EXHIBIT 10.3 CHANGE IN CONTROL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND THE CHIEF
OPERATING OFFICER DATED SEPTEMBER 3, 1996
LENOX BANCORP, INC.
CHANGE IN CONTROL AGREEMENT
This AGREEMENT is made effective as of September 3, 1996, by and between
Lenox Bancorp, Inc. (the "Holding Company"), a corporation organized under the
laws of the State of Ohio, with its office at 0000 Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Xx. Xxxxxxx,
Xxxx, and Xxxxx X. Xxxxx ("Executive"). The term "Bank" refers to Lenox Savings
Bank, the wholly-owned subsidiary of the Holding Company or any successor
thereto.
WHEREAS, the Holding Company recognizes the substantial contribution
Executive has made to the Holding Company and wishes to protect his position
therewith for the period provided in this Agreement; and
WHEREAS, Executive has agreed to serve in the employ of the Holding
Company or an affiliate thereof.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the contribution and
responsibilities of Executive, and upon the other terms and conditions
hereinafter provided, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1. TERM OF AGREEMENT.
The period of this Agreement shall be deemed to have commenced as of the
date first above written and shall continue for a period of thirty-six (36) full
calendar months thereafter. Commencing on the date of the execution of this
Agreement, the term of this Agreement shall be extended for one day each day
until such time as the board of directors of the Holding Company (the "Board")
or Executive elects not to extend the term of the Agreement by giving written
notice to the other party in accordance with Section 8 of this Agreement, in
which case the term of this Agreement shall be fixed and shall end on the third
anniversary of the date of such written notice.
2. CHANGE IN CONTROL.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Holding Company
(as herein defined) followed at any time during the term of this Agreement by
the termination of Executive's employment, other than for Cause, as defined in
Section 2(c) hereof, the provisions of Section 3 shall apply. Upon the
occurrence of a Change in Control, Executive shall have the right to elect to
voluntarily terminate his employment at any time during the term of this
Agreement following any demotion, loss of title, office or significant
authority, reduction in his annual compensation or benefits, or relocation of
his principal place of employment by more than 25 miles from its location
immediately prior to the Change in Control; provided, however, the Executive may
consent in writing to any such demotion, loss, reduction or relocation. The
effect of any written consent of the Executive under this Section 2 (a) shall be
strictly limited to the terms specified in such written consent.
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(b) For purposes of this Agreement, a "Change in Control" of the Bank or
Holding Company shall mean an event of a nature that: (i) would be required to
be reported in response to Item 1(a) of the Current Report on Form 8-K, as in
effect on the date hereof, pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 0000 (xxx "Xxxxxxxx Xxx"); or (ii) results in (A) a Change in
Control of the Bank or the Holding Company within the meaning of the Change in
Bank Control Act (""CBCA") and the Rules and Regulations promulgated by the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (the "FDIC") at 12 C.F.R. ss. 303.4(a)
with respect to the Bank and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
System ("FRB") at 12 C.F.R. ss. 225.41(b) with respect to the Holding Company,
as in effect on the date hereof or (B) a transaction requiring prior FRB
approval under the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 ("BHCA") and the regulations
promulgated thereunder by the FRB at 12 C.F.R. ss. 225.11, as in effect on the
date hereof except for the Holding Company's acquisition of the Bank, provided
that the Board shall substitute its judgment for that of the appropriate
regulatory authority in applying the relevant definitions under the CBCA and the
BHCA; or (iii) without limitation such a Change in Control shall be deemed to
have occurred at such time as (A) any "person" (as the term is used in Sections
13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as
defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of
securities of the Bank or the Holding Company representing 20% or more of the
Bank's or the Holding Company's outstanding securities except for any securities
of the Bank purchased by the Holding Company in connection with the conversion
of the Bank to the stock form and any securities purchased by any employee
benefit plan of the Bank, or (B) individuals who constitute the Board on the
date hereof (the "Incumbent Board") cease for any reason to constitute at least
a majority thereof, provided that any person becoming a director subsequent to
the date hereof whose election was approved by a vote of at least three-quarters
of the directors comprising the Incumbent Board, or whose nomination for
election by the Holding Company's stockholders was approved by the same
Nominating Committee serving under an Incumbent Board, shall be, for purposes of
this clause (B), considered as though he were a member of the Incumbent Board,
or (C) a plan of reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale of all or
substantially all the assets of the Bank or the Holding Company or similar
transaction occurs in which the Bank or Holding Company is not the resulting
entity, or (D) a proxy statement is distributed soliciting proxies from
stockholders of the Holding Company, by someone other than the current
management of the Holding Company, seeking stockholder approval of a plan of
reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Holding Company or Bank with one
or more corporations as a result of which the outstanding shares of the class of
securities then subject to such plan or transaction are exchanged for or
converted into cash or property or securities not issued by the Bank or the
Holding Company, or (E) a tender offer is made for 20% or more of the voting
securities of the Bank or Holding Company then outstanding.
(c) Executive shall not have the right to receive termination benefits
pursuant to Section 3 hereof upon Termination for Cause. The term "Termination
for Cause" shall mean termination because of Executive's personal dishonesty,
incompetence, willful misconduct, any breach of fiduciary duty involving
personal profit, intentional failure to perform stated duties, willful violation
of any law, rule, regulation (other than traffic violations or similar offenses)
or final cease and desist order, or any material breach of this Agreement. In
determining incompetence, the acts or omissions shall be measured against
standards of professional competence generally prevailing for officers having
comparable positions in the savings institutions industry. Notwithstanding the
foregoing, Executive shall not be deemed to have been Terminated for Cause
unless and until there shall have
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been delivered to him a copy of a resolution duly adopted by the affirmative
vote of not less than three-fourths of the members of the Board at a meeting of
the Board called and held for that purpose (after reasonable notice to Executive
and an opportunity for him, together with counsel, to be heard before the
Board), finding that in the good faith opinion of the Board, Executive was
guilty of conduct justifying Termination for Cause and specifying the
particulars thereof in detail. Executive shall not have the right to receive
compensation or other benefits for any period after Termination for Cause. Any
stock options and related limited rights granted to Executive under any stock
option plan, or any unvested awards granted to Executive under any restricted
stock benefit plan of the Holding Company or its subsidiaries, shall become null
and void effective upon Executive's receipt of Notice of Termination For Cause
pursuant to Section 8 hereof, and shall not be exercisable by or delivered to
Executive at any time subsequent to such Termination For Cause.
3. TERMINATION BENEFITS.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control, followed at any time
during the term of this Agreement by the voluntary or involuntary termination of
Executive's employment, other than for Termination for Cause, the Holding
Company shall be obligated to pay Executive, or in the event of his subsequent
death, his beneficiary or beneficiaries, or his estate, as the case may be, a
sum equal to three (3) times Executive's average annual compensation for the
five most recent taxable years that Executive has been employed by the Bank or
such lesser number of years in the event that Executive shall have been employed
by the Bank for less than five years, such average annual compensation shall
include any bonuses and any other compensation paid or to be paid to Executive
in any such year, the amount of benefits paid or accrued to Executive pursuant
to any employee benefit plan maintained by the Bank or Holding Company in any
such year and the amount of any contributions made or to be made on behalf of
Executive pursuant to any employee benefit plan maintained by the Bank or the
Holding Company in any such year. At the election of Executive which election is
to be made prior to a Change in Control, such payment shall be made in a lump
sum. In the event that no election is made, payment to Executive will be made on
a monthly basis in approximately equal installments during the remaining term of
this Agreement.
(b) Upon the occurrence of a Change in Control of the Bank or the
Holding Company followed at any time during the term of this Agreement by
Executive's termination of employment, other than for Termination for Cause, the
Holding Company shall cause to be continued life, medical and disability
coverage substantially identical to the coverage maintained by the Bank for
Executive prior to his severance, except to the extent such coverage may be
changed in its application to all Bank employees. Such coverage and payments
shall cease upon expiration of thirty-six (36 ) full calendar months following
the Date of Termination.
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(c) Notwithstanding the preceding paragraphs of this Section 3, in the
event that:
(i) the aggregate payments or benefits to be made or afforded to
Executive, which are deemed to be parachute payments as defined
in Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended
(the "Code") or any successor thereof, (the "Termination
Benefits") would be deemed to include an "excess parachute
payment" under Section 280G of the Code; and
(ii) if such Termination Benefits were reduced to an amount (the
"Non-Triggering Amount"), the value of which is one dollar
($1.00) less than an amount equal to three (3) times Executive's
"base amount," as determined in accordance with said Section 280G
and the Non-Triggering Amount less the product of the marginal
rate of any applicable state and federal income tax and the Non
Triggering Amount would be greater than the aggregate value of
the Termination Benefits (without such reduction) minus (i) the
amount of tax required to be paid by the Executive thereon by
Section 4999 of the Code and further minus (ii) the product of
the Termination Benefits and the marginal rate of any applicable
state and federal income tax,
then the Termination Benefits shall be reduced to the Non-Triggering
Amount. The allocation of the reduction required hereby among the Termination
Benefits shall be determined by the Executive.
4. NOTICE OF TERMINATION.
(a) Any purported termination by the Holding Company, or by Executive
shall be communicated by Notice of Termination to the other party hereto. For
purposes of this Agreement, a "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 detail the facts and circumstances claimed to
provide a basis for termination of Executive's employment under the provision so
indicated.
(b) "Date of Termination" shall mean the date specified in the Notice of
Termination (which, in the case of Termination for Cause, shall not be less than
thirty (30) days from the date such Notice of Termination is given).
(c) If, within thirty (30) days after any Notice of Termination is
given, the party receiving such Notice of Termination notifies the other party
that a dispute exists concerning the termination, the Date of Termination shall
be the date on which the dispute is finally determined, either by mutual written
agreement of the parties, by a binding arbitration award, or by a final
judgment, order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction (the time for
appeal therefrom having expired and no appeal having been perfected) and
provided further that the Date of Termination shall be extended by a notice of
dispute only if such notice is given in good faith and the party giving such
notice pursues the resolution of such dispute with reasonable diligence.
Notwithstanding the pendency of any such dispute, the Holding Company will
continue to pay Executive his full compensation in
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effect when the notice giving rise to the dispute was given (including, but not
limited to his current annual salary) and continue him as a participant in all
compensation, benefit and insurance plans in which he was participating when the
notice of dispute was given, until the dispute is finally resolved in accordance
with this Agreement. Amounts paid under this Section 4(c) are in addition to all
other amounts due under this Agreement and shall not be offset against or reduce
any other amounts due under this Agreement.
5. SOURCE OF PAYMENTS.
It is intended by the parties hereto that all payments provided in this
Agreement shall be paid in cash or check from the general funds of the Holding
Company. Further, the Holding Company guarantees such payment and provision of
all amounts and benefits due hereunder to Executive and, if such amount and
benefits due from the Bank are not timely paid or provided by the Bank, such
amounts and benefits shall be paid and provided by the Holding Company.
6. EFFECT ON PRIOR AGREEMENTS AND EXISTING BENEFIT PLANS.
This Agreement contains the entire understanding between the parties
hereto and supersedes any prior agreement between the Holding Company and
Executive, except that this Agreement shall not affect or operate to reduce any
benefit or compensation inuring to Executive of a kind elsewhere provided. No
provision of this Agreement shall be interpreted to mean that Executive is
subject to receiving fewer benefits than those available to him without
reference to this Agreement.
Nothing in this Agreement shall confer upon Executive the right to
continue in the employ of the Holding Company or shall impose on the Holding
Company any obligation to employ or retain Executive in its employ for any
period.
7. NO ATTACHMENT.
(a) Except as required by law, no right to receive payments under this
Agreement shall be subject to anticipation, commutation, alienation, sale,
assignment, encumbrance, charge, pledge, or hypothecation, or to execution,
attachment, levy, or similar process or assignment by operation of law, and any
attempt, voluntary or involuntary, to affect any such action shall be null,
void, and of no effect.
(b) This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of,
Executive, the Holding Company and their respective successors and assigns.
8. MODIFICATION AND WAIVER.
(a) This Agreement may not be modified or amended except by an
instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto.
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(b) No term or condition of this Agreement shall be deemed to have been
waived, nor shall there be any estoppel against the enforcement of any provision
of this Agreement, except by written instrument of the party charged with such
waiver or estoppel. No such written waiver shall be deemed a continuing waiver
unless specifically stated therein, and each such waiver shall operate only as
to the specific term or condition waived and shall not constitute a waiver of
such term or condition for the future or as to any act other than that
specifically waived.
9. REINSTATEMENT OF BENEFITS UNDER BANK AGREEMENT.
In the event Executive is suspended and/or temporarily prohibited from
participating in the conduct of the Bank's affairs by a notice described in
Section 9(b) of the Change-in-Control Agreement between Executive and the Bank
dated September 3, 1996 (the "Bank Agreement") during the term of this Agreement
and a Change in Control, as defined herein, occurs the Holding Company will
assume its obligation to pay and Executive will be entitled to receive all of
the termination benefits provided for under Section 3 of the Bank Agreement upon
the notification of the Holding Company of the Bank's receipt of a dismissal of
charges in the Notice.
10. EFFECT OF ACTION UNDER BANK AGREEMENT.
Notwithstanding any provision herein to the contrary, to the extent that
payments and benefits are paid to or received by Executive under the Bank
Agreement between Executive and Bank, the amount of such payments and benefits
paid by the Bank will be subtracted from any amount due simultaneously to
Executive under similar provisions of this Agreement.
11. SEVERABILITY.
If, for any reason, any provision of this Agreement, or any part of any
provision, is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect any other provision
of this Agreement or any part of such provision not held so invalid, and each
such other provision and part thereof shall to the full extent consistent with
law continue in full force and effect.
12. HEADINGS FOR REFERENCE ONLY.
The headings of sections and paragraphs herein are included solely for
convenience of reference and shall not control the meaning or interpretation of
any of the provisions of this Agreement. In addition, references herein to the
masculine shall apply to both the masculine and the feminine.
13. GOVERNING LAW.
The validity, interpretation, performance, and enforcement of this
Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Ohio.
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14. ARBITRATION.
Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this
Agreement shall be settled exclusively by arbitration, conducted before a panel
of three arbitrators sitting in a location selected by Executive within fifty
(50) miles from the location of the Holding Company, in accordance with the
rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect. Judgment may be
entered on the arbitrator's award in any court having jurisdiction; provided,
however, that Executive shall be entitled to seek specific performance of his
right to be paid until the Date of Termination during the pendency of any
dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this Agreement.
15. PAYMENT OF LEGAL FEES.
All reasonable legal fees paid or incurred by Executive pursuant to any
dispute or question of interpretation relating to this Agreement shall be paid
or reimbursed by the Holding Company if Executive is successful pursuant to a
legal judgment, arbitration or settlement.
16. INDEMNIFICATION.
The Holding Company shall provide Executive (including his heirs,
executors and administrators) with coverage under a standard directors' and
officers' liability insurance policy at its expense, or in lieu thereof, shall
indemnify Executive (and his heirs, executors and administrators) to the fullest
extent permitted under Ohio law and as provided in the Holding Company's
articles of incorporation against all expenses and liabilities reasonably
incurred by him in connection with or arising out of any action, suit or
proceeding in which he may be involved by reason of his having been a director
or officer of the Holding Company (whether or not he continues to be a director
or officer at the time of incurring such expenses or liabilities), such expenses
and liabilities to include, but not be limited to, judgments, court costs and
attorneys' fees and the cost of reasonable settlements.
17. SUCCESSOR TO THE HOLDING COMPANY.
The Holding Company shall require any successor or assignee, whether
direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise, to all or
substantially all the business or assets of the Bank or the Holding Company,
expressly and unconditionally to assume and agree to perform the Holding
Company's obligations under this Agreement, in the same manner and to the same
extent that the Holding Company would be required to perform if no such
succession or assignment had taken place.
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SIGNATURES
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Lenox Bancorp, Inc. has caused this Agreement to be
executed by its duly authorized officer, and Executive has signed this
Agreement, on the 3rd day of September, 1996.
ATTEST: LENOX BANCORP, INC.
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx By: /s/ Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
------------------------------- -----------------------------------
Secretary Xxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx
President and Chief Executive
Officer
WITNESS:
/s/ Xxxxxxx X. Xxxx By: /s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxx
------------------------------- -----------------------------------
Executive
Seal
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