Exhibit 10.1
726 Bell Avenue, Suite 301
Carnegie, PA 15106
August 8, 2024
Mr. Samuel C. Lyon
Union Electric Steel Corporation 726 Bell Avenue, Suite 101
Carnegie, PA 15106
Dear Sam:
This Agreement (this “Agreement”) amends your agreement with Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation (the “Corporation”) and Union Electric Steel Corporation ("UES"), dated as of March 6, 2019 (the “Original Effective Date”), to modify Sections 2 and 3.
The Corporation and UES recognize your experience and potential contribution to the success of UES and the Corporation and desire to assure UES of your continued employment. In this connection, the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the "Board") and the Board of Directors of UES (the "UES Board") recognize that, the possibility of a change in control may exist and that such possibility, and the uncertainty that it may raise among the Corporation's and UES' management, may result in the departure or distraction of management personnel to the detriment of UES, the Corporation and the Corporation's shareholders.
The Board and the UES Board have each determined that appropriate steps should be taken to reinforce and encourage the continued attention and dedication of members of the Corporation's and UES' management, including you, to their assigned duties without distraction in the face of potentially disturbing circumstances arising from the possibility of a change in control of the Corporation.
In order to induce you to remain in the employ of UES, the Corporation and UES each agrees that you shall receive the severance benefits set forth in this letter agreement ("Agreement") in the event your employment with UES is terminated subsequent to a "Change in Control" (as defined in Section 2 hereof) under the circumstances described below.
For purposes of this Agreement, a "Potential Change in Control" shall be deemed to have
occurred if (i) the Corporation or UES enters into an agreement, the consummation of which would result in the occurrence of a Change in Control, (ii) any person (including the Corporation and UES) publicly announces an intention to take or to consider taking actions, which if consummated would constitute a Change in Control, or (iii) either the Board or the UES Board adopts a resolution to the effect that, for purposes of this Agreement, a Potential Change in Control of the Corporation has occurred.
For purposes of this Section 4(c), no act, or failure to act, on your part shall be deemed "willful" unless done, or omitted to be done, by you not in good faith and without reasonable belief that your action or omission was in the best interest of UES and the Corporation.
The foregoing notwithstanding, you shall notify the Corporation within 90 days of the initial existence of a particular condition described above in this Section 4(d), and the Corporation shall have 30 days from such notice completely to remedy such particular condition so that you are in the same position as if the condition had never occurred. If the Corporation timely and completely remedies the condition as required above, then the particular occurrence of the particular condition for which you gave notice shall no longer constitute Good Reason. If the Corporation does not timely and completely remedy the particular occurrence of the particular condition for which you gave notice, you shall be deemed to terminate employment for Good Reason on the 31st day following your notice to the Corporation.
(50%) or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting stock of the Corporation, or any entity that beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, forty percent (40%) or more (but less than fifty percent (50%) of the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting stock of the Corporation if such entity (or affiliated persons or entities) has at least one representative on the Board of Directors of the Corporation.
(24) months after the Change in Control, unless such termination is (i) by UES for Cause, (ii) because of your death or Disability, or (iii) by you other than for Good Reason, you shall be entitled to the following benefits (the "Severance Payments"):
employee benefit insurance plans applicable to salaried employees, or benefits substantially similar to the benefits you were receiving under such plans immediately prior to the termination of your employment;
after-tax basis (taking into account federal, state and local income taxes and the imposition of the Excise Tax), than if you received all of the Payments. UES shall reduce or eliminate the Payments, by first reducing or eliminating the portion of the Payments which are not payable in cash and then by reducing or eliminating cash payments, in each case in reverse order beginning with payments or benefits which are to be paid the farthest in time from the determination. All determinations required to be made under this Section 5(e), including whether and when an adjustment to any Payments is required and, if applicable, which Payments are to be so adjusted, shall be made by an accounting firm selected by the Corporation (the "Accounting Firm") which shall provide detailed supporting calculations both to UES and to you within fifteen (15) business days of the receipt of notice from you that there has been a Payment, or such earlier time as is requested by UES. In the event that the Accounting Firm is serving as accountant or auditor for the individual, entity or group effecting the Change in Control, you shall appoint another nationally recognized accounting firm to make the determinations required hereunder (which accounting firm shall then be referred to as the Accounting Firm hereunder). All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by UES. If the Accounting Firm determines that no Excise Tax is payable by you, it shall furnish you with a written opinion that failure to report the Excise Tax on your applicable federal income tax return would not result in the imposition of a negligence or similar penalty. Any determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon UES and you.
provisions of Section 5(d); provided, however, that if the amounts of such payments cannot be finally determined on or before such day, UES shall pay to you on such day an estimate as determined in good faith by UES of the minimum amount of such payments and shall pay the remainder of such payments (together with interest at the rate provided in Section 1274(b)(2)(B) of the Code) as soon as the amount thereof can be determined, but in no event later than the thirtieth day after the date of such termination. Such payments will be made in all events within 2-1/2 months following the calendar year in which such termination of employment occurred. If the amount of the estimated payments exceeds the amount subsequently determined to have been due, such excess shall constitute a loan by UES to you payable on the fifth day after demand by the Corporation (together with interest at the rate provided in Section 1274(b)(2)(B) of the Code).
(generally 18 months), or any other legally mandated and applicable federal, state, or local coverage period for benefits provided to terminated employees under the health care plan. For purposes of this Agreement, (1) "COBRA" means the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended, and (2)
"COBRA Continuation Period" shall mean the continuation period for medical and dental insurance to be provided under the terms of this Agreement which shall commence on the first day of the calendar month following the month in which the date of your termination falls and generally shall continue for an 18 month period.
exchange for another benefit. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no reimbursement will be provided for any expense incurred following the thirty-six month period of benefit continuation or for any expense which relates to coverage after such date.
* * *
If this letter sets forth our agreement on the subject matter hereof, kindly sign and return to the Corporation the enclosed copy of this letter, which will then constitute our agreement on this subject.
Sincerely,
AMPCO-PITTSBURGH CORPORATION
By: /s/ J. Brett McBrayer
Name: J. Brett McBrayer
Title: Chief Executive Officer
UNION ELECTRIC STEEL CORPORATION
By: /s/ Michael McAuley
Name: Michael McAuley
Title: Vice President and Treasurer
Accepted and Agreed to this 8th day of August, 2024.
/s/ Samuel C. Lyon
Samuel C. Lyon