Exhibit 10.1
EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
This Employment Agreement (this
“Agreement”), executed as of 23 rd day of March 2009, effective
January 1, 2009 (the “Effective Date”) is by and
between DTS, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”), and Daniel E. Slusser (“you” or
“Executive”) with reference to the following
facts:
A. You are currently
serving as Chairman of the Company.
B. The Company has
requested that you enter into an agreement to continue to serve on
the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement as the
Company’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, and you are
willing to serve in such capacity on the terms and conditions set
forth in this Agreement.
In consideration of the mutual
agreements contained in this Agreement, you and the Company agree
as follows:
1.
Term . The term of your employment under this
Agreement shall commence on the Effective Date and shall expire on
May 30, 2010. The term of your employment under this
Agreement may be sooner terminated as provided in other provisions
of this Agreement.
2.
Duties . You agree to serve the Company as its
Chairman of the Board of Directors. Your duties will be those
of similar officers for a company similar to the Company.
During the term of this Agreement, you agree that you will use your
best efforts, on a part time basis, to advance, the business and
welfare of the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you
shall be permitted to serve as a director of or consultant to one
or more other companies, provided that such companies do not
compete in any manner with the business of the Company as now or
hereafter conducted.
3. Salary
and Benefits .
(a) Salary
. The Company shall pay you a salary at the rate of $100,000
per year payable biweekly and subject to payroll deductions as may
be necessary or customary in respect of the Company’s
salaried employees in general.
(b)
Vacations . You shall be entitled to 4 weeks paid
vacation per calendar year during the term of this Agreement.
Any unused pro-rata portion (not to exceed 180 hours of
accumulation) of your annual paid vacation shall be paid to you
upon termination of your employment for any reason.
(c) Annual
Bonus, Inventive, Savings and Retirement Plans . You
shall be entitled to bonuses as deemed appropriate by the Board of
Directors of the Company. You shall also be entitled to
participate in all annual bonus, incentive, stock option, savings
and retirement plans, practices, policies and programs applicable
generally to other employees of the Company of a similar class (as
determined by the Board of Directors) (“Similar
Employees”).
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(1) Stock
Options. You shall be granted stock options to be vested
over four consecutive 12-month periods as per your Stock Option
Agreement with the Company and administered under the
Company’s Stock Option Plan . Additional
stock options may be granted to you during the period of this
agreement to the extent granted to other employees of the company
of a similar class and as determined by the Board of
Directors. If you retire past the age of 60 while employed by
the Company or an Affiliate, any stock options, restricted stock or
company issued equity (to the extent then exercisable) may be
exercised, in whole or in part, by you at any time prior to the
earlier of the Expiration Date (as defined in your Stock Option,
Restricted Stock or other Equity Agreement) and a Corporate
Transaction (as defined in your Stock Option Plan or equity
incentive plan) which terminates such stock options or other
Company issued equity. Further, upon such retirement, any and
all stock options, restricted stock or other Company issued equity,
shall continue to vest in accordance with its terms as if you
remained employed by the Company.
(2) Incentive
Plan . You shall be entitled to participate in Company
Incentive Plans as applicable generally to other employees of the
Company of a similar class and as determined by the Board of
Directors. You shall be entitled to bonuses as deemed
appropriate by the board of Directors with respect to the
realization of the Company’s Incentive Plan
objectives.
(3) Annual Bonus
. You shall be entitled to participate in the annual bonus
plan as applicable generally to other employees of the company of a
similar class and as determined by the plan and the Board of
Directors.
(4) Savings and
Retirement Plans . You shall be entitled to participate
in savings and retirement plans and any other practices, policies
and programs applicable generally to other employees of the company
of a similar class and as determined by the Board of
Directors.
(d) Welfare Benefit
Plans . You shall be eligible for participation in and
shall receive all benefits under welfare benefit plans, practices,
policies and programs provided by the Company to the extent
applicable generally to similar employees of the Company, including
but not limited to directors’ and officers’ liability
insurance.
(e) Expenses.
You shall be entitled to receive prompt reimbursement for
all reasonable employment expenses incurred by you in accordance
with the policies, practices and procedures as in effect generally
with respect to Similar Employees of the Company. You shall
be authorized to fly first class on all flights over 2 hours in
duration. You shall receive $1,000 per month as an automobile
allowance.
(f) Insurance
and Indemnity . The Company shall, upon your request,
execute a separate indemnification agreement providing maximum
indemnification to you under Delaware law, and may, in the sole
discretion of its Board of Directors, acquire directors and
officers insurance. Any directors and officers insurance
acquired by the Company shall extend to you to the same extent it
extends to any other director or officer of the Company.
(g) Other
Benefits . You shall be entitled to other benefits in
accordance with the plans, practices, programs and policies as in
effect generally with respect to those extended to the Chairman and
other similar employees of the Company.
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4. Death
or Disability of Employee. If you die or become disabled
prior to the expiration of this Agreement, your employment under
this Agreement will automatically terminate.
“Disability” means any physical or mental illness that
renders you unable to perform your agreed-upon services under this
Agreement for six consecutive months or an aggregate of 270 days,
whether or not consecutive, during any consecutive 12-month
period. Disability shall be determined by a licensed
physician not affiliated with you or the Company. However,
you shall have the right to have your physician present or
consulted. In the event of your death or disability, the
amounts pursuant to this Agreement through the date of your death
or disability will be paid to you or your beneficiaries. Such
benefits shall include your Stock Option Benefits.
5.
Termination for Cause . By majority vote of the Board
(with you abstaining) and with ten days’ prior written
notice, your employment under this Agreement may be terminated by
the Company for “good cause.” If the Company
alleges there are grounds for a Termination for Cause, they will
specify in writing the reasons and you shall have ten
(10) business days in which to cure same. The term
“good cause” is defined as any one or more of the
following occurrences:
(a) Gross negligence,
material violation by you of any duty, or any other material
misconduct on your part;
(b) Your conviction by,
or entry of a plea of guilty or nolo contendere in, a court of
competent and final jurisdiction for any crime punishable by
imprisonment in the jurisdiction involved; or
(c) Your commission of
an act of fraud, whether prior to or subsequent to the date of this
Agreement, upon the Company.
In the event of termination for
“good cause,” your salary, benefits, and unexercised
stock options will terminate as of the last day of the month in
which proper notice of your termination was given to
you.
6. Other
Termination . If you are terminated for any reason other
than good cause, or are subject to “Constructive
Termination” (as defined below), you shall be entitled to
severance pay equal to the remaining salary due under the term of
this Agreement. You shall be entitled to a lump sum severance
payment without a duty to mitigate. Subject to approval by
the Administrator, as defined in the Company’s Stock Option
Plan, which approval shall be sought at the time of the
consideration by the Board of Directors of this Agreement, all
options granted to you (incentive and non-statutory) shall provide
that, in the event of your termination of employment (including
constructive termination) for other than “good cause,”
as defined herein, that each such option (a) shall immediately
vest and (b) shall be exercisable for the period set forth in
the option agreement (but not in excess of the specified maximum
term of such option). You shall also be entitled to continue
to receive such benefits as you are receiving at the time of
termination, e.g. health plans, etc., until the end of the term of
this Agreement.
“Constructive Termination” means a
termination of this Agreement resulting from any material failure
by the Company to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement
which is not cured within thirty (30) days after receipt of written
notice by the Company from Exec