant to Section 13 or
(2) if Executive’s employment by the Company terminates
by reason of death, the date of death of Executive.
(h)
“Disability”
means termination of Executive’s employment by the Company
due to Executive’s absence from Executive’s duties with
the Company on a full-time basis for at least one hundred eighty
(180) consecutive days as a result of Executive’s incapacity
due to physical or mental illness.
(i)
“Exchange
Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended. References to a particular section of, or
rule under, the Exchange Act shall include references to
successor provisions.
(j)
“Good
Reason” means, without Executive’s express written
consent, the occurrence of any of the following events after a
Change in Control:
(i)
any (A) change in the duties or responsibilities (including
reporting responsibilities) of Executive that is inconsistent in
any material and adverse respect with Executive’s
position(s), duties or
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responsibilities
with the Company immediately prior to such Change in Control
(including any material and adverse diminution of such duties or
responsibilities); provided , however , that Good
Reason shall not be deemed to occur upon a change in duties or
responsibilities (other than reporting responsibilities) that is
solely and directly a result of the Company no longer being a
publicly traded entity and does not involve any other event set
forth in this paragraph (j) or (B) material and adverse
change in Executive’s titles or offices (including, if
applicable, membership on the Board) with the Company as in effect
immediately prior to such Change in Control;
(ii)
a material breach of an employment agreement to which Executive and
the Company are parties;
(iii)
a reduction by the Company in Executive’s rate of annual base
salary or target annual bonus opportunity as in effect immediately
prior to such Change in Control or as the same may be increased
from time to time thereafter;
(iv)
any requirement of the Company that Executive (A) be based
anywhere more than thirty-five (35) miles from the office where
Executive is located at the time of the Change in Control, if such
relocation increases Executive’s commute by more than twenty
(20) miles, or (B) travel on Company business to an extent
substantially greater than the travel obligations of Executive
immediately prior to such Change in Control;
(v)
a reduction by the Company of more than 5% in Executive’s
aggregate benefits under employee benefit plans, welfare benefit
plans and fringe benefit plans in which Executive is participating
immediately prior to such Change in Control, unless Executive is
permitted to participate in other plans providing Executive with
substantially equivalent benefits in the aggregate (at
substantially equivalent cost with respect to welfare benefit
plans);
(vi)
the failure of the Company to provide Executive with paid vacation
in accordance with the most favorable vacation policies of the
Company and its Affiliates as in effect for Executive immediately
prior to such Change in Control, including the crediting of all
service for which Executive had been credited under such vacation
policies prior to the Change in Control;
(vii)
any refusal by the Company to continue to permit Executive to
engage in activities not directly related to the business of the
Company in which Executive was permitted to engage prior to the
Change in Control;
(viii)
any purported termination of Executive’s employment which is
not effectuated pursuant to Section 14 (and which will not
constitute a termination hereunder); or
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(ix)
the failure of the Company to obtain the assumption and, if
applicable, guarantee, agreement from any successor (and parent
corporation) as contemplated in Section 12(b).
An isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent
action taken in good faith and which is remedied by the Company
within ten (10) days after receipt of notice thereof given by
Executive shall not constitute Good Reason. Executive’s
right to terminate employment for Good Reason shall not be affected
by Executive’s incapacity due to mental or physical illness
and Executive’s continued employment shall not constitute
consent to, or a waiver of rights with respect to, any event or
condition constituting Good Reason; provided ,
however , that Executive must provide notice of termination
of employment for Good Reason within ninety (90) days following
Executive’s knowledge of an event constituting Good Reason or
such event shall not constitute a termination for Good Reason under
this Agreement.
(k)
“Qualifying
Termination” means a termination of Executive’s
employment (i) by the Company other than for Cause or
(ii) by Executive for Good Reason. Termination of
Executive’s employment on account of death or Disability
shall not be treated as a Qualifying Termination.
(l)
“Safe
Harbor Amount” means the greatest pre-tax amount of
“Payments” (as defined in Section 4(a)) that could
be paid to Executive without causing Executive to become liable for
any “Excise Tax” (as defined in Section 4(a)) in
connection therewith.
(m)
“SEC”
means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(n)
“Stock” means the
Common Stock of the Company.
(o)
“Termination
Period” means the period of time beginning with a Change in
Control and ending two (2) years following such Change in
Control. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the
contrary, if (i) Executive’s employment is terminated
prior to a Change in Control for reasons that would have
constituted a Qualifying Termination if they had occurred following
a Change in Control and (ii) (A) such termination (or
Good Reason event) was at the request of a third party who had
indicated an intention or taken steps reasonably calculated to
effect a Change in Control and a Change in Control involving such
third party (or a party competing with such third party to
effectuate a Change in Control) does occur, or (B) such
termination (or Good Reason event) otherwise occurs in connection
with a potential Change in Control and such Change in Control does
occur, then for purposes of this Agreement, the date immediately
prior to the date of such termination of employment or event
constituting Good Reason shall be treated as the date of a Change
in Control. For purposes of determining the timing of
payments and benefits to Executive under Section 3, the date
of the actual Change in Control shall be treated as
Executive’s Date of Termination under
Section 1(g).
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2.
Term of
Agreement . This Agreement shall
be effective on the date hereof and shall continue in effect until
and unless the Company shall have given one (1) years’
written notice of cancellation; provided , that ,
notwithstanding the delivery of any such notice, this Agreement
shall continue in effect for a period of two (2) years after a
Change in Control, if such Change in Control shall have occurred
during the term of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything
in this Section to the contrary, this Agreement shall
terminate if Executive or the Company terminates Executive’s
employment prior to a Change in Control except as provided in the
second sentence of Section 1(o).
3.
Payments Upon
Termination of Employment .
(a)
Qualifying
Termination - Severance . If during the
Termination Period the employment of Executive shall terminate
pursuant to a Qualifying Termination, then the Company shall
provide to Executive, subject to the proviso to the first sentence
of Section 10:
(i)
within ten (10) days following the Date of Termination, a
lump-sum cash amount equal to the sum of (A) Executive’s
base salary through the Date of Termination and any bonus amounts
which have become payable, to the extent not theretofore paid or
deferred, (B) a pro rata portion of Executive’s annual
bonus for the fiscal year in which Executive’s Date of
Termination occurs in an amount equal to (1) Executive’s
target annual bonus, multiplied by (2) a fraction, the
numerator of which is the number of days in the fiscal year in
which the Date of Termination occurs through the Date of
Termination and the denominator of which is three hundred
sixty-five (365), and (C) any accrued vacation pay, in each
case to the extent not theretofore paid; plus
(ii)
within ten (10) days following the Date of Termination, a
lump-sum cash amount equal to (i) one and one-half (1.5) times
Executive’s highest annual rate of base salary during the
12-month period immediately prior to Executive’s Date of
Termination plus (ii) one and one-half (1.5) times
Executive’s Bonus Amount, paid within ten (10) days
following the Date of Termination; provided that, if necessary to
avoid tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code, the
payment shall be delayed, without interest, until the first day
which is at least six months following the Date of
Termination.
(b)
Qualifying
Termination - Benefits . If during the
Termination Period the employment of Executive shall terminate
pursuant to a Qualifying Termination, the Company shall, subject to
the proviso to the first sentence of Section 10, continue to
provide, for a period of eighteen (18) months following
Executive’s Date of Termination, Executive (and
Executive’s dependents, if applicable) with the same level of
medical and dental benefits upon substantially the same terms and
conditions (including contributions required by Executive for such
benefits) as existed immediately prior to Executive’s Date of
Termination (or, if more favorable to Executive, as such benefits
and terms and conditions existed immediately prior to the Change in
Control); provided , that , if Executive cannot
continue to participate in the Company plans providing such
benefits, the Company shall otherwise provide such benefits on the
same
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after-tax basis as if
continued participation had been permitted. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, in the event Executive becomes reemployed with
another employer and becomes eligible to receive medical and/or
dental benefits from such employer, the Company’s obligation
to provide such medical and/or dental benefits described herein
shall cease.
(c)
Execution of Release . Any payments or benefits that
would otherwise be payable or provided to Executive under Sections
4(a)(i)(B), 4(a)(ii) and 4(b) shall not be payable or
provided unless and until the Company has received from Executive a
signed release of employment-related claims against the Company,
its Subsidiaries and their respective employees, officers and
directors, in a form prepared by the Company and reasonably
acceptable to Executive.
(d)
Nonqualifying Termination . If during the Termination
Period the
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