Exhibit 10.5
EXECUTION COPY
EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
(“Agreement”), dated as of July 29, 2008, is
entered into by and between Mindy Grossman
(“Executive”) and HSN, Inc. (the
“Company”).
WHEREAS, Executive is currently
serving as CEO of IAC Retailing, a business segment of
IAC/InterActiveCorp (“IAC”), a Delaware corporation,
and the parent company of the Company as of the date of this
Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Company and Executive
expect that IAC will cause the Company to become a separate public
entity (the “HSN Spin-Off”);
WHEREAS, the Company desires to
establish the Company’s right to the services of Executive
for a period beginning on the date the HSN Spin-Off occurs (the
“Effective Date”), in the capacity described below, on
the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth, and Executive is
willing to accept such employment on such terms and
conditions;
WHEREAS, Executive and IAC are
parties to an employment agreement (the “Prior
Agreement”), with an effective date of May 1, 2006,
which the parties intend will be superseded hereby; and
WHEREAS, in order to effect the
foregoing, the Company and Executive wish to enter into an
employment agreement on the terms and conditions set forth
below.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the mutual agreements hereinafter set forth, Executive and the
Company have agreed and do hereby agree as follows:
1A.
EMPLOYMENT
. During the Term (as defined
below), the Company shall employ Executive, and Executive shall be
employed, as Chief Executive Officer of the Company. During
the Term, Executive shall do and perform all services and acts
necessary or advisable to fulfill the duties and responsibilities
as are commensurate and consistent with Executive’s position
and shall render such services on the terms set forth herein.
During the Term, Executive shall report directly to the Board of
Directors of the Company (the “Board”). Executive
shall be the senior executive dedicated to the businesses of the
Company and as such shall have primary responsibility for the
management of all operations and activities of the businesses of
the Company. Executive agrees to devote all of
Executive’s working time, attention and efforts to the
Company and to perform the duties of Executive’s position in
accordance with the Company’s policies as in effect from time
to time and communicated to Executive. Executive may
(i) serve on corporate, civic or charitable boards,
(ii) manage personal investments and (iii) deliver
lectures and fulfill speaking engagements, so long as
(A) these activities do not interfere with Executive’s
qualitative performance of her responsibilities under this
Agreement, (B) do not conflict with any applicable Company
policy on conduct, including conflicts of interest, and
(C) any service on a corporate, for-profit board is approved
in advance by the Board. As of the date first written above,
Executive serves on the Board of The East Harlem School at Exodus
House and the Wharton Retail Advisory Board, and the Company hereby
approves such service and
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agrees that Executive may continue such service
so long as such service is otherwise in accordance with the
preceding sentence. The Company further approves
Executive’s service on the Board of the National Retail
Federation. Executive’s principal place of employment
shall be New York, New York, with substantial and regular travel
outside of New York to the various businesses for which Executive
is responsible, principally to St. Petersburg, Florida, and
Executive acknowledges that it may be necessary, depending on the
circumstances, that she spend the majority of her time outside of
New York.
2A.
TERM . Subject to Section 10A hereof, the
terms and conditions of this Agreement shall commence on the
Effective Date and, unless a longer period is otherwise provided
herein, shall continue through January 31, 2012 (the
“Initial Term”); provided , however ,
that at the end of the Initial Term and on each succeeding
anniversary thereof, the employment of Executive will be
automatically continued upon the terms and conditions set forth
herein for one additional year (each, a “Renewal
Term”), unless either party to this Agreement gives the other
party written notice (in accordance with Section 4A) of such
party’s intention to terminate this Agreement and the
employment of Executive at least ninety (90) days prior to the end
of such initial or extended term. For purposes of this
Agreement, the Initial Term and any Renewal Term shall collectively
be referred to as the “Term.”
3A.
COMPENSATION
.
(a)
BASE
SALARY . During the period
that Executive is employed with the Company hereunder, the Company
shall pay Executive an annual base salary of $1,000,000 (the
“Base Salary”), payable in equal biweekly installments
or in accordance with the Company’s payroll practice as in
effect from time to time. For all purposes under this
Agreement, the term “Base Salary” shall refer to the
Base Salary as in effect from time to time. The Base Salary
is subject to increase, but not decrease, in the sole discretion of
the Compensation and Human Resources Committee (or such other
committee responsible for compensation and related matters) of the
Board of Directors of the Company (the “Compensation
Committee”).
(b)
ANNUAL
BONUS . During the Term,
Executive shall be eligible to receive an annual cash bonus (the
“Bonus”) in respect of each fiscal year of the Company
ending during the Term (a “Fiscal Year”). The
Bonus shall have a high performance target of 100% of the Base
Salary (the “Target Bonus”), with the actual amount
determined in the sole discretion of the Compensation Committee,
based on the factors it deems relevant with respect to any
particular year, which may include, among other factors, the
performance of the Company and its subsidiaries, as applicable,
against pre-established performance criteria (including their
competition, their prior year results, the achievement of
established initiatives, etc.), and the contribution and
performance of Executive. Bonus payments in respect of
any Fiscal Year shall be made to Executive no later than the 15th
day of the third month following the close of such Fiscal Year
unless Executive shall elect to defer the receipt of such Bonus
pursuant to an arrangement that meets the requirements of
Section 409A (as defined below).
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(c)
LONG TERM
INCENTIVE PLAN .
In addition to
and not in lieu of the Bonus that Executive is eligible to receive
pursuant to Section 3A(b) of this Agreement, Executive
and the Company hereby agree to the long term incentive plan set
forth on Exhibit A hereto.
(d)
INITIAL EQUITY
AWARDS . On the Effective
Date, Executive shall be granted three separate options to acquire
shares of common stock of the Company (“Common
Stock”). Each option shall vest annually in equal
installments over four years, subject to Executive’s
continued employment with the Company through the applicable
vesting date, and otherwise shall be subject to the terms and
conditions of the Company equity plan (the “Equity
Plan”) and applicable award agreement. The per share
exercise price of the options shall be established at the time of
grant as follows:
(i)
Option 1:
Exercise price = $2.1 billion minus the Initial Debt divided by the
Share Count;
(ii)
Option 2:
Exercise price = $2.5 billion minus the Initial Debt divided by the
Share Count; and
(iii)
Option 3:
Exercise price = $2.9 billion minus the Initial Debt divided by the
Share Count.
Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in the event any of the foregoing formulae would result
in the grant of an option with an exercise price below the Fair
Market Value (as defined in the Equity Plan) of the Common Stock on
the date of grant, such exercise price shall instead be the Fair
Market Value (as defined in the Equity Plan) of the Common Stock on
such date of grant.
The number of shares of
Common Stock subject to each option shall be determined by dividing
(a) $3.3 million, by (b) (i) (x) $3.4 billion,
minus (y) the Initial Debt, divided by (ii) the Share
Count, minus (iii) the per share exercise price of such option
(for the avoidance of doubt, the amount represented by clause
(iii) shall be subtracted from the quotient of clause
(i) divided by clause (ii)). The “Initial
Debt” shall be the total borrowings of the Company
outstanding at the time of the HSN Spin-Off under any bank facility
or other long-term indebtedness, and the “Share Count”
shall be the number of absolute shares of Common Stock outstanding
immediately following the HSN Spin-Off.
By way of example only, if the Initial Debt was
$400 million and the Initial Share Count was 56.5 million, then the
per share exercise price of Option 1 would be $30.08 and the number
of shares subject to the option would be 143,370.
(e)
SUBSEQUENT
INCENTIVE AWARDS . During the Term,
Executive shall be eligible to receive equity incentive awards
pursuant to annual or other grants under any equity-based
compensation plan or plans that may be established or maintained by
the Company and cash incentive awards pursuant to any incentive,
bonus or similar plan that may be established or maintained by the
Company. In determining whether and to what extent Executive
shall participate in any such plans or programs, the Board (or the
Compensation Committee thereof)
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shall exercise its
reasonable discretion, taking into account Executive’s
position and responsibilities; Executive’s and the
Company’s performance; Executive’s then-existing equity
position with the Company; prior equity and/or cash incentive
awards granted to Executive; and equity and/or cash incentive
awards granted to other executives of the Company.
(f)
BENEFITS
. From the
Effective Date through the date of termination of Executive’s
employment with the Company for any reason, Executive shall be
entitled to participate in any welfare, health and life insurance
and pension benefit programs as may be adopted from time to time by
the Company on at least as favorable a basis as that provided to
similarly situated employees of the Company. Without limiting
the generality of the foregoing, Executive shall be entitled to the
following benefits:
(i)
Reimbursement
for Business Expenses . During the period
that Executive is employed with the Company hereunder, the Company
shall reimburse Executive for all reasonable and necessary expenses
(including reasonable and documented costs of first/business class
commercial air travel) incurred by Executive in performing
Executive’s duties for the Company, on the same basis as
similarly situated employees and in accordance with the
Company’s policies as in effect from time to time.
Executive understands that her employment will require regular,
weekly travel outside of New York to the various businesses under
her direction, principally to St. Petersburg, Florida.
Additionally, during the Term and prior to any
“Relocation” (as defined below), the Company will
reimburse Executive for the cost of housing rental in Florida in a
location within reasonable commuting distance by car to the
Company’s offices in St. Petersburg, Florida, auto lease
payments and auto insurance (regardless of any Company policy to
the contrary), and other miscellaneous expenses associated with her
regular stays in Florida (such reimbursable expenses, the
“Commuting Expenses”), such total amount not to exceed
$75,000 in any given fiscal year ( provided , that such
maximum amount may be annually increased (but not decreased) at the
Board’s discretion to reflect annual increases in the
Commuting Expenses). In the event that Executive decides to
relocate to St. Petersburg, Florida on a full-time basis (the
“Relocation”), (A) the Company will reimburse
Executive in accordance with the Company’s standard
relocation policy for all reasonable relocation expenses Executive
incurs and (B) Executive shall thereafter cease to be eligible
for reimbursement for any of the Commuting Expenses. In the
event that any such payments or reimbursements in respect of the
Commuting Expenses or the Relocation are determined to be taxable
compensation to Executive, the Company shall make Executive whole
for such tax obligations. Any such make-whole tax payment
made to Executive pursuant to the immediately preceding sentence
shall be paid by the Company to Executive no later than the end of
Executive’s taxable year next following Executive’s
taxable year in which the taxes on any payments/reimbursements to
Executive pursuant to this Section 3(A)(f)(i) are
remitted to the Internal Revenue Service or any other applicable
taxing authority. The amount of any such fees and expenses
that the Company is obligated to pay pursuant to this
Section 3A(f)(i) in any given calendar year shall not affect
the fees and expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in
any
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other calendar
year, and Executive’s right to have the Company pay such fees
and expenses may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other
benefit.
(ii)
Reimbursement
for Attorneys’ Fees . The Company shall
reimburse Executive for up to $25,000 in reasonable
attorneys’ fees and disembursements incurred in connection
with the negotiation of this Agreement. The amount of any
such fees and expenses that the Company is obligated to pay
pursuant to this Section 3A(f)(ii) in any given calendar
year shall not affect the fees and expenses that the Company is
obligated to pay in any other calendar year, and Executive’s
right to have the Company pay such fees and expenses may not be
liquidated or exchanged for any other benefit.
(iii)
Vacation
. During
the period that Executive is employed with the Company hereunder,
Executive shall be entitled to not less than four (4) weeks of
paid vacation each year, in accordance with the plans, policies,
programs and practices of the Company applicable to similarly
situated employees of the Company generally.
4A.
NOTICES . All notices and other communications
under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given by
first-class mail, certified or registered with return receipt
requested or hand delivery acknowledged in writing by the recipient
personally, and shall be deemed to have been duly given three
(3) days after mailing or immediately upon duly acknowledged
hand delivery to the respective persons named below:
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If to the Company:
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to the General Counsel of the
Company.
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If to Executive:
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Mindy Grossman
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180 E. 79th Street
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Apt. 3C
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New York, New York
10021
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Either party may change such party’s
address for notices by notice duly given pursuant
hereto.
5A.
GOVERNING LAW;
JURISDICTION . This Agreement
(including its Exhibits) and the legal relations thus created
between the parties hereto shall be governed by and construed under
and in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware
without reference to the principles of conflicts of laws which
could cause the application of the law of any jurisdiction other
than the State of New York. Any and all disputes between the
parties which may arise pursuant to this Agreement will be heard
and determined before an appropriate federal court
located in the
County of New York, or, if not maintainable therein, then in an
appropriate New York state court located in the County of New
York. The parties acknowledge that such courts have
jurisdiction to interpret and enforce the provisions of this
Agreement, and the parties consent to, and waive any and all
objections that they may have as to, personal jurisdiction and/or
venue in such courts. If Executive materially prevails in a
dispute with the Company, the Company shall promptly reimburse the
reasonable attorneys’ fees and related expenses incurred by
Executive in such dispute at any time from the Effective Date of
this Agreement through Executive’s remaining lifetime (or, if
longer, through the 20 th anniversary of the Effective
Date).
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In order to comply with
Section 409A (as defined below), in no event shall the
payments by the Company under this Section 5A be made later
than the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year
in which such fees and expenses were incurred, provided ,
that Executive shall have submitted an invoice for such fees and
expenses at least ten (10) days before the end of the calendar
year next following the calendar year in which such fees and
expenses were incurred. The amount of such legal fees and
expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any given calendar
year shall not affect the legal fees and expenses that the Company
is obligated to pay in any other calendar year, and
Executive’s right to have the Company pay such legal fees and
expenses may not be liquidated or exchanged for any other
benefit. For these purposes, if there are a series of
disputes which are adjudicated in a single proceeding, whether or
not a party has materially prevailed shall be evaluated in terms of
the aggregate disputes.
6A.
COUNTERPARTS
. This
Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which
shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together will
constitute one and the same instrument.
7A.
STANDARD TERMS AND
CONDITIONS .
Executive expressly understands and acknowledges that the Standard
Terms and Conditions attached hereto are incorporated herein by
reference, deemed a part of this Agreement and are binding and
enforceable provisions of this Agreement. References to
“this Agreement” or the use of the term
“hereof” shall refer to this Agreement and the Standard
Terms and Conditions attached hereto, taken as a whole.
Capitalized terms used but not defined in the Standard Terms and
Conditions shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in this
Agreement.
8A.
SECTION 409A OF THE
INTERNAL REVENUE CODE . This Agreement is
intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of
the of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
“Code”), and the rules and regulations issued
thereunder (“Section 409A”) or an exemption
and shall in all respects be administered in accordance with
Section 409A. Notwithstanding anything in
the Agreement to the contrary, distributions upon termination of
employment may only be made upon a “separation from
service” as determined under Section 409A. Each
payment under this Agreement shall be treated as a separate payment
for purposes of Section 409A. In no event may Executive,
directly or indirectly, designate the calendar year of any payment
to be made under this Agreement that is “nonqualified
deferred compensation” within the meaning of
Section 409A. All reimbursements and in-kind benefits
provided under this Agreement shall be made or provided in
accordance with the requirements of Section 409A.
In the event the parties determine that the terms of this Agreement
do not comply with Section 409A, they will negotiate
reasonably and in good faith to amend the terms of this Agreement
such that it complies (in a manner that attempts to minimize the
economic impact of such amendment on Executive and the Company)
within the time period permitted by the applicable Treasury
Regulations. In no event shall the Company be required to pay
Executive any “gross-up” or other payment with respect
to any taxes or penalties imposed under Section 409A with
respect to any benefit paid or promised to Executive hereunder
based on the Company’s reasonable good-faith interpretation
of Section 409A.
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9A.
CERTAIN ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS BY
THE COMPANY .
(a)
If it is
determined (as hereafter provided) that any payment or distribution
by the Company to or for the benefit of
Executive, whether paid or payable or distributed or distributable
pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise pursuant to or
by reason of any other agreement, policy, plan, program or
arrangement of the Company, including without limitation any
restricted stock unit, stock option, stock appreciation right or
similar right, or the lapse or termination of any restriction on or
the vesting or exercisability of any of the foregoing (a
“Payment”), would be subject to the excise tax imposed
by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision
thereto), or any interest or penalties with respect to such excise
tax (such tax or taxes, together with any such interest and
penalties, are hereafter collectively referred to as the
“Excise Tax”), then Executive will be entitled to
receive an additional payment or payments (a “Gross-Up
Payment”) in an amount such that, after payment by Executive
of all taxes (including any interest or penalties imposed with
respect to such taxes), including any Excise Tax imposed upon the
Gross-Up Payment, but excluding in all cases any income taxes and
penalties imposed pursuant to Section 409A on amounts paid or
promised to Executive based on the Company’s reasonable
good-faith interpretation of Section 409A, Executive retains
an amount of the Gross-Up Payment equal to the Excise Tax imposed
upon the Payments. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions
of this Section 9A(a), if it shall be determined in accordance
with this Section 9A that Executive is entitled to the
Gross-Up Payment, but that the “Parachute Value” (as
defined below) of all Payments does not exceed 110% of the
“Safe Harbor Amount” (as defined below), then no
Gross-Up Payment shall be made to Executive and the amounts payable
under this Agreement shall be reduced so that the Parachute Value
of all payments, in the aggregate, equals the Safe Harbor Amount.
The reduction of the amounts payable under this Agreement, if
applicable, shall be made by reducing the payments and benefits
under the following sections of the Standard Terms and Conditions
in the following order: (i) Section 1(d)(i),
(ii) Section 1(d)(iii),
(iii) Section 1(d)(v) and
(iv) Section 1(d)(iv). For purposes of reducing the
Payments to the Safe Harbor Amount, only amounts payable under this
Agreement (and no other payments) shall be reduced. If the
reduction of the amount payable under this Agreement would not
result in a reduction of the Parachute Value of all Payments
to the Safe Harbor Amount, no amounts payable under this Agreement
shall be reduced pursuant to this Section 9A(a). The
Company’s obligation to make Gross-Up Payments under this
Section 9 shall not be conditioned upon Executive’s
termination of employment.
(b)
Subject to the
provisions of Section 9A(f) of this Agreement, all
determinations required to be made under this Section 9A,
including whether an Excise Tax is payable by Executive and the
amount of such Excise Tax and whether a Gross-Up Payment is
required and the amount of such Gross-Up Payment, will be made by a
nationally recognized firm of certified public accountants (the
“Accounting Firm”) chosen by the Company. The
Company will direct the Accounting Firm to submit its determination
and detailed supporting calculations to both the Company and
Executive within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date of the
event giving rise to the Payment or the date of Executive’s
termination of employment, if applicable, and any other such time
or times as may be reasonably requested by the Company or
Executive. If the Accounting Firm determines that any Excise
Tax is
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payable by Executive, the
Company will pay the required Gross-Up Payment to Executive within
fifteen (15) business days after receipt of such determination and
calculations. If the Accounting Firm determines that no
Excise Tax is payable by Executive, it will, at the same time as it
makes such determination, furnish Executive with an opinion that
she has substantial authority not to report any Excise Tax on her
federal, state, local income or other tax return. Any
determination by the Accounting Firm as to the amount of the
Gross-Up Payment will be binding upon the Company and
Executive. As a result of the uncertainty in the application
of Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision
thereto) and the possibility of similar uncertainty regarding
applicable state or local tax law at the time of any determination
by the Accounting Firm hereunder, it is possible that Gross-Up
Payments which will not have been made by the Company should have
been made (an “Underpayment”), consistent with the
calculations required to be made hereunder. In the event that
the Company exhausts or fails to pursue its remedies pursuant to
Section 9A(f) hereof and Executive thereafter is required
to make a payment of any Excise Tax, Executive will direct the
Accounting Firm to determine the amount of the Underpayment that
has occurred and to submit its determination and detailed
supporting calculations to both the Company and Executive as
promptly as possible. Any such Underpayment will be promptly
paid by the Company to, or for the benefit of, Executive within
fifteen (15) business days after receipt of such determination and
calculations.
(c)
The Company and
Executive will each cooperate with the Accounting Firm in
connection with the preparation and issuance of the determination
contemplated by Section 9A(b) of this
Agreement.
(d)
The federal,
state and local income or other tax returns filed by Executive will
be prepared and filed on a consistent basis with the determination
of the Accounting Firm with respect to the Excise Tax payable by
Executive. Executive will make proper payment of the amount
of any Excise Tax, and, at the request of the Company, provide to
the Company true and correct copies (with any amendments) of her
federal income tax return as filed with the Internal Revenue
Service (the “IRS”) and corresponding state and local
tax returns, if relevant, as filed with the applicable taxing
authority, and such other documents reasonably requested by the
Company, evidencing such payment. If prior to the filing of
Executive’s federal income tax return, or corresponding state
or local tax return, if relevant, the Accounting Firm determines
that the amount of the Gross-Up Payment should be reduced,
Executive will, within fifteen (15) business days pay to the
Company the amount of such reduction.
(e)
The fees and
expenses of the Accounting Firm for its services in connection with
the determinations and calculations contemplated by
Section 9A(b) and Section 9A(d) of this
Agreement will be borne by the Company and paid as incurred;
provided, however, (i) the Company shall pay the fees and
expenses of the Accounting Firm not later than the end of the
calendar year following the calendar year in which the related work
is performed or the expenses are incurred by the Accounting Firm,
(ii) the amount of the Accounting Fees that the Company is
obligated to pay in any given calendar year shall not affect the
Accounting Fees that the Company is obligated to pay in any other
calendar year, and (iii) Executive’s right to have the
Company pay such fees and expenses may not be liquidated or
exchanged for any other benefit. If such fees and expenses
are initially advanced by Executive, the Company will reimburse
Executive the full amount of such fees and expenses within fifteen
(15) business days after receipt from Executive of a statement
therefor and reasonable evidence of her payment
thereof.
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(f)
Executive will
notify the Company in writing of any claim by the IRS that, if
successful, would require the payment by the Company of a Gross-Up
Payment. Such notification will be given as promptly as
practicable but no later than ten (10) business days after
Executive actually receives notice of such claim and Executive will
further apprise the Company of the nature of such claim and the
date on which such claim is requested to be paid (in each case, to
the extent known by Executive). Executive will not pay such
claim prior to the earlier of (x) the expiration of the thirty
(30) calendar-day period following the date on which she gives such
notice to the Company and (y) the date that any payment of
amount with respect to such claim is due. If the Company
notifies Executive in writing prior to the expiration of such
period that it desires to contest such claim, Executive
will:
(i)
provide the
Company with any written records or documents in her possession
relating to such claim reasonably requested by the
Company;
(ii)
take such action
in connection with contesting such claim as the Company will
reasonably request in writing from time to time, including without
limitation accepting legal representation with respect to such
claim by an attorney competent in respect of the subject matter and
reasonably selected by the Company;
(iii)
cooperate with
the Company in good faith in order effectively to contest such
claim; and
(iv)
permit the
Company to participate in any proceedings relating to such
claim;
provided , however , that the Company will bear
and pay directly all costs and expenses (including interest and
penalties) incurred in connection with such contest and will
indemnify and hold harmless Executive, on an after-tax basis, for
and against any Excise Tax or income tax, including interest and
penalties with respect thereto, imposed as a result of such
representation and payment of costs and expenses; provided,
further, however, (i) the Company shall pay the costs and
expenses not later than the end of the calendar year following the
calendar year in which the costs and expenses are incurred,
(ii) the amount of such costs and expenses that the Company is
obligated to pay in any given calendar year shall not affect the
costs and expenses that the Company is obligated to pay in any
other calendar year, and (iii) the Executive’s right to
have the Company pay such costs and expenses may not be liquidated
or exchanged for any other benefit. Without limiting the
foregoing provisions of this Section 9A(f), the Company will
control all proceedings taken in connection with the contest of any
claim contemplated by this Section 9A(f) and, at its sole
option, may pursue or forego any and all administrative appeals,
proceedings, hearings and conferences with the taxing authority in
respect of such claim (provided that Executive may participate
therein at her own cost and expense) and may, at its sole option,
either pay the tax claimed to the appropriate taxing authority on
behalf of Executive and direct Executive to sue for a
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refund or contest the claim in any permissible
manner, and Executive agrees to prosecute such contest to a
determination before any administrative tribunal, in a court of
initial jurisdiction and in one or more appellate courts, as the
Company will determine; provided, that if the Company pays such
claim and directs Executive to sue for a refund, the Company will
indemnify and hold Executive harmless, on an after-tax basis, from
any Excise Tax or income tax, including interest or penalties with
respect thereto, imposed with respect to such payment or with
respect to any imputed income in connection with such payment; and
provided further, that any extension of the statute of limitations
relating to payment of taxes for the taxable year of Executive with
respect to which the contested amount is claimed to be due is
limited solely to such contested amount. Furthermore, the
Company’s control of any such contested claim will be limited
to issues with respect to which a Gross-Up Payment would be payable
hereunder, and Executive will be entitled to settle or contest, as
the case may be, any other issue raised by the IRS or any other
taxing authority.
(g)
If, after the
receipt by Executive of a Gross-Up Payment or a payment by the
Company of an amount on Executive’s behalf pursuant to
Section 9A(f) hereof, Executive receives any refund with
respect to such claim, Executive will (subject to the
Company’s complying with the requirements of
Section 9A(f) hereof) promptly pay to the Company the
amount of such refund (together with any interest paid or credited
thereon after any taxes applicable thereto). If, after
payment by the Company of an amount on Executive’s behalf
pursuant to Section 9A(f) hereof, a determination is made
that Executive will not be entitled to any refund with respect to
such claim and the Company does not notify Executive in writing of
its intent to contest such denial or refund prior to the expiration
of thirty (30) calendar days after such determination, then the
amount of such payment will offset, to the extent thereof, the
amount of Gross-Up Payment required to be paid pursuant to this
Section 9A.
(h)
If it is
ultimately determined (by IRS private letter ruling or closing
agreement, court decision or otherwise) that any Gross-Up Payments
and/or Underpayments and/or any other amounts paid or made by the
Company pursuant to this Section 9A were not necessary to
accomplish the purpose of this Section 9A, Executive shall
promptly cooperate with the Company to correct such overpayments
(by way of assigning any refund to the Company as provided herein,
by direct repayment or otherwise) in a manner consistent with the
purpose of this Section 9A, which is to protect Executive by
making her whole, but not more than whole, on an after-tax basis,
from the application of the Excise Tax.
(i)
Any Gross-Up
Payment, as determined pursuant to this Section 9, shall be
paid by the Company to Executive wit
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