Executive Change-in-Control Severance Agreement between Woodward Governor Company and Executive
This agreement is between Woodward Governor Company and an executive employee. It provides severance protections for the executive if their employment is terminated under certain conditions following a change in control of the company, such as an acquisition. The agreement outlines what constitutes a change in control, defines cause for termination, and specifies the executive’s rights and obligations. Its purpose is to ensure the executive can objectively consider the company’s best interests during potential changes in ownership, by offering job security and severance benefits if their position is affected.
(a) | Agreement means this Executive Change-in-Control Severance Agreement. | ||
(b) | Base Salary means, at any time, the then regular annual rate of pay which the Executive is receiving as annual base salary. |
(c) | Board means the Board of Directors of the Company. | ||
(d) | Cause shall mean the occurrence, prior to any termination of employment, of any one or more of the following: |
(i) | The Executives willful and continued failure to substantially perform the Executives duties with the Company (other than any such failure resulting from the incapacity due to physical or mental illness), after a written demand for substantial performance is delivered to the Executive that specifically identifies the manner in which the Committee believes that the Executive has not substantially performed the Executives duties, and the Executive has failed to remedy the situation within fifteen (15) business days of such written notice from the Committee; or | ||
(ii) | The Executives commission of an act materially and demonstrably detrimental to the financial condition and/or goodwill of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, which act constitutes gross negligence or willful misconduct by the Executive in the performance of the Executives material duties to the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or | ||
(iii) | The Executives commission of any material act of dishonesty or breach of trust resulting or intended to result in material personal gain or enrichment of the Executive at the expense of the Company or any of its subsidiaries; or | ||
(iv) | The Executives conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude, but specifically excluding any conviction based entirely on vicarious liability. |
(e) | Change in Control of the Company shall mean the occurrence during the Term of any one (1) or more of the following events: |
(i) | Any person (as defined in Section 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act)), excluding for this purpose the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, or any employee benefit plan of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, or any person or entity organized, appointed or established by the Company for or pursuant to the terms of such plan which acquires beneficial ownership of voting securities of the Company, is or becomes |
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the beneficial owner (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) directly or indirectly of securities of the Company representing thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the Companys then outstanding securities; provided, however, that no Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred (1) as the result of an acquisition of securities of the Company by the Company which, by reducing the number of voting securities outstanding, increases the direct or indirect beneficial ownership interest of any person to thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the Companys then outstanding securities, but any subsequent increase in the direct or indirect beneficial ownership interest of such a person in the Company shall be deemed a Change in Control provided that such subsequent increase either occurs while such person has a direct or indirect beneficial ownership interest of thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the Companys then outstanding securities or results in such person then having a direct or indirect beneficial ownership interest of thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the Companys then outstanding securities, or (2) as a result of the acquisition directly from the Company of securities of the Company representing less than 50% of the voting power of the Company, or (3) if the Board determines in good faith that a person who has become the beneficial owner directly or indirectly of securities of the Company representing thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the Companys then outstanding securities has inadvertently reached that level of ownership interest, and if such person divests as promptly as practicable a sufficient amount of securities of the Company so that the person no longer has a direct or indirect beneficial ownership interest in thirty percent (30%) or more of the combined voting power of the Companys then outstanding securities; or |
(ii) | During any period of twelve (12) consecutive months (not including any period prior to the Effective Date of this Agreement), individuals who at the beginning of such twelve-month period constitute the Board and any new director or directors (except for any director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in subparagraph (i), above, or subparagraph (iii), below) whose election by the Board or nomination for election by the Companys shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds of the directors then still in office who either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board (such individuals and any such new directors being referred to as the Incumbent Board); or | ||
(iii) | Consummation of a plan of merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation or a similar transaction or series of transactions involving the Company (a Business Combination), in each case unless after such a Business Combination (x) the shareholders of the Company |
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immediately prior to the Business Combination continue to own, directly or indirectly, at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the new (or continued) entity (including, but not by way of limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Companys former assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) immediately after such Business Combination, in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such Business Combination, and (y) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the entity 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, providing for such Business Combination; or |
(iv) | During any period of not more than twelve (12) consecutive months (not including any period prior to the Effective Date of this Agreement), the consummation of the sale or disposition by the Company of at least forty percent (40%) of the total gross fair market value of the Companys assets as determined by the Committee (or any transaction or series of transactions having a similar effect) unless after such transaction or series of transactions (x) the shareholders of the Company immediately prior to the transaction or series of transactions continue to own, directly or indirectly, at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the acquiring entity (including, but not by way of limitation, an entity which as a result of such transaction or series of transactions owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Companys former assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) immediately after such transaction or series of transactions, in substantially the same proportion as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions, and (y) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of such entity were members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such transaction or series of transactions. |
(f) | Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. | ||
(g) | Committee means the Compensation Committee of the Board or, if no Compensation Committee exists, then the full Board of Directors of the Company, or a committee of Board members, as appointed by the full Board to administer this Agreement. | ||
(h) | Company means Woodward Governor Company, a Delaware corporation, or any successor thereto as provided in Article 9. |
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(i) | Disability or Disabled shall mean the absence of the Executive from the Executives duties with the Company on a full-time basis for a six-consecutive month period as a result of incapacity due to mental or physical illness which is determined to be total and permanent by a physician selected by the Company or its insurers and acceptable to the Executive or the Executives legal representative. | ||
(j) | Effective Date means the date as specified in the opening sentence of this Agreement. | ||
(k) | Effective Date of Termination means the date on which a Qualifying Termination occurs, as provided in Section 2.2, which triggers the payment of Severance Benefits hereunder. | ||
(l) | Good Reason means, without the Executives express written consent, the occurrence after a Change in Control of the Company of any one (1) or more of the following: |
(i) | The material diminution in the Executives authorities, duties or responsibilities as an executive and/or officer of the Company; or | ||
(ii) | The Companys requiring the Executive to have a principal job location in excess of fifty (50) miles from the location of the Executives principal job location at any time during the 12-month period immediately preceding the Change in Control; except for required travel on the Companys business to an extent substantially consistent with the Executives then present business travel obligations; or | ||
(iii) | A material reduction by the Company of the Executives Base Salary; or | ||
(iv) | A material reduction in the Executives overall compensation, including short- and long-term incentive compensation opportunities, employee benefits and retirement plans, policies, practices or other compensation arrangements in which the Executive participates; or | ||
(v) | The failure of the Company to obtain an agreement from any successor to the Company to assume and agree to perform the Companys obligations under this Agreement, as contemplated in Article 9; or | ||
(vi) | A material breach of this Agreement by the Company. |
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(m) | Notice of Termination shall mean a written notice which shall indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon, and shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Executives employment under the provision so indicated. | ||
(n) | Qualifying Termination means any of the events described in Section 2.2, the occurrence of which triggers the payment of Severance Benefits hereunder. | ||
(o) | Severance Benefits mean the payment of severance and non-severance compensation as provided in Section 2.3. | ||
(p) | Term shall mean the term of this Agreement as provided in Article 7. |
(a) | The Companys termination of the Executives employment without Cause; and | ||
(b) | The termination of employment by the Executive for Good Reason. |
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(a) | A lump-sum amount equal to the Executives unpaid Base Salary, accrued vacation pay, unreimbursed business expenses, and all other items earned by and owed to the Executive through and including the Effective Date of Termination (the Accrued Obligations). | ||
(b) | A lump-sum amount equal to (i) the higher of the following: (A) the Executives annual bonus award earned as of the Effective Date of Termination, based on annualized actual year-to-date performance, as determined at the Committees discretion, under the annual bonus plan in which the Executive is then participating for the bonus plan year in which the Executives Effective Date of Termination occurs or (B) the Executives annual target bonus established under such plan for such year; multiplied by (ii) a fraction the numerator of which is the full number of completed days in the annual bonus plan year as of the Effective Date of Termination, and the denominator of which is 365. This payment will be in lieu of any other payment to be made to the Executive under the annual bonus plan in which the Executive is then participating such the plan year. | ||
(c) | A lump-sum amount equal to [(For CEO:) the sum of the following:] / [(For CFO:) two (2) multiplied by the sum of the following:] (i) the higher of: (A) the Executives Base Salary in effect upon the Effective Date of Termination, or (B) the Executives Base Salary in effect immediately prior to the date of the Change in Control; and (ii) the higher of: (A) the Executives annual target bonus established under the annual bonus plan in which the Executive is then participating for the bonus plan year in which the Executives Effective Date of Termination occurs, or (B) the Executives annual target bonus for the most recent bonus plan year ended prior to the date of the Change in Control. | ||
(d) | In consideration for the Executive entering into a noncompete agreement as described in Article 4, an additional lump-sum amount equal to the sum of the following: (i) the higher of: (A) the Executives Base Salary in effect upon the Effective Date of Termination, or (B) the Executives Base Salary in effect immediately prior to the date of the Change in Control; and (ii) the higher of: (A) the Executives annual target bonus established under the annual bonus plan in which the Executive is then participating for the bonus plan year in which the Executives Effective Date of Termination occurs, or (B) the Executives annual target bonus for the most recent bonus plan year ended prior to the date of the Change in Control. | ||
(e) | Vesting and cash-out of any and all outstanding cash-based long-term incentive awards held by the Executive, as granted to the Executive by the Company as a component of the Executives compensation. The cash-out of any such award shall be in a lump-sum amount equal to (i) the higher of the following: (A) the Executives cash-based award earned as of the Effective Date of Termination under the Companys long-term incentive plan, based on actual performance, as determined at the Committees discretion, for the applicable performance period through the Effective Date of Termination, or (B) the target award level established for such award; multiplied by (ii) a fraction the numerator of which is |
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(f) | A lump-sum amount equal to the cash equivalent of the aggregate amount of contributions (other than pre-tax salary deferral contributions by the Executive) that the Company and its affiliates would have made on behalf of the Executive to its tax-qualified, defined contribution retirement plan(s), whether or not the Executive was vested therein, during the twenty-four (24) month period beginning on the Effective Date of Termination, had (i) the Executive continued as an active participant therein during such period, (ii) the Executives rate of compensation being recognized by each plan prior to the Effective Date of Termination continued in effect, (iii) in the case of matching contributions, the Executives rate of contributions in effect on the date immediately prior to the Effective Date of Termination remained in effect and (iv) in the case of discretionary contributions by the Company or its affiliates, the Company and its affiliates continued to make such contributions at the rate that applied to the most recent plan year that ended prior the Effective Date of Termination. | ||
(g) | Continuation, for a period of twenty-four (24) months after the Effective Date of Termination, of the following employee benefits on terms at least as favorable to the Executive as those which would have been provided if the Executive had continued employment for that time as an executive of the Company, with the cost of such benefits to be paid by the Company: medical and dental benefits, life and disability insurance, and executive physical examinations (Corporation-Paid Coverage). Corporation-Paid Coverage shall be paid directly by the Company to the applicable insurer and/or administrator when premiums for such coverage are due in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable insurance policy or administrative services agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, |
(i) | if the Executive is a specified employee (as described in Section 10(c) below) on the date of the Executives Effective Date of Termination, continued coverage under the disability and life insurance plans shall be solely at the expense of the Executive for the period beginning on the Executives Effective Date of Termination and ending six (6) months thereafter. On the first day of the seventh following the Executives Effective Date of Termination (or, in the event of the Executives earlier death), the Company shall reimburse the Executive for the Corporation-Paid Coverage under the disability and life insurance plans portion of such expense in a lump sum cash payment with interest at the rate specified in Section 11.9. Thereafter, Corporation-Paid Coverage under the disability and life insurance plans shall be paid directly by the Company to the applicable insurer and/or administrator when premiums for such coverage |
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(ii) | with respect to any such benefits providing for the reimbursement of medical expenses referred to in Section 105(b) of the Code under any self-insured medical reimbursement plan (within the meaning of Code Section 105(h)) (a Self-Insured Medical Plan), including without limitation medical and dental benefits, that are incurred following the period the Executive would be entitled (or would, but for this Section 2.3(g), be entitled) to continuation coverage under such plan under Code Section 4980B (COBRA) if the Executive had elected such coverage and paid the applicable premiums, (A) the reimbursement of an eligible medical expense must be made on or before the last day of the calendar year following the calendar year in which the expense was incurred and (B) the Executive shall pay to the Company the cost, on or after-tax basis, for the premium payments (both the employee and employer portion) required for such continued coverage under any Self-Insured Medical Plan. On or about January 31 of the year following the year in which the Effective Date of Termination occurs and continuing on or about each January 31 thereafter until the year following the year in which the Executives continued coverage under any Self-Insured Medical Plan terminates under this Section 2.3(g), the Company will make a payment in cash equal to the amount, if any (with interest at the rate specified in Section 11.9), the Executive paid in premium payments during the immediately preceding calendar year for continued coverage under any Self-Incurred Medical Plan exceeds the amount the Executive would have paid if the Executive had remained in employment during such year, provided that each such cash payment by the Company shall be considered a separate payment and not one of a series of payments for purposes of Code Section 409A. |
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(a) | Noncompetition. During the term of employment with the Company or its affiliates or subsidiaries and for a period of twelve (12) months after the Effective Date of Termination, the Executive shall not: (i) directly or indirectly act alone or in concert or conspire with any person in order to engage in or prepare to engage in or to have a financial or other interest in any business or any activity which the Executive knows (or reasonably should have known) to be directly competitive with the business of the Company or its subsidiaries as then being carried on; or (ii) serve as an employee, agent, partner, shareholder, director or consultant for, or in any other capacity participate, engage, or have a financial or other interest in any business or any activity which the Executive knows (or reasonably should have known) to be directly competitive with the business of the Company or its subsidiaries as then being carried on (provided, however, that notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Executive may own up to five percent (5%) of the outstanding shares of the capital stock of a company whose securities are registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934). | ||
(b) | Confidentiality. The Company has advised the Executive, and the Executive acknowledges, that it is the policy of the Company to maintain as secret and confidential all Protected Information (as defined below), and that Protected Information has been and will be developed at substantial cost and effort to the Company. Other than in the regular course of the Executives employment with the Company, all Protected Information shall remain confidential permanently and the Executive shall not at any time, directly or indirectly, divulge, furnish, or make accessible to any person, firm, corporation, association, or other entity, nor use in any manner, either during the term of employment or after termination, at any time, for any reason, any Protected Information, or cause any such information of the Company to enter the public domain, other than with the written consent of the Company or as may be required by law or legal process (after giving the Company notice and an opportunity to contest such requirement). | ||
For purposes of this Agreement, Protected Information means trade secrets, confidential and proprietary business information of the Company and its subsidiaries, and any other information of the Company and its subsidiaries, including, but not limited to, customer lists (including potential customers), sources of supply, processes, plans, materials, pricing information, internal memoranda, marketing plans, internal policies, and products and services which may be developed from time to time by the Company and its subsidiaries and their agents or employees, including the Executive; provided, however, that |
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(c) | Nonsolicitation. During the term of employment and for a period of twelve (12) months after the Effective Date of Termination, the Executive shall not employ or retain or solicit for employment or arrange to have any other person, firm, or other entity employ or retain or solicit for employment or otherwise participate in the employment or retention of any person who is an employee or consultant of the Company or any subsidiary thereof. | ||
(d) | Cooperation. Executive agrees to cooperate with the Company and its attorneys in connection with any and all lawsuits, claims, investigations, or similar proceedings that have been or could be asserted at any time arising out of or related in any way to Executives employment by the Company or any of its subsidiaries. | ||
(e) | Nondisparagement. At all times, the Executive agrees not to disparage the Company or otherwise make comments harmful to the Companys reputation. | ||
(f) | Remedies. The Executive and the Company agree that the restrictive covenants contained in this Article 4 are reasonable under the circumstances, and further agree that if in the opinion of any court of competent jurisdiction any such covenant is not reasonable in any respect, such court will have the right, power and authority to excise or modify any provision or provisions of such covenants as to the court will appear not reasonable and to enforce the remainder of the covenants as so amended. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that the remedy at law available to the Company for breach of any of the Executives obligations under this Article 4 would be inadequate and that damages flowing from such a breach may not readily be susceptible to being measured in monetary terms. Accordingly, the Executive acknowledges, consents and agrees that, in addition to any other rights or remedies that the Company may have at law, in equity or under this Agreement, upon adequate proof of the Executives violation of any such provision of this Agreement, the Company will be entitled to seek immediate injunctive relief, including but not limited to, a temporary order restraining any threatened or further breach, without the necessity of proof of actual damage. |
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(a) | Payments due to the Executive under Section 8.1(a) will be made within five business days (but in any event no later than the last day of the Executives tax year following the tax year in which the Executive incurs the expense) after delivery of the Executives written requests for payment, accompanied by such evidence of fees and expenses incurred as the Company may reasonably require, provided that (i) the reimbursements or in-kind benefits to be provided by the Company in one taxable year will not affect the reimbursement or in-kind benefits that the Company is obligated to pay in any other taxable year and (ii) the Executives right to reimbursement or in-kind benefits will not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit. |
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(a) | Any amount payable upon the Effective Date of Termination that is deemed deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code shall not be payable upon the Effective Date of Termination pursuant to the Agreement unless such Qualifying Termination of employment constitutes a separation from service with the Company within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the Department of Treasury regulations and other guidance promulgated thereunder. | ||
(b) | For purposes of Section 409A of the Code (including, without limitation, for purposes of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii)), the Executives right to receive any installment payments under the Agreement shall be treated as a right to receive a series of separate payments and, accordingly, each such installment payment shall at all times be considered a separate and distinct payment. | ||
(c) | Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if the Executive is a specified employee (within the meaning of Section 409A and determined pursuant to the identification methodology selected by the Company from time to time) on the Executives Effective Date of Termination, then the following provisions of this Section 10(c) shall apply to any payments or benefits to be made under Sections 2.3(b), 2.3(c), 2.3(d), 2.3(e) and 2.3(f) and to any portion of the other payments or benefits to be received by the Executive under this Agreement upon separation from service (within the meaning of Section 409A) that would be considered deferred compensation (within the meaning of Section 409A) the payment or provision of which is required to be delayed pursuant to the six-month delay rule set forth in Section 409A in order to avoid taxes or penalties under Section 409A (the Delay Period): The Company will not pay or provide any such amount or benefit on the otherwise scheduled date, but such payments or benefits (the Delayed Payments and the Delayed Benefits, respectively) will instead be accumulated and paid on the earlier of (i) the first day of the seventh month following the date of the Executives Effective Date of Termination and (ii) the Executives death (the applicable date, the Permissible Payment Date). The Company will pay interest on the Delayed Payments and the value of the Delayed Benefits at the rate specified in Section 11.9. Any remaining payments and benefits due under this Agreement shall be paid or provided in accordance with the normal payment dates specified for them herein. | ||
(d) | To the extent that there is a material risk that any payments under this Agreement may result in the imposition of an additional tax to the Executive under Section 409A, the Company will reasonably cooperate with the Executive to amend this Agreement such that payments hereunder comply with Section 409A without materially changing the economic value of this Agreement to either party. |
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WOODWARD GOVERNOR COMPANY | EXECUTIVE | |||
By: James R. Rulseh Chairman, Compensation Committee | Signature | |||
Printed Name |
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