EX-99.1 2 tm2015025d1_ex99-1.htm EXHIBIT 99.1

Exhibit 99.1

Stoneridge, Inc.▼ 39675 MacKenzie Drive, Suite 400 ▼ Novi, Michigan 48377

Phone 248-489-9300 ▼ Fax 248-489-3970

February 3, 2020

Robert R. Willig, Jr. (“Employee”)

4523 Woodcliff Court

Rochester, Michigan 48306

Re: Separation Agreement and Release of Claims (“Agreement”)

Dear Bob,

This Agreement confirms the mutual agreement we have reached concerning your separation from employment with Stoneridge, Inc. (the “Company”). Subject to your return of a signed copy of this Agreement to the undersigned no earlier and no later than March 31, 2020, the Company will provide you certain discretionary payments and benefits as listed below:

Separation from Employment. Employee and the Company mutually agree that Employee’s employment with the Company shall end effective March 31, 2020 (the “Separation Date”). Employee will be paid for all earned but unused vacation days as of the Separation Date. With the exception of the vacation pay, Employee acknowledges that Employee is not owed any further salary, bonuses, or other compensation from the Company.

Separation Payment and Benefits. If Employee signs this Agreement on March 31, 2020, and the Revocation Period specified in Section 11 below expires without revocation, the Company agrees to provide the pay and benefits specified in this Section 2:

Salary Continuation. Company will pay Employee separation pay in the aggregate amount of Three Hundred Thirty-Eight Thousand dollars ($338,000.00) representing one year of base salary, subject to statutory payroll deductions, in equal installments for twelve (12) months, through the Company’s normal payroll cycle.

Healthcare Coverage. All health insurance benefits which covered Employee and/or Employee’s eligible dependents will be discontinued as of the last day of the calendar month of the Separation Date. Employee and Employee’s eligible dependents are entitled to continue health insurance benefits under which Employee is currently covered, as may be modified by the Company from time to time, under and through the terms of the applicable provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“COBRA”). If Employee elects COBRA benefits to continue Company-provided health insurance benefits, Company will directly pay Employee’s COBRA premiums for twelve (12) months following the Separation Date (provided Employee remains eligible for COBRA coverage during that time). Employee is responsible for notifying the Company when Employee becomes covered by other coverage. If Employee elects to continue COBRA benefits beyond the twelve (12) months provided, Employee will solely be responsible for COBRA premiums, if any.

Annual Incentive Plan (“AIP”). Company will pay Employee an annual incentive payment, if any, in accordance with the terms of the Company’s 2019 AIP.

1	Initials: ______

Long-Term Incentive Plan (“LTIP”). Employee agrees that Company will treat Employee as an involuntary termination “without cause” under the LTIP and grant agreements. Employee’s outstanding awards under the LTIP are governed by the terms of the LTIP and Employee’s grant agreements. As such, Target I, II, and III Awards within Employee’s 2018 and 2019 LTIP grant agreements shall vest upon Employee’s Separation Date in accordance with the terms of the 2018 and 2019 grant agreements, provided, however, Employee’s vesting shall be in proportion to the number of months, including any partial month, elapsed during the performance period divided by 36, as provided under the terms of the LTIP. For Employee’s 2018 Award, the number of common shares to be vested on a pro rata basis for Employee’s Target II and III Awards shall remain contingent on the Company’s actual performance over the applicable performance period. For Employee’s 2019 Award, the number of common shares to be vested on a pro rata basis for Employee’s Target II and III Awards shall accelerate and vest immediately at target.

Basic Life Insurance. Employee shall be eligible for continuing life insurance benefits. Company will pay any required benefit contributions on behalf of Employee for twelve (12) months following the Separation Date, provided, however, that such required premium contributions will not be paid by Company for six (6) months following the Separation Date, at which time all required premium contributions during such six-month period shall be reimbursed to Employee in a single lump sum payment on the day which is six months and one day following the Separation Date. Employee shall be responsible for paying any required life insurance continuation benefit contributions during the six-month period immediately following the Separation Date. Failure to pay such required benefit contributions during such period shall result in forfeiture of the applicable benefits.

Release of Claims.

In exchange for entering this Agreement and for the benefits provided herein, Employee and Employee’s heirs, personal representatives, successors and assigns, hereby forever release, remise and discharge the Company and each of its past, present, and future officers, directors, shareholders, members, employees, trustees, agents, representatives, affiliates, successors and assigns (collectively the “Company Released Parties”) from any and all claims, claims for relief, demands, actions and causes of action of any kind or description whatsoever, known or unknown, whether arising out of contract, tort, statute, treaty or otherwise, in law or in equity, which Employee now has, has had, or may hereafter have against any of the Company Released Parties from the beginning of Employee’s employment with Company to the date of this release, arising from, connected with, or in any way growing out of, or related to, directly or indirectly, (i) Employee’s employment with Company, (ii) Employee’s service as an officer or key employee, as the case may be, of Company, (iii) any transaction prior to the date of this release and all effects, consequences, losses and damages relating thereto, (iv) the services provided by Employee to Company, or (v) Employee’s termination of employment with Company under the common law or any federal or state statute, including, but not limited to, all claims arising under the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1964, the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, the Equal Pay Act of 1963, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act of 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (“COBRA”), Title 4112 and 4113 of the Ohio Revised Code, the statutory and common laws of Michigan and any and all jurisdictions in which the Company or its affiliates maintain a place of business, and all other foreign, federal, state and local laws governing employers and employees, all as amended.

2	Initials: ______

Notwithstanding Employee’s release of claims in this Section 3, non-disparagement obligations in Section 5, confidentiality obligations in Section 8, and non-competition and non-solicitation obligations in Section 4 of this Agreement: (i) Employee retains the right to file a charge of alleged employment discrimination with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or a state or local civil rights agency or to participate in the investigation of such charge filed by another person or to initiate or respond to communications with the EEOC or a state or local civil rights agency; however, Employee waives all rights to recover or share in any damages or monetary payment awarded under any EEOC charge or action or any state or local agency complaint or action; and (ii) Employee retains the right to file a charge or Complaint or otherwise communicate with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or participate in any investigation or proceeding conducted by the SEC, and the release does not limit Employee’s right to receive an award for information provided to the SEC.

Employee acknowledges that this Agreement was reached through mutual negotiation and that Employee is executing this Agreement voluntarily, under no duress caused by the Company. Employee agrees that this Agreement releases any and all claims arising under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (“ADEA”) and that a portion of the consideration in Section 2 is being paid for the express purpose of releasing rights under the ADEA. By signing this Agreement, Employee is not waiving the right to any ADEA claims that arise after the signing of this Agreement.

Covenants. Employees agrees that for twelve (12) months following the Separation Date, Employee shall comply with the following covenants:

Non-competition. Employee will not, without prior written consent of the Company, own, manage, control, or participate in the ownership, management, or control of, or be employed or engaged by or otherwise affiliated or associated as a consultant, independent contractor or otherwise, with any other corporation, partnership, proprietorship, firm, association or other business entity (i) that has material operations which are engaged in any business activity competitive with the business of the Company, or (ii) engaged in the business of designing and/or manufacturing of engineered electrical and electronic components, modules and systems for the automotive, medium-and heavy-duty truck, agricultural and off-highway vehicle markets; provided, however, that ownership of not more than one percent (1%) of any class of publicly traded securities of any entity shall not be deemed a violation of this covenant.

Non-solicitation of Employees. Employee will not, without prior written consent of the Company, on Employee’s behalf or on behalf of any person or entity, directly or indirectly, hire or solicit the employment of any employee who has been employed by the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates at any time during the six (6) months immediately preceding such date of hiring or solicitation.

Non-solicitation of Customers. Employee will not, without prior written consent of the Company, solicit or divert any Customers of the Company for the purposes of providing products or services that are the same or substantially similar to those provided by the Company or that would displace the products or services sold by the Company. “Customers” are defined as those individuals or entities that the Company has solicited or to which it has provided any products or services and (i) about whom the Employee has had access to confidential information during the two (2) years prior to the Separation Date or (ii) from whom Employee has solicited any business relationship on behalf of the Company during the two (2) years prior to the Separation Date. Customers do not include those who have ceased doing business with the Company at least six (6) months prior to the Separation Date.

3	Initials: ______

Non-Disparagement. Employee agrees that Employee will not, directly or indirectly or through an agent, make or cause to be made any oral or written statements that are or could reasonably be interpreted to be of a derogatory, defamatory, or otherwise negative or critical nature concerning the Company or its employees, officers, directors, or products, to any other persons or entities, including but not limited to statements regarding its leadership, business practices, and Employee’s treatment by the Company. Employee will be responsible for any breach of this section caused by Employee or by Employee’s attorneys, representatives, or agents. Employee will be in breach of this section if Employee or Employee’s attorneys, representatives, or agents disclose any information concerning the payment made to Employee as a result of this Agreement, engage in disparagement, or otherwise violate this section. However, nothing in this Agreement shall prohibit Employee from providing truthful testimony pursuant to a subpoena or court order or initiating communications directly with, or responding to any inquiry from, or providing testimony before any federal, state, or local regulatory authority, regarding this Agreement or the underlying facts or circumstances.

Return of Property. On or before the Separation Date, Employee agrees that Employee will return to the Company (i) all property of the Company in Employee’s possession or under Employee’s control, including, but not limited to, any Company credit cards, keys, badges, computers, phones, equipment and supplies, and (ii) all originals and copies of writings and records (including records stored in electronic form) relating to the Company’s business (without retaining any copies).

Confidentiality of Agreement. Unless and until this Agreement enters the public domain through no fault of Employee, Employee agrees to keep the terms of this Agreement confidential and not to disclose, discuss, release, or publicize such terms in any way to any persons or entities, including but not limited to, other current or former employees of the Company provided, however, Employee may disclose the terms of this Agreement to Employee’s attorneys and/or accountant(s) as may be required in carrying out their respective duties, to Employee’s immediate family, or as otherwise required by law. The provisions of this Section do not in any way prohibit Employee from providing truthful information to any governmental agency or official.

Company Confidential Information.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that in the performance of Employee’s duties as an employee of the Company, Employee was brought into contact with, had or may have had access to, and/or became informed of confidential and proprietary information of the Company and/or information which is a competitive asset of the Company (collectively, “Confidential Information”) and the disclosure of which would be harmful of the interests of the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates. Confidential Information shall include, without limitation: (i) customer, distributor and supplier information, (ii) product and systems specifications, schematics, designs, concepts for new or improved products and costs, (iii) future corporate planning data, (iv) marketing strategies, (v) the Company’s financial results and business condition, and (vi) any other information which constitutes a “trade secret” under federal or state law. Such Confidential Information is more fully described in Subsection (b) of this Section 8. Employee acknowledges that the Confidential Information of the Company gained by Employee during Employee’s association with the Company was developed by and/or for the Company through a substantial expenditure of time, effort and money and constitutes valuable and unique property of the Company.

4	Initials: ______

Employee will keep in strict confidence, and will not, directly or indirectly, at any time, disclose, furnish, disseminate, make available, use or suffer to be used in any manner any Confidential Information of the Company without limitations as to when or how Employee may have acquired such Confidential Information. Employee specifically acknowledges that Confidential Information includes any and all information, whether reduced to writing (or in a form from which information can be obtained, translated, or derived into reasonably usable form), or maintained in the mind or memory of Employee and whether compiled or created by the Company, which derives independent economic value from not being readily known to or ascertainable by proper means by others who can obtain economic value from the disclosure or use of such information, that reasonable efforts have been put forth by the Company to maintain the secrecy of confidential or proprietary or trade secret information, that such information is and will remain the sole property of the Company, and that any retention or use by Employee of confidential or proprietary or trade secret information after the termination of Employee’s employment with and services for the Company shall constitute a misappropriation of the Company’s Confidential Information.

Employee acknowledges that all obligations under the Stoneridge, Inc. Employee Confidentiality and Intellectual Property Agreement, signed by Employee on October 24, 2017, remain in effect after Employee’s Separation Date.

Regarding trade secrets specifically: Pursuant to 18 USC § 1833(b), Employee shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official or to an attorney solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law. Employee shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of a trade secret that is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Note that an individual who files a lawsuit for retaliation by an employer for reporting a suspected violation of law may disclose the trade secret to the attorney of the individual and use the trade secret information in the court proceeding, if the individual files any document containing the trade secret under seal; and does not disclose the trade secret, except pursuant to court order.

Cooperation. Employee shall cooperate fully with the Company and with the Company’s counsel in connection with any investigation, litigation, or administrative proceeding involving the Company that relates to matters during the period of Employee’s employment by the Company. Employee shall be reimbursed by the Company for reasonable expenses incurred in connection with such cooperation. The Company shall reasonably endeavor to schedule any requests at times not conflicting with the reasonable requirements of any employer of Employee. Employee shall not unreasonably withhold Employee’s availability for such cooperation.

10.

Successors and Binding Agreements.

This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and any successor of or to the Company, including, without limitations, any persons acquiring, directly or indirectly, all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company whether by purchase, merger, consolidation, reorganization, or otherwise (and such successor shall thereafter be deemed included in the definition of the “Company” for purposes of this Agreement), but shall not otherwise be assignable or delegable by the Company.

This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Employee’s personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributes, and/or legatees.

11.

Review Period and Revocation Period. Employee shall have twenty-one (21) days from receipt of this Agreement within which to decide if Employee wants to sign it. Employee has seven (7) days after signing this Agreement in which to revoke Employee’s acceptance (“Revocation Period”). To revoke acceptance, Employee must inform the Company in writing to the undersigned that Employee has decided to revoke Employee’s acceptance. This Agreement will not be effective until the Revocation Period has expired with no revocation. Employee has been advised by the Company to consult an attorney prior to signing this Agreement.

5	Initials: ______

12.

Acknowledgment. By entering into this Agreement, and in connection with Employee’s release of claims set forth above, Employee acknowledges that:

Employee is knowingly and voluntarily entering into this Agreement;

No promise or inducement has been offered to Employee except as set forth herein;

This Agreement has been written in understandable language, and all provisions hereof are understood by Employee; and

Employee acknowledges that Employee has been given the opportunity to ask questions about the Agreement and to be represented by an attorney in connection with the acceptance and signing of this Agreement.

13.

Code Section 409A Compliance. This Agreement is intended to be operated in compliance with the provisions of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code. In the event that any provision of this Agreement fails to satisfy the provisions of Section 409A of the Code, then such provision shall be reformed so as to comply with Section 409A of the Code and to preserve as closely as possible the intention of the parties to provide the mutual rights and obligations under this Agreement, to the extent practicable; provided that, in the event it is determined not to be feasible to so reform a provision of this Agreement as it applies to a payment or benefit due to Employee or Employee’s beneficiary(ies), such payment shall be made without complying with Section 409A of the Code.

14.

Entire Agreement. This Agreement shall constitute the entire agreement among the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and shall supersede all prior verbal or written agreements, covenants, communications, understandings, commitments, representations or warranties, whether oral or written, by any party hereto or any of its representatives pertaining to such subject matter. This Agreement may not be modified, waived or amended unless such modification, waiver, or amendment is in writing and signed by Employee and the Company.

15.

Governing Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Michigan.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the dates set forth below.

	STONERIDGE, INC.

	By:	/s/ JONATHAN B. DEGAYNOR

	Date:	March 31, 2020



	/s/ ROBERT R. WILLIG, JR.
	Robert R. Willig, Jr.

	Date:	March 31, 2020

6	Initials: ______