-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE----- Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov Originator-Key-Asymmetric: MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA, VrJOjqOR6Kn9VO5QnP8q8SDzqpRbb/xp6fPNFv26iXV4uJf1VoTDrC5dEqLQTaPd LU8fQRypMgUxLknXGJaVrQ== 0000950137-98-001875.txt : 19980505 0000950137-98-001875.hdr.sgml : 19980505 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0000950137-98-001875 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: SC 14D9 PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 18 FILED AS OF DATE: 19980504 SROS: AMEX SUBJECT COMPANY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: HEIN WERNER CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000046613 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: SPECIAL INDUSTRY MACHINERY, NEC [3559] IRS NUMBER: 390340430 STATE OF INCORPORATION: WI FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 14D9 SEC ACT: SEC FILE NUMBER: 005-08279 FILM NUMBER: 98609742 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 2120 N PEWAUKEE RD STREET 2: PO BOX 1606 CITY: WAUKESHA STATE: WI ZIP: 53188-2404 BUSINESS PHONE: 4145426611 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 2120 N PEWWAUKEE ROAD STREET 2: PO BOX 1606 CITY: WAUKESHA STATE: WI ZIP: 53188-2404 FILED BY: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: HEIN WERNER CORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000046613 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: SPECIAL INDUSTRY MACHINERY, NEC [3559] IRS NUMBER: 390340430 STATE OF INCORPORATION: WI FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: SC 14D9 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 2120 N PEWAUKEE RD STREET 2: PO BOX 1606 CITY: WAUKESHA STATE: WI ZIP: 53188-2404 BUSINESS PHONE: 4145426611 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 2120 N PEWWAUKEE ROAD STREET 2: PO BOX 1606 CITY: WAUKESHA STATE: WI ZIP: 53188-2404 SC 14D9 1 SCHEDULE 14D-9 1 ================================================================================ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 ------------------------------ SCHEDULE 14D-9 Solicitation/Recommendation Statement Pursuant to Section 14(d)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ------------------------------ HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION (Name of Subject Company) ------------------------------ HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION (Names of Person(s) Filing Statement) COMMON STOCK, $1.00 PAR VALUE PER SHARE (INCLUDING THE ASSOCIATED COMMON SHARE PURCHASE RIGHTS) (Title of Class of Securities) ------------------------------ 423002 10 4 (CUSIP Number of Class of Securities) ------------------------------ JOSEPH L. DINDORF PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION 2120 PEWAUKEE ROAD WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN 53188 (414) 542-6611 (Name, address and telephone number of person authorized to receive notices and communications on behalf of the person(s) filing statement) ------------------------------ WITH COPIES TO: MAURICE J. MCSWEENEY JAY O. ROTHMAN RUSSELL E. RYBA FOLEY & LARDNER 777 EAST WISCONSIN AVENUE MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN 53202-5367 (414) 271-2400 ================================================================================ 2 ITEM 1. SECURITY AND SUBJECT COMPANY. The name of the subject company is Hein-Werner Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (the "Company"). The address of the principal executive offices of the Company is 2120 Pewaukee Road, Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188. The title of the class of equity securities to which this Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 (this "Schedule 14D-9") relates is the common stock, $1.00 par value per share, of the Company (the "Common Stock"), including the associated common share purchase rights (the "Rights") issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement, dated as of May 9, 1989, as amended (the "Rights Agreement"), between the Company and Firstar Trust Company (f/k/a First Wisconsin Trust Company), as Rights Agent. Reference herein to the "Shares" means all outstanding shares of the Common Stock and shall, unless the context requires otherwise, include the associated Rights. ITEM 2. TENDER OFFER OF PURCHASER. This Statement relates to the cash tender offer by Snap-on Pace Company, a Wisconsin corporation (the "Purchaser") and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Snap-on Incorporated, a Delaware corporation ("Parent"), as disclosed in the Tender Offer Statement on Schedule 14D-1, dated May 4, 1998 (as amended or supplemented, the "Schedule 14D-1"), to purchase all outstanding Shares at $12.60 per Share, net to the seller in cash, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Purchaser's Offer to Purchase, dated May 4, 1998 (the "Offer to Purchase"), and in the related Letter of Transmittal (which, together with any amendments or supplements thereto, collectively constitute the "Offer"). The Offer is being made pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated April 27, 1998 (the "Merger Agreement"), by and among Parent, the Purchaser and the Company. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, as soon as practicable after completion of the Offer and satisfaction or waiver of all conditions to the Merger (as defined below), the Purchaser will be merged with and into the Company (the "Merger"), and the Company will continue as the surviving corporation (the "Surviving Corporation") and become an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent. At the effective time of the Merger (the "Effective Time"), each Share then outstanding (other than Shares held by Parent, the Purchaser, any wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent or the Purchaser, in the treasury of the Company or by any wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and by shareholders who perfect their dissenters' rights under Wisconsin law) will be converted into the right to receive $12.60 in cash or any higher price per Share paid in the Offer (the "Offer Price"), without interest thereon. The Merger Agreement is summarized in Item 3 of this Schedule 14D-9. Based on the information in the Schedule 14D-1, the principal executive offices of Parent and the Purchaser are located at 10801 Corporate Drive, Kenosha, Wisconsin 53141-1430. ITEM 3. IDENTITY AND BACKGROUND. (a) The name and business address of the Company, which is the person filing this Schedule 14D-9, are set forth in Item 1 above. (b) The provisions of the Merger Agreement relating to the election and designation of directors to the Board of Directors of the Company are subject to Section 14(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), which requires the Company to mail to its shareholders an Information Statement (the "Information Statement") containing the information required by Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1 promulgated thereunder. Reference is made to the information contained under the captions "General Information Regarding the Company," "Directors and Executive Officers of the Company -- Information Concerning the Board of Directors," "Executive Compensation," "Certain Relationships and Related Transactions" and "Security Ownership" in the Information Statement. The Information Statement is attached as Schedule I hereto and is incorporated herein by reference. Except as described herein or incorporated herein by reference, to the knowledge of the Company, as of the date hereof, there are no material contracts, agreements, arrangements or understandings or any actual or potential conflicts of interest between the Company or its affiliates and (i) its executive officers, directors or affiliates or (ii) Parent, the Purchaser, their executive officers, directors or affiliates. 3 COMPANY OPTION PLAN The Merger Agreement provides that the Company will take all actions necessary so that, pursuant to the terms of the Company's 1987 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the "Option Plan"), immediately following the date the Shares are purchased by Parent or the Purchaser in the Offer (the "Acceptance Date"), (i) each outstanding option to purchase Shares (an "Option") granted under the Option Plan, whether or not then exercisable or vested, will become fully exercisable and vested, (ii) each Option which is then outstanding will be canceled and (iii) in consideration of such cancellation, and except to the extent that Parent or the Purchaser and the holder of any such Option otherwise agree, immediately following the Acceptance Date, the Company, pursuant to the terms of the Option Plan, will promptly pay to such holders of Options an amount in respect thereof equal to the product of (x) the excess of the Offer Price over the exercise price thereof and (y) the number of Shares subject thereto (such payment to be net of taxes required by law to be withheld with respect thereto). EMPLOYMENT AND CONSULTING AGREEMENT Parent requested, as an inducement for Parent and the Purchaser to enter into the Merger Agreement, that Joseph L. Dindorf, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, enter into an Employment and Consulting Agreement (the "Employment and Consulting Agreement") with Parent and the Company. Such agreement, which was entered into on April 27, 1998, provides for Mr. Dindorf's employment by the Company from the Acceptance Date until December 31, 1998 and for Mr. Dindorf to serve as a consultant thereafter until December 31, 2000. Mr. Dindorf is entitled to a base salary of $25,000 per month through December 31, 1998 and consulting fees at the annual rate of $250,000 for the year 1999 and at the annual rate of $200,000 for the year 2000. Mr. Dindorf is also entitled to certain fringe benefits. If there is a termination of Mr. Dindorf's services under the Employment and Consulting Agreement by Mr. Dindorf for good reason or by Parent other than by reason of (i) death, (ii) disability or (iii) for cause (as such terms are defined in the Employment and Consulting Agreement), Mr. Dindorf will be entitled to a severance payment equal to the aggregate of all unpaid amounts he would have been entitled to receive under the Employment and Consulting Agreement as if he had continued in the employ of the Company and/or had continued to provide consulting services to the Company for the remainder of the employment and/or consulting terms, and he will continue to be entitled to receive the insurance coverage provided to him and his dependents prior to his termination for a certain period. The foregoing is a summary of certain provisions of the Employment and Consulting Agreement. This summary is not a complete description of the terms and conditions of the Employment and Consulting Agreement and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Employment and Consulting Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") as an exhibit to this Schedule 14D-9. CHANGE OF CONTROL AGREEMENTS Since 1984, the Company maintained a Change of Control Agreement with Joseph L. Dindorf which provided for the payment of certain severance and other benefits upon termination of the employment of Mr. Dindorf within one or two years (depending on the circumstances) following a change of control of the Company. On April 27, 1998, the Board of Directors of the Company approved the offering to Mr. Dindorf of an amendment to his Change of Control Agreement, and the Company and Mr. Dindorf subsequently entered into Amendment No. 1 to such agreement. Pursuant to the amended Change of Control Agreement, Mr. Dindorf will be entitled to receive a lump-sum cash payment of $995,000 immediately upon a change of control of the Company. For purposes of this agreement, a change of control is defined as the acquisition, by any person, organization or association of persons or organizations of more than 30% of the Shares. The amended Change of Control Agreement also provides that in the event any portion of the benefits under the agreement or under any other agreement for Mr. Dindorf would constitute an "excess parachute payment" for purposes of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), benefits will be reduced so that Mr. Dindorf will be entitled to receive $1 less than the maximum amount which he could receive without becoming subject to the 20% excise tax imposed by the Code on certain excess payments, or which the Company may pay without loss of deduction under the Code. The acquisition of more than 30% of the Shares 2 4 pursuant to the Offer will constitute a change of control for purposes of the agreement. In connection with the execution of Amendment No. 1 to the Change of Control Agreement, the Company also established and funded a trust in favor of Mr. Dindorf for the full amount payable under his amended Change of Control Agreement. In April 1998, the Company entered into Key Executive Employment and Severance Agreements with seven officers of the Company (Messrs. Andreoli, Barthelme, Koons, Liegel, Russell and Wilke and Ms. Kielich) to provide these executives with a measure of security against changes in their relationship with the Company in the event of a change in control of the Company. The agreements provide that each officer covered by the agreements is entitled to benefits if, within a period between one and two years (depending on which executive is involved) after a change in control of the Company (as defined in the agreements), the officer's employment is ended through (i) termination by the Company, other than by reason of death or disability or for cause (as defined in the agreements) or (ii) termination by the officer for good reason (as defined in the agreements). The benefits provided under each agreement are: (i) a lump-sum cash termination payment of between one and two times (depending on the executive involved) the sum of the executive officer's annual salary and his or her highest annual bonus during the three years before the termination or the effective date of the agreement (or, if higher, the current year targeted bonus) and (ii) continuation for up to two years of equivalent hospital, medical, dental, disability and life insurance coverage as in effect at the time of termination. The agreements also provide the foregoing benefits in connection with certain terminations which are effected in anticipation of a change in control. Each agreement provides that if any portion of the benefits under the agreement or under any other agreement for the officer would constitute an "excess parachute payment" for purposes of the Code, benefits will be reduced so that the officer will be entitled to receive $1 less than the maximum amount which he or she could receive without becoming subject to the 20% excise tax imposed by the Code on certain excess payments, or which the Company may pay without loss of deduction under the Code. The acquisition of more than 25% of the Shares pursuant to the Offer will constitute a change in control for purposes of the agreements. The foregoing are summaries of certain provisions of the amended Change of Control Agreement with Mr. Dindorf and the Key Executive Employment and Severance Agreements with seven Company officers (collectively, the "Change of Control Agreements"). These summaries are not complete descriptions of the terms and conditions of the Change of Control Agreements and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Change of Control Agreements, which are incorporated herein by reference and copies of which have been filed with the SEC as exhibits to this Schedule 14D-9. MERGER AGREEMENT The following is a summary of the material terms of the Merger Agreement. This summary is not a complete description of the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Merger Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which has been filed with the SEC as an exhibit to this Schedule 14D-9. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this summary of the Merger Agreement have the meanings given to such terms in the Merger Agreement. The Offer. The Merger Agreement provides that the Purchaser will, and Parent will cause the Purchaser to, commence (within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the Exchange Act) as promptly as practicable, but in any event not later than May 4, 1998, the Offer for any and all outstanding Shares not owned by the Purchaser at the Offer Price applicable to such Shares, net to the seller in cash. The initial expiration date for the Offer is the twentieth business day from and after the date the Offer is commenced, including the date of commencement as the first business day in accordance with Rule 14d-2 under the Exchange Act (the "Expiration Date"). The obligation of Parent and the Purchaser to accept for payment or pay for any Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer is subject only to (i) there being validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the Offer, that number of Shares which represents at least 66 2/3% of the Shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis (without giving pro forma effect to the potential issuance of any Shares issuable under the Stock Option Agreement) (the "Minimum Condition") and (ii) the satisfaction or waiver of the other conditions set forth in the conditions set forth in Annex I to the Merger Agreement (together with the Minimum Condition, the "Conditions of the Offer"). Without the prior written consent of the Company, the Purchaser will not (i) decrease the Offer Price or change the form of consideration payable in the Offer, 3 5 (ii) decrease the number of Shares sought to be purchased in the Offer or (iii) amend any other term of the Offer in any manner adverse to the holders of any Shares; provided, however, that if on the initial scheduled Expiration Date, the sole condition remaining unsatisfied is the failure of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the "HSR Act"), to have expired or been terminated, the Purchaser shall, and Parent shall cause the Purchaser to, extend the expiration date from time to time until two business days after the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act. Subject to the terms of the Offer and the Merger Agreement and the satisfaction or waiver of all the Conditions of the Offer as of the Expiration Date, the Purchaser will accept for payment and pay for all Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer as soon as practicable after the Expiration Date. The Merger. The Merger Agreement provides that, subject to the terms and conditions thereof and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the WBCL, at the Effective Time, the Purchaser will be merged with and into the Company. Following the Merger, the separate corporate existence of the Purchaser will cease and the Company will continue as the Surviving Corporation; provided, however, that upon the mutual agreement of Parent and the Company, the Merger may be structured so that the Company will be merged with and into the Purchaser, with Purchaser continuing as the Surviving Corporation. The Merger will be effected by the filing at the time of Closing of appropriate articles of merger relating to the Merger with the Department of Financial Institutions of the State of Wisconsin. The Merger Agreement provides that, at the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of Parent, the Purchaser, the Company or the holders thereof, the Shares will be converted into the right to receive the Offer Price in cash, without interest thereon, as soon as is reasonably practicable upon surrender of the certificate formerly representing such Shares (other than any Shares held by Parent, the Purchaser, any wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent or the Purchaser, in the treasury of the Company or by any wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, which Shares, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, shall be cancelled and retired and shall cease to exist with no payment being made with respect thereto, and other than Dissenting Shares). At the Effective Time, each share of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Purchaser issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time will, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, be converted into and become one validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable share of common stock of the Surviving Corporation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Parent and the Company agree to restructure the Merger (as described in the immediately preceding paragraph), then the outstanding shares of the Purchaser's common stock will not be affected in any manner by virtue of the Merger. The Merger Agreement provides that the articles of incorporation of the Purchaser, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, will be the articles of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation, until thereafter amended in accordance with the provisions thereof and the WBCL. The by-laws of the Purchaser in effect at the Effective Time will be the by-laws of the Surviving Corporation, until thereafter amended in accordance with the provisions thereof and the WBCL. Vote Required to Approve the Merger. The Merger Agreement provides that if required by the Company's articles of incorporation and/or applicable law in order to consummate the Merger, the Company, acting through its Board of Directors, will, in accordance with applicable law: (i) duly call, give notice of, convene and hold a special meeting of the Company's shareholders as soon as practicable following the Acceptance Date for the purpose of considering and taking action upon the Merger Agreement; (ii) promptly prepare and file with the SEC a preliminary information or proxy statement relating to the Merger and the Merger Agreement and (x) obtain and furnish the information required to be included by the SEC in the Proxy Statement (as hereinafter defined) and, after consultation with Parent, respond promptly to any comments made by the SEC with respect to the preliminary proxy statement and, subject to compliance with SEC rules and regulations, cause a notice of a special meeting and a definitive information or proxy statement (the "Proxy Statement") to be mailed to the shareholders of the Company no later than the time required by applicable law and the articles of incorporation and the by-laws of the Company, and (y) to obtain the necessary approvals of the Merger and the Merger Agreement by the shareholders of the Company; and (iii) subject to the provisions of the Merger Agreement, include in the Proxy Statement the recommendation 4 6 of the Board of Directors of the Company that the shareholders of the Company vote in favor of the approval of the Merger and the adoption of the Merger Agreement. Pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement, if the Purchaser owns at least 66 2/3% but less than 90% of the outstanding Shares, the Purchaser may exercise an irrevocable option to purchase from the Company at the Offer Price newly issued Shares in an amount equal to the number of Shares that, when added to the number of Shares owned by the Purchaser and its affiliates immediately following consummation of the Offer, shall constitute 90% of the Shares then outstanding on a fully diluted basis (giving effect to the issuance of the Option Shares). If the Purchaser owns 90% of the outstanding Shares, approval of the Merger can be obtained without the affirmative vote of any other shareholder of the Company. In the event that (i) Parent, the Purchaser or any other subsidiary of Parent acquires in the aggregate at least 90% of the outstanding Shares pursuant to the Offer (including as a result of the exercise of the Stock Option Agreement) and prior transactions and (ii) Parent and the Company restructure the Merger so that the Company will be merged with and into the Purchaser, the parties to the Merger Agreement will, subject to certain conditions, take all necessary and appropriate action to cause the Merger to become effective as soon as practicable after the acceptance for payment of and payment for Shares by the Purchaser pursuant to the Offer without a meeting of the shareholders of the Company, in accordance with Section 180.1104 of the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law (the "WBCL"). Conditions to the Merger. The respective obligations of Parent, the Purchaser and the Company to consummate the Merger and the transactions contemplated thereby, if the Offer shall have been consummated, are subject to the satisfaction or waiver in writing, at or before the Effective Time, of certain conditions, including: (i) to the extent required under the Company's articles of incorporation or applicable law, the shareholders of the Company shall have duly approved the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement; (ii) the consummation of the Merger shall not be restrained, enjoined or prohibited by any order, judgment, decree, injunction or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction or any Governmental Entity, and there shall not have been any statute, rule or regulation enacted, promulgated or deemed applicable to the Merger by any Governmental Entity which prevents the consummation of the Merger; and (iii) the Purchaser shall have accepted for payment and paid for Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement (however, this condition is not applicable to the obligations of Parent or the Purchaser if the Purchaser fails to accept for payment or pay for Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer in violation of the terms of the Offer). Representations and Warranties. The Merger Agreement contains various representations and warranties of the parties. These include representations and warranties by the Company with respect to, among other things, (i) organization, qualification and subsidiaries, (ii) articles of incorporation and by-laws, (iii) capitalization, (iv) authority, (v) no conflict, required filings and consents, (vi) SEC reports and financial statements, (vii) information, (viii) tax matters, (ix) no litigation, (x) compliance with applicable laws, (xi) labor matters, (xii) employee benefit plans, (xiii) intellectual property, (xiv) certain events, (xv) certain approvals, (xvi) brokers, (xvii) opinion of financial advisor, (xviii) rights agreement, (xix) title to assets, (xx) buildings and equipment, (xxi) vote required, (xxii) certain agreements, (xxiii) applicability of articles of incorporation and (xiv) contracts. Parent and the Purchaser also have made certain representations and warranties with respect to, among other things, (i) organization and qualification, (ii) authority, (iii) no conflict, required filings and consents, (iv) information, (v) adequate financing, (vi) brokers, (vii) the Purchaser and (viii) share ownership. Directors. The Merger Agreement provides that promptly upon the payment by the Purchaser for Shares pursuant to the Offer, and from time to time thereafter, the Purchaser will be entitled to designate such number of directors, rounded up to the next whole number, on the Board of Directors of the Company as is equal to the product of the total number of directors on the Board of Directors of the Company (determined after giving effect to the directors designated by the Purchaser pursuant to this sentence) multiplied by the percentage that the aggregate number of Shares beneficially owned by the Purchaser or its affiliates bears to the total number of Shares then outstanding, and the Company will, subject to compliance with Section 14(f) 5 7 of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1 promulgated thereunder, upon request of the Purchaser, promptly take all actions necessary to cause the Purchaser's designees to be so elected, including, if necessary, promptly increasing the size of the Board of Directors of the Company or seeking the resignations of one or more existing directors, or both; provided, however, that prior to the Effective Time, the Board of Directors of the Company will always have at least two members who are neither officers, directors, shareholders or designees of the Purchaser or any of its affiliates ("Purchaser Insiders"). If the number of directors who are not Purchaser Insiders is reduced below two for any reason prior to the Effective Time, then the remaining directors who are not Purchaser Insiders (or if there is only one director who is not a Purchaser Insider, the remaining director who is not a Purchaser Insider) will be entitled to designate a person (or persons) to fill such vacancy (or vacancies) who is not an officer, director, shareholder or designee of the Purchaser or any of its affiliates and who will be a director not deemed to be a Purchaser Insider for all purposes of the Merger Agreement. At such time, the Company will, if requested by the Purchaser, also cause persons designated by the Purchaser to constitute at least the same percentage (rounded up to the next whole number) as is on the Board of Directors of the Company of each committee of the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, that prior to the Effective Time each committee of the Board of Directors of the Company shall have at least one member who is not a Purchaser Insider. The Company's obligation to appoint the Purchaser's designees to the Board of Directors of the Company is subject to Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1 thereunder. The Company will promptly take all actions required pursuant to such Section and Rule in order to fulfill its obligations. From and after the election or appointment of the Purchaser's designees and prior to the Effective Time, any amendment or termination of the Merger Agreement by the Company, any extension by the Company of the time for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of Parent or the Purchaser or waiver of any of the Company's rights under the Merger Agreement, or any other action taken by the Board of Directors of the Company in connection with the Merger Agreement, will require the concurrence of a majority of the directors of the Company then in office who are not Purchaser Insiders. Indemnification and Insurance. The Merger Agreement provides as follows: (a) The Purchaser and Parent agree that for a period of six years from the Acceptance Date, the Purchaser will maintain all rights to indemnification now existing in favor of the current or former directors, officers, employees, fiduciaries and agents of the Company as provided in the Company's articles of incorporation and by-laws or otherwise in effect under any agreement on the date of the Merger Agreement. In addition, the Purchaser and Parent agree that the articles of incorporation and by-laws of the Surviving Corporation shall contain the provisions with respect to indemnification set forth in the Company's articles of incorporation and by-laws on the date of the Merger Agreement, which provisions will not be amended, repealed or otherwise modified for a period of six years after the Acceptance Date in any manner that would adversely affect the rights thereunder of individuals who at any time prior to the Effective Time were directors or officers of the Company in respect of actions or omissions occurring at or prior to the Effective Time (including without limitation, the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement), unless such modification is required by law. Notwithstanding the six-year period specified in the foregoing sentences, in the event any claim or claims are asserted or made within such six-year period, all rights to indemnification in respect of any such claim or claims shall continue until disposition of any and all such claims. (b) The Surviving Corporation will at all times exercise the powers granted to it by its articles of incorporation, its by-laws, and by applicable law to indemnify and hold harmless to the fullest extent possible present or former directors, officers, employees, fiduciaries and agents of the Company against any threatened or actual claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation made against them arising from their service in such capacities (or service in such capacities for another enterprise at the request of the Company) prior to, and including the Acceptance Date, including, without limitation, with respect to matters relating to the Merger Agreement. (c) In addition to the foregoing, Parent agrees that the Company and, from and after the Acceptance Date, the Surviving Corporation shall cause to be maintained in effect for not less than six years from the Acceptance Date, the current policies of the directors' and officers' liability insurance maintained by the Company with respect to matters occurring at or prior to the Effective Time 6 8 (including, without limitation, the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement); provided that the Surviving Corporation may substitute therefor policies of at least the same coverage containing terms and conditions which are no less advantageous and provided that such substitution shall not result in any gaps or lapses in coverage with respect to matters occurring prior to the Effective Time; and provided, further, that the Surviving Corporation will not be required to pay an annual premium in excess of 200% of the last annual premium paid by the Company prior to the date of the Merger Agreement and if the Surviving Corporation is unable to obtain the insurance required by this paragraph it will obtain as much comparable insurance as possible for an annual premium equal to such maximum amount. Conditions to the Offer. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the Purchaser will not be required to accept for payment or pay for any tendered Shares if (i) any applicable waiting period under the HSR Act has not expired or terminated or (ii) the Minimum Condition has not been satisfied, and the Purchaser may, subject to the terms of the Merger Agreement, amend the Offer or postpone the acceptance for payment of tendered Shares if at any time on or after the date of the Merger Agreement and before the expiration of the Offer, any of the following events shall occur: (a) there is threatened or pending any suit, action or proceeding by a Governmental Entity against the Purchaser, Parent or the Company (i) seeking to prohibit or impose any material limitations on Parent's or the Purchaser's ownership or operation (or that of Parent's subsidiaries or affiliates) of any or a material portion of their or the Company's businesses or assets, or to compel Parent or the Purchaser or Parent's subsidiaries and affiliates to dispose of or hold separate any material portion of the business or assets of the Company or Parent and Parent's subsidiaries, in each case taken as a whole, (ii) challenging the acquisition by Parent or the Purchaser of any Shares under the Offer, seeking to restrain or prohibit the making or consummation of the Offer or the Merger or the performance of any of the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement, or seeking to obtain from the Company, Parent or the Purchaser any damages that are material in relation to the Company, (iii) seeking to impose material limitations on the ability of the Purchaser, or render the Purchaser unable, to accept for payment, pay for or purchase some or all of the Shares pursuant to the Offer, the Merger or the Stock Option Agreement or (iv) seeking to impose material limitations on the ability of the Purchaser or Parent effectively to exercise full rights of ownership of the Shares, including, without limitation, the right to vote the Shares purchased by it on all matters properly presented to the Company's shareholders; or (b) any law is enacted, entered, enforced, promulgated or deemed applicable to the Offer or the Merger or the transactions contemplated by the Stock Option Agreement, or any other action is taken by any Governmental Entity, other than the application to the Offer, the Merger or the transactions contemplated by the Stock Option Agreement of applicable waiting periods under the HSR Act, that results, directly or indirectly, in any of the consequences referred to in paragraph (a) above; or (c) (i) the Board of Directors of the Company or any committee thereof withdraws or modifies in a manner adverse to Parent or the Purchaser its approval or recommendation of the Offer, the Merger, the Merger Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement or approves or recommends any Acquisition Transaction or (ii) the Company enters into any agreement to consummate any Acquisition Transaction; or (d) any of the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in the Merger Agreement that are qualified as to Material Adverse Effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement) are not true and correct, or any such representations and warranties that are not so qualified are not true and correct in any respect (when taken together with all other failures of such representations and warranties to be true and correct) that would have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, in each case at the date of the Merger Agreement or at the scheduled expiration of the Offer (as though made as of such date, except that those representations and warranties that address matters only as of a particular date shall remain true and correct as of such date); or (e) the Merger Agreement shall have been terminated in accordance with its terms; or 7 9 (f) the Company shall have failed to perform any obligation or to comply with any agreement or covenant to be performed or complied with by it under the Merger Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement other than any failure which would not have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company; or (g) any person acquires beneficial ownership (as defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of at least 20% of the outstanding Shares (other than any person not required to file a Schedule 13D under the rules promulgated under the Exchange Act or other than pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement); or (h) there shall have occurred, and continued to exist, (i) any general suspension of, or limitation on prices for, trading in securities on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange, (ii) a declaration of a banking moratorium or any suspension of payments in respect of banks in the United States, (iii) a commencement of a war, armed hostilities or other national or international calamity directly involving the United States (other than an action involving solely United Nations personnel or support of United Nations' personnel) or (iv) in the case of any of the events described in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii) existing at the time of the commencement of the Offer, a material acceleration or worsening thereof. Covenants. The Merger Agreement contains various covenants of the parties thereto, including covenants as to, among other things, the conduct of the business of the Company, as described in further detail below, during the period from the date of the Merger Agreement to the Closing Date or termination of the Merger Agreement. Conduct of Business of the Company. Except as required by the Merger Agreement or with the prior written consent of Parent, during the period from the date of the Merger Agreement to the Effective Time, the Company will and will cause each of its subsidiaries to conduct its operations only in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and will use its commercially reasonable efforts and will cause each of its subsidiaries to use its commercially reasonable efforts, to preserve intact the business organization of the Company and each of its subsidiaries, to use, operate, maintain and repair all of its assets and properties in a normal business manner consistent with past practice, to keep available the services of its and their present officers and key employees and to preserve the goodwill of those having business relationships with the Company and to conduct business with suppliers, customers, creditors and others having business relationships with the Company in the best interests of the Company. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, and except as otherwise required or contemplated by the Merger Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement, the Company will not, and will not permit any of its subsidiaries to, prior to the Effective Time, without the prior written consent of Parent: (a) adopt any amendment to its charter or by-laws or comparable organizational documents; (b) issue, reissue or sell or authorize the issuance, reissuance or sale of additional shares of capital stock of any class, or shares convertible into capital stock of any class, or any rights, warrants or options to acquire any convertible shares or capital stock, other than the issuance of Shares pursuant to Options outstanding on the date of the Merger Agreement or pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement; (c) declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, shares or property or any combination thereof) in respect of any class or series of its capital stock other than between any of the Company and any subsidiary which is wholly-owned by the Company; (d) split, combine, subdivide, reclassify or directly or indirectly redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire, recapitalize or reclassify, or propose to redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire, any shares of its capital stock or any of its other shares or liquidate in whole or in part; (e) except for (i) increases in salary, wages and benefits of non-executive officers or employees of the Company or its subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (ii) increases in salary, wages and benefits granted to officers and employees of the Company or its subsidiaries in conjunction with new hires in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice or (iii) increases in salary, wages and benefits to employees of the Company or its subsidiaries pursuant to collective bargaining agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (A) increase the compensation or fringe benefits payable or to become payable to its directors, officers or key employees (whether from the Company or any of its subsidiaries), (B) pay any benefit not required by any existing plan or arrangement (including, without limitation, the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, shares 8 10 of restricted stock or performance units), (C) grant any severance or termination pay to (except pursuant to existing agreements, plans or policies and as required by such agreements, plans or policies) any director, officer or other key employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (D) enter into or modify any employment or severance agreement with any director, officer or other key employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or (E) establish, adopt, enter into, or amend any collective bargaining, bonus, profit sharing, thrift, compensation, stock option, restricted stock or company benefit plans for the benefit or welfare of any directors, officers or current or former employees, except in each case to the extent required by applicable law or regulation; (f) (i) sell, lease, transfer or assign any of its assets, tangible or intangible, other than for a fair consideration in the ordinary course of business and other than the disposition of obsolete or unusable property, (ii) enter into any contract (other than purchase and sales orders in the ordinary course of business in accordance with past practice) involving more than $25,000 without the consent of Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), (iii) accelerate, terminate, modify in any material respect, or cancel any contract (other than purchase and sales orders and other than in the ordinary course of business in accordance with past practice) involving more than $25,000 to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound without the consent of Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), (iv) make any capital expenditure (or series of related capital expenditures) involving either more than $25,000 (unless such expenditure is identified in the current business plan of the Company as disclosed to Parent) or outside the ordinary course of business, (v) delay or postpone the payment of accounts payable and other liabilities outside the ordinary course of business, (vi) cancel, compromise, waive or release any right or claim (or series of related rights and claims) not covered by the reserves or accruals relating to such claim in the Company's December 31, 1997 consolidated balance sheet either involving more than $25,000 or outside the ordinary course of business without the consent of Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), (vii) grant any license or sublicense of any rights under or with respect to any intellectual property other than in the ordinary course of business or (viii) enter into any contract or agreement with any affiliate of the Company, except for transactions in the ordinary course of business upon commercially reasonable terms; (g) (i) incur, assume or prepay any long-term debt or incur or assume any short-term debt, except that the Company and its subsidiaries may incur, assume or prepay debt in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice under existing lines of credit, (ii) pay, discharge, settle or satisfy any other claims, liabilities or obligations (absolute, accrued, asserted or unasserted, contingent or otherwise), other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (iii) assume, guarantee, endorse or otherwise become liable or responsible (whether directly, contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of any other person or (iv) make any loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other person except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and except for loans, advances, capital contributions or investments between any subsidiary wholly-owned by the Company and the Company or another subsidiary wholly-owned by the Company; or (h) agree in writing or otherwise to take any of the foregoing actions. No Solicitation. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the Company covenanted and agreed with Parent and the Purchaser that neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any potential acquiror that, directly or indirectly, would be violated, or require any payments, by reason of the execution, delivery and/or consummation of the Merger Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement. The Company will, will cause its subsidiaries to, and will use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the officers, directors, employees, investment bankers, attorneys and other agents and representatives of the Company and its subsidiaries to, immediately cease any existing activities, information exchanges, discussions or negotiations with any person (including a "person" as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than Parent or the Purchaser (a "Third Party") heretofore conducted with respect to any Acquisition Transaction (as defined below). The Company shall not, shall cause its subsidiaries not to, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the officers, directors, employees, investment bankers, attorneys and other agents and representatives of the Company and its subsidiaries not to, directly or indirectly, (x) solicit, initiate, continue, facilitate or encourage (including by way of furnishing or disclosing non-public information) any inquiries, proposals or offers from any Third Party with respect to, or that could reasonably be expected to lead to, any acquisition or purchase of all or any significant portion of the assets or business of, or any significant equity interest in (including by way of a tender offer), or any merger, consolidation or business combination with, or any similar transaction involving, the Company or any of its 9 11 subsidiaries (the foregoing being referred to collectively as an "Acquisition Transaction"), or (y) negotiate or otherwise communicate in any way with any Third Party with respect to any Acquisition Transaction or enter into, approve or recommend any agreement, arrangement or understanding requiring the Company to abandon, terminate or fail to consummate the Offer and/or the Merger or any other transaction contemplated thereby or by the Stock Option Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, the Company may in response to an unsolicited written proposal with respect to an Acquisition Transaction involving the acquisition of all of the Shares (or all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries) from a Third Party, furnish or disclose non-public information to such Third Party and negotiate or otherwise communicate with such Third Party, in each case only if (A) the Board of Directors of the Company (after consultation with its outside legal counsel and independent financial advisors) determines in good faith that such proposal would reasonably be likely to be more favorable to the Company and its shareholders than the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement (the proposal with respect to an Acquisition Transaction meeting the requirements of clause (A), a "Superior Proposal"), (B) prior to furnishing or disclosing any non-public information to, or entering into discussions or negotiations with, such Third Party, the Company receives from such Third Party a customary confidentiality agreement similar in all material respects to the confidentiality agreement between Parent and the Company, and (C) the Company advises Parent of all such non-public information delivered to such Third Party prior to such delivery; provided, however, that the Company shall not enter into a definitive agreement with respect to a Superior Proposal unless the Company first complies with the immediately following paragraph, including the last sentence thereof, and then unless the Company concurrently terminates the Merger Agreement in accordance with the terms thereof. The Merger Agreement provides that the Company will promptly (but in any event within one business day of the Company becoming aware of same) advise Parent of the receipt by the Company, any of its subsidiaries or any of the Company's investment bankers, attorneys or other agents or representatives of any inquires or proposals relating to an Acquisition Transaction and any actions taken pursuant to the immediately preceding paragraph. The Company shall promptly (but in any event within one business day of the Company becoming aware of same) provide Parent with a copy of any such inquiry or proposal in writing and a written statement with respect to any such inquiries or proposals not in writing, which statement shall include the identity of the parties making such inquiries or proposal and the material terms thereof and will update Parent on an ongoing basis, or upon Parent's reasonable request, of the status thereof; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to provide a copy of, or a written statement with respect to, any such inquiry if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel, that not providing such copy or written statement is necessary to allow the Board of Directors of the Company to fulfill its fiduciary duties to the shareholders of the Company under applicable law. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company has agreed that it will not terminate the Merger Agreement and enter into any agreement with respect to an Acquisition Transaction unless and until Parent has been given the opportunity at least two business days prior to the entering into of such agreement to match the terms of such agreement. Termination. The Merger Agreement may be terminated and the Merger contemplated thereby may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time, whether or not approval thereof by the shareholders of the Company has been obtained: (a) by the mutual written consent of Parent, the Purchaser and the Company prior to the date on which Parent's designees constitute a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company; or (b) by the Company if the Company is not in material breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or arrangements contained in the Merger Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement and if (i) the Purchaser fails to commence the Offer as provided in the Merger Agreement, (ii) the Purchaser shall not have accepted for payment and paid for Shares pursuant to the Offer in accordance with the terms thereof on or before August 31, 1998 or (iii) the Purchaser fails to purchase validly tendered Shares in violation of the terms of the Offer or the Merger Agreement; or (c) by Parent or the Company if the Offer expires or is terminated or withdrawn pursuant to its terms without any Shares being purchased thereunder; provided, however, that Parent may terminate the Merger Agreement upon the termination or withdrawal of the Offer if Parent's or the Purchaser's 10 12 termination or withdrawal of the Offer is not in violation of the terms of the Merger Agreement or the Offer; or (d) by Parent or the Company if any court or other governmental entity shall have issued, enacted, entered, promulgated or enforced any order, judgment, decree, injunction, or ruling or taken any other action restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the Merger and such order, judgment, decree, injunction, ruling or other action is final and nonappealable; or (e) by the Company if, prior to the purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, (i) there occurs, on the part of Parent or the Purchaser, a material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained in the Merger Agreement which is not curable or, if curable, is not cured within 30 days after written notice of such breach is given by the Company to the party committing the breach, except in any case, such failures which are not reasonably likely to affect adversely Parent's or the Purchaser's ability to complete the Offer or the Merger or (ii) the Company enters into a definitive agreement with respect to a Superior Proposal as permitted under the Merger Agreement and after complying with the provisions of the Merger Agreement and making the payments described under "Fees and Expenses" below; or (f) by Parent if, prior to the purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, (i) there shall have occurred, on the part of the Company, a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained in the Merger Agreement which individually, or in the aggregate, if not cured would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and which is not curable or, if curable, is not cured within the later of (x) 30 days after written notice of such breach is given by Parent to the Company and (y) the satisfaction of all conditions to the Offer not related to such breach or (ii) the Board of Directors of the Company or committee thereof shall have withdrawn or modified (or shall have resolved to withdraw or modify), in a manner adverse to Parent, its approval or recommendation of the Merger Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated thereby and the Board of Directors of the Company and such committee shall not have fully reinstated such approval or recommendations within three business days after a request by Parent to so reinstate or shall have recommended (or resolved to recommend) an Acquisition Transaction (other than the Offer and Merger) to the shareholders of the Company; or (g) by Parent if it is not in material breach of its obligation hereunder or under the Offer and no Shares have been purchased pursuant to the Offer on or before August 31, 1998. Fees and Expenses. The Merger Agreement provides that, except as described below, whether or not the Merger is consummated, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the Offer, the Merger Agreement, the Stock Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement will be paid by the party incurring such expenses. Pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement, (i) in the event the Merger Agreement is terminated pursuant to subsection (e)(ii) under "Termination" above or (ii) in the event that (x) any person shall have publicly disclosed a proposal regarding an Acquisition Transaction and (y) following such disclosure, either (a) August 31, 1998 occurs without the shareholder approval of the Merger being obtained (other than as a result of a material breach of the Merger Agreement by Parent or the Purchaser that has not been cured within the time period set forth in the Merger Agreement) or (b) the Company breaches (prior to the time that the designees of the Purchaser constitute a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company) any of its material obligations under the Merger Agreement and does not cure such breach within the time period set forth in the Merger Agreement or (c) the Merger Agreement is terminated pursuant to subsection (f)(ii) under "Termination" above and (z) not later than twelve months after any such termination the Company shall have entered into a definitive agreement for an Acquisition Transaction, or an Acquisition Transaction shall have been consummated, then the Company shall pay to an account designated by Parent a termination fee, in immediately available funds, of $1,000,000 (the "Termination Fee") and shall reimburse Parent for all out-of-pocket fees and expenses (but in no event greater than $350,000) reasonably incurred by Parent and the Purchaser in connection with the Merger Agreement, the Offer and the Merger. The Termination Fee and any reimbursement of expenses shall be paid prior to, and shall be a condition to the effectiveness of, any termination of the Merger Agreement referred to in clause (i) above or on the next business day after the 11 13 earlier of such Acquisition Transaction being consummated or a definitive agreement for such Acquisition Transaction being entered into if such fee and expenses are payable as a result of clause (ii) above. Employee Benefit Arrangements. The Merger Agreement provides that: (a) Following the Effective Time and through December 31, 1999, the Purchaser will provide employee benefit plans and programs for the benefit of employees of the Company and its subsidiaries (excluding plans or programs which provide for issuance of Shares or options on Shares) that are of reasonably equivalent value to such employees as compared with the Company Benefit Plans (as defined in the Merger Agreement), subject to applicable governmental rules and regulations. All service credited to each employee by the Company or any of its subsidiaries through the Effective Time shall be recognized by the Purchaser for purposes of eligibility and vesting (but not benefit accrual) under any employee benefit plan provided by the Purchaser for the benefit of the employees. (b) Parent will cause the Surviving Corporation to honor (without modification) and assume all written employment agreements with individual employees, severance agreements with individual employees and other comparable agreements with individual employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, all as in effect on the date of the Merger Agreement. (c) The Purchaser will maintain in effect the Company severance plan/program (as specified in the employee handbook) for a period of two years immediately following the Effective Time and the Company severance plan/program will not be terminated or adversely amended during such two-year period. (d) The Company will cause the interest of each of the employees of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the Acceptance Date in the Hein-Werner Retirement and Savings Plan and Trust to be fully vested and nonforfeitable as of the Acceptance Date. (e) For a period of 18 months following the Effective Time, Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation to continue to provide medical insurance, at COBRA premium rates, to O. Friend, a current director of the Company. STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT The following is a summary of certain provisions of the Stock Option Agreement, dated as of April 27, 1998, by and among Parent, the Purchaser and the Company (the "Stock Option Agreement"). This summary is not a complete description of the terms and conditions of the Stock Option Agreement and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Stock Option Agreement, which is incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which has been filed with the SEC as an exhibit to this Schedule 14D-9. Purchase of Shares. On the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Stock Option Agreement, the Company agreed to issue and sell to Parent that number of newly issued Shares (the "Option Shares") equal to the number of Shares that, when added to the number of Shares owned by the Purchaser and its affiliates immediately following the consummation of the Offer, constitutes 90% of the outstanding Shares on a fully-diluted basis (giving effect to the issuance of the Option Shares), at a per share purchase price equal to the Offer Price. The closing of such sale of Shares shall occur at any one time after the acceptance for payment by Purchaser of the Shares constituting at least 66 2/3% but less than 90% of the Shares then outstanding on a fully diluted basis but prior to the earliest to occur of (x) the Effective Time and (y) the termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with the terms thereof. Conditions to Closing. The obligation of the Company to deliver the Option Shares upon the Purchaser's exercise of its option is subject to the following conditions: (a) all waiting periods under the HSR Act applicable to the issuance and delivery of the Option Shares pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement shall have expired or been terminated and (b) there shall be no preliminary or permanent injunction or other final, nonappealable judgment by any court of competent jurisdiction restricting, preventing or prohibiting the issuance and delivery of the Option Shares. Covenants of the Company. Pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement, the Company covenants and agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all appropriate action, and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable laws to consummate and make 12 14 effective the transactions contemplated thereunder, including, without limitation, using all reasonable efforts to obtain all licenses, permits, consents, approvals, authorizations, qualifications and orders of governmental entities. Certain Representations and Warranties. In connection with the Stock Option Agreement, the Company made certain customary representations and warranties to Parent and the Purchaser, including with respect to (i) authorization, reservation and validity of the issuance of the Option Shares pursuant to such agreement and the absence of encumbrances on and in respect of such Shares and (ii) the Company's due organization, valid existence and requisite corporate powers. In connection with the Stock Option Agreement, Parent and the Purchaser made certain customary representations and warranties to the Company, including with respect to (i) authority to enter into and perform their obligations under the Stock Option Agreement, (ii) due organization, valid existence and requisite corporate powers and (iii) the investment intent of Parent and the Purchaser. INDEMNIFICATION Pursuant to the WBCL and the Company's by-laws, directors and officers of the Company are entitled to mandatory indemnification from the Company against certain liabilities and expenses (a) to the extent such officers or directors are successful in the defense of a proceeding and (b) in proceedings in which the director or officer is not successful in defense thereof, unless (in the latter case only) it is determined that the director or officer breached or failed to perform his or her duties to the Company and such breach or failure constituted: (i) a willful failure to deal fairly with the Company or its shareholders in connection with a matter in which the director or officer had a material conflict of interest; (ii) a violation of the criminal law unless the director or officer had reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was lawful or had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful; (iii) a transaction from which the director or officer derived an improper personal profit; or (iv) willful misconduct. The WBCL specifically states that it is the public policy of Wisconsin to require or permit indemnification, allowance of expenses and insurance in connection with a proceeding involving securities regulation, as described therein, to the extent required or permitted as described above. Additionally, under the WBCL, directors of the Company are not subject to personal liability to the Company, its shareholders or any person asserting rights on behalf thereof for certain breaches or failures to perform any duty resulting solely from their status as directors, except in circumstances paralleling those in subparagraphs (i) through (iv) outlined above. In addition to the indemnification provisions under the WBCL and the Company's by-laws, the Merger Agreement also provides for certain indemnification rights as well as the provision of directors' and officers' insurance. See Item 3(b) under the caption "Merger Agreement -- Indemnification and Insurance" in this Schedule 14D-9. ITEM 4. THE SOLICITATION OR RECOMMENDATION. (a) Recommendation of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors of the Company has unanimously approved the Offer and the Merger and determined that the terms of the Offer and the Merger are fair to, and in the best interests of, the Company and its shareholders. Accordingly, the Board of Directors of the Company unanimously recommends that the shareholders of the Company accept the Offer and tender their Shares pursuant thereto. (b) Background of the Offer; Reasons for the Recommendation. Background. From time to time over the last several years, Robert A. Cornog, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Parent, contacted Joseph L. Dindorf, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, to express Parent's interest in exploring the possibility of a business combination with the 13 15 Company. On these occasions, Mr. Dindorf indicated that the Company was not then considering a sale or other extraordinary corporate transaction. In early 1996, Parent and the Company began preliminary discussions regarding the possibility of a potential business combination and, in connection therewith, entered into a confidentiality agreement under which Parent was furnished with certain limited financial and business information concerning the Company. During the period from November 1995 through April 1996, representatives of Parent held various discussions with Mr. Dindorf during which Mr. Dindorf responded to various questions from representatives of Parent. In July 1996, the Company and Parent agreed to terminate these preliminary discussions. Prior to and following the termination of the foregoing discussions, the Company analyzed various potential strategic options that might be available to the Company, including possible divestitures of one or more of its operating divisions and possible business combinations or alliances with other manufacturing companies. In 1997, pursuant to the Company's long-range restructuring plan, the Company sold its Great Bend Industries Division and its Winona Van Norman Division, used the proceeds of such divestitures to pay off virtually all of its debt and hired an outside consultant to assist the Company with strategic planning and the evaluation of acquisition candidates. On March 3, 1998, Mr. Cornog called Mr. Dindorf to express Parent's renewed interest in exploring a possible business combination with the Company and his willingness to meet and discuss the terms of such a possible transaction. Mr. Dindorf reiterated that the Company was not considering a sale and declined to meet with Mr. Cornog, but said he would discuss with the Board of Directors of the Company the possibility of having a meeting. Following this conversation, Mr. Cornog sent Mr. Dindorf a letter again expressing Parent's interest regarding a potential business combination with the Company. On March 12, 1998, a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company was held during which Mr. Dindorf informed the Company's Board of Directors of his conversation with Mr. Cornog. After reviewing various matters, including the Company's recent financial performance and its long-range strategic plan, the Board of Directors of the Company directed Mr. Dindorf to advise Parent that the Company was not currently interested in pursuing a business combination and that the Board of Directors of the Company had determined that it was in the best long-term interests of the Company's shareholders for the Company to carry out its long-range restructuring plan. On March 19, 1998, Mr. Dindorf reported to representatives of Parent the decision of the Company's Board of Directors. On March 27, 1998, notwithstanding the Company's prior communication, Mr. Cornog telephoned Mr. Dindorf and expressed a strong interest in Parent effecting a business combination with the Company at a significant premium above the Company's current market price. After discussing the matter with the Company's directors, Mr. Dindorf agreed to a meeting with Mr. Cornog. On March 30, 1998, Messrs. Cornog and Dindorf met and discussed a variety of issues regarding a possible business combination, including a preliminary range of possible values. At the conclusion of the meeting, Mr. Dindorf agreed to convene a meeting of the Company's Board of Directors to consider Parent's expression of interest. On April 3, 1998, the Company's Board of Directors received a letter from Parent setting forth a preliminary proposal pursuant to which Parent would acquire all of the shares of the Company for $11.75 per share in cash. On that same day, the Board of Directors of the Company met and reviewed with management and the Company's outside counsel, Foley & Lardner, the options available to the Company. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Board of Directors of the Company directed management to retain Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation ("CSFB") as the Company's financial advisor to assist the Board in evaluating Parent's offer and to explore the Company's strategic alternatives. During the course of the next several days, CSFB met with the Company's management to review various alternatives available to the Company and also compiled, with the assistance of the Company's management, a list of entities that, in addition to Parent, may have an interest in effecting a business combination with the Company. Thereafter, CSFB contacted the various entities identified by Company management and CSFB to determine their interest in effecting a business combination with the Company. Following several preliminary discussions, each of the entities contacted ultimately advised CSFB that it was not presently interested in 14 16 pursuing such a business combination. During this time, CSFB also engaged in discussions with Parent's financial advisors regarding a potential transaction with Parent. On April 15, 1998, the Board of Directors of the Company met to discuss the status of discussions with the various parties contacted by CSFB as well as the discussions between Parent and the Company. CSFB and the Company's management reviewed with the directors the steps taken to date. At this meeting, CSFB reported to the Board of Directors on various financial analyses it had undertaken, and Foley & Lardner reviewed with the directors their fiduciary duties in connection with the consideration of a business combination. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Board authorized the Company and its representatives to pursue a negotiated transaction with Parent and Foley & Lardner was directed to prepare a draft merger agreement for transmittal to Parent providing for Parent's acquisition of the Company for cash. On April 17, 1998, a draft of such an agreement was provided to Parent. At the April 15 meeting, the Board of Directors also approved the extension of employment and severance agreements to selected key employees of the Company. Thereafter, representatives of Parent and representatives of the Company as well as Parent's and the Company's respective legal and financial advisors continued to discuss a possible business combination and negotiate the terms of a definitive merger agreement. During this period, the Company's management kept the Board of Directors of the Company informed of the ongoing discussions. On April 22, 1998, the Board of Directors of the Company met and CSFB and Foley & Lardner updated the Board on the status of discussions between representatives of Parent and the Company. In addition, Foley & Lardner reviewed with the Board the principal terms of the draft agreement that had been provided to Parent. Beginning on April 23, 1998 and through the afternoon of April 27, 1998, representatives of the Company and the Company's legal advisors met with representatives of Parent and Parent's legal advisors to negotiate the terms of a definitive merger agreement and the related agreements. Following execution of a confidentiality agreement, on April 23, 1998, representatives of Parent met with certain members of senior management of the Company to discuss certain due diligence matters. The negotiations among the parties culminated on April 27, 1998 in the Company and Parent agreeing upon a form of definitive merger agreement and related agreements, subject to approval of the Company's Board of Directors. On the same date, after agreement was reached on a definitive merger agreement, Parent and Mr. Dindorf agreed upon the form of a definitive employment and consulting agreement pursuant to which Mr. Dindorf would remain employed by the Company following the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement. Later on April 27, 1998, the Board of Directors of the Company met and reviewed with counsel the final terms of the Merger Agreement, the Stock Option Agreement and the Employment and Consulting Agreement. Counsel also reviewed with the directors their fiduciary obligations in connection with the consideration of a transaction such as the one proposed with Parent. At the April 27 meeting, CSFB delivered its written opinion to the Company's Board of Directors to the effect that, as of such date and based upon and subject to the various considerations set forth in such opinion, the proposed cash purchase price of $12.60 per share to be received by the shareholders of the Company in the Offer and the Merger was fair to such shareholders from a financial point of view. The Board then discussed the presentations it had received at this and other Board meetings and unanimously approved the Merger Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby, and authorized their execution. The Board of Directors also unanimously approved the Employment and Consulting Agreement as well as an amendment to the Change of Control Agreement between the Company and Mr. Dindorf in order to facilitate Mr. Dindorf's entering into the Employment and Consulting Agreement. On April 27, 1998, the Merger Agreement, the Stock Option Agreement, the Employment and Consulting Agreement and various other transaction documents were executed. Following execution of the foregoing documents, a joint press release announcing the execution of the definitive agreements was issued by Parent and the Company on April 28, 1998. 15 17 Factors Considered by the Board. Prior to approving the Merger Agreement, the Stock Option Agreement, the Offer and the Merger, and the other transactions contemplated thereby, the Board of Directors of the Company held meetings on March 12, April 3, April 15, April 22 and April 27. At its meeting on April 27, 1998, the Board of Directors of the Company received final reports from senior management, legal counsel and CSFB and approved the Merger Agreement, the Stock Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby. In approving the Merger Agreement, the Stock Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby and recommending that the shareholders of the Company tender their Shares pursuant to the Offer, the Board of Directors of the Company considered a number of factors, including: (1) the financial and other terms of the Offer, the Merger and the Merger Agreement; (2) the trading price of the Shares over the last five years and that the $12.60 per Share Offer Price represents a premium of 52.7% over the closing sales price of the Shares on the American Stock Exchange on April 27, 1998, the last full trading day prior to the public announcement of the execution of the Merger Agreement; (3) presentations by senior management and CSFB (at such meeting and at previous meetings of the Board of Directors) regarding the financial condition, results of operations, business and prospects of the Company; (4) the results of the process undertaken to identify and solicit indications of interest from other third parties regarding a potential business combination transaction; (5) the terms and conditions of the Merger Agreement, including provisions that (i) although prohibiting the Company and its representatives from soliciting or initiating any Acquisition Transaction, permit the Company and its representatives to furnish information to, and negotiate and otherwise engage in discussions with, any third party in response to an unsolicited written Superior Proposal and (ii) permit the Company to terminate the Merger Agreement to enter into a definitive agreement with respect to a Superior Proposal, subject to payment of a termination fee of $1,000,000, plus reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses of Parent and the Purchaser of up to $350,000; (6) Parent's financial condition and ability to cause the Purchaser to meet its obligations under the Merger Agreement; (7) the alternatives available to the Company in light of the consideration proposed to be received for the Shares pursuant to the Offer and the Merger, including continuing to maintain the Company as an independent company or engaging in an extraordinary transaction; (8) legal matters relating to the Offer and the Merger, including the review provided for under the HSR Act with respect to the antitrust implications of the Offer, and the terms of the Offer and the Merger Agreement related thereto; (9) the familiarity of the Board of Directors with the business, results of operations, properties and financial condition of the Company and the nature of the industry in which it operates; (10) the written opinion of CSFB to the effect that as of the date of such opinion, the $12.60 per Share cash consideration to be received by the shareholders of the Company in the Offer and the Merger is fair to such shareholders from a financial point of view. A copy of the written opinion of CSFB dated April 27, 1998, which sets forth the factors considered, assumptions made and limitations on the review conducted by CSFB, is attached as Annex A hereto, and is incorporated herein by reference. SHAREHOLDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO READ THE OPINION OF CSFB CAREFULLY AND IN ITS ENTIRETY; and (11) the proposed structure of the Offer and the Merger involving an immediate cash tender offer followed by a merger for the same consideration and the fact that there is no financing or due diligence contingency to the Offer. In this connection, the Board of Directors also considered the likelihood that 16 18 the proposed acquisition would be consummated, including the likelihood of satisfaction of the conditions to the Offer and the Merger contained in the Merger Agreement, and the risks to the Company if the acquisition were not consummated. The Board of Directors of the Company evaluated the factors listed above in light of the directors' knowledge of the business and operations of the Company and in their business judgment. In view of the variety of factors considered in connection with its evaluation of the Merger Agreement and the Offer, the Board of Directors did not find it practicable to, and did not, quantify or otherwise assign relative weights to the specific factors considered in reaching its determination. In addition, individual members of the Board of Directors may have given different weights to different factors. The foregoing discussion of the information and factors considered and given weight by the Board of Directors is not intended to be exhaustive. ITEM 5. PERSONS RETAINED, EMPLOYED OR TO BE COMPENSATED. Pursuant to a letter agreement, dated April 6, 1998 (the "Engagement Letter"), between the Company and CSFB, the Company engaged CSFB to act as its exclusive financial advisor to evaluate the Offer and to review financial and strategic alternatives to maximize the Company's value and, if requested, to render an opinion regarding the terms of any Sale (as defined in the Engagement Letter) from a financial point of view. Pursuant to the Engagement Letter, the Company will pay CSFB for its services in connection with the Offer and the Merger a transaction fee of $1.0 million. In addition, the Company agreed to reimburse CSFB for its out-of-pocket expenses, including reasonable fees and expenses of its legal counsel, incurred by CSFB in connection with the Engagement Letter and to indemnify CSFB against certain liabilities, including liabilities arising under federal securities laws. The Company retained CSFB based on its experience and expertise. CSFB is an internationally recognized investment banking and advisory firm. CSFB, as part of its investment banking business, is continuously engaged in the evaluation of businesses and securities in connection with mergers and acquisitions, negotiated underwritings, competitive biddings, secondary distributions of listed and unlisted securities, private placements and valuations for corporate and other purposes. In the ordinary course of its business, CSFB and its affiliates may actively trade the debt and equity securities of both the Company and Parent for its and its affiliates' own accounts and for the accounts of customers and, accordingly, may at any time hold a long or short position in such securities. Except as set forth above, neither the Company nor any person acting on its behalf has or currently intends to employ, retain or compensate any person to make solicitations or recommendations to the shareholders of the Company on its behalf with respect to the Offer. ITEM 6. RECENT TRANSACTIONS AND INTENT WITH RESPECT TO SECURITIES. (a) During the past 60 days, no transactions in the Shares have been effected by the Company or, to the best of the Company's knowledge, by any executive officer, director, affiliate or subsidiary of the Company, except on April 1, 1998, the Company contributed 10,000 Shares to the Hein-Werner Corporation Retirement and Savings Plan and Trust (a profit sharing plan). (b) To the best of the Company's knowledge, to the extent permitted by applicable securities laws, rules or regulations, all of the Company's executive officers, directors and affiliates who own Shares presently intend to tender all of their Shares to the Purchaser pursuant to the Offer. ITEM 7. CERTAIN NEGOTIATIONS AND TRANSACTIONS BY SUBJECT COMPANY. (a) Except as set forth herein, no negotiation is being undertaken or is underway by the Company in response to the Offer which relates to or would result in (i) an extraordinary transaction such as a merger or reorganization, involving the Company or any subsidiary thereof; (ii) a purchase, sale or transfer of a material amount of assets by the Company or any subsidiary thereof; (iii) a tender offer for or other acquisition of securities by or of the Company; or (iv) any material change in the present capitalization or dividend policy of the Company. 17 19 (b) Except as set forth herein, there are no transactions, Board of Directors resolutions, agreements in principle or signed contracts in response to the Offer that relate to or would result in one or more of the events referred to in Item 7(a) above. ITEM 8. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO BE FURNISHED. Short Form Merger. Under the WBCL, if (i) Purchaser acquires, pursuant to the Offer, the Stock Option or otherwise, at least 90% of the outstanding Shares and (ii) Parent and the Company mutually agree that the Merger will be structured so that the Company will be merged with and into the Purchaser, with the Purchaser continuing as the Surviving Corporation, the Purchaser will be able to effect the Merger after consummation of the Offer without a vote of the Company's shareholders. However, if either (i) the Purchaser does not acquire at least 90% of the Shares pursuant to the Offer, the Stock Option or otherwise or (ii) the Purchaser acquires at least 90% of the Shares but Parent and the Company decide not to restructure the Merger as specified above, then a vote of the Company's shareholders will be required under the WBCL and a significantly longer period of time will be required to effect the Merger. Rights Agreement. Each Right issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement initially entitles the registered holder thereof to purchase one share of Common Stock at a price of $65.00 per Share, subject to adjustment. The Rights become exercisable if a person or group has acquired, or announced an intention to acquire, 20% or more of the outstanding Shares (such person or group hereinafter referred to as an "Acquiring Person"). Under certain circumstances, including the existence of an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right, other than the Acquiring Person, will thereafter have the right to receive, upon exercise of a Right, Common Stock having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. For a description of the Rights Agreement, see the Company's Form 8-A, dated May 19, 1989, as filed with the SEC and incorporated herein by reference. On April 27, 1998, the Company entered into an amendment to the Rights Agreement to make it inapplicable to the (i) Offer and the Merger and (ii) the Stock Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby. Wisconsin Business Corporation Law. Sections 180.1140 through 180.1144 of the WBCL (the "Wisconsin Business Combination Law") prohibit certain business combinations between a resident domestic corporation (such as the Company) and an "interested stockholder" (defined generally as any person who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the outstanding voting stock of a domestic corporation or who is an affiliate or associate of the corporation and beneficially owned 10% or more of the voting stock within the last three years) for a period of three years after the date on which the person became an interested stockholder unless, among other exceptions, the acquisition of the shares or the business combination has been approved by the board of directors of the resident domestic corporation prior to the date on which the interested stockholder became an interested stockholder. Although the acquisition of the Shares pursuant to the Merger after the purchase of Shares in the Offer would involve a business combination between a resident domestic corporation and an interested stockholder, the Company's execution of the Merger Agreement, which provides for the Offer and the Merger, was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to the date on which the Purchaser will become an interested stockholder. Accordingly, the Wisconsin Business Combination Law is inapplicable to the Offer and the Merger. Section 180.1150 of the WBCL contains "Control Share" provisions limiting, under certain circumstances, the voting power of a shareholder that holds in excess of 20% of the voting power of certain corporations. As a result, Shares held by the Purchaser that constitute in excess of 20% of the voting power in the election of directors of the Company will be limited to 10% of the full voting power of such Shares. However, pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement, if the Purchaser owns at least 66 2/3% but less than 90% of the outstanding Shares, the Purchaser may exercise an option to purchase from the Company at the Offer Price newly issued Shares in an amount equal to the number of Shares that, when added to the number of Shares owned by the Purchaser and its affiliates immediately following consummation of the Offer, shall constitute 90% of the Shares then outstanding on a fully diluted basis (giving effect to the issuance of such 18 20 Shares). As a result of the Purchaser's exercise of the Stock Option, the Control Share provision of the WBCL will not effect the Purchaser's ability to approve the Merger. Sections 180.1130 through 180.1134 of the WBCL (the "Wisconsin Fair Price Law") generally provide, with certain exceptions, that "business combinations" involving an "issuing public corporation" (a Wisconsin corporation like the Company which has a class of equity securities held of record by more than 500 persons and at least 100 shareholders of record who are residents of Wisconsin) and a "significant shareholder" (defined generally as any person that is the beneficial owner, either directly or indirectly, of 10% or more of the voting power of the outstanding voting shares of the issuing public corporation) be approved by the affirmative vote of at least 80% of the voting power of the issuing public corporation's stock and at least 66 2/3% of the voting power of the corporation's stock not beneficially owned by the significant shareholder, in each case voting together as a group, unless certain "fair price" conditions set forth in Section 180.1132 of the WBCL are satisfied. The amount to be paid for each Share in both the Offer and pursuant to the Merger satisfies each of the conditions of Section 180.1132 of the WBCL. Accordingly, the restrictions contained in the Wisconsin Fair Price Law are not applicable to the Offer and the Merger. Further, if the Merger is consummated as a short-form merger, the Merger will not be a "business combination" under, and will not be subject to the provisions of, the Wisconsin Fair Price Law. ITEM 9. MATERIAL TO BE FILED AS EXHIBITS.
EXHIBIT NUMBER DESCRIPTION - ------- ----------- 1 Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 27, 1998, by and among Snap-on Incorporated, Snap-On Pace Company and Hein-Werner Corporation. 2 Stock Option Agreement, dated as of April 27, 1998, by and among Snap-on Incorporated, Snap-on Pace Company and Hein-Werner Corporation. 3 Employment and Consulting Agreement, dated April 27, 1998, by and between Snap-on Incorporated, Hein-Werner Corporation and Joseph L. Dindorf. 4* Letter to Shareholders of Hein-Werner Corporation, dated May 4, 1998. 5 Joint Press Release issued on April 28, 1998 6* Opinion of Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation, dated April 27, 1998. 7 Change of Control Agreement, dated January 27, 1984, between Hein-Werner Corporation and Joseph L. Dindorf (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to Hein-Werner Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1993). 8 Amendment No. 1, dated April 27, 1998, to the Change of Control Agreement, dated January 27, 1984, between Hein-Werner Corporation and Joseph L. Dindorf. 9 Trust Agreement, dated as of April 29, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation and Firstar Trust Company. 10 Key Executive Employment and Severance Agreement, dated as of April 15, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation and Thomas F. Andreoli. 11 Key Executive Employment and Severance Agreement, dated as of April 15, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation and Jean-Paul Barthelme. 12 Key Executive Employment and Severance Agreement, dated as of April 15, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation and Mary L. Kielich. 13 Key Executive Employment and Severance Agreement, dated as of April 15, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation and Michael J. Koons. 14 Key Executive Employment and Severance Agreement, dated as of April 15, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation and Reinald D. Liegel. 15 Key Executive Employment and Severance Agreement, dated as of April 15, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation and Jeffrey V. Russell.
19 21
EXHIBIT NUMBER DESCRIPTION - ------- ----------- 16 Key Executive Employment and Severance Agreement, dated as of April 27, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation and James A. Wilke. 17 Rights Agreement, dated as of May 9, 1989, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation and Firstar Trust Company (f/k/a First Wisconsin Trust Company) (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.8 to Hein-Werner Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1993). 18 First Amendment to Rights Agreement, dated April 27, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation and Firstar Trust Company. 19 Hein-Werner Corporation 1987 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to Hein-Werner Corporation's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1993). 20 Confidentiality Agreement by and between Hein-Werner Corporation and Snap-on Incorporated.
- --------------- * Included in copies of the Schedule 14D-9 mailed to shareholders. 20 22 SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION By: /s/ JOSEPH L. DINDORF ------------------------------------ Joseph L. Dindorf President and Chief Executive Officer Dated: May 4, 1998 21 23 SCHEDULE I HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION 2120 PEWAUKEE ROAD WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN 53188 ------------------------ INFORMATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 14(F) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 AND RULE 14F-1 THEREUNDER This Information Statement is being mailed on or about May 4, 1998 as part of the Solicitation/ Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 (the "Schedule 14D-9") to the holders of the common stock of Hein-Werner Corporation (the "Company"). Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Schedule 14D-9. You are receiving this Information Statement in connection with the possible election of persons designated by the Purchaser to a majority of the seats on the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board"). The Merger Agreement requires the Company to cause the Purchaser's designees to be elected to the Board under the circumstances described therein. This Information Statement is required by Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1 thereunder. You are urged to read this Information Statement carefully. You are not, however, required to take any action. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, the Purchaser commenced the Offer on May 4, 1998. The Offer is scheduled to expire at 12:00 midnight, New York City time, on Monday, June 1, 1998, unless the Offer is extended. The information contained in this Information Statement (including information incorporated by reference) concerning Parent, the Purchaser and the Purchaser Designees (as defined below) has been furnished to the Company by either Parent or the Purchaser and the Company assumes no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of such information. GENERAL INFORMATION REGARDING THE COMPANY GENERAL The Shares are the only class of voting securities of the Company outstanding. Each Share has one vote. As of April 27, 1998, there were 2,918,899 Shares issued and outstanding, 101,847 Shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of certain options outstanding and 3,110,746 Shares reserved for issuance pursuant to the Rights Agreement. The Board currently consists of six members, divided into three classes. Each director holds office until such director's successor is duly elected and qualified or until such director's earlier resignation or removal. RIGHT TO DESIGNATE DIRECTORS; THE PURCHASE DESIGNEES Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, promptly upon the payment by the Purchaser for Shares pursuant to the Offer, and from time to time thereafter, the Purchaser will be entitled to designate such number of directors, rounded up to the next whole number, on the Board (the "Purchaser Designees"), equal to the product of the total number of directors on the Board (determined after giving effect to the directors designated by the Purchaser pursuant to this sentence) multiplied by the percentage that the aggregate number of Shares beneficially owned by the Purchaser or its affiliates bears to the total number of Shares then outstanding. The Company has agreed, upon the request of the Purchaser, either to increase the size of the Board or secure the resignations of such number of incumbent directors, or both, as is necessary to enable the Purchaser Designees to be so elected to the Board. At such time, the Company has also agreed, upon the request of the Purchaser, to cause persons designated by the Purchaser to constitute at least the same percentage (rounded up to the next whole number) as is on the Board of each committee of the Board. The I-1 24 Company's obligation to appoint such designees is subject to Section 14(f) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). The Company is required to take all action necessary to effect any such election and to include in this Information Statement the information required by Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1 promulgated thereunder. The foregoing notwithstanding, the Merger Agreement further provides that at least two directors who are neither officers, directors, shareholders or designees of the Purchaser or any of its affiliates ("Purchaser Insiders") shall continue to serve on the Board until the effectiveness of the Merger and each Committee of the Board shall have at least one member who is not a Purchaser Insider. The Purchaser has informed the Company that it will choose the Purchaser Designees from the directors and executive officers listed in Schedule I to the Offer to Purchase, a copy of which is being mailed to the Company's shareholders together with the Schedule 14D-9. The Purchaser has informed the Company that each of directors and executive officers listed in Schedule I to the Offer to Purchase has consented to act as a director, if so designated. The information on such Schedule I is incorporated herein by reference. DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE BOARD The names of the Company's current directors, their ages as of March 27, 1998 and certain other information about them are set forth below. As indicated above, some of the current directors may resign effective immediately following the purchase of Shares by Parent pursuant to the Offer, which purchase cannot be earlier than June 2, 1998.
YEAR FIRST ELECTED A POSITION WITH THE COMPANY OR PRINCIPAL NAME OF DIRECTOR AGE DIRECTOR OCCUPATION DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS ---------------- --- ---------- -------------------------------------- J. S. Jones.......................... 60 1975 President, Gardner Industries, Inc., Horicon, Wisconsin (manufacturer of original equipment components). M.J. McSweeney....................... 59 1982 Partner, Foley & Lardner, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (law firm). O. A. Friend......................... 68 1983 Former Chairman of National Teleservice, Inc. (provider of long distance telephone service), Winona, Minnesota; consultant to the Company until June, 1990. D. L. Krause......................... 58 1997 Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller of Newell Co., Freeport, Illinois, (manufacturer and marketer of consumer products). J. L. Dindorf........................ 57 1976 President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. D. J. Schuetz........................ 73 1977 President and Chairman of the Board, Monark Supply Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (distributor of automotive parts and supplies).
Each of the directors has been engaged in the principal occupation(s) described above during the past five years. There are no family relationships among any of the directors or executive officers of the Company. INFORMATION CONCERNING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Board has standing audit, compensation, and executive committees, but does not have a standing nominating committee. The audit committee, which met two times in 1997, is charged with the responsibilities of reviewing with the Company's independent public accountants, the plan and scope of their audit and findings and conclusions of their engagement; reviewing the Company's procedures for internal auditing, the I-2 25 adequacy of its system of internal controls, and the accounting principles and policies of the Company; reviewing and evaluating the independence of the independent accountants and approving services rendered by such accountants; and recommending to the Board the engagement, continuation, or discharge of the Company's independent public accountants. The audit committee currently consists of Messrs. Friend, Jones, and Krause. The principal function of the compensation committee, which held one meeting in 1997, is to advise the Board on matters relating to the compensation of the Company's officers. The compensation committee currently consists of Messrs. Schuetz and McSweeney. The executive committee is empowered to act on behalf of the Board on certain matters including the election of the principal officers and the filling of vacancies on the committees designated by the Board. The executive committee held one meeting in 1997 and currently consists of Messrs. Dindorf, Jones, and Schuetz. During 1997, the Board held eight meetings. No director failed to attend at least 75% of the aggregate of (a) the total number of meetings of the Board and (b) the total number of meetings held by all committees of the Board on which the director served during 1997. The Company's standard method of compensating directors is to pay each director who is not also an officer of the Company a retainer of $8,000 per year, payable quarterly. In addition, a director is entitled to a \fee of $650 for each Board meeting attended and $600 for each committee meeting attended. Board members are also reimbursed for reasonable travel, lodging, and related expenses incurred in connection with attendance at such meetings. EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY Set forth below is certain information concerning the executive officers of the Company as of March 27, 1998:
POSITIONS AND BUSINESS EXPERIENCE NAME AGE DURING PAST FIVE YEARS ---- --- --------------------------------- Joseph L. Dindorf................. 57 President and Chief Executive Officer (elected in 1976). Reinald D. Liegel................. 55 Senior Vice President - Technology (elected June 1988). Jean-Paul Barthelme............... 60 Vice President, and President of European Operations (elected September 1988). Michael J. Koons.................. 58 Vice President - Industrial Relations and Personnel (elected in 1979). Maurice J. McSweeney.............. 59 Secretary (elected March 1983). Partner, Foley & Lardner, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (law firm).
The officers of the Company are elected annually by the Board following the annual meeting of shareholders and each officer holds office until his successor has been duly elected and qualified or until his prior death, resignation or removal. I-3 26 EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION The following table sets forth certain information concerning the compensation earned in each of the last three fiscal years by the Company's Chief Executive Officer and each of its four other most highly compensated executive officers (such persons are sometimes referred to as the "named executive officers"). SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
LONG-TERM ANNUAL COMPENSATION COMPENSATION AWARDS PAYOUTS ------------------------------------ ----------------------- ------- RESTRICTED SECURITIES OTHER ANNUAL STOCK UNDERLYING LTIP ALL OTHER NAME AND SALARY BONUS COMPENSATION AWARDS OPTIONS PAYOUTS COMPENSATION PRINCIPAL POSITION YEAR ($) ($) (2)($) ($) (#) ($) (3)($) ------------------ ---- ------ ----- ------------ ---------- ---------- ------- ------------ Joseph L. Dindorf,............... 1997 $275,000 $20,000 0 0 0 0 $289,400 President and Chief 1996 275,000 60,000 0 0 0 0 38,800 Executive Officer 1995 267,496 0 0 0 0 0 38,100 Jean-Paul Barthelme,............. 1997 $226,525(1) $ 0 0 0 0 0 $ 15,600 Vice President and President, 1996 226,525(1) 10,000 0 0 0 0 8,600 European Operations 1995 226,525(1) 0 0 0 0 0 2,600 Reinald D. Liegel,............... 1997 $125,000 $10,000 $26,034 0 0 0 $ 13,800 Senior Vice President-- 1996 125,000 20,000 0 0 0 0 6,700 Technology 1995 122,300 0 0 0 0 0 2,000 Michael J. Koons................. 1997 $ 86,500 $10,000 $22,394 0 0 0 $ 9,100 Vice President Industrial 1996 86,500 20,000 0 0 0 0 4,000 Relations and Personnel 1995 84,300 0 0 0 0 0 1,200 Jeffrey V. Russell............... 1997 $ 94,600 $10,000 0 0 0 0 $ 8,800 President, Collision 1996 91,300 10,000 0 0 0 0 4,400 Repair Equipment Group 1995 88,000 0 0 0 0 0 1,300
- --------------- (1) Mr. Barthelme's salary is paid in Swiss Francs. For each of the years 1997, 1996, and 1995 he was paid SFr 331,032. For comparison purposes, these amounts have been converted to U.S. dollars using the exchange rate in effect on December 31, 1997. (2) Certain personal benefits provided by the Company to the named executive officers are not included in the table. The aggregate amount of such personal benefits for each named executive officer in each year reflected in the table, with the exception of Messrs. Liegel and Koons for 1997 only, did not exceed the lesser of $50,000 or 10% of the sum of such officer's salary and bonus in such respective year. The amounts shown for 1997 for Messrs. Liegel and Koons each include $15,000 for the purchase of an annuity contract and $5,700 for a related income tax reimbursement. (3) Consists solely of contributions by the Company to the Company's profit sharing plan (the "Plan") for all of the named executives, except Mr. Dindorf. Each year the Corporation may contribute between 5% and 16% of its net income before taxes for the prior fiscal year if it is in excess of various levels, which amount, if any, is allocated among participants by means of a formula based on individual compensation and years of service with the Company, subject to certain limits. The amounts reported for Mr. Dindorf represent contributions by the Company to the Plan and the value of annual insurance premiums paid by the Company with respect to life insurance and disability insurance for the benefit of Mr. Dindorf, respectively, as follows: 1997: $15,600, $9,500, and $11,500; 1996: $8,600, $18,700, and $11,500; and 1995: $2,600, $24,000, and $11,500. In addition, the 1997 amount for Mr. Dindorf includes $172,600 for the value of a life insurance policy transferred to him and $80,200 for a related income tax reimbursement. STOCK OPTIONS The Company has in effect the 1987 Stock Option and Incentive Plan pursuant to which options to purchase Common Stock may be granted to key employees of the Company and its subsidiaries. No options were granted to any of the named executive officers in fiscal year 1997. The following table sets forth I-4 27 information regarding the exercise of stock options by each of the named executive officers during the 1997 fiscal year and the fiscal year-end value of unexercised options held by such officers. AGGREGATED OPTION EXERCISES IN 1997 FISCAL YEAR AND FISCAL YEAR-END OPTION VALUES
NUMBER OF SECURITIES UNDERLYING VALUE OF UNEXERCISED NUMBER OF UNEXERCISED OPTIONS IN-THE-MONEY OPTIONS AT SHARES AT FISCAL YEAR-END(#)(1) FISCAL YEAR-END($)(2) ACQUIRED VALUE ---------------------------- ---------------------------- NAME ON EXERCISE(#) REALIZED($) EXERCISABLE UNEXERCISABLE EXERCISABLE UNEXERCISABLE ---- -------------- ----------- ----------- ------------- ----------- ------------- J. L. Dindorf.......... -- -- 51,051 -- $137,965 -- J. P. Barthelme........ -- -- 10,210 -- 27,593 -- R. D. Liegel........... -- -- 19,145 -- 51,739 -- M. J. Koons............ -- -- 6,381 -- 17,245 -- J. V. Russell.......... -- -- 6,381 -- 17,245 --
- --------------- (1) The number of securities underlying unexercised options reported does not reflect the effect of the Company's 5% stock dividend which was paid on January 23, 1998. (2) The dollar values are calculated by determining the difference between the fair market value of the underlying stock as of December 31, 1997 and the exercise price of the options. AGREEMENTS WITH NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS The Company has entered into an amended Change of Control Agreement with Mr. Dindorf and Key Executive Employment and Severance Agreements with seven officers of the Company, including Messrs. Barthelme, Liegel, Koons and Russell. In addition, the Company and Parent have entered into an Employment and Consulting Agreement with Mr. Dindorf. Each of these agreements is described in Item 3(b) of the Schedule 14D-9 accompanying this Information Statement and are incorporated herein by reference. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS On January 25, 1983, the Company acquired the business assets and operations of the Winona Van Norman Division of Winvan, Inc. ("Winona Van Norman"), from O. A. Friend. Mr. Friend was subsequently elected to the Board. The Company is leasing Winona Van Norman's manufacturing facility from Mr. Friend for annual rental payments of $198,988, adjusted every year for inflation, and is subleasing a portion of the facility to a third party. Pursuant to the terms of the lease, the Company is required to purchase the facility from Mr. Friend for its fair market value on or before June 30, 2002. M. J. McSweeney, a director and Secretary of the Company, is a partner of Foley & Lardner, attorneys, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Foley & Lardner has served as legal counsel to the Company for many years. I-5 28 SECURITY OWNERSHIP MANAGEMENT The following table sets forth, as of March 27, 1998, the number of Shares beneficially owned by each director, each of the executive officers named in the Summary Compensation Table set forth above, and all of the directors and executive officers as a group. Except as otherwise indicated in the footnotes, all of the persons listed below have sole voting and investment power over the Shares identified as beneficially owned.
AMOUNT AND NATURE OF NAME OF BENEFICIAL OWNER BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP PERCENT OF CLASS ------------------------ -------------------- ---------------- J.L. Dindorf............................................ 96,528(1)(2) 3.3% O.A. Friend............................................. 59,095 2.0% J.S. Jones.............................................. 21,173 * M.J. McSweeney.......................................... 7,534 * D.J. Schuetz............................................ 21,911 * D.L. Krause............................................. 6,379(3) * J.P. Barthelme.......................................... 11,165(2) * R.D. Liegel............................................. 29,804(2)(4) 1.0 M.J. Koons.............................................. 8,245(2)(5) * J.V. Russell............................................ 6,700(2) * All directors and executive officers as a group (10 persons).............................................. 268,534(2) 9.2%
- --------------- * Less than one percent. (1) Includes 42,924 shares held with Mr. Dindorf's wife. Mr. Dindorf shares voting and investment power over these shares. (2) Includes the following shares subject to stock options that are currently exercisable: Mr. Dindorf, 53,604; Mr. Barthelme, 10,721; Mr. Liegel, 20,102; Mr. Koons, 6,700; Mr. Russell, 6,700; and all directors and executive officers as a group, 97,827. (3) All 6,379 shares held with Mr. Krause's wife. Mr. Krause shares voting and investment power over these shares. (4) Includes 1,104 shares held by Mr. Liegel's wife. Mr. Liegel shares voting and investment power over these shares. (5) Includes 735 shares held with Mr. Koons' wife. Mr. Koons shares voting and investment power over these shares. OTHER BENEFICIAL OWNERS The following table sets forth the number of Shares beneficially owned by the persons known to the Company to own more than five percent (5%) of its outstanding Shares as of December 31, 1997. The information is based on reports on Schedules 13G and 13D filed with the SEC or other reliable information. I-6 29 The table indicates whether the person has sole or shared investment and voting power with respect to such Shares.
AMOUNT AND NATURE OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP ----------------------------------------- SOLE POWER SHARED POWER ---------- ------------ PERCENT VOTING INVESTMENT VOTING INVESTMENT AGGREGATE OF CLASS ------ ---------- ------ ---------- --------- -------- Athey Products Corporation (2) 1839 South Main Street Wake Forest, NC 27587 And Orton/McCullough Crane(2).................... -- -- 369,396 369,396 369,396 12.7% Company, Inc. 1211 West 22nd Street Oak Brook, IL 60521 Mr. Marvin Schwartz(3) c/o Neuberger & Berman, LLC 605 Third Avenue New York, NY 10158-3698.................... 44,100(4) 44,100(4) 0 229,690(4) 273,790(4) 9.4% Wanger Asset Management, L.P.(5) Wanger Asset Management, Ltd. Ralph Wanger 227 West Monroe Suite 3000 Chicago, IL 60606.......................... -- -- 208,372(6) 208,372(6) 208,372(6) 7.2% Acorn Investment Trust, Series Designated Acorn Fund 227 West Monroe, Suite 3000 Chicago, IL 60606.......................... -- -- 208,372(6) 208,372(6) 208,372(6) 7.2% Dimensional Fund Advisors Inc.(7)(8) 1299 Ocean Avenue, 11th Floor Santa Monica, CA 90401..................... 132,119 195,298 63,179 -- 195,298 6.7% Mr. Luis Hernandez 3069 Misty Harbor Las Vegas, NV 89117........................ 156,623 156,623 -- -- 156,623 5.4%
- --------------- (1) For purposes of calculating the percent of class owned by such person or group, the Shares which may be acquired upon conversion of such person's or group's Notes at the current conversion price and the Shares that may be acquired upon the exercise of such person's or group's Option are deemed to be outstanding. (2) Athey Products Corporation ("Athey") and Orton/McCullough Crane Company, Inc. ("Orton") are reported in the aggregate because they may be regarded as a group for reporting purposes. John F. McCullough, the principal shareholder and officer of Orton, is a director and the owner of 39.71% of the voting stock of Athey. Of the 369,396 shares for which the parties have reported as sharing voting and investment power, Athey has reported holding 241,406 shares and Orton has reported holding 127,990 shares. (3) Mr. Schwartz is a principal in Neuberger & Berman, LLC, a registered broker/dealer and investment advisor. All of the shares are held individually by Mr. Schwartz and others. Neuberger & Berman has no voting or investment power regarding any of the shares. (4) Mr. Schwartz owns 44,100 shares for his personal account and has sole voting and investment power over these shares. Mr. Schwartz is the beneficial owner of 229,690 shares held in several accounts for the benefit of his family by virtue of his shared investment power over these shares. (5) Wanger Asset Management, Ltd. is the sole general partner of Wanger Asset Management, L.P. and Ralph Wanger is the principal shareholder of Wagner Asset Management, Ltd. I-7 30 (6) Wanger Asset Management, L.P. and Acorn Investment Trust, Series Designated Acorn Fund share voting and investment power over 208,372 shares. Acorn Investment Trust, Series Designated Acorn Fund is a registered investment company. Wanger Asset Management, L.P. is the investment advisor of Acorn Investment Trust, Series Designated Acorn Fund. (7) The reported shares are held in the portfolios of advisory clients of Dimensional Fund Advisors Inc. ("Dimensional"), a registered investment advisor. Dimensional disclaims beneficial ownership of such shares. (8) Persons who are officers of Dimensional also serve as officers of DFA Investment Dimensions Group Inc. (the "Fund") and The DFA Investment Trust Company (the "Trust"), each a registered open-end management investment company. In their capacity as officers of the Fund and the Trust, these persons vote 41,080 additional shares which are owned by the Fund and 38,905 shares which are owned by the Trust. Dimensional has sole dispositive power over such shares and they are included under such column. Beneficial ownership of shares is reported in the foregoing tables and footnotes in accordance with the beneficial ownership rules promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The ownership information set forth in the foregoing tables reflects the effects of the Corporation's 5% stock dividend which was paid on January 23, 1998 to shareholders of record on January 2, 1998. SECTION 16(A) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE The Company's executive officers and directors are required to file under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, reports concerning their ownership of Company equity securities with the SEC and the Company. Based solely upon information provided to the Company by individual directors and executive officers, the Company believes that during the fiscal year ended December 31, 1997 all filing requirements applicable to executive officers and directors have been complied with, except that (i) Mr. Schuetz did not timely file one Form 4 with respect to his sale of 2,107 shares of Common Stock, which transaction occurred on December 15, 1997; and (ii) Mr. James Queenan, an officer of the Company in 1997, did not timely file on Form 4 with respect to the exercise of vested stock options to acquire 10,210 shares of Common Stock on December 30, 1997. I-8
EX-1 2 AGREEMENT & PLAN OF MERGER 1 AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER AGREEMENT AND PLAN OF MERGER, dated as of April 27, 1998 (this "Agreement"), by and among Snap-on Incorporated, a Delaware company ("Parent"), Snap-on Pace Company, a Wisconsin corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (the "Purchaser"), and Hein-Werner Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (the "Company"). WHEREAS, the respective Boards of Directors of Parent, the Purchaser and the Company have approved the acquisition of the Company by the Purchaser on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement; and WHEREAS, in furtherance of such acquisition, Parent proposes to cause the Purchaser to make a tender offer (as it may be amended as permitted under this Agreement, the "Offer") to purchase all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock, $1.00 par value per share, of the Company (the "Common Shares" or "Shares") (including the associated Common Share Purchase Rights (the "Rights") issued pursuant to the Rights Agreement, dated as of May 9, 1989, between the Company and Firstar Trust Company (f/k/a First Wisconsin Trust Company), as Rights Agent (the "Rights Agreement")), at a price per Common Share of $12.60 net to the seller in cash (such price, or any higher price per Share paid in the Offer, the "Offer Price"); and WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has approved this Agreement, the Offer and the Merger (as hereinafter defined), has determined that the Offer and the Merger are fair and in the best interests of the Company's shareholders, and is recommending that the shareholders of the Company accept the Offer and tender all their Shares; and WHEREAS, the respective Boards of Directors of Parent, the Purchaser and the Company have approved the merger of the Purchaser with and into the Company, as set forth below (the "Merger"), in accordance with the Wisconsin Business Corporation Law (the "WBCL") and upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement, whereby each issued and outstanding Share not owned directly or indirectly by Parent, the Purchaser or the Company will be converted into the right to receive the Offer Price in cash; and WHEREAS, as a further inducement to the parties to enter into this Agreement, Parent, the Purchaser and the Company have entered into a Stock Option Agreement, dated the date hereof (the "Stock Option Agreement"), pursuant to which the Company has granted to the Purchaser an option to purchase newly issued Common Shares under certain circumstances; and WHEREAS, Parent, the Purchaser and the Company desire to make certain representations, warranties, covenants and agreements in connection with the Offer and the Merger and also to prescribe various conditions to the Offer and the Merger. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the respective representations, warranties, covenants and agreements set forth herein, Parent, the Purchaser and the Company agree as follows: 2 ARTICLE I THE OFFER SECTION 1.01 The Offer. (a) So long as none of the events set forth in clauses (a) through (h) of Annex I hereto shall have occurred or exist, the Purchaser shall, and Parent shall cause the Purchaser to, commence (within the meaning of Rule 14d-2(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act")) as promptly as practicable after the date hereof, but in any event not later than May 4, 1998, the Offer for any and all outstanding Shares not owned by the Purchaser at the Offer Price applicable to such Shares, net to the seller in cash. The initial expiration date for the Offer shall be the twentieth business day from and after the date the Offer is commenced, including the date of commencement as the first business day in accordance with Rule 14d-2 under the Exchange Act (the "Expiration Date"). As promptly as practicable, the Purchaser shall file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") the Purchaser's Tender Offer Statement on Schedule 14D-1 (the "Schedule 14D-1" and together with the documents therein pursuant to which the Offer will be made, and with any supplements or amendments thereto, the "Offer Documents"), which shall contain (as an exhibit thereto) the Purchaser's Offer to Purchase (the "Offer to Purchase") which shall be mailed to the holders of Shares with respect to the Offer. The obligation of Parent and the Purchaser to accept for payment or pay for any Shares tendered pursuant to the Offer will be subject only to there being validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the Offer, that number of Shares which represents at least 66-2/3% of the Shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis (without giving pro forma effect to the potential issuance of any Shares issuable under the Stock Option Agreement) (the "Minimum Condition") and to the satisfaction or waiver of the other conditions set forth in Annex I hereto ("fully diluted basis" means issued and outstanding Shares and Shares subject to issuance under outstanding employee stock options). Without the prior written consent of the Company, the Purchaser shall not (i) decrease the Offer Price or change the form of consideration payable in the Offer, (ii) decrease the number of Shares sought to be purchased in the Offer, or (iii) amend any other term of the Offer in any manner adverse to the holders of any Shares; provided, however, that if on the initial scheduled Expiration Date, the sole condition remaining unsatisfied is the failure of the waiting period under the HSR Act (as hereinafter defined) to have expired or been terminated, the Purchaser shall, and Parent shall cause the Purchaser to, extend the expiration date from time to time until two business days after the expiration of the waiting period under the HSR Act. (b) Subject to the terms of the Offer and this Agreement and the satisfaction or waiver of all the conditions of the Offer set forth in Annex I hereto as of the Expiration Date, the Purchaser will accept for payment and pay for all Shares validly tendered and not withdrawn pursuant to the Offer as soon as practicable after the Expiration Date. (c) The Offer Documents will comply in all material respects with the provisions of applicable federal securities laws and, on the date filed with the SEC and on the date first published, sent or given to the Company's shareholders, shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, -2- 3 except that no representation is made by Parent or the Purchaser with respect to information supplied by the Company in writing for inclusion in the Offer Documents. No representation, warranty or covenant is made or shall be made herein by the Company with respect to information contained in the Offer Documents other than information supplied by the Company in writing expressly for inclusion in the Offer Documents. Each of Parent and the Purchaser, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, agrees promptly to correct any information provided by it for use in the Offer Documents if and to the extent that it shall have become false or misleading in any material respect and the Purchaser further agrees to take all steps necessary to cause the Offer Documents as so corrected to be filed with the SEC and to be disseminated to the Company's shareholders, in each case as and to the extent required by applicable federal securities laws. Each of Parent and the Purchaser agrees to give the Company a reasonable opportunity to review and comment upon any Offer Document to be filed with the SEC prior to any such filing and to provide in writing any comments each may receive from the SEC or its staff with respect to the Offer Documents promptly after the receipt of such comments. SECTION 1.02 Company Actions. (a) Currently with the commencement of the Offer, the Company shall file with the SEC and mail to the holders of Shares a Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 with respect to the Offer (together with any amendments or supplements thereto, the "Schedule 14D-9"). The Schedule 14D-9 will set forth, and the Company hereby represents, that the Board of Directors of the Company, at a meeting duly called and held, has unanimously (i) determined that the Offer and the Merger are fair to and in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders, (ii) approved this Agreement, the Stock Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, including the Offer and the Merger, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the WBCL, and (iii) resolved to recommend that the Company's shareholders accept the Offer, tender their Shares thereunder to the Purchaser and approve and adopt this Agreement and the Merger; provided, however, that such recommendation may be withdrawn, modified or amended to the extent that the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith, after consultation with outside counsel, that taking such action is necessary in the exercise of its fiduciary obligations under applicable Law (as hereinafter defined). (b) The Schedule 14D-9 will comply in all material respects with the provisions of applicable federal securities laws and, on the date filed with the SEC and on the date first published, sent or given to the Company's shareholders, shall not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except that no representation is made by the Company with respect to information supplied by Parent or the Purchaser in writing for inclusion in the Schedule 14D-9. No representation, warranty or covenant is made or shall be made herein by Parent or the Purchaser with respect to information contained in the Schedule 14D-9 other than information supplied by Parent and/or the Purchaser in writing expressly for inclusion in the Schedule 14D-9. Each of the Company, on the one hand, and Parent and the Purchaser, on the other hand, agree promptly to correct any information provided by either of them for use in the Schedule 14D-9 if and to the extent that it shall have become false or misleading, and the Company further agrees to take all steps necessary to cause the Schedule 14D-9 as so corrected to be filed with the SEC and to be disseminated to the Shareholders, in each case as -3- 4 and to the extent required by applicable federal securities laws. The Company agrees to give each of Parent and the Purchaser a reasonable opportunity to review and comment upon the Schedule 14D-9 to be filed with the SEC prior to such filing and to provide in writing any comments the Company may receive from the SEC or its staff with respect to the Schedule 14D-9 promptly upon receipt of such comments. (c) In connection with the Offer, the Company will promptly furnish the Purchaser with such information and assistance as the Purchaser or its agents or representatives may reasonably request in connection with communicating the Offer to the record and beneficial holders of the Shares, including, without limitation, mailing labels, its shareholders list, security position listings and non-objecting beneficial owners list, if any, or a computer file containing the names and addresses of all recordholders of Common Shares as of a recent date, and shall furnish the Purchaser with such additional information (including, but not limited to, updated lists of holders of Common Shares and their addresses, mailing labels and lists of security positions). Subject to the requirements of applicable Law, and except for such actions as are necessary to disseminate the Offer Documents and any other documents necessary to consummate the Offer and the Merger, Parent and the Purchaser and each of their affiliates, associates, partners, employees, agents and advisors shall hold in confidence the information contained in such labels, shareholders list, security position listings, non-objecting beneficial owners list and the information referred to in the preceding sentence, shall use such information only in connection with the Offer and the Merger, and, if this Agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, shall deliver promptly to the Company all copies of such information (and any copies, compilations or extracts thereof or based thereon) then in their possession or under their control. SECTION 1.03 Directors. (a) Promptly upon the payment by the Purchaser for Shares pursuant to the Offer, and from time to time thereafter, the Purchaser shall be entitled to designate such number of directors, rounded up to the next whole number, on the Board of Directors of the Company as is equal to the product of the total number of directors on the Board of Directors of the Company (determined after giving effect to the directors designated by the Purchaser pursuant to this sentence) multiplied by the percentage that the aggregate number of Shares beneficially owned by the Purchaser or its affiliates bears to the total number of Shares then outstanding, and the Company shall, subject to compliance with Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1 promulgated thereunder, upon request of the Purchaser, promptly take all actions necessary to cause the Purchaser's designees to be so elected, including, if necessary, promptly increasing the size of the Board of Directors of the Company or seeking the resignations of one or more existing directors, or both; provided, however, that prior to the Effective Time (as defined in Section 2.02) the Board of Directors of the Company shall always have at least two members who are neither officers, directors, shareholders or designees of the Purchaser or any of its affiliates ("Purchaser Insiders"). If the number of directors who are not Purchaser Insiders is reduced below two for any reason prior to the Effective Time, then the remaining directors who are not Purchaser Insiders (or if there is only one director who is not a Purchaser Insider, the remaining director who is not a Purchaser Insider) shall be entitled to designate a person (or persons) to fill such vacancy (or vacancies) who is not an officer, director, shareholder or designee of the Purchaser or any of its affiliates and who shall be a director not deemed to be a Purchaser Insider for all purposes of this Agreement. At such time, the Company -4- 5 shall, if requested by the Purchaser, also cause persons designated by the Purchaser to constitute at least the same percentage (rounded up to the next whole number) as is on the Board of Directors of the Company of each committee of the Board of Directors of the Company; provided, however, that prior to the Effective Time each committee of the Board of Directors of the Company shall have at least one member who is not a Purchaser Insider. (b) The Company's obligation to appoint the Purchaser's designees to the Board of Directors of the Company shall be subject to Section 14(f) of the Exchange Act and Rule 14f-1 thereunder. The Company shall promptly take all actions required pursuant to such Section and Rule in order to fulfill its obligations under this Section 1.03, including mailing to the shareholders of the Company the information required by Section 14(f) and Rule 14f-1 as is necessary to enable the Purchaser's designees to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Company, and shall include in the Schedule 14D-9 such information with respect to the Company and its officers and directors as is required under such Section and Rule in order to fulfill its obligations under this Section 1.03. Parent will supply in writing any information with respect to itself and its officers, directors and affiliates required by such Section and Rule to the Company. (c) From and after the election or appointment of the Purchaser's designees pursuant to this Section 1.03 and prior to the Effective Time, any amendment or termination of this Agreement by the Company, any extension by the Company of the time for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of Parent or the Purchaser or waiver of any of the Company's rights hereunder, or any other action taken by the Board of Directors of the Company in connection with this Agreement, will require the concurrence of a majority of the directors of the Company then in office who are not Purchaser Insiders. ARTICLE II THE MERGER SECTION 2.01 The Merger. Upon the terms and subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions hereof, and in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement and the WBCL, at the Effective Time (as defined in Section 2.02) the Purchaser shall be merged with and into the Company. Following the Merger, the separate corporate existence of the Purchaser shall cease and the Company shall continue as the surviving corporation (the "Surviving Corporation"). Upon the mutual agreement of Parent and the Company, the Merger may be structured so that the Company shall be merged with and into the Purchaser, with the Purchaser continuing as the Surviving Corporation; provided, however, that the Company shall be deemed not to have breached any of its representations, warranties or covenants herein if and to the extent such breach would have been attributable to such agreement. SECTION 2.02 Effective Time; Closing. As soon as practicable after the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Article VII hereof, the appropriate parties hereto shall execute in the manner required by the WBCL and file with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions appropriate articles of merger relating to the Merger, and the parties shall take such other and further actions as may be required by Law to make the Merger effective. The time the Merger -5- 6 becomes effective in accordance with applicable Law is referred to as the Effective Time. On the business day immediately preceding such filing, a closing shall be held at the offices of Foley & Lardner, 777 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202-5367, unless another date or place is agreed to in writing by the parties hereto, for the purpose of confirming the satisfaction or waiver, as the case may be, of the conditions set forth in Article VII. SECTION 2.03 Effects of the Merger. The Merger shall have the effects set forth in Section 180.1106 of the WBCL. SECTION 2.04 Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Surviving Corporation. (a) Subject to Section 6.11(a) hereof, the articles of incorporation of the Purchaser, as in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time, shall be the articles of incorporation of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended in accordance with the provisions thereof and hereof and applicable Law. (b) Subject to Section 6.11(a) hereof, the by-laws of the Purchaser in effect immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the by-laws of the Surviving Corporation until thereafter amended in accordance with the provisions thereof and hereof and applicable Law. SECTION 2.05 Directors. Subject to applicable Law, the directors of the Purchaser immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the initial directors of the Surviving Corporation and shall hold office until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified, or their earlier death, resignation or removal. SECTION 2.06 Officers. The officers of the Company immediately prior to the Effective Time shall be the initial officers of the Surviving Corporation and shall hold office until their respective successors are duly elected and qualified, or their earlier death, resignation or removal. SECTION 2.07 Additional Actions. If, at any time after the Effective Time, the Surviving Corporation shall consider or be advised that consistent with the terms of this Agreement any further assignments or assurances in law or any other acts are necessary or desirable (i) to vest, perfect or confirm, of record or otherwise, in the Surviving Corporation, title to and possession of any property or right of either the Company or its Subsidiaries (as hereinafter defined) acquired or to be acquired by reason of, or as a result of, the Merger, or (ii) otherwise to carry out the purposes of this Agreement, then, subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement, each of the Company and its Subsidiaries, and their officers and directors shall be deemed to have granted to the Surviving Corporation an irrevocable power of attorney to execute and deliver all such deeds, assignments and assurances in law and to do all acts necessary or proper to vest, perfect or confirm title to and possession of such property or rights in the Surviving Corporation and otherwise to carry out the purposes of this Agreement; and the officers and directors of the Surviving Corporation are fully authorized in the name of either the Company or its Subsidiaries to take any and all such action. SECTION 2.08 Conversion of Shares. At the Effective Time, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holders thereof, each Share issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time (other than any Shares held by Parent, the Purchaser, any wholly-owned -6- 7 subsidiary of Parent or the Purchaser, in the treasury of the Company or by any wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, which Shares, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, shall be canceled and retired and shall cease to exist with no payment being made with respect thereto, and other than Dissenting Shares (as defined in Section 3.01)) shall be converted into the right to receive in cash the Offer Price (the "Merger Price"), payable to the holder thereof, without interest thereon, in accordance with Article III. SECTION 2.09 Purchaser Common Stock. Each share of common stock, par value $1.00 per share, of the Purchaser issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, by virtue of the Merger and without any action on the part of the holder thereof, be converted into one share of common stock of the Surviving Corporation. Each certificate evidencing ownership of any such shares shall, following the Merger, evidence ownership of the same number of shares of common stock of the Surviving Corporation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if Parent and the Company agree to restructure the Merger as provided in Section 2.01 hereof, then the Purchaser's common stock shall not be affected in any manner by virtue of the Merger. SECTION 2.10 Company Option Plan. The Company shall take all actions necessary so that, immediately following the Acceptance Date (as defined in Section 6.11), (a) each outstanding option to purchase Common Shares (an "Option") granted under the Company's 1987 Stock Option and Incentive Plan (the "Option Plan"), whether or not then exercisable or vested, shall become fully exercisable and vested, (b) each Option which is then outstanding shall be cancelled and (c) in consideration of such cancellation, and except to the extent that Parent or the Purchaser and the holder of any such Option otherwise agree, immediately following the Acceptance Date, the Company, pursuant to the terms of the Option Plan, shall promptly pay to such holders of Options an amount in respect thereof equal to the product of (i) the excess of the Offer Price over the exercise price thereof and (ii) the number of Common Shares subject thereto (such payment to be net of taxes required by Law to be withheld with respect thereto). SECTION 2.11 Shareholders' Meeting. (a) If required by the Company's articles of incorporation and/or applicable Law in order to consummate the Merger, the Company, acting through its Board of Directors, shall, in accordance with applicable Law: (i) duly call, give notice of, convene and hold a special meeting of the Company's shareholders (the "Shareholders' Meeting") as soon as practicable following the acceptance for payment of and payment for Shares by the Purchaser pursuant to the Offer for the purpose of considering and taking action upon this Agreement; (ii) promptly prepare and file with the SEC a preliminary information or proxy statement relating to the Merger and this Agreement and (x) obtain and furnish the information required to be included by the SEC in the Proxy Statement (as hereinafter defined) and, after consultation with Parent, respond promptly to any comments made by the SEC with respect to the preliminary information or proxy statement and, subject to compliance with SEC rules and regulations, cause a notice of a special meeting and a definitive information or proxy statement (the "Proxy Statement") to be mailed to the -7- 8 shareholders of the Company no later than the time required by applicable Law and the articles of incorporation and the by-laws of the Company, and (y) to obtain the necessary approvals of the Merger and this Agreement by the Shareholders; and (iii) subject to Section 1.02(a), include in the Proxy Statement the recommendation of the Board of Directors of the Company that the shareholders of the Company vote in favor of the approval of the Merger and the adoption of this Agreement. (b) Parent and the Purchaser will furnish to the Company the information relating to Parent and the Purchaser required under the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder to be set forth in the Proxy Statement. (c) The Company shall consult with Parent and the Purchaser with respect to the Proxy Statement (and any amendments or supplements thereto) and shall afford Parent and the Purchaser reasonable opportunity to comment thereon prior to its finalization. If, at any time prior to the Shareholder's Meeting, any event shall occur relating to the Company or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement which should be set forth in an amendment or a supplement to the Proxy Statement, the Company will promptly notify in writing Parent and the Purchaser of such event. In such case, the Company, with the cooperation of Parent and the Purchaser, will promptly prepare and mail such amendment or supplement and the Company shall consult with Parent and the Purchaser with respect to such amendment or supplement and shall afford Parent and the Purchaser reasonable opportunity to comment thereon prior to such mailing. The Company agrees to notify Parent and the Purchaser at least three (3) days prior to the mailing of the Proxy Statement (or any amendment or supplement thereto) to the shareholders of the Company. (d) Parent agrees that it will (i) vote, or cause to be voted, all of the Shares then owned by it, the Purchaser or any of its other subsidiaries in favor of the approval of the Merger and the adoption of this Agreement and (ii) take or cause to be taken all additional corporate actions necessary for the Purchaser to adopt and approve this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. SECTION 2.12 Merger Without Meeting of Shareholders. Notwithstanding Section 2.11, in the event that (i) Parent, the Purchaser or any other subsidiary of Parent shall have acquired in the aggregate at least 90% of the outstanding Shares pursuant to the Offer (including as a result of the exercise of the Stock Option Agreement) and prior transactions and (ii) Parent and the Company agree to restructure the Merger as provided in Section 2.01, the parties hereto agree, subject to Article VII, to take all necessary and appropriate action to cause the Merger to become effective as soon as practicable after the acceptance for payment of and payment for Shares by the Purchaser pursuant to the Offer without a meeting of the Company's shareholders, in accordance with Section 180.1104 of the WBCL. SECTION 2.13 Earliest Consummation. Each party hereto shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to consummate the Merger as soon as practicable. -8- 9 ARTICLE III DISSENTING SHARES; PAYMENT FOR SHARES SECTION 3.01 Dissenting Shares. Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, Shares outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time and held by a holder who has not voted in favor of the Merger or consented thereto in writing and who has demanded payment for such shares in accordance with Sections 180.1301 to 180.1331 of the WBCL, if such Sections provide for dissenters' rights for such Shares in the Merger ("Dissenting Shares"), shall not be converted into the right to receive the Merger Price as provided in Section 2.07, unless and until such holder fails to perfect or withdraws or otherwise loses his or her right to dissent and demand payment under the WBCL. If, after the Effective Time, any such holder fails to perfect or withdraws or loses his or her right to demand payment, then such Dissenting Shares shall thereupon be treated as if they had been converted as of the Effective Time into the right to receive the Merger Price, if any, to which such holder is entitled, without interest or dividends thereon, and such Shares shall no longer be Dissenting Shares. The Company shall give Parent prompt notice of any demands received by the Company for payment of Shares and, prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall have the right to participate in all negotiations and proceedings with respect to such demands. Prior to the Effective Time, the Company shall not, except with the prior written consent of Parent, make any payment with respect to or settle or offer to settle, any such demands. SECTION 3.02 Payment for Shares. (a) Prior to the commencement of the Offer, Purchaser shall appoint a United States bank or trust company mutually acceptable to the Company and Parent to act as paying agent (the "Paying Agent") for the payment of the Offer Price and the Merger Price. Prior to the payment time thereof, Parent shall deposit or shall cause to be deposited with the Paying Agent in a separate fund established for the benefit of the holders of Shares, for payment upon surrender of the certificates for exchange in accordance with this Article III, through the Paying Agent (the "Payment Fund"), immediately available funds in amounts necessary to make the payments pursuant to the Offer, Section 2.08 and this Section 3.02 to holders (other than Shares held by the Company or any subsidiary of the Company or Parent, Purchaser or any other subsidiary of Parent, or holders of Dissenting Shares). The Paying Agent shall pay the Offer Price and the Merger Price out of the Payment Fund. From time to time at or after the Effective Time, Parent shall take all lawful action necessary to make the appropriate cash payments, if any, to holders of Dissenting Shares. Prior to the Effective Time, Parent shall enter into appropriate commercial arrangements to ensure effectuation of the immediately preceding sentence. The Paying Agent shall invest the Payment Fund as directed by Parent or the Purchaser in obligations of, or guaranteed by, the United States of America, in commercial paper obligations rated A-1 or P-1 or better by Moody's Investor Services or Standard & Poor's Corporation, respectively, or in certificates of deposit, bank repurchase agreements or bankers' acceptances of commercial banks with capital exceeding $200 million, in each case with maturities not exceeding seven days. Parent shall cause the Payment Fund to be promptly replenished to the extent of any losses incurred as a result of the aforementioned investments. All -9- 10 earnings thereon shall inure to the benefit of Parent. If for any reason (including losses) the Payment Fund is inadequate to pay the amounts to which holders of Shares shall be entitled under Section 2.08 and this Section 3.02, Parent shall in any event be liable for payment thereof. The Payment Fund shall not be used for any purpose except as expressly provided in this Agreement. (b) Promptly after the Effective Time, the Paying Agent shall mail to each record holder of certificates (the "Certificates") that immediately prior to the Effective Time represented Shares entitled to payment of the Merger Price pursuant to Section 2.08 (other than Certificates representing Dissenting Shares and Certificates representing Shares held by Parent or the Purchaser, any wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent or the Purchaser, in the treasury of the Company or by any wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company) (i) a form of letter of transmittal which shall (x) specify that delivery shall be effected, and risk of loss and title to the Certificates shall pass, only upon proper delivery of the Certificates to the Paying Agent, (y) contain a representation in a form reasonably satisfactory to Parent as to the good and marketable title of the Shares held by such holder free and clear of Lien (as hereinafter defined), and (z) contain such other customary provisions as the Company and Parent may reasonably specify; and (ii) instructions for use in surrendering such Certificates and receiving the aggregate Merger Price, in respect thereof. Upon the surrender of each such certificate and subject to applicable withholding, the Paying Agent shall (subject to applicable abandoned property, escheat and similar laws) pay the holder of such Certificate in respect of Shares, the Merger Price multiplied by the number of Shares formerly represented by such Certificate, and such Certificate shall forthwith be cancelled. Until so surrendered, each such Certificate (other than Certificates representing Dissenting Shares and Certificates representing Shares held by Parent or the Purchaser, any wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent or the Purchaser, in the treasury of the Company or by any wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company) shall represent solely the right to receive the aggregate Merger Price relating thereto. No interest or dividends shall be paid or accrued on the Merger Price. If the Merger Price (or any portion thereof) is to be delivered to any person other than the person in whose name the Certificate formerly representing such Shares is registered, it shall be a condition to such right to receive such Merger Price, as applicable, that the Certificate so surrendered shall be properly endorsed or otherwise be in proper form for transfer and that the person surrendering such Certificates shall pay to the Paying Agent any transfer or other taxes required by reason of the payment of the Merger Price to a person other than the registered holder of the Certificate surrendered, or shall establish to the satisfaction of the Paying Agent that such tax has been paid or is not applicable. (c) Promptly following the first anniversary of the Effective Time, the Paying Agent shall deliver to the Surviving Corporation all cash, Certificates and other documents in its possession relating to the transactions described in this Agreement, and the Paying Agent's duties shall terminate. Thereafter, each holder of a Certificate formerly representing a Share may surrender such Certificate to the Surviving Corporation and (subject to applicable abandoned property, escheat and similar laws) receive in consideration therefor the aggregate Merger Price, without any interest or dividends thereon. (d) After the Effective Time, there shall be no transfers on the stock transfer books of the Surviving Corporation of any Shares, which were outstanding immediately prior to the Effective Time. If, after the Effective Time, Certificates formerly representing Shares are presented to the Surviving Corporation or the Paying Agent, they shall be surrendered and cancelled in return for the -10- 11 payment of the aggregate Merger Price relating thereto, as provided in this Article III, subject to applicable law in the case of Dissenting Shares. (e) Neither the Paying Agent nor any party to this Agreement shall be liable to any shareholder of the Company or Option holder for any Shares, any Options, the Merger Price or cash delivered to a public official pursuant to and in accordance with any abandoned property, escheat or similar law. (f) The Paying Agent shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement to any shareholder of the Company or Option holder such amounts as the Company reasonably and in good faith determines are required to be deducted and withheld with respect to the making of such payment under the Code (as hereinafter defined), or any provision of state, local or foreign tax Law. To the extent that amounts are so withheld by the Paying Agent, such withheld amounts shall be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the shareholder or Option holder in respect of which such deduction and withholding was made by the Paying Agent. Section 3.03 No Further Rights or Transfers; Cancellation of Treasury Shares. Except for the surrender of the certificate(s) representing the Common Shares in exchange for the right to receive the Merger Price with respect to each Common Share or the perfection of dissenters' rights with respect to the Dissenting Shares, at and after the Effective Time, the holder of Common Shares shall cease to have any rights as a shareholder of the Company, and no transfer of Common Shares shall thereafter be made on the stock transfer books of the Surviving Corporation. Each Common Share held in the Company's treasury immediately prior to the Effective Time shall, by virtue of the Merger, be canceled and retired and cease to exist without any conversion thereof. ARTICLE IV REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY The Company hereby represents and warrants to Parent and the Purchaser as follows (with such exceptions thereto as are set forth in the disclosure statement delivered by the Company to Parent on the date hereof (the "Company Disclosure Statement") in which each item is specifically referenced to the Section of Article IV to which it refers): SECTION 4.01 Organization and Qualification; Subsidiaries. The Company is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Wisconsin. Each of the Company's subsidiaries (the "Subsidiaries") is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation. The Company and each of the Subsidiaries has the requisite corporate power and authority to own, operate or lease its properties and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted, and is duly qualified or licensed to do business, and is in good standing, in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or the properties owned, operated or leased by it makes such qualification, licensing or good standing necessary, except where the failures to have such power or authority, or the failures to be so qualified, licensed or in good standing, individually, and in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the -11- 12 Company. The term "Material Adverse Effect on the Company", as used in this Agreement, means any change in or effect on the business, results of operations, assets, condition (financial or otherwise) or liabilities of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries that is materially adverse to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole. SECTION 4.02 Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws. The Company has heretofore made available to Parent and the Purchaser a complete and correct copy of the Company's articles of incorporation and the by-laws, each as amended to the date hereof and a copy of which is set forth in Schedule 4.02 of the Company Disclosure Statement. Neither the Company nor the Subsidiaries are in violation of any provision of their respective articles of incorporation or equivalent organizational document. SECTION 4.03 Capitalization. The authorized capital stock of the Company consists of 20,000,000 Common Shares. As of the close of business on April 24, 1998, there were 2,918,899 Common Shares issued and outstanding. The Company has no shares of capital stock reserved for issuance, except that, as of April 24, 1998, there were 101,847 Common Shares reserved for issuance pursuant to Options granted pursuant to the Option Plan and 3,110,746 Common Shares reserved for issuance pursuant to the Rights Agreement. No Shares are held by the Company as treasury shares and no Shares have been acquired by the Company that are subject to outstanding pledges to secure future payment of the purchase price therefor. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.03 of the Company Disclosure Statement, since December 31, 1997, the Company has not issued any shares of capital stock except pursuant to the exercise of Options outstanding as of such date and pursuant to other existing Company Benefit Plans (as hereinafter defined), in each case in accordance with their terms. All the outstanding Common Shares are, and all Common Shares which may be issued pursuant to the exercise of outstanding Options and pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement will be, when issued in accordance with the respective terms thereof, duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, except as otherwise provided in Section 180.0622(2)(b) of the WBCL. There are no bonds, debentures, notes or other indebtedness having general voting rights (or convertible into Shares having such rights) ("Voting Debt") of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries issued and outstanding. Except as set forth in this Section 4.03 or Section 4.03 of the Company Disclosure Statement and except for the Merger and the Stock Option Agreement, there are no existing options, warrants, calls, subscriptions or other rights, agreements, arrangements or commitments of any character, relating to the issued or unissued capital stock of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, obligating the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to issue, transfer or sell or cause to be issued, transferred or sold any shares of capital stock or Voting Debt of, or other equity interest in, the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or securities convertible into or exchangeable for such shares or equity interests or obligations of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to grant, extend or enter into any such option, warrant, call, subscription or other right, agreement, arrangement or commitment. Except (i) as contemplated by the Merger contemplated by this Agreement, (ii) for the Company's obligations under the Option Plans and (iii) for the Company's obligations under the Stock Option Agreement, there are no outstanding contractual obligations of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire any Common Shares or the capital stock of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries. Each of the outstanding shares of capital stock of each of the Subsidiaries is duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, except as otherwise provided in Section 180.0622(2)(b) of the WBCL, and was not issued in violation of any preemptive rights, and such shares of the Subsidiaries are owned -12- 13 by the Company or by another Subsidiary free and clear of any lien, claim, option, charge, security interest, limitation, encumbrance and restriction of any kind (any of the foregoing being a "Lien"). To the knowledge of the Company, there are no voting trusts, proxies or other agreements or understandings with respect to the voting of the capital stock of the Company. SECTION 4.04 Authority. The Company has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly and validly authorized and approved by the Board of Directors of the Company and no other corporate proceedings on the part of the Company are necessary to authorize or approve this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby (other than, with respect to the Merger, the approval and adoption of the Merger and this Agreement by holders of the Shares to the extent required by the Company's articles of incorporation and by applicable Law). This Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement have been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming the due and valid authorization, execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement by Parent and the Purchaser, constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, except that such enforceability (i) may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or other similar laws affecting or relating to the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and (ii) is subject to general principles of equity. The Board of Directors of the Company has, at a meeting of such Board duly held on April 27, 1998, unanimously approved and adopted this Agreement, the Stock Option Agreement, the Offer and the Merger and the other transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, determined that the Offer Price to be received by the holders of Shares pursuant to the Offer and the Merger is fair to the holders of the Shares and recommends that the holders of Shares tender their Shares pursuant to the Offer and approve and adopt this Agreement and the Merger, subject to the Board's rights under Section 6.09 hereof. SECTION 4.05 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents. (a) None of the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement by the Company, the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or the compliance by the Company with any of the provisions hereof or thereof will (i) conflict with or violate the articles of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or the comparable organizational documents of any of the Subsidiaries, (ii) conflict with or violate any statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree applicable to the Company or the Subsidiaries, or by which any of them or any of their respective properties or assets may be bound or affected, or (iii) result in a violation or breach of or constitute a default (or an event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become a default) under, or give to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation of, or result in any loss of any material benefit, or the creation of any Lien on any of the property or assets of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries (any of the foregoing referred to in clause (ii) or this clause (iii) being a "Violation") pursuant to, any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement, lease, license, permit, franchise or other instrument or obligation to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties may be bound or affected, -13- 14 except in the case of the foregoing clauses (ii) or (iii) for any Violation which, individually and in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or would not affect materially and adversely the ability of the Company to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement. (b) None of the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement by the Company, the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or the compliance by the Company with any of the provisions hereof or thereof will require any consent, waiver, approval, authorization or permit of, or registration or filing with or notification to (any of the foregoing being a "Consent"), any government or subdivision thereof, or any administrative, governmental or regulatory authority, agency, commission, tribunal or body, domestic, foreign or supranational (a "Governmental Entity"), except for (i) compliance with any applicable requirements of the Exchange Act, (ii) the filing of articles of merger pursuant to the WBCL, (iii) compliance with the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended (the "HSR Act"), (iv) such filings and approvals as may be required by any applicable state securities, "blue sky" or takeover Laws, and (v) other Consents or filings the failure of which to obtain or make, individually and in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company or materially adversely affect the ability of the Company to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement. SECTION 4.06 SEC Reports and Financial Statements. (a) The Company has filed with the SEC all forms, reports, schedules, registration statements and definitive proxy statements required to be filed by the Company with the SEC from December 31, 1995 until the date hereof (the "SEC Reports"). As of their respective dates or, if amended, as of the date of the last such amendment, the SEC Reports, including, without limitation, any financial statements or schedules included therein, complied in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder applicable, as the case may be, to such SEC Reports, and none of the SEC Reports contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. (b) The audited consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 1997, 1996 and 1995 and the related consolidated statements of income, shareholders' equity and cash flows for each of the four years in the period ended December 31, 1997 (including the related notes and schedules thereto) of the Company contained in the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K for the years ended December 31, 1997 and 1996 included in the SEC Reports present fairly, in all material respects, the consolidated financial position and the consolidated results of operations and cash flows of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of the dates or for the periods presented therein in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except as may be indicated in the notes thereto). (c) The accounting books and records of the Company and its Subsidiaries: (i) are in all material respects correct and complete; (ii) are current in a manner consistent with past practice; and (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, have recorded therein all the properties, assets and liabilities -14- 15 of the Company and its Subsidiaries (except where the failure to so record would not violate GAAP as consistently applied by the Company). SECTION 4.07 Information. None of the information supplied by the Company in writing specifically for inclusion or incorporation by reference in (i) the Offer Documents, (ii) the Schedule 14D-9, (iii) the Proxy Statement or (iv) any other document to be filed with the SEC or any other Governmental Entity in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (the "Other Filings") will, at the respective times filed with the SEC or other Governmental Entity and, in addition, in the case of the Proxy Statement, at the date it or any amendment or supplement is mailed to the shareholders of the Company, at the time of the Shareholders' Meeting and at the Effective Time, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The Proxy Statement will comply as to form in all material respects with the provisions of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder, except that no representation is made by the Company with respect to statements made therein based on information supplied by Parent or the Purchaser in writing specifically for inclusion in the Proxy Statement. SECTION 4.08 Tax Matters. (a) Tax Returns. For all years for which the applicable statutory period of limitation has not expired, and except to the extent that failures, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, (i) the Company has filed all Tax Returns (as hereinafter defined) that it was required to file and all such Tax Returns were correct and complete in all material respects, (ii) all Taxes (as hereinafter defined) owed by the Company (whether or not shown on any Tax Return) have been paid, except for Taxes as set forth on the balance sheet dated as of December 31, 1997 or which have arisen after December 31, 1997 in the ordinary course of the Company's trade or business and (iii) there are no Liens on any of the assets of the Company that arose in connection with any failure (or alleged failure) to pay any Tax. In particular, and without in any manner limiting the foregoing and except to the extent that failures, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, (i) none of the foregoing Tax Returns contain any position which is or would be subject to penalties under Section 6662 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), (or any corresponding provision of state, local or foreign Tax law), (ii) no Tax deficiencies have been proposed or assessed against the Company, (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, no issue has been raised in any prior Tax audit of the Company which, by application of the same or similar principles, could reasonably be expected upon a future Tax audit of the Company to result in a proposed deficiency for any period, and (iv) the Company is not liable for any Taxes attributable to any other person, whether by reason of being a member of another affiliated group, being a party to a tax sharing agreement, as a transferee or successor, or otherwise. As used herein, the term "Tax" means any federal, state, local, or foreign income, gross receipts, license, payroll, employment, excise, severance, stamp, occupation, premium, windfall profits, environmental, customs duties, capital stock, franchise, profits, withholding, social security (or similar), unemployment, disability, real property, personal property, sales, use, transfer, registration, value added, alternative or add-on minimum, estimated, or other tax of any kind whatsoever, including any interest, penalty, or addition thereto; and the term "Tax Return" means any return, declaration, report, claim for refund, or information return or -15- 16 statement relating to Taxes, including any schedule or attachment thereto, and including any amendment thereof. (b) Other Representations. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.08 of the Company Disclosure Statement, the Company has not (i) filed any consent or agreement under Section 341(f) of the Code, (ii) applied for any tax ruling within the last three years, (iii) entered into a closing agreement with any taxing authority within the last three years, (iv) filed an election under Section 338(g) or Section 338(h)(10) of the Code (nor has a deemed election under Section 338(e) of the Code occurred), (v) made any payments, or been a party to an agreement (including this Agreement) that under any circumstances could obligate it to make payments, that will not be deductible because of Section 280G of the Code, or (vi) been a party to any tax allocation or tax sharing agreement for any year for which the applicable statutory period of limitations has not expired. Company is not a "United States real property holding company" within the meaning of Section 897 of the Code. SECTION 4.09 No Litigation. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.09 of the Company Disclosure Statement, as of the date hereof, there is no action, suit, claim, workers compensation claim, arbitration, product warranty claim, proceeding, investigation or inquiry, whether civil, criminal or administrative ("Litigation"), pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiaries, threatened against the Company or the Subsidiaries, their respective businesses or any of their assets, or, to the knowledge of the Company and if and to the extent the Company is, through indemnity or otherwise, liable therefor, any of the Company's current or former directors or officers or any other person whom the Company has agreed to indemnify, as such, nor does the Company or the Subsidiaries know, or have grounds to know, of any basis for any Litigation, that would have in all of the cases above, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. As of date hereof, there are no such actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, against the Company by any person which question the legality, validity or propriety of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. There are no outstanding orders, judgments, injunctions, awards or decrees of any Governmental Entity against the Company, any of its or its properties, assets or business, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any of the Company's current or former directors or officers or any other person whom the Company has agreed to indemnify, as such, that could reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. SECTION 4.10 Compliance With Applicable Laws. (a) Non-Environmental Matters. The Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with all applicable laws, ordinances, rules or regulations (collectively, "Laws") and orders, writs, injunctions, judgments, plans or decrees (collectively, "Orders") (except, in each case, with respect to environmental matters which are governed by Section 4.10(b) hereof) of any Governmental Entity, except for such failures to so comply which, individually and in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. The business operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries are not being conducted in violation of any Law or Order of any Governmental Entity (except, in each case, with respect to environmental matters which are governed by Section 4.10(b) hereof), except for possible violations which, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. -16- 17 (b) Environmental Matters. Except for the matters identified in Schedule 4.10 of the Company Disclosure Statement or except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, (i) no real property currently or, to the knowledge of the Company, formerly owned, leased, operated, managed or controlled by the Company or any Subsidiary has been contaminated with any Hazardous Substances to an extent or in a manner or condition now requiring investigation, removal, corrective action, or remediation, or that could be reasonably likely to result in liability of, or costs to, the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, under any Environmental Law (as hereinafter defined), (ii) no judicial or administrative proceeding is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened relating to liability for any off-site disposal or contamination, (iii) there is currently no civil, criminal, or administrative action, suit, demand, hearing, notice of violation, investigation, notice or demand letter, or request for information pending, or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened, under any Environmental Law against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, the Company and the Subsidiaries have not received in writing any claims or notices alleging liability under any Environmental Law, and the Company has no knowledge of any circumstances that would reasonably be expected to result in such claims, (iv) the Company and each of the Subsidiaries are currently in compliance, and within the period of applicable statutes of limitation, have complied, with all applicable Environmental Laws, (v) no property or facility currently or, to the Company's knowledge as of the date hereof, formerly owned, leased, operated, managed or controlled by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is listed or proposed for listing on the National Priorities List or the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System, both promulgated under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation & Liability Act, as amended, or on any comparable state or foreign list established under any Environmental Law and (vi) each of the Company and its Subsidiaries has obtained all environmental, health and safety permits and governmental authorizations required for its operations, and such permits are in good standing and each of the Company and its Subsidiaries is in substantial compliance with all items and conditions thereof. "Environmental Law" means any applicable federal, national, foreign, state or local Laws relating to noise, odor, Hazardous Substances, pollution, human health and safety or the protection of the environment. "Hazardous Substance" means any pollutant, contaminant or toxic or hazardous substance or constituent that is defined or regulated by or under authority of any Environmental Law, including without limitation any petroleum products, asbestos or polychlorinated biphenyls, and any other substance that can give rise to liability under any Environmental Law. SECTION 4.11 Labor Matters. (a) Certain Agreements. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.11 of the Company Disclosure Statement, neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is a party to any collective bargaining agreement. The employment agreements that have been entered into by either the Company or any Subsidiary are set forth in Schedule 4.11 of the Company Disclosure Statement. (b) Labor Disputes. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.11 of the Company Disclosure Statement and except to the extent that failures, individually or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company: (i) there are no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened and unresolved claims by any person against the Company or its Subsidiaries arising out of any statute, ordinance or regulation relating to unfair labor practices, discrimination or to employees or employee practices or occupational or safety and health standards; (ii) there is -17- 18 no pending, nor has the Company or its Subsidiaries experienced any, labor dispute, strike or organized work stoppage within the last three years; and (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, there is no threatened labor dispute, strike or organized work stoppage against the Company or its Subsidiaries. (c) Union Matters. As of the date hereof, except as set forth in Schedule 4.11 of the Company Disclosure Statement: (i) to the knowledge of the Company, no union organizing activities are in process or have been proposed or threatened involving any employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries and (ii) no petitions have been filed or, to the knowledge of the Company, have been threatened or proposed to be filed, for union organization or representation or employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries not presently organized. SECTION 4.12 Employee Benefit Plans. (a) Disclosure and Claims. Schedule 4.12 of the Company Disclosure Statement lists each employee benefit plan (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ("ERISA"), each employment contract, stock option, profit sharing, stock appreciation right, phantom stock, restricted stock, severance, vacation, termination or other compensation plan, program, arrangement or understanding maintained or contributed to by the Company or the Subsidiaries, or with respect to which the Company or any Subsidiary or any Company ERISA Affiliate (as defined below) could incur material liability (the "Company Benefit Plans"). The Company has delivered or made available to Parent a true and complete copy of each material Company Benefit Plan and the most recent Form 5500 (including all attached schedules) filed with respect to each applicable Company Benefit Plan and the most recent actuarial or financial valuation reports prepared with respect to any Company Benefit Plan. No Company Benefit Plan is a "multiemployer plan" (as defined in Section 4001 of ERISA), and neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has ever contributed nor been obligated to contribute to any such multiemployer plan. There is no pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened dispute, controversy, investigation or claim concerning the Company Benefit Plans other than that would not be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. "Company ERISA Affiliate" shall mean any person which, together with the Company, would be deemed a "single employer" within the meaning of Section 4001 of ERISA. (b) Determination Letters. The Internal Revenue Service has issued a favorable determination letter with respect to each Company Benefit Plan, that is intended to be a "qualified plan" within the meaning of Section 401(a) of the Code, and as of the date thereof, to the knowledge of the Company, there are no circumstances nor any events that have occurred that would materially adversely affect the qualified status of any such plan or the related trust. (c) Compliance. The Company and the Subsidiaries and the Company Benefit Plans are in compliance in all material respects with all provisions of ERISA, the Code and all other laws and regulations applicable to the Company Benefit Plans. There does not now exist, nor do any circumstances now exist that could reasonably be expected to result in, any material liability of the Company or any Subsidiary under (i) Title IV of ERISA, (ii) Section 302 of ERISA, (iii) Sections 412 and 4971 of the Code, (iv) Section 4980B of the Code or Sections 502 or 601-608 of ERISA, or (v) any other Laws or Orders with respect to any Company Benefit Plan, other than claims for -18- 19 benefits under such plans. With respect to each Company Benefit Plan subject to Title IV or Section 302 of ERISA or Section 412 or 4971 of the Code: (i) there does not exist any accumulated funding deficiency within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, whether or not waived, and (ii) no reportable event within the meaning of Section 4043(c) of ERISA and no event described in Section 4062 or 4063 of ERISA has occurred. (d) Post-Retirement Benefits. No Company Benefit Plan provides material benefits, including, without limitation, death or medical benefits (whether or not insured), with respect to current or former employees of the Company or any Subsidiary beyond their retirement or other termination of service, other than (i) coverage mandated by applicable Laws, (ii) death benefits or retirement benefits under any "employee pension benefit plan" as defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA, (iii) deferred compensation benefits accrued as liabilities on the books of the Company or a Subsidiary, (iv) benefits the full cost of which is borne by the current or former employee (or his or her beneficiary), or (v) medical and dental benefits for former employees (as set forth in Schedule 4.12 of the Company Disclosure Schedule). (e) Funding. Except with respect to the Hein-Werner Hourly and Incentive-Rated Employees' Pension Plan (the "Hourly Plan"), the current value of the assets of each of the Company Benefit Plans that is subject to Title IV of ERISA, determined as of the date of the most recently completed actuarial valuation, exceeds the actuarial present value of benefit obligations as of such date based upon the actuarial assumptions presently used for funding purposes in the most recent actuarial report prepared by such Company Benefit Plan's actuary with respect to such Company Benefit Plan. According to the most recently completed actuarial valuation with respect to the Hourly Plan, as of the date of such valuation, the actuarial present value of benefit obligations under the Hourly Plan exceeded the actuarial value of assets by $389,902. All contributions or other amounts payable by the Company or its Subsidiaries as of the Effective Time with respect to each Company Benefit Plan in respect of current or prior plan years have been either paid or accrued on the December 31, 1997 consolidated balance sheet of the Company. There are no material pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened or anticipated claims (other than routine claims for benefits) by, on behalf of or against any of the Company Benefit Plans or any trusts related thereto. (f) Other Plan Obligations. To the knowledge of the Company, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries, nor any Company ERISA Affiliate, nor any Company Benefit Plan, nor any trust created thereunder, nor any trustee or administrator thereof has engaged in a transaction in connection with which the Company or its Subsidiaries or any Company ERISA Affiliate, any Company Benefit Plan, any such trust, or any trustee or administrator thereof, or any party dealing with any Company Benefit Plan or any such trust could be subject to either a civil penalty assessed pursuant to Section 409 or 502(i) of ERISA or a tax imposed pursuant to Section 4975 or 4976 of the Code. SECTION 4.13 Intellectual Property. Except for the matters identified in Schedule 4.13 of the Company Disclosure Schedule or except as would not, individually and in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, (i) the Company and each of the Subsidiaries owns, has the right to acquire or is licensed or otherwise has the right to use (in each case, clear of any Liens), all Intellectual Property (as defined below) used in or necessary for the conduct of its business as currently conducted, (ii) no claims are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened that -19- 20 the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is infringing on or otherwise violating the rights of any person with regard to any Intellectual Property and (iii) to the knowledge of the Company, no person is infringing on or otherwise violating any right of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries with respect to any Intellectual Property owned by and/or licensed to the Company or the Subsidiaries. For purposes of this Agreement, "Intellectual Property" shall mean (i) any invention, United States and foreign patents, pending patent applications, trade names, trade dress, logos, corporate names, trademarks, service marks, trademark registrations, service mark registrations, pending trademark applications, pending service mark applications, registered copyrights, and pending copyright applications, together with all translations, adaptations, derivations, and combinations thereof and including all goodwill associated therewith, and all applications, registrations, and renewals in connection therewith; (ii) proprietary software; and (iii) all trade secrets and confidential business information (including ideas, research and development, know-how, formulas, compositions, manufacturing and production processes and techniques, technical data, designs, drawings, specifications, customer and supplier lists, pricing and cost information, and business and marketing plans and proposals). SECTION 4.14 Certain Events. (a) Since December 31, 1997, there has not been any Material Adverse Effect on the Company. In addition, since December 31, 1997, except as set forth in Schedule 4.14 of the Company Disclosure Statement, the Company and the Subsidiaries have conducted their businesses only in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices and there has not been, directly or indirectly: (i) any payment or granting by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries of any increase in compensation to any director or executive officer of the Company or, except in the ordinary course of business and consistent with past practice, any employee of the Company or the Subsidiaries; (ii) any granting by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries to any such director, executive officer or employee of any increase in severance or termination pay, except as required under employment, severance or termination agreements or plans in effect prior to the date of this Agreement; (iii) any entry by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries into any employment, severance or termination agreement with any such director or executive officer; (iv) any adoption or increase in payments to or benefits under any Company Benefit Plans; (v) any change in accounting methods, principles or practices by the Company and the Subsidiaries, except insofar as may have been required by a change in GAAP; (vi) any declaration or payment of any dividend or any distribution in respect of the capital stock of the Company or any direct or indirect redemption, purchase or other acquisition of any such stock of the Company; or -20- 21 (vii) any agreement or commitment to do any of the things described in the preceding clauses (i) through (vi). (b) Except as set forth in Schedule 4.14 of the Company Disclosure Statement, since December 31, 1997 and through the date hereof: (i) no party (including the Company and its Subsidiaries) has accelerated, terminated, modified in any material respect, or cancelled any Contract (other than purchase and sales orders in the ordinary course of business in accordance with past practice) involving more than $100,000 to which the Company or its Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them is bound; (ii) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has (other than in the ordinary course of business) granted any license or sublicense of any rights under or with respect to any Intellectual Property; (iii) neither the Company nor any of Subsidiaries has experienced any material damage, destruction, or loss (whether or not covered by insurance) from fire or other casualty to its tangible property; or (iv) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has entered into a binding commitment to any of the foregoing. "Contracts" shall mean all of the contracts, agreements and obligations, written or oral, to which the Company or its Subsidiaries are a party or by which the Company or its Subsidiaries or any of their respective assets are bound, including, without limitation, any loan, bond, mortgage, indenture, lease instrument, franchise or license. SECTION 4.15 Certain Approvals. The Board of Directors of the Company has taken appropriate action such that, assuming the accuracy of Parent's and the Purchaser's representations in Section 5.08 of this Agreement, the provisions of Sections 180.1140 through 180.1144 of the WBCL will not apply to any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement. SECTION 4.16 Brokers. Except for the engagement of Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation ("CSFB"), none of the Company, the Subsidiaries, or any of their respective officers, directors or employees has employed any broker or finder or incurred any liability for any brokerage fees, commission or finder's fees in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement. SECTION 4.17 Opinion of Financial Advisor. The Company has received the written opinion of CSFB, dated April 27, 1998, to the effect that, as of such date, the cash consideration to be received by the holders of the Common Shares pursuant to the Offer and the Merger is fair to such holders from a financial point of view. -21- 22 SECTION 4.18 Rights Agreement. Assuming the accuracy of Parent's and the Purchaser's representations in Section 5.08 of this Agreement, neither the execution nor the delivery of this Agreement nor commencement of the Offer will result in a "Distribution Date" (as defined in the Rights Agreement). The Company has irrevocably taken all actions necessary to make the Rights inapplicable to (a) the Offer and the Merger and (b) the Stock Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby. SECTION 4.19 Title to Assets. All of the material real property owned or leased by each of the Company and its Subsidiaries are identified in the SEC Reports (the "Real Estate"). Each of the Company and its Subsidiaries owns fee simple or valid leasehold (as the case may be) title to the Real Estate and has valid title to its other tangible assets and properties which it owns, free and clear of any and all Liens, except for any such as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company. SECTION 4.20 Buildings and Equipment. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.20 of the Company Disclosure Statement or except for any such as would not have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company: (i) neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries has received any written notice from any Governmental Entity that any of the Buildings or Equipment (each as defined below) fail to comply with any applicable building and zoning or other similar Laws in effect at the date hereof which notice is still outstanding and (ii) the continuation of the Company's and its Subsidiaries' businesses as currently conducted will not result in the enforcement or the threat of enforcement of any such Laws. "Buildings" shall mean all buildings, fixtures, structures and improvements leased or owned by the Company or its Subsidiaries. "Equipment" shall mean all machinery, equipment, boilers, furniture, fixtures, motor vehicles, furnishings, parts, tools, office equipment, computers and other items of tangible personal property owned or used by the Company or its Subsidiaries. SECTION 4.21 Vote Required. Assuming the accuracy of Parent's and the Purchaser's representations in Section 5.08 of this Agreement and subject to Sections 180.1130-180.1133 of the WBCL, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (2/3rds) of the outstanding Common Shares entitled to vote with respect to the Merger is the only vote of the holders of any class or series of the Company's capital stock necessary to approve the Merger, this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby. SECTION 4.22 Certain Agreements. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.22 of the Company Disclosure Statement, neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries is a party to any oral or written agreement or plan, including any stock option plan, stock appreciation rights plan, restricted stock plan or stock purchase plan, any of the benefits of which will be increased, or the vesting of the benefits of which will be accelerated, by the occurrence of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the value of any of the benefits of which will be calculated on the basis of any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. Except as described in Schedule 4.22 of the Company Disclosure Statement or except for any such as would not result in a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement will not constitute a "change of control" under, require the consent from or the giving of notice to any third party pursuant to, or accelerate the vesting or repurchase rights under, the terms, conditions or provisions of any loan or credit agreement, note, bond, mortgage, indenture, license, lease, contract, agreement or other instrument or obligation to which the Company or its Subsidiaries is a party or by which -22- 23 any of them or any of their properties or assets may be bound. Except as set forth in Schedule 4.22 of the Company Disclosure Statement, there are no amounts payable by the Company or its Subsidiaries to any officers of the Company or its Subsidiaries (in their capacity as officers) as a result of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and/or any subsequent employment termination. SECTION 4.23 Applicability of Articles of Incorporation. The Board of Directors of the Company has taken such action as may be necessary to ensure that the supermajority vote provision of Article VII of the Company's articles of incorporation is inapplicable to the Offer or the Merger, or to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby. SECTION 4.24 Contracts. Except as set forth in Section 4.24 of the Company Disclosure Statement, the Company does not have any Contract in effect as of the date hereof which purports to limit in any respect the manner in which, or the localities in which, the Company, its Subsidiaries or any other entity is entitled to conduct all or any portion of its business. There are no existing breaches or defaults by the Company or its Subsidiaries, or, to the knowledge of the Company, any other party to a Contract under any Contract the effect of which would constitute a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, no event has occurred which, with the passage of time or the giving of notice or both, could reasonably be expected to constitute such a breach or default. ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND THE PURCHASER Parent and the Purchaser jointly and severally represent and warrant to the Company as follows: SECTION 5.01 Organization and Qualification. Parent is a corporation duly organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of Delaware. The Purchaser is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Wisconsin. Each of Parent and the Purchaser has the requisite corporate power and authority to own, operate or lease its properties and to carry on its business as it is now being conducted, and is duly qualified or licensed to do business, and is in good standing, in each jurisdiction in which the nature of its business or the properties owned, operated or leased by it makes such qualification, licensing or good standing necessary, except where the failure to have such power or authority, or the failure to be so qualified, licensed or in good standing, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent. The term "Material Adverse Effect on Parent", as used in this Agreement, means any change in or effect on the business, results of operations, assets, condition (financial or otherwise) or liabilities of Parent or any of its subsidiaries that would be materially adverse to Parent and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, except for any change or effect resulting from general economic or financial market conditions. SECTION 5.02 Authority. Each of Parent and the Purchaser has all necessary corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby. The execution and delivery of this -23- 24 Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement by Parent and the Purchaser and the consummation by Parent and the Purchaser of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby have been duly and validly authorized and approved by the Boards of Directors of Parent and the Purchaser and by the sole shareholder of the Purchaser and no other corporate proceedings on the part of Parent or the Purchaser are necessary to authorize or approve this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement or to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby. Each of this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by each of Parent and the Purchaser and, assuming the due and valid authorization, execution and delivery by the Company, constitutes a valid and binding obligation of each of Parent and the Purchaser enforceable against each of them in accordance with its respective terms, except that such enforceability (i) may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium or other similar laws affecting or relating to the enforcement of creditors' rights generally and (ii) is subject to general principles of equity. SECTION 5.03 No Conflict; Required Filings and Consents. (a) None of the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement by Parent or the Purchaser, the consummation by Parent or the Purchaser of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or the compliance by Parent or the Purchaser with any of the provisions hereof or thereof will (i) conflict with or violate the organizational documents of Parent or the Purchaser, (ii) conflict with or violate any statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree applicable to Parent or the Purchaser, or any of their subsidiaries, or by which any of them or any of their respective properties or assets may be bound or affected, or (iii) result in a Violation pursuant to any note, bond, mortgage, indenture, contract, agreement, lease, license, permit, franchise or other instrument or obligation to which Parent or the Purchaser, or any of their respective subsidiaries, is a party or by which any of their respective properties or assets may be bound or affected, except in the case of the foregoing clauses (ii) and (iii) for any such Violations which would not have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent or materially adversely affect the ability of Parent or the Purchaser to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement. (b) None of the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement by Parent and the Purchaser, the consummation by Parent and the Purchaser of the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby or the compliance by Parent and the Purchaser with any of the provisions hereof or thereof will require any Consent of any Governmental Entity, except for (i) compliance with any applicable requirements of the Exchange Act, (ii) the filing of articles of merger pursuant to the WBCL, (iii) compliance with the HSR Act, (iv) such filings and approvals as may be required by any applicable state securities, "blue sky" or takeover Laws, and (v) other Consents or filings the failure of which to obtain or make, individually and in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect on Parent or materially adversely affect the ability of Parent or the Purchaser to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement. SECTION 5.04 Information. None of the information supplied or to be supplied by Parent and the Purchaser in writing specifically for inclusion in (i) the Offer Documents, (ii) the Schedule 14D-9, (iii) the Proxy Statement or (iv) the Other Filings will, at the respective times filed with the SEC or such other Governmental Entity and, in addition, in the case of the Proxy Statement, -24- 25 at the date it or any amendment or supplement is mailed to shareholders of the Company, at the time of the Shareholders' Meeting and at the Effective Time, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. SECTION 5.05 Financing. Parent or the Purchaser has available the funds necessary to consummate the Offer and the Merger and the transactions contemplated hereby on a timely basis. SECTION 5.06 Brokers. Except for the engagement of Merrill Lynch & Co., none of Parent, the Purchaser, or any of their respective subsidiaries, officers, directors or employees, has employed any broker or finder or incurred any liability for any brokerage fees, commissions or finder's fees in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement for or with respect to which the Company is or might be liable. SECTION 5.07 Purchaser. (a) Parent owns all of the outstanding stock of Purchaser; at all times prior to the Merger, no person other than Parent has owned, or will own, any of the outstanding stock of Purchaser. Purchaser was formed by Parent solely for the purpose of engaging in the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. (b) There are not as of the date of this Agreement, and there will not be at the Effective Time, any outstanding or authorized options, warrants, calls, rights, commitments or any other agreements of any character which Purchaser is a party to, or may be bound by, requiring it to issue, transfer, sell, purchase, redeem or acquire any shares of its capital stock or any securities or rights convertible into, exchangeable for, or evidencing the right to subscribe for or acquire, any shares of its capital stock. (c) As of the date of this Agreement and the Effective Time, except for obligations incurred in connection with this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby, Purchaser has not and will not have incurred, directly or indirectly through any other corporation, any obligations or liabilities of any kind or engaged in any activities of any type or kind whatsoever or entered into any arrangement or arrangements with any person or entity. SECTION 5.08 Share Ownership. During the period from September 10, 1987 to the date hereof, neither Parent, the Purchaser nor any of their affiliates have owned 10% or more of the Shares. ARTICLE VI COVENANTS SECTION 6.01 Conduct of Business of the Company. Except as required by this Agreement or with the prior written consent of Parent, during the period from the date of this Agreement to the Effective Time, the Company will and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to conduct its operations -25- 26 only in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and will use its commercially reasonable efforts and will cause each of the Subsidiaries to use its commercially reasonable efforts, to preserve intact the business organization of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries, to use, operate, maintain and repair all of its assets and properties in a normal business manner consistent with past practice, to keep available the services of its and their present officers and key employees and to preserve the goodwill of those having business relationships with it and to conduct business with suppliers, customers, creditors and others having business relationships with the Company in the best interests of the Company. Without limiting the generality to the foregoing, and except as otherwise required or contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement or as set forth in Section 6.01 of the Company Disclosure Statement, the Company will not, and will not permit any of the Subsidiaries to, prior to the Effective Time, without the prior written consent of Parent: (a) adopt any amendment to its charter or by-laws or comparable organizational documents; (b) issue, reissue or sell or authorize the issuance, reissuance or sale of additional shares of capital stock of any class, or shares convertible into capital stock of any class, or any rights, warrants or options to acquire any convertible shares or capital stock, other than the issuance of Shares pursuant to Options outstanding on the date of this Agreement or pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement; (c) declare, set aside or pay any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, shares or property or any combination thereof) in respect of any class or series of its capital stock other than between any of the Company and any Subsidiary which is wholly-owned by the Company; (d) split, combine, subdivide, reclassify or directly or indirectly redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire, recapitalize or reclassify, or propose to redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire, any shares of its capital stock, or any of its other shares or liquidate in whole or in part; (e) except for (A) increases in salary, wages and benefits of non-executive officers or employees of the Company or the Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (B) increases in salary, wages and benefits granted to officers and employees of the Company or the Subsidiaries in conjunction with new hires in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, or (C) increases in salary, wages and benefits to employees of the Company or the Subsidiaries pursuant to collective bargaining agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (i) increase the compensation or fringe benefits payable or to become payable to its directors, officers or key employees (whether from the Company or any of the Subsidiaries), (ii) pay any benefit not required by any existing plan or arrangement (including, without limitation, the granting of stock options, stock appreciation rights, shares of restricted stock or performance units), (iii) grant any severance or termination pay to (except pursuant to existing agreements, plans or policies and as required by such agreements, plans or polices), (iv) enter into or modify any employment or severance agreement with, any director, officer or other key employee of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or (v) establish, adopt, enter into, or amend any collective bargaining, bonus, profit sharing, thrift, compensation, stock option, restricted stock or Company Benefit Plans for the benefit or welfare of any directors, officers -26- 27 or current or former employees, except in each case to the extent required by applicable Law or regulation; (f) (i) sell, lease, transfer or assign any of its assets, tangible or intangible, other than for a fair consideration in the ordinary course of business and other than the disposition of obsolete or unusable property; (ii) enter into any Contract (other than purchase and sales orders in the ordinary course of business in accordance with past practice) involving more than $25,000 without the consent of Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld); (iii) accelerate, terminate, modify in any material respect, or cancel any Contract (other than purchase and sales orders and other than in the ordinary course of business in accordance with past practice) involving more than $25,000 to which the Company is a party or by which any of them is bound without the consent of Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld; (iv) make any capital expenditure (or series of related capital expenditures) involving either more than $25,000 (unless such expenditure is identified in the current business plan of the Company as disclosed to Parent) or outside the ordinary course of business; (v) delay or postpone the payment of accounts payable and other liabilities outside the ordinary course of business; (vi) cancel, compromise, waive or release any right or claim (or series of related rights and claims) not covered by the reserves or accruals relating to such claim in the Company's December 31, 1997 consolidated balance sheet either involving more than $25,000 or outside the ordinary course of business without the consent of Parent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld); (vii) grant any license or sublicense of any rights under or with respect to any Intellectual Property other than in the ordinary course of business; or (viii) enter into any contract or agreement with any affiliate of the Company except for transactions in the ordinary course of business upon commercially reasonable terms. (g) (i) incur, assume or pre-pay any long-term debt or incur or assume any short-term debt, except that the Company and the Subsidiaries may incur, assume or pre-pay debt in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice under existing lines of credit, (ii) pay, discharge, settle or satisfy as other claims, liabilities or obligations (absolute, accrued, asserted or unasserted, contingent or otherwise), other than in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice, (iii) assume, guarantee, endorse or otherwise become liable or responsible (whether directly, contingently or otherwise) for the obligations of any other person, or (iv) make any loans, advances or capital contributions to, or investments in, any other person except in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practice and except for loans, advances, capital contributions or investments between any Subsidiary wholly-owned by the Company and the Company or another Subsidiary wholly-owned by the Company; or (h) agree in writing or otherwise to take any of the foregoing actions. SECTION 6.02 Access to Information. From the date hereof until the Effective Time, the Company will, and will cause the Subsidiaries, and each of its and their respective officers, directors, employees, counsel, advisors and representatives (collectively, the "Company Representatives") to, (i) provide Parent and the Purchaser and their respective officers, employees, counsel, advisors and representatives (collectively, the "Parent Representatives") access, during normal business hours and upon reasonable notice, to the offices and other facilities and to the books, records, financial statements and other documents and materials relating to the financial condition, assets and liabilities of the Company and the Subsidiaries, and will permit Parent and the Purchaser to make inspections -27- 28 of such as either of them may reasonably require, (ii) cause the Company Representatives and the Subsidiaries to furnish Parent, the Purchaser and the Parent Representatives to the extent available with such other information with respect to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries as Parent and the Purchaser may from time to time reasonably request and (iii) confer and consult with the Parent Representatives, as Parent may reasonably request, to report on operational matters, financial matters and the general status of ongoing business operations of the Company; provided, however, that all requests for such access, inspection, information or consultations pursuant to this Section 6.02 shall be made through the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company or such other person as he shall designate in writing to Parent. Unless otherwise required by Law and except as is necessary to disseminate the Offer Documents, Parent and the Purchaser will, and will cause the Parent Representatives to hold any such information in confidence until such time as such information otherwise becomes publicly available through no wrongful act of Parent, the Purchaser or the Parent Representative, all as specifically provided in the confidentiality agreement, dated April 21, 1998, between Parent and the Company (the "Confidentiality Agreement"). SECTION 6.03 Commercially Reasonable Efforts. Subject to the terms and conditions herein provided and to applicable legal requirements, so long as this Agreement has not been terminated, each of the parties hereto agrees to use its commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all action, and to do, or cause to be done, consistent with the fiduciary duties of such party's respective Board of Directors, and to assist and cooperate with the other parties hereto in doing, as promptly as practicable, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable Laws and regulations to ensure that the conditions set forth in Annex I and Article VII are satisfied and to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by the Offer, the Merger, this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement, including, without limitation, to make promptly their respective filings and thereafter to make any other submissions required under applicable Laws. In addition, if at any time prior to the Effective Time any event or circumstance relating to either the Company or Parent or the Purchaser or any of their respective subsidiaries should be discovered by the Company or Parent, as the case may be, and which should be set forth in an amendment to the Offer Documents or Schedule 14D-9, the discovering party will promptly inform the other party of such event or circumstance and promptly take all steps necessary to cause the Offer Documents or the Schedule 14D-9, as the case may be, as so corrected to be filed with the SEC and to be disseminated to the shareholders of the Company, in each case as to the extent required by applicable Law. If at any time after the Effective Time any further action is necessary or desirable to carry out the purposes of this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement, including the execution of additional instruments, the proper officers and directors of each party to this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement, as the case may be, shall take all such necessary action. SECTION 6.04 Consents. (a) Subject to the terms and conditions herein provided, the Company will (i) take all reasonable steps necessary or desirable, and proceed diligently and in good faith and use all commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all approvals required by any Contract to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, (ii) take all reasonable steps necessary or desirable, and proceed diligently and in good faith and use all commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all approvals, authorizations, and clearances of any Governmental Entity required of the Company to permit the -28- 29 Company to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, (iii) provide such other information and communications to such Governmental Entity as such entity may reasonably request, and (iv) cooperate with Parent in obtaining all approvals, authorizations and clearances of Governmental Entities and others required of Parent to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement. (b) Each of the parties will use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain as promptly as practicable all Consents of any Governmental Entity or any other person required in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Offer, the Merger, this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement. (c) Any party hereto shall promptly inform the others of any material communication from the United States Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice or any other domestic government or governmental authority regarding any of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement. If any party or any affiliate thereof receives a request for additional information or documentary material from any such government or authority with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement, then such party will endeavor in good faith to make, or cause to be made, as soon as reasonably practicable and after consultation with the other party, an appropriate response in compliance with such request. Parent will advise the Company promptly in respect of any understandings, undertakings or agreements (oral or written) which Parent proposes to make or enter into with the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice or any other domestic or foreign government or governmental or multinational authority in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement. SECTION 6.05 Public Announcements. So long as this Agreement is in effect, Parent, the Purchaser and the Company agree to consult with each other before issuing any press release or otherwise making any public statement with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. SECTION 6.06 Employee Benefit Arrangements. (a) Following the Effective Time and through December 31, 1999, the Purchaser agrees to provide employee benefit plans and programs for the benefit of employees of the Company and the Subsidiaries (excluding plans or programs which provide for issuance of Shares or options on Shares) that are of reasonably equivalent value to such employees as compared with the Company Benefit Plans, subject to applicable governmental rules and regulations. All service credited to each employee by the Company or any Subsidiary through the Effective Time shall be recognized by the Purchaser for purposes of eligibility and vesting (but not benefit accrual) under any employee benefit plan provided by the Purchaser for the benefit of the employees. (b) Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation to honor (without modification) and assume all written employment agreements with individual employees, severance agreements with individual employees and other comparable agreements with individual employees of the Company or any Subsidiary, all as in effect on the date of this Agreement (including, without limitation, the -29- 30 Consulting Agreement between the Company and J. Queenan), all of which are listed on Schedule 6.06 of the Company Disclosure Statement. (c) The Purchaser shall maintain in effect the Company severance plan/program (as specified in the employee handbook) for a period of two years immediately following the Effective Time and the Company severance plan/program shall not be terminated or adversely amended during such two-year period. (d) The Company shall cause the interest of each of the employees of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of the Acceptance Date (as hereinafter defined) in the Hein-Werner Retirement and Savings Plan and Trust to be fully vested and nonforfeitable as of the Acceptance Date. (e) For a period of 18 months following the Effective Time, Parent shall cause the Surviving Corporation to continue to provide medical insurance, at COBRA premium rates, to O. Friend. SECTION 6.07 Company Disclosure Statement. The Company has delivered to Parent the Company Disclosure Statement which shall be accompanied by a certificate signed by the President and the Secretary of the Company stating that the Company Disclosure Schedule was delivered pursuant to this Agreement and is the Company Disclosure Schedule referred to in this Agreement. The Company Disclosure Schedule is deemed to constitute an integral part of this Agreement and to modify, as specified, the representations, warranties, covenants or agreements of the Company contained in this Agreement. SECTION 6.08 Deliveries of Information. From time to time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Effective Time (unless this Agreement is terminated), the Company shall furnish promptly to Parent: (a) a copy of each report, schedule and other document filed by the Company or received by the Company after the date of this Agreement pursuant to the requirements of federal or state securities Laws promptly after such documents are available; and (b) the monthly consolidated financial statements of the Company (as prepared by the Company in accordance with its normal accounting procedures) promptly after such financial statements are available. SECTION 6.09 No Solicitation. (a) The Company represents and warrants to, and covenants and agrees with, Parent and the Purchaser that neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has any agreement, arrangement or understanding with any potential acquiror that, directly or indirectly, would be violated, or require any payments, by reason of the execution, delivery and/or consummation of this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement. The Company shall, shall cause the Subsidiaries to, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the officers, directors, employees, investment bankers, attorneys and other agents and representatives of the Company and the Subsidiaries to, immediately cease any existing activities, information exchanges, discussions or negotiations with any person -30- 31 (including a "person" as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than Parent or the Purchaser (a "Third Party") heretofore conducted with respect to any Acquisition Transaction (as hereinafter defined). The Company shall not, shall cause the Subsidiaries not to, and shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause the officers, directors, employees, investment bankers, attorneys and other agents and representatives of the Company and the Subsidiaries not to, directly or indirectly, (x) solicit, initiate, continue, facilitate or encourage (including by way of furnishing or disclosing non-public information) any inquiries, proposals or offers from any Third Party with respect to, or that could reasonably be expected to lead to, any acquisition or purchase of all or any significant portion of the assets or business of, or any significant equity interest in (including by way of a tender offer), or any merger, consolidation or business combination with, or any similar transaction involving, the Company or any of the Subsidiaries (the foregoing being referred to collectively as an "Acquisition Transaction"), or (y) negotiate or otherwise communicate in any way with any Third Party with respect to any Acquisition Transaction or enter into, approve or recommend any agreement, arrangement or understanding requiring the Company to abandon, terminate or fail to consummate the Offer and/or the Merger or any other transaction contemplated hereby or by the Stock Option Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, the Company may in response to an unsolicited written proposal with respect to an Acquisition Transaction involving the acquisition of all of the Shares (or all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and the Subsidiaries) from a Third Party furnish or disclose non-public information to such Third Party and negotiate or otherwise communicate with such Third Party, in each case only if (A) the Board of Directors of the Company (after consultation with its outside legal counsel and independent financial advisors) determines in good faith that such proposal would reasonably be likely to be more favorable to the Company and its shareholders than the transactions contemplated hereby (the proposal with respect to an Acquisition Transaction meeting the requirements of clause (A), a "Superior Proposal"), (B) prior to furnishing or disclosing any non-public information to, or entering into discussions or negotiations with, such Third Party, the Company receives from such Third Party a customary confidentiality agreement similar in all material respects to the Confidentiality Agreement, and (C) the Company advises Parent of all such non-public information delivered to such Third Party prior to such delivery; provided, however, that the Company shall not enter into a definitive agreement with respect to a Superior Proposal unless the Company first complies with Section 6.09(b) hereof, including the last sentence thereof, and then unless the Company concurrently terminates this Agreement in accordance with the terms hereof. (b) The Company shall promptly (but in any event within one business day of the Company becoming aware of same) advise Parent of the receipt by the Company, any of the Subsidiaries or any of the Company's investment bankers, attorneys or other agents or representatives of any inquiries or proposals relating to an Acquisition Transaction and any actions taken pursuant to Section 6.09(a). The Company shall promptly (but in any event within one business day of the Company becoming aware of same) provide Parent with a copy of any such inquiry or proposal in writing and a written statement with respect to any such inquiries or proposals not in writing, which statement shall include the identity of the parties making such inquiries or proposal and the material terms thereof and will update Parent on an ongoing basis, or upon Parent's reasonable request, of the status thereof; provided, however, that the Company shall not be obligated to provide a copy of, or a written statement with respect to, any such inquiry if the Board of Directors of the Company determines in good faith, after consultation with outside legal counsel, that not providing such copy or written statement is necessary to allow the Board of Directors of the -31- 32 Company to fulfill its fiduciary duties to the shareholders of the Company under applicable Law. For the avoidance of doubt, the Company agrees that it will not terminate this Agreement and enter into any agreement with respect an Acquisition Transaction unless and until Parent has been given the opportunity at least two business days prior to the entering into such agreement to match the terms of such agreement. (c) Nothing contained in this Section 6.09 shall prohibit the Company from disclosing to its shareholders a position contemplated by Rules 14d-9 and 14e-2(a) promulgated under the Exchange Act or from making any disclosure to its shareholders if, in the good faith judgment of its Board of Directors, after consultation with outside legal counsel, failure to so disclose would result in a violation of applicable Law. SECTION 6.10 Notification of Certain Matters. Parent and the Company shall promptly notify each other of (a) the occurrence or non-occurrence of any fact or event which would be reasonably likely (i) to cause any representation or warranty contained in this Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement to be untrue or inaccurate in any material respect at any time from the date hereof to the Effective Time or (ii) to cause any covenant, condition or agreement hereunder or under the Stock Option Agreement not to be complied with or satisfied in all material respects and (b) any failure of the Company, Parent or the Purchaser, as the case may be, to comply with or satisfy any covenant, condition or agreement to be complied with or satisfied by it hereunder or under the Stock Option Agreement in any material respect; provided, however, that no such notification shall affect the representations or warranties of any party or the conditions to the obligations of any party hereunder or under the Stock Option Agreement. SECTION 6.11 Indemnification and Insurance. (a) The Purchaser and Parent agree that for a period of six years from the date the Shares are purchased by Parent or the Purchaser in the Offer (the "Acceptance Date"), the Purchaser will maintain all rights to indemnification now existing in favor of the current or former directors, officers, employees, fiduciaries and agents of the Company as provided in the Company's articles of incorporation and by-laws or otherwise in effect under any agreement on the date of this Agreement. In addition, the Purchaser and Parent agree that the articles of incorporation and by-laws of the Surviving Corporation shall contain the provisions with respect to indemnification set forth in the Company's articles of incorporation and by-laws on the date hereof, which provisions shall not be amended, repealed or otherwise modified for a period of six years after the Acceptance Date in any manner that would adversely affect the rights thereunder of individuals who at any time prior to the Effective Time were directors or officers of the Company in respect of actions or omissions occurring at or prior to the Effective Time (including, without limitation, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement), unless such modification is required by Law. Notwithstanding the six-year period specified in the foregoing sentences, in the event any claim or claims are asserted or made within such six-year period, all rights to indemnification in respect of any such claim or claims shall continue until disposition of any and all such claims. (b) The Surviving Corporation will at all times exercise the powers granted to it by its articles of incorporation, its by-laws, and by applicable Law to indemnify and hold harmless to the fullest extent possible present or former directors, officers, employees, fiduciaries and agents of the -32- 33 Company against any threatened or actual claim, action, suit, proceeding or investigation made against them arising from their service in such capacities (or service in such capacities for another enterprise at the request of the Company) prior to, and including the Acceptance Date, including, without limitation, with respect to matters relating to this Agreement. (c) Parent agrees that the Company and, from and after the Acceptance Date, the Surviving Corporation shall cause to be maintained in effect for not less than six years from the Acceptance Date the current policies of the directors' and officers' liability insurance maintained by the Company with respect to matters occurring at or prior to the Effective Time (including, without limitation, the transactions contemplated by this Agreement); provided that the Surviving Corporation may substitute therefor policies of at least the same coverage containing terms and conditions which are no less advantageous and provided that such substitution shall not result in any gaps or lapses in coverage with respect to matters occurring prior to the Effective Time; and provided, further, that the Surviving Corporation shall not be required to pay an annual premium in excess of 200% of the last annual premium paid by the Company prior to the date hereof and if the Surviving Corporation is unable to obtain the insurance required by this Section 6.11(c) it shall obtain as much comparable insurance as possible for an annual premium equal to such maximum amount. (d) This Section 6.11 is intended to benefit the current and former directors, officers, employees, fiduciaries and agents of the Company and shall be binding on all successors and assigns of Parent, the Purchaser, the Company and the Surviving Corporation. ARTICLE VII CONDITIONS TO CONSUMMATION OF THE MERGER SECTION 7.01 Conditions to Each Party's Obligation to Effect the Merger If the Offer Shall Have Been Consummated. The respective obligations of Parent, the Purchaser and the Company to consummate the Merger if the Offer shall have been consummated are subject to the satisfaction or waiver in writing by each party hereto at or before the Effective Time, of each of the following conditions: (a) Shareholder Approval. The Shareholders shall have duly approved the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, to the extent required pursuant to the requirements of the Company's articles of incorporation and applicable Law. (b) Purchase of Shares. The Purchaser shall have accepted for payment and paid for Shares pursuant to the Offer in accordance with the terms hereof; provided, that this condition shall be deemed to have been satisfied with respect to Parent and the Purchaser if the Purchaser fails to accept for payment or pay for Shares pursuant to the Offer in violation of the terms of the Offer. (c) Injunctions; Illegality. The consummation of the Merger shall not be restrained, enjoined or prohibited by any order, judgment, decree, injunction or ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction or any Governmental Entity, and there shall not have been any statute, rule or regulation -33- 34 enacted, promulgated or deemed applicable to the Merger by any Governmental Entity that prevents the consummation of the Merger. SECTION 7.02 Condition to Parent's and the Purchaser's Obligation to Effect the Merger. The obligations of Parent and the Purchaser to consummate the Merger are further subject to the fulfillment of the condition that all actions contemplated by Section 2.10 hereto shall have been taken, which may be waived in whole or in part by Parent or the Purchaser. ARTICLE VIII TERMINATION; AMENDMENTS; WAIVER SECTION 8.01 Termination. This Agreement may be terminated and the Merger contemplated hereby may be abandoned at any time prior to the Effective Time, whether or not approval thereof by the shareholders of the Company has been obtained: (a) by the mutual written consent of Parent, the Purchaser and the Company prior to the date on which Parent's designees constitute a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company; or (b) by the Company if the Company is not in material breach of any of its representations, warranties, covenants or arrangements contained in this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement and if (i) the Purchaser fails to commence the Offer as provided in Section 1.01 hereof, (ii) the Purchaser shall not have accepted for payment and paid for Shares pursuant to the Offer in accordance with the terms thereof on or before August 31, 1998 or (iii) the Purchaser fails to purchase validly tendered Shares in violation of the terms of the Offer or this Agreement; or (c) by Parent or the Company if the Offer expires or is terminated or withdrawn pursuant to its terms without any Shares being purchased thereunder; provided, however, that Parent may terminate this Agreement pursuant to this Section 8.01(c) upon the termination or withdrawal of the Offer only if Parent's or the Purchaser's termination or withdrawal of the Offer is not in violation of the terms of this Agreement or the Offer; or (d) by Parent or the Company if any court or other Governmental Entity shall have issued, enacted, entered, promulgated or enforced any order, judgment, decree, injunction, or ruling or taken any other action restraining, enjoining or otherwise prohibiting the Merger and such order, judgment, decree injunction, ruling or other action shall have become final and nonappealable; or (e) by the Company if, prior to the purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, (i) there shall have occurred, on the part of Parent or the Purchaser, a material breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement which is not curable or, if curable, is not cured within 30 days after written notice of such breach is given by the Company to the party committing the breach, except in any case, such failures which are not reasonably likely to affect adversely Parent's or the Purchaser's ability to complete the Offer or the Merger, or (ii) the Company enters into a definitive agreement with respect -34- 35 to a Superior Proposal as permitted under Section 6.09(a) hereof and after complying with the provisions of Section 6.09(b) hereof and making the payments referred to in Section 8.03(b) hereof; or (f) by Parent if, prior to the purchase of Shares pursuant to the Offer in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, (i) there shall have occurred, on the part of the Company, a breach of any representation, warranty, covenant or agreement contained in this Agreement which individually, or in the aggregate, if not cured would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company and which is not curable or, if curable, is not cured within the later of (x) 30 days after written notice of such breach is given by Parent to the Company and (y) the satisfaction of all conditions to the Offer not related to such breach or (ii) the Board of Directors of the Company or committee thereof shall have withdrawn or modified (or shall have resolved to withdraw or modify), in a manner adverse to Parent, its approval or recommendation of this Agreement or any of the transactions contemplated hereby and the Board of Directors of the Company and such committee shall not have fully reinstated such approval or recommendations within three business days after a request by Parent to so reinstate or shall have recommended (or resolved to recommend) an Acquisition Transaction (other than the Offer and Merger) to the shareholders of the Company; or (g) by Parent if it is not in material breach of its obligation hereunder or under the Offer and no Shares shall have been purchased pursuant to the Offer on or before August 31, 1998. SECTION 8.02 Effect of Termination. In the event of the termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 8.01, this Agreement shall forthwith become void and have no effect, without any liability on the part of any party or its directors, officers or shareholders of the Company, other than the provisions of this Section 8.02, Section 8.03 and the last sentence of Section 6.02, which shall survive any such termination. Nothing contained in this Section 8.02 shall relieve any party from liability for any breach of this Agreement or the Confidentiality Agreement. SECTION 8.03 Fees and Expenses. (a) Subject to Section 8.03(b), whether or not the Merger is consummated, all costs and expenses incurred in connection with the Offer, this Agreement, the Stock Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement shall be paid by the party incurring such expenses. (b) Parent and the Company agree that (i) in the event this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8.01(e)(ii) or (ii) in the event that (x) any person shall have publicly disclosed a proposal regarding an Acquisition Transaction and (y) following such disclosure, either (a) August 31, 1998 occurs without the shareholder approval of the Merger being obtained (other than as a result of a material breach hereof by Parent or the Purchaser that has not been cured within the time period set forth in Article VIII of this Agreement) or (b) the Company breaches (prior to the time that the designees of the Purchaser constitute a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company) any of its material obligations hereunder and does not cure such breach within the time period set forth in Article VIII of this Agreement or (c) the Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 8.01(f)(ii), and (z) not later than twelve months after any such termination the Company shall have entered into a definitive agreement for an Acquisition Transaction, or an Acquisition -35- 36 Transaction shall have been consummated, then the Company shall pay to an account designated by Parent a termination fee, in immediately available funds, of $1,000,000 (the "Termination Fee") and shall reimburse Parent for out-of-pocket fees and expenses (but in no event greater than $350,000) reasonably incurred by Parent and the Purchaser in connection with this Agreement, the Offer and the Merger. The Termination Fee and any reimbursement of expenses shall be paid prior to, and shall be a condition to the effectiveness of, any termination of this Agreement referred to in clause (i) above or on the next business day after the earlier of such Acquisition Transaction being consummated or a definitive agreement for such Acquisition Transaction being entered into, if such fee and expenses are payable as a result of clause (ii) above. SECTION 8.04 Amendment. Subject to Section 1.03(c), this Agreement may be amended by the Company, Parent and the Purchaser at any time before or after any approval of this Agreement by the shareholders of the Company but, after any such approval, no amendment shall be made which decreases the Merger Price or which adversely affects the rights of the shareholders of the Company hereunder without the requisite affirmative vote of such shareholders; provided, however, that this Agreement shall not be amended after the time, if ever, that the Purchaser's designees constitute a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company. This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed on behalf of all the parties. SECTION 8.05 Extension; Waiver. Subject to Section 1.03(c), at any time prior to the Effective Time, the parties hereto may (i) extend the time for the performance of any of the obligations or other acts of any other party hereto, (ii) waive any inaccuracies in the representations and warranties contained herein by any other party or in any document, certificate or writing delivered pursuant hereto by any other party or (iii) waive compliance with any of the agreements of any other party or with any conditions to its own obligations, it being understood that the other conditions set forth in Annex I may be waived by Parent and the Purchaser without the consent of the Company. Any agreement on the part of any party to any such extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed on behalf of such party. ARTICLE IX MISCELLANEOUS SECTION 9.01 Non-Survival of Representations and Warranties. The representations and warranties made in this Agreement shall not survive beyond the Effective Time. SECTION 9.02 Entire Agreement; Assignment. (a) This Agreement (including the documents and the instruments referred to herein) and the Confidentiality Agreement constitute the entire agreement and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof and thereof. (b) Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder may be assigned by any of the parties hereto (whether by operation of law or otherwise) without the prior -36- 37 written consent of the other party. Subject to the preceding sentence, this Agreement will be binding upon, inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties and their respective successors and assigns. This Agreement is not intended to confer upon any person other than Parent, the Purchaser and the Company any rights or remedies hereunder. SECTION 9.03 Validity. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, each of which shall remain in full force and effect. SECTION 9.04 Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered in person, by overnight courier or facsimile to the respective parties as follows: If to Parent or the Purchaser: Snap-on Incorporated 10801 Corporate Drive Kenosha, Wisconsin 53141 Attention: Susan F. Marrinan Fax: (414) 656-5165 with a copy to: Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom (Illinois) 333 West Wacker Drive Chicago, Illinois 60606 Attention: William R. Kunkel Fax: (312) 407-0411 If to the Company: Hein-Werner Corporation 2020 Pewaukee Road Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188 Attention: Joseph L. Dindorf Fax: (414) 542-7890 with a copy to: Foley & Lardner 777 East Wisconsin Avenue Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 Attention: Maurice J. McSweeney Jay O. Rothman Fax: (414) 297-4900 -37- 38 or to such other address as the person to whom notice is given may have previously furnished to the other in writing in the manner set forth above (provided that notice of any change of address shall be effective only upon receipt thereof). SECTION 9.05 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Wisconsin, regardless of the laws that might otherwise govern under applicable principles of conflicts of laws thereof. SECTION 9.06 Descriptive Headings. The descriptive headings herein are inserted for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of or to affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. SECTION 9.07 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same agreement. SECTION 9.08 Obligation of Parent. Whenever this Agreement requires the Purchaser or the Surviving Corporation to take any action, such requirement shall be deemed to include an undertaking on the part of Parent to cause the Purchaser or the Surviving Corporation to take such action and a guarantee of the performance thereof. SECTION 9.09 Certain Definitions. As used in this Agreement: (a) the term "affiliate", as applied to any person shall mean any other person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with, that person. For the purposes of this definition, "control" (including, with correlative meanings, the terms "controlling," "controlled by" and "under common control with"), as applied to any person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of that person, whether through the ownership of voting shares, by contract or otherwise; (b) the term "person" shall include individuals, corporations, partnerships, trusts, other entities and groups (which term shall include a "group" as such term is defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act); and (c) the term "subsidiary" or "subsidiaries" means, with respect to Parent, the Company or any other person, any corporation, partnership, joint venture or other legal entity of which Parent, the Company or such other person, as the case may be (either alone or through or together with any other subsidiary), owns, directly or indirectly, stock or other equity interests the holders of which are generally entitled to more than 50% of the vote for the election of the board of directors or other governing body of such corporation or other legal entity. SECTION 9.10 SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE. THE PARTIES HERETO AGREE THAT IRREPARABLE DAMAGE WOULD OCCUR IN THE EVENT THAT ANY OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT WERE NOT PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR SPECIFIC TERMS OR WERE OTHERWISE BREACHED. IT IS ACCORDINGLY AGREED THAT THE PARTIES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO AN INJUNCTION OR -38- 39 INJUNCTIONS TO PREVENT BREACHES OF THIS AGREEMENT AND TO ENFORCE SPECIFICALLY THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS HEREOF IN ANY COURT OF THE UNITED STATES OR ANY STATE HAVING JURISDICTION, THIS BEING IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER REMEDY TO WHICH THEY ARE ENTITLED AT LAW OR IN EQUITY. SECTION 9.11 Interpretation. Unless the context requires otherwise, all words used in this Agreement in the singular number shall extend to and include the plural, all words in the plural number shall extend to and include the singular, and all words in any gender shall extend to and include all genders. SECTION 9.12 No Third Party Beneficiary. Except as provided pursuant to Section 6.11 hereof, the terms and provisions of this Agreement are intended solely for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns and it is not the intention of the parties to confer third-party beneficiary rights upon any other person. -39- 40 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has caused this Agreement to be executed on its behalf by its respective officer thereunto duly authorized, all as of the day and year first above written. SNAP-ON INCORPORATED ("Parent") By: /s/ Robert A. Cornog ---------------------------- Name: Robert A. Cornog Title: Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer SNAP-ON PACE COMPANY (the "Purchaser") By: /s/ Susan F. Marrinan ---------------------------- Name: Susan F. Marrinan Title: Vice President and Secretary HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION (the "Company") By: /s/ Joseph L. Dindorf ---------------------------- Name: Joseph L. Dindorf Title: President and Chief Executive Officer -40- 41 ANNEX I CONDITIONS TO THE OFFER. Notwithstanding any other provisions of the Offer, the Purchaser shall not be required to accept for payment or pay for any tendered Shares if (i) any applicable waiting period under the HSR Act has not expired or terminated or (ii) the Minimum Condition has not been satisfied, and the Purchaser may, subject to the terms of the Merger Agreement, amend the Offer or postpone the acceptance for payment of tendered Shares if at any time on or after the date of the Merger Agreement and before the expiration of the Offer, any of the following events shall occur: (a) there shall be threatened or pending any suit, action or proceeding by a Governmental Entity against the Purchaser, Parent or the Company (i) seeking to prohibit or impose any material limitations on Parent's or the Purchaser's ownership or operation (or that of Parent's subsidiaries or affiliates) of any or a material portion of their or the Company's businesses or assets, or to compel Parent or the Purchaser or Parent's subsidiaries and affiliates to dispose of or hold separate any material portion of the business or assets of the Company or Parent and Parent's subsidiaries, in each case taken as a whole, (ii) challenging the acquisition by Parent or the Purchaser of any Shares under the Offer, seeking to restrain or prohibit the making or consummation of the Offer or the Merger or the performance of any of the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement, or seeking to obtain from the Company, Parent or the Purchaser any damages that are material in relation to the Company, (iii) seeking to impose material limitations on the ability of the Purchaser, or render the Purchaser unable, to accept for payment, pay for or purchase some or all of the Shares pursuant to the Offer, the Merger or the Stock Option Agreement, or (iv) seeking to impose material limitations on the ability of the Purchaser or Parent effectively to exercise full rights of ownership of the Shares, including, without limitation, the right to vote the Shares purchased by it on all matters properly presented to the Company's shareholders; or (b) any Law is enacted, entered, enforced, promulgated or deemed applicable to the Offer or the Merger or the transactions contemplated by the Stock Option Agreement, or any other action is taken by any Governmental Entity, other than the application to the Offer, the Merger or the transactions contemplated by the Stock Option Agreement of applicable waiting periods under the HSR Act, that results, directly or indirectly, in any of the consequences referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of paragraph (a) above; or (c) (i) the Board of Directors of the Company or any committee thereof withdraws or modifies in a manner adverse to Parent or the Purchaser its approval or recommendation of the Offer, the Merger, the Merger Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement or approves or recommends any Acquisition Transaction, or (ii) the Company enters into any agreement to consummate any Acquisition Transaction; or (d) any of the representations and warranties of the Company set forth in the Merger Agreement that are qualified as to Material Adverse Effect are not true and correct, or any such representations and warranties that are not so qualified are not true and correct in any respect (when taken together with all other failures of such representations and warranties to be true and correct) that would have a Material Adverse Effect on the Company, in each case at the date of the Merger Agreement or at the scheduled expiration of the Offer (as though made as of such date, except that I-1 42 those representations and warranties that address matters only as of a particular date shall remain true and correct as of such date); or (e) the Merger Agreement shall have been terminated in accordance with its terms; or (f) the Company shall have failed to perform any obligation or to comply with any agreement or covenant to be performed or complied with by it under the Merger Agreement or the Stock Option Agreement other than any failure which would not have, either individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect on the Company; or (g) any person acquires beneficial ownership (as defined in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of at least 20% of the outstanding Shares (other than any person not required to file a Schedule 13D under the rules promulgated under the Exchange Act or other than pursuant to the Stock Option Agreement); or (h) there shall have occurred, and continued to exist, (i) any general suspension of, or limitation on prices for, trading in securities on the New York Stock Exchange or the American Stock Exchange, (ii) a declaration of a banking moratorium or any suspension of payments in respect of banks in the United States, (iii) a commencement of a war, armed hostilities or other national or international calamity directly involving the United States (other than an action involving solely United Nations personnel or support of United Nations' personnel), or (iv) in the case of any of the events described in the foregoing clauses (i) through (iii) existing at the time of the commencement of the Offer, a material acceleration or worsening thereof. The foregoing conditions are for the sole benefit of Parent and the Purchaser and may be asserted by Parent or the Purchaser regardless of the circumstances giving rise to any such condition (including any action or inaction by Parent or the Purchaser not in violation of the Merger Agreement) and may be waived by Parent or the Purchaser in whole or in part at any time and from time to time in their sole discretion. The failure by Parent or the Purchaser at any time to exercise any of the foregoing rights shall not be deemed a waiver of any such right and each such right shall be deemed an ongoing right which may be asserted at any time and from time to time. The capitalized terms used in this Annex I shall have the meanings set forth in the Agreement to which it is annexed, except that the term "Merger Agreement" shall be deemed to refer to the Agreement to which this Annex I is appended. I-2 EX-2 3 STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT 1 STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT, dated as of April 27, 1998 (this "Agreement"), by and among Snap-on Incorporated, a Delaware corporation ("Parent"), Snap-on Pace Company, a Wisconsin corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (the "Purchaser"), and Hein-Werner Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (the "Company"). W I T N E S S E T H: WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, Parent, the Purchaser and the Company are entering into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (as such agreement may hereafter be amended from time to time, the "Merger Agreement"; capitalized terms used but not defined in this Agreement shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Merger Agreement), which provides, upon the terms and subject to the conditions thereof, for (i) the commencement by the Purchaser of a tender offer (the "Offer") to purchase, among other things, all of the issued and outstanding shares of the common stock, $1.00 par value, of the Company ("Common Stock") at a price per share equal to the Offer Price and (ii) the subsequent merger of the Purchaser and the Company (the "Merger"), whereby each share of Common Stock, other than shares owned directly or indirectly by Parent, the Purchaser or the Company and other than Dissenting Shares, will be converted into the right to receive in cash the Offer Price applicable thereto; and WHEREAS, as a condition to the willingness of the parties to enter into the Merger Agreement, Parent and the Purchaser have required that the Company agree, and in order to induce Parent and the Purchaser to enter into the Merger Agreement, the Company has agreed, to grant the Purchaser an option to purchase shares of Common Stock, upon the terms and subject to the conditions of this Agreement. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the respective representations, warranties, covenants and agreements set forth in this Agreement and in the Merger Agreement, the parties hereto agree as follows: ARTICLE I THE STOCK OPTION SECTION 1.1. Grant of Stock Option. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, the Company hereby grants to the Purchaser an irrevocable option (the "Stock Option") to purchase that number of newly issued shares of Common Stock (the "Option Shares") equal to the number of shares of Common Stock that, when added to the number of shares of Common Stock owned by the Purchaser and its affiliates immediately following consummation of the Offer, shall constitute 90% 2 of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding on a fully diluted basis (giving effect to the issuance of the Option Shares) at a purchase price per Option Share equal to the Offer Price. SECTION 1.2. Exercise of Stock Option. (a) Subject to the conditions set forth in Section 2.1, the Stock Option may be exercised by the Purchaser, in whole but not in part, at any one time after the occurrence of the Exercise Event (as defined below) and prior to the Termination Date (as defined below). (b) The "Exercise Event" shall occur for purposes of this Agreement upon the Purchaser's acceptance for payment pursuant to the Offer of shares of Common Stock constituting at least 66-2/3% but less than 90% of the shares of Common Stock then outstanding on a fully diluted basis. (c) Except as provided in the last sentence of this Section 1.2.(c), the "Termination Date" shall occur for purposes of this Agreement upon the earliest to occur of: (i) the Effective Time; and (ii) the termination of the Merger Agreement in accordance with the terms and conditions thereof. Notwithstanding the occurrence of the Termination Date, the Purchaser shall be entitled to purchase the Option Shares if it has exercised the Stock Option in accordance with the terms hereof prior to such occurrence, and the occurrence of the Termination Date shall not affect any rights hereunder which by their terms do not terminate or expire prior to or as of such date. (d) In the event the Purchaser wishes to exercise the Stock Option, the Purchaser shall send to the Company a written notice (an "Exercise Notice", the date of which notice is referred to herein as the "Notice Date") specifying the denominations of the certificate or certificates evidencing the Option Shares which the Purchaser wishes to receive, the place for the closing of the purchase and sale pursuant to the Stock Option (the "Closing") and a date not earlier then three (3) business days nor later then ten (10) business days from the Notice Date for the Closing (the "Closing Date"); provided, however, that (i) if the Closing cannot be consummated by reason of any applicable Laws or Orders, the period of time that otherwise would run pursuant to this sentence shall run instead from the date on which such restriction on consummation has expired or been terminated and (ii) without limiting the foregoing, if prior notification to or approval of any Governmental Entity is required in connection with such purchase, the Purchaser and the Company shall promptly file the required notice or application for approval and shall cooperate in the expeditious filing of such notice or application, and the period of time that otherwise would run pursuant to this sentence shall run instead from the date on which, as the case may be, (A) any required notification period has expired or been terminated or (B) any required approval has been obtained, and in either event, any requisite waiting period has expired or been terminated. The Company shall, within two (2) business days after receipt of the Exercise Notice, deliver written notice to the Purchaser specifying the number of Option Shares and the aggregate purchase price therefor. 2 3 ARTICLE II CLOSING SECTION 2.1. Conditions to Closing. The obligation of the Company to deliver Option Shares upon the exercise of the Stock Option is subject to the following conditions: (a) All waiting periods, if any, under the HSR Act applicable to the issuance and delivery of the Option Shares hereunder shall have expired or have been terminated; and (b) There shall be no preliminary or permanent injunction or other final, non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction preventing or prohibiting the exercise of the Stock Option or the issuance and delivery of the Option Shares in respect of such exercise. SECTION 2.2. Closing. (a) At the Closing, (i) the Company shall deliver to the Purchaser a certificate or certificates evidencing the applicable number of Option Shares (in the denominations specified in the Exercise Notice), each such certificate or certificates being duly executed by the Company and registered in the name of the Purchaser, and (ii) the Purchaser shall purchase each such Option Share from the Company at the Offer Price. Payment by the Purchaser of the Offer Price for each of the Option Shares shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account designated by the Company, in an amount equal to the sum of the product of (i) the Offer Price and (ii) the total number of Option Shares delivered at the Closing. (b) The Company shall pay all expenses, and any and all Federal, state and local taxes and other charges, that may be payable in connection with the preparation, issuance and delivery of stock certificates under this Section 2.2. (c) Certificates evidencing Option Shares delivered hereunder may include legends legally required including the legend in substantially the following form: THE SECURITIES REPRESENTED BY THIS CERTIFICATE HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED, AND MAY BE REOFFERED OR SOLD ONLY IF SO REGISTERED OR IF AN EXEMPTION FROM SUCH REGISTRATION IS AVAILABLE. It is understood and agreed that the foregoing legend shall be removed by delivery of substitute certificate(s) without such legend upon the sale of the Option Shares pursuant to a registered public offering or Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), or any other sale as a result of which such legend is no longer required. SECTION 2.3. Adjustments Upon Changes in Capitalization. In the event of any change in the number of issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock by reason of any stock dividend, subdivision, merger, recapitalization, combination, conversion or exchange of shares, or any other change in the corporate or capital structure of the Company (including, without limitation, the declaration or payment of an extraordinary dividend of cash or securities) which would have the 3 4 effect of diluting or otherwise adversely affecting the Purchaser's rights and privileges under this Agreement, the number and kind of the Option Shares and the consideration payable in respect of the Option Shares shall be appropriately and equitably adjusted to restore to the Purchaser its rights and privileges under this Agreement. ARTICLE III REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE COMPANY The Company hereby represents and warrants to Parent and the Purchaser (except as otherwise disclosed in writing on the date hereof) as follows: SECTION 3.1. Organization; Authority Relative to this Agreement. The Company is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the State of Wisconsin. The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, to perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of the Company. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company and, assuming the due and valid authorization, execution and delivery by Parent and the Purchaser, constitutes a valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, and by general equitable principles. SECTION 3.2. Authority to Issue Shares. The Company has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize and reserve and permit it to issue, and at all times from the date hereof through the Termination Date shall have reserved, all the Option Shares issuable pursuant to this Agreement. All of the shares of Common Stock issuable under the Stock Option, upon their issuance and delivery in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable (except as otherwise provided in Section 180.0622(2)(b) of the WBCL), will be delivered free and clear of all security interests, liens, claims, pledges, options, rights of first refusal, agreements, limitations on the Purchaser's voting rights, charges, adverse rights and other encumbrances of any nature whatsoever (other than this Agreement) and will not be subject to any preemptive rights. Upon the delivery to the Purchaser by the Company of a certificate or certificates evidencing the Option Shares, the Purchaser will receive good, valid and marketable title to the Option Shares. ARTICLE IV COVENANTS OF THE COMPANY SECTION 4.1. Further Action. The Company shall use its commercially reasonable efforts to take, or cause to be taken, all appropriate action, and to do, or cause to be done, all things necessary, proper or advisable under applicable Laws to consummate and make effective the 4 5 transactions contemplated hereunder, including, without limitation, using all reasonable efforts to obtain all licenses, permits, consents, approvals, authorizations, qualifications and orders of Governmental Entities. ARTICLE V REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF PARENT AND THE PURCHASER Parent and the Purchaser hereby represent and warrant to the Company as follows: SECTION 5.1. Organization; Authority Relative to this Agreement. Each of Parent and the Purchaser is a corporation duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation. Each of Parent and the Purchaser has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, to perform its obligations hereunder and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery of this Agreement by Parent and the Purchaser and the consummation by Parent and the Purchaser of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly and validly authorized by all necessary corporate action on the part of Parent and the Purchaser. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by Parent and the Purchaser and, assuming the due and valid authorization, execution and delivery by the Company, constitutes a valid and binding obligation of Parent and the Purchaser, enforceable against each of Parent and the Purchaser in accordance with its terms, except as such enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors' rights generally, and by general equitable principles. SECTION 5.2. Distribution. Any Option Shares the Purchaser purchases pursuant to this Agreement are being purchased for investment purposes only and not with a view to any public distribution thereof. ARTICLE VI MISCELLANEOUS SECTION 6.1. Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended except by an instrument in writing signed by the parties hereto. SECTION 6.2. Waiver. Any party hereto may (a) extend the time for or waive compliance with the performance of any obligation or other act of any other party hereto or (b) waive any inaccuracy in the representations and warranties contained herein or in any document delivered pursuant hereto. Any such extension or waiver shall be valid only if set forth in an instrument in writing signed by the party or parties to be bound thereby. The failure of any party to this Agreement to assert any of its rights under this Agreement or otherwise shall not constitute a waiver of those rights. SECTION 6.3. Fees and Expenses. Except as otherwise provided herein or in Section 8.03 of the Merger Agreement, all costs, fees and expenses incurred in connection with this Agreement shall be paid by the party incurring such expenses. 5 6 SECTION 6.4. Notices. All notices, requests, claims, demands and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given if delivered personally or sent by telecopy or by overnight courier (providing proof of delivery) to the respective parties at their addresses as specified in Section 9.04 of the Merger Agreement. SECTION 6.5. Severability. If any term or other provision of this Agreement is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced by any rule of Law or public policy, all other conditions and provisions of this Agreement shall nevertheless remain in full force and effect so long as the economic or legal substance of the transactions contemplated hereby is not affected in any manner materially adverse to any party. Upon such determination that any term or other provision is invalid, illegal or incapable of being enforced, the parties hereto shall negotiate in good faith to modify this Agreement so as to effect the original intent of the parties as closely as possible in a mutually acceptable manner to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Law in order that the transactions contemplated hereby may be consummated as originally contemplated to the fullest extent possible. SECTION 6.6. Assignment; Binding Effect; Benefit. Neither this Agreement nor any of the rights, interests or obligations hereunder shall be assigned, in whole or in part, by operation of law or otherwise, by any of the parties hereto without the prior written consent of the other parties. This Agreement shall be binding upon, inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, the parties hereto and their respective successors and permitted assigns. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Agreement to the contrary, nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is intended to confer on any person other than the parties hereto or their respective successors and permitted assigns any rights, remedies, obligations or liabilities under or by reason of this Agreement. SECTION 6.7. Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Wisconsin, without giving effect to the principles of conflicts of laws thereof. SECTION 6.8. ENFORCEMENT. THE PARTIES AGREE THAT IRREPARABLE DAMAGE WOULD OCCUR IN THE EVENT THAT ANY OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT WERE NOT PERFORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR SPECIFIC TERMS OR WERE OTHERWISE BREACHED. IT IS ACCORDINGLY AGREED THAT THE PARTIES SHALL BE ENTITLED TO AN INJUNCTION OR INJUNCTIONS TO PREVENT BREACHES OF THIS AGREEMENT AND TO ENFORCE SPECIFICALLY THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT IN ANY COURT OF THE UNITED STATES OR ANY STATE HAVING JURISDICTION, THIS BEING IN ADDITION TO ANY OTHER REMEDY TO WHICH THEY ARE ENTITLED AT LAW OR IN EQUITY. SECTION 6.9. Headings. The descriptive headings contained in this Agreement are included for reference purposes only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. SECTION 6.10. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed and delivered (including by facsimile transmission) in one or more counterparts, all of which shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each 6 7 of the parties and delivered to the other parties, it being understood that all parties need not sign the same counterpart. SECTION 6.11. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement, and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, both written and oral, among the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement. 7 8 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized, all as of the date first written above. SNAP-ON INCORPORATED ("Parent") By: /s/ Robert A. Cornog -------------------------------- Name: Robert A. Cornog Title: Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer SNAP-ON PACE COMPANY (the "Purchaser") By: /s/ Susan F. Marrinan -------------------------------- Name: Susan F. Marrinan Title: Vice President and Secretary HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION (the "Company") By: /s/ Joseph L. Dindorf -------------------------------- Name: Joseph L. Dindorf Title: President and Chief Excecutive Officer 8 EX-3 4 EMPLOYMENT & CONSULTING AGREEMENT 1 EMPLOYMENT AND CONSULTING AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT, made of the 27th day of April, 1998, by and between Snap-on Incorporated, a Delaware corporation ("SSS"), Hein-Werner Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation ("HHH") and Joseph L. Dindorf (the "Executive"). A. Contemporaneously with the execution of this Agreement SSS and Snap-on Pace Company, a Wisconsin corporation ("Sub"), and a wholly-owned subsidiary of SSS, are entering into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with HHH. The Merger Agreement provides for the acquisition (the "Acquisition") by Sub of all of the issued and outstanding shares of HHH. B. Executive has been employed by HHH for many years and is currently President and CEO of HHH. Executive's services are valuable to the conduct of the business of HHH. C. Because of, among other matters, Executive's knowledge of HHH and the collision repair business, SSS desires that Executive be available to SSS following the acquisition. D. Executive is willing to be available to SSS and HHH on the terms and conditions provided for herein. E. Executive has previously entered into an agreement with HHH dated January 27, 1984 (the "Agreement") pursuant to which Executive would have been entitled, following the Acquisition and upon the termination of Executive's employment with HHH, to a payment of approximately $1,200,000. F. The Agreement has been recently amended by Amendment No. 1 dated April 27, 1998 (the Agreement as amended is hereinafter referred to as the "Employment Agreement") to provide that upon a "Change of Control of Company" (as defined in the Employment Agreement), Executive will immediately be entitled to receive a lump sum payment in the amount of $995,000. In consideration of the covenants and agreements of the parties herein contained, and subject to the condition that, pursuant to the Merger Agreement, Sub shall acquire sufficient shares of HHH so that there is a Change of Control of Company (the date of such acquisition being referred to herein as the "SSS Acquisition Date"), the parties hereto agree as follows: 1. Employment of Executive 1.1. Employment and Duties. During the Employment Term (as hereafter defined) HHH hereby agrees to employ Executive as President of HHH, reporting directly to SSS's Senior Vice-President (presently Branko Beronja), and Executive agrees to be so employed by HHH. In addition, without any additional compensation to that provided hereunder, 2 Executive shall assist in coordinating the collision repair business with other businesses of SSS. Executive agrees during the Employment Term to devote substantially his full business time and effort to the performance of his duties hereunder, including, without limitation, cooperating in attracting and retaining key employees of SSS and HHH, in accordance with such reasonable standards expected of employees with comparable positions in SSS's organization and as may be established from time to time by the Board of Directors of HHH. SSS shall guarantee all HHH's monetary obligations under this Agreement. 1.2. Term. The term of Executive's employment hereunder shall commence on the SSS Acquisition Date and shall continue until December 31, 1998 and may continue thereafter by mutual agreement of the parties (the "Employment Term"). 1.3. Compensation. (a) Base Salary. As compensation for his services hereunder, Executive shall receive a salary of $25,000 per month, payable monthly. (b) Fringe Benefits. Executive shall also be entitled to receive all benefits presently received or available to Executive as an executive of HHH, which include, but are not limited to, the benefits set forth in Schedule I hereto. 2. Consulting Services. 2.1. Services. During the Consulting Term (as hereinafter defined) SSS agrees to retain Executive as a consultant to the collision repair businesses of HHH and/or SSS. During the Consulting Term Executive agrees to make himself available to consult with employees of SSS and its subsidiaries with regard to the collision repair businesses upon reasonable notice and at such reasonable times and places as shall be reasonably agreed to by Executive. Executive shall not be required to perform consulting services for in excess of 1,500 hours during the 12- month period ending December 31, 1999 and for in excess of 1,000 hours during the 12-month period ending December 31, 2000. Executive shall not be required to provide consulting services during the months of July or August. 2.2. Term. The term of Executive's service as a consultant to SSS shall commence at the termination of the Employment Term and shall continue until December 31, 2000 (the "Consulting Term"). 2.3. Consulting Fees. As compensation for Executive's services during the Consulting Term, consultant shall be entitled to receive a monthly consulting fee equal to $20,835 per month each month of the Consulting Term in the year 1999 (annually $250,000) and $16,670 per month for each month of the Consulting Term in the year 2000 (annually $200,000). The monthly consulting fee shall be pro-rated for any partial month. In addition, during the Consulting Term SSS shall without cost to Executive provide to Executive the benefits described in Schedule I, provided that Executive's continued participation is possible under the -2- 3 general terms and provisions of such benefit plans. In the event that Executive's participation in any such plan is barred, SSS shall pay or cause to be paid to Executive an amount equal to the total aggregate costs to SSS or HHH, as applicable, of providing Executive with benefits under such plan were his continued participation not barred. 3. Termination. (a) Right to Terminate. During the Employment Term and the Consulting Term (together the "Term"), (i) SSS shall be entitled to terminate Executive's services hereunder (A) for Cause, (B) by reason of the Executive's disability pursuant to Section 6, or (C) for any other reason, and (ii) the Executive shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's services hereunder (A) during the Employment Term only for Good Reason, or (B) during the Consulting Term, for any reason. Any such termination shall be subject to the procedures set forth in Section 7 and shall be subject to any consequences of such termination set forth in this Agreement. (b) Termination for Cause or Without Good Reason. If there is a termination of Executive's services hereunder for Cause or due to the Executive's voluntarily terminating Executive's services other than for Good Reason, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive only Accrued Benefits, and neither SSS nor HHH shall have any further obligations under this Agreement. (c) Termination Giving Rise to a Termination Payment. If there is a termination of Executive's services hereunder by the Executive for Good Reason, or by SSS other than by reason of (i) death, (ii) disability pursuant to Section 6, or (iii) Cause, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive, and SSS shall promptly pay, Accrued Benefits and, in lieu of further base salary or consulting fees for periods following the Termination Date, as liquidated damages and in consideration of the covenant of the Executive set forth in Section 8(a), the Termination Payment pursuant to Section 4(a). 4. Payments Upon Termination. (a) Termination Payment. (i) For purposes of this Agreement, the "Termination Payment" shall be an amount equal to the aggregate of (a) the product obtained by multiplying $25,000 by the number of months, if any, remaining in the Employment Term following the Termination Date, plus (b) the product obtained by multiplying $20,835 by the number of months, if any, of the Consulting Term remaining in the year 1999 following the Termination Date, plus (c) the product obtained by multiplying $16,670 by the number of months, if any, in the Consulting Term remaining in the year 2000 following the Termination Date. The Termination Payment shall be paid to the Executive in cash equivalent not later than ten business days after the Termination Date. The Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of the Termination Payment by securing other employment or otherwise, nor will such Termination Payment be reduced by reason of the Executive securing other employment -3- 4 or for any other reason. The Termination Payment shall be in lieu of any other severance payments, if any, to which the Executive may be entitled under either SSS's or HHH's severance policies and practices. (b) Additional Benefits. If there is a termination of Executive's services hereunder and the Executive is entitled to Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, then the Executive shall be entitled to the following additional benefits: Until the end of the Consulting Term the Executive shall continue to be covered, at the expense of SSS, by the most favorable life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental coverage and other welfare benefits provided to the Executive and the Executive's family immediately prior to the date Notice of Termination is given, provided that Executive's continued participation is possible under the general terms and provisions of such benefit plans. In the event that Executive's participation in any such plan is barred, SSS shall pay or cause to be paid to Executive an amount equal to the total aggregate costs to SSS or HHH as applicable, of providing Executive with benefits under such plan were his continued participation not barred. 5. Death. In the event of a termination of Executive's services hereunder due to the Executive's death, the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall receive all the Executive's Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date. 6. Termination for Disability. If, during the Term, as a result of the Executive's disability due to physical or mental illness or injury (regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related), the Executive shall have been absent from the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis for the entire period of 90 consecutive days, or for an aggregate period of 182 days and, within thirty days after SSS notifies the Executive in writing that it intends to terminate the Executive's services (which notice shall not constitute the Notice of Termination contemplated below), the Executive shall not have returned to the performance of the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis, then SSS may terminate Executive services for purposes of this Agreement pursuant to a Notice of Termination. If the Executive's services are terminated on account of the Executive's disability in accordance with this Section, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits in accordance with Section 7(a) and shall remain eligible for all benefits provided by any long term disability programs of SSS or HHH in effect at the time SSS sends notice to the Executive of its intent to terminate pursuant to this Section. 7. Termination Notice and Procedure. (a) Any termination of Executive's services by SSS or the Executive shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the Executive, if such Notice is given by SSS, and to SSS, if such Notice is given by the Executive, all in accordance with the following procedures and those set forth in Section 7: (i) If such termination is for disability, Cause or Good Reason, the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such termination. -4- 5 (ii) If the Notice is given by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's services hereunder on or after the date 15 days after the delivery of Notice of Termination (unless the Notice of Termination is based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A, in which case the Executive may cease performing his duties at the time the Executive's services are terminated) and shall in any event cease services on the Termination Date, if any, arising from the delivery of such Notice. If the Notice is given by SSS, then the Executive may cease performing the services hereunder on the date of receipt of the Notice of Termination, subject to the Executive's rights hereunder. (iv) The recipient of any Notice of Termination shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 14 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the party giving such Notice within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. 8. Further Obligations of the Executive. (a) Competition. In consideration of the continued employment of Executive pursuant to this Agreement, Executive agrees that, in the event that (i) SSS or HHH terminates Executive's services, or (ii) Executive terminates his services for any reason, the Executive shall not, for a period commencing on the SSS Acquisition Date and ending on the later of December 31, 2000 or two years from the applicable Termination Date, engage in any Competitive Activity. (b) Confidentiality. During and following the Term hereof, the Executive shall hold in confidence and not directly or indirectly disclose or use or copy or make lists of any Confidential Information, except to the extent authorized in writing by a Senior Executive Officer of SSS or required by any court or administrative agency, other than to an employee of SSS or a person to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary or appropriate in connection with the performance by the Executive of services hereunder. "Secret or Confidential Information" shall mean secret or confidential information of SSS or HHH (including secret or confidential information of subsidiaries and affiliates), including but not limited to lists of distributors and customers; identity of distributors and customers; identity of prospective distributors and customers; contract terms; bidding information and strategies; pricing methods; computer software; computer software methods and documentation; hardware; salary information with respect to employees; product design information; business plans, methods of operation; the procedures, forms and techniques used in serving distributors and customers; all Intellectual Property (as defined in the Merger Agreement); and all other documents or information which are required to be maintained in confidence for continued business success, provided that secret or confidential information shall not include information reasonably available to the general public. All records, files, documents and materials, or copies thereof, relating to the business of SSS and its subsidiaries and affiliates which the Executive shall prepare, or use, or come into contact with, shall be and remain the sole property of SSS and shall be promptly returned to SSS -5- 6 upon termination of this Agreement. SSS shall be entitled to specific performance and injunctive relief to enforce this Section 8. 9. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be regarded as divisible, and if any of said provisions or any part hereof are declared invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the validity and enforceability of the remainder of such provisions or parts hereof and the applicability thereof shall not be affected thereby. 10. Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended or modified at any time except by written instrument executed by SSS and the Executive. 11. Withholding. SSS or HHH, as the case may be, shall be entitled to withhold from amounts to be paid to the Executive hereunder any federal, state or local withholding or other taxes or charges which it is from time to time required to withhold; provided, that the amount so withheld shall not exceed the minimum amount required to be withheld by law. SSS shall be entitled to rely on an opinion of nationally recognized tax counsel if any question as to the amount or requirement of any such withholding shall arise. 12. Certain Rules of Construction. No party shall be considered as being responsible for the drafting of this Agreement for the purpose of applying any rule construing ambiguities against the drafter or otherwise. No draft of this Agreement shall be taken into account in construing this Agreement. Any provision of this Agreement which requires an agreement in writing shall be deemed to require that the writing in question be signed by the Executive and an authorized representative of SSS. 13. Governing Law; Resolution of Disputes. (a) This Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Wisconsin (excluding any choice of law rules that may direct the application of the laws of another jurisdiction) except that Section 13(b) shall be construed in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act. (b) Any dispute arising out of this Agreement shall be determined by arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect (but subject to any evidentiary standards set forth in this Agreement), in which case both parties shall be bound by the arbitration award. The venue for the arbitration shall be Milwaukee, Wisconsin or, at the Executive's election, if the Executive is no longer residing or working in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin metropolitan area, in the judicial district encompassing the city in which the Executive resides. The parties consent to personal jurisdiction in each trial court in the selected venue having subject matter jurisdiction notwithstanding their residence or situs, and each party irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided hereunder for the giving of notices. 14. Notice. Notices given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and, except as otherwise provided by Section 7(a)(iii), shall be deemed given when actually received -6- 7 by the Executive or actually received by SSS's Secretary or any officer of SSS other than the Executive. If mailed, such notices shall be mailed by United States registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressee only, postage prepaid, if to SSS, to SSS, Attention: Vice President and General Counsel, 10801 Corporate Drive, P.O. Box 1430, Kenosha, Wisconsin 53141-1430, or if to the Executive, at the address set forth below the Executive's signature to this Agreement, or to such other address as the party to be notified shall have theretofore given to the other party in writing. 15. Definitions. The following terms are used in this Agreement as defined in Exhibit A: Accrued Benefits Cause Competitive Activity Good Reason Person Termination Date 16. No Waiver. The Executive's or SSS's failure to insist upon strict compliance with any provision of this Agreement or the failure to assert any right the Executive or SSS may have hereunder, including, without limitation, the right of the Executive to terminate employment for Good Reason, shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such provision or right or any other provision or right of this Agreement. 17. Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of SSS and its successors and assigns and Executive and his heirs, executors, administrators and legal representatives. 18. Headings. The headings herein contained are for reference only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement. -7- 8 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above. SNAP-ON INCORPORATED By: /s/ Joseph L. Dindorf ---------------------------------------- President and Chief Executive Officer Attest: /s/ Maurice J. McSweeney ---------------------------------------- Secretary HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION By: /s/Reinald D. Liegel ---------------------------------------- Senior Vice President EXECUTIVE /s/ Joseph L. Dindorf ------------------------------------------------ Joseph L. Dindorf -8- 9 SCHEDULE I HHH FRINGE BENEFITS 1. Health and Dental Insurance for the benefit of Executive and Executive's Family. 2. Use of existing "company" automobile. 3. Term Life Insurance with death benefit of not less than $400,000 payable to Executive's estate or to such other beneficiary as Executive shall from time to time designate in a notice to SSS. 4. Accidental Death and Disability Insurance in the amount of not less than $400,000 payable in the event of Executive's death to Executive's estate or such other beneficiary as Executive shall from time to time designate in a notice to SSS. 5. Travel [Life] Insurance in the amount of not less than $375,000 payable to Executive's Estate or such other beneficiary as Executive shall from time to time designate in a notice to SSS. 6. Long Term Disability Insurance providing for a monthly benefit of not less than $14,000 per month for the remaining Term of this agreement and on terms not less favorable to Executive than the Long Term Disability Insurance Policy presently provided by HHH. 7. Reimbursement of authorized out-of-pocket expenses incurred by Executive in the performance of services under this Agreement. A-1 10 Exhibit A CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS (a) Accrued Benefits. The term "Accrued Benefits" shall include the following amounts, payable as described herein: (i) all earned and unpaid base salary and consulting fees for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (ii) reimbursement for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's services for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of SSS or HHH and its Affiliates for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (iii) any and all other base salary and consulting fees earned through the Termination Date and deferred at the election of the Executive or pursuant to any deferred compensation plan then in effect; and (iv) all other payments and benefits to which the Executive (or in the event of the Executive's death, the Executive's surviving spouse or other beneficiary) may be entitled or under the terms of any benefit plan in which Executive is entitled to participate through the Termination Date. Payment of Accrued Benefits shall be made promptly in accordance with SSS's prevailing practice with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) or, with respect to clauses (iii) and (iv), pursuant to the terms of the benefit plan or practice establishing such benefits. (b) Cause. SSS may terminate the Executive's services hereunder for "Cause" only if the conditions set forth in paragraphs (i) and (ii) have been met and SSS otherwise complies with this Agreement: (i) (A) the Executive has committed any act of fraud, embezzlement or theft in connection with the Executive's duties hereunder or in the course of performing duties for SSS hereunder; (B) the Executive has grossly and repeatedly failed to perform the Executive's duties hereunder (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness or injury, regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related), which shall not have been remedied within 30 days after the Chief Executive Officer of SSS has delivered a written notice from SSS specifying such failure; (C) the Executive has willfully engaged in illegal conduct or gross misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious to SSS; (D) the Executive has willfully and wrongfully disclosed any Confidential Information; or (E) the Executive has engaged in any Competitive Activity. For purposes of this provision, (1) no act or failure to act on the part of the Executive shall be considered "willful" unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the Executive's action or omission was in the best interests of SSS and (2) any act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board or upon the instructions of the Chief Executive Officer or a senior officer of SSS or based upon the advice of counsel for SSS shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in good faith and in the best interests of SSS. A-2 11 (ii) SSS terminates the Executive's employment by delivering a Notice of Termination to the Executive. (c) Competitive Activity. The Executive shall engage in a "Competitive Activity" if the Executive (i) engages or becomes interested in any capacity, directly or indirectly (whether as proprietor, stockholder, director, partner, employee, consultant or any other capacity) in any business enterprise worldwide that engages in substantial competition with the collision repair business of SSS or HHH, or any of their subsidiaries; provided, however, that owning stock or other securities of a competitor amounting to less than one percent of the outstanding capital stock of such competitor shall not be a "Competitive Activity" or (ii) recruits or solicits for employment any person who is then employed by SSS or HHH. (d) Good Reason. The Executive shall have a "Good Reason" for termination of Executive's services hereunder if the Executive determines in good faith that any of the following events has occurred: (i) any material breach of this Agreement by SSS, including specifically any breach by SSS of its agreements contained in Section 1, Section 2 or Section 4, other than an isolated, inadvertent failure not occurring in bad faith that if not remedied within 30 days after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; (ii) any reduction in the Executive's base salary or consulting fees, or benefits (or payments in lieu thereof), to be provided to Executive pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) during the Employment Term, a material adverse change, without the Executive's prior written consent, in the assignment to Executive or any duties or responsibilities inconsistent in any material respect with Executive's position, duties and responsibilities set forth in Section 1.1 of this Agreement, but excluding for this purpose an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent event not occurring in bad faith that SSS remedies within 30 days after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; (iv) the relocation of the Executive's principal place of employment or performance of consulting services to a location outside of Waukesha, Milwaukee or Kenosha Counties, Wisconsin; or (v) SSS requires the Executive to travel on SSS or HHH business to a materially greater extent than was required during the 180-day period prior to the date of this Agreement. Any election by the Executive to terminate Executive's services hereunder for Good Reason shall not be deemed a voluntary termination of Executive's services hereunder by the Executive for purposes of any other benefit or other plan. A-3 12 (e) Person. The term "Person" shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Act. (f) Termination Date. Except as otherwise provided in the Agreement, the term "Termination Date" means (i) if the Executive's services are terminated by the Executive's death, the date of death; (ii) if the Executive's services are terminated for purposes of this Agreement by reason of disability pursuant to Section 7, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given; (iv) if the Executive's services are terminated by the Executive voluntarily (other than for Good Reason), the date the Notice of Termination is given; and (v) if the Executive's employment is terminated by SSS (other than by reason of disability pursuant to Section 7) or by the Executive for Good Reason, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) If the Executive shall in good faith give a Notice of Termination for Good Reason and SSS notifies the Executive that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof, then the Executive may elect to continue the Executive's services hereunder during such dispute and the Termination Date shall be determined under this paragraph. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's services hereunder for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Termination Date shall be the earlier of (1) the date on which the dispute is finally determined, either (x) by mutual written agreement of the parties or (y) in accordance with Section 14 or (2) the date of the Executive's death. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive did not terminate the Executive's services hereunder for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the services of the Executive hereunder shall continue after such determination as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination asserting Good Reason and there shall be no Termination Date arising out of such Notice. In either case, this Agreement continues, until the Termination Date, if any, as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination except that, if it is finally determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's services hereunder for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Executive shall in no case be denied the benefits described in Section 8 (including a Termination Payment) based on events occurring after the Executive delivered the Executive's Notice of Termination. (B) Except as provided in paragraph (A) above, if the party receiving the Notice of Termination notifies the other party that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof and it is finally determined that termination of the Executive's services for the reason asserted in such Notice of Termination was not in accordance with this Agreement, then (1) if such Notice was delivered by the Executive, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's services hereunder other than for Good Reason by means of such Notice and (2) if delivered by SSS, then SSS will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's services hereunder other than by reason of death, disability or Cause by means of such Notice. A-4 EX-4 5 SHAREHOLDER LETTER 1 HEIN-WERNER LOGO MAY 4, 1998 Dear Shareholders: On behalf of the Board of Directors of Hein-Werner Corporation (the "Company"), I am pleased to inform you that on April 27, 1998 the Company entered into a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") with Snap-on Incorporated ("Snap-on") and Snap-on Pace Company, an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Snap-on ("Purchaser"), pursuant to which Purchaser has today commenced a tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares (the "Shares") of the common stock of the Company at $12.60 per Share in cash (the "Offer"). Following the successful completion of the Offer, upon approval by a shareholder vote, if required, Purchaser will be merged with the Company (the "Merger"), and all Shares not purchased pursuant to the Offer will be converted into the right to receive $12.60 per Share in cash without interest (except any Shares as to which the holder has properly exercised dissenters' rights). YOUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THE OFFER AND THE MERGER AND DETERMINED THAT THE TERMS OF THE OFFER AND THE MERGER ARE FAIR TO, AND IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF, THE COMPANY AND ITS SHAREHOLDERS, AND UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT THE SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ACCEPT THE OFFER AND TENDER ALL OF THEIR SHARES. In arriving at its recommendation, the Board of Directors gave careful consideration to the factors described in the enclosed Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9 (the "Schedule 14D-9"), which is being filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, among other things, the opinion, dated April 27, 1998, of Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation, the Company's financial advisor, that as of such date, the $12.60 per Share cash consideration to be received by the holders of Shares in the Offer and the Merger is fair to such holders from a financial point of view. In addition to the attached Schedule 14D-9, also enclosed is the Offer to Purchase, dated May 4, 1998, together with related materials, including a Letter of Transmittal, to be used for tendering your Shares in the Offer. These documents state the terms and conditions of the Offer and the Merger and provide instructions as to how to tender your Shares. I urge you to read these documents carefully in making your decision with respect to tendering your shares pursuant to the Offer. I appreciate very much the opportunity I have had to serve as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company for the past 22 years. I hope you are as pleased as I am that your investment in the Company has led to the opportunity afforded by the Offer. Sincerely, [Joseph L. Dindorf Sig.] Joseph L. Dindorf President and Chief Executive Officer EX-5 6 JOINT PRESS RELEASE 1 Snap-on Incorporated to Acquire Hein-Werner for $12.60 per Share KENOSHA, Wisconsin April 28, 1998--Snap-on Incorporated (NYSE:SNA) and Hein-Werner Corporation (ASE:HNW) of Waukesha, WI, jointly announced today that the two companies have signed a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Snap-on will acquire all of the outstanding common stock of Hein-Werner at a price of $12.60 per share in cash, representing a transaction value of approximately $36 million. The transaction has been approved unanimously by the Boards of Directors of both companies. Under the terms of the merger agreement, a subsidiary of Snap-on will promptly commence a tender offer for all outstanding shares of Hein-Werner stock at a net price of $12.60 per share in cash. Such subsidiary also entered into an option to purchase from Hein-Werner newly issued shares at the offer price in an amount that, together with the shares owned by Snap-on and its affiliates immediately after the tender offer, represents at least 90 percent of the outstanding shares of Hein-Werner on a fully diluted basis. The option becomes exercisable upon the closing of the tender offer. Any shares not purchased pursuant to the tender offer or such option will be acquired in a subsequent merger at a price of $12.60 per share in cash as soon as practicable after completion of the tender offer. Completion of the tender offer is subject to customary conditions, including the acquisition by Snap-on of 66-2/3rds percent of Hein-Werner common shares on a fully-diluted basis (without giving effect to the stock purchase agreement described above), receipt of necessary governmental approvals and the expiration of applicable waiting periods under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. The merger agreement is not subject to a financing contingency. "The proposed transaction is an excellent strategic fit," said Robert A. Cornog, Snap-on Incorporated chairman, president and chief executive officer. "It offers compelling synergies to Snap-on, and provides fair value to Hein-Werner shareholders. Hein-Werner markets collision repair products that employ state-of-the-art technology. In addition, the company has excellent relationships with vehicle manufacturers and enjoys a strong international presence, with approximately half of its revenues generated outside the United States. Hein-Werner would complement Snap-on's recent acquisition of NuTech Industries, Inc. (Brewco) in the area of collision repair technology." "We think the agreement benefits both Hein-Werner and Snap-on," said Joseph L. Dindorf, president and chief executive officer of Hein-Werner. "I am personally committed to contributing to the success of Snap-on's collision repair businesses, and Hein-Werner's management is looking forward to being part of the Snap-on team as together we pursue exciting new growth opportunities." Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation acted as Hein-Werner's financial advisor in connection with transaction. Snap-on Incorporated is a $1.7 billion leading global developer, manufacturer, and distributor of tool and equipment solutions for professional technicians, motor service shop owners, specialty repair centers, origianl equipment manufacturers, and industrial tool users worldwide. Product lines include hand and power tools, diagnostics and shop equipment, tool storage products, diagnostics software, and other solutions for the automotive service industry. CONTACT: Media contact: or Investor relations contact: Richard Secor Lynn McHugh 414/656-5561 414/656/6488 EX-6 7 OPINION OF CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON 1 CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON LOGO CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION 227 West Monroe Street Telephone 312 750 3000 Chicago, IL 60606-5018 ANNEX A Board of Directors Hein-Werner Corporation 2210 Pewaukee Road Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188 April 27, 1998 Dear Sirs: You have asked us to advise you with respect to the fairness to the stockholders of Hein-Werner Corporation (the "Company") from a financial point of view of the consideration to be received by such stockholders pursuant to the terms of the draft Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 26, 1998 (the "Merger Agreement"), among the Company, Snap-on Incorporated (the "Parent") and Snap-on Pace Company (the "Purchaser"). The Merger Agreement provides for the commencement by the Purchaser of a tender offer (the "Offer") to purchase all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of the Company, par value $1.00 per share, together with associated rights (together, the "Shares"), at a price per Share of $12.60, net to the seller in cash, followed by a merger (the "Merger") of the Purchaser with and into the Company pursuant to which the Company will become a wholly owned subsidiary of the Parent, with each remaining outstanding Share to be converted into the right to receive $12.60 in cash. The Company has also granted an irrevocable option (the "Option") to the Purchaser to acquire that number of Shares, at a price of $12.60 per share, required to control 90% of the fully diluted Shares outstanding (assuming the issuance of the Shares pursuant to the Option), provided that the Purchaser has accepted for payment pursuant to the Offer at least 66 2/3% but less than 90% of the Shares outstanding prior to the exercise of the Option. In arriving at our opinion, we have reviewed certain publicly available business and financial information relating to the Company, as well as the Merger Agreement and the draft Stock Option Agreement, dated as of April 26, 1998. We have also reviewed certain other information, including financial forecasts, provided to us by the Company and have met with the Company's management to discuss the business and prospects of the Company. We have also considered certain financial and stock market data of the Company, and we have compared those data with similar data for other publicly held companies in businesses similar to the Company and we have considered the financial terms of certain other business combinations and other transactions which have recently been effected. We also considered such other information, financial studies, analyses and investigations and financial, economic and market criteria which we deemed relevant. In connection with our review, we have not assumed any responsibility for independent verification of any of the foregoing information and have relied on its being complete and accurate in all material respects. With respect to the financial forecasts, we have assumed that they have been reasonably prepared on bases reflecting the best currently available estimates and judgments of the Company's management as to the future financial performance of the Company. In addition, we have not been requested to make, and have not made, an independent evaluation or appraisal of the assets or liabilities (contingent or otherwise) of the Company, nor have we been furnished with any such evaluations or appraisals. Our opinion is necessarily based upon financial, economic, market and other conditions as they exist and can be evaluated on the date hereof. In connection with our engagement, we approached a limited number of third parties, after approval by the Company, to solicit indications of interest in a possible acquisition of the Company and held preliminary discussions with certain of these parties prior to the date hereof. We have acted as financial advisor to the Company in connection with the Merger and will receive a fee for our services, a significant portion of which is contingent upon the consummation of the Merger. A-1 2 In the ordinary course of our business, we and our affiliates may actively trade the debt and equity securities of both the Company and the Parent for our and such affiliates' own accounts and for the accounts of customers and, accordingly, may at any time hold a long or short position in such securities. It is understood that this letter is for the information of the Board of Directors in connection with its consideration of the Offer and the Merger, and does not constitute a recommendation to any stockholder as to whether or not such stockholder should tender shares pursuant to the Offer or vote in favor of the Merger and is not to be quoted or referred to, in whole or in part, in any registration statement, prospectus or proxy statement, or in any other document used in connection with the offering or sale of securities, nor shall this letter be used for any other purposes, without our prior written consent. Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof, the consideration to be received by the stockholders of the Company in the Offer and the Merger is fair to such stockholders from a financial point of view. Very truly yours, CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION A-2 EX-8 8 AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO CHANGE OF CONTROL AGREEMENT 1 AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO AGREEMENT AMENDMENT NO. 1 dated April 27, 1997 to AGREEMENT made and entered into the 27th day of January, 1984 (the "Agreement") by and between Hein Werner Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (herewith called the "Company") and Joseph L. Dindorf, President, Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Company (herewith called "Officer"). A. The parties have negotiated and reached agreement on certain amendments to the Agreement. B. The parties desire to set forth herein the amendments to the Agreement. In consideration of the premises, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows: 1. Paragraph 2 of the Agreement is hereby amended so that as amended Paragraph 2 shall read as follows: Payment to the Officer. In the event that there shall be a Change of Control of the Company at a time when the Officer shall be an active director and employee of the Company, the Officer shall be entitled to receive upon such Change of Control of Company the amount of $995,000 payable immediately in cash upon such Change of Control of the Company. 2. The Agreement is further amended by adding Paragraph 6 to read as follows: Inadvertent Overpayments. The Company and Officer intend that any payment made in accordance with Paragraph 2 of this Agreement not result in an "excess parachute payment" under Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended ("Code") or any successor provision of the Code (to the extent that Section 280G or any successor provision are applicable to this Agreement). Accordingly, and notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any portion of a payment made in accordance with Paragraph 2 of this Agreement, when considered in conjunction with any other payment or benefit under any other agreement with or plan of the Company or an affiliate of the Company (in the aggregate, "Total Payments") is conclusively 2 determined to constitute an "excess parachute payment", then the maximum payment to which the Officer is entitled to under this Agreement shall be reduced such that the value of the aggregate Total Payments that the Officer is entitled to receive shall be One Dollar ($1) less than the maximum amount which the Officer could receive without becoming subject to the tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision) or which the Company may pay without loss of deduction under Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision). The excess of the Total Payments over the maximum payment described in the preceding sentence shall constitute a loan from the Company to the Officer to be repaid to the Company with interest, compounded semi-annually, at an annual rate equal to 120 percent of the applicable Federal short-term rate under Section 1274 of the Code as of the date on which the payment under Paragraph 2 of this Agreement was made, or such other interest rate as the Internal Revenue Service may require with respect to the repayment of inadvertent overpayments. 3. Terms defined in the Agreement are used herein with their defined meanings. Except as amended hereby the Agreement shall be and remain in full force and effect. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment No. 1 as of the day and year first above written. /s/ JOSEPH L. DINDORF ------------------------------------ Joseph L. Dindorf ("Officer") HEIN WERNER CORPORATION ("Company") By /s/ REINALD D. LIEGEL --------------------------------- Senior Vice President -2- EX-9 9 TRUST AGREEMENT 1 TRUST AGREEMENT BY AND BETWEEN HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION AND FIRSTAR TRUST COMPANY This Agreement is made this 29th day of April by and between HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION ("Company") and FIRSTAR TRUST COMPANY ("Trustee"): WHEREAS, the Company is a party to an Agreement dated January 27, 1984, as amended by Amendment No. 1 dated April 27, 1998 (the "Agreement") by and between the Company and Joseph L. Dindorf, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer; and WHEREAS, the Agreement provides, inter alia, for a payment by the Company to Mr. Dindorf in the amount of $995,000 upon a Change of Control of the Company (as defined in the Agreement); and WHEREAS, the Company wishes to establish a trust (hereinafter called "Trust") and to contribute to the Trust assets that shall be held therein, subject to the claims of the Company's Insolvency, as herein defined, until paid to Joseph L. Dindorf or his estate (collectively referred to as the "Participant") in such manner and at such times as specified in the Agreement; and WHEREAS, it is the intention of the parties that this Trust shall constitute an unfunded arrangement and shall not affect the status of the Agreement as an unfunded plan maintained for the purpose of providing deferred compensation for a "select group of management or highly compensated employees" within the meaning of Title I of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974; and WHEREAS, it is the intention of the Company to make contributions to the Trust to provide itself with a source of funds to assist it in the meeting of its liabilities under the Plan; NOW, THEREFORE, the parties do hereby establish the Trust and agree that the Trust shall be comprised, held and disposed of as follows: Section 1. Establishment of Trust. (a) The Company hereby deposits with Trustee in trust $995,000 which shall become the initial principal of the Trust to be held, administered and disposed of by Trustee as provided in this Trust Agreement. 2 (b) Except as provided in Sections 3 and 4 hereof, the Trust hereby established is irrevocable. (c) The Trust is intended to be a grantor trust, of which the Company is the grantor, within the meaning of subpart E, part I, subchapter J, chapter 1, subtitle A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and shall be construed accordingly. (d) The principal of the Trust, and any earnings thereon, shall be held by the Trustee separate and apart from other funds of the Company and shall be used exclusively for the purpose of providing benefits to Participant under the Agreement and for the Company's general creditors as herein set forth. Participant shall have no preferred claim on, or any beneficial ownership interest in, any asset of the Trust until such amount or asset is distributed from the Trust in accordance with Section 2 herein. Any rights created under the Agreement and this Trust Agreement shall be mere unsecured contractual rights of Participant against the Company. Any assets held by the Trust will be subject to the claims of the Company's general creditors under federal and state law in the event of Insolvency, as defined in Section 3(a) herein. Section 2. Payments to Participant. (a) Trustee shall make a lump sum cash payment to Participant in the amount of $995,000 at such time as Participant shall provide the Trustee with a signed statement certifying that there has been a Change of Control of Company. The Trustee shall make provision for the reporting and withholding of any federal, state or local taxes that may be required to be withheld with respect to the payment, and shall pay amounts withheld to the appropriate taxing authorities or determine that such amounts have been reported, withheld and paid by the Company. To the extent not provided by Participant, the Company shall provide the Trustee with such information as is necessary for the Trustee to comply with any and all federal, state or local tax laws. (b) Participant's entitlement to payment from the Trust to benefits shall be conclusively presumed upon delivery of the certificate described in Section 2(a) to the Trustee. The Trustee shall be under no duty or obligation to review or otherwise verify the Participant's entitlement to the payment provided for herein. (c) If the principal of the Trust, and any earnings thereon, are not sufficient to provide payment of the amount certified by Participant as being payable in accordance with the Agreement, the Company shall pay such difference at the same time as the Trustee makes payment from the Trust. Trustee shall notify the Company if principal and earnings are not sufficient. Section 3. Trustee Responsibility Regarding Payments to Trust Beneficiary When the Company is Insolvent. (a) Trustee shall cease payment of benefits to Participant if the Company is Insolvent. The Company shall be considered "Insolvent" for purposes of this Trust Agreement 2 3 if (i) the Company is unable to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) the Company is subject to a pending proceeding as a debtor under the United States Bankruptcy Code. (b) At all times during the continuance of this Trust, the principal and income of the Trust shall be subject to claims of general creditors of the Company under federal and state law as set forth below. (1) The Board of Directors and the Chief Executive of the Company shall have the duty to inform Trustee in writing of the the Company's Insolvency. If a person claiming to be a creditor of the Company alleges in writing to Trustee that the Company has become Insolvent, Trustee shall determine whether the Company is Insolvent and, pending such determination, Trustee shall discontinue payment of benefits to Participant. (2) Unless Trustee has actual knowledge of the Company's Insolvency, or has received notice from the Company or a person claiming to be a creditor alleging that the Company is Insolvent, Trustee shall have no duty to inquire whether the Company is Insolvent. Trustee may in all events rely on such evidence concerning the Company's solvency as may be furnished to Trustee and that provides Trustee with a reasonable basis for making a determination concerning the Company's solvency. (3) If at any time Trustee has determined that the Company is Insolvent, Trustee shall discontinue payments to Participant and shall hold the assets of the Trust for the benefit of the Company's general creditors. Nothing in this Trust Agreement shall in any way diminish any rights as general creditors of the Company with respect to benefits due under the Plan or otherwise. (4) Trustee shall resume the payment of benefits to Participant in accordance with Section 2 of this Trust Agreement only after Trustee has determined that the Company is not Insolvent (or is no longer Insolvent). Section 4. Payments to the Company. Except as provided in Section 3 and this Section 4 hereof, the Company shall have no right or power to direct Trustee to return to the Company or to divert to others any of the Trust assets. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may revoke the Trust and direct the Trustee to return Trust assets to the Company in the event that a Change of Control of the Company does not occur within one hundred eighty (180) days following the date on which this Trust is established. Furthermore, at any time following the date on which the Trustee has made payment to Participant under Section 2(a), the Company may direct the Trustee to return any surplus funds to it. Section 5. Investment Authority. The Trustee shall invest Trust assets in a money market fund or other fixed income security as directed by the Company. In the event that the Company does not provide appropriate 3 4 investment direction, the Trustee shall invest Trust assets in a money market or similar short-term investment fund for the investment of cash reserves. Section 6. Disposition of Income. During the term of this Trust, all income received by the Trust, net of expenses and taxes, shall be accumulated and reinvested until distributed to Participant or the Company in accordance with Section 2, 3 and 4 of the Trust. Section 7. Accounting by Trustee. Trustee shall keep accurate and detailed records of all investments, receipts, disbursements, and all other transactions required to be made, including such specific records as shall be agreed upon in writing between the Company and Trustee. Unless waived, within one hundred twenty (120) days following the close of each calendar year and within one hundred twenty (120) days after the removal or resignation of Trustee, Trustee shall deliver to the Company a written account of its administration of the Trust during such year or during the period from the close of the last preceding year to the date of such removal or resignation, setting forth all investments, receipts, disbursements and other transactions effected by it, including a description of all securities and investments purchased and sold with the cost or net proceeds of such purchases or sales (accrued interest paid or receivable being shown separately), and showing all cash, securities and other property held in the Trust at the end of such year or as of the date of such removal or resignation, as the case may be. Section 8. Responsibility of Trustee. (a) Trustee shall act with the care, skill, prudence, and diligence under the circumstances then prevailing that a prudent person acting in like capacity and familiar with such matters would use in the conduct of an enterprise of a like character and with like aims; provided, however, that Trustee shall incur no liability to any person (including liability to the Company) for any action taken pursuant to a direction, request or approval given by the Company or by the Participant which is contemplated by, and in conformity with, the terms of the Plan or this Trust and is given in writing by the Company. In the event of a dispute concerning the administration and operation of the Trust, the Trustee may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction to resolve the dispute. (b) Trustee may consult with legal counsel with respect to any of its duties or obligations hereunder. (c) Trustee may hire agents, accountants, actuaries, investment advisors, financial consultants or other professionals to assist it in performing any of its duties or obligations hereunder. (d) Trustee shall have, without exclusion, all powers conferred on Trustees by applicable law, unless expressly provided otherwise herein; provided, however, that if an insurance policy is held as an asset of the Trust, Trustee shall have no power to name a 4 5 beneficiary of the policy other than the Trust, to assign the policy (as distinct from conversion of the policy to a different form) other than to a successor Trustee, or to loan to any person the proceeds of any borrowing against such policy. (e) Notwithstanding any powers granted to Trustee pursuant to this Trust Agreement or to applicable law, Trustee shall not have any power that could give this Trust the objective of carrying on a business and dividing the gains therefrom, within the meaning of Section 301.7701-2 of the Procedure and Administrative Regulations promulgated pursuant to the Internal Revenue Code. (f) The Company agrees to fully indemnify and hold harmless the Trustee for any claims, losses, liabilities, obligations or expenses, (including reasonable attorneys' fees associated with any such claim, loss, liability, obligation or expense) arising out of the Trustee's good faith performance of its duties under this Agreement, including, without limitation, its reliance on the Participant's certification described in Section 2(a) of this document or as a result of making payment in accordance with the terms of said certification. The Company acknowledges that Trustee shall have no duty to question or verify the calculations provided in said certification or to determine the authenticity of said certification. Section 9. Compensation and Expenses of Trustee. The Company shall pay all Trustee's administrative fees and expenses. Section 10. Resignation and Removal of Trustee. (a) Trustee may resign at any time by written notice to the Company, which shall be effective ninety (90) days after receipt of such notice unless the Company and Trustee agree otherwise. (b) Trustee may be removed by the Company on ninety (90) days' notice or upon shorter notice accepted by Trustee; provided that upon a Change of Control of the Company, as defined herein, Trustee may not be removed by the Company or its successor for two (2) years. (c) Upon resignation or removal of Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee, all assets shall subsequently be transferred to the successor Trustee. The transfer shall be completed within ninety (90) days after receipt of notice of resignation, removal or transfer. Section 11. Appointment of Successor. (a) If Trustee resigns or is removed in accordance with Section 10 hereof, the Company may appoint a trust company, bank trust department or other independent third party that has been granted corporate trustee powers under state law, as the successor trustee. The appointment shall be effective when accepted in writing by the new Trustee, who shall have all of the rights and powers of the former Trustee, including ownership rights in the 5 6 Trustee assets. The former Trustee shall execute any instrument necessary or reasonably requested by the Company or the successor Trustee to evidence the transfer. (b) The successor Trustee need not examine the records and acts of any prior Trustee and may retain or dispose of existing Trust assets, subject to Sections 7 and 8 hereof. The successor Trustee shall not be responsible for, and the Company shall indemnify and defend the successor Trustee from, any claim or liability resulting from any action or inaction of any prior Trustee or from any other past event, or any condition existing at the time it becomes successor Trustee. Section 12. Amendment or Termination. (a) Subject to Section 12(c) below, this Trust Agreement may be amended by a written instrument executed by Trustee and the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no such amendment shall conflict with the terms of the Plan or shall make the Trust revocable. (b) The Trust shall not terminate until the date on which Participant has received payment of all benefits to which Participant is or may become entitled pursuant to the terms of the Plan. Upon termination of the Trust any assets remaining in the Trust shall be returned to the Company. (c) Sections 1 through 14 of this Trust Agreement may not be amended by the Company for two (2) years following a Change of Control of the Company, as defined herein. Section 13. Miscellaneous. (a) Any provision of this Trust Agreement prohibited by law shall be ineffective to the extent of any such prohibition, without invalidating the remaining provisions hereof. (b) Benefits payable to Participant under this Trust Agreement may not be anticipated, assigned (either at law or in equity), alienated, pledged, encumbered or subjected to attachment, garnishment, levy, execution or other legal or equitable process. (c) This Trust Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Wisconsin. (d) For purposes of this Trust, Change of Control of the Company shall mean "Change of Control of the Company" as defined in Section 1.B. of the Agreement. (e) The terms of this Trust Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Company, Participant, the successors and assigns of the Company (including, without limitation, any successor or assign by reason of merger, consolidation or reorganization of the Company) and the estate, heirs, successors and assigns of Participant. Section 14. Effective Date. 6 7 The Trust Agreement shall be effective immediately upon execution. HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION By: /s/ REINALD D. LIEGEL -------------------------- Senior Vice President Attest: /s/ JAMES WILKE ---------------------- Assistant Secretary FIRSTAR TRUST COMPANY By: /s/ WILLIAM CARUSO -------------------------- Assistant Vice President Attest: /s/ YVONNE SIIRA ---------------------- Assistant Secretary 7 EX-10 10 EMPLOYMENT & SEVERANCE AGREEMENT: THOMAS ANDREOLI 1 KEY EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the 15th day of April, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), and Thomas F. Andreoli (hereinafter referred to as the "Executive"). W I T N E S S E T H : WHEREAS, the Executive is currently employed by the Company in a key capacity, and the Executive's services are valuable to the conduct of the business of the Company; WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") recognizes that circumstances may arise in which a change in control of the Company occurs, through acquisition or otherwise, thereby causing uncertainty about the Executive's future employment with the Company without regard to the Executive's competence or past contributions, which uncertainty may result in the loss of valuable services of the Executive to the detriment of the Company and its shareholders, and the Company and the Executive wish to provide reasonable security to the Executive against changes in the Executive's relationship with the Company in the event of any such change in control; WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive desire that any proposal for a change in control or acquisition of the Company will be considered by the Executive objectively and with reference only to the best interests of the Company and its shareholders; and WHEREAS, the Executive will be in a better position to consider the Company's best interests if the Executive is afforded reasonable security, as provided in this Agreement, against altered conditions of employment which could result from any such change in control or acquisition. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto mutually covenant and agree as follows: 2 1. Definitions. The following terms are used in this Agreement as defined in Exhibit A: Act Covered Termination Accrued Benefits Effective Date Affiliate and Associate Employer Annual Cash Compensation Good Reason Cause Normal Retirement Date Change in Control Notice of Termination Code Person Competitive Activity Termination Date 2. Termination or Cancellation Prior to the Effective Date. The Employer and the Executive shall each retain the right to terminate the employment of the Executive at any time prior to the Effective Date. If the Executive's employment is terminated prior to the Effective Date, then this Agreement shall be terminated and cancelled and of no further force or effect and any and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall cease. In addition, this Agreement shall terminate upon the Executive ceasing to be an employee of the Employer prior to a Change in Control unless the Executive can reasonably demonstrate that such change in status occurred under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A. 3. Employment Period. If the Executive is employed by the Employer on the Effective Date, then the Company will, or will cause the Employer to, continue thereafter to employ the Executive during the Employment Period (as hereinafter defined), and the Executive will remain in the employ of the Employer, in accordance with and subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Employment Period" means a period (i) commencing on the Effective Date, and (ii) ending at 11:59 p.m. Milwaukee Time on the earlier of the first anniversary of such date or the Executive's Normal Retirement Date. 4. Duties. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall, in the most significant capacities and positions held by the Executive at any time during the 180-day period preceding the Effective Date or in such other capacities and positions as may be agreed to by the Company and the Executive in writing, devote the Executive's best efforts and all of the Executive's business time, attention and skill to the business and affairs of the Employer, as such business and affairs now exist and as they may hereafter be conducted. 5. Compensation. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be compensated as follows: (a) The Executive shall receive, at reasonable intervals (but not less often than monthly) and in accordance with such standard policies as may be in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date, an annual base salary in cash equivalent of not less than twelve times the -2- 3 Executive's highest monthly base salary (which shall include any amounts credited to the Executive for the purchase of annuity contracts and related tax offset bonuses) for the twelve-month period immediately preceding the month in which the Effective Date occurs or, if higher, an annual base salary at the rate in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date (which base salary shall, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Executive, include the current receipt by the Executive of any amounts which, prior to the Effective Date, the Executive had elected to defer, whether such compensation is deferred under Section 401(k) of the Code or otherwise), subject to upward adjustment as provided in Section 6 (such salary amount as adjusted upward from time to time is hereafter referred to as the "Annual Base Salary"). (b) The Executive shall receive fringe benefits at least equal in value to those provided for the Executive at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. The Executive shall be reimbursed, at such intervals and in accordance with such standard policies that are most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates, including travel expenses. (c) The Executive and/or the Executive's family, as the case may be, shall be included, to the extent eligible thereunder (which eligibility shall not be conditioned on the Executive's salary grade or on any other requirement that excludes executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive unless such exclusion was in effect for such plan or an equivalent plan on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date), in any and all welfare benefit plans, practices, policies and programs providing benefits for the Company's salaried employees in general or, if more favorable to the Executive, to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to group life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs in which the Executive is included be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date and (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. (d) The Executive shall annually be entitled to not less than the amount of paid vacation and not fewer than the number of paid holidays to which the Executive was entitled -3- 4 annually at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or such greater amount of paid vacation and number of paid holidays as may be made available annually to the Executive or any other executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive at any time after the Effective Date. (e) The Executive shall be included in all plans providing additional benefits to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to deferred compensation, split-dollar life insurance, retirement, supplemental retirement, stock option, stock appreciation, stock bonus and similar or comparable plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date; (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive; and (iii) the Company's obligation to include the Executive in bonus or incentive compensation plans shall be determined by Section 5(f). (f) To assure that the Executive will have an opportunity to earn incentive compensation after the Effective Date, the Executive shall be included in a bonus plan of the Company that shall satisfy the standards described below (the "Bonus Plan"). Bonuses under the Bonus Plan shall be payable with respect to achieving such financial or other goals reasonably related to the business of the Company as the Company shall establish (the "Goals"), all of which Goals shall be attainable, prior to the end of the Employment Period, with approximately the same degree of probability as the goals under the Employer's annual incentive plan currently in effect, or the successor to such plan, in the form most favorable to the Executive that was in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (the "Existing Plan") and in view of the Company's existing and projected financial and business circumstances applicable at the time. The amount of the bonus (the "Bonus Amount") that the Executive is eligible to earn under the Bonus Plan shall be no less than the amount of the Executive's highest maximum potential award under the Existing Plan at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, if higher, any maximum potential award under the Bonus Plan or any other bonus or incentive compensation plan in effect after the Effective Date for the Executive or for any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive (such bonus amount herein referred to as the "Targeted Bonus"), and if the Goals are not achieved (and, therefore, the entire Targeted Bonus is not payable), then the Bonus Plan shall provide for a payment of a Bonus Amount not less than a portion of the Targeted Bonus reasonably related to that portion of the Goals that were achieved. Payment of the Bonus Amount (i) shall be in cash, unless otherwise agreed by the Executive, and (ii) shall not be affected by any circumstance occurring subsequent to the end of the Employment Period, including termination of the Executive's employment. -4- 5 6. Annual Compensation Adjustments. During the Employment Period, the Board of Directors of the Company (or an appropriate committee thereof) will consider and appraise, at least annually, the contributions of the Executive to the Employer, and in accordance with the Company's practice prior to the Effective Date, due consideration shall be given, at least annually, to the upward adjustment of the Executive's Annual Base Salary (i) commensurate with increases generally given to other executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, and (ii) as the scope of the Company's operations or the Executive's duties expand. 7. Termination During Employment Period. (a) Right to Terminate. During the Employment Period, (i) the Company shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment (A) for Cause, (B) by reason of the Executive's disability pursuant to Section 11, or (C) for any other reason, and (ii) the Executive shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment for any reason. Any such termination shall be subject to the procedures set forth in Section 12 and shall be subject to any consequences of such termination set forth in this Agreement. Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Employer shall be deemed a termination by the Company for purposes of this Agreement. (b) Termination for Cause or Without Good Reason. If there is a Covered Termination for Cause or due to the Executive's voluntarily terminating the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive only Accrued Benefits. (c) Termination Giving Rise to a Termination Payment. If there is a Covered Termination by the Executive for Good Reason, or by the Company other than by reason of (i) death, (ii) disability pursuant to Section 11, or (iii) Cause, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive, and the Company shall promptly pay, Accrued Benefits and, in lieu of further base salary for periods following the Termination Date, as liquidated damages and additional severance pay and in consideration of the covenant of the Executive set forth in Section 13(a), the Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 8. Payments Upon Termination. (a) Termination Payment. (i) Subject to the limits set forth in Section 8(a)(ii), for purposes of this Agreement, the "Termination Payment" shall be an amount equal to the Annual Cash Compensation multiplied by the number of years or fractional portion thereof remaining in the Employment Period determined as of the Termination Date, except that the Termination Payment shall not be less than the amount of Annual Cash Compensation. The Termination Payment shall be paid to the Executive in cash equivalent not later than ten business days after the Termination Date. The Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of the Termination Payment by securing other employment or otherwise, nor will such Termination Payment be reduced -5- 6 by reason of the Executive securing other employment or for any other reason. The Termination Payment shall be in addition to any other severance payments to which the Executive is entitled under the Company's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. (ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any portion of the Termination Payment or any other payment under this Agreement, or under any other agreement with or plan of the Company or the Employer (in the aggregate "Total Payments"), would constitute an "excess parachute payment," then the Total Payments to be made to the Executive shall be reduced such that the value of the aggregate Total Payments that the Executive is entitled to receive shall be One Dollar ($1) less than the maximum amount which the Executive may receive without becoming subject to the tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision) or which the Company may pay without loss of deduction under Section 280G(a) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of this Agreement, the terms "excess parachute payment" and "parachute payments" shall have the meanings assigned to them in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), and such "parachute payments" shall be valued as provided therein. Present value for purposes of this Agreement shall be calculated in accordance with Section 1274(b)(2) of the Code (or any successor provision). Within sixty days following delivery of the Notice of Termination or notice by the Company to the Executive of its belief that there is a payment or benefit due the Executive which will result in an excess parachute payment as defined in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), the Executive and the Company, at the Company's expense, shall obtain the opinion (which need not be unqualified) of nationally recognized tax counsel selected by the Company's independent auditors and acceptable to the Executive in the Executive's sole discretion, which sets forth (A) the amount of the Base Period Income, (B) the amount and present value of Total Payments and (C) the amount and present value of any excess parachute payments without regard to the limitations of this Section 8(a)(ii). As used in this Section 8(a)(ii), the term "Base Period Income" means an amount equal to the Executive's "annualized includible compensation for the base period" as defined in Section 280G(d)(1) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of such opinion, the value of any noncash benefits or any deferred payment or benefit shall be determined by the Company's independent auditors in accordance with the principles of Sections 280G(d)(3) and (4) of the Code (or any successor provisions), which determination shall be evidenced in a certificate of such auditors addressed to the Company and the Executive. Such opinion shall be dated as of the Termination Date and addressed to the Company and the Executive and shall be binding upon the Company and the Executive. If such opinion determines that there would be an excess parachute payment, then the Termination Payment hereunder or any other payment determined by such counsel to be includible in Total Payments shall be reduced or eliminated as specified by the Executive in writing delivered to the Company within thirty days of the Executive's receipt of such opinion or, if the Executive fails to so notify the Company, then as the Company shall reasonably determine, so that under -6- 7 the bases of calculations set forth in such opinion there will be no excess parachute payment. If such legal counsel so requests in connection with the opinion required by this Section, the Executive and the Company shall obtain, at the Company's expense, and the legal counsel may rely on in providing the opinion, the advice of a firm of recognized executive compensation consultants as to the reasonableness of any item of compensation to be received by the Executive. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 8(a)(ii), including the calculations, notices and opinions provided for herein, shall be based upon the conclusive presumption that the following are reasonable: (1) the compensation and benefits provided for in Section 5 and (2) any other compensation, including but not limited to the Accrued Benefits, earned prior to the Termination Date by the Executive pursuant to the Company's compensation programs if such payments would have been made in the future in any event, even though the timing of such payment is triggered by the Change in Control or the Termination Date. If the provisions of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code (or any successor provisions) are repealed without succession, then this Section 8(a)(ii) shall be of no further force or effect. (b) Additional Benefits. If there is a Covered Termination and the Executive is entitled to Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, then the Executive shall be entitled to the following additional benefits: (i) Until the earlier of the end of the Employment Period or such time as the Executive has obtained new employment and is covered by benefits which in the aggregate are at least equal in value to the following benefits, the Executive shall continue to be covered, at the expense of the Company, by the most favorable life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental coverage and other welfare benefits provided to the Executive and the Executive's family during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or at any time thereafter or, if more favorable to the Executive, coverage as was required hereunder with respect to the Executive immediately prior to the date Notice of Termination is given. (ii) The Executive shall receive, at the expense of the Company, outplacement services, on an individualized basis at a level of service commensurate with the Executive's most senior status with the Company during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (or, if higher, at any time after the Effective Date), provided by a nationally recognized executive placement firm selected by the Company with the consent of the Executive, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld; provided that the cost to the Company of such services shall not exceed 15% of the Executive's Annual Base Salary. (iii) The Company shall bear up to $10,000 in the aggregate of fees and expenses of consultants and/or legal or accounting advisors engaged by the Executive to advise the Executive as to matters relating to the computation of benefits due and payable under this Section 8. -7- 8 9. Death. (a) Except as provided in Section 9(b), in the event of a Covered Termination due to the Executive's death, the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall receive all the Executive's Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date. (b) If the Executive dies after a Notice of Termination is given (i) by the Company or (ii) by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall be entitled to the benefits described in Section 9(a) and, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to such Termination Payment to which the Executive would have been entitled had the Executive lived. In such event, the Termination Date shall be thirty days following the giving of the Notice of Termination, subject to extension pursuant to the definition of "Termination Date" in Exhibit A. 10. Retirement. If, during the Employment Period, the Executive and the Employer shall execute an agreement providing for the early retirement of the Executive from the Employer, or the Executive shall otherwise give notice that the Executive is voluntarily choosing to retire early from the Employer, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date; provided, that if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive for Good Reason or by the Company other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Executive also, in connection with such termination, elects voluntary early retirement, then the Executive shall also be entitled to receive a Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 11. Termination for Disability. If, during the Employment Period, as a result of the Executive's disability due to physical or mental illness or injury (regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related), the Executive shall have been absent from the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis for a period of 182 days and, within thirty days after the Company notifies the Executive in writing that it intends to terminate the Executive's employment (which notice shall not constitute the Notice of Termination contemplated below), the Executive shall not have returned to the performance of the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis, then the Company may terminate the Executive's employment for purposes of this Agreement pursuant to a Notice of Termination. If the Executive's employment is terminated on account of the Executive's disability in accordance with this Section, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits in accordance with Section 8(a) and shall remain eligible for all benefits provided by any long term disability programs of the Employer in effect at the time the Company sends notice to the Executive of its intent to terminate pursuant to this Section. 12. Termination Notice and Procedure. (a) Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Company or the Executive (other than a termination of the Executive's employment referenced in the second sentence of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A) shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the Executive, if such Notice is given by the Company, and to the Company, if such Notice is given by the Executive, all in accordance with the following procedures and those set forth in Section 22: -8- 9 (i) If such termination is for disability, Cause or Good Reason, the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such termination. (ii) Any Notice of Termination by the Company shall have been approved, prior to the giving thereof to the Executive, by a resolution duly adopted by a majority of the directors of the Company (or any successor corporation) then in office, a copy of which shall accompany the Notice. (iii) If the Notice is given by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on or after the date 15 days after the delivery of Notice of Termination (unless the Notice of Termination is based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A, in which case the Executive may cease performing his duties at the time the Executive's employment is terminated) and shall in any event cease employment on the Termination Date, if any, arising from the delivery of such Notice. If the Notice is given by the Company, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on the date of receipt of the Notice of Termination, subject to the Executive's rights hereunder. (iv) The recipient of any Notice of Termination shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the party giving such Notice within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) if the Executive terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason and deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Company as of the date of such termination and (B) if the Company terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Company will be deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Executive as of the date of such termination. Under circumstances described in clause (B) above, the Executive may, but shall not be obligated to, also deliver a Notice of Termination based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A for the purpose of subjecting such Notice to Section 12(a)(iv). (b) If a Change in Control occurs and the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control, then the Executive may assert that such termination is a Covered Termination by sending a written Notice of Termination to the Company at any time prior to the first anniversary of the Change in Control in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 12(b) and those set forth in Section 22. If the Executive asserts that the Executive -9- 10 terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason or that the Company terminated the Executive's employment other than for disability or Cause, then the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such assertions. The Company shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the Executive within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. 13. Further Obligations of the Executive. (a) Competition. The Executive agrees that, in the event of any Covered Termination where the Executive is entitled to (and receives) Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, the Executive shall not, for a period of three months after the Termination Date, without the prior written approval of the Company's Board of Directors, engage in any Competitive Activity. (b) Confidentiality. During and following the Executive's employment by the Employer, the Executive shall hold in confidence and not directly or indirectly disclose or use or copy or make lists of any confidential information or proprietary data of the Company (including that of the Employer), except to the extent authorized in writing by the Board of Directors of the Company or required by any court or administrative agency, other than to an employee of the Company or a person to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary or appropriate in connection with the performance by the Executive of duties as an executive of the Company or the Employer. Confidential information shall not include any information known generally to the public or any information of a type not otherwise considered confidential by persons engaged in the same business or a business similar to that of the Company. All records, files, documents and materials, or copies thereof, relating to the business of the Company which the Executive shall prepare, or use, or come into contact with, shall be and remain the sole property of the Company and shall be promptly returned to the Company upon termination of employment with the Employer. 14. Expenses and Interest. If, after the Effective Date, (i) a dispute arises with respect to the enforcement of the Executive's rights under this Agreement, (ii) any legal or arbitration proceeding shall be brought to enforce or interpret any provision contained herein or to recover damages for breach hereof, or (iii) any tax audit or proceeding is commenced that is attributable in part to the application of Section 4999 of the Code, in any case so long as the Executive is not acting in bad faith, then the Company shall reimburse the Executive for any reasonable attorneys' fees and necessary costs and disbursements incurred as a result of such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding or tax audit or proceeding ("Expenses"), and prejudgment interest on any money judgment or arbitration award obtained by the Executive calculated at the rate of interest announced by Firstar Bank Milwaukee, N.A., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from time to time as its prime or base lending rate from the date that payments to the Executive should have been made under this Agreement. Within ten days after the Executive's written request therefor, the Company shall pay to the Executive, or such other -10- 11 person or entity as the Executive may designate in writing to the Company, the Executive's reasonable Expenses in advance of the final disposition or conclusion of any such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding. 15. Payment Obligations Absolute. The Company's obligation during and after the Employment Period to pay the Executive the amounts and to make the benefit and other arrangements provided herein shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstances, including, without limitation, any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which the Company may have against the Executive or anyone else. Except as provided in Section 14, all amounts payable by the Company hereunder shall be paid without notice or demand. Each and every payment made hereunder by the Company shall be final, and the Company will not seek to recover all or any part of such payment from the Executive, or from whomsoever may be entitled thereto, for any reason whatsoever. 16. Successors. (a) If the Company sells, assigns or transfers all or substantially all of its business and assets to any Person or if the Company merges into or consolidates or otherwise combines (where the Company does not survive such combination) with any Person (any such event, a "Sale of Business"), then the Company shall assign all of its right, title and interest in this Agreement as of the date of such event to such Person, and the Company shall cause such Person, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Executive, to expressly assume and agree to perform from and after the date of such assignment all of the terms, conditions and provisions imposed by this Agreement upon the Company. Failure of the Company to obtain such agreement prior to the effective date of such Sale of Business shall be a breach of this Agreement constituting "Good Reason" hereunder, except that for purposes of implementing the foregoing, the date upon which such Sale of Business becomes effective shall be deemed the Termination Date. In case of such assignment by the Company and of assumption and agreement by such Person, as used in this Agreement, "Company" shall thereafter mean such Person which executes and delivers the agreement provided for in this Section 16 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by operation of law, and this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, such Person. The Executive shall, in the Executive's discretion, be entitled to proceed against any or all of such Persons, any Person which theretofore was such a successor to the Company (as defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement) and the Company (as so defined) in any action to enforce any rights of the Executive hereunder. Except as provided in this Subsection, this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Company. This Agreement shall not be terminated by the voluntary or involuntary dissolution of the Company. (b) This Agreement and all rights of the Executive shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive's personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, heirs and beneficiaries. All amounts payable to the Executive under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 14 if the Executive had lived shall be paid, in the event of the Executive's death, to the Executive's estate, heirs and representatives; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not be construed to modify any terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, as such terms -11- 12 are in effect on the Effective Date, that expressly govern benefits under such plan in the event of the Executive's death. 17. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be regarded as divisible, and if any of said provisions or any part hereof are declared invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the validity and enforceability of the remainder of such provisions or parts hereof and the applicability thereof shall not be affected thereby. 18. Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended or modified at any time except by written instrument executed by the Company and the Executive. 19. Withholding. The Employer shall be entitled to withhold from amounts to be paid to the Executive hereunder any federal, state or local withholding or other taxes or charges which it is from time to time required to withhold; provided, that the amount so withheld shall not exceed the minimum amount required to be withheld by law. The Employer shall be entitled to rely on an opinion of nationally recognized tax counsel if any question as to the amount or requirement of any such withholding shall arise. 20. Certain Rules of Construction. No party shall be considered as being responsible for the drafting of this Agreement for the purpose of applying any rule construing ambiguities against the drafter or otherwise. No draft of this Agreement shall be taken into account in construing this Agreement. Any provision of this Agreement which requires an agreement in writing shall be deemed to require that the writing in question be signed by the Executive and an authorized representative of the Company. 21. Governing Law; Resolution of Disputes. (a) This Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Wisconsin (excluding any choice of law rules that may direct the application of the laws of another jurisdiction) except that Section 21(b) shall be construed in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act if arbitration is chosen by the Executive as the method of dispute resolution. (b) Any dispute arising out of this Agreement shall, at the Executive's election, be determined by arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect (but subject to any evidentiary standards set forth in this Agreement), in which case both parties shall be bound by the arbitration award, or by litigation. Whether the dispute is to be settled by arbitration or litigation, the venue for the arbitration or litigation shall be Milwaukee, Wisconsin or, at the Executive's election, if the Executive is no longer residing or working in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin metropolitan area, in the judicial district encompassing the city in which the Executive resides; provided, that, if the Executive is not then residing in the United States, the election of the Executive with respect to such venue shall be either Milwaukee, Wisconsin or in the judicial district encompassing that city in the United States among the thirty cities having the largest population (as determined by the most recent United States Census data available at the Termination Date) that is closest to the Executive's residence. -12- 13 The parties consent to personal jurisdiction in each trial court in the selected venue having subject matter jurisdiction notwithstanding their residence or situs, and each party irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided hereunder for the giving of notices. 22. Notice. Notices given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and, except as otherwise provided by Section 12(a)(iii), shall be deemed given when actually received by the Executive or actually received by the Company's Secretary or any officer of the Company other than the Executive. If mailed, such notices shall be mailed by United States registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressee only, postage prepaid, if to the Company, to Hein-Werner Corporation, Attention: Secretary (or, if the Executive is then Secretary, to the Chief Executive Officer), 2120 Pewaukee Road, Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188, or if to the Executive, at the address set forth below the Executive's signature to this Agreement, or to such other address as the party to be notified shall have theretofore given to the other party in writing. 23. Additional Payment. (a) If, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8(a)(ii), but subject to subsection (b), it is ultimately determined by a court or pursuant to a final determination by the Internal Revenue Service that any portion of Total Payments is subject to the tax (the "Excise Tax") imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision), then the Company shall pay to the Executive an additional amount (the "Gross-Up Payment") such that the net amount retained by the Executive after deduction of any Excise Tax and any interest charges or penalties in respect of the imposition of such Excise Tax (but not any federal, state or local income tax) on the Total Payments, and any federal, state and local income tax and Excise Tax upon the payment provided for by this Section 23 shall be equal to the Total Payments. For purposes of determining the amount of the Gross-Up Payment, the Executive shall be deemed to pay federal income taxes at the highest marginal rate of federal income taxation in the calendar year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made and state and local income taxes at the highest marginal rates of taxation in the state and locality of the Executive's domicile for income tax purposes on the date the Gross-Up Payment is made, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes that could be obtained from deduction of such state and local taxes. (b) If legislation is enacted that would require the Company's shareholders to approve this Agreement, prior to a Change in Control, due solely to the provision contained in subsection (a) of this Section 23, then (i) from and after such time as shareholder approval would be required, until shareholder approval is obtained as required by such legislation, subsection (a) shall be of no force and effect; (ii) if the Company seeks shareholder approval of any other agreement providing similar benefits to any other executive of the Company, then the Company shall seek shareholder approval of this Agreement at the same shareholders' meeting or meetings at which the shareholders consider any such other agreement; and -13- 14 (iii) the Company and the Executive shall use their best efforts to consider and agree in writing upon an amendment to this Section 23 such that, as amended, this Subsection would provide the Executive with the benefits intended to be afforded to the Executive by subsection (a) without requiring shareholder approval. 24. No Waiver. The Executive's or the Company's failure to insist upon strict compliance with any provision of this Agreement or the failure to assert any right the Executive or the Company may have hereunder, including, without limitation, the right of the Executive to terminate employment for Good Reason, shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such provision or right or any other provision or right of this Agreement. 25. Headings. The headings herein contained are for reference only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above. HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION By: /s/ J. L. Dindorf ------------------------------------ J. L. Dindorf President and Chief Executive Officer Attest: /s/ M. J. McSweeney ------------------------------------ M. J. McSweeney Secretary EXECUTIVE /s/ Thomas F. Andreoli ------------------------------------------- Thomas F. Andreoli 842 Log Lodge Court Baraboo, Wisconsin 53913 -14- 15 Exhibit A CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS For purposes of this Agreement, (a) Act. The term "Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. (b) Accrued Benefits. The term "Accrued Benefits" shall include the following amounts, payable as described herein: (i) all base salary for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (ii) reimbursement for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (iii) any and all other cash earned through the Termination Date and deferred at the election of the Executive or pursuant to any deferred compensation plan then in effect; (iv) notwithstanding any provision of any bonus or incentive compensation plan applicable to the Executive, a lump sum amount, in cash, equal to the sum of (A) any bonus or incentive compensation that has been allocated or awarded to the Executive for a fiscal year or other measuring period under the plan that ends prior to the Termination Date but has not yet been paid (pursuant to Section 5(f) or otherwise) and (B) a pro rata portion to the Termination Date of the aggregate value of all contingent bonus or incentive compensation awards to the Executive for all uncompleted periods under the plan calculated as to each such award as if the Goals with respect to such bonus or incentive compensation award had been attained; and (v) all other payments and benefits to which the Executive (or in the event of the Executive's death, the Executive's surviving spouse or other beneficiary) may be entitled as compensatory fringe benefits or under the terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, including severance payments under the Employer's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. Payment of Accrued Benefits shall be made promptly in accordance with the Employer's prevailing practice with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) or, with respect to clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), pursuant to the terms of the benefit plan or practice establishing such benefits. (c) Affiliate and Associate. The terms "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Act. (d) Annual Cash Compensation. The term "Annual Cash Compensation" shall mean the sum of (A) the Executive's Annual Base Salary, plus (B) the highest of (1) the highest annual bonus or incentive compensation award earned by the Executive under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding A-1 16 the Effective Date; (2) the Executive's bonus or incentive compensation Targeted Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs; or (3) the highest average annual bonus and/or incentive compensation earned during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date (or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Effective Date) under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates by the group of executives of the Company and its Affiliates participating under such plan during such fiscal years at a status or position comparable to that at which the Executive participated or would have participated pursuant to the Executive's most senior position at any time during the 180 days preceding the Effective Date or thereafter until the Termination Date. (e) Cause. The Company may terminate the Executive's employment after the Effective Date for "Cause" only if the conditions set forth in paragraphs (i) and (ii) have been met and the Company otherwise complies with this Agreement: (i) (A) the Executive has committed any act of fraud, embezzlement or theft in connection with the Executive's duties as an Executive or in the course of employment with the Company and/or its subsidiaries; (B) the Executive has willfully and continually failed to perform substantially the Executive's duties with the Company or any of its Affiliates (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness or injury, regardless of whether such illness or injury is job- related) for an appropriate period, which shall not be less than 30 days, after the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (or, if the Executive is then Chief Executive Officer, the Board) has delivered a written demand for performance to the Executive that specifically identifies the manner in which the Chief Executive Officer (or the Board, as the case may be) believes the Executive has not substantially performed the Executive's duties; (C) the Executive has willfully engaged in illegal conduct or gross misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company; (D) the Executive has willfully and wrongfully disclosed any trade secret or other confidential information of the Company or any of its Affiliates; or (E) the Executive has engaged in any Competitive Activity; and in any such case the act or omission shall have been determined by the Board to have been materially harmful to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole. For purposes of this provision, (1) no act or failure to act on the part of the Executive shall be considered "willful" unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the Executive's action or omission was in the best interests of the Company and (2) any act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board or upon the instructions of the Chief Executive Officer or a senior officer of the Company or based upon the advice of counsel for the Company shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in good faith and in the best interests of the Company. A-2 17 (ii) (A) The Company terminates the Executive's employment by delivering a Notice of Termination to the Executive, (B) prior to the time the Company has terminated the Executive's employment pursuant to a Notice of Termination, the Board, by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters (3/4) of the entire membership of the Board, has adopted a resolution finding that the Executive was guilty of conduct set forth in this definition of Cause, and specifying the particulars thereof in detail, at a meeting of the Board called and held for the purpose of considering such termination (after reasonable notice to the Executive and an opportunity for the Executive, together with the Executive's counsel, to be heard before the Board) and (C) the Company delivers a copy of such resolution to the Executive with the Notice of Termination at the time the Executive's employment is terminated. In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive's employment has been terminated for Cause, no claim by the Company that the Company has terminated the Executive's employment for Cause in accordance with this Agreement shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the Company has complied with the requirements of this Agreement to terminate the Executive's employment for Cause. (f) Change in Control. A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if the event set forth in any one of the following paragraphs shall have occurred: (i) any Person (other than (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (B) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (C) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or (D) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock in the Company ("Excluded Persons")) is or becomes the "Beneficial Owner" (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (ii) the following individuals cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the number of directors then serving: individuals who, on January 1, 1998, constituted the Board and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including but not limited to a consent solicitation, relating to the election of directors of the Company, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A under the Act) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still A-3 18 in office who either were directors on January 1, 1998 or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved; or (iii) the shareholders of the Company approve a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company with any other corporation or approve the issuance of voting securities of the Company in connection with a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company (or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company) pursuant to applicable stock exchange requirements, other than (A) a merger, consolidation or share exchange which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or share exchange continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) at least 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or any parent thereof outstanding immediately after such merger, consolidation or share exchange, or (B) a merger, consolidation or share exchange effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person (other than an Excluded Person) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (iv) the shareholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets (in one transaction or a series of related transactions within any period of 24 consecutive months), other than a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets to an entity at least 75% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by Persons in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if there is consummated any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders of the common stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity that owns all or substantially all of the assets or voting securities of the Company immediately following such transaction or series of transactions. (g) Code. The term "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, including any amendments thereto or successor tax codes thereof. A-4 19 (h) Competitive Activity. The Executive shall engage in a "Competitive Activity" if the Executive participates in the management of, is employed by or owns any interest in any business enterprise at a location within the United States that engages in substantial competition with the Company or its subsidiaries, where such enterprise's revenues from any competitive activities amount to 10% or more of such enterprise's consolidated net revenues and sales for its most recently completed fiscal year; provided, however, that owning stock or other securities of a competitor amounting to less than five percent of the outstanding capital stock of such competitor shall not be a "Competitive Activity". (i) Covered Termination. The term "Covered Termination" means any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period where the Termination Date or the date Notice of Termination is delivered is any date on or prior to the end of the Employment Period. (j) Effective Date. The term "Effective Date" shall mean the first date on which a Change in Control occurs. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if (i) a Change in Control occurs, (ii) the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control and (iii) it is reasonably demonstrated by the Executive that (A) any such termination of employment by the Employer (1) was at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, or (B) any such termination of employment by the Executive took place subsequent to the occurrence of an event described in clause (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) of the definition of "Good Reason" which event (1) occurred at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, then for all purposes of this Agreement the term "Effective Date" shall mean the day immediately prior to the date of such termination of employment. (k) Employer. The term "Employer" means the Company and/or any subsidiary of the Company that employed the Executive immediately prior to the Effective Date. (l) Good Reason. The Executive shall have a "Good Reason" for termination of employment on or after the Effective Date if the Executive determines in good faith that any of the following events has occurred: (i) any breach of this Agreement by the Company, including specifically any breach by the Company of its agreements contained in Section 4, Section 5 or Section 6, other than an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent failure not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; A-5 20 (ii) any reduction in the Executive's base salary, percentage of base salary available as incentive compensation or bonus opportunity or benefits, in each case relative to those most favorable to the Executive in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date; (iii) a material adverse change, without the Executive's prior written consent, in the Executive's working conditions or status with the Company or the Employer from such working conditions or status in effect during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date, including but not limited to (A) a material change in the nature or scope of the Executive's titles, authority, powers, functions, duties, reporting requirements or responsibilities, or (B) a material reduction in the level of support services, staff, secretarial and other assistance, office space and accoutrements, but excluding for this purpose an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent event not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; (iv) the relocation of the Executive's principal place of employment to a location more than 35 miles from the Executive's principal place of employment on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date; (v) the Employer requires the Executive to travel on Employer business to a materially greater extent than was required during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date; (vi) failure by the Company to obtain the agreement referred to in Section 16(a) as provided therein; or (vii) the Company or the Employer terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without delivering a Notice of Termination in accordance with Section 12; provided that (A) any such event occurs following the Effective Date or (B) in the case of any event described in clauses (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) above, such event occurs on or prior to the Effective Date under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date." In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for "Good Reason" in accordance with this Agreement, no claim by the Company that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination. Any election by the Executive to terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason shall not be deemed a voluntary termination of employment by the Executive for purposes of any other employee benefit or other plan. A-6 21 (m) Normal Retirement Date. The term "Normal Retirement Date" means the date the Executive reaches age 65. (n) Notice of Termination. The term "Notice of Termination" means a written notice as contemplated by Section 12. (o) Person. The term "Person" shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof. (p) Termination Date. Except as otherwise provided in Section 9(b) and Section 16(a), the term "Termination Date" means (i) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive's death, the date of death; (ii) if the Executive's employment is terminated by reason of voluntary early retirement, as agreed in writing by the Company and the Executive, the date of such early retirement that is set forth in such written agreement; (iii) if the Executive's employment is terminated for purposes of this Agreement by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given; (iv) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive voluntarily (other than for Good Reason), the date the Notice of Termination is given; and (v) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Company (other than by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11) or by the Executive for Good Reason, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) If the Executive shall in good faith give a Notice of Termination for Good Reason and the Company notifies the Executive that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof, then the Executive may elect to continue the Executive's employment during such dispute and the Termination Date shall be determined under this paragraph. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Termination Date shall be the earlier of (1) the date on which the dispute is finally determined, either (x) by mutual written agreement of the parties or (y) in accordance with Section 21 or (2) the date of the Executive's death. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive did not terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the employment of the Executive hereunder shall continue after such determination as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination asserting Good Reason and there shall be no Termination Date arising out of such Notice. In either case, this Agreement continues, until the Termination Date, if any, as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination except that, if it is finally determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Executive shall in no case be denied the benefits described in Section 8 (including a Termination Payment) based on events occurring after the Executive delivered the Executive's Notice of Termination. A-7 22 (B) If an opinion is required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8(a)(ii) and such opinion shall not have been delivered, then the Termination Date shall be the date on which such opinion is delivered. (C) Except as provided in paragraph (A) above, if the party receiving the Notice of Termination notifies the other party that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof and it is finally determined that termination of the Executive's employment for the reason asserted in such Notice of Termination was not in accordance with this Agreement, then (1) if such Notice was delivered by the Executive, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason by means of such Notice and (2) if delivered by the Company, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause by means of such Notice. A-8 EX-11 11 EMPLOY. & SEVERANCE AGREEMENT: JEAN-PAUL BARTHELME 1 KEY EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the 15th day of April, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), and Jean-Paul Barthelme (hereinafter referred to as the "Executive"). W I T N E S S E T H : WHEREAS, the Executive is currently employed by the Company in a key capacity, and the Executive's services are valuable to the conduct of the business of the Company; WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") recognizes that circumstances may arise in which a change in control of the Company occurs, through acquisition or otherwise, thereby causing uncertainty about the Executive's future employment with the Company without regard to the Executive's competence or past contributions, which uncertainty may result in the loss of valuable services of the Executive to the detriment of the Company and its shareholders, and the Company and the Executive wish to provide reasonable security to the Executive against changes in the Executive's relationship with the Company in the event of any such change in control; WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive desire that any proposal for a change in control or acquisition of the Company will be considered by the Executive objectively and with reference only to the best interests of the Company and its shareholders; and WHEREAS, the Executive will be in a better position to consider the Company's best interests if the Executive is afforded reasonable security, as provided in this Agreement, against altered conditions of employment which could result from any such change in control or acquisition. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto mutually covenant and agree as follows: 2 1. Definitions. The following terms are used in this Agreement as defined in Exhibit A: Act Covered Termination Accrued Benefits Effective Date Affiliate and Associate Employer Annual Cash Compensation Good Reason Cause Normal Retirement Date Change in Control Notice of Termination Code Person Competitive Activity Termination Date 2. Termination or Cancellation Prior to the Effective Date. The Employer and the Executive shall each retain the right to terminate the employment of the Executive at any time prior to the Effective Date. If the Executive's employment is terminated prior to the Effective Date, then this Agreement shall be terminated and cancelled and of no further force or effect and any and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall cease. In addition, this Agreement shall terminate upon the Executive ceasing to be an employee of the Employer prior to a Change in Control unless the Executive can reasonably demonstrate that such change in status occurred under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A. 3. Employment Period. If the Executive is employed by the Employer on the Effective Date, then the Company will, or will cause the Employer to, continue thereafter to employ the Executive during the Employment Period (as hereinafter defined), and the Executive will remain in the employ of the Employer, in accordance with and subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Employment Period" means a period (i) commencing on the Effective Date, and (ii) ending at 11:59 p.m. Milwaukee Time on the earlier of the first anniversary of such date or the Executive's Normal Retirement Date. 4. Duties. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall, in the most significant capacities and positions held by the Executive at any time during the 180-day period preceding the Effective Date or in such other capacities and positions as may be agreed to by the Company and the Executive in writing, devote the Executive's best efforts and all of the Executive's business time, attention and skill to the business and affairs of the Employer, as such business and affairs now exist and as they may hereafter be conducted. 5. Compensation. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be compensated as follows: (a) The Executive shall receive, at reasonable intervals (but not less often than monthly) and in accordance with such standard policies as may be in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date, an annual base salary in cash equivalent of not less than twelve times the -2- 3 Executive's highest monthly base salary (which shall include any amounts credited to the Executive for the purchase of annuity contracts and related tax offset bonuses) for the twelve-month period immediately preceding the month in which the Effective Date occurs or, if higher, an annual base salary at the rate in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date (which base salary shall, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Executive, include the current receipt by the Executive of any amounts which, prior to the Effective Date, the Executive had elected to defer, whether such compensation is deferred under Section 401(k) of the Code or otherwise), subject to upward adjustment as provided in Section 6 (such salary amount as adjusted upward from time to time is hereafter referred to as the "Annual Base Salary"). (b) The Executive shall receive fringe benefits at least equal in value to those provided for the Executive at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. The Executive shall be reimbursed, at such intervals and in accordance with such standard policies that are most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates, including travel expenses. (c) The Executive and/or the Executive's family, as the case may be, shall be included, to the extent eligible thereunder (which eligibility shall not be conditioned on the Executive's salary grade or on any other requirement that excludes executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive unless such exclusion was in effect for such plan or an equivalent plan on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date), in any and all welfare benefit plans, practices, policies and programs providing benefits for the Company's salaried employees in general or, if more favorable to the Executive, to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to group life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs in which the Executive is included be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date and (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. (d) The Executive shall annually be entitled to not less than the amount of paid vacation and not fewer than the number of paid holidays to which the Executive was entitled -3- 4 annually at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or such greater amount of paid vacation and number of paid holidays as may be made available annually to the Executive or any other executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive at any time after the Effective Date. (e) The Executive shall be included in all plans providing additional benefits to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to deferred compensation, split-dollar life insurance, retirement, supplemental retirement, stock option, stock appreciation, stock bonus and similar or comparable plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date; (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive; and (iii) the Company's obligation to include the Executive in bonus or incentive compensation plans shall be determined by Section 5(f). (f) To assure that the Executive will have an opportunity to earn incentive compensation after the Effective Date, the Executive shall be included in a bonus plan of the Company that shall satisfy the standards described below (the "Bonus Plan"). Bonuses under the Bonus Plan shall be payable with respect to achieving such financial or other goals reasonably related to the business of the Company as the Company shall establish (the "Goals"), all of which Goals shall be attainable, prior to the end of the Employment Period, with approximately the same degree of probability as the goals under the Employer's annual incentive plan currently in effect, or the successor to such plan, in the form most favorable to the Executive that was in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (the "Existing Plan") and in view of the Company's existing and projected financial and business circumstances applicable at the time. The amount of the bonus (the "Bonus Amount") that the Executive is eligible to earn under the Bonus Plan shall be no less than the amount of the Executive's highest maximum potential award under the Existing Plan at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, if higher, any maximum potential award under the Bonus Plan or any other bonus or incentive compensation plan in effect after the Effective Date for the Executive or for any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive (such bonus amount herein referred to as the "Targeted Bonus"), and if the Goals are not achieved (and, therefore, the entire Targeted Bonus is not payable), then the Bonus Plan shall provide for a payment of a Bonus Amount not less than a portion of the Targeted Bonus reasonably related to that portion of the Goals that were achieved. Payment of the Bonus Amount (i) shall be in cash, unless otherwise agreed by the Executive, and (ii) shall not be affected by any circumstance occurring subsequent to the end of the Employment Period, including termination of the Executive's employment. -4- 5 6. Annual Compensation Adjustments. During the Employment Period, the Board of Directors of the Company (or an appropriate committee thereof) will consider and appraise, at least annually, the contributions of the Executive to the Employer, and in accordance with the Company's practice prior to the Effective Date, due consideration shall be given, at least annually, to the upward adjustment of the Executive's Annual Base Salary (i) commensurate with increases generally given to other executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, and (ii) as the scope of the Company's operations or the Executive's duties expand. 7. Termination During Employment Period. (a) Right to Terminate. During the Employment Period, (i) the Company shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment (A) for Cause, (B) by reason of the Executive's disability pursuant to Section 11, or (C) for any other reason, and (ii) the Executive shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment for any reason. Any such termination shall be subject to the procedures set forth in Section 12 and shall be subject to any consequences of such termination set forth in this Agreement. Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Employer shall be deemed a termination by the Company for purposes of this Agreement. (b) Termination for Cause or Without Good Reason. If there is a Covered Termination for Cause or due to the Executive's voluntarily terminating the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive only Accrued Benefits. (c) Termination Giving Rise to a Termination Payment. If there is a Covered Termination by the Executive for Good Reason, or by the Company other than by reason of (i) death, (ii) disability pursuant to Section 11, or (iii) Cause, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive, and the Company shall promptly pay, Accrued Benefits and, in lieu of further base salary for periods following the Termination Date, as liquidated damages and additional severance pay and in consideration of the covenant of the Executive set forth in Section 13(a), the Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 8. Payments Upon Termination. (a) Termination Payment. (i) Subject to the limits set forth in Section 8(a)(ii), for purposes of this Agreement, the "Termination Payment" shall be an amount equal to the Annual Cash Compensation multiplied by the number of years or fractional portion thereof remaining in the Employment Period determined as of the Termination Date, except that the Termination Payment shall not be less than the amount of Annual Cash Compensation. The Termination Payment shall be paid to the Executive in cash equivalent not later than ten business days after the Termination Date. The Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of the Termination Payment by securing other employment or otherwise, nor will such Termination Payment be reduced -5- 6 by reason of the Executive securing other employment or for any other reason. The Termination Payment shall be in addition to any other severance payments to which the Executive is entitled under the Company's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. (ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any portion of the Termination Payment or any other payment under this Agreement, or under any other agreement with or plan of the Company or the Employer (in the aggregate "Total Payments"), would constitute an "excess parachute payment," then the Total Payments to be made to the Executive shall be reduced such that the value of the aggregate Total Payments that the Executive is entitled to receive shall be One Dollar ($1) less than the maximum amount which the Executive may receive without becoming subject to the tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision) or which the Company may pay without loss of deduction under Section 280G(a) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of this Agreement, the terms "excess parachute payment" and "parachute payments" shall have the meanings assigned to them in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), and such "parachute payments" shall be valued as provided therein. Present value for purposes of this Agreement shall be calculated in accordance with Section 1274(b)(2) of the Code (or any successor provision). Within sixty days following delivery of the Notice of Termination or notice by the Company to the Executive of its belief that there is a payment or benefit due the Executive which will result in an excess parachute payment as defined in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), the Executive and the Company, at the Company's expense, shall obtain the opinion (which need not be unqualified) of nationally recognized tax counsel selected by the Company's independent auditors and acceptable to the Executive in the Executive's sole discretion, which sets forth (A) the amount of the Base Period Income, (B) the amount and present value of Total Payments and (C) the amount and present value of any excess parachute payments without regard to the limitations of this Section 8(a)(ii). As used in this Section 8(a)(ii), the term "Base Period Income" means an amount equal to the Executive's "annualized includible compensation for the base period" as defined in Section 280G(d)(1) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of such opinion, the value of any noncash benefits or any deferred payment or benefit shall be determined by the Company's independent auditors in accordance with the principles of Sections 280G(d)(3) and (4) of the Code (or any successor provisions), which determination shall be evidenced in a certificate of such auditors addressed to the Company and the Executive. Such opinion shall be dated as of the Termination Date and addressed to the Company and the Executive and shall be binding upon the Company and the Executive. If such opinion determines that there would be an excess parachute payment, then the Termination Payment hereunder or any other payment determined by such counsel to be includible in Total Payments shall be reduced or eliminated as specified by the Executive in writing delivered to the Company within thirty days of the Executive's receipt of such opinion or, if the Executive fails to so notify the Company, then as the Company shall reasonably determine, so that under -6- 7 the bases of calculations set forth in such opinion there will be no excess parachute payment. If such legal counsel so requests in connection with the opinion required by this Section, the Executive and the Company shall obtain, at the Company's expense, and the legal counsel may rely on in providing the opinion, the advice of a firm of recognized executive compensation consultants as to the reasonableness of any item of compensation to be received by the Executive. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 8(a)(ii), including the calculations, notices and opinions provided for herein, shall be based upon the conclusive presumption that the following are reasonable: (1) the compensation and benefits provided for in Section 5 and (2) any other compensation, including but not limited to the Accrued Benefits, earned prior to the Termination Date by the Executive pursuant to the Company's compensation programs if such payments would have been made in the future in any event, even though the timing of such payment is triggered by the Change in Control or the Termination Date. If the provisions of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code (or any successor provisions) are repealed without succession, then this Section 8(a)(ii) shall be of no further force or effect. (b) Additional Benefits. If there is a Covered Termination and the Executive is entitled to Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, then the Executive shall be entitled to the following additional benefits: (i) Until the earlier of the end of the Employment Period or such time as the Executive has obtained new employment and is covered by benefits which in the aggregate are at least equal in value to the following benefits, the Executive shall continue to be covered, at the expense of the Company, by the most favorable life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental coverage and other welfare benefits provided to the Executive and the Executive's family during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or at any time thereafter or, if more favorable to the Executive, coverage as was required hereunder with respect to the Executive immediately prior to the date Notice of Termination is given. (ii) The Executive shall receive, at the expense of the Company, outplacement services, on an individualized basis at a level of service commensurate with the Executive's most senior status with the Company during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (or, if higher, at any time after the Effective Date), provided by a nationally recognized executive placement firm selected by the Company with the consent of the Executive, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld; provided that the cost to the Company of such services shall not exceed 15% of the Executive's Annual Base Salary. (iii) The Company shall bear up to $10,000 in the aggregate of fees and expenses of consultants and/or legal or accounting advisors engaged by the Executive to advise the Executive as to matters relating to the computation of benefits due and payable under this Section 8. -7- 8 9. Death. (a) Except as provided in Section 9(b), in the event of a Covered Termination due to the Executive's death, the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall receive all the Executive's Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date. (b) If the Executive dies after a Notice of Termination is given (i) by the Company or (ii) by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall be entitled to the benefits described in Section 9(a) and, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to such Termination Payment to which the Executive would have been entitled had the Executive lived. In such event, the Termination Date shall be thirty days following the giving of the Notice of Termination, subject to extension pursuant to the definition of "Termination Date" in Exhibit A. 10. Retirement. If, during the Employment Period, the Executive and the Employer shall execute an agreement providing for the early retirement of the Executive from the Employer, or the Executive shall otherwise give notice that the Executive is voluntarily choosing to retire early from the Employer, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date; provided, that if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive for Good Reason or by the Company other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Executive also, in connection with such termination, elects voluntary early retirement, then the Executive shall also be entitled to receive a Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 11. Termination for Disability. If, during the Employment Period, as a result of the Executive's disability due to physical or mental illness or injury (regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related), the Executive shall have been absent from the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis for a period of 182 days and, within thirty days after the Company notifies the Executive in writing that it intends to terminate the Executive's employment (which notice shall not constitute the Notice of Termination contemplated below), the Executive shall not have returned to the performance of the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis, then the Company may terminate the Executive's employment for purposes of this Agreement pursuant to a Notice of Termination. If the Executive's employment is terminated on account of the Executive's disability in accordance with this Section, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits in accordance with Section 8(a) and shall remain eligible for all benefits provided by any long term disability programs of the Employer in effect at the time the Company sends notice to the Executive of its intent to terminate pursuant to this Section. 12. Termination Notice and Procedure. (a) Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Company or the Executive (other than a termination of the Executive's employment referenced in the second sentence of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A) shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the Executive, if such Notice is given by the Company, and to the Company, if such Notice is given by the Executive, all in accordance with the following procedures and those set forth in Section 22: -8- 9 (i) If such termination is for disability, Cause or Good Reason, the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such termination. (ii) Any Notice of Termination by the Company shall have been approved, prior to the giving thereof to the Executive, by a resolution duly adopted by a majority of the directors of the Company (or any successor corporation) then in office, a copy of which shall accompany the Notice. (iii) If the Notice is given by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on or after the date 15 days after the delivery of Notice of Termination (unless the Notice of Termination is based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A, in which case the Executive may cease performing his duties at the time the Executive's employment is terminated) and shall in any event cease employment on the Termination Date, if any, arising from the delivery of such Notice. If the Notice is given by the Company, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on the date of receipt of the Notice of Termination, subject to the Executive's rights hereunder. (iv) The recipient of any Notice of Termination shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the party giving such Notice within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) if the Executive terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason and deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Company as of the date of such termination and (B) if the Company terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Company will be deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Executive as of the date of such termination. Under circumstances described in clause (B) above, the Executive may, but shall not be obligated to, also deliver a Notice of Termination based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A for the purpose of subjecting such Notice to Section 12(a)(iv). (b) If a Change in Control occurs and the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control, then the Executive may assert that such termination is a Covered Termination by sending a written Notice of Termination to the Company at any time prior to the first anniversary of the Change in Control in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 12(b) and those set forth in Section 22. If the Executive asserts that the Executive -9- 10 terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason or that the Company terminated the Executive's employment other than for disability or Cause, then the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such assertions. The Company shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the Executive within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. 13. Further Obligations of the Executive. (a) Competition. The Executive agrees that, in the event of any Covered Termination where the Executive is entitled to (and receives) Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, the Executive shall not, for a period of three months after the Termination Date, without the prior written approval of the Company's Board of Directors, engage in any Competitive Activity. (b) Confidentiality. During and following the Executive's employment by the Employer, the Executive shall hold in confidence and not directly or indirectly disclose or use or copy or make lists of any confidential information or proprietary data of the Company (including that of the Employer), except to the extent authorized in writing by the Board of Directors of the Company or required by any court or administrative agency, other than to an employee of the Company or a person to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary or appropriate in connection with the performance by the Executive of duties as an executive of the Company or the Employer. Confidential information shall not include any information known generally to the public or any information of a type not otherwise considered confidential by persons engaged in the same business or a business similar to that of the Company. All records, files, documents and materials, or copies thereof, relating to the business of the Company which the Executive shall prepare, or use, or come into contact with, shall be and remain the sole property of the Company and shall be promptly returned to the Company upon termination of employment with the Employer. 14. Expenses and Interest. If, after the Effective Date, (i) a dispute arises with respect to the enforcement of the Executive's rights under this Agreement, (ii) any legal or arbitration proceeding shall be brought to enforce or interpret any provision contained herein or to recover damages for breach hereof, or (iii) any tax audit or proceeding is commenced that is attributable in part to the application of Section 4999 of the Code, in any case so long as the Executive is not acting in bad faith, then the Company shall reimburse the Executive for any reasonable attorneys' fees and necessary costs and disbursements incurred as a result of such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding or tax audit or proceeding ("Expenses"), and prejudgment interest on any money judgment or arbitration award obtained by the Executive calculated at the rate of interest announced by Firstar Bank Milwaukee, N.A., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from time to time as its prime or base lending rate from the date that payments to the Executive should have been made under this Agreement. Within ten days after the Executive's written request therefor, the Company shall pay to the Executive, or such other -10- 11 person or entity as the Executive may designate in writing to the Company, the Executive's reasonable Expenses in advance of the final disposition or conclusion of any such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding. 15. Payment Obligations Absolute. The Company's obligation during and after the Employment Period to pay the Executive the amounts and to make the benefit and other arrangements provided herein shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstances, including, without limitation, any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which the Company may have against the Executive or anyone else. Except as provided in Section 14, all amounts payable by the Company hereunder shall be paid without notice or demand. Each and every payment made hereunder by the Company shall be final, and the Company will not seek to recover all or any part of such payment from the Executive, or from whomsoever may be entitled thereto, for any reason whatsoever. 16. Successors. (a) If the Company sells, assigns or transfers all or substantially all of its business and assets to any Person or if the Company merges into or consolidates or otherwise combines (where the Company does not survive such combination) with any Person (any such event, a "Sale of Business"), then the Company shall assign all of its right, title and interest in this Agreement as of the date of such event to such Person, and the Company shall cause such Person, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Executive, to expressly assume and agree to perform from and after the date of such assignment all of the terms, conditions and provisions imposed by this Agreement upon the Company. Failure of the Company to obtain such agreement prior to the effective date of such Sale of Business shall be a breach of this Agreement constituting "Good Reason" hereunder, except that for purposes of implementing the foregoing, the date upon which such Sale of Business becomes effective shall be deemed the Termination Date. In case of such assignment by the Company and of assumption and agreement by such Person, as used in this Agreement, "Company" shall thereafter mean such Person which executes and delivers the agreement provided for in this Section 16 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by operation of law, and this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, such Person. The Executive shall, in the Executive's discretion, be entitled to proceed against any or all of such Persons, any Person which theretofore was such a successor to the Company (as defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement) and the Company (as so defined) in any action to enforce any rights of the Executive hereunder. Except as provided in this Subsection, this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Company. This Agreement shall not be terminated by the voluntary or involuntary dissolution of the Company. (b) This Agreement and all rights of the Executive shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive's personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, heirs and beneficiaries. All amounts payable to the Executive under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 14 if the Executive had lived shall be paid, in the event of the Executive's death, to the Executive's estate, heirs and representatives; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not be construed to modify any terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, as such terms -11- 12 are in effect on the Effective Date, that expressly govern benefits under such plan in the event of the Executive's death. 17. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be regarded as divisible, and if any of said provisions or any part hereof are declared invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the validity and enforceability of the remainder of such provisions or parts hereof and the applicability thereof shall not be affected thereby. 18. Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended or modified at any time except by written instrument executed by the Company and the Executive. 19. Withholding. The Employer shall be entitled to withhold from amounts to be paid to the Executive hereunder any federal, state or local withholding or other taxes or charges which it is from time to time required to withhold; provided, that the amount so withheld shall not exceed the minimum amount required to be withheld by law. The Employer shall be entitled to rely on an opinion of nationally recognized tax counsel if any question as to the amount or requirement of any such withholding shall arise. 20. Certain Rules of Construction. No party shall be considered as being responsible for the drafting of this Agreement for the purpose of applying any rule construing ambiguities against the drafter or otherwise. No draft of this Agreement shall be taken into account in construing this Agreement. Any provision of this Agreement which requires an agreement in writing shall be deemed to require that the writing in question be signed by the Executive and an authorized representative of the Company. 21. Governing Law; Resolution of Disputes. (a) This Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Wisconsin (excluding any choice of law rules that may direct the application of the laws of another jurisdiction) except that Section 21(b) shall be construed in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act if arbitration is chosen by the Executive as the method of dispute resolution. (b) Any dispute arising out of this Agreement shall, at the Executive's election, be determined by arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect (but subject to any evidentiary standards set forth in this Agreement), in which case both parties shall be bound by the arbitration award, or by litigation. Whether the dispute is to be settled by arbitration or litigation, the venue for the arbitration or litigation shall be Milwaukee, Wisconsin or, at the Executive's election, if the Executive is no longer residing or working in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin metropolitan area, in the judicial district encompassing the city in which the Executive resides; provided, that, if the Executive is not then residing in the United States, the election of the Executive with respect to such venue shall be either Milwaukee, Wisconsin or in the judicial district encompassing that city in the United States among the thirty cities having the largest population (as determined by the most recent United States Census data available at the Termination Date) that is closest to the Executive's residence. -12- 13 The parties consent to personal jurisdiction in each trial court in the selected venue having subject matter jurisdiction notwithstanding their residence or situs, and each party irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided hereunder for the giving of notices. 22. Notice. Notices given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and, except as otherwise provided by Section 12(a)(iii), shall be deemed given when actually received by the Executive or actually received by the Company's Secretary or any officer of the Company other than the Executive. If mailed, such notices shall be mailed by United States registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressee only, postage prepaid, if to the Company, to Hein-Werner Corporation, Attention: Secretary (or, if the Executive is then Secretary, to the Chief Executive Officer), 2120 Pewaukee Road, Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188, or if to the Executive, at the address set forth below the Executive's signature to this Agreement, or to such other address as the party to be notified shall have theretofore given to the other party in writing. 23. Additional Payment. (a) If, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8(a)(ii), but subject to subsection (b), it is ultimately determined by a court or pursuant to a final determination by the Internal Revenue Service that any portion of Total Payments is subject to the tax (the "Excise Tax") imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision), then the Company shall pay to the Executive an additional amount (the "Gross-Up Payment") such that the net amount retained by the Executive after deduction of any Excise Tax and any interest charges or penalties in respect of the imposition of such Excise Tax (but not any federal, state or local income tax) on the Total Payments, and any federal, state and local income tax and Excise Tax upon the payment provided for by this Section 23 shall be equal to the Total Payments. For purposes of determining the amount of the Gross-Up Payment, the Executive shall be deemed to pay federal income taxes at the highest marginal rate of federal income taxation in the calendar year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made and state and local income taxes at the highest marginal rates of taxation in the state and locality of the Executive's domicile for income tax purposes on the date the Gross-Up Payment is made, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes that could be obtained from deduction of such state and local taxes. (b) If legislation is enacted that would require the Company's shareholders to approve this Agreement, prior to a Change in Control, due solely to the provision contained in subsection (a) of this Section 23, then (i) from and after such time as shareholder approval would be required, until shareholder approval is obtained as required by such legislation, subsection (a) shall be of no force and effect; (ii) if the Company seeks shareholder approval of any other agreement providing similar benefits to any other executive of the Company, then the Company shall seek shareholder approval of this Agreement at the same shareholders' meeting or meetings at which the shareholders consider any such other agreement; and -13- 14 (iii) the Company and the Executive shall use their best efforts to consider and agree in writing upon an amendment to this Section 23 such that, as amended, this Subsection would provide the Executive with the benefits intended to be afforded to the Executive by subsection (a) without requiring shareholder approval. 24. No Waiver. The Executive's or the Company's failure to insist upon strict compliance with any provision of this Agreement or the failure to assert any right the Executive or the Company may have hereunder, including, without limitation, the right of the Executive to terminate employment for Good Reason, shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such provision or right or any other provision or right of this Agreement. 25. Headings. The headings herein contained are for reference only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above. HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION By: /s/ J. L. Dindorf ------------------------------------------- J. L. Dindorf President and Chief Executive Officer Attest: /s/ M. J. McSweeney ------------------------------------------- M. J. McSweeney Secretary EXECUTIVE /s/ Jean-Paul Barthelme --------------------------------------------------- Jean-Paul Barthelme 2 Ch. De la Chenaie CH-1293 BELLEVUE (Geneva) SWITZERLAND -14- 15 Exhibit A CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS For purposes of this Agreement, (a) Act. The term "Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. (b) Accrued Benefits. The term "Accrued Benefits" shall include the following amounts, payable as described herein: (i) all base salary for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (ii) reimbursement for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (iii) any and all other cash earned through the Termination Date and deferred at the election of the Executive or pursuant to any deferred compensation plan then in effect; (iv) notwithstanding any provision of any bonus or incentive compensation plan applicable to the Executive, a lump sum amount, in cash, equal to the sum of (A) any bonus or incentive compensation that has been allocated or awarded to the Executive for a fiscal year or other measuring period under the plan that ends prior to the Termination Date but has not yet been paid (pursuant to Section 5(f) or otherwise) and (B) a pro rata portion to the Termination Date of the aggregate value of all contingent bonus or incentive compensation awards to the Executive for all uncompleted periods under the plan calculated as to each such award as if the Goals with respect to such bonus or incentive compensation award had been attained; and (v) all other payments and benefits to which the Executive (or in the event of the Executive's death, the Executive's surviving spouse or other beneficiary) may be entitled as compensatory fringe benefits or under the terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, including severance payments under the Employer's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. Payment of Accrued Benefits shall be made promptly in accordance with the Employer's prevailing practice with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) or, with respect to clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), pursuant to the terms of the benefit plan or practice establishing such benefits. (c) Affiliate and Associate. The terms "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Act. (d) Annual Cash Compensation. The term "Annual Cash Compensation" shall mean the sum of (A) the Executive's Annual Base Salary, plus (B) the highest of (1) the highest annual bonus or incentive compensation award earned by the Executive under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding A-1 16 the Effective Date; (2) the Executive's bonus or incentive compensation Targeted Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs; or (3) the highest average annual bonus and/or incentive compensation earned during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date (or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Effective Date) under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates by the group of executives of the Company and its Affiliates participating under such plan during such fiscal years at a status or position comparable to that at which the Executive participated or would have participated pursuant to the Executive's most senior position at any time during the 180 days preceding the Effective Date or thereafter until the Termination Date. (e) Cause. The Company may terminate the Executive's employment after the Effective Date for "Cause" only if the conditions set forth in paragraphs (i) and (ii) have been met and the Company otherwise complies with this Agreement: (i) (A) the Executive has committed any act of fraud, embezzlement or theft in connection with the Executive's duties as an Executive or in the course of employment with the Company and/or its subsidiaries; (B) the Executive has willfully and continually failed to perform substantially the Executive's duties with the Company or any of its Affiliates (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness or injury, regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related) for an appropriate period, which shall not be less than 30 days, after the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (or, if the Executive is then Chief Executive Officer, the Board) has delivered a written demand for performance to the Executive that specifically identifies the manner in which the Chief Executive Officer (or the Board, as the case may be) believes the Executive has not substantially performed the Executive's duties; (C) the Executive has willfully engaged in illegal conduct or gross misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company; (D) the Executive has willfully and wrongfully disclosed any trade secret or other confidential information of the Company or any of its Affiliates; or (E) the Executive has engaged in any Competitive Activity; and in any such case the act or omission shall have been determined by the Board to have been materially harmful to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole. For purposes of this provision, (1) no act or failure to act on the part of the Executive shall be considered "willful" unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the Executive's action or omission was in the best interests of the Company and (2) any act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board or upon the instructions of the Chief Executive Officer or a senior officer of the Company or based upon the advice of counsel for the Company shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in good faith and in the best interests of the Company. A-2 17 (ii) (A) The Company terminates the Executive's employment by delivering a Notice of Termination to the Executive, (B) prior to the time the Company has terminated the Executive's employment pursuant to a Notice of Termination, the Board, by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters (3/4) of the entire membership of the Board, has adopted a resolution finding that the Executive was guilty of conduct set forth in this definition of Cause, and specifying the particulars thereof in detail, at a meeting of the Board called and held for the purpose of considering such termination (after reasonable notice to the Executive and an opportunity for the Executive, together with the Executive's counsel, to be heard before the Board) and (C) the Company delivers a copy of such resolution to the Executive with the Notice of Termination at the time the Executive's employment is terminated. In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive's employment has been terminated for Cause, no claim by the Company that the Company has terminated the Executive's employment for Cause in accordance with this Agreement shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the Company has complied with the requirements of this Agreement to terminate the Executive's employment for Cause. (f) Change in Control. A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if the event set forth in any one of the following paragraphs shall have occurred: (i) any Person (other than (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (B) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (C) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or (D) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock in the Company ("Excluded Persons")) is or becomes the "Beneficial Owner" (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (ii) the following individuals cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the number of directors then serving: individuals who, on January 1, 1998, constituted the Board and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including but not limited to a consent solicitation, relating to the election of directors of the Company, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A under the Act) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still A-3 18 in office who either were directors on January 1, 1998 or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved; or (iii) the shareholders of the Company approve a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company with any other corporation or approve the issuance of voting securities of the Company in connection with a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company (or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company) pursuant to applicable stock exchange requirements, other than (A) a merger, consolidation or share exchange which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or share exchange continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) at least 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or any parent thereof outstanding immediately after such merger, consolidation or share exchange, or (B) a merger, consolidation or share exchange effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person (other than an Excluded Person) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (iv) the shareholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets (in one transaction or a series of related transactions within any period of 24 consecutive months), other than a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets to an entity at least 75% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by Persons in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if there is consummated any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders of the common stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity that owns all or substantially all of the assets or voting securities of the Company immediately following such transaction or series of transactions. (g) Code. The term "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, including any amendments thereto or successor tax codes thereof. A-4 19 (h) Competitive Activity. The Executive shall engage in a "Competitive Activity" if the Executive participates in the management of, is employed by or owns any interest in any business enterprise at a location within the United States that engages in substantial competition with the Company or its subsidiaries, where such enterprise's revenues from any competitive activities amount to 10% or more of such enterprise's consolidated net revenues and sales for its most recently completed fiscal year; provided, however, that owning stock or other securities of a competitor amounting to less than five percent of the outstanding capital stock of such competitor shall not be a "Competitive Activity". (i) Covered Termination. The term "Covered Termination" means any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period where the Termination Date or the date Notice of Termination is delivered is any date on or prior to the end of the Employment Period. (j) Effective Date. The term "Effective Date" shall mean the first date on which a Change in Control occurs. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if (i) a Change in Control occurs, (ii) the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control and (iii) it is reasonably demonstrated by the Executive that (A) any such termination of employment by the Employer (1) was at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, or (B) any such termination of employment by the Executive took place subsequent to the occurrence of an event described in clause (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) of the definition of "Good Reason" which event (1) occurred at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, then for all purposes of this Agreement the term "Effective Date" shall mean the day immediately prior to the date of such termination of employment. (k) Employer. The term "Employer" means the Company and/or any subsidiary of the Company that employed the Executive immediately prior to the Effective Date. (l) Good Reason. The Executive shall have a "Good Reason" for termination of employment on or after the Effective Date if the Executive determines in good faith that any of the following events has occurred: (i) any breach of this Agreement by the Company, including specifically any breach by the Company of its agreements contained in Section 4, Section 5 or Section 6, other than an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent failure not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; A-5 20 (ii) any reduction in the Executive's base salary, percentage of base salary available as incentive compensation or bonus opportunity or benefits, in each case relative to those most favorable to the Executive in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date; (iii) a material adverse change, without the Executive's prior written consent, in the Executive's working conditions or status with the Company or the Employer from such working conditions or status in effect during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date, including but not limited to (A) a material change in the nature or scope of the Executive's titles, authority, powers, functions, duties, reporting requirements or responsibilities, or (B) a material reduction in the level of support services, staff, secretarial and other assistance, office space and accoutrements, but excluding for this purpose an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent event not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; (iv) the relocation of the Executive's principal place of employment to a location more than 35 miles from the Executive's principal place of employment on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date; (v) the Employer requires the Executive to travel on Employer business to a materially greater extent than was required during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date; (vi) failure by the Company to obtain the agreement referred to in Section 16(a) as provided therein; or (vii) the Company or the Employer terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without delivering a Notice of Termination in accordance with Section 12; provided that (A) any such event occurs following the Effective Date or (B) in the case of any event described in clauses (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) above, such event occurs on or prior to the Effective Date under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date." In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for "Good Reason" in accordance with this Agreement, no claim by the Company that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination. Any election by the Executive to terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason shall not be deemed a voluntary termination of employment by the Executive for purposes of any other employee benefit or other plan. A-6 21 (m) Normal Retirement Date. The term "Normal Retirement Date" means the date the Executive reaches age 65. (n) Notice of Termination. The term "Notice of Termination" means a written notice as contemplated by Section 12. (o) Person. The term "Person" shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof. (p) Termination Date. Except as otherwise provided in Section 9(b) and Section 16(a), the term "Termination Date" means (i) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive's death, the date of death; (ii) if the Executive's employment is terminated by reason of voluntary early retirement, as agreed in writing by the Company and the Executive, the date of such early retirement that is set forth in such written agreement; (iii) if the Executive's employment is terminated for purposes of this Agreement by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given; (iv) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive voluntarily (other than for Good Reason), the date the Notice of Termination is given; and (v) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Company (other than by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11) or by the Executive for Good Reason, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) If the Executive shall in good faith give a Notice of Termination for Good Reason and the Company notifies the Executive that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof, then the Executive may elect to continue the Executive's employment during such dispute and the Termination Date shall be determined under this paragraph. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Termination Date shall be the earlier of (1) the date on which the dispute is finally determined, either (x) by mutual written agreement of the parties or (y) in accordance with Section 21 or (2) the date of the Executive's death. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive did not terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the employment of the Executive hereunder shall continue after such determination as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination asserting Good Reason and there shall be no Termination Date arising out of such Notice. In either case, this Agreement continues, until the Termination Date, if any, as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination except that, if it is finally determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Executive shall in no case be denied the benefits described in Section 8 (including a Termination Payment) based on events occurring after the Executive delivered the Executive's Notice of Termination. A-7 22 (B) If an opinion is required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8(a)(ii) and such opinion shall not have been delivered, then the Termination Date shall be the date on which such opinion is delivered. (C) Except as provided in paragraph (A) above, if the party receiving the Notice of Termination notifies the other party that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof and it is finally determined that termination of the Executive's employment for the reason asserted in such Notice of Termination was not in accordance with this Agreement, then (1) if such Notice was delivered by the Executive, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason by means of such Notice and (2) if delivered by the Company, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause by means of such Notice. A-8 EX-12 12 EMPLOYMENT & SEVERANCE AGREEMENT: MARY KIELICH 1 KEY EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the 15th day of April, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), and Mary L. Kielich (hereinafter referred to as the "Executive"). W I T N E S S E T H : WHEREAS, the Executive is currently employed by the Company in a key capacity, and the Executive's services are valuable to the conduct of the business of the Company; WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") recognizes that circumstances may arise in which a change in control of the Company occurs, through acquisition or otherwise, thereby causing uncertainty about the Executive's future employment with the Company without regard to the Executive's competence or past contributions, which uncertainty may result in the loss of valuable services of the Executive to the detriment of the Company and its shareholders, and the Company and the Executive wish to provide reasonable security to the Executive against changes in the Executive's relationship with the Company in the event of any such change in control; WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive desire that any proposal for a change in control or acquisition of the Company will be considered by the Executive objectively and with reference only to the best interests of the Company and its shareholders; and WHEREAS, the Executive will be in a better position to consider the Company's best interests if the Executive is afforded reasonable security, as provided in this Agreement, against altered conditions of employment which could result from any such change in control or acquisition. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto mutually covenant and agree as follows: 2 1. Definitions. The following terms are used in this Agreement as defined in Exhibit A: Act Covered Termination Accrued Benefits Effective Date Affiliate and Associate Employer Annual Cash Compensation Good Reason Cause Normal Retirement Date Change in Control Notice of Termination Code Person Competitive Activity Termination Date 2. Termination or Cancellation Prior to the Effective Date. The Employer and the Executive shall each retain the right to terminate the employment of the Executive at any time prior to the Effective Date. If the Executive's employment is terminated prior to the Effective Date, then this Agreement shall be terminated and cancelled and of no further force or effect and any and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall cease. In addition, this Agreement shall terminate upon the Executive ceasing to be an employee of the Employer prior to a Change in Control unless the Executive can reasonably demonstrate that such change in status occurred under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A. 3. Employment Period. If the Executive is employed by the Employer on the Effective Date, then the Company will, or will cause the Employer to, continue thereafter to employ the Executive during the Employment Period (as hereinafter defined), and the Executive will remain in the employ of the Employer, in accordance with and subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Employment Period" means a period (i) commencing on the Effective Date, and (ii) ending at 11:59 p.m. Milwaukee Time on the earlier of the first anniversary of such date or the Executive's Normal Retirement Date. 4. Duties. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall, in the most significant capacities and positions held by the Executive at any time during the 180-day period preceding the Effective Date or in such other capacities and positions as may be agreed to by the Company and the Executive in writing, devote the Executive's best efforts and all of the Executive's business time, attention and skill to the business and affairs of the Employer, as such business and affairs now exist and as they may hereafter be conducted. 5. Compensation. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be compensated as follows: (a) The Executive shall receive, at reasonable intervals (but not less often than monthly) and in accordance with such standard policies as may be in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date, an annual base salary in cash equivalent of not less than twelve times the -2- 3 Executive's highest monthly base salary (which shall include any amounts credited to the Executive for the purchase of annuity contracts and related tax offset bonuses) for the twelve-month period immediately preceding the month in which the Effective Date occurs or, if higher, an annual base salary at the rate in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date (which base salary shall, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Executive, include the current receipt by the Executive of any amounts which, prior to the Effective Date, the Executive had elected to defer, whether such compensation is deferred under Section 401(k) of the Code or otherwise), subject to upward adjustment as provided in Section 6 (such salary amount as adjusted upward from time to time is hereafter referred to as the "Annual Base Salary"). (b) The Executive shall receive fringe benefits at least equal in value to those provided for the Executive at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. The Executive shall be reimbursed, at such intervals and in accordance with such standard policies that are most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates, including travel expenses. (c) The Executive and/or the Executive's family, as the case may be, shall be included, to the extent eligible thereunder (which eligibility shall not be conditioned on the Executive's salary grade or on any other requirement that excludes executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive unless such exclusion was in effect for such plan or an equivalent plan on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date), in any and all welfare benefit plans, practices, policies and programs providing benefits for the Company's salaried employees in general or, if more favorable to the Executive, to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to group life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs in which the Executive is included be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date and (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. (d) The Executive shall annually be entitled to not less than the amount of paid vacation and not fewer than the number of paid holidays to which the Executive was entitled -3- 4 annually at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or such greater amount of paid vacation and number of paid holidays as may be made available annually to the Executive or any other executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive at any time after the Effective Date. (e) The Executive shall be included in all plans providing additional benefits to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to deferred compensation, split-dollar life insurance, retirement, supplemental retirement, stock option, stock appreciation, stock bonus and similar or comparable plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date; (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive; and (iii) the Company's obligation to include the Executive in bonus or incentive compensation plans shall be determined by Section 5(f). (f) To assure that the Executive will have an opportunity to earn incentive compensation after the Effective Date, the Executive shall be included in a bonus plan of the Company that shall satisfy the standards described below (the "Bonus Plan"). Bonuses under the Bonus Plan shall be payable with respect to achieving such financial or other goals reasonably related to the business of the Company as the Company shall establish (the "Goals"), all of which Goals shall be attainable, prior to the end of the Employment Period, with approximately the same degree of probability as the goals under the Employer's annual incentive plan currently in effect, or the successor to such plan, in the form most favorable to the Executive that was in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (the "Existing Plan") and in view of the Company's existing and projected financial and business circumstances applicable at the time. The amount of the bonus (the "Bonus Amount") that the Executive is eligible to earn under the Bonus Plan shall be no less than the amount of the Executive's highest maximum potential award under the Existing Plan at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, if higher, any maximum potential award under the Bonus Plan or any other bonus or incentive compensation plan in effect after the Effective Date for the Executive or for any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive (such bonus amount herein referred to as the "Targeted Bonus"), and if the Goals are not achieved (and, therefore, the entire Targeted Bonus is not payable), then the Bonus Plan shall provide for a payment of a Bonus Amount not less than a portion of the Targeted Bonus reasonably related to that portion of the Goals that were achieved. Payment of the Bonus Amount (i) shall be in cash, unless otherwise agreed by the Executive, and (ii) shall not be affected by any circumstance occurring subsequent to the end of the Employment Period, including termination of the Executive's employment. -4- 5 6. Annual Compensation Adjustments. During the Employment Period, the Board of Directors of the Company (or an appropriate committee thereof) will consider and appraise, at least annually, the contributions of the Executive to the Employer, and in accordance with the Company's practice prior to the Effective Date, due consideration shall be given, at least annually, to the upward adjustment of the Executive's Annual Base Salary (i) commensurate with increases generally given to other executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, and (ii) as the scope of the Company's operations or the Executive's duties expand. 7. Termination During Employment Period. (a) Right to Terminate. During the Employment Period, (i) the Company shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment (A) for Cause, (B) by reason of the Executive's disability pursuant to Section 11, or (C) for any other reason, and (ii) the Executive shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment for any reason. Any such termination shall be subject to the procedures set forth in Section 12 and shall be subject to any consequences of such termination set forth in this Agreement. Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Employer shall be deemed a termination by the Company for purposes of this Agreement. (b) Termination for Cause or Without Good Reason. If there is a Covered Termination for Cause or due to the Executive's voluntarily terminating the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive only Accrued Benefits. (c) Termination Giving Rise to a Termination Payment. If there is a Covered Termination by the Executive for Good Reason, or by the Company other than by reason of (i) death, (ii) disability pursuant to Section 11, or (iii) Cause, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive, and the Company shall promptly pay, Accrued Benefits and, in lieu of further base salary for periods following the Termination Date, as liquidated damages and additional severance pay and in consideration of the covenant of the Executive set forth in Section 13(a), the Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 8. Payments Upon Termination. (a) Termination Payment. (i) Subject to the limits set forth in Section 8(a)(ii), for purposes of this Agreement, the "Termination Payment" shall be an amount equal to the Annual Cash Compensation multiplied by the number of years or fractional portion thereof remaining in the Employment Period determined as of the Termination Date, except that the Termination Payment shall not be less than the amount of Annual Cash Compensation. The Termination Payment shall be paid to the Executive in cash equivalent not later than ten business days after the Termination Date. The Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of the Termination Payment by securing other employment or otherwise, nor will such Termination Payment be reduced -5- 6 by reason of the Executive securing other employment or for any other reason. The Termination Payment shall be in addition to any other severance payments to which the Executive is entitled under the Company's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. (ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any portion of the Termination Payment or any other payment under this Agreement, or under any other agreement with or plan of the Company or the Employer (in the aggregate "Total Payments"), would constitute an "excess parachute payment," then the Total Payments to be made to the Executive shall be reduced such that the value of the aggregate Total Payments that the Executive is entitled to receive shall be One Dollar ($1) less than the maximum amount which the Executive may receive without becoming subject to the tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision) or which the Company may pay without loss of deduction under Section 280G(a) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of this Agreement, the terms "excess parachute payment" and "parachute payments" shall have the meanings assigned to them in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), and such "parachute payments" shall be valued as provided therein. Present value for purposes of this Agreement shall be calculated in accordance with Section 1274(b)(2) of the Code (or any successor provision). Within sixty days following delivery of the Notice of Termination or notice by the Company to the Executive of its belief that there is a payment or benefit due the Executive which will result in an excess parachute payment as defined in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), the Executive and the Company, at the Company's expense, shall obtain the opinion (which need not be unqualified) of nationally recognized tax counsel selected by the Company's independent auditors and acceptable to the Executive in the Executive's sole discretion, which sets forth (A) the amount of the Base Period Income, (B) the amount and present value of Total Payments and (C) the amount and present value of any excess parachute payments without regard to the limitations of this Section 8(a)(ii). As used in this Section 8(a)(ii), the term "Base Period Income" means an amount equal to the Executive's "annualized includible compensation for the base period" as defined in Section 280G(d)(1) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of such opinion, the value of any noncash benefits or any deferred payment or benefit shall be determined by the Company's independent auditors in accordance with the principles of Sections 280G(d)(3) and (4) of the Code (or any successor provisions), which determination shall be evidenced in a certificate of such auditors addressed to the Company and the Executive. Such opinion shall be dated as of the Termination Date and addressed to the Company and the Executive and shall be binding upon the Company and the Executive. If such opinion determines that there would be an excess parachute payment, then the Termination Payment hereunder or any other payment determined by such counsel to be includible in Total Payments shall be reduced or eliminated as specified by the Executive in writing delivered to the Company within thirty days of the Executive's receipt of such opinion or, if the Executive fails to so notify the Company, then as the Company shall reasonably determine, so that under -6- 7 the bases of calculations set forth in such opinion there will be no excess parachute payment. If such legal counsel so requests in connection with the opinion required by this Section, the Executive and the Company shall obtain, at the Company's expense, and the legal counsel may rely on in providing the opinion, the advice of a firm of recognized executive compensation consultants as to the reasonableness of any item of compensation to be received by the Executive. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 8(a)(ii), including the calculations, notices and opinions provided for herein, shall be based upon the conclusive presumption that the following are reasonable: (1) the compensation and benefits provided for in Section 5 and (2) any other compensation, including but not limited to the Accrued Benefits, earned prior to the Termination Date by the Executive pursuant to the Company's compensation programs if such payments would have been made in the future in any event, even though the timing of such payment is triggered by the Change in Control or the Termination Date. If the provisions of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code (or any successor provisions) are repealed without succession, then this Section 8(a)(ii) shall be of no further force or effect. (b) Additional Benefits. If there is a Covered Termination and the Executive is entitled to Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, then the Executive shall be entitled to the following additional benefits: (i) Until the earlier of the end of the Employment Period or such time as the Executive has obtained new employment and is covered by benefits which in the aggregate are at least equal in value to the following benefits, the Executive shall continue to be covered, at the expense of the Company, by the most favorable life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental coverage and other welfare benefits provided to the Executive and the Executive's family during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or at any time thereafter or, if more favorable to the Executive, coverage as was required hereunder with respect to the Executive immediately prior to the date Notice of Termination is given. (ii) The Executive shall receive, at the expense of the Company, outplacement services, on an individualized basis at a level of service commensurate with the Executive's most senior status with the Company during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (or, if higher, at any time after the Effective Date), provided by a nationally recognized executive placement firm selected by the Company with the consent of the Executive, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld; provided that the cost to the Company of such services shall not exceed 15% of the Executive's Annual Base Salary. (iii) The Company shall bear up to $10,000 in the aggregate of fees and expenses of consultants and/or legal or accounting advisors engaged by the Executive to advise the Executive as to matters relating to the computation of benefits due and payable under this Section 8. -7- 8 9. Death. (a) Except as provided in Section 9(b), in the event of a Covered Termination due to the Executive's death, the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall receive all the Executive's Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date. (b) If the Executive dies after a Notice of Termination is given (i) by the Company or (ii) by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall be entitled to the benefits described in Section 9(a) and, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to such Termination Payment to which the Executive would have been entitled had the Executive lived. In such event, the Termination Date shall be thirty days following the giving of the Notice of Termination, subject to extension pursuant to the definition of "Termination Date" in Exhibit A. 10. Retirement. If, during the Employment Period, the Executive and the Employer shall execute an agreement providing for the early retirement of the Executive from the Employer, or the Executive shall otherwise give notice that the Executive is voluntarily choosing to retire early from the Employer, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date; provided, that if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive for Good Reason or by the Company other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Executive also, in connection with such termination, elects voluntary early retirement, then the Executive shall also be entitled to receive a Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 11. Termination for Disability. If, during the Employment Period, as a result of the Executive's disability due to physical or mental illness or injury (regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related), the Executive shall have been absent from the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis for a period of 182 days and, within thirty days after the Company notifies the Executive in writing that it intends to terminate the Executive's employment (which notice shall not constitute the Notice of Termination contemplated below), the Executive shall not have returned to the performance of the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis, then the Company may terminate the Executive's employment for purposes of this Agreement pursuant to a Notice of Termination. If the Executive's employment is terminated on account of the Executive's disability in accordance with this Section, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits in accordance with Section 8(a) and shall remain eligible for all benefits provided by any long term disability programs of the Employer in effect at the time the Company sends notice to the Executive of its intent to terminate pursuant to this Section. 12. Termination Notice and Procedure. (a) Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Company or the Executive (other than a termination of the Executive's employment referenced in the second sentence of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A) shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the Executive, if such Notice is given by the Company, and to the Company, if such Notice is given by the Executive, all in accordance with the following procedures and those set forth in Section 22: -8- 9 (i) If such termination is for disability, Cause or Good Reason, the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such termination. (ii) Any Notice of Termination by the Company shall have been approved, prior to the giving thereof to the Executive, by a resolution duly adopted by a majority of the directors of the Company (or any successor corporation) then in office, a copy of which shall accompany the Notice. (iii) If the Notice is given by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on or after the date 15 days after the delivery of Notice of Termination (unless the Notice of Termination is based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A, in which case the Executive may cease performing his duties at the time the Executive's employment is terminated) and shall in any event cease employment on the Termination Date, if any, arising from the delivery of such Notice. If the Notice is given by the Company, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on the date of receipt of the Notice of Termination, subject to the Executive's rights hereunder. (iv) The recipient of any Notice of Termination shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the party giving such Notice within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) if the Executive terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason and deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Company as of the date of such termination and (B) if the Company terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Company will be deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Executive as of the date of such termination. Under circumstances described in clause (B) above, the Executive may, but shall not be obligated to, also deliver a Notice of Termination based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A for the purpose of subjecting such Notice to Section 12(a)(iv). (b) If a Change in Control occurs and the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control, then the Executive may assert that such termination is a Covered Termination by sending a written Notice of Termination to the Company at any time prior to the first anniversary of the Change in Control in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 12(b) and those set forth in Section 22. If the Executive asserts that the Executive -9- 10 terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason or that the Company terminated the Executive's employment other than for disability or Cause, then the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such assertions. The Company shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the Executive within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. 13. Further Obligations of the Executive. (a) Competition. The Executive agrees that, in the event of any Covered Termination where the Executive is entitled to (and receives) Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, the Executive shall not, for a period of three months after the Termination Date, without the prior written approval of the Company's Board of Directors, engage in any Competitive Activity. (b) Confidentiality. During and following the Executive's employment by the Employer, the Executive shall hold in confidence and not directly or indirectly disclose or use or copy or make lists of any confidential information or proprietary data of the Company (including that of the Employer), except to the extent authorized in writing by the Board of Directors of the Company or required by any court or administrative agency, other than to an employee of the Company or a person to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary or appropriate in connection with the performance by the Executive of duties as an executive of the Company or the Employer. Confidential information shall not include any information known generally to the public or any information of a type not otherwise considered confidential by persons engaged in the same business or a business similar to that of the Company. All records, files, documents and materials, or copies thereof, relating to the business of the Company which the Executive shall prepare, or use, or come into contact with, shall be and remain the sole property of the Company and shall be promptly returned to the Company upon termination of employment with the Employer. 14. Expenses and Interest. If, after the Effective Date, (i) a dispute arises with respect to the enforcement of the Executive's rights under this Agreement, (ii) any legal or arbitration proceeding shall be brought to enforce or interpret any provision contained herein or to recover damages for breach hereof, or (iii) any tax audit or proceeding is commenced that is attributable in part to the application of Section 4999 of the Code, in any case so long as the Executive is not acting in bad faith, then the Company shall reimburse the Executive for any reasonable attorneys' fees and necessary costs and disbursements incurred as a result of such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding or tax audit or proceeding ("Expenses"), and prejudgment interest on any money judgment or arbitration award obtained by the Executive calculated at the rate of interest announced by Firstar Bank Milwaukee, N.A., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from time to time as its prime or base lending rate from the date that payments to the Executive should have been made under this Agreement. Within ten days after the Executive's written request therefor, the Company shall pay to the Executive, or such other -10- 11 person or entity as the Executive may designate in writing to the Company, the Executive's reasonable Expenses in advance of the final disposition or conclusion of any such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding. 15. Payment Obligations Absolute. The Company's obligation during and after the Employment Period to pay the Executive the amounts and to make the benefit and other arrangements provided herein shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstances, including, without limitation, any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which the Company may have against the Executive or anyone else. Except as provided in Section 14, all amounts payable by the Company hereunder shall be paid without notice or demand. Each and every payment made hereunder by the Company shall be final, and the Company will not seek to recover all or any part of such payment from the Executive, or from whomsoever may be entitled thereto, for any reason whatsoever. 16. Successors. (a) If the Company sells, assigns or transfers all or substantially all of its business and assets to any Person or if the Company merges into or consolidates or otherwise combines (where the Company does not survive such combination) with any Person (any such event, a "Sale of Business"), then the Company shall assign all of its right, title and interest in this Agreement as of the date of such event to such Person, and the Company shall cause such Person, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Executive, to expressly assume and agree to perform from and after the date of such assignment all of the terms, conditions and provisions imposed by this Agreement upon the Company. Failure of the Company to obtain such agreement prior to the effective date of such Sale of Business shall be a breach of this Agreement constituting "Good Reason" hereunder, except that for purposes of implementing the foregoing, the date upon which such Sale of Business becomes effective shall be deemed the Termination Date. In case of such assignment by the Company and of assumption and agreement by such Person, as used in this Agreement, "Company" shall thereafter mean such Person which executes and delivers the agreement provided for in this Section 16 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by operation of law, and this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, such Person. The Executive shall, in the Executive's discretion, be entitled to proceed against any or all of such Persons, any Person which theretofore was such a successor to the Company (as defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement) and the Company (as so defined) in any action to enforce any rights of the Executive hereunder. Except as provided in this Subsection, this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Company. This Agreement shall not be terminated by the voluntary or involuntary dissolution of the Company. (b) This Agreement and all rights of the Executive shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive's personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, heirs and beneficiaries. All amounts payable to the Executive under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 14 if the Executive had lived shall be paid, in the event of the Executive's death, to the Executive's estate, heirs and representatives; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not be construed to modify any terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, as such terms -11- 12 are in effect on the Effective Date, that expressly govern benefits under such plan in the event of the Executive's death. 17. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be regarded as divisible, and if any of said provisions or any part hereof are declared invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the validity and enforceability of the remainder of such provisions or parts hereof and the applicability thereof shall not be affected thereby. 18. Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended or modified at any time except by written instrument executed by the Company and the Executive. 19. Withholding. The Employer shall be entitled to withhold from amounts to be paid to the Executive hereunder any federal, state or local withholding or other taxes or charges which it is from time to time required to withhold; provided, that the amount so withheld shall not exceed the minimum amount required to be withheld by law. The Employer shall be entitled to rely on an opinion of nationally recognized tax counsel if any question as to the amount or requirement of any such withholding shall arise. 20. Certain Rules of Construction. No party shall be considered as being responsible for the drafting of this Agreement for the purpose of applying any rule construing ambiguities against the drafter or otherwise. No draft of this Agreement shall be taken into account in construing this Agreement. Any provision of this Agreement which requires an agreement in writing shall be deemed to require that the writing in question be signed by the Executive and an authorized representative of the Company. 21. Governing Law; Resolution of Disputes. (a) This Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Wisconsin (excluding any choice of law rules that may direct the application of the laws of another jurisdiction) except that Section 21(b) shall be construed in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act if arbitration is chosen by the Executive as the method of dispute resolution. (b) Any dispute arising out of this Agreement shall, at the Executive's election, be determined by arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect (but subject to any evidentiary standards set forth in this Agreement), in which case both parties shall be bound by the arbitration award, or by litigation. Whether the dispute is to be settled by arbitration or litigation, the venue for the arbitration or litigation shall be Milwaukee, Wisconsin or, at the Executive's election, if the Executive is no longer residing or working in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin metropolitan area, in the judicial district encompassing the city in which the Executive resides; provided, that, if the Executive is not then residing in the United States, the election of the Executive with respect to such venue shall be either Milwaukee, Wisconsin or in the judicial district encompassing that city in the United States among the thirty cities having the largest population (as determined by the most recent United States Census data available at the Termination Date) that is closest to the Executive's residence. -12- 13 The parties consent to personal jurisdiction in each trial court in the selected venue having subject matter jurisdiction notwithstanding their residence or situs, and each party irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided hereunder for the giving of notices. 22. Notice. Notices given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and, except as otherwise provided by Section 12(a)(iii), shall be deemed given when actually received by the Executive or actually received by the Company's Secretary or any officer of the Company other than the Executive. If mailed, such notices shall be mailed by United States registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressee only, postage prepaid, if to the Company, to Hein-Werner Corporation, Attention: Secretary (or, if the Executive is then Secretary, to the Chief Executive Officer), 2120 Pewaukee Road, Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188, or if to the Executive, at the address set forth below the Executive's signature to this Agreement, or to such other address as the party to be notified shall have theretofore given to the other party in writing. 23. Additional Payment. (a) If, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8(a)(ii), but subject to subsection (b), it is ultimately determined by a court or pursuant to a final determination by the Internal Revenue Service that any portion of Total Payments is subject to the tax (the "Excise Tax") imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision), then the Company shall pay to the Executive an additional amount (the "Gross-Up Payment") such that the net amount retained by the Executive after deduction of any Excise Tax and any interest charges or penalties in respect of the imposition of such Excise Tax (but not any federal, state or local income tax) on the Total Payments, and any federal, state and local income tax and Excise Tax upon the payment provided for by this Section 23 shall be equal to the Total Payments. For purposes of determining the amount of the Gross-Up Payment, the Executive shall be deemed to pay federal income taxes at the highest marginal rate of federal income taxation in the calendar year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made and state and local income taxes at the highest marginal rates of taxation in the state and locality of the Executive's domicile for income tax purposes on the date the Gross-Up Payment is made, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes that could be obtained from deduction of such state and local taxes. (b) If legislation is enacted that would require the Company's shareholders to approve this Agreement, prior to a Change in Control, due solely to the provision contained in subsection (a) of this Section 23, then (i) from and after such time as shareholder approval would be required, until shareholder approval is obtained as required by such legislation, subsection (a) shall be of no force and effect; (ii) if the Company seeks shareholder approval of any other agreement providing similar benefits to any other executive of the Company, then the Company shall seek shareholder approval of this Agreement at the same shareholders' meeting or meetings at which the shareholders consider any such other agreement; and -13- 14 (iii) the Company and the Executive shall use their best efforts to consider and agree in writing upon an amendment to this Section 23 such that, as amended, this Subsection would provide the Executive with the benefits intended to be afforded to the Executive by subsection (a) without requiring shareholder approval. 24. No Waiver. The Executive's or the Company's failure to insist upon strict compliance with any provision of this Agreement or the failure to assert any right the Executive or the Company may have hereunder, including, without limitation, the right of the Executive to terminate employment for Good Reason, shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such provision or right or any other provision or right of this Agreement. 25. Headings. The headings herein contained are for reference only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above. HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION By: /s/ J. L. Dindorf ------------------------------------------ J. L. Dindorf President and Chief Executive Officer Attest: /s/ M. J. McSweeney ------------------------------------------ M. J. McSweeney Secretary EXECUTIVE /s/ Mary L. Kielich -------------------------------------------------- Mary L. Kielich 270 E. Highland Avenue - Apt. #1016 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202 -14- 15 Exhibit A CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS For purposes of this Agreement, (a) Act. The term "Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. (b) Accrued Benefits. The term "Accrued Benefits" shall include the following amounts, payable as described herein: (i) all base salary for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (ii) reimbursement for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (iii) any and all other cash earned through the Termination Date and deferred at the election of the Executive or pursuant to any deferred compensation plan then in effect; (iv) notwithstanding any provision of any bonus or incentive compensation plan applicable to the Executive, a lump sum amount, in cash, equal to the sum of (A) any bonus or incentive compensation that has been allocated or awarded to the Executive for a fiscal year or other measuring period under the plan that ends prior to the Termination Date but has not yet been paid (pursuant to Section 5(f) or otherwise) and (B) a pro rata portion to the Termination Date of the aggregate value of all contingent bonus or incentive compensation awards to the Executive for all uncompleted periods under the plan calculated as to each such award as if the Goals with respect to such bonus or incentive compensation award had been attained; and (v) all other payments and benefits to which the Executive (or in the event of the Executive's death, the Executive's surviving spouse or other beneficiary) may be entitled as compensatory fringe benefits or under the terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, including severance payments under the Employer's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. Payment of Accrued Benefits shall be made promptly in accordance with the Employer's prevailing practice with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) or, with respect to clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), pursuant to the terms of the benefit plan or practice establishing such benefits. (c) Affiliate and Associate. The terms "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Act. (d) Annual Cash Compensation. The term "Annual Cash Compensation" shall mean the sum of (A) the Executive's Annual Base Salary, plus (B) the highest of (1) the highest annual bonus or incentive compensation award earned by the Executive under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding A-1 16 the Effective Date; (2) the Executive's bonus or incentive compensation Targeted Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs; or (3) the highest average annual bonus and/or incentive compensation earned during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date (or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Effective Date) under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates by the group of executives of the Company and its Affiliates participating under such plan during such fiscal years at a status or position comparable to that at which the Executive participated or would have participated pursuant to the Executive's most senior position at any time during the 180 days preceding the Effective Date or thereafter until the Termination Date. (e) Cause. The Company may terminate the Executive's employment after the Effective Date for "Cause" only if the conditions set forth in paragraphs (i) and (ii) have been met and the Company otherwise complies with this Agreement: (i) (A) the Executive has committed any act of fraud, embezzlement or theft in connection with the Executive's duties as an Executive or in the course of employment with the Company and/or its subsidiaries; (B) the Executive has willfully and continually failed to perform substantially the Executive's duties with the Company or any of its Affiliates (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness or injury, regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related) for an appropriate period, which shall not be less than 30 days, after the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (or, if the Executive is then Chief Executive Officer, the Board) has delivered a written demand for performance to the Executive that specifically identifies the manner in which the Chief Executive Officer (or the Board, as the case may be) believes the Executive has not substantially performed the Executive's duties; (C) the Executive has willfully engaged in illegal conduct or gross misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company; (D) the Executive has willfully and wrongfully disclosed any trade secret or other confidential information of the Company or any of its Affiliates; or (E) the Executive has engaged in any Competitive Activity; and in any such case the act or omission shall have been determined by the Board to have been materially harmful to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole. For purposes of this provision, (1) no act or failure to act on the part of the Executive shall be considered "willful" unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the Executive's action or omission was in the best interests of the Company and (2) any act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board or upon the instructions of the Chief Executive Officer or a senior officer of the Company or based upon the advice of counsel for the Company shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in good faith and in the best interests of the Company. A-2 17 (ii) (A) The Company terminates the Executive's employment by delivering a Notice of Termination to the Executive, (B) prior to the time the Company has terminated the Executive's employment pursuant to a Notice of Termination, the Board, by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters (3/4) of the entire membership of the Board, has adopted a resolution finding that the Executive was guilty of conduct set forth in this definition of Cause, and specifying the particulars thereof in detail, at a meeting of the Board called and held for the purpose of considering such termination (after reasonable notice to the Executive and an opportunity for the Executive, together with the Executive's counsel, to be heard before the Board) and (C) the Company delivers a copy of such resolution to the Executive with the Notice of Termination at the time the Executive's employment is terminated. In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive's employment has been terminated for Cause, no claim by the Company that the Company has terminated the Executive's employment for Cause in accordance with this Agreement shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the Company has complied with the requirements of this Agreement to terminate the Executive's employment for Cause. (f) Change in Control. A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if the event set forth in any one of the following paragraphs shall have occurred: (i) any Person (other than (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (B) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (C) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or (D) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock in the Company ("Excluded Persons")) is or becomes the "Beneficial Owner" (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (ii) the following individuals cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the number of directors then serving: individuals who, on January 1, 1998, constituted the Board and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including but not limited to a consent solicitation, relating to the election of directors of the Company, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A under the Act) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still A-3 18 in office who either were directors on January 1, 1998 or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved; or (iii) the shareholders of the Company approve a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company with any other corporation or approve the issuance of voting securities of the Company in connection with a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company (or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company) pursuant to applicable stock exchange requirements, other than (A) a merger, consolidation or share exchange which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or share exchange continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) at least 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or any parent thereof outstanding immediately after such merger, consolidation or share exchange, or (B) a merger, consolidation or share exchange effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person (other than an Excluded Person) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (iv) the shareholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets (in one transaction or a series of related transactions within any period of 24 consecutive months), other than a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets to an entity at least 75% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by Persons in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if there is consummated any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders of the common stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity that owns all or substantially all of the assets or voting securities of the Company immediately following such transaction or series of transactions. (g) Code. The term "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, including any amendments thereto or successor tax codes thereof. A-4 19 (h) Competitive Activity. The Executive shall engage in a "Competitive Activity" if the Executive participates in the management of, is employed by or owns any interest in any business enterprise at a location within the United States that engages in substantial competition with the Company or its subsidiaries, where such enterprise's revenues from any competitive activities amount to 10% or more of such enterprise's consolidated net revenues and sales for its most recently completed fiscal year; provided, however, that owning stock or other securities of a competitor amounting to less than five percent of the outstanding capital stock of such competitor shall not be a "Competitive Activity". (i) Covered Termination. The term "Covered Termination" means any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period where the Termination Date or the date Notice of Termination is delivered is any date on or prior to the end of the Employment Period. (j) Effective Date. The term "Effective Date" shall mean the first date on which a Change in Control occurs. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if (i) a Change in Control occurs, (ii) the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control and (iii) it is reasonably demonstrated by the Executive that (A) any such termination of employment by the Employer (1) was at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, or (B) any such termination of employment by the Executive took place subsequent to the occurrence of an event described in clause (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) of the definition of "Good Reason" which event (1) occurred at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, then for all purposes of this Agreement the term "Effective Date" shall mean the day immediately prior to the date of such termination of employment. (k) Employer. The term "Employer" means the Company and/or any subsidiary of the Company that employed the Executive immediately prior to the Effective Date. (l) Good Reason. The Executive shall have a "Good Reason" for termination of employment on or after the Effective Date if the Executive determines in good faith that any of the following events has occurred: (i) any breach of this Agreement by the Company, including specifically any breach by the Company of its agreements contained in Section 4, Section 5 or Section 6, other than an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent failure not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; A-5 20 (ii) any reduction in the Executive's base salary, percentage of base salary available as incentive compensation or bonus opportunity or benefits, in each case relative to those most favorable to the Executive in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date; (iii) a material adverse change, without the Executive's prior written consent, in the Executive's working conditions or status with the Company or the Employer from such working conditions or status in effect during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date, including but not limited to (A) a material change in the nature or scope of the Executive's titles, authority, powers, functions, duties, reporting requirements or responsibilities, or (B) a material reduction in the level of support services, staff, secretarial and other assistance, office space and accoutrements, but excluding for this purpose an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent event not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; (iv) the relocation of the Executive's principal place of employment to a location more than 35 miles from the Executive's principal place of employment on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date; (v) the Employer requires the Executive to travel on Employer business to a materially greater extent than was required during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date; (vi) failure by the Company to obtain the agreement referred to in Section 16(a) as provided therein; or (vii) the Company or the Employer terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without delivering a Notice of Termination in accordance with Section 12; provided that (A) any such event occurs following the Effective Date or (B) in the case of any event described in clauses (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) above, such event occurs on or prior to the Effective Date under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date." In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for "Good Reason" in accordance with this Agreement, no claim by the Company that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination. Any election by the Executive to terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason shall not be deemed a voluntary termination of employment by the Executive for purposes of any other employee benefit or other plan. A-6 21 (m) Normal Retirement Date. The term "Normal Retirement Date" means the date the Executive reaches age 65. (n) Notice of Termination. The term "Notice of Termination" means a written notice as contemplated by Section 12. (o) Person. The term "Person" shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof. (p) Termination Date. Except as otherwise provided in Section 9(b) and Section 16(a), the term "Termination Date" means (i) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive's death, the date of death; (ii) if the Executive's employment is terminated by reason of voluntary early retirement, as agreed in writing by the Company and the Executive, the date of such early retirement that is set forth in such written agreement; (iii) if the Executive's employment is terminated for purposes of this Agreement by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given; (iv) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive voluntarily (other than for Good Reason), the date the Notice of Termination is given; and (v) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Company (other than by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11) or by the Executive for Good Reason, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) If the Executive shall in good faith give a Notice of Termination for Good Reason and the Company notifies the Executive that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof, then the Executive may elect to continue the Executive's employment during such dispute and the Termination Date shall be determined under this paragraph. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Termination Date shall be the earlier of (1) the date on which the dispute is finally determined, either (x) by mutual written agreement of the parties or (y) in accordance with Section 21 or (2) the date of the Executive's death. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive did not terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the employment of the Executive hereunder shall continue after such determination as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination asserting Good Reason and there shall be no Termination Date arising out of such Notice. In either case, this Agreement continues, until the Termination Date, if any, as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination except that, if it is finally determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Executive shall in no case be denied the benefits described in Section 8 (including a Termination Payment) based on events occurring after the Executive delivered the Executive's Notice of Termination. A-7 22 (B) If an opinion is required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8(a)(ii) and such opinion shall not have been delivered, then the Termination Date shall be the date on which such opinion is delivered. (C) Except as provided in paragraph (A) above, if the party receiving the Notice of Termination notifies the other party that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof and it is finally determined that termination of the Executive's employment for the reason asserted in such Notice of Termination was not in accordance with this Agreement, then (1) if such Notice was delivered by the Executive, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason by means of such Notice and (2) if delivered by the Company, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause by means of such Notice. A-8 EX-13 13 EMPLOYMENT & SEVERANCE AGREEMENT: MICHAEL KOONS 1 KEY EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the 15th day of April, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), and Michael J. Koons (hereinafter referred to as the "Executive"). W I T N E S S E T H : WHEREAS, the Executive is currently employed by the Company in a key capacity, and the Executive's services are valuable to the conduct of the business of the Company; WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") recognizes that circumstances may arise in which a change in control of the Company occurs, through acquisition or otherwise, thereby causing uncertainty about the Executive's future employment with the Company without regard to the Executive's competence or past contributions, which uncertainty may result in the loss of valuable services of the Executive to the detriment of the Company and its shareholders, and the Company and the Executive wish to provide reasonable security to the Executive against changes in the Executive's relationship with the Company in the event of any such change in control; WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive desire that any proposal for a change in control or acquisition of the Company will be considered by the Executive objectively and with reference only to the best interests of the Company and its shareholders; and WHEREAS, the Executive will be in a better position to consider the Company's best interests if the Executive is afforded reasonable security, as provided in this Agreement, against altered conditions of employment which could result from any such change in control or acquisition. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto mutually covenant and agree as follows: 2 1. Definitions. The following terms are used in this Agreement as defined in Exhibit A: Act Covered Termination Accrued Benefits Effective Date Affiliate and Associate Employer Annual Cash Compensation Good Reason Cause Normal Retirement Date Change in Control Notice of Termination Code Person Competitive Activity Termination Date 2. Termination or Cancellation Prior to the Effective Date. The Employer and the Executive shall each retain the right to terminate the employment of the Executive at any time prior to the Effective Date. If the Executive's employment is terminated prior to the Effective Date, then this Agreement shall be terminated and cancelled and of no further force or effect and any and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall cease. In addition, this Agreement shall terminate upon the Executive ceasing to be an employee of the Employer prior to a Change in Control unless the Executive can reasonably demonstrate that such change in status occurred under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A. 3. Employment Period. If the Executive is employed by the Employer on the Effective Date, then the Company will, or will cause the Employer to, continue thereafter to employ the Executive during the Employment Period (as hereinafter defined), and the Executive will remain in the employ of the Employer, in accordance with and subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Employment Period" means a period (i) commencing on the Effective Date, and (ii) ending at 11:59 p.m. Milwaukee Time on the earlier of the eighteen-month anniversary of such date or the Executive's Normal Retirement Date. 4. Duties. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall, in the most significant capacities and positions held by the Executive at any time during the 180-day period preceding the Effective Date or in such other capacities and positions as may be agreed to by the Company and the Executive in writing, devote the Executive's best efforts and all of the Executive's business time, attention and skill to the business and affairs of the Employer, as such business and affairs now exist and as they may hereafter be conducted. 5. Compensation. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be compensated as follows: (a) The Executive shall receive, at reasonable intervals (but not less often than monthly) and in accordance with such standard policies as may be in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date, an annual base salary in cash equivalent of not less than twelve times the -2- 3 Executive's highest monthly base salary (which shall include any amounts credited to the Executive for the purchase of annuity contracts and related tax offset bonuses) for the twelve-month period immediately preceding the month in which the Effective Date occurs or, if higher, an annual base salary at the rate in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date (which base salary shall, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Executive, include the current receipt by the Executive of any amounts which, prior to the Effective Date, the Executive had elected to defer, whether such compensation is deferred under Section 401(k) of the Code or otherwise), subject to upward adjustment as provided in Section 6 (such salary amount as adjusted upward from time to time is hereafter referred to as the "Annual Base Salary"). (b) The Executive shall receive fringe benefits at least equal in value to those provided for the Executive at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. The Executive shall be reimbursed, at such intervals and in accordance with such standard policies that are most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates, including travel expenses. (c) The Executive and/or the Executive's family, as the case may be, shall be included, to the extent eligible thereunder (which eligibility shall not be conditioned on the Executive's salary grade or on any other requirement that excludes executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive unless such exclusion was in effect for such plan or an equivalent plan on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date), in any and all welfare benefit plans, practices, policies and programs providing benefits for the Company's salaried employees in general or, if more favorable to the Executive, to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to group life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs in which the Executive is included be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date and (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. (d) The Executive shall annually be entitled to not less than the amount of paid vacation and not fewer than the number of paid holidays to which the Executive was entitled -3- 4 annually at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or such greater amount of paid vacation and number of paid holidays as may be made available annually to the Executive or any other executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive at any time after the Effective Date. (e) The Executive shall be included in all plans providing additional benefits to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to deferred compensation, split-dollar life insurance, retirement, supplemental retirement, stock option, stock appreciation, stock bonus and similar or comparable plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date; (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive; and (iii) the Company's obligation to include the Executive in bonus or incentive compensation plans shall be determined by Section 5(f). (f) To assure that the Executive will have an opportunity to earn incentive compensation after the Effective Date, the Executive shall be included in a bonus plan of the Company that shall satisfy the standards described below (the "Bonus Plan"). Bonuses under the Bonus Plan shall be payable with respect to achieving such financial or other goals reasonably related to the business of the Company as the Company shall establish (the "Goals"), all of which Goals shall be attainable, prior to the end of the Employment Period, with approximately the same degree of probability as the goals under the Employer's annual incentive plan currently in effect, or the successor to such plan, in the form most favorable to the Executive that was in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (the "Existing Plan") and in view of the Company's existing and projected financial and business circumstances applicable at the time. The amount of the bonus (the "Bonus Amount") that the Executive is eligible to earn under the Bonus Plan shall be no less than the amount of the Executive's highest maximum potential award under the Existing Plan at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, if higher, any maximum potential award under the Bonus Plan or any other bonus or incentive compensation plan in effect after the Effective Date for the Executive or for any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive (such bonus amount herein referred to as the "Targeted Bonus"), and if the Goals are not achieved (and, therefore, the entire Targeted Bonus is not payable), then the Bonus Plan shall provide for a payment of a Bonus Amount not less than a portion of the Targeted Bonus reasonably related to that portion of the Goals that were achieved. Payment of the Bonus Amount (i) shall be in cash, unless otherwise agreed by the Executive, and (ii) shall not be affected by any circumstance occurring subsequent to the end of the Employment Period, including termination of the Executive's employment. -4- 5 6. Annual Compensation Adjustments. During the Employment Period, the Board of Directors of the Company (or an appropriate committee thereof) will consider and appraise, at least annually, the contributions of the Executive to the Employer, and in accordance with the Company's practice prior to the Effective Date, due consideration shall be given, at least annually, to the upward adjustment of the Executive's Annual Base Salary (i) commensurate with increases generally given to other executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, and (ii) as the scope of the Company's operations or the Executive's duties expand. 7. Termination During Employment Period. (a) Right to Terminate. During the Employment Period, (i) the Company shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment (A) for Cause, (B) by reason of the Executive's disability pursuant to Section 11, or (C) for any other reason, and (ii) the Executive shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment for any reason. Any such termination shall be subject to the procedures set forth in Section 12 and shall be subject to any consequences of such termination set forth in this Agreement. Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Employer shall be deemed a termination by the Company for purposes of this Agreement. (b) Termination for Cause or Without Good Reason. If there is a Covered Termination for Cause or due to the Executive's voluntarily terminating the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive only Accrued Benefits. (c) Termination Giving Rise to a Termination Payment. If there is a Covered Termination by the Executive for Good Reason, or by the Company other than by reason of (i) death, (ii) disability pursuant to Section 11, or (iii) Cause, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive, and the Company shall promptly pay, Accrued Benefits and, in lieu of further base salary for periods following the Termination Date, as liquidated damages and additional severance pay and in consideration of the covenant of the Executive set forth in Section 13(a), the Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 8. Payments Upon Termination. (a) Termination Payment. (i) Subject to the limits set forth in Section 8(a)(ii), for purposes of this Agreement, the "Termination Payment" shall be an amount equal to the Annual Cash Compensation multiplied by the number of years or fractional portion thereof remaining in the Employment Period determined as of the Termination Date, except that the Termination Payment shall not be less than the amount of Annual Cash Compensation. The Termination Payment shall be paid to the Executive in cash equivalent not later than ten business days after the Termination Date. The Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of the Termination Payment by securing other employment or otherwise, nor will such Termination Payment be reduced -5- 6 by reason of the Executive securing other employment or for any other reason. The Termination Payment shall be in addition to any other severance payments to which the Executive is entitled under the Company's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. (ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any portion of the Termination Payment or any other payment under this Agreement, or under any other agreement with or plan of the Company or the Employer (in the aggregate "Total Payments"), would constitute an "excess parachute payment," then the Total Payments to be made to the Executive shall be reduced such that the value of the aggregate Total Payments that the Executive is entitled to receive shall be One Dollar ($1) less than the maximum amount which the Executive may receive without becoming subject to the tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision) or which the Company may pay without loss of deduction under Section 280G(a) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of this Agreement, the terms "excess parachute payment" and "parachute payments" shall have the meanings assigned to them in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), and such "parachute payments" shall be valued as provided therein. Present value for purposes of this Agreement shall be calculated in accordance with Section 1274(b)(2) of the Code (or any successor provision). Within sixty days following delivery of the Notice of Termination or notice by the Company to the Executive of its belief that there is a payment or benefit due the Executive which will result in an excess parachute payment as defined in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), the Executive and the Company, at the Company's expense, shall obtain the opinion (which need not be unqualified) of nationally recognized tax counsel selected by the Company's independent auditors and acceptable to the Executive in the Executive's sole discretion, which sets forth (A) the amount of the Base Period Income, (B) the amount and present value of Total Payments and (C) the amount and present value of any excess parachute payments without regard to the limitations of this Section 8(a)(ii). As used in this Section 8(a)(ii), the term "Base Period Income" means an amount equal to the Executive's "annualized includible compensation for the base period" as defined in Section 280G(d)(1) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of such opinion, the value of any noncash benefits or any deferred payment or benefit shall be determined by the Company's independent auditors in accordance with the principles of Sections 280G(d)(3) and (4) of the Code (or any successor provisions), which determination shall be evidenced in a certificate of such auditors addressed to the Company and the Executive. Such opinion shall be dated as of the Termination Date and addressed to the Company and the Executive and shall be binding upon the Company and the Executive. If such opinion determines that there would be an excess parachute payment, then the Termination Payment hereunder or any other payment determined by such counsel to be includible in Total Payments shall be reduced or eliminated as specified by the Executive in writing delivered to the Company within thirty days of the Executive's receipt of such opinion or, if the Executive fails to so notify the Company, then as the Company shall reasonably determine, so that under -6- 7 the bases of calculations set forth in such opinion there will be no excess parachute payment. If such legal counsel so requests in connection with the opinion required by this Section, the Executive and the Company shall obtain, at the Company's expense, and the legal counsel may rely on in providing the opinion, the advice of a firm of recognized executive compensation consultants as to the reasonableness of any item of compensation to be received by the Executive. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 8(a)(ii), including the calculations, notices and opinions provided for herein, shall be based upon the conclusive presumption that the following are reasonable: (1) the compensation and benefits provided for in Section 5 and (2) any other compensation, including but not limited to the Accrued Benefits, earned prior to the Termination Date by the Executive pursuant to the Company's compensation programs if such payments would have been made in the future in any event, even though the timing of such payment is triggered by the Change in Control or the Termination Date. If the provisions of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code (or any successor provisions) are repealed without succession, then this Section 8(a)(ii) shall be of no further force or effect. (b) Additional Benefits. If there is a Covered Termination and the Executive is entitled to Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, then the Executive shall be entitled to the following additional benefits: (i) Until the earlier of the end of the Employment Period or such time as the Executive has obtained new employment and is covered by benefits which in the aggregate are at least equal in value to the following benefits, the Executive shall continue to be covered, at the expense of the Company, by the most favorable life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental coverage and other welfare benefits provided to the Executive and the Executive's family during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or at any time thereafter or, if more favorable to the Executive, coverage as was required hereunder with respect to the Executive immediately prior to the date Notice of Termination is given. (ii) The Executive shall receive, at the expense of the Company, outplacement services, on an individualized basis at a level of service commensurate with the Executive's most senior status with the Company during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (or, if higher, at any time after the Effective Date), provided by a nationally recognized executive placement firm selected by the Company with the consent of the Executive, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld; provided that the cost to the Company of such services shall not exceed 15% of the Executive's Annual Base Salary. (iii) The Company shall bear up to $10,000 in the aggregate of fees and expenses of consultants and/or legal or accounting advisors engaged by the Executive to advise the Executive as to matters relating to the computation of benefits due and payable under this Section 8. -7- 8 9. Death. (a) Except as provided in Section 9(b), in the event of a Covered Termination due to the Executive's death, the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall receive all the Executive's Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date. (b) If the Executive dies after a Notice of Termination is given (i) by the Company or (ii) by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall be entitled to the benefits described in Section 9(a) and, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to such Termination Payment to which the Executive would have been entitled had the Executive lived. In such event, the Termination Date shall be thirty days following the giving of the Notice of Termination, subject to extension pursuant to the definition of "Termination Date" in Exhibit A. 10. Retirement. If, during the Employment Period, the Executive and the Employer shall execute an agreement providing for the early retirement of the Executive from the Employer, or the Executive shall otherwise give notice that the Executive is voluntarily choosing to retire early from the Employer, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date; provided, that if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive for Good Reason or by the Company other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Executive also, in connection with such termination, elects voluntary early retirement, then the Executive shall also be entitled to receive a Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 11. Termination for Disability. If, during the Employment Period, as a result of the Executive's disability due to physical or mental illness or injury (regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related), the Executive shall have been absent from the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis for a period of 182 days and, within thirty days after the Company notifies the Executive in writing that it intends to terminate the Executive's employment (which notice shall not constitute the Notice of Termination contemplated below), the Executive shall not have returned to the performance of the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis, then the Company may terminate the Executive's employment for purposes of this Agreement pursuant to a Notice of Termination. If the Executive's employment is terminated on account of the Executive's disability in accordance with this Section, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits in accordance with Section 8(a) and shall remain eligible for all benefits provided by any long term disability programs of the Employer in effect at the time the Company sends notice to the Executive of its intent to terminate pursuant to this Section. 12. Termination Notice and Procedure. (a) Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Company or the Executive (other than a termination of the Executive's employment referenced in the second sentence of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A) shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the Executive, if such Notice is given by the Company, and to the Company, if such Notice is given by the Executive, all in accordance with the following procedures and those set forth in Section 22: -8- 9 (i) If such termination is for disability, Cause or Good Reason, the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such termination. (ii) Any Notice of Termination by the Company shall have been approved, prior to the giving thereof to the Executive, by a resolution duly adopted by a majority of the directors of the Company (or any successor corporation) then in office, a copy of which shall accompany the Notice. (iii) If the Notice is given by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on or after the date 15 days after the delivery of Notice of Termination (unless the Notice of Termination is based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A, in which case the Executive may cease performing his duties at the time the Executive's employment is terminated) and shall in any event cease employment on the Termination Date, if any, arising from the delivery of such Notice. If the Notice is given by the Company, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on the date of receipt of the Notice of Termination, subject to the Executive's rights hereunder. (iv) The recipient of any Notice of Termination shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the party giving such Notice within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) if the Executive terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason and deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Company as of the date of such termination and (B) if the Company terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Company will be deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Executive as of the date of such termination. Under circumstances described in clause (B) above, the Executive may, but shall not be obligated to, also deliver a Notice of Termination based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A for the purpose of subjecting such Notice to Section 12(a)(iv). (b) If a Change in Control occurs and the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control, then the Executive may assert that such termination is a Covered Termination by sending a written Notice of Termination to the Company at any time prior to the first anniversary of the Change in Control in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 12(b) and those set forth in Section 22. If the Executive asserts that the Executive -9- 10 terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason or that the Company terminated the Executive's employment other than for disability or Cause, then the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such assertions. The Company shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the Executive within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. 13. Further Obligations of the Executive. (a) Competition. The Executive agrees that, in the event of any Covered Termination where the Executive is entitled to (and receives) Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, the Executive shall not, for a period of six months after the Termination Date, without the prior written approval of the Company's Board of Directors, engage in any Competitive Activity. (b) Confidentiality. During and following the Executive's employment by the Employer, the Executive shall hold in confidence and not directly or indirectly disclose or use or copy or make lists of any confidential information or proprietary data of the Company (including that of the Employer), except to the extent authorized in writing by the Board of Directors of the Company or required by any court or administrative agency, other than to an employee of the Company or a person to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary or appropriate in connection with the performance by the Executive of duties as an executive of the Company or the Employer. Confidential information shall not include any information known generally to the public or any information of a type not otherwise considered confidential by persons engaged in the same business or a business similar to that of the Company. All records, files, documents and materials, or copies thereof, relating to the business of the Company which the Executive shall prepare, or use, or come into contact with, shall be and remain the sole property of the Company and shall be promptly returned to the Company upon termination of employment with the Employer. 14. Expenses and Interest. If, after the Effective Date, (i) a dispute arises with respect to the enforcement of the Executive's rights under this Agreement, (ii) any legal or arbitration proceeding shall be brought to enforce or interpret any provision contained herein or to recover damages for breach hereof, or (iii) any tax audit or proceeding is commenced that is attributable in part to the application of Section 4999 of the Code, in any case so long as the Executive is not acting in bad faith, then the Company shall reimburse the Executive for any reasonable attorneys' fees and necessary costs and disbursements incurred as a result of such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding or tax audit or proceeding ("Expenses"), and prejudgment interest on any money judgment or arbitration award obtained by the Executive calculated at the rate of interest announced by Firstar Bank Milwaukee, N.A., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from time to time as its prime or base lending rate from the date that payments to the Executive should have been made under this Agreement. Within ten days after the Executive's written request therefor, the Company shall pay to the Executive, or such other -10- 11 person or entity as the Executive may designate in writing to the Company, the Executive's reasonable Expenses in advance of the final disposition or conclusion of any such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding. 15. Payment Obligations Absolute. The Company's obligation during and after the Employment Period to pay the Executive the amounts and to make the benefit and other arrangements provided herein shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstances, including, without limitation, any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which the Company may have against the Executive or anyone else. Except as provided in Section 14, all amounts payable by the Company hereunder shall be paid without notice or demand. Each and every payment made hereunder by the Company shall be final, and the Company will not seek to recover all or any part of such payment from the Executive, or from whomsoever may be entitled thereto, for any reason whatsoever. 16. Successors. (a) If the Company sells, assigns or transfers all or substantially all of its business and assets to any Person or if the Company merges into or consolidates or otherwise combines (where the Company does not survive such combination) with any Person (any such event, a "Sale of Business"), then the Company shall assign all of its right, title and interest in this Agreement as of the date of such event to such Person, and the Company shall cause such Person, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Executive, to expressly assume and agree to perform from and after the date of such assignment all of the terms, conditions and provisions imposed by this Agreement upon the Company. Failure of the Company to obtain such agreement prior to the effective date of such Sale of Business shall be a breach of this Agreement constituting "Good Reason" hereunder, except that for purposes of implementing the foregoing, the date upon which such Sale of Business becomes effective shall be deemed the Termination Date. In case of such assignment by the Company and of assumption and agreement by such Person, as used in this Agreement, "Company" shall thereafter mean such Person which executes and delivers the agreement provided for in this Section 16 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by operation of law, and this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, such Person. The Executive shall, in the Executive's discretion, be entitled to proceed against any or all of such Persons, any Person which theretofore was such a successor to the Company (as defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement) and the Company (as so defined) in any action to enforce any rights of the Executive hereunder. Except as provided in this Subsection, this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Company. This Agreement shall not be terminated by the voluntary or involuntary dissolution of the Company. (b) This Agreement and all rights of the Executive shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive's personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, heirs and beneficiaries. All amounts payable to the Executive under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 14 if the Executive had lived shall be paid, in the event of the Executive's death, to the Executive's estate, heirs and representatives; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not be construed to modify any terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, as such terms -11- 12 are in effect on the Effective Date, that expressly govern benefits under such plan in the event of the Executive's death. 17. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be regarded as divisible, and if any of said provisions or any part hereof are declared invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the validity and enforceability of the remainder of such provisions or parts hereof and the applicability thereof shall not be affected thereby. 18. Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended or modified at any time except by written instrument executed by the Company and the Executive. 19. Withholding. The Employer shall be entitled to withhold from amounts to be paid to the Executive hereunder any federal, state or local withholding or other taxes or charges which it is from time to time required to withhold; provided, that the amount so withheld shall not exceed the minimum amount required to be withheld by law. The Employer shall be entitled to rely on an opinion of nationally recognized tax counsel if any question as to the amount or requirement of any such withholding shall arise. 20. Certain Rules of Construction. No party shall be considered as being responsible for the drafting of this Agreement for the purpose of applying any rule construing ambiguities against the drafter or otherwise. No draft of this Agreement shall be taken into account in construing this Agreement. Any provision of this Agreement which requires an agreement in writing shall be deemed to require that the writing in question be signed by the Executive and an authorized representative of the Company. 21. Governing Law; Resolution of Disputes. (a) This Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Wisconsin (excluding any choice of law rules that may direct the application of the laws of another jurisdiction) except that Section 21(b) shall be construed in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act if arbitration is chosen by the Executive as the method of dispute resolution. (b) Any dispute arising out of this Agreement shall, at the Executive's election, be determined by arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect (but subject to any evidentiary standards set forth in this Agreement), in which case both parties shall be bound by the arbitration award, or by litigation. Whether the dispute is to be settled by arbitration or litigation, the venue for the arbitration or litigation shall be Milwaukee, Wisconsin or, at the Executive's election, if the Executive is no longer residing or working in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin metropolitan area, in the judicial district encompassing the city in which the Executive resides; provided, that, if the Executive is not then residing in the United States, the election of the Executive with respect to such venue shall be either Milwaukee, Wisconsin or in the judicial district encompassing that city in the United States among the thirty cities having the largest population (as determined by the most recent United States Census data available at the Termination Date) that is closest to the Executive's residence. -12- 13 The parties consent to personal jurisdiction in each trial court in the selected venue having subject matter jurisdiction notwithstanding their residence or situs, and each party irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided hereunder for the giving of notices. 22. Notice. Notices given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and, except as otherwise provided by Section 12(a)(iii), shall be deemed given when actually received by the Executive or actually received by the Company's Secretary or any officer of the Company other than the Executive. If mailed, such notices shall be mailed by United States registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressee only, postage prepaid, if to the Company, to Hein-Werner Corporation, Attention: Secretary (or, if the Executive is then Secretary, to the Chief Executive Officer), 2120 Pewaukee Road, Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188, or if to the Executive, at the address set forth below the Executive's signature to this Agreement, or to such other address as the party to be notified shall have theretofore given to the other party in writing. 23. Additional Payment. (a) If, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8(a)(ii), but subject to subsection (b), it is ultimately determined by a court or pursuant to a final determination by the Internal Revenue Service that any portion of Total Payments is subject to the tax (the "Excise Tax") imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision), then the Company shall pay to the Executive an additional amount (the "Gross-Up Payment") such that the net amount retained by the Executive after deduction of any Excise Tax and any interest charges or penalties in respect of the imposition of such Excise Tax (but not any federal, state or local income tax) on the Total Payments, and any federal, state and local income tax and Excise Tax upon the payment provided for by this Section 23 shall be equal to the Total Payments. For purposes of determining the amount of the Gross-Up Payment, the Executive shall be deemed to pay federal income taxes at the highest marginal rate of federal income taxation in the calendar year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made and state and local income taxes at the highest marginal rates of taxation in the state and locality of the Executive's domicile for income tax purposes on the date the Gross-Up Payment is made, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes that could be obtained from deduction of such state and local taxes. (b) If legislation is enacted that would require the Company's shareholders to approve this Agreement, prior to a Change in Control, due solely to the provision contained in subsection (a) of this Section 23, then (i) from and after such time as shareholder approval would be required, until shareholder approval is obtained as required by such legislation, subsection (a) shall be of no force and effect; (ii) if the Company seeks shareholder approval of any other agreement providing similar benefits to any other executive of the Company, then the Company shall seek shareholder approval of this Agreement at the same shareholders' meeting or meetings at which the shareholders consider any such other agreement; and -13- 14 (iii) the Company and the Executive shall use their best efforts to consider and agree in writing upon an amendment to this Section 23 such that, as amended, this Subsection would provide the Executive with the benefits intended to be afforded to the Executive by subsection (a) without requiring shareholder approval. 24. No Waiver. The Executive's or the Company's failure to insist upon strict compliance with any provision of this Agreement or the failure to assert any right the Executive or the Company may have hereunder, including, without limitation, the right of the Executive to terminate employment for Good Reason, shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such provision or right or any other provision or right of this Agreement. 25. Headings. The headings herein contained are for reference only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above. HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION By: /s/ J.L. DINDORF ------------------------------------- J. L. Dindorf President and Chief Executive Officer Attest: /s/ M.J. MCSWEENEY --------------------------------- M. J. McSweeney Secretary EXECUTIVE /s/ MICHAEL J. KOONS ----------------------------------------- Michael J. Koons 650 Dunleith Circle - Apt. #1 Elm Grove, Wisconsin 53122 -14- 15 Exhibit A CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS For purposes of this Agreement, (a) Act. The term "Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. (b) Accrued Benefits. The term "Accrued Benefits" shall include the following amounts, payable as described herein: (i) all base salary for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (ii) reimbursement for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (iii) any and all other cash earned through the Termination Date and deferred at the election of the Executive or pursuant to any deferred compensation plan then in effect; (iv) notwithstanding any provision of any bonus or incentive compensation plan applicable to the Executive, a lump sum amount, in cash, equal to the sum of (A) any bonus or incentive compensation that has been allocated or awarded to the Executive for a fiscal year or other measuring period under the plan that ends prior to the Termination Date but has not yet been paid (pursuant to Section 5(f) or otherwise) and (B) a pro rata portion to the Termination Date of the aggregate value of all contingent bonus or incentive compensation awards to the Executive for all uncompleted periods under the plan calculated as to each such award as if the Goals with respect to such bonus or incentive compensation award had been attained; and (v) all other payments and benefits to which the Executive (or in the event of the Executive's death, the Executive's surviving spouse or other beneficiary) may be entitled as compensatory fringe benefits or under the terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, including severance payments under the Employer's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. Payment of Accrued Benefits shall be made promptly in accordance with the Employer's prevailing practice with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) or, with respect to clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), pursuant to the terms of the benefit plan or practice establishing such benefits. (c) Affiliate and Associate. The terms "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Act. (d) Annual Cash Compensation. The term "Annual Cash Compensation" shall mean the sum of (A) the Executive's Annual Base Salary, plus (B) the highest of (1) the highest annual bonus or incentive compensation award earned by the Executive under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding A-1 16 the Effective Date; (2) the Executive's bonus or incentive compensation Targeted Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs; or (3) the highest average annual bonus and/or incentive compensation earned during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date (or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Effective Date) under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates by the group of executives of the Company and its Affiliates participating under such plan during such fiscal years at a status or position comparable to that at which the Executive participated or would have participated pursuant to the Executive's most senior position at any time during the 180 days preceding the Effective Date or thereafter until the Termination Date. (e) Cause. The Company may terminate the Executive's employment after the Effective Date for "Cause" only if the conditions set forth in paragraphs (i) and (ii) have been met and the Company otherwise complies with this Agreement: (i) (A) the Executive has committed any act of fraud, embezzlement or theft in connection with the Executive's duties as an Executive or in the course of employment with the Company and/or its subsidiaries; (B) the Executive has willfully and continually failed to perform substantially the Executive's duties with the Company or any of its Affiliates (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness or injury, regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related) for an appropriate period, which shall not be less than 30 days, after the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (or, if the Executive is then Chief Executive Officer, the Board) has delivered a written demand for performance to the Executive that specifically identifies the manner in which the Chief Executive Officer (or the Board, as the case may be) believes the Executive has not substantially performed the Executive's duties; (C) the Executive has willfully engaged in illegal conduct or gross misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company; (D) the Executive has willfully and wrongfully disclosed any trade secret or other confidential information of the Company or any of its Affiliates; or (E) the Executive has engaged in any Competitive Activity; and in any such case the act or omission shall have been determined by the Board to have been materially harmful to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole. For purposes of this provision, (1) no act or failure to act on the part of the Executive shall be considered "willful" unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the Executive's action or omission was in the best interests of the Company and (2) any act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board or upon the instructions of the Chief Executive Officer or a senior officer of the Company or based upon the advice of counsel for the Company shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in good faith and in the best interests of the Company. A-2 17 (ii) (A) The Company terminates the Executive's employment by delivering a Notice of Termination to the Executive, (B) prior to the time the Company has terminated the Executive's employment pursuant to a Notice of Termination, the Board, by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters (3/4) of the entire membership of the Board, has adopted a resolution finding that the Executive was guilty of conduct set forth in this definition of Cause, and specifying the particulars thereof in detail, at a meeting of the Board called and held for the purpose of considering such termination (after reasonable notice to the Executive and an opportunity for the Executive, together with the Executive's counsel, to be heard before the Board) and (C) the Company delivers a copy of such resolution to the Executive with the Notice of Termination at the time the Executive's employment is terminated. In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive's employment has been terminated for Cause, no claim by the Company that the Company has terminated the Executive's employment for Cause in accordance with this Agreement shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the Company has complied with the requirements of this Agreement to terminate the Executive's employment for Cause. (f) Change in Control. A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if the event set forth in any one of the following paragraphs shall have occurred: (i) any Person (other than (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (B) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (C) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or (D) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock in the Company ("Excluded Persons")) is or becomes the "Beneficial Owner" (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (ii) the following individuals cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the number of directors then serving: individuals who, on January 1, 1998, constituted the Board and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including but not limited to a consent solicitation, relating to the election of directors of the Company, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A under the Act) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still A-3 18 in office who either were directors on January 1, 1998 or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved; or (iii) the shareholders of the Company approve a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company with any other corporation or approve the issuance of voting securities of the Company in connection with a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company (or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company) pursuant to applicable stock exchange requirements, other than (A) a merger, consolidation or share exchange which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or share exchange continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) at least 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or any parent thereof outstanding immediately after such merger, consolidation or share exchange, or (B) a merger, consolidation or share exchange effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person (other than an Excluded Person) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (iv) the shareholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets (in one transaction or a series of related transactions within any period of 24 consecutive months), other than a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets to an entity at least 75% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by Persons in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if there is consummated any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders of the common stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity that owns all or substantially all of the assets or voting securities of the Company immediately following such transaction or series of transactions. (g) Code. The term "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, including any amendments thereto or successor tax codes thereof. A-4 19 (h) Competitive Activity. The Executive shall engage in a "Competitive Activity" if the Executive participates in the management of, is employed by or owns any interest in any business enterprise at a location within the United States that engages in substantial competition with the Company or its subsidiaries, where such enterprise's revenues from any competitive activities amount to 10% or more of such enterprise's consolidated net revenues and sales for its most recently completed fiscal year; provided, however, that owning stock or other securities of a competitor amounting to less than five percent of the outstanding capital stock of such competitor shall not be a "Competitive Activity". (i) Covered Termination. The term "Covered Termination" means any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period where the Termination Date or the date Notice of Termination is delivered is any date on or prior to the end of the Employment Period. (j) Effective Date. The term "Effective Date" shall mean the first date on which a Change in Control occurs. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if (i) a Change in Control occurs, (ii) the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control and (iii) it is reasonably demonstrated by the Executive that (A) any such termination of employment by the Employer (1) was at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, or (B) any such termination of employment by the Executive took place subsequent to the occurrence of an event described in clause (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) of the definition of "Good Reason" which event (1) occurred at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, then for all purposes of this Agreement the term "Effective Date" shall mean the day immediately prior to the date of such termination of employment. (k) Employer. The term "Employer" means the Company and/or any subsidiary of the Company that employed the Executive immediately prior to the Effective Date. (l) Good Reason. The Executive shall have a "Good Reason" for termination of employment on or after the Effective Date if the Executive determines in good faith that any of the following events has occurred: (i) any breach of this Agreement by the Company, including specifically any breach by the Company of its agreements contained in Section 4, Section 5 or Section 6, other than an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent failure not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; A-5 20 (ii) any reduction in the Executive's base salary, percentage of base salary available as incentive compensation or bonus opportunity or benefits, in each case relative to those most favorable to the Executive in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date; (iii) a material adverse change, without the Executive's prior written consent, in the Executive's working conditions or status with the Company or the Employer from such working conditions or status in effect during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date, including but not limited to (A) a material change in the nature or scope of the Executive's titles, authority, powers, functions, duties, reporting requirements or responsibilities, or (B) a material reduction in the level of support services, staff, secretarial and other assistance, office space and accoutrements, but excluding for this purpose an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent event not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; (iv) the relocation of the Executive's principal place of employment to a location more than 35 miles from the Executive's principal place of employment on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date; (v) the Employer requires the Executive to travel on Employer business to a materially greater extent than was required during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date; (vi) failure by the Company to obtain the agreement referred to in Section 16(a) as provided therein; or (vii) the Company or the Employer terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without delivering a Notice of Termination in accordance with Section 12; provided that (A) any such event occurs following the Effective Date or (B) in the case of any event described in clauses (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) above, such event occurs on or prior to the Effective Date under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date." In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for "Good Reason" in accordance with this Agreement, no claim by the Company that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination. Any election by the Executive to terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason shall not be deemed a voluntary termination of employment by the Executive for purposes of any other employee benefit or other plan. A-6 21 (m) Normal Retirement Date. The term "Normal Retirement Date" means the date the Executive reaches age 65. (n) Notice of Termination. The term "Notice of Termination" means a written notice as contemplated by Section 12. (o) Person. The term "Person" shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof. (p) Termination Date. Except as otherwise provided in Section 9(b) and Section 16(a), the term "Termination Date" means (i) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive's death, the date of death; (ii) if the Executive's employment is terminated by reason of voluntary early retirement, as agreed in writing by the Company and the Executive, the date of such early retirement that is set forth in such written agreement; (iii) if the Executive's employment is terminated for purposes of this Agreement by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given; (iv) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive voluntarily (other than for Good Reason), the date the Notice of Termination is given; and (v) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Company (other than by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11) or by the Executive for Good Reason, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) If the Executive shall in good faith give a Notice of Termination for Good Reason and the Company notifies the Executive that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof, then the Executive may elect to continue the Executive's employment during such dispute and the Termination Date shall be determined under this paragraph. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Termination Date shall be the earlier of (1) the date on which the dispute is finally determined, either (x) by mutual written agreement of the parties or (y) in accordance with Section 21 or (2) the date of the Executive's death. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive did not terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the employment of the Executive hereunder shall continue after such determination as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination asserting Good Reason and there shall be no Termination Date arising out of such Notice. In either case, this Agreement continues, until the Termination Date, if any, as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination except that, if it is finally determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Executive shall in no case be denied the benefits described in Section 8 (including a Termination Payment) based on events occurring after the Executive delivered the Executive's Notice of Termination. A-7 22 (B) If an opinion is required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8(a)(ii) and such opinion shall not have been delivered, then the Termination Date shall be the date on which such opinion is delivered. (C) Except as provided in paragraph (A) above, if the party receiving the Notice of Termination notifies the other party that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof and it is finally determined that termination of the Executive's employment for the reason asserted in such Notice of Termination was not in accordance with this Agreement, then (1) if such Notice was delivered by the Executive, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason by means of such Notice and (2) if delivered by the Company, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause by means of such Notice. A-8 EX-14 14 EMPLOYMENT & SEVERANCE AGREEMENT: REINALD LIEGEL 1 KEY EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the 15th day of April, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), and Reinald D. Liegel (hereinafter referred to as the "Executive"). W I T N E S S E T H : WHEREAS, the Executive is currently employed by the Company in a key capacity, and the Executive's services are valuable to the conduct of the business of the Company; WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") recognizes that circumstances may arise in which a change in control of the Company occurs, through acquisition or otherwise, thereby causing uncertainty about the Executive's future employment with the Company without regard to the Executive's competence or past contributions, which uncertainty may result in the loss of valuable services of the Executive to the detriment of the Company and its shareholders, and the Company and the Executive wish to provide reasonable security to the Executive against changes in the Executive's relationship with the Company in the event of any such change in control; WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive desire that any proposal for a change in control or acquisition of the Company will be considered by the Executive objectively and with reference only to the best interests of the Company and its shareholders; and WHEREAS, the Executive will be in a better position to consider the Company's best interests if the Executive is afforded reasonable security, as provided in this Agreement, against altered conditions of employment which could result from any such change in control or acquisition. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto mutually covenant and agree as follows: 2 1. Definitions. The following terms are used in this Agreement as defined in Exhibit A: Act Covered Termination Accrued Benefits Effective Date Affiliate and Associate Employer Annual Cash Compensation Good Reason Cause Normal Retirement Date Change in Control Notice of Termination Code Person Competitive Activity Termination Date 2. Termination or Cancellation Prior to the Effective Date. The Employer and the Executive shall each retain the right to terminate the employment of the Executive at any time prior to the Effective Date. If the Executive's employment is terminated prior to the Effective Date, then this Agreement shall be terminated and cancelled and of no further force or effect and any and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall cease. In addition, this Agreement shall terminate upon the Executive ceasing to be an employee of the Employer prior to a Change in Control unless the Executive can reasonably demonstrate that such change in status occurred under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A. 3. Employment Period. If the Executive is employed by the Employer on the Effective Date, then the Company will, or will cause the Employer to, continue thereafter to employ the Executive during the Employment Period (as hereinafter defined), and the Executive will remain in the employ of the Employer, in accordance with and subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Employment Period" means a period (i) commencing on the Effective Date, and (ii) ending at 11:59 p.m. Milwaukee Time on the earlier of the second anniversary of such date or the Executive's Normal Retirement Date. 4. Duties. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall, in the most significant capacities and positions held by the Executive at any time during the 180-day period preceding the Effective Date or in such other capacities and positions as may be agreed to by the Company and the Executive in writing, devote the Executive's best efforts and all of the Executive's business time, attention and skill to the business and affairs of the Employer, as such business and affairs now exist and as they may hereafter be conducted. 5. Compensation. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be compensated as follows: (a) The Executive shall receive, at reasonable intervals (but not less often than monthly) and in accordance with such standard policies as may be in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date, an annual base salary in cash equivalent of not less than twelve times the -2- 3 Executive's highest monthly base salary (which shall include any amounts credited to the Executive for the purchase of annuity contracts and related tax offset bonuses) for the twelve-month period immediately preceding the month in which the Effective Date occurs or, if higher, an annual base salary at the rate in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date (which base salary shall, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Executive, include the current receipt by the Executive of any amounts which, prior to the Effective Date, the Executive had elected to defer, whether such compensation is deferred under Section 401(k) of the Code or otherwise), subject to upward adjustment as provided in Section 6 (such salary amount as adjusted upward from time to time is hereafter referred to as the "Annual Base Salary"). (b) The Executive shall receive fringe benefits at least equal in value to those provided for the Executive at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. The Executive shall be reimbursed, at such intervals and in accordance with such standard policies that are most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates, including travel expenses. (c) The Executive and/or the Executive's family, as the case may be, shall be included, to the extent eligible thereunder (which eligibility shall not be conditioned on the Executive's salary grade or on any other requirement that excludes executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive unless such exclusion was in effect for such plan or an equivalent plan on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date), in any and all welfare benefit plans, practices, policies and programs providing benefits for the Company's salaried employees in general or, if more favorable to the Executive, to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to group life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs in which the Executive is included be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date and (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. (d) The Executive shall annually be entitled to not less than the amount of paid vacation and not fewer than the number of paid holidays to which the Executive was entitled -3- 4 annually at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or such greater amount of paid vacation and number of paid holidays as may be made available annually to the Executive or any other executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive at any time after the Effective Date. (e) The Executive shall be included in all plans providing additional benefits to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to deferred compensation, split-dollar life insurance, retirement, supplemental retirement, stock option, stock appreciation, stock bonus and similar or comparable plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date; (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive; and (iii) the Company's obligation to include the Executive in bonus or incentive compensation plans shall be determined by Section 5(f). (f) To assure that the Executive will have an opportunity to earn incentive compensation after the Effective Date, the Executive shall be included in a bonus plan of the Company that shall satisfy the standards described below (the "Bonus Plan"). Bonuses under the Bonus Plan shall be payable with respect to achieving such financial or other goals reasonably related to the business of the Company as the Company shall establish (the "Goals"), all of which Goals shall be attainable, prior to the end of the Employment Period, with approximately the same degree of probability as the goals under the Employer's annual incentive plan currently in effect, or the successor to such plan, in the form most favorable to the Executive that was in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (the "Existing Plan") and in view of the Company's existing and projected financial and business circumstances applicable at the time. The amount of the bonus (the "Bonus Amount") that the Executive is eligible to earn under the Bonus Plan shall be no less than the amount of the Executive's highest maximum potential award under the Existing Plan at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, if higher, any maximum potential award under the Bonus Plan or any other bonus or incentive compensation plan in effect after the Effective Date for the Executive or for any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive (such bonus amount herein referred to as the "Targeted Bonus"), and if the Goals are not achieved (and, therefore, the entire Targeted Bonus is not payable), then the Bonus Plan shall provide for a payment of a Bonus Amount not less than a portion of the Targeted Bonus reasonably related to that portion of the Goals that were achieved. Payment of the Bonus Amount (i) shall be in cash, unless otherwise agreed by the Executive, and (ii) shall not be affected by any circumstance occurring subsequent to the end of the Employment Period, including termination of the Executive's employment. -4- 5 6. Annual Compensation Adjustments. During the Employment Period, the Board of Directors of the Company (or an appropriate committee thereof) will consider and appraise, at least annually, the contributions of the Executive to the Employer, and in accordance with the Company's practice prior to the Effective Date, due consideration shall be given, at least annually, to the upward adjustment of the Executive's Annual Base Salary (i) commensurate with increases generally given to other executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, and (ii) as the scope of the Company's operations or the Executive's duties expand. 7. Termination During Employment Period. (a) Right to Terminate. During the Employment Period, (i) the Company shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment (A) for Cause, (B) by reason of the Executive's disability pursuant to Section 11, or (C) for any other reason, and (ii) the Executive shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment for any reason. Any such termination shall be subject to the procedures set forth in Section 12 and shall be subject to any consequences of such termination set forth in this Agreement. Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Employer shall be deemed a termination by the Company for purposes of this Agreement. (b) Termination for Cause or Without Good Reason. If there is a Covered Termination for Cause or due to the Executive's voluntarily terminating the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive only Accrued Benefits. (c) Termination Giving Rise to a Termination Payment. If there is a Covered Termination by the Executive for Good Reason, or by the Company other than by reason of (i) death, (ii) disability pursuant to Section 11, or (iii) Cause, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive, and the Company shall promptly pay, Accrued Benefits and, in lieu of further base salary for periods following the Termination Date, as liquidated damages and additional severance pay and in consideration of the covenant of the Executive set forth in Section 13(a), the Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 8. Payments Upon Termination. (a) Termination Payment. (i) Subject to the limits set forth in Section 8(a)(ii), for purposes of this Agreement, the "Termination Payment" shall be an amount equal to the Annual Cash Compensation multiplied by the number of years or fractional portion thereof remaining in the Employment Period determined as of the Termination Date, except that the Termination Payment shall not be less than the amount of Annual Cash Compensation. The Termination Payment shall be paid to the Executive in cash equivalent not later than ten business days after the Termination Date. The Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of the Termination Payment by securing other employment or otherwise, nor will such Termination Payment be reduced -5- 6 by reason of the Executive securing other employment or for any other reason. The Termination Payment shall be in addition to any other severance payments to which the Executive is entitled under the Company's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. (ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any portion of the Termination Payment or any other payment under this Agreement, or under any other agreement with or plan of the Company or the Employer (in the aggregate "Total Payments"), would constitute an "excess parachute payment," then the Total Payments to be made to the Executive shall be reduced such that the value of the aggregate Total Payments that the Executive is entitled to receive shall be One Dollar ($1) less than the maximum amount which the Executive may receive without becoming subject to the tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision) or which the Company may pay without loss of deduction under Section 280G(a) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of this Agreement, the terms "excess parachute payment" and "parachute payments" shall have the meanings assigned to them in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), and such "parachute payments" shall be valued as provided therein. Present value for purposes of this Agreement shall be calculated in accordance with Section 1274(b)(2) of the Code (or any successor provision). Within sixty days following delivery of the Notice of Termination or notice by the Company to the Executive of its belief that there is a payment or benefit due the Executive which will result in an excess parachute payment as defined in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), the Executive and the Company, at the Company's expense, shall obtain the opinion (which need not be unqualified) of nationally recognized tax counsel selected by the Company's independent auditors and acceptable to the Executive in the Executive's sole discretion, which sets forth (A) the amount of the Base Period Income, (B) the amount and present value of Total Payments and (C) the amount and present value of any excess parachute payments without regard to the limitations of this Section 8(a)(ii). As used in this Section 8(a)(ii), the term "Base Period Income" means an amount equal to the Executive's "annualized includible compensation for the base period" as defined in Section 280G(d)(1) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of such opinion, the value of any noncash benefits or any deferred payment or benefit shall be determined by the Company's independent auditors in accordance with the principles of Sections 280G(d)(3) and (4) of the Code (or any successor provisions), which determination shall be evidenced in a certificate of such auditors addressed to the Company and the Executive. Such opinion shall be dated as of the Termination Date and addressed to the Company and the Executive and shall be binding upon the Company and the Executive. If such opinion determines that there would be an excess parachute payment, then the Termination Payment hereunder or any other payment determined by such counsel to be includible in Total Payments shall be reduced or eliminated as specified by the Executive in writing delivered to the Company within thirty days of the Executive's receipt of such opinion or, if the Executive fails to so notify the Company, then as the Company shall reasonably determine, so that under -6- 7 the bases of calculations set forth in such opinion there will be no excess parachute payment. If such legal counsel so requests in connection with the opinion required by this Section, the Executive and the Company shall obtain, at the Company's expense, and the legal counsel may rely on in providing the opinion, the advice of a firm of recognized executive compensation consultants as to the reasonableness of any item of compensation to be received by the Executive. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 8(a)(ii), including the calculations, notices and opinions provided for herein, shall be based upon the conclusive presumption that the following are reasonable: (1) the compensation and benefits provided for in Section 5 and (2) any other compensation, including but not limited to the Accrued Benefits, earned prior to the Termination Date by the Executive pursuant to the Company's compensation programs if such payments would have been made in the future in any event, even though the timing of such payment is triggered by the Change in Control or the Termination Date. If the provisions of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code (or any successor provisions) are repealed without succession, then this Section 8(a)(ii) shall be of no further force or effect. (b) Additional Benefits. If there is a Covered Termination and the Executive is entitled to Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, then the Executive shall be entitled to the following additional benefits: (i) Until the earlier of the end of the Employment Period or such time as the Executive has obtained new employment and is covered by benefits which in the aggregate are at least equal in value to the following benefits, the Executive shall continue to be covered, at the expense of the Company, by the most favorable life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental coverage and other welfare benefits provided to the Executive and the Executive's family during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or at any time thereafter or, if more favorable to the Executive, coverage as was required hereunder with respect to the Executive immediately prior to the date Notice of Termination is given. (ii) The Executive shall receive, at the expense of the Company, outplacement services, on an individualized basis at a level of service commensurate with the Executive's most senior status with the Company during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (or, if higher, at any time after the Effective Date), provided by a nationally recognized executive placement firm selected by the Company with the consent of the Executive, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld; provided that the cost to the Company of such services shall not exceed 15% of the Executive's Annual Base Salary. (iii) The Company shall bear up to $10,000 in the aggregate of fees and expenses of consultants and/or legal or accounting advisors engaged by the Executive to advise the Executive as to matters relating to the computation of benefits due and payable under this Section 8. -7- 8 9. Death. (a) Except as provided in Section 9(b), in the event of a Covered Termination due to the Executive's death, the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall receive all the Executive's Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date. (b) If the Executive dies after a Notice of Termination is given (i) by the Company or (ii) by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall be entitled to the benefits described in Section 9(a) and, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to such Termination Payment to which the Executive would have been entitled had the Executive lived. In such event, the Termination Date shall be thirty days following the giving of the Notice of Termination, subject to extension pursuant to the definition of "Termination Date" in Exhibit A. 10. Retirement. If, during the Employment Period, the Executive and the Employer shall execute an agreement providing for the early retirement of the Executive from the Employer, or the Executive shall otherwise give notice that the Executive is voluntarily choosing to retire early from the Employer, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date; provided, that if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive for Good Reason or by the Company other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Executive also, in connection with such termination, elects voluntary early retirement, then the Executive shall also be entitled to receive a Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 11. Termination for Disability. If, during the Employment Period, as a result of the Executive's disability due to physical or mental illness or injury (regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related), the Executive shall have been absent from the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis for a period of 182 days and, within thirty days after the Company notifies the Executive in writing that it intends to terminate the Executive's employment (which notice shall not constitute the Notice of Termination contemplated below), the Executive shall not have returned to the performance of the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis, then the Company may terminate the Executive's employment for purposes of this Agreement pursuant to a Notice of Termination. If the Executive's employment is terminated on account of the Executive's disability in accordance with this Section, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits in accordance with Section 8(a) and shall remain eligible for all benefits provided by any long term disability programs of the Employer in effect at the time the Company sends notice to the Executive of its intent to terminate pursuant to this Section. 12. Termination Notice and Procedure. (a) Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Company or the Executive (other than a termination of the Executive's employment referenced in the second sentence of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A) shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the Executive, if such Notice is given by the Company, and to the Company, if such Notice is given by the Executive, all in accordance with the following procedures and those set forth in Section 22: -8- 9 (i) If such termination is for disability, Cause or Good Reason, the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such termination. (ii) Any Notice of Termination by the Company shall have been approved, prior to the giving thereof to the Executive, by a resolution duly adopted by a majority of the directors of the Company (or any successor corporation) then in office, a copy of which shall accompany the Notice. (iii) If the Notice is given by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on or after the date 15 days after the delivery of Notice of Termination (unless the Notice of Termination is based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A, in which case the Executive may cease performing his duties at the time the Executive's employment is terminated) and shall in any event cease employment on the Termination Date, if any, arising from the delivery of such Notice. If the Notice is given by the Company, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on the date of receipt of the Notice of Termination, subject to the Executive's rights hereunder. (iv) The recipient of any Notice of Termination shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the party giving such Notice within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) if the Executive terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason and deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Company as of the date of such termination and (B) if the Company terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Company will be deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Executive as of the date of such termination. Under circumstances described in clause (B) above, the Executive may, but shall not be obligated to, also deliver a Notice of Termination based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A for the purpose of subjecting such Notice to Section 12(a)(iv). (b) If a Change in Control occurs and the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control, then the Executive may assert that such termination is a Covered Termination by sending a written Notice of Termination to the Company at any time prior to the first anniversary of the Change in Control in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 12(b) and those set forth in Section 22. If the Executive asserts that the Executive -9- 10 terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason or that the Company terminated the Executive's employment other than for disability or Cause, then the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such assertions. The Company shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the Executive within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. 13. Further Obligations of the Executive. (a) Competition. The Executive agrees that, in the event of any Covered Termination where the Executive is entitled to (and receives) Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, the Executive shall not, for a period of six months after the Termination Date, without the prior written approval of the Company's Board of Directors, engage in any Competitive Activity. (b) Confidentiality. During and following the Executive's employment by the Employer, the Executive shall hold in confidence and not directly or indirectly disclose or use or copy or make lists of any confidential information or proprietary data of the Company (including that of the Employer), except to the extent authorized in writing by the Board of Directors of the Company or required by any court or administrative agency, other than to an employee of the Company or a person to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary or appropriate in connection with the performance by the Executive of duties as an executive of the Company or the Employer. Confidential information shall not include any information known generally to the public or any information of a type not otherwise considered confidential by persons engaged in the same business or a business similar to that of the Company. All records, files, documents and materials, or copies thereof, relating to the business of the Company which the Executive shall prepare, or use, or come into contact with, shall be and remain the sole property of the Company and shall be promptly returned to the Company upon termination of employment with the Employer. 14. Expenses and Interest. If, after the Effective Date, (i) a dispute arises with respect to the enforcement of the Executive's rights under this Agreement, (ii) any legal or arbitration proceeding shall be brought to enforce or interpret any provision contained herein or to recover damages for breach hereof, or (iii) any tax audit or proceeding is commenced that is attributable in part to the application of Section 4999 of the Code, in any case so long as the Executive is not acting in bad faith, then the Company shall reimburse the Executive for any reasonable attorneys' fees and necessary costs and disbursements incurred as a result of such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding or tax audit or proceeding ("Expenses"), and prejudgment interest on any money judgment or arbitration award obtained by the Executive calculated at the rate of interest announced by Firstar Bank Milwaukee, N.A., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from time to time as its prime or base lending rate from the date that payments to the Executive should have been made under this Agreement. Within ten days after the Executive's written request therefor, the Company shall pay to the Executive, or such other -10- 11 person or entity as the Executive may designate in writing to the Company, the Executive's reasonable Expenses in advance of the final disposition or conclusion of any such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding. 15. Payment Obligations Absolute. The Company's obligation during and after the Employment Period to pay the Executive the amounts and to make the benefit and other arrangements provided herein shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstances, including, without limitation, any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which the Company may have against the Executive or anyone else. Except as provided in Section 14, all amounts payable by the Company hereunder shall be paid without notice or demand. Each and every payment made hereunder by the Company shall be final, and the Company will not seek to recover all or any part of such payment from the Executive, or from whomsoever may be entitled thereto, for any reason whatsoever. 16. Successors. (a) If the Company sells, assigns or transfers all or substantially all of its business and assets to any Person or if the Company merges into or consolidates or otherwise combines (where the Company does not survive such combination) with any Person (any such event, a "Sale of Business"), then the Company shall assign all of its right, title and interest in this Agreement as of the date of such event to such Person, and the Company shall cause such Person, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Executive, to expressly assume and agree to perform from and after the date of such assignment all of the terms, conditions and provisions imposed by this Agreement upon the Company. Failure of the Company to obtain such agreement prior to the effective date of such Sale of Business shall be a breach of this Agreement constituting "Good Reason" hereunder, except that for purposes of implementing the foregoing, the date upon which such Sale of Business becomes effective shall be deemed the Termination Date. In case of such assignment by the Company and of assumption and agreement by such Person, as used in this Agreement, "Company" shall thereafter mean such Person which executes and delivers the agreement provided for in this Section 16 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by operation of law, and this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, such Person. The Executive shall, in the Executive's discretion, be entitled to proceed against any or all of such Persons, any Person which theretofore was such a successor to the Company (as defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement) and the Company (as so defined) in any action to enforce any rights of the Executive hereunder. Except as provided in this Subsection, this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Company. This Agreement shall not be terminated by the voluntary or involuntary dissolution of the Company. (b) This Agreement and all rights of the Executive shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive's personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, heirs and beneficiaries. All amounts payable to the Executive under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 14 if the Executive had lived shall be paid, in the event of the Executive's death, to the Executive's estate, heirs and representatives; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not be construed to modify any terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, as such terms -11- 12 are in effect on the Effective Date, that expressly govern benefits under such plan in the event of the Executive's death. 17. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be regarded as divisible, and if any of said provisions or any part hereof are declared invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the validity and enforceability of the remainder of such provisions or parts hereof and the applicability thereof shall not be affected thereby. 18. Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended or modified at any time except by written instrument executed by the Company and the Executive. 19. Withholding. The Employer shall be entitled to withhold from amounts to be paid to the Executive hereunder any federal, state or local withholding or other taxes or charges which it is from time to time required to withhold; provided, that the amount so withheld shall not exceed the minimum amount required to be withheld by law. The Employer shall be entitled to rely on an opinion of nationally recognized tax counsel if any question as to the amount or requirement of any such withholding shall arise. 20. Certain Rules of Construction. No party shall be considered as being responsible for the drafting of this Agreement for the purpose of applying any rule construing ambiguities against the drafter or otherwise. No draft of this Agreement shall be taken into account in construing this Agreement. Any provision of this Agreement which requires an agreement in writing shall be deemed to require that the writing in question be signed by the Executive and an authorized representative of the Company. 21. Governing Law; Resolution of Disputes. (a) This Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Wisconsin (excluding any choice of law rules that may direct the application of the laws of another jurisdiction) except that Section 21(b) shall be construed in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act if arbitration is chosen by the Executive as the method of dispute resolution. (b) Any dispute arising out of this Agreement shall, at the Executive's election, be determined by arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect (but subject to any evidentiary standards set forth in this Agreement), in which case both parties shall be bound by the arbitration award, or by litigation. Whether the dispute is to be settled by arbitration or litigation, the venue for the arbitration or litigation shall be Milwaukee, Wisconsin or, at the Executive's election, if the Executive is no longer residing or working in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin metropolitan area, in the judicial district encompassing the city in which the Executive resides; provided, that, if the Executive is not then residing in the United States, the election of the Executive with respect to such venue shall be either Milwaukee, Wisconsin or in the judicial district encompassing that city in the United States among the thirty cities having the largest population (as determined by the most recent United States Census data available at the Termination Date) that is closest to the Executive's residence. -12- 13 The parties consent to personal jurisdiction in each trial court in the selected venue having subject matter jurisdiction notwithstanding their residence or situs, and each party irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided hereunder for the giving of notices. 22. Notice. Notices given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and, except as otherwise provided by Section 12(a)(iii), shall be deemed given when actually received by the Executive or actually received by the Company's Secretary or any officer of the Company other than the Executive. If mailed, such notices shall be mailed by United States registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressee only, postage prepaid, if to the Company, to Hein-Werner Corporation, Attention: Secretary (or, if the Executive is then Secretary, to the Chief Executive Officer), 2120 Pewaukee Road, Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188, or if to the Executive, at the address set forth below the Executive's signature to this Agreement, or to such other address as the party to be notified shall have theretofore given to the other party in writing. 23. Additional Payment. (a) If, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8(a)(ii), but subject to subsection (b), it is ultimately determined by a court or pursuant to a final determination by the Internal Revenue Service that any portion of Total Payments is subject to the tax (the "Excise Tax") imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision), then the Company shall pay to the Executive an additional amount (the "Gross-Up Payment") such that the net amount retained by the Executive after deduction of any Excise Tax and any interest charges or penalties in respect of the imposition of such Excise Tax (but not any federal, state or local income tax) on the Total Payments, and any federal, state and local income tax and Excise Tax upon the payment provided for by this Section 23 shall be equal to the Total Payments. For purposes of determining the amount of the Gross-Up Payment, the Executive shall be deemed to pay federal income taxes at the highest marginal rate of federal income taxation in the calendar year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made and state and local income taxes at the highest marginal rates of taxation in the state and locality of the Executive's domicile for income tax purposes on the date the Gross-Up Payment is made, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes that could be obtained from deduction of such state and local taxes. (b) If legislation is enacted that would require the Company's shareholders to approve this Agreement, prior to a Change in Control, due solely to the provision contained in subsection (a) of this Section 23, then (i) from and after such time as shareholder approval would be required, until shareholder approval is obtained as required by such legislation, subsection (a) shall be of no force and effect; (ii) if the Company seeks shareholder approval of any other agreement providing similar benefits to any other executive of the Company, then the Company shall seek shareholder approval of this Agreement at the same shareholders' meeting or meetings at which the shareholders consider any such other agreement; and -13- 14 (iii) the Company and the Executive shall use their best efforts to consider and agree in writing upon an amendment to this Section 23 such that, as amended, this Subsection would provide the Executive with the benefits intended to be afforded to the Executive by subsection (a) without requiring shareholder approval. 24. No Waiver. The Executive's or the Company's failure to insist upon strict compliance with any provision of this Agreement or the failure to assert any right the Executive or the Company may have hereunder, including, without limitation, the right of the Executive to terminate employment for Good Reason, shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such provision or right or any other provision or right of this Agreement. 25. Headings. The headings herein contained are for reference only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above. HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION By: /s/ J. L. Dindorf ---------------------------------------- J. L. Dindorf President and Chief Executive Officer Attest: /s/ M. J. McSweeney ---------------------------------------- M. J. McSweeney Secretary EXECUTIVE /s/ Reinald D. Liegel ------------------------------------------------ Reinald D. Liegel 2100 Laura Lane Waukesha, Wisconsin 53186 -14- 15 Exhibit A CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS For purposes of this Agreement, (a) Act. The term "Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. (b) Accrued Benefits. The term "Accrued Benefits" shall include the following amounts, payable as described herein: (i) all base salary for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (ii) reimbursement for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (iii) any and all other cash earned through the Termination Date and deferred at the election of the Executive or pursuant to any deferred compensation plan then in effect; (iv) notwithstanding any provision of any bonus or incentive compensation plan applicable to the Executive, a lump sum amount, in cash, equal to the sum of (A) any bonus or incentive compensation that has been allocated or awarded to the Executive for a fiscal year or other measuring period under the plan that ends prior to the Termination Date but has not yet been paid (pursuant to Section 5(f) or otherwise) and (B) a pro rata portion to the Termination Date of the aggregate value of all contingent bonus or incentive compensation awards to the Executive for all uncompleted periods under the plan calculated as to each such award as if the Goals with respect to such bonus or incentive compensation award had been attained; and (v) all other payments and benefits to which the Executive (or in the event of the Executive's death, the Executive's surviving spouse or other beneficiary) may be entitled as compensatory fringe benefits or under the terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, including severance payments under the Employer's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. Payment of Accrued Benefits shall be made promptly in accordance with the Employer's prevailing practice with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) or, with respect to clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), pursuant to the terms of the benefit plan or practice establishing such benefits. (c) Affiliate and Associate. The terms "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Act. (d) Annual Cash Compensation. The term "Annual Cash Compensation" shall mean the sum of (A) the Executive's Annual Base Salary, plus (B) the highest of (1) the highest annual bonus or incentive compensation award earned by the Executive under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding A-1 16 the Effective Date; (2) the Executive's bonus or incentive compensation Targeted Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs; or (3) the highest average annual bonus and/or incentive compensation earned during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date (or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Effective Date) under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates by the group of executives of the Company and its Affiliates participating under such plan during such fiscal years at a status or position comparable to that at which the Executive participated or would have participated pursuant to the Executive's most senior position at any time during the 180 days preceding the Effective Date or thereafter until the Termination Date. (e) Cause. The Company may terminate the Executive's employment after the Effective Date for "Cause" only if the conditions set forth in paragraphs (i) and (ii) have been met and the Company otherwise complies with this Agreement: (i) (A) the Executive has committed any act of fraud, embezzlement or theft in connection with the Executive's duties as an Executive or in the course of employment with the Company and/or its subsidiaries; (B) the Executive has willfully and continually failed to perform substantially the Executive's duties with the Company or any of its Affiliates (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness or injury, regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related) for an appropriate period, which shall not be less than 30 days, after the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (or, if the Executive is then Chief Executive Officer, the Board) has delivered a written demand for performance to the Executive that specifically identifies the manner in which the Chief Executive Officer (or the Board, as the case may be) believes the Executive has not substantially performed the Executive's duties; (C) the Executive has willfully engaged in illegal conduct or gross misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company; (D) the Executive has willfully and wrongfully disclosed any trade secret or other confidential information of the Company or any of its Affiliates; or (E) the Executive has engaged in any Competitive Activity; and in any such case the act or omission shall have been determined by the Board to have been materially harmful to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole. For purposes of this provision, (1) no act or failure to act on the part of the Executive shall be considered "willful" unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the Executive's action or omission was in the best interests of the Company and (2) any act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board or upon the instructions of the Chief Executive Officer or a senior officer of the Company or based upon the advice of counsel for the Company shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in good faith and in the best interests of the Company. A-2 17 (ii) (A) The Company terminates the Executive's employment by delivering a Notice of Termination to the Executive, (B) prior to the time the Company has terminated the Executive's employment pursuant to a Notice of Termination, the Board, by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters (3/4) of the entire membership of the Board, has adopted a resolution finding that the Executive was guilty of conduct set forth in this definition of Cause, and specifying the particulars thereof in detail, at a meeting of the Board called and held for the purpose of considering such termination (after reasonable notice to the Executive and an opportunity for the Executive, together with the Executive's counsel, to be heard before the Board) and (C) the Company delivers a copy of such resolution to the Executive with the Notice of Termination at the time the Executive's employment is terminated. In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive's employment has been terminated for Cause, no claim by the Company that the Company has terminated the Executive's employment for Cause in accordance with this Agreement shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the Company has complied with the requirements of this Agreement to terminate the Executive's employment for Cause. (f) Change in Control. A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if the event set forth in any one of the following paragraphs shall have occurred: (i) any Person (other than (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (B) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (C) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or (D) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock in the Company ("Excluded Persons")) is or becomes the "Beneficial Owner" (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (ii) the following individuals cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the number of directors then serving: individuals who, on January 1, 1998, constituted the Board and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including but not limited to a consent solicitation, relating to the election of directors of the Company, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A under the Act) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still A-3 18 in office who either were directors on January 1, 1998 or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved; or (iii) the shareholders of the Company approve a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company with any other corporation or approve the issuance of voting securities of the Company in connection with a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company (or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company) pursuant to applicable stock exchange requirements, other than (A) a merger, consolidation or share exchange which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or share exchange continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) at least 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or any parent thereof outstanding immediately after such merger, consolidation or share exchange, or (B) a merger, consolidation or share exchange effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person (other than an Excluded Person) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (iv) the shareholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets (in one transaction or a series of related transactions within any period of 24 consecutive months), other than a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets to an entity at least 75% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by Persons in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if there is consummated any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders of the common stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity that owns all or substantially all of the assets or voting securities of the Company immediately following such transaction or series of transactions. (g) Code. The term "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, including any amendments thereto or successor tax codes thereof. A-4 19 (h) Competitive Activity. The Executive shall engage in a "Competitive Activity" if the Executive participates in the management of, is employed by or owns any interest in any business enterprise at a location within the United States that engages in substantial competition with the Company or its subsidiaries, where such enterprise's revenues from any competitive activities amount to 10% or more of such enterprise's consolidated net revenues and sales for its most recently completed fiscal year; provided, however, that owning stock or other securities of a competitor amounting to less than five percent of the outstanding capital stock of such competitor shall not be a "Competitive Activity". (i) Covered Termination. The term "Covered Termination" means any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period where the Termination Date or the date Notice of Termination is delivered is any date on or prior to the end of the Employment Period. (j) Effective Date. The term "Effective Date" shall mean the first date on which a Change in Control occurs. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if (i) a Change in Control occurs, (ii) the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control and (iii) it is reasonably demonstrated by the Executive that (A) any such termination of employment by the Employer (1) was at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, or (B) any such termination of employment by the Executive took place subsequent to the occurrence of an event described in clause (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) of the definition of "Good Reason" which event (1) occurred at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, then for all purposes of this Agreement the term "Effective Date" shall mean the day immediately prior to the date of such termination of employment. (k) Employer. The term "Employer" means the Company and/or any subsidiary of the Company that employed the Executive immediately prior to the Effective Date. (l) Good Reason. The Executive shall have a "Good Reason" for termination of employment on or after the Effective Date if the Executive determines in good faith that any of the following events has occurred: (i) any breach of this Agreement by the Company, including specifically any breach by the Company of its agreements contained in Section 4, Section 5 or Section 6, other than an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent failure not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; A-5 20 (ii) any reduction in the Executive's base salary, percentage of base salary available as incentive compensation or bonus opportunity or benefits, in each case relative to those most favorable to the Executive in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date; (iii) a material adverse change, without the Executive's prior written consent, in the Executive's working conditions or status with the Company or the Employer from such working conditions or status in effect during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date, including but not limited to (A) a material change in the nature or scope of the Executive's titles, authority, powers, functions, duties, reporting requirements or responsibilities, or (B) a material reduction in the level of support services, staff, secretarial and other assistance, office space and accoutrements, but excluding for this purpose an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent event not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; (iv) the relocation of the Executive's principal place of employment to a location more than 35 miles from the Executive's principal place of employment on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date; (v) the Employer requires the Executive to travel on Employer business to a materially greater extent than was required during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date; (vi) failure by the Company to obtain the agreement referred to in Section 16(a) as provided therein; or (vii) the Company or the Employer terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without delivering a Notice of Termination in accordance with Section 12; provided that (A) any such event occurs following the Effective Date or (B) in the case of any event described in clauses (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) above, such event occurs on or prior to the Effective Date under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date." In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for "Good Reason" in accordance with this Agreement, no claim by the Company that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination. Any election by the Executive to terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason shall not be deemed a voluntary termination of employment by the Executive for purposes of any other employee benefit or other plan. A-6 21 (m) Normal Retirement Date. The term "Normal Retirement Date" means the date the Executive reaches age 65. (n) Notice of Termination. The term "Notice of Termination" means a written notice as contemplated by Section 12. (o) Person. The term "Person" shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof. (p) Termination Date. Except as otherwise provided in Section 9(b) and Section 16(a), the term "Termination Date" means (i) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive's death, the date of death; (ii) if the Executive's employment is terminated by reason of voluntary early retirement, as agreed in writing by the Company and the Executive, the date of such early retirement that is set forth in such written agreement; (iii) if the Executive's employment is terminated for purposes of this Agreement by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given; (iv) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive voluntarily (other than for Good Reason), the date the Notice of Termination is given; and (v) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Company (other than by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11) or by the Executive for Good Reason, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) If the Executive shall in good faith give a Notice of Termination for Good Reason and the Company notifies the Executive that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof, then the Executive may elect to continue the Executive's employment during such dispute and the Termination Date shall be determined under this paragraph. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Termination Date shall be the earlier of (1) the date on which the dispute is finally determined, either (x) by mutual written agreement of the parties or (y) in accordance with Section 21 or (2) the date of the Executive's death. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive did not terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the employment of the Executive hereunder shall continue after such determination as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination asserting Good Reason and there shall be no Termination Date arising out of such Notice. In either case, this Agreement continues, until the Termination Date, if any, as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination except that, if it is finally determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Executive shall in no case be denied the benefits described in Section 8 (including a Termination Payment) based on events occurring after the Executive delivered the Executive's Notice of Termination. A-7 22 (B) If an opinion is required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8(a)(ii) and such opinion shall not have been delivered, then the Termination Date shall be the date on which such opinion is delivered. (C) Except as provided in paragraph (A) above, if the party receiving the Notice of Termination notifies the other party that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof and it is finally determined that termination of the Executive's employment for the reason asserted in such Notice of Termination was not in accordance with this Agreement, then (1) if such Notice was delivered by the Executive, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason by means of such Notice and (2) if delivered by the Company, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause by means of such Notice. A-8 EX-15 15 EMPLOYMENT & SEVERANCE AGREEMENT: JEFFREY RUSSELL 1 KEY EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the 15th day of April, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), and Jeffrey V. Russell (hereinafter referred to as the "Executive"). W I T N E S S E T H : WHEREAS, the Executive is currently employed by the Company in a key capacity, and the Executive's services are valuable to the conduct of the business of the Company; WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") recognizes that circumstances may arise in which a change in control of the Company occurs, through acquisition or otherwise, thereby causing uncertainty about the Executive's future employment with the Company without regard to the Executive's competence or past contributions, which uncertainty may result in the loss of valuable services of the Executive to the detriment of the Company and its shareholders, and the Company and the Executive wish to provide reasonable security to the Executive against changes in the Executive's relationship with the Company in the event of any such change in control; WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive desire that any proposal for a change in control or acquisition of the Company will be considered by the Executive objectively and with reference only to the best interests of the Company and its shareholders; and WHEREAS, the Executive will be in a better position to consider the Company's best interests if the Executive is afforded reasonable security, as provided in this Agreement, against altered conditions of employment which could result from any such change in control or acquisition. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto mutually covenant and agree as follows: 2 1. Definitions. The following terms are used in this Agreement as defined in Exhibit A: Act Covered Termination Accrued Benefits Effective Date Affiliate and Associate Employer Annual Cash Compensation Good Reason Cause Normal Retirement Date Change in Control Notice of Termination Code Person Competitive Activity Termination Date 2. Termination or Cancellation Prior to the Effective Date. The Employer and the Executive shall each retain the right to terminate the employment of the Executive at any time prior to the Effective Date. If the Executive's employment is terminated prior to the Effective Date, then this Agreement shall be terminated and cancelled and of no further force or effect and any and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall cease. In addition, this Agreement shall terminate upon the Executive ceasing to be an employee of the Employer prior to a Change in Control unless the Executive can reasonably demonstrate that such change in status occurred under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A. 3. Employment Period. If the Executive is employed by the Employer on the Effective Date, then the Company will, or will cause the Employer to, continue thereafter to employ the Executive during the Employment Period (as hereinafter defined), and the Executive will remain in the employ of the Employer, in accordance with and subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Employment Period" means a period (i) commencing on the Effective Date, and (ii) ending at 11:59 p.m. Milwaukee Time on the earlier of the first anniversary of such date or the Executive's Normal Retirement Date. 4. Duties. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall, in the most significant capacities and positions held by the Executive at any time during the 180-day period preceding the Effective Date or in such other capacities and positions as may be agreed to by the Company and the Executive in writing, devote the Executive's best efforts and all of the Executive's business time, attention and skill to the business and affairs of the Employer, as such business and affairs now exist and as they may hereafter be conducted. 5. Compensation. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be compensated as follows: (a) The Executive shall receive, at reasonable intervals (but not less often than monthly) and in accordance with such standard policies as may be in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date, an annual base salary in cash equivalent of not less than twelve times the -2- 3 Executive's highest monthly base salary (which shall include any amounts credited to the Executive for the purchase of annuity contracts and related tax offset bonuses) for the twelve-month period immediately preceding the month in which the Effective Date occurs or, if higher, an annual base salary at the rate in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date (which base salary shall, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Executive, include the current receipt by the Executive of any amounts which, prior to the Effective Date, the Executive had elected to defer, whether such compensation is deferred under Section 401(k) of the Code or otherwise), subject to upward adjustment as provided in Section 6 (such salary amount as adjusted upward from time to time is hereafter referred to as the "Annual Base Salary"). (b) The Executive shall receive fringe benefits at least equal in value to those provided for the Executive at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. The Executive shall be reimbursed, at such intervals and in accordance with such standard policies that are most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates, including travel expenses. (c) The Executive and/or the Executive's family, as the case may be, shall be included, to the extent eligible thereunder (which eligibility shall not be conditioned on the Executive's salary grade or on any other requirement that excludes executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive unless such exclusion was in effect for such plan or an equivalent plan on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date), in any and all welfare benefit plans, practices, policies and programs providing benefits for the Company's salaried employees in general or, if more favorable to the Executive, to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to group life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs in which the Executive is included be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date and (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. (d) The Executive shall annually be entitled to not less than the amount of paid vacation and not fewer than the number of paid holidays to which the Executive was entitled -3- 4 annually at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or such greater amount of paid vacation and number of paid holidays as may be made available annually to the Executive or any other executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive at any time after the Effective Date. (e) The Executive shall be included in all plans providing additional benefits to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to deferred compensation, split-dollar life insurance, retirement, supplemental retirement, stock option, stock appreciation, stock bonus and similar or comparable plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date; (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive; and (iii) the Company's obligation to include the Executive in bonus or incentive compensation plans shall be determined by Section 5(f). (f) To assure that the Executive will have an opportunity to earn incentive compensation after the Effective Date, the Executive shall be included in a bonus plan of the Company that shall satisfy the standards described below (the "Bonus Plan"). Bonuses under the Bonus Plan shall be payable with respect to achieving such financial or other goals reasonably related to the business of the Company as the Company shall establish (the "Goals"), all of which Goals shall be attainable, prior to the end of the Employment Period, with approximately the same degree of probability as the goals under the Employer's annual incentive plan currently in effect, or the successor to such plan, in the form most favorable to the Executive that was in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (the "Existing Plan") and in view of the Company's existing and projected financial and business circumstances applicable at the time. The amount of the bonus (the "Bonus Amount") that the Executive is eligible to earn under the Bonus Plan shall be no less than the amount of the Executive's highest maximum potential award under the Existing Plan at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, if higher, any maximum potential award under the Bonus Plan or any other bonus or incentive compensation plan in effect after the Effective Date for the Executive or for any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive (such bonus amount herein referred to as the "Targeted Bonus"), and if the Goals are not achieved (and, therefore, the entire Targeted Bonus is not payable), then the Bonus Plan shall provide for a payment of a Bonus Amount not less than a portion of the Targeted Bonus reasonably related to that portion of the Goals that were achieved. Payment of the Bonus Amount (i) shall be in cash, unless otherwise agreed by the Executive, and (ii) shall not be affected by any circumstance occurring subsequent to the end of the Employment Period, including termination of the Executive's employment. -4- 5 6. Annual Compensation Adjustments. During the Employment Period, the Board of Directors of the Company (or an appropriate committee thereof) will consider and appraise, at least annually, the contributions of the Executive to the Employer, and in accordance with the Company's practice prior to the Effective Date, due consideration shall be given, at least annually, to the upward adjustment of the Executive's Annual Base Salary (i) commensurate with increases generally given to other executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, and (ii) as the scope of the Company's operations or the Executive's duties expand. 7. Termination During Employment Period. (a) Right to Terminate. During the Employment Period, (i) the Company shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment (A) for Cause, (B) by reason of the Executive's disability pursuant to Section 11, or (C) for any other reason, and (ii) the Executive shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment for any reason. Any such termination shall be subject to the procedures set forth in Section 12 and shall be subject to any consequences of such termination set forth in this Agreement. Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Employer shall be deemed a termination by the Company for purposes of this Agreement. (b) Termination for Cause or Without Good Reason. If there is a Covered Termination for Cause or due to the Executive's voluntarily terminating the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive only Accrued Benefits. (c) Termination Giving Rise to a Termination Payment. If there is a Covered Termination by the Executive for Good Reason, or by the Company other than by reason of (i) death, (ii) disability pursuant to Section 11, or (iii) Cause, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive, and the Company shall promptly pay, Accrued Benefits and, in lieu of further base salary for periods following the Termination Date, as liquidated damages and additional severance pay and in consideration of the covenant of the Executive set forth in Section 13(a), the Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 8. Payments Upon Termination. (a) Termination Payment. (i) Subject to the limits set forth in Section 8(a)(ii), for purposes of this Agreement, the "Termination Payment" shall be an amount equal to the Annual Cash Compensation multiplied by the number of years or fractional portion thereof remaining in the Employment Period determined as of the Termination Date, except that the Termination Payment shall not be less than the amount of Annual Cash Compensation. The Termination Payment shall be paid to the Executive in cash equivalent not later than ten business days after the Termination Date. The Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of the Termination Payment by securing other employment or otherwise, nor will such Termination Payment be reduced -5- 6 by reason of the Executive securing other employment or for any other reason. The Termination Payment shall be in addition to any other severance payments to which the Executive is entitled under the Company's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. (ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any portion of the Termination Payment or any other payment under this Agreement, or under any other agreement with or plan of the Company or the Employer (in the aggregate "Total Payments"), would constitute an "excess parachute payment," then the Total Payments to be made to the Executive shall be reduced such that the value of the aggregate Total Payments that the Executive is entitled to receive shall be One Dollar ($1) less than the maximum amount which the Executive may receive without becoming subject to the tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision) or which the Company may pay without loss of deduction under Section 280G(a) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of this Agreement, the terms "excess parachute payment" and "parachute payments" shall have the meanings assigned to them in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), and such "parachute payments" shall be valued as provided therein. Present value for purposes of this Agreement shall be calculated in accordance with Section 1274(b)(2) of the Code (or any successor provision). Within sixty days following delivery of the Notice of Termination or notice by the Company to the Executive of its belief that there is a payment or benefit due the Executive which will result in an excess parachute payment as defined in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), the Executive and the Company, at the Company's expense, shall obtain the opinion (which need not be unqualified) of nationally recognized tax counsel selected by the Company's independent auditors and acceptable to the Executive in the Executive's sole discretion, which sets forth (A) the amount of the Base Period Income, (B) the amount and present value of Total Payments and (C) the amount and present value of any excess parachute payments without regard to the limitations of this Section 8(a)(ii). As used in this Section 8(a)(ii), the term "Base Period Income" means an amount equal to the Executive's "annualized includible compensation for the base period" as defined in Section 280G(d)(1) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of such opinion, the value of any noncash benefits or any deferred payment or benefit shall be determined by the Company's independent auditors in accordance with the principles of Sections 280G(d)(3) and (4) of the Code (or any successor provisions), which determination shall be evidenced in a certificate of such auditors addressed to the Company and the Executive. Such opinion shall be dated as of the Termination Date and addressed to the Company and the Executive and shall be binding upon the Company and the Executive. If such opinion determines that there would be an excess parachute payment, then the Termination Payment hereunder or any other payment determined by such counsel to be includible in Total Payments shall be reduced or eliminated as specified by the Executive in writing delivered to the Company within thirty days of the Executive's receipt of such opinion or, if the Executive fails to so notify the Company, then as the Company shall reasonably determine, so that under -6- 7 the bases of calculations set forth in such opinion there will be no excess parachute payment. If such legal counsel so requests in connection with the opinion required by this Section, the Executive and the Company shall obtain, at the Company's expense, and the legal counsel may rely on in providing the opinion, the advice of a firm of recognized executive compensation consultants as to the reasonableness of any item of compensation to be received by the Executive. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 8(a)(ii), including the calculations, notices and opinions provided for herein, shall be based upon the conclusive presumption that the following are reasonable: (1) the compensation and benefits provided for in Section 5 and (2) any other compensation, including but not limited to the Accrued Benefits, earned prior to the Termination Date by the Executive pursuant to the Company's compensation programs if such payments would have been made in the future in any event, even though the timing of such payment is triggered by the Change in Control or the Termination Date. If the provisions of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code (or any successor provisions) are repealed without succession, then this Section 8(a)(ii) shall be of no further force or effect. (b) Additional Benefits. If there is a Covered Termination and the Executive is entitled to Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, then the Executive shall be entitled to the following additional benefits: (i) Until the earlier of the end of the Employment Period or such time as the Executive has obtained new employment and is covered by benefits which in the aggregate are at least equal in value to the following benefits, the Executive shall continue to be covered, at the expense of the Company, by the most favorable life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental coverage and other welfare benefits provided to the Executive and the Executive's family during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or at any time thereafter or, if more favorable to the Executive, coverage as was required hereunder with respect to the Executive immediately prior to the date Notice of Termination is given. (ii) The Executive shall receive, at the expense of the Company, outplacement services, on an individualized basis at a level of service commensurate with the Executive's most senior status with the Company during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (or, if higher, at any time after the Effective Date), provided by a nationally recognized executive placement firm selected by the Company with the consent of the Executive, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld; provided that the cost to the Company of such services shall not exceed 15% of the Executive's Annual Base Salary. (iii) The Company shall bear up to $10,000 in the aggregate of fees and expenses of consultants and/or legal or accounting advisors engaged by the Executive to advise the Executive as to matters relating to the computation of benefits due and payable under this Section 8. -7- 8 9. Death. (a) Except as provided in Section 9(b), in the event of a Covered Termination due to the Executive's death, the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall receive all the Executive's Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date. (b) If the Executive dies after a Notice of Termination is given (i) by the Company or (ii) by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall be entitled to the benefits described in Section 9(a) and, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to such Termination Payment to which the Executive would have been entitled had the Executive lived. In such event, the Termination Date shall be thirty days following the giving of the Notice of Termination, subject to extension pursuant to the definition of "Termination Date" in Exhibit A. 10. Retirement. If, during the Employment Period, the Executive and the Employer shall execute an agreement providing for the early retirement of the Executive from the Employer, or the Executive shall otherwise give notice that the Executive is voluntarily choosing to retire early from the Employer, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date; provided, that if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive for Good Reason or by the Company other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Executive also, in connection with such termination, elects voluntary early retirement, then the Executive shall also be entitled to receive a Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 11. Termination for Disability. If, during the Employment Period, as a result of the Executive's disability due to physical or mental illness or injury (regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related), the Executive shall have been absent from the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis for a period of 182 days and, within thirty days after the Company notifies the Executive in writing that it intends to terminate the Executive's employment (which notice shall not constitute the Notice of Termination contemplated below), the Executive shall not have returned to the performance of the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis, then the Company may terminate the Executive's employment for purposes of this Agreement pursuant to a Notice of Termination. If the Executive's employment is terminated on account of the Executive's disability in accordance with this Section, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits in accordance with Section 8(a) and shall remain eligible for all benefits provided by any long term disability programs of the Employer in effect at the time the Company sends notice to the Executive of its intent to terminate pursuant to this Section. 12. Termination Notice and Procedure. (a) Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Company or the Executive (other than a termination of the Executive's employment referenced in the second sentence of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A) shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the Executive, if such Notice is given by the Company, and to the Company, if such Notice is given by the Executive, all in accordance with the following procedures and those set forth in Section 22: -8- 9 (i) If such termination is for disability, Cause or Good Reason, the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such termination. (ii) Any Notice of Termination by the Company shall have been approved, prior to the giving thereof to the Executive, by a resolution duly adopted by a majority of the directors of the Company (or any successor corporation) then in office, a copy of which shall accompany the Notice. (iii) If the Notice is given by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on or after the date 15 days after the delivery of Notice of Termination (unless the Notice of Termination is based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A, in which case the Executive may cease performing his duties at the time the Executive's employment is terminated) and shall in any event cease employment on the Termination Date, if any, arising from the delivery of such Notice. If the Notice is given by the Company, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on the date of receipt of the Notice of Termination, subject to the Executive's rights hereunder. (iv) The recipient of any Notice of Termination shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the party giving such Notice within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) if the Executive terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason and deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Company as of the date of such termination and (B) if the Company terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Company will be deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Executive as of the date of such termination. Under circumstances described in clause (B) above, the Executive may, but shall not be obligated to, also deliver a Notice of Termination based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A for the purpose of subjecting such Notice to Section 12(a)(iv). (b) If a Change in Control occurs and the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control, then the Executive may assert that such termination is a Covered Termination by sending a written Notice of Termination to the Company at any time prior to the first anniversary of the Change in Control in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 12(b) and those set forth in Section 22. If the Executive asserts that the Executive -9- 10 terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason or that the Company terminated the Executive's employment other than for disability or Cause, then the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such assertions. The Company shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the Executive within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. 13. Further Obligations of the Executive. (a) Competition. The Executive agrees that, in the event of any Covered Termination where the Executive is entitled to (and receives) Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, the Executive shall not, for a period of three months after the Termination Date, without the prior written approval of the Company's Board of Directors, engage in any Competitive Activity. (b) Confidentiality. During and following the Executive's employment by the Employer, the Executive shall hold in confidence and not directly or indirectly disclose or use or copy or make lists of any confidential information or proprietary data of the Company (including that of the Employer), except to the extent authorized in writing by the Board of Directors of the Company or required by any court or administrative agency, other than to an employee of the Company or a person to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary or appropriate in connection with the performance by the Executive of duties as an executive of the Company or the Employer. Confidential information shall not include any information known generally to the public or any information of a type not otherwise considered confidential by persons engaged in the same business or a business similar to that of the Company. All records, files, documents and materials, or copies thereof, relating to the business of the Company which the Executive shall prepare, or use, or come into contact with, shall be and remain the sole property of the Company and shall be promptly returned to the Company upon termination of employment with the Employer. 14. Expenses and Interest. If, after the Effective Date, (i) a dispute arises with respect to the enforcement of the Executive's rights under this Agreement, (ii) any legal or arbitration proceeding shall be brought to enforce or interpret any provision contained herein or to recover damages for breach hereof, or (iii) any tax audit or proceeding is commenced that is attributable in part to the application of Section 4999 of the Code, in any case so long as the Executive is not acting in bad faith, then the Company shall reimburse the Executive for any reasonable attorneys' fees and necessary costs and disbursements incurred as a result of such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding or tax audit or proceeding ("Expenses"), and prejudgment interest on any money judgment or arbitration award obtained by the Executive calculated at the rate of interest announced by Firstar Bank Milwaukee, N.A., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from time to time as its prime or base lending rate from the date that payments to the Executive should have been made under this Agreement. Within ten days after the Executive's written request therefor, the Company shall pay to the Executive, or such other -10- 11 person or entity as the Executive may designate in writing to the Company, the Executive's reasonable Expenses in advance of the final disposition or conclusion of any such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding. 15. Payment Obligations Absolute. The Company's obligation during and after the Employment Period to pay the Executive the amounts and to make the benefit and other arrangements provided herein shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstances, including, without limitation, any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which the Company may have against the Executive or anyone else. Except as provided in Section 14, all amounts payable by the Company hereunder shall be paid without notice or demand. Each and every payment made hereunder by the Company shall be final, and the Company will not seek to recover all or any part of such payment from the Executive, or from whomsoever may be entitled thereto, for any reason whatsoever. 16. Successors. (a) If the Company sells, assigns or transfers all or substantially all of its business and assets to any Person or if the Company merges into or consolidates or otherwise combines (where the Company does not survive such combination) with any Person (any such event, a "Sale of Business"), then the Company shall assign all of its right, title and interest in this Agreement as of the date of such event to such Person, and the Company shall cause such Person, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Executive, to expressly assume and agree to perform from and after the date of such assignment all of the terms, conditions and provisions imposed by this Agreement upon the Company. Failure of the Company to obtain such agreement prior to the effective date of such Sale of Business shall be a breach of this Agreement constituting "Good Reason" hereunder, except that for purposes of implementing the foregoing, the date upon which such Sale of Business becomes effective shall be deemed the Termination Date. In case of such assignment by the Company and of assumption and agreement by such Person, as used in this Agreement, "Company" shall thereafter mean such Person which executes and delivers the agreement provided for in this Section 16 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by operation of law, and this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, such Person. The Executive shall, in the Executive's discretion, be entitled to proceed against any or all of such Persons, any Person which theretofore was such a successor to the Company (as defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement) and the Company (as so defined) in any action to enforce any rights of the Executive hereunder. Except as provided in this Subsection, this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Company. This Agreement shall not be terminated by the voluntary or involuntary dissolution of the Company. (b) This Agreement and all rights of the Executive shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive's personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, heirs and beneficiaries. All amounts payable to the Executive under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 14 if the Executive had lived shall be paid, in the event of the Executive's death, to the Executive's estate, heirs and representatives; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not be construed to modify any terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, as such terms -11- 12 are in effect on the Effective Date, that expressly govern benefits under such plan in the event of the Executive's death. 17. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be regarded as divisible, and if any of said provisions or any part hereof are declared invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the validity and enforceability of the remainder of such provisions or parts hereof and the applicability thereof shall not be affected thereby. 18. Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended or modified at any time except by written instrument executed by the Company and the Executive. 19. Withholding. The Employer shall be entitled to withhold from amounts to be paid to the Executive hereunder any federal, state or local withholding or other taxes or charges which it is from time to time required to withhold; provided, that the amount so withheld shall not exceed the minimum amount required to be withheld by law. The Employer shall be entitled to rely on an opinion of nationally recognized tax counsel if any question as to the amount or requirement of any such withholding shall arise. 20. Certain Rules of Construction. No party shall be considered as being responsible for the drafting of this Agreement for the purpose of applying any rule construing ambiguities against the drafter or otherwise. No draft of this Agreement shall be taken into account in construing this Agreement. Any provision of this Agreement which requires an agreement in writing shall be deemed to require that the writing in question be signed by the Executive and an authorized representative of the Company. 21. Governing Law; Resolution of Disputes. (a) This Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Wisconsin (excluding any choice of law rules that may direct the application of the laws of another jurisdiction) except that Section 21(b) shall be construed in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act if arbitration is chosen by the Executive as the method of dispute resolution. (b) Any dispute arising out of this Agreement shall, at the Executive's election, be determined by arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect (but subject to any evidentiary standards set forth in this Agreement), in which case both parties shall be bound by the arbitration award, or by litigation. Whether the dispute is to be settled by arbitration or litigation, the venue for the arbitration or litigation shall be Milwaukee, Wisconsin or, at the Executive's election, if the Executive is no longer residing or working in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin metropolitan area, in the judicial district encompassing the city in which the Executive resides; provided, that, if the Executive is not then residing in the United States, the election of the Executive with respect to such venue shall be either Milwaukee, Wisconsin or in the judicial district encompassing that city in the United States among the thirty cities having the largest population (as determined by the most recent United States Census data available at the Termination Date) that is closest to the Executive's residence. -12- 13 The parties consent to personal jurisdiction in each trial court in the selected venue having subject matter jurisdiction notwithstanding their residence or situs, and each party irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided hereunder for the giving of notices. 22. Notice. Notices given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and, except as otherwise provided by Section 12(a)(iii), shall be deemed given when actually received by the Executive or actually received by the Company's Secretary or any officer of the Company other than the Executive. If mailed, such notices shall be mailed by United States registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressee only, postage prepaid, if to the Company, to Hein-Werner Corporation, Attention: Secretary (or, if the Executive is then Secretary, to the Chief Executive Officer), 2120 Pewaukee Road, Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188, or if to the Executive, at the address set forth below the Executive's signature to this Agreement, or to such other address as the party to be notified shall have theretofore given to the other party in writing. 23. Additional Payment. (a) If, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8(a)(ii), but subject to subsection (b), it is ultimately determined by a court or pursuant to a final determination by the Internal Revenue Service that any portion of Total Payments is subject to the tax (the "Excise Tax") imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision), then the Company shall pay to the Executive an additional amount (the "Gross-Up Payment") such that the net amount retained by the Executive after deduction of any Excise Tax and any interest charges or penalties in respect of the imposition of such Excise Tax (but not any federal, state or local income tax) on the Total Payments, and any federal, state and local income tax and Excise Tax upon the payment provided for by this Section 23 shall be equal to the Total Payments. For purposes of determining the amount of the Gross-Up Payment, the Executive shall be deemed to pay federal income taxes at the highest marginal rate of federal income taxation in the calendar year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made and state and local income taxes at the highest marginal rates of taxation in the state and locality of the Executive's domicile for income tax purposes on the date the Gross-Up Payment is made, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes that could be obtained from deduction of such state and local taxes. (b) If legislation is enacted that would require the Company's shareholders to approve this Agreement, prior to a Change in Control, due solely to the provision contained in subsection (a) of this Section 23, then (i) from and after such time as shareholder approval would be required, until shareholder approval is obtained as required by such legislation, subsection (a) shall be of no force and effect; (ii) if the Company seeks shareholder approval of any other agreement providing similar benefits to any other executive of the Company, then the Company shall seek shareholder approval of this Agreement at the same shareholders' meeting or meetings at which the shareholders consider any such other agreement; and -13- 14 (iii) the Company and the Executive shall use their best efforts to consider and agree in writing upon an amendment to this Section 23 such that, as amended, this Subsection would provide the Executive with the benefits intended to be afforded to the Executive by subsection (a) without requiring shareholder approval. 24. No Waiver. The Executive's or the Company's failure to insist upon strict compliance with any provision of this Agreement or the failure to assert any right the Executive or the Company may have hereunder, including, without limitation, the right of the Executive to terminate employment for Good Reason, shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such provision or right or any other provision or right of this Agreement. 25. Headings. The headings herein contained are for reference only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above. HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION By: /s/ J. L. Dindorf ------------------------------------- J. L. Dindorf President and Chief Executive Officer Attest: /s/ M. J. McSweeney --------------------------------- M. J. McSweeney Secretary EXECUTIVE /s/ Jeffrey V. Russell ----------------------------------------- Jeffrey V. Russell 109 S. Oakshire Drive Oconomowoc, Wisconsin 53066 -14- 15 Exhibit A CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS For purposes of this Agreement, (a) Act. The term "Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. (b) Accrued Benefits. The term "Accrued Benefits" shall include the following amounts, payable as described herein: (i) all base salary for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (ii) reimbursement for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (iii) any and all other cash earned through the Termination Date and deferred at the election of the Executive or pursuant to any deferred compensation plan then in effect; (iv) notwithstanding any provision of any bonus or incentive compensation plan applicable to the Executive, a lump sum amount, in cash, equal to the sum of (A) any bonus or incentive compensation that has been allocated or awarded to the Executive for a fiscal year or other measuring period under the plan that ends prior to the Termination Date but has not yet been paid (pursuant to Section 5(f) or otherwise) and (B) a pro rata portion to the Termination Date of the aggregate value of all contingent bonus or incentive compensation awards to the Executive for all uncompleted periods under the plan calculated as to each such award as if the Goals with respect to such bonus or incentive compensation award had been attained; and (v) all other payments and benefits to which the Executive (or in the event of the Executive's death, the Executive's surviving spouse or other beneficiary) may be entitled as compensatory fringe benefits or under the terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, including severance payments under the Employer's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. Payment of Accrued Benefits shall be made promptly in accordance with the Employer's prevailing practice with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) or, with respect to clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), pursuant to the terms of the benefit plan or practice establishing such benefits. (c) Affiliate and Associate. The terms "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Act. (d) Annual Cash Compensation. The term "Annual Cash Compensation" shall mean the sum of (A) the Executive's Annual Base Salary, plus (B) the highest of (1) the highest annual bonus or incentive compensation award earned by the Executive under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding A-1 16 the Effective Date; (2) the Executive's bonus or incentive compensation Targeted Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs; or (3) the highest average annual bonus and/or incentive compensation earned during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date (or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Effective Date) under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates by the group of executives of the Company and its Affiliates participating under such plan during such fiscal years at a status or position comparable to that at which the Executive participated or would have participated pursuant to the Executive's most senior position at any time during the 180 days preceding the Effective Date or thereafter until the Termination Date. (e) Cause. The Company may terminate the Executive's employment after the Effective Date for "Cause" only if the conditions set forth in paragraphs (i) and (ii) have been met and the Company otherwise complies with this Agreement: (i) (A) the Executive has committed any act of fraud, embezzlement or theft in connection with the Executive's duties as an Executive or in the course of employment with the Company and/or its subsidiaries; (B) the Executive has willfully and continually failed to perform substantially the Executive's duties with the Company or any of its Affiliates (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness or injury, regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related) for an appropriate period, which shall not be less than 30 days, after the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (or, if the Executive is then Chief Executive Officer, the Board) has delivered a written demand for performance to the Executive that specifically identifies the manner in which the Chief Executive Officer (or the Board, as the case may be) believes the Executive has not substantially performed the Executive's duties; (C) the Executive has willfully engaged in illegal conduct or gross misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company; (D) the Executive has willfully and wrongfully disclosed any trade secret or other confidential information of the Company or any of its Affiliates; or (E) the Executive has engaged in any Competitive Activity; and in any such case the act or omission shall have been determined by the Board to have been materially harmful to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole. For purposes of this provision, (1) no act or failure to act on the part of the Executive shall be considered "willful" unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the Executive's action or omission was in the best interests of the Company and (2) any act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board or upon the instructions of the Chief Executive Officer or a senior officer of the Company or based upon the advice of counsel for the Company shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in good faith and in the best interests of the Company. A-2 17 (ii) (A) The Company terminates the Executive's employment by delivering a Notice of Termination to the Executive, (B) prior to the time the Company has terminated the Executive's employment pursuant to a Notice of Termination, the Board, by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters (3/4) of the entire membership of the Board, has adopted a resolution finding that the Executive was guilty of conduct set forth in this definition of Cause, and specifying the particulars thereof in detail, at a meeting of the Board called and held for the purpose of considering such termination (after reasonable notice to the Executive and an opportunity for the Executive, together with the Executive's counsel, to be heard before the Board) and (C) the Company delivers a copy of such resolution to the Executive with the Notice of Termination at the time the Executive's employment is terminated. In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive's employment has been terminated for Cause, no claim by the Company that the Company has terminated the Executive's employment for Cause in accordance with this Agreement shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the Company has complied with the requirements of this Agreement to terminate the Executive's employment for Cause. (f) Change in Control. A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if the event set forth in any one of the following paragraphs shall have occurred: (i) any Person (other than (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (B) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (C) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or (D) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock in the Company ("Excluded Persons")) is or becomes the "Beneficial Owner" (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (ii) the following individuals cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the number of directors then serving: individuals who, on January 1, 1998, constituted the Board and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including but not limited to a consent solicitation, relating to the election of directors of the Company, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A under the Act) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still A-3 18 in office who either were directors on January 1, 1998 or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved; or (iii) the shareholders of the Company approve a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company with any other corporation or approve the issuance of voting securities of the Company in connection with a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company (or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company) pursuant to applicable stock exchange requirements, other than (A) a merger, consolidation or share exchange which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or share exchange continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) at least 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or any parent thereof outstanding immediately after such merger, consolidation or share exchange, or (B) a merger, consolidation or share exchange effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person (other than an Excluded Person) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (iv) the shareholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets (in one transaction or a series of related transactions within any period of 24 consecutive months), other than a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets to an entity at least 75% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by Persons in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if there is consummated any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders of the common stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity that owns all or substantially all of the assets or voting securities of the Company immediately following such transaction or series of transactions. (g) Code. The term "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, including any amendments thereto or successor tax codes thereof. A-4 19 (h) Competitive Activity. The Executive shall engage in a "Competitive Activity" if the Executive participates in the management of, is employed by or owns any interest in any business enterprise at a location within the United States that engages in substantial competition with the Company or its subsidiaries, where such enterprise's revenues from any competitive activities amount to 10% or more of such enterprise's consolidated net revenues and sales for its most recently completed fiscal year; provided, however, that owning stock or other securities of a competitor amounting to less than five percent of the outstanding capital stock of such competitor shall not be a "Competitive Activity". (i) Covered Termination. The term "Covered Termination" means any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period where the Termination Date or the date Notice of Termination is delivered is any date on or prior to the end of the Employment Period. (j) Effective Date. The term "Effective Date" shall mean the first date on which a Change in Control occurs. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if (i) a Change in Control occurs, (ii) the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control and (iii) it is reasonably demonstrated by the Executive that (A) any such termination of employment by the Employer (1) was at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, or (B) any such termination of employment by the Executive took place subsequent to the occurrence of an event described in clause (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) of the definition of "Good Reason" which event (1) occurred at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, then for all purposes of this Agreement the term "Effective Date" shall mean the day immediately prior to the date of such termination of employment. (k) Employer. The term "Employer" means the Company and/or any subsidiary of the Company that employed the Executive immediately prior to the Effective Date. (l) Good Reason. The Executive shall have a "Good Reason" for termination of employment on or after the Effective Date if the Executive determines in good faith that any of the following events has occurred: (i) any breach of this Agreement by the Company, including specifically any breach by the Company of its agreements contained in Section 4, Section 5 or Section 6, other than an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent failure not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; A-5 20 (ii) any reduction in the Executive's base salary, percentage of base salary available as incentive compensation or bonus opportunity or benefits, in each case relative to those most favorable to the Executive in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date; (iii) a material adverse change, without the Executive's prior written consent, in the Executive's working conditions or status with the Company or the Employer from such working conditions or status in effect during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date, including but not limited to (A) a material change in the nature or scope of the Executive's titles, authority, powers, functions, duties, reporting requirements or responsibilities, or (B) a material reduction in the level of support services, staff, secretarial and other assistance, office space and accoutrements, but excluding for this purpose an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent event not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; (iv) the relocation of the Executive's principal place of employment to a location more than 35 miles from the Executive's principal place of employment on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date; (v) the Employer requires the Executive to travel on Employer business to a materially greater extent than was required during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date; (vi) failure by the Company to obtain the agreement referred to in Section 16(a) as provided therein; or (vii) the Company or the Employer terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without delivering a Notice of Termination in accordance with Section 12; provided that (A) any such event occurs following the Effective Date or (B) in the case of any event described in clauses (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) above, such event occurs on or prior to the Effective Date under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date." In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for "Good Reason" in accordance with this Agreement, no claim by the Company that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination. Any election by the Executive to terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason shall not be deemed a voluntary termination of employment by the Executive for purposes of any other employee benefit or other plan. A-6 21 (m) Normal Retirement Date. The term "Normal Retirement Date" means the date the Executive reaches age 65. (n) Notice of Termination. The term "Notice of Termination" means a written notice as contemplated by Section 12. (o) Person. The term "Person" shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof. (p) Termination Date. Except as otherwise provided in Section 9(b) and Section 16(a), the term "Termination Date" means (i) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive's death, the date of death; (ii) if the Executive's employment is terminated by reason of voluntary early retirement, as agreed in writing by the Company and the Executive, the date of such early retirement that is set forth in such written agreement; (iii) if the Executive's employment is terminated for purposes of this Agreement by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given; (iv) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive voluntarily (other than for Good Reason), the date the Notice of Termination is given; and (v) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Company (other than by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11) or by the Executive for Good Reason, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) If the Executive shall in good faith give a Notice of Termination for Good Reason and the Company notifies the Executive that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof, then the Executive may elect to continue the Executive's employment during such dispute and the Termination Date shall be determined under this paragraph. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Termination Date shall be the earlier of (1) the date on which the dispute is finally determined, either (x) by mutual written agreement of the parties or (y) in accordance with Section 21 or (2) the date of the Executive's death. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive did not terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the employment of the Executive hereunder shall continue after such determination as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination asserting Good Reason and there shall be no Termination Date arising out of such Notice. In either case, this Agreement continues, until the Termination Date, if any, as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination except that, if it is finally determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Executive shall in no case be denied the benefits described in Section 8 (including a Termination Payment) based on events occurring after the Executive delivered the Executive's Notice of Termination. A-7 22 (B) If an opinion is required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8(a)(ii) and such opinion shall not have been delivered, then the Termination Date shall be the date on which such opinion is delivered. (C) Except as provided in paragraph (A) above, if the party receiving the Notice of Termination notifies the other party that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof and it is finally determined that termination of the Executive's employment for the reason asserted in such Notice of Termination was not in accordance with this Agreement, then (1) if such Notice was delivered by the Executive, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason by means of such Notice and (2) if delivered by the Company, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause by means of such Notice. A-8 EX-16 16 EMPLOYMENT & SEVERANCE AGREEMENT: JAMES WILKE 1 KEY EXECUTIVE EMPLOYMENT AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT THIS AGREEMENT, made and entered into as of the 27th day of April, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (hereinafter referred to as the "Company"), and J.A. Wilke (hereinafter referred to as the "Executive"). W I T N E S S E T H : WHEREAS, the Executive is currently employed by the Company in a key capacity, and the Executive's services are valuable to the conduct of the business of the Company; WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") recognizes that circumstances may arise in which a change in control of the Company occurs, through acquisition or otherwise, thereby causing uncertainty about the Executive's future employment with the Company without regard to the Executive's competence or past contributions, which uncertainty may result in the loss of valuable services of the Executive to the detriment of the Company and its shareholders, and the Company and the Executive wish to provide reasonable security to the Executive against changes in the Executive's relationship with the Company in the event of any such change in control; WHEREAS, the Company and the Executive desire that any proposal for a change in control or acquisition of the Company will be considered by the Executive objectively and with reference only to the best interests of the Company and its shareholders; and WHEREAS, the Executive will be in a better position to consider the Company's best interests if the Executive is afforded reasonable security, as provided in this Agreement, against altered conditions of employment which could result from any such change in control or acquisition. NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter set forth, the parties hereto mutually covenant and agree as follows: 2 1. Definitions. The following terms are used in this Agreement as defined in Exhibit A: Act Covered Termination Accrued Benefits Effective Date Affiliate and Associate Employer Annual Cash Compensation Good Reason Cause Normal Retirement Date Change in Control Notice of Termination Code Person Competitive Activity Termination Date 2. Termination or Cancellation Prior to the Effective Date. The Employer and the Executive shall each retain the right to terminate the employment of the Executive at any time prior to the Effective Date. If the Executive's employment is terminated prior to the Effective Date, then this Agreement shall be terminated and cancelled and of no further force or effect and any and all rights and obligations of the parties hereunder shall cease. In addition, this Agreement shall terminate upon the Executive ceasing to be an employee of the Employer prior to a Change in Control unless the Executive can reasonably demonstrate that such change in status occurred under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A. 3. Employment Period. If the Executive is employed by the Employer on the Effective Date, then the Company will, or will cause the Employer to, continue thereafter to employ the Executive during the Employment Period (as hereinafter defined), and the Executive will remain in the employ of the Employer, in accordance with and subject to the terms and provisions of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, the term "Employment Period" means a period (i) commencing on the Effective Date, and (ii) ending at 11:59 p.m. Milwaukee Time on the earlier of the first anniversary of such date or the Executive's Normal Retirement Date. 4. Duties. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall, in the most significant capacities and positions held by the Executive at any time during the 180-day period preceding the Effective Date or in such other capacities and positions as may be agreed to by the Company and the Executive in writing, devote the Executive's best efforts and all of the Executive's business time, attention and skill to the business and affairs of the Employer, as such business and affairs now exist and as they may hereafter be conducted. 5. Compensation. During the Employment Period, the Executive shall be compensated as follows: (a) The Executive shall receive, at reasonable intervals (but not less often than monthly) and in accordance with such standard policies as may be in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date, an annual base salary in cash equivalent of not less than twelve times the -2- 3 Executive's highest monthly base salary (which shall include any amounts credited to the Executive for the purchase of annuity contracts and related tax offset bonuses) for the twelve-month period immediately preceding the month in which the Effective Date occurs or, if higher, an annual base salary at the rate in effect immediately prior to the Effective Date (which base salary shall, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Executive, include the current receipt by the Executive of any amounts which, prior to the Effective Date, the Executive had elected to defer, whether such compensation is deferred under Section 401(k) of the Code or otherwise), subject to upward adjustment as provided in Section 6 (such salary amount as adjusted upward from time to time is hereafter referred to as the "Annual Base Salary"). (b) The Executive shall receive fringe benefits at least equal in value to those provided for the Executive at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. The Executive shall be reimbursed, at such intervals and in accordance with such standard policies that are most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, those provided generally at any time after the Effective Date to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates, including travel expenses. (c) The Executive and/or the Executive's family, as the case may be, shall be included, to the extent eligible thereunder (which eligibility shall not be conditioned on the Executive's salary grade or on any other requirement that excludes executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive unless such exclusion was in effect for such plan or an equivalent plan on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date), in any and all welfare benefit plans, practices, policies and programs providing benefits for the Company's salaried employees in general or, if more favorable to the Executive, to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to group life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs in which the Executive is included be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date and (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans, practices, policies and programs be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans, practices, policies and programs of the type referred to in this Section 5(c) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive. (d) The Executive shall annually be entitled to not less than the amount of paid vacation and not fewer than the number of paid holidays to which the Executive was entitled -3- 4 annually at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or such greater amount of paid vacation and number of paid holidays as may be made available annually to the Executive or any other executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive at any time after the Effective Date. (e) The Executive shall be included in all plans providing additional benefits to any executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, including but not limited to deferred compensation, split-dollar life insurance, retirement, supplemental retirement, stock option, stock appreciation, stock bonus and similar or comparable plans; provided, that, (i) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) in which the Executive was participating at any time during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date; (ii) in no event shall the aggregate level of benefits under such plans be less than the aggregate level of benefits under plans of the type referred to in this Section 5(e) provided at any time after the Effective Date to any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive; and (iii) the Company's obligation to include the Executive in bonus or incentive compensation plans shall be determined by Section 5(f). (f) To assure that the Executive will have an opportunity to earn incentive compensation after the Effective Date, the Executive shall be included in a bonus plan of the Company that shall satisfy the standards described below (the "Bonus Plan"). Bonuses under the Bonus Plan shall be payable with respect to achieving such financial or other goals reasonably related to the business of the Company as the Company shall establish (the "Goals"), all of which Goals shall be attainable, prior to the end of the Employment Period, with approximately the same degree of probability as the goals under the Employer's annual incentive plan currently in effect, or the successor to such plan, in the form most favorable to the Executive that was in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (the "Existing Plan") and in view of the Company's existing and projected financial and business circumstances applicable at the time. The amount of the bonus (the "Bonus Amount") that the Executive is eligible to earn under the Bonus Plan shall be no less than the amount of the Executive's highest maximum potential award under the Existing Plan at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, if higher, any maximum potential award under the Bonus Plan or any other bonus or incentive compensation plan in effect after the Effective Date for the Executive or for any executive of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive (such bonus amount herein referred to as the "Targeted Bonus"), and if the Goals are not achieved (and, therefore, the entire Targeted Bonus is not payable), then the Bonus Plan shall provide for a payment of a Bonus Amount not less than a portion of the Targeted Bonus reasonably related to that portion of the Goals that were achieved. Payment of the Bonus Amount (i) shall be in cash, unless otherwise agreed by the Executive, and (ii) shall not be affected by any circumstance occurring subsequent to the end of the Employment Period, including termination of the Executive's employment. -4- 5 6. Annual Compensation Adjustments. During the Employment Period, the Board of Directors of the Company (or an appropriate committee thereof) will consider and appraise, at least annually, the contributions of the Executive to the Employer, and in accordance with the Company's practice prior to the Effective Date, due consideration shall be given, at least annually, to the upward adjustment of the Executive's Annual Base Salary (i) commensurate with increases generally given to other executives of the Company and its Affiliates of comparable status and position to the Executive, and (ii) as the scope of the Company's operations or the Executive's duties expand. 7. Termination During Employment Period. (a) Right to Terminate. During the Employment Period, (i) the Company shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment (A) for Cause, (B) by reason of the Executive's disability pursuant to Section 11, or (C) for any other reason, and (ii) the Executive shall be entitled to terminate the Executive's employment for any reason. Any such termination shall be subject to the procedures set forth in Section 12 and shall be subject to any consequences of such termination set forth in this Agreement. Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Employer shall be deemed a termination by the Company for purposes of this Agreement. (b) Termination for Cause or Without Good Reason. If there is a Covered Termination for Cause or due to the Executive's voluntarily terminating the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive only Accrued Benefits. (c) Termination Giving Rise to a Termination Payment. If there is a Covered Termination by the Executive for Good Reason, or by the Company other than by reason of (i) death, (ii) disability pursuant to Section 11, or (iii) Cause, then the Executive shall be entitled to receive, and the Company shall promptly pay, Accrued Benefits and, in lieu of further base salary for periods following the Termination Date, as liquidated damages and additional severance pay and in consideration of the covenant of the Executive set forth in Section 13(a), the Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 8. Payments Upon Termination. (a) Termination Payment. (i) Subject to the limits set forth in Section 8(a)(ii), for purposes of this Agreement, the "Termination Payment" shall be an amount equal to the Annual Cash Compensation multiplied by the number of years or fractional portion thereof remaining in the Employment Period determined as of the Termination Date, except that the Termination Payment shall not be less than the amount of Annual Cash Compensation. The Termination Payment shall be paid to the Executive in cash equivalent not later than ten business days after the Termination Date. The Executive shall not be required to mitigate the amount of the Termination Payment by securing other employment or otherwise, nor will such Termination Payment be reduced -5- 6 by reason of the Executive securing other employment or for any other reason. The Termination Payment shall be in addition to any other severance payments to which the Executive is entitled under the Company's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. (ii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if any portion of the Termination Payment or any other payment under this Agreement, or under any other agreement with or plan of the Company or the Employer (in the aggregate "Total Payments"), would constitute an "excess parachute payment," then the Total Payments to be made to the Executive shall be reduced such that the value of the aggregate Total Payments that the Executive is entitled to receive shall be One Dollar ($1) less than the maximum amount which the Executive may receive without becoming subject to the tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision) or which the Company may pay without loss of deduction under Section 280G(a) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of this Agreement, the terms "excess parachute payment" and "parachute payments" shall have the meanings assigned to them in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), and such "parachute payments" shall be valued as provided therein. Present value for purposes of this Agreement shall be calculated in accordance with Section 1274(b)(2) of the Code (or any successor provision). Within sixty days following delivery of the Notice of Termination or notice by the Company to the Executive of its belief that there is a payment or benefit due the Executive which will result in an excess parachute payment as defined in Section 280G of the Code (or any successor provision), the Executive and the Company, at the Company's expense, shall obtain the opinion (which need not be unqualified) of nationally recognized tax counsel selected by the Company's independent auditors and acceptable to the Executive in the Executive's sole discretion, which sets forth (A) the amount of the Base Period Income, (B) the amount and present value of Total Payments and (C) the amount and present value of any excess parachute payments without regard to the limitations of this Section 8(a)(ii). As used in this Section 8(a)(ii), the term "Base Period Income" means an amount equal to the Executive's "annualized includible compensation for the base period" as defined in Section 280G(d)(1) of the Code (or any successor provision). For purposes of such opinion, the value of any noncash benefits or any deferred payment or benefit shall be determined by the Company's independent auditors in accordance with the principles of Sections 280G(d)(3) and (4) of the Code (or any successor provisions), which determination shall be evidenced in a certificate of such auditors addressed to the Company and the Executive. Such opinion shall be dated as of the Termination Date and addressed to the Company and the Executive and shall be binding upon the Company and the Executive. If such opinion determines that there would be an excess parachute payment, then the Termination Payment hereunder or any other payment determined by such counsel to be includible in Total Payments shall be reduced or eliminated as specified by the Executive in writing delivered to the Company within thirty days of the Executive's receipt of such opinion or, if the Executive fails to so notify the Company, then as the Company shall reasonably determine, so that under -6- 7 the bases of calculations set forth in such opinion there will be no excess parachute payment. If such legal counsel so requests in connection with the opinion required by this Section, the Executive and the Company shall obtain, at the Company's expense, and the legal counsel may rely on in providing the opinion, the advice of a firm of recognized executive compensation consultants as to the reasonableness of any item of compensation to be received by the Executive. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Section 8(a)(ii), including the calculations, notices and opinions provided for herein, shall be based upon the conclusive presumption that the following are reasonable: (1) the compensation and benefits provided for in Section 5 and (2) any other compensation, including but not limited to the Accrued Benefits, earned prior to the Termination Date by the Executive pursuant to the Company's compensation programs if such payments would have been made in the future in any event, even though the timing of such payment is triggered by the Change in Control or the Termination Date. If the provisions of Sections 280G and 4999 of the Code (or any successor provisions) are repealed without succession, then this Section 8(a)(ii) shall be of no further force or effect. (b) Additional Benefits. If there is a Covered Termination and the Executive is entitled to Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, then the Executive shall be entitled to the following additional benefits: (i) Until the earlier of the end of the Employment Period or such time as the Executive has obtained new employment and is covered by benefits which in the aggregate are at least equal in value to the following benefits, the Executive shall continue to be covered, at the expense of the Company, by the most favorable life insurance, hospitalization, medical and dental coverage and other welfare benefits provided to the Executive and the Executive's family during the 180-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or at any time thereafter or, if more favorable to the Executive, coverage as was required hereunder with respect to the Executive immediately prior to the date Notice of Termination is given. (ii) The Executive shall receive, at the expense of the Company, outplacement services, on an individualized basis at a level of service commensurate with the Executive's most senior status with the Company during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date (or, if higher, at any time after the Effective Date), provided by a nationally recognized executive placement firm selected by the Company with the consent of the Executive, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld; provided that the cost to the Company of such services shall not exceed 15% of the Executive's Annual Base Salary. (iii) The Company shall bear up to $10,000 in the aggregate of fees and expenses of consultants and/or legal or accounting advisors engaged by the Executive to advise the Executive as to matters relating to the computation of benefits due and payable under this Section 8. -7- 8 9. Death. (a) Except as provided in Section 9(b), in the event of a Covered Termination due to the Executive's death, the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall receive all the Executive's Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date. (b) If the Executive dies after a Notice of Termination is given (i) by the Company or (ii) by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive's estate, heirs and beneficiaries shall be entitled to the benefits described in Section 9(a) and, subject to the provisions of this Agreement, to such Termination Payment to which the Executive would have been entitled had the Executive lived. In such event, the Termination Date shall be thirty days following the giving of the Notice of Termination, subject to extension pursuant to the definition of "Termination Date" in Exhibit A. 10. Retirement. If, during the Employment Period, the Executive and the Employer shall execute an agreement providing for the early retirement of the Executive from the Employer, or the Executive shall otherwise give notice that the Executive is voluntarily choosing to retire early from the Employer, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits through the Termination Date; provided, that if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive for Good Reason or by the Company other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Executive also, in connection with such termination, elects voluntary early retirement, then the Executive shall also be entitled to receive a Termination Payment pursuant to Section 8(a). 11. Termination for Disability. If, during the Employment Period, as a result of the Executive's disability due to physical or mental illness or injury (regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related), the Executive shall have been absent from the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis for a period of 182 days and, within thirty days after the Company notifies the Executive in writing that it intends to terminate the Executive's employment (which notice shall not constitute the Notice of Termination contemplated below), the Executive shall not have returned to the performance of the Executive's duties hereunder on a full-time basis, then the Company may terminate the Executive's employment for purposes of this Agreement pursuant to a Notice of Termination. If the Executive's employment is terminated on account of the Executive's disability in accordance with this Section, then the Executive shall receive Accrued Benefits in accordance with Section 8(a) and shall remain eligible for all benefits provided by any long term disability programs of the Employer in effect at the time the Company sends notice to the Executive of its intent to terminate pursuant to this Section. 12. Termination Notice and Procedure. (a) Any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period by the Company or the Executive (other than a termination of the Executive's employment referenced in the second sentence of the definition of "Effective Date" in Exhibit A) shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the Executive, if such Notice is given by the Company, and to the Company, if such Notice is given by the Executive, all in accordance with the following procedures and those set forth in Section 22: -8- 9 (i) If such termination is for disability, Cause or Good Reason, the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such termination. (ii) Any Notice of Termination by the Company shall have been approved, prior to the giving thereof to the Executive, by a resolution duly adopted by a majority of the directors of the Company (or any successor corporation) then in office, a copy of which shall accompany the Notice. (iii) If the Notice is given by the Executive for Good Reason, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on or after the date 15 days after the delivery of Notice of Termination (unless the Notice of Termination is based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A, in which case the Executive may cease performing his duties at the time the Executive's employment is terminated) and shall in any event cease employment on the Termination Date, if any, arising from the delivery of such Notice. If the Notice is given by the Company, then the Executive may cease performing the Executive's duties hereunder on the date of receipt of the Notice of Termination, subject to the Executive's rights hereunder. (iv) The recipient of any Notice of Termination shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the party giving such Notice within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) if the Executive terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason and deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Company as of the date of such termination and (B) if the Company terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without complying with this Section 12, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause and the Company will be deemed to have delivered a written Notice of Termination to that effect to the Executive as of the date of such termination. Under circumstances described in clause (B) above, the Executive may, but shall not be obligated to, also deliver a Notice of Termination based upon clause (vii) of the definition of "Good Reason" in Exhibit A for the purpose of subjecting such Notice to Section 12(a)(iv). (b) If a Change in Control occurs and the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control, then the Executive may assert that such termination is a Covered Termination by sending a written Notice of Termination to the Company at any time prior to the first anniversary of the Change in Control in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 12(b) and those set forth in Section 22. If the Executive asserts that the Executive -9- 10 terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason or that the Company terminated the Executive's employment other than for disability or Cause, then the Notice of Termination shall indicate in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances alleged to provide a basis for such assertions. The Company shall personally deliver or mail in accordance with Section 22 written notice of any dispute relating to such Notice of Termination to the Executive within fifteen days after receipt thereof. After the expiration of such fifteen days, the contents of the Notice of Termination shall become final and not subject to dispute. 13. Further Obligations of the Executive. (a) Competition. The Executive agrees that, in the event of any Covered Termination where the Executive is entitled to (and receives) Accrued Benefits and the Termination Payment, the Executive shall not, for a period of three months after the Termination Date, without the prior written approval of the Company's Board of Directors, engage in any Competitive Activity. (b) Confidentiality. During and following the Executive's employment by the Employer, the Executive shall hold in confidence and not directly or indirectly disclose or use or copy or make lists of any confidential information or proprietary data of the Company (including that of the Employer), except to the extent authorized in writing by the Board of Directors of the Company or required by any court or administrative agency, other than to an employee of the Company or a person to whom disclosure is reasonably necessary or appropriate in connection with the performance by the Executive of duties as an executive of the Company or the Employer. Confidential information shall not include any information known generally to the public or any information of a type not otherwise considered confidential by persons engaged in the same business or a business similar to that of the Company. All records, files, documents and materials, or copies thereof, relating to the business of the Company which the Executive shall prepare, or use, or come into contact with, shall be and remain the sole property of the Company and shall be promptly returned to the Company upon termination of employment with the Employer. 14. Expenses and Interest. If, after the Effective Date, (i) a dispute arises with respect to the enforcement of the Executive's rights under this Agreement, (ii) any legal or arbitration proceeding shall be brought to enforce or interpret any provision contained herein or to recover damages for breach hereof, or (iii) any tax audit or proceeding is commenced that is attributable in part to the application of Section 4999 of the Code, in any case so long as the Executive is not acting in bad faith, then the Company shall reimburse the Executive for any reasonable attorneys' fees and necessary costs and disbursements incurred as a result of such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding or tax audit or proceeding ("Expenses"), and prejudgment interest on any money judgment or arbitration award obtained by the Executive calculated at the rate of interest announced by Firstar Bank Milwaukee, N.A., Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from time to time as its prime or base lending rate from the date that payments to the Executive should have been made under this Agreement. Within ten days after the Executive's written request therefor, the Company shall pay to the Executive, or such other -10- 11 person or entity as the Executive may designate in writing to the Company, the Executive's reasonable Expenses in advance of the final disposition or conclusion of any such dispute, legal or arbitration proceeding. 15. Payment Obligations Absolute. The Company's obligation during and after the Employment Period to pay the Executive the amounts and to make the benefit and other arrangements provided herein shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstances, including, without limitation, any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which the Company may have against the Executive or anyone else. Except as provided in Section 14, all amounts payable by the Company hereunder shall be paid without notice or demand. Each and every payment made hereunder by the Company shall be final, and the Company will not seek to recover all or any part of such payment from the Executive, or from whomsoever may be entitled thereto, for any reason whatsoever. 16. Successors. (a) If the Company sells, assigns or transfers all or substantially all of its business and assets to any Person or if the Company merges into or consolidates or otherwise combines (where the Company does not survive such combination) with any Person (any such event, a "Sale of Business"), then the Company shall assign all of its right, title and interest in this Agreement as of the date of such event to such Person, and the Company shall cause such Person, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Executive, to expressly assume and agree to perform from and after the date of such assignment all of the terms, conditions and provisions imposed by this Agreement upon the Company. Failure of the Company to obtain such agreement prior to the effective date of such Sale of Business shall be a breach of this Agreement constituting "Good Reason" hereunder, except that for purposes of implementing the foregoing, the date upon which such Sale of Business becomes effective shall be deemed the Termination Date. In case of such assignment by the Company and of assumption and agreement by such Person, as used in this Agreement, "Company" shall thereafter mean such Person which executes and delivers the agreement provided for in this Section 16 or which otherwise becomes bound by all the terms and provisions of this Agreement by operation of law, and this Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, and be enforceable by, such Person. The Executive shall, in the Executive's discretion, be entitled to proceed against any or all of such Persons, any Person which theretofore was such a successor to the Company (as defined in the first paragraph of this Agreement) and the Company (as so defined) in any action to enforce any rights of the Executive hereunder. Except as provided in this Subsection, this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Company. This Agreement shall not be terminated by the voluntary or involuntary dissolution of the Company. (b) This Agreement and all rights of the Executive shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Executive's personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, heirs and beneficiaries. All amounts payable to the Executive under Sections 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 14 if the Executive had lived shall be paid, in the event of the Executive's death, to the Executive's estate, heirs and representatives; provided, however, that the foregoing shall not be construed to modify any terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, as such terms -11- 12 are in effect on the Effective Date, that expressly govern benefits under such plan in the event of the Executive's death. 17. Severability. The provisions of this Agreement shall be regarded as divisible, and if any of said provisions or any part hereof are declared invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, then the validity and enforceability of the remainder of such provisions or parts hereof and the applicability thereof shall not be affected thereby. 18. Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended or modified at any time except by written instrument executed by the Company and the Executive. 19. Withholding. The Employer shall be entitled to withhold from amounts to be paid to the Executive hereunder any federal, state or local withholding or other taxes or charges which it is from time to time required to withhold; provided, that the amount so withheld shall not exceed the minimum amount required to be withheld by law. The Employer shall be entitled to rely on an opinion of nationally recognized tax counsel if any question as to the amount or requirement of any such withholding shall arise. 20. Certain Rules of Construction. No party shall be considered as being responsible for the drafting of this Agreement for the purpose of applying any rule construing ambiguities against the drafter or otherwise. No draft of this Agreement shall be taken into account in construing this Agreement. Any provision of this Agreement which requires an agreement in writing shall be deemed to require that the writing in question be signed by the Executive and an authorized representative of the Company. 21. Governing Law; Resolution of Disputes. (a) This Agreement and the rights and obligations hereunder shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Wisconsin (excluding any choice of law rules that may direct the application of the laws of another jurisdiction) except that Section 21(b) shall be construed in accordance with the Federal Arbitration Act if arbitration is chosen by the Executive as the method of dispute resolution. (b) Any dispute arising out of this Agreement shall, at the Executive's election, be determined by arbitration under the rules of the American Arbitration Association then in effect (but subject to any evidentiary standards set forth in this Agreement), in which case both parties shall be bound by the arbitration award, or by litigation. Whether the dispute is to be settled by arbitration or litigation, the venue for the arbitration or litigation shall be Milwaukee, Wisconsin or, at the Executive's election, if the Executive is no longer residing or working in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin metropolitan area, in the judicial district encompassing the city in which the Executive resides; provided, that, if the Executive is not then residing in the United States, the election of the Executive with respect to such venue shall be either Milwaukee, Wisconsin or in the judicial district encompassing that city in the United States among the thirty cities having the largest population (as determined by the most recent United States Census data available at the Termination Date) that is closest to the Executive's residence. -12- 13 The parties consent to personal jurisdiction in each trial court in the selected venue having subject matter jurisdiction notwithstanding their residence or situs, and each party irrevocably consents to service of process in the manner provided hereunder for the giving of notices. 22. Notice. Notices given pursuant to this Agreement shall be in writing and, except as otherwise provided by Section 12(a)(iii), shall be deemed given when actually received by the Executive or actually received by the Company's Secretary or any officer of the Company other than the Executive. If mailed, such notices shall be mailed by United States registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, addressee only, postage prepaid, if to the Company, to Hein-Werner Corporation, Attention: Secretary (or, if the Executive is then Secretary, to the Chief Executive Officer), 2120 Pewaukee Road, Waukesha, Wisconsin 53188, or if to the Executive, at the address set forth below the Executive's signature to this Agreement, or to such other address as the party to be notified shall have theretofore given to the other party in writing. 23. Additional Payment. (a) If, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 8(a)(ii), but subject to subsection (b), it is ultimately determined by a court or pursuant to a final determination by the Internal Revenue Service that any portion of Total Payments is subject to the tax (the "Excise Tax") imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (or any successor provision), then the Company shall pay to the Executive an additional amount (the "Gross-Up Payment") such that the net amount retained by the Executive after deduction of any Excise Tax and any interest charges or penalties in respect of the imposition of such Excise Tax (but not any federal, state or local income tax) on the Total Payments, and any federal, state and local income tax and Excise Tax upon the payment provided for by this Section 23 shall be equal to the Total Payments. For purposes of determining the amount of the Gross-Up Payment, the Executive shall be deemed to pay federal income taxes at the highest marginal rate of federal income taxation in the calendar year in which the Gross-Up Payment is to be made and state and local income taxes at the highest marginal rates of taxation in the state and locality of the Executive's domicile for income tax purposes on the date the Gross-Up Payment is made, net of the maximum reduction in federal income taxes that could be obtained from deduction of such state and local taxes. (b) If legislation is enacted that would require the Company's shareholders to approve this Agreement, prior to a Change in Control, due solely to the provision contained in subsection (a) of this Section 23, then (i) from and after such time as shareholder approval would be required, until shareholder approval is obtained as required by such legislation, subsection (a) shall be of no force and effect; (ii) if the Company seeks shareholder approval of any other agreement providing similar benefits to any other executive of the Company, then the Company shall seek shareholder approval of this Agreement at the same shareholders' meeting or meetings at which the shareholders consider any such other agreement; and -13- 14 (iii) the Company and the Executive shall use their best efforts to consider and agree in writing upon an amendment to this Section 23 such that, as amended, this Subsection would provide the Executive with the benefits intended to be afforded to the Executive by subsection (a) without requiring shareholder approval. 24. No Waiver. The Executive's or the Company's failure to insist upon strict compliance with any provision of this Agreement or the failure to assert any right the Executive or the Company may have hereunder, including, without limitation, the right of the Executive to terminate employment for Good Reason, shall not be deemed to be a waiver of such provision or right or any other provision or right of this Agreement. 25. Headings. The headings herein contained are for reference only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first written above. HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION By: /s/ J. L. Dindorf ---------------------------------------- J. L. Dindorf President and Chief Executive Officer Attest: /s/ M. J. McSweeney ---------------------------------------- M. J. McSweeney Secretary EXECUTIVE /s/ J.A. Wilke ------------------------------------------------ J.A. Wilke S76 W12620 McShane Drive Muskego, Wisconsin 53150 -14- 15 Exhibit A CERTAIN DEFINED TERMS For purposes of this Agreement, (a) Act. The term "Act" means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. (b) Accrued Benefits. The term "Accrued Benefits" shall include the following amounts, payable as described herein: (i) all base salary for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (ii) reimbursement for any and all monies advanced in connection with the Executive's employment for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred by the Executive on behalf of the Company and its Affiliates for the time period ending with the Termination Date; (iii) any and all other cash earned through the Termination Date and deferred at the election of the Executive or pursuant to any deferred compensation plan then in effect; (iv) notwithstanding any provision of any bonus or incentive compensation plan applicable to the Executive, a lump sum amount, in cash, equal to the sum of (A) any bonus or incentive compensation that has been allocated or awarded to the Executive for a fiscal year or other measuring period under the plan that ends prior to the Termination Date but has not yet been paid (pursuant to Section 5(f) or otherwise) and (B) a pro rata portion to the Termination Date of the aggregate value of all contingent bonus or incentive compensation awards to the Executive for all uncompleted periods under the plan calculated as to each such award as if the Goals with respect to such bonus or incentive compensation award had been attained; and (v) all other payments and benefits to which the Executive (or in the event of the Executive's death, the Executive's surviving spouse or other beneficiary) may be entitled as compensatory fringe benefits or under the terms of any benefit plan of the Employer, including severance payments under the Employer's severance policies and practices in the form most favorable to the Executive that were in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date. Payment of Accrued Benefits shall be made promptly in accordance with the Employer's prevailing practice with respect to clauses (i) and (ii) or, with respect to clauses (iii), (iv) and (v), pursuant to the terms of the benefit plan or practice establishing such benefits. (c) Affiliate and Associate. The terms "Affiliate" and "Associate" shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations of the Act. (d) Annual Cash Compensation. The term "Annual Cash Compensation" shall mean the sum of (A) the Executive's Annual Base Salary, plus (B) the highest of (1) the highest annual bonus or incentive compensation award earned by the Executive under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding A-1 16 the Effective Date; (2) the Executive's bonus or incentive compensation Targeted Bonus for the fiscal year in which the Termination Date occurs; or (3) the highest average annual bonus and/or incentive compensation earned during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Termination Date (or, if more favorable to the Executive, during the three complete fiscal years of the Company immediately preceding the Effective Date) under any cash bonus or incentive compensation plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates by the group of executives of the Company and its Affiliates participating under such plan during such fiscal years at a status or position comparable to that at which the Executive participated or would have participated pursuant to the Executive's most senior position at any time during the 180 days preceding the Effective Date or thereafter until the Termination Date. (e) Cause. The Company may terminate the Executive's employment after the Effective Date for "Cause" only if the conditions set forth in paragraphs (i) and (ii) have been met and the Company otherwise complies with this Agreement: (i) (A) the Executive has committed any act of fraud, embezzlement or theft in connection with the Executive's duties as an Executive or in the course of employment with the Company and/or its subsidiaries; (B) the Executive has willfully and continually failed to perform substantially the Executive's duties with the Company or any of its Affiliates (other than any such failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness or injury, regardless of whether such illness or injury is job-related) for an appropriate period, which shall not be less than 30 days, after the Chief Executive Officer of the Company (or, if the Executive is then Chief Executive Officer, the Board) has delivered a written demand for performance to the Executive that specifically identifies the manner in which the Chief Executive Officer (or the Board, as the case may be) believes the Executive has not substantially performed the Executive's duties; (C) the Executive has willfully engaged in illegal conduct or gross misconduct that is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company; (D) the Executive has willfully and wrongfully disclosed any trade secret or other confidential information of the Company or any of its Affiliates; or (E) the Executive has engaged in any Competitive Activity; and in any such case the act or omission shall have been determined by the Board to have been materially harmful to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole. For purposes of this provision, (1) no act or failure to act on the part of the Executive shall be considered "willful" unless it is done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in bad faith or without reasonable belief that the Executive's action or omission was in the best interests of the Company and (2) any act, or failure to act, based upon authority given pursuant to a resolution duly adopted by the Board or upon the instructions of the Chief Executive Officer or a senior officer of the Company or based upon the advice of counsel for the Company shall be conclusively presumed to be done, or omitted to be done, by the Executive in good faith and in the best interests of the Company. A-2 17 (ii) (A) The Company terminates the Executive's employment by delivering a Notice of Termination to the Executive, (B) prior to the time the Company has terminated the Executive's employment pursuant to a Notice of Termination, the Board, by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters (3/4) of the entire membership of the Board, has adopted a resolution finding that the Executive was guilty of conduct set forth in this definition of Cause, and specifying the particulars thereof in detail, at a meeting of the Board called and held for the purpose of considering such termination (after reasonable notice to the Executive and an opportunity for the Executive, together with the Executive's counsel, to be heard before the Board) and (C) the Company delivers a copy of such resolution to the Executive with the Notice of Termination at the time the Executive's employment is terminated. In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive's employment has been terminated for Cause, no claim by the Company that the Company has terminated the Executive's employment for Cause in accordance with this Agreement shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that the Company has complied with the requirements of this Agreement to terminate the Executive's employment for Cause. (f) Change in Control. A "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if the event set forth in any one of the following paragraphs shall have occurred: (i) any Person (other than (A) the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (B) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under any employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, (C) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or (D) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the shareholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock in the Company ("Excluded Persons")) is or becomes the "Beneficial Owner" (as such term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (ii) the following individuals cease for any reason to constitute a majority of the number of directors then serving: individuals who, on January 1, 1998, constituted the Board and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including but not limited to a consent solicitation, relating to the election of directors of the Company, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A under the Act) whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company's shareholders was approved by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still A-3 18 in office who either were directors on January 1, 1998 or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved; or (iii) the shareholders of the Company approve a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company with any other corporation or approve the issuance of voting securities of the Company in connection with a merger, consolidation or share exchange of the Company (or any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company) pursuant to applicable stock exchange requirements, other than (A) a merger, consolidation or share exchange which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such merger, consolidation or share exchange continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or any parent thereof) at least 50% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or any parent thereof outstanding immediately after such merger, consolidation or share exchange, or (B) a merger, consolidation or share exchange effected to implement a recapitalization of the Company (or similar transaction) in which no Person (other than an Excluded Person) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company (not including in the securities beneficially owned by such Person any securities acquired directly from the Company or its Affiliates after January 1, 1998 pursuant to express authorization by the Board that refers to this exception) representing 25% or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of the Company or the combined voting power of the Company's then outstanding voting securities; or (iv) the shareholders of the Company approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or an agreement for the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets (in one transaction or a series of related transactions within any period of 24 consecutive months), other than a sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company's assets to an entity at least 75% of the combined voting power of the voting securities of which are owned by Persons in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of the Company immediately prior to such sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no "Change in Control" shall be deemed to have occurred if there is consummated any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders of the common stock of the Company immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity that owns all or substantially all of the assets or voting securities of the Company immediately following such transaction or series of transactions. (g) Code. The term "Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, including any amendments thereto or successor tax codes thereof. A-4 19 (h) Competitive Activity. The Executive shall engage in a "Competitive Activity" if the Executive participates in the management of, is employed by or owns any interest in any business enterprise at a location within the United States that engages in substantial competition with the Company or its subsidiaries, where such enterprise's revenues from any competitive activities amount to 10% or more of such enterprise's consolidated net revenues and sales for its most recently completed fiscal year; provided, however, that owning stock or other securities of a competitor amounting to less than five percent of the outstanding capital stock of such competitor shall not be a "Competitive Activity". (i) Covered Termination. The term "Covered Termination" means any termination of the Executive's employment during the Employment Period where the Termination Date or the date Notice of Termination is delivered is any date on or prior to the end of the Employment Period. (j) Effective Date. The term "Effective Date" shall mean the first date on which a Change in Control occurs. Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if (i) a Change in Control occurs, (ii) the Executive's employment with the Employer terminates (whether by the Company, the Executive or otherwise) within 180 days prior to the Change in Control and (iii) it is reasonably demonstrated by the Executive that (A) any such termination of employment by the Employer (1) was at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, or (B) any such termination of employment by the Executive took place subsequent to the occurrence of an event described in clause (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) of the definition of "Good Reason" which event (1) occurred at the request of a third party who has taken steps reasonably calculated to effect a Change in Control or (2) otherwise arose in connection with or in anticipation of a Change in Control, then for all purposes of this Agreement the term "Effective Date" shall mean the day immediately prior to the date of such termination of employment. (k) Employer. The term "Employer" means the Company and/or any subsidiary of the Company that employed the Executive immediately prior to the Effective Date. (l) Good Reason. The Executive shall have a "Good Reason" for termination of employment on or after the Effective Date if the Executive determines in good faith that any of the following events has occurred: (i) any breach of this Agreement by the Company, including specifically any breach by the Company of its agreements contained in Section 4, Section 5 or Section 6, other than an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent failure not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; A-5 20 (ii) any reduction in the Executive's base salary, percentage of base salary available as incentive compensation or bonus opportunity or benefits, in each case relative to those most favorable to the Executive in effect at any time during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date; (iii) a material adverse change, without the Executive's prior written consent, in the Executive's working conditions or status with the Company or the Employer from such working conditions or status in effect during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date or, to the extent more favorable to the Executive, those in effect after the Effective Date, including but not limited to (A) a material change in the nature or scope of the Executive's titles, authority, powers, functions, duties, reporting requirements or responsibilities, or (B) a material reduction in the level of support services, staff, secretarial and other assistance, office space and accoutrements, but excluding for this purpose an isolated, insubstantial and inadvertent event not occurring in bad faith that the Company remedies promptly after receipt of notice thereof given by the Executive; (iv) the relocation of the Executive's principal place of employment to a location more than 35 miles from the Executive's principal place of employment on the date 180 days prior to the Effective Date; (v) the Employer requires the Executive to travel on Employer business to a materially greater extent than was required during the 180-day period prior to the Effective Date; (vi) failure by the Company to obtain the agreement referred to in Section 16(a) as provided therein; or (vii) the Company or the Employer terminates the Executive's employment after a Change in Control without delivering a Notice of Termination in accordance with Section 12; provided that (A) any such event occurs following the Effective Date or (B) in the case of any event described in clauses (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) above, such event occurs on or prior to the Effective Date under circumstances described in clause (iii)(B)(1) or (iii)(B)(2) of the definition of "Effective Date." In the event of a dispute regarding whether the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for "Good Reason" in accordance with this Agreement, no claim by the Company that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination shall be given effect unless the Company establishes by clear and convincing evidence that such termination does not constitute a Covered Termination. Any election by the Executive to terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason shall not be deemed a voluntary termination of employment by the Executive for purposes of any other employee benefit or other plan. A-6 21 (m) Normal Retirement Date. The term "Normal Retirement Date" means the date the Executive reaches age 65. (n) Notice of Termination. The term "Notice of Termination" means a written notice as contemplated by Section 12. (o) Person. The term "Person" shall have the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof. (p) Termination Date. Except as otherwise provided in Section 9(b) and Section 16(a), the term "Termination Date" means (i) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive's death, the date of death; (ii) if the Executive's employment is terminated by reason of voluntary early retirement, as agreed in writing by the Company and the Executive, the date of such early retirement that is set forth in such written agreement; (iii) if the Executive's employment is terminated for purposes of this Agreement by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given; (iv) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Executive voluntarily (other than for Good Reason), the date the Notice of Termination is given; and (v) if the Executive's employment is terminated by the Company (other than by reason of disability pursuant to Section 11) or by the Executive for Good Reason, thirty days after the Notice of Termination is given. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (A) If the Executive shall in good faith give a Notice of Termination for Good Reason and the Company notifies the Executive that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof, then the Executive may elect to continue the Executive's employment during such dispute and the Termination Date shall be determined under this paragraph. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Termination Date shall be the earlier of (1) the date on which the dispute is finally determined, either (x) by mutual written agreement of the parties or (y) in accordance with Section 21 or (2) the date of the Executive's death. If the Executive so elects and it is thereafter determined that the Executive did not terminate the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the employment of the Executive hereunder shall continue after such determination as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination asserting Good Reason and there shall be no Termination Date arising out of such Notice. In either case, this Agreement continues, until the Termination Date, if any, as if the Executive had not delivered the Notice of Termination except that, if it is finally determined that the Executive terminated the Executive's employment for Good Reason in accordance with this Agreement, then the Executive shall in no case be denied the benefits described in Section 8 (including a Termination Payment) based on events occurring after the Executive delivered the Executive's Notice of Termination. A-7 22 (B) If an opinion is required to be delivered pursuant to Section 8(a)(ii) and such opinion shall not have been delivered, then the Termination Date shall be the date on which such opinion is delivered. (C) Except as provided in paragraph (A) above, if the party receiving the Notice of Termination notifies the other party that a dispute exists concerning the termination within the fifteen-day period following receipt thereof and it is finally determined that termination of the Executive's employment for the reason asserted in such Notice of Termination was not in accordance with this Agreement, then (1) if such Notice was delivered by the Executive, then the Executive will be deemed to have voluntarily terminated the Executive's employment other than for Good Reason by means of such Notice and (2) if delivered by the Company, then the Company will be deemed to have terminated the Executive's employment other than by reason of death, disability or Cause by means of such Notice. A-8 EX-18 17 1ST AMENDMENT TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT 1 FIRST AMENDMENT TO RIGHTS AGREEMENT AMENDMENT made and entered into as of the 27th day of April, 1998, by and between Hein-Werner Corporation (the "Company") and Firstar Trust Company (f/k/a First Wisconsin Trust Company) (the "Rights Agent"), under the Rights Agreement, dated as of May 9, 1989, by and between the Company and the Rights Agent (the "Agreement"). WHEREAS, the Company and the Rights Agent have heretofore executed and entered into the Rights Agreement; and WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 27 of the Rights Agreement, the Company may from time to time prior to the Distribution Date (as defined therein) supplement or amend the Rights Agreement in accordance with the provisions of Section 27 thereof; and WHEREAS, it is proposed that the Company enter into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement") and a Stock Option Agreement (the "Stock Option Agreement"), among the Company, Snap-on Incorporated ("Parent") and Snap-on Pace Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent; and WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company has determined that the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement are fair to and in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders; and WHEREAS, the Board of Directors has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to amend the Agreement to exempt the Merger Agreement and the Stock Option Agreement and the transactions contemplated thereby from the application of the Rights Agreement. NOW THEREFORE, the Company and the Rights Agent hereby amend the Rights Agreement as follows: A. Section 1(c) of the Agreement is hereby amended by adding the following at the end of such Section: Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of this Agreement, neither Snap-on Incorporated ("Parent") nor Snap-on Pace Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (collectively, the "Permitted Purchasers"), shall be deemed to be the Beneficial Owner of or to beneficially own any Common Shares if and so long as (i) that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger (the "Merger Agreement"), dated as of April 27, 1998, among the Company and the Permitted Purchasers, has been fully executed, is in effect and has not been terminated by any party thereto, and (ii) no Permitted Purchaser has acquired any 2 Common Shares other than pursuant to the terms of the Merger Agreement and/or the Stock Option Agreement (the "Stock Option Agreement"), dated as of April 27, 1998, among the Company and the Permitted Purchasers. B. The Agreement is hereby further amended to add a new Section 34 to the Agreement which shall read in its entirety as follows: Section 34. Excluded Transactions. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to create or cause a Distribution Date or Shares Acquisition Date or to constitute a Section 11(a)(ii) Event or Section 13 Event or give any holder of Rights or any other Person any legal or equitable rights, remedy or claim under the Agreement solely as a result of or in connection with the execution of the Merger Agreement and/or the Stock Option Agreement or the commencement or consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and/or the Stock Option Agreement. C. This Amendment shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of Wisconsin and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of such state applicable to contracts to be made and performed entirely within such state. D. This Amendment may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed an original, and all of which together shall constitute but one and the same instrument. E. Except as expressly set forth herein, this Amendment shall not by implication or otherwise alter, modify, amend or in any way affect any of the terms, conditions, obligations, covenants or agreements contained in the Agreement, all of which are ratified and affirmed in all respects and shall continue in full force and effect. 3 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Amendment to be duly executed as of the date first above written. Attest: HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION By: /s/ MAURICE J. MCSWEENEY By: /s/ JOSEPH L. DINDORF ----------------------------- --------------------------- Name: Maurice J. McSweeney Name: Joseph L. Dindorf Title: Secretary Title: President and Chief Executive Officer Attest: FIRSTAR TRUST COMPANY By: /s/ AMY E. NOBLE By: /s/ WILLIAM CARUSO ----------------------------- --------------------------- Name: Amy E. Noble Name: William Caruso Title: Assistant Secretary Title: Assistant Vice President 3 4 HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION OFFICER'S CERTIFICATE PURSUANT TO SECTION 27 OF THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT The undersigned, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Hein-Werner Corporation, a Wisconsin corporation (the "Company"), pursuant to Section 27 of the Rights Agreement, dated as of May 9, 1989 (the "Agreement"), between the Company and Firstar Trust Company (f/k/a First Wisconsin Trust Company), as Rights Agent, does hereby certify on behalf of the Company that the amendment to the Agreement contained in the attached First Amendment to Rights Agreement, dated as of April 27, 1998, is in compliance with the terms of Section 27 of the Agreement. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has set his hand hereunto. HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION By: /s/ JOSEPH L. DINDORF ----------------------------- Name: Joseph L. Dindorf Title: President and Chief Executive Officer EX-20 18 CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT 1 [CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION LETTERHEAD] Ms. Susan F. Marrinan Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel Snap-on Incorporated 10801 Corporate Drive P.O. Box 1430 Kenosha, WI 53141-1430 April 21, 1998 Dear Ms. Marrinan: You have expressed interest in pursuing a transaction (the "Transaction") involving the capital stock of Hein-Werner Corporation (the "Company"). You understand that prior to or during the course of negotiations in respect of the Transaction, certain confidential information concerning the Company and/or the Company's affiliates, including, without limitation, financial forecasts and strategic plans, may be disclosed to you or your directors, officers, employees, affiliates and advisors ("your Representatives"), either in written form or orally (the "Evaluation Material"). In consideration of the Company agreeing to make the Evaluation Material available to you or your Representatives, you agree as follows: 1. The fact that the Company is providing Evaluation Material to you, the fact that the parties have had, are having or may have discussions concerning the Transaction, and any negotiations that may occur between you and the Company shall also be deemed Evaluation Material and treated in accordance with the provisions hereof. All Evaluation Material will be held in complete confidence and, without the Company's prior written consent, will not be disclosed, in whole or in part, to any other person (other than such of your Representatives who need access to any such materials or information for purposes of your evaluating or negotiating the Transaction), nor will any Evaluation Material be used in any way directly or indirectly detrimental to the Company or its affiliates or for any purpose other than your evaluation or negotiation of the Transaction. The term "Evaluation Material" does not include any information: (a) Which at the time of disclosure to you or your Representatives is in the public domain or which after such disclosure comes into the public domain through no fault of you or your Representatives; 2 Page 2 (b) which was available to you on a non-confidential basis from a source other than the Company or its advisors, provided that such source is not and was not bound by a confidentiality agreement with the Company; or (c) after notifying the Company pursuant to paragraph 5, the disclosure of which is required by applicable law or regulation. 2. You shall be responsible for ensuring that your Representatives adhere to the terms of the undertakings of this agreement as if such persons were original parties hereto. 3. You and your Representatives will return to the Company or destroy upon demand, or in the event you cease to be interested in pursuing the Transaction, any Evaluation Material provided to you or your Representatives, including all copies thereof which may have been made by or on behalf of you or your Representatives, and you shall destroy, or cause to be destroyed, all notes or memoranda or other stored information of any kind prepared by you or your Representatives relating to the Evaluation Material or negotiations generally. 4. If you or your Representatives become (or if it is reasonably likely that you or they shall become) legally compelled to disclose any Evaluation Material, immediate notice of such fact shall be given to the Company so that any appropriate action may be taken by the Company. 5. Without prejudice to any other rights or remedies the Company may have, you acknowledge and agree that money damages would not be an adequate remedy for any breach of this agreement and that the Company shall be entitled to the remedies of injunction, specific performance and other equitable relief for any threatened or actual breach of this agreement. 6. You acknowledge that, except as may be set forth in a definitive, written purchase agreement in respect of the Transaction, neither the Company nor any of its directors, officers, employees, affiliates or advisors shall have been deemed to make, or shall be responsible for, any representations or warranties, express or implied, with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the Evaluation Material supplied under this agreement. Further, it is acknowledged hereby by you that only those representations and warranties made by the Company in a definitive, written purchase agreement in respect of the Transaction shall have any force or effect. 7. During the period of one year commencing on the date hereof, you shall not directly solicit to hire any person who during such period is employed by the 3 Page 3 Company, whether or not such person would commit any breach of such person's contract of service in leaving such employment. 8. You acknowledge and confirm that no information provided, or statements made, to you or your Representatives prior to, in the course of or for the purpose of negotiations, will constitute an offer by the Company or on the Company's behalf, nor will any such information or statements form the basis of any contract or agreement (including, without limitation, an agreement in principle), to sell the Company or any of its capital stock or assets. 9. You acknowledge that the Company and the Company's advisors shall be free to conduct the process in respect of the Transaction as they in their sole discretion shall determine, including, without limitation, negotiating with any prospective or interested parties. 10. No failure or delay by the Company in exercising any right, power or privilege under this agreement shall operate as a waiver thereof, and no modification hereof shall be effective, unless in writing and signed by an officer of the Company or other authorized person on its behalf. 11. The illegality, invalidity or unenforceability of any provision hereof under the laws of any jurisdiction shall not affect its legality, validity or enforceability under the laws of any other jurisdiction, nor the legality, validity or enforceability of any other provision. 12. This Agreement shall terminate two years from the date hereof. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflicts of law principles thereof. Very truly yours, HEIN-WERNER CORPORATION By CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION, solely as Company's representative By: Joseph T. Lower ----------------------------------- Name: Joseph T. Lower Title: Vice President Accepted and agreed to as of the date hereof: SNAP-ON INCORPORATED By: Susan F. Marrinan ----------------------------------- Name: Susan F. Marrinan Title: Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel
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