Executive Employment Agreement between the Registrant and Maurice Herrera
Exhibit 10(qq)
ADTALEM GLOBAL EDUCATION INC. EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is
made and entered into as of October 11, 2021 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Adtalem Global Education Inc. (“Adtalem”), and Maurice Herrera (the “Executive”). Adtalem and the Executive are sometimes hereinafter referred to individually as a “Party” and together as “Parties.”
Unless otherwise defined in the body of this Agreement, capitalized terms shall be defined as provided in Appendix I to this Agreement.
In consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties hereto agree as follows:
AGREEMENT
2. | Position and Duties. |
3. | Compensation. |
Salary may be increased by the CEO in coordination with the Compensation Committee (but subject to any applicable Adtalem policy, law, or exchange listing requirement); provided, however, the Base Salary under this Agreement, including as subsequently adjusted upwards, may not be decreased thereafter except in the case of an across-the-board percentage reduction in base salaries of executives at the Executive’s level affecting such executives equally. All amounts payable to the Executive under this Agreement will be subject to all required withholding by Adtalem.
responsibilities under this Agreement which are consistent with Adtalem’s policies and procedures in effect from time to time.
7. | Relocation Expenses. [RESERVED]. |
8. | Termination. |
the Release,
then the Executive will be entitled to receive:
Benefits”:
Executive has been employed for not less than six (6) months during the fiscal year during which Executive’s Termination Date occurs, payment of a pro-rated MIP Award pursuant to Section 4 (based on the number of days in the fiscal year which have passed divided by 365) based upon accomplishment of the relevant performance targets for the relevant fiscal year which includes the Executive’s Termination Date, which MIP Award shall be payable in a lump sum payment at the time all other MIP Awards for such fiscal year are paid to the other Adtalem senior executives;
9. | Change in Control. |
the Release,
then the Executive will be entitled to receive:
10. | Confidential Information. |
court or agency of competent jurisdiction. However, the Executive shall promptly inform Adtalem of any such situations and shall take such reasonable steps to prevent disclosure of Adtalem’s Confidential Information until Adtalem or its relevant Affiliates have been informed of such requested disclosure and Adtalem has had an opportunity to respond to the court or agency.
Information. The Executive will notify Adtalem and the appropriate Affiliates promptly and in writing of any circumstances of which the Executive has knowledge relating to any possession or use of any Confidential Information by any Person other than those authorized by the terms of this Agreement.
13. | Non-Compete, Non-Solicitation. |
Section 8(d) above during the Initial Employment Period or Section 9(a) above or (ii) eighteen (18) months in the event of a termination under either Section 8(d) above during the Initial Employment Period or Section 9(a) above (the "Restricted Period"), the Executive will not, directly or indirectly, anywhere in the Restricted Area:
(12) months of the Executive’s employment with Adtalem; or
Nothing herein will prohibit the Executive from being a passive owner of not more than one percent (1%) of the outstanding stock of any class of a corporation which is publicly traded, so long as the Executive has no active participation in the business of such corporation.
provision applies to those Customers, suppliers, licensees or other business relationships of Adtalem with whom the Executive: (1) has had contact or has solicited at any time in the twelve (12) month period of time preceding the termination of the Executive's employment;
(2) has supervised the services of any of Adtalem's or Affiliates’ employees who have had any contact with or have solicited at any time during the twelve (12) month period of time preceding the termination of Executive's employment; or (3) has had access to any Confidential Information about such Customers, suppliers, licensees or other business relationships at any time during the twelve (12) month period of time preceding the termination of Executive’s employment.
14. | Executive’s Representations. [RESERVED]. |
Notices to the Executive:
Executive’s Name
At such home address which is on record with Adtalem
Notices to Adtalem:
Adtalem Global Education Inc.
Attn: President and Chief Executive Officer 500 West Monroe
Chicago, IL 60661
with copies to (which will not constitute notice to Adtalem):
Douglas Beck, SVP & General Counsel
Adtalem Global Education
500 West Monroe
Chicago, IL 60661
or such other address or to the attention of such other person as the recipient Party will have specified by prior written notice to the sending Party. Any notice under this Agreement will be deemed to have been given when so delivered, sent or mailed.
substantially all of Adtalem whether stock or assets, in which case such consent of the Executive is not necessary.
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
* * * * *
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the Effective Date.
ADTALEM GLOBAL EDUCATION INC.
By: Printed: Steve Beard
Title: President and Chief Executive Officer
EXECUTIVE
Printed:
Date:
APPENDIX I
DEFINITIONS
“Accrued Benefits” means (a) Base Salary earned through the Termination Date; (b) except in the event of a termination by Adtalem with Cause, the balance of any awarded (i.e., the amount and payment of the specific award has been fully approved by the Board) but as yet unpaid, annual cash incentive or other incentive awards for any fiscal year prior to the fiscal year during which the Executive’s Termination Date occurs; (c) a payment representing the Executive’s accrued but unused vacation; and (d) anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, (i) the payment of any vested, but not forfeited, benefits as of the Termination Date under Adtalem’s employee benefit and incentive plans payable in accordance with the terms of such plans and (ii) the availability of such benefit continuation and conversion rights to which Executive is entitled in accordance with the terms of such plans.
“Affiliates” means any company, directly or indirectly, controlled by, controlling or under common control with Adtalem, including, but not limited to, Adtalem’s subsidiary entities, parent, partners, joint ventures, and predecessors, as well as its successors and assigns.
“Base Salary” means the amount specified in Section 3(a) of the Agreement, as adjusted from time to time.
“Board” means the Board of Directors of Adtalem Global Education Inc.
“Business” means (a) the provision of educational services to individuals at the secondary through post-secondary levels of education and/or training services to individuals seeking professional certifications or professional education by (i) a market funded institution offering degree and non-degree programs (ii) at classroom locations in multiple states and/or through an online curriculum delivery mechanism, and (b) any other business directly engaged in by Adtalem and its Affiliates during the Employment Period.
“Cause” means (i) the commission of a felony or other crime involving moral turpitude or the commission of any other act or omission involving misappropriation, dishonesty, fraud, illegal drug use or breach of fiduciary duty, (ii) willful failure to perform duties as reasonably directed by the CEO, (iii) the Executive’s gross negligence or willful misconduct with respect to the performance of the Executive’s duties hereunder, (iv) obtaining any personal profit not fully disclosed to and approved by the Board in connection with any transaction entered into by, or on behalf of, Adtalem, or (v) any other material breach of this Agreement or any other agreement between the Executive and Adtalem.
“CEO” means the President and Chief Executive Officer of Adtalem Global Education Inc.
“Change in Control” means such term as defined in the Adtalem Global Education Inc. Incentive Plan of 2013.
“Change in Control Period” means the period commencing on the date of a Change in Control and ending on the twelve (12) month anniversary of such date.
“Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Code of Business Conduct and Ethics” means such code as maintained by Adtalem Global Education Inc., as amended from time to time.
“Compensation Committee” means that committee of the Board which shall have authority over the compensation (cash and non-cash) of certain aspects of Adtalem, including, but not limited to, all officers and executives of Adtalem, including Adtalem’s Chief Executive Officer, and all option grants for any employee, executive, officer, director or consultant of Adtalem.
“Copyright Act” means the United States Copyright Act of 1976, as amended. “Customer” means any Person:
“Good Reason” means, without the Executive’s consent, (i) material diminution in title, duties, responsibilities or authority; (ii) reduction of Base Salary, MIP Target or employee benefits except for across-the-board changes for executives at the Executive’s level; (iii) exclusion from executive benefit/compensation plans; (iv) material breach of the Agreement that Adtalem has not cured within thirty (30) days after the Executive has provided Adtalem notice of the material breach which shall be given within sixty (60) days of the Executive’s knowledge of the occurrence of the material breach; (v) requirement to relocate to an employment location more than 50 miles from Executive’s current employment location or (vi) resignation in compliance with securities, corporate governance or other applicable law (such as the US Sarbanes-Oxley Act) as specifically applicable to such Executive.
“Initial Employment Period” means the Executive’s employment period beginning on the Effective Date and ending on November 12, 2024;
“MIP Award” means the amount actually awarded Executive under Adtalem’s annual Management Incentive Plan, as in effect from time to time, upon the achievement of specific Adtalem-wide and personal performance goals of the Executive that will be determined each fiscal year by the Executive’s direct supervisor and/or the Compensation Committee as necessary and appropriate to comply with Adtalem policy.
“MIP Target” means the percentage of Executive’s Base Salary established as the target under Adtalem’s Management Incentive Plan as adjusted from time to time.
“Permanent Disability” means mental, physical or other illness, disease or injury, which has prevented the Executive from substantially performing Executive’s duties hereunder for the greater of: (a) the eligibility waiting period under the Adtalem long term disability program in which he/she participates, if any, (b) an aggregate of six (6) months in any twelve (12) month period, or (c) a period of three (3) consecutive months.
“Person” means any natural person, corporation, general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company or partnership, proprietorship, other business organization, trust, union, association or governmental or regulatory entities, department, agency or authority.
“Release” means the waiver and release agreement generally used by Adtalem for executives, as amended from time to time.
“Restricted Area” means (a) throughout the world, but if such area is determined by judicial action to be too broad, then it means (b) within North America, but if such area is determined by judicial action to be too broad, then it means (c) within the continental United States, but if such area is determined by judicial action to be too broad, then it means (d) within any state in which Adtalem and its Affiliates is engaged in Business.
“Subsequent Employment Period” means the Executive’s employment period beginning on November 13, 2024 and ending on the Termination Date.
“Termination Date” means the last day of Executive’s employment with Adtalem Global Education Inc.