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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION FORM 8-K
Current Report
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
February 12, 2005
Charter Communications, Inc.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware
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12405 Powerscourt Drive
St. Louis, Missouri 63131
(314) 965-0555
Not Applicable
ITEM 1.01. ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT.
As previously reported, Carl E. Vogel resigned from his position as Chief Executive Officer of Charter Communications, Inc. ("Charter") and from all of his other positions held with Charter and its subsidiaries effective January 17, 2005. On February 12, 2005, Charter entered into an agreement with Mr. Vogel governing the terms and conditions of his resignation. Mr. Vogel has seven (7) days from the date of the agreement to revoke the agreement. Under the terms of this agreement, Mr. Vogel will receive, shortly after the agreement revocation period has expired, all accrued and unpaid base salary and vacation pay through the date of resignation and a lump sum payment equal to the remainder of his base salary during 2005 (totaling $953,425). In addition, he will receive a lump sum cash payment of $500,000 at December 31, 2005, which is subject to reduction to the extent of compensation attributable to certain competitive activities. Mr. Vogel will continue to receive certain health benefits during 2005 and COBRA premiums for such health insurance coverage for 18 months thereafter. All of his outstanding stock options, as well as his restricted stock granted in 2004 (excluding 340,000 shares of restricted stock granted as "performance units", which will automatically be forfeited), will continue to vest through December 31, 2005. In addition, one-half of the remaining unvested portion of his 2001 restricted stock grant will vest immediately, and the other half will be forfeited. Mr. Vogel will have 60 days after December 31, 2005 to exercise any outstanding vested stock options.
Under the agreement, Mr. Vogel waived any further right to any bonus or incentive plan participation and provided certain releases of claims against Charter and its subsidiaries from any claims arising out of or based upon any facts occurring prior to the date of the agreement, but Charter will continue to provide Mr. Vogel certain indemnification rights and to include Mr. Vogel in its director and officer liability insurance for a period of six years. Charter and its subsidiaries also agreed to provide releases of certain claims against Mr. Vogel with certain exceptions reserved. Mr. Vogel has also agreed, with limited exceptions that he will continue to be bound by the covenant not to compete, confidentiality and non disparagement provisions contained in his 2001 employment agreement.
The agreement referred to above is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
ITEM 9.01. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.
Exhibit |
Description |
99.1 |
Agreement dated as of February 12, 2005.* |
* furnished herewith
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Charter Communications, Inc. has duly caused this Current Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS, INC.,
Registrant
Dated: February 16, 2005
By: /s/ Paul E. Martin
Name: Paul E. Martin
Title: Interim Co-Chief Financial Officer,
Senior Vice President and Controller
(Co-Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer)
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit |
Description |
99.1 |
Agreement dated as of February 12, 2005.* |
* furnished herewith
Exhibit 99.1
SEPARATION AGREEMENT
AND GENERAL RELEASE
This Separation Agreement and General Release ("Agreement") is entered into effective as of the 17th day of January, 2005, by and between Carl Vogel ("Executive") and Charter Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company" or "Charter", and, together with Executive, the "Parties").
WHEREAS, Executive has been employed by the Company as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company pursuant to the Employment Agreement, dated October 8, 2001 (the "Employment Agreement"); and
WHEREAS, Executive tendered his resignation January 17, 2005, (i) as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Charter, (ii) as a member of the Board of Directors of Charter (the "Board"), (iii) from all of other director, officer, committee, employee and other positions with Charter and each its affiliates and (iv) as Charter's representative to any corporate, industry or trade association, or their boards, including without limitation from the board of digeo, inc. (his "Resignation"), and the Company has accepted Executive's Resignation, and, in connection with such termination, settle any and all related agreements between the Parties and their affiliates in the manner set forth herein; and
WHEREAS, The Company in part is entering into this Agreement in recognition of the positive contributions made by Executive as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company; and
WHEREAS, the Board has approved this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby;
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and mutual covenants contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are expressly acknowledged, the Parties agree and promise as follows:
(i) Executive is not releasing (A) any Claim that relates to Executive's rights under or to enforce this Agreement, (B) any charge, claim or action based upon rights that may arise, in the future, after Executive executes this Agreement, under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended by the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act ("ADEA"), (C) any right or Claim for indemnification. advancement of expenses, director or officer liability insurance, or exculpation from or limitation of liability as a director, manager, officer, employee, representative or agent of digeo, inc. or any other entity which is not a member of the Company Control Group, or (D) any Claim for the failure of the Company to provide to Executive any vested benefits or rights under any of its "employee benefit plans" (if any) or directors compensation plan in which Executive is vested based upon service to and ending as of the Separation Date. It is further understood and agreed that Executive i s not releasing claims against persons other than the Company or any of its plans, direct or indirect subsidiaries or other entities controlled by the Company who may be encompassed within the definition of Released Parties where the claim does not in any way arise out of, relate to or exist by reason of Executive's employment with the Company, performance by Executive or status of Executive as an officer or employee of any member of the Company Control Group, announcements or statements about Executive, negotiations over employment of Executive with the Company, offers to Executive of employment with the Company or attempts to recruit Executive, termination of employment of Executive with the Company, actions or conduct by directors, agents or employees of the Company or any of its affiliates in the course or scope of their employment (or position) with the Company or such entity, or the events and conduct leading up to and/or resulting in Executive's resignation or the execution of this Agreement. In addit ion, because some parties benefiting from the release are not parties to this Agreement, as to any Released Party of the Company (defined below) other than the Company Control Group, (and notwithstanding any other provision of Section 7 to the contrary) the provisions of this Section 7 shall not prevent, bar or preclude the Executive from asserting as a defense or counterclaim in any action or proceeding brought against Executive by such a person or entity, if the action or proceeding brought by that person or entity otherwise would have been released pursuant to this Section 7 had the person or entity bringing such action against the Executive been a member of the Company Control Group, any Claim the Executive may have against that person or entity which otherwise has been released by this Section 7 (and the release granted by the Executive is hereby so qualified); and
(ii) The Company and its direct and indirect subsidiaries and other entities controlled by the Company are not releasing (A) any Claim that relates to the Company's rights under or to enforce this Agreement, (B) any charge, claim or action based upon rights that may arise, in the future, after the Company executes this Agreement, or (C) any Claim for reimbursement or repayment of expenses and/or fees advanced or paid by the Company (or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries or any other entity controlled by the Company), pursuant to any obligation or commitment to indemnify Executive, or based on any written understanding or agreement made by the Executive with regard to the advancement or repayment of any such fees and/or expenses.
For purposes of this Agreement, the "Released Parties" of Executive are only Executive and his heirs, successors and assigns, and the "Released Parties" of the Company are the Company and all related and affiliated entities of the Company (including corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and joint ventures members of the Company Control Group) and, with respect to each of the Company and its affiliated entities and members of the Company Control Group, each of their respective predecessors and successors, and past, present and future employees, officers, directors, stockholders, owners, partners, members, representatives, assigns, attorneys, agents, insurers, employee benefit programs and plans (and the trustees, administrators, fiduciaries, and insurers of such programs and/or plans), and any other persons acting by, through, under, or in concert with any of the foregoing identified Released Parties.
(a) Executive acknowledges and agrees that he is subject to the terms and conditions of the Covenant Not to Compete provisions contained in Section 8.1 of the Employment Agreement and agrees to continue to be bound by those terms and conditions in accordance therewith through December 31, 2005, provided, however, that there shall be a special carve-out exception with respect to any work done for any local, regional, national or international business currently based in the greater metropolitan area of Denver, Colorado (the "Denver Carve-out"), such that Sections 8.1(a), (b), (c) and (e) of the Employment Agreement shall not apply to any relationship or activity involving or relating to any such Denver-area business that would otherwise be restricted by such Section 8.1 of the Employment Agreement. (The Denver Carve-out shall not apply to Sections 8.1(d) and 8.2 of the Employment Agreement, however.)
(b) If Executive becomes employed in any capacity, directly or indirectly, including as a consultant, before December 31, 2005, with any business with respect to which employment would be otherwise prohibited pursuant to the Section 8.1 Covenant Not to Compete but for the "Denver Carve-out" ("New Employment"), then (i) until December 31, 2005, Executive shall recuse himself from any activity in such New Employment involving the Company or any member of the Company Control Group, which activity is reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company or any member of the Company Control Group; and (ii) the amount to be paid by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) hereof shall be reduced by the amount of any compensation received or earned by Executive for services he performs in his New Employment between the date hereof and December 31, 2005 or which are attributable to performance in 2005 (such as, but not limited to, bonuses paid in 2006 for performance in 2005 which t he Company would expense in 2005), as determined according to the terms of this Section 11.
(c) If Executive is providing services under a contract having a term which extends beyond December 31, 2005, for purposes of determining the amount of compensation to be set off against this Agreement, guaranteed compensation under such contract shall be averaged over each month of the contract for which Executive is expected to provide services in order to receive all such guaranteed compensation notwithstanding the stated monthly or other periodic compensation payments which may be set forth in any such contract. Compensation provided for under the terms of the contract will be considered guaranteed even though subject to a condition if the practical effect of the contract, taking into account all of the facts and circumstances, is to guarantee payment of the compensation; provided, however that if a future "practical effect" guaranteed benefit is considered for purposes of the reduction of the obligation of the Company pursuant to this paragraph, and that benefit is never actually received by or for the benefit of Executive, then the Company' obligation shall be reinstated to that extent and payment promptly made by the Company to the Executive.
(d) The offset attributable to compensation earned by Executive and attributable to 2005 shall not include stock options, restricted stock, performance shares, performance-based bonuses and other similar performance-based contingent awards or grants which (in any case) vest or are earned over a period of time in excess of 18 months unless the compensation package provided to Executive by the new employer is not substantially consistent with the compensation packages provided to other similarly-situated executives of that business generally in terms of the proportional allocation of compensation between salary, and incentive compensation, options, and other performance or incentive-based awards; provided that the Parties acknowledge and agree that larger allocations of performance-based compensation are reasonable and appropriate for more senior executives. Executive shall provide to the Third Party at the time Executive submits the other information to Third Party contemplated by this S ection 11 a written representation and warranty that to the best of his knowledge after due inquiry the compensation package he is receiving from the New Employer is substantially consistent with the compensation packages provided to other similarly situated executives of such business generally in terms of the proportional allocation among types of compensation (e.g., options, restricted stock, bonuses, salary, and options).
(e) Executive shall promptly provide to the Company and, at the expense of the Company, to a mutually agreeable neutral third party attorney or accountant (the "Third Party") notice and certification (and the representation described below) if and when (i) he becomes employed in connection with any New Employment, and (ii) there has been any change in the financial terms of his employment in connection with any New Employment, which notices and certifications shall include the date of employment or the change, and, solely in the case of the notices and certifications to the Third Party, each of the relevant terms of every oral agreement and a copy of every written agreement related to such employment or change; provided, that the sole responsibility of the Third Party is to verify and quantify any offset obligation and communicate that to the Company; and provided further, that the Third Party shall otherwise keep confidential all such information provided by Executive, even f rom the Company; and provided further that the obligation of Executive to provide notice and certification under this paragraph 11(e) shall not apply after application of this Section 11 has resulted in the offset of $500,000. At the request of the Company, and at its expense, Executive shall provide to the Third Party a copy of his tax return(s) and related information for 2005 and 2006; provided, however, that this obligation to provide tax returns shall not apply after application of this Section 11 has resulted in the offset of $500,000. The Third Party shall otherwise keep confidential all information provided by Executive, even from the Company. If after payment of any amount by the Company pursuant to Section 3(c) it is determined that there has been an overpayment by reason of this Section, then Executive shall promptly refund the amount of such overpayment, with interest at the rate of 8% per annum. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company acknowledges that Executive has no duty to miti gate under this Agreement.
a. In the case of the Executive, to the address set forth below:
Carl Vogel
78 Glenmoor Drive
Cherry Hills Village, CO 80110
Telephone: 303-788-9921
Fax: 303-788-9924
E-Mail: carl.vogel@comcast.net
with a copy to:
James F. Bennett
Bryan Cave LLP
One Metropolitan Square
211 N. Broadway
St. Louis, Missouri 63102-2750
Telephone: 314/259-2000
Fax: 314/552-8067
Email: jfbennett@bryancave.com
b. In the case of Charter to:
Charter Communications Inc.
12405 Powerscourt Drive
St. Louis, MO 63101
Attn: Curt Shaw, General Counsel
Telephone: 314-965-0555
Fax: 314-965-8793
E-mail: cshaw@chartercom.com
Any such notice or other communication shall be deemed to have to have been given and received on the day on which it is delivered or faxed (or, if such day is not a business day or if the notice or other communication is not faxed during business hours, at the place of receipt, on the next following business day.) Any Party may change its address for the purposes of this Section by giving notice to the other parties in accordance with the foregoing.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have set their hand as of the date first written above.
By: /s/ Curt Shaw
Executive Vice President
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