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Exhibit
99.3
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
This Agreement made and entered into this 27 th day of November, (the
"Agreement"), by and between Plug Power Inc., a Delaware
corporation (the "Company," which term shall include, where
appropriate, any Entity (as hereinafter defined) controlled
directly or indirectly by the Company) and Jean Nelson (the
"Indemnitee"):
WHEREAS, it is essential to the Company that it be able to
retain and attract as a Chief Financial Officer the most capable
person available;
WHEREAS, increased corporate litigation has subjected chief
financial officers to litigation risks and expenses, and the
limitations on the availability of directors and officers liability
insurance have made it increasingly difficult for the Company to
attract and retain such persons;
WHEREAS, the Company’s By-laws (the "By-laws") require it
to indemnify its officers to the fullest extent permitted by law
and permit it to make other indemnification arrangements and
agreements;
WHEREAS, the Company desires to provide Indemnitee with specific
contractual assurance of Indemnitee’s rights to full
indemnification against litigation risks and expenses (regardless,
among other things, of any amendment to or revocation of the
By-laws or any change in the ownership of the Company or the
composition of its Board of Directors);
WHEREAS, the Company intends that this Agreement provide
Indemnitee with greater protection than that which is provided by
the By-laws; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee is relying upon the rights afforded under
this Agreement in becoming a director of the Company.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the
covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby
covenant and agree as follows:
1. Definitions .
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(a) "Corporate Status" describes the status of a person who is
serving or has served (i) as an officer, employee, trustee or
agent of the Company, (ii) in any capacity with respect to any
employee benefit plan of the Company, or (iii) as a director,
partner, trustee, officer, employee, or agent of any other Entity
at the request of the Company. For purposes of subsection
(iii) of this Section 1(a), if Indemnitee is serving or
has served as a director, partner, trustee, officer, employee or
agent of a Subsidiary, Indemnitee shall be deemed to be serving at
the request of the Company.
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(b) "Entity" shall mean any corporation,
partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust,
foundation, association, organization or other legal
entity.
(c) "Expenses" shall mean all fees, costs and expenses incurred
by Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding (as defined below),
including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, disbursements
and retainers (including, without limitation, any such fees,
disbursements and retainers incurred by Indemnitee pursuant to
Sections 10 and 11(c) of this Agreement), fees and
disbursements of expert witnesses, private investigators and
professional advisors (including, without limitation, accountants
and investment bankers), court costs, transcript costs, fees of
experts, travel expenses, duplicating, printing and binding costs,
telephone and fax transmission charges, postage, delivery services,
secretarial services, and other disbursements and expenses.
(d) "Indemnifiable Expenses," "Indemnifiable Liabilities" and
"Indemnifiable Amounts" shall have the meanings ascribed to those
terms in Section 3(a) below.
(e) "Liabilities" shall mean judgments, damages, liabilities,
losses, penalties, excise taxes, fines and amounts paid in
settlement.
(f) "Proceeding" shall mean any threatened, pending or completed
claim, action, suit, arbitration, alternate dispute resolution
process, investigation, administrative hearing, appeal, or any
other proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative,
arbitrative or investigative, whether formal or informal, including
a proceeding initiated by Indemnitee pursuant to Section 10 of
this Agreement to enforce Indemnitee’s rights hereunder.
(g) "Subsidiary" shall mean any corporation, partnership,
limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other Entity of
which the Company owns (either directly or through or together with
another Subsidiary of the Company) either (i) a general
partner, managing member or other similar interest or
(ii) (A) 50% or more of the voting power of the voting
capital equity interests of such corporation, partnership, limited
liability company, joint venture or other Entity, or (B) 50%
or more of the outstanding voting capital stock or other voting
equity interests of such corporation, partnership, limited
liability company, joint venture or other Entity.
2. Services of Indemnitee . In consideration of the
Company’s covenants and commitments hereunder, Indemnitee
agrees to serve or continue to serve as an officer of the Company.
However, this Agreement shall not impose any obligation on
Indemnitee or the Company to continue Indemnitee’s service to
the Company beyond any period otherwise required by law or by other
agreements or commitments of the parties, if any.
3. Agreement to Indemnify . The Company
agrees to indemnify Indemnitee as follows:
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(a) Proceedings Other Than By or In the Right of the
Company . Subject to the exceptions contained in
Section 4(a) below, if Indemnitee was or is a party or is
threatened to be made a party to any Proceeding (other than an
action by or in the right of the Company) by reason of
Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee shall be
indemnified by the Company against all Expenses and Liabilities
incurred or paid by Indemnitee in connection with such Proceeding
(referred to herein as "Indemnifiable Expenses" and "Indemnifiable
Liabilities," respectively, and collectively as "Indemnifiable
Amounts").
(b) Proceedings By or In the Right of the Company .
Subject to the exceptions contained in Section 4(b) below, if
Indemnitee was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to
any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company by reason of
Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, Indemnitee shall be
indemnified by the Company against all Indemnifiable Expenses.
(c) Expenses as a Witness . To the extent that Indemnitee
is, by reason of his or her Corporate Status, a witness in any
Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party and is not threatened
to be made a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified by the Company
against all Expenses incurred or paid by Indemnitee in connection
therewith, which Expenses shall be considered Indemnifiable
Expenses for purposes of this Agreement.
(d) Conclusive Presumption Regarding Standard of Care .
In making any determination required to be made under Delaware law
with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the
person, persons or entity making such determination shall presume
that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement
if Indemnitee submitted a request therefor in accordance with
Section 5 of this Agreement, and the Company shall have the
burden of proof to overcome that presumption in connection with the
making by any person, persons or entity of any determination
contrary to that presumption.
4. Exceptions to Indemnification . Indemnitee shall be
entitled to indemnification under Sections 3(a) and 3(b) above
in all circumstances other than with respect to any specific claim,
issue or matter involved in the Proceeding out of which
Indemnitee’s claim for indemnification has arisen, as
follows:
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(a) Proceedings Other Than By or In the Right of the
Company . If indemnification is requested under
Section 3(a) and it has been finally adjudicated by a court of
competent jurisdiction that, in connection with such specific
claim, issue or matter, Indemnitee failed to act (i) in good
faith and (ii) in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to
be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company, or, with
respect to any criminal Proceeding, Indemnitee had reasonable cause
to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful, Indemnitee
shall not be entitled to payment of Indemnifiable Amounts
hereunder.
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(b) Proceedings By or In the Right of the
Company . If indemnification is requested under
Section 3(b) and
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(i) it has been finally adjudicated by a court of competent
jurisdiction that, in connection with such specific claim, issue or
matter, Indemnitee failed to act (A) in good faith and
(B) in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not
opposed to the best interests of the Company, Indemnitee shall not
be entitled to payment of Indemnifiable Expenses hereunder; or
(ii) it has been finally adjudicated by a court of competent
jurisdiction that Indemnitee is liable to the Company with respect
to such specific claim, Indemnitee shall not be entitled to payment
of Indemnifiable Expenses hereunder with respect to such claim,
issue or matter unless the Court of Chancery or another court in
which such Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application
that, despite the adjudication of liability, but in view of all the
circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably
entitled to indemnification for such Indemnifiable Expenses which
such court shall deem proper; or
(iii) it has been finally adjudicated by a court of competent
jurisdiction that Indemnitee is liable to the Company for an
accounting of profits made from the purchase or sale by the
Indemnitee of securities of the Company pursuant to the provisions
of Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and amendments thereto
or similar provisions of any federal, state or local statutory law,
Indemnitee shall not be entitled to payment of Indemnifiable
Expenses hereunder.
(c) Insurance Proceeds . To the extent payment is
actually made to the Indemnitee under a valid and collectible
insurance policy in respect of Indemnifiable Amounts in connection
with such specific claim, issue or matter, Indemnitee shall not be
entitled to payment of Indemnifiable Amounts hereunder except in
respect of any excess beyond the amount of payment under such
insurance.
5. Procedure for Payment of Indemnifiable Amounts .
Indemnitee shall submit to the Company a written request specifying
the Indemnifiable Amounts for which Indemnitee seeks payment under
Section 3 of this Agreement and the basis for the claim. The
Company shall pay such Indemnifiable Amounts to Indemnitee promptly
upon receipt of its request. At the request of the Company,
Indemnitee shall furnish such documentation and information as are
reasonably available to Indemnitee and necessary to establish that
Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder.
6. Indemnification for Expenses of a Party Who
is Wholly or Partly Successful . Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, and without limiting any such
provision, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of
Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a party to and is successful,
on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding, Indemnitee shall be
indemnified against all Expenses reasonably incurred by Indemnitee
or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith. If
Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is
successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less
than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, the Company
shall indemnify Indemnitee against all Expenses reasonably incurred
by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with
each successfully resolved claim, issue or matter. For purposes of
this Agreement, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in
such a Proceeding by withdrawal or dismissal, with or without
prejudice, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such
claim, issue or matter.
7. Effect of Certa
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