EXHIBIT 10.6
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT between ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and
(the "Indemnitee").
WHEREAS, it is essential to the Company to retain and attract as directors,
officers and representatives the most capable persons available; and
WHEREAS, Indemnitee is a director, officer or representative of the Company; and
WHEREAS, both the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increased risk of
litigation and other claims being asserted against directors, officers and
representatives of public companies in today's environment; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of the Indemnitee's need for substantial protection
against personal liability in order to enhance Indemnitee's continued service to
the Company in an effective manner, the Company wishes to provide in this
Agreement for the indemnification of and the advancing of expenses to Indemnitee
to the full extent (whether partial or complete) permitted by law and as set
forth in this Agreement, and, to the extent insurance is maintained, for the
continued coverage of Indemnitee under the Company's directors' and officers'
liability insurance policies;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of Indemnitee continuing to
serve the Company directly or, at its request, with another enterprise, and
intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Certain Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the
following terms shall have the following meanings:
(a) Change in Control shall be deemed to have
occurred if (i) any "person" (as such term is used in Sections
13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended), other than a trustee or other fiduciary holding
securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or a
corporation owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders
of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their
ownership of stock of the Company, is or becomes the
"beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Act),
directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company
representing 20% or more of the total voting power represented
by the Company's then outstanding Voting Securities without
the prior approval of the Board of Directors, or (ii) during
any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the
beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors of
the Company and any new director whose election by the Board
of Directors or nomination for election by the Company's
stockholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds
(2/3) of the directors then still in office who either were
directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or
nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for
any reason to constitute a majority thereof, or (iii) the
stockholders of the Company approve a merger or consolidation
of the Company with any other corporation, other than a merger
or consolidation which
would result in the Voting Securities of the Company
outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent
(either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into
Voting Securities of the surviving entity) at least 80% of the
total voting power represented by the Voting Securities of the
Company or such surviving entity outstanding immediately after
such merger or consolidation, or the stockholders of the
Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company
or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of
all or substantially all the Company's assets.
(b) Claim shall mean any threatened, pending or
completed action, suit or proceeding, or any inquiry or
investigation, whether conducted by the Company or any other
party, that Indemnitee in good faith believes might lead to
the institution of any such action, suit or proceeding,
whether civil, criminal, administrative, investigative or
other.
(c) Expenses shall mean include all costs, expenses
(including attorneys' fees) and obligations paid or incurred
in connection with investigating, defending, being a witness
in or participating in (including on appeal) or preparing to
defend, be a witness in or participate in any Claim relating
to any Indemnifiable Event (including all interest,
assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection
with or in respect of any of the foregoing).
(d) Judgments shall mean judgments, fines, penalties
and amounts paid in settlement that are paid or payable in
connection with any Claim relating to any Indemnifiable Event
(including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or
payable in connection with or in respect of any of the
foregoing).
(e) Indemnifiable Event shall mean any event or
occurrence related to the fact that Indemnitee is or was a
director, director nominee, officer or representative of the
Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as
a director, trustee, officer, employee, agent or
representative of another corporation, domestic or foreign,
nonprofit or for profit, partnership, joint venture, employee
benefit plan, trust or other enterprise, or by reason of
anything done or not done by Indemnitee in any such capacity.
(f) Reviewing Party shall mean any appropriate person
or body consisting of a member or members of the Company's
Board of Directors or any other person or body appointed by
the Board (including the special, independent counsel referred
to in Section 3) who is not a party to the particular Claim
for which Indemnitee is seeking indemnification.
(g) Voting Securities shall mean any securities of
the Company that vote generally in the election of directors.
2. Scope of Indemnification.
(a) Indemnification for Judgments and Expenses. In
the event Indemnitee was, is or becomes a party to or witness
or other participant in, or is threatened to be made a party
to or witness or other participant in, a Claim by reason of
(or arising in part out of) an
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Indemnifiable Event, the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the
fullest extent permitted by law against any and all Expenses and
Judgments arising from or relating to such Claim. Except as otherwise
provided in Section 2(b), such indemnification shall be made as soon as
practicable, but in any event not later than thirty (30) days, after
written demand therefor is presented to the Company by or on behalf of
the Indemnitee.
(b) Indemnification and Advance Payment of Expenses. Any and all
Expenses and any and all expenses referred to in Section 2(c) shall be
paid by the Company promptly as they are incurred by Indemnitee (any
such payment of expenses by the Company is hereinafter referred to as
an "Expense Advance"). Indemnitee shall be obligated, and hereby
agrees, to repay the amount of Expenses so paid only to the extent that
it is proved by clear and convincing evidence in a court of competent
jurisdiction that his action or failure to act involved an act or
omission undertaken with deliberate intent to cause injury to the
Company or violate the law or undertaken with reckless disregard for
the best interests of the Company. Indemnitee hereby further agrees to
cooperate reasonably with the Company concerning any Claim.
(c) Indemnification for Additional Expenses. The Company shall
indemnify Indemnitee against any and all expenses (including attorneys'
fees) that are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any claim
asserted against or action brought by Indemnitee for (i)
indemnification of Expenses or Judgments or advance payment of Expenses
by the Company under this Agreement or under any other agreement, the
Company's articles, statute or rule of law now or hereafter in effect
relating to Claims for Indemnifiable Events and (ii) recovery under any
directors' and officers' liability insurance policy or policies
maintained by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately
is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advance expense
payment or insurance recovery, as the case may be.
(d) Partial Indemnity. If Indemnitee is entitled under any
provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some
or a portion of the Judgments and Expenses arising from or relating to
a Claim but not, however, for all of the total amount thereof, the
Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof
to which Indemnitee is entitled.
(e) Indemnification of Successful Defense Expenses.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent
that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in
defense of any or all Claims relating in whole or in part to an
Indemnifiable Event or in defense of any issue or matter therein,
including dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified
against all Expenses incurred in connection therewith.
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3. Reviewing Party Determinations.
(a) General Rules. Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 2,
the obligations of the Company under Section 2(a) shall be subject to
the condition that the Reviewing Party shall not have determined (in a
written opinion, in any case in which the special, independent counsel
referred to in Section 4 hereof is involved) that Indemnitee would not
be permitted to be indemnified under applicable law; provided, however,
that if Indemnitee has commenced legal proceedings in a court of
competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should
be indemnified under applicable law, any determination made by the
Reviewing Party that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be
indemnified under applicable law shall not be binding until a final
judicial determination is made with respect thereto (as to which all
rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed) and any such
determination by the Reviewing Party shall be modified, to the extent
necessary, to conform to such final judicial determination.
(b) Selection of Reviewing Party. If there has not been a Change
in Control, the Reviewing Party shall be selected by the Board of
Directors. If there has been such a Change in Control, the Reviewing
Party shall be the special, independent counsel referred to in Section
4 hereof.
(c) Judicial Review. If there has been no determination by the
Reviewing Party or if the Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee
substantially would not be permitted to be indemnified in whole or in
part under applicable law, Indemnitee shall have the right to commence
litigation in any court in the State of Delaware having subject matter
jurisdiction thereof and in which venue is proper seeking an initial
determination by the court or challenging any such determination by the
Reviewing Party or any aspect thereof, and the Company hereby consents
to service of process and to appear in any such proceeding. Any
determination by the Reviewing Party otherwise shall be conclusive and
binding on the Company and Indemnitee.
(d) Burden of Proof. In connection with any determination by the
Reviewing Party pursuant to Section 3(a), or by a court of competent
jurisdiction pursuant to Section 3(c) or otherwise, as to whether
Indemnitee is entitled to be indemnified hereunder, the burden of proof
shall be on the Company to establish by clear and convincing evidence
that Indemnitee is not so entitled.
4. Change in Control. The Company agrees that if there is a Change in
Control of the Company then with respect to all matters thereafter
arising concerning the rights of Indemnitee to indemnity payments under
this Agreement or under any other agreement, the Company's Certificate
of Incorporation, statute or rule of law now or hereafter in effect
relating to Claims for Indemnifiable Events, the Company shall seek
legal advice only from special, independent counsel selected by
Indemnitee and approved by the Company (which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld), and who has not otherwise performed services
for the Company or
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Indemnitee within the last five years (other than in connection with
such matters); provided, however, a majority of the Company's Board of
Directors, which majority were directors immediately prior to such
Change in Control, may waive this requirement. The Company agrees to
pay the reasonable fees of the special, independent counsel referred to
above and to indemnify fully such counsel against any and all expenses
(including attorneys' fees), claims, liabilities and damages arising
out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto.
5. No Presumption. For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any
claim, action, suit or proceeding, by judgment, order, settlement
(whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea
of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, shall not create a presumption
that Indemnitee did not meet any particular standard of conduct or have
any particular belief or that a court has determined that
indemnification is not permitted by applicable law.
6. Nonexclusivity. The rights of the Indemnitee hereunder shall be in
addition to any other rights Indemnitee may now or hereafter have to
indemnification by the Company. More specifically, the Parties intend
that Indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification to the maximum
extent permitted by any or all of the following:
(a) The fullest benefits provided by the Company's Certificate of
Incorporation and By-Laws or their equivalent of the Company in effect
at the time the Indemnifiable Event occurs or at the time Expenses are
incurred by Indemnitee;
(b) The fullest benefits allowable under Delaware law in effect
at the date hereof or as the same may be amended to the extent that
such benefits are increased thereby;
(c) The fullest benefits allowable under the law of the
jurisdiction under which the Company exists at the time the
Indemnifiable Event occurs or at the time Expenses are incurred by the
Indemnitee; and
(d) Such other benefits as are or may be otherwise available to
Indemnitee pursuant to this Agreement, any other agreement or
otherwise.
The parties intend that combination of two or more of the benefits
referred to in (a) through (d) shall be available to Indemnitee to the
extent that the document or law providing for such benefits does not
require that the benefits provided therein be exclusive of other
benefits. The Company hereby undertakes to use its best efforts to
assist Indemnitee, in all proper and legal ways, to obtain all such
benefits to which Indemnitee is entitled.
7. Liability Insurance. The rights of the Indemnitee hereunder shall also
be in addition to any other rights Indemnitee may now or hereafter have
under policies of insurance maintained by the Company or otherwise. To
the extent the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies
providing directors' and officers' liability insurance, Indemnitee
shall be covered by
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such policy or policies, in accordance with its or their terms, to the
maximum extent of the coverage available for any Company director,
officer or representative.
The Company shall maintain such insurance coverage for so long as
Indemnitee's services are covered hereunder, provided and to the extent
that such insurance is available on a basis acceptable to the Company.
In the event that such insurance becomes unavailable in the amount of
the present policy limits or in the present scope of coverage at
premium costs and on other terms acceptable to the Company, then the
Company may forego maintenance of all or a portion of such insurance
coverage. However, in the event of any reduction in (or cancellation
of) such insurance coverage (whether voluntary or involuntary), the
Company shall, and hereby agrees to, stand as a self-insurer with
respect to the coverage, or portion thereof, not retained, and shall
indemnify the Indemnitee against any loss arising out of the reduction
in or cancellation of such insurance coverage.
8. Period of Limitations. No legal action shall be brought and no cause of
action shall be asserted by or on behalf of the Company or any
affiliate of the Company against Indemnitee, Indemnitee's spouse,
heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the
expiration of two years from the date of accrual of such cause of
action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company or its
affiliate shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by
the timely filing of legal action within such two-year period;
provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is
otherwise applicable to any such cause of action such shorter period
shall govern.
9. Amendments. No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement
shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties
hereto. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be
deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions thereof
(whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing
waiver.
10. Subrogation. In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Company
shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights
of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and
shall do everything that may be necessary to secure such rights,
including the execution of such documents necessary to enable the
Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.
11. No Duplication of Payments. The Company shall not be liable under this
Agreement to make any payment in connection with any claim made against
Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received
payment (under any insurance policy, article or otherwise) of the
amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder.
12. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the
benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their
respective successors, assigns, including any direct or indirect
successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or
substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company,
spouses, heirs, and personal and legal representatives. This Agreement
shall continue in effect regardless of whether Indemnitee
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continues to serve as a director, officer or representative of the
Company of or any other enterprise at the Company's request.
13. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in
the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any provision
within a single section, paragraph or sentence) are held by a court of
competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable,
and the remaining provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest
extent permitted by law.
14. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and
enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware
applicable to contracts made and to be performed in such state without
giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws.
Executed and effective as of this 15th day of May, 2002.
▇▇▇▇▇▇ INC.
By /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇
------------------------------------------
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇
Title: Vice President of Operations and
President of ▇▇▇▇▇▇ Communications
Division
Date:
INDEMNITEE:
By: /s/ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
-----------------------------------------
Name: ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Title: Chairman of the Board, President,
Chief Executive Officer and Director
Date:
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