QUICKSILVER RESOURCES
INC.
AMENDED AND
RESTATED
EXECUTIVE
CHANGE IN CONTROL RETENTION
INCENTIVE PLAN
WHEREAS , Quicksilver Resources Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the “Company”) considers it to be in the
best interests of its stockholders to encourage the continued
employment of certain Executives (as defined herein)
notwithstanding the possibility, threat or occurrence of a Change
in Control (as defined herein);
WHEREAS , the Company believes that the possibility of
the occurrence of a Change in Control may result in the termination
by the Executive of the Executive’s employment by the Company
or in the distraction of the Executive from the performance of his
or her duties to the Company, in either case to the detriment of
the Company and its stockholders;
WHEREAS , the Company recognizes that the Executive
could suffer adverse financial and professional consequences if a
Change in Control were to occur; and
WHEREAS , the Company has determined that it is
advisable to establish a severance benefit program to protect the
Executive if a Change in Control occurs, thereby encouraging the
Executive to remain in the employ of the Company and not to be
distracted from the performance of his or her duties to the Company
by the possibility of a Change in Control.
NOW, THEREFORE , the Company adopts the Quicksilver Resources
Inc. Amended and Restated Executive Change in Control Retention
Incentive Plan, the terms of which are as follows:
ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS
1.1 “
Base Salary ” means the Participant’s annual
gross salary before any deductions, exclusions or any deferrals or
contributions under any Company plan or program, but excluding
bonuses, incentive compensation, deferred compensation, employee
benefits, expense reimbursements or any other non-salary form of
compensation being received by a Participant (determined without
regard to any reduction in such Base Salary that occurs after a
Change in Control).
1.2 “
Benchmark Bonus ” means the greater of (a) the
average of the three annual bonuses earned by the Participant under
the terms of the Company’s annual incentive plan for the
three consecutive fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding
the Change in Control event (or, if the Participant has been
employed for fewer than three fiscal years of the Company, the
average of all annual bonuses earned by the Participant under the
terms of the Company’s annual incentive plan for the fiscal
years immediately preceding the Change in Control event) or (b) the
annual bonus that would be payable to the Participant if the target
level of performance was achieved for the fiscal year of the
Company in which the Change in Control event occurs under the terms
of the Company’s annual incentive plan applicable to such
Participant. In the event that a Participant received a bonus in a
year in which he was not employed for the entire 12 months of that
year, such bonus will be annualized for purposes of determining the
average as set forth in Article 1.2(a).
1.3 “
Benefits ” means the severance benefits a Participant
is entitled to receive pursuant to Article 3 hereof, and any
retention bonus a Participant is entitled to receive pursuant to
Article 5 hereof.
1.4 “
Board ” means the Board of Directors of the Company or
its direct or indirect parent.
1.5 “
Cause ” means (a) the conviction of the Participant
for any felony involving dishonesty, fraud or breach of trust or
(b) the willful engagement by the Participant in gross misconduct
in the performance of his or her duties that materially injures the
Company. For purposes of this Plan, no act or failure to
act on the part of the Participant shall be deemed
“willful” if it was due primarily to an error in
judgment or negligence, but shall be deemed “willful”
only if done or omitted to be done by the Executive not in good
faith and without reasonable belief that the Participant’s
action or omission was in the best interest of the
Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, solely for
purposes of this Plan, the Participant shall not be deemed to have
been terminated for “Cause” hereunder unless and until
there shall have been delivered to the Participant a copy of a
resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than
three quarters of the Board then in office at a meeting of the
Board called and held for such purpose, after reasonable notice to
the Participant and an opportunity for the Participant, together
with the Participant’s counsel (if the Participant chooses to
have counsel present at such meeting), to be heard before the
Board, finding that, in the good faith opinion of the Board, the
Participant had committed an act constituting “Cause”
as herein defined and specifying the particulars thereof in
detail. Nothing herein will limit the right of the
Participant or his beneficiaries to contest the validity or
propriety of any such determination.
1.6 “
Change in Control ” means the occurrence of any of the
following after the Effective Date:
(a) any
individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3)
or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange
Act”)) is or becomes the beneficial owner (within the meaning
of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 50% or more of
the combined voting power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of
the Company; provided, however, that the following acquisitions
shall not constitute a Change in Control: (i) any
acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company directly from the
Company that is approved by a majority of the Incumbent Directors;
(ii) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company by the Company
or any Subsidiary of the Company; (iii) any acquisition of Voting
Stock of the Company by the trustee or other fiduciary holding
securities under any employee benefit plan (or related trust)
sponsored or maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary of the
Company; and (iv) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company by
Mercury Exploration Company, Quicksilver Energy, L.P., The
Discovery Fund, Pennsylvania Avenue Limited Partnership,
Pennsylvania Management Company, the estate of Frank Darden, Lucy
Darden, Anne Darden Self, Glenn Darden or Thomas Darden, or their
respective successors, assigns, designees, heirs, beneficiaries,
trusts, estates or controlled affiliates;
(b) a
majority of the Board ceases to be comprised of Incumbent
Directors; or
(c) the
consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale
or other disposition of all or substantially all of the
consolidated assets of the Company (each, a “Business
Combination Transaction”) immediately after which the Voting
Stock of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such Business
Combination Transaction does not continue to represent (either by
remaining outstanding or by being converted into Voting Stock of
the entity surviving, resulting from, or succeeding to all or
substantially all of the Company’s consolidated assets as a
result of such Business Combination Transaction or any parent of
such entity), at least 50% of the combined voting power of the
then-outstanding shares of Voting Stock of (i) the entity
surviving, resulting from, or succeeding to all or substantially
all of the Company’s consolidated assets as a result of, such
Business Combination Transaction or (ii) any parent of any
such entity (including, without limitation, an entity which 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).
For purposes of
this Plan, (i) “Incumbent Directors” means the
individuals who, as of the date hereof, are Directors of the
Company and any individual becoming a Director subsequent to the
date hereof whose election, nomination for election by the
Company’s shareholders, or appointment, was approved by a
vote of a majority of the then Incumbent Directors (either by a
specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of the Company
in which such person is named as a nominee for director, without
objection to such nomination) and (ii) “Voting Stock”
means securities entitled to vote generally in the election of
Directors.
1.7 “
Code ” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended.
1.8 “
Company ” means Quicksilver Resources Inc., a Delaware
corporation. The term “Company” shall also
include any Successor, whether the liability of such Successor
under the Plan is established by contract or occurs by operation of
law.
1.9 “
Effective Date ” means the date on which the Plan is
adopted.
1.10 “
Employment Termination Date ” means the date on which
the employment relationship between the Participant and the Company
is terminated due to an Involuntary Termination.
1.11 “
ERISA ” means the Employee Retirement Income Security
Act of 1974, as amended.
1.12 “
Executive ” means an employee of the Company or a
Subsidiary whose name appears on Exhibit B which is attached hereto
and made a part hereof for all purposes, as the same may be amended
in the Company’s discretion from time to time (subject to
Article 9).
1.13 “
Excise Tax ” means the excise tax imposed by Section
4999 of the Code, together with any interest or penalties imposed
with respect to such tax.
1.14 “
Good Reason Event ” means the occurrence of one or
more of the following events or conditions after the occurrence of
a Change in Control:
(a) the
Company removes the Participant from, or fails to re-elect or
appoint the Participant to, any duties or position with the Company
that were assigned or held by the Participant immediately before
the occurrence of the Change in Control, except that a nominal
change in the Participant’s title that is merely descriptive
and does not affect rank or status shall not constitute such an
event;
(b) the
Company or a Subsidiary assigns to the Participant any duties
inconsistent with the Participant’s position (including
offices, titles and reporting requirements), authority, duties or
responsibilities with the Company or a Subsidiary in effect
immediately before the occurrence of the Change in
Control;
(c) the
Company takes any action that results in a material diminution of
the Participant’s position, authority, duties or
responsibilities or otherwise takes any action that materially
interferes therewith;
(d) the
Company reduces the Participant’s Base Salary or the
Participant’s incentive bonus opportunity as in effect
immediately prior to such reduction (including a reduction in the
Participant’s incentive bonus target or any other action that
would adversely affect the Participant’s participation in or
benefits under the Company’s incentive bonus
plan(s));
(e) the
Company or a Subsidiary relocates the Participant’s principal
workplace to an area that is located outside of a radius of 50
miles from the location of the Participant’s principal
workplace immediately prior to the Change in Control, or requires
the Participant to perform a majority of his or her duties more
than 50 miles from the Participant’s principal work location
(determined as of the date of the Change in Control) for a period
of more than 21 consecutive days or for more than 90 days in any
calendar year;
(f) the
Company or a Subsidiary fails to (i) continue in effect any bonus,
incentive, profit sharing, performance, savings, retirement or
pension policy, plan, program or arrangement (such policies, plans,
programs and arrangements collectively being referred to herein as
“Basic Benefit Plans”), including, but not limited to,
any deferred compensation, supplemental executive retirement or
other retirement income, stock option, stock purchase, stock
appreciation, or similar policy, plan, program or arrangement of
the Company or a Subsidiary, in which the Participant was a
participant immediately before the occurrence of the Change in
Control, unless an equitable and reasonably comparable arrangement
(embodied in a substitute or alternative benefit or plan) shall
have been made with respect to such Basic Benefit Plan promptly
following the occurrence of the Change in Control, or (ii) continue
the Participant’s participation in any Basic Benefit Plan (or
any substitute or alternative plan) on substantially the same
basis, both in terms of the amount of benefits provided to the
Participant (which are in any event always subject to the terms of
any applicable Basic Benefit Plan) and the level of the
Participant’s participation relative to other participants,
as existed immediately before the occurrence of the Change in
Control;
(g) the
Company or a Subsidiary fails to continue to provide the
Participant with benefits substantially similar to those enjoyed by
the Participant under any of the Company’s or a
Subsidiary’s other benefit plans, policies, programs and
arrangements, including, but not limited to, life insurance,
medical, dental, health, hospital, accident or disability plans, in
which the Participant was a participant immediately before the
occurrence of the Change in Control;
(h) the
Company takes any action that would directly or indirectly
materially reduce any other non-contractual benefits that were
provided to the Participant by the Company immediately before the
occurrence of the Change in Control or deprive the Participant of
any material fringe benefit enjoyed by him or her immediately
before the occurrence of the Change in Control;
(i) the
Company fails to provide the Participant with the number of paid
vacation days to which he or she was entitled in accordance with
the Company’s vacation policy in effect immediately before
the occurrence of the Change in Control;
(j) the
Company fails to continue to provide the Participant with office
space, related facilities and support personnel (including, but not
limited to, administrative and secretarial assistance)
(i) that are both commensurate with Participant’s
responsibilities to and position with the Company immediately
before the occurrence of the Change in Control and not materially
dissimilar to the office space, related facilities and support
personnel provided to employees of the Company having comparable
responsibility to the Participant, or (ii) that are physically
located at the Company’s principal executive
offices;
(k) the
Company fails to honor any provision of this Plan; or
(l) the
Company gives effective notice of an election to terminate at the
end of the term (or to not extend the term) of any employment
agreement that the Participant has or may in the future have with
the Company or the Successor in accordance with the terms of any
such agreement.
1.15 “
Involuntary Termination ” means the termination of a
Participant’s employment relationship with the Company and
each Subsidiary (a) by the Company or a Subsidiary after the
occurrence of a Change in Control for any reason other than Cause,
or (b) by the Participant on account of a Good Reason
Event. For purposes of the Plan, a Participant’s
termination will not be considered to be on account of a Good
Reason Event unless the Participant terminates employment no more
than 60 days following such Good Reason Event. A
Participant shall not be deemed to have incurred an Involuntary
Termination by reason of the transfer of the Participant’s
employment between the Company and any of its Subsidiaries, or
among Subsidiaries. The Plan Administrator shall
determine, in its sole discretion, whether a Participant’s
termination of employment from the Company or any Subsidiary
constitutes an Involuntary Termination. For purposes of
the Plan, a Participant will not be considered to have terminated
his or her employment relationship unless the termination of
employment qualifies as a Separation from Service.
1.16 “
Participant ” means an individual who is an Executive
on the date a Change in Control occurs. An individual
who is classified by the Company as a temporary employee or an
independent contractor on the date of which a Change in Control
occurs is not eligible to participate in the Plan (even if he or
she is subsequently reclassified by the Internal Revenue Service or
a court as a common law employee of the Company and the Company
acquiesces to such reclassification). Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in the event that an Executive has entered into an
employment agreement with the Company or a Subsidiary, such
Executive will not be deemed a Participant under this Plan unless
such employment agreement specifically adopts and incorporates this
Plan by reference.
1.17 “
Payment ” means any payment, benefit or distribution
(or combination thereof) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries
to or for the benefit of a Participant, whether paid, payable,
distributed, distributable or provided pursuant to the Plan or
otherwise, including any payment, benefit or other right that
constitutes a “parachute payment” within the meaning of
Section 280G of the Code.
1.18 “
Person ” means any individual, entity or group that is
a “person” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(9),
13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
1.19 “
Plan ” means the Quicksilver Resources Inc. Amended
and Restated Executive Change in Control Retention Incentive Plan,
as set forth herein and as amended from time to time.
1.20 “
Plan Administrator ” means the Company; however, the
Company may designate any Person or a committee to administer the
Plan in accordance with the provisions of Article 8.
1.21 “
Release ” means the Release Agreement in substantially
the form attached hereto as Exhibit A and made a part hereof for
all purposes.
1.22 “
Separation from Service ” means a Participant’s
separation from service within the meaning of Section 409A of the
Code; provided, however, that to the extent permitted by Section
409A of the Code, a Participant will be treated as incurring a
Separation from Service if the reasonably anticipated level of bona
fide services the Participant will perform is permanently decreased
to less than 50% of the average level of bona fide services
performed by the Participant over the immediately preceding 12
months.
1.23 “
Specified Employee ” means a specified employee within
the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. A Participant
who is identified by the Company as a Specified Employee at any
time during a calendar year will be considered a Specified Employee
for purposes of Article 4 during the 12-month period that
begins on April 1 of the immediately following calendar year,
and no other Participant will be considered a Specified Employee
during such 12-month period.
1.24 “
Subsidiary ” means a corporation, partnership, limited
liability company or other entity in which the Company owns
directly or indirectly more than 50% of the outstanding shares of
voting stock or other voting interest.
1.25 “
Successor ” means a person with or into which the
Company shall have been merged or consolidated or to which the
Company shall have transferred all or substantially all of its
assets.
ARTICLE 2
ELIGIBILITY
(a) Except
as specified herein, a Participant who incurs an Involuntary
Termination within two years after the occurrence of a Change in
Control (including such a termination on the date of the Change in
Control) shall be entitled to the severance benefits described in
Article 3 hereof.
(b) The
Plan does not provide benefits with respect to any termination of
employment prior to the occurrence of a Change in Control, whether
such termination is for Cause or otherwise. A
Participant will forfeit all Benefits under the Plan if he or she
is discharged by the Company for Cause.
ARTICLE 3
CHANGE IN CONTROL
BENEFITS
Subject to Article 4 hereof, the Company shall
pay or provide a Participant who has satisfied the requirements of
Article 2 hereof the following Benefits:
(a) A
single sum cash payment equal to three times the sum of
(i) the Participant’s Base Salary, plus (ii) the
Participant’s Benchmark Bonus.
(b) To
the extent permitted by law the Company shall take all actions
necessary to cause the Participant’s account balances under
the Company’s 401(k) Plan to become fully vested and
nonforfeitable; provided that such action would not require the
accelerated vesting of any other participant’s account
balance in the Company’s 401(k) Plan.
(c) To
the extent permitted by Section 409A of the Code, all outstanding
stock options, and restricted share and restricted share unit
awards held by the Participant shall immediately become fully
vested.
(d) The
Company shall take the following actions:
(i) Throughout
the two years following the Employment Termination Date, the
Company shall maintain in effect and not materially reduce the
benefits provided by the Company’s group medical, dental and
vision insurance and group basic life insurance plans in which the
Participant participated immediately prior to the Employment
Termination Date; and
(ii) the
Company shall arrange for the Participant’s uninterrupted
participation throughout the two-year period commencing on the
Participant’s Employment Termination Date in such group
medical, dental and vision insurance and group basic life insurance
plans, provided that if the Participant’s participation after
his or her Employment Termination Date in any such plan is not
permitted by the terms of that plan, then throughout such two-year
period, the Company shall provide the Participant with
substantially the same benefits that were provided to the
Participant under such plan immediately before the Employment
Termination Date. All reimbursements of expenses under
the Company’s medical, dental and vision programs or other
reimbursements of expenses shall be made no later than
December 31 of the year following the year in which the
Participant incurs the related expense. In no event will
the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind
benefits provided, by the Company in one taxable year affect the
amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement, or in-kind benefits
to be provided, in any other taxable year. The
Participant’s right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits
shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another
benefit.