Exhibit
10.3
MANAGEMENT CONTINUITY
AGREEMENT
This Agreement (“Agreement”), dated as of December 12,
2006, is between Premier Community Bankshares, Inc., a Virginia
corporation (the “Company”) and John A. Willingham
(“Executive”) and provides as follows:
The Company recognizes that the
possibility of a Change in Control exists, and the uncertainty and
questions that it may raise among management may result in the
departure or distraction of management personnel to the detriment
of the Company and its shareholders. Accordingly, the purpose of
this Agreement is to encourage the Executive to continue employment
after a Change in Control by providing reasonable employment
security to the Executive and to recognize the prior service of the
Executive in the event of a termination of employment under certain
circumstances after a Change in Control.
This Agreement is effective December
12, 2006, and will expire on December 31, 2008; provided that on
December 31, 2007, and each December 31 st thereafter
(each such December 31 st is referred to as the
“Renewal Date”), this Agreement will be automatically
extended for an additional calendar year so as to terminate two
years from such Renewal Date. This Agreement will not, however, be
extended if the Company gives written notice of such non-renewal to
the Executive no later than September 30 before the Renewal Date
(the original and any extended term of this Agreement is referred
to as the “Change in Control Period”).
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3.
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Employment after a Change in
Control
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If a Change in Control of the
Company (as defined in Section 11) occurs during the Change in
Control Period and the Executive is employed by the Company on the
date the Change in Control occurs (the “Change in Control
Date”), the Company will continue to employ the Executive in
accordance with the terms and conditions of this Agreement for the
period beginning on the Change in Control Date and ending on the
first anniversary of such date (the “Employment
Period”). If a Change in Control occurs on account of a
series of transactions, the Change in Control Date is the date of
the last of such transactions.
(a)
Position and Duties
. During the Employment Period, (i)
the Executive’s position, authority, duties and
responsibilities will be at least commensurate in all material
respects with his training and experience (ii) the
Executive’s services will be performed at the location where
the Executive was employed immediately preceding the Change in
Control Date or any office that is less than 20 miles from such
location.
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(i)
Base Salary
. During the Employment Period, the
Executive will receive an annual base salary (the “Annual
Base Salary”) at least equal to the highest base salary paid
or payable to the Executive by the Company and its affiliated
companies for the twelve-month period immediately preceding the
Change of Control Date. During the Employment Period, the Annual
Base Salary will be reviewed at least annually and will be
increased at any time and from time to time as will be
substantially consistent with increases in base salary generally
awarded in the ordinary course of business to other peer executives
of the Company and its affiliated companies. Any increase in the
Annual Base Salary will not serve to limit or reduce any other
obligation to the Executive under this Agreement. The Annual Base
Salary will not be reduced after any such increase, and the term
Annual Base Salary as used in this Agreement will refer to the
Annual Base Salary as so increased. The term “affiliated
companies” includes any company controlled by, controlling or
under common control with the Company.
(ii)
Annual Bonus . In addition to the Annual Base Salary, the
Executive will be awarded for each calendar year ending during the
Employment Period an annual bonus (the “Annual Bonus”)
in cash at least equal to the highest annual bonus paid or payable,
including by reason of any deferral, for the two calendar years
immediately preceding the calendar year in which the Change in
Control Date occurs. Each such Annual Bonus will be paid no later
than two and one-half months of the calendar year next following
the calendar year for which the Annual Bonus is awarded.
(iii)
Incentive, Savings and Retirement
Plans . During the
Employment Period, the Executive will be entitled to participate in
all incentive (including stock incentive), savings and retirement,
insurance plans, policies and programs applicable generally to
other peer executives of the Company and its affiliated companies,
but in no event will such plans, policies and programs provide the
Executive with incentive opportunities, savings opportunities and
retirement benefit opportunities, in each case, less favorable, in
the aggregate, than those provided by the Company and its
affiliated companies for the Executive under such plans, policies
and programs as in effect at any time during the six months
immediately preceding the Change in Control Date.
(iv)
Welfare Benefit Plans , During the Employment Period, the Executive
and/or the Executive’s family, as the case may be, will be
eligible for participation in and will receive all benefits under
welfare benefit plans, policies and programs provided by the
Company and its affiliated companies to the extent applicable
generally to other peer executives of the Company and its
affiliated companies.
(v)
Fringe Benefits
. During the Employment Period, the
Executive will be entitled to fringe benefits in accordance with
the most favorable plans, policies and programs of the Company and
its affiliated companies in effect for the Executive at any time
during the six months immediately preceding the Change in Control
Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, as in effect generally
from time to time after the Change
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in Control Date with respect to
other peer executives of the Company and its affiliated
companies.
(vi)
Vacation . During the Employment Period, the Executive
will be entitled to paid vacation in accordance with the most
favorable plans, policies and programs of the Company and its
affiliated companies in effect for the Executive at any time during
the six months immediately preceding the Change in Control Date or,
if more favorable to the Executive, as in effect generally from
time to time after the Change in Control Date with respect to other
peer executives of the Company and its affiliated
companies.
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5.
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Termination of Employment Following Change in
Control
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(a)
Death or Disability
. The Executive’s employment
will terminate automatically upon the Executive’s death
during the Employment Period. If the Company determines in good
faith that the Disability of the Executive has occurred during the
Employment Period, it may terminate the Executive’s
employment. For purposes of this Agreement,
“Disability” means the Executive’s inability to
perform his duties with the Company on a full time basis for 180
consecutive days or a total of at least 240 days in any twelve
month period as a result of the Executive’s incapacity due to
physical or mental illness (as determined by an independent
physician selected by the Board).
(b)
Cause . The Company may terminate the
Executive’s employment during the Employment Period for
Cause. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means
(i) gross incompetence, gross negligence, willful misconduct in
office or breach of a material fiduciary duty owed to the Company
or any affiliated company; (ii) conviction of a felony or a crime
of moral turpitude (or a plea of nolo contendere thereto) or
commission of an act of embezzlement or fraud against the Company
or any affiliated company; (iii) any material breach by the
Executive of a material term of this Agreement, including, without
limitation, material failure to perform a substantial portion of
his duties and responsibilities hereunder; or (iv) deliberate
dishonesty of the Executive with respect to the Company or any
affiliated company.
(c)
Good Reason
. The Executive’s employment
may be terminated during the Employment Period by the Executive for
Good Reason. For purposes of this Agreement, “Good
Reason” means:
(i)
a material adverse change in the
Executive’s overall working environment;
(ii)
a failure by the Company to comply
with any of the provisions of Section 4(b);
(iii)
the Company’s requiring the Executive to
be based at any office or location other than that described in
Section 4(a)(ii);
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(iv)
the failure by the Company to comply with and
satisfy Section 7(b);
(v)
the Executive is directed by the
Board of Directors or an officer of the Company or any affiliated
company to engage in conduct that is unethical, illegal or contrary
to the Company’s good business practices; or
(vi)
the Company fails to honor any term or provision
of this Agreement.
Any good faith determination of Good
Reason made by the Executive shall be conclusive; provided ,
however , that if the Company cures same within 30 days
following a Notice of Termination from the Executive, there shall
be no termination of Good Reason by the Executive.
(d)
Notice of Termination
. Any termination during the
Employment Period by the Company or by the Executive for Good
Reason shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to
the other party hereto. For purposes of this Agreement, a
“Notice of Termination” shall mean a notice which shall
indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement
relied upon.
(e)
Date of Termination
. “Date of Termination”
means (i) if the Executive’s employment is terminated by the
Company for Cause, or by the Executive for Good Reason, the date of
receipt of the Notice of Termination or any later date specified
therein, as the case may be, (ii) if the Executive’s
employment is terminated by the Company other than for Cause or
Disability, the date specified in the Notice of Termination (which
shall not be less than 30 nor more than 60 days from the date such
Notice of Termination is given), and (iii) if the Executive’s
employment is terminated for Disability, 30 days after Notice of
Termination is given, provided that the Executive shall not have
returned to the full-time performance of his duties during such
30-day period.
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6.
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Compensation Upon Termination
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(a)
Termination Without Cause or for
Good Reason . The
Executive will be entitled to the following benefits if, during the
Employment Period, the Company terminates his employment without
Cause or the Executive terminates his employment with the Company
or any affiliated company for Good Reason.
(i)
Accrued Obligations
. The Accrued Obligations are
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