EXHIBIT 10.1
AMENDED AND RESTATED
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
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THIS AGREEMENT, originally entered into the 31st day of December, 1996
(and as amended February 8, 1997), and effective February 1, 1997 (the
"Effective Date"), is hereby amended and restated this __ day of ________, 1997,
by and between Lexington First Federal Savings Bank (the "Bank") and Howard W.
Tignor (the "Employee").
WHEREAS, the Employee has heretofore been employed by the Bank as its
President and is experienced in all phases of the business of the Bank; and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Bank (the "Board") believes it
is in the best interests of the Bank to enter into this Agreement with the
Employee in order to assure continuity of management of the Bank and to
reinforce and encourage the continued attention and dedication of the Employee
to his assigned duties; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire by this writing to set forth the continuing
employment relationship of the Bank and the Employee.
NOW, THEREFORE, it is AGREED as follows:
1. Defined Terms
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When used anywhere in this Agreement, the following terms shall have
the meaning set forth herein.
(a) "Change in Control" shall mean an event of a nature that: (I)
would be required to be reported in response to Item I of the current report on
Form 8-K, as in effect on the date hereof, pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act"); or (II) results in a
Change in Control of the Bank or the Company within the meaning of the Home
Owners' Loan Act of 1933 and the Rules and Regulations promulgated by the Office
of Thrift Supervision (or its predecessor agency), as in effect on the date
hereof; or (III) without limitation, such a Change in Control shall be deemed to
have occurred at such time as (a) any "person" (as the term is used in Sections
13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) is or becomes the "beneficial owner" (as
defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act), directly or
indirectly, of securities of the Bank or the Company representing twenty percent
(20%) or more of the combined voting power of the Bank's or the Company's
outstanding securities except for any securities of the Bank purchased by the
Bank's employee stock ownership plan and trust; or (b) individuals who
constitute the Board of the Bank or the board of directors of the Company on the
date hereof ("Incumbent Board") cease for any reason to constitute at least a
majority thereof; provided that any person becoming a director subsequent to the
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date hereof whose election was approved by a vote of at least three-quarters of
the directors comprising the Incumbent Board, or whose nomination for election
by the Company's stockholders was approved by the same nominating committee
serving under an Incumbent Board, shall be, for purposes of this clause (b),
considered as though he were a member of the Incumbent Board; or (c) the
occurrence of a plan of reorganization, merger, consolidation, sale of all or
substantially all the assets of the Bank or the Company or similar transaction
in which the Bank or the Company is not the resulting entity.
(b) "Company" shall mean Community National Corporation.
(c) "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended from time to time, and as interpreted through applicable rulings and
regulations in effect from time to time.
(d) "Code (S)280G Maximum" shall mean product of 2.99 and his
"base amount" as defined in Code (S)280G(b)(3).
(e) "Disability" shall mean a physical or mental infirmity which
impairs the Employee's ability to substantially perform his duties under this
Agreement and which results in the Employee becoming eligible for long-term
disability benefits under the Bank's defined benefit retirement plan.
(f) "Good Reason" shall mean any of the following events, which
has not been consented to in advance by the Employee in writing: (i) the
requirement that the Employee move his personal residence, or perform his
principal executive functions, more than thirty (30) miles from his primary
office as of the later of the Effective Date and the most recent voluntary
relocation by the Employee; (ii) a material reduction in the Employee's base
compensation as the same may be increased from time to time, unless part of an
overall reduction applied to all senior management or agreed to by the Employee;
(iii) the failure by the Bank or the Company to continue to provide the Employee
with compensation and benefits provided under this Agreement, as the same may be
increased from time to time, or with benefits substantially similar to those
provided to him under any of the employee benefit plans in which the Employee
now or hereafter becomes a participant, or the taking of any action by the Bank
or the Company which would directly or indirectly reduce any of such benefits or
deprive the Employee of any material fringe benefit enjoyed by him under this
Agreement; (iv) the permanent assignment to the Employee of duties and
responsibilities materially different from those normally associated with his
position; (v) a failure to reelect the Employee to the Board of Directors of the
Bank or the Company, if the Employee has served on such Board at any time during
the term of this Agreement; (vi) a material diminution or reduction in the
Employee's responsibilities or authority (including reporting responsibilities)
in connection with his employment with the Bank or the Company; or (vii) a
material reduction in the secretarial or other administrative support of the
Employee. In addition, "Good Reason" shall mean an impairment of the Employee's
health to an extent that it makes continued performance of his duties hereunder
hazardous to his physical or mental health.
(g) "Just Cause" shall mean, in the good faith determination of
the Bank's Board of Directors, the Employee's personal dishonesty, incompetence,
willful misconduct, breach of fiduciary duty involving personal profit,
intentional failure to perform stated duties, willful violation of any law, rule
or regulation (other than traffic violations or similar offenses) or final
cease-and-desist order, or material breach of any provision of this Agreement.
The Employee shall have no right to receive compensation or other benefits for
any period after termination for Just Cause. No act, or failure to act, on the
Employee's part shall be considered "willful" unless he has acted, or failed to
act, with an absence of good faith and without a reasonable belief that his
action or failure to act was in the best interest of the Bank and the Company.
(h) "Protected Period" shall mean the period that begins on the
date six months before a Change in Control and ends on the later of the first
annual anniversary of the Change in Control or the expiration date of this
Agreement.
(i) "Trust" shall mean a grantor trust that is designed in
accordance with Revenue Procedure 92-64 and has a trustee independent of the
Bank and the Company.
2. Employment. The Employee is employed as the President of the Bank.
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The Employee shall render such administrative and management services for the
Bank as are currently rendered and as are customarily performed by persons
situated in a similar executive capacity. The Employee shall also promote, by
entertainment or otherwise, as and to the extent permitted by law, the business
of the Bank. The Employee's other duties shall be such as the Board may from
time to time reasonably direct, including normal duties as an officer of the
Bank.
3. Base Compensation. The Bank agrees to pay the Employee during the
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term of this Agreement a salary at the rate of $65,000 per annum, payable in
cash not less frequently than monthly. The Board shall review, not less often
than annually, the rate of the Employee's salary, and in its sole discretion may
decide to increase his
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salary, which salary shall, subject to Board review and approval, be increased
on an annual basis by an amount which is at least equal to the annual average
increase in the Consumer Price Index, as published by the U.S. Department of
Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics for the twelve months then most recently
reported.
4. Discretionary Bonuses. The Employee shall participate in an
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equitable manner with all other senior management employees of the Bank in
discretionary bonuses that the Board may award from time to time to the Bank's
senior management employees. No other compensation provided for in this
Agreement shall be deemed a substitute for the Employee's right to participate
in such discretionary bonuses.
5. (a) Participation in Retirement, Medical and Other Plans. During
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the term of this Agreement, the Employee shall be eligible to participate in the
same manner as all other employees of the Bank in the following benefit plans:
group hospitalization, disability, health, dental, sick leave, life insurance,
travel and/or accident insurance, auto allowance/auto lease, retirement,
pension, and/or other present or future qualified plans provided by the Bank.
(b) Employee Benefits; Expenses. The Employee shall be
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eligible to participate in any fringe benefits which are or may become available
to the Bank's senior management employees, including for example: any stock
option or incentive compensation plans, and any other benefits which are
commensurate with the responsibilities and functions to be performed by the
Employee under this Agreement. The Employee shall be reimbursed for all
reasonable out-of-pocket business expenses which he shall incur in connection
with his services under this Agreement upon substantiation of such expenses in
accordance with the policies of the Bank. Such expenses shall include (i) the
costs incurred by the Employee in moving the Employee and his family from
Waynesboro, Tennessee to Lexington, Tennessee, and (ii) reimbursement to the
Employee of the real estate commission (in an amount not to exceed 3% of the
sale price of his personal residence) in connection with the Employee's sale of
his personal residence in Waynesboro, Tennessee (which real estate commission
reimbursement shall be paid upon receipt of the closing statement of such sale).
6. Term. The Bank hereby employs the Employee, and the Employee hereby
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accepts such employment under this Agreement, for the period commencing on the
Effective Date and ending thirty-six months thereafter (or such earlier date as
is determined in accordance with Section 10). Additionally, on each annual
anniversary date from the Effective Date, the Employee's term of employment
shall be extended for an additional one-year period beyond the then effective
expiration date provided the Board determines in a duly adopted resolution that
the performance of the Employee has met the Board's requirements and standards,
and that this Agreement shall be extended. Only those members of the Board of
Directors who have no personal interest in this Employment Agreement shall
discuss and vote on the approval and subsequent review of this Agreement.
7. Loyalty; Noncompetition.
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(a) During the period of his employment hereunder and except
for illnesses, reasonable vacation periods, and reasonable leaves of absence,
the Employee shall devote such adequate time, attention, skill, and efforts as
are required for the faithful performance of his duties hereunder; provided,
however, that the Employee may pursue personal business interests or serve on
the boards of directors of, and hold any other offices or positions in,
companies or organizations, which will not present any conflict of interest with
the Bank or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, or have a substantial
negative effect on the performance of Employee's duties pursuant to this
Agreement, or violate any applicable statute or regulation. The Employee further
agrees to promptly reveal to other appropriate executives of the Bank all
matters coming to his attention pertaining to the business or interest of the
Bank. All data or information concerning the business activities of the Bank
which the Employee acquires or has acquired in connection with or as a result of
the performance of services for the Bank, whether under this agreement or prior
to the effective date of this agreement, shall be kept secret and confidential
by the Employee and shall be revealed only to the Bank unless otherwise
consents. This covenant of confidentiality shall extend beyond the term of this
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Agreement and shall survive the termination of this Agreement for any reasons
but shall not restrict the Employee's employment with another like firm or
company so long as the confidentiality agreement is not breached.
(b) Nothing contained in this Section shall be deemed to prevent or
limit the Employee's right to invest in the capital stock or other securities of
any business dissimilar from that of the Bank, or, solely as a passive or
minority investor, in any business.
8. Standards. The Employee shall perform his duties under this
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Agreement in accordance with such reasonable standards as the Board may
establish from time to time. The Bank will provide Employee with the working
facilities and staff customary for similar executives and necessary for him to
perform his duties.
9. Vacation and Sick Leave. At such reasonable times as the Board shall
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in its discretion permit, the Employee shall be entitled, without loss of pay,
to absent himself voluntarily from the performance of his employment under this
Agreement, all such voluntary absences to count as vacation time, provided that:
(a) The Employee shall be entitled to an annual vacation in
accordance with the policies that the Board periodically establishes for all
other employees of the Bank.
(b) The Employee shall accumulate unused vacation from one
fiscal year to the next. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, amounts
attributable to accrued but unused vacation shall be payable to the Employee
upon his termination of employment for any reason.
(c) In addition to the aforesaid paid vacations, the Employee
shall be entitled without loss of pay, to absent himself voluntarily from the
performance of his employment with the Bank for such additional periods of time
and for such valid and legitimate reasons as the Board may in its discretion
determine. Further, the Board may grant to the Employee a leave or leaves of
absence, with or without pay, at such time or times and upon such terms and
conditions as such Board in its discretion may determine.
(d) In addition, the Employee shall be entitled to an annual
sick leave benefit as established by the Board for all other employees of the
Bank.
10. Termination and Termination Pay. Subject to Sections 12 and 13
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hereof, the Employee's employment hereunder may be terminated under the
following circumstances:
(a) Death. The Employee's employment under this Agreement
shall terminate upon his death during the term of this Agreement, in which event
the Employee's estate shall be entitled to receive the compensation due the
Employee through the last day of the calendar month in which his death occurred.
(b) Just Cause. The Board may, by written notice to the
Employee, immediately terminate his employment at any time, for Just Cause. The
Employee shall have no right to receive compensation or other benefits for any
period after termination for Just Cause.
(c) Termination or Suspension Under Federal Law. (1) If the
Employee is removed and/or permanently prohibited from participating in the
conduct of the Bank's affairs by an order issued under Sections 8(e)(4) or
8(g)(1) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act ("FDIA") (12 U.S.C. 1818(e)(4) and
(g)(1)), all obligations of the Bank under this Agreement shall terminate, as of
the effective date of the order, but vested rights of the parties shall not be
affected.
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(1) If the Bank is in default (as defined in Section 3(x)(1) of
FDIA), all obligations under this Agreement shall terminate as of the date of
default; however, this Paragraph shall not affect the vested rights of the
parties.
(2) All obligations under this Agreement shall terminate,
except to the extent that continuation of this Agreement is necessary for the
continued operation of the Bank: (i) by the Director of the Office of Thrift
Supervision ("Director of OTS"), or his or her designee, at the time that the
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC") or the Resolution Trust
Corporation enters into an agreement to provide assistance to or on behalf of
the Bank under the authority contained in Section 13(c) of FDIA; or (ii) by the
Director of the OTS, or his or her designee, at the time that the Director of
the OTS, or his or her designee approves a supervisory merger to resolve
problems related to operation of the Bank or when the Bank is determined by the
Director of the OTS to be in an unsafe or unsound condition. Such action shall
not affect any vested rights of the parties.
(3) If a notice served under Section 8(e)(3) or (g)(1) of
the FDIA (12 U.S.C. 1818(e)(3) or (g)(1)) suspends and/or temporarily prohibits
the Employee from participating in the conduct of the Bank's affairs, the Bank's
obligations under this Agreement shall be suspended as of the date of such
service, unless stayed by appropriate proceedings. If the charges in the notice
are dismissed, the Bank may in its discretion (i) pay the Employee all or part
of the compensation withheld while its contract obligations were suspended, and
(ii) reinstate (in whole or in part) any of its obligations which were
suspended.
(4) Any payments made to the Employee pursuant to this
Agreement, or otherwise, are subject to and conditioned upon their compliance
with 12 U.S.C. Section 1828(k) and any regulations promulgated thereunder.
(d) Voluntary Termination by Employee. Subject to Sections
12 and 13 hereof, the Employee may voluntarily terminate employment with the
Bank during the term of this Agreement, upon at least ninety (90) days' prior
written notice to the Board of Directors, in which case the Employee shall
receive only his compensation, vested rights and employee benefits up to the
date of his termination (unless such termination occurs within the Protected
Period, in Section 12(a) hereof in which event the benefits and compensation
provided for in Section 12 shall apply).
(e) Disability. (1) The Bank may terminate the Employee's
employment after having established the Employee's Disability, in which event
the Employee shall be entitled to the compensation and benefits provided for
under this Agreement for (i) any period during the term of this Agreement and
prior to the establishment of the Employee's Disability during which the
Employee is unable to work due to the physical or mental infirmity, and (ii) any
period of Disability which is prior to the Employee's termination of employment
pursuant to this Section 10(e).
(2) During any period that the Employee shall receive
disability benefits and to the extent that the Employee shall be physically and
mentally able to do so, he shall furnish such information, assistance and
documents so as to assist in the continued ongoing business of the Bank and, if
able, shall make himself available to the Bank to undertake reasonable
assignments consistent with his prior position and his physical and mental
health. The Bank shall pay all reasonable expenses incident to the performance
of any assignment given to the Employee during the disability period.
(f) Without Just Cause; Constructive Discharge; Good Reason.
The Employee shall be entitled to receive the greater of $100,000 or the salary
provided pursuant to Section 3 hereof, up to the expiration date of this
Agreement, including any renewal term (the "Expiration Date") if he terminates
employment for one of the following reasons (unless such termination occurs
during the Protected Period, in which event the benefits and compensation
provided for in Section 12 shall apply): (i) the Board, by written notice to the
Employee, immediately terminate his employment at any time for a reason other
than his Disability or Just Cause, or (ii) the Employee voluntarily terminates
employment within 90 days of an event that constitutes Good Reason.
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11. No Mitigation. The Employee shall not be required to mitigate the
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amount of any payment provided for in this Agreement by seeking other employment
or otherwise and no such payment shall be offset or reduced by the amount of any
compensation or benefits provided to the Employee in any subsequent employment.
12. Change in Control.
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(a) Trigger Events. The Employee shall be entitled to collect the
severance benefits set forth in Subsection (b) hereof in the event that (i)
there is a Change in Control as defined herein, or (ii) the Bank or the Company
or their successor(s) in interest terminate the Employee's employment without
his written consent and for any reason other than Just Cause during the
Protected Period, or the Employee resigns from his employment with the Bank for
Good Reason during the Protected Period, as defined herein.
(b) Amount of Severance Benefit. If the Employee becomes entitled
to collect severance benefits pursuant to Section 12(a) hereof:
(i) Upon the trigger event outlined in Section 12(a)(i)
hereof occurring, the Bank shall pay the Employee a benefit equal to
$50,000, and
(ii) upon the trigger event outlined in Section 12(a)(ii)
herein occurring, the Bank shall pay the Employee a severance
benefit equal to $100,000, and shall pay for long-term disability
and provide such medical benefits as are available to the Employee
under the provisions of COBRA, for eighteen (18) months (or such
longer period, up to 24 months, if COBRA is amended).
In the event that the Employee, the Bank, and the Company jointly agree
that the Employee has collected an amount exceeding the Code (S)280G Maximum,
the parties may agree in writing that such excess shall be treated as a loan ab
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initio which the Employee shall repay to the Bank, on terms and conditions
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mutually agreeable to the parties, together with interest at the applicable
federal rate provided for in Section 7872(f)(2)(B) of the Code.
(c) Funding of Grantor Trust upon Change in Control. Not later
than ten business days after a Change in Control, the Bank shall (i) deposit in
a Trust an amount equal to the severance benefit provided for in Section 12(b),
unless the Employee has previously provided a written release of any claims
under this Agreement, and (ii) provide the trustee of the Trust with a written
direction to hold said amount and any investment return thereon in a segregated
account for the benefit of the Employee, and to follow the procedures set forth
in the next paragraph as to the payment of such amounts from the Trust. Upon the
later of the Trust's final payment of all amounts due under the following
paragraph or the date fifteen months after the Change in Control, the trustee of
the Trust shall pay to the Bank the entire balance remaining in the segregated
account maintained for the benefit of the Employee. The Employee shall
thereafter have no further interest in the Trust.
During the 15-consecutive month period after a Change in Control, the
Employee may provide the trustee of the Trust with a written notice requesting
that the trustee pay to the Employee an amount designated in the notice as being
payable pursuant to this Agreement. Within three business days after receiving
said notice, the trustee of the Trust shall send a copy of the notice to the
Bank via overnight and registered mail return receipt requested. On the tenth
(10th) business day after mailing said notice to the Bank, the trustee of the
Trust shall pay the Employee the amount designated therein in immediately
available funds, unless prior thereto the Bank provides the trustee with a
written notice directing the trustee to withhold such payment. In the latter
event, the trustee shall submit the dispute to non-appealable binding
arbitration for a determination of the amount payable to the Employee pursuant
to this Agreement, and the costs of such arbitration shall be paid by the Bank.
The trustee shall choose the arbitrator to settle the dispute, and such
arbitrator shall be bound by the rules of the American Arbitration Association
in making his determination. The parties and the trustee shall be bound by the
results of the arbitration and, within 3 days of the determination by the
arbitrator, the trustee shall pay from the Trust the amounts required to be paid
to the Employee
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and/or the Bank, and in no event shall the trustee be liable to either party for
making the payments as determined by the arbitrator.
13. Indemnification. The Bank agrees that its Bylaws shall continue to
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provide for indemnification of directors, officers, employees and agents of the
Bank, including the Employee during the full term of this Agreement, and to at
all times provide adequate insurance for such purposes.
14. Reimbursement of Employee for Enforcement Proceedings. In the event
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that any dispute arises between the Employee and the Bank as to the terms or
interpretation of this Agreement, whether instituted by formal legal proceedings
or otherwise, including any action that the Employee takes to defend against any
action taken by the Bank or the Company, the Employee shall be reimbursed for
all costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys' fees, arising from such
dispute, proceedings or actions, provided that the Employee obtains either a
written settlement or a final judgement by a court of competent jurisdiction
substantially in his favor. Such reimbursement shall be paid within ten (10)
days of Employee's furnishing to the Bank written evidence, which may be in the
form, among other things, of a canceled check or receipt, of any costs or
expenses incurred by the Employee.
15. Federal Income Tax Withholding. The Bank may withhold all federal
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and state income or other taxes from any benefit payable under this Agreement as
shall be required pursuant to any law or government regulation or ruling.
16. Successors and Assigns.
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(a) Bank. This Agreement shall not be assignable by the Bank,
provided that this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon
any corporate or other successor of the Bank which shall acquire, directly or
indirectly, by merger, consolidation, purchase or otherwise, all or
substantially all of the assets or stock of the Bank. The Bank agrees that it
will not merge or consolidate with any other corporation or organization, or
permit its business activities to be taken over by any other organization,
unless and until the succeeding or continuing corporation or other organization
shall expressly assume the rights and obligations of the Bank herein set forth.
The Bank further agrees that it will not cease its business activities or
terminate its existence, other than as heretofore set forth in this paragraph,
without having made adequate provision for the fulfillment of its obligation
hereunder.
(b) Employee. Since the Bank is contracting for the unique and
personal skills of the Employee, the Employee shall be precluded from assigning
or delegating his rights or duties hereunder without first obtaining the written
consent of the Bank; provided, however, that nothing in this paragraph shall
preclude (i) the Employee from designating a beneficiary to receive any benefit
payable hereunder upon his death, or (ii) the executors, administrators, or
other legal representatives of the Employee or his estate from assigning any
rights hereunder to the person or persons entitled thereunto.
(c) Attachment. Except as required by law, no right to receive
payments under this Agreement shall be subject to anticipation, commutation,
alienation, sale, assignment, encumbrance, charge, pledge, or hypothecation or
to exclusion, attachment, levy or similar process or assignment by operation of
law, and any attempt, voluntary or involuntary, to effect any such action shall
be null, void and of no effect.
17. Amendments. No amendments or additions to this Agreement shall be
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binding unless made in writing and signed by all of the parties, except as
herein otherwise specifically provided.
18. Applicable Law. Except to the extent preempted by Federal law, the
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laws of the State of Tennessee shall govern this Agreement in all respects,
whether as to its validity, construction, capacity, performance or otherwise.
19. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed
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severable and the invalidity or unenforceability of any provision shall not
affect the validity or enforceability of the other provisions hereof.
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20. Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with any understanding
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or modifications thereof as agreed to in writing by the parties, shall
constitute the entire agreement between the parties hereto and shall supersede
any prior agreement between the parties (including but not limited to their
agreement dated December 31, 1996, as amended February 8, 1997).
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement on the day
and year first herein above written.
ATTEST: LEXINGTON FIRST FEDERAL SAVINGS BANK
By:
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Secretary Charlie Walker, Chairman of the Board
WITNESS:
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Howard W. Tignor, Employee
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