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Exhibit 10.1
[DIRECTOR][OFFICER]
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This [Director][Officer]
Indemnification Agreement, dated as of
___, ___(this " Agreement "), is made by and between
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, a Delaware corporation (the "
Company "), and
(" Indemnitee ").
RECITALS :
[FOR DIRECTORS][A.
Section 141 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides
that the business and affairs of a corporation shall be managed by
or under the direction of its board of directors.]
[FOR OFFICERS][A.
Section 141 of the Delaware General Corporation Law provides
that the business and affairs of a corporation shall be managed by
or under the direction of its board of directors. In addition,
pursuant to Sections 141 and 142 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law, significant authority with respect to the
management of the Company has been delegated to the officers of the
Company.]
B. By virtue of the
managerial prerogatives vested in the [directors][officers]
of a Delaware corporation, [directors][officers] act as
fiduciaries of the corporation and its stockholders.
C. Thus, it is critically
important to the Company and its stockholders that the Company be
able to attract and retain the most capable persons reasonably
available to serve as [directors][officers] of the
Company.
D. In recognition of the need
for corporations to be able to induce capable and responsible
persons to accept positions in corporate management, Delaware law
authorizes (and in some instances requires) corporations to
indemnify their directors and officers or advance funds for their
defense, and further authorizes corporations to purchase and
maintain insurance for the benefit of their directors and
officers.
E. The Delaware courts have
recognized that indemnification or advancement by a corporation
serves the dual policies of (1) allowing corporate officials
to resist unjustified lawsuits, secure in the knowledge that, if
vindicated, the corporation will bear the expense of litigation and
(2) encouraging capable women and men to serve as corporate
directors and
officers, secure in the knowledge that the corporation will
absorb the costs of defending their honesty and integrity.
F. The number of lawsuits
challenging the judgment and actions of
[directors][officers] of Delaware corporations, the costs of
defending those lawsuits, and the threat to
[directors’][officers’] personal assets have all
materially increased over the past several years, chilling the
willingness of capable women and men to undertake the
responsibilities imposed on corporate [directors][officers]
.
G. Recent federal legislation
and rules adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the
national securities exchanges have imposed additional disclosure
and corporate governance obligations on
[directors][officers] of public companies and have exposed
such [directors][officers] to new and substantially
broadened civil liabilities.
H. These legislative and
regulatory initiatives have also exposed
[directors][officers] of public companies to a significantly
greater risk of criminal proceedings, with attendant defense costs
and potential criminal fines and penalties.
I. Under Delaware law, [a
director’s][an officer’s] right to be reimbursed
for the costs of defense of criminal actions, whether such claims
are asserted under state or federal law, does not depend upon the
merits of the claims asserted against the
[director][officer] and is separate and distinct from any
right to indemnification the [director][officer] may be able
to establish, and indemnification of the [director][officer]
against criminal fines and penalties is permitted if the
[director][officer] satisfies the applicable standard of
conduct.
J. Indemnitee is [a
director][an officer] of the Company and his/her willingness to
serve in such capacity is predicated, in substantial part, upon the
Company’s willingness to indemnify him/her in accordance with
the principles reflected above, to the fullest extent permitted by
the laws of the state of Delaware, and upon the other undertakings
set forth in this Agreement.
K. Therefore, in recognition
of the need to provide Indemnitee with substantial protection
against personal liability, in order to procure Indemnitee’s
continued service as [a director][an officer] of the Company
and to enhance Indemnitee’s ability to serve the Company in
an effective manner, and in order to provide such protection
pursuant to express contract rights (intended to be enforceable
irrespective of, among other things, any amendment to the
Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws
(collectively, the " Constituent Documents "), any
change in the composition of the Company’s Board of Directors
(the " Board ") or any change-in-control or business
combination transaction relating to the Company), the Company
wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of and
the advancement of Expenses (as defined in Section 1(e)) to
Indemnitee as set forth in this Agreement and for the continued
coverage of Indemnitee under the Company’s directors’
and officers’ liability insurance policies.
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L. In light of the
considerations referred to in the preceding recitals, it is the
Company’s intention and desire that the provisions of this
Agreement be construed liberally, subject to their express terms,
to maximize the protections to be provided to Indemnitee
hereunder.
AGREEMENT :
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereby
agree as follows:
1. Certain
Definitions. In addition to terms defined elsewhere herein, the
following terms have the following meanings when used in this
Agreement with initial capital letters:
(a)
"Change in Control" means the occurrence after the
date of this Agreement of any of the following events:
(i) the
acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning
of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Exchange Act) (a
"Person" ) of beneficial ownership (within the
meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 20% or
more of the combined voting power of the then-outstanding Voting
Stock of the Company; provided , however , that:
(A) for
purposes of this Section 1(a)(i), the following acquisitions
shall not constitute a Change in Control: (1) any acquisition
of Voting Stock of the Company directly from the Company that is
approved by a majority of the Incumbent Directors, (2) any
acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company by the Company or any
Subsidiary, (3) any acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company
by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or
maintained by the Company or any Subsidiary, and (4) any
acquisition of Voting Stock of the Company by any Person pursuant
to a Business Combination that complies with clauses (A),
(B) and (C) of Section 1(a)(iii) below;
(B) if
any Person acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of combined
voting power of the then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Company as
a result of a transaction described in clause (A)(1) of
Section 1(a)(i) and such Person thereafter becomes the
beneficial owner of any additional shares of Voting Stock of the
Company representing 1% or more of the then-outstanding Voting
Stock of the Company, other than in an acquisition directly from
the Company that is approved by a majority of the Incumbent
Directors or other than as a result of a stock dividend, stock
split or similar transaction effected by the Company in which all
holders of Voting Stock are treated equally, such subsequent
acquisition shall be deemed to constitute a Change in Control;
(C) a
Change in Control will not be deemed to have occurred if a Person
acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of the Voting Stock of
the Company as a result of a reduction in the number of shares of
Voting Stock of the Company outstanding unless and until such
Person thereafter becomes the beneficial owner of any additional
shares of Voting
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Stock of the Company representing 1% or more of the
then-outstanding Voting Stock of the Company, other than in an
acquisition directly from the Company that is approved by a
majority of the Incumbent Directors or other than as a result of a
stock dividend, stock split or similar transaction effected by the
Company in which all holders of Voting Stock are treated equally;
and
(D) if
at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors determine in good
faith that a Person has acquired beneficial ownership of 20% or
more of the Voting Stock of the Company inadvertently, and such
Person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient number of
shares so that such Person beneficially owns less than 20% of the
Voting Stock of the Company, then no Change in Control shall have
occurred as a result of such Person’s acquisition; or
(ii) a
majority of the Directors are not Incumbent Directors; or
(iii) the
consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation, or sale
or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of
the Company or the acquisition of assets of another corporation, or
other transaction (each, a "Business Combination" ),
unless, in each case, immediately following such Business
Combination (A) all or substantially all of the individuals
and entities who were the beneficial owners of Voting Stock of the
Company immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially
own, directly or indirectly, more than 60% of the combined voting
power of the then outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the entity
resulting from such Business Combination (including, without
limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction owns
the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s
assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries),
(B) no Person (other than the Company, such entity resulting
from such Business Combination, or any employee benefit plan (or
related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company, any
Subsidiary or such entity resulting from such Business Combination)
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of the
combined voting power of the then outstanding shares of Voting
Stock of the entity resulting from such Business Combination, and
(C) at least a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of
the entity resulting from such Business Combination were Incumbent
Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or
of the action of the Board providing for such Business Combination;
or
(iv) approval
by the stockholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or
dissolution of the Company, except pursuant to a Business
Combination that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of
Section 1(a)(iii).
(v) For
purposes of this Section 1(a) and as used elsewhere in this
Agreement, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
(A) "
Exchange Act " means the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended.
(B)
"Incumbent Directors" means the individuals who, as
of the date hereof, are Directors of the Company and any individual
becoming a Director subsequent to the date hereof whose election,
nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders, or
appointment, was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the
then Incumbent Directors (either by a specific vote or by approval
of the proxy statement of the
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Company in which such person is named as a nominee for director,
without objection to such nomination); provided ,
however , that an individual shall not be an Incumbent
Director if such individual’s election or appointment to the
Board occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election
contest (as described in Rule 14a-12(c) of the Exchange Act)
with respect to the election or removal of Directors or other
actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on
behalf of a Person other than the Board.
(C)
"Subsidiary" means an entity in which the Company
directly or indirectly beneficially owns 50% or more of the
outstanding Voting Stock.
(D)
"Voting Stock" means securities entitled to vote
generally in the election of directors (or similar governing
bodies).
(b)
" Claim " means (i) any threatened, asserted,
pending or completed claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative, arbitrative, investigative
or other, and whether made pursuant to federal, state or other law;
and (ii) any threatened, pending or completed inquiry or
investigation, whether made, instituted or conducted by the Company
or any other person, including without limitation any federal,
state or other governmental entity, that Indemnitee determines
might lead to the institution of any such claim, demand, action,
suit or proceeding.
(c)
"Controlled Affiliate" means any corporation, limited
liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other
entity or enterprise, whether or not for profit, that is directly
or indirectly controlled by the Company. For purposes of this
definition, "control" means the possession, directly or indirectly,
of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or
policies of an entity or enterprise, whether through the ownership
of voting securities, through other voting rights, by contract or
otherwise; provided that direct or indirect beneficial
ownership of capital stock or other interests in an entity or
enterprise entitling the holder to cast 20% or more of the total
number of votes generally entitled to be cast in the election of
directors (or persons performing comparable functions) of such
entity or enterprise shall be deemed to constitute control for
purposes of this definition.
(d) "
Disinterested Director " means a director of the
Company who is not and was not a party to the Claim in respect of
which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.
(e)
" Expenses " means, to the extent reasonably
incurred, all attorneys’ and experts’ fees and expenses
and all other costs and expenses paid or payable in connection with
investigating, defending, being a witness in or participating in
(including on appeal), or preparing to investigate, defend, be a
witness in or participate in (including on appeal), any Claim.
(f)
" Indemnifiable Claim " means any Claim based upon,
arising out of or resulting from (i) any actual, alleged or
suspected act or failure to act by Indemnitee in his or her
capacity (whether official or otherwise) as a director, officer,
employee or agent of the Company or as a director, officer,
employee, member, manager, trustee, administrator or agent of any
other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint
venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other entity or
enterprise, whether or not for profit, as to which Indemnitee is or
was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer,
employee, member, manager, trustee, administrator or agent,
(ii) any actual, alleged or suspected act or failure to act by
Indemnitee in respect of any business, transaction, communication,
filing, disclosure or other activity of the
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Company or any other entity or enterprise referred to in clause
(i) of this sentence, or (iii) Indemnitee’s status as a
current or former director, officer, employee or agent of the
Company or as a current or former director, officer, employee,
member, manager, trustee, administrator or agent of the Company or
any other entity or enterprise referred to in clause (i) of
this sentence or any actual, alleged or suspected act or failure to
act by Indemnitee in connection with any obligation or restriction
imposed upon Indemnitee by reason of such status. In addition to
any service at the actual request of the Company, for purposes of
this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be deemed to be serving or to have
served at the request of the Company as a director, officer,
employee, member, manager, trustee, administrator or agent of
another entity or enterprise if Indemnitee is or was serving as a
director, officer, employee, member, manager, trustee,
administrator or agent of such entity or enterprise and
(i) such entity or enterprise is or at the time of such
service was a Controlled Affiliate, (ii) such entity or
enterprise is or at the time of such service was an employee
benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the
Company or a Controlled Affiliate, or (iii) the Company or a
Controlled Affiliate directly or indirectly caused or authorized
Indemnitee to be nominated, elected, appointed, designated,
employed, engaged or selected to serve in such capacity.
(g)
" Indemnifiable Losses" means any and all Losses
relating to, arising out of or resulting from any Indemnifiable
Claim.
(h) "
Independent Counsel " means a law firm, or a member
of a law firm, that is experienced in matters of corporation law
and neither presently is, nor in the past five years has been,
retained to represent: (i) the Company (or any Subsidiary) or
Indemnitee in any matter material to either such party (other than
with respect to matters concerning the Indemnitee under this
Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification
agreements), or (ii) any other named (or, as to a threatened
matter, reasonably likely to be named) party to the Indemnifiable
Claim giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term "Independent Counsel" shall
not include any person who, under the applicable standards of
professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of
interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an
action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this
Agreement.
(i) "
Losses " means any and all Expenses, damages, losses,
liabilities, judgments, fines, excise taxes pursuant to the
Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, penalties (whether
civil, criminal or other) and amounts paid in settlement, including
without limitation all interest, assessments and other charges paid
or payable in connection with or in respect of any of the
foregoing.
2. Indemnification
Obligation. Subject to Section 7, the Company shall
indemnify, defend and hold harmless Indemnitee, to the fullest
extent permitted or required by the laws of the State of Delaware
in effect on the date hereof or as such laws may from time to time
hereafter be amended to increase (and not decrease) the scope of
such permitted indemnification, against any and all Indemnifiable
Claims and Indemnifiable Losses; provided , however ,
that, except as provided in Sections 4 and 20, Indemnitee
shall not be entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Agreement
in connection with any Claim initiated by Indemnitee against the
Company or any director or officer of the Company unless the
Company has joined in or consented to the initiation of such
Claim.
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3. Advancement of
Expenses. Indemnitee shall have the right to advancement by the
Company prior to the final disposition of any Indemnifiable Claim
of any and all Expenses relating to, arising out of or resulting
from any Indemnifiable Claim paid or incurred by Indemnitee or
which Indemnitee determines are reasonably likely to be paid or
incurred by Indemnitee. Indemnitee’s right to such
advancement is not subject to the satisfaction of any standard of
conduct. Without limiting the generality or effect of the
foregoing, within five business days after any request by
Indemnitee, the Company shall, in accordance with such request (but
without duplication), (a) pay such Expenses on behalf of
Indemnitee, (b) advance to Indemnitee funds in an amount
sufficient to pay such Expenses, or (c) reimburse Indemnitee
for such Expenses; provided that Indemnitee shall repay,
without interest, any amounts actually advanced to Indemnitee that,
at the final disp
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