Exhibit 10.3
EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
This EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this
“ Agreement ”) is made by and between CEP
Services Company, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “
Company ”), Lisa J. Mellencamp (“
Executive ”) and, solely for the limited purpose set
out in Section 7.13 of this Agreement, Constellation
Energy Partners LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“
CEP ”).
WHEREAS, the Company is a wholly
owned subsidiary of CEP;
WHEREAS, pursuant to an offer letter
by and between the Company and Executive, dated December 31,
2008 (the “ Offer Letter ”), Executive is
employed by the Company as President, Chief Executive Officer and
Chief Operating Officer and serves in those same offices for CEP,
as directed by the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Company and Executive
desire to provide the full terms and conditions of
Executive’s employment by the Company;
WHEREAS, the Company has caused CEP
to enter into each of the 2009 LTI Grant Agreement (defined below)
and Inducement Award Agreement (defined below) contemporaneously
with the execution of this Agreement;
WHEREAS, the Company, CEP and
Executive intend for the Offer Letter to be fully superseded by the
entry into each of this Agreement, the 2009 LTI Grant Agreement and
the Inducement Award Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, for and in
consideration of the mutual promises, covenants and obligations
contained herein, the Company and Executive agree as
follows:
ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS AND
INTERPRETATIONS
(a) “ 2009 LTI Grant
Agreement ” means that certain Grant Agreement Relating
to Notional Units—Executives, dated May 1, 2009, by and
between CEP and Executive.
(b) “ Affiliate ”
means, with respect to any natural person, firm, partnership,
association, corporation, limited liability company, company,
trust, entity, public body or government (a “ Person
”), any Person that, directly or indirectly, controls, is
controlled by, or is under common control with, such Person. The
term “ control ” (including the terms “
controlled by ” and “ under common control
with ”) as used in this definition means the possession,
directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the
direction of management and policies of a Person, whether through
the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise. With
respect to any natural person, the term “ Affiliate
” means (i) the spouse or children (including those by
adoption) and siblings of such Person; and any trust whose primary
beneficiary is such Person, such Person’s spouse, such
Person’s siblings and/or one or more of such Person’s
lineal descendants,
(ii) the legal representative or
guardian of such Person or of any such immediate family member in
the event such Person or any such immediate family member becomes
mentally incompetent and (iii) any Person controlled by or
under common control with any one or more of such Person and the
Persons described in clauses (i) or
(ii) preceding.
(c) “ Annual Base
Salary ” means, as of a specified date, Executive’s
annual base salary as of such date determined pursuant to
Section 4.1 .
(d) “ Annual
Compensation ” means, as of particular date, an amount
equal to:
(i) the Target-Level Bonus for the
year in which such date falls; plus
(ii) the greater of:
(A) Executive’s Annual Base
Salary at the annual rate in effect on the date of his Involuntary
Termination;
(B) Executive’s Annual Base
Salary at the annual rate in effect 180 days prior to the date of
his Involuntary Termination; and
(C) Executive’s Annual Base
Salary at the annual rate in effect immediately prior to a Change
of Control if Executive’s employment shall be subject to an
Involuntary Termination during the Change of Control
Period.
(e) “ Board ”
means the Board of Managers of CEP.
(f) “ Cause ”
means Executive
(i) has engaged in gross negligence,
gross incompetence or willful misconduct in the performance of his
duties,
(ii) has failed to substantially
perform the duties and services reasonably required by the Company;
provided , that such failure continues for at least 30 days
after Executive’s receipt of written notice of such failure
from the Company,
(iii) has willfully engaged in
conduct that is materially injurious to CEP or its subsidiaries
(monetarily or otherwise),
(iv) has committed an act of fraud,
embezzlement or willful breach of a fiduciary duty to the Company
or CEP (including the unauthorized disclosure of confidential or
proprietary material information of the Company or CEP)
or
(v) has been convicted of, pled
guilty to, or pleaded no contest to, a crime involving fraud,
dishonesty or moral turpitude.
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For purposes of this definition,
“moral turpitude” means an act of baseness, vileness or
depravity in the private and social duties which one owes to his
fellow man.
(g) “ CEG ” means
Constellation Energy Group, Inc., a Maryland
corporation.
(h) “ CEG Acquisition
” means the consummation of a reorganization, merger,
consolidation, statutory equity exchange or similar form of
business transaction involving CEG (a “ CEG Business
Combination ”), unless immediately following such CEG
Business Combination: (i) more than 60% of the total voting
power of (x) the organization resulting from such CEG Business
Combination (the “ CEG Surviving Organization
”), or (y) if applicable, the ultimate parent
organization that directly or indirectly has beneficial ownership
of at least 95% of the voting securities eligible to elect managers
or directors of the CEG Surviving Organization (the “ CEG
Parent Organization ”), is represented by combined voting
power of CEG’s then outstanding securities eligible to vote
for the election of the CEG Board (the “ CEG Voting
Securities ”) that were outstanding immediately prior to
such CEG Business Combination (or, if applicable, is represented by
equity interests into which such CEG Voting Securities were
converted pursuant to such CEG Business Combination), and such
voting power among the holders thereof is in substantially the same
proportion as the voting power of such CEG Voting Securities among
the holders thereof immediately prior to the CEG Business
Combination, (ii) no person (other than any employee benefit
plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the CEG
Surviving Organization or the CEG Parent Organization), is or
becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 25% or
more (the “ CEG Percentage ”) of the total
voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect
managers or directors of the CEG Parent Organization (or, if there
is no CEG Parent Organization, the CEG Surviving Organization)
except where such person held the CEG Percentage of CEG Voting
Securities immediately prior to the consummation of the CEG
Business Combination and (iii) at least a majority of the
members of the board of managers or directors of the CEG Parent
Organization (or, if there is no CEG Parent Organization, the CEG
Surviving Organization) following the consummation of the CEG
Business Combination were members of the CEG Board at the time of
the CEG Board’s approval of the execution of the initial
agreement providing for such CEG Business Combination.
(i) “ CEG Board ”
means the Board of Directors of CEG.
(j) “ CEG Ownership
Event ” means the consummation of any transaction or
other event whereby CEG or any of its Affiliates becomes the
“beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the
Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of 49% or more of
CEP’s then-outstanding Common Units.
(k) “ Change of Control
” shall be deemed to have occurred upon any one or more of
the following events:
(i) Board Change .
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(A) During any period of 24
consecutive months, individuals who, at the commencement of such
period, constitute all of the Class B Managers (the “
Incumbent Class B Managers ”) cease for any reason to
constitute at least a majority of the Class B Managers;
provided , however , that any person becoming a Class
B Manager subsequent to the commencement of such period, whose
election or nomination for election was approved by a vote of at
least two Incumbent Class B Managers then on the Board (either by a
specific vote or by approval of the proxy statement of CEP in which
such person is named as a nominee for Class B Manager, without
written objection to such nomination) shall be an Incumbent Class B
Manager; provided further , however , that no
individual initially elected or nominated as a Class B Manager of
CEP as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with
respect to Managers or as a result of any other actual or
threatened solicitation of proxies by or on behalf of any person
other than the Board shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Class B
Manager; or
(B) Excluding the circumstances
described in Section 1.1(k)(i)(C) , during any period
of 24 consecutive months, individuals who, at the commencement of
such period, constitute the Board (each, an “ Incumbent
Board Member ”) cease for any reason to constitute at
least a majority of the Board; provided , however ,
that any person becoming a Class B Manager subsequent to the
commencement of such period, whose election or nomination for
election was approved by a vote of at least two Incumbent Class B
Managers then on the Board (either by a specific vote or by
approval of the proxy statement of CEP in which such person is
named as a nominee for Class B Manager, without written objection
to such nomination) shall be an Incumbent Board Member;
provided further , however , that no
individual initially elected or nominated as a Class B Manager of
CEP as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with
respect to Managers or as a result of any other actual or
threatened solicitation of proxies by or on behalf of any person
other than the Board shall be deemed to be an Incumbent Class B
Manager; or
(C) During the period of 24
consecutive months immediately following the occurrence of a
Class A Event, individuals who, at the commencement of such
period, constitute the Class A Managers and at least one Class
B Manager cease for any reason to serve CEP in such capacities,
whether by removal, resignation or otherwise;
(ii) Unit Acquisition . Any
“person” (as such term is defined in
Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act and as used in Sections
13(d)(3) and 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes a
“beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the
Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of CEP
representing 25% or more of the combined voting power of
CEP’s then outstanding securities eligible to vote for the
election of the Board (the “ CEP Voting Securities
”); provided , however , that none of CEG or
its Affiliates shall be
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deemed such a person
unless CEG or any of its Affiliates shall after the date of this
Agreement become the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of
CEP Voting Securities representing 33 1 / 3 % or more of the CEP Voting
Securities then outstanding; and provided further ,
however , that, except with respect to CEG or any of its
Affiliates, the event described in this paragraph (ii) shall
not be deemed to be a change in control by virtue of any of the
following acquisitions (A) by CEP or any organization with
respect to which CEP owns a majority of the outstanding equity
interest or has the power to vote or direct the voting of
sufficient securities to elect a majority of the Managers (or
equivalent) (a “ Subsidiary Company ”),
(B) by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored
or maintained by CEP or any Subsidiary Company, (C) by any
underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering
of such securities, (D) pursuant to a Non-Qualifying
Transaction (as defined in paragraph (iii)), or (E) pursuant
to any acquisition by Executive or any group of persons including
Executive (or any entity controlled by Executive or any group of
persons including Executive);
(iii) Business Combination .
Consummation of a reorganization, merger, consolidation, statutory
equity exchange or similar form of business transaction involving
CEP or any Subsidiary Company (a “ Business
Combination ”), unless immediately following such
Business Combination: (A) more than 60% of the total voting
power of (x) the organization resulting from such Business
Combination (the “ Surviving Organization ”), or
(y) if applicable, the ultimate parent organization that
directly or indirectly has beneficial ownership of at least 95% of
the voting securities eligible to elect managers or directors of
the Surviving Organization (the “ Parent Organization
”), is represented by CEP Voting Securities that were
outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination (or, if
applicable, is represented by equity interests into which such CEP
Voting Securities were converted pursuant to such Business
Combination), and such voting power among the holders thereof is in
substantially the same proportion as the voting power of such CEP
Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to
the Business Combination, (B) no person (other than any
employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by
the Surviving Organization or the Parent Organization), is or
becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 25% or
more (the “ Applicable Percentage ”) of the
total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to
elect managers or directors of the Parent Organization (or, if
there is no Parent Organization, the Surviving Organization) except
where such person held the Applicable Percentage of CEP Voting
Securities immediately prior to the consummation of the Business
Combination and (C) at least a majority of the members of the
board of managers or directors of the Parent Organization (or, if
there is no Parent Organization, the Surviving Organization)
following the consummation of the Business Combination were
Managers at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution
of the initial agreement providing for such Business Combination
(any Business Combination that satisfies all of the criteria
specified in (A), (B) and (C) above shall be deemed to be
a “ Non-Qualifying Transaction ”);
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(iv) Liquidation . The equity
holders of CEP approve a plan of complete liquidation or
dissolution of CEP; or
(v) Asset Sale . The
consummation of a sale or disposition by CEP of all or
substantially all of CEP’s assets, other than a sale or
disposition where the holders of CEP Voting Securities outstanding
immediately prior thereto hold securities immediately thereafter
that represent more than 60% of the combined voting power of the
voting securities of the acquiror, or parent of the acquiror, of
such assets.
Notwithstanding the foregoing,
except with respect to CEG or any of its Affiliates, a change in
control of CEP shall not be deemed to occur solely because any
person acquires beneficial ownership of more than 25% of CEP Voting
Securities as a result of the acquisition of CEP Voting Securities
by CEP that reduces the number of CEP Voting Securities
outstanding; provided , however , that if after such
acquisition by CEP such person becomes the beneficial owner of
additional CEP Voting Securities that increases the percentage of
outstanding CEP Voting Securities beneficially owned by such
person, a change in control of CEP shall then occur.
(l) “ Class A Event
” means the occurrence of any event through which or as a
consequence of which (i) CEG shall cease to beneficially own,
directly or indirectly, at least 50% of the Class A Units of
CEP that are then outstanding (including where CEG or any of its
direct or indirect subsidiaries (individually, a “ CEG
Entity ”) enters into a total return swap or any other
contractual arrangement whereby a CEG Entity transfers any economic
interest in at least 50% of the Class A Units of CEP that are
then outstanding); (ii) a CEG Acquisition occurs; or
(iii) CEG shall cease to have the right, directly or
indirectly, to direct the appointment of all Class A Managers
pursuant to Section 11.8(d) of the LLC Agreement or otherwise
(including where any CEG Entity enters into any contractual
arrangement whereby a CEG Entity grants any Person other than a
wholly owned CEG Entity the right or option, directly or
indirectly, to direct the appointment of any number of the
Class A Managers pursuant to Section 11.8(d) of the LLC
Agreement or otherwise).
(m) “ Change of Control
Period ” means, with respect to a Change of Control, the
two-year period beginning on the date upon which such Change of
Control occurs.
(n) “ Code ”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(o) “ Compensation
Committee ” means the Compensation Committee of the
Board.
(p) “ Disability
” means that, as a result of Executive’s incapacity due
to physical or mental illness, (i) he shall have been absent
from the full-time performance of his duties for six consecutive
months, (ii) the Board reasonably determines that such
incapacity is expected to be suffered for a period of at least 12
consecutive months from the date such absence first occurred and
(iii) he shall not have returned to full-time performance of
his duties within 30 days after written notice of disability is
given to
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Executive or his representative by
the Company (a “ Disability Notice ”);
provided , however , that such Disability Notice may
not be given prior to 30 days before the expiration of such
six-month period.
(q) “ Effective Date
” means May 1, 2009.
(r) “ Enhanced Severance
Amount ” means an amount equal to two times
Executive’s Annual Compensation.
(s) “ Exchange Act
” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended.
(t) “ Event of Good
Reason ” means:
(i) The occurrence, prior to a
Change of Control or after the expiration of a Change of Control
Period, of any one or more of the following:
(A) a material reduction in the
nature or scope of Executive’s authority or duties from those
previously applicable to him; provided , however ,
that, if Executive holds more than one office, the removal from any
offices other than the most senior shall not constitute an Event of
Good Reason;
(B) a reduction in Executive’s
Annual Base Salary, except with Executive’s prior written
consent;
(C) a diminution in
Executive’s eligibility to participate in bonus, stock
option, incentive award and other compensation plans that provide
opportunities to receive compensation that are substantially
similar to the opportunities provided by CEP or the Company to
executives with comparable duties (subject, in each case to CEP and
Executive performance, as applicable);
(D) a change in the location of
Executive’s principal place of employment by the Company by
more than 60 miles from the location where he was principally
employed; provided , however , that such change in
the location of Executive’s principal place of employment
shall not constitute an Event of Good Reason if Executive consents
to such decision to relocate prior to such change in
location.
(ii) The occurrence, within a Change
of Control Period, of any one or more of the following (except with
Executive’s prior written consent):
(A) a material reduction in the
nature or scope of Executive’s authority or duties from those
applicable to him immediately prior to the date on which a Change
of Control occurs;
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(B) a reduction in Executive’s
Annual Base Salary from that provided to him immediately prior to
the date on which a Change of Control occurs;
(C) a diminution in
Executive’s eligibility to participate in bonus, stock
option, incentive award and other compensation plans that provide
opportunities to receive compensation that are the greater of
(A) the opportunities provided by CEP or the Company and any
of its subsidiaries for executives with comparable duties or
(B) the opportunities under any such plans under which he was
participating immediately prior to the date on which a Change of
Control occurs;
(D) a material diminution in
employee benefits (including medical, dental, life insurance and
long-term disability plans) and perquisites applicable to Executive
from the greater of (A) the employee benefits and perquisites
provided by CEP or the Company and any of its subsidiaries to
executives with comparable duties or (B) the employee benefits
and perquisites to which Executive was entitled immediately prior
to the date on which a Change of Control occurs; or
(E) a change in the location of
Executive’s principal place of employment by the Company by
more than 60 miles from the location where he was principally
employed immediately prior to the date on which a Change of Control
occurs; provided , however , that such change in the
location of Executive’s principal place of employment shall
not constitute an Event of Good Reason if Executive consents to the
decision to relocate prior to such change in location.
(u) “ Inducement Award
Agreement ” means that certain Inducement Award
Agreement, dated May 1, 2009, by and between CEP and
Executive.
(v) “ Involuntary
Termination ” means any termination of Executive’s
employment with the Company that:
(i) does not result from a
resignation by Executive (other than a resignation pursuant to
clause (ii) of this Section 1.1(v) );
(ii) results from the
Company’s delivery of a notice pursuant to Section 3.1
that no automatic extension shall occur upon the Initial Expiration
Date; or
(iii) results from a resignation by
Executive on or before the date that is 60 days after the
occurrence of an Event of Good Reason;
provided , however , that the term “
Involuntary Termination ” shall not include a
termination for Cause or any termination as a result of death or
Disability.
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(w) “ LLC Agreement
” means the Second Amended and Restated Operating Agreement
of Constellation Energy Partners LLC, dated as of November 20,
2006, as amended, and as may be further amended from time to
time.
(x) “ Manager ”
means a member of the Board.
(y) “ Omnibus Incentive
Plan ” means (i) Constellation Energy Partners LLC
Long-Term Incentive Plan, (ii) the Constellation Energy
Partners LLC 2009 Omnibus Incentive Plan and (iii) any
successor plan adopted by CEP or any of its Affiliates for the
benefit of the employees of CEP or any of its
Affiliates.
(z) “ Performance Award
” has the meaning given such term in the Omnibus Incentive
Plan.
(aa) “ Severance Amount
” means an amount equal to one and one-half times
Executive’s Annual Compensation; provided ,
however , that, at any time after December 31, 2009,
such amount shall include a Target-Level Bonus only if a bonus was
paid to or earned by Executive for the most recently completed
fiscal year of CEP.
(bb) “ Severance Period
” means the period commencing on the date of Involuntary
Termination and continuing for 12 months thereafter.
(cc) “ Special Termination
Option ” means Executive’s right to terminate his
employment hereunder within one year of the first occurrence of a
CEG Ownership Event.
(dd) “ Target-Based
Grant ” means an award under the Omnibus Incentive Plan
for which eligibility or pay-out is determined by reference to the
achievement of a Performance Goal, as such term is defined in the
Omnibus Incentive Plan.
(ee) “ Target-Level
Bonus ” means that bonus required or indicated under a
Performance Award or other Target-Based Grant under the Omnibus
Incentive Plan or other bonus arrangement of CEP or the Company, in
each case as if all target performance goals were
achieved.
(a) General . In this
Agreement, unless a clear contrary intention appears, (a) the
words “herein,” “hereof” and
“hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to
this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular Article,
Section or other subdivision, (b) reference to any
Article or Section means such Article or Section hereof,
(c) the words “including” (and with correlative
meaning “include”) means including, without limiting
the generality of any description preceding such term and
(d) where any provision of this Agreement refers to action to
be taken by either party, or that such party is prohibited from
taking an action, such provision shall be applicable whether such
action is taken directly or indirectly by such party.
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(b) Comparable Positions .
For purposes of this Agreement, the offices of chief financial
officer or general counsel shall be deemed to have comparable
duties to those of Executive.
ARTICLE 2
EMPLOYMENT AND
DUTIES
2.1 Employment . Effective as
of the Effective Date and continuing for the period of time set
forth in Section 3.1 of this Agreement (the “
Term ”), Executive’s employment by the Company
shall be subject to the terms and conditions of this
Agreement.
2.2 Positions . From and
after the Effective Date during the Term, the Company shall employ
Executive in the position of President, Chief Executive Officer and
Chief Operating Officer of CEP and President, Chief Executive
Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the Company.
2.3 Duties and Services .
Executive agrees to serve in the position(s) referred to in
Section 2.2 and to perform diligently the duties and
services appertaining to such offices, as well as such additional
duties and services appropriate to such offices that CEP or the
Company may reasonably designate from time to time.
Executive’s employment shall also be subject to the policies
maintained and established by CEP or the Company that are of
general applicability to CEP’s or the Company’s
employees, as such policies may be amended from time to
time.
2.4 Other Interests .
Executive agrees, during the period of such employment by the
Company, to devote substantially all of Executive’s business
time, energy and efforts to the business and affairs of CEP and the
Company.
2.5 Duty of Loyalty .
Executive acknowledges and agrees that Executive owes a fiduciary
duty of loyalty to act at all times in the best interests of CEP
and the Company. In keeping with such duty, Executive shall make
full disclosure to CEP and the Company of all business
opportunities pertaining to CEP’s or the Company’s
businesses and shall not appropriate for Executive’s own
benefit business opportunities concerning CEP’s or the
Company’s businesses.
2.6 Disclosure Representation
. Executive represents to the Company that no event of the type
referred to in Section 1.1(f)(v) has occurred with
respect to Executive other than as has been disclosed to the
Board.
ARTICLE 3
TERM AND TERMINATION OF
EMPLOYMENT
3.1 Term . Unless
Executive’s employment hereunder is sooner terminated
pursuant to other provisions hereof, the Company agrees to employ
Executive for the period beginning on the Effective Date and ending
on the third anniversary of the Effective Date (the “
Initial Expiration Date ”); provided ,
however , that beginning on the Initial Expiration Date, and
on each anniversary of the Initial Expiration Date thereafter, if
Executive’s employment hereun