|
|
1.
|
Duties. From
and after the Effective Date, and based upon the terms and conditions set
forth herein, the Company agrees to employ the Employee and the Employee
agrees to be employed by the Company, as President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Company and in such equivalent, additional or higher
executive level position or positions as shall be assigned to him by the
Company’s Board of Directors. While serving in such executive
level position or positions, the Employee shall report to, be responsible
to, and shall take direction from the Board of Directors of the
Company. The Board of Directors shall not require the Employee
to perform any task that is inconsistent with the office of President or
the position of Chief Executive Officer. During the Term of
this Agreement (as defined in Section 2 below), the Employee agrees to
devote substantially all of his working time to the position he holds with
the Company and to faithfully, industriously, and to the best of his
ability, experience and talent, perform the duties which are assigned to
him. The Employee shall observe and abide by the reasonable
corporate policies and decisions of the Company in all business
matters.
|
|
|
2.
|
Term of this
Agreement. Subject to Sections 4 and 5 hereof, the Term
of this Agreement shall be for a period of Thirty-Six (36) months,
commencing January 1, 2010 and terminating December 31,
2012.
|
|
|
3.
|
Compensation. During
the Term of this Agreement, the Company shall pay, and the Employee agrees
to accept as full consideration for the services to be rendered by the
Employee hereunder, compensation consisting of the
following:
|
|
|
A.
|
Salary. Beginning
on the first day of the Term of this Agreement, the Company shall pay the
Employee a salary of Three Hundred Fifty-Five Thousand Dollars ($355,000)
per year, payable in semi-monthly or monthly installments as requested by
the Employee. The Committee (as hereinafter defined) shall review the
Employee’s annual salary on an annual basis and may increase, but not
decrease, the salary at its
discretion.
|
|
|
B.
|
Bonus. The
Compensation, Nominating and Governance Committee (the “Committee”) of the
Board of Directors will, on an annual basis, review the performance of the
Company and of the Employee and will pay such bonus as it deems
appropriate, in its discretion, to the Employee based upon such
review. Such review and bonus shall be consistent with any
bonus plan adopted by the Committee, which covers the executive officers
and employees of the Company generally. For the calendar year ending
December 31, 2010, the Committee has determined that the maximum bonus
payment to the Employee will be One Hundred Twenty Five Thousand Dollars
($125,000). The Employee shall be eligible for the payment of the pro rata
portion of the bonus for the calendar year ending December 31, 2010 in the
event the employment of the Employee terminates (other than a termination
of employment by the Company for Cause or a resignation of Employee
subject to paragraph B of Section 4) before December 31,
2010. Any bonus payment to Employee for the calendar year
ending December 31, 2010 will be consistent with the guidelines
established by the Committee for other officer employees of the Company
for the payment of any bonus to officer employees of the Company for the
same period, including compliance with Section 162(m) of the Internal
Revenue Code (the “Code”). The maximum bonus payment to the
Employee for subsequent calendar years during the term of this Agreement
shall be determined at the discretion of the Committee, (but with a target
bonus of not less than $125,000) and shall be payable consistent with the
provisions set forth above regarding the payment of the bonus for the year
ending December 31, 2010.
|
|
|
C.
|
Benefits. During
the Term of this Agreement, the Employee will receive such employee
benefits as are generally available to all employees of the
Company. In addition, following the Employee’s termination of
employment with the Company at any time, other than a termination by the
Company for Cause or a resignation by the Employee without Good Reason,
the Company shall provide continuation of health coverage for the Employee
on the same terms and conditions as such coverage is available to other
Company executive employees for a period of Thirty-Six (36)
months. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company
reasonably determines that such a continuation of health coverage may not
be exempt from federal income tax, then for a period of six (6) months
after the date of the Employee’s termination, the Employee shall pay to
the Company an amount equal to the stated taxable cost of such coverage.
After the expiration of the six-month period, the Employee shall receive
from the Company a reimbursement of the amounts paid by the
Employee. Further notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event
that such a continuation of coverage cannot be made available after the
end of the period during which continuation coverage is generally
available under the Company’s group health plan (which normally would
extend for only eighteen (18) months following a termination of
employment), the Company shall assist the Employee in finding other
comparable coverage and shall reimburse the Employee for the costs of such
coverage so as to make the net benefit to the Employee of such other
continued coverage consistent, to the extent possible, with the coverage
that was available under the Company’s group health plan during
the period such coverage was permitted to be continued. Any
such reimbursements shall be subject to the following
conditions: (i) the benefits or payments provided during any
taxable year of the Executive may not affect the benefits or payments to
be provided to the Executive in any other taxable year; (ii) reimbursement
of any eligible expense must be made on or before the last day of the
Executive’s taxable year following the taxable year in which the expense
was incurred; and (iii) the right to such benefits or payments is not
subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit or
payment.
|
|
|
D.
|
Stock Options and Stock Based
Awards. The Committee of the Board of Directors may,
from time-to-time, grant stock options, restricted stock purchase
opportunities and such other forms of stock-based incentive compensation
as it deems appropriate, in its discretion, to the Employee under the
Company’s Stock Option and Restricted Stock Purchase Plan and the 1996 and
2002 Stock Incentive Plan or any successor plan or plans (the “Stock
Plans”). The terms of the Stock Plans and the relevant award
agreements shall govern the rights of the Employee and the Company
thereunder in the event of any conflict between such terms and this
Agreement. In addition, the Company and the Employee
specifically agree that (a) the 300,000 shares of restricted stock
previously granted to the Employee remain outstanding and subject to the
terms of the original award agreement and plan under which such award was
granted, without change, and (b) nothing in this Agreement shall create
any limitation on or after the Effective Date on grants that may be made,
from time to time, to the Employee under the terms of the Stock Plans, or
under any other plan permitting grants of equity based
compensation.
|
|
|
E.
|
Vacation. The
Employee shall be entitled to thirty (30) days of vacation during each
calendar year during the Term of this
Agreement.
|
|
|
F.
|
Expenses. The
Company shall reimburse the Employee for all reasonable out-of-pocket
expenses incurred by him in the performance of his duties hereunder,
including expenses for travel, entertainment and similar items, promptly
after the presentation by the Employee, from time-to-time, of an itemized
account of such expenses.
|
|
|
4.
|
Termination.
|
|
|
A.
|
For Cause. The Company
may terminate the employment of the Employee prior to the end of the Term
of this Agreement “for cause.” Termination “for cause” shall be defined as
a termination by the Company of the employment of the Employee occasioned
by (i) the Employee being formally charged with a felony (other than a
traffic offense), or a crime involving moral turpitude, that in the
reasonable good faith judgment of the Board of Directors, would result in
material damage to the Company or its reputation, or would materially
interfere with the performance of Employee’s obligations under this
Agreement, (ii) acts by the Employee of fraud, embezzlement,
theft or other material dishonesty directed against the Company; or (iii)
the failure by the Employee to cure a willful breach of a material duty
imposed on the Employee under this Agreement within 15 days after written
notice thereof by the Company or the continuation by the Employee after
written notice by the Company of a willful and continued neglect of a duty
imposed on the Employee under this Agreement. In the event of
termination by the Company “for cause,” all salary, benefits and other
payments shall cease at the time of termination, and the Company shall
have no further obligations to the
Employee.
|
|
|
B.
|
Resignation. If the
Employee resigns for any reason, all salary, benefits and other payments
(except as otherwise provided in paragraph G of this Section 4 below)
shall cease at the time such resignation becomes effective. At
the time of any such resignation, the Company shall pay the Employee the
value of any accrued but unused vacation time, and the amount of all
accrued but previously unpaid base salary through the date of such
termination. The Company shall promptly reimburse the Employee
for the amount of any expenses incurred prior to such termination by the
Employee as required under paragraph F of Section 3
above.
|
|
|
C.
|
Disability, Death. The
Company may terminate the employment of the Employee prior to the end of
the Term of this Agreement if the Employee has been unable to perform his
duties hereunder or a similar job for a continuous period of Twelve (12)
months due to a physical or mental condition that, in the opinion of a
licensed physician, will be of indefinite duration or is without a
reasonable probability of recovery for a period of at least Six (6)
months. The Employee agrees to submit to an examination by a
licensed physician of his choice in order to obtain such opinion, at the
request of the Company, made after the Employee has been absent from his
place of employment for at least six (6) months. Any requested
examination shall be paid for by the Company. However, this
provision does not abrogate either the Company’s or the Employee’s rights
and obligations pursuant to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, and
a termination of employment under this paragraph C shall not be deemed to
be a termination for Cause.
|
|
|
D.
|
Termination without
Cause. A termination without Cause is a termination of the
employment of the Employee by the Company that is not “for cause” and not
occasioned by the resignation, death or disability of the
Employee. If the Company terminates the employment of the
Employee without Cause, (whether before the end of the Term of this
Agreement or, if the Employee is employed by the Company under paragraph E
of this Section 4 below, after the Term of this Agreement has ended) the
Company shall, at the time of such termination, pay to the Employee the
severance payment provided in paragraph F of this Section 4 below together
with the value of any accrued but unused vacation time and the amount of
all accrued but previously unpaid base salary through the date of such
termination and shall provide him with all of his benefits under paragraph
C of Section 3 above for the longer of Thirty-six (36) months or the full
unexpired Term of this Agreement. The Company shall promptly
reimburse the Employee for the amount of any expenses incurred prior to
such termination by the Employee as required under paragraph F of Section
3 above.
|
|
|
E.
|
End of the Term of this
Agreement. Except as otherwise provided in paragraphs F
and G of this Section 4 below, the Company may terminate the employment of
the Employee at the end of the Term of this Agreement without any
liability on the part of the Company to the Employee but, if the Employee
continues to be an employee of the Company after the Term of this
Agreement ends, his employment shall be governed by the terms and
conditions of this Agreement, but he shall be an employee at will and his
employment may be terminated at any time by either the Company or the
Employee without notice and for any reason not prohibited by law or no
reason at all. If the Company terminates the employment of the
Employee at the end of the Term of this Agreement, the Company shall, at
the time of such termination, pay to the Employee the severance payment
provided in paragraph F of this Section 4 below together with the value of
any accrued but unused vacation time and the amount of all accrued but
previously unpaid base salary through the date of such
termination. The Company shall promptly reimburse the Employee
for the amount of any reasonable expenses incurred prior to such
termination by the Employee as required under paragraph F of Section 3
above.
|
|
|
F.
|
Severance. At
such time as the employment of the Employee is terminated for any reason,
whether during the Term of this Agreement or thereafter (and including a
termination that occurs as of the expiration of the Term of this
Agreement), other than by the Company for Cause or by the Employee without
Good Reason, as hereinafter defined, the Employee shall be paid, as a
severance payment, the amount of Five Hundred Thirty-Two Thousand Five
Hundred Dollars ($532,500) together with the value of any accrued but
unused vacation time. If the termination is by the Company other than for
Cause or by the Employee for Good Reason during the Term of this
Agreement, such amount shall be paid ratably over the balance of the Term;
otherwise it shall be paid in a single payment at the time of termination.
For these purposes, the Employee shall be treated as having terminated for
Good Reason only if (I) the Employee’s resignation occurs within six
months following the initial existence of one or more of the following
conditions arising without the Employee’s consent: (1) A
material diminution in the service provider’s base compensation; (2) a
material diminution in the service provider’s authority, duties, or
responsibilities; (3) a requirement that the Employee report to a person
or body in authority other than the Board of Directors of the Company or a
committee comprised of members of the Board of Directors; (4) a material
diminution in the budget over which the Employee retains authority; (5) a
material change in the geographic location that constitutes the Employee’s
principal place of business; or (6) any other action or inaction that
constitutes a material breach by the Company of this Agreement, and (II)
the Employee has provided notice to the Company of the existence of the
condition forming the basis for the Employee’s intent to resign for Good
Reason within 90 days of the initial existence of such condition, and the
Company has failed to remedy the condition within 30 days of such
notice.
|
|
|
G.
|
Change of Control
Severance. In addition to the rights of the Employee
under the Company’s employee benefit plans (paragraphs C of Section 3
above) but in lieu of any severance payment under paragraph F of this
Section 4 above, if there is a Change in Control of the Company (as
defined below) and the employment of the Employee is concurrently
terminated, or subsequently terminated within six months, (a) by the
Company without Cause, (b) by the expiration of the Term of this
Agreement, or (c) by the resignation of the Employee because he has
reasonably determined in good faith that his titles, authorities,
responsibilities, salary, bonus opportunities or benefits have been
materially diminished, that a material adverse change in his working
conditions has occurred, that his services are no longer required in light
of the Company’s business plan, or the Company has breached this
Agreement, the Company shall pay the Employee, as a severance payment, at
the time of such termination, the greater of the amount equal to Thirty
(30) months of the Employee’s Salary as defined in Section 3 (A) above or
Eight Hundred Eighty-Seven Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($887,500)
together with the value of any accrued but unused vacation time, and the
amount of all accrued but previously unpaid base salary through the date
of termination and shall provide him with all of the Employee benefits
under paragraph C of Section 3 above for the longer of Thirty-six (36)
months or the full unexpired Term of this Agreement. The
Company shall promptly reimburse the Employee for the amount of any
expenses incurred prior to such termination by the Employee as required
under paragraph F of Section 3 above. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
before the Employee may resign pursuant to Section 4(G)(c) above, the
Employee shall deliver to the Company a written notice of the Employee’s
intent to terminate his employment pursuant to Section 4(G)(c), and the
Company shall have been given a reasonable opportunity to cure any such
act, omission or condition within Thirty (30) days after the Company’s
receipt of such notice.
|
|
|
H.
|
Release. Notwithstanding
the provisions of paragraphs F. and G. of this Section 4, the Employee
will not be deemed to be entitled to any severance payment upon
termination of employment unless Employee executes a release of claims in
a form substantially similar to the form attached as Exhibit B hereto and
does not revoke his execution within the 7 day period as provided
therein.
|
|
|
I.
|
Benefit and Stock
Plans. In the event that a benefit plan or Stock Plan
which covers the Employee has specific provisions concerning termination
of employment, or the death or disability of an employee (e.g., life
insurance or disability insurance), then such benefit plan or Stock Plan
shall control the disposition of the benefits or stock
options.
|
|
|
5.
|
Proprietary Information
Agreement. Employee has executed a Proprietary
Information Agreement as a condition of employment with the
Company. The Proprietary Information Agreement shall not be
limited by this Agreement in any manner, and the Employee shall act in
accordance with the provisions of the Proprietary Information Agreement at
all times during the Term of this
Agreement.
|
|
|
6.
|
Non-Competition. Employee
agrees that for so long as he is employed by the Company under this
Agreement and for one (1) year thereafter, the Employee will
not:
|
|
|
A.
|
enter
into the employ of or render any services to any person, firm, or
corporation, which is engaged, in any part, in a Competitive Business (as
defined below);
|
|
|
B.
|
engage
in any directly Competitive Business for his own
account;
|
|
|
C.
|
become
associated with or interested in through retention or by employment any
Competitive Business as an individual, partner, shareholder, creditor,
director, officer, principal, agent, employee, trustee, consultant,
advisor, or in any other relationship or
capacity;
|
|
|
D.
|
solicit,
interfere with, or endeavor to entice away from the Company, any of its
customers, strategic partners, or sources of supply;
or
|
|
|
E.
|
hire
any person who is an employee of the Company or any subsidiary, or
otherwise induce or attempt to induce any employee of the Company or any
subsidiary to leave the employ of the Company or such subsidiary, or in
any way interfere with the relationship between the Company or any
subsidiary and any employee
thereof.
|
|
|
(a)
|
is
engaged in the development and/or commercialization of products and/or
systems for use in intraoperative detection of cancer,
or
|
|
|
(b)
|
reasonably
understood to be competitive in the relevant market with products and/or
systems described in clause a above,
or
|
|
|
(c)
|
the
Company engages in during the Term of this Agreement pursuant to a
determination of the Board of Directors and from which the Company derives
a material amount of revenue or in which the Company has made a material
capital investment.
|
|
|
7.
|
Arbitration. Any
dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this Agreement
shall be settled exclusively by arbitration in Columbus, Ohio, in
accordance with the non-union employment arbitration rules of the American
Arbitration Association (“AAA”) then in effect. If specific
non-union employment dispute rules are not in effect, then AAA commercial
arbitration rules shall govern the dispute. If the amount
claimed exceeds $100,000, the arbitration shall be before a panel of three
arbitrators. Judgment may be entered on the arbitrator’s award
in any court having jurisdiction. The Company shall indemnify
the Employee against and hold him harmless from any attorney’s fees, court
costs and other expenses incurred by the Employee in connection with the
preparation, commencement, prosecution, defense, or enforcement of any
arbitration, award, confirmation or judgment in order to assert or defend
any right or obtain any payment under paragraph C of Section 4 above or
under this sentence; without regard to the success of the Employee or his
attorney in any such arbitration or
proceeding.
|
|
|
8.
|
Withholding of
Taxes. The Company may withhold from any amounts payable
under this Agreement all federal, state, city, or other taxes or
withholding obligations as allowed or required by law. If the
amounts payable under this Agreement are not large enough to allow the
Company to satisfy any such withholding obligation, the Company may
require the Employee to pay cash to the Company in an amount necessary to
satisfy its withholding obligation.
|
|
|
9.
|
Right of
Offset. The parties agree that by this Agreement Company
shall have the right, during or after Employee’s employment, to offset
from any compensation or severance owed to Employee, the amounts of any
monies and/or the value of any property due and owed to Company by
Employee. The Company will discuss and/or notify Employee of
any such offset prior to implementing the same and will provide Employee
with a written accounting of any such
offset.
|
|
|
10.
|
Governing
Law. The Agreement shall be governed by and construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio without regard to its
principles of conflicts of laws.
|
|
|
11.
|
Validity. The
invalidity or unenforceability of any provision or provisions of this
Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other
provision of the Agreement, which shall remain in full force and
effect.
|
|
|
12.
|
Compliance with Section 409A of
the Code. If, when the Employee's employment with the
Company terminates, the Employee is a "specified employee" as defined in
Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i), and if any payments under this Agreement,
including payments under Section 4, will result in the inclusion of any
amounts in the Employee’s gross income pursuant to Code Section 409A(a),
then despite any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Employee
will not be entitled to payments until the earliest date that such payment
can be made without violating the requirements of Code Section
409A(a)(2)(B) (generally requiring that payments of deferred compensation
by reason of a specified employee’s separation from service be made no
earlier than the date which is six months after such separation from
service). As soon as practicable after the end of the period
during which payments are delayed under this provision, the entire amount
of the delayed payments shall be paid to the Employee in a lump
sum. All payments to be made upon a termination of employment
under this Agreement may only be made upon a “separation from service” as
defined under Section 409A of the Code. Additionally, if
any provision of this Agreement could violate any requirements of Code
Section 409A, the Company will interpret and apply such provision, to the
extent possible, in a manner consistent with the requirements of Code
Section 409A.
|
|
|
13.
|
Entire
Agreement.
|
|
|
A.
|
All
prior employment agreements are terminated as of the Effective
Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any previously granted
equity based compensation awards shall continue in full force and effect
under the terms of the applicable grant or award agreements and the
applicable Stock Plan.
|
|
|
B.
|
This
Agreement and the Proprietary Information Agreement constitute the entire
understanding between the parties with respect to the subject matter
hereof, superseding all negotiations, prior discussions, and preliminary
agreements. This Agreement may not be amended except in writing
executed by the parties hereto.
|
|
|
14.
|
Effect on Successors of
Interest. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of
and be binding upon heirs, administrators, executors, successors and
assigns of each of the parties hereto. Notwithstanding the
above, the Employee recognizes and agrees that his obligation under this
Agreement may not be assigned without the consent of the
Company.
|
|
NEOPROBE CORPORATION
|
EMPLOYEE
|
|||
|
By:
|
/s/ Carl J. Aschinger, Jr.
|
/s/ David C. Bupp
|
||
|
Carl J. Aschinger, Jr.
|
David C. Bupp
|
|||
|
Chairman Board of Directors
|
||||
|
|
·
|
Employee
has been given the opportunity to read and review this Release and fully
understands the meaning and intent of
it;
|
|
|
·
|
Employee
has been given a period of at least 21 days within which to consider
whether to execute this Release;
|
|
|
·
|
Employee
has been advised in writing to consult an attorney before signing and
returning this Release;
|
|
|
·
|
Employee
has received valuable and good consideration to which Employee is not
otherwise entitled in exchange for Employee’s execution of this
Agreement;
|
|
|
·
|
Employee
was not coerced in any manner into signing this Release;
and
|
|
|
·
|
Employee
is competent to execute this
Release.
|
|
|
·
|
Employee
may revoke this Release within seven days after Employee signs it by so
indicating in writing to the Chief Human Resources Officer or
Neoprobe. This Release shall not become effective until the
expiration of the seven day revocation
period.
|
|
EMPLOYEE:
|
|||
|
David
C. Bupp
|
Date
|
||