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EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

Employee Retention Agreement

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT | Document Parties: LendingTree, LLC You are currently viewing:
This Employee Retention Agreement involves

LendingTree, LLC

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Title: EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Governing Law: New York     Date: 8/1/2008

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, Parties: lendingtree  llc
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Exhibit 10.7

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between Bret A. Violette (“Executive”) and IAC/InterActiveCorp, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and is effective April 11, 2007 (the “Effective Date”).  LendingTree, LLC is party hereto for purposes of Sections 1A and 4A(e)(2) only.

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to establish its right to the services of Executive, 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.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual agreements hereinafter set forth, Executive and the Company have agreed and do hereby agree as follows:

 

1A.                              PRIOR AGREEMENT .  Executive and LendingTree, LLC, a subsidiary of the Company, are currently party to that certain Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, dated as of April 28, 2006, as supplemented by that certain Addendum dated as of January 8, 2007 (as supplemented, the “Prior Agreement”).  This Agreement shall replace and supersede the Prior Agreement, and as of the date hereof, the Prior Agreement shall no longer be of any force or effect.

 

2A.                              EMPLOYMENT .  During the Term (as defined below), the Company shall employ Executive, and Executive shall be employed, as President of RealEstate.com.  During Executive’s employment with the Company, 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 Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive shall report directly to the President and Chief Operating Officer of the Company or such person(s) as from time to time may be designated by the Company (hereinafter referred to as the “Reporting Officer”).  Executive shall have such powers and duties with respect to RealEstate.com (and its subsidiaries, divisions, and businesses) (collectively, the “RealEstate.com Businesses”) as may reasonably be assigned to Executive by the Reporting Officer, to the extent consistent with Executive’s position.  Executive agrees to devote all of Executive’s working time, attention and efforts to the RealEstate.com Businesses and to perform the duties of Executive’s position in accordance with the Company’s policies as in effect from time to time.  Executive’s principal place of employment shall be the offices of the Company’s subsidiary, LendingTree, LLC, located in Charlotte, North Carolina.

 

3A.                              TERM .  The term of this Agreement shall begin on the date hereof and shall expire on the third anniversary hereof (the “Term”), provided that certain terms and conditions herein may specify a greater period of effectiveness.

 

4A.                              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 $400,000 (the

 



 

“Base Salary”), payable in equal biweekly installments (or, if different, 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.

 

(b)                                  BONUS .  During the period that Executive is employed with the Company hereunder, Executive shall be eligible to receive a guaranteed annual bonus in the amount of $500,000 in each of 2007, 2008 and 2009 each year (each, a “Guaranteed Annual Bonus Payment”), payable not later than July 15 of each such year provided that Executive remains employed with the Company on such payment dates.  In addition, during the period that Executive is employed with the Company hereunder, Executive shall be eligible to receive discretionary annual bonuses following the end of the Company’s fiscal year paid at times consistent with other similarly situated executives of the Company.

 

(c)      GROWTH SHARES .  Subject to approval of the Compensation and Human Resources Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company, Executive shall be granted 10,000 Growth Shares at “target” performance, pursuant to an award letter and standard terms and conditions substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A. In addition, the Company acknowledges that Executive has previously been granted IAC Restricted Stock Units, which Units remain outstanding and continue to be subject to their terms and conditions, except as specifically provided herein.

 

(d)                                  LONG-TERM PERFORMANCE BONUS .  (i)  Subject to the limitations set forth herein, the Company shall pay Executive (A) a one-time bonus amount equal to $1,000,000 in the event that the Real Estate Revenues (as defined below) equal or exceed $130,000,000 in the 2009 fiscal year and Real Estate OIBA (as defined below) in the 2009 fiscal year equals or exceeds $10 million; and (B) an additional one-time bonus amount equal to $1,000,000 in the event that the Real Estate Revenues equal or exceed $130,000,000 in the 2009 fiscal year and Real Estate OIBA in the 2009 fiscal year equals or exceeds $20 million (together, the “LTP Bonuses”); provided that in each case Executive remains employed with the Company through the date of payment of such bonus as described below.  In no event will the Company be required to pay the LTP Bonuses unless the Company, acting in its good faith discretion, determines that the RealEstate.com Businesses are in good condition and that operating decisions made to achieve the Real Estate Revenues and Real Estate OIBA targets set forth in this section (the “LTP Targets”) were accomplished in the ordinary course of business and did not jeopardize the long-term health of the business.  “Real Estate Revenues” means the revenues of the RealEstate.com Businesses as calculated by the Company in accordance with its ordinary business practices.  “ Real Estate OIBA ” means Operating Income Before Amortization (as defined in the Company’s public earnings releases from time to time and as calculated by the Company in accordance with its ordinary business practices) of the RealEstate.com Businesses.  Within 60 days following the end of the 2009 fiscal year, the Company shall prepare and deliver to Executive a statement of Real Estate Revenues and Real Estate OIBA for such year.    Executive shall have ten days after delivery of such schedule to review and comment on such schedule, after which the Company shall have ten days to finalize such schedule, which final schedule shall be prepared in the reasonable discretion of the Company acting in good faith.  The Company shall pay the amount of the bonus reflected in such schedule within 75 days after the end of the 2009 fiscal year.  The Company shall afford the Executive reasonable access to the

 

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books and records of the Real Estate Business to the extent that such books and records reasonably relate to the computation of the Real Estate Revenue and Real Estate OIBA for fiscal year 2009; provided, however, that the Executive acknowledges and agrees that all such books and records are confidential information of the Company and are delivered to the Executive subject to his obligation to maintain the confidentiality of such materials provided in Section 2 of the Standard Terms and Conditions attached to this Agreement.

 

(ii)  In the event of any specific action within the control of the Company which is reasonably likely to materially increase or decrease the likelihood that an LTP Bonus will be paid which, in the Company’s good faith judgment, would unduly benefit or prejudice Executive, the Company may, after good faith discussions with Executive, adjust the LTP Targets with the good faith intent of maintaining equivalent likelihoods of Executive receiving the relevant LTP Bonuses as had existed prior to the Company taking such action, it being understood that such equivalence will be approximate and a good faith estimate only.  For example, and without limitation, in the event of (A)  any material addition to the RealEstate.com Businesses, whether by acquisition or otherwise, the Company could increase the LTP Targets, (B) any material deletion from the RealEstate.com Businesses, the Company could decrease the LTP Targets (though such a decrease would be likely in a sale or other disposition for value, but not likely in the event such deletion resulted from a shutdown for poor performance), or (C) an adjustment to the manner in which the Real Estate OIBA were calculated such that the net result was likely to be a material increase in the Real Estate OIBA, the LTP Targets could be appropriately adjusted by the Company.

 

(e)                                   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 the same 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, necessary and documented expenses 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.

 

(ii)                                   Vacation .  During the period that Executive is employed with the Company hereunder, Executive shall be entitled to four weeks of paid vacation and such other paid time off each year, in accordance with the plans, policies, programs and practices of LendingTree, LLC applicable to similarly situated employees of LendingTree, LLC generally.

 

5A.                              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 by hand delivery, or by overnight delivery by a nationally recognized carrier, in each case to the

 

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applicable address set forth below, and any such notice is deemed effectively given when received by the recipient (of if receipt is refused by the recipient, when so refused):

 

If to the Company:

 

IAC/InterActiveCorp

 

 

555 West 18 th Street, 6 th Floor

 

 

New York, NY 10011

 

 

Attention: President and Chief Operating Officer

 

 

 

 

 

With a copy to:

 

 

 

 

 

IAC/InterActiveCorp

 

 

555 West 18 th Street, 6 th Floor

 

 

New York, NY 10011

 

 

Attention: General Counsel

 

 

 

If to Executive:

 

Bret A. Violette

 

 

 

 

 

11103 McClure Manor Drive

 

 

 

 

 

Charlotte, NC 28277

 

Either party may change such party’s address for notices by notice duly given pursuant hereto.

 

6A.                              GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION .  This Agreement and the legal relations thus created between the parties hereto (including, without limitation, any dispute arising out of or related to this Agreement) shall be governed by and construed under and in accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York without reference to its principles of conflicts of laws.  Any such dispute will be heard exclusively and determined before an appropriate federal court located in the State of New York in New York County, or, if not maintainable therein, then in an appropriate New York state court located in New York County, and each party hereto submits itself and its property to the exclusive jurisdiction of the foregoing courts with respect to such disputes.  The parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Agreement was executed and delivered in the State of New York, that IAC is headquartered in New York City and that, in the course of performing duties hereunder for the Company, Executive shall have multiple contacts with the business and operations of IAC and the Reporting Officer, as well as other businesses and operations in the State of New York, and that for those and other reasons this Agreement and the undertakings of the parties hereunder bear a reasonable relation to the State of New York.  If an appropriate court determines, in connection with a dispute between the parties hereto arising out of or related to this Agreement, that the internal laws of the State of New York do not govern this Agreement and the legal relations thus created between the parties hereto, then this Agreement and such legal relations shall be governed by and construed under and in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Delaware without reference to its principles of conflicts of laws.  In such a case, if the dispute is not, for any reason, maintainable in an appropriate federal court located in the State of New York in New York County or an appropriate New York state court located in New York County, such dispute will be heard exclusively and determined before an appropriate Delaware state court located in New Castle County, or, if not maintainable therein, then in an appropriate federal court located in the State of Delaware in New Castle County, and, in such case, each party hereto submits itself and its property to the exclusive

 

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jurisdiction of the foregoing courts with respect to such disputes.  Each party hereto (i) agrees that service of process may be made by mailing a copy of any relevant document to the address of the party set forth above, (ii) waives to the fullest extent permitted by law any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the courts referred to above on the grounds of inconvenient forum or otherwise as regards any dispute between the parties hereto arising out of or related to this Agreement, (iii) waives to the fullest extent permitted by law any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue in the courts referred to above as regards any dispute between the parties hereto arising out of or related to this Agreement and (iv) agrees that a judgment or order of any court referred to above in connection with any dispute between the parties hereto arising out of or related to this Agreement is conclusive and binding on it and may be enforced against it in the courts of any other jurisdiction.

 

7A.                              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.

 

8A.                              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.

 

9A.                              SECTION 409A OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE .  This Agreement is not intended to constitute a “nonqualified deferred compensation plan” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the rules and regulations issued thereunder (“Section 409A”).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if this Agreement or any benefit paid to Executive hereunder is subject to Section 409A and if the Executive is a “Specified Employee” (as defined under Section 409A) as of the date of Executive’s termination of employment hereunder, then the payment of benefits, if any, scheduled to be paid by the Company to Executive hereunder during the first six (6) month period beginning on the date of a termination of employment hereunder shall be delayed during such six (6) month period and shall commence immediately following the end of such six (6) month period (and, if applicable, the period in which such payments were scheduled to be made if not for such delay shall be extended accordingly).  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 to Executive hereunder.

 

[The Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered by its duly authorized officer and Executive has executed and delivered this Agreement on May 16, 2007.

 

 

IAC/InterActiveCorp

 

 

 

 

 

By: /s/ Greg Blatt

 

Name: Greg Blatt

 

 

Title: Executive Vice President and General
Counsel

 

 

 

 

By: /s/ Bret A. Violette

 

Bret A. Violette

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For purposes of Sections 1A and 4A(e)(2) hereof
only:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LendingTree, LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By: /s/ Keith Hall

 

Name: Keith Hall

 

 

Title: SVP and CFO

 

 

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STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

 

1.                                        TERMINATION OF EXECUTIVE’S EMPLOYMENT .

 

(a)                                   DEATH .  In the event Executive’s employment hereunder is terminated by reason of Executive’s death, the Company shall pay Executive’s designated beneficiary or beneficiaries, within thirty (30) days of Executive’s death in a lump sum in cash, (i) Executive’s Base Salary through the end of the month in which death occurs and (ii) any Accrued Obligations (as defined in paragraph 1(f) below).

 

(b)                                  DISABILITY .  If, as a result of Executive’s incapacity due to physical or mental illness (“Disability”), Executive shall have been absent from the full-time performance of Executive’s duties with the Company for a period of four (4) consecutive months and, within thirty (30) days after written notice is provided to Executive by the Company (in accordance with Section 5A hereof), Executive shall not have returned to the full-time performance of Executive’s duties, Executive’s employment under


 
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