Exhibit 10.27
AMENDED AND RESTATED SENIOR
OFFICER EMPLOYMENT
AND NON-COMPETE
AGREEMENT
THIS AMENDED
AGREEMENT is made as of December 30, 2008 between WISCONSIN ENERGY
CORPORATION (the "Company") and Frederick D. Kuester (the
"Executive").
WHEREAS, the
Executive is currently employed by the Company as President and
Chief Executive Officer of its We Generation operations and as
Chief Operating Officer of its subsidiary Wisconsin Electric Power
Company;
WHEREAS, the
Executive and the Company originally entered into a Senior Officer
Employment and Non-compete Agreement dated as of September 12,
2003;
WHEREAS, the
parties now desire to amend and restate the Agreement solely to
comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, with such changes effective January 1, 2005.
NOW, THEREFORE,
in consideration of their mutual promises, the parties agree as
follows:
- Defined Terms
. All of the
capitalized terms not otherwise defined in this Agreement are
defined in the attached Appendix.
- Employment
. Effective as of
October 13, 2003 (the "Employment Starting Date"), the Company
employed the Executive as President and Chief Executive Officer of
its We Generation operations and as Chief Operating Officer of its
subsidiary Wisconsin Electric Power Company and the Executive
accepted and hereby again accepts such employment and agrees to
serve in such positions and to perform such other executive duties
and serve in such other executive capacities not inconsistent with
such positions as the Board of Directors of the Company or its
Chief Executive Officer may request. The Executive's employment is
not for any fixed term and the Executive acknowledges that he is an
employee at-will. Further:
-
- Base Salary, Signing Bonus and
Bonus Opportunity . Effective as of the Employment
Starting Date, the Executive's annual base salary was initially
established at an annual rate of $500,000. Unless base salaries are
reduced by the Board of Directors of the Company for all senior
executives, the Executive's base salary for 2004 and subsequent
years will not be less than $500,000, and the Executive's base
salary will be subject to annual review on a basis commensurate
with other senior officers of the Company. The Executive received a
signing bonus of $100,000 payable promptly after the Employment
Starting Date, and was paid an additional signing bonus of $100,000
on the Company's last regular payroll disbursement date in January
of 2004. The Executive's target bonus opportunity for 2003 under
the Company's Short-Term Performance Plan (the "STPP") was fixed at
$150,000. The Executive's target bonus opportunity under the STPP
for 2004 and subsequent years was and shall continue to be not less
than 80% of base salary, unless target bonus levels are reduced by
the Board of
Directors of the Company for all senior executives, and the maximum
bonus opportunity was and shall continue to be two times the target
bonus.
-
- Stock Based
Incentives . Effective as of the Employment
Starting Date, the Executive received a grant of non-qualified
options for 200,000 shares of the Company's common stock (the
"Stock") at an exercise price per share equal to the average of the
lowest and highest reported sale prices for the Stock on the
Employment Starting Date. Such options vested at the rate of 25%
per year of service with the Company by the Executive and were on
such other terms and conditions as specified for other senior
officers of the Company in the grants made to such officers in
January of 2003. Additionally, effective as of the Employment
Starting Date, the Executive was granted an award of restricted
Stock, with the number of shares awarded determined by dividing
$750,000 by the average of the lowest and highest reported sale
prices for the Stock on such date and then rounding the number of
shares to the nearest 10. The restricted Stock will vest at the
rate of 10% per year of service with the Company by the Executive,
and with 100% vesting to occur upon the Executive's death or
disability while in the Company's employ. For 2004 and subsequent
years, the Executive has been and will continue to be eligible for
equity and equity-linked awards on a basis commensurate with other
senior officers of the Company.
- Other Benefits and Special
Additional Pension Benefit . The Executive will be entitled
to six weeks of vacation per year, to participate in all retirement
and welfare benefit plans and programs generally available to
employees in accordance with the terms of such plans and programs
and to participate on a basis commensurate with other senior
officers of the Company in any benefit plans and programs available
to such officers, including club memberships and the opportunity to
participate in the Company's Executive Deferred Compensation Plan
(the "EDCP") or such successor plan, as amended from time to time.
Additionally, and provided the Executive's retirement occurs at or
after age 60, the Executive shall be entitled to (i) participate in
the Company's Supplemental Pension Plan ("SPP") or such successor
plan, as amended from time to time, with respect to "SERP Benefit
A," which is designed to make up for any limitations imposed on the
amount of Executive's accrued benefit under the Company's
tax-qualified defined benefit plan (the "Retirement Account Plan")
because of statutory or regulatory limits relating to the Internal
Revenue Code, and (ii) receive a special additional pension
benefit. Such special additional pension benefit will be equal to
the difference between (a) and (b) below, less the monthly lifetime
retirement benefits payable to the Executive from all qualified and
non-qualified defined benefit pension plans of previous employers
of the Executive, calculated as if starting on the same date as the
special additional pension benefit, where (a) and (b) are as
follows:
-
- equals the monthly lifetime
retirement benefit payable from the Company's Retirement Account
Plan, plus any amount payable as "SERP Benefit A" under the SPP,
and
- equals the monthly lifetime
retirement benefit that would have been payable from the Management
Employees' Retirement Plan of the
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Company as in effect on December 31, 1995 (the "1995 Management
Plan") had the defined benefit formula then in effect continued
until the Executive's retirement, calculated without regard to
Internal Revenue Code limits, and as if the Executive had started
participation in the 1995 Management Plan at age 22 and as if any
deferrals elected by the Executive under the EDCP and any bonuses
were all included in the Executive's compensation base for
calculating benefits under the 1995 Management Plan.
Such special additional pension
benefit will be paid at the time and in the form provided under the
terms of the SPP (including, if any, the Executive's last completed
and timely filed payment election under the SPP and the SPP
provision requiring a six-month delay in payment to a "specified
employee" upon a "separation from service," both within the meaning
of Code Section 409A).
- Additional Preretirement
Spouse's Benefit . In the event of the
Executive's death while in the Company's employ, the Company will
pay to the Executive's surviving spouse, if any, a monthly benefit
equal to the difference between (a) and (b) below, but reduced as
provided below to reflect the vested value of all qualified and
nonqualified defined benefit pension plans of previous employers of
the Executive, where (a) and (b) are as follows:
-
- equals the monthly spouse's
benefit that is payable from the Retirement Account Plan of the
Company, plus any monthly amount payable under "SERP Benefit A"
under the SPP, and
- equals the monthly spouse's
benefit that would have been payable from the 1995 Management Plan
had the defined benefit formula in effect on December 31, 1995
continued until the Executive's death, calculated on all the same
assumptions as set forth in Section 3(b) above.
The spouse's benefit will be
paid in a monthly annuity for her life and will begin as soon as
administratively practicable following the Executive's death, but
no later than December 31 of the calendar year in which the
Executive dies or, if later, the 15 th day of the third
month following the Executive's death. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, on or before December 31, 2008, the Executive
may elect to have such benefit paid to the spouse in a lump
sum.
The reduction attributable to
plans of previous employers as referenced above in the event the
additional preretirement spouse's benefit becomes payable is to be
applied by reducing the monthly surviving spouse benefit
calculation as above set forth by one-half of the dollar amount of
offset attributable to the plans of previous employers that would
have resulted under the third sentence of Section 3 above if
Section 3 were applicable.
For the life of the
spouse, the spouse shall be entitled to coverage under the
Company's retiree medical and dental program upon the same terms as
generally available to surviving spouses of retirees of the
Company. To the
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extent that the medical and dental benefits for the spouse
described in the preceding sentence cannot be provided pursuant to
the retiree medical and dental program maintained by the Company or
its affiliates, the Company shall provide such benefits outside the
program at no cost (including, without limitation, tax cost) to the
spouse.
- Covered Termination Not
Associated with a Change in Control. In the event of a Covered
Termination Not Associated with a Change in Control, then the
Company shall provide the Executive with the following compensation
and benefits:
-
- General Compensation and
Benefits . The Company shall pay the
Executive's full salary to the Executive from the time notice of
termination is given through the date of Termination of Employment
at the rate in effect at the time such notice is given or, if
higher, at an annual rate not less than twelve times the
Executive's highest monthly base salary for the twelve-month period
immediately preceding the month in which the Effective Date occurs,
together with all compensation and benefits payable to the
Executive through the date of Termination of Employment under the
terms of any compensation or benefit plan, program or arrangement
maintained by the Company during such period. Such payments shall
be made in a lump sum not later than ten business days after such
termination. The Company shall also pay the Executive's normal
post-termination compensation and benefits to the Executive as such
payments become due, except that any normal cash severance benefits
shall be superseded and replaced entirely by the benefits provided
under this Agreement. Such post-termination compensation and
benefits shall be determined under, and paid in accordance with,
the Company's retirement, insurance and other compensation or
benefit plans, programs and arrangements most favorable to the
Executive in effect at any time during the 180-day period
immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to
the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the
Effective Date to executives of the Company of comparable status
and position to the Executive.
- Incentive
Compensation . Notwithstanding any provision
of any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company,
the Company shall pay to the Executive, within ten business days
after the Executive's Termination of Employment, a lump sum amount,
in cash, equal to the sum of (i) any bonus or incentive
compensation which has been allocated or awarded to the Executive
for a fiscal year or other measuring period under the plan that
ends prior to the date of Termination of Employment, but which has
not yet been paid, and (ii) a pro rata portion of the Highest
Bonus Amount for all uncompleted periods under any bonus or
incentive compensation plan.
- Special Compensation
. The Company shall
pay to the Executive a lump sum equal to two times the sum of (a)
the highest per annum base rate of salary in effect with respect to
the Executive during the
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three-year period immediately prior to the Termination of
Employment plus (b) the Highest Bonus Amount. Such lump sum shall
be paid by the Company to the Executive within ten business days
after the Executive's Termination of Employment, unless the
provisions of Section 5(f) below apply. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, in the event of the Executive's voluntary Termination of
Employment without Good Reason, as described in Section (c)(iv) of
the Appendix to this Agreement, payment shall occur on the first
day of the seventh month following the Executive's Termination of
Employment, unless the provisions of Section 5(f) below apply. The
amount of the aggregate lump sum provided by this Section 5(c)
shall not be counted as compensation for purposes of any other
benefit plan or program applicable to the Executive.
-
- Special Retirement Plans Lump
Sum . The
Company shall pay to the Executive an aggregate lump sum equal to
the total of the amounts described in (a) and (b) herein. Amount
(a) is a lump sum equal to the difference between (i) the actuarial
equivalent of the benefit under the Retirement Account Plan, the
SPP "SERP Benefit A" and the special additional pension benefit
provided under Section 3 above, which the Executive would receive
if his employment continued for a two-year period following
Termination of Employment, assuming that the Executive's
compensation during such two-year period would have been equal to
the Executive's salary as in effect immediately before the
termination or, if higher, as in effect at any time during the
180-day period immediately preceding the termination date, and the
Highest Bonus Amount with all non-qualified pension benefits
determined on a fully vested basis and waiving the requirement that
Executive have attained age 60, and (ii) the actuarial equivalent
of the Executive's actual benefit (paid or payable) under the
Retirement Account Plan, the SPP "SERP Benefit A" and the special
additional pension benefit under Section 3 above. Actuarial
equivalency for this purpose shall be determined using an interest
rate equal to a 36 consecutive month (or shorter period, as
explained in the next sentence) average, using the rates as of the
last business day of each month starting with January 31, 2002 (the
"Month End Rate") of the five year United States Treasury Note
yields (the "36 Month Average Rate") in effect ending with the
Month End Rate immediately prior to the Effective Date, as such
yield is reported in the Wall Street Journal or comparable
publication, and the mortality table used for purposes of
determining lump sum amounts then in use under the Retirement
Account Plan. Prior to January 31, 2005, the 36 Month Average Rate
shall mean only the average of the Month End Rates which have
occurred since January 31, 2002, even though less than 36. Amount
(b) is a lump sum equal to the total of (i) the additional
contributions which would have been made to the Executive's account
under the Company's tax-qualified 401(k) plan, plus (ii) the
additional contributions which would have been credited to the
bookkeeping account balance of the Executive attributable to the
401(k) match feature of the EDCP, had
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the Executive continued in employment for a two-year period
following Termination of Employment and assuming that the
Executive's compensation would have been the same as set forth
above and that the Executive had made maximum utilization of the
pre-tax and after-tax opportunity in the qualified 401(k) plan and
obtained the maximum matching contributions in such plan. The
amount of the aggregate lump sum under this Section 5(d) shall be
paid by the Company to the Executive within ten business days after
the Executive's Termination of Employment, unless the provisions of
Section 5(f) below apply. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the
event of the Executive's voluntary Termination of Employment
without Good Reason, as described in Section (c)(iv) of the
Appendix to this Agreement, payment shall occur on the first day of
the seventh month following the Executive's Termination of
Employment, unless the provisions of Section 5(f) below apply. The
amount of the lump sum provided by this Section 5(d) shall not be
treated as compensation for purposes of any other benefit plan or
program applicable to the Executive.
-
- Special Additional Monthly
Pension Benefit . The Company shall pay to the
Executive an additional monthly pension benefit equal to the
difference between (i) the pension benefits the Executive would
have received under all qualified and non-qualified defined benefit
pension plans of his former employer immediately prior to his
employment with the Company had he remained with such former
employer until age 60, calculated as if his pay with such employer
had continued at its 2003 level, increased by 3% annually
thereafter, and (ii) the sum of the pension benefits actually
payable to the Executive under the Retirement Account Plan and
under Section 3 above, which will become vested upon the
Executive's termination under this Section 5 without regard to the
Executive's age, plus the actuarial equivalent (calculated as
provided in subsection (d) above) of the special retirement plans
lump sum benefit provided in subsection (d) above, provided that
the benefit calculated under (i) above is greater than the benefit
calculated under (ii) above. Such additional monthly pension
benefit shall be calculated as of the first day of the month
following the Executive's Termination of Employment and be payable
in the form of a monthly annuity for the Executive's life. Payment
of the annuity shall commence on the first day of the seventh month
following the Executive's Termination of Employment. The first
payment shall also include a lump sum payment equal to the
aggregate of the monthly payments otherwise scheduled to be made
pending such six-month delay. No interest shall be payable on any
amounts delayed due to the Participant's status as a specified
employee for purposes of implementing the foregoing six-month
delay.
- Election Pursuant to Section
409A Transition Relief . Notwithstanding any other
provision of this Agreement, on or before
December 31, 2008, the Executive may elect to have all or
part of the
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special compensation provided by Section 5(c) and the special
retirement plans lump sum otherwise provided for in Section 5(d)
paid pursuant to his election filed under the EDCP that relates to
amounts deferred in 2009. The amounts to which the election applies
shall be credited with earnings in the manner as elected by the
Executive under the terms of the EDCP. EDCP provisions shall apply
to such amounts except that (i) any provisions for a mandatory lump
sum payment upon separation from service following a "Change in
Control" as defined in the EDCP shall not apply to deferrals made
hereunder and (ii) the entire amount subject to the election made
under this Section 5(f) shall be paid in a lump sum by the Company
immediately prior to the occurrence of a Change in Control to such
grantor or "rabbi" trust as the Company shall have established as a
vehicle to hold such amount pending payment, but with such trust
designed so that the Executive's rights to payment of such benefits
are no greater than those of an unsecured creditor.
-
- Welfare Benefits
. Subject to
Section 5(h) below, for a two-year period following Termination of
Employment, the Company shall provide the Executive (and his
family) with health, life and other welfare benefits (but excluding
disability benefits) substantially similar to the benefits received
by the Executive (and his family) pursuant to welfare benefit
programs of the Company or its affiliates as in effect immediately
during the 180 days preceding the Effective Date (or, if more
favorable to the Executive, as in effect at any time thereafter
until the Termination of Employment); provided, however, that no
compensation or benefits provided hereunder shall be treated as
compensation for purposes of any of the programs or shall result in
the crediting of additional service thereunder. For purposes of
determining the amount of such welfare benefits, any part of which
shall be based on compensation, the Executive's compensation during
the relevant two-year period shall be deemed to be equal to the
Executive's salary as in effect immediately before the Termination
of Employment or, if higher, as in effect at any time during the
180-day period immediately preceding the termination date, and the
Highest Bonus Amount. To the extent that any of the welfare
benefits covered by this Section 5(g) cannot be provided pursuant
to the plan or program maintained by the Company or its affiliates,
the Company shall provide such benefits outside the plan or program
at no additional cost (including, without limitation, tax cost) to
the Executive and his family. The Executive shall be entitled to be
covered by a retiree medical and dental program at the end of the
relevant two-year period, at a cost to the Executive not to exceed
the lesser of the cost, if any, charged to other retirees or the
COBRA continuation premium charged to terminees who elect to
continue in the Company's health plan at their expense under
applicable law. The Company shall become obligated to continue such
benefits for the remainder of the Executive's life and that of his
surviving spouse, notwithstanding any
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contrary provision or power of amendment or termination reserved to
the Company in any otherwise applicable document.
To the extent that the period
during which the continued provision of medical and dental benefits
falls within the applicable COBRA continuation period, such
continued provision of medical and dental benefits is exempt from
Code Section 409A under Treasury Regulation Section
1.409A-1(b)(9)(v)(B). To the extent that the period during which
the continued provision of medical and dental benefits extends
beyond the applicable COBRA continuation period, the following
shall apply: (i) the premiums for continued medical and dental
coverage shall be paid on a monthly basis; (ii) any amounts paid to
or on behalf of the Executive as reimbursement for medical and/or
dental expenses shall be paid on or before the last day of the year
following the year in which such expense was incurred; (iii) any
amounts paid to or on behalf of the Executive as reimbursement for
medical and/or dental expenses during one year will not affect the
Executive's eligibility for amounts paid to or on behalf of the
Executive as reimbursement for medical and/or dental expenses
during any other year; and (iv) the right to continued coverage
beyond the applicabl
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