BELL MICROPRODUCTS, INC.
MANAGEMENT RETENTION AGREEMENT
This Management Retention Agreement (the "Agreement") is made and entered into
by and between Bruce M. Jaffe (the "Employee") and Bell Microproducts, Inc. (the
"Company"), effective as of the latest date set forth by the signatures of the
parties hereto below (the "Effective Date").
RECITALS
A. It is expected that the Company from time to time will consider the
possibility of an acquisition by another company or other change of control. The
Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") recognizes that such
consideration can be a distraction to the Employee and can cause the Employee to
consider alternative employment opportunities. The Board has determined that it
is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to assure that the
Company will have the continued dedication and objectivity of the Employee,
notwithstanding the possibility, threat or occurrence of a Change of Control (as
defined below) of the Company.
B. The Board believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and its
stockholders to provide the Employee with an incentive to continue his
employment and to motivate the Employee to maximize the value of the Company
upon a Change of Control for the benefit of its stockholders.
C. The Board believes that it is imperative to provide the Employee with certain
severance benefits upon Employee's termination of employment following a Change
of Control which provides the Employee with enhanced financial security and
provides incentive and encouragement to the Employee to remain with the Company
notwithstanding the possibility of a Change of Control.
D. Certain capitalized terms used in the Agreement are defined in Section 4
below.
The parties hereto agree as follows:
1. Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall terminate three years following the
Effective Date, unless a Change of Control has occurred as of such time, in
which case this Agreement shall terminate upon the date that all obligations of
the parties hereto with respect to this Agreement have been satisfied. This
Agreement may be extended unilaterally by the Company by written resolutions
adopted by the Board prior to the termination of this Agreement.
2. At-Will Employment. The Company and the Employee acknowledge that the
Employee's employment is and shall continue to be at-will, as defined under
applicable law. If the Employee's employment terminates for any reason,
including (without limitation) any termination prior to a Change of Control, the
Employee shall not be entitled to any payments, benefits, damages, awards or
compensation other than as provided by this Agreement, or as may otherwise be
available in
accordance with the Company's written employee plans or pursuant to other
written agreements with the Company.
3. Severance Benefits.
(a) Termination Following A Change of Control. If the Employee's
employment terminates at any time within twelve (12) months following a Change
of Control, then, subject to Section 4, the Employee shall be entitled to
receive the following severance benefits:
(i) Involuntary Termination. If the Employee's employment
is terminated as a result of Involuntary Termination other than for Cause, then
the Employee shall receive the following severance benefits from the Company:
(1) Severance Payment. A cash payment in an amount equal
to one hundred percent (100%) of the Employee's Base Salary.
(2) Continued Employee Benefits. One hundred percent
(100%) Company-paid health, dental and life insurance coverage at the same level
of coverage as was provided to such employee immediately prior to the Change of
Control (the "Company-Paid Coverage") under the Company's plans. Such coverage
shall be provided under either (at the Company's discretion) (i) the Company's
plans, or (ii) no less favorable plans or arrangements secured by the Company.
If such coverage included the Employee's dependents immediately prior to the
Change of Control, such dependents shall also be covered at Company expense.
Company-Paid Coverage shall continue until the earlier of (i) one year from the
date of the Change of Control, or (ii) the date that the Employee and his
dependents become covered under another employer's group health, dental or life
insurance plans that provide Employee and his dependents with comparable
benefits and levels of coverage. For purposes of Title X of the Consolidated
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 ("COBRA"), the date of the "qualifying event"
for Employee and his dependents shall be the date upon which the Company-Paid
Coverage terminates.
(3) Stock Option Accelerated Vesting. One hundred percent
(100%) of the unvested portion of any stock option held by the Employee shall
automatically be accelerated in full so as to become completely vested;
provided, however, that if such potential vesting acceleration would cause a
contemplated Change of Control transaction that was intended to be accounted for
as a "pooling-of-interests" transaction to become ineligible for such accounting
treatment under generally accepted accounting principles, as determined by the
Company's independent public accountants (the "Accountants") prior to the Change
of Control, Employee's stock options and restricted stock shall not have their
vesting so accelerated.
(b) Timing of Severance Payments. Any severance payment to which
Employee is entitled under Section 4(a)(i) shall be paid by the Company to the
Employee (or to the Employee's successors in interest, pursuant to Section 7(b))
in cash and in full, not later than thirty (30) calendar days following the
Termination Date.
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(c) Voluntary Resignation; Termination For Cause. If the Employee's
employment terminates by reason of the Employee's voluntary resignation (and is
not an Involuntary Termination), or if the Employee is terminated for Cause,
then the Employee shall not be entitled to receive severance or other benefits
except for those (if any) as may then be established under the Company's then
existing written employee plans or pursuant to other written agreements with the
Company.
(d) Disability; Death. If the Company terminates the Employee's
employment as a result of the Employee's Disability, or such Employee's
employment is terminated due to the death of the Employee, then the Employee
shall not be entitled to receive severance or other benefits except for those
(if any) as may then be established under the Company's then existing written
employee plans or pursuant to other written agreements with the Company.
(e) Termination Apart from Change of Control. In the event the
Employee's employment is terminated for any reason, either prior to the
occurrence of a Change of Control or after the twelve (12)-month period
following a Change of Control, then the Employee shall be entitled to receive
severance and any other benefits only as may then be established under the
Company's existing severance and benefits plans and practices or pursuant to
other agreements with the Company.
4. Limitation on Payments. In the event that the severance and other benefits
provided for in this Agreement or otherwise payable to the Employee (i)
constitute "parachute payments" within the meaning of Section 280G of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") and (ii) but for this
Section 4, would be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the
Code, then the Employee's severance benefits under Section 3(a)(i) shall be
reduced as to such lesser extent as would result in no portion of such severance
benefits being subject to excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code. Unless the
Company and the Employee otherwise agree in writing, any determination required
under this Section 4 shall be made in writing by the Company's independent
public accountants immediately prior to Change of Control (the "Accountants"),
whose determination shall be conclusive and binding upon the Employee and the
Company for all purposes. For purposes of making the calculations required by
this Section 4, the Accountants may make reasonable assumptions and
approximations concerning applicable taxes and may rely on reasonable, good
faith interpretations concerning the application of Sections 280G and 4999 of
the Code. The Company and the Employee shall furnish to the Accountants such
information and documents as the Accountants may reasonably request in order to
make a determination under this Section. The Company shall bear all costs the
Accountants may reasonably incur in connection with any calculations
contemplated by this Section 4.
5. Definition of Terms. The following terms referred to in this Agreement shall
have the following meanings:
(a) Base Salary. "Base Salary" means an amount equal to twelve (12)
times Employee's monthly Company salary for the last full month preceding the
Change of Control.
(b) Cause. "Cause" shall mean (i) any act of personal dishonesty taken
by the Employee in connection with his responsibilities as an employee and
intended to result in substantial personal
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enrichment of the Employee, (ii) the conviction of a felony, (iii) a willful act
by the Employee which constitutes gross misconduct and which is injurious to the
Company, and (iv) following delivery to the Employee of a written demand for
performance from the Company which describes the basis for the Company's belief
that the Employee has not substantially performed his duties, continued
violations by the Employee of the Employee's obligations to the Company which
are demonstrably willful and deliberate on the Employee's part.
(c) Change of Control. "Change of Control" means the occurrence of any
of the following events:
(i) Any "person" (as such term is used in Sections 13(d)
and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) is or becomes the
"beneficial owner" (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Act), directly or
indirectly, of securities of the Company representing 50% or more of the total
voting power represented by the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or
(ii) A change in the composition of the Board occurring
within a two-year period, as a result of which fewer than a majority of the
directors are Incumbent Directors. "Incumbent Directors" shall mean directors
who either (A) are directors of the Company as of the date hereof, or (B) are
elected, or nominated for election, to the Board with the affirmative votes of
at least a majority of the Incumbent Directors at the time of such election or
nomination (but shall not include an individual whose election or nomination is
in connection with an actual or threatened proxy contest relating to the
election of directors to the Company); or
(iii) The stockholders of the Company approve a merger or
consolidation of the Company with any other corporation, other than a merger or
consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company
outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by
remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the
surviving entity) at least fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power
represented by the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity
outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation, or the stockholders
of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation of the Company or an
agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all
the Company's assets.
(d) Disability. "Disability" shall mean that the Employee has been
unable to perform his Company duties as the result of his incapacity due to
physical or mental illness, and such inability, at least 26 weeks after its
commencement, is determined to be total and permanent by a physician selected by
the Company or its insurers and acceptable to the Employee or the Employee's
legal representative (such Agreement as to acceptability not to be unreasonably
withheld). Termination resulting from Disability may only be effected after at
least 30 days' written notice by the Company of its intention to terminate the
Employee's employment. In the event that the Employee resumes the performance of
substantially all of his duties hereunder before the termination of his
employment becomes effective, the notice of intent to terminate shall
automatically be deemed to have been revoked.
(e) Involuntary Termination. "Involuntary Termination" shall mean (i)
without the Employee's express written consent, the significant reduction of the
Employee's duties, authority or
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responsibilities, relative to the Employee's duties, authority or
responsibilities as in effect immediately prior to such reduction, or the
assignment to Employee of such reduced duties, authority or responsibilities;
(ii) without the Employee's express written consent, a substantial reduction,
without good business reasons, of the facilities and perquisites (including
office space and location) available to the Employee immediately prior to such
reduction; (iii) a reduction by the Company in the base salary of the Employee
as in effect immediately prior to such reduction; (iv) a material reduction by
the Company in the kind or level of employee benefits, including bonuses, to
which the Employee was entitled immediately prior to such reduction with the
result that the Employee's overall benefits package is significantly reduced;
(v) the relocation of the Employee to a facility or a location more than
thirty-five (35) miles from the Employee's then present location, without the
Employee's express written consent; (vi) any purported termination of the
Employee by the Company which is not effected for Disability or for Cause, or
any purported termination for which the grounds relied upon are not valid; (vii)
the failure of the Company to obtain the assumption of this agreement by any
successors contemplated in Section 6(a) below; or (viii) any act or set of facts
or circumstances which would, under California case law or statute constitute a
constructive termination of the Employee.
(f) Termination Date. "Termination Date" shall mean (i) if this
Agreement is terminated by the Company for Disability, thirty (30) days after
notice of termination is given to the Employee (provided that the Employee shall
not have returned to the performance of the Employee's duties on a full-time
basis during such thirty (30)-day period), (ii) if the Employee's employment is
terminated by the Company for any other reason, the date on which a notice of
termination is given, provided that if within thirty (30) days after the Company
gives the Employee notice of termination, the Employee notifies the Company that
a dispute exists concerning the termination or the benefits due pursuant to this
Agreement, then the Termination Date shall be the date on which such dispute is
finally determined, either by mutual written agreement of the parties, or a by
final judgment, order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction (the time
for appeal therefrom having expired and no appeal having been perfected), or
(iii) if the Agreement is terminated by the Employee, the date on which the
Employee delivers the notice of termination to the Company.
6. Successors.
(a) Company's Successors. Any successor to the Company (whether direct
or indirect and whether by purchase, merger, consolidation, liquidation or
otherwise) to all or substantially all of the Company's business and/or assets
shall assume the obligations under this Agreement and agree expressly to perform
the obligations under this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent
as the Company would be required to perform such obligations in the absence of a
succession. For all purposes under this Agreement, the term "Company" shall
include any successor to the Company's business and/or assets which executes and
delivers the assumption agreement described in this Section 6(a) or which
becomes bound by the terms of this Agreement by operation of law.
(b) Employee's Successors. The terms of this Agreement and all rights
of the Employee hereunder shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by,
the Employee's personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators,
successors, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees.
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7. Notice.
(a) General. Notices and all other communications contemplated by this
Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when
personally delivered or when mailed by U.S. registered or certified mail, return
receipt requested and postage prepaid. In the case of the Employee, mailed
notices shall be addressed to him at the home address which he most recently
communicated to the Company in writing. In the case of the Company, mailed
notices shall be addressed to its corporate headquarters, and all notices shall
be directed to the attention of its Secretary.
(b) Notice of Termination. Any termination by the Company for Cause or
by the Employee as a result of a voluntary resignation or an Involuntary
Termination shall be communicated by a notice of termination to the other party
hereto given in accordance with Section 7(a) of this Agreement. Such notice
shall indicate the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon,
shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to
provide a basis for termination under the provision so indicated, and shall
specify the termination date (which shall be not more than 30 days after the
giving of such notice). The failure by the Employee to include in the notice any
fact or circumstance which contributes to a showing of Involuntary Termination
shall not waive any right of the Employee hereunder or preclude the Employee
from asserting such fact or circumstance in enforcing his rights hereunder.
8. Miscellaneous Provisions.
(a) No Duty to Mitigate. The Employee shall not be required to mitigate
the amount of any payment contemplated by this Agreement, nor shall any such
payment be reduced by any earnings that the Employee may receive from any other
source.
(b) Waiver. No provision of this Agreement shall be modified, waived or
discharged unless the modification, waiver or discharge is agreed to in writing
and signed by the Employee and by an authorized officer of the Company (other
than the Employee). No waiver by either party of any breach of, or of compliance
with, any condition or provision of this Agreement by the other party shall be
considered a waiver of any other condition or provision or of the same condition
or provision at another time.
(c) Whole Agreement. No agreements, representations or understandings
(whether oral or written and whether express or implied) which are not expressly
set forth in this Agreement have been made or entered into by either party with
respect to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement supersedes in their
entirety any prior or contemporaneous agreements, whether written, oral, express
or implied, relating to the subject matter hereof.
(d) Choice of Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and
performance of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of
California.
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(e) Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision
or provisions of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability
of any other provision hereof, which shall remain in full force and effect.
(f) Withholding. All payments made pursuant to this Agreement will be
subject to withholding of applicable income and employment taxes.
(g) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each
of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together will constitute
one and the same instrument.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has executed this Agreement, in
the case of the Company by its duly authorized officer, as of the day and year
set forth below.
COMPANY BELL MICROPRODUCTS, INC.
/s/ W. Donald Bell
---------------
W. Donald Bell
President and Chef Executive Offier
Date: 7/23/97
EMPLOYEE /s/ Bruce M. Jaffe
---------------
Bruce M. Jaffe
Date: 7/23/97
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