Exhibit 10.1
POLYMER GROUP,
INC.
EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is entered into on
March , 2004, between Polymer
Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”), and James L. Schaeffer
(“Executive”).
In consideration of the mutual
covenants contained herein and other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1.
Employment
Period . The Company shall
employ Executive, and Executive hereby accepts employment with the
Company, upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement
for the period beginning on and as of April 1, 2003 and ending
as provided in paragraph 4 hereof (the “ Employment
Period ”).
2.
Position and
Duties .
(a)
During the
Employment Period, Executive shall serve as the Chief Executive
Officer of the Company and shall have the normal duties,
responsibilities, functions and authority of the Chief Executive
Officer, subject to the power and authority of the Board to expand
or limit such duties, responsibilities, functions and authority
within the scope of duties, responsibilities, functions and
authority associated with the position of Chief Executive Officer
and to overrule actions of officers of the Company.
During the Employment Period, Executive shall render such executive
and managerial services to the Company and its Subsidiaries which
are consistent with Executive’s position and as the Board may
from time to time direct.
(b)
During the
Employment Period, Executive shall report to the Board and shall
devote his best efforts and his full business time and attention
(except for permitted vacation periods and reasonable periods of
illness or other incapacity) exclusively to the business and
affairs of the Company and its Subsidiaries. Executive shall
perform his duties, responsibilities and functions to the Company
and its Subsidiaries hereunder to the best of his abilities in a
diligent, trustworthy, professional and efficient manner and shall
comply with the Company’s and its Subsidiaries’
policies and procedures in all material respects. In
performing his duties and exercising his authority under the
Agreement, Executive shall support and implement the business and
strategic plans approved from time to time by the Board and shall
support and cooperate with the Company’s and its
Subsidiaries’ efforts to expand their businesses and operate
profitably and in conformity with the business and strategic plans
approved by the Board. So long as Executive is employed by
the Company, Executive shall not, without the prior written consent
of the Board, accept other employment or perform other services for
compensation.
(c)
For purposes of
this Agreement, “ Subsidiaries ” shall mean any
corporation or other entity of which the securities or other
ownership interests having the voting power to elect a majority of
the board of directors or other governing body are, at the time of
determination, owned by the Company, directly or through one of
more Subsidiaries.
3.
Compensation
and Benefits .
(a)
During the
Employment Period, Executive’s base salary shall be $500,000
per annum or such higher rate as the Board may determine from time
to time (as adjusted from time to time, the “ Base
Salary ”), which salary shall be payable by the Company
in regular installments in accordance with the Company’s
general payroll practices (in effect from time to time). The
Board shall undertake an annual review of Executive’s Base
Salary. In addition, during the Employment Period, Executive
shall be entitled to participate in all of the Company’s
employee benefit programs for which senior executive employees of
the Company and its Subsidiaries are generally eligible, and
Executive shall be entitled to four weeks of paid vacation each
calendar year in accordance with the Company’s policies,
which if not taken during any year may not be carried forward to
any subsequent calendar year and no compensation shall be payable
in lieu thereof. During the Employment Period, the Company
shall provide Executive with a car comparable to that which he is
using on the date of this Agreement (“Car”). The
Employee shall take good care of the Car and ensure that the
provisions and conditions of any policy of insurance relating
thereto are observed (including the provision with respect to
protection of the Car), and in the event that the Employee’s
employment terminates for whatever reason, he shall forthwith
return the Car with the keys and all licenses and other
documentation relating to the Car, to the Company. The
Employee shall not have any lien right in the Car or in any
document or property relating thereto.
(b)
During the
Employment Period, the Company shall reimburse Executive for all
reasonable business expenses incurred by him in the course of
performing his duties and responsibilities under this Agreement
which are consistent with the Company’s policies in effect
from time to time with respect to travel, entertainment and other
business expenses, subject to the Company’s requirements with
respect to reporting and documentation of such
expenses.
(c)
In addition to
the Base Salary, the Board may, in its sole discretion, award a
bonus to Executive following the end of each fiscal year during the
Employment Period based upon Executive’s performance and the
Company’s operating results during such year; provided
, that as long as Executive shall remain employed by the Company on
January 4, 2004, Executive shall be entitled to a minimum
performance bonus equal to 25% of his Base Salary for fiscal
2003.
(d)
In addition to
the Base Salary and any bonuses payable to Executive pursuant to
this paragraph, Executive shall be entitled to health insurance and
disability insurance of such coverage as reasonably determined by
the Board and term life insurance in an amount equal to two times
Executive’s Base Salary.
(e)
During the
Employment Period, Executive shall also be entitled to reasonable
periods of sick leave (without loss of pay) in accordance with the
Company’s policies as in effect from time to
time.
(f)
All amounts
payable to Executive as compensation hereunder shall be subject to
all required and customary withholding by the Company.
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4.
Term .
(a)
Unless renewed by
the mutual agreement of the Company and Executive, the Employment
Period shall end on March 31, 2005. The Employment
Period shall automatically be renewed on the same terms and
conditions set forth herein as modified from time to time by the
parties hereto for additional one-year periods beginning on
April 1, 2005, unless the Company or Executive gives the other
party written notice of the election not to renew the Employment
Period at least 120 days prior to any such renewal date; provided
that (i) the Employment Period shall terminate prior to such
date immediately upon Executive’s resignation (with or
without Good Reason, as defined below), death or Disability and
(ii) the Employment Period may be terminated by the Company at
any time prior to such date for Cause (as defined below) or without
Cause. Except as otherwise provided herein, any termination
of the Employment Period by the Company shall be effective as
specified in a written notice, or oral notice later confirmed in
writing, from the Company to Executive.
(b)
If the Employment
Period is terminated by the Company without Cause or upon
Executive’s resignation with Good Reason prior to the second
anniversary of the date of this Agreement, Executive shall be
entitled to continue to receive his Base Salary payable in regular
installments as special severance payments from the date of
termination through the 9 month anniversary of the date of
termination (the “ Severance
Period ”), if and only if Executive has executed and
delivered to the Company the General Release substantially in form
and substance as set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto
and only so long as Executive has not breached the provisions of
paragraphs 5, 6 and 7 hereof and does not apply for unemployment
compensation chargeable to the Company during the Severance Period,
and Executive shall not be entitled to any other salary,
compensation or benefits after termination of the Employment
Period, except as specifically provided for in the Company’s
employee benefit plans or as otherwise expressly required by
applicable law. The Base Salary payable pursuant to this
paragraph 4(b) shall be payable in regular monthly
installments. The amounts payable pursuant to this paragraph
4(b) shall not be reduced by the amount of any compensation
Executive receives with respect to any other employment during the
Severance Period.
(c)
If the Employment
Period is terminated by the Company for Cause or is terminated
pursuant to clause (a)(i) above (other than termination with
Good Reason) or expires and is not renewed hereunder, Executive
shall only be entitled to receive his Base Salary through the date
of termination or expiration and shall not be entitled to any other
salary, compensation or benefits from the Company or its
Subsidiaries thereafter, except as otherwise specifically provided
for under the Company’s employee benefit plans or as
otherwise expressly required by applicable law.
(d)
For twelve months
following the date of Executive’s termination, the Company
shall, at its expense, continue on behalf of the Executive and his
or her dependants and beneficiaries, the life insurance,
disability, medical, dental and hospitalization benefits provided
to the Executive immediately prior to the date of
termination. The coverage and benefits (including deductibles
and costs) provided in this Section 4(d) shall be no less
favorable to the Executive and his or her dependants and
beneficiaries, than the coverage and benefits provided to Executive
immediately prior to his termination. The Company’s
obligation hereunder with
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respect to the foregoing benefits shall be
limited to the extent that the Executive obtains any such benefits
pursuant to a subsequent employer’s benefit plans, in which
case the Company may reduce the coverage of any benefits it is
required to provide the Executive hereunder so long as the
aggregate coverage and benefits of the combined benefit plans is no
less favorable to the Executive than the coverages and benefits
required to be provided hereunder. This
subsection (d) shall not be interpreted so as to limit
any benefits to which the Executive, his or her dependants or
beneficiaries may otherwise be entitled under any of the
Company’s employee benefit plans, programs or practices
following the termination of employment of the Executive, including
without limitation, any applicable retiree medical and life
insurance benefits. Except as otherwise expressly provided
herein, all of Executive’s rights to salary, bonuses,
employee benefits and other compensation hereunder which would have
accrued or become payable after the termination or expiration of
the Employment Period shall cease upon such termination or
expiration, other than those expressly required under applicable
law (such as COBRA); provided , that for purposes of
determining Executive’s rights under COBRA, the date of the
later to occur of (x) the date of the termination or expiration of
the Employment Period or (y) the date of the final payment of any
severance payments made pursuant to Section 4(b) above,
shall be deemed to be the qualifying event for such purpose.
The Company may offset any amounts Executive owes it or its
Subsidiaries against any amounts it or its Subsidiaries owes
Executive hereunder.
(e)
For purposes of
this Agreement, “ Cause ” shall mean with
respect to Executive one or more of the following: (i) a
material breach of this Agreement by Executive; provided, that if
such breach is capable of being cured, Executive shall be provided
15 days notice to cure such breach, (ii) a breach of
Executive’s duty of loyalty to the Company or any of its
Subsidiaries or any act of dishonesty or fraud with respect to the
Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (iii) the commission by
Executive of a felony, a crime involving moral turpitude or other
act or omission causing material harm to the standing and
reputation of the Company and its Subsidiaries, (iv) reporting
to work under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, the use of
illegal drugs (whether or not at the workplace) or other repeated
conduct causing the Company or any of its Subsidiaries substantial
public disgrace or disrepute or economic harm, or (v) any act
or omission aiding or abetting a competitor, supplier or customer
of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to the material
disadvantage or detriment of the Company and its
Subsidiaries.
(f)
For purposes of
this Agreement, “ Disability ” shall mean
Executive’s inability to perform the essential duties,
responsibilities and functions of his position with the Company and
its Subsidiaries as a result of any mental or physical disability
or incapacity even with reasonable accommodations of such
disability or incapacity provided by the Company and its
Subsidiaries or if providing such accommodations would be
unreasonable, all as determined by the Board in its reasonable good
faith judgment. Executive shall cooperate in all respects
with the Company if a question arises as to whether he has become
disabled (including, without limitation, submitting to an
examination by a medical doctor or other health care specialists
selected by the Company and authorizing such medical doctor or such
other health care specialist to discuss Executive’s condition
with the Company).
(g)
For purposes of
this Agreement, “ Good Reason ” shall mean if
Executive resigns from employment with the Company and its
Subsidiaries prior to the end of the Employment Period as a result
of one or more of the following reasons: (i) the Company
reduces
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the amount of the Base Salary, (ii) the
Company changes Executive’s title or reduces his
responsibilities inconsistent with the positions he holds or
(iii) Executive and the Company are unable to agree upon the
proper reporting of any financial matter which Executive reasonably
believes is appropriate in order to comply with the rules and
regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
or in order for the Company’s financial statements to be
prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting
principles; provided that written notice of Executive’s
resignation for Good Reason must be delivered to the Company within
30 days after the occurrence of any such event in order for
Executive’s resignation with Good Reason to be effective
hereunder.
5.
Confidential
Information .
(a)
Obligation to
Maintain Confidentiality . Executive
acknowledges that the continued success of the Company and its
Subsidiaries, depends upon the use and protection of a large body
of confidential and proprietary information. All of such
confidential and proprietary information existing prior hereto, now
existing or to be developed in the future will be referred to in
this Agreement as “ Confidential Information
.” Confidential Information will be interpreted as
broadly as possible to include all information of any sort (whether
merely remembered or embodied in a tangible or intangible form)
that is (i) related to the Company’s or its
Subsidiaries’ current or potential business and (ii) is
not generally or publicly known. Confidential Information
includes, without specific limitation, the information,
observations and data obtained by him during the course of his
performance under this Agreement concerning the business and
affairs of the Company and its Subsidiaries, information concerning
acquisition opportunities in or reasonably related to the
Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ business or industry of
which Executive becomes aware during the Employment Period, the
persons or entities that are current, former or prospective
suppliers or customers of any one or more of them during
Executive’s course of performance under this Agreement, as
well as development, transition and transformation plans,
methodologies and methods of doing business, strategic, marketing
and expansion plans, including plans regarding planned and
potential sales, financial and business plans, employee lists and
telephone numbers, locations of sales representatives, new and
existing programs and services, prices and terms, customer service,
integration processes, requirements and costs of providing service,
support and equipment. Therefore, Executive agrees that he
shall not disclose to any unauthorized person or use for his own
account any of such Confidential Information without both
Board’s prior written consent, unless and to the extent that
any Confidential Information (i) becomes generally known to
and available for use by the public other than as a result of
Executive’s acts or omissions to act or (ii) is required
to be disclosed pursuant to any applicable law or court
order. Executive agrees to deliver to the Company at the end
of the Employment Period, or at any other time the Company may
request in writing, all memoranda, notes, plans, records, reports
and other documents (and copies thereof) relating to the business
of the Company or its Subsidiaries (including, without limitation,
all Confidential Information) that he may then possess or have
under his control.
(b)
Ownership of
Intellectual Property . Executive agrees to
make prompt and full disclosure to the Company or its Subsidiaries,
as the case may be, of all ideas, discoveries, trade secrets,
inventions, innovations, improvements, developments, methods of
doing business, processes, programs, designs, analyses, drawings,
reports, data, software, firmware, logos and all
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similar or related information (whether or
not patentable and whether or not reduced to practice) that relate
to the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ actual or
anticipated business, research and development, or existing or
future products or services and that are conceived, developed,
acquired, contributed to, made, or reduced to practice by Executive
(either solely or jointly with others) while employed by the
Company or its Subsidiaries and for a period of one (1) year
thereafter (collectively, “ Work Product
”). Any copyrightable work falling within the
definition of Work Product shall be deemed a “work made for
hire” under the copyright laws of the United States, and
ownership of all rights therein shall vest in the Company or its
Subsidiary. To the extent that any Work Product is not deemed
to be a “work made for hire,” Executive hereby assigns
and agrees to assign to the Company or such Subsidiary all right,
title and interest, including without limitation, the intellectual
property rights that Executive may have in and to such Work
Product. Executive shall promptly perform all actions
reasonably requested by the Board (whether during or after the
Employment Period) to establish and confirm the Company’s or
such Subsidiary’s ownership (including, without limitation,
providing testimony and executing assignments, consents, powers of
attorney, and other instruments).
(c)
Third Party
Information . Executive understands that
the Company and its Subsidiaries will receive from third parties
confidential or proprietary information (“ Third Party
Information ”) subject to a duty on the Company’s
and its Subsidiaries’ part to maintain the confidentiality of
such information and to use it only for certain limited
purposes. During the Employment Period and thereafter, and
without in any way limiting the provisions of
Section 5(a) above, Executive will hold Third Party
Information in the strictest confidence and will not disclose to
anyone (other than personnel of the Company or its Subsidiaries who
need to know such information in connection with their work for the
Company or such Subsidiaries) or use, except in connection with his
work for the Company or its Subsidiaries, Third Party Information
unless expressly authorized by a member of the Board in
writing.
6.
Non-Compete,
Non-Solicitation .
(a)
In further
consideration of the compensation to be paid to Executive
hereunder, Executive acknowledges that during the course of his
employment with the Company and its Subsidiaries he shall become
familiar with the Company’s trade secrets and with other
Confidential Information concerning the Company and its
predecessors and its Subsidiaries and that his services shall be of
special, unique and extraordinary value to the Company and its
Subsidiaries, and therefore, Executive agrees that, during the
Employment Period and for such time as Executive is receiving any
severance payments from the Company, or six months if Executive is
not entitled to receive any severance payments hereunder (other
than in the specific case in which Executive is terminated for
cause as a result of events that occurred prior to
December 31, 2002, in which case this provision shall not
apply), (the “ Noncompete Period ”), he shall
not directly or indirectly own any interest in, manage, control,
participate in, consult with, render services for, or in any manner
engage in any business competing with the businesses of the Company
or its Subsidiaries, as such businesses exist or are in process
during the Employment Period on the date of the termination or
expiration of the Employment Period, within any geographical area
in which the Company or its Subsidiaries engage or plan to engage
in such businesses. Nothing herein shall prohibit Executive
from being a passive owner of not
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more than 2% of the outstanding stock of any
class of a corporation which is publicly traded, so long as
Executive has no active participation in the business of such
corporation.
(b)
During the
Noncompete Period, Executive shall not directly or indirectly
through another person or entity (i) induce or attempt to
induce any employee of the Company or any Subsidiary to leave the
employ of the Company or such Subsidiary, or in any way interfere
with the relationship between the Company or any Subsidiary and any
employee thereof, (ii) hire any person who was an employee of
the Company or any Subsidiary at any time during the Employment
Period or (iii) induce or attempt to induce any customer,
supplier, licensee, licensor, franchisee or other business relation
of the Company or any Subsidiary to cease doing business with the
Company or such Subsidiary, or in any way interfere with the
relationship between any such customer, supplier, licensee or
business relation and the Company or any Subsidiary (including,
withou
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