Exhibit 10.83
EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
BY AND BETWEEN
PRICELINE.COM INCORPORATED
AND
CHRIS SODER
FEBRUARY 7, 2005
EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, dated as of
February 7, 2005 (the “ Effective Date ”),
by and between Priceline.com Incorporated, a Delaware corporation,
with its principal office at 800 Connecticut Avenue, Norwalk,
Connecticut 06854 (the “ Company ”), and Chris
Soder (“ Executive ”).
W
I T N
E S S E T H
:
WHEREAS , the Company and Executive entered into an
employment arrangement dated May 1, 2002, March 13, 2001 and
January 4, 2000 (collectively, the “ Original
Employment Arrangements ”)
WHEREAS , the Company desires that Executive continue to
be employed as the Executive Vice President, Lodging and Vacation
Packages of the Company;
WHEREAS , the Company and Executive desire to replace
and supercede the Original Employment Arrangements in their
entirety and enter into this agreement (the “
Agreement ”) providing for the terms of his employment
by the Company;
NOW, THEREFORE
, in consideration of the premises
and mutual covenants contained herein and for other good and
valuable consideration, the parties agree as follows:
1.
Term of Employment
. Except for earlier
termination as provided in Section 8 hereof, Executive’s
employment under this Agreement shall commence on the Effective
Date and end on the second anniversary of the Effective Date (the
“ Initial Employment Term ”), provided that the
Initial Employment Term shall be automatically extended for
additional terms of successive one (1) year periods (each, an
“ Additional Employment Term ”) unless the
Company or Executive gives written notice to the other at least
ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of the Initial Employment
Term or then-current Additional Employment Term that the
Executive’s employment shall not be so extended. The
Initial Employment Term and each Additional Employment Term shall
be referred to herein as the “ Employment Term
.”
2.
Positions . (a) Executive shall serve as Executive
Vice President, Lodging and Vacation Packages of the
Company. Executive shall also serve, if requested by
the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, as an executive officer
and director of subsidiaries and a director of Affiliates of the
Company and shall comply with the policy of the Compensation
Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “
Compensation Committee ”) with regard to retention or
forfeiture of director’s fees.
(b)
Executive shall report directly to
the Chief Executive Officer of the Company and shall have such
duties and authority, consistent with his then position, as shall
be assigned to him from time to time by the Board of Directors (the
“ Board ”) or the Chief Executive Officer of the
Company.
(c)
During the Employment Term,
Executive shall devote substantially all of his business time and
efforts to the performance of his duties hereunder; provided,
however , that Executive shall be allowed, to the extent that
such activities do not materially interfere with the performance of
his duties and responsibilities hereunder, to manage his personal
financial and legal affairs and to serve on corporate, civic,
charitable industry boards or committees. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, the Executive shall only serve on corporate boards of
directors if approved in advance by the Chief Executive Officer of
the Company.
3.
Base Salary
. During the Employment Term,
the Company shall pay Executive a base salary at the annual rate of
not less than $300,000. Base salary shall be payable in
accordance with the usual payroll practices of the Company.
Executive’s base salary shall be subject to annual review by
the Board or the Compensation Committee during the Employment Term
and may be increased, but not decreased, from time to
time by the Board or the Compensation
Committee. The base salary as determined as aforesaid from
time to time shall constitute “ Base Salary ”
for purposes of this Agreement.
4.
Incentive Compensation
. (a) Bonus
. Executive shall be eligible to participate in any annual
bonus plan the Company may implement at any time during
Executive’s Employment Term for senior executives at a level
commensurate with his position.
(b)
Long Term Compensation
. For each fiscal year or
portion thereof during the Employment Term, Executive shall be
eligible to participate in any long-term incentive compensation
plan generally made available to senior executives of the Company
at a level commensurate with his position in accordance with and
subject to the terms of such plan.
(c)
Other Compensation
. The Company may, upon
recommendation of the Compensation Committee, award to the
Executive such other bonuses and compensation as it deems
appropriate and reasonable.
5.
Employee Benefits and
Vacation .
(a) During the Employment Term, Executive shall be entitled
to participate in all benefit plans and arrangements and fringe
benefits and perquisite programs generally provided to comparable
senior executives of the Company.
(b)
During the Employment Term,
Executive shall be entitled to vacation each year in accordance
with the Company’s policies in effect from time to time, but
in no event less than four (4) weeks paid vacation per calendar
year. The Executive shall also be entitled to such periods of
sick leave as is customarily provided by the Company for its senior
executive employees.
6.
Business Expenses
. The Company shall reimburse
Executive for the travel, entertainment and other business expenses
incurred by Executive in the performance of his duties hereunder,
in accordance with the Company’s policies as in effect from
time to time.
7.
Termination
. (a) The employment of
Executive under this Agreement shall terminate upon the earliest to
occur of any of the following events:
(i)
the death of the
Executive;
(ii)
the termination of the
Executive’s employment by the Company due to the
Executive’s Disability pursuant to Section 7(b)
hereof;
(iii)
the termination of the
Executive’s employment by the Executive for Good Reason
pursuant to Section 7(c) hereof;
(iv)
the termination of the
Executive’s employment by the Company without
Cause;
(v)
the termination of employment by the
Executive without Good Reason upon sixty (60) days prior written
notice; or
(vi)
the termination of the
Executive’s employment by the Company for Cause pursuant to
Section 7(e).
(b)
Disability
. If by reason of the same or
related physical or mental illness or incapacity, the
Executive is unable to carry out his material duties pursuant to
this Agreement for more than six (6) consecutive months, the
Company may terminate Executive’s employment for
Disability. Such termination shall be upon thirty (30) days
written notice by a Notice of Disability Termination, at any time
thereafter while Executive consecutively continues to be unable to
carry out his duties as a result of the same or related physical or
mental illness or incapacity. A Termination for Disability
hereunder shall not be effective if Executive returns to the full
time performance of his material duties within such thirty (30) day
period.
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(c)
Termination for Good
Reason . A
Termination for Good Reason means a termination by Executive by
written notice given within ninety (90) days after the occurrence
of the Good Reason event, unless such circumstances are fully
corrected prior to the date of termination specified in the Notice
of Termination for Good Reason (as defined in Section 7(d)
hereof). For purposes of this Agreement, “ Good
Reason ” shall mean the occurrence or failure to cause
the occurrence, as the case may be, without Executive’s
express written consent, of any of the following
circumstances: (i) any material diminution of
Executive’s positions, duties or responsibilities hereunder
(except in each case in connection with the termination of
Executive’s employment for Cause or Disability or as a result
of Executive’s death, or temporarily as a result of
Executive’s illness or other absence), or, the assignment to
Executive of duties or responsibilities that are inconsistent with
Executive’s then position; (ii) removal of, or the
non-reelection of, the Executive from officer positions with the
Company specified herein without election to a higher position or
removal of the Executive from any of his then officer positions;
(iii) a relocation of the Company’s executive office in
Connecticut to a location more than thirty-five (35) miles
from its current location or more than thirty-five (35) miles
further from the Executive’s residence at the time of
relocation; (iv) a failure by the Company (A) to continue
any bonus plan, program or arrangement in which Executive is
entitled to participate (the “ Bonus Plans ”),
provided that any such Bonus Plans may be modified at the
Company’s discretion from time to time but shall be deemed
terminated if (x) any such plan does not remain substantially in
the form in effect prior to such modification and (y) if plans
providing Executive with substantially similar benefits are not
substituted therefor (“ Substitute Plans ”), or
(B) to continue Executive as a participant in the Bonus Plans
and Substitute Plans on at least the same basis as to potential
amount of the bonus as Executive participated in prior to any
change in such plans or awards, in accordance with the Bonus Plans
and the Substitute Plans; (v) any material breach by the
Company of any provision of this Agreement, including without
limitation Section 12 hereof; or (vi) failure of any successor
to the Company (whether direct or indirect and whether by merger,
acquisition, consolidation or otherwise) to assume in a writing
delivered to Executive upon the assignee becoming such, the
obligations of the Company hereunder.
(d)
Notice of Termination for Good
Reason . A Notice
of Termination for Good Reason shall mean a notice that shall
indicate the specific termination provision in Section 7(c)
relied upon and shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and
circumstances claimed to provide a basis for Termination for Good
Reason. The failure by Executive to set forth in the Notice
of Termination for Good Reason any facts or circumstances which
contribute to the showing of Good Reason shall not waive any right
of Executive hereunder or preclude Executive from asserting such
fact or circumstance in enforcing his rights hereunder. The
Notice of Termination for Good Reason shall provide for a date of
termination not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days
after the date such Notice of Termination for Good Reason is given,
provided that in the case of the events set forth in Sections
7(c)(i) or (ii) or the date may be five (5) days after the giving
of such notice.
(e)
Cause . Subject to the notification provisions
of Section 7(f) below, Executive’s employment hereunder
may be terminated by the Company for Cause. For purposes of
this Agreement, the term “Cause” shall be limited to
(i) willful misconduct by Executive with regard to the Company
which has a material adverse effect on the Company; (ii) the
willful refusal of Executive to attempt to follow the proper
written direction of the Board or a more senior officer of the
Company, provided that the foregoing refusal shall not be
“Cause” if Executive in good faith believes that such
direction is illegal, unethical or immoral and promptly so notifies
the Board or the more senior officer (whichever is applicable);
(iii) substantial and continuing willful refusal by the
Executive to attempt to perform the duties required of him
hereunder (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity
due to physical or mental illness) after a written demand for
substantial performance is delivered to the Executive by the Board
or a more senior officer of the Company which specifically
identifies the manner in which it is believed that the Executive
has substantially and continually refused to attempt to perform his
duties hereunder; or (iv) the Executive being convicted of a felony
(other than a felony involving a traffic violation or as a result
of vicarious liability). For purposes of this
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paragraph, no act, or failure to act, on
Executive’s part shall be considered “willful”
unless done or omitted to be done, by him not in good faith and
without reasonable belief that his action or omission was in the
best interests of the Company. A notice by the Company of a
non-renewal of the Employment Term pursuant to Section 1
hereof shall be deemed an involuntary termination of Executive by
the Company without Cause as of the end of the then Employment
Term, but Executive may terminate at any time after the receipt of
such notice and shall be treated as if he was terminated without
Cause as of such date.
(f)
Notice of Termination for
Cause . A Notice of
Termination for Cause shall mean a notice that shall indicate the
specific termination provision in Section 7(e) relied upon and
shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances
which provide for a basis for Termination for Cause. Further,
a Notification for Cause shall be required to include a copy of a
resolution duly adopted by at least two-thirds (2/3) of the entire
membership of the Board at a meeting of the Board which was called
for the purpose of considering such termination and which Executive
and his representative had the right to attend and address the
Board, finding that, in the good faith of the Board, Executive
engaged in conduct set forth in the definition of Cause herein and
specifying the particulars thereof in reasonable detail. The
date of termination for a Termination for Cause shall be the date
indicated in the Notice of Termination. Any purported
Termination for Cause which is held by a court not to have been
based on the grounds set forth in this Agreement or not to have
followed the procedures set forth in this Agreement shall be deemed
a Termination by the Company without Cause.
8.
Consequences of Termination of
Employment .
(a)
Death . If, Executive’s employment is
terminated by reason of Executive’s death, the employment
period under this Agreement shall terminate without further
obligations to the Executive’s legal representatives under
this Agreement except for: (i) any compensation earned
but not yet paid, including and without limitation, any bonus if
declared or earned but not yet paid for a completed fiscal year,
any amount of Base Salary earned but unpaid, any accrued vacation
pay payable pursuant to the Company’s policies, and any
unreimbursed business expenses payable pursuant to Section 6
(collectively “ Accrued Amounts ”), which
amounts shall be promptly paid in a lump sum to Executive’s
estate; (ii) any other amounts or benefits owing to the Executive
under the then applicable employee benefit plans, long term
incentive plans or equity plans and programs of the Company which
shall be paid or treated in accordance with the terms of such plans
and programs; (iii) continuation, for twelve (12) months following
the date of death, of Executive’s health benefits for
Executive’s dependents at the same level and cost as if
Executive was an employee of the Company; and (iv) if a bonus plan
is in place, the product of (x) the target annual bonus for the
fiscal year of Executive’s death, multiplied by (y) a
fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days of the
current fiscal year during which Executive was employed by the
Company, and the denominator of which is 365, which bonus shall be
paid when bonuses for such period are paid to the other
executives.
(b)
Disability
. If Executive’s
employment is terminated by reason of Executive’s Disability,
Executive shall be entitled to receive the payments and benefits to
which his representatives would be entitled in the event of a
termination of employment by reason of his death plus Executive
shall be entitled to continuation, for twelve (12) months following
such termination of employment, of group life and disability
insurance benefits, as if Executive were an active employee of the
Company.
(c)
Termination by Executive for Good
Reason or Termination by the Company without Cause
. If (i) Executive terminates
his employment hereunder for Good Reason during the Employment Term
or (ii) Executive’s employment with the Company is terminated
by the Company without Cause, then Executive shall be entitled to
receive, (A) over a period of twelve (12) months after such
termination (except as provided below) an amount equal to two (2)
times the sum of his Base Salary and target bonus, if any, for the
year in which such termination occurs (provided, however, in the
event that the Base Salary or target bonus, if
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any, has been decreased in the twelve (12)
months prior to the termination, the amount to be used shall be the
highest Base Salary and target bonus, if any, during such twelve
(12) month period); (B) any Accrued Amounts at the date of
termination; (C) any other amounts or benefits owing to Executive
under the then applicable employee benefit, long term incentive or
equity plans and programs of the Company, which shall be paid or
treated in accordance with the terms of such plans and programs;
(D) continuation of the benefits (including without limitation to
health, life, and disability) as if Executive were an employee of
the Company for twelve (12) months, provided that, if such
termination is after a Change in Control, the period of benefit
continuation shall be twenty-four (24) months; and (E) if a bonus
plan is in place, the product of (x) the target annual bonus for
the fiscal year of Executive’s termination, multiplied by (y)
a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days of the
current fiscal year during which Executive was employed by the
Company, and the denominator of which is 365, which bonus shall be
paid when bonuses for such period are paid to the other
executives.
To the extent that all or any
portion of