2021 Decisions Regarding LTI Compensation. In 2021, the Committee awarded LTI compensation for NEOs pursuant to the program described above resulting in the awards identified in the Summary Compensation Table and the 2021 Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table. For grants that would have typically been awarded in 2022 based on 2021 performance, the Committee reviewed the Company’s achievements as well as each NEO’s contributions and awarded the NEOs the LTI amounts set forth in the “Individual Compensation Determination” section, prepaid in the form of cash in November 2021 and subject to clawback provisions as discussed above under the heading “2021 Prepaid Incentive Compensation Program.”
Additional Compensation Components
The Company’s current practice is to limit use of perquisites. Refer to the footnotes to the Summary Compensation Table for additional information about perquisites provided to NEOs in 2021. Through December 31, 2021, the Company offered two executive retirement programs including the 401(k) Restoration Plan and the Executive Deferred Compensation Plan, each of which is described below. Both plans were effective January 1, 2008 and have been amended from time to time.
401(k) Restoration Plan. The purpose of the 401(k) Restoration Plan, which has been suspended effective January 1, 2022, was to provide eligible employees with the opportunity to defer a portion of their compensation on a tax-favored basis in parity with the tax benefit provided under the qualified 401(k) plan. In periods when active, the 401(k) Restoration Plan allowed eligible employees whose compensation exceeded the Section 401(a)(17) amount in the Code (or other criteria set by the Committee), including NEOs, to defer eligible pay after such individual’s contribution to the Company’s existing qualified 401(k) plan exceeded the maximum. The Company did not fund employer matching contributions in the 401(k) Restoration Plan.
The amount in any individual’s 401(k) Restoration Plan account will be paid to such individual at termination of employment or following the elected specified payment date. Individuals who elected to defer their eligible pay under the 401(k) Restoration Plan deferred federal and state (to the extent allowed by state law) taxes until the account is paid to the individual.
Executive Deferred Compensation Plan. The Executive Deferred Compensation Plan, which has been suspended effective January 1, 2022, permitted executives to elect to defer up to 100% of the following year’s LTI compensation granted in RSUs (that settle in shares of the Company’s stock).
Deferral of the RSUs delays the imposition of federal and state (as allowed under state laws) taxes, which normally applies when RSUs vest. The taxable event is delayed until the deferred RSUs are settled in shares. The Executive Deferred Compensation Plan permitted RSUs to be deferred to a specified payment date on which the elected disbursement(s) under the participant’s account would commence. The value of the compensation an executive would receive upon the share delivery would be based on the value of the Company’s shares on the date the deferral was delivered to the executive, and the executive would be responsible for the federal and state taxes at that time.
The Executive Deferred Compensation Plan also allowed an executive to defer up to 50% of his or her annual incentive compensation award. When an executive would make his or her irrevocable election to defer cash incentive compensation, he or she would also elect a specified payment date in which the elected disbursement(s) under the participant’s account would commence.
Employment and Change in Control Agreements; Severance Agreements
The Company generally enters into a written employment agreement with each of the NEOs. The purpose of these agreements and the compensation and benefits provided for therein is to aid recruitment and to reinforce an ongoing commitment to shareholder value creation and preservation.
On February 19, 2020, the Company entered into an executive employment agreement with Mr. Coleman in connection with his appointment to President and Chief Executive Officer, which was effective March 6, 2020 and has a term of three years, to replace his prior agreement, dated December 19, 2019.
On February 19, 2020, the Company entered into an executive employment agreement with Mr. Bradley in connection with his appointment to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, which was effective March 6, 2020 and has a term of three years, to replace his prior agreement, dated November 6, 2018.
On April 28, 2020, the Company entered into an executive employment agreement with Mr. Barry, which was effective April 26, 2020 and has a term of three years, to replace his prior agreement, dated April 26, 2017, that expired pursuant to its terms.
On November 4, 2020, the Company entered into an executive employment agreement with Mr. Maletta, which was effective February 13, 2021 and has a term of three years, to replace his prior agreement, dated February 13, 2018, that expired pursuant to its terms.
On November 4, 2020, the Committee approved continuity compensation arrangements for critical leadership positions in the Company, including the following named executive officers: Messrs. Coleman, Bradley, Maletta and Barry and Dr. Apostol. The continuity compensation arrangements approved by the Committee in 2020 were equal to 1x the value of each NEO’s base salary level at the time of approval and were scheduled to vest in 2021.
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