EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENTEmployee Retention Agreement |
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Exhibit 10.15
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This
Agreement (the Agreement) is made and entered into on this 14th day of July,
2008 (the Effective Date), between QUEST RESOURCE CORPORATION (the Company),
and Tom Lopus (Employee).
1. Agreement
to Employ; Duties.
a.
Agreement to Employ. Subject to Section 1.c. below, the Company
hereby employs Employee and Employee hereby accepts employment upon the terms
and conditions hereinafter set forth. Employee will serve as Executive Vice
President, Quest Eastern.
b.
Duties. Employee agrees that so long as he is employed pursuant to this
Agreement, he will: (i) to the satisfaction of the Company, devote his
best efforts and his entire business time to further properly the interests of
the Company; (ii) at all times be subject to the direction and control of
the Chief Operating Officer of the Company with respect to his activities on
behalf of the Company; (iii) comply with all rules, orders and regulations
of the Company and all statutes, regulations, interpretive rulings and other
enactments to which the Company is subject; (iv) truthfully and accurately
maintain and preserve such records and make all reports as the Company may
require; and (v) fully account for all monies which he may from time to
time have custody over and deliver the same to the Company whenever and however
directed to do so.
c.
Contingent on PetroEdge Resources (WV) LLC Closing. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, the effectiveness of this Agreement is
contingent, in all respects, upon the Companys acquisition of PetroEdge
Resources (WV) LLC. In the event that the Companys acquisition of
PetroEdge Resources (WV) LLC is not consummated, this Agreement shall
become null and void and Employee shall have no rights hereunder.
2. Compensation.
a.
Base Salary. For all services to be rendered by Employee, the Company
shall pay Employee a salary at the rate of Two Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand and
No/100 Dollars ($225,000.00) per year, in installments of equal frequency to
the Companys standard payroll practices. Salary payments shall be subject to
withholding and other applicable taxes (e.g., federal and state
withholding, FICA, earnings tax, etc).
b.
Incentive Bonus Compensation/Stock Options. Employee shall be entitled
to participate in an incentive bonus plan or program with a maximum potential
amount of up to 73.5% of Base Salary, as such plan or program is established
annually by the Board of Directors (or the Companys Compensation Committee).
Employees actual bonus level will be contingent
1
upon the Company achieving
predetermined financial results and the Boards (and/or Compensation
Committees) approval, including approval of any components based on Company or
individual performance. Employee acknowledges that actual payouts under the
plan may be more or less than Employees target level based on the performance
of the Company against plan criteria and Employees performance against any
individual objectives.
c. Restricted
Stock Grant. Employee shall be granted 45,000 restricted shares of the
Company pursuant to the terms of the 2005 Omnibus Stock Award Plan (including
the terms of any Award Agreement executed in connection with such Plan). The
restricted shares will vest in accordance with the following schedule, if
employee is employed on such date:
July 14,
2009 15,000
Restricted Shares
July 14,
2010 15,000
Restricted Shares
July 14,
2011 15,000
Restricted Shares
Term.
Unless earlier terminated by either party as provided in Section 5 or 6
hereof, this Agreement shall commence on July 14, 2008, and shall continue
for a period of three (3) year[s] thereafter until July 14, 2011 (the
Initial Term). Upon the expiration of the Initial Term, this Agreement shall
automatically continue in effect for successive one (1) year terms (a
Renewal Term) unless terminated by either party by providing written Notice
of Termination (as provided in Section 7) not less than one hundred twenty
(120) days prior to the end of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term.
3. Employee
Benefits. Employee shall be entitled, during his employment hereunder, to
receive and participate in employee benefits available to executives of the
Company as the Board of Directors (or the Compensation Committee) of the
Company determines, in its sole discretion, from time to time; provided
however, that Employee shall receive 160 hours paid time off (PTO) hours per
year commencing with his employment with the Company.
Employee
acknowledges that the benefits described above are subject to change in the
discretion of the Board of Directors (or the Compensation Committee) of the
Company, and that Employee is only entitled to participate in these benefits to
the extent they are made available by the Company to executives from time to
time
4. Termination
of Employment by the Employee.
a.
Voluntary Resignation. Employee shall have the right to terminate his
employment at any time by providing no less than thirty (30) days prior
written Notice of Termination to the Company as specified in section 6 herein.
Employee hereby agrees to assist in the training of his replacement, if
requested.
b.
With Good Reason. The Employee may terminate this Agreement with Good
Reason as provided in this Section 4(b). If Employee terminates with Good
Reason, the Company shall:
(1)
Continue to pay Employee his Base Salary as required pursuant to Section 2(a)
hereof as severance pay for the remaining period of the Initial Term, or
2
as applicable, any subsequent
Renewal Term (subject to a potential six month deferral as described in the
next sentence.) If (A) Employee is a specified employee under
Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) and the Companys
or Parents I.R.C. § 409A Specified Employee Policy (a Specified Employee)
and (B) the aggregate amount of the severance payments provided for in the
prior sentence that will be made before the end of the second tax year
following the Employees termination of employment exceeds the limitation
available to be paid on account of an involuntary separation under Treasury
Regulations § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii), then the portion of such excess which
otherwise would be paid during the first six months following Employees
termination of employment (assuming the entire excess amount were spread
ratably over the remainder of the Initial Term or Renewal Term, as the case may
be) (the Excess Separation Payments) shall not be paid and instead shall be
held in arrears (without any interest accrual) and paid in a lump sum by the
Company on the first day after six months following Employees termination of
employment. For the purpose of this entire agreement, a termination of
employment shall have the same meaning and be interpreted in the same manner
as a separation from service under section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i) of the Internal
Revenue Code and applicable Treasury Regulations issued thereunder.
(2)
Pay Employee his pro rata portion of any annual bonus or other compensation to
which he would have been entitled for the year during which the termination
occurred, such payment to be made at such time that bonuses are made for such
year (but in no event later than 2 1/2 months after the end of the later of Employees tax
year containing the date of Employees termination or the Companys tax year
for which the annual bonus relates); and
(3)
Pay all of Employees COBRA health insurance premium payments (for the same
coverage that employee had in place prior to his termination) for the duration
of the COBRA continuation period, or if earlier, until Employee becomes
eligible for health insurance because of employment with a different employer.
Employee
shall only be paid such severance pay, pro rata bonuses and COBRA insurance
premiums if he (i) signs an agreement containing a release of claims
against the Company, in a form substantially similar to that included in
Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated herein; and (ii) does not
own, manage, operate, join, contract with, or become employed by or connected
in any manner with (whether as principal, partner, shareholder, member,
director, officer, employee, agent or otherwise), any business which is
competitive to the business engaged in by the Company. For purposes of this
Agreement, a business shall be deemed to be competitive to the activities
conducted by the Company in the same geographical area in which the Company
conducts its business operations (or is actively pursuing business operations)
at the time of Employees termination of employment.
For
purposes of this Agreement, Good Reason means (i) the Companys failure to
pay Employees salary or annual bonus in accordance with the terms of this
Agreement (unless the payment is not material and is being contested by the
Company in good faith); (ii) the requirement of the Company that Employee be
based anywhere other than [Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania], which for
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this purpose includes any
surrounding communities within a [30] miles radius of [Pittsburgh] and the
understanding that substantial travel will be required for Employees position;
or (iii) a substantial and adverse change in Employees duties or
responsibilities; provided, however, that (1) (A) that Employee must
provide written notice within 90 days of the initial occurrence or event
that constitutes Good Reason and (B) any termination of employment for
Good Reason must occur within the one-year period beginning on the initial
existence of the event or condition giving rise to the purported good reason,
(2) Employee shall give the Company thirty days prior written Notice of
Termination, as specified in Section 6, of the basis for claiming Good
Reason exists and (3) the Company shall have failed to cure such breach or
nonperformance during the thirty day Notice period.
c.
Employees Disability. The Employee may terminate his employment
hereunder if (A) the Employee is unable to engage in any substantial gainful
activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment
that can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a
continuous period of not less than 12 months, or (B) the Employee is,
by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can
be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous
period of not less than 12 months, receiving income replacement benefits
for a period of not less than three months under an accident and health plan
covering employees of the Company; provided that the Employee shall have
furnished the Company with a written statement from a qualified doctor to such
effect. The Employee shall receive from the Company, (i) in a lump-sum
payment due within thirty (30) days of the date the Company receives a
written statement from a qualified doctor that the Employee meets the definition
of disability set forth in the section, the sum equal to Two Hundred
Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars 00/100 ($225,000.00), and (ii) all
compensation and benefits that accrued and vested as of the date such written
statement is received.
5. Termination
of Employment by the Company.
a.
Without Cause. The Company may terminate Employees employment under
this Agreement at any time without cause by giving Employee a Notice of
Termination as provided under Section 6 hereof. In such event either prior
to, or more than two years after, a change in control, as defined below, the
Company shall:
(1)
Continue to pay Employee his Base Salary as required pursuant to Section 2(a)
hereof as severance pay for the remaining period of the Initial Term, or as
applicable, any subsequent Renewal Term (subject to a potential six month
deferral as described in the next sentence.) If (A) Employee is a
specified employee under Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code (the
Code) and the Companys or Parents I.R.C. § 409A Specified Employee Policy
(a Specified Employee) and (B) the aggregate amount of the severance
payments provided for in the prior sentence that will be made before the end of
the second tax year following the Employees termination of employment exceeds
the limitation available to be paid on account of an involuntary separation
under Treasury Regulations § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii), then the portion of such
excess which otherwise would be paid during the first six months following
Employees termination of employment (assuming the entire excess amount were
spread ratably over the remainder of the Initial Term or
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Renewal Term, as the case may
be) (the Excess Separation Payments) shall not be paid and instead shall be
held in arrears (without any interest accrual) and paid in a lump sum by the
Company on the first day after six months following Employees termination of
employment. For the purpose of this entire agreement, a termination of
employment shall have the same meaning and be interpreted in the same manner
as a separation from service under section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i) of the Internal
Revenue Code and applicable Treasury Regulations issued thereunder.
(2)
Pay Employee his pro rata portion of any annual bonus or other compensation to
which he would have been entitled for the year during which the termination
occurred, such payment to be made at such time that bonuses are made for such
year (but in no event later than 2 1/2 months after the end of the later of Employees tax
year containing the date of Employees termination or the Companys tax year
for which the annual bonus relates); and
(3)
Pay all of Employees COBRA health insurance premium payments (for the same
coverage that employee had in place prior to his termination) for the duration
of the COBRA continuation period, or if earlier, until Employee becomes
eligible for health insurance because of employment with a different employer.
In
the event that Employees employment is terminated without cause within two
(2) years following a change in control (as defined below), the Company
shall:
(1)
pay to Employee in one lump sum within thirty (30) days following
Employees termination of employment severance pay equal to Employees
remaining Base Salary for the Initial Term or for any Renewal Term, as
applicable. If (A) Employee is a specified employee under Section 409A
of the Internal Revenue Code (the Code) and the Companys or Parents I.R.C.
§ 409A Specified Employee Policy (a Specified Employee) and (B) the
aggregate amount of the severance payments provided for in this paragraph
exceeds the limitation available to be paid on account of an involuntary
separation under Treasury Regulations § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii), then the portion
of such excess which otherwise would be paid in a lump sum within thirty
(30) days following Employees termination of employment will instead be
paid in a lump sum by the Company on the first day after six months following
Employees termination of employment. For the purpose of this entire agreement,
a termination of employment shall have the same meaning and be interpreted in
the same manner as a separation from service under section 409A(a)(2)(A)(i)
of the Internal Revenue Code and applicable Treasury Regulations issued
thereunder.
(2)
Pay Employee his pro rata portion of any annual bonus or other compensation to
which he would have been entitled for the year during which the termination
occurred, such payment to be made at such time that bonuses are made for such
year (but in no event later than 2 1/2 months after the end of the later of Employees tax
year containing the date of Employees termination or the Companys tax year
for which the annual bonus relates); and
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(3)
Pay all of Employees COBRA health insurance premium payments (for the same
coverage that employee had in place prior to his termination) for the duration
of the COBRA continuation period, or if earlier, until Employee becomes
eligible for health insurance because of employment with a different employer.
Employee
shall only be paid the severance pay, pro rata bonuses and COBRA insurance
premiums provided under this Section 5(a) if he (i) signs an agreement
containing a release of claims against the Company, in a form substantially
similar to that included in Exhibit A, attached hereto and incorporated
herein; and (ii) does not own, manage, operate, join, contract with, or
become employed by or connected in any manner with (whether as principal,
partner, shareholder, member, director, officer, employee, agent or otherwise),
any business which is competitive to the business engaged in by the Company.
For purposes of this Agreement, a business shall be deemed to be competitive to
the activities conducted by the Company in the same geographical area in which
the Company conducts its business operations (or is actively pursuing business
operations) at the time of Employees termination of employment.
For
purposes of this section, a Change in Control shall be consistent with
regulations issued under Internal Revenue Code section 409A (the 409A
regulations) and shall mean the occurrence of a Change in the Ownership of
the Company, a Change in Effective Control of the Company, or a Change in
the Ownership of a Substantial Portion of the Companys Assets. A Change in
the Ownership of the Company means the acquisition by any one person, or more
than one person acting as a group, of the outstanding and issued common stock
(Shares) of the Company that, together with Shares held by such person or
group, constitutes more than 50 percent of the total voting power of the
Shares of the Company (however, if any one person, or more than one person
acting as a group, is considered to own more than 50 percent of the total
voting power of the Shares of the Company, the acquisition of additional Shares
by the same person or group shall not constitute a Change in the Ownership of
the Company). A Change in Effective Control of the Company shall occur if
either (i) any one person, or more than one person acting as a group,
acquires (or has acquired during the 12-month period ending on the date of the
most recent acquisition by such person or persons) ownership of Shares of the
Company possessing 30 percent or more of the total voting power of the
Shares of the Company (however, if a person, or more than one person acting as
a group owns 30% of the total fair market value or total voting power of the
Shares of the Company, the acquisition of additional Shares by such person or
group shall not constitute a Change in Effective Control of the Company; or
(ii) a majority of members of the Companys board of directors is replaced
during any 12-month period by directors whose appointment or election is not
endorsed by a majority of the members of the Companys board of directors prior
to the date of the appointment or election. A Change in the Ownership of a
Substantial Portion of the Companys Assets occurs when any one person, or
more than one person acting as a group, acquires (or has acquired during the
12-month period ending on the date of the most recent acquisition by such
person or persons) assets from the Company that have a total gross fair market
value (gross fair market value means the value of the assets of the Company,
or the value of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any
liabilities associated with such assets) equal to or more than 40 percent
of the total gross fair market value of all of the assets of the Company
immediately prior to such acquisition or acquisitions. For purposes of this
section, the term
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acting as a group shall
have the same meaning as defined in the 409A regulations.
b.
With Cause The Company may terminate Employees employment under this
Agreement at any time for cause effective immediately upon Notice of
Termination. In the event the Company terminates this Agreement for cause on
the part of Employee, Employee shall receive Base Salary for the period to the
date of his termination. Employee shall not be entitled to receive Severance
Pay from the Company if his employment is terminated for cause. For purposes of
this Agreement, cause shall be defined to include, but not be limited to, the
following: (i) any act or omission by Employee that constitutes gross
negligence or willful misconduct; (ii) theft, dishonest acts or breach of
fiduciary duty that materially enrich the Employee or materially damage the
Company or conviction of a felony, (iii) any conflict of interest, except
those consented to in writing by the Company; (iv) any material failure by
Employee to observe Company work rules, policies or procedures; (v) failure or
refusal by Employee to perform his duties and responsibilities required
hereunder, or to carry out reasonable instruction, to the satisfaction of the
Company; (vi) any conduct that is materially detrimental to the operations,
financial condition or reputation of the Company; or (vii) any material
breach of this Agreement by Employee; provided, however, the occurrence of
those events set forth in clauses (i), (iv), (v) or (vii), shall be deemed
Good Cause to the extent and only to the extent that such breach or
nonperformance remains uncorrected for thirty (30) days following
Companys reasonably detailed written notice to Employee of such breach or
nonperformance; provided further, however, that a repeated breach after notice
and cure of any provision of clauses (i), (iv), (v) or
(vii) involving the same or substantially similar actions or conduct,
shall be grounds for termination for Good Cause without any additional notice
from the Company.
c.
Employees Disability. If, as a result of incapacity due to
physical or mental illness or injury, the Employee shall fail to render
services of the character contemplated by this Agreement for three
(3) consecutive months or for an aggregate period of one hundred and eighty
(180) calendar days during any twelve (12) month period, then thirty
(30) days after receiving written notice (which notice may occur before or
after the end of such three (3) or twelve (12) month period, but which
shall not be effective earlier than the last day of such three (3) or
twelve (12) month period), the Company may terminate the Employees
employment hereunder provided the Employee is unable to resume his full-time
duties as contemplated by this Agreement at the conclusion of such notice period.
In the event this Agreement is terminated by the Company as a result of the
Employees disability, and a qualified doctor provides a written statement that
(A) the Employee is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by
reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be
expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period
of not less than 12 months, or (B) the Employee is, by reason of any
medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be expected to
result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less
than 12 months (i) the Employee shall receive from the Company, in a
lump-sum payment due within thirty (30) days of the effective date of
termination, the sum equal to Two Hundred Twenty-Five Thousand Dollars 00/100
($225,000.00), and (ii) all compensation and benefits that accrued and
vested as of the date of termination. In the event that the Employees
employment is terminated under this Section 5(c) but the qualified doctor
determines that the definition of disability provided in this section is not
met, such termination of employment will be deemed a termination without cause
as provided in Section 5(a).
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6. Notice
of Termination. Any termination of Employees employment by the Company
pursuant to Section 6 or by Employee pursuant to Section 5 shall be
communicated by written Notice of Termination to the other party hereto. Said
Notice shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered personally or by
overnight delivery, sent via facsimile, or mailed by United States certified
mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
If
to the Company:
Quest Resource Corporation
210 Park Avenue, Suite 2750
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102
Attention: Jerry Cash (or then current Chief Executive Officer)
Facsimile: (405) 600.7756
If
to the Employee:
Thomas A. Lopus
110 Searight Drive
Baden, PA 15005
Email tlopus@zoominternet.net
or at such other address as
either party may designate in writing to the other.
7. Company
Property. Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason whatsoever,
Employee shall immediately deliver to the Company any and all Company property,
including, without limitation, all Confidential Information, as such
Confidential Information is defined in Section 15. From and after termination
of this Agreement, Employee shall not represent that he has any further
authority to act as a representative of the Company, in any capacity.
8. Intellectual
Property. Any interest in patents, patent applications, inventions,
copyrights, developments and processes (Inventions) which Employee now or
hereafter during the period Employee is employed by the Company may own or
develop relating to the fields in which the Company may then be engaged shall
belong to the Company; and forthwith upon request of the Company, Employee
shall execute all assignments and other documents and take all such other
action as the Company may reasonably request in order to vest in the Company
all his right, title and interest in and to the Inventions free and clear of
all liens, charges and encumbrances.
9. No
Conflicts. Employee represents and warrants to the Company that neither the
execution nor delivery of this Agreement, nor the performance of Employees
obligations hereunder, will conflict with, or result in a breach of, any term,
condition, or provision of, or constitute a default under, any obligation,
contract, agreement, covenant or instrument to which Employee is a party or
under which the Employee is bound, including, without limitation, the breach by
Employee of a fiduciary duty to any former employers.
10.
Personnel Policies. The general personnel policies of the Company (as
said policies may exist from time to time) will apply to Employee with the same
force and effect as to any other
8
employee of the Company,
except to the extent such general personnel policies are inconsistent with the
terms and provisions of this Agreement, in which event the terms and provisions
of this Agreement shall control.
11. Compensation
Review. The Company will conduct periodic reviews of Employee and his
performance no less frequently than annually. While the Company currently
anticipates that during such reviews, it may consider possible increases to
Base Salary, both Employee and the Company hereby agree that the Company shall
have no obligation to alter or adjust any compensation or benefits due to
Employee pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
12. Expense
Reimbursement. Employee shall be reimbursed by the Company for the
reasonable and necessary business expenses incurred by Employee in the
discharge of his duties, subject to the Companys standard policies and
procedures related to expense reimbursement and approval thereof.
13. Conflict
of Interest. Employee shall devote his full time and attention to the
business of the Company and the diligent discharge of the duties assigned to
Employee throughout the term of this Agreement. Unless consented to by the
Company, Employee will not, directly or indirectly, have any business interests
or investments (whether as principal, partner, shareholder, director, officer,
employee, agent or otherwise) that: (i) are other than passive investments
which do not require Employees direct personal time, attention, or services;
or (ii) create any conflict of interest with the Company or with Employees
employment by the Company. For purposes of the foregoing, a conflict of
interest shall include, but not be limited to, any direct or indirect interest
in any business or enterprise that is competitive with the Company or any
corporation or business enterprise directly or indirectly controlling,
controlled by or under common control with the Company.






