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EXHIBIT
10.35
SENIOR MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE
AGREEMENT
SENIOR MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE
AGREEMENT, dated as of the 26 day of February, 2008, between EP
MEDSYSTEMS, INC., a New Jersey corporation (the “
Company ”), and David I. Bruce (“
Executive ”).
RECITALS
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Executive is currently employed by the Company. |
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The Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board
”) has determined that it is appropriate to incentivize, and
reinforce the continued attention and dedication of, certain
members of the Company’s management, including Executive, to
their assigned duties without distraction in potentially disrupting
circumstances arising from the possibility of a Change in Control
of the Company, as defined on Schedule A attached
hereto. |
AGREEMENTS
NOW, THEREFORE, in
consideration of the covenants and agreements hereinafter set
forth, the Company and Executive agree as follows:
1. DEFINITIONS.
Terms capitalized in this
Agreement which are not otherwise defined shall have the meanings
assigned to such terms on Schedule A attached hereto.
2. TERM.
Unless earlier terminated as provided
herein, the initial term of this Agreement shall be from the date
hereof until the second anniversary date of this Agreement;
provided, however, that, unless terminated as provided herein or
there shall have occurred a Change in Control, on each annual
anniversary date of this Agreement commencing on the second
anniversary date of this Agreement, this Agreement shall
automatically be renewed for a successive one-year term.
3. PAYMENTS AND BENEFITS UPON CHANGE IN
CONTROL.
Subject to Section 4
hereof, Executive shall be entitled to the following payments and
benefits (the “ Incentive Benefits and Payments
”), which Incentive Benefits and Payments shall vest
immediately prior to a Change in Control:
(a) CHANGE IN CONTROL
PAYMENT. Subject to the Sections 4 and 8 herein, in recognition of
continued services to the Company by Executive, the Company shall
make a lump sum payment in cash to Executive as incentive
compensation within ten (10) business days following the date
of consummation and closing of a Change in Control (the “
Change in Control Closing Date ”) equal to two
(2) times Executive’s annual Base Salary in effect
immediately prior
to the date that a Change in Control
shall occur. Such payment shall be paid within ten
(10) business days following the Change in Control Closing
Date.
(b) OPTIONS. Pursuant to
existing Company policy, which policy has been unanimously approved
by the Company’s Board of Directors and the Compensation
Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors, options to
acquire common stock of the Company granted to Executive prior to
the Change in Control Closing Date (“ Executive’s
Options ”), which have not vested as of the Change in
Control Closing Date, shall vest immediately prior to the effective
time of a Change in Control on the Change in Control Closing Date.
All other terms, conditions, and limitations applicable to
Executive’s Options will remain in full force and effect
pursuant to the applicable stock options agreements between
Executive and the Company, the applicable stock option plan
documents, and any other documents applicable to Executive’s
Options. Executive is advised by the Company to seek independent
advice with respect to any financial, tax and/or securities law
issues regarding Executive’s Options and any sale by
Executive of Company stock.
(c) PARACHUTE EXCISE TAX. In
the event that the payments or benefits provided to Executive by
this Agreement (the “ Payment ”), when combined
with any and all other payment(s) to which Executive is entitled,
constitute “parachute payments” within the meaning of
Section 280G(b)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the “ Code ”), or any comparable
successor provisions and are subject to the excise tax imposed by
Section 4999 of the Code, or any comparable successor
provisions (such excise tax, together with any interest and
penalties payable with respect to such excise tax, the “
Excise Tax ”), then Executive shall be entitled to
receive from the Company an additional payment (the “
Gross-Up Payment ,” and any iterative payments
pursuant to this paragraph also shall be “ Gross-Up
Payments ”) in an amount that shall fund the payment by
Executive of any Excise Tax on the Payment, as well as all income
and employment taxes on the Gross-Up Payment, any Excise Tax
imposed on the Gross-Up Payment and any interest or penalties
imposed with respect to income and employment taxes imposed on the
Gross-Up Payment. For this purpose, all income taxes will be
assumed to apply to Executive at the highest marginal rate.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the total amount paid as Gross-Up
Payments will not exceed 20% of aggregate value of the payments or
benefits provided to Executive pursuant to Sections 3(a) and
(b) hereof determined in accordance with the applicable tax
regulations issued under Section 280G. All determinations made
under this subsection 3(c) shall be made by an independent public
accounting firm chosen by the Company (the “ Accounting
Firm ”). Any Gross-Up Payment shall be paid to Executive,
or for his benefit, within fifteen (15) days following receipt
by the Company of the report of the Accounting Firm.
Notwithstanding any provision of this subsection 3(c) to the
contrary, in accordance with the requirements of section 409A of
the Code, any Gross-Up Payment payable hereunder shall be not later
than the end of the calendar year next following the calendar year
in which the Executive or Company, as applicable, remits the taxes
for which the Gross-Up Payment is being paid.
(d) DEATH OF EXECUTIVE
FOLLOWING A CHANGE IN CONTROL. In the event of Executive’s
death subsequent to a Change in Control, but prior to receiving all
Incentive Benefits and Payments to which Executive is entitled
hereunder, such Incentive Benefits and Payments shall be paid to
the personal representative of his or her estate at the same time
they would otherwise be paid hereunder, unless Executive has
otherwise directed the Company in writing prior to his or her
death.
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(e) NON-EXCLUSIVE PAYMENTS.
Benefits provided hereunder are in addition to any amount of
severance pay to which Executive may be entitled under any
agreement, severance plan or policy between the Company and
Executive or generally available to employees of the
Company.
(f) NON-SEGREGATION. No
assets of the Company need to be segregated or earmarked to
represent the liability for benefits payable hereunder. The rights
of any person to receive benefits hereunder shall be only those of
a general unsecured creditor.
(g) WITHHOLDING. Except as
described above, all payments under this Section 3 are subject
to applicable federal and state payroll withholding or other
applicable taxes, and Executive shall be responsible for the
payment of such taxes.
4. CONDITION. Executive will not be
eligible to receive any Incentive Benefits and Payments if
Executive is not employed by the Company immediately prior to
closing of the Change in Control transaction on the Change in
Control Closing Date.
5. AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT. This Agreement
shall not alter the status of Executive’s at-will employment
relationship with the Company and shall not in any way interfere
with Executive’s right or the Company’s right to
terminate Executive’s employment at any time, with or without
cause or advance notice, except as may be provided in an employment
agreement between the Company and the Executive, if any.
6. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION OBLIGATIONS.
Executive acknowledges his or her continuing obligations during
Executive’s employment with the Company and thereafter, under
his or her Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement, not to
use or disclose any confidential or proprietary information of the
Company without prior written authorization from the Company. If
Executive has not previously executed the Company’s
Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement, he or she must do
so in order to be eligible for any of the benefits described in
this Agreement.
7. INITIAL RELEASE. As consideration for
continued employment, and as a condition of Executive’s
eligibility for the Incentive Benefits and Payments, Executive
agrees to sign a general waiver and release and
non-competition/non-solicitation agreement in favor of the Company,
a form of which is attached hereto as ATTACHMENT 1, no later than
, 200 .
8. CHANGE IN CONTROL DATE RELEASE. If
applicable, as a condition of receiving the Incentive Benefits and
Payments, Executive must sign and return to the Company a general
release, a form of which is attached hereto as ATTACHMENT 2,
immediately prior to a Change in Control. Executive will not be
eligible for the Incentive Benefits and Payments if Executive does
not sign this release and return it to the Company within the time
stated.
9. MISCELLANEOUS.
(a) ARBITRATION. Any dispute
or controversy arising under or in connection with this Agreement
shall be settled exclusively by arbitration in New York, New York,
in accordance
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with the Rules of the American
Arbitration Association then in effect. Judgment may be entered on
the arbitrator’s award in any jurisdiction.
(b) CONFLICT IN BENEFITS.
This Agreement is not intended to and shall not adversely affect,
limit or terminate any other agreement or arrangement between
Executive and the Company presently in effect, or hereafter entered
into, including any employee benefit plan under which Executive is
entitled to benefits.
(c) AMENDMENT. This Agreement
may not be amended, except by written agreement between Executive
and the Company.
(d) NO MITIGATION. All
payments and benefits to which Executive is entitled under this
Agreement shall be made and provided without offset, deduction or
mitigation on account of income Executive could or may receive from
other employment or otherwise.
(e) NOTICES. Any notices
required under the terms of this Agreement shall be effective when
mailed, postage prepaid, by certified mail and addressed to, in the
case of the Company:
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EP
MedSystems, Inc. |
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Cooper Run
Executive Park |
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575 Route 73
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West Berlin,
NJ 08091-9293 |
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Attention: Chief Executive Officer |
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and to, in the case of
Executive:
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[ David I. Bruce |
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Either party may designate a different
address by giving written notice of change of address in the manner
provided above.
(f) WAIVER; CURE. No waiver
or modification in whole or in part of this Agreement, or any term
or condition hereof, shall be effective against any party unless in
writing and duly signed by the party sought to be bound. Any waiver
of any breach of any provision hereof or any right or power by any
party on one occasion shall not be construed as a waiver of, or a
bar to, the exercise of such right or power on any other occasion
or as a waiver of any subsequent breach. Any breach of this
Agreement may be cured by the breaching party within ten
(10) days of the date that such breaching party shall have
received written notice of such breach from the party asserting
such breach.
(g) BINDING EFFECT;
SUCCESSORS. Subject to the provisions hereof, nothing in this
Agreement shall prevent the consolidation of the Company with, or
its merger into, any other corporation, or the sale by the Company
of all or substantially all of its properties and assets, or the
assignment of this Agreement by the Company in connection with any
of the foregoing actions. This Agreement shall be binding upon,
inure to the benefit of, and be
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enforceable by the Company and Executive
and their respective heirs, legal representatives, successors, and
a
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