EXHIBIT 10.13
EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
This Employment Agreement
(“Agreement”), dated this 5 th day of January, 2004 (the
“Effective Date”), is entered into by and between
Dresser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Employer”)
and Patrick M. Murray (“Employee”).
W I T N E S S E T
H:
WHEREAS , Employer and Employee desire to amend and
replace with this Agreement the existing Executive Employment
Agreement between Employer or its affiliates and Employee, dated
January 29, 2001 (the “Original Agreement”);
WHEREAS , 85% of the outstanding voting securities (on a
fully diluted basis) of Dresser, Ltd., a Bermuda corporation, are
owned by DEG Acquisitions, L.L.C. (“DEG”);
WHEREAS , Dresser Holding, Ltd. (“DHL”) is a
wholly owned subsidiary of Dresser, Ltd.;
WHEREAS , Dresser Holding, Inc. (“DHI”) is a
wholly owned subsidiary of DHL;
WHEREAS , Employer is a wholly owned subsidiary of
DHI;
WHEREAS , Dresser, Ltd. and Employer are referred to
collectively as the “Principal DEG
Entities”;
NOW, THEREFORE
, for and in consideration of the
mutual promises, covenants and obligations contained herein,
Employer and Employee agree as follows:
ARTICLE 1: EMPLOYMENT AND DUTIES:
1.1 Employer agrees to employ
Employee, and Employee agrees to be employed by Employer, beginning
as of the Effective Date and continuing until April 30, 2004 (such
period being referred to as the “Term”), subject to any
termination of such employment as set forth in Article 3, and
subject to other rights and obligations set forth in the terms and
conditions of this Agreement. Employer acknowledges and agrees that
Employee is accepting employment hereunder in reliance upon the
facts set forth in the Whereas clauses set forth above, which
Employer represents and warrants to be true and correct in all
respects.
1.2 Beginning as of the Effective
Date, Employee shall be employed as the Chief Executive Officer of
Employer and will serve as a member of the Board of Directors of
Employer (the “Board”). As Chief Executive Officer,
Employee will report directly to the Board, and Employee’s
duties will include such functions and operations consistent with
Employee’s title and assigned him from time to time by the
Board. Employee agrees to perform such functions and operations
diligently and to the best of Employee’s abilities as well as
such additional or different duties and services appropriate to
such positions which Employee from time to time may be reasonably
directed to perform by the Board.
1.3 Employee shall at all times
comply with and be subject to such policies and procedures as
Employer may establish from time to time, including, without
limitation, Employer’s Code of Business Conduct (the
“Code of Business Conduct”), which at any time during
the period of his employment by Employer have been furnished in
writing to Employee.
1.4 Employee shall, during the
period of Employee’s employment by Employer, devote
Employee’s full business time, energy, and best efforts to
the business and affairs of Employer. Employee may not engage,
directly or indirectly, in any other business, investment, or
activity that materially interferes with Employee’s
performance of Employee’s duties hereunder, is contrary to
the interest of Employer or any of Dresser, Ltd.’s current or
future affiliated subsidiaries (each a “Dresser
Entity”, or collectively, the “Dresser
Entities”), or requires any significant portion of
Employee’s business time. The foregoing notwithstanding, the
parties recognize and agree that Employee may engage in passive
personal investments and other business activities which do not
conflict with the business and affairs of the Dresser Entities or
materially interfere with Employee’s performance of his
duties hereunder. In addition, Employee may serve on not more than
two (2) corporate, civic, or charitable boards of directors,
provided that he first obtain approval to serve on any for-profit
corporate boards in accordance with Employer’s policies and
procedures regarding such service to the extent previously
furnished in writing to Employee. Employee shall be permitted to
retain any compensation received for approved service on any
unaffiliated corporation’s board of directors.
1.5 Employee acknowledges and agrees
that Employee owes a fiduciary duty of loyalty, fidelity, and
allegiance to act at all times in the best interests of Employer
and the other Dresser Entities and to do no act which would,
directly or indirectly, injure any such entity’s business,
interests, or reputation. It is agreed that any direct or indirect
interest in, connection with, or benefit from any outside
activities, particularly commercial activities, which interest
might in any way adversely affect Employer, or any other Dresser
Entity, involves a possible conflict of interest. In keeping with
Employee’s fiduciary duties to Employer, Employee agrees that
Employee shall not knowingly become involved in a conflict of
interest with Employer or any Dresser Entity, or upon discovery
thereof, allow such a conflict to continue. Moreover, Employee
shall not engage in any activity that is reasonably likely to
involve a possible conflict of interest without first obtaining
approval in accordance with Employer’s policies and
procedures.
1.6 Nothing contained herein shall
be construed to preclude the transfer of Employee’s
employment or this Agreement to another Dresser Entity or Entities
(“Subsequent Employer”) as of, or at any time after,
the Effective Date and no such transfer shall be deemed to be a
termination of employment for purposes of Article 3 hereof;
provided, however, that (1) effective with such transfer, all of
Employer’s obligations hereunder shall be assumed by and be
binding upon, and all of Employer’s rights hereunder shall be
assigned to, such Subsequent Employer, jointly and severally with
Employer in all respects, and the defined term
“Employer” as used herein shall thereafter be deemed
amended to include such Subsequent Employer, (2) Employee shall be
Chief Executive Officer and member of the board of directors of
each of the one or more companies that in the aggregate hold and/or
are the successor or successors to all or substantially all of the
business of Employer (“Employer Successors”), (3)
Employer shall remain jointly and severally liable and bound by
this Agreement, and (4) nothing in this Section 1.6 shall alter
the
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definition of, or Employee’s rights
associated with, Employee Cause (as defined in Section 3.4(i)
below), or a Change of Control (as defined in Section 7.2 below).
Except as otherwise provided above, all of the terms and conditions
of this Agreement, including without limitation, Employee’s
rights and obligations, shall remain in full force and effect
following such transfer of employment. An example of such an
assignment may be the division of Employer into two separate
corporate entities which each assume a portion of Employer’s
business and which each then shall become Employers, or the
assignment of Employee’s contract to a Dresser Entity which
purchases all or substantially all of the assets of Employer, which
purchaser will then become an Employer.
ARTICLE 2: COMPENSATION AND
BENEFITS:
2.1 From the Effective Date to the
“Termination Date” (as defined in Article 3),
Employee’s base salary shall be not less than $650,000 per
annum, which base salary shall be paid by Employer in accordance
with its standard payroll practice for its executives.
Employee’s base salary may be increased from time to time.
Such increased base salary shall become the minimum base salary for
such office under this Agreement and may not be decreased
thereafter without the written consent of Employee.
2.2 From the Effective Date to the
end of the Term, Employee will be eligible for an Annual Bonus to
be awarded, if at all, based on achievement of performance goals
established annually by the Board, in consultation with Employee,
within the first ninety days of Employer’s fiscal year. The
Board will reasonably determine whether these performance goals
have been met and the amount of any Annual Bonus in its sole
discretion, subject to the following guidelines: (1) the Target
Annual Bonus will be equal to 50% of Employee’s base salary
and the Maximum Annual Bonus will be equal to 100% of
Employee’s base salary; (2) the Board may increase the Target
Annual Bonus or the Maximum Annual Bonus at any time, but may not
decrease them without Employee’s express written consent; and
(3) the Annual Bonus to be paid under the severance provisions of
Sections 3.3 or 3.5, should they become applicable, will be the
Target Annual Bonus.
2.3 So long as a Termination Date
has not occurred prior to the end of the Term (other than as a
result of Employee’s Retirement on, but not before, the last
day of the Term), then on the last day of the Term, Employee shall
receive an “End of Term” bonus equal to
$1,217,670.
2.4 From the Effective Date to the
Termination Date, Employee will receive a perquisite allowance as
the Board may establish from time to time for senior executive
employees. In addition, Employer shall pay or reimburse Employee
for all actual, reasonable and customary expenses incurred by
Employee in the course of his employment; provided that such
expenses are incurred and accounted for in accordance with
Employer’s applicable policies and procedures.
2.5 From the Effective Date to the
Termination Date, Employee shall be allowed to participate, on the
same basis as other senior executive employees of Employer, in all
general employee benefit plans and programs, including improvements
or modifications of the same, which on the Effective Date or
thereafter are made available by Employer to Employer’s
similarly
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situated executive employees, excluding,
however, those plans established by predecessors of Employer which
as of the Effective Date are not generally open to new participants
and in which Employee is not already a participant. Such benefits,
plans, and programs may include, without limitation, medical,
health, and dental care, life insurance, disability protection, and
qualified and non-qualified retirement plans. Except as
specifically provided herein, nothing in this Agreement is to be
construed or interpreted to increase or alter in any way the
rights, participation, coverage, or benefits under such benefit
plans or programs than provided to similarly situated executive
employees pursuant to the terms and conditions of such benefit
plans and programs.
2.6 Notwithstanding anything to the
contrary in this Agreement, with the exception of equity based
incentives and option plans pursuant to which Employee has
received, or is contractually entitled to receive, any awards, it
is specifically understood and agreed that Employer shall not be
obligated to institute, maintain, or refrain from changing,
amending, or discontinuing any incentive, compensation, or employee
benefit program or plan, so long as such actions are similarly
applicable to covered employees generally.
2.7 Employer may withhold from any
compensation, benefits, or amounts payable under this Agreement all
federal, state, city, or other taxes as may be required pursuant to
any law or governmental regulation or ruling.
ARTICLE 3: TERMINATION AND EFFECTS OF
TERMINATION:
3.1 Employee’s employment with
Employer shall be terminated (i) upon the death of Employee, (ii)
upon Employee’s Retirement (as defined below), (iii) upon
Employee’s Permanent Disability (as defined below), (iv) at
any time by Employer upon notice to Employee, or (v) by Employee
upon thirty (30) days’ notice to Employer, for any or no
reason. The first date that any of the events described in clauses
(i) through (v) above becomes effective is the “Termination
Date.”
3.2 If Employee’s employment
is terminated by reason of any of the following circumstances (i),
(ii), or (iii), Employee shall be entitled to receive the benefits
set forth only in Section 3.3 below:
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(i)
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Retirement . “Retirement” shall mean either (a)
Employee’s retirement at or after normal retirement age
(either voluntarily or pursuant to Employer’s retirement
policy) or (b) the voluntary termination of Employee’s
employment by Employee on the last day of the Term.
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(ii)
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Employer
Termination for Cause .
Termination of Employee’s employment by Employer for Employer
Cause shall mean a termination of employment at the election of
Employer when there is “Employer Cause”.
“Employer Cause” shall mean any of the following: (a)
Employee’s gross negligence or willful misconduct in the
performance of the duties and services required of Employee
pursuant to this Agreement that results in or with the passage of
time poses a reasonable risk of material financial detriment to
Employer, (b) Employee’s final conviction of or
plea
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of guilty or nolo contendere
to a felony or Employee engaging in fraudulent or criminal activity
relating to the scope of Employee’s employment (whether or
not prosecuted), (c) a material violation of the Code of Business
Conduct, provided that it has been provided to Employee in writing
prior to such alleged violation; (d) Employee’s material
breach of any material provision of this Agreement, provided that
Employee has received written notice from Employer and been
afforded a reasonable opportunity (not to exceed 30 days) to cure
such breach, or (e) any continuing or repeated failure to perform
the duties as requested in writing by the Board after Employee has
been afforded a reasonable opportunity (not to exceed 30 days) to
cure such breach. Determination as to whether or not Employer Cause
exists for termination of Employee’s employment will be made
by not less than 75% of the members of the Board at a meeting in
which Employee shall have the right (a) to have received not less
than 10 days prior to the meeting written notice of the date, time
and place of the meeting and the charges (in reasonable detail) to
be considered, (b) to appear at the meeting with counsel, and (c)
to answer any charges made concerning the existence of Employer
Cause. Any determination by the Board of Employer Cause at such
meeting shall not be entitled to any deferential or evidentiary
weight or presumption of correctness, and at the election of
Employee, shall be determined pursuant to Section 7.7 in a de
novo review, with Employer having the obligation to prove
Employer Cause by clear and convincing evidence. During the
foregoing process, Employer may, without Employer creating any
default under this Agreement or incurring any additional liability
of any kind and at Employer’s sole discretion, place Employee
on paid administrative leave and relieve Employee of all or any
part of his responsibilities. Notwithstanding the foregoing, and
regardless of whether the process results in a finding that
Employer Cause existed for the termination, the year in which such
termination shall be deemed to have occurred, for purposes of
determining Employee’s entitlement to payments of unpaid
Annual Bonus, shall be the year in which Employer first informs
Employee that he is terminated for Employer Cause. “Employer
Cause” shall not mean any of the following: (a)
Employee’s bad judgment; (b) Employee’s negligence; (c)
any act or omission that Employee believed in good faith was in or
was not opposed to the interests of Employer; or (d) any act or
omission of which any non-employee member of the Board who is not a
party to such act or omission had actual knowledge for at least six
(6) months.
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(iii)
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Resignation,
Other Than For Cause .
Termination of Employee’s employment by resignation other
than for Employee Cause as described in Section 3.4(i).
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3.3 If Employee’s employment
is terminated by reason of Section 3.2 (i), (ii), or (iii),
Employee shall be entitled to each of the following:
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(i)
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Employee shall
be entitled to a pro rata base salary (pro rated through the date
of termination as if it accrued throughout the year on a daily
basis) through the date of such termination and shall be entitled
to any earned but unpaid Annual
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Bonus payable for years prior to the
year of Employee’s termination of employment, but, except as
set forth in Section 3.3(iii), shall not be entitled to any Annual
Bonus for the year in which he terminates employment, or any other
payments or benefits by or on behalf of Employer except for those
which may be payable pursuant to the terms of Employer’s
employee benefit plans (as defined in Section 3.7), stock options
or other equity interests or the applicable agreements underlying
such plans, or, Section 3.3(ii) of this Agreement in the event that
Employer makes the applicable election thereunder. Employee shall
not be entitled to the End of Term Bonus unless Employee’s
employment is terminated by reason of Section 3.2(i) on the last
day of the Term.
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(ii)
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If
Employee’s employment is terminated for reasons under Section
3.2(i) or (ii) or (iii), then Employer, at its sole option, shall
be entitled to enforce the covenant not to compete and other
conditions set forth in Article 5 herein until (a) December 31,
2006, in the case of a termination under Section 3.2(i) on the last
day of the Term, or (b) for a period not to exceed two (2) years,
in the case of all other terminations under Section 3.2. In the
event that Employer elects to trigger such option under clause (b)
above, Employer agrees to pay an amount equal to Employee’s
base salary and the Target Annual Bonus (both based upon
Employee’s last base salary amount prior to termination) for
a period of two (2) years. No additional payments shall be made in
the case of a termination described in clause (a) above. Payments
to Employee for the base salary amount shall be in equal
installments in accordance with Employer’s customary payroll
practices over the two year period. Payments of the Target Annual
Bonus shall be made at the time such a payment is made to similarly
situated employees. In the event that Employee willfully and
materially breaches any of the terms of Article 5 during the period
that the Employer has elected to enforce Article 5 under this
subsection 3.3(ii), then Employer shall be entitled to immediately
cease making further payments to Employee, retroactively treat
Employee’s termination as being an “Employer
Termination For Cause” and recover from Employee any
consideration that has previously been paid to Employee which is
inconsistent with an “Employer Termination For Cause,”
and, in addition, shall be entitled to seek damages and such other
relief (including an injunction against Employee) to which it is
entitled under the law. Employee agrees that any payment under this
Article constitutes full and adequate consideration to
Employee’s obligations under Article 5.
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(iii)
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If
Employer’s employment is terminated under Section 3.2(i) on
the last day of the Term, then Employee shall also be allowed to
participate, on the same basis generally as other senior executive
employees of Employer, in all applicable medical, health, and
dental care plans and programs, including improvements or
modifications of the same, which are made available by Employer to
Employer’s similarly situated actively employed executive
employees (the “Severance Benefit Plans”), excluding,
however, those plans established by predecessors of Employer which
as of the Effective Date are not generally open to new
participants. Employee shall not participate in any other plans,
including any life insurance,
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disability protection, or qualified
and non-qualified retirement plans. For so long as Employee has not
willfully and materially violated any of the covenants set forth in
Article 4 or Article 5 hereof, Employer shall provide Employee with
benefits (or cash value, as provided below) under the Severance
Benefit Plans at the level provided to Employee as of the end of
the Term until December 31, 2007. Except as specifically provided
herein, nothing in this Agreement is to be construed or interpreted
to increase or alter in any way the rights, participation,
coverage, or benefits under such benefit plans or programs than
provided to similarly situated executive employees pursuant to the
terms and conditions of such benefit plans and programs; provided,
however, at the option of Employer, Employer may upon sixty (60)
days advance written notice effective at any time more than
eighteen months after such termination elect to provide Employee
with the cash value of providing such benefits (which cash value
shall not exceed 125% of Employer’s cost of providing such
benefits at the time Employee’s employment was terminated).
In addition, if Employer’s employment is terminated under
Section 3.2(i) on the last day of the Term, then Employee shall
also be entitled to receive a pro rata amount of the Annual Bonus
for the year ended December 31, 2004, pro rated through such date
of termination upon payment of such Annual Bonus to other employees
of Employer. Also, the Board has made a determination pursuant to
Section 5.3 of the Dresser, Inc. Senior Executives’ Deferred
Compensation Plan that, if Employer’s employment is
terminated under Section 3.2(i) on the last day of the Term, all
“unforfeited Benefits” under such plan will be paid in
the form of shares of common stock (or successor shares in Dresser,
Ltd.), valued in accordance with such plan.
3.4 If Employee’s employment
is terminated by reason of (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) below,
Employee shall be entitled to receive the benefits set forth in
Section 3.5 or Section 3.6, as applicable.
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(i)
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Employee
Termination For Cause .
“Employee Termination For Cause” shall mean a
termination of employment at the election of Employee when there is
“Employee Cause”. “Employee Cause” shall
mean a termination of employment by Employee for any reason or no
reason within the ninety (90) calendar day period commencing twelve
(12) calendar months after a Change of Control as defined in
Section 7.2 of Employer; or a termination of employment by Employee
because and within six months of: (a) a material breach by Employer
of any material provision of this Agreement which remains
uncorrected for thirty (30) days following written notice of such
breach by Employee to Employer; (b) a material reduction in
Employee’s status, position, responsibilities, or
compensation which remains unrestored for thirty (30) days
following written notice of such occurrence by Employee to
Employer; (c) any failure to employ, maintain, nominate, or elect
Employee as Chief Executive Officer of Employer or as a member of
the Board during the Term; (d) an act causing or requiring Employee
to report to anyone other than the Board or a Committee or member
of the Board; (e) an assignment of duties materially inconsistent
with Employee’s position and responsibilities described in
this Agreement which is not promptly changed within ten (10) days
of written notice
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by Employee to the Board of such
material inconsistency; (f) the failure of an Employer to assign
this Agreement, as permitted pursuant to Section 1.6, to any one or
more Employer Successor; or (g) material interference by any
officer, employee, director, board of directors, member, partner,
manager or other agent of any Dresser Entity (other than Employer)
in Employee’s performance of his duties hereunder or exercise
of his authority as Chief Executive Officer, which, to the extent
it is capable of correction, remains uncorrected for thirty (30)
days following written notice of such breach by Employee to
Employer. Determination as to whether or not Employee Cause exists
for termination of Employee’s employment will be made by the
Board at a meeting in which Employee shall have the right to
present his case for the existence of Employee Cause with, at his
election, the assistance of counsel. Any determination by the Board
of Employee Cause at such meeting shall not be entitled to any
deferential or evidentiary weight or presumption of correctness and
at the election of Employee shall be determined pursuant to Section
7.7 in a de novo review, with the Employee having the
obligation to prove Employee Cause by clear and convincing
evidence. During the foregoing process, Employer may, without
Employer creating any default under this Agreement or incurring any
additional liability of any kind and at Employer’s sole
discretion, place Employee on paid administrative leave and relieve
Employee of all or any part of his responsibilities.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and regardless of whether the
process results in a finding that Employee Cause existed for the
termination, the year in which such termination shall be deemed to
have occurred, for purposes of determining Employee’s
entitlement to payments of unpaid Annual Bonus, shall be the year
in which Employee first informs Employer that he is terminating his
employment for Employee Cause.
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(ii)
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Employer
Termination Without Employer Cause . Termination of Employee’s employment by
Employer without Employer Cause shall mean a termination of
employment of Employee by Employer for no reason or any reason
other than one set forth in Section 3.2(ii).
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(iv)
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Permanent
Disability .
“Permanent Disability” shall mean Employee’s
physical or mental incapacity to perform his usual duties with or
without reasonable accommodations for a period of not less than 90
days within a given twelve month period with such condition likely
to remain continuously and permanently as determined by
Employer.
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3.5 If Employee’s employment
is terminated by Employee under Section 3.4 (i) or by Employer
under Section 3.4 (ii), Employee shall be entitled to each of the
following:
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(i)
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Employee’s (1) earned but unpaid base
salary; and (2) earned but unpaid Annual Bonus payable for years
prior to the year of Employee’s termination of employment;
and (3) unpaid Target Annual Bonus for the year of termination, pro
rated
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through the date of termination as
if it accrued throughout the year on a daily basis. Such amounts
shall be paid to Employee in a single lump sum cash payment no
later than thirty (30) days following Employee’s termination
of employment. No payment of the End of Term Bonus shall be
made.
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(ii)
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Subject to the
provisions of Section 3.7, Employer shall pay to Employee a
severance benefit consisting of continued periodic payments of
Employee’s base salary as in effect at the date of
Employee’s termination of employment and his Target Annual
Bonus (based upon Employee’s last base salary amount prior to
termination) for each year during the Severance Term (as defined
below) in accordance with Employer’s customary payroll
practices during the period (the “Severance Term”)
commencing on the effectiveness of such termination and ending on
the earlier of (A) December 31, 2006, or (B) the date Employee
willfully and materially violates any of the covenants set forth in
Article 4 or Article 5 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for
any severance payments occurring after December 31, 2004, the
“base salary” upon which such severance is calculated
shall be $350,000 per annum.
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(iii)
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For as long as
Employee continues to receive a severance benefit pursuant to
Section 3.5(ii), Employee shall be allowed to participate, on the
same basis generally as other senior executive employees of
Employer, in all applicable Severance Benefit Plans, excluding,
however, those plans established by predecessors of Employer which
as of the Effective Date are not generally open to new
participants. Employee shall not participate in any other plans,
including any life insurance, disability protection, or qualified
and non-qualified retirement plans. In addition, at the end of the
Severance Term, and so long as Employee has not willfully and
materially violated any of the covenants set forth in Article 4 or
Article 5 hereof, Employer shall provide Employee with benefits (or
cash value, as provided below) under the Severance Benefit Plans at
the level provided to Employee as of the end of the Severance Term
until December 31, 2007. Except as specifically provided herein,
nothing in this Agreement is to be construed or interpreted to
increase or alter in any way the rights, participation, coverage,
or benefits under such benefit plans or programs than provided to
similarly situated ex
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