EXHIBIT 10.6 FORM OF CHANGE IN CONTROL AGREEMENTS BETWEEN FIRST PLACE
FINANCIAL CORP. AND CERTAIN EXECUTIVE OFFICERS
FORM OF
FIRST PLACE FINANCIAL CORP.
CHANGE IN CONTROL AGREEMENT
This AGREEMENT is made effective as of __________, 1998, by and between
First Place Financial Corp. (the "Holding Company"), a corporation organized
under the laws of the State of Delaware, with its principal office at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇
▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇, and __________ ("Executive"). The term
"Institution" refers to First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Warren, a
wholly-owned subsidiary of the Holding Company or any successor thereto.
WHEREAS, the Holding Company recognizes the substantial contribution
Executive has made to the Holding Company and wishes to protect his position
therewith for the period provided in this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, Executive has agreed to serve in the employ of the Holding Company
or an affiliate thereof.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the contribution and responsibilities
of Executive, and upon the other terms and conditions hereinafter provided, the
parties hereto agree as follows:
1. TERM OF AGREEMENT.
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The period of this Agreement shall be deemed to have commenced as of the
date first above written and shall continue for a period of twenty-four (24)
full calendar months thereafter. Commencing on the date of the execution of
this Agreement, the term of this Agreement shall be extended for one day each
day until such time as the board of directors of the Holding Company (the
"Board") or Executive elects not to extend the term of the Agreement by giving
written notice to the other party in accordance with Section 4 of this
Agreement, in which case the term of this Agreement shall be fixed and shall end
on the third anniversary of the date of such written notice.
2. CHANGE IN CONTROL.
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(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Holding Company (as
herein defined) followed at any time during the term of this Agreement by the
termination of Executive's employment, the provisions of Section 3 shall apply.
Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, Executive shall have the right to
elect to voluntarily terminate his employment at any time during the term of
this Agreement following any demotion, loss of title, office or significant
authority, material reduction in annual compensation or material reduction in
benefits, or relocation of his principal place of employment by more than 25
miles from its location immediately prior to the Change in Control unless such
termination is because of death or termination for Cause.
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, a "Change in Control" of the Holding
Company or the Institution shall mean an event of a nature that: (i) would be
required to be reported in response to Item 1(a) of the current report on Form
8-K, as in effect on the date hereof, pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of ▇▇▇▇ (▇▇▇ "▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇"); or (ii) results in a
Change in Control of the Bank or the Holding Company within the meaning of the
Home Owners' Loan Act of 1933, as amended, the Federal Deposit Insurance Act, or
the Rules and Regulations promulgated by the Office of Thrift Supervision
("OTS") (or its predecessor agency), as in effect on the date hereof (provided,
that in applying the definition of change in control as set forth under the
Rules and Regulations of the OTS, the Board shall substitute its judgment for
that of the OTS); or (iii) without limitation such a Change in Control shall be
deemed to have occurred at such time as (A) any "person" (as the term is used in
Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes the "beneficial
owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or
indirectly, of voting securities of the Institution or the Holding Company
representing 25% or more of the Institution's or the Holding Company's
outstanding voting securities or right to acquire such securities except for any
voting securities of the Institution purchased by the Holding Company and any
voting securities purchased by any employee benefit plan of the Holding Co mpany
or its Subsidiaries, or (B) individuals who constitute the Board on the date
hereof (the "Incumbent Board") cease for any reason to constitute at least a
majority thereof, provided that any person becoming a director subsequent to the
date hereof whose election was approved by a vote of at least three-quarters of
the directors comprising the Incumbent Board, or whose nomination for election
by the Company's stockholders was approved by a Nominating Committee solely
composed of members which are Incumbent Board members, shall be, for purposes of
this clause (B), considered as though he were a member of the Incumbent Board,
or (C) a plan of reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale of all or
substantially all the assets of the Institution or the Holding Company or
similar transaction occurs or is effectuated in which the Institution or Holding
Company is not the resulting entity; or (D) a proxy statement has been
distributed soliciting proxies from stockholders of the Holding Company, by
someone other than the current management of the Holding Company, seeking
stockholder approval of a plan of reorganization, merger or consolidation of the
Holding Company or Institution with one or more corporations as a result of
which the outstanding shares of the class of securities then subject to such
plan or transaction are exchanged for or converted into cash or property or
securities not issued by the Institution or the Holding Company shall be
distributed, or (E) a tender offer is made for 20% or more of the voting
securities of the Institution or Holding Company then outstanding.
(c) Executive shall not have the right to receive termination benefits
pursuant to Section 3 hereof upon Termination for Cause. The term "Termination
for Cause" shall mean termination because of: 1) Executive's personal
dishonesty, willful misconduct, conduct damaging the reputation of the
Institution or the Holding Company, breach of fiduciary duty involving personal
profit, intentional failure to perform stated duties, willful violation of any
law, rule, regulation (other than traffic violations or similar offenses), final
cease and desist order or material breach of any provision of this Agreement
which results in a material loss to the Institution or the Holding Company, or
2) Executive's conviction of a crime or act involving moral turpitude or a final
judgment rendered against Executive based upon actions of Executive
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which involve moral turpitude. For the purposes of this Section, no act, or the
failure to act, on Executive's part shall be "willful" unless done, or omitted
to be done, not in good faith and without reasonable belief that the action or
omission was in the best interests of the Bank or its affiliates.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Executive shall not be deemed to have been
Terminated for Cause unless and until there shall have been delivered to him a
copy of a resolution duly adopted by the affirmative vote of not less than
three-fourths of the members of the Board at a meeting of the Board called and
held for that purpose (after reasonable notice to Executive and an opportunity
for him, together with counsel, to be heard before the Board), finding that in
the good faith opinion of the Board, Executive was guilty of conduct justifying
Termination for Cause and specifying the particulars thereof in detail.
Executive shall not have the right to receive compensation or other benefits for
any period after Termination for Cause. During the period beginning on the date
of the Notice of Termination for Cause pursuant to Section 4 hereof through the
Date of Termination, stock options and related limited rights granted to
Executive under any stock option plan shall not be exercisable nor shall any
unvested awards granted to Executive under any stock benefit plan of the
Institution, the Holding Company or any subsidiary or affiliate thereof, vest.
At the Date of Termination, such stock options and related limited rights and
any such unvested awards shall become null and void and shall not be exercisable
by or delivered to Executive at any time subsequent to such Termination for
Cause.
3. TERMINATION BENEFITS.
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(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, followed at any time during
the term of this Agreement by the voluntary or involuntary termination of
Executive's employment, other than for Termination for Cause, the Holding
Company shall be obligated to pay Executive, or in the event of his subsequent
death, his beneficiary or beneficiaries, or his estate, as the case may be, a
sum equal to two (2) times Executive's average annual compensation for the five
most recent taxable years that Executive has been employed by the Institution or
such lesser number of years in the event that Executive shall have been employed
by the Institution for less than five years. Such annual compensation shall
include base salary, commissions, bonuses, any other cash compensation,
contributions or accruals on behalf of Executive to any pension and profit
sharing plan, severance payments, director or committee fees and fringe benefits
paid or to be paid to the Executive during such years. At the election of
Executive which election is to be made prior to a Change in Control, such
payment shall be made in a lump sum. In the event that no election is made,
payment to Executive will be made on a monthly basis in approximately equal
installments during the remaining term of this Agreement.
(b) Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Institution or the
Holding Company followed at any time during the term of this Agreement by
Executive's termination of employment, other than for Termination for Cause, the
Holding Company shall cause to be continued life and medical coverage
substantially identical to the coverage maintained by the Institution for
Executive prior to his severance, except to the extent such coverage may be
changed in its application to all Institution employees. Such coverage and
payments shall cease upon expiration of twenty-four (24) full calendar months
following the Date of Termination.
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(c) Notwithstanding the preceding paragraphs of this Section 3, in the
event that:
(i) the aggregate payments or benefits to be made or afforded to
Executive, which are deemed to be parachute payments as defined in
Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code") or any successor thereof, (the "Termination Benefits") would
be deemed to include an "excess parachute payment" under Section 280G
of the Code; and
(ii) if such Termination Benefits were reduced to an amount (the "Non-
Triggering Amount"), the value of which is one dollar ($1.00) less
than an amount equal to three (3) times Executive's "base amount," as
determined in accordance with said Section 280G and the Non-Triggering
Amount less the product of the marginal rate of any applicable state
and federal income tax and the Non Triggering Amount would be greater
than the aggregate value of the Termination Benefits (without such
reduction) minus (i) the amount of tax required to be paid by the
Executive thereon by Section 4999 of the Code and further minus (ii)
the product of the Termination Benefits and the marginal rate of any
applicable state and federal income tax,
then the Termination Benefits shall be reduced to the Non-Triggering Amount.
The allocation of the reduction required hereby among the Termination Benefits
shall be determined by the Executive.
4. NOTICE OF TERMINATION.
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(a) Any purported termination by the Holding Company, or by Executive shall
be communicated by Notice of Termination to the other party hereto. For
purposes of this Agreement, a "Notice of Termination" shall mean a written
notice which shall indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement
relied upon and shall set forth in detail the facts and circumstances claimed to
provide a basis for termination of Executive's employment under the provision so
indicated.
(b) "Date of Termination" shall mean the date specified in the Notice of
Termination (which, in the case of Termination for Cause, shall not be less than
thirty (30) days from the date such Notice of Termination is given); provided,
however, that if a dispute regarding the Executive's termination exists, the
"Date of Termination" shall be determined in accordance with Section 4(c) of
this Agreement.
(c) If, within thirty (30) days after any Notice of Termination is given,
the party receiving such Notice of Termination notifies the other party that a
dispute exists concerning the termination, the Date of Termination shall be the
date on which the dispute is finally determined, either by mutual written
agreement of the parties, by a binding arbitration award, or by a final
judgment, order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction (the time for
appeal therefrom having expired and no appeal having been perfected) and
provided further that the Date of Termination shall be extended by a notice of
dispute only if such notice is given in good faith
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and the party giving such notice pursues the resolution of such dispute with
reasonable diligence. Notwithstanding the pendency of any such dispute in
connection with a Change in Control, in the event that the Executive is
terminated for reasons other than Termination for Cause, the Institution will
continue to pay Executive the payments and benefits due under this Agreement in
effect when the notice giving rise to the dispute was given (including, but not
limited to his annual salary) until the earlier of: (1) the resolution of the
dispute in accordance with this Agreement; or (2) the expiration of the
remaining term of this Agreement as determined as of the Date of Termination.
5. SOURCE OF PAYMENTS.
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It is intended by the parties hereto that all payments provided in this
Agreement shall be paid in cash or check from the general funds of the Holding
Company. Further, the Holding Company guarantees such payment and provision of
all amounts and benefits due hereunder to Executive and, if such amount and
benefits due from the Institution are not timely paid or provided by the
Institution, such amounts and benefits shall be paid and provided by the Holding
Company.
6. EFFECT ON PRIOR AGREEMENTS AND EXISTING BENEFIT PLANS.
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This Agreement contains the entire understanding between the parties hereto
and supersedes any prior agreement between the Holding Company and Executive,
except that this Agreement shall not affect or operate to reduce any benefit or
compensation inuring to Executive of a kind elsewhere provided. No provision of
this Agreement shall be interpreted to mean that Executive is subject to
receiving fewer benefits than those available to him without reference to this
Agreement.
Nothing in this Agreement shall confer upon Executive the right to continue
in the employ of the Holding Company or shall impose on the Holding Company any
obligation to employ or retain Executive in its employ for any period.
7. NO ATTACHMENT.
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(a) Except as required by law, no right to receive payments under this
Agreement shall be subject to anticipation, commutation, alienation, sale,
assignment, encumbrance, charge, pledge, or hypothecation, or to execution,
attachment, levy, or similar process or assignment by operation of law, and any
attempt, voluntary or involuntary, to affect any such action shall be null,
void, and of no effect.
(b) This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of,
Executive, the Holding Company and their respective successors and assigns.
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8. MODIFICATION AND WAIVER.
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(a) This Agreement may not be modified or amended except by an instrument
in writing signed by the parties hereto.
(b) No term or condition of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been
waived, nor shall there be any estoppel against the enforcement of any provision
of this Agreement, except by written instrument of the party charged with such
waiver or estoppel. No such written waiver shall be deemed a continuing waiver
unless specifically stated therein, and each such waiver shall operate only as
to the specific term or condition waived and shall not constitute a waiver of
such term or condition for the future or as to any act other than that
specifically waived.
9. EFFECT OF ACTION UNDER INSTITUTION AGREEMENT.
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Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, to the extent that
payments and benefits are paid to or received by Executive under the Institution
Agreement between Executive and Institution, the amount of such payments and
benefits paid by the Institution will be subtracted from any amount due
simultaneously to Executive under similar provisions of this Agreement.
10. SEVERABILITY.
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If, for any reason, any provision of this Agreement, or any part of any
provision, is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect any other provision
of this Agreement or any part of such provision not held so invalid, and each
such other provision and part thereof shall to the full extent consistent with
law continue in full for ce and effect.
11. HEADINGS FOR REFERENCE ONLY.
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The headings of sections and paragraphs herein are included solely for
convenience of reference and shall not control the meaning or interpretation of
any of the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, references herein to the
masculine shall apply to both the masculine and the feminine.
12. GOVERNING LAW.
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The validity, interpretation, performance, and enforcement of this
Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware.
13. ARBITRATION.
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Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this
Agreement shall be settled exclusively by arbitration, conducted before a panel
of three arbitrators sitting in a location selected by Executive within fifty
(50) miles from the location of the Holding Company, in accordance with the
rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect. Judgment
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may be entered on the arbitrator's award in any court having jurisdiction;
provided, however, that Executive shall be entitled to seek specific performance
of his right to be paid until the Date of Termination during the pendency of any
dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this Agreement.
14. PAYMENT OF COSTS AND LEGAL FEES.
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All reasonable legal fees paid or incurred by Executive pursuant to any
dispute or question of interpretation relating to this Agreement shall be paid
or reimbursed by the Holding Company if Executive is successful pursuant to a
legal judgment, arbitration or settlement.
15. INDEMNIFICATION.
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The Holding Company shall provide Executive (including his heirs, executors
and administrators) with coverage under a standard directors' and officers'
liability insurance policy at its expense, or in lieu thereof, shall indemnify
Executive (and his heirs, executors and administrators) to the fullest extent
permitted under Delaware law and as provided in the Holding Company's
certificate of incorporation against all expenses and liabilities reasonably
incurred by him in connection with or arising out of any action, suit or
proceeding in which he may be involved by reason of his having been a director
or officer of the Holding Company (whether or not he continues to be a director
or officer at the time of incurring such expenses or liabilities), such expenses
and liabilities to include, but not be limited to, judgments, court costs and
attorneys' fees and the cost of reasonable settlements.
16. SUCCESSOR TO THE HOLDING COMPANY.
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The Holding Company shall require any successor or assignee, whether direct
or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise, to all or
substantially all the business or assets of the Institution or the Holding
Company, expressly and unconditionally to assume and agree to perform the
Holding Company's obligations under this Agreement, in the same manner and to
the same extent that the Holding Company would be required to perform if no such
succession or assignment had taken place.
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SIGNATURES
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, First Place Financial Corp. has caused this Agreement
to be executed by its duly authorized officer, and Executive has signed this
Agreement, on the ___ day of ______________, 1998.
ATTEST: FIRST PLACE FINANCIAL CORP.
__________________________________ By: _________________________________
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇
Secretary President and Chief Executive
Officer
WITNESS:
__________________________________ _________________________________
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ [NAME]
Secretary Executive
Seal
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