Exhibit 10.15
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into by and between PMG SERVICES, INC. (f/k/a Mednax Services, Inc.), a Florida corporation (“Employer”), and CURTIS B. PICKERT, M.D. (“Employee”) on April 26, 2023 (the “Effective Date”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, Employer is presently engaged in “Employer’s Business” as defined on Exhibit A hereto;
WHEREAS, Employer desires to continue employing Employee and benefit from Employee’s contributions to Employer; and
WHEREAS, Employer and Employee previously entered in an Amended and Restated Employment Agreement dated June 1, 2020, which will be superseded in its entirety upon the execution of this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and premises set forth herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Employer and Employee hereby agree as follows:
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Therefore, Employee agrees that, except with respect to services performed under this Agreement on behalf of Employer, Employee shall not, at any time during the Restricted Period (as defined below), for Employee or on behalf of any other person, persons, firm, partnership, corporation or employer, intentionally, knowingly, or willingly participate or engage in or own an interest in, directly or indirectly, any individual proprietorship, partnership, corporation, joint venture, trust or other form of business entity, whether as an individual proprietor, partner, joint venturer, officer, director, member, employee, consultant, independent contractor, stockholder, lender, landlord, finder, agent, broker, trustee, or in any manner whatsoever, if such entity or its affiliates is engaged in, directly or indirectly, “Employer’s Business,” as defined on Exhibit A hereto. Employee acknowledges that, as of the date hereof, Employee’s responsibilities will include matters affecting the businesses of Employer listed on Exhibit A. For purposes of this Section 8, the “Restricted Period” shall mean the Employment Period plus (i) eighteen (18) months in the event this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof, and (ii) twenty-four (24) months in the event the Agreement is terminated for any other reason.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, Confidential Information shall not include any information that (i) was known by Employee from a third party source before disclosure by or on behalf of Employer, (ii) becomes available to Employee from a source other than Employer that is not, to Employee’s knowledge, bound by a duty of confidentiality to Employer, (iii) becomes generally available or known in the industry other than as a result of its disclosure by Employee, or (iv) has been independently developed by Employee and may be disclosed by Employee without breach of this Agreement, provided, in each case, that Employee shall bear the burden of demonstrating that the information falls under one of the above-described exceptions. Pursuant to the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, Employee acknowledges that Employee shall not have criminal or civil liability under any federal or state trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that (A) is made (i) in confidence to a federal, state, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (B) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. In addition, if Employee files a lawsuit for retaliation by Employer for reporting a suspected violation of law, Employee may disclose the trade secret to Employee’s attorney and may use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if Employee (X) files any document containing the trade secret under seal and (Y) does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order.
Additionally, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement or any other agreement between Employer and Employee shall prevent Employee from filing a charge, sharing information and communicating in good faith, without prior notice to Employer, with any federal government agency having jurisdiction over Employer or its operations, and cooperating in any investigation by any such federal government agency.
Unless disclosure is otherwise required by applicable law or stock exchange rules, Employee agrees that the terms of this Agreement shall be deemed Confidential Information for purposes of this Section. Employee shall keep the terms of this Agreement strictly confidential and will not, without the prior written consent of Employer, disclose the details of this Agreement to any third party in any manner whatsoever in whole or in part, with the exception of Employee’s representatives (such as tax advisors and attorneys) who need to know such information.
Employee agrees that Employee will not at any time, whether during or subsequent to the term of Employee’s employment with Employer, in any fashion, form or manner, unless specifically consented to in writing by Employer, either directly or indirectly, use or divulge, disclose, or communicate to any person, firm or corporation, in any manner whatsoever, any Confidential Information of any kind, nature, or description, subject to applicable law. The parties agree that any breach by Employee of any term of this Section 8.4 resulting in material harm to Pediatrix or Employer is a material breach of this Agreement and shall constitute “Cause” for the termination of Employee’s employment hereunder pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof. In the event that Employee is ordered to disclose any Confidential Information, whether in a legal or a regulatory proceeding or otherwise, Employee shall provide Employer with prompt written notice of such request or order so that Employer may seek to prevent disclosure or, if that cannot be achieved, the entry of a protective order or other appropriate protective device or procedure in order to assure, to the extent practicable, compliance with the provisions of this Agreement. In the case of any disclosure required by law, Employee shall disclose only that portion of the
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Confidential Information that Employee is ordered to disclose in a legally binding subpoena, demand or similar order issued pursuant to a legal or regulatory proceeding.
All Confidential Information, and all equipment, notebooks, documents, memoranda, reports, files, samples, books, correspondence, lists, other written and graphic records, in any media (including electronic or video) containing Confidential Information or relating to the business of Employer, which Employee shall prepare, use, construct, observe, possess, or control shall be and remain Employer’s sole property (collectively “Employer Property”). Upon termination or expiration of this Agreement, or earlier upon Employer’s request, Employee shall promptly deliver to Employer all Employer Property, retaining none.
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The provisions of this Section 8 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and Employee’s employment with Employer. In the event of a breach of this Section 8 by Employee, as finally determined pursuant to Section 11 hereof, Employer retains the right to terminate any continuing payments to Employee provided for in Section 4 hereof. In the event of a breach of any provisions of this Section 8 by Employee, as finally determined pursuant to Section 11 hereof, the period for which those provisions would remain in effect shall be extended for a period of time equal to that period beginning when such breach commenced and ending when the activities constituting such breach shall have been finally terminated, in each case as finally determined pursuant to Section 11 hereof. The provisions of this Section 8 are expressly intended to benefit and be enforceable by other affiliated entities of Employer, who are express third party beneficiaries hereof. Employee shall not assist others in engaging in any of the activities described in the foregoing restrictive covenants.
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Employer shall bear all costs associated with such mediation and, if necessary, arbitration, including but not limited to all costs of the mediator and arbitrator, and shall reimburse Employee on a monthly basis for Employee’s reasonable legal and other expenses, including all fees, incurred in connection with any such mediation and, if necessary, arbitration, provided, however, that if Employer ultimately prevails in any arbitration (as determined by the arbitrator), the arbitrator shall have the power to require Employee to reimburse Employer for all or a portion of the advanced legal fees and other expenses as determined by the arbitrator (and, if the arbitrator finds that Employer prevailed on certain claims and Employee prevailed on others, the arbitrator shall have the power to require Employee to reimburse Employer for a portion of the advanced legal fees and other expenses determined by the arbitrator based on those claims on which Employer prevailed). The mediation and, if necessary, arbitration proceedings shall be held in Sunrise, Florida, unless otherwise mutually agreed by the parties, and shall be conducted in accordance with the American Arbitration Association National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes then in effect. Judgment on any award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered and enforced by any court having jurisdiction thereof. Any such mediation and, if necessary, arbitration shall be treated as confidential by all parties thereto, except as otherwise provided by law or as otherwise necessary to enforce any judgment or order issued by the arbitrator.
Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if Employer or Employee shall require immediate injunctive relief, then the party shall be entitled to seek such relief in any court having jurisdiction, and if the party elects to do so, the other party hereby consents to the jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the State of Florida and to the applicable service of process. Employee and Employer hereby waive and agree not to assert, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any claim that (i) they are not subject to the jurisdiction of such courts, (ii) they are immune from any legal process issued by such courts and (iii) any litigation or other proceeding commenced in such courts is brought in an inconvenient forum. In the event that Employer brings suit against Employee seeking injunctive relief, Employer agrees to advance all of Employee’s reasonable legal and other expenses, including all fees, incurred by Employee in connection with such action, provided, however, that if Employer ultimately prevails in seeking injunctive relief, Employee shall reimburse Employer all such advanced legal fees and other expenses.
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If to Employer:
PMG Services, Inc. 1301 Concord Terrace Sunrise, FL 33323 Attention: General Counsel Email: maryann.moore@pediatrix.com | If to Employee:
Curtis B. Pickert, M.D. c/o PMG Services, Inc. 1301 Concord Terrace Sunrise, FL 33323 Email: curt.pickert@pediatrix.com |
or to such other addresses as either party hereto may from time to time give notice of to the other in the aforesaid manner.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this Agreement effective as of the Effective Date.
EMPLOYER:
PMG SERVICES, INC.
| EMPLOYEE: |
By: /s/ Mary Ann E. Moore Mary Ann E. Moore Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary
| By: /s/Curtis B. Pickert, M.D. Curtis B. Pickert, M.D. |
PEDIATRIX MEDICAL GROUP, INC.
By: /s/ Shirley A. Weis Shirley A. Weis Chair, Compensation and Talent Committee |
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Signature Page to Second Amended and Restated Employment Agreement
EXHIBIT A
BUSINESS OF EMPLOYER
As of the date hereof, Employer, directly or through its affiliates, provides professional medical services and all aspects of practice management services in medical practice areas that include, but are not limited to, the following (collectively referred to herein as “Employer’s Business”):
(1) Neonatology, including hospital well baby care;
(2) Maternal‑Fetal Medicine, including general obstetrics services;
(3) Pediatric Cardiology;
(4) Pediatric Intensive Care, including Pediatric Hospitalist Care;
(5) Newborn hearing screening services;
(6) Pediatric Surgery;
(7) Pediatric Emergency Medicine; and
(8) Pediatric Primary and/or Urgent Care Centers.
References to Employer’s Business in this Agreement shall include such other medical service lines, practice management services and other businesses in which Employer is engaged during the Employment Period; provided, that to be considered a part of Employer’s Business, Employer must have engaged in such other service line, practice management service or other business at least six (6) months prior to the termination date of this Agreement. For purposes of this Exhibit A, businesses of Employer shall include the businesses conducted by Employer’s subsidiaries, entities under common control and affiliates as defined under Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Such affiliates shall include the professional corporations and associations whose operating results are consolidated with Employer for financial reporting purposes.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, Employer acknowledges and agrees to the following exceptions and clarifications regarding the scope of Employer’s Business.
A. Hospital Services. Employer and Employee acknowledge that, as of the date hereof, Employer does not currently operate hospitals, hospital systems or universities. Nevertheless, the businesses of hospitals, hospital systems and universities would be the same as Employer’s Business where such hospitals, hospital systems or universities provide or contract with others to provide some or all of the medical services included in Employer’s Business. Therefore, the parties desire to clarify their intent with respect to the limitations on Employee’s ability to work for or contract with others to provide services for a hospital, hospital system or university during the Employment Period and during the Restricted Period. Section 8.1 shall not be deemed to restrict Employee’s ability to work for a hospital, hospital system or university if the hospital, hospital system or university does not provide any of the medical services included in Employer’s Business. Furthermore, even if a hospital, hospital system or university provides medical services that are included in Employer’s Business, Employee may work for such hospital, hospital system or university if Employee has no direct supervisory responsibility for or involvement in the hospital’s, hospital system’s or university’s provision of medical services that are Employer’s Business. For the avoidance of doubt, Employer and Employee agree that if
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Employee becomes the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Compliance Officer, General Counsel or Chief Executive Officer of a hospital system or health system, or other executive officer of similar level to the foregoing, that Employee shall not be in breach of the provisions of this Agreement. Finally, Employer agrees that Employee may hold direct supervisory responsibility for or be involved in the medical services of a hospital, hospital system or university that are included in Employer’s Business so long as such hospital, hospital system or university is located at least ten (10) miles from a medical practice owned or operated by Employer or its affiliate. Subject to paragraph B below, the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply to the extent that, after the date hereof, Employer enters into the business of operating a hospital or hospital system.
B. De Minimus Exception. Employer agrees that a medical service line (other than those listed in items (1) through (8) above), practice management service or other business in which Employer is engaged shall not be considered to be a part of Employer’s Business if such medical service line, practice management service or other business constitutes less than three percent (3%) of Employer’s annual revenues.
C. Divested Lines of Service. Employer agrees that any medical service line (including those listed in items (1) through (8) above), practice management, or other business in which Employer is engaged that is divested pursuant to a disposition, sale of assets or equity, or otherwise after the Effective Date shall not be considered to be a part of Employer’s Business effective as of the effective date of such divestiture.
D. Certain Ownership Interests. It shall not be deemed to be a violation of Section 8.1 for Employee to: (i) own, directly or indirectly, one percent (1%) or less of a publicly‑traded entity that has a market capitalization of $1 billion or more; (ii) own, directly or indirectly, five percent (5%) or less of a publicly‑traded entity that has a market capitalization of less than $1 billion; or (iii) own, directly or indirectly, less than ten percent (10%) of a privately‑held business or company, if Employee is at all times a passive investor with no board representation, management authority or other special rights to control operations of such business or company.
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EXHIBIT B
FORM OF RELEASE
GENERAL RELEASE OF CLAIMS
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