Exhibit 10.2
NON-COMPETE/SERVICES AGREEMENT
THIS NON-COMPETE/SERVICES AGREEMENT
(the “Agreement”), dated March 21, 2008, effective
as of January 1, 2008, is between ASHFORD HOSPITALITY TRUST,
INC., a corporation organized under the laws of the State of
Maryland and having its principal place of business at Dallas,
Texas (hereinafter, the “REIT”), ASHFORD HOSPITALITY
LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, a limited partnership organized under the laws
of the State of Delaware and having its principal place of business
at Dallas, Texas (the Operating Partnership”), and ARCHIE
BENNETT, JR., an individual residing in Dallas, Texas (the
“Director”).
RECITALS:
A. The REIT and the Operating
Partnership (collectively, the “Company”) desire that
the Director serve in the capacities and on the terms and
conditions set out below; and
B. The Director and the Company
have previously entered into a Non-Compete/Services Agreement dated
as of August 29, 2003 (the “Previous Agreement”);
and
C. The Director and the Company
desire to amend and restate the Previous Agreement in order to make
changes to comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), as well as
certain other changes.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Company and the
Director, in consideration of the respective covenants set out
below, hereby agree as follows:
1. DIRECTORSHIP.
(a) SERVICE. During the Term
(defined below), the Director shall serve as Chairman of the Board
of Directors of the REIT (the “Board”). At the
Company’s request, the Director shall serve the
Company’s subsidiaries and affiliates in other offices and
capacities in addition to the foregoing. If the Director, during
the Term, serves in any one or more of such additional capacities,
the Director’s fee shall not be increased beyond that
provided in Sections 3 or 4 below. Further, if the
Director’s service in one or more of such additional
capacities is terminated, the Director’s compensation
provided herein shall not be reduced for so long as the Director
otherwise remains on the Board of Directors of the Company and
subject to the terms of this Agreement.
(b) RESPONSIBILITIES. The
Director’s principal duties and responsibilities shall be
those duties and responsibilities customary for the Chairman of the
Board of Directors and consistent with the duties and
responsibilities performed by the Chairman for the Company prior to
the Effective Date. The Director will be responsible for and have
authority over customary duties and responsibilities of a Chairman
of the Board and such other duties reasonably directed by the
Board. The Director shall serve in the best interest of the Company
and its Shareholders.
(c) EXTENT OF SERVICES. Except
for (i) the time reasonably required to perform the
Director’s duties and responsibilities as Chairman of the
Board and an officer of Remington Hotel Corporation
(“RHC”), Remington Management LP (“Remington
Management”), Remington Lodging &
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Hospitality, L.P. (“Remington Lodging”) and their
affiliates (so long as such duties do not materially interfere with
the performance of the Director’s duties hereunder), and
(ii) illnesses, the Director shall, consistent with the
Chairman’s prior practices, devote his working time and
attention and his best efforts to the performance of his duties and
responsibilities under this Agreement. However, the Director may
(so long as the following do not materially interfere with the
performance of the Director’s duties hereunder) (i) make
any passive investments where he is not obligated or required to,
and shall not in fact, devote material managerial efforts (provided
that the Director may make and continue investments in accordance
with the terms of that certain Mutual Exclusivity Agreement, herein
so called, among RHC, Remington Lodging and their affiliates
(herein collectively called the “Remington
Affiliates”), and the Company and its affiliates dated August
29, 2003, (ii) participate in charitable, academic or
community activities or in trade or professional organizations,
(iii) hold directorships in charitable or non-profit
organizations, (iv) subject to Board approval (which approval
shall not be unreasonably withheld or withdrawn), hold
directorships in other companies, except only that the Board shall
have the right to limit such services as a director or such
participation whenever the Board shall reasonably believe that the
time spent on such activities infringes in any material respect
upon the time required by the Director for the performance of his
duties under this Agreement or is otherwise incompatible with those
duties, or (v) hold directorships in private companies owned
by the Director (or Montgomery J. Bennett) consistent with the
Mutual Exclusivity Agreement. Further it is agreed that to the
extent any such activities have been conducted by the Director
prior to August 29, 2003, the continued reasonable conduct of
such activities (or reasonable activities similar in nature and
scope thereto) subsequent to the Effective Date shall not, subject
to the conditions and limitations of the Mutual Exclusivity
Agreement, thereafter be deemed to interfere with the performance
of the Director’s responsibilities to the Board and to the
Company and its Shareholders; provided, that no such activity that
violates the non-competition provisions herein shall be
permitted.
2. TERM. This Agreement shall be
effective as of January 1, 2008 (the “Effective
Date”) and shall continue for a Term ending on the earlier of
the end of the Director’s then current term if he is not
re-nominated and elected to serve as a director and
December 31, 2008 (the “Initial Termination Date”)
unless it is sooner terminated pursuant to Section 6;
provided, however, that if the Director continues to be
re-nominated and elected, this Agreement shall be automatically
extended for one additional year on the Initial Termination Date
and on each subsequent anniversary of the Initial Termination Date,
unless the Company or the Director elect not to extend the Term of
this Agreement by notifying the other party in writing of such
election not less than one hundred twenty (120) days prior to
the expiration of the then current Term. For purposes of this
Agreement, “Term” shall mean the actual duration of the
Director’s service hereunder, taking into account any
extension pursuant to this Section 2 or early termination of
service pursuant to Section 6 or this Section 2.
3. FEE. The Company shall pay
the Director a fee which shall be payable once a month
(“Director’s Fee”). Commencing as of the
Effective Date, the Director’s Fee shall be THREE HUNDRED
THOUSAND DOLLARS ($300,000.00) per year, provided that, at the
election of the Board, the Company may pay $25,000.00 of the annual
Director’s Fee in shares of common stock of the REIT. The
Board or a Compensation Committee duly appointed by the Board (the
“Compensation Committee”) shall thereafter review the
Director’s Fee annually to determine within its sole
discretion whether and to what extent the Director’s Fee may
be increased (for the purposes of this Agreement, the term
“Director’s Fee” shall mean the amount
established and adjusted from time to time pursuant to this
Section 3).
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4. INCENTIVE, SAVINGS AND
RETIREMENT PLANS. During the Term, to the extent permitted by law,
the Director shall be entitled to participate in all other short-
and long-term incentive plans, stock and option plans, long term
incentive partnership (“LTIP”) plans, practices,
policies and other programs, and all savings and retirement plans,
practices, polices and programs, in each case that may be allowed
from time to time by the Company’s Compensation Committee;
provided, however, that the Director may not participate in any
qualified employee pension benefit plan.
5. EXPENSE
REIMBURSEMENTS/D&O INSURANCE.
(a) EXPENSES. The Director will
be entitled to reimbursement of all reasonable expenses, including,
without limitation, business class airfare and other travel
expenses for board meetings, committee meetings and corporate
business, telephone and facsimile expenses, and expenses for
part-time secretarial support incurred by the Director in
connection with the business of the Board and the Company, promptly
upon the presentation by the Director of appropriate documentation.
The Company shall maintain an office at the Company’s
headquarters for the Director and shall provide administrative
support to the Director at such office.
(b) D&O INSURANCE COVERAGE.
During and for a period three (3) years after the Term, the
Director shall be entitled to director and officer insurance
coverage for his acts and omissions while a director of the Company
on a basis no less favorable to him than the coverage provided
current officers or directors.
6. TERMINATION. The services of
the Director and this Agreement (except as otherwise provided
herein) shall terminate upon the occurrence of any of the
following:
(a) DEATH OR DISABILITY.
Immediately upon death or Disability of the Director. As used in
this Agreement, “Disability” shall mean an inability to
perform the essential functions of his duties, with or without
reasonable accommodation, for a period of 90 consecutive days or a
total of 180 days, during any 365-day period, in either case as a
result of incapacity due to mental or physical illness which is
determined to be total and permanent. A determination of Disability
shall be made by a physician satisfactory to both the Director and
the Company, provided that if the Director (or his guardian) and
the Company do not agree on a physician, the Director (or his
guardian) and the Company shall each select a physician and these
two together shall select a third physician, whose determination as
to Disability shall be binding on all parties. The appointment of
one or more individuals to carry out the service of the Director
during a period of the Director’s inability to perform such
service and pending a determination of Disability shall not be
considered a breach of this Agreement by the Company.
(b) FOR CAUSE. At the election
of the Company, for Cause, immediately upon written notice by the
Company to the Director unless the Director fully corrects the
circumstances constituting Cause within the cure periods provided
below, if applicable. For purposes of this Agreement,
“Cause” for termination shall be deemed to exist solely
in the event of the following:
(i) The
conviction of the Director of, or the entry of a plea of guilty or
nolo contendere by the Director to, a felony (exclusive of a
conviction, plea of guilty or nolo contendere arising solely under
a statutory provision imposing criminal liability upon the Director
on a PER SE basis due to the services provided under this Agreement
by the Director, so long as any act or omission of the Director
with
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respect
to such matter was not taken or omitted in contravention of any
applicable policy or directive of the Board);
(ii) willful
breach of duty of loyalty which is materially detrimental to the
Company which is not cured to the reasonable satisfaction of the
Board within fifteen (15) days following written warning to
the Director from the Board describing the alleged
circumstances;
(iii) willful
failure to perform or adhere to explicitly stated directives of the
Board which continues for fifteen (15) days after written
warning to the Director that it will be deemed a basis for a
“For Cause” termination;
(iv) gross
negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of the
Director’s duties (which is not cured by the Director within
thirty (30) days after written warning from the Board);
(v) the
Director’s willful commission of an act of dishonesty
resulting in economic or financial injury to the Company or willful
commission of fraud; or
(vi) the
Director’s chronic absence from Board or committee meetings
for reasons other than illness.
For purposes of this Section, no act,
or failure to act, on the Director’s part will be deemed
“willful” unless done, or omitted to be done, by the
Director not in good faith and without a reasonable belief that the
Director’s act, or failure to act, was in the best interest
of the Company. Any act, or failure to act, based upon authority
given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board or based
upon the advise of counsel for the Company shall be conclusively
presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Director in good
faith and in the best interests of the Company. The cessation of
the services to be provided by the Director shall not be deemed to
be for Cause until there shall have been delivered to the Director
a copy of a resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not
less than 2/3rds of the entire membership of the Board at a meeting
of the Board called and held for such purpose (after reasonable
notice is provided to the Director and the Director is given an
opportunity, together with counsel for the Director, to be heard
before the Board), finding that, in the good faith opinion of the
Board, the Director is guilty of any of the conduct described in
this Section 6(b), and specified in the particulars thereof in
detail; provided that neither the Director nor any family member of
the Director shall vote on such resolution nor shall they be
counted in determining the “Entire Membership” of the
Board.
(c) WITHOUT CAUSE OR GOOD
REASON. At the election of the Company, without Cause, and at the
election of the Director, without Good Reason, in either case upon
sixty (60) days’ prior written notice to the Director or
to the Company, as the case may be. Provided, however, that if the
Director gives notice, without Good Reason, the Company may waive
all or a portion of the sixty (60) days’ written notice
and accelerate the effective Date of Termination.
(d) FOR GOOD REASON. At the
election of the Director, for Good Reason, which is not cured by
the Company within thirty (30) days after written notice from
the Director to the Company setting forth a description of the
circumstances constituting Good Reason. For purposes of this
Agreement, “Good Reason” shall mean any of the
following actions, omissions or events occurring without the
Director’s prior written consent:
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(i) The
assignment to the Director of any duties, responsibilities, or
reporting requirements inconsistent with his service as Chairman of
the Board of Directors of the Company, or any material
diminishment, on a cumulative basis, of the Director’s
overall duties, responsibilities, or status;
(ii) a
reduction by the Company in the annual Director’s Fee;
(iii) any
material breach by the Company of any provision of this Agreement;
or
(iv) Montgomery
J. Bennett is removed without Cause in his capacity as President,
Chief Executive Officer and/or director on the Board, as the term
“Cause” is defined in that certain Employment Agreement
(the “MJB Employment Agreement”) dated on or about the
Effective Date (as amended or renewed and restated), the Company
fails to renew the MJB Employment Agreement, or Montgomery J.
Bennett leaves for “Good Reason” as defined in the MJB
Employment Agreement.
(e) NOTICE OF TERMINATION. Any
termination by the Company for Cause, or by the Director for Good
Reason, shall be communicated by Notice of Termination to the other
parties hereto given in accordance with Section 16(a) of this
Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Notice of
Termination” means a written notice which (i) indicates
the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon,
(ii) to the extent applicable, sets forth in reasonable detail
the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for
termination of the Director’s services under the provision so
indicated, and (iii) if the Date of Termination (as defined
below) is other than the date of receipt of such notice, specifies
the termination date (provided that the date specified shall not be
more than thirty (30) days after the giving of the notice).
The failure by the Director or the Company to set forth in the
Notice of Termination any fact or circumstance which contributes to
a showing of Good Reason or Cause shall not waive any right of the
Director or the Company, respectively, hereunder or preclude the
Director or the Company, respectively, from asserting such fact or
circumstance in enforcing the Director’s or the
Company’s rights hereunder.
(f) DATE OF TERMINATION.
“Date of Termination” means (i) if the
Director’s services are terminated by the Company for Cause,
or by the Director for Good Reason, the date of receipt of the
Notice of Termination or any later date specified in the notice
(provided that the date specified shall not be more than thirty
(30) days after the giving of the notice), as the case may be,
(ii) if the Director’s services are terminated by the Company
other than for Cause or Disability, the Date of Termination shall
be the date on which the Company notifies the Director of such
termination or such later date specified in such notice,
(iii) if the Director’s services are terminated by the
Director without Good Reason, the Date of Termination shall be the
date on which the Director notifies the Company of such termination
or such later date specified in such notice, unless otherwise
agreed by the Company and the Director, and (iv) if the
Director’s services are terminated by reason of death or
Disability or non-renewal of this Agreement, the Date of
Termination shall be the date of death or Disability of the
Director or the Agreement’s non-renewal date, as the case may
be.
7. EFFECTS OF TERMINATION.
(a) TERMINATION FOR DEATH OR
DISABILITY FOR DEATH/DISABILITY; BY THE COMPANY WITHOUT CAUSE; OR
NON-RENEWAL BY THE COMPANY. If the services of the Director should
terminate by reason of (i) death of the Director or
Disability, (ii) termination by the Company for any reason
(other than Cause) or the failure of the Company to re-nominate and
elect the
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Director
to serve as Chairman of the Board, or (iii) the
Company’s failure to renew this Agreement, then all
compensation and benefits for the Director shall be as
follows:
(i) The
Director shall be paid, in a single lump sum payment within thirty
(30) days after the Date of Termination, the aggregate amount
of (A) the Director’s earned but unpaid Director’s
Fee through the Date of Termination, and reimbursement of all
expenses through the Date of Termination as required pursuant to
Section 5(a) hereof (the “Accrued Obligations”), and
(B) one (the “Severance Multiple”) Times the
annual Director’s Fee in effect on the Date of Termination
(the “Severance Payment”).
(ii) Any
annual performance shares, restricted shares, LTIP units or options
awarded under Section 4 hereof shall immediately vest. Without
limiting the foregoing, it is agreed that if the Director’s
services are terminated pursuant to this Section 7(a), all
outstanding stock options, restricted stock, LTIP units and other
equity awards granted to the Director under any of the
Company’s equity incentive plans (or awards substituted
therefore covering the securities of a successor company) shall
become immediately vested and exercisable in full.
(b) TERMINATION BY THE DIRECTOR
WITH GOOD REASON. In the event that the Director’s services
are terminated by the Director with Good Reason, the Company will
pay the Director the same Accrued Obligations and accelerated
vesting, all as provided in Sections 7(a)(i) and
(ii) above at the times as provided in such sections. In
addition, the Director shall be entitled to a Severance Payment
determined and paid in accordance with Section 7(a)(i) above;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, the Severance Multiple shall be two (2). Without
limiting the foregoing, it is agreed that if the Director’s
services are
terminated pursuant to this Section 7(b), all outstanding
stock options, restricted stock, LTIP units and other equity awards
granted to the Director under any of the Company’s equity
incentive plans (or awards substituted therefore covering the
securities of a successor company) shall become immediately vested
and exercisable in full.
(c) TERMINATION BY DIRECTOR
WITHOUT GOOD REASON. If the Director’s services are
terminated by the Director without Good Reason including a
resignation by the Director without Good Reason and including an
election not to renew this Agreement by the Director, the Company
will pay the Director the Accrued Obligations as provided in
Section 7(a)(i) above but the Director shall not be entitled
to the Severance Payment and accelerated vesting set forth in
Sections 7(a)(i) and (ii) hereof. In addition, in
consideration for the Director’s agreement for honoring the
non-compete and non-solicitation covenants in Section 10
hereof for a period of one (1) year following the Date of
Termination resulting from this Section 7(c), the Company
shall pay the Director a non-compete payment (the
“Non-Compete Payment”) equal to the Severance Payment
determined with a Severance Multiple equal to one (1). The
Non-Compete Payment shall be paid monthly over the one-year
non-compete period in equal monthly installments of one-twelfth
(1/12th) of the Non-Compete Payment, provided, however, that the
timing of such Non-Compete payments are subject to Section 7(g)
hereof.
(d) TERMINATION BY THE COMPANY
FOR CAUSE. If the Director’s service is terminated by the
Company for Cause, the Company will pay the Director the Accrued
Obligations as provided in Section 7(a)(i) above but the Director
shall not be entitled to the Severance Payment and accelerated
vesting set forth in Sections 7(a)(i) and
(ii) hereof.
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(e) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.
Immediately upon the Date of Termination or upon the expiration of
this Agreement, notwithstanding anything else to the contrary
contained herein or otherwise, the Director will resign (and shall
be deemed to have resigned) his directorship and stop serving as
Chairman of the Board, and shall be without any of the authority or
responsibility for such position.
(f) RELEASE OF CLAIMS. As
conditions of Director’s entitlement to the Severance
Payment, Non-Compete Payment and benefits provided by this
Agreement, the Director shall be required to execute and honor the
terms of a waiver and release of claims against the Company
substantially in the form attached hereto as Exhibit
“A” (as may be modified consistent with the purposes of
such waiver and release to reflect changes in law following the
date hereof) (the “Release”) within the applicable time
period provided in the Release (the “Applicable Release
Period”) and shall forfeit all payments hereunder if it is
not so timely executed; provided, however, that in any case where
the first and last days of the Applicable Release Period are in two
separate taxable years, any payments required to be made to the
Director that are treated as deferred compensation for purposes of
Code Section 409A shall be made in the later taxable year,
promptly following the conclusion of the Applicable Release
Period.
(g) CODE SECTION 409A AND
TERMINATION PAYMENTS. All payments provided under
Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall be subject to this
Section 7(g). Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary,
to the extent that the Board reasonably determines, in its sole
discretion, that any payment or benefit to be provided under this
Agreement to or for the benefit of the Director would be subject to
the additional tax imposed under Section 409A(a)(1)(B) of the
Code or a successor or comparable provision, the commencement of
such payments and/or benefits shall be delayed until the earlier of
(i) the date that is six months following the Date of
Termination or (ii) the date of the Director’s death
(such date is referred to herein as the “ Distribution Date
“), provided, if at such time the Director is a
“specified employee” of the Company (as defined in
Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(i)) and if amounts
payable under this Agreement are on account of an
“involuntary separation from service” (as defined in
Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(m)), the Director
shall receive payments during the six-month period immediately
following the Date of Termination equal to the lesser of
(x) the amount payable under this Agreement, as the case may
be, or (y) two times the compensation limit in effect under
Code Section 401(a)(17) for the calendar year in which the
Termination Date occurs (with any amounts that otherwise would have
been payable under this Agreement during such six-month period
being paid on the first regular payroll date following the
six-month anniversary of the Date of Termination).
Finally, for the purposes of this Agreement, amounts payable under
this Agreement shall be deemed not to be a “deferral of
compensation” subject to Section 409A to the extent
provided in the exceptions in Treasury Regulation Sections
1.409A-1(b)(4) (“short-term deferrals”) and (b)(9)
(“separation pay plans,” including the exception under
subparagraph (iii)) and other applicable provisions of Treasury
Regulation Section 1.409A-1 through A-6.
8. CHANGE OF CONTROL.
(a) CHANGE OF CONTROL. For
purposes of this Agreement, a “Change of Control” will
be deemed to have taken place upon the occurrence of any of the
following events:
(i) any
“person” (as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange
Act”), and as modified in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the
Exchange Act) other than (A) the Company or any of its
subsidiaries, (B) any employee benefit plan of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries, (C) any Remington Affiliate,
(D) a company owned, directly or indirectly, by
stockholders
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of the
Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of
the Company, or (E) an underwriter temporarily holding
securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, becomes the
“beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of
the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the
Company representing 30% or more of the shares of voting stock of
the Company then outstanding;
(ii) the
consummation of any merger, organization, business combination or
consolidation of the Company or one of its subsidiaries with or
into any other company, other than a merger, reorganization,
business combination or consolidation which would result in the
holders of the voting securities of the Company outstanding
immediately prior thereto holding securities which represent
immediately after such merger, reorganization, business combination
or consolidation more than 50% of the combined voting power of the
voting securities of the Company or the surviving company or the
parent of such surviving company;
(iii) the
consummation of the sale or disposition by the Company of all or
substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than a sale
or disposition if the holders of the voting securities of the
Company outstanding immediately prior thereto hold securities
immediately thereafter which represent more than 50% of the
combined voting power of the voting securities of the acquiror, or
parent of the acquiror, of such assets; or the stockholders of the
Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of
the Company; or
(iv) individuals
who, as of the Effective Date, constitute the Board (the
“Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute
at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any
individual becoming a director subsequent to the Effective Date
whose election to the Board was approved by a vote of at least a
majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall
be considered as though such individual were a member of the
Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such
individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of
an election contest with respect to the election or removal of
directors or other solicitation of proxies or consents by or on
behalf of a person other than the Board.
(b) CERTAIN BENEFITS UPON A
CHANGE OF CONTROL. If a Change in Control occurs during the Term
and the Director’s se
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