EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This Employment Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into as of
the 2nd day of February 1998, by and between ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇'▇, Inc. (the
"Company"), and ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ("Executive").
Company and Executive agree as follows:
1. Employment. Company hereby employs Executive as Executive
Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Company or in such
other capacity with Company and its subsidiaries as Company's Board
of Directors shall designate.
2. Duties. During his employment, Executive shall devote
substantially all of his working time, energies, and skills to the
benefit of Company's business. Executive agrees to serve Company
diligently and to the best of his ability and to use his best
efforts to follow the policies and directions of Company's Board of
Directors.
3. Compensation. Executive's compensation and benefits
under this Agreement shall be as follows:
(a) Base Salary. Company shall pay Executive a base
salary ("Base Salary") at a rate of no less than $350,000 per year.
Executive's Base Salary shall be paid in installments in accordance
with Company's normal payment schedule for its senior management.
All payments shall be subject to the deduction of payroll taxes and
similar assessments as required by law.
(b) Bonus. In addition to the Base Salary, Executive
shall be eligible, as long as he holds the position stated in
paragraph 1, for a yearly cash bonus of up to 50% of Base Salary
based upon his performance in accordance with specific annual
objectives, set in advance, all as approved by the Board of
Directors. Executive's bonus for fiscal year ending January 31,
1998, shall be calculated on the basis of his Base Salary in effect
during fiscal year 1997.
(c) Incentive Compensation. Executive is hereby granted
a non-qualified option ("Option") to purchase forty thousand
(40,000) shares of Company common stock at an option price equal to
the closing price of the stock on February 2, 1998, as reported in
the Wall Street Journal. This Option is granted pursuant to
Company's 1994 Long-Term Incentive Plan ("1994 Plan"), and shall be
subject to the terms and conditions thereof. The Option shall be
exercisable on or after February 2, 1998, (the "Grant Date") to the
extent of 20% of the shares covered thereby; exercisable to the
extent of an additional 20% of the shares covered thereby on and
after the first anniversary of the Grant Date; exercisable to the
extent of an additional 20% of the shares covered thereby on and
after the second anniversary of the Grant Date; exercisable to the
extent of an additional 20% of the shares covered thereby on an
after the third anniversary of the Grant Date; and exercisable to
the extent of any remaining shares on and after the fourth
anniversary of the Grant Date; provided, however, that no portion
of the Option shall be exercisable any earlier than six months from
the Grant Date. The Option may be exercised (as provided in the
1994 Plan) up to ten (10) years from the Grant Date. Any portion
of the Option not exercised within said ten (10) year period shall
expire.
(d) Effect of Change of Control on Options. In the
event of a Change of Control (as defined in the Company's 1994
Plan), any Options granted to Executive prior to such Change of
Control shall immediately vest.
(e) Service Award. As compensation for his service,
Company shall issue 15,000 shares of Company stock to Executive as
soon as practicable after he completes three years of uninterrupted
service with Company. Executive shall be entitled to such 15,000
shares of Company stock prior to the completion of three years of
service in the event that his employment is terminated by Company,
and in that event, the award shall be made as soon as practicable
after termination.
4. Insurance and Benefits. Company shall allow Executive to
participate in each employee benefit plan and to receive each
executive benefit that Company provides for senior executives at
the level of Executive's position.
5. Term. The term of this Agreement shall be for three
years, provided, however, that Company may terminate this Agreement
at any time upon thirty (30) days' prior written notice (at which
time this Agreement shall terminate except for Section 9, which
shall continue in effect as set forth in Section 9). In the event
of such termination by Company, Executive shall be entitled to
receive his Base Salary (at the rate in effect at the time of
termination) through the end of the term of this Agreement. Such
Base Salary shall be paid thereafter in regular payroll
installments.
In addition, this Agreement shall terminate upon the death of
Executive, except as to: (a) Executive's estate's right to exercise
any unexercised stock options pursuant to Company's stock option
plan then in effect, (b) other entitlements under this contract
that expressly survive death, and (c) any rights which Executive's
estate or dependents may have under COBRA or any other federal or
state law or which are derived independent of this Agreement by
reason of his participation in any employee benefit arrangement or
plan maintained by Company.
6. Termination by Company for Cause. (a) Company shall
have the right to terminate Executive's employment under this
Agreement for cause, in which event no salary or bonus shall be
paid after termination for cause. Termination for cause shall be
effective immediately upon notice sent or given to Executive. For
purposes of this Agreement, the term "cause" shall mean and be
strictly limited to: (i) conviction of Executive, after all
applicable rights of appeal have been exhausted or waived, for any
crime that materially discredits Company or is materially
detrimental to the reputation or goodwill of Company; (ii)
commission of any material act of fraud or dishonesty by Executive
against Company or commission of an immoral or unethical act that
materially reflects negatively on Company, provided that Executive
shall first be provided with written notice of the claim and with
an opportunity to contest said claim before the Board of Directors;
or (iii) Executive's material breach of his obligations under
paragraph 2 of the Agreement, as so determined by the Board of
Directors.
(b) In the event that Executive's employment is
terminated, Executive agrees to resign as an officer and/or
director of Company (or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates),
effective as of the date of such termination, and Executive agrees
to return to Company upon such termination any of the following
which contain confidential information: all documents, instruments,
papers, facsimiles, and computerized information which are the
property of Company or such subsidiary or affiliate.
7. Change in Control. If Executive's employment is
terminated primarily as a result of a Change in Control of Company
or a Potential Change in Control of Company, as defined below,
Executive shall receive his Base Salary then in effect for a period
of three years or through the end of the term of this Agreement,
whichever is longer.
As used herein, the term "Change in Control" means the
happening of any of the following:
(a) Any person or entity, including a "group" as defined
in Section 13(d)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended, other than Company, a subsidiary of Company, or any
employee benefit plan of Company or its subsidiaries, becomes the
beneficial owner of Company's securities having 25 percent or more
of the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of
Company that may be cast for the election for directors of Company
(other than as a result of an issuance of securities initiated by
Company in the ordinary course of business); or
(b) As the result of, or in connection with, any cash
tender or exchange offer, merger or other business combination,
sale of assets or contested election, or any combination of the
foregoing transactions, less than a majority of the combined voting
power of the then outstanding securities of Company or any
successor corporation or entity entitled to vote generally in the
election of directors of Company or such other corporation or
entity after such transaction, are held in the aggregate by holders
of Company's securities entitled to vote generally in the election
of directors of Company immediately prior to such transactions; or
(c) During any period of two consecutive years,
individuals who at the beginning of any such period constitute the
Board of Directors of Company cease for any reason to constitute at
least a majority thereof, unless the election, or the nomination
for election by Company's stockholders, of each director of Company
first elected during such period was approved by a vote of at least
two-thirds of the directors of Company then still in office who
were directors of Company at the beginning of any such period.
As used herein, the term "Potential Change in Control" means
the happening of any of the following:
(a) The approval by stockholders of an agreement by
Company, the consummation of which would result in a Change of
Control of Company; or
(b) The acquisition of beneficial ownership, directly or
indirectly, by any entity, person or group (other than Company, a
wholly-owned subsidiary thereof or any employee benefit plan of
Company or its subsidiaries (including any trustee of such plan
acting as trustee)) of securities of Company representing 5 percent
or more of the combined voting power of Company's outstanding
securities and the adoption by the Board of Directors of Company of
a resolution to the effect that a Potential Change in Control of
Company has occurred for purposes of this Agreement.
8. Disability. If Executive becomes disabled at any time
during the term of this Agreement, he shall after he becomes
disabled continue to receive all payments and benefits provided
under the terms of this Agreement for a period of twelve
consecutive months, or for the remaining term of this Agreement
(but not less than six months), whichever period is shorter. For
purposes of this Agreement, the term "disabled" shall mean the
inability of Executive (as the result of a physical or mental
condition) to perform the duties of his position under this
Agreement with reasonable accommodation and which inability is
reasonably expected to last at least one (1) full year.
9. Non-competition; Unauthorized Disclosure.
(a) Non-competition. During the period Executive is
employed under this Agreement, and for a period of one year
thereafter, Executive:
(i) shall not engage in any activities, whether as
employer, proprietor, partner, stockholder (other than the holder
of less than 5% of the stock of a corporation the securities of
which are traded on a national securities exchange or in the
over-the-counter market), director, officer, employee or otherwise,
in competition with (i) the businesses conducted at the date hereof
by Company or any subsidiary or affiliate, or (ii) any business in
which Company or any subsidiary or affiliate is substantially
engaged at any time during the employment period;
(ii) shall not do business with any vendor that is
one of the top 100 vendors of the businesses conducted by Company
or its affiliates at the date hereof or at any time during the term
of this Agreement; and
(iii) shall not induce or attempt to persuade
any employee of Company or any of its divisions, subsidiaries or
then present affiliates to terminate their employment relationship.
(b) Unauthorized Disclosure. During the period
Executive is employed under this Agreement, and for a further
period of one year thereafter, Executive shall not, except as
required by any court or administrative agency, without the written
consent of the Board of Directors, or a person authorized thereby,
disclose to any person, other than an employee of Company or a
person to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary or appropriate in
connection with the performance by Executive of his duties as an
executive for Company, any confidential information obtained by
while in the employ of Company; provided, however, that
confidential information shall not include any information now
known or which becomes known generally to the public (other than as
a result of unauthorized disclosure by Executive).
(c) Scope of Covenants; Remedies. The following
provisions shall apply to the covenants of Executive contained in
this Section 9:
(i) the covenants contained in paragraph (i) and
(ii) of Section 9(a) shall apply within all the territories in
which Company or its affiliates or subsidiaries are actively
engaged in the conduct of business while Executive is employed
under this Agreement;
(ii) without limiting the right of Company to pursue
all other legal and equitable remedies available for violation by
Executive of the covenants contained in this Section 9, it is
expressly agreed by Executive and Company that such other remedies
cannot fully compensate Company for any such violation and that
Company shall be entitled to injunctive relief to prevent any such
violation or any continuing violation thereof; provided, however,
Company shall be entitled to injunctive relief only to protect
itself from unfair competition of the type protected under
Tennessee law.
(iii) each party intends and agrees that if, in
any action before any court or agency legally empowered to enforce
the covenants contained in this Section 9, any term, restriction,
covenant or promise contained therein is found to be unreasonable
and accordingly unenforceable, then such term, restriction,
covenant or promise shall be deemed modified to the extent
necessary to make it enforceable by such court or agency; and
(iv) the covenants contained in this Section 9 shall
survive the conclusion of Executive's employment by Company.
10. General Provisions.
(a) Notices. Any notice to be given hereunder by either
party to the other may be effected in writing by personal delivery,
mail, overnight courier, or facsimile. Notices shall be addressed
to the parties at the addresses set forth below, but each party may
change his or its address by written notice in accordance with this
Section 10 (a). Notices shall be deemed communicated as of the
actual receipt or refusal of receipt.
If to Executive: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
If to Company: ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
(b) Partial Invalidity. If any provision in this
Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be
invalid, void or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall,
nevertheless, continue in full force and without being impaired or
invalidated in any way.
(c) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by
and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
Tennessee.
(d) Entire Agreement. Except for any prior grants of
options, restricted stock, or other forms of incentive compensation
evidenced by a written instrument or by an action of the Board or
Directors, this Agreement supersedes any and all other agreements,
either oral or in writing, between the parties hereto with respect
to employment of Executive by Company and contains all of the
covenants and agreements between the parties with respect to such
employment. Each party to this Agreement acknowledges that no
representations, inducements or agreements, oral or otherwise, that
have not been embodied herein, and no other agreement, statement or
promise not contained in this Agreement, shall be valid or binding.
Any modification of this Agreement will be effective only if it is
in writing signed by the party to be charged.
(e) No Conflicting Agreement. By signing this
Agreement, Executive warrants that he is not a party to any
restrictive covenant, agreement or contract which limits the
performance of his duties and responsibilities under this Agreement
or under which such performance would constitute a breach.
(f) Headings. The Section, paragraph, and subparagraph
headings are for convenience or reference only and shall not define
or limit the provisions hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement
as of the date first written above.
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇'▇, INC.
BY: _____________________
▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Executive Vice President
_____________________
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇
Executive