(b) covenanted to qualify as a REIT under the Code for its taxable year ending December 31, 2024 (unless SITE Centers obtains an opinion from a nationally recognized tax counsel or a private letter ruling from the Internal Revenue Service to the effect that SITE Centers’ failure to maintain its REIT status will not cause Curbline to fail to qualify as a REIT) and (ii) Curbline covenanted to (a) be organized and operated so that it will qualify as a REIT for its initial taxable year ending on December 31, 2024 and (b) elect to be taxed as a REIT commencing with its initial taxable year ending on December 31, 2024. The Tax Matters Agreement also provides for the allocation between Curbline and SITE Centers of SITE Centers’ tax-related assets, liabilities and obligations attributable to periods prior to the separation of Curbline from SITE Centers.
Employee Matters Agreement
The Employee Matters Agreement by and among SITE Centers, Curbline and the Operating Partnership (the “Employee Matters Agreement”) governs the respective rights, responsibilities, and obligations of Curbline, the Operating Partnership and SITE Centers after the Separation with respect to transitioning employees, equity plans and retirement plans, health and welfare benefits, and other employment, compensation, and benefit-related matters. The Employee Matters Agreement generally provides that Curbline and SITE Centers each has responsibility for the employment and compensation of its own employees and for the costs associated with providing its employees health and welfare benefits and retirement and other compensation plans. For a period of time following the Separation and Distribution, the employees and former employees of Curbline and SITE Centers will generally continue to participate in the same benefit plans pursuant to the Employee Matters Agreement and the governing plan-related documents.
Item 2.01 | Completion of Acquisition or Disposition of Assets. |
The information set forth in Item 1.01 of this Form 8-K is incorporated by reference in this Item 2.01.
Item 5.02 | Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers. |
In connection with the Spin Off, Conor M. Fennerty, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of SITE Centers, and Christina M. Yarian, Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of SITE Centers, resigned from the Company, effective as of September 30, 2024. Mr. Fennerty and Ms. Yarian have indicated to the Company that their resignations are not the result of any dispute or disagreement with the Company’s accounting principles or practices or financial statements and disclosures.
On the Spin Off Date, the Board appointed Gerald R. Morgan as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of SITE Centers and Jeffrey A. Scott as Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer of SITE Centers, each effective as of the Spin Off Date.
Mr. Morgan, age 61, most recently served as Chief Financial Officer at Four Corners Property Trust, Inc., a REIT that owns, acquires, and leases restaurant and retail properties, since 2015. Mr. Morgan holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Business Administration degree from Stanford University.
Mr. Morgan entered into a Consulting Agreement with SITE Centers (the “Consulting Agreement”), under which he provided consulting services to SITE Centers from September 16, 2024 until the Spin Off Date, on which date Mr. Morgan became an employee of SITE Centers. Mr. Morgan received consulting fees at a rate of $41,666 per month for these consulting services. The Consulting Agreement terminated upon Mr. Morgan’s commencement of employment with SITE Centers, as further described below.
Mr. Morgan also entered into an Employment Agreement with SITE Centers (the “Employment Agreement”) that took effect on the Spin Off Date, when Mr. Morgan commenced employment with SITE Centers. Under the Employment Agreement, Mr. Morgan will be employed as SITE Centers’ Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, and will receive a base salary at a rate of $500,000 per year. Mr. Morgan will be eligible under the Employment Agreement to receive an annual cash incentive of up to $300,000 each year based on actual performance, as evaluated by SITE Centers. Mr. Morgan will also be eligible under the Employment Agreement to participate in the SITE Centers retirement and other benefit plans that are generally available to senior executives and for which he is eligible, pursuant to such plans’ terms.
Under the Employment Agreement, Mr. Morgan will be subject to customary confidentiality and mutual non-disparagement requirements. Mr. Morgan’s Employment Agreement also includes customary indemnification