BAY STATE FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
THREE YEAR CHANGE IN CONTROL AGREEMENT
This AGREEMENT is made effective as of March 2, 1998, by and among Bay
State Federal Savings Bank (the "Institution"), a federally chartered savings
bank, with its principal administrative office at ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇ ("Executive"), and Bay State Bancorp, Inc.
(the "Holding Company"), a corporation organized under the laws of the State of
Delaware which is the holding company of the Institution.
WHEREAS, the Institution recognizes the substantial contribution Executive
has made to the Institution and wishes to protect Executive's position therewith
for the period provided in this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, Executive has agreed to serve in the employ of the Institution.
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.
The term of the Bay State Federal Savings Bank Three Year Change in Control
Agreement (the "Agreement") shall be deemed to have commenced as of the date
first above written and shall continue for a period of thirty-six (36) full
calendar months thereafter. Commencing on the first anniversary date of this
Agreement and continuing at each anniversary date thereafter, the Board of
Directors of the Institution ("Board") may extend the Agreement for an
additional year. The Board will review the Agreement and Executive's performance
annually for purposes of determining whether to extend the Agreement, and the
results thereof shall be included in the minutes of the Board's meeting.
2. CHANGE IN CONTROL.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Institution or the
Holding Company (as herein defined) followed at any time during the term of this
Agreement by the termination of Executive's employment, other than for Cause, as
defined in Section 2(c) hereof, 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, reduction in his annual compensation or benefits, or relocation of
his principal place of employment by more than 25 miles from its location
immediately prior to the Change in Control; provided, however, the Executive may
consent in writing to any such demotion, loss, reduction or relocation. The
effect of any written consent of the Executive under this Section 2 (a) shall be
strictly limited to the terms specified in such written consent.
(b) For purposes of this Agreement, a "Change in Control" of the
Institution or Holding Company shall mean an event of a nature that: (i) would
be required to be reported in response to Item 1 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 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"); or (ii)
results in a Change in Control of the Institution or the Holding Company within
the meaning of the Home Owners' Loan Act of 1933, as amended, the Federal
Deposit Insurance Act and 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 Institution or
the Holding Company, 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 Holding Company's stockholders was approved by the same Nominating
Committee serving under an Incumbent Board, 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 in which the Institution or Holding Company is not the resulting entity;
provided, however, that such an event listed above will be deemed to have
occurred or to have been effectuated upon the receipt of all required regulatory
approvals not including the lapse of any statutory waiting periods.
(c) Executive shall not receive termination benefits pursuant to Section 3
hereof upon Termination for Cause. The term "Termination for Cause" shall mean
termination because of Executive's personal dishonesty, incompetence, willful
misconduct, any breach of fiduciary duty involving personal profit, intentional
failure to perform stated duties, willful violation of any law, rule or
regulation (other than traffic violations or similar offenses) or final
cease-and-desist order or material breach of any provision of this Agreement.
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
Notice of Termination which shall include a copy of a resolution duly adopted by
the affirmative vote of not less than a majority 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
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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 such unvested awards shall become null and void and
shall not be exercisable by or delivered to Executive at any time subsequent to
such Date of Termination for Cause.
3. TERMINATION BENEFITS.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, followed at any time during
the term of this Agreement by termination of the Executive's employment due to:
(1) Executive's dismissal or (2) Executive's voluntary termination pursuant to
Section 2(a), unless such termination is due to Termination for Cause, the
Institution and the Holding Company shall 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 three (3) 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 "Average
Annual Compensation" shall include base salary, commissions, bonuses, as well as
contributions on behalf of Executive to any pension and profit-sharing plan, 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 voluntary or involuntary termination of employment, other than for
Termination for Cause, the Institution shall cause to be continued life, medical
and disability coverage substantially identical to the coverage maintained by
the Institution or Holding Company for Executive prior to his severance, except
to the extent such coverage may be changed in its application to all Institution
or Holding Company employees on a nondiscriminatory basis. Such coverage and
payments shall cease upon the expiration of thirty-six (36) full calendar months
from the Date of Termination.
(c) Notwithstanding the preceding paragraphs of this Section 3, in no event
shall the aggregate payments or benefits to be made or afforded to Executive
under said paragraphs (the "Termination Benefits") constitute an "excess
parachute payment" under Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, or any successor thereto, and in order to avoid such a result
Termination Benefits will be reduced, if necessary, 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. The allocation of the reduction required
hereby among the Termination Benefits provided by the preceding paragraphs of
this Section 3 shall be determined by Executive.
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4. NOTICE OF TERMINATION.
(a) Any purported termination by the Institution or by Executive in
connection with a Change in Control 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
reasonable 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 instance of Termination for Cause, shall not be less
than thirty (30) days from the date such Notice of Termination is given).
(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 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 his full
compensation in effect when the notice giving rise to the dispute was given
(including, but not limited to his annual salary) and continue him as a
participant in all compensation, benefit and insurance plans in which he was
participating when the notice of dispute was given, 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.
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
Institution. Further, the Holding Company guarantees such payment and provision
of all amounts and benefits due hereunder to Executive and, if such amounts and
benefits due from the Institution are not timely paid or provided by the
Institution, such amounts and benefits shall be paid or provided by the Holding
Company.
6. EFFECT ON PRIOR AGREEMENTS AND EXISTING BENEFIT PLANS.
This Agreement contains the entire understanding between the parties hereto
and supersedes any prior agreement between the Institution 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
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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 Institution or shall impose on the Institution any obligation
to employ or retain Executive in its employ for any period.
7. NO ATTACHMENT.
(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 Institution and their respective successors and assigns.
8. MODIFICATION AND WAIVER.
(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. REQUIRED REGULATORY PROVISIONS.
(a) The board of directors may terminate Executive's employment at any
time, but any termination by the board of directors, other than Termination for
Cause, shall not prejudice Executive's right to compensation or other benefits
under this Agreement. Executive shall not have the right to receive compensation
or other benefits for any period after Termination for Cause as defined in
Section 2 hereinabove.
(b) If Executive is suspended from office and/or temporarily prohibited
from participating in the conduct of the Institution's affairs by a notice
served under Section 8(e)(3) or 8(g)(1) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12
U.S.C. ss.1818(e)(3) or (g)(1)), the Institution's obligations under this
contract shall be suspended as of the date of service, unless stayed by
appropriate proceedings. If the charges in the notice are dismissed, the
Institution may in its discretion (i) pay Executive all or part of the
compensation withheld while their contract
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obligations were suspended and (ii) reinstate (in whole or in part) any of the
obligations which were suspended.
(c) If Executive is removed and/or permanently prohibited from
participating in the conduct of the Institution's affairs by an order issued
under Section 8(e)(4) or 8(g)(1) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C.
ss.1818(e)(4) or (g)(1)), all obligations of the Institution under this contract
shall terminate as of the effective date of the order, but vested rights of the
contracting parties shall not be affected.
(d) If the Institution is in default as defined in Section 3(x)(1) of the
Federal Deposit Insurance Act, all obligations of the Institution under this
contract shall terminate as of the date of default, but this paragraph shall not
affect any vested rights of the contracting parties.
(e) All obligations under this contract shall be terminated, except to the
extent determined that continuation of the contract is necessary for the
continued operation of the institution: (i) by the Director of the Office of
Thrift Supervision or her designee at the time the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation enters into an agreement to provide assistance to or on behalf of
the Institution under the authority contained in Section 13(c) of the Federal
Deposit Insurance Act; or (ii) by the Director of the Office of Thrift
Supervision or her designee at the time the Director or her designee approves a
supervisory merger to resolve problems related to operation of the Institution
or when the Institution is determined by the Director to be in an unsafe or
unsound condition. Any rights of the parties that have already vested, however,
shall not be affected by such action.
(f) Any payments made to Executive pursuant to this Agreement, or
otherwise, are subject to and conditioned upon compliance with 12 U.S.C.
ss.1828(k), 12 C.F.R. Part 359 and 12 C.F.R. Section 545.121 and any rules and
regulations promulgated thereunder.
10. REINSTATEMENT OF BENEFITS UNDER SECTION 9(b).
In the event Executive is suspended and/or temporarily prohibited from
participating in the conduct of the Institution's affairs by a notice described
in Section 9(b) hereof (the "Notice") during the term of this Agreement and a
Change in Control, as defined herein, occurs, the Institution will assume its
obligation to pay and Executive will be entitled to receive all of the
termination benefits provided for under Section 3 of this Agreement upon the
Institution's receipt of a dismissal of charges in the Notice of Termination.
11. SEVERABILITY.
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 force and effect.
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12. HEADINGS FOR REFERENCE ONLY.
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 to the
masculine shall apply equally to the feminine.
13. GOVERNING LAW.
The validity, interpretation, performance, and enforcement of this
Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Delaware but only to the
extent not preempted by Federal law.
14. ARBITRATION.
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 Institution's main office, in accordance
with the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect. Judgment
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.
15. PAYMENT OF COSTS AND LEGAL FEES.
All reasonable costs and 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 Institution (which payments are guaranteed by the
Holding Company pursuant to Section 5 hereof) if Executive is successful on the
merits pursuant to a legal judgment, arbitration or settlement.
16. INDEMNIFICATION.
(a) The Bank shall provide Executive (including his heirs, executors and
administrators) with coverage under a standard directors' and officers'
liability insurance policy at its expense and shall indemnify Executive (and his
heirs, executors and administrators) as permitted under federal law 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 Bank (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.
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(b) Any payments made to Executive pursuant to this Section are subject to
and conditioned upon compliance with 12 U.S.C. Section 1828(k), 12 C.F.R. Part
359 and 12 C.F.R. Section 545.121 and any rules or regulations promulgated
thereunder.
17. SUCCESSOR TO THE INSTITUTION.
The Institution 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, expressly and
unconditionally to assume and agree to perform the Institution's obligations
under this Agreement, in the same manner and to the same extent that the
Institution would be required to perform if no such succession or assignment had
taken place.
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SIGNATURES
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Bay State Federal Savings Bank and Bay State Bancorp,
Inc. have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized
officers, and Executive has signed this Agreement, on the 24th day of November,
1998.
ATTEST: BAY STATE FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
/s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇ By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
--------------------- -------------------------------------
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
President and Chief Executive Officer
[SEAL]
ATTEST: BAY STATE BANCORP, INC.
(Guarantor)
/s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇ By: /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
--------------------- -------------------------------------
▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
President and Chief Executive Officer
[SEAL]
WITNESS: EXECUTIVE:
/s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
--------------------- -------------------------------------
▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
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