Exhibit 10.103
CATALYST SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
This Amended and
Restated Employment Agreement (the “Agreement”) is
entered into as of May 23, 2007, (the “Effective Date”)
by and between Catalyst Semiconductor, Inc.
(the ”Company”), and Gelu Voicu
(“Executive”), and replaces and supersedes in its
entirety the employment agreement entered into between the Company
and Executive as of May 23, 2003.
1.
Duties and Scope of Employment .
(a)
Positions and Duties . As of the Effective Date,
Executive will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer
of the Company. Executive will render such business and
professional services in the performance of his duties, consistent
with Executive’s position within the Company, as will
reasonably be assigned to him by the Company’s Board of
Directors (the “Board”).
(b)
Board Membership . During the Employment Term (as
defined below), Executive will continue to serve as a member of the
Board, subject to any required Board and/or shareholder
approval. In the event of Executive’s termination of
employment with the Company for any reason, Executive agrees to
resign his position on the Board within three (3) business days of
his termination of employment.
(c)
Obligations . During the Employment Term, Executive
will perform his duties faithfully and to the best of his ability
and will devote his full business efforts and time to the
Company. For the duration of the Employment Term, Executive
agrees not to actively engage in any other employment, occupation
or consulting activity for any direct or indirect remuneration
without the prior approval of the Board.
2.
At-Will Employment . Executive’s employment with
the Company pursuant to this Agreement (the “Employment
Term”) will commence on the Effective Date and will continue,
until otherwise terminated as provided herein. The parties
agree that Executive’s employment with the Company will be
“at-will” employment and may be terminated at any time
with or without cause by giving Executive a written notice.
Executive understands and agrees that neither his job performance
nor promotions, commendations, bonuses or the like from the Company
give rise to or in any way serve as the basis for continuation,
modification, amendment, or extension, by implication or otherwise,
of his employment with the Company. However, as described in
this Agreement, Executive may be entitled to severance benefits
depending on the circumstances of Executive’s termination of
employment with the Company.
3.
Compensation .
(a)
Base Salary . During the Employment Term, the Company
will pay Executive as compensation for his services a base salary
at the annualized rate of $350,000.00 (the “Base
Salary”) or such other rate not below $350,000.00 as the
Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Committee”)
may determine from time to time. The Base Salary will be paid
periodically in
accordance with the Company’s normal
payroll practices and be subject to applicable withholding
taxes.
Once the Committee
has increased such Base Salary, it thereafter will not be reduced;
provided, however, that if a Change of Control (as defined below)
has not occurred, such salary may be reduced by the Committee if
such reduction is in proportion to a salary reduction program
approved by the Board which affects a majority of the other
executive officers of the Company generally.
(b)
Bonus . For each fiscal year of the Company, Executive
will be eligible to receive an annual bonus in an amount targeted
at sixty-five percent (65%) of his Base Salary based upon the
achievement of performance criteria specified by the Committee (the
“Target Bonus”). In the event that the
Company and Executive far exceed the performance goals specified by
the Committee, the maximum annual bonus Executive can earn is two
times the Target Bonus (that is, 130% of his Base
Salary). The actual amount of the bonus payable for
any fiscal quarter will depend upon the extent to which the
applicable quarterly or annual performance criteria have been
satisfied, as determined by the Committee at the end of each fiscal
quarter. Any bonus that actually is earned will be paid as
soon as practicable (but no later than sixty (60) days after the
bonus is earned) after the end of the fiscal quarter for which the
bonus is earned, but only if Executive was employed with the
Company through the end of such fiscal quarter. The bonus
will be subject to all applicable withholding taxes.
4.
Employee Benefits . During the Employment Term,
Executive will be entitled to participate in the employee benefit
plans currently and hereafter maintained by the Company of general
applicability to other senior executives of the Company. The
Company reserves the right to cancel or change the benefit plans
and programs it offers to its employees at any time. During
the Employment Term, the Company will provide Executive with a
$1,000,000 term life insurance policy.
5.
Expenses . The Company will reimburse Executive for
reasonable travel, entertainment or other expenses incurred by
Executive in the furtherance of or in connection with the
performance of Executive’s duties hereunder, in accordance
with the Company’s expense reimbursement policy as in effect
from time to time.
6. Severance
.
(a)
Involuntary Termination . If (i) the Company
involuntarily terminates Executive’s employment without
“Cause” (as defined herein), but excluding a
termination based on Executive’s death or
“Disability” (as defined herein); or (ii) Executive
voluntarily terminates his employment with the Company due to a
“Good Reason Termination” (as defined herein); and
(iii) Executive signs and does not revoke a standard release
of claims with the Company, then, subject to Section 9,
Executive will be entitled to receive:
(i) the “Severance
Payments” (as defined herein);
(ii) accelerated vesting
(including, the lapse of restrictions) of the unvested shares of
common stock subject to outstanding equity awards granted to
Executive by the Company
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that vest based on the passage of time and
continued service (the “Time-Based Awards”) in an
amount equal to the greater of (A) the number of shares that would
have vested under such Time-Based Awards had Executive remained
employed an additional twelve (12) months from the termination date
or (B) fifty percent (50%) of the unvested shares of common stock
subject to the Time-Based Awards as of the date of
Executive’s termination of employment;
(iii) the immediate vesting of fifty
percent (50%) of the unvested shares of common stock subject to
outstanding equity awards granted to Executive by the Company that
vest based on the achievement of performance objectives (the
“Performance-Based Awards” and, together with the
Time-Based Awards, the “Awards”);
(iv) all shares of common stock subject
to outstanding stock options granted to Executive by the Company
(the “Options”) which are vested as of the date of
Executive’s termination of employment (including pursuant to
this Section 6(a)) will be exercisable for a period of one (1) year
following the date of such termination, provided, however, that in
no event will this provision operate to extend an Option beyond the
term/expiration date of such Option; and
(v) reimbursement for the cost of
continued health plan coverage Executive timely elects
pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of
1985, as amended (“COBRA”) and life insurance coverage
for Executive and his dependents for a period of twelve (12)
months from the date of such termination of employment.
(b)
Voluntary Termination; Termination for Cause . If
Executive’s employment with the Company terminates
voluntarily by Executive (including death or disability) or for
Cause by the Company, then (i) all vesting of all options to
purchase the common stock of the Company will terminate immediately
and all payments of compensation by the Company to Executive
hereunder will terminate immediately (except as to amounts already
earned), and (ii) Executive will not receive any severance benefits
or the continuation of any other benefits.
(c)
Change of Control .
(i) If within twelve (12)
months following a “Change of Control” (as defined
below) (A) the Company or the Successor terminates
Executive’s employment with the Company or any Successor for
other than (x) Cause, (y) death or (z) Disability, or (B) Executive
terminates his employment with the Company or a Successor due to a
Good Reason Termination, and (C) Executive signs and does not
revoke a standard release of claims with the Company, then, in lieu
of the benefits pursuant to Section 6(a) and subject to
Section 9, Executive will be entitled to receive:
(1)
the Severance Payments;
(2)
accelerated vesting (including, the lapse of restrictions) of the
unvested shares of common stock subject to Executive’s
Time-Based Awards in an amount equal to the greater of (A) the
number of shares that would have vested under such Time-Based
Awards had Executive remained employed an additional twelve (12)
months from the termination date or (B) fifty percent (50%) of the
unvested shares of common stock subject to the Time-Based Awards as
of the date of Executive’s termination of
employment;
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(3)
the immediate vesting of fifty percent (50%) of the unvested shares
of common stock subject to Performance-Based Awards;
(4)
all shares of common stock subject to Executive’s Options
which are vested as of the date of Executive’s termination of
employment (including pursuant to this Section 6(a)) will be
exercisable for a period of one (1) year following the date of such
termination, provided, however, that in no event will this
provision operate to extend an Option beyond the term/expiration
date of such Option; and
(5)
reimbursement for the cost of continued health plan coverage
Executive timely elects pursuant to COBRA and life insurance
coverage for Executive and his dependents for a period of
fifteen (15) months from the date of such termination of
employment.
(ii) If in connection with a Change
of Control Executive is not made the Chief Executive Officer of the
Successor or does not remain employed as the Chief Executive
Officer of the Company where the Company is the surviving
corporation in a Change of Control, then, any unvested shares of
common stock subject to the Options will fully accelerate and
become exercisable immediately upon such Change of Control (or, if
later, upon the date it is determined that Executive will not
become or remain the Chief Executive Officer). In addition,
all shares of common stock subject to the Options will be
exercisable for that period of time following the closing date of
the Change of Control which is equal to the longest period of time
for which any shares of common stock subject to stock options
granted to any non-employee director of the Company are exercisable
following such Change of Control (as determined at the closing date
of such Change of Control) or twelve (12) months, whichever is
greater; provided, however, that in no event will this provision
operate to extend an Option beyond the term/expiration date of such
Option.
(d)
Timing of Severance Payments .
(i) Unless otherwise required
to be delayed pursuant to Section 6(d)(ii) below, the Severance
Payments shall be paid in equal installments over a period of
twelve (12) months from the date of such termination of employment
in accordance with the Company’s normal payroll
policies.
(ii) If Executive is a
“specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A
of the Code and the final regulations thereunder (“Section
409A”) at the time of Executive’s termination, and the
Severance Payments (and any other benefits payable under this
Agreement which may be considered deferred compensation under
Section 409A (the “deferred compensation benefits”)) to
be made to Executive pursuant to this Agreement will not be paid in
full by March 15 of the year following the year in which
Executive’s termination of employment occurs, then only that
portion of such Severance Payments (and any other benefits which
may be considered deferred compensation under Section 409A) which
does not exceed the “Section 409A Limit” (as defined
below) may be made within the first six months following
Executive’s termination of employment in accordance with the
payment schedule set forth in Section 6(d)(i) above. Any
portion of such Severance Payments (and any deferred compensation
benefits) in excess of the Section 409A Limit (when the Severance
Payments and any such other deferred compensation benefits are
considered in the aggregate) shall accrue and, to the extent such
portion of the Severance Payments (and any deferred compensation
benefits) would otherwise have been payable within the first six
(6) months
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following Executive’s termination of
employment pursuant to Section 6(d)(i) above, will become payable
the date that is six (6) months and one (1) day following
the date of Executive’s termination of employment. All
subsequent Severance Payments (and any deferred compensation
benefits), if any, will be payable as provided in Section 6(d)(i)
of this Agreement. It is the intent of this provision to
comply with the requirements of Section 409A, and any ambiguities
herein will be interpreted to so comply.
7.
Definitions .
(a)
Cause . For purposes of this Agreement,
“Cause” is defined as (i) Executive engaging in knowing
and intentional illegal conduct that is injurious to the Company;
(ii) Exec
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