Exhibit 10.2
AMENDED AND
RESTATED
EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
between
DayStar Technologies,
Inc.
and
Ratson Morad
T HIS A MENDED AND R ESTATED E MPLOYMENT A GREEMENT (“ Agreement ”),
executed as of December 4, 2008 (“ Effective
Date ”) between R ATSON M ORAD (“ Executive ”), an
individual currently residing in California, and D
AY S TAR T ECHNOLOGIES , I NC ., a
Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”),
having its principal office at 2972 Stender Way, Santa Clara, CA
95054.
W HEREAS , the Company and Executive wish to amend and
restate their existing employment agreement dated February 19,
2008 (the “ Prior Agreement ”) to clarify
certain existing provisions in light of the final regulations
issued under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended (the “ Code
”),
N OW ,
T HEREFORE
, in consideration of the agreements
and covenants contained herein, the Executive and the Company
hereby agree as follows:
ARTICLE I E
MPLOYMENT
AND T ERM
Section 1.01 Position;
Responsibilities .
(a) The Company hereby employs Executive as its
President and Chief Operating Officer upon the terms and conditions
hereinafter set forth.
(b) Executive shall at all times hold the position
described above or other senior management level positions as
determined by the Board of Directors of the Company (the “
Board ”) or its designee, and perform the
duties, responsibilities and authorities customarily associated
with such positions or such other senior management level duties as
determined by the Board or its designee, so long as such other
duties are consistent with the Executive’s skills. Executive
shall report directly to the Chief Executive Officer.
Section 1.02 Performance of
Duties/Other Commitments and Activities .
(a) Executive shall at all times endeavor to perform
duly and faithfully all of his duties hereunder to the best of his
abilities.
(b) Executive shall devote his full business time,
best efforts and business judgment, skill and knowledge to the
advancement of the Company’s interests and to the discharge
of his duties and responsibilities hereunder; provided,
however , that nothing herein shall be construed as preventing
Executive from engaging in any of the activities described in
clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and/or (iv) below so long as
such activities do not impair his ability to fulfill his duties and
responsibilities under this Agreement or violate any other
agreements between Executive and the Company:
(i) investing his assets in such form or manner as
shall not require any material services on his part in the
operations or affairs of the companies or the other entities in
which such investments are made;
1.
(ii) serving on the board of directors of any
company; provided that he obtains the prior written approval of a
majority of the Board of Directors and shall not be required to
render any material services with respect to the operations or
affairs of any such company;
(iii) engaging in religious, charitable, educational
or other community or nonprofit activities; or
(iv) serving in such capacities as may be reasonably
necessary for Executive to maintain his active professional
licensing as a member of any professional organization that
reasonably relates to his employment with and the business of the
Company.
(c) Executive’s base of operations under this
Agreement shall be the Company’s headquarters offices which
is currently located in the San Francisco, California bay
area.
Section 1.03 Term
. Executive’s term of
employment under this Agreement (the “ Term
”) shall commence on the Effective Date and shall expire on
February 19, 2011 (that is, the third anniversary of the entry
into the Prior Agreement); provided, however , that the Term
shall be automatically extended for an additional one (1) year
period on such date, and annually thereafter (each such
anniversary, commencing with February 19, 2011, the “
Anniversary Date ”) unless the Executive or the
Company has received a written Notice of Non-Renewal delivered no
later than thirty (30) days prior to the anniversary date,
pursuant to Section 6.01 below. Executive’s rights to
compensation upon his separation from service with the Company,
including but not limited to upon the non-renewal of this
Agreement, are as set forth in Article 3 below.
Section 1.04 Representations
and Warranty of Executive . Executive hereby represents and warrants to
the Company that he is not aware of any presently existing fact,
circumstance or event (including, but without limitation, any
health condition or legal constraint) which would preclude or
restrict him from providing to the Company the services
contemplated by this Agreement, or which would give rise to any
breach of any term or provision hereof, or which could otherwise
result in the termination of his employment hereunder for Cause or
Good Reason (as such terms are defined in Article 3). Any and all
agreements between Executive and any prior employer as well as any
agreements to which Executive is a party containing any restriction
upon Executive’s ability to use or disclose confidential
information or engages in any business activity are listed in
Appendix “A” and shall be promptly made available to
the Company upon request.
Section 1.05 Representations
and Warranty of Company .
The Company hereby represents and warrants to Executive that it has
received all authorizations and has taken all actions, necessary or
appropriate for the due execution, delivery and performance of this
Agreement.
2.
ARTICLE II C
OMPENSATION
Section 2.01
General . The Company
shall compensate Executive for all of his services under this
Agreement, as set forth herein.
Section 2.02 Basic
Compensation .
Executive’s salary (“ Base Salary
”) when annualized shall be at the rate of [$240,000] and
shall be payable in bi-weekly or other installments in accordance
with the Company’s normal payment schedule for senior
management (but not less frequently than monthly). The
Executive’s performance and compensation shall be subject to
annual review (generally on or around each July 1st, or such
other time as applicable to executive officers generally) following
the first anniversary of the Commencement Date
thereafter.
Section 2.03 Incentive
Compensation . Executive
shall be eligible to participate in an annual Management Incentive
Program for senior management of the Company currently offered or
as subsequently modified by the Board from time to time in its
discretion (“ Management Incentive Program
”). The Executive and the Company agree that
Executive’s performance goals pursuant to the Management
Incentive Program shall consist of the Company’s annual
performance goals and other specific performance goals for the
Executive, as determined by the Board (or a duly authorized
committee thereof) in its discretion. The target incentive
compensation payment (the “ Incentive Payment
”) for meeting all such goals shall be a percentage of the
Base Salary, as deemed appropriate by the Board (or a duly
authorized committee thereof).
Section 2.04 Other
Benefits .
(a) During the Term, Executive shall be entitled to
participate in all employee benefit plans, including retirement
programs, if any, group health care plans, and all fringe benefit
plans, of the Company, subject to the terms and conditions of such
plans. Such plans shall at all times be comparable to those made
available to the senior-most management of the Company.
(b) In addition, the Company shall provide Executive
with the following benefits during the Term: (i) Reimbursement
for Company business travel (including overnight accommodations as
reasonably deemed necessary by Executive); (ii) Company paid
cell phone and home office communication equipment (fax, internet
access, etc. without any requirement to maintain records of
specific use); and (iii) Reimbursement for reasonable
out-of-pocket home office expenses.
(c) During the Term, Executive shall be entitled to
15 days per year of paid vacation in accordance with the
Company’s Vacation Policy and calculations as set forth in
the Company Employee Handbook. After four (4) years of service
Executive shall be entitled to accrue up to an additional 5 days of
paid vacation in each calendar year. With respect to all unused
vacation time, unless otherwise approved by the Board of Directors
and the Compensation Committee of such Board, Executive shall carry
over unused vacation time for periods prior to the calendar year in
accordance with the Company’s Employee Handbook or
supplemental written policies, as determined from time to
time.
3.
(d) Executive shall also be entitled to such paid
holidays and paid sick leave as shall be authorized by the Company
for its senior-most officers pursuant to its written policies, as
determined from time to time.
Section 2.05 Expense
Reimbursements . The
Company shall reimburse Executive for all proper expenses incurred
by him in the performance of his duties hereunder in accordance
with the policies and procedures of the Company as in effect from
time to time.
Section 2.06 Excise
Tax . Notwithstanding any
other provision of this Agreement, if the aggregate present value
of the “ parachute payments ” to the
Executive, determined under Section 280G(b) of the Code would
be, but for this Section 2.06, at least three times the
“ base amount ” determined under such
Section 280G, then the parachute payments otherwise payable
under this Agreement (and any other amount payable hereunder or any
other severance plan, program, policy or obligation of the Company)
shall be reduced so that the aggregate present value of the
parachute payments to the Executive determined under
Section 280G, does not exceed 2.99 times the base amount. In
no event, however, shall any benefit provided hereunder be
reduced to the extent such benefit is specifically excluded from
treatment under Section 280G of the Code as a “
parachute payment ” or as an “
excess parachute payment ”. Any decisions
regarding the requirement or implementation of such reductions
shall be made by the tax counsel and accounting firm retained by
the Company. If a reduced amount is to be paid, (i) Executive
shall have no rights to any additional payments and/or benefits
constituting the payments, and (ii) reduction in payments
and/or benefits shall occur in the following order:
(1) reduction of cash payments; (2) cancellation of
accelerated vesting of stock awards other than stock options;
(3) cancellation of accelerated vesting of stock options; and
(4) reduction of other benefits (if any) paid to Executive. In
the event that acceleration of compensation from Executive’s
stock awards is to be reduced, such acceleration of vesting shall
be canceled in the reverse order of the date of grant.
Section 2.07
Withholding . The Base
Salary and all other payments and benefits provided to Executive in
connection with his services to the Company shall be subject to all
withholding and deductions required by federal, state or other law
(including those authorized by Executive but not otherwise required
by law), including but not limited to state, federal and local
income taxes, unemployment tax, Medicare and FICA, together with
such deductions as Executive may from time to time specifically
authorize under any employee benefit program which may be adopted
by the Company for the benefit of its senior executives or
Executive.
ARTICLE III T
ERMINATION
OF E MPLOYMENT
Section 3.01 Right to
Terminate .
Executive’s employment hereunder is “ at will
” and shall be terminable by either party at any time, with
or without Cause or Good Reason, and any such termination shall not
constitute a breach of this Agreement, provided the notice set
forth in subsection 3.02 is provided. Upon any termination of
Executive’s employment, Executive will have no rights to
receive any compensation from the Company except as set forth in
this Article III.
Section 3.02
Notice . Executive shall
give the Company at least sixty (60) days’ advance
written notice prior to any termination by Executive.
4.
Section 3.03 Termination for
Good Reason . The
Executive may terminate employment for Good Reason or without Good
Reason. “ Good Reason ” means, without
the consent of the Executive:
(i) any material reduction in Executive’s base
pay and bonus target amount that is not remedied by the Company
within sixty (60) days after receipt of written notice thereof
from the Executive;
(ii) the assignment to the Executive of any duties or
any other action by the Company that results in a material
diminution in the Executive’s authority, duties, or
responsibilities described in Section 1.01(b) of this
Agreement that is not remedied by the Company within sixty
(60) days after receipt of written notice thereof from the
Executive;
(iii) any material breach by the Company of this
Agreement that is not remedied by the Company within sixty
(60) days after receipt of written notice thereof from the
Executive;
(iv) any failure of the Company under
Section 6.10 below to use its best efforts to maintain
directors’ and officers’ liability insurance coverage
for Executive that is not remedied by the Company within sixty
(60) days after receipt of written notice thereof from the
Executive.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Good
Reason shall not exist unless the Executive provides notice of any
condition described in (i)-(iv) above within ninety
(90) days of the initial existence of the condition and the
effective date of Executive’s termination, following the
Company’s failure to reasonably cure such condition, is not
later than the one hundred and twentieth (120th) day after the
Company received notice of the condition.
Section 3.04
Procedure for Termination for Good Reason . A termination of employment
by the Executive for Good Reason shall be effectuated by giving the
Company written notice (“ Notice of Termination for
Good Reason ”) of the termination, setting forth in
reasonable detail the specific conduct of the Company that
constitutes Good Reason and the specific provision(s) of this
Agreement on which the Executive relies. A termination of
employment by the Executive for Good Reason shall be effective on
the sixtieth (60 th ) day following the date
when the Notice of Termination for Good Reason is received by the
Company, unless the act or admission that constitutes the Good
Reason is cured prior to the expiration of said period and the
Executive is given written notice thereof, the Notice of
Termination for Good Reason sets forth a later date (subject to
Section 3.03 above) for the effectiveness of the termination
or the Company accepts the Executive’s termination for Good
Reason on an earlier date.
Section 3.05 Termination for
Cause . The Company shall
have the right to terminate Executive’s employment hereunder
for Cause. For purposes hereof, “ Cause ”
shall be defined as the Board’s good faith determination that
the Executive has: (i) been convicted of or entered a plea of
nolo contendere with respect to a criminal offense
constituting a felony; (ii) committed one or more acts or
omissions constituting fraud, embezzlement or breach of a fiduciary
duty to the Company; (iii) committed one or more acts
constituting gross negligence or willful
5.
misconduct; (iv) habitually abused alcohol
or any controlled substance or reported to work under the influence
of alcohol or any controlled substance (other than a controlled
substance which Executive is properly taking under a current
prescription), (v) engaged in harassment of any employee or
customer of the Company in violation of Company policy;
(vii) committed a material violation of any Company policy;
(viii) been insubordinate or dishonest; (ix) engaged in
self-dealing or in any act constituting a conflict of interest;
(ix) exposed the Company to criminal liability through
negligence or wrongdoing of any kind; (x) disclosed the
Company’s confidential information in violation of his
obligations under this Agreement; or (xi) failed, after
written warning specifying in reasonable detail the breach(es)
complained of, to substantially perform his duties under this
Agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing in the
event of a Change of Control, a termination by the Company of the
Executive for any reason during the twelve (12) month period
immediately following the Change of Control, other than an
intentional and malicious act or omission that is reasonably likely
to result in material injury to the business or reputation of the
Company, shall be deemed to be a termination without Cause for all
purposes under this Agreement.
Section 3.06 Procedure for
Termination for Cause . A
termination of the Executive’s employment for Cause shall be
effected in accordance with the following procedures. The Company
shall give the Executive written notice (“ Notice of
Termination for Cause ”) of its intention to
terminate the Executive’s employment for Cause, setting forth
in reasonable detail the specific conduct of the Executive that it
considers to constitute Cause and the specific provision(s) of this
Agreement on which it relies and stating the date, time and place
of the Special Board Meeting. The “ Special Board
Meeting ” means a meeting of the Board called and
held specifically for the purpose of considering the
Executive’s termination for Cause that takes place not less
than thirty (30) and not more than sixty (60) days after
the Executive receives the Notice of Termination for Cause. The
Executive shall be given an opportunity, together with counsel, to
be heard at the Special Board Meeting. The Executive’s
termination for Cause shall be effective when and if a resolution
is duly adopted at the Special Board Meeting, stating that, in the
good faith opinion of the Board, the Executive is guilty of the
conduct described in the Notice of Termination for Cause, such
conduct constitutes Cause under this Agreement and in the case of a
termination for Cause as defined in subsection 3.05(xi), such
conduct has not ceased or been cured between the date the Executive
received the Notice of Termination for Cause and the date of the
meeting.
Section 3.07
Death . In the event that
the Executive dies while employed under this Agreement, the
Company’s obligations to Executive under this Agreement shall
immediately cease and Executive shall have no rights to receive the
severance package set forth in Section 3.09 below. All
benefits accrued to the date of death, including vested securities,
health and disability benefits shall inure to the benefit of
Executive’s heirs and assigns.
Section 3.08
Disability . In the event
that the Board determines in its sole discretion that Executive has
been disabled from substantially performing his duties for any one
hundred and twenty (120) days within any twelve
(12) month period while employed under this Agreement, the
Company may terminate Executive’s employment for Cause
(including in any period following a Change of Control) and
Executive shall have no rights to receive the severance package set
forth in Section 3.09 below.
6.
Section 3.09 Severance
Package .
(a) Change of Control Severance
Package. In the event
Executive’s employment is terminated during the Term in a
manner that constitutes a “ separation from
service ” (as such term is defined in Treasury
Regulation Section 1.409A-1(h)) on or after a Change of
Control (as defined below) and prior to the date that is thirty
(30) days immediately following the first anniversary of the
Change of Control, by the Company other than for Cause or by
Executive for Good Reason, and other than as a result of a timely
Notice of Non-Renewal or Executive’s death or disability (as
determined under Section 3.08), then, subject to the
satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 3.09(d)
below, Executive’s change of control severance package
(“ Change of Control Severance Package ”)
shall be as follows:
(i) Executive shall receive two hundred percent
(200%) of the aggregate of (x) Executive’s annual
Base Salary for the year in which such termination occurs, and
(y) the target (i.e., at 100% goal attainment) amount of any
Incentive Payment payable to Executive for the year in which such
termination occurs under the Management Incentive Program
applicable to Executive. Such amount shall be paid ratably in
accordance with the Company’s normal salary payment schedule
for senior management over the eighteen (18) month period
following the date of the Executive’s separation from service
(except as set forth in Section 3.09(d) and (g) below).
The foregoing payment is referred to herein as the “
Change of Control Severance Pay ”.
(ii) During the eighteen (18) month period
immediately following the termination of employment, the Company
shall pay the premium for continued medical and any other
applicable health insurance coverage under COBRA for Executive (and
if applicable, his family) subject to Executive’s timely
election of such COBRA coverage, the continued eligibility for
participation by Executive and his family, and subject to
COBRA’s terms, conditions and restrictions; and
(iii) All unvested compensatory equity awards
(including any stock options and restricted stock awards) then held
by Executive, if any, shall vest automatically as of immediately
prior to the termination of Executive’s
employment.
(b) Definition of Change in
Control.
“ Change in
Control ” shall mean the occurrence of any of the
following events: (A) any consolidation or merger of the
Company in which the Company is not the continuing or surviving
corporation or which contemplates that all or substantially all of
the business and/or assets of the Company shall be controlled by
another corporation, in either case where the continuing, surviving
or other corporation both (i) is not directly or indirectly
owned by holders of at least 50% of the combined voting power of
the Company’s securities outstanding immediately prior to
such consolidation or merger and (ii) does not have a board of
directors approved by or consisting of more than one-half of the
Company’s Board members as the Board was constituted
immediately prior to the transaction, (B) a recapitalization
(including an exchange of Company equity securities by the holders
thereof), in either case, in which any “ Person
” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the
Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner (within the meaning of
Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of
7.
securities of the Company representing more than
fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the
Company’s then outstanding securities having the right to
vote in the election of directors and the Company does not have a
board of directors approved by or consisting of more than one-half
of the Company’s Board members as the Board was constituted
immediately prior to the transaction; (C) any sale, lease,
exchange or transfer (in one transaction or in a series of related
transactions) of all or substantially all of the assets of the
Company and its subsidiaries; D) approval by the shareholders of
the Company of any plan or proposal for the liquidation or
dissolution of the Company, unless such plan or proposal is
abandoned within 60 days following such approval; or (E) any
“ Person ” (as such term is used in
Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) shall become the
beneficial owner (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated
under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Company representing
more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s
then outstanding securities having the right to vote in the
election of directors.
(c) Regular Severance
Package. In the event
Executive’s employment is terminated during the Term in a
manner that constitutes a “ separation from
service ” by the Company other than for Cause or by
Executive for Good Reason, in either case other than on or within
the period ending on the 30th day following the first anniversary
of a Change of Control, and in all cases other than as a result of
a timely Notice of Non-Renewal or Executive’s death or
disability (as determined under Section 3.08), then, subject
to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in subsection
3.09(d) below, Executive’s regular severance package (“
Regular Severance Package ”) shall be as
follows:
(i) Executive shall receive one hundred percent
(100%) of the aggregate of (x) Executive’s annual
Base Salary for the year in which such termination occurs, and
(y) the amount of any Incentive Payment paid to Executive for
the prior year under the Management Incentive Program applicable to
Executive. Such amount shall be paid ratably in accordance with the
Company’s normal salary payment schedule for senior
management (but not less frequently than monthly) over eighteen
(18) months immediately following the date of the
Executive’s separation from service (except as set forth in
Section 3.09(d) and (g) below). The foregoing payment is
referred to herein as the “ Regular Severance
Pay ”.
(ii) During the 18 month period immediately following
the terminati