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EXHIBIT 10.15
SENIOR EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Senior Executive Employment Agreement (the "Agreement")
is
entered into as of this 26th day of May, 2005 (the "Effective
Date") by and
between Mark F. O'Neil ("Executive") and DealerTrack Holdings,
Inc., a Delaware
corporation ("Employer") with principal offices at 1111 Marcus
Avenue, Suite
M04, Lake Success, NY 11042.
Section 1. Term
Employer shall continue to employ Executive and Executive agrees
to
continue such employment, upon the terms and conditions
hereinafter set forth,
from the Effective Date through and including June 30, 2007 (the
"Initial
Term"). This Agreement shall renew automatically for successive
one year periods
(each, a "Renewal Term") unless one party gives notice to the
other party, in
writing, at least sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of
this Agreement (or
any renewal) of its desire to terminate the Agreement. The term
of this
Agreement, including the Initial Term and any Renewal Term,
shall be referred to
herein as the "Term".
Section 2. Executive's Duties
(a) Executive shall be Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
and
shall report directly to the Board of Directors of Employer (the
"Board").
Executive shall faithfully and diligently perform his duties at
the direction of
the Board, or a committee of the Board, to the best of
Executive's ability.
Executive shall (i) devote his best efforts, skill, and ability
and full
business time and attention to the performance of the services
customarily
incident to such office, subject to vacations and sick leave as
provided herein
and in accordance with Employer policy, (ii) carry out his
duties in a competent
and professional manner; and (iii) generally promote the
interests of Employer.
Subject to applicable law, Executive shall not knowingly
participate in any
activity that is detrimental to the interests of Employer or any
of its
affiliates, including, without limitation, any public criticism
or disparagement
of any type by Executive, through the media or otherwise, of
Employer or any of
its affiliates or employees, except in connection with the
exercise of
Executive's rights against Employer or any of its
affiliates.
(b) Executive agrees to abide by all policies applicable to
senior
executive officers of Employer promulgated from time to time by
Employer, which
policies are enforced uniformly and applicable to all similar
executives of
Employer.
(c) Except for such business travel as may be incident to his
duties
hereunder, Executive shall perform his duties at Employer's
offices at the
address set forth in the preamble to this Agreement or at such
other location as
may be approved by Employer.
Section 3. Compensation for Executive's Services
In consideration of the duties and services to be performed
by
Executive pursuant to Sections 1 and 2 hereof, Executive shall
receive:
(a) Salary. Executive shall earn salary (the "Salary") at the
annual
rate of Four Hundred Seventy-Six Thousand Dollars ($476,000.00)
(the "Minimum
Salary"), less all
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applicable federal, state, and local tax withholdings. Such
Salary shall be
earned and shall be payable in periodic installments in
accordance with
Employer's payroll practices. During the Term, the Board or the
Compensation
Committee of the Board (the "Compensation Committee") will
review the Salary
annually and may in its discretion increase the Salary, but may
not reduce it
during the Term unless Employer institutes salary reductions
across the board;
provided, however, that in no event shall the Salary be reduced
below the
Minimum Salary without Executive's written consent.
(b) Bonus. For each fiscal year of Employer (each, a "Fiscal
Year"),
Executive shall be entitled to receive a cash performance bonus
(a "Bonus")
which shall be based on the achievement of certain performance
benchmarks by
Employer during such Fiscal Year which shall be determined by
the Board. The
Board shall review the target Bonus on an annual basis and, in
its sole
discretion, may increase such target Bonus for any Fiscal Year.
The target Bonus
shall not be decreased except in connection with company-wide
bonus reductions.
The target Bonus for any Fiscal Year shall be at least Seventy
percent (70%)
percent of the Salary for such Fiscal Year. The Bonus for each
Fiscal Year shall
be paid, if at all, to Executive on a schedule consistent with
Employer's bonus
payments to its other similarly situated senior executive
officers by no later
than two and one half (2-1/2) months following the end of such
Fiscal Year.
Executive understands and agrees that the Bonus is established
in part as an
inducement for Executive to remain employed by Employer and
except as provided
in Section 5(c) of this Agreement, or in the Employer's sole
discretion, in the
event that Executive's employment is terminated prior to the end
of any Fiscal
Year during the Term, then Executive shall not receive payment
of any Bonus for
such year.
(c) Equity. In connection with Executive's employment, Executive
has
been and may continue to be granted stock options ("Stock
Options") to purchase
equity securities of Employer pursuant to the terms of
DealerTrack Holdings,
Inc. 2001 Stock Option Plan, effective as of August 10, 2001, as
amended ("Stock
Option Plan") or may be granted Stock Options or other equity
based awards
pursuant to the terms of the DealerTrack Holdings, Inc. 2005
Incentive Award
Plan, effective as of May 26, 2005, as amended (the "2005
Incentive Award
Plan"), or any other successor equity incentive plans
(collectively, the "Stock
Incentive Plans"). Except as otherwise provided herein, the
terms of the Stock
Options shall be governed by the Stock Incentive Plans.
Executive shall be
credited with twenty-four (24) months accelerated vesting of his
Stock Options
upon termination of Executive's employment by: (1) Employer
without Cause (as
defined below); or (2) Executive for Good Reason (as defined
below). Executive
shall be credited with thirty-six (36) months accelerated
vesting of his Stock
Options upon a Change of Control (defined below). Executive
shall be credited
with full acceleration and vesting of his Stock Options upon the
earlier of: (1)
the elimination of Executive's position or a termination of
Executive's
employment, in either event, within twelve (12) months after a
Change of
Control; (2) a material negative change in Executive's
compensation or
responsibilities within twelve (12) months after a Change of
Control; or (3) the
requirement that Executive be based at a location which is more
than fifty (50)
miles from Employer's offices at the address set forth in the
preamble to this
Agreement within twelve (12) months after a Change of Control.
Anything in the
Stock Incentive Plans to the contrary notwithstanding, if
Executive's employment
is terminated by Executive with Good Reason or by Employer
without Cause, or
under circumstances described above which would result in
certain accelerated
vesting of any unvested Stock Options held by Executive, the
unexercised portion
of any Stock Options held by
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Executive will not terminate until the twelve (12) month
anniversary of the date
of termination of Executive's employment. In the event Employer
elects to grant
equity based awards other than Options, such grants shall, where
appropriate, be
subject to equivalent acceleration provisions as set forth in
this Section 3(c).
For purposes hereof, a "Change of Control" shall mean and
includes each of the
following:
(i) A transaction or series of transactions (other than an
offering
of shares of Employer to the general public through a
registration
statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission)
whereby any
"person" or related "group" of "persons" (as such terms are used
in
Sections 13(d) and 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as
amended) (other than the Employer, any of its subsidiaries, an
employee
benefit plan maintained by the Employer or any of its
subsidiaries or a
"person" that, prior to such transaction, directly or indirectly
controls,
is controlled by, or is under common control with, the Employer)
directly
or indirectly acquires beneficial ownership (within the meaning
of Rule
13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) of
securities
of the Employer possessing more than 50% of the total combined
voting
power of the Employer's securities outstanding immediately after
such
acquisition; or
(ii) During any period of two consecutive years, individuals
who, at
the beginning of such period, constitute the Board together with
any new
director(s) (other than a director designated by a person who
shall have
entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a
transaction
described in Section 3(c)(i) or Section 3(c)(iii)) whose
election by the
Board or nomination for election by the Employer's stockholders
was
approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then
still in
office who either were directors at the beginning of the
two-year period
or whose election or nomination for election was previously so
approved,
cease for any reason to constitute a majority thereof; or
(iii) The consummation by the Employer (whether directly
involving
the Employer or indirectly involving the Employer through one or
more
intermediaries) of (x) a merger, consolidation, reorganization,
or
business combination or (y) a sale or other disposition of all
or
substantially all of the Employer's assets in any single
transaction or
series of related transactions or (z) the acquisition of assets
or stock
of another entity, in each case other than a transaction:
(A) Which results in the Employer's voting securities
outstanding immediately before the transaction continuing to
represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being
converted
into voting securities of the Employer or the person that, as
a
result of the transaction, controls, directly or indirectly,
the
Employer or owns, directly or indirectly, all or substantially
all
of the Employer's assets or otherwise succeeds to the business
of
the Employer (the Employer or such person, the "Successor
Entity"))
directly or indirectly, at least a majority of the combined
voting
power of the Successor Entity's outstanding voting
securities
immediately after the transaction, and
(B) After which no person or group beneficially owns voting
securities representing 50% or more of the combined voting power
of
the Successor Entity;
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provided, however, that no person or group shall be treated
for
purposes of this Section 3(c)(iii) as beneficially owning 50%
or
more of combined voting power of the Successor Entity solely as
a
result of the voting power held in the Employer prior to the
consummation of the transaction; or
(iv) The Employer's stockholders approve a liquidation or
dissolution of the Employer.
The Board or its designee shall have full and final authority,
which shall be
exercised in its discretion, to determine conclusively whether a
Change of
Control of the Employer has occurred, and the date of the
occurrence of such
Change of Control and any incidental matters relating
thereto.
(d) Benefits. Employer shall provide Executive with the right
to
participate in and receive benefits from all life, accident,
disability, medical
and pension plans, and all similar benefits as are from time to
time in effect
and are generally made available to similar situated senior
executive officers
of Employer. The amount and extent of benefits to which
Executive is entitled
shall be governed by the specific benefit plan, as it may be
amended from time
to time.
(e) Expenses. Employer shall promptly reimburse Executive
for
reasonable expenses for cellular telephone usage, entertainment,
travel, meals,
lodging and similar items incurred in the conduct of Employer's
business. Such
expenses shall be reimbursed in accordance with Employer's
expense reimbursement
policies and guidelines.
(f) Vacation; Sick Leave. During the Term, Executive shall
be
entitled to four weeks (4) weeks vacation per year, paid
holidays, sick leave,
and similar benefits, to be earned and used in accordance with
Employer's policy
and procedure for other similarly situated senior executive
officers.
(g) Modification. Employer reserves the right to modify, suspend
or
discontinue any and all of the above plans, practices, policies
and programs
referenced in Sections 3(d) and (e) at any time in its
discretion without
recourse by Executive so long as such action is taken generally
with respect to
other similarly situated senior executive officers. Any such
modification,
suspension or discontinuance of the plans, practices and
policies referenced in
Section 3(e) will not apply to otherwise reimbursable expenses
incurred by
Executive prior to any such modification, suspension or
discontinuance.
Section 4. Termination of Employment
(a) Resignation. Executive may voluntarily terminate his
employment
with Employer, at any time, with or without Good Reason, upon
written notice to
Employer.
(b) Termination. Employer may terminate Executive's employment
at
any time, with or without Cause, upon written notice to
Executive.
(c) Death or Disability. Executive's employment shall
terminate
immediately upon Executive's death. In the event Employer, in
good faith,
determines that Executive is unable to perform the functions of
his position due
to a Disability (as defined below), it may
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notify Executive in writing of its intention to terminate
Executive's employment
and Executive's employment with Employer shall terminate
effective on the
thirtieth (30th) day after receipt of such notice by Executive.
For the purposes
of this Agreement, "Disability" shall mean a physical or mental
impairment that
substantially limits a major life activity of Executive and
renders Executive
unable to perform the essential functions of his position even
with reasonable
accommodation (that does not impose an undue hardship on
Employer), and which
has lasted at least (i) sixty (60) consecutive days, (ii) the
balance of
Executive's entitlement to leave, if any, under the Family and
Medical Leave
Act, or other similar statute or (iii) the balance of any
election period under
the Employer's long term disability program (without regard to
whether Executive
is awarded benefits under such program), whichever is
longer.
(d) Cause. Employer may immediately terminate Executive's
employment
for "Cause" by giving written notice to Executive. For purposes
of this
Agreement, "Cause" shall mean:
(1) Executive's commission of an act of fraud or
embezzlement upon Employer or any of its affiliates; or
(2) Executive's commission of any willful act intended to
injure the reputation, business, or any business
relationship of Employer or any of its affiliates; or
(3) Executive is found by a court of competent jurisdiction
to have committed a felony; or
(4) the refusal or failure of Executive to perform
Executive's duties with Employer in a competent and
professional manner that is not cured by Executive
within ten (10) business days after a written demand
therefor is delivered to Executive by the Board which
specifically identifies the manner in which the Board
believes that Executive has not substantially performed
Executive's duties; provided, further, however, that if
the Board, in good faith, determines that the refusal or
failure by Executive is egregious in nature or is not
susceptible of cure, then no cure period shall be
required hereunder; or
(5) the refusal or failure of Executive to comply with any
of his material obligations under this Agreement
(including any exhibit hereto) that is not cured by
Executive within ten (10) business days after a written
demand therefor is delivered to Executive by the Board
which specifically identifies the manner in which the
Board believes Executive has materially breached this
Agreement; provided, further, however, that if the
Board, in good faith, determines that the refusal or
failure by Executive is egregious in nature or is not
susceptible of cure, then no cure period shall be
required hereunder.
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(e) Good Reason. Executive may terminate his employment for
"Good
Reason," by delivering written notice of such termination
("Employer Default
Notice") to Employer within sixty (60) days of the occurrence of
any of the
following events, each of which shall constitute Good Reason:
(i) Employer's
material breach of any provision of this Agreement, the Stock
Incentive Plans or
any agreements thereunder, which has not been cured within the
allotted time;
(ii) a material reduction of Executive's then current title,
status, authority,
responsibility or duties or the assignment to Executive of any
duties materially
inconsistent with Executive's then current position; (iii) any
material
reduction in Executive's salary or benefits; (iv) the failure of
any successor
entity to assume the terms of this Agreement upon any Change of
Control; (v) the
relocation of Executive to a facility or location more than
fifty (50) miles
from Employer's principal offices at the address set forth in
the preamble to
this Agreement; or (vi) the failure of Employer to renew this
Agreement upon the
expiration of the Initial Term or any Renewal Term. The Employer
Default Notice
shall specify the reason for Executive's belief that an event
constituting Good
Reason has occurred. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any material
breach of this
Agreement by Employer, or other event constituting Good Reason,
shall not
constitute Good Reason if any such breach or other event is
cured or corrected
by Employer within thirty (30) days following delivery to
Employer of the
Employer Default Notice.
(f) Continuing Obligations. Executive acknowledges and agrees
that
any termination under this Section 4 is not intended, and shall
not be deemed or
construed, to affect in any way any of Executive's covenants and
obligations
contained in Sections 6, 7, and 8 hereof, which shall continue
in full force and
effect beyond such termination for any reason.
Section 5. Termination Obligations
(a) Resignation. If Executive's employment is terminated
voluntarily
by Executive without Good Reason, Executive's employment shall
terminate without
further obligations to Executive other than for payment of the
sum of any unpaid
Salary determined by the Board and reimbursable expenses and
vacation accrued
and owing to Executive prior to the termination. The sum of such
amounts shall
hereinafter be referred to as the "Accrued Obligations,"
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