Exhibit 10.1
Execution Version
TRANSITION AND RELEASE AGREEMENT
This Transition and Release Agreement (this “Agreement”) is entered into as of the date set forth on the signature page below (the “Execution Date”), by and between Steven L. Berman (“you”) and Dorman Products, Inc. (the “Company”).
WHEREAS, you and the Company are parties to that certain Amended and Restated Employment Agreement, made and entered into as of December 28, 2015, pursuant to which you served as Chief Executive Officer of the Company and currently serve as Executive Chairman of the Company (the “Employment Agreement”);
WHEREAS, in connection with the Company’s continued succession planning, you are transitioning from Executive Chairman of the Company to Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”), effective April 1, 2023 (“Transition Date”);
WHEREAS, in connection with your transition to Non-Executive Chairman of the Board, your Employment Period as set forth in Section 1.1. of the Employment Agreement will not renew on the Transition Date; and
WHEREAS, you and the Company desire to enter into this Agreement as required under Section 5.4.4 of the Employment Agreement to set forth the terms and conditions of the payments as required under Section 5.4.2 of the Employment Agreement.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises set forth in this Agreement and of other good and valuable consideration the sufficiency of which you acknowledge, and intending to be legally bound hereby, you and the Company agree as follows:
1. Obligations. In exchange for executing this Agreement and agreeing to be bound by the general release in Paragraph 3 below, you will receive the payments and benefits as set forth in Section 5.4.2 of the Employment Agreement, including (i) continued annual base salary in the amount of $420,000 for three years following the Transition Date (the “Applicable Period”), payable in accordance with the Company’s payroll over the Applicable Period; (ii) an annual cash bonus in the amount $150,000, on each March 15 during the Applicable Period; and (iii) continued coverage under the Company’s health and welfare plans for the Applicable Period, provided, that the Company may provide a stipend for such coverage if coverage is not available under the Company’s health and welfare plans (the “Obligations”). All amounts payable under this Agreement are subject to applicable withholding taxes. As a result, the Company shall, to the extent required by law, withhold applicable federal, state and local income and other taxes from any payments due to you hereunder. Additionally, as long as you continue to serve as a director on the Board, your outstanding unvested equity awards under the 2018 Stock Option and Stock Incentive Plan (the “2018 Plan”) shall continue to vest and your vested but unexercised stock options issued under the 2018 Plan shall remain exercisable, subject to their applicable expiration date.
2. General Release. In exchange for the Obligations, you hereby generally and completely release the Company, each of its affiliated entities, and its respective current and former directors, officers, employees, shareholders, stockholders, partners, general partners, limited partners, managers, members, managing directors, operating affiliates, agents, attorneys, predecessors, successors, subsidiary entities, insurers, assigns and affiliated entities (collectively, the “Released Parties”) of and from any and all claims, liabilities and obligations, both known and unknown, arising from or related to events, acts, or omissions occurring prior to or on the date you sign this Agreement (collectively, the “Released Claims”). The Released Claims include, but are not limited to: (a) all claims arising from or in any way related to your employment or other participation in connection with any of the Released Parties, or the cessation of that