Seventh Amended and Restated Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan
EX-10.9 3 h59840exv10w9.htm SEVENTH AMENDED AND RESTATED SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN exv10w9
Exhibit 10.9
EXECUTION COPY
SEVENTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
SYSCO CORPORATION
SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN
Effective June 28, 2008
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page | ||||
ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS | 2 | |||
ARTICLE II ELIGIBILITY & CONTINUED PARTICIPATION | 8 | |||
2.1 Initial Eligibility | 8 | |||
2.2 Frozen Participation | 8 | |||
2.3 Frozen Participation Deemed Active Participation | 8 | |||
ARTICLE III VESTING | 9 | |||
3.1 Vesting | 9 | |||
3.2 Vesting upon a Change of Control | 10 | |||
3.3 Compensation Committee Discretion | 10 | |||
ARTICLE IV VESTED ACCRUED BENEFIT & RETIREMENT BENEFIT | 11 | |||
4.1 Definitions | 11 | |||
4.2 Minimum Vested Accrued Benefit as of June 28, 2008 | 15 | |||
4.3 Vested Accrued Benefit after June 28, 2008 | 15 | |||
4.4 Retirement Benefit | 16 | |||
4.5 Benefit Commencement Date | 16 | |||
4.6 Form of Payment | 16 | |||
4.7 Temporary Supplement | 17 | |||
4.8 Administrative Delay | 17 | |||
4.9 Delay of Payments under Section 409A of the Code | 17 | |||
ARTICLE V DISABILITY & FROZEN PARTICIPATION | 18 | |||
5.1 In General | 18 | |||
5.2 Disability on or after June 28, 2008 | 18 | |||
5.3 Disability before June 28, 2008 | 19 | |||
5.4 Participation Frozen on or after June 28, 2008 | 19 | |||
5.5 Frozen Participation Deemed Active Participation | 19 | |||
5.6 Participation Frozen before June 28, 2008 | 19 | |||
ARTICLE VI DEATH BENEFIT | 20 | |||
6.1 Definitions | 20 | |||
6.2 Death of Active Participant prior to Age 55 | 20 | |||
6.3 Death of Active Participant after Age 55 | 21 | |||
6.4 Death after a Change of Control that Occurs while an Active Participant | 21 | |||
6.5 Death of Vested Terminated Participant or Disabled Participant | 22 | |||
6.6 Death of Frozen Participant | 23 | |||
6.7 Death of Retired Participant before or after Commencement of Benefits | 23 | |||
6.8 Administrative Delay | 24 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page | ||||
6.9 Beneficiary Designation for Ten (10) Year Certain Period | 24 | |||
ARTICLE VII PROVISIONS RELATING TO ALL BENEFITS | 26 | |||
7.1 Effect of this Article | 26 | |||
7.2 Termination of Employment | 26 | |||
7.3 Forfeiture for Cause | 26 | |||
7.4 Forfeiture for Competition | 27 | |||
7.5 Restrictions on any Portion of Total Payments Determined to be Excess Parachute Payments | 28 | |||
7.6 Benefits upon Re-Employment | 29 | |||
7.7 Claims Procedure | 29 | |||
ARTICLE VIII ADMINISTRATION | 31 | |||
8.1 Committee Appointment | 31 | |||
8.2 Committee Organization and Voting | 31 | |||
8.3 Powers of the Committee | 31 | |||
8.4 Committee Discretion | 31 | |||
8.5 Reimbursement of Expenses | 32 | |||
8.6 Indemnification | 32 | |||
ARTICLE IX ADOPTION BY SUBSIDIARIES | 33 | |||
9.1 Procedure for and Status after Adoption | 33 | |||
9.2 Termination of Participation by Adopting Subsidiary | 33 | |||
ARTICLE X AMENDMENT AND/OR TERMINATION | 34 | |||
10.1 Amendment or Termination of the Plan | 34 | |||
10.2 No Retroactive Effect on Awarded Benefits | 34 | |||
10.3 Effect of Termination | 35 | |||
ARTICLE XI FUNDING | 36 | |||
11.1 Payments under This Plan are the Obligation of the Company | 36 | |||
11.2 Plan May Be Funded through Life Insurance Owned by the Company or a Rabbi Trust | 36 | |||
11.3 Reversion of Excess Assets | 36 | |||
11.4 Participants Must Rely Only on General Credit of the Company | 37 | |||
11.5 Funding of Benefits for Participants Subject to Canadian Income Tax Laws is Prohibited | 37 | |||
ARTICLE XII MISCELLANEOUS | 38 | |||
12.1 Responsibility for Distributions and Withholding of Taxes | 38 | |||
12.2 Limitation of Rights | 38 | |||
12.3 Distributions to Incompetents or Minors | 38 | |||
12.4 Nonalienation of Benefits | 38 |
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
Page | ||||
12.5 Reliance upon Information | 38 | |||
12.6 Amendment Applicable to Active Participants Only Unless it Provides Otherwise | 39 | |||
12.7 Severability | 39 | |||
12.8 Notice | 39 | |||
12.9 Gender and Number | 39 | |||
12.10 Governing Law | 39 | |||
12.11 Effective Date | 39 | |||
12.12 Compliance with Section 409A | 39 |
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SEVENTH AMENDED AND RESTATED
SYSCO CORPORATION
SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN
SYSCO CORPORATION
SUPPLEMENTAL EXECUTIVE RETIREMENT PLAN
WHEREAS, Sysco Corporation (SYSCO) and its Subsidiaries established the Sysco Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (the Current Plan), effective July 3, 1988, to provide certain highly compensated management personnel a supplement to their retirement pay so as to retain their loyalty and to offer them a further incentive to maintain and increase their standard of performance;
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.1 of the Current Plan, SYSCOs board of directors (the Board of Directors), the Committee or their designees may amend the Current Plan by an instrument in writing;
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interests of SYSCO and its stockholders to amend and restate the Current Plan effective June 28, 2008, to: (i) change the group of employees eligible to participate; (ii) change the definition of Eligible Earnings and Final Average Compensation; (iii) make the Current Plan compliant with the Final Treasury Regulations promulgated under Section 409A of the Code; (iv) expand the circumstances that SYSCO or its Subsidiaries have the right to forfeit a Participants benefits and (v) make certain other changes and clarifications to the Current Plan;
NOW, THEREFORE, SYSCO hereby adopts the Seventh Amended and Restated Sysco Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, effective June 28, 2008 (the Plan), as follows:
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
1.1 401(k) Plan. 401(k) Plan means the Sysco Corporation Employees 401(k) Plan, a defined contribution plan qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, and any U.S. qualified defined contribution plan successor thereto.
1.2 Active Participant. Active Participant means a Participant in the employ of the Company who is not a Frozen Participant.
1.3 Actuarial Equivalence or Actuarially Equivalent. Actuarial Equivalence shall be determined on the basis of the mortality and interest rate assumptions used in computing annuity benefits under the Pension Plan. If there is no Pension Plan in effect at the time any such determination is made, the actuarial assumptions to be used shall be selected by an actuarial firm chosen by the Committee. Such actuarial firm shall select such actuarial assumptions as would be appropriate for the Pension Plan if the Pension Plan remained in existence with its last participant census. Actuarial Equivalent means equality in value of the aggregate amounts expected to be received under different forms of payment based on the mortality and interest assumptions specified for purposes of Actuarial Equivalence.
1.4 Affiliate. Affiliate means any entity with respect to which SYSCO beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, at least 50% of the total voting power of the interests of such entity and at least 50% of the total value of the interests of such entity.
1.5 Annuity. Annuity means a monthly annuity for the life of the Participant with a ten (10) year certain period. A Participants Vested Accrued Benefit and Retirement Benefit are expressed in the form of an Annuity, subject to the provisions of Section 4.6.
1.6 Beneficiary. Beneficiary means a person or entity designated by the Participant under the terms of this Plan to receive any amounts distributed under the Plan upon the death of the Participant.
1.7 Benefit Commencement Date. Benefit Commencement Date means the first date the Participants benefits are payable under Section 4.5, without regard to any delay under Section 4.9.
1.8 Benefit Limit. Benefit Limit shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(l).
1.9 Benefit Service. Benefit Service shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(d).
1.10 Board of Directors. Board of Directors means the Board of Directors of SYSCO.
1.11 Canada/Quebec Pension Plan Offset. Canada/Quebec Pension Plan Offset shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(j).
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1.12 Change of Control. Change of Control means the occurrence of one or more of the following events:
(a) The acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Act (a Person) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Act) of 20% or more of either (i) the then-outstanding shares of SYSCO common stock (the Outstanding SYSCO Common Stock) or (ii) the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of SYSCO entitled to vote generally in the election of directors (the Outstanding SYSCO Voting Securities); provided, however, that the following acquisitions shall not constitute a Change of Control: (1) any acquisition directly from SYSCO, (2) any acquisition by SYSCO, (3) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by SYSCO or any Affiliate, or (4) any acquisition by any corporation; pursuant to a transaction that complies with Sections (c)(i), (c)(ii) and (c)(iii), below;
(b) Individuals who, as of July 1, 2008, constitute the Board of Directors (the Incumbent Board) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to July 1, 2008 whose election, or nomination for election by SYSCOs stockholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board of Directors;
(c) Consummation of a reorganization, merger, statutory share exchange or consolidation or similar corporate transaction involving SYSCO or any of its Affiliates, a sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of SYSCO, or the acquisition of assets or stock of another entity by SYSCO or any of its Affiliates (each, a Business Combination), in each case unless, following such Business Combination, (i) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities that were the beneficial owners of the Outstanding SYSCO Common Stock and the Outstanding SYSCO Voting Securities immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 60% of the then-outstanding shares of common stock and the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, as the case may be, of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation that, as a result of such transaction, owns SYSCO or all or substantially all of SYSCOs assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Outstanding SYSCO Common Stock and the Outstanding SYSCO Voting Securities, as the case may be, (ii) no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of SYSCO or such corporation resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 20% or more of, respectively, the then-outstanding shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination or the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of such corporation, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business
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Combination, and (iii) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement or of the action of the Board of Directors providing for such Business Combination; or
(d) Approval by the stockholders of SYSCO of a complete liquidation or dissolution of SYSCO.
1.13 Code. Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
1.14 Committee. Committee means the committee administering this Plan.
1.15 Company. Company means SYSCO and any Subsidiary that has adopted the Plan with the approval of the Committee pursuant to Section 9.1.
1.16 Defined Benefit Offset. Defined Benefit Offset shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(g).
1.17 Defined Contribution Offset. Defined Contribution Offset shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(h).
1.18 Determination Date. Determination Date means the date as of which a Participants Vested Accrued Benefit is calculated. The Determination Date for determining a Participants Retirement benefit under Article IV shall be the date of the Participants termination of employment from SYSCO or its Subsidiaries.
1.19 Disabled Participant. Disabled Participant shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1(b).
1.20 Disability. Disability means that a Participant (i) is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months; (ii) is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than twelve (12) months, receiving income replacement benefits for a period not less than three (3) months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Company; or (iii) has been determined by the Social Security Administration to be totally disabled.
1.21 Early Payment Criteria. Early Payment Criteria shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.5(b).
1.22 Eligible Earnings. Eligible Earnings shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(a).
1.23 ERISA. ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.
1.24 Frozen Participant. Frozen Participant shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.2.
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1.25 High-Five Average Compensation as of June 28, 2008. High-Five Average Compensation as of June 28, 2008 shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(c).
1.26 Joint and Survivor Annuity. Joint and Survivor Annuity means a joint and two-thirds survivor monthly annuity with a ten (10) year certain period that is the Actuarial Equivalent of an Annuity. This annuity is payable during the joint lives of the Participant and his spouse, and a monthly annuity shall continue for the life of the survivor in an amount equal to two-thirds of the monthly amount provided during their joint lives. Notwithstanding the above, during the ten (10) year certain period, there shall be no reduction in the amount of such payment regardless of the death of either or both the Participant and his spouse.
1.27 Minimum Vested Accrued Benefit. Minimum Vested Accrued Benefit shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.2.
1.28 Management Incentive Plan or MIP. Management Incentive Plan or MIP means the Sysco Corporation 1995 Management Incentive Plan, the Sysco Corporation 2000 Management Incentive Plan and the Sysco Corporation 2005 Management Incentive Plan, as each may be amended, and any successor plans.
1.29 Officer Ranking. Officer Ranking shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(b).
1.30 Offset Amount. Offset Amount shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(f).
1.31 Participant. Participant means an employee of a Company who is eligible for and is participating in the Plan, and any other current or former employee of SYSCO and its Subsidiaries who is entitled to a benefit under this Plan.
1.32 Pension Plan. Pension Plan means this Sysco Corporation Retirement Plan, a defined benefit plan qualified under Section 401(a) of the Code, and any U.S. qualified defined benefit pension plan successor thereto.
1.33 Plan. Plan means the Seventh Amended and Restated Sysco Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan, as set forth in this document and amended from time to time.
1.34 Plan Year. Plan Year means the period that coincides with the fiscal year of SYSCO. SYSCO has a 52/53 week fiscal year beginning on the Sunday next following the Saturday closest to June 30th of each calendar year.
1.35 Protected Benefit and Protected Participant. A Protected Benefit, as determined under Sections 4.2(b) and 4.3(b), is a benefit which is only applicable to a Protected Participant. A Protected Participant is an individual who, as of July 3, 2005, was an Active Participant who was (a) at least age sixty (60) or (b) at least age fifty-five (55) and had at least ten (10) years of SERP Participation.
1.36 Retired Participant. Retired Participant shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1(c).
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1.37 Retirement. Retirement means the Participants termination of employment from SYSCO or its Subsidiaries other than for death or Disability, provided that at the time of such termination, the Participant is at least age fifty-five (55) and has a Vested Percentage of at least 50%.
1.38 Restoration Plan. Restoration Plan means the defined benefit non-qualified deferred compensation plan to be adopted by SYSCO sometime after the effective date of this Plan. The Restoration Plan is intended to cover individuals who first become MIP participants after June 28, 2008 but who do not satisfy the eligibility requirements for participation in the Plan under Section 2.1.
1.39 Section 409A. Section 409A means Section 409A of the Code and any other guidance promulgated thereunder.
1.40 Securities Act. Securities Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.
1.41 Separation from Service. Separation from Service means separation from service within the meaning of Section 409A.
1.42 SERP Participation. SERP Participation refers to an individuals periods of participation in (a) the MIP prior to June 28, 2008 and (b) the Plan on or after June 28, 2008. Noncontinuous eligible periods of time (e.g., as a result of a termination and subsequent reemployment) shall be added together. A Participants years of SERP Participation shall mean the number of full years of such eligible periods of participation determined on an elapsed time basis. Except as provided under Section 2.3, participation while a Frozen Participant does not count as SERP Participation.
1.43 Service Factor. Service Factor shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(e).
1.44 Social Security Offset. Social Security Offset shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(i).
1.45 Specified Employee. Specified Employee means a specified employee as defined in Section 409A (a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code. By way of clarification, a specified employee means a key employee (as defined in Section 416(i) of the Code, disregarding Section 416(i)(5) of the Code) of the Company. A Participant shall be treated as a key employee if he meets the requirements of Section 416(i)(1)(A)(i), (ii), or (iii) (applied in accordance with the Treasury Regulations thereunder and disregarding Section 416(i)(5) of the Code) at any time during the twelve (12) month period ending on an Identification Date (as defined below). If a Participant is a key employee as of an Identification Date, he shall be treated as a Specified Employee for the twelve (12) month period beginning on the first day of the fourth month following such Identification Date. For purposes of any Specified Employee determination hereunder, the Identification Date shall mean December 31. The Committee may in its discretion amend the Plan to change the Identification Date, provided that any change to the Plans Identification Date shall not take effect for at least twelve (12) months after the date of the Plan amendment authorizing such change.
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1.46 Subsidiary. Subsidiary means (a) any corporation which is a member of a controlled group of corporations which includes SYSCO, as defined in Code Section 414(b), (b) any trade or business under common control with SYSCO, as defined in Code Section 414(c), (c) any organization which is a member of an affiliated service group which includes SYSCO, as defined in Code Section 414(m), (d) any other entity required to be aggregated with SYSCO pursuant to Code Section 414(o), and (e) any other organization or employment location designated as a Subsidiary by resolution of the Board of Directors.
1.47 SYSCO. SYSCO means Sysco Corporation, the sponsor of this Plan.
1.48 Ten-Year Final Average Compensation. Ten-Year Final Average Compensation shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4.1(b).
1.49 Total Payments. Total Payments means all payments or benefits received or to be received by a Participant within the meaning of Section 280G of the Code in connection with a Change of Control of SYSCO under the terms of this Agreement or the Sysco Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan, and in connection with a Change of Control of SYSCO under the terms of any stock option plan or any other plan, arrangement or agreement with the Company, its successors, any person whose actions result in a Change of Control or any person affiliated with the Company or who as a result of the completion of transactions causing a Change of Control become affiliated with the Company within the meaning of Section 1504 of the Code, taken collectively.
1.50 Vested Accrued Benefit. Vested Accrued Benefit shall have the meaning set forth in Article IV.
1.51 Vesting Service. Vesting Service means service with SYSCO and its Subsidiaries for which the Participant or Frozen Participant is awarded credited service under the Pension Plan for vesting purposes or would have been awarded credited service under the Pension Plan for vesting purposes if the Participant was covered under the Pension Plan; provided however, any service before the later of the first date of hire by the Company or the date of acquisition by SYSCO or a Subsidiary for which the Participant then worked shall not be included in calculating the Participants Vesting Service
1.52 Vested Percentage. Vested Percentage shall have the meaning set forth in Article III.
1.53 Vested Terminated Participant. Vested Terminated Participant shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.1(a).
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ARTICLE II
ELIGIBILITY & CONTINUED PARTICIPATION
2.1 Initial Eligibility. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, eligibility to participate in the Plan shall be determined as follows:
(a) A Company employee who is a MIP participant on June 28, 2008 is eligible.
(b) A Company employee who first becomes a MIP participant after June 28, 2008 must also hold an Officer Ranking to be eligible to participate in the Plan. A person has an Officer Ranking if he holds one of the following positions: (i) with respect to SYSCO, Chief Executive Officer, President, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President or Senior Vice President (including Senior Vice Presidents of Operations), (ii) an officer of equivalent or higher rank of those described in clause (i) who is selected by the Board of Directors or (iii) President of a Subsidiary.
2.2 Frozen Participation. Unless otherwise determined by the Committee in its sole discretion, an active Participant shall have his participation frozen (a Frozen Participant) as of the earliest of the date he (i) ceases to be a MIP participant, (ii) with respect to an individual described under Section 2.1(b), ceases to hold an Officer Ranking, or (iii) transfers from the Company to a non-participating Subsidiary. Article V sets forth special rules that apply to Frozen Participants.
2.3 Frozen Participation Deemed Active Participation. For all purposes under this Plan, a Frozen Participant shall be treated as if his participation had never been frozen if: (a) he remains an employee of SYSCO or its Subsidiaries after his participation is frozen and subsequently becomes eligible to participate in the Plan, or (b) his participation is frozen after a Change of Control and he dies or is terminated from the employ of SYSCO or its Subsidiaries by the then management within four (4) years after that Change of Control.
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ARTICLE III
VESTING
3.1 Vesting. A Participants Vested Percentage for purposes of calculating such Participants Vested Accrued Benefit under Article IV shall be determined in accordance with this Article III. For purposes of determining the Participants Vested Percentage, the Participants age, Vesting Service and SERP Participation are determined as of the Determination Date. The Vested Percentage shall be the greatest of the percentages determined under Sections 3.1(a), (b) and (c), except the schedule under Section 3.1(b) shall not apply for purposes of determining a Protected Participants Vested Percentage in his Protected Benefit.
(a) If the Participant has at least ten (10) years of Vesting Service, his Vested Percentage under this Section 3.1(a) shall be determined as follows:
Participant with at least | ||||
ten (10) years of Vesting | Vested | |||
Service whose age is | Percentage | |||
Less than 60 | 0 | % | ||
60 but less than 61 | 50 | % | ||
61 but less than 62 | 60 | % | ||
62 but less than 63 | 70 | % | ||
63 but less than 64 | 80 | % | ||
64 but less than 65 | 90 | % | ||
65 or more | 100 | % |
(b) If the Participant (i) is at least age fifty-five (55) and (ii) has at least fifteen (15) years of SERP Participation, his Vested Percentage under this Section 3.1(b) (Rule of 80) shall be determined as follows:
Sum of Participants full | ||||
years of age plus full | Vested | |||
years of SERP Participation | Percentage | |||
Less than 70 | 0 | % | ||
70 | 50 | % | ||
71 | 55 | % | ||
72 | 60 | % | ||
73 | 65 | % | ||
74 | 70 | % | ||
75 | 75 | % | ||
76 | 80 | % | ||
77 | 85 | % | ||
78 | 90 | % | ||
79 | 95 | % | ||
80 or more | 100 | % |
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(c) If the Participant is (i) at least age sixty-two (62), (ii) has completed at least twenty-five (25) years of Vesting Service and (iii) has at least fifteen (15) years of SERP Participation, he shall have a Vested Percentage of 100%.
3.2 Vesting upon a Change of Control. Notwithstanding Section 3.1 above, a Participants Vested Percentage shall be 100% upon a Change of Control.
3.3 Committee Discretion. Notwithstanding Section 3.1 above, the Committee, in its sole discretion, may increase a Participants Vested Percentage under Section 3.1.
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ARTICLE IV
VESTED ACCRUED BENEFIT & RETIREMENT BENEFIT
VESTED ACCRUED BENEFIT & RETIREMENT BENEFIT
4.1 Definitions. The following definitions are used in this Article IV:
(a) Eligible Earnings. Eligible Earnings means, for a given Plan Year, the sum of the Participants: (i) salary, including salary deferred under the Sysco Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan (EDCP), and (ii) to the extent described in the table below: (A) all or a portion of the bonus earned under the MIP (MIP Bonus) and (B) the bonus earned under the Sysco Corporation 2006 Supplemental Performance Based Bonus Plan (Supplemental Performance Bonus), even if the amounts described above were earned before the individual became a Participant.
Treatment of Bonuses for Purposes of Eligible Earnings | ||||||
Supplemental | ||||||
Plan Year | MIP Bonus (including any MIP Bonus deferred under the EDCP) | Performance | ||||
(PY) | Benefits other than Protected Benefits | Protected Benefits | Bonus | |||
2009 PY and PYs thereafter | Included, except for MIP Additional Bonuses, but capped at 150% of base salary rate as of the last day of the Plan Year | Included, except for MIP Additional Bonuses, but capped at 150% of base salary rate as of the last day of the Plan Year | Excluded | |||
2008 PY | Included, except for MIP Additional Shares and MIP Additional Bonuses | Included, except for MIP Additional Bonuses | Excluded | |||
2007 PY | Included, except for MIP Additional Shares | Included in full | Included, except for calculation of Protected Benefit | |||
2006 PY | Included, except for MIP Additional Shares and MIP Additional Cash Bonuses | Included in full | Excluded | |||
2005 PY and prior PYs | Included in full | Included in full | Excluded |
NOTE: | The terms MIP Additional Bonus, MIP Additional Shares and MIP Additional Cash Bonus shall have the meanings given to them in the MIP. No bonus other than those specified in the above table is included in Eligible Earnings. |
Eligible Earnings shall not include a Participants compensation from a company before the date such company was acquired by SYSCO or a Subsidiary
Solely for purposes of determining the salary component of Eligible Earnings used in the determination of Ten-Year Final Average Compensation defined in (b) below, salary shall mean the annual rate of the Participants base salary as of his last day of employment during the applicable Plan Year.
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(b) Ten-Year Final Average Compensation. Ten-Year Final Average Compensation means the monthly average of the Participants Eligible Earnings for the ten (10) Plan Years (excluding those Plan Years in which the Participant does not have any Eligible Earnings) ending immediately before or coincident with the Determination Date (as defined below). If the Participant does not have ten (10) Plan Years of Eligible Earnings, the Participants Ten-Year Final Average Compensation shall be based on the monthly average of Eligible Earnings for the available Plan Years ending immediately before or coincident with the Determination Date. The Plan Year in which the Participant was originally hired shall be disregarded if he was hired after the first business day of such Plan Year. Similarly, the Plan Year in which the Determination Date occurs shall be disregarded if the Determination Date occurs before the last business day of such Plan Year. Determination Date means the date on which the earlier of the following events occurs:
(i) the Participant becomes a Frozen Participant,
(ii) a Change of Control occurs, unless the employee remains an employee of the Company and a Participant for the Plan Year in which the Change of Control occurs and the next succeeding three (3) Plan Years; or
(iii) the earliest to occur of the Participants death, Disability or Retirement.
(c) High-Five Average Compensation as of June 28, 2008. High-Five Average Compensation as of June 28, 2008 means the monthly average of the Participants Eligible Earnings for the five (5) full Plan Years (which need not be successive) that yield the highest monthly average of Eligible Earnings out of the ten (10) full Plan Years ending June 28, 2008. If the Participant does not have five (5) full Plan Years of Eligible Earnings, the Participants High-Five Average Compensation as of June 28, 2008 shall be based on the monthly average of Eligible Earnings for the available full Plan Years ending June 28, 2008.
(d) Benefit Service. Benefit Service means service with SYSCO and its Subsidiaries for which the Participant is awarded credited service under the Pension Plan for vesting purposes or would have been awarded credited service under the Pension Plan for vesting purposes if the Participant was covered under the Pension Plan; provided, however, the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, award a Participant additional Benefit Service. Except as provided in Section 2.3, a Frozen Participants service after the date his participation was frozen under Section 2.2 shall not count as Benefit Service.
(e) Service Factor. Service Factor means a fraction equal to the Participants full years of Benefit Service as of any given Determination Date (not to exceed 20 years) divided by 20.
(f) Offset Amount. Offset Amount means, as of any given Determination Date, the sum of a Participants Defined Benefit Offset, Defined Contribution Offset, Social Security Offset and the Canada/Quebec Pension Plan Offset.
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(g) Defined Benefit Offset. Defined Benefit Offset refers to the offset of the Participants vested accrued benefit under the Restoration Plan, the Pension Plan, and each other U.S. tax-qualified defined benefit plan or Canadian registered pension plan sponsored by SYSCO or a Subsidiary (or any company for which the Participant worked that was acquired by SYSCO or a Subsidiary), each as of the Determination Date and determined as follows:
(i) Such a vested accrued benefit shall only reflect the benefit derived from employer contributions.
(ii) Each such vested accrued benefit will be adjusted in accordance with provisions of the applicable plan to reflect an assumed benefit commencement date of the later of (a) the Benefit Commencement Date or (b) the date a retirement benefit is first payable to the Participant under the applicable plan without regard to the actual election made by the Participant under such plan. The resulting amount shall be converted to an Actuarially Equivalent Annuity as of the assumed benefit commencement date.
(iii) Such benefits shall include prior distributions (subject to the limitation in item (i) and including but not limited to an in-service withdrawal or a qualified domestic relations order distribution), increased with interest. If the prior distribution was a lump-sum payment, interest will be credited from the date of the lump-sum payment. If the prior distribution consists or consisted of periodic payments, the Actuarially Equivalent single-sum value of the stream of payments will be determined as of the date of the first periodic payment and increased with interest from such date. Interest on the lump-sum payment or single-sum value of periodic payments will be credited to the assumed benefit commencement date described in (ii) above using the interest rate used for determining Actuarial Equivalence. The resulting amount will be converted to an Actuarial Equivalent Annuity as described in (ii) above.
(h) Defined Contribution Offset. Defined Contribution Offset refers to the offset of an Annuity that could be provided by the Participants vested account balance under the 401(k) Plan and each other U.S. tax-qualified defined contribution plan or each Canadian tax-registered capital accumulation plan sponsored by SYSCO or a Subsidiary (or any company for which the Participant worked that was acquired by SYSCO or a Subsidiary), determined as follows:
(i) Such account balance shall only reflect the vested balance derived from employer contributions, excluding the balance attributable to 401(k) salary deferrals.
(ii) Such account balance shall be determined as of the last day of the month preceding the month of the Determination Date. However, if the Participant has not met the Early Payment Criteria as of the Determination Date, this balance will be increased with interest to the Benefit Commencement Date, using the interest rate used for determining Actuarial Equivalence. The balance or, if applicable, balance increased with interest, shall be converted to an Actuarially Equivalent Annuity as of the Benefit Commencement Date.
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(iii) Such balances shall include prior distributions (subject to the limitation in item (i) and including but not limited to an in-service withdrawal or a qualified domestic relations order distribution), increased with interest. Interest will be credited from the date of the lump-sum payment to the Benefit Commencement Date, using the interest rate used for determining Actuarial Equivalence. The resulting balance shall be converted to an Actuarially Equivalent Annuity as of the Benefit Commencement Date.
(i) Social Security Offset. Social Security Offset means, as of any given Determination Date, the Participants monthly old-age benefit under the Federal Social Security Act or any similar federal act in effect as of the Determination Date and payable as of the later of age sixty-two (62) or the Benefit Commencement Date (the Social Security Benefit), and without regard to whether such Social Security Benefit is actually delayed, superseded, or forfeited because of failure to apply or for any other reason. The amount of the Social Security Benefit shall be determined based upon the pay and employment data that may be furnished by the Company and/or the Participant concerned and it shall be assumed that the Participant has no compensation after the Determination Date. Any pay for periods prior to the earliest data furnished shall be estimated by applying a salary scale discount, and the discount applied for this purpose shall be the actual change in average wages from year to year as determined by the Social Security Administration.
(j) Canada/Quebec Pension Plan Offset. Canada/Quebec Pension Plan Offset" means, as of any given Determination Date, the Participants monthly retirement benefit payable under the Canada Pension Plan or Quebec Pension Plan, as applicable, as in effect on the Determination Date and payable as of the later of age sixty (60) or the Benefit Commencement Date (the Canada/Quebec Pension Benefit), and without regard to whether such Canada/Quebec Pension Benefit is actually delayed, superseded, or forfeited because of failure to apply or for any other reason. The amount of the Canada/Quebec Pension Benefit shall be determined based upon the pay and employment data that may be furnished by the Company and/or the Participant concerned and it shall be assumed that the Participant has no compensation after the Determination Date. Any pay for periods prior to the earliest data furnished shall be estimated by applying a salary scale discount, and the discount applied for this purpose shall be the actual change in average wages from year to year as determined for purposes of the Canada Pension Plan or the Quebec Pension Plan, as applicable.
(k) Participant who has paid into both the US Federal Social Security and either the Canada Pension Plan or the Quebec Pension Plan. If a Participant has paid into both the US Federal Social Security and either the Canada Pension Plan or the Quebec Pension Plan, while an employee of SYSCO or its Subsidiaries, the monthly Social Security Offset will be assumed to be zero and the monthly Canada/Quebec Pension Plan Offset will be determined to be a theoretical amount calculated under the Canada Pension Plan or Quebec Pension Plan, as applicable, as if the Participant had always been covered under and contributing to the Canada Pension Plan or Quebec Pension Plan. For purposes of determining the monthly Canada/Quebec Pension Plan Offset, the amount of the benefit shall be determined based upon the pay and employment data that may be furnished by the Company and/or the Participant while a Canadian Participant. Any pay for periods prior to the earliest data furnished shall be estimated by applying a salary scale discount, and the discount applied for this purpose shall be the actual change in
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average wages from year to year as determined for purposes of the Canada Pension Plan or the Quebec Pension Plan, as applicable. Any pay for periods prior to the Determination Date and after the latest data furnished shall be estimated by applying a salary scale factor, and the factor applied for this purpose shall be the actual change in average wages from year to year as determined for purposes of the Canada Pension Plan or the Quebec Pension Plan, as applicable. It shall be assumed that the Participant has no compensation after the Determination Date. For purposes of the Temporary Supplement of Section 4.7, the Participant will be treated as a Canadian Participant, regardless of the status at Retirement.
(l) Benefit Limit. Benefit Limit means the limit in effect for the Plan Year in which the distribution event occurs and equals USD $178,537 per month for distribution events occurring in the Plan Year ending June 28, 2008. For distribution events that occur in a Plan Year ending after June 28, 2008, such monthly amount shall be adjusted in accordance with the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), as measured from (1) June of the second Plan Year preceding the Plan Year during which such distribution event occurred to (2) June of the Plan Year immediately preceding the Plan Year during which such distribution event occurred.
4.2 Minimum Vested Accrued Benefit as of June 28, 2008. An Active Participant as of June 28, 2008 shall have a Minimum Vested Accrued Benefit as of June 28, 2008 equal to:
(a) In General. The Participants { High-Five Average Compensation as of June 28, 2008 × 50% × Service Factor × Vested Percentage } less Offset Amount; provided, however, the resulting amount shall not exceed the Participants Vested Percentage × Benefit Limit.
(b) For a Protected Participant. The greater of (i) the amount determined under Section 4.2(a) above or (ii) the Protected Minimum Vested Accrued Benefit equal to the Protected Participants { (High-Five Average Compensation as of June 28, 2008 × 50%) less Offset Amount } × Service Factor × Vested Percentage.
The Determination Date for the elements in the benefit formulas under this Section 4.2 shall be June 28, 2008 with the exception of the Vested Percentage and Benefit Limit, both of which shall be determined as of the date of the distribution event.
4.3 Vested Accrued Benefit after June 28, 2008. An Active Participants Vested Accrued Benefit as of a Determination Date after June 28, 2008 shall equal the greater of the Participants benefit, if any, under Section 4.2 above, or
(a) In General. The Participants { Ten-Year Final Average Compensation × 50% × Service Factor × Vested Percentage } less Offset Amount; provided however, the resulting amount shall not exceed the Participants Vested Percentage × Benefit Limit.
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(b) For a Protected Participant. The greater of (i) the amount determined under Section 4.3(a) above or (ii) the Protected Benefit equal to the Protected Participants { (Ten-Year Final Average Compensation × 50% ) less Offset Amount } × Service Factor × Vested Percentage.
The Determination Date for the elements in the benefit formulas under Sections 4.3(a) and (b) above shall be the date of the distribution event.
4.4 Retirement Benefit. A Participants Retirement benefit shall equal the Participants Vested Accrued Benefit under Section 4.3, where the Determination Date for calculating such Vested Accrued Benefit is the Participants date of Retirement.
4.5 Benefit Commencement Date.
(a) Normal Payment Criteria. Unless a Participant satisfies the Early Payment Criteria under Section 4.5(b), payment of the Participants Retirement benefit under Section 4.4 shall begin on the first day of the month coincident with or next following his sixty-fifth (65th) birthday or actual Retirement date, whichever is later, if he survives to the applicable date.
(b) Early Payment Criteria. If a Participant retires before age sixty-five (65) and satisfies the Early Payment Criteria set forth below as of his Retirement date, payment of the Participants Retirement benefit under Section 4.4 shall begin on the first day of the month coincident with or next following the Participants Retirement date, if he survives to the applicable date. The Early Payment Criteria are as follows:
(i) Criteria for Early Payment of a Protected Benefit: As of his Retirement, the Participant is at least age sixty (60), has at least 10 years of SERP Participation and has at least twenty (20) years of Vesting Service.
(ii) Criteria for Early Payment of a Benefit other than a Protected Benefit: As of his Retirement, the Participant has either (1) satisfied the criteria in Section 4.5(b)(i) above or (2) is at least age fifty-five (55) and has at least fifteen (15) years of SERP Participation.
(iii) Committee Discretion. Notwithstanding the above, the Committee acting in its sole discretion prior to December 31, 2008, may allow a Participant who terminates employment prior to December 31, 2008 without meeting the Early Payment Criteria of Sections 4.5(b)(i) or 4.5(b)(ii), to commence receiving his Retirement benefits on the later of: (i) January 1, 2009, or (ii) the first day of the month coincident with or next following the date that is six (6) months after the Participants termination from employment, if he survives to the applicable date.
4.6 Form of Payment. If the Participant is not married as of the Benefit Commencement Date, the Retirement benefit will be paid in the form of an Annuity. If the Participant is married as of the Benefit
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Commencement Date, the Retirement benefit will be paid in the form of a Joint and Survivor Annuity which is Actuarially Equivalent to the Annuity.
4.7 Temporary Supplement. A U.S. Participant who retires before age sixty-two (62) and meets the criteria of Sections 4.5(b)(i), 4.5(b)(ii) or 4.5(b)(iii) above, shall, in addition to his Retirement benefit under Section 4.4, receive a Temporary Supplement equal to such Participants monthly Social Security Offset. A Canadian Participant who retires before age sixty (60) and meets the criteria of Sections 4.5(b)(i), 4.5(b)(ii) or 4.5(b)(iii) above, shall in addition to his Retirement benefit under Section 4.4, be paid a Temporary Supplement equal to such Participants monthly Canada/Quebec Pension Plan Offset. The Determination Date of the monthly Social Security Offset or Canada/Quebec Pension Plan Offset, as applicable, shall be the Participants date of Retirement. The Temporary Supplement will be paid to an eligible Participant through and including the earlier of (a) the month in which the Participant dies or (b) the month in which the U.S. Participant attains age sixty-two (62) or the Canadian Participant attains age sixty (60).
4.8 Administrative Delay. Except as required under Section 4.9, payment of the Participants Retirement benefit and, if applicable, Temporary Supplement shall begin on the Benefit Commencement Date set forth in Section 4.5 or the first day of the month as soon as administratively practicable thereafter. The aggregate amount of any delayed payments, without interest, shall be paid to the Participant on such delayed commencement date.
4.9 Delay of Payments under Section 409A of the Code . Notwithstanding any provision of Section 4.5 and 4.7 to the contrary, if the distribution of a Retirement benefit under Section 4.5 (and, if applicable, a Temporary Supplement under Section 4.7) to a Participant who is a Specified Employee result from such Participants Separation from Service, such distributions shall not commence earlier than the date that is six (6) months after the date of such Participants Separation from Service if such earlier commencement would result in the imposition of tax under Section 409A. If distributions to a Participant are so delayed, such distributions shall commence six months after the Benefit Commencement Date, and the aggregate amount of any such delayed payments, together with interest on such delayed payments (calculated using the interest rate used for determining Actuarial Equivalence), shall be paid to the Participant on such delayed commencement date.
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ARTICLE V
DISABILITY & FROZEN PARTICIPATION
5.1 In General. This Article V provides special rules that apply to a Participant who has a termination of employment due to Disability as defined in Section 1.20 and a Frozen Participant as defined in Section 2.2. To the extent that this Article V or other provisions of the Plan do not otherwise specify, such Participant shall be treated as any other Participant to the extent necessary to implement this Article V.
5.2 Disability on or after June 28, 2008. This Section 5.2 sets forth special rules applicable to a Participant upon termination of employment due to Disability on or after June 28, 2008 as described below:
(a) If the Participant is a Frozen Participant as of his date of Disability, the provisions of this Section 5.2 shall not apply and he shall be treated as any other Frozen Participant whose employment terminated for reasons other than Disability.
(b) If the Participant satisfies the Early Payment Criteria under Section 4.5(b) as of his date of Disability, his date of Disability shall be considered his date of Retirement and his benefit will be determined under Section 4.4.
(c) If Sections 5.2(a) and (b) above do not apply and, as of his date of Disability, the Participant was at least age sixty (60) and had at least ten (10) years of Vesting Service, and his Disability continues until age sixty-five (65), he shall be entitled to a deferred Vested Accrued Benefit commencing as provided under Section 4.5(a). Such deferred Vested Accrued Benefit will be determined as follows:
(i) His Vested Percentage will be 100% for purposes of Sections 4.2 and 4.3.
(ii) The Determination Date for all elements of the applicable benefit formula under Section 4.3(a) or 4.3(b) shall be the Participants date of Disability; provided, however, the Determination Date of the Defined Benefit Offset shall be the later of (1) the Participants date of Disability or (2) the date as of which the benefit accruals under the defined benefit plan cease.
(d) This Section 5.2(d) sets forth special rules applicable to a Participant described under Section 5.2(c) who recovers from his Disability prior to age sixty-five (65) as set forth below:
(i) If such Participant returns to the employ of the Company within sixty (60) days of such recovery and is eligible to participate in the Plan upon such return as provided under Section 2.1, the period of his Disability through his re-employment date shall be counted as Benefit Service, Vesting Service and SERP Participation.
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(ii) If such Participant returns to the employ of SYSCO or its Subsidiaries within sixty (60) days of such recovery and is not eligible to participate in the Plan upon such return, his participation shall be frozen as of his date of Disability.
(iii) If such Participant does not return to the employ of SYSCO or its Subsidiaries within sixty (60) days of such recovery, he shall be deemed to have retired as of his date of Disability.
5.3 Disability before June 28, 2008. The provisions of Section 5.2 shall also apply to a Participant whose Disability occurred before June 28, 2008, except such Participants deferred Vested Accrued Benefit shall be determined using the benefit formula in effect under the Plan as of the date of his Disability.
5.4 Participation Frozen on or after June 28, 2008. For ease of reference, special rules applicable to a participant who becomes a Frozen Participant, as described in Section 2.2, on or after June 28, 2008 are restated below:
(a) Vesting Service and Age Credit. During the period of time during which his participation is frozen, a Frozen Participant shall continue to be awarded Vesting Service and age credit for vesting purposes under Article III and satisfaction of the Early Payment Criteria under Section 4.5(b).
(b) Benefit Service. A Frozen Participants service after the date his participation is frozen shall not count as Benefit Service.
(c) Ten-Year Final Average Compensation. A Frozen Participants Ten-Year Final Average Compensation shall be determined as of the date his participation is frozen and frozen as of such date.
(d) SERP Participation. Frozen Participation shall not count as SERP Participation.
(e) Offset Amount. No special rule applies to a Frozen Participants Offset Amount. The Participants Offset Amount is determined as though his participation had never been frozen.
5.5 Frozen Participation Deemed Active Participation. Notwithstanding the above provisions of this Section 5.4, a Frozen Participant shall be treated as if his participation had never been frozen, as described in Section 2.3, if (a) he remains a Company employee after his participation is frozen and subsequently becomes eligible to participate in the Plan or (b) his participation is frozen after a Change of Control and he dies or is terminated from the employ of the Company by the then management within four (4) years after that Change of Control.
5.6 Participation Frozen before June 28, 2008. The provisions of Sections 5.4 and 5.5 shall also apply to a Participant whose participation was frozen before June 28, 2008, except such Frozen Participants Vested Accrued Benefit shall be determined using the benefit formula in effect under the Plan as of the date his participation was frozen.
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ARTICLE VI
DEATH BENEFIT
6.1 Definitions. The following definitions are used in this Article VI:
(a) Vested Terminated Participant. Vested Terminated Participant means a Participant entitled to a deferred Vested Accrued Benefit commencing under the payment criteria under Section 4.5(a).
(b) Disabled Participant. Disabled Participant means a disabled Participant described under Section 5.2(c) who is entitled to a deferred Vested Accrued Benefit commencing under the Normal Payment Criteria under Section 4.5(a) if he remains continuously disabled to such date.
(c) Retired Participant. Retired Participant means a Participant (1) whose Benefit Commencement Date has occurred but who has not yet received his first benefit payment or (2) who is receiving benefit payments.
6.2 Death of Active Participant prior to Age 55. If an Active Participant dies prior to attaining age fifty-five (55), such Participants Beneficiary shall be entitled to receive a death benefit as described below:
(a) Amount of Death Benefit. Such annual death benefit shall equal 25% of the Participants Three-Year Final Average Compensation, determined as follows:
(i) Three-Year Final Average Compensation means the annual average of the Participants Eligible Earnings for the three (3) Plan Years (excluding those Plan Years in which the Participant does not have any Eligible Earnings) ending immediately before or coincident with the Participants date of death. The Plan Year in which the Participant was originally hired shall be disregarded if he was hired after the first business day of such Plan Year. Similarly, the Plan Year in which death occurs shall be disregarded if death occurs before the last business day of such Plan Year. If the Participant does not have three (3) Plan Years of Eligible Earnings, the Participants Three-Year Final Average Compensation shall be based on the annual average of Eligible Earnings for the available Plan Years ending immediately before or coincident with the Participants date of death. If all Plan years have been excluded (i.e. there are no available Plan Years), Three-Year Final Average Compensation shall mean the Participants Eligible Earnings in the Plan Year in which he was originally hired.
(ii) Eligible Earnings shall have the meaning given to such term under Section 4.1(a); provided, however, the salary component of Eligible Earnings shall mean the annual rate of the Participants base salary as of his last day of employment during the applicable Plan Year.
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(b) Duration of Death Benefit. The above death benefit will be payable annually to the Beneficiary for a period of ten (10) years certain, with payments commencing as of the first day of the month coincident with or next following the Participants death.
6.3 Death of Active Participant after Age 55. If an Active Participant dies after attaining age fifty-five (55), such Participants Beneficiary shall be entitled to receive a death benefit as described below:
(a) Value of Death Benefit.
(i) If such Participant, as of his date of death, is at least age sixty-five (65) or satisfies the Early Payment Criteria under Section 4.5(b), the single-sum value of the death benefit shall equal the greater of the Actuarially Equivalent single-sum value of (a) the death benefit that would be payable under Section 6.2 if the age condition did not apply or (b) the Retirement benefit that would have been payable to the Participant under Article IV assuming the Participant had retired on his date of death.
(ii) If such Participant does not satisfy the conditions in 6.3(a)(i) above, the single-sum value of the death benefit shall equal the greater of the Actuarially Equivalent single-sum value of (a) the death benefit that would be payable under Section 6.2 if the age condition did not apply or (b) the hypothetical immediate Annuity equal to (i) the deferred Annuity that would have been payable to the Participant under Article IV assuming the Participant had retired on his date of death, reduced by (ii) five-ninths (5/9ths) of 1% for each full calendar month by which the first payment of the death benefit precedes the month in which the Participant would have attained age sixty-five (65).
(b) Form and Duration of Death Benefit.
(i) Married Participant. If the Participant is married at the time of his death, the single-sum value of the death benefit determined in Section 6.3(a) above shall be converted to an Actuarially Equivalent monthly annuity payable to the Beneficiary for life with a ten (10) year certain period and commencing as of the first day of the month coincident with or next following the Participants death.
(ii) Participant is not Married. If the Participant is not married at the time of his death, the single-sum value of the death benefit determined in Section 6.3(a) above shall be paid to the Beneficiary in a lump sum as of the first day of the month coincident with or next following the Participants death.
6.4 Death after a Change of Control that Occurs while an Active Participant . If a Participant is (a) an Active Participant when a Change of Control occurs, (b) continues as an Active Participant or becomes a Vested Terminated Participant and (c) dies within four (4) years of such Change of Control, a death benefit shall be payable to such Participants Beneficiary. The death benefit shall be determined under Section 6.2 or 6.3, as applicable, based on such Active or Vested Terminated Participants age as of his date of death and modified as follows:
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(a) Three-Year Final Average Compensation under Section 6.2 shall be determined as of the Active Participants date of death or Vested Terminated Participants date of Retirement.
(b) The Determination Date of the Article IV Retirement benefit under Section 6.3 shall be the Active Participants date of death or Vested Terminated Participants date of Retirement.
(c) Satisfaction of the Early Payment Criteria shall be determined as of the Active Participants date of death.
6.5 Death of Vested Terminated Participant or Disabled Participant . Upon the death of (a) a Vested Terminated Participant who was not a Frozen Participant as of his date of Retirement or (b) a Disabled Participant, such Participants Beneficiary shall be entitled to receive a death benefit described below, unless the Change of Control provisions of Section 6.4 apply.
(a) Amount of Death Benefit.
(i) Married Participant. If such Participant was married as of his date of death, the Participants spouse or other Beneficiary shall be entitled to the monthly survivors benefit that would have been payable to the Participants spouse if the Participant had begun receiving a hypothetical Retirement benefit equal to the Participants actual deferred Annuity under Section 4.5(a), reduced by five-ninths (5/9ths) of 1% for each full calendar month by which the first payment of the death benefit precedes the month in which the participant would have attained age sixty-five (65) and then converted to a Joint and Survivor Annuity. If the Participant designated a Beneficiary other than his spouse, the Participants Beneficiary shall be substituted for the Participants spouse for purposes of calculating the Joint and Survivor Annuity.
(ii) If such Participant was not married as of his date of death, the Beneficiary shall be entitled to receive a death benefit equal to the Actuarially Equivalent single-sum value of the ten year certain guarantee that would have been payable to the Participants Beneficiary if the Participant had begun receiving a hypothetical Retirement benefit equal to the Participants actual deferred Annuity under Section 4.5(a), reduced by five-ninths (5/9ths) of 1% for each full calendar month by which the first payment of the death benefit precedes the month in which the participant would have attained age sixty-five (65).
(b) Form and Duration of Death Benefit.
(i) Married Participant. If the Participant is married at the time of his death, the Beneficiary will receive a monthly annuity payable to the Beneficiary for life with a ten (10) year certain period commencing as of the first day of the month coincident with or next following the Participants death. Such monthly amount shall equal (a) the monthly amount of the hypothetical Retirement benefit determined under Section 6.5(a)(i) above during the ten (10) year certain period and (b) two-thirds (2/3) of such amount after the end of the ten (10) year certain period and continuing for the life of the Beneficiary.
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(ii) Participant is not Married. If the Participant is not married at the time of his death, the Actuarially Equivalent single-sum value determined under Section 6.5(a)(ii) above shall be paid to the Beneficiary in a lump sum as of the first day of the month coincident with or next following the Participants death.
6.6 Death of Frozen Participant. If a Frozen Participant dies (a) while in the employ of the Company and (b) after age sixty-five (65) or after satisfaction of the Early Payment Criteria under Section 4.5(b), the Frozen Participants Beneficiary shall be entitled to receive a death benefit as described below. (Absent satisfaction of the criteria in the preceding sentence, no death benefit is payable as a result of the death of a Frozen Participant before commencement of Retirement benefits.)
(a) Amount, Form and Duration of Death Benefit.
(i) Married Participant. If such Frozen Participant was married as of his date of death, the Participants spouse or other Beneficiary shall be entitled to receive a monthly benefit equal to the survivors benefit that would have been payable to the Participants spouse if the Participant had retired on his date of death and died before receipt of the first benefit payment; provided, however, the Participants Beneficiary shall be substituted for the Participants spouse for purposes of calculating the Joint and Survivor Annuity if the Participant designated a Beneficiary other than his spouse.
(ii) If such Participant was not married as of his date of death, the Beneficiary shall be entitled to receive a lump sum payment equal to the value of the monthly benefit payable for ten (10) years certain that would have been payable to the Participants Beneficiary if the Participant had retired on his date of death and died before receipt of the first payment.
6.7 Death of Retired Participant before or after Commencement of Benefits. If a Retired Participant (a) dies before benefit payments begin and was not a Frozen Participant at Retirement or (b) dies after benefit payments begin, any death benefit that may be payable is a function of the form of payment applicable to such Retired Participant (Joint and Survivor Annuity or Annuity as provided under Section 4.6), as described below:
(a) Joint and Survivor Annuity.
(i) Death of Participant or Spouse during Ten (10) Year Certain Period. If either the Participant or his spouse (but not both) dies before the first benefit payment or during the ten (10) year certain period following the Benefit Commencement Date, the benefit amount payable during their joint lives shall be paid to the survivor for the balance of the ten (10) year certain period and then two-thirds (2/3) of that amount shall be paid to the survivor for life.
(ii) Death of Both Participant and Spouse during Ten (10) Year Certain Period. If both the Participant and his spouse die before the first benefit payment or during the ten (10) year certain period following the Benefit Commencement Date, the benefit amount payable during their joint lives shall be paid to the Participants Beneficiary for the balance of the ten (10) year certain period.
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(iii) Cessation of Benefits. No further benefits are payable after the later of (a) the deaths of the Participant and his spouse or (b) the end of the ten (10) year certain period.
(iv) Spouse. For purposes of this Section 6.7(a), Spouse refers to the Participants spouse whose birth date was used in the calculation of the Joint and Survivor Annuity, even if the Participant is married to a different individual at the time of the Participants death.
(b) Annuity.
(i) Death of Participant during Ten (10) Year Certain Period. If the Participant dies before the first benefit payment or during the ten (10) year certain period following the Benefit Commencement Date, the benefit amount shall be paid to the Participants Beneficiary for the balance of the ten (10) year certain period.
(ii) Cessation of Benefits. No further benefits are payable after the later of (a) the death of the Participant or (b) the end of the ten (10) year certain period.
6.8 Administrative Delay. Death benefits shall commence as of the date set forth in this Article VI or the first day of the month as soon as administratively practicable thereafter and within ninety (90) days of the Participants death. The aggregate amount of any such delayed payments, without interest on such delayed payments, shall be paid to the Beneficiary on such delayed commencement date.
6.9 Beneficiary Designation for Ten (10) Year Certain Period. A Beneficiary designation shall be effective upon receipt by the Committee of a properly executed form which the Committee has approved for that purpose, and shall remain in force until revoked or changed by the Participant. The Participant may, from time to time, revoke or change any designation of Beneficiary by filing another approved Beneficiary designation form with the Committee.
(a) Upon entering the Plan, each Participant shall file with the Committee a designation of one or more Beneficiaries to whom the death benefit provided by Sections 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5 and 6.6 shall be payable. Any Beneficiary designation by a married Participant who designates any person or entity other than the Participants spouse shall be ineffective unless the Participants spouse has indicated consent by completing and signing the applicable spousal consent section of the approved beneficiary designation form.
(b) Upon Retirement and prior to commencement of benefits under Article IV, the Participant shall designate one or more Beneficiaries to receive the remaining period certain payments, which designation shall be made and modified in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 6.9. If the Participant does not designate one or more Beneficiaries to receive the remaining period certain payments, the Beneficiaries designated by the Participant upon entering the Plan shall be the Participants Beneficiaries for purposes of the remaining period certain payments. A spouse of a Participant may not change the Beneficiaries designated by the Participant, including the Beneficiaries to whom the remaining period certain payments may be
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paid. Notwithstanding the preceding sentences of this section 6.9 (b), in the case of a Joint and Survivor Annuity, a Beneficiary designation shall have no effect unless the Participant and the Participants spouse both die during the ten (10) year certain period and (b) if the Participant dies during the ten (10) year certain period and the Beneficiaries designated by the Participant have predeceased the Participant or otherwise ceased to exist, the Participants surviving spouse who is receiving the survivor benefit under the Joint and Survivor Annuity may designate the Beneficiaries to receive any remaining guaranteed payments if the spouse should die during the ten (10) year certain period.
(c) If there is no valid Beneficiary designation on file with the Committee at the time of the Participants death, or if all of the Beneficiaries designated in the last Beneficiary designation have predeceased the Participant or, in the case of an entity, otherwise ceased to exist, the Beneficiary shall be the Participants spouse, if the spouse survives the Participant, or otherwise the Participants estate. A Beneficiary who is an individual shall be deemed to have predeceased the Participant if the Beneficiary dies within 30 days of the date of the Participants death. If any Beneficiary survives the Participant but dies or, in the case of an entity, otherwise ceases to exist, before receiving all payments due under this Article VI, the balance of the payments that would have been paid to that Beneficiary shall, unless the Participants designation provides otherwise, be distributed to the deceased individual Beneficiarys estate or, in the case of an entity, to the Participants spouse, if the spouse survives the Participant, or otherwise to the Participants estate.
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ARTICLE VII
PROVISIONS RELATING TO ALL BENEFITS
7.1 Effect of this Article. The provisions of this Article shall control over all other provisions of this Plan.
7.2 Termination of Employment. A Participants termination of employment for any reason prior to the Participants vesting under Article III shall cause the Participant and all his Beneficiaries to forfeit all interests in and under this Plan, other than any benefit payable under Article VI.
7.3 Forfeiture for Cause.
(a) Forfeiture on Account of Discharge. If the Committee finds, after full consideration of the facts presented on behalf of SYSCO or a Subsidiary and a former Participant, that the Participant was discharged by SYSCO or a Subsidiary for: (i) fraud, (ii) embezzlement, (iii) theft, (iv) commission of a felony, (v) proven dishonesty in the course of his employment by SYSCO or a Subsidiary which damaged SYSCO or a Subsidiary, or (vi) disclosing trade secrets of SYSCO or a Subsidiary ((i) through (vi) individually and collectively referred to as Forfeiture Event), the entire Vested Accrued Benefit of the Participant and/or his Beneficiaries shall be forfeited.
(b) Forfeiture after Commencement of Benefits. If the Committee finds, after full consideration of the facts presented on behalf of SYSCO or a Subsidiary and the former Participant, that a former Participant who has begun receiving benefits under this Plan engaged in a Forfeiture Event during his employment with SYSCO or a Subsidiary (even though the Participant was not discharged from SYSCO or the Subsidiary for such a Forfeiture Event), the former Participants and/or Beneficiaries remaining benefit payments under the Plan shall be forfeited.
(c) Committee Discretion. The decision of the Committee as to the existence of a Forfeiture Event shall be final. No decision of the Committee shall affect the finality of the discharge of the Participant by SYSCO or the Subsidiary in any manner.
(d) Special Rule for Change of Control. Notwithstanding the above, the forfeitures created by Sections 7.3(a) and 7.3(b) shall not apply to a Participant or former Participant who: (i) is discharged during the Plan Year in which a Change of Control occurs, or during the next three (3) succeeding Plan Years following the Plan Year in which a Change of Controls occurs (the Change of Control Period) or (ii) during the Change of Control Period is determined by the Committee to have engaged in a Forfeiture Event, unless an arbitrator selected to review the Committees findings agrees with the Committees determination to apply the forfeiture. The arbitration shall be governed by the provisions of Section 7.7(e) below.
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7.4 Forfeiture for Competition.
(a) If, at the time a distribution is being made or is to be made to a Participant, the Committee finds, after full consideration of the facts presented on behalf of SYSCO or a Subsidiary and the Participant, that the Participant has engaged in any of the conduct set forth in Section 7.4(b) through 7.4(h), the entire benefit remaining to be paid to the Participant and/or his Beneficiaries shall be forfeited, even though it may have been previously vested under any portion of this Plan; provided, however, that this Section 7.4(a) shall not apply to any Participant whose termination of employment from SYSCO or a Subsidiary occurs during the Plan Year in which a Change of Control occurs or during the next three (3) succeeding Plan Years following the Plan Year in which a Change of Control occurs.
(b) Consistent with Section 7.4(a), forfeiture shall occur if, at any time after his termination of employment from SYSCO or a Subsidiary and while any remaining benefit is to be paid to the Participant and/or his Beneficiaries under this Plan, and without written consent of SYSCOs Chief Executive Officer or General Counsel, the Participant either directly or indirectly owns, operates, manages, controls, or participates in the ownership, management, operation, or control of, or is employed by, or is paid as a consultant or other independent contractor by, a business which competes with any aspect of the business of SYSCO or a Subsidiary by which he was formerly employed (as the scope of that companys business is defined as of the date of Participants termination of employment) in a trade area served by SYSCO or the Subsidiary at the time distributions are being made or to be made and in which the Participant directly or indirectly represented SYSCO or the Subsidiary while employed by it; and the Participant continues to be so engaged ten (10) days after written notice has been given to him by or on behalf of SYSCO or the Subsidiary.
(c) Consistent with Section 7.4(a), forfeiture shall occur if, at any time after his termination of employment from SYSCO or a Subsidiary and while any remaining benefit is to be paid to the Participant and/or his Beneficiaries under this Plan, and without written consent of SYSCOs Chief Executive Officer or General Counsel, the Participant directly or indirectly owns, operates, manages, controls, or participates in the ownership, management, operation, or control of, or is employed by, or is paid as a consultant or other independent contractor by, a customer or supplier of SYSCO or a Subsidiary by which he was formerly employed and with whom the Participant dealt, either directly or indirectly through the supervision of others, on behalf of SYSCO or a Subsidiary by which he was formerly employed; and the Participant continues to be so engaged ten (10) days after written notice has been given to him by or on behalf of SYSCO or the Subsidiary.
(d) Consistent with Section 7.4(a), forfeiture shall occur if, at any time after his termination of employment from SYSCO or a Subsidiary and while any remaining benefit is to be paid to the Participant and/or his Beneficiaries under this Plan, and without written consent of SYSCOs Chief Executive Officer or General Counsel, the Participant, on behalf of a business which competes with SYSCO or a Subsidiary by which he was formerly employed, directly or indirectly markets, solicits or sells to any actual or prospective customer of SYSCO or a Subsidiary by which he was formerly employed and with whom the Participant dealt, either directly or
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indirectly through the supervision of others, on behalf of SYSCO or the Subsidiary by which he was formerly employed.
(e) Consistent with Section 7.4(a), forfeiture shall occur if, at any time after his termination of employment from SYSCO or a Subsidiary and while any remaining benefit is to be paid to the Participant and/or his Beneficiaries under this Plan, and without written consent of SYSCOs Chief Executive Officer or General Counsel, the Participant, on behalf of a business which competes with SYSCO or a Subsidiary by which he was formerly employed, directly or indirectly markets to, solicits or buys from any supplier of SYSCO or a Subsidiary by which he was formerly employed and with whom the Participant dealt, either directly or indirectly through the supervision of others, on behalf of SYSCO or the Subsidiary by which he was formerly employed.
(f) Consistent with Section 7.4(a), forfeiture shall occur if, at any time after his termination of employment from SYSCO or a Subsidiary and while any remaining benefit is to be paid to the Participant and/or his Beneficiaries under this Plan, and without written consent of SYSCOs Chief Executive Officer or General Counsel, the Participant, on behalf of a business which competes with SYSCO or a Subsidiary by which he was formerly employed, directly or indirectly solicits, offers employment to, hires or otherwise enters into a consulting relationship with any employee of SYSCO or any Subsidiary.
(g) Consistent with Section 7.4(a), forfeiture shall occur if, at any time after his termination of employment from SYSCO or a Subsidiary and while any remaining benefit is to be paid to the Participant and/or his Beneficiaries under this Plan, and without written consent of SYSCOs Chief Executive Officer or General Counsel, the Participant (i) fails to return to SYSCO or the Subsidiary, within ten (10) days of any request issued to the Participant, any and all trade secrets or confidential information or any portion thereof and all materials relating thereto in his possession, or (ii) fails to hold in confidence or reproduces, distributes, transmits, reverse engineers, decompiles, disassembles, or transfers, directly or indirectly, in any form, by any means, or for any purpose, any SYSCO or Subsidiary trade secrets or confidential information or any portion thereof or any materials relating thereto.
(h) Consistent with Section 7.4(a), forfeiture shall occur if, at any time after his termination of employment from SYSCO or a Subsidiary and while any remaining benefit is to be paid to the Participant and/or his Beneficiaries under this Plan, and without written consent of SYSCOs Chief Executive Officer or General Counsel, the Participant makes any disparaging comments or accusations detrimental to the reputation, business, or business relationships of SYSCO (as reasonably determined by SYSCO or a Subsidiary), and the Participant fails to retract such comments or accusations within sixty (60) days after written notice demanding such retraction has been provided to him by or on behalf of SYSCO or the Subsidiary.
7.5 Restrictions on any Portion of Total Payments Determined to be Excess Parachute Payments. In the event that any payment or benefit received or to be received by a Participant in connection with a change of control (as defined in Section 280G of the Code and the regulations thereunder) of SYSCO or the termination of his employment by the Company would not be deductible, whether in whole or in part, by the Company or any
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Affiliate, as a result of Section 280G of the Code, the benefits payable under this Plan shall first be reduced until no portion of the Total Payments is not deductible as a result of Section 280G of the Code, or the benefits payable under this Plan have been reduced to zero. The reduction in benefits payable under this Plan shall be determined by reducing the Vested Percentage of the Participants Vested Accrued Benefit. If any further reduction is necessary, the benefits payable under the Sysco Corporation Executive Deferred Compensation Plan shall then be reduced under the terms of that Plan. In determining this limitation: (a) no portion of the Total Payments which the Participant has waived in writing prior to the date of the payment of benefits under this Plan shall be taken into account, (b) no portion of the Total Payments which tax counsel, selected by the Companys independent auditors and acceptable to the Participant, determines not to constitute a parachute payment within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code shall be taken into account, (c) no portion of the Total Payments which tax counsel, selected by the Companys independent auditors and acceptable to the Participant, determines to be reasonable compensation for services rendered within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(4) of the Code shall be taken into account, and (d) the value of any non-cash benefit or any deferred payment or benefit included in the Total Payments shall be determined by the Companys independent auditors in accordance with Sections 280G(d)(3) and (4) of the Code. Notwithstanding anything herein or otherwise to the contrary, the Compensation and Stock Option Committee of the Board of Directors, may, within its sole discretion and pursuant to an agreement approved by the Compensation and Stock Option Committee, waive application of this Section 7.5, when it determines that specific situations warrant such action.
7.6 Benefits upon Re-Employment. If a former Participant who is receiving benefit payments under this Plan is re-employed by the Company, the payment of the benefit shall continue during his period of re-employment. The re-employed former Participants benefit shall not be changed as a result of his re-employment.
7.7 Claims Procedure. Any person who believes that he or she is being denied a benefit to which he or she is entitled under the Plan (referred to hereinafter as a Claimant) must file a written request for such benefit with the Committee; provided, however, that any claim involving entitlement to, the amount of or the method or timing of payment of a benefit affected by a Change of Control shall be governed by mandatory arbitration under Section 7.7(e). Such written request must set forth the Claimants claim and must be addressed to the Committee at the Companys principal office.
(a) Initial Claims Decision. The Committee shall generally provide written notice to the Claimant of its decision within ninety (90) days (or forty-five (45) days for a Disability-based claim) after the claim is filed with the Committee; provided, however, that the Committee may have up to an additional ninety (90) days (or up to two (2) thirty (30) day periods for a Disability-based claim), to decide the claim, if the Committee determines that special circumstances require an extension of time to decide the claim, and the Committee advises the Claimant in writing of the need for an extension (including an explanation of the special circumstances requiring the extension) and the date on which it expects to decide the claim.
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(b) Appeals. A Claimant may appeal the Committees decision by submitting a written request for review to the Committee within sixty (60) days (or 180 days for a Disability-based claim) after the earlier of receiving the denial notice or after expiration of the initial review period. Such written request must be addressed to the Committee at the Companys principal office. In connection with such request, the Claimant (and his or her authorized representative, if any) may review any pertinent documents upon which the denial was based and may submit issues and comments in writing for consideration by the Committee. If the Claimants request for review is not received within the earlier of sixty (60) days (or 180 days for a Disability-based claim) after receipt of the denial or after expiration of the initial review period, the denial shall be final, and the Claimant shall be barred and estopped from challenging the Committees determination.
(c) Decision Following Appeal. The Committee shall generally make its decision on the Claimants appeal in writing within sixty (60) days (or forty-five (45) days for a Disability-based claim) following its receipt of the Claimants request for appeal; provided, however, that the Committee may have up to an additional sixty (60) days (or forty-five (45) days for a Disability-based claim) to decide the claim, if the Committee determines that special circumstances require an extension of time to decide the claim and the Committee advises the Claimant in writing of the need for an extension (including an explanation of the special circumstances requiring the extension) and the date on which it expects to decide the claim. The Committee shall notify the Claimant of its decision on the Claimants appeal in writing, regardless of whether the decision is adverse.
(d) Decisions Final; Procedures Mandatory. A decision on appeal by the Committee shall be binding and conclusive upon all persons, and completion of the claims procedures described in this Section 7.7 shall be a precondition to commencement of mandatory and binding arbitration set forth in Section 7.7(e) below. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, waive the procedures described in Sections 7.7(a) through 7.7(c) as a precondition to mandatory and binding arbitration set forth in Section 7.7(e) below.
(e) Mandatory and Binding Arbitration. Any dispute that in any way relates to this Plan, including, without limitation, any benefit allegedly due under this Plan or that is the subject of any forfeiture decision under this Plan, shall be submitted to mandatory and binding arbitration before the American Arbitration Association (AAA), in accordance with the Employee Benefit Plan Claims Arbitration Rules established by the AAA, at the sole and exclusive jurisdiction of the AAAs regional office for the State of Delaware. The arbitrator shall be selected by permitting the Company and the Participant to strike one name each from a panel of three names obtained from the AAA from its panel of Employee Benefit Plan Claims Arbitrators. The person whose name is remaining shall be the arbitrator. The arbitrator shall determine the extent of discovery, if any, that is needed to resolve the dispute after hearing the positions of each party regarding the need for discovery. The arbitrator shall be bound to apply the laws of the State of Delaware to resolve any dispute without regard for any conflict of law principles, as Participant acknowledges that the Company is organized under the laws of the State of Delaware. The decision of the arbitrator shall be final and binding on both parties.
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ARTICLE VIII
ADMINISTRATION
8.1 Committee Appointment. The Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Directors or its designee. Each Committee member shall serve until his or her resignation or removal. The Board of Directors, or its designee, shall have the sole discretion to remove any one or more Committee members and appoint one or more replacement or additional Committee members from time to time.
8.2 Committee Organization and Voting. The organizational structure and voting responsibilities of the Committee shall be as set forth in the bylaws of the Committee.
8.3 Powers of the Committee. The Committee shall have the exclusive responsibility for the general administration of this Plan according to the terms and provisions of this Plan and shall have all powers necessary to accomplish those purposes, including but not by way of limitation the right, power and authority:
(a) to make rules and regulations for the administration of this Plan;
(b) to construe all terms, provisions, conditions and limitations of this Plan;
(c) to correct any defect, supply any omission or reconcile any inconsistency that may appear in this Plan in the manner and to the extent it deems expedient to carry this Plan into effect for the greatest benefit of all parties at interest;
(d) subject to Section 7.3, to determine all controversies relating to the administration of this Plan, including but not limited to:
(i) differences of opinion arising between the Company and a Participant in accordance with Sections 7.7(a) through 7.7(c), except when the difference of opinion relates to the entitlement to, the amount of or the method or timing of payment of a benefit affected by a Change of Control, in which event, such difference of opinion shall be decided by mandatory and binding arbitration under Section 7.7(e); and
(ii) any question it deems advisable to determine in order to promote the uniform administration of this Plan for the benefit of all parties at interest; and
(e) to delegate by written notice any plan administration duties of the Committee to such individual members of the Committee, individual employees of the Company, or groups of employees of the Company, as the Committee determines to be necessary or advisable to properly administer the Plan.
8.4 Committee Discretion. The Committee has the sole power and authority to administer this Plan, and any decision made by, or action taken by, the Committee in good faith shall be final and binding on all parties,
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subject to the provisions of Sections 7.7(a) through 7.7(c). Notwithstanding the foregoing, Committee decisions or actions during the Plan Year in which a Change of Control occurs and during the next three (3) succeeding Plan Years are subject to mandatory and binding arbitration pursuant to Section 7.7(e).
8.5 Reimbursement of Expenses. The Committee shall serve without compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed by SYSCO for all expenses properly and actually incurred in the performance of their duties under this Plan.
8.6 Indemnification. To the extent permitted by law, members of the Board of Directors, members of the Committee, employees of the Company, and all agents and representatives of the Company shall be indemnified by the Company, and saved harmless against any claims resulting from any action or conduct relating to the administration of the Plan, except claims arising from gross negligence, willful neglect or willful misconduct.
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ARTICLE IX
ADOPTION BY SUBSIDIARIES
9.1 Procedure for and Status after Adoption. Any Subsidiary may, with the approval of the Committee, adopt this Plan by appropriate action of its board of directors. The terms of this Plan shall apply separately to each Subsidiary adopting this Plan and its Participants in the same manner as is expressly provided for Sysco and its Participants except that the powers of the Board of Directors and the Committee under this Plan shall be exercised by the Board of Directors of SYSCO or the Committee, as applicable. SYSCO and each Subsidiary adopting this Plan shall bear the cost of providing plan benefits for its own Participants. SYSCO shall initially pay the costs of the Plan each Plan Year. However, each adopting Subsidiary shall then be billed back for the actuarially determined costs pertaining to it in accordance with the appropriate Financial Accounting Standards Board pronouncements. It is intended that the obligation of SYSCO and each Subsidiary with respect to its Participants shall be the sole obligation of the Company that is employing the Participant and shall not bind any other Company.
9.2 Termination of Participation by Adopting Subsidiary. Any Subsidiary adopting this Plan may, by appropriate action of its board of directors, terminate its participation in this Plan. The Committee may, in its discretion, also terminate a Subsidiarys participation in this Plan at any time. The termination of the participation in this Plan by a Subsidiary shall not, however, affect the rights of any Participant who is working or has worked for the Subsidiary as to benefits previously accrued by the Participant under this Plan without his consent.
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ARTICLE X
AMENDMENT AND/OR TERMINATION
10.1 Amendment or Termination of the Plan. The Board of Directors, the Committee, or their designees, may amend this Plan at any time by an instrument in writing without the consent of any adopting Company; provided, however, that authority to terminate this Plan or to make any Plan amendment that would have a significant financial statement or benefit impact on the Company shall be reserved to the Board of Directors or its designee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Board of Directors have the authority to terminate this Plan during the two (2) years following a Change of Control.
10.2 No Retroactive Effect on Awarded Benefits.
(a) General Rule. Absent a Participants prior consent, no amendment shall affect the rights of such Participant to his Vested Accrued Benefit as of the date of such amendment (Minimum Vested Accrued Benefit) or shall change such Participants rights under any provision relating to a Change of Control after a Change of Control has occurred.
(b) Determination of Minimum Vested Accrued Benefit. For purposes of calculating a Participants Minimum Vested Accrued Benefit as of the date of an amendment:
(i) The Determination Date for the elements in the benefit formulas under Section 4.3 shall be the effective date of the amendment with the exception of the Vested Percentage and Benefit Limit, both of which shall be determined as of the date of the distribution event.
(ii) On and after the effective date of such amendment, for purposes of vesting under Article III and the Early Payment Criteria under Section 4.5(b), a Participant shall continue to be awarded (1) Vesting Service until such Participants termination of employment with SYSCO and its Subsidiaries and (2) years of SERP Participation until such Participant is no longer a SERP Participant.
(c) Benefits on or after the Amendment. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 10.2, the Board of Directors retains the right at any time (1) to change in any manner or to discontinue the death benefit provided in Article VI and/or the additional awarding of Vesting credit under Section 5.2(c) after termination for Disability, except for a period of four (4) years after a Change of Control for those persons who at that time were covered by the death benefit and those persons who at that time were covered by the additional vesting credit for Disability, and (2) to change in any manner the benefit under Article IV, provided such benefit is not less than the minimum benefit under Section 10.2(b).
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10.3 Effect of Termination. Upon termination of the Plan, the following provisions of this Section 10.3 shall apply:
(a) With respect to benefits that become payable as a result of a distribution event on or after the effective date of the Plans termination, a Participants: (i) Ten-Year Final Average Compensation shall be determined as of the earlier of the Determination Date specified in Section 4.1(b) or the date of the Plans termination, (ii) Benefit Service shall cease as of the earlier of the date specified in Section 4.1(d) or the date of the Plans termination and (iii) Three-Year Final Average Compensation under Article VI shall be determined as of the earlier of the date specified under Section 6.2(a)(i) or the date of the Plans termination.
(b) The Board of Directors or its designee may, in its sole discretion, authorize distributions to Participants as a result of the Plans termination, provided that:
(i) All deferred compensation arrangements sponsored by the Company that would be aggregated with this Plan under Section 1.409A-1(c) of the Treasury Regulations if the Participant participated in such arrangements are terminated;
(ii) No distributions other than distributions that would be payable under the terms of the Plan if the termination had not occurred are made within twelve (12) months of the termination of the Plan;
(iii) All distributions of all benefits to be provided hereunder are paid within twenty-four (24) months of the termination of the Plan; and
(iv) The Company does not adopt a new deferred compensation arrangement at any time within three (3) years following the date of the termination of the Plan that would be aggregated with this Plan under Section 1.409A-1(c) of the Treasury Regulations if the Participant participated in this Plan and the new arrangement.
(c) Except as otherwise provided in Section 10.3(a) and 10.3(b), on and after the effective date of the Plans termination, (i) the Plan shall continue to be administered as it was prior to the Plans termination, (ii) all retirement benefits accrued prior to the date of termination shall be payable only under the conditions, at the time, and in the form then provided in this Plan, (iii) no Participant shall be entitled to Plan benefits solely as a result of the Plans termination in accordance with the provisions of this Article X, and (iv) the forfeiture provisions of Sections 7.3 and 7.4, and the restrictions set forth in Section 7.5 shall continue in effect.
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ARTICLE XI
FUNDING
11.1 Payments Under This Plan are the Obligation of the Company. The Company shall pay the benefits due the Participants under this Plan; however, should it fail to do so when a benefit is due, the benefit shall be paid by the trustee of that certain trust agreement by and between the Company and JPMorgan Chase Bank, with respect to the funding of the Plan. In any event, if the trust fails to pay for any reason, the Company still remains liable for the payment of all benefits provided by this Plan.
11.2 Plan May Be Funded Through Life Insurance Owned by the Company or a Rabbi Trust. It is specifically recognized by both the Company and the Participants that the Company may, but is not required to, purchase life insurance so as to accumulate assets to fund the obligations of the Company under this Plan, and that the Company may, but is not required to contribute any policy or policies it may purchase and any amount it finds desirable to a trust established to accumulate assets sufficient to fund the obligations of all of the Companies under this Plan. However, under all circumstances, the Participants shall have no rights to any of those policies; and, likewise, under all circumstances, the rights of the Participants to the assets held in the trust shall be no greater than the rights expressed in this Plan and the trust agreement. Nothing contained in the trust agreement which creates the funding trust shall constitute a guarantee by any Company that assets of the Company transferred to the trust shall be sufficient to pay any benefits under this Plan or would place the Participant in a secured position ahead of general creditors should the Company become insolvent or bankrupt. Any trust agreement prepared to fund the Companys obligations under this Plan must specifically set out these principles so it is clear in that trust agreement that the Participants in this Plan are only unsecured general creditors of the Company in relation to their benefits under this Plan.
11.3 Reversion of Excess Assets. Any Company may, at any time, request the actuary, who last performed the annual actuarial valuation of the Pension Plan, to determine the present value of the Vested Accrued Benefit assuming the Vested Accrued Benefit to be fully vested (whether it is or not), as of the end of the Plan Year coincident with or last preceding the request, of all Participants and Beneficiaries of deceased Participants for which all Companies are or will be obligated to make payments under this Plan. If the fair market value of the assets held in the trust, as determined by the Trustee as of that same date, exceeds the total of the Vested Accrued Benefits of all Participants and Beneficiaries by 25%, any Company may direct the trustee to return to such Company its proportionate part of the assets which are in excess of 125% of the Vested Accrued Benefits. Each Companys share of the excess assets shall be the Participants present value of the Vested Accrued Benefit earned while in the employ of that Company as compared to the total of the present value of the Vested Accrued Benefits earned by all Participants under the Plan times the excess assets. For this purpose, the present value of the Vested Accrued Benefit shall be calculated using the data for the preceding Plan Year brought forward using the assumptions used to determine the actuarially determined costs according to the appropriate Financial Accounting Standards Board pronouncements. If there has been a Change of Control, to determine excess assets, all contributions made prior to
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the Change of Control shall be subtracted from the fair market value of the assets held in the trust as of the determination date but before the determination is made.
11.4 Participants Must Rely Only on General Credit of the Company. The Company and the Participants recognize that this Plan is only a general corporate commitment, and that each Participant is merely an unsecured general creditor of the Company with respect to any of the Companys obligations under this Plan, even if the Company, pursuant to Section 11.1, establishes a rabbi trust to fund all or a part of its obligations under this Plan.
11.5 Funding of Benefits for Participants Subject to Canadian Income Tax Laws is Prohibited. No Company employing a Participant whose income is subject to the Canadian tax laws shall be permitted to fund its obligation to that person through any rabbi trust, fund, sinking fund, or other financial vehicle even though under applicable law the assets held to fund the obligation are still subject to the general creditors of the Company.
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ARTICLE XII
MISCELLANEOUS
12.1 Responsibility for Distributions and Withholding of Taxes. The Committee shall furnish information, to the Company last employing the Participant, concerning the amount and form of distribution to any Participant entitled to a distribution so that the Company may make or cause the Rabbi Trust to make the distribution required. The Committee shall also calculate the deductions from the amount of the benefit paid under this Plan for any taxes required to be withheld by federal, state, local, or foreign government and shall cause them to be withheld.
12.2 Limitation of Rights. Nothing in this Plan shall be construed:
(a) to give a Participant any right with respect to any benefit except in accordance with the terms of this Plan;
(b) to limit in any way the right of SYSCO or a Subsidiary to terminate a Participants employment;
(c) to evidence any agreement or understanding, expressed or implied, that SYSCO or a Subsidiary shall employ a Participant in any particular position or for any particular remuneration; or
(d) to give a Participant or any other person claiming through him any interest or right under this Plan other than that of any unsecured general creditor of the Company.
12.3 Distributions to Incompetents or Minors. Should a Participant become incompetent or should a Participant designate a Beneficiary who is a minor or incompetent, the Committee is authorized to pay the funds due to the parent of the minor or to the guardian of the minor or incompetent or directly to the minor or to apply those funds for the benefit of the minor or incompetent in any manner the Committee determines in its sole discretion.
12.4 Nonalienation of Benefits. No right or benefit provided under this Plan is subject to transfer, anticipation, alienation, sale, assignment, pledge, encumbrance or charge by the Participant, except upon his death to a named Beneficiary as provided in this Plan. If any Participant or any Beneficiary becomes bankrupt or attempts to anticipate, alienate, sell, assign, pledge, encumber or charge any right or benefit under this Plan, that right or benefit shall, in the discretion of the Committee, be forfeited. In that event, the Committee may have the Company hold or apply the right or benefit or any part of it to the benefit of the Participant or Beneficiary, his or her spouse, children or other dependents or any of them in any manner and in any proportion the Committee believes to be proper in its sole and absolute discretion, but is not required to do so.
12.5 Reliance upon Information. The Committee shall not be liable for any decision or action taken in good faith in connection with the administration of this Plan. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any decision or action taken by the Committee when it relies upon information supplied it by any officer of the
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Company, the Companys legal counsel, the Companys actuary, the Companys independent accountants or other advisors in connection with the administration of this Plan shall be deemed to have been taken in good faith.
12.6 Amendment Applicable to Active Participants Only Unless it Provides Otherwise. No benefit which has accrued to any Participant who has died, retired, become disabled or separated or who is a Frozen Participant prior to the execution of an amendment shall be changed in amount or subject to any adjustment provided in that amendment unless the amendment specifically provides that it shall apply to those persons and it does not have the effect of reducing those persons Vested Accrued Benefit as then fixed without their consent.
12.7 Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or condition of this Plan is held to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, the rest of this Plan shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired, or invalidated.
12.8 Notice. Any notice or filing required or permitted to be given to the Committee or a Participant shall be sufficient if in writing and hand delivered or sent by U.S. mail to the principal office of the Company or to the residential mailing address of the Participant. Notice shall be deemed to be given as of the date of hand delivery or if delivery is by mail, as of the date shown on the postmark.
12.9 Gender and Number. If the context requires it, words of one gender when used in this Plan shall include the other genders, and words used in the singular or plural shall include the other.
12.10 Governing Law. The Plan shall be construed, administered and governed in all respects by the laws of the State of Delaware. Consistent with Section 7.7(e) of this Plan, the Participant and the Company agree that subject to the provisions of Sections 7.7(a) through 7.7(c), the sole and exclusive jurisdiction for any dispute under this Plan shall lie with the AAAs regional office for the State of Delaware, and the parties hereby waive any jurisdictional or venue-related defense to conducting arbitration at this location.
12.11 Effective Date. The Plan was originally effective as of July 3, 1988. This Seventh Amended and Restated Sysco Corporation Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan is effective as of June 28, 2008.
12.12 Compliance with Section 409A. This Plan is intended to comply with Section 409A of the Code in both form and operation, and any ambiguities therein shall be interpreted, to the extent possible, in a manner that complies with Section 409A of the Code.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has executed this document on this May 14, 2008, effective as of June 28, 2008.
SYSCO CORPORATION | ||||
By: | /s/ Michael C. Nichols | |||
Name: | Michael C. Nichols | |||
Title: | Sr. Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary | |||
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