Severance Agreement with David R. Looney
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Human Resources
- Severance Agreements
EX-10.1 2 h42677exv10w1.htm SEVERANCE AGREEMENT WITH DAVID R. LOONEY exv10w1
Exhibit 10.1
SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into by and between GOODRICH PETROLEUM CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation, having an office at 808 Travis, Suite 1320, Houston, Texas, 77002 (hereinafter referred to as Employer), and DAVID R. LOONEY, (hereinafter referred to as Looney) effective as of the 8th day of May, 2006.
Attendant to Looneys employment by Employer, Employer and Looney hereby agree, that if Looneys employment with the Company is terminated by the Company without Cause (as defined below), or Looneys employment with the Company is terminated because of a Change of Control (as defined below), Company will pay, within three (3) months of termination of employment, Looney a cash lump sum payment equal to two times Looneys then current annual rate of total compensation. Also, through the second anniversary of the employment termination, health and life insurance coverage under the Company plans or the equivalent thereof shall be provided to Looney on the same basis as its other senior executives.
The term Cause is defined as (1) any material failure of Looney, after written notice to perform his duties as an officer of the company; (2) commission of fraud, embezzlement or misappropriation by Looney against the company; (3) material breech by Looney of fiduciary duties owed to the Company; (4) conviction of Looney of a felony offense or a crime involving moral turpitude.
A Change of Control of the Company is deemed to have occurred if (1) there is a sale, lease or other transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the company; (2) the Company or its shareholders adopt a plan relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company; (3) any person or group of persons acting in concert becomes the beneficial owner of fifty percent (50%) or more of the voting power of the Companys securities generally entitled to vote in the election of directors; or (4) there occurs a merger or consolidation of the Company unless, for at least six months after the transaction, all of those persons who were beneficial owners of the Companys common stock before the transaction, beneficially own greater than fifty (50%) of the total voting power of all securities generally entitled to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees of the surviving entity.
This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of Employer, its successors, legal representatives and assigns, and upon Looney, his heirs, executors, administrators, representatives and assigns; provided, however, Looney agrees that his rights and obligations hereunder are personal to him and may not be assigned without the express written consent of Employer.
This Agreement replaces and merges all previous agreements and discussions relating to the same or similar subject matters between Looney and Employer and constitutes the entire agreement between Looney and Employer with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement. This agreement may not be modified in any respect by any verbal statement, representation or agreement made by any employee, officer, or representative of employer or by any written agreement unless signed by an officer of Employer who is expressly authorized by Employer to execute such document.
If any provision of this Agreement or application thereof to anyone or under any circumstances shall be determined to be invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions or applications of this Agreement that can be given effect without the invalid or unenforceable provision or application.
Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, the breach thereof, Looneys employment with Employer, or the termination thereof, shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association (AAA),
and judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. To select an arbitrator, each party shall strike a name from the list submitted by AAA with the grieving party striking first. The arbitrator shall not have the power to add to or ignore any of the terms and conditions of this Agreement. His decision shall not go beyond what is necessary for the interpretation and application if this Agreement and obligations of the parties under this Agreement. Cost of such arbitration, but not attorneys fees, will be paid by the losing party.
The laws of the State of Texas will govern the interpretation, validity and effect of this Agreement.
This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, all of which shall constitute the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned intending to be legally bound, have executed this Agreement on the 8th day of January, 2007, to be effective as of the 8th day of May, 2006.
GOODRICH PETROLEUM CORPORATION | ||||
By: | /s/ Walter G. Goodrich | |||
Name: | Walter G. Goodrich | |||
Title: | Vice-Chairman and CEO | |||
DAVID R. LOONEY | ||||
/s/ David R. Looney | ||||
DAVID R. LOONEY | ||||