Exhibit 10.12
CHANGE OF CONTROL AGREEMENT
THIS CHANGE OF CONTROL AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is made
as of the 1st day of January, 1999, (the "Effective Date") by and
between HEARTLAND FINANCIAL USA, INC., an Iowa corporation, (the
"Company") and (See Attachment to Exhibit 10.12)(the "Employee").
RECITALS
A. The Employee is currently serving as an employee of the
Company or one of its Affiliates.
B. The Company desires to continue to employ the Employee
as an employee of the Company or one of its Affiliates and the
Employer is willing to continue such employment.
C. The Company recognizes that circumstances may arise in
which a change of control of the Company through acquisition or
otherwise may occur thereby causing uncertainty of employment
without regard to the competence or past contributions of the
Employee, which uncertainty may result in the loss of valuable
services of the Employee, and the Company and the Employee wish
to provide reasonable security to the Employee against changes in
the employment relationship in the event of any such change of
control.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of the
covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, it is covenanted
and agreed by and between the parties hereto as follows:
1. Payment of Severance Amount. If the Employee's employment
by the Company, or any Affiliate or successor of the Company,
shall be subject to a Termination within the Covered Period, then
the Company shall pay the Employee an amount equal to the
applicable Severance Amount, payable within fifteen (15) days
after the Employee's termination that is related to the Change of
Control.
2. Definitions. As used throughout this Agreement, all of the
terms defined in this paragraph 2 shall have the meanings given
below.
A. An "Affiliate" shall mean any entity which owns or controls,
is owned by or is under common ownership or control with, the
Company.
B. "Base Annual Salary" shall mean the amount equal to the sum
of (i) the greater of Employee's then-current annual salary or
the Employee's annual salary as of the date one (1) day prior to
the Change of Control; (ii) the average of the three (3) most
recent bonuses paid to the Employee; and (iii) the average of the
three (3) most recent contributions made by the Company on behalf
of the Employee to the Company's tax-qualified retirement plans
(which, as of the date hereof, includes the profit sharing plan,
the money purchase pension plan and the 401(k) plan).
C. A "Change of Control" shall mean:
(i) the consummation of the acquisition by any person (as such
term is defined in Section 13(d) or 14(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "1934 Act")) of beneficial
ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇) of fifty-one percent (51%) or more of the combined
voting power of the then outstanding Voting Securities of the
Company; or
(ii) the individuals who, as of the date hereof, are members of
the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") cease for any
reason to constitute a majority of the Board, unless the
election, or nomination for election by the stockholders, of any
new director was approved by a vote of a majority of the Board,
and such new director shall, for purposes of this Agreement, be
considered as a member of the Board; or
(iii) approval by stockholders of the Company of: (1) a
merger or consolidation if the stockholders, immediately before
such merger or consolidation, do not, as a result of such merger
or consolidation, own, directly or indirectly, more than fifty-
one percent (51%) of the combined voting power of the then
outstanding Voting Securities of the entity resulting from such
merger or consolidation in substantially the same proportion as
their ownership of the combined voting power of the Voting
Securities of the Company outstanding immediately before such
merger or consolidation; or (2) a complete liquidation or
dissolution or an agreement for the sale or other disposition of
all or substantially all of the assets of the Company.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change in Control shall not be
deemed to occur solely because fifty-one percent (51%) or more of
the combined voting power of the then outstanding securities of the Company
are acquired by: (1) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under
one or more employee benefit plans maintained for employees of the entity;
or (2) any corporation which, immediately prior to such acquisition, is
owned directly or indirectly by the stockholders in the same proportion as
their ownership of stock immediately prior to such acquisition.
D. "Covered Period" shall mean the period beginning six (6)
months prior to a Change of Control and ending twelve (12) months
after a Change of Control.
E. "Termination" shall mean termination of the Employee's
employment either:
(i) by the Company or its successor, as the case may be, during
the Covered Period, other than a Termination for Cause or
any termination as a result of death, disability, or
normal retirement pursuant to a retirement plan to which
the Employee was subject prior to any Change of Control;
or
(ii) by the Employee, for any reason, during the period beginning
ten (10) days prior to a Change of Control and ending ten
(10) days after a Change of Control.
F. "Severance Amount" shall mean the sum of all amounts earned
or accrued through the Termination Date, including Base Annual
Salary, deferred compensation plan accruals and vacation pay,
plus (See Attachment to Exhibit 10.12) times the Employee's Base
Annual Salary.
G. "Termination for Cause" shall mean only a termination by the
Company as a result of the Employee's fraud, misappropriation of
or intentional material damage to the property or business of the
Company (including its Affiliates), substantial and material
failure by the Employee to fulfill the duties and
responsibilities of his or her regular position and/or comply
with the Company's or its Affiliates' policies, rules or
regulations, or the Employee's conviction of a felony.
H. "Termination Date" shall mean the date of employment
termination indicated in the written notice provided by the
Company or the Employee to the other.
I. "Voting Securities" shall mean any securities which
ordinarily possess the power to vote in the election of directors
without the happening of any pre-condition or contingency.
3. Medical and Dental Benefits. If the Employee's employment
by the Company or any Affiliate or successor of the Company shall
be subject to a Termination within the Covered Period, then to
the extent that the Employee or any of the Employee's dependents
may be covered under the terms of any medical and dental plans of
the Company (or any Affiliate) for active employees immediately
prior to the termination, the Company will provide the Employee
and those dependents with equivalent coverages for a period not
to exceed twelve (12) months from the Termination Date. The
coverages may be procured directly by the Company (or any
Affiliate, if appropriate) apart from, and outside of the terms
of the plans themselves; provided that the Employee and the
Employee's dependents comply with all of the conditions of the
medical or dental plans. In the event the Employee or any of the
Employee's dependents become eligible for coverage under the
terms of any other medical and/or dental plan of a subsequent
employer which plan benefits are comparable to Company (or any
Affiliate) plan benefits, coverage under Company (or any
Affiliate) plans will cease for the eligible Employee and/or
dependent. The Employee and Employee's dependents must notify
the Company (or any Affiliate) of any subsequent employment and
provide information regarding medical and/or dental coverage
available. In the event the Company (or any Affiliate) discovers
that the Employee and/or dependent has become employed and not
provided the above notification, all payments and benefits under
this Agreement will cease.
4. Out-Placement Counseling. If the Employee's employment by
the Company or any Affiliate or successor of the Company shall be
subject to a Termination within the Covered Period, the Company
will provide out-placement counseling assistance in the form of
reimbursement of the expenses incurred for such assistance within
the twelve (12) month period following the Termination Date, such
reimbursement amount not to exceed one-quarter (1/4) of the
Employee's Base Annual Salary on the Termination Date.
5. Notices. Notices and all other communications under this
Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given when
mailed by United States registered or certified mail, return
receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
If to the Company to:
Heartland Financial USA, Inc.
Attention: President
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
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If to the Employee to:
(See Attachment to Exhibit 10.12)
or to such other address as either party may furnish to
the other in writing, except that notices of changes of
address shall be effective only upon receipt.
6. Applicable Law. This Agreement is entered into under, and
shall be governed for all purposes by, the laws of the state of
Iowa.
7. Severability. If a court of competent jurisdiction
determines that any provision of this Agreement is invalid or
unenforceable, then the invalidity or unenforceability of that
provision shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any
other provision of this Agreement and all other provisions shall
remain in full force and effect.
8. Withholding of Taxes. The Company may withhold from any
benefits payable under this Agreement all federal, state, city or
other taxes as may be required pursuant to any law, governmental
regulation or ruling.
9. Not an Employment Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement
shall give the Employee any rights (or impose any obligations) to
continued employment by the Company or any Affiliate or successor
of the Company, nor shall it give the Company any rights (or
impose any obligations) for the continued performance of duties
by the Employee for the Company or any Affiliate or successor of
the Company.
10. No Assignment. The Employee's rights to receive payments or
benefits under this Agreement shall not be assignable or
transferable whether by pledge, creation of a security interest
or otherwise, other than a transfer by will or by the laws of
descent or distribution. In the event of any attempted
assignment or transfer contrary to this paragraph, the Company
shall have no liability to pay any amount so attempted to be
assigned or transferred. This Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and be enforceable by the Employee's personal or legal
representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs,
distributees, devisees and legatees.
11. Successors. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure
to the benefit of the Company, its successors and assigns
(including, without limitation, any company into or with which
the Company may merge or consolidate). The Company agrees that
it will not effect the sale or other disposition of all or
substantially all of its assets unless either (a) the person or
entity acquiring the assets, or a substantial portion of the
assets, shall expressly assume by an instrument in writing all
duties and obligations of the Company under this Agreement, or
(b) the Company shall provide, through the establishment of a
separate reserve, for the payment in full of all amounts which
are or may reasonably be expected to become payable to the
Employee under this Agreement.
12. Legal Fees. All reasonable legal fees and related expenses
(including the costs of experts, evidence and counsel) paid or
incurred by the Employee pursuant to any dispute or question of
interpretation relating this Agreement shall be paid or
reimbursed by the Company if the Employee is successful on the
merits pursuant to a legal judgment, arbitration or settlement.
13. Term. This Agreement shall remain in effect through
December 31, 2001. In the event of a Change of Control during
the term of this Agreement, this Agreement shall remain in effect
for the Covered Period.
14. Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended or modified
except by written agreement signed by the Employee and the
Company.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement
to be executed and delivered as of the day and year first
written.
HEARTLAND FINANCIAL USA, INC.
By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ /s/ Employee
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▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇ (See Attachment to
Chairman of the Board and CEO Exhibit 10.12)
ATTACHMENT TO EXHIBIT 10.12
TIMES
EMPLOYEE PAY ADDRESS
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3. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ one (1) ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇
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