Exhibit 10.44
CVS CORPORATION
Employment Agreement for Douglas
A. Sgarro
CVS CORPORATION
Employment Agreement for Douglas
A. Sgarro
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Page
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1.
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Definitions
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1
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2.
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Term of Employment
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2
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3.
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Position, Duties and
Responsibilities
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2
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4.
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Base Salary
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3
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5.
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Annual Incentive Awards
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3
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6.
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Long-Term Stock Incentive
Programs
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3
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7.
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Employee Benefit Programs
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3
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8.
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Disability
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4
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9.
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Reimbursement of Business and Other
Expenses
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5
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10.
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Termination of Employment
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5
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11.
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Confidentiality; Cooperation with
Regard to Litigation; Non-disparagement
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12.
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Non-competition
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13.
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Non-solicitation
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14.
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Remedies
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15.
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Resolution of Disputes
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16.
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Indemnification
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17.
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Excise Tax Gross-Up
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18.
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Effect of Agreement on Other
Benefits
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19.
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Assignability; Binding
Nature
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20.
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Representation
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21.
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Entire Agreement
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22.
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Amendment or Waiver
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23.
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Severability
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24.
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Survivorship
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25.
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Beneficiaries/References
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26.
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Governing
Law/Jurisdiction
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27.
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Notices
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28.
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Headings
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23
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29.
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Counterparts
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EMPLOYMENT
AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT, made and entered into as
of the 10th day of October, 1997 by and between CVS Corporation, a
Delaware corporation (together with its successors and assigns, the
“Company”), and Douglas A. Sgarro (the
“Executive”).
W I T N E S S
E T H:
WHEREAS, the Company desires to
employ the Executive pursuant to an agreement embodying the terms
of such employment (this “Agreement”) and the Executive
desires to enter into this Agreement and to accept such employment,
subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of
the premises and mutual covenants contained herein and for other
good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is mutually
acknowledged, the Company and the Executive (individually a
“Party” and together the “Parties”) agree
as follows:
1 .
Definitions
.
(a)
“Approved Early
Retirement” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10(f)
below.
(b)
“Base Salary” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 4 below.
(c)
“Board” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 3(a) below.
(d)
“Cause” shall have the
meaning set forth in Section 10(b) below.
(e)
“Change in Control”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10(c) below.
(f)
“Committee” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 4 below.
(g)
“Confidential
Information” shall have the meaning set forth in Section
11(c) below.
(h)
“Constructive Termination
Without Cause” shall have the meaning set forth in Section
10(c) below.
(i)
“Effective Date” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a) below.
(j)
“Normal Retirement”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10(f) below.
(k)
“Original Term of
Employment” shall have the meaning set forth in Section
2(a) below.
(l)
“Renewal Term” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a) below.
(m)
“Restriction Period”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12(b) below.
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(n)
“Severance Period” shall
have the meaning set forth in Section 10(c)(ii) below, except as
provided otherwise in Section 10(e) below.
(o)
“Subsidiary” shall have
the meaning set forth in Section 11(d) below.
(p)
“Term of Employment”
shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a) below.
(q)
“Termination Without
Cause” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10(c)
below.
2.
Term of Employment .
(a)
The term of the Executive’s employment under this Agreement
shall commence on the date of this Agreement (the “Effective
Date”) and end on the third anniversary of such date (the
“Original Term of Employment”), unless terminated
earlier in accordance herewith. The Original Term of
Employment shall be automatically renewed for successive one-year
terms (the “Renewal Terms”) unless at least 180 days
prior to the expiration of the Original Term of Employment or any
Renewal Term, either Party notifies the other Party in writing that
he or it is electing to terminate this Agreement at the expiration
of the then current Term of Employment. “Term of
Employment” shall mean the Original Term of Employment and
all Renewal Terms. If a Change in Control shall have occurred
during the Term of Employment, notwithstanding any other provision
of this Section 2(a), the Term of Employment shall not expire
earlier than two years after such Change in Control.
(b)
Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, at
least one year prior to the expiration of the Original Term of
Employment, upon the written request of the Company or the
Executive, the Parties shall meet to discuss this Agreement and may
agree in writing to modify any of the terms of this
Agreement.
3.
Position, Duties and Responsibilities .
(a)
Generally . Executive shall serve as a senior officer
of the Company. Executive shall have and perform such duties,
responsibilities, and authorities as shall be specified by the
Company from time to time and as are customary for a senior officer
of a publicly held corporation of the size, type, and nature of the
Company as they may exist from time to time and as are consistent
with such position and status. Executive shall devote
substantially all of his business time and attention (except for
periods of vacation or absence due to illness), and his best
efforts, abilities, experience, and talent to his position and the
businesses of the Company.
(b)
Other Activities . Anything herein to the contrary
notwithstanding, nothing in this Agreement shall preclude the
Executive from (i) serving on the boards of directors of a
reasonable number of other corporations or the boards of a
reasonable number of trade associations and/or charitable
organizations, (ii) engaging in charitable activities and community
affairs, and (iii) managing his personal investments and affairs,
provided that such activities do not materially interfere with the
proper performance of his duties and responsibilities under this
Agreement.
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(c)
Place of Employment. Executive’s principal
place of employment shall be the corporate offices of the
Company.
4.
Base Salary .
The Executive shall be paid an
annualized salary (“Base Salary”), payable in
accordance with the regular payroll practices of the Company, of
not less than $315,000, subject to review for increase at the
discretion of the Compensation Committee (the
“Committee”) of the Company’s Board of Directors
(the “Board”).
5.
Annual Incentive Awards .
The Executive shall participate in
the Company’s annual incentive compensation plan with a
target annual incentive award opportunity of no less than 50% of
Base Salary. Payment of annual incentive awards shall be made
at the same time that other senior-level executives receive their
incentive awards.
6.
Long-Term Incentive Programs .
The Executive shall be eligible to
participate in the Company’s long-term incentive compensation
programs (including stock options and stock grants).
7.
Employee Benefit Programs .
(a)
General Benefits. During the Term of Employment, the
Executive shall be entitled to participate in such employee pension
and welfare benefit plans and programs of the Company as are made
available to the Company’s senior-level executives or to its
employees generally, as such plans or programs may be in effect
from time to time, including, without limitation, health, medical,
dental, long-term disability, travel accident and life insurance
plans.
(b)
Deferral of Compensation . The Company shall implement
deferral arrangements, reasonably acceptable to Executive and the
Company, permitting Executive to elect to defer receipt, pursuant
to written deferral election terms and forms (the “Deferral
Election Forms”), of all or a specified portion of (i) his
annual Base Salary and annual incentive compensation under Sections
4 and 5, (ii) long term incentive compensation under Section 6 and
(iii) shares acquired upon exercise of options to purchase Company
common stock that are acquired in an exercise in which Executive
pays the exercise price by the surrender of previously acquired
shares, to the extent of the net additional shares otherwise
issuable to Executive in such exercise; provided ,
however, that such deferrals shall not reduce
Executive’s total cash compensation in any calendar year
below the sum of (i) the FICA maximum taxable wage base plus (ii)
the amount needed, on an after-tax basis, to enable Executive to
pay the 1.45% Medicare tax imposed on his wages in excess of such
FICA maximum taxable wage base.
In accordance with such duly
executed Deferral Election Forms, the Company shall credit to a
bookkeeping account (the “Deferred Compensation
Account”) maintained for Executive on the respective payment
date or dates, amounts equal to the compensation subject to
deferral, such credits to be denominated in cash if the
compensation would have been paid in cash but for the deferral or
in shares if the compensation would have been paid in shares but
for the deferral. An amount of cash equal in value to all
cash-denominated amounts credited to Executive’s account and
a number of shares of Company common stock equal to the number of
shares credited to
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Executive’s account pursuant
to this Section 7(b) shall be transferred as soon as practicable
following such crediting by the Company to, and shall be held and
invested by, an independent trustee selected by the Company and
reasonably acceptable to Executive (a “Trustee”)
pursuant to a “rabbi trust” established by the Company
in connection with such deferral arrangement and as to which the
Trustee shall make investments based on Executive’s
investment objectives (including possible investment in publicly
traded stocks and bonds, mutual funds, and insurance
vehicles). Thereafter, Executive’s deferral accounts
will be valued by reference to the value of the assets of the
“rabbi trust”. The Company shall pay all costs of
administration or maintenance of the deferral arrangement, without
deduction or reimbursement from the assets of the “rabbi
trust.”
Except as otherwise provided under
Section 10, in the event of Executive’s termination of
employment with the Company or as otherwise determined by the
Committee in the event of hardship on the part of Executive, upon
such date(s) or event(s) set forth in the Deferral Election Forms
(including forms filed after deferral but before settlement in
which Executive may elect to further defer settlement), the Company
shall promptly pay to Executive cash equal to the value of the
assets then credited to Executive’s deferral accounts, less
applicable withholding taxes, and such distribution shall be deemed
to fully settle such accounts; provided, however , that the
Company may instead settle such accounts by directing the Trustee
to distribute Company common stock and/or other assets of the
“rabbi trust.” The Company and Executive agree that
compensation deferred pursuant to this Section 7(b) shall be fully
vested and nonforfeitable; however , Executive acknowledges
that his rights to the deferred compensation provided for in this
Section 7(b) shall be no greater than those of a general unsecured
creditor of the Company, and that such rights may not be pledged,
collateralized, encumbered, hypothecated, or liable for or subject
to any lien, obligation, or liability of Executive, or be
assignable or transferable by Executive, otherwise than by will or
the laws of descent and distribution, provided that Executive may
designate one or more beneficiaries to receive any payment of such
amounts in the event of his death.
8.
Disability .
(a)
During the Term of Employment, as well as during the Severance
Period, the Executive shall be entitled to disability coverage as
described in this Section 8(a). In the event the Executive
becomes disabled, as that term is defined under the Company’s
Long-Term Disability Plan, the Executive shall be entitled to
receive pursuant to the Company’s Long-Term Disability Plan
or otherwise, and in place of his Base Salary, an amount equal to
60% of his Base Salary, at the annual rate in effect on the
commencement date of his eligibility for the Company’s
long-term disability benefits (“Commencement Date”) for
a period beginning on the Commencement Date and ending with the
earlier to occur of (A) the Executive’s attainment of age 65
or (B) the Executive’s commencement of retirement benefits
from the Company in accordance with Section 10(f) below. If
(i) the Executive ceases to be disabled during the Term of
Employment (as determined in accordance with the terms of the
Long-Term Disability Plan), (ii) his position or another senior
executive position is then vacant and (iii) the Company requests in
writing that he resume such position, he may elect to resume such
position by written notice to the Company within 15 days after the
Company delivers its request. If he resumes such position, he
shall thereafter be entitled to his Base Salary at the annual rate
in effect on the Commencement Date and, for the year he resumes his
position, a pro rata annual incentive award. If he ceases to
be disabled during the Term of Employment and does not resume his
position in accordance with the preceding sentence, he shall be
treated as if he voluntarily terminated his employment pursuant to
Section 10(d) as of the date the Executive ceases to be
disabled. If the Executive is not offered his position or
another senior executive position after he ceases to be disabled
during the Term of Employment, he shall
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be treated as if his employment was
terminated Without Cause pursuant to Section 10(c) as of the date
the Executive ceases to be disabled ; provided ,
however , that if a Change in Control shall have occurred
during the period of the Executive’s disability, he shall be
treated as if his employment was terminated Without Cause following
a Change in Control pursuant to Section 10(e) as of the date the
Executive ceases to be disabled.
(b)
The Executive shall be entitled to a pro rata annual incentive
award for the year in which the Commencement Date occurs based on
50% of Base Salary paid to him during such year prior to the
Commencement Date, payable in a lump sum not later than 15 days
after the Commencement Date. The Executive shall not be
entitled to any annual incentive award with respect to the period
following the Commencement Date. If the Executive recommences
his position in accordance with Section 8(a), he shall be entitled
to a pro rata annual incentive award for the year he resumes such
position and shall thereafter be entitled to annual incentive
awards in accordance with Section 5 thereof.
(c)
During the period the Executive is receiving disability benefits
pursuant to Section 8(a) above, he shall continue to be treated as
an employee for purposes of all employee benefits and entitlements
in which he was participating on the Commencement Date, including
without limitation, the benefits and entitlements referred to in
Sections 6 and 7 above, except that the Executive shall not be
entitled to receive any annual salary increases or any new
long-term incentive plan grants following the Commencement
Date.
9.
Reimbursement of Business and Other Expenses .
The Executive is authorized to incur
reasonable expenses in carrying out his duties and responsibilities
under this Agreement, and the Company shall promptly reimburse him
for all business expenses incurred in connection therewith, subject
to documentation in accordance with the Company’s
policy. During the Term of Employment, the Company shall
reimburse the Executive, upon demand, for out-of-pocket expenses
incurred in connection with personal financial and tax planning up
to a maximum of $15,000 per annum. The Company shall pay or
reimburse the Executive for the expenses (including, without
limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred
by him in conjunction with preparation and negotiation of this
Agreement and any related documents up to a maximum of
$10,000.
10.
Termination of Employment .
(a)
Termination Due to Death. In the event the
Executive’s employment with the Company is terminated due to
his death, his estate or his beneficiaries, as the case may be,
shall be entitled to and their sole remedies under this Agreement
shall be:
(i)
Base Salary through the date of
death, which shall be paid in a cash lump sum not later than 15
days following the Executive’s death;
(ii)
pro rata annual incentive award for
the year in which the Executive’s death occurs assuming that
the Executive would have received an award equal to 50% of Base
Salary for such year, which shall be payable in a cash lump sum
promptly (but in no event later than 15 days) after his
death;
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(iii)
elimination of all restrictions on
any restricted or deferred stock awards outstanding at the time of
his death (other than awards under the Company’s Partnership
Equity Program, which shall be governed by the terms of such
awards);
(iv)
immediate vesting of all outstanding
stock options and the right to exercise such stock options for a
period of one year following death or for the remainder of
the exercise period, if less (other than awards under the
Company’s Partnership Equity Program, which shall be governed
by the terms of such awards);
(v)
the balance of any incentive awards
earned as of December 31 of the prior year (but not yet paid),
which shall be paid in a cash lump sum not later than 15 days
following the Executive’s death;
(vi)
settlement of all deferred
compensation arrangements in accordance with any then applicable
deferred compensation plan or election form; and
(vii)
other or additional benefits then
due or earned in accordance with applicable plans and programs of
the Company.
(b)
Termination by the Company for Cause .
(i)
“Cause” shall
mean:
(A)
the Executive’s willful and
material breach of Sections 11, 12 or 13 of this
Agreement;
(B)
the Executive is convicted of a
felony involving moral turpitude; or
(C)
the Executive engages in conduct
that constitutes willful gross neglect or willful gross misconduct
in carrying out his duties under this Agreement, resulting, in
either case, in material harm to the financial condition or
reputation of the Company.
For purposes of this Agreement, an
act or failure to act on Executive’s part shall be considered
“willful” if it was done or omitted to be done by him
not in good faith, and shall not include any act or failure to act
resulting from any incapacity of Executive.
(ii)
A termination for Cause shall not
take effect unless the provisions of this paragraph (ii) are
complied with. The Executive shall be given written notice by
the Company of its intention to terminate him for Cause, such
notice (A) to state in detail the particular act or acts or failure
or failures to act that constitute the grounds on which the
proposed termination for Cause is based and (B) to be given within
90 days of the Company’s learning of such act or acts or
failure or failures to act. The Executive shall have 20 days
after the date that
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such written notice has been given
to him in which to cure such conduct, to the extent such cure is
possible. If he fails to cure such conduct, the Executive
shall then be entitled to a hearing before the Committee of the
Board at which the Executive is entitled to appear. Such
hearing shall be held within 25 days of such notice to the
Executive, provided he requests such hearing within 10 days of the
written notice from the Company of the intention to terminate him
for Cause. If, within five days following such hearing, the
Executive is furnished written notice by the Board confirming that,
in its judgment, grounds for Cause on the basis of the original
notice exist, he shall thereupon be terminated for
Cause.
(iii)
In the event the Company terminates
the Executive’s employment for Cause, he shall be entitled to
and his sole remedies under this Agreement shall be:
(A)
Base Salary through the date of the
termination of his employment for Cause, which shall be paid in a
cash lump sum not later than 15 days following the
Executive’s termination of employment;
(B)
any incentive awards earned as of
December 31 of the prior year (but not yet paid), which shall be
paid in a cash lump sum not later than 15 days following the
Executive’s termination of employment;
(C)
settlement of all deferred
compensation arrangements in accordance with any then
applicable deferred compensation plan or election form;
and
(D)
other or additional benefits then
due or earned in accordance with applicable plans or programs of
the Company.
(c)
Termination Without Cause or Constructive Termination Without
Cause Prior to Change in Control . In the event
the Executive’s employment with the Company is terminated
without Cause (which termination shall be effective as of the date
specified by the Company in a written notice to the Executive),
other than due to death, or in the event there is a Constructive
Termination Without Cause (as defined below), in either case prior
to a Change in Control (as defined below) the Executive shall be
entitled to and his sole remedies under this Agreement shall
be:
(i)
Base Salary through the date of
termination of the Executive’s employment, which shall be
paid in a cash lump sum not later than 15 days following the
Executive’s termination of employment;
(ii)
Base Salary, at the annualized rate
in effect on the date of termination of the Executive’s
employment (or in the event a reduction in Base Salary is a basis
for a Constructive Termination Without Cause, then the Base Salary
in effect immediately prior to such reduction), for a period of 24
months (the “Severance Period”);
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(iii)
pro rata annual incentive award for
the year in which termination occurs equal to 50% of Base Salary
(determined in accordance with Section 10(c)(ii) above) for such
year, payable in a cash lump sum promptly (but in no event later
than 15 days) following termination;
(iv)
an amount equal to 50% of Base
Salary (determined in accordance with Section 10(c)(ii) above)
multiplied by two, payable in equal monthly payments over the
Severance Period;
(v)
elimination of all restrictions on
any restricted or deferred stock awards outstanding at the time of
termination of employment (other than awards under the
Company’s Partnership Equity Program, which shall be governed
by the terms of such awards);
(vi)
any outstanding stock options which
are unvested shall vest and the Executive shall have the right to
exercise any vested stock options during the Severance Period or
for the remainder of the exercise period, if less (other than
awards under the Company’s Partnership Equity Program, which
shall be governed by the terms of such awards);
(vii)
the balance of any incentive awards
earned as of December 31 of the prior year (but not yet paid),
which shall be paid in a cash lump sum not later than 15 days
following the Executive’s termination of
employment;
(viii)
settlement of all deferred
compensation arrangements in accordance with any then applicable
deferred compensation plan or election form;
(ix)
continued participation in all
medical, health and life insurance plans at the same benefit level
at which he was participating on the date of the termination of his
employment until the earlier of:
(A)
the end of the Severance Period;
or
(B)
the date, or dates, he receives
equivalent coverage and benefits under the plans and programs of a
subsequent employer (such coverage and benefits to be determined on
a coverage-by-coverage, or benefit-by-benefit, basis); provided
that (1) if the Executive is precluded from continuing his
participation in any employee benefit plan or program as provided
in this clause (ix) of this Section 10(c), he shall receive cash
payments equal on an after-tax basis to the cost to him of
obtaining the benefits provided under the plan or program in which
he is unable to participate for the period specified in this clause
(ix) of this Section 10(c), (2) such cost shall be deemed to be the
lowest reasonable cost that would be incurred by the Executive in
obtaining such benefit himself
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on an individual basis, and (3)
payment of such amounts shall be made quarterly in advance;
and
(x)
other or additional benefits then
due or earned in accordance with applicable plans and programs of
the Company.
“Termination Without
Cause” shall mean the Executive’s employment is
terminated by the Company for any reason other than Cause (as
defined in Section 10(b)) or due to death.
“Constructive Termination Without Cause” shall mean a
termination of the Executive’s employment at his initiative
as provided in this Section 10(c) following the occurrence, without
the Executive’s written consent, of one or more of the
following events (except as a result of a prior
termination):
(A)
an assignment of any duties to
Executive which are inconsistent with his status as a senior
officer of the Company;
(B)
a decrease in Executive’s
annual Base Salary or target annual incentive award opportunity
below 50% of Base Salary;
(C)
any other failure by the Company to
perform any material obligation under, or breach by the Company of
any material provision of, this Agreement that is not cured within
30 days; or
(D)
any failure to secure the agreement
of any successor corporation or other entity to the Company to
fully assume the Company’s obligations under this
Agreement.
In addition, following a Change in
Control, “Constructive Termination Without Cause” shall
also mean a termination of the Executive’s employment at his
initiative as provided in this Section 10(c) following the
occurrence, without the Executive’s written consent, of (i) a
relocation of his principal place of employment outside a 35-mile
radius of his principal place of employment as in effect
immediately prior to such Change in Control or (ii) a material
diminution or change, adverse to Executive, in Executive’s
positions, titles, offices, status, rank, nature of responsibility,
or authority within the Company, as in effect immediately prior to
such Change in Control, or a removal of Executive from or any
failure to elect or re-elect, or as the case may be, nominate
Executive to any such positions or offices.
A “Change in Control”
shall be deemed to have occurred if:
(i)
any Person (other than the Company,
any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any
employee benefit plan of the Company, or any company owned,
directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company
immediately prior to the occurrence with respect to which the
evaluation is being made in substantially the same proportions as
their ownership of the common stock of the Company) becomes the
Beneficial Owner (except that a
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Person shall be deemed to be the
Beneficial Owner of all shares that any such Person has the right
to acquire pursuant to any agreement or arrangement or upon
exercise of conversion rights, warrants or options or otherwise,
without regard to the sixty day period referred to in Rule 13d-3
under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of
the Company or any Significant Subsidiary (as defined below),
representing 25% or more of the combined voting power of the
Company’s or