EXHIBIT 99.1
SUPERGEN, INC.
AMENDED AND RESTATED EXECUTIVE
EMPLOYMENT AND
CONFIDENTIAL
INFORMATION
AND INVENTION ASSIGNMENT
AGREEMENT
This Amended and Restated Executive
Employment and Confidential Information and Invention Assignment
Agreement (the “ Amended 2010 Agreement”) is made and
entered into effective as of March 10, 2011 by and between
SuperGen, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
“Company”), and James S. J. Manuso
(“Executive”). This Amended 2010 Agreement amends
and restates the employment agreement dated as of October 1,
2010 (the “Effective Date”) by and between the Employee
and the Company and replaces it in its entirety with this agreement
as of the date hereof.
1.
Term . The Company hereby agrees to continue to
employ Executive and Executive hereby accepts continued employment,
on the terms and conditions set forth herein. The term of
this Amended 2010 Agreement shall commence upon the Effective Date
and shall continue until and including December 31,
2014.
2.
Positions and Duties
. Executive agrees to continue
to serve the Company as its President and Chief Executive Officer
or in such other executive capacity as the Board may from time to
time request. During the term of this Amended 2010 Agreement,
Executive will have all duties and responsibilities that are
reasonably consistent with these titles and positions and will
devote all of his normal business time and attention to, and use
his best efforts to advance, the business of the Company.
Executive agrees not to actively engage in any other employment,
occupation or consulting activity for any direct or indirect
remuneration without the prior approval of the Board of Directors
(the “Board”), except that without the prior approval,
Executive may serve on the board of directors of other companies if
in so doing Executive does not violate the terms of this Amended
2010 Agreement.
3.
Confidential
Information .
3.1
Company Information
. Executive agrees at all
times during the term of his employment and thereafter, to hold in
the strictest confidence, and not to use, except for the benefit of
the Company, or to disclose to any person, firm or corporation
without written authorization of the Board, any confidential
Information of the Company, except under a non-disclosure agreement
duly authorized and executed by the Company. Executive
understands that “Confidential Information” means any
non-public information that relates to the actual or anticipated
business or research and development of the Company, technical
data, trade secrets or know-how, including, but not limited to,
research, product plans or other information regarding
Company’s products or services and markets therefore,
customer lists and customers (including, but not limited to,
customers of the Company on whom Executive called with whom
Executive became acquainted during the term of his employment),
software
developments, inventions, processes, formulas,
technology, designs, drawings, engineering, hardware configuration
information, marketing, finances or other business
information. Executive further understands that Confidential
Information does not include any of the foregoing items that have
become publicly known and made generally available through no
wrongful act of Executive’s or of others who were under
confidentiality obligations as to the item or items involved or
improvements or new versions thereof.
3.2
Former Employer
Information .
Executive agrees that he will not, during his employment with the
Company, improperly use or disclose any proprietary information or
trade secrets of any former employer or other person or entity and
that he will not bring onto the premises of the Company any
unpublished document or proprietary information belonging to any
such employer, person or entity unless consented to in writing by
such employer, person or entity.
3.3
Third Party
Information .
Executive recognizes that the Company has received and in the
future will receive from third parties their confidential or
proprietary information subject to a duty on the Company’s
part to maintain the confidentiality of such information and to use
it only for certain limited purposes. Executive agrees to
hold all such confidential or proprietary information in the
strictest confidence and not to disclose it to any person, firm or
corporation or to use it except as necessary in carrying out
Executive’s work for the Company’s consistent with the
Company’s agreement with such third party.
4.
Inventions
.
4.1
Inventions Retained and
Licensed . Except
as listed on Exhibit A , Executive does not have any
inventions, original works of authorship, developments,
improvements, and trade secrets which were made by him prior to his
employment with the Company (collectively referred to as
“Prior Inventions”), which belong to him, which may
relate to the Company’s proposed business, products or
research and development, and which were not previously assigned to
the Company. If in the course of Executive’s employment
with the Company, Executive incorporates into a Company product,
process or service a Prior Invention owned by Executive or in which
Executive has an interest, Executive hereby grants to the Company a
nonexclusive, royalty-free, fully paid-up, irrevocable, perpetual,
worldwide license to make, have made, modify, use and sell such
Prior Invention as part of or in connection with such product,
process or service, and to practice any method related
thereto.
4.2
Assignment of
Inventions .
Executive agrees that Executive will promptly make full written
disclosure to the Company, will hold in trust for the sole right
and benefit of the Company, and hereby assigns to the Company, or
its designee, all Executive’s right, title, and interest in
and to any and all inventions, original works of authorship,
developments, concepts, improvements, designs, discoveries, ideas,
trademarks or trade secrets, whether or not patentable or
registrable under copyright or similar laws, which Executive may
solely or jointly conceive or develop or reduce to
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practice, or cause to be conceived or developed
or reduced to practice, during the period of time Executive is in
the employ of the Company (collectively referred to as
“Inventions”), except as provided in Section 4.6
below. Executive further acknowledges that all original works
of authorship which are made by him (solely or jointly with others)
within the scope of and during the period of his employment with
the Company, and which are protectable by copyright, are
“works made for hire,” as that term is defined in the
United States Copyright Act. Executive understands and agrees
that the decision whether or not to commercialize or market any
Invention developed by Executive solely or jointly with others is
within the Company’s sole discretion and for the
Company’s sole benefit and that no royalty will be due to
Executive as a result of the Company’s efforts to
commercialize or market any such Invention.
4.3
Inventions Assigned To The United
States . Executive
agrees to assign to the United States government all his right,
title, and interest in and to any and all Inventions whenever such
full title is required to be in the United States by a contract
between the Company and the United States or any of its
agencies.
4.4
Maintenance of Records
. Executive agrees to keep and
maintain adequate and current written records of all Inventions
made by Executive (solely or jointly with others) during the period
of his employment with the Company. The records will be in
the form of notes, sketches, drawings, and any other format that
may be specified by the Company. The records will be
available to and remain the sole property of the Company at all
times.
4.5 Patent and Copyright Registrations
. Executive agrees to assist the Company, or its designee, at
the Company’s expense, in every proper way to secure the
intellectual property rights relating thereto in any and all
countries, including the disclosure to the Company of all pertinent
information and data with respect thereto, the execution of all
applications, specifications, oaths, assignments and all other
instruments which the Company shall deem necessary in order to
apply for and obtain such rights and in order to assign and convey
to the Company, its successors, assigns, and nominees the sole and
exclusive rights, title and interest in and to such Inventions, and
any copyrights, patents, mask work rights or other intellectual
property rights relating thereto. Executive further agrees
that his obligation to execute or cause to be executed when it is
in his power to do so, any such instrument or papers shall continue
after the termination of this Amended 2010 Agreement. If the
Company is unable because of Executive’s mental or physical
incapacity or for any other reason to secure Executive’s
signature to apply for or to pursue any application for any United
States or foreign patents or copyright registrations covering
Inventions or original works of authorship assigned to the Company
as above, then Executive hereby irrevocably designates and appoints
the Company and its duly authorized officers and agents as his
agent and attorney in fact, to act for and in Executive’s
behalf and stead to execute and file any such applications and to
do all other lawfully permitted acts to further the prosecution and
issuance of letters patent or copyright registrations thereon with
the same legal force and effect as if executed by
Executive.
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4.6 Exception to Assignments .
Executive understands that the provision of this Amended 2010
Agreement requiring assignment of Inventions to the Company do not
apply to any Invention which qualifies fully under the provisions
of California Labor Code section 2870 (attached as
Exhibit B ). Executive will advise the Company
promptly in writing of any Inventions that Executive believes meet
the criteria in California Labor Code Section 2870.
5.
Office . The Company shall provide Executive with
an office at the location of the Company’s primary business
operations that is consistent with his positions and
titles.
6.
Compensation and Fringe
Benefits .
6.1
Base Salary
. For all services rendered by
Executive pursuant to this Amended 2010 Agreement, the Company
shall pay Executive a base salary (the “Base Salary”)
at the annual rate of not less than Six Hundred Twenty Five
Thousand Dollars ($625,000.00) as of the Effective Date. The
Base Salary shall be paid in periodic installments in accordance
with the Company’s regular payroll practices.
Executive’s annual salary shall be adjusted annually
thereafter on January 1 of each year during the term of the
agreement to compensate for changes in the cost of living.
The amount of each annual cost of living increase shall be twice
the rate determined for such annual period by the “Consumer
Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (All Items)
published by the bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of
Labor (1967 equals 100).”
6.2
Performance Bonus
.
(a)
For the calendar year 2010, the Executive shall be eligible to
receive an annual performance-based bonus of Six Hundred
Fifty Thousand Dollars ($650,000.00) based upon achievement of
certain criteria to be specified by the compensation committee of
the Board (“Compensation Committee”), including
(without limitation) revenue and profitability targets and/or other
organizational and strategic milestones (the “2010
Performance Bonus”). The 2010 Performance Bonus shall
be based upon achieving performance objectives during 2010 and
shall be payable in accordance with the Company’s normal
payroll practices and policies no later than March 15 of the
year following the year in which Executive’s right to such
bonus vests.
(b)
For the period January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011
covered by the Amended 2010 Agreement, the Executive shall be
eligible to receive an annual performance-based bonus of Six
Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($650,000.00) based upon achievement
of certain criteria to be specified by the Compensation Committee,
including (without limitation) revenue and profitability targets
and/or other organizational and strategic milestones (the
“2011 Performance Bonus”). For the remaining term
of the Amended 2010 Agreement, i.e., January 1, 2012 through
December 31, 2014, the Executive shall be eligible to receive
an annual performance-based bonus of Six Hundred Seventy Five
Thousand Dollars ($675,000.00) based upon
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achievement of certain criteria to be specified
by the Compensation Committee, including (without limitation)
revenue and profitability targets and/or other organizational and
strategic milestones (the “Annual Performance
Bonus”). The 2011 Performance Bonus and the Annual
Performance Bonuses shall be based upon achieving performance
objectives during each applicable calendar year and shall be
payable in accordance with the Company’s normal payroll
practices and policies no later than March 15 of the year
following the year in which Executive’s right to such bonus
vests.
6.3
Stock Options
.
(a)
Annual Options . Executive shall be permitted to
participate in any stock option and similar plans as adopted by the
Company from time to time for the grant of stock options and other
equity incentives to the Company’s employees. On the
first business day occurring on or after April 1, 2011 of each
year during the term of this Amended 2010 Agreement (subject to
Executive’s continuous employment with the Company through
each such anniversary), the Company shall grant Executive a stock
option with a vesting commencement date of April 1 of the year
in which it is granted, which will be, to the extent possible under
the $100,000 rule of Section 422(d) of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), an
“incentive stock option” (as defined in
Section 422 of the Code), under the Company’s 2003 Stock
Plan (the “Plan”) to purchase 360,000 shares of the
Company’s common stock (as adjusted for stock splits and
stock combinations that may occur after the date of this Amended
2010 Agreement), which each such option shall have a per share
exercise price equal to the fair market value of the
Company’s common stock on the applicable date of grant (each
an “Annual Option” and collectively, the “Annual
Options”). Subject to the accelerated vesting
provisions set forth herein, each Annual Option will vest as to
1/12th of the shares subject to such option each month following
its date of grant, so that each Annual Option will be fully vested
and exercisable one year from its grant date, subject to
Executive’s continuous service to the Company through each
relevant vesting date. Notwithstanding the above, in the
event of a Change in Control (as defined in Section 7.4 below)
of the Company prior to the granting of all Annual Options, and
that occurs while Executive remains employed hereunder, then all
Annual Options yet to be granted through the term of the Amended
2010 Agreement will immediately be granted and 100% of the
then-unvested shares subject to all such Annual Options will vest
and become exercisable.
(b)
Performance Options .
(i) On the Effective Date, the
Company granted Executive a stock option, which is, to the extent
possible under the $100,000 rule of
Section 422(d) of the Code, an “incentive stock
option” (as defined in Section 422 of the Code), under
the Plan to purchase 800,000 shares of the Company’s
common stock, which such option shall have a per share exercise
price equal to the fair market value of the Company’s common
stock on the Effective Date (the “2010 Performance
Option” and together with the Annual Options, and other
Performance Options, the “Options”). The 2010
Performance Option shall vest upon the Company’s achievement
of the
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performance milestones described on
Attachment A-2 , subject to Executive’s continuous
employment with the Company through the date any such performance
milestone is achieved.
(ii) Executive is still
eligible to achieve the outstanding performance milestones
described in Section 6.3(b) of that certain Amended and
Restated Executive Employment and Confidential Information and
Invention Assignment Agreement by and between the Company and
Executive, dated as of April 1, 2009 (the “2009
Agreement”) with respect to the performance option granted to
Executive in connection with the 2009 Agreement (the “2009
Performance Option”), and subject to Executive’s
continuous employment with the Company through the date any such
performance milestone is achieved. The remaining unachieved
performance milestones for the 2009 Performance Option are
described on Attachment A-2 , with certain modifications,
for the purpose of avoiding duplication with the performance
milestones for the 2010 Performance Option. For purposes of
clarity, under no circumstances shall Executive vest in both the
2010 Performance Option and the 2009 Performance Option
simultaneously, to the extent the performance milestones for each
are duplicative.
(iii) Executive is still
eligible to achieve the outstanding performance milestones
described in Section 6.3(b) of that certain Amended and
Restated Executive Employment and Confidential Information and
Invention Assignment Agreement by and between the Company and
Executive, dated as of October 28, 2008 (the “2008
Agreement”) with respect to the performance option granted to
Executive in connection with the 2008 Agreement (the “2008
Performance Option”), and subject to Executive’s
continuous employment with the Company through the date any such
performance milestone is achieved. The remaining unachieved
performance milestones for the 2008 Performance Option are
described on Attachment A-2 , with certain modifications,
for the purpose of avoiding duplication with the performance
milestones for the 2009 and 2010 Performance Options. For
purposes of clarity, under no circumstances shall Executive vest in
more than one of the 2010 Performance Option, the 2009 Performance
Option and the 2008 Performance Option simultaneously, to the
extent the performance milestones for each are
duplicative.
(iv) In addition, Executive is
still eligible to achieve the outstanding performance milestones
described in Section 6.3(b) of that certain Executive
Employment and Confidential Information and Invention Assignment
Agreement by and between the Company and Executive, dated as of
January 1, 2004 (the “2004 Agreement”), as
described on Attachment A-2 . The performance option
granted pursuant to the 2004 Agreement shall vest upon the
Company’s achievement of the performance milestones described
on Attachment A-2 , subject to Executive’s continuous
employment with the Company through the date any such performance
milestone is achieved.
(c) Each
Option shall have a term of ten (10) years from its date of
grant, subject to earlier termination in connection with
Executive’s termination of service to the Company as provided
in the Option Agreements. The Options will be
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subject to the terms, definitions and provisions
of the Plan and the stock option agreements to be executed by and
between Executive and the Company (the “Option
Agreements”), all of which documents are incorporated herein
by reference. Notwithstanding the above, in the event of a Change
in Control (as defined in Section 7.4 below) of the Company
prior to the vesting of the 2010 Performance Option, the 2009
Performance Option and the 2008 Performance Option (if outstanding)
and that occurs while Executive remains employed hereunder, 100% of
the then unvested shares subject to the 2010 Performance Option,
the 2009 Performance Option and the 2008 Performance Option (if
outstanding) shall immediately vest and become
exercisable.
6.4
Life Insurance
. During the term of the
Amended 2010 Agreement, the Company will pay the full premium on a
$4 million key person life insurance policy covering
Executive. Executive will be entitled to select personal
beneficiaries for 50% of the proceeds of the insurance
policy. The Company will provide Executive with additional
cash compensation at the end of each calendar year to fully offset
taxes attributable to Executive as a result of payment of the life
insurance premiums by the Company.
6.5
Other Benefits
. Executive shall be entitled
to participate in such group life, pension, disability, accident,
hospital and medical insurance plans, and such other plan or plans
which may be instituted by the Company for the benefit of its
executive employees generally, upon such terms as may be therein
provided of general application to all executive employees of the
Company and such other benefits as are mutually deemed appropriate
by the Compensation Committee and Executive to the position held by
Executive and to the discharge of Executive’s duties.
Executive shall be entitled to not less than twenty (20) business
days’ vacation per year, with remuneration, which shall be
coordinated with the vacation periods of other officers of the
Company in a manner that will minimize disruption of the
Company’s management efforts.
6.6
Additional
Compensation .
Executive shall also be eligible to receive such additional salary
or other incentive compensations as the Compensation Committee may,
in its sole discretion, determine from time to time.
7.
Expenses .
7.1
Automobile Expense
.
For the term of the Amended 2010
Agreement, up to a maximum of Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000.00)
annually, the Company will lease and pay for the maintenance of an
automobile selected by Executive for his exclusive use. The
Company will also pay for automobile insurance for the Executive,
up to a maximum of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00)
annually.
7.2
Business Expenses
. The Company will pay or
reimburse Executive for reasonable travel, entertainment or other
expenses incurred by Executive in the
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furtherance of or in connection with the
performance of Executive’s duties hereunder in accordance
with the Company’s established policies. Executive
shall furnish the Company with evidence of the incurrence of such
expenses within a reasonable period of time from the date that they
were incurred.
7.3 Relocation Expenses . In the event Executive undergoes an
“Involuntary Termination” (as defined below and to
include the result of a merger or acquisition in which
Executive is not offered full-time employment as Chairman,
President and/or CEO of the surviving entity), the Company will pay
or reimburse Executive for all reasonable relocation expenses
incurred by Executive in connection with his and his family’s
relocation from California to New York, including, but not limited
to short-term hotel costs or apartment rental for Executive for a
period not to exceed six (6) months, house-hunting travel by
Executive’s spouse and all household goods moving
costs. The total of all such amounts will not exceed
$100,000. Executive must submit a request for reimbursement
of relocation expenses no later than the December 31 of the
second calendar year following the calendar year in which Executive
undergoes an Involuntary Termination and the Company will not
reimburse Executive for any expenses incurred after such
date. The Company will reimburse Executive within ninety (90)
days after receipt of Executive’s request for
reimbursement. The Company will provide Executive with
additional cash compensation at the end of the calendar year to
fully offset taxes attributable to Executive as a result of payment
of such reasonable relocation expenses by the Company, which such
amount will be paid to Executive no later than the December 31
of the calendar year following the calendar year in which Executive
pays the tax on the relocation expenses.
7.4 Termination Benefits . If
Executive’s employment with the Company is terminated by the
Company as a result of an “Involuntary Termination” (as
defined below) within one (1) year following a
“Change in Control” (as defined below), Executive shall
be entitled to receive the following severance benefits:
(1) a lump sum payment equivalent to eighteen (18) months
of Executive’s then current Base Salary, which shall be paid
no later than fifty-three (53) days following the date of
Executive’s termination of employment; (2) a lump sum
payment equivalent to any unpaid amount of the Bonuses referenced
in Section 6.2, up to a maximum of One Million Dollars
($1,000,000.00), which shall be paid no later no later than
fifty-three (53) days following the date of Executive’s
termination of employment; (3) full acceleration of the
vesting of any then unvested stock options or other equity
compensation awards held by the Executive (with any unvested
performance-based awards accelerated at 100% of target performance
levels) and the post-termination exercise period of all options
referred to in this item (3) shall be extended from three
(3) months after employment termination to twelve (12) months
or, if earlier, the original maximum term of the option; and
(4) the Company shall pay COBRA premiums for Executive and any
dependents covered under the Company’s health plan
immediately prior to the termination date for a period of eighteen
(18) months following termination, provided that (a) Executive
makes a timely election for COBRA coverage, (b) the Company
may cease making such premium payment when Executive obtains other
employment and becomes eligible to
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participate in the health plan of
Executive’s new employer, and (c) if the Company
determines that it cannot pay COBRA premiums without potentially
violating (or being subject to an excise tax under) applicable law
(including Section 2716 of the Public Health Service Act), the
Company shall in lieu thereof provide Executive with a taxable
monthly payment in an amount equal to twice the monthly COBRA
premium that Executive would be required to pay to continue his
group health coverage in effect on the date of termination (based
on the COBRA premium for the first month of coverage), payable
regardless whether Executive elects COBRA coverage with such
payments commencing the month following the month of termination
and continuing for eighteen (18) months.
If Executive’s employment with
the Company is terminated by the Company as a result of an
Involuntary Termination prior to or more than one year following
the occurrence of a Change in Control, Executive may be eligible
for severance benefits under the Company’s Severance Benefit
Plan for Officers, to the extent determined by the
Board.
For the purposes of this Amended
2010 Agreement, “Involuntary Termination” means
(i) without Executive’s express written consent, a
material diminution of Executive’s duties, position or
responsibilities relative to Executive’s duties, position or
responsibilities in effect immediately prior to such reduction;
(ii) without Executive’s express written consent, a
material diminution by the Company of Executive’s base salary
as in effect immediately prior to such reduction; (iii) any
material breach by the Company of any of the terms of this Amended
2010 Agreement; (iv) without Executive’s express written
consent, the relocation of Executive to a facility or a location
more than fifty (50) miles from the current location of the
Company, which the Company and Executive agree would constitute a
material change in the geographic location at which Executive must
perform services to the Company, or (v) any purported
termination of Executive other than for “Cause” (as
defined below). Executive will not resign for an Involuntary
Termination without first providing the Company (x) with
written notice within ninety (90) days of the event that Executive
believes constitutes an Involuntary Termination specifically
identifying the acts or omissions constituting the grounds for an
Involuntary Termination and (y) a reasonable cure period of
not less than thirty (30) days following the date of such
notice.
For the purposes of this Amended
2010 Agreement, “Change in Control” means the
occurrence of any of the following events: (i) any
“person” (as such term is used in Sections
13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the
“beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 of
the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the
Company representing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total
voting power represented by the Company’s then outstanding
voting securities; (ii) the consummation of the sale or
disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the
Company’s assets; or (iii) the consummation of a merger
or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation, other
than a merger 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
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surviving entity or its parent) fifty percent
(50%) of the total voting power represented by the voting
securities of the Company or such surviving entity or its parent
outstanding immediately after such merger or
consolidation.
For the purposes of this Amended
2010 Agreement, “Cause” means (i) any act of
personal dishonesty taken by the Executive in connection with his
employment hereunder, which is intended to result in personal
enrichment of the Executive, (ii) the Executive’s
conviction or plea of nolo contendere to of a felony,
(iii) any act by the Executive that constitutes material
misconduct and is injurious to the Company, or (iv) continued
violations by the Executive of the Executive’s obligations to
the Company.
Executive agrees that as a condition
precedent to receipt of any termination benefits described in this
Section 7.4, Executive (or Executive’s estate, in the
event of Executives death) will promptly execute and not revoke a
general full release all claims against the Company (or any person
affiliated with the Company) in substantially the form attached as
Exhibit C . Receipt of the severance
payments and benefits specified in this Section 7.4 shall be
contingent on the receipt of such executed release and the lapse of
any statutory period for revocation, and such release becoming
effective in accordance with its terms within fifty-two (52) days
following the termination date. Any severance payment to
which Executive otherwise would have been entitled during such
fifty-two (52) day period shall be paid by the Company in full on
the fifty-third (53rd) day following Executive’s employment
termination date or such later date as is required to avoid the
imposition of additional taxes under Section 409A.
7.5 Code Section 280G Best
Results .
(a)
If any payment or benefit Executive would receive pursuant to this
Agreement or otherwise, including accelerated vesting of any equity
compensation (“Payment”) would (i) constitute a
“parachute payment” within the meaning of
Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the “Code”), and (ii) but for this sentence, be
subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code
(the “Excise Tax”), then such Payment shall be reduced
to the Reduced Amount. The “Reduced Amount” shall
be either (x) the largest portion of the Payment that would
result in no portion of the Payment being subject to the Excise Tax
or (y) the largest portion, up to and including the total, of
the Payment, whichever amount, after taking into account all
applicable federal, state and local employment taxes, income taxes,
and the Excise Tax (all computed at the highest applicable marginal
rate), results in Executive’s receipt, on an after-tax basis,
of the greater amount of the Payment notwithstanding that all or
some portion of the Payment may be subject to the Excise Tax.
If a reduction in payments or benefits constituting
“parachute payments” is necessary so that the Payment
equals the Reduced Amount, reduction shall occur in the following
order: (A) cash payments shall be reduced first and in reverse
chronological order such that the cash payment owed on the latest
date following the occurrence of the event triggering such excise
tax will be the first cash payment to be reduced;
(B) accelerated vesting of stock awards shall be
cancelled/reduced next and in the reverse order of the date of
grant for such stock awards (i.e., the vesting of the
most
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recently granted stock awards will be reduced
first), with full-value awards reversed before any stock option or
stock appreciation rights are reduced; and (C) employee
benefits shall be reduced last and in reverse chronological order
such that the benefit owed on the latest date following the
occurrence of the event triggering such excise tax will be the
first benefit to be reduced.
(b)
The Company shall appoint a nationally recognized accounting firm
to make the determinations required hereunder and perform the
foregoing calculations. The Company shall bear all expenses
with respect to the determinations by such accounting firm required
to be made hereunder. The accounting firm engaged to make the
determinations hereunder shall provide its calculations, together
with detailed supporting documentation, to the Company and
Executive within fifteen (15) calendar days after the date on which
right to a Payment is triggered (if requested at that time by the
Company or Executive) or such other time as requested by the
Company or Executive. Any good faith determinations of the
accounting firm made hereunder shall be final, binding and
conclusive upon the Company and Executive.
7.6
Section 409A
(a) &n