-----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, RCDGY7Gh4L7ywTVWTkiw5cdHNEt5RVHtIGrU6irhgC8sR8+u673h1bwCBiy0hntx cvjwLUhAloPeHHJpbzwOhA== 0001193125-06-020812.txt : 20060206 0001193125-06-020812.hdr.sgml : 20060206 20060206163431 ACCESSION NUMBER: 0001193125-06-020812 CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE: 8-K PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT: 11 CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT: 20060131 ITEM INFORMATION: Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement ITEM INFORMATION: Material Modifications to Rights of Security Holders ITEM INFORMATION: Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers ITEM INFORMATION: Other Events ITEM INFORMATION: Financial Statements and Exhibits FILED AS OF DATE: 20060206 DATE AS OF CHANGE: 20060206 FILER: COMPANY DATA: COMPANY CONFORMED NAME: GREATER BAY BANCORP CENTRAL INDEX KEY: 0000775473 STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION: NATIONAL COMMERCIAL BANKS [6021] IRS NUMBER: 770387041 STATE OF INCORPORATION: CA FISCAL YEAR END: 1231 FILING VALUES: FORM TYPE: 8-K SEC ACT: 1934 Act SEC FILE NUMBER: 000-25034 FILM NUMBER: 06582143 BUSINESS ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1900 UNIVERSITY AVENUE, 6TH FLOOR CITY: EAST PALO ALTO STATE: CA ZIP: 94303 BUSINESS PHONE: 4153751555 MAIL ADDRESS: STREET 1: 1900 UNIVERSITY AVENUE, 6TH FLOOR STREET 2: 420 COWPER ST CITY: EAST PALO ALTO STATE: CA ZIP: 943031504 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: MID PENINSULA BANCORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19941031 FORMER COMPANY: FORMER CONFORMED NAME: SAN MATEO COUNTY BANCORP DATE OF NAME CHANGE: 19920703 8-K 1 d8k.htm FORM 8-K Form 8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


 

FORM 8-K

 


 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 OR 15(d) of

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) January 31, 2006

 


 

GREATER BAY BANCORP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 


 

California   0-25034   77-0387041

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

  (Commission File Number)  

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

1900 University Avenue, 6th Floor, East Palo Alto, California   94303
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (650) 813-8200

 

NA

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)

 


 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 



Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

 

(a) Amended and Restated Rights Agreement

 

Pursuant to a Rights Agreement, dated November 17, 1998 (the “Original Rights Agreement”) between Greater Bay Bancorp (the “Company”) and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A., (“Norwest Bank”) the Board of Directors of the Company, on November 17, 1998, declared a dividend of one share purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock, no par value (the “Common Shares”), of the Company. The dividend was payable on November 30, 1998 (the “Record Date”) to the shareholders of record on that date, as well as each Common Share which has become outstanding since the Record Date and that will become outstanding after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date (each as defined below).

 

On January 31, 2006, the Board of Directors of the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Rights Agreement with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., the successor to Norwest Bank (the “Amended Rights Agreement”). The Amended Rights Agreement, amends and restates the Original Rights Agreement in certain ways, including, among other things, (i) increasing the threshold percentage for a person to be considered an “Adverse Person” or “Acquiring Person” from 10% to 20% of the Company’s outstanding common stock; (ii) providing that certain provisions of the Amended Rights Agreement, including the Final Expiration Date, cannot be extended without shareholder approval; (iii) providing that the Rights can be redeemed by the Board of Directors at any time; and (iv) providing that the Rights must be redeemed by the Company upon a shareholder vote in connection with a Qualifying Offer, as defined below.

 

General Terms

 

The principal terms of the Amended Rights Agreement are summarized below and the description is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by the Amended Rights Agreement attached as Exhibit 4.1 to this Form 8-K.

 

Under the Amended Rights Agreement, each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share (a “Unit”) of Series A Preferred Stock (the “Preferred Stock”) of the Company, at a price of $145.00 per Unit (the “Purchase Price”), subject to adjustment. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (successor to Norwest Bank) serves as the Rights Agent.

 

Until the earliest to occur of (a) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an “Acquiring Person”) has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership or record ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares; (b) 10 days following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership or record ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of such outstanding Common Shares; or (c) the date a person or group of affiliated or associated persons is or becomes the beneficial or record owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares and (i) the actions such person proposes to take are likely to have a material adverse impact on the

 

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business or prospects of the Company; (ii) such person intends to cause the Company to repurchase the Common Shares owned by such person; (iii) such person exercises or attempts to exercise a controlling influence over the Company; or (iv) such person transfers all or a portion of such Common Shares in a manner that results in a person owning 9.9% or more of the Common Shares (an “Adverse Person”) (the earliest of such dates being called the “Distribution Date”), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate with a copy of a Summary of Rights attached thereto.

 

The Amended Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date, upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares, outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of the Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

 

The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on November 17, 2008 (the “Final Expiration Date”) unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed by the Company, in each case, as described below. Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such will have no rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

 

The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Preferred Stock of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock at a price, or securities convertible into Preferred Stock with a conversion price, less than the then current market price of the Preferred Stock or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Stock) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

 

In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person or

 

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Adverse Person (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Units of Preferred Stock having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right.

 

At any time after the date an Acquiring Person obtains 20% or more of the Company’s Common Shares and prior to the acquisition by the Acquiring Person of 50% of the outstanding Common Shares, the Company’s Board of Directors may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by the Acquiring Person or its affiliates), in whole or in part, for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right (subject to adjustment).

 

With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional Units of Preferred Stock (other than fractions that are integral multiples of one one-hundredths) will be issued and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Preferred Stock on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.

 

Redemption

 

At any time, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001 per Right (the “Redemption Price”). Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

 

Under the Amended Rights Agreement, the Board must redeem the Rights if the Company’s shareholders, by at least a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares, approve the resolution described below.

 

Under the Amended Rights Agreement, a shareholder referendum is required if requested by a person or group that has made a tender offer satisfying specified conditions, provided that specified procedures are followed. The requisite conditions relating to the tender offer include the following:

 

    The tender offer must be to purchase for cash or a combination of cash and publicly traded securities all of the Company’s outstanding shares of capital stock.

 

    The offer must be to purchase all shares of a class or series at the same price.

 

    The offeror must beneficially own, immediately after consummating such offer, two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock;

 

    The offer must state that the offeror has entered into definitive financing agreements with one or more responsible financial institutions or other entities having the necessary financial capacity for the financing of the entire tender offer price that the offeror is not financing itself.

 

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    Prior to the commencement date of the offer, such offeror must have made an irrevocable written commitment to the Company to consummate a merger promptly upon the completion of such offer, whereby all outstanding Common Shares not purchased in such offer (other than shares beneficially owned by the offeror and its affiliates and associates) will be converted into the right to receive per share consideration equal in form and value to the consideration paid in such offer;

 

    The offeror must agree in the offer to pay one-half of the costs of the special meeting of shareholders (exclusive of the Company’s costs of opposing the resolution proposed by the offeror).

 

    The tender offer must comply with the applicable federal securities regulations.

 

The requisite procedures to be followed in order to require a shareholder referendum are the following:

 

    The offeror must make the tender offer.

 

    The offeror must deliver to the Company written notices from holders of at least 10% of the voting power of the Company’s outstanding shares demanding a special meeting of shareholders to vote on a resolution requesting the Board to redeem the Rights to allow the completion of that tender offer or another tender offer for all of the Company’s capital stock at a price not less than that contained in the original tender offer without being affected by the Rights (the “Resolution”).

 

    The offeror must deliver to the Company an information statement containing, among other information, the plans and proposals of the offeror with respect to the Company, and copies of the definitive financing agreements for the financing of the offer.

 

If the offer satisfies the foregoing conditions and the offeror complies with the foregoing procedures, the Board must schedule a special shareholders meeting for a date from 30 to 60 days after the Company receives the demand for the meeting from holders of at least 10% of the voting power of the Company’s outstanding shares, the information statement and copies of the definitive agreements for the financing of the offer. If the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares approve the Resolution at the meeting, the Board must redeem the Rights at $.001 per Right (subject to possible adjustment). The redemption must become effective immediately prior to the completion of the original tender offer or any other qualifying tender offer for all of the capital stock of the Company at a price at least equal to the price contained in the original offer. However, the Rights need not be redeemed unless such original offer or other tender offer is completed not less than 31 days and not more than 60 days after certification of the final shareholder vote.

 

Approval of the Resolution by the requisite majority vote does not require the Board to approve any tender offer or other proposal to acquire the Company or preclude the Board from rejecting or recommending that the shareholders reject the tender offer or other proposal. Similarly, it does not preclude the Board from pursuing or recommending other alternatives to a

 

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tender offer or other proposal, from litigating or settling litigation relating to the tender offer or other proposal or from otherwise taking action with respect to the tender offer or other proposal. Approval of the Resolution only requires the Board to redeem the Rights if the foregoing conditions are satisfied.

 

Amendments

 

The Amended Rights Agreement may itself be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights to cure ambiguities or to correct or supplement defective provisions or inconsistent provisions contained in the Amended Rights Agreement. Except as noted below, the Amended Rights Agreement may also be amended prior to the date a person becomes an Adverse Person or Acquiring Person to otherwise change or supplement any provision in any manner which the Board may deem necessary or desirable or following the Distribution Date to the extent such changes do not adversely affect the Right holders’ interest. The Amended Rights Agreement provides, however, that any amendment of any of the following terms of the Amended Rights Agreement, and the adoption of any new rights agreement, would require the additional approval of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares voting for or against such amendment at a meeting of the Company’s shareholders held prior to the Distribution Date: (1) the exercise price of the Rights; (2) the amount required to be paid on any redemption of the Rights; (3) the number and type of shares for which a Right is exercisable (except, in case of each of the foregoing, for adjustments expressly provided for in the Amended Rights Agreement); (4) the Final Expiration Date of November 17, 2008; (5) the 20% beneficial ownership threshold that triggers the exercisability of the Rights and certain times at which the Rights can become nonredeemable; and (6) the procedure that is required to be followed to cause the Rights to be redeemed pursuant to the shareholder referendum described above.

 

(b) Change in Control Pay Plan I and Change in Control Pay Plan II

 

On January 31, 2006, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted amendments to the Greater Bay Bancorp Change in Control Pay Plan I and the Greater Bay Bancorp Change in Control Pay Plan II (the “Change in Control Plans”). These changes were made to bring the Change in Control Plans into compliance with the nonqualified deferred compensation rules of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code (“Section 409A”), so that benefits payable under the Change in Control Plans will not be subject to the 20% excise tax or other adverse tax consequences as a result of failing to comply with Section 409A. The Change in Control Plan amendments are effective January 1, 2005, which is the effective date of Section 409A. The amended Change in Control Plan documents are attached hereto as Exhibits 10.1 and 10.2, respectively and incorporated herein by reference.

 

The principal changes to the Change in Control Plans eliminate discretion in choosing between lump sum benefits and monthly payment of benefits, providing lump sum payment of all benefits under $5,000 and monthly payment of all other benefits, and make other clarifications as to the timing and form of benefits. The Change in Control Plans also were amended to better define the circumstances under which benefits are not payable upon a termination of employment for cause.

 

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(c) Severance Plan I and Severance Plan II

 

On January 31, 2006, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted amendments to the Greater Bay Bancorp Severance Plan I and the Greater Bay Bancorp Severance Plan II (the “Severance Plans”). All of these changes were made to bring the Severance Plans into compliance with the nonqualified deferred compensation rules of Section 409A, so that benefits under the Severance Plans will not be subject to the 20% excise tax or other adverse tax consequences from failing to comply with Section 409A. The Severance Plan amendments are effective January 1, 2005, which is the effective date of Section 409A. The amended Severance Plan documents are attached hereto as Exhibits 10.3 and 10.4, respectively and incorporated herein by reference.

 

The changes to the Severance Plans eliminated installment payments as an alternative form of benefit, so that all benefits under the Severance Plans are to be paid as lump sums, and made other clarifications as to the timing and form of benefits.

 

(d) Employment Agreement with David L. Kalkbrenner.

 

See Item 5.02 regarding the retirement of David L. Kalkbrenner from the Company’s Board of Directors.

 

(e) Base Salaries for Named Executive Officers.

 

On January 31, 2006, the Executive Compensation Subcommittee of the Company’s Board of Directors approved salary increases, effective March 1, 2006, for the Company’s named executive officers. The salaries are set forth below:

 

Byron Scordelis, President and CEO

   $ 750,000

James Westfall, EVP and CFO

   $ 365,000

Colleen Anderson, EVP, Community Banking

   $ 365,000

Ken Shannon, EVP and Chief Risk Officer

   $ 325,000

Peggy Hiraoka, EVP, Human Resources

   $ 270,000

 

Item 3.03 Material Modification of Rights of Securityholders

 

See Item 1.01 above, which is incorporated herein by reference. The Amended Rights Agreement modifies the Rights described in Item 1.01.

 

Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Principal Officers

 

On January 31, 2006, David L. Kalkbrenner, the former President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company from 1996 through 2003 and the founding President and Chief Executive Officer of Mid-Peninsula Bank prior to that time, retired as a director of the Company. The Company issued a press release announcing his retirement on February 6, 2006, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

 

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In connection with the retirement of Mr. Kalkbrenner as a director of the Company, effective January 31, 2006, the Company entered into an Employment Agreement with Mr. Kalkbrenner (“Agreement”) for part-time employment as the Chairman of the Strategic Development Board of Mid-Peninsula Bank, part of Greater Bay Bank, N.A. The Agreement provides for his continued services in that capacity commencing on January 31, 2006 through January 31, 2007, unless earlier terminated as provided in the Agreement or renewed for an additional one-year term at the sole discretion of the Company.

 

The Agreement provides for, among other things (a) base compensation of $10,000 per month; (b) continued vesting of any stock options or restricted stock granted to Mr. Kalkbrenner during the term of the Agreement (with accelerated vesting effective on the last day of the employment term if the Agreement is not renewed); and (c) reimbursement for reasonable business expenses incurred in connection with performing his services, as approved by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer.

 

During the term of the Agreement, the Company may terminate the Agreement with cause (as defined in the Agreement) at any time without advance notice. If the Company terminates the Agreement without cause, then the Company shall pay Mr. Kalkbrenner his base salary through the end of the term of employment payable in one lump sum within 30 days of the date of termination.

 

The Agreement shall terminate automatically in the event of death or permanent disability (as defined in the Agreement). In such event, Mr. Kalkbrenner or his estate shall receive the base salary earned through the date of such occurrence.

 

A copy of the Agreement is attached as Exhibit 10.5 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 8.01 Other Events

 

On February 6, 2006, the Company issued a press release announcing various corporate governance enhancements, including a proposal to declassify the board of directors, adoption of majority voting principles and adoption of the Amended Rights Plan (referred to in Item 1.01 above). A copy of this press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.2.

 

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Item 9.01 Exhibits

 

Exhibit

Number


  

Exhibit Title or Description


4.1    Amended and Restated Rights Agreement by and between Greater Bay Bancorp and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. dated as of January 31, 2006
10.1    Greater Bay Bancorp Change in Control Pay Plan I, as amended and restated effective January 1, 2005
10.2    Greater Bay Bancorp Change in Control Pay Plan II, as amended and restated effective January 1, 2005
10.3    Greater Bay Bancorp Severance Plan I, as amended and restated effective January 1, 2005
10.4    Greater Bay Bancorp Severance Plan II, as amended and restated effective January 1, 2005
10.5    Employment Agreement dated January 31, 2006 between the Company and David L. Kalkbrenner
99.1    Press release, dated February 6, 2006, regarding the retirement of David L. Kalkbrenner
99.2    Press release, dated February 6, 2006, announcing corporate governance enhancements

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

    GREATER BAY BANCORP
Date: February 6, 2006   By:  

/s/ LINDA M. IANNONE


        Linda M. Iannone
        Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit
Number


  

Exhibit Title or Description


4.1    Amended and Restated Rights Agreement by and between Greater Bay Bancorp and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. dated as of January 31, 2006
10.1    Greater Bay Bancorp Change in Control Pay Plan I, as amended and restated effective January 1, 2005
10.2    Greater Bay Bancorp Change in Control Pay Plan II, as amended and restated effective January 1, 2005
10.3    Greater Bay Bancorp Severance Plan I, as amended and restated effective January 1, 2005
10.4    Greater Bay Bancorp Severance Plan II, as amended and restated effective January 1, 2005
10.5    Employment Agreement dated January 31, 2006 between the Company and David L Kalkbrenner
99.1    Press release, dated February 6, 2006, regarding retirement of David L. Kalkbrenner
99.2    Press release, dated February 6, 2006, announcing corporate governance enhancements
EX-4.1 2 dex41.htm GREATER BAY BANCORP AND NORWEST BANK MINNESOTA, N.A Greater Bay Bancorp and Norwest Bank Minnesota, N.A

EXHIBIT 4.1

 

GREATER BAY BANCORP

 

and

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,

AS SUCCESSOR TO NORWEST BANK MINNESOTA, N. A.

 

Amended and Restated Rights Agent

 

Rights Agreement

 

Dated as of January 31, 2006


RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of January 31 2006, between GREATER BAY BANCORP, a California corporation (the “Company”), and WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as successor to NORWEST BANK MINNESOTA, N. A. (the “Rights Agent”).

 

The Board of Directors of the Company has authorized and declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each Common Share (as hereinafter defined) of the Company outstanding on November 30, 1998 (the “Record Date”), each Right representing the right to purchase one one-hundredth of a share (a “Unit”) of Preferred Stock (as hereinafter defined), upon the terms and subject to the conditions herein set forth, and has further authorized and directed the issuance of one Right with respect to each Common Share that shall become outstanding between the Record Date and the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date and the Final Expiration Date (as such terms are hereinafter defined).

 

The Company desires to amend and restate the Agreement in accordance with Section 27 hereof.

 

Accordingly, in consideration of the premises and the mutual agreements herein set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

 

Section 1. Certain Definitions. For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings indicated:

 

(a) “Acquiring Person” shall mean any Person (as such term is hereinafter defined) who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates (as such terms are hereinafter defined) of such Person, shall become, after the date hereof, the Beneficial Owner or Record Owner (as such terms are hereinafter defined) of 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, but shall not include the Company, any Subsidiary (as such term is hereinafter defined) of the Company or any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Person shall become an “Acquiring Person” as the result of an acquisition of Common Shares by the Company which, by reducing the number of shares outstanding, increases the proportionate number of shares beneficially owned by such Person to 20% or more of the Common Shares of the Company then outstanding.

 

(b) “Adverse Person” shall mean any Person who or which, together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person (i) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner or Record Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding, and at least a majority of the Board of Directors of the Company who are not officers of the Company, after reasonable inquiry and investigation, including consultation with such persons as such directors shall deem appropriate, shall conclude that the effect of such stock ownership, in the light of the actions which the Person proposes or is likely to take, is potentially materially adverse to the Company’s business, assets, competitive position, prospects or other shareholders; (ii) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner or Record Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding and at least a majority of

 

1


the Board of Directors of the Company who are not officers of the Company determine, after reasonable inquiry and investigation, including consultation with such persons as such directors shall deem appropriate, that (a) such Beneficial Ownership or Record Ownership by such Person is intended to cause the Company to repurchase the Common Shares owned by such Person or to cause pressure on the Company to take action or enter into a transaction or series of transactions intended to provide such Person with short-term financial gain or any economic benefit not otherwise available to other shareholders under circumstances where the Board of Directors of the Company determines that the best long-term interests of the Company and all its stockholders would not be served by taking such action or entering into such transactions or series of transactions at that time or (b) such Beneficial Ownership or Record Ownership is causing or reasonably likely to cause a material adverse impact (including, but not limited to, impairment of relationships with customers or impairment of the Company’s ability to maintain its competitive position) on the business or prospects of the Company or its shareholders; (iii) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner or Record Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding and exercises or attempts to exercise, directly or indirectly, a controlling influence over the management or policies of the Company or otherwise exercises “control” of the Company, as such term is defined in 12 C.F.R. §225.2(e); or (iv) is or becomes the Beneficial Owner or Record Owner of 20% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding and sells, transfers, assigns or otherwise disposes of all or a portion of such Common Shares in a manner that results in a Person owning 9.9% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.

 

(c) “Affiliate” and “Associate” shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), as in effect on the date of this Agreement.

 

(d) A Person shall be deemed the “Beneficial Owner” of and shall be deemed to “beneficially own” any securities:

 

(i) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates beneficially owns, directly or indirectly;

 

(ii) which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has (A) the right to acquire (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time or the receipt of regulatory approvals or both) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities), or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, rights (other than these Rights), warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, (1) securities tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by or on behalf of such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates until such tendered securities are accepted for purchase or exchange, or (2) securities which a Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates may be deemed to have the right to acquire pursuant to any merger or other acquisition agreement between the Company and such Person (or one or

 

2


more of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates) if such agreement has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Company prior to there being an Acquiring Person; or (B) the right to vote pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a Person shall not be deemed the Beneficial Owner of, or to beneficially own, any security if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such security (1) arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given to such Person in response to a public proxy or consent solicitation made pursuant to, and in accordance with, the applicable rules and regulations of the Exchange Act and (2) is not also then reportable on Schedule 13D under the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report), or

 

(iii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by any other Person with which such Person or any of such Person’s Affiliates or Associates has any agreement, arrangement or understanding (other than customary agreements with and between underwriters and selling group members with respect to a bona fide public offering of securities) for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except to the extent contemplated by the proviso to Section 1(d)(ii)(B)) or disposing of any securities of the Company; provided, however, that in no case shall an officer or director of the Company be deemed (A) the Beneficial Owner of any securities beneficially owned by another officer or director of the Company solely by reason of actions undertaken by such persons in their capacity as officers or directors of the Company or (B) the Beneficial Owner of securities held of record by the trustee of any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company for the benefit of any employee of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company, other than the officer or director, by reason of any influence that such officer or director may have over the voting of the securities held in the plan.

 

Notwithstanding anything in this definition of “Beneficial Owner” and “beneficially own” to the contrary, the phrase “then outstanding,” when used with reference to a Person who is the Beneficial Owner of securities of the Company, shall mean the number of such securities then issued and outstanding together with the number of such securities not then actually issued and outstanding which such Person would be deemed to beneficially own hereunder.

 

(e) “Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday, or a day on which banking institutions in the State of California are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.

 

(f) “Close of business” on any given date shall mean 5:00 P.M., California time, on such date; provided, however, that if such date is not a Business Day it shall mean 5:00 P.M., California time, on the next succeeding Business Day.

 

(g) “Common Shares” when used with reference to the Company shall mean the shares of common stock, no par value, of the Company. “Common Shares” when used with reference to any Person other than the Company shall mean the capital stock (or equity interest) with the greatest voting power of such other Person or, if such other Person is a Subsidiary of another Person, the Person or Persons which ultimately control such first-mentioned Person.

 

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(h) “Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

(i) “Distribution Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3 hereof.

 

(j) “Final Expiration Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.

 

(k) “Person” shall mean any individual, firm, corporation or other entity, and shall include any successor (by merger or otherwise) of such entity.

 

(l) “Preferred Stock” shall mean the Series A Preferred Stock, no par value, of the Company having the rights and preferences set forth in the form of Certificate of Determination attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A.

 

(m) “Qualifying Offer” shall mean a tender offer that has been commenced by any Person (other than the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company or any employee benefit plan of the Company or any Subsidiary, or an entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to ther terms of any such plan) (an “Offeror”), and which tender offer:

 

(i) is made in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations, including without limitation, the Exchange Act, the Hart-Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act, the California General Corporation Law and any applicable state securities or blue sky laws;

 

(ii) provides for the acquisition of all of the outstanding shares of each class or series of capital stock of the Company tendered by any Person other than the Offeror and its Affiliates for cash or a combination of cash and securities listed on a national securities exchange or a national automated quotation system, provided that the aggregate market value of the class of securities offered that is held by non-affiliates of the Offeror is in excess of $1 billion as of the most recently filed periodic report made under the Exchange Act, with all tendered shares of any particular class or series of capital stock of the Company to be acquired at the same price;

 

(iii) states that the Offeror has entered into definitive financing agreements (“Financing Agreements”) with one or more responsible financial institutions or other entities having the necessary financial capacity, and/or has on hand cash or cash equivalents, for the full amount of all financing necessary to consummate such tender offer;

 

(iv) requests the Company to call a special meeting of the holders of Voting Stock (as hereinafter defined for the purpose of voting on a Resolution (as such

 

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term is defined in Section 23(c)) and contains a written agreement of the Offeror to (a) pay (or share with any other Offeror) one-half of the Company’s costs of such special meeting (exclusive of the Company’s costs of opposing the Resolution);

 

(v) the Offeror shall beneficially own, immediately after consummating such offer, at least two-thirds of the outstanding Voting Stock; and

 

(vi) prior to the commencement date of the offer, such Offeror shall have made an irrevocable written commitment to the Company (x) to consummate a merger promptly upon the completion of such offer, whereby all outstanding shares of Common Shares not purchased in such offer (other than shares beneficially owned by the Person(s) making such offer and the shares beneficially owned by such Offeror(s)’ Affiliates and Associates) will be converted into the right to receive per share consideration equal in form and value to the consideration paid in such offer, subject only to the condition that the Board shall have granted any approvals required to enable such Offeror to consummate such merger following consummation of such offer without obtaining the vote of any stockholder (other than the Offeror(s) making the offer and such Offeror(s) Affiliates and Associates), (y) that such person will not make any amendment to such offer that reduces the per share price offered (other than a reduction to reflect any dividend declared by the Company after the commencement of such offer or any material change in the capital structure of the Company initiated by the Company after the commencement of such offer, whether by way of recapitalization, reorganization, repurchase or otherwise), changes the form of consideration offered, or reduces the number of shares being sought or that is otherwise in any other respect materially adverse to the Company’s shareholders, and (z) that neither such Offeror nor any of its Affiliates will make any other offer for any equity securities of the Company for a period of six months after the commencement of the original offer if such original offer does not result in the tender of the number of Common Shares required to be purchased pursuant to clause (v) above, unless another tender offer by another party for all outstanding Common Shares is commenced (a) at a consideration per share (as determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm designated by the Board) in excess of that provided for in such original offer (in which event any new offer by such Person or any of its Affiliates must be at a consideration ( as determined by a nationally recognized investment banking firm designated by the Board) no less than that provided for in such higher offer, or (b) with the approval of the Board (in which event any new offer by such Person or of any of its Affiliates must be at a price no less than that provided for in such approved offer);

 

And in connection with which tender offer the Offeror delivers to the Company a written information statement detailing the plans and proposals of the Offeror with respect to the Company and written copies of the Financing Agreements.

 

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(n) A “Record Owner” of any securities shall mean the Person whose name appears on the stock transfer books of a company as the registered owner of such securities.

 

(o) “Redemption Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 7 hereof.

 

(p) “Shares Acquisition Date” shall mean the first date of public announcement by the Company or an Acquiring Person that an Acquiring Person has become such.

 

(q) “Subsidiary” of any Person shall mean any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person.

 

(r) “Unit” shall have the meaning set forth in the introduction to this Agreement.

 

(s) “Voting Stock” shall mean (i) the Common Shares and (ii) any other shares of capital stock of the Company entitled to vote generally in the election of directors or entitled to vote together with the Common Shares in respect of any merger, consolidation, sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, liquidation, dissolution or winding up.

 

Section 2. Appointment of Rights Agent. The Company hereby appoints the Rights Agent to act as agent for the Company and the holders of the Rights (who, in accordance with Section 3 hereof, shall prior to the Distribution Date also be the holders of the Common Shares) in accordance with the terms and conditions hereof, and the Rights Agent hereby accepts such appointment. The Company may from time to time appoint such co-Rights Agents as it may deem necessary or desirable.

 

Section 3. Issue of Right Certificates. (a) Until the earliest of (i) the tenth day after the Shares Acquisition Date; (ii) the tenth day after the date of the commencement of, or of the first public announcement of the intention of any Person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or of any Subsidiary of the Company or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan) to commence, a tender or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in any Person becoming the Beneficial Owner or Record Owner of Common Shares aggregating 20% or more of the then outstanding Common Shares; or (iii) the date a Person becomes an Adverse Person (including any such date which is after the date of this Agreement and prior to the issuance of the Rights; the earliest of such dates being herein referred to as the “Distribution Date”), (x) the Rights will be evidenced (subject to the provisions of Section 3(b) hereof) by the certificates for Common Shares registered in the names of the holders thereof (which certificates shall also be deemed to be Right Certificates) and not by separate Right Certificates; and (y) the right to receive Right Certificates will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of

 

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Common Shares. As soon as practicable after the Distribution Date, the Company will prepare and execute, the Rights Agent will countersign, and the Company will send or cause to be sent (and the Rights Agent will, if requested, send) by first-class, insured, postage-prepaid mail, to each record holder of Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company, a Right Certificate, in substantially the form of Exhibit A hereto (a “Right Certificate”), evidencing one Right for each Common Share so held. As of the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced solely by such Right Certificates.

 

(b) On the Record Date or as soon as practicable thereafter, the Company will send a copy of a Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Shares, in substantially the form of Exhibit C hereto (the “Summary of Rights”), by first-class, postage-prepaid mail, to each Record Owner of Common Shares as of the close of business on the Record Date, at the address of such holder shown on the records of the Company. With respect to certificates for Common Shares outstanding as of the Record Date, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be evidenced by such certificates registered in the names of the holders thereof together with a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto. Until the Distribution Date (or the earlier of the Redemption Date or Final Expiration Date), the surrender for transfer of any certificate for Common Shares outstanding on the Record Date, with or without a copy of the Summary of Rights attached thereto, shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby.

 

(c) Certificates for Common Shares which become outstanding (including, without limitation, reacquired Common Shares referred to in the last sentence of this paragraph (c)) after the Record Date but prior to the earliest of the Distribution Date, the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date shall have impressed on, printed on, written on or otherwise affixed to them the following legend:

 

This certificate also evidences and entitles the holder hereof to certain rights as set forth in an Amended and Restated Rights Agreement between GREATER BAY BANCORP, and WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as successor to NORWEST BANK MINNESOTA, N. A., dated as of January 31, 2006 (the “Rights Agreement”), the terms of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference and a copy of which is on file at the principal executive offices of GREATER BAY BANCORP. Under certain circumstances, as set forth in the Rights Agreement, such Rights will be evidenced by separate certificates and will no longer be evidenced by this certificate. GREATER BAY BANCORP will mail to the holder of this certificate a copy of the Rights Agreement without charge after receipt of a written request thereof. As described in the Rights Agreement, Rights issued to any Person who becomes an Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (as defined in the Rights Agreement) shall become null and void.

 

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With respect to such certificates containing the foregoing legend, until the Distribution Date, the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificates shall be evidenced by such certificates alone, and the surrender for transfer of any such certificate shall also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented thereby. In the event that the Company purchases or acquires any Common Shares after the Record Date but prior to the Distribution Date, any Rights associated with such Common Shares shall be deemed cancelled and retired so that the Company shall not be entitled to exercise any Rights associated with the Common Shares which are no longer outstanding.

 

Section 4. Form of Right Certificates. The Right Certificates (and the forms of election to purchase Units of Preferred Stock and of assignment to be printed on the reverse thereof) shall be substantially the same as Exhibit B hereto and may have such marks of identification or designation and such legends, summaries or endorsements printed thereon as the Company may deem appropriate and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Agreement, or as may be required to comply with any applicable law or with any rule or regulation of any stock exchange or quotation system on which the Rights may from time to time be listed, or to conform to usage. Subject to the provisions of Section 22 hereof, the Right Certificates shall entitle the holders thereof to purchase such number of Units of Preferred Stock as shall be set forth therein at the price per limit set forth therein (the “Purchase Price”), but the number of such Units and the Purchase Price shall be subject to adjustment as provided herein.

 

Section 5. Countersignature and Registration. The Right Certificates shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, its President, any of its Executive or Senior Vice Presidents or any of its Vice Presidents, either manually or by facsimile signature, shall have affixed thereto the Company’s seal or a facsimile thereof, and shall be attested by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, or the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer, of the Company, either manually or by facsimile signature. The Right Certificates shall be manually or by facsimile signature countersigned by the Rights Agent and shall not be valid for any purpose unless countersigned. In case any officer of the Company who shall have signed any of the Right Certificates shall cease to be such officer of the Company before countersignature by the Rights Agent and issuance and delivery by the Company, such Rights Certificates, nevertheless, may be countersigned by the Rights Agent and issued and delivered by the Company with the same force and effect as though the person who signed such Right Certificates had not ceased to be such officer of the Company; and any Right Certificate may be signed on behalf of the Company by any person who, at the actual date of the execution of such Right Certificate, shall be a proper officer of the Company to sign such Right Certificate, although at the date of the execution of this Rights Agreement any such person was not such an officer.

 

Following the Distribution Date, the Rights Agent will keep or cause to be kept, at its shareholder services office, books for registration and transfer of the Right Certificates issued hereunder. Such books shall show the names and addresses of the respective holders of the Right Certificates, the number of Rights evidenced on its face by each of the Right Certificates and the date of each of the Right Certificates.

 

Section 6. Transfer, Split Up, Combination and Exchange of Right Certificates; Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Right Certificates. Subject to the provisions of Section 14

 

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hereof, at any time after the close of business on the Distribution Date, and at or prior to the close of business on the earlier of the Redemption Date or the Final Expiration Date, any Right Certificate or Right Certificates (other than Right Certificates representing Rights that have become void pursuant to Section 11(a)(ii) or that have been exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof) may be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates, entitling the registered holder to purchase a like number of Units of Preferred Stock as the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered then entitled such holder to purchase. Any registered holder desiring to transfer, split up, combine or exchange any Right Certificate or Right Certificates shall make such request in writing delivered to the Rights Agent, and shall surrender the Right Certificate or Right Certificates to be transferred, split up, combined or exchanged at the office of the Rights Agent. Thereupon the Rights Agent shall countersign and deliver to the person entitled thereto a Right Certificate or Right Certificates, as the case may be, as so requested. The Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer, split up, combination or exchange of Right Certificates.

 

Upon receipt by the Company and the Rights Agent of evidence reasonably satisfactory to them of the loss, theft, destruction or mutilation of a Right Certificate, and, in case of loss, theft or destruction, of indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to them, and at the Company’s request, reimbursement to the Company and the Rights Agent of all reasonable expenses incidental thereto, and upon surrender to the Rights Agent and cancellation of the Right Certificate if mutilated, the Company will make and deliver a new Right Certificate of like tenor to the Rights Agent for delivery to the registered holder in lieu of the Right Certificate so lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated.

 

Section 7. Exercise of Rights and Expiration Date of Rights. (a) The registered holder of any Right Certificate may exercise the Rights evidenced thereby (except as otherwise provided herein) in whole or in part at any time after the Distribution Date upon surrender of the Right Certificate, with the form of election to purchase on the reverse side thereof duly executed, to the Rights Agent, together with payment of the Purchase Price for each Unit of Preferred Stock as to which the Rights are exercised, at or prior to the earlier of (i) the close of business on November 17, 2008 (the “Final Expiration Date”), (ii) the time at which the Rights are redeemed as provided in Section 23 hereof (the “Redemption Date”) or (iii) exchanged pursuant to Section 24 hereof.

 

(b) The Purchase Price for each Unit of Preferred Stock shall initially be $145.00 (as of November 17, 1998), shall be subject to adjustment from time to time as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof and shall be paid in lawful money of the United States of America in accordance with paragraph (c) below.

 

(c) Upon receipt of a Right Certificate representing exercisable Rights, with the form of election to purchase duly executed, accompanied by payment of the Purchase Price for the shares to be purchased and an amount equal to any applicable transfer tax required to be paid by the holder of such Right Certificate in accordance with Section 9 hereof by certified check,

 

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cashier’s check, bank draft or money order payable to the order of the Company or the Rights Agent, the Rights Agent shall thereupon promptly (i) requisition from any transfer agent of the Preferred Stock certificates for the number of Units of Preferred Stock to be purchased and the Company hereby irrevocably authorizes its transfer agent to comply with all such requests, (ii) when appropriate, requisition from the Company the amount of cash to be paid in lieu of issuance of fractional shares in accordance with Section 14 hereof, (iii) after receipt of such certificates, cause the same to be delivered to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate, registered in such name or names as may be designated by such holder and (iv) when appropriate, after receipt, deliver such cash to or upon the order of the registered holder of such Right Certificate.

 

(d) In case the registered holder of any Right Certificate shall exercise less than all the Rights evidenced thereby, a new Right Certificate evidencing Rights equivalent to the Rights remaining unexercised shall be issued by the Rights Agent to the registered holder of such Right Certificate or to his duly authorized assigns, subject to the provisions of Section 14 hereof.

 

Section 8. Cancellation and Destruction of Right Certificates. All Right Certificates surrendered for the purpose of exercise, transfer, split up, combination or exchange shall, if surrendered to the Company or to any of its agents, be delivered to the Rights Agent for cancellation or in cancelled form, or, if surrendered to the Rights Agent, shall be cancelled by it, and no Right Certificates shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Rights Agreement. The Company shall deliver to the Rights Agent for cancellation and retirement, and the Rights Agent shall so cancel and retire, any other Right Certificate purchased or acquired by the Company otherwise than upon the exercise thereof. The Rights Agent shall deliver all cancelled Right Certificates to the Company.

 

Section 9. Reservation and Availability of Preferred Stock. The Company covenants and agrees that it will cause to be reserved and kept available out of its authorized and unissued shares of Preferred Stock or any shares of Preferred Stock held in its treasury, the number of shares of Preferred Stock that will be sufficient to permit the exercise in full of all outstanding Rights.

 

The Company covenants and agrees that it will take all such action as may be necessary to ensure that all shares of Preferred Stock delivered upon exercise of Rights shall, at the time of delivery of the certificates for such shares (subject to payment of the Purchase Price), be duly and validly authorized and issued and fully paid and nonassessable shares.

 

The Company further covenants and agrees that it will pay when due and payable any and all federal and state transfer taxes and charges which may be payable in respect of the issuance or delivery of the Right Certificates or of any shares of Preferred Stock upon the exercise of Rights. The Company shall not, however, be required to pay any transfer tax which may be payable in respect of any transfer or delivery of Right Certificates to a person other than, or the issuance or delivery of certificates or depositary receipts for the Preferred Stock in a name other than that of, the registered holder of the Right Certificate evidencing Rights surrendered for exercise or to issue or to deliver any certificates or depositary receipts for Preferred Stock upon

 

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the exercise of any Rights until any such tax shall have been paid (any such tax being payable by the holder of such Right Certificate at the time of surrender) or until it has been established to the Company’s satisfaction that no such tax is due.

 

Section 10. Preferred Shares Record Date. Each person in whose name any certificate for shares of Preferred Stock is issued upon the exercise of Rights shall for all purposes be deemed to have become the holder of record of the shares represented thereby on, and such certificate shall be dated, the date upon which the Right Certificate evidencing such Rights was duly surrendered and payment of the Purchase Price (and any applicable transfer taxes) was made; provided, however, that if the date of such surrender and payment is a date upon which the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company are closed, such person shall be deemed to have become the record holder of such shares on, and such certificate shall be dated, the next succeeding Business Day on which the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company are open. Prior to the exercise of the Rights evidenced thereby, the holder of a Right Certificate shall not be entitled to any rights of a shareholder of the Company for which the Rights shall be exercisable, including, without limitation, the right to vote, to receive dividends or other distributions or to exercise any preemptive rights, and shall not be entitled to receive any notice of any proceedings of the Company, except as provided herein.

 

Section 11. Purchase Price and Adjustments. The Purchase Price, the number of Units of Preferred Stock covered by each Right and the number of Rights outstanding are subject to adjustment from time to time, as provided in this Section 11:

 

(a) (i) In the event the Company shall at any time after November 17, 1998 (A) declare a dividend on the Preferred Stock payable in Preferred Stock, (B) subdivide the outstanding Preferred Stock, (C) combine the outstanding shares of Preferred Stock into a smaller number of shares or (D) issue any shares of its capital stock in a reclassification of the Preferred Stock (including any such reclassification in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation), except as otherwise provided in this Section 11(a), the Purchase Price in effect at the time of the record date for such dividend or of the effective date of such subdivision, combination or reclassification, and the number and kind of shares of capital stock issuable on such date, shall be proportionately adjusted so that the holder of any Right exercised after such time shall be entitled to receive the aggregate number and kind of shares of capital stock which, if such Right had been exercised immediately prior to such date and at a time when the Preferred Stock transfer books of the Company were open, he or she would have owned upon such exercise and been entitled to receive by virtue of such dividend, subdivision, combination or reclassification.

 

(ii) In the event any Person shall become an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a Right, except as provided below, shall thereafter have a right to receive, upon exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of Units of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then

 

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exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of Units of Preferred Stock of the Company as shall equal the result obtained by (A) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the then number of Units of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (B) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Preferred Stock (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) on the date such Person became an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, from and after the occurrence of such event, any Rights that are or were acquired or beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person (or any Associate or Affiliate of such Acquiring Person or Adverse Person) shall be void and any holder of such Rights shall thereafter have no right to exercise such Rights under any provision of this Agreement. No Right Certificate shall be issued pursuant to Section 3 that represents Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person or any Associate or Affiliate thereof and no Right Certificate shall be issued at any time upon the transfer of any Rights to an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person or any Associate or Affiliate thereof or to any nominee of such Acquiring Person, Adverse Person, Associate or Affiliate. Any Right Certificate delivered to the Rights Agent for transfer to an Acquiring Person shall be cancelled.

 

(iii) In the event that there shall not be sufficient shares of Preferred Stock issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit the exercise in full of the Rights in accordance with the foregoing subparagraph (ii), the Company shall take all such action as may be necessary to authorize additional shares of Preferred Stock for issuance upon exercise of the Rights.

 

(iv) The failure by the Board of Directors of the Company to declare a Person to be an Adverse Person following such Person becoming the Beneficial Owner or Record Owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares shall not imply that such Person is not an Adverse Person or limit the Board of Directors’ right at any time in the future to declare such Person to be an Adverse Person.

 

(b) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the issuance of rights, options or warrants to all holders of shares of Preferred Stock entitling them (for a period expiring within 45 calendar days after such record date) to subscribe for or purchase shares of Preferred Stock (or shares having the same rights, privileges and preferences thereof (“equivalent preferred shares”)) or securities convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred shares at a price per share of Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred share (or having a conversion price per share, if a security convertible into Preferred Stock or equivalent preferred shares) less than the then current per share market price of the Preferred Stock (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date, the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of shares of Preferred Stock which the aggregate offering price of the total number of shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred shares so to be offered (and/or the aggregate initial conversion price of the convertible securities so to be offered) would purchase at such current market price and the denominator of which shall be the number of shares of Preferred Stock outstanding on such record date plus the number of additional shares of Preferred Stock and/or equivalent preferred shares to be offered for subscription or purchase (or into which the convertible securities so to be offered are initially convertible). In case such subscription

 

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price may be paid in a consideration part or all of which shall be in a form other than cash, the value of such consideration shall be as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent. Shares of Preferred Stock owned by or held for the account of the Company shall not be deemed outstanding for the purpose of any such computation. Such adjustment shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such rights or warrants are not so issued, the Purchase Price shall be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

 

(c) In case the Company shall fix a record date for the making of a distribution to all holders of the Preferred Stock (including any such distribution made in connection with a consolidation or merger in which the Company is the continuing or surviving corporation) of evidences of indebtedness or assets (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend or a dividend payable in shares of Preferred Stock) or subscription rights or warrants (excluding those referred to in Section 11(b)), the Purchase Price to be in effect after such record date shall be determined by multiplying the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such record date by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be the then current per share market price of the Preferred Stock (as defined in Section 11(d)) on such record date, less the fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent) of the portion of the assets or evidences of indebtedness so to be distributed or of such subscription rights or warrants applicable to one share of Preferred Stock and the denominator of which shall be such current per share market price of the Preferred Stock. Such adjustments shall be made successively whenever such a record date is fixed; and in the event that such distribution is not so made, the Purchase Price shall again be adjusted to be the Purchase Price which would then be in effect if such record date had not been fixed.

 

(d) (i) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current per share market price” of any security (a “Security” for the purpose of this Section 11(d)(i)) on any date shall be deemed to be the average of the daily closing prices per share of such Security for the 30 consecutive Trading Days (as such term is hereinafter defined) immediately prior to such date; provided, however, that in the event that the current per share market price of the Security is determined during a period following the announcement by the issuer of such Security of (A) a dividend or distribution on such Security payable in shares of such Security or securities convertible into such shares, or (B) any subdivision, combination or reclassification of such Security and prior to the expiration of 30 Trading Days after the ex-dividend date for such dividend or distribution, or the record date for such subdivision, combination or reclassification, then, and in each such case, the current per share market price shall be appropriately adjusted to reflect the current market price per share equivalent of such Security. The closing price for each day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on

 

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any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. Automated Quotations System (“NASDAQ”) or such other system then in use, or, if on any such date the Security is not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Security selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. The term “Trading Day” shall mean a day on which the principal national securities exchange on which the Security is listed or admitted to trading is open for the transaction of business or, if the Security is not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, a Business Day.

 

(ii) For the purpose of any computation hereunder, the “current per share market price” of the Preferred Stock shall be determined in accordance with the method set forth in Section 11(d)(i) (appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof). If the Preferred Stock is not publicly held or so listed or traded, “current per share market price” shall mean the fair value per share as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be described in a statement filed with the Rights Agent.

 

(e) No adjustment in the Purchase Price shall be required unless such adjustment would require an increase or decrease of at least 1% in the Purchase Price; provided, however, that any adjustments which by reason of this Section 11(e) are not required to be made shall be carried forward and taken into account in any subsequent adjustment. All calculations under this Section 11 shall be made to the nearest cent or to the nearest one-hundredth of a share, as the case may be. Notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 11(e), any adjustment required by this Section 11 shall be made no later than the earlier of (i) three years from the date of the transaction which requires such adjustment or (ii) the date of the expiration of the right to exercise any Rights.

 

(f) If as a result of an adjustment made pursuant to Section 11(a), the holder of any Right thereafter exercised shall become entitled to receive any shares of capital stock of the Company other than Preferred Stock, thereafter the number of such other shares so receivable upon exercise of any Right shall be subject to adjustment from time to time in a manner and on terms as nearly equivalent as practicable to the provisions with respect to the Preferred Stock contained in Section 11(a) through (c), inclusive, and the provisions of Sections 7, 9, 10 and 13 with respect to the Preferred Stock shall apply on like terms to any such other shares.

 

(g) All Rights originally issued by the Company subsequent to any adjustment made to the Purchase Price hereunder shall evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, the number of Units of Preferred Stock purchasable from time to time hereunder upon exercise of the Rights, all subject to further adjustment as provided herein.

 

(h) Unless the Company shall have exercised its election as provided in Section 11(i), upon each adjustment of the Purchase Price as a result of the calculations made in Section 11(b) and (c), each Right outstanding immediately prior to the making of such adjustment shall thereafter evidence the right to purchase, at the adjusted Purchase Price, that number of Units of

 

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Preferred Stock (calculated to the nearest one-hundredth) obtained by (i) multiplying (x) the number of shares covered by a Right immediately prior to this adjustment by (y) the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to such adjustment of the Purchase Price and (ii) dividing the product so obtained by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after such adjustment of the Purchase Price.

 

(i) The Company may elect on or after the date of any adjustment of the Purchase Price to adjust the number of Rights, in substitution for any adjustment in the number of Units of Preferred Stock purchasable upon the exercise of a Right. Each of the Rights outstanding after such adjustment of the number of Rights shall be exercisable for the number of Units of Preferred Stock for which a Right was exercisable immediately prior to such adjustment. Each Right held of record prior to such adjustment of the number of Rights shall become that number of Rights (calculated to the nearest one one-hundredth) obtained by dividing the Purchase Price in effect immediately prior to adjustment of the Purchase Price by the Purchase Price in effect immediately after adjustment of the Purchase Price. The Company shall make a public announcement of its election to adjust the number of Rights, indicating the record date for the adjustment, and, if known at the time, the amount of the adjustment to be made. This record date may be the date on which the Purchase Price is adjusted or any day thereafter, but, if the Right Certificates have been issued, shall be at least 10 days later than the date of the public announcement. If Right Certificates have been issued, upon adjustment of the number of Rights pursuant to this Section 11(i), the Company shall, as promptly as practicable, cause to be distributed to holders of record of Right Certificates on such record date Right Certificates evidencing, subject to Section 14 hereof, the additional Rights to which such holders shall be entitled as a result of such adjustment, or, at the option of the Company, shall cause to be distributed to such holders of record in substitution and replacement for the Right Certificates held by such holders prior to the date of adjustment, and upon surrender thereof, if required by the Company, new Right Certificates evidencing all the Rights to which such holders shall be entitled after such adjustment. Right Certificates so to be distributed shall be issued, executed and countersigned in the manner provided for herein and shall be registered in the names of the holders of record of Right Certificates on the record date specified in the public announcement.

 

(j) Irrespective of any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price or the number of Units of Preferred Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Rights, the Right Certificates theretofore and thereafter issued may continue to express the Purchase Price and the number of Units of Preferred Stock which were expressed in the initial Right Certificates issued hereunder.

 

(k) Before taking any action that would cause an adjustment reducing the Purchase Price below the then par value, if any, of the Preferred Stock issuable upon exercise of the Rights, the Company shall take any corporate action which may, in the opinion of its counsel, be necessary in order that the Company may validly and legally issue fully paid and nonassessable shares of Preferred Stock at such adjusted Purchase Price.

 

(l) In any case in which this Section 11 shall require that an adjustment in the Purchase Price be made effective as of a record date for a specified event, the Company may elect to defer until the occurrence of such event the issuing to the holder of any Right exercised

 

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after such record date of the Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise over and above the Preferred Stock and other capital stock or securities of the Company, if any, issuable upon such exercise on the basis of the Purchase Price in effect prior to such adjustment; provided, however, that the Company shall deliver to such holder a due bill or other appropriate instrument evidencing such holder’s right to receive such additional shares upon the occurrence of the event requiring such adjustment.

 

(m) Anything in this Section 11 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company shall be entitled to make such reductions in the Purchase Price, in addition to those adjustments expressly required by this Section 11, as and to the extent that it in its sole discretion shall determine to be advisable in order that any consolidation or subdivision of the shares of Preferred Stock, issuance wholly for cash of any such shares of Preferred Stock at less than the current market price, issuance wholly for cash of shares of Preferred Stock or securities which by their terms are convertible into or exchangeable for Preferred Stock, dividends on shares of Preferred Stock payable in such shares or issuance of rights, options or warrants referred to hereinabove in Section 11(b), hereafter made by the Company to holders of its Preferred Stock shall not be taxable to such shareholders.

 

(n) The Company shall not, at any time after the Distribution Date, (i) consolidate with any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11 (o)), (ii) merge with or into any other Person (other than a Subsidiary of the Company in a transaction which complies with Section 11 (o), or (iii) sell or transfer (or permit any Subsidiary to sell or transfer), in one transaction, or a series of transactions, assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person or Persons (other than the Company and/or any of its Subsidiaries in one or more transactions each of which complies with Section 11(o)), if (x) at the time of or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale there are any rights, warrants or other instruments or securities outstanding or agreements in effect which would substantially diminish or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights or (y) prior to, simultaneously with or immediately after such consolidation, merger or sale, the Person shall have distributed or otherwise transferred to its shareholders or other persons holding an equity interest in such Person Rights previously owned by such Person or any of its Affiliates and Associates; provided, however, this Section 11(n) shall not affect the ability of any Subsidiary of the Company to consolidate with, merge with or into, or sell or transfer assets or earnings power to, any other Subsidiary of the Company.

 

(o) After the Distribution Date, the Company shall not, except as permitted by Section 23 or Section 27, take (or permit any Subsidiary to take) any action if at the time such action is taken it is reasonably foreseeable that such action will diminish substantially or otherwise eliminate the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights.

 

(p) In the event that, at any time after the date of this Agreement and prior to the Distribution Date, the Company shall (i) declare or pay any dividend on outstanding Common Shares payable in Common Shares or (ii) effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in shares of

 

16


Common Shares) into a greater or lesser number of Common Shares, then in any such case the number of Units of Preferred Stock purchasable after such event upon proper exercise of each Right shall be determined by multiplying the number of Units of Preferred Stock so purchasable immediately prior to such event by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately before such event and the denominator of which is the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately after such event. The adjustments provided for in this Section 11(p) shall be made successively whenever such a dividend is declared or paid or such a subdivision, combination or consolidation is effected.

 

Section 12. Certificate of Adjusted Purchase Price or Number of Shares. Whenever an adjustment is made as provided in Sections 11 and 13 hereof, the Company shall promptly (a) prepare a certificate setting forth such adjustment, and a brief statement of the facts accounting for such adjustment, (b) file with the Rights Agent and with each transfer agent for the Common Shares a copy of such certificate and (c) mail a brief summary thereof to each holder of a Right Certificate in accordance with Section 26 hereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, the failure by the Company to make such certification or give such notice shall not affect the validity of or the force or effect of the requirement for such adjustment. The Rights Agent shall be fully protected in relying on any such certificate and on any adjustment contained therein and shall not be deemed to have knowledge of such adjustment unless and until it shall have received such certificate.

 

Section 13. Consolidation, Merger or Sale or Transfer of Assets or Earning Power. In the event, directly or indirectly, (a) the Company shall consolidate with, or merge with and into, any other person, (b) any Person shall consolidate with the Company, or merge with and into the Company and the Company shall be the continuing or surviving corporation of such merger and, in connection with such merger, all or part of the Common Shares shall be changed into or exchanged for stock or other securities of any other Person (or the Company) or cash or any other property, or (c) the Company shall sell or otherwise transfer (or one or more of its Subsidiaries shall sell or otherwise transfer), in one or more transactions, assets or earning power aggregating 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to any other Person other than the Company or one or more of its wholly-owned Subsidiaries, then, and in each such case, proper provision shall be made so that (i) each holder of a Right (except as otherwise provided herein) shall thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at a price equal to the then current Purchase Price multiplied by the number of Units of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable, in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, such number of Common Shares of such other Person (including the Company as successor thereto or as the surviving corporation) as shall be equal to the result obtained by (x) multiplying the then current Purchase Price by the number of Units of Preferred Stock for which a Right is then exercisable and dividing that product by (y) 50% of the then current per share market price of the Common Shares of such other Person (determined pursuant to Section 11(d)) on the date of consummation of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer; (ii) the issuer of such Common Shares shall thereafter be liable for, and shall assume, by virtue of such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer, all the obligations and duties of the Company pursuant to this Agreement; (iii) the term “Company” shall thereafter be deemed to refer to such issuer; and (iv) such issuer shall take such steps (including, but not limited to, the reservation of a

 

17


sufficient number of its Common Shares in accordance with Section 9 hereof) in connection with such consummation as may be necessary to assure that the provisions hereof shall thereafter be applicable, as nearly as reasonably may be, in relation to the Common Shares thereafter deliverable upon the exercise of the Rights. The Company shall not enter into any transaction of the kind referred to in this Section 13 if at the time of such transaction there are any rights, warrants, instruments or securities outstanding or any agreements or arrangements which, as a result of the consummation of such transaction, would eliminate or substantially diminish the benefits intended to be afforded by the Rights. The Company shall not consummate any such consolidation, merger, sale or transfer unless prior thereto the Company and such issuer shall have executed and delivered to the Rights Agent a supplemental agreement so providing. The provisions of this Section 13 shall similarly apply to successive mergers or consolidations or sales or other transfers.

 

Section 14. Fractional Rights and Fractional Shares.

 

(a) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Rights or to distribute Right Certificates which evidence fractional Rights. In lieu of such fractional Rights, there shall be paid to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Rights would otherwise be issuable, an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Right. For the purposes of this Section 14(a), the current market value of a whole Right shall be the closing price of the Rights for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date on which such fractional Rights would have been otherwise issuable. The closing price for any day shall be the last sale price, regular way, or, in case no such sale takes place on such day, the average of the closing bid and asked prices, regular way, in either case as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, or if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on the New York Stock Exchange, as reported in the principal consolidated transaction reporting system with respect to securities listed on the principal national securities exchange on which the Rights are listed or admitted to trading or, if the Rights are not listed or admitted to trading on any national securities exchange, the last quoted price or, if not so quoted, the average of the high bid and low asked prices in the over-the-counter market, as reported by NASDAQ or such other system then in use or, if on any such date the Rights are not quoted by any such organization, the average of the closing bid and asked prices as furnished by a professional market maker making a market in the Rights selected by the Board of Directors of the Company. If on any such date no such market maker is making a market in the Rights the fair value of the Rights on such date as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company shall be used.

 

(b) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of shares of Preferred Stock upon exercise of the Rights or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional shares of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth. In lieu of fractional shares that are not integral multiples of one one-hundredth, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of Right Certificates at the time such Rights are exercised as herein provided an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of one share of Preferred Stock as determined pursuant to Section 11(d).

 

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(c) The holder of a Right by the acceptance of the Right expressly waives his right to receive any fractional Rights or any fractional shares upon exercise of a Right (except as provided above).

 

Section 15. Rights of Action. All rights of action in respect of this Agreement, excepting the rights of action given to the Rights Agent under Section 18 hereof, are vested in the respective registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the registered holders of the Common Shares); and any registered holder of any Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), without the consent of the Rights Agent or of the holder of any other Right Certificates (or, prior to the Distribution Date, of the Common Shares), may, in his or her own behalf and for his or her own benefit, enforce, and may institute and maintain any suit, action or proceeding against the Company to enforce, or otherwise act in respect of, his or her right to exercise the Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate in the manner provided in such Right Certificate and in this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing or any remedies available to the holders of Rights, it is specifically acknowledged that the holders of Rights would not have an adequate remedy at law for any breach of this Agreement and will be entitled to specific performance of the obligations under, and injunctive relief against actual or threatened violations of, the obligations of any Person subject to this Agreement.

 

Section 16. Agreement of Right Holders. Every holder of a Right, by accepting the same, consents and agrees with the Company and the Rights Agent and with every other holder of a Right that:

 

(a) prior to the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferable only in connection with the transfer of the Common Shares;

 

(b) after the Distribution Date, the Right Certificates are transferable only on the registry books of the Rights Agent if surrendered at the principal office of the Rights Agent, duly endorsed or accompanied by a proper instrument of transfer;

 

(c) the Company and the Rights Agent may deem and treat the person in whose name the Right Certificate (or, prior to the Distribution Date, the associated Common Shares certificate) is registered as the absolute owner thereof and of the Rights evidenced thereby (notwithstanding any notations of ownership or writing on the Right Certificates or the associated Common Shares certificate made by anyone other than the Company or the Rights Agent) for all purposes whatsoever, and neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall be affected by any notice to the contrary; and

 

(d) notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, neither the Company nor the Rights Agent shall have any liability to any holder of a Right or other Person as a result of its inability to perform any of its obligations under this Agreement by reason of any preliminary or permanent injunction or other order, decree or ruling issued by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental, regulatory or administrative agency or commission, or any statute, rule, regulation or executive order promulgated to enacted by any governmental

 

19


authority, prohibiting or otherwise restraining performance of such obligation; provided, however, the Company must use its best efforts to have any such order, decree or ruling lifted or otherwise overturned as soon as possible.

 

Section 17. Right Certificate Holder Not Deemed a Shareholder. No holder, as such, of any Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote, receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the shares of Preferred Stock or any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise of the Rights represented thereby, nor that anything contained herein or in any Right Certificate be construed to confer upon the holder of any Right Certificate, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meeting or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in Section 25 hereof), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by such Right Certificate shall have been exercised in accordance with the provisions hereof.

 

Section 18. Concerning the Rights Agent. The Company agrees to pay to the Rights Agent reasonable compensation for all services rendered by it hereunder and, from time to time, on demand of the Rights Agent, its reasonable expenses and counsel fees and other disbursements incurred in the administration and execution of this Agreement and the exercise and performance of its duties hereunder. The Company also agrees to indemnify the Rights Agent for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability, or expense, incurred without gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on the part of the Rights Agent, for anything done or omitted by the Rights Agent in connection with the acceptance and administration of this Agreement, including the cost and expenses of defending against any claim of liability in the premises.

 

The Rights Agent shall be protected and shall incur no liability for, or in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it in connection with its administration of this Agreement in reliance upon any Right Certificate or certificate for the shares of Preferred Stock or Common Shares or for other securities of the Company, instrument of assignment or transfer, power of attorney, endorsement, affidavit, letter, notice, direction, consent, certificate, statement, or other paper or documents believed by it to be genuine and to be signed, executed and, where necessary, verified or acknowledged, by the proper person or persons, or otherwise upon the advice of counsel as set forth in Section 20 hereof.

 

Section 19. Merger or Consolidation or Change of Name of Rights Agent. Any corporation into which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may be merged or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger or consolidation to which the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate trust business of the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent, shall be the successor to the Rights Agent under this Agreement without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, provided that such corporation would be eligible for appointment as a successor Rights Agent under the provisions of Section 21 hereof. In case at the time such successor Rights Agent shall succeed to the agency

 

20


created by this Agreement, any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, any such successor Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature of the predecessor Rights Agent and deliver such Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, any successor Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in the name of the predecessor Rights Agent or in the name of the successor Rights Agent; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.

 

In case at any time the name of the Rights Agent shall be changed and at such time any of the Right Certificates shall have been countersigned but not delivered, the Rights Agent may adopt the countersignature under its prior name and deliver Right Certificates so countersigned; and in case at that time any of the Right Certificates shall not have been countersigned, the Rights Agent may countersign such Right Certificates either in its prior name or in its changed name; and in all such cases such Right Certificates shall have the full force provided in the Right Certificates and in this Agreement.

 

Section 20. Duties of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent undertakes the duties and obligations imposed by this Agreement upon the following terms and conditions, by all of which the Company and the holders of Right Certificates, by their acceptance thereof, shall be bound:

 

(a) The Rights Agent may consult with legal counsel (who may be legal counsel for the Company), and the opinion of such counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection to the Rights Agent as to any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and in accordance with such opinion.

 

(b) Whenever in the performance of its duties under this Agreement the Rights Agent shall deem it necessary or desirable that any fact or matter be proved or established by the Company prior to taking or suffering any action hereunder, such fact or matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by a certificate signed by any one of the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Executive or Senior Vice President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Rights Agent; and such certificate shall be full authorization to the Rights Agent for any action taken or suffered in good faith by it under the provisions of this Agreement in reliance upon such certificate.

 

(c) The Rights Agent shall be liable hereunder to the Company and any other Person only for its own gross negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.

 

(d) The Rights Agent shall not be liable for or by reason of any of the statements of fact or recitals contained in this Agreement or in the Right Certificates (except its countersignature thereof) or be required to verify the same, but all such statements and recitals are and shall be deemed to have been made by the Company only.

 

(e) The Rights Agent shall not be under any responsibility in respect of the validity of this Agreement or the execution and delivery hereof (except the due execution hereof

 

21


by the Rights Agent) or in respect of the validity or execution of any Right Certificate (except its countersignature thereof); nor shall it be responsible for any breach by the Company of any covenant or condition contained in this Agreement or in any Right Certificate; nor shall it be responsible for any change in the exercisability of the Rights or any adjustment in the terms of the Rights (including the manner, method or amount thereof) provided for in Section 3, 11, 13 or 23, or the ascertaining of the existence of facts that would require any such change or adjustment (except with respect to the exercise of Rights evidenced by Right Certificates after actual notice that such change or adjustment is required); nor shall it by any act hereunder be deemed to make any representation or warranty as to the authorization or reservation of any shares of Preferred Stock to be issued pursuant to this Agreement or any Right Certificate or as to whether any such shares will, when issued, be validly authorized and issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

 

(f) The Company agrees that it will perform, execute, acknowledge and deliver or cause to be performed, executed, acknowledged and delivered all such further and other acts, instruments and assurances as may reasonably be required by the Rights Agent for the carrying out or performing by the Rights Agent of the provisions of this Agreement.

 

(g) The Rights Agent is hereby authorized and directed to accept instructions with respect to the performance of its duties hereunder from any one of the Chairman of the Board, the President, any Executive or Senior Vice President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary of the Company, and to apply to such officers for advice or instructions in connection with its duties, and it shall not be liable for any action taken or suffered by it in good faith in accordance with instructions of any such officer or for any delay in acting while waiting for those instructions.

 

(h) The Rights Agent and any shareholder, director, officer or employee of the Rights Agent may buy, sell or deal in any of the Rights or other securities of the Company or become pecuniarily interested in any transaction in which the Company may be interested, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise, or contract with or lend money to the Company or otherwise act as fully and freely as though it were not Rights Agent under this Agreement. Nothing herein shall preclude the Rights Agent from acting in any other capacity for the Company or for any other legal entity.

 

(i) The Rights Agent may execute and exercise any of the rights or powers hereby vested in it or perform any duty hereunder either itself or by or through its attorneys or agents, and the Rights Agent shall not be answerable or accountable for any act, default, neglect or misconduct of any such attorneys or agents or any loss to the Company resulting from any such act, default, neglect or misconduct, provided reasonable care was exercised in the selection and continued employment thereof.

 

Section 21. Change of Rights Agent. The Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent may resign and be discharged from its duties under this Agreement upon 30 days’ notice in writing mailed to the Company and to each transfer agent of the Preferred Stock and the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. The Company may remove the Rights Agent or any successor Rights Agent

 

22


upon 30 days’ notice in writing, mailed to the Rights Agent or successor Rights Agent, as the case may be, and to each transfer agent of the Preferred Stock and the Common Shares by registered or certified mail, and to the holders of the Right Certificates by first-class mail. If the Rights Agent shall resign or be removed or shall otherwise become incapable of acting, the Company shall appoint a successor to the Rights Agent. If the Company shall fail to make such appointment within a period of 30 days after giving notice of such removal or after it has been notified in writing of such resignation or incapacity by the resigning or incapacitated Rights Agent or by the holder of a Right Certificate (who shall, with such notice, submit his or her Right Certificate for inspection by the Company), then the registered holder of any Right Certificate may apply to any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a new Rights Agent. Any successor Rights Agent, whether appointed by the Company or by such a court, shall be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States or of any state of the United States, in good standing, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust or stock transfer powers and is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority and which has at the time of its appointment as Rights Agent a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million. After appointment, the successor Rights Agent shall be vested with the same power, rights, duties and responsibilities as if it had been originally named as Rights Agent without further act or deed; but the predecessor Rights Agent shall deliver and transfer to the successor Rights Agent any property at the time held by it hereunder, and execute and deliver any further assurance, conveyance, act or deed necessary for the purpose. Not later than the effective date of any such appointment the Company shall file notice thereof in writing with the predecessor Rights Agent and each transfer agent of the Preferred Stock and the Common Shares, and mail a notice thereof in writing to the registered holders of the Right Certificates. Failure to give any notice provided for in this Section 21, however, or any defect therein, shall not affect the legality or validity of the resignation or removal of the Rights Agent or the appointment of the successor Rights Agent, as the case may be.

 

Section 22. Issuance of New Right Certificates. Notwithstanding any of the provisions of this Agreement or of the Rights to the contrary, the Company may, at its option, issue new Right Certificates evidencing Rights in such form as may be approved by its Board of Directors to reflect any adjustment or change in the Purchase Price and the number or kind or class of shares or other securities or property purchasable under the Right Certificates made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement.

 

Section 23. Redemption. (a) The Rights may be redeemed by action of the Board of Directors pursuant to paragraph (b) or (c) of this Section 23 and shall not be redeemed in any other manner.

 

(b) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time , redeem all but not less than all the then outstanding Rights at a redemption price of $.001 per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such redemption price being hereinafter referred to as the “Redemption Price”).

 

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(c) (i) In the event that (A) a Qualifying Offer has been commenced by an Offeror and (B) such Offeror delivers to the Company the Information Statement, a copy of each definitive financing agreement referred to in Section 1(m)(iii), if any (collectively, the “Definitive Financing Agreements”), and written notices of demand from the holders of at least 10% of the outstanding Voting Stock that the Company hold a special meeting of shareholders for the purpose set forth in this paragraph, the Board of Directors of the Company shall call a special meeting of shareholders (the “Special Meeting”) for the purpose of voting on a resolution requesting the Board of Directors of the Company to redeem the Rights to allow the completion of such Qualifying Offer or another qualifying tender offer for all outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company at a price that is not less than that contained in such Qualifying Offer (the “Resolution”). The Special Meeting shall be held on a date selected by the Board of Directors of the Company, which date shall be not less than 30 and not more than 60 days after the date of receipt by the Company of the Information Statement, the Definitive Financing Agreements, if any, and notices of demand referred to in the preceding sentence (the “Demand Date”), unless the Company and the Offeror agree to a later date. The Board of Directors of the Company shall set a date for determining the shareholders of record entitled to notice of and to vote at the Special Meeting in accordance with the Company’s Restated Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and with applicable law. The notice of the meeting or the initial written proxy soliciting material disseminated on behalf of the Board of Directors shall be accompanied by the Information Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Special Meeting shall be held pursuant to this Agreement if, at any time between the commencement of the Qualifying Offer and the time fixed for the Special Meeting, the Offeror acquires beneficial ownership of 5% or more of the outstanding Common Shares, and any Special Meeting scheduled prior to such time and not theretofore held shall be canceled.

 

(ii) If at the Special Meeting, the Resolution receives the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the outstanding shares of Voting Stock as of the record date of the Special Meeting, then the Board of Directors of the Company shall promptly act to redeem all of the outstanding Rights at the Redemption Price, effective immediately prior to the consummation of any tender offer (provided that such tender offer is consummated not less than 31 nor more than 60 days after the date on which the final result of the vote at the Special Meeting is certified) pursuant to which any Person offers to purchase all of the shares of capital stock of the Company held by Persons other than such Person and its Affiliates at a price per share equal to or greater than the price contained in the Qualifying Offer.

 

(iii) Nothing contained in this paragraph (c) shall be deemed to be in derogation of the obligation of the Board of Directors of the Company to exercise its fiduciary duty. Without limiting the foregoing, nothing contained herein shall be construed to suggest or imply that the Board of Directors shall not be entitled to reject any proposal to acquire the Company, or to recommend that holders of shares of capital stock of the Company reject any Qualifying Offer, or to take any other action (including, without limitation, the commencement, prosecution, defense or settlement of any litigation and the submission of additional or alternative tender offers or other proposals to the Special Meeting) with respect to any Qualifying Offer or any proposal to acquire the Company that the Board of Directors of the Company believes is necessary or appropriate in the exercise of such fiduciary duty.

 

24


(iv) Nothing in this paragraph (c) shall be construed as limiting or prohibiting the Company or any Offeror from proposing or engaging, at any time, in any acquisition, disposition or other transfer of any securities of the Company, any merger or consolidation involving the Company, any sale or other transfer of assets of the Company, any liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company, or any other business combination or other transaction, or any other action by the Company or such Offeror; provided, however, that the holders of Rights shall have the rights set forth in this Agreement with respect to any such acquisition disposition, transfer, merger, consolidation , sale, liquidation, dissolution, winding-up, business combination, transaction or action.

 

Section 24. Exchange. (a) The Board of Directors of the Company may, at its option, at any time after any Person becomes an Acquiring Person, exchange all or part of the then outstanding and exercisable Rights (which shall not include Rights that have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right, appropriately adjusted to reflect any stock split, stock dividend, or similar transaction occurring after the date hereof (such exchange ratio being hereinafter referred to as the “Exchange Ratio”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall not be empowered to effect such exchange at any time after any person (other than the Company, any Subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any such Subsidiary, or any entity holding Common Shares for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan), together with all Affiliates and Associates of such Person, becomes the Beneficial Owner of 50% or more of the Common Shares then outstanding.

 

(b) Immediately upon the effective date of the action of the Board of Directors of the Company ordering the exchange of any Rights pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 24 and without any further action and without any notice, the right to exercise such Rights shall terminate and the only right thereafter of a holder of such Rights shall be to receive that number of Common Shares equal to the number of such Rights held by such holder multiplied by the Exchange Ratio. The Company shall promptly give public notice of any such exchange; provided, however, that the failure to give, or any defect in, such notice shall not affect the validity of such exchange. The Company promptly shall mail a notice of any such exchange to all of the holders of such Rights at their last addresses as they appear upon the registry books of the Rights Agent on the effective date of said action of the Board of Directors ordering the exchange of Rights. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be deemed given, whether or not the holder receives the notice. Each such notice of exchange will state the method by which the exchange of the Rights for Common Shares will be effected and, in the event of any partial exchange, the number of Rights which will be exchanged. Any partial exchange shall be effected pro rata based on the number of Rights (other than Rights which have become void pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(a)(ii) hereof) held by each holder of Rights.

 

(c) In the event that there shall not be sufficient Common Shares issued but not outstanding or authorized but unissued to permit any exchange of Rights as contemplated in accordance with subsection (a) of this Section 24, the Company may substitute, for each Common Share that would otherwise be issuable upon exchange of a Right, a number of shares

 

25


of Preferred Stock or fraction thereof such that the current per share market price of one Unit of Preferred Stock multiplied by such number or fraction is equal to the current per share market price of one Common Share as of the date of issuance of such Preferred Stock or fraction thereof.

 

(d) The Company shall not be required to issue fractions of Common Shares or to distribute certificates which evidence fractional Common Shares. In lieu of such fractional Common Shares, the Company shall pay to the registered holders of the Right Certificates with regard to which such fractional Common Shares would otherwise be issuable an amount in cash equal to the same fraction of the current market value of a whole Common Share. For the purposes of this paragraph (d), the current market value of a whole Common Stock shall be the closing price of a Common Share (as determined pursuant to the second sentence of Section 11(d) hereof) for the Trading Day immediately prior to the date of exchange pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section 24.

 

Section 25. Notice of Certain Events. (a) In case the Company shall propose (i) to pay any dividend payable in stock of any class to the holders of its Preferred Stock (other than a regular quarterly cash dividend) or (ii) to offer to the holders of its Preferred Stock rights or warrants to subscribe for or to purchase any additional shares of Preferred Stock or shares of stock of any class or any other securities, rights or options, or (iii) to effect any reclassification of its Preferred Stock (other than a reclassification involving only the subdivision of outstanding Preferred Stock), or (iv) to effect any consolidation or merger into or with, or to effect any sale or other transfer (or to permit one or more of its Subsidiaries to effect any sale or other transfer), in one or more transactions, of 50% or more of the assets or earning power of the Company and its Subsidiaries (taken as a whole) to, any other Person, or (v) to effect the liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, or (vi) to declare or pay any dividend on the Common Shares payable in Common Shares or to effect a subdivision, combination or consolidation of the Common Shares (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of dividends in Common Shares), then, in each such case, the Company shall give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of such proposed action, which shall specify the record date for the purposes of such stock dividend, or distribution of rights or warrants, or the date on which such reclassification, consolidation, merger, sale, transfer, liquidation, dissolution, or winding up is to take place and the date of participation therein by the holders of the Preferred Stock or the Common Shares, if any such date is to be fixed, and such notice shall be so given in the case of any action covered by clause (i) or (ii) above at least 20 days prior to the record date for determining holders of the Preferred Stock or the Common Shares for purposes of such action, and in the case of any such other action, at least 20 days prior to the date of the taking of such proposed action or the date of participation therein by the holders of the Common Shares, whichever shall be the earlier.

 

(b) In case the event set forth in Section 11(a)(ii) of this Agreement shall occur, then, in any such case, the Company shall as soon as practicable thereafter give to each holder of a Right Certificate, in accordance with Section 26 hereof, a notice of the occurrence of such event, which notice shall describe the event and the consequences of the event to holders of Rights under Section 11(a)(ii) hereof.

 

26


Section 26. Notices. Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Rights Agent or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Company shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Rights Agent) as follows:

 

    Greater Bay Bancorp    
    1900 University Avenue, 6th Floor    
    East Palo Alto, California 94303    
   

Attention:         Executive Vice President

                        and

                        Chief Financial Officer

   

 

Subject to the provisions of Section 21 hereof, any notice or demand authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or by the holder of any Right Certificate to or on the Rights Agent shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed (until another address is filed in writing with the Company) as follows:

 

    Wells Fargo Bank , N. A.    
    161 North Concord Exchange    
    South St. Paul, Minnesota 55075    
   

Attention:         Account Manager

                        Greater Bay Bancorp

   

 

Notices or demands authorized by this Agreement to be given or made by the Company or the Rights Agent to the holder of any Right Certificate shall be sufficiently given or made if sent by first-class mail, postage prepaid, addressed to such holder at the address of such holder as shown on the registry books of the Company.

 

Section 27. Supplements and Amendments. Prior to the Distribution Date, the Company may supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holders of Rights by action of its Board of Directors, and the Rights Agent shall, if the Company so directs, execute such supplement or amendment. From and after the Distribution Date, the Company may supplement or amend this Agreement without the approval of any holder of Rights, by action of its Board of Directors, in order (i) to cure any ambiguity, (ii) to correct or supplement any provision contained herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions herein (iii) to shorten or lengthen any time period hereunder, or to (iv) make any other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising hereunder which the Company and the Rights Agent may deem necessary or desirable and which shall be consistent with, and for the purpose of fulfilling, the objectives of the Board of Directors in adopting this Agreement; provided, however, that from and after such time as any Person becomes an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, this Agreement shall not be amended in any manner which would adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights; provided further, unless otherwise approved by the holders of a majority of the

 

27


Company’s Voting Stock voting for or against a proposed supplement, amendment or new rights agreement at an annual or special meeting of the shareholders of the Company, no supplement or amendment shall be made to this Agreement, and no new rights agreement shall be adopted, that changes the Purchase Price, the Redemption Price, the number and type of shares for which a Right is exercisable (except, in each case, for adjustments that are expressly provided for herein), the Final Expiration Date, the 20% threshold included in Sections 1(a), 1(b), 3 and 11(a)(iv) or the provisions set forth in Sections 1(m) and 23(c) hereof. Upon receipt of a certificate from an appropriate officer of the Company that the proposed supplement or amendment is consistent with this Section 27 and, after such time as any Person has become an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, that the proposed supplement or amendment does not adversely affect the interests of the holders of Rights, the Rights Agent shall execute such supplement or amendment.

 

Section 28. Successors. All the covenants and provisions of this Agreement by or for the benefit of the Company or the Rights Agent shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and assigns hereunder.

 

Section 29. Benefits of this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to give to any person or corporation other than the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common

 

Shares) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Agreement; but this Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the Company, the Rights Agent and the registered holders of the Right Certificates (and, prior to the Distribution Date, the Common Shares).

 

Section 30. Determinations and Actions by the Board of Directors. For all purposes of this Agreement, any calculation of the number of Common Shares outstanding at any particular time, including for purposes of determining the particular percentage of such outstanding shares of which any Person is the Beneficial Owner, shall be made in accordance with the last sentence of Rule 13d-3(d)(1)(i) of the Exchange Act. The Board of Directors of the Company shall have the exclusive power and authority to administer this Agreement and to exercise all rights and powers specifically granted to the Board of Directors, or the Company, or as may be necessary or advisable in the administration of this Agreement, including, without limitation, the right and power to (i) interpret the provisions of this Agreement and (ii) make all determinations deemed necessary or advisable for the administration of this Agreement (including a determination to redeem or not redeem the Rights or to amend the Agreement). All such actions, calculations, interpretations and determinations (including, for purposes of clause (y) below, all omissions with respect to the foregoing), which are done or made by the Board of Directors in good faith, shall (x) be final, conclusive and binding on the Company, the Rights Agent, the holders of the Rights Certificate and all other parties and (y) not subject the Board of Directors to any liability to the holders of the Rights.

 

Section 31. Severability. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction or other authority to be invalid, void or unenforceable, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated.

 

28


Section 32. Governing Law. This Agreement and each Right Certificate issued hereunder shall be deemed to be a contract made under the laws of the State of California 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.

 

Section 33. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

Section 34. Descriptive Headings. Descriptive headings of the several Sections of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

 

29


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

            GREATER BAY BANCORP
Attest:                
By:  

/s/ Linda M. Iannone


      By:  

/s/ Byron A. Scordelis


Name:   Linda M. Iannone       Name:   Byron A. Scordelis
Title:   Secretary       Title:   President and CEO
Attest:           WELLS FARGO BANK , N. A.
By:  

/s/ Suzanne Swits


      By:  

/s/ Nancy Rosengren


Name:   Suzanne Swits       Name:   Nancy Rosengren
Title:   Vice President       Title:   Vice President

 

30


Exhibit A

 

CERTIFICATE OF DETERMINATION

 

of

 

SERIES A PREFERRED STOCK

 

of

 

GREATER BAY BANCORP

 

(Pursuant to Section 401 of the

California General Corporation Law)

 

David L. Kalkbrenner and Carleen Maniglia hereby certify that:

 

A. They are the President and Assistant Secretary, respectively, of Greater Bay Bancorp, a California corporation (the “Corporation”).

 

B. The Corporation’s Articles of Incorporation authorize the issuance of up to 4,000,000 shares of Preferred Stock.

 

C. Pursuant to the authority conferred upon the Board of Directors by the Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation, and pursuant to the provisions of Section 401 of the General Corporation Law of the State of California (the “GCL”), the Board of Directors, at a meeting duly held on November 17, 1998, adopted resolutions providing for the designation and issuance of a series of 1,200,000 shares of Series A Preferred Stock, without par value (the “Series A Preferred Stock”).

 

D. The Certificate of Determination creating the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of the Series A Preferred Stock reads as follows:

 

Section 1. Designation and Amount. The shares of such series shall be designated as “Series A Preferred Stock” (the “Series A Preferred Stock”) and the number of shares constituting the Series A Preferred Stock shall be 1,200,000 shares. Such number of shares may be increased or decreased by resolution of the Board of Directors; provided, that no decrease shall reduce the number of shares of Series A Preferred Stock to a number less than the number of shares then outstanding plus the number of shares reserved for issuance upon the exercise of outstanding options, rights or warrants or upon the conversion of any outstanding securities issued by the Corporation convertible into Series A Preferred Stock.

 

Section 2. Dividends and Distributions. (A) Subject to the rights of the holders of any shares of any series of Preferred Stock (or any similar stock) ranking prior and superior to

 

1


the Series A Preferred Stock with respect to dividends, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock, in preference to the holders of Common Stock, no par value (the “Common Stock”), of the Corporation, and of any other junior stock, shall be entitled to receive, when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors out of funds legally available for the purpose, quarterly dividends payable in cash on the last day of March, June, September and December in each year (each such date being referred to herein as a “Quarterly Dividend Payment Date”), commencing on the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date after the first issuance of a share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock, in an amount per share (rounded to the nearest cent) equal to the greater of (a) $.095 or (b) subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, the aggregate per share amount of all cash dividends, and the aggregate per share amount (payable in kind) of all non-cash dividends or other distributions, other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock or a subdivision of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise), declared on the Common Stock since the immediately preceding Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or, with respect to the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, since the first issuance of any share or fraction of a share of Series A Preferred Stock. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under clause (b) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

 

(B) The Corporation shall declare a dividend or distribution on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in paragraph (A) of this Section immediately after it declares a dividend or distribution on the Common Stock (other than a dividend payable in shares of Common Stock); provided that, in the event no dividend or distribution shall have been declared on the Common Stock during the period between any Quarterly Dividend Payment Date and the next subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, a dividend of $.095 per share on the Series A Preferred Stock shall nevertheless be payable on such subsequent Quarterly Dividend Payment Date.

 

(C) Dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative on outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock from the Quarterly Dividend Payment Date next preceding the date of issue of such shares, unless the date of issue of such shares is prior to the record date for the first Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in which case dividends on such shares shall begin to accrue from the date of issue of such shares, or unless the date of issue is a Quarterly Dividend Payment Date or is a date after the record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive a quarterly dividend and before such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date, in either of which events such dividends shall begin to accrue and be cumulative from such Quarterly Dividend Payment Date. Accrued but unpaid dividends shall not bear interest. Dividends paid on the shares of Series A Preferred Stock in an amount less than the total amount of such dividends at the time accrued and payable on such shares shall be allocated

 

2


pro rata on a share-by-share basis among all such shares at the time outstanding. The Board of Directors may fix a record date for the determination of holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock entitled to receive payment of a dividend or distribution declared thereon, which record date shall be not less than 10 nor more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for the payment thereof.

 

Section 3. Voting Rights. The holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have the following voting rights:

 

(A) Each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall entitle the holder thereof to one vote on all matters submitted to a vote of the shareholders of the Corporation.

 

(B) Except as otherwise provided herein, in any other Certificate of Determination creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock, or by law, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock and the holders of shares of Common Stock and any other capital stock of the Corporation having general voting rights shall vote together as one class on all matters submitted to a vote of shareholders of the Corporation.

 

Section 4. Certain Restrictions. (A) Whenever quarterly dividends or other dividends or distributions payable on the Series A Preferred Stock as provided in Section 2 are in arrears, thereafter and until all accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions, whether or not declared, on shares of Series A Preferred Stock outstanding shall have been paid in full, the Corporation shall not:

 

(i) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock;

 

(ii) declare or pay dividends, or make any other distributions, on any shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except dividends paid ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock on which dividends are payable or in arrears in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are then entitled;

 

(iii) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration shares of any stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock, provided that the Corporation may at any time redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire shares of any such junior stock in exchange for shares of any stock of the Corporation ranking Junior (either as to dividends or upon dissolution, liquidation or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock; or

 

(iv) redeem or purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of Series A Preferred Stock, or any shares of stock ranking on a parity with the

 

3


Series A Preferred Stock, except in accordance with a purchase offer made in writing or by publication (as determined by the Board of Directors) to all holders of such shares upon such terms as the Board of Directors, after consideration of the respective annual dividend rates and other relative rights and preferences of the respective series and classes, shall determine in good faith will result in fair and equitable treatment among the respective series or classes.

 

(B) The Corporation shall not permit any subsidiary of the Corporation to purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration any shares of stock of the Corporation unless the Corporation could, under paragraph (A) of this Section 4, purchase or otherwise acquire such shares at such time and in such manner.

 

Section 5. Reacquired Shares. Any shares of Series A Preferred Stock purchased or otherwise acquired by the Corporation in any manner whatsoever shall be retired and cancelled promptly after the acquisition thereof. All such shares shall upon their cancellation become authorized but unissued shares of Preferred Stock and may be reissued as part of a new series of Preferred Stock subject to the conditions and restrictions on issuance set forth herein, in the Articles of Incorporation, or in any other Certificate of Determination creating a series of Preferred Stock or any similar stock or as otherwise required by law.

 

Section 6. Liquidation, Dissolution or Winding Up. Upon any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, no distribution shall be made (1) to the holders of shares of stock ranking junior (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) to the Series A Preferred Stock unless, prior thereto, the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall have received an amount per share equal to $100.00, plus an amount equal to accrued and unpaid dividends and distributions thereon, whether or not declared, to the date of such payment, provided that the holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be entitled to receive an aggregate amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to the aggregate amount to be distributed per share to holders of shares of Common Stock, or (2) to the holders of shares of stock ranking on a parity (either as to dividends or upon liquidation, dissolution or winding up) with the Series A Preferred Stock, except distributions made ratably on the Series A Preferred Stock and all such parity stock in proportion to the total amounts to which the holders of all such shares are entitled upon such liquidation, dissolution or winding up. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the aggregate amount to which holders of shares of Series A Preferred Stock were entitled immediately prior to such event under the proviso in clause (1) of the preceding sentence shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

 

4


Section 7. Consolidation, Merger, etc. In case the Corporation shall enter into any consolidation, merger, combination or other transaction in which the shares of Common Stock are exchanged for or changed into other stock or securities, cash and/or any other property, then in any such case each share of Series A Preferred Stock shall at the same time be similarly exchanged or changed into an amount per share, subject to the provision for adjustment hereinafter set forth, equal to the aggregate amount of stock, securities, cash and/or any other property (payable in kind), as the case may be, into which or for which each share of Common Stock is changed or exchanged. In the event the Corporation shall at any time declare or pay any dividend on the Common Stock payable in shares of Common Stock, or effect a subdivision or combination or consolidation of the outstanding shares of Common Stock (by reclassification or otherwise than by payment of a dividend in shares of Common Stock) into a greater or lesser number of shares of Common Stock, then in each such case the amount set forth in the preceding sentence with respect to the exchange or change of shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall be adjusted by multiplying such amount by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock outstanding immediately after such event and the denominator of which is the number of shares of Common Stock that were outstanding immediately prior to such event.

 

Section 8. Redemption. The shares of Series A Preferred Stock shall not be redeemable.

 

Section 9. Rank. The Series A Preferred Stock shall rank, with respect to the payment of dividends and the distribution of assets, junior to all other series of the Corporation’s Preferred Stock, unless the terms of any such series shall provide otherwise.

 

Section 10. Amendment. The Articles of Incorporation of the Corporation shall not be amended in any manner which would materially alter or change the powers, preferences or special rights of the Series A Preferred Stock so as to affect them adversely without the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of Series A Preferred Stock, voting together as a single series.

 

E. The foregoing Certificate of Determination has been duly approved by the Board of Directors of the Corporation.

 

F. None of the shares of Series A Preferred Stock authorized by the foregoing Certificate of Determination has been issued.

 

5


The undersigned declare under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of California that the matters set forth in this Certificate are true and correct of their own knowledge.

 

Date: November    , 1998

 


David L. Kalkbrenner, President

 


Carleen Maniglia, Assistant Secretary

 

 

6


Exhibit B

 

Form of Right Certificate

 

Certificate No. R-

               Rights

 

NOT EXERCISABLE AFTER NOVEMBER 17, 2008 OR EARLIER

IF REDEMPTION OCCURS. THE RIGHTS ARE SUBJECT

TO REDEMPTION AT $.001 PER RIGHT ON THE TERMS

SET FORTH IN THE RIGHTS AGREEMENT.

 

Right Certificate

 

GREATER BAY BANCORP

 

This certifies that                                 , or registered assigns, is the registered owner of the number of Rights set forth above, each of which entitles the owner thereof, subject to the terms, provisions and conditions of the Amended and Restated Rights Agreement, dated as of                     , 2006 (the “Rights Agreement”), between GREATER BAY BANCORP, a California corporation (the “Company”), and WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. (the “Rights Agent”), to purchase from the Company at any time after the Distribution Date (as such term is defined in the Rights Agreement) and prior to 5:00 p.m., California time, on November 17, 2008, at the office of the Rights Agent, or at the office of its successor as Rights Agent, one one-hundredth of a fully paid non-assessable share of Preferred Stock, no par value (the “Preferred Shares”), of the Company, at a purchase price of $145.00 per Preferred Share (the “Purchase Price”), upon presentation and surrender of this Right Certificate with the Form of Election to Purchase duly executed. The number of Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate (and the number of Preferred Shares which may be purchased upon exercise hereof) set forth above, and the Purchase Price set forth above, are the number and Purchase Price as of November 17, 1998, based on the Preferred Shares as constituted at such date. As provided in the Rights Agreement, the Purchase Price and the number of Preferred Shares which may be purchased upon the exercise of the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate are subject to modification and adjustment upon the happening of certain events.

 

This Right Certificate is subject to all of the terms, provisions and conditions of the Rights Agreement, which terms provisions and conditions are hereby incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof and to which Rights Agreement reference is hereby made for a full description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations duties and immunities hereunder of the Rights Agent, the Company and the holders of the Right Certificates. Copies of the Rights Agreement are on file at the principal executive offices of the Company and the below-mentioned offices of the Rights Agent.

 

1


This Right Certificate, with or without other Right Certificates, upon surrender at the principal offices of the Rights Agent may be exchanged for another Right Certificate or Right Certificates of like tenor and date evidencing Rights entitling the holder to purchase a like aggregate number of Preferred Shares as the Rights evidenced by the Right Certificate or Right Certificates surrendered shall have entitled such holder to purchase. If this Right Certificate shall be exercised in part, the holder shall be entitled to receive upon surrender hereof another Right or Right Certificates for the number of whole Rights not exercised.

 

Subject to the provisions of the Rights Agreement, the Rights evidenced by this Certificate may be redeemed by the Company at a redemption price of $.001 per Right.

 

No fractional Preferred Shares (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one-hundredth) will be issued upon the exercise of any Right or Rights evidenced hereby, but in lieu thereof a cash payment will be made, as provided in the Right Agreement.

 

No holder of this Right Certificate shall be entitled to vote or receive dividends or be deemed for any purpose the holder of the Preferred Shares or of any other securities of the Company which may at any time be issuable on the exercise hereof, nor shall anything contained in the Rights Agreement or herein be construed to confer upon the holder hereof, as such, any of the rights of a shareholder of the Company or any right to vote for the election of directors or upon any matter submitted to shareholders at any meeting thereof, or to give or withhold consent to any corporate action, or to receive notice of meetings or other actions affecting shareholders (except as provided in the Rights Agreement), or to receive dividends or subscription rights, or otherwise, until the Right or Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate shall have been exercised as provided in the Rights Agreement.

 

This Right Certificate shall not be valid or obligatory for any purpose until it shall have been countersigned by the Rights Agent.

 

WITNESS the facsimile signature of the proper officers of the Company and its corporate seal. Dated as of                     ,         .

 

ATTEST:

 

GREATER BAY BANCORP

By:

 

 


  By:  

 


Countersigned:

       

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.

By:

 

 


    Authorized Signature

 

2


Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate

 

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT

 

(To be executed by the registered holder if such

holder desires to transfer the Right Certificate.)

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

hereby sells, assigns and transfers unto                                                                                                                                                                                           

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

(Please print name and address of transferee)

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

this Right Certificate, together with all right, title and interest therein, and does hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint                              Attorney, to transfer the within Right Certificate on the books of the within-named Company, with full power of substitution.

 

Dated:                     , 19    

 


Signature

 

Signature Guaranteed:

 

Signatures must be guaranteed by a commercial bank or trust company, broker, dealer or other eligible institution which is a member in good standing of a medallion guaranty program approved by the Securities Transfer Association, Inc.

 

3


Form of Reverse Side of Right Certificate — continued

 

FORM OF ELECTION TO PURCHASE

(To be executed if holder desires to

exercise the Right Certificate.)

 

To: GREATER BAY BANCORP

 

The undersigned hereby irrevocably elects to exercise              Rights represented by this Right Certificate to purchase the Common Shares issuable upon the exercise of such Rights and requests that certificates for such Common Shares be issued in the name of:

 

Please insert social security or other identifying number

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

(Please print name and address)

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

If such number of Rights shall not be all the Rights evidenced by this Right Certificate, a new Right Certificate for the balance remaining of such Rights shall be registered in the name of and delivered to:

 

Please insert social security or other identifying number

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

(Please print name and address)

 

Dated:                    , 20    

 

Signature

 

Signature Guaranteed:

 

Signature must be guaranteed by a member firm of a registered national securities exchange, a member of the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., or a commercial bank or trust company having an office or correspondent in the United States.

 

NOTICE

 

The signature in the foregoing forms of assignment and election must conform to the name as written upon the face of this Right Certificate in every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

 

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Exhibit C

 

SUMMARY OF RIGHTS TO PURCHASE

PREFERRED SHARES

 

On November 17, 1998, the Board of Directors of GREATER BAY BANCORP (the “Company”) declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock, no par value (the “Common Shares”), of the Company. The dividend is payable on November 30, 1998 (the “Record Date”) to the shareholders of record on that date. Each Right entitles the registered holder to purchase from the Company one one-hundredth of a share (a “Unit”) of Series A Preferred Stock, no par value (the Preferred “Stock”) of the Company, at a price of $145.00 per Unit Share (the “Purchase Price”), subject to adjustment. The description and terms of the Rights are set forth in an Amended and Restated Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) between the Company and WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., as Rights Agent (the “Rights Agent”).

 

A copy of the Rights Agreement has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an Exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated                     , 2006. A copy of the Rights Agreement is available free of charge from the Company. This summary description of the Rights does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Rights Agreement, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

 

The Rights have certain anti-takeover effects. The Rights will cause substantial dilution to a person or group that attempts to acquire the Company on terms not approved by the Company’s Board of Directors, except pursuant to an offer conditioned on a substantial number of Rights being acquired. The Rights should not interfere with any merger or other business combination approved by the Board of Directors because the Rights may be redeemed by the Company at the Redemption Price prior to the occurrence of a Distribution Date.

 

Description of the Rights

 

Until the earliest to occur of (a) 10 days following a public announcement that a person or group of affiliated or associated persons (an “Acquiring Person”) has acquired, or obtained the right to acquire, beneficial ownership or record ownership of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares; (b) 10 days following the commencement of, or announcement of an intention to make, a tender offer or exchange offer the consummation of which would result in the beneficial ownership or record ownership by a person or group of 20% or more of such outstanding Common Shares; or (c) the date a person or group of affiliated or associated persons is or becomes the beneficial or record owner of 20% or more of the outstanding Common Shares and (i) the actions such person proposes to take are likely to have a material adverse impact on the business or prospects of the Company; (ii) such person intends to cause the Company to

 

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repurchase the Common Shares owned by such person; (iii) such person exercises or attempts to exercise a controlling influence over the Company; or (iv) such person transfers all or a portion of such Common Shares in a manner that results in a person owning 9.9% or more of the Common Shares (an “Adverse Person”) (the earliest of such dates being called the “Distribution Date”), the Rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the Common Share certificates outstanding as of the Record Date, by such Common Share certificate with a copy of this Summary of Rights attached thereto.

 

The Rights Agreement provides that, until the Distribution Date, the Rights will be transferred with and only with the Common Shares. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), new Common Share certificates issued after the Record Date, upon transfer or new issuance of Common Shares will contain a notation incorporating the Rights Agreement by reference. Until the Distribution Date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the Rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for Common Shares, outstanding as of the Record Date, even without such notation or a copy of this Summary of Rights being attached thereto, will also constitute the transfer of the Rights associated with the Common Shares represented by such certificate. As soon as practicable following the Distribution Date, separate certificates evidencing the Rights (“Right Certificates”) will be mailed to holders of record of the Common Shares as of the close of business on the Distribution Date and such separate Right Certificates alone will evidence the Rights.

 

Because of the nature of the dividend, liquidation and voting rights, the value of each Unit of Preferred Stock purchasable upon exercise of the Rights should approximate the value of one Common Share.

 

The Rights are not exercisable until the Distribution Date. The Rights will expire on November 17, 2008 (the “Final Expiration Date”), unless the Final Expiration Date is extended or unless the Rights are earlier redeemed by the Company, in each case, as described below. Unless approved by the Company’s shareholders, the Final Expiration Date may not be extended and no new rights agreement may be adopted.

 

The Purchase Price payable, and the number of Units of Preferred Stock or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the Rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a stock dividend on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the Preferred Stock, (ii) upon the grant to holders of the Units of Preferred Stock of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase Preferred Stock at a price, or securities convertible into Preferred Stock with a conversion price, less than the then current market price of the Preferred Stock or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of the Units of Preferred Stock of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash dividends paid out of earnings or retained earnings or dividends payable in Preferred Stock) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).

 

With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the Purchase Price will be required until

 

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cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% in such Purchase Price. No fractional Units of Preferred Stock (other than fractions which are integral multiples of one one- hundredth) will be issued and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the Units of Preferred Stock on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.

 

Until a Right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a shareholder of the Company, including, without limitation, the right to vote or to receive dividends.

 

Flip-Over and Flip-Over Events

 

In the event that the Company is acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of its consolidated assets or earning power are sold, each holder of a Right will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the Right, that number of shares of common stock of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. In the event that any Person becomes an Acquiring Person or an Adverse Person, each holder of a Right, other than Rights beneficially owned by the Acquiring Person or Adverse Person (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of Units of Preferred Stock having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right, but in no event will the purchase price per share be less than the par value of the Preferred Stock.

 

Exchange of Rights

 

At any time after the date an Acquiring Person obtains 20% or more of the Company’s Common Shares and prior to the acquisition by the Acquiring Person of 50% of the outstanding Common Shares, the Company’s Board of Directors may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by the Acquiring Person or its affiliates), in whole or in part, for Common Shares at an exchange ratio of one Common Share per Right (subject to adjustment).

 

Redemption of Rights

 

At any time, the Board of Directors of the Company may redeem the Rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $.001 per Right (the “Redemption Price”). Immediately upon any redemption of the Rights, the right to exercise the Rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the Redemption Price.

 

Under the Rights Agreement, the Board must redeem the Rights if the Company’s shareholders, by at least a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares, approve the resolution described below under “Shareholder Referendum.”

 

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Shareholder Referendum

 

Under the Rights Agreement, a shareholder referendum is required if requested by a person or group that has made a tender offer satisfying specified conditions, provided that specified procedures are followed. The requisite conditions relating to the tender offer include the following:

 

    The tender offer must be to purchase for cash or a combination of cash and publicly traded securities all of the Company’s outstanding shares of capital stock.

 

    The offer must be to purchase all shares of a class or series at the same price.

 

    The offeror must beneficially own, immediately after consummating such offer, two-thirds of the outstanding voting stock;

 

    The offer must state that the offeror has entered into definitive financing agreements with one or more responsible financial institutions or other entities having the necessary financial capacity for the financing of the entire tender offer price that the offeror is not financing itself.

 

    Prior to the commencement date of the offer, such offeror must have made an irrevocable written commitment to the Company (1) to consummate a merger promptly upon the completion of such offer, whereby all outstanding Common Shares not purchased in such offer (other than shares beneficially owned by the offeror and its affiliates and associates) will be converted into the right to receive per share consideration equal in form and value to the consideration paid in such offer;

 

    The offeror must agree in the offer to pay one-half of the costs of the special meeting of shareholders (exclusive of the Company’s costs of opposing the resolution proposed by the offeror).

 

    The tender offer must comply with the applicable federal securities regulations.

 

    The requisite procedures to be followed in order to require a shareholder referendum are the following:

 

    The offeror must make the tender offer.

 

   

The offeror must deliver to the Company written notices from holders of at

 

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least 10% of the voting power of the Company’s outstanding shares demanding a special meeting of shareholders to vote on a resolution requesting the Board to redeem the Rights to allow the completion of that tender offer or another tender offer for all of the Company’s capital stock at a price not less than that contained in the original tender offer without being affected by the Rights (the “Resolution”).

 

    The offeror must deliver to the Company an information statement containing, among other information, the plans and proposals of the offeror with respect to the Company, and copies of the definitive financing agreements for the financing of the offer.

 

If the offer satisfies the foregoing conditions and the offeror complies with the foregoing procedures, the Board must schedule a special shareholders meeting for a date from 30 to 60 days after the Company receives the demand for the meeting from holders of at least 10% of the voting power of the Company’s outstanding shares, the information statement and copies of the definitive agreements for the financing of the offer. If the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares approve the Resolution at the meeting, the Board must redeem the Rights at $.001 per Right (subject to possible adjustment). The redemption must become effective immediately prior to the completion of the original tender offer or any other cash tender offer for all of the capital stock of the Company at a price at least equal to the price contained in the original offer. However, the Rights need not be redeemed unless such original offer or other tender offer is completed not less than 31 days and not more than 60 days after certification of the final shareholder vote.

 

Approval of the Resolution by the requisite majority vote does not require the Board to approve any tender offer or other proposal to acquire the Company or preclude the Board from rejecting or recommending that the shareholders reject the tender offer or other proposal. Similarly, it does not preclude the Board from pursuing or recommending other alternatives to a tender offer or other proposal, from litigating or settling litigation relating to the tender offer or other proposal or from otherwise taking action with respect to the tender offer or other proposal. Approval of the Resolution only requires the Board to redeem the Rights if the foregoing conditions are satisfied.

 

Amendments to the Plan

 

The Plan may be amended by the Board of Directors of the Company without the consent of the holders of the Rights to cure ambiguities or to correct or supplement defective provisions or inconsistent provisions contained in the Rights Agreement. Except as noted below, the Plan may also be amended prior to the date a person becomes an Adverse Person or Acquiring Person to otherwise change or supplement any provision in any manner which the Board may deem necessary or desirable or following the Distribution Date to the extent such changes do not adversely affect the Right holders’ interest. The Plan provides, however, that any amendment of any of the following terms of the Plan would require the additional approval of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the outstanding shares voting for or against such

 

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amendment at a meeting of the Company’s shareholders held prior to the Distribution Date: (1) the exercise price of the Rights; (2) the amount required to be paid on any redemption of the Rights; (3) the number and type of shares for which a Right is exercisable (except, in case of each of the foregoing, for adjustments expressly provided for in the Plan); (4) the Final Expiration Date of November 17, 2008; (5) the 20% beneficial ownership threshold that triggers the exercisability of the Rights and defines a Flip-In Event and the time at which the Rights can become nonredeemable; and (6) the procedure that is required to be followed to cause the Rights to be redeemed pursuant to the shareholder referendum described above.

 

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EX-10.1 3 dex101.htm GREATER BAY BANCORP CHANGE IN CONTROL PAY PLAN I Greater Bay Bancorp Change in Control Pay Plan I

EXHIBIT 10.1

 

GREATER BAY

 

BANCORP

 

CHANGE IN CONTROL PAY PLAN I

 

(Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2005)


GREATER BAY BANCORP

CHANGE IN CONTROL PAY PLAN I

Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2005

 

ARTICLE I

 

PURPOSE

 

GREATER BAY BANCORP (the “Company”) established, effective as of January 1, 1998, the Change in Control Pay Plan I, as amended and restated effective as of August 21, 2001, and subsequently amended and restated effective January 1, 2005, to provide severance benefits to eligible Employees whose employment terminates in connection with a Change in Control. The Company hereby further amends and restates such plan, effective as of January 1, 2005, in accordance with the terms set forth hereunder. The intent of the plan is to ensure all eligible Employees have reasonable protection related to any event as specified in this plan.

 

ARTICLE II

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

All of the policies and practices of each Member Company regarding severance, or similar payments upon employment termination on account of a Change in Control are hereby superseded by this plan which shall be known as the GREATER BAY BANCORP Change in Control Pay Plan I (the “Plan”), effective January 1, 2005.

 

ARTICLE III

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 3.1 Affiliated Company means:

 

  (a) Any corporation (other than the Company) that is included in a controlled group of corporations, within the meaning of Code Section 414(b), that includes the Company, and

 

  (b) Any trade or business (other than the Company) that is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Code Section 414(c), and

 

  (c) Any member (other than the Company) of an affiliated service group, within the meaning of Code Section 414(m), that includes the Company, and

 

  (d) Any other entity required to be aggregated with the Company pursuant to regulations under Code Section 414(o).

 

Section 3.2 Base Benefit means the severance benefit payable to a Participant in accordance with Articles IV and V of the Plan, the amount of which is based upon such Participant’s Pay and his title or position in a Member Company as of the date he terminates employment with the Member Company on account of a Change in Control.

 

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Section 3.3 Board of Directors means the board of directors of the Company.

 

Section 3.4 Cause means any of the following that has a material adverse effect upon the Company or any Affiliated Company:

 

  (a) The Employee’s deliberate violation of any state or federal banking or securities law; or

 

  (b) The Employee’s deliberate violation of the Bylaws, rules, policies or resolutions of the Company; or

 

  (c) The Employee’s deliberate violation of the rules or regulations of the California Department of Financial Institutions, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency or any other regulatory agency or governmental authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any Associated Company; or

 

  (d) The Employee’s conviction of any felony; or

 

  (e) The Employee’s conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude, fraudulent conduct or dishonest conduct.

 

Section 3.5 Change in Control means the first to occur of any of the following events:

 

  (a) Any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13 and 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) becomes the beneficial owner (as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of more than fifty percent (50%) of the Company’s capital stock entitled to vote in the election of directors, other than a group of two or more persons not (i) acting in concert for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of such stock or (ii) otherwise required to file any form or report with any governmental agency or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company which requires the reporting of any change in control. The acquisition of additional stock by any person who immediately prior to such acquisition already is the beneficial owner of more than fifty percent (50%) of the capital stock of the Company entitled to vote in the election of directors is not a Change in Control.;

 

  (b)

During any period of not more than twelve (12) consecutive months during which the Company continues in existence, not including any period prior to the adopting of this Plan, individuals who, at the beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors of the Company, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in clause (a), (c) or (d) of this Section 3.5) whose appointment to the Board of Directors or nomination for election to the Board of Directors was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then still in office, either were directors

 

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at the beginning of the period or whose appointment or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof;

 

  (c) The effective date of any consolidation or merger of the Company (after all requisite shareholder, applicable regulatory and other approvals and consents have been obtained), other than (i) a consolidation or merger of the Company on which the holders of the common stock of the Company immediately prior to the consolidation or merger hold more than 50% of the common stock of the surviving corporation immediately after the consolidation or merger or (ii) a consolidation or merger of the Company with one or more other persons that are related to the Company immediately prior to the consolidation or merger. For purposes of this provision, persons are “related” if one of them owns, directly or indirectly, at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting capital stock of the other or a third person owns, directly or indirectly, at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting capital stock of each of them;

 

  (d) The sale or transfer of substantially all of the Company’s assets to one or more persons that are not related (as defined in clause (c) of this Section 3.5) to the Company immediately prior to the sale or transfer.

 

Section 3.6 Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Section 3.7 Committee means the Benefits Administration Committee appointed by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors.

 

Section 3.8 Company means GREATER BAY BANCORP.

 

Section 3.9 Effective Date means January 1, 2005.

 

Section 3.10 Employee means (1) any full-time employee of a Member Company or (2) any regular part-time employee of a Member Company. For purposes of this Section 3.10, “full-time employee” shall mean an employee of a Member Company who is regularly scheduled to work at least forty (40) hours per week for twelve (12) months each year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to employees of a Member Company which requires fewer than forty (40) hours per week for classification as a full-time employee, “full-time employee” shall be defined according to such Member Company’s administrative policy and practice. “Regular part-time” employee shall mean any employee of a Member Company who is regularly scheduled to work at least twenty (20) hours per week for twelve (12) months each year, but fewer hours than necessary to classify him as a full-time employee.

 

Section 3.11 ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

 

Section 3.12 Leave of Absence means a period of absence from regular employment which is approved by a Member Company in a non-discriminatory manner for reasons such as, but not limited to, sickness, disability, education, jury duty, convenience to a Member Company, maternity or paternity leave, family leave, or for periods of military duty during which the Employee’s reemployment rights are protected by law or contract.

 

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Section 3.13 Member Company means the Company or an Affiliated Company, provided that the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors consents to the participation of any such Affiliated Company in the Plan with respect to eligible Employees of such Affiliated Company.

 

Section 3.14 Participant means an Employee who satisfies the requirements under Section 4.1 of the Plan.

 

Section 3.15 Pay means an Employee’s current annual rate of regular base salary or wages on the date of termination of employment with a Member Company and the average of the annual and/or incentive bonuses paid to the Employee over the three years immediately preceding the date of his termination of employment on account of a Change in Control, excluding all other extra pay such as overtime, commissions, premiums, supplements, imputed income and living, auto or other allowances.

 

Section 3.16 Plan means the Greater Bay Bancorp Change in Control Pay Plan I.

 

Section 3.17 Plan Year means each twelve (12) consecutive month period from January 1 through December 31.

 

Section 3.18 Year of Service means a twelve (12)-continuous month period beginning on an Employee’s most recent date of hire (or rehire), and each twelve (12)-continuous month period beginning on the anniversary of such hire (or rehire) date, during which the Employee remains continuously employed by a Member Company.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS

 

Section 4.1 Employees Eligible for Severance Benefits. Except as provided in this Section 4.1 and in Section 4.2 and subject to Section 5.6, an Employee whose employment is terminated by a Member Company on or after the Effective Date shall be eligible for a Base Benefit if:

 

  (a) Subject to Section 4.2, the Employee’s employment is terminated as a result of a Change in Control within two years of the effective time of the Change in Control (the “effective time” of the Change in Control will have the same meaning provided in Section 7.2); and

 

  (b) The Employee’s employment is not terminated for Cause; and

 

  (c) The Employee executes a waiver and release agreement in such form as determined by the Committee (the “Waiver and Release Agreement”) and returns the Waiver and Release Agreement to the Member Company within the time period (not to exceed 45 days or such longer period as may be required by applicable law) specified in the Waiver and Release Agreement.

 

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Section 4.2 Employees Not Eligible For Severance Benefits. An Employee shall not be entitled to a Base Benefit set forth in Article V if:

 

  (a) The Employee has in force an employment contract or executive severance agreement with a Member Company which includes provision for the payment of severance benefits upon the termination of his employment with the Member Company upon a Change in Control, unless such severance benefits are less than the Base Benefit provided for in the Plan (in which case the Employee shall be entitled to the Benefit Base provided in the Plan in lieu of the severance benefits provided under such agreement); or

 

  (b) The Employee is offered employment by the successor employer in the same position or in another position of comparable pay and status to the position he held immediately prior to the effective date of the Change in Control, or the Employee is offered employment by a Member Company in another position of comparable pay and status to the position held immediately prior to the Change in Control, regardless of whether he accepts the offer; or

 

  (c) The Employee’s employment is involuntarily terminated for Cause (an Employee whose employment is terminated for poor work performance shall be eligible to receive severance benefits under the Plan); or

 

  (d) The Employee fails to perform his regular assigned job duties through the date specified by a Member Company as his termination date; or

 

  (e) The Employee fails to return a properly executed Waiver and Release Agreement on a timely basis.

 

For purposes of this Section 4.2, a “position of comparable pay and status” shall mean a position with not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Pay, bonus opportunity and benefits of the position held by the Employee prior to his termination of employment and with a similar scope of duties and responsibilities to such prior position. In addition, a position will not be considered a position of comparable pay and status if (i) an Employee is required to increase his normal commuting miles to reach a new worksite, and (ii) the normal commuting from his home to the new worksite exceeds 35 miles each way. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee reserves the right to make decisions based on the facts and circumstances of individual cases as to whether a position is of comparable pay and status to that held by an Employee prior to his employment termination, provided that the Employee may appeal any such decision pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.5.

 

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ARTICLE V

 

SEVERANCE BENEFITS

 

Section 5.1 Calculation of Severance Benefit. Subject to the provisions of Section 4.1, 4.2 and 5.6, a Participant whose employment is terminated (or constructively terminated by not being offered a “position of comparable pay and status” as defined in Section 4.2) as a result of a Change in Control, shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit under this Plan as follows:

 

  (a) Senior Management Council. A Participant who is a member of the Senior Management Council of a Member Company (other than those members who would receive benefits under the Company’s Change in Control Pay Plan II) shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit equal to eighteen (18) months of Pay.

 

  (b) Senior Vice Presidents and Executive Vice Presidents. A Participant who is a Senior Vice President or Executive Vice President of a Member Company who is not a member of the Senior Management Council shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit equal to 12 months of Pay.

 

  (c) Vice Presidents and Assistant Vice Presidents. A Participant who is a Vice President or Assistant Vice President of a Member Company shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit equal to six (6) months of Pay.

 

  (d) Exempt and Non-Exempt Staff. Employees of a Member Company who are either exempt or non-exempt staff shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit equal to the greater of (i) three (3) months of Pay or (ii) two weeks of Pay for each full Year of Service.

 

Participants entitled to a Base Benefit shall also receive the following severance benefits: (1) for the length of the applicable severance period, health (or COBRA coverage) and life insurance benefits under the Company’s group plans then in effect on terms offered to current employees; (2) outplacement services deemed appropriate by the Committee; and (3) a pro-rated bonus for work performed during the year in which the Change in Control occurs. The pro-rated bonus shall be an amount equal to the average of the annual incentive bonuses for the three-year period immediately preceding the date of termination, pro-rated for the number of months the Participant was employed during the year of termination, subject to the Participant receiving at least a satisfactory performance evaluation.

 

For purposes of calculating a Participant’s severance benefits under Section 5.1(d), the Plan shall take into account only consecutive Years of Service beginning with the Participant’s most recent date of hire or rehire and it shall not take into account partial Years of Service, nor shall a Participant receive severance benefits for years of Service for which he previously received severance benefits under the Plan.

 

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Section 5.2 Golden Parachute Restriction.

 

  (a) Reduction for “Parachute Payment.” Notwithstanding anything above in this Article V, if a Participant is a “disqualified individual” (as defined in Section 280G(c) of the Code), and the severance benefit provided for in Section 5.1, together with any other payments which the Participant has the right to receive from a Member Company would constitute a “parachute payment” (as defined in Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code), the severance benefit shall be reduced. The reduction shall be in an amount so that the present value of the total amount received by the Participant from a Member Company will be One Dollar ($1.00) less than three (3) times the Participant’s base amount (as defined in Section 280G of the Code) and so that no portion of the amounts received by the Participant shall be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code.

 

  (b) Deferred Compensation and Reimbursements Exception. In no circumstances will a Member Company reduce the severance benefits payable to a Participant on account of the restrictions of this Section 5.2 by the amounts the Participant has the right to receive under an executive deferred compensation plan of the Member Company (Deferred Compensation Plan), amounts paid or payable to the Participant to reimburse him either fully or partially for excise tax and/or income tax on the reimbursement (gross up amounts), or amounts paid or payable to the Participant as indemnification for attorney’s fees and legal expenses.

 

  (c) Determination of Reduction. The determination as to whether any reduction in the severance benefit is necessary shall be made by a Participant’s Member Company in good faith, and the determination shall be conclusive and binding on the Participant.

 

  (d) Repayment of Excess Amount. If through error or otherwise the Participant should receive payments under this Plan, together with other payments the Participant has the right to receive from a Member Company, excluding Deferred Compensation Plan payments in excess of one dollar ($1.00) less than three times his base amount, the Participant shall immediately repay the excess to the Member Company upon notification that an overpayment has been made.

 

Section 5.3 Payment of Benefits. The Plan shall pay severance benefits to a Participant whose employment is terminated on account of a Change in Control in the form of equal installments payable over the number of months of Pay in the Participant’s Benefit Base, not to exceed twenty-four (24) months; provided, however, for a Participant whose Benefit Base is less than $5,000, severance benefits shall be paid in the form of a lump sum. The Plan shall make lump sum distributions as soon as administratively practicable and in no event later than thirty (30) days following the receipt by the Company of a timely and properly executed Waiver and Release Agreement. The Plan shall make installment payments in accordance with the Member Company’s normal payroll schedule beginning with the first payroll date as soon as administratively practicable following receipt by the Company of a timely and properly executed Waiver and Release Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any payment otherwise

 

8


would be made within six months following a Participant’s termination of employment to such Participant who is a “specified employee” as defined for purposes of Code Section 409A, then such payment shall be delayed and paid on the first day of the seventh calendar month following such termination of employment.

 

Section 5.4 Payment Offset. A Member Company reserves the right to offset the benefits payable under Section 5.1 by any advance, loan or other monies a Participant owes the Member Company. All applicable federal, state and local taxes taxes shall be withheld from all severance payments.

 

Section 5.5 Unfunded Plan. The obligations of a Member Company under this Plan may be funded through contributions to a trust or otherwise, but the obligations of the Member Company are not required to be funded under this Plan unless required by law. Nothing contained in this Plan shall give a Participant any right, title or interest in any property of the Member Company.

 

Section 5.6 Prohibition Against Golden Parachute Payments. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant who is an institution affiliated party as the term is defined in Section 359.1(h) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Rules and Regulations (“FDIC Rules and Regs”) shall be entitled to the payment of any severance benefit under the Plan to the extent that such payment shall be deemed a “golden parachute payment” as the term is defined in FDIC Rules and Regs. Section 359.1(f)(i)(ii) or (iii).

 

ARTICLE VI

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

Section 6.1 Plan Administration. The Company shall be the administrator of the Plan for purposes of Section 3(16) of ERISA and shall have responsibility for complying with any ERISA reporting and disclosure rules applicable to the Plan for any Plan Year.

 

Section 6.2 Plan Committee. In all respects other than as provided in Section 6.1, the Plan shall be administered and operated by the Committee. The Committee shall have all powers necessary to supervise the administration of the Plan and control its operations. In addition to any powers and authority conferred to the Committee elsewhere in the Plan or by law, the Committee shall have, by way of illustration but not by way of limitation, the following discretionary powers and authority:

 

  (a) To allocate fiduciary responsibilities among the named fiduciaries and to designate one or more other persons to carry out fiduciary responsibilities. However, no allocation or delegation under this Section 6.2(a) shall be effective until the person or persons to whom the responsibilities have been allocated or delegated agree to assume the responsibilities;

 

  (b) To designate agents to carry out responsibilities relating to the Plan, other than fiduciary responsibilities;

 

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  (c) To employ such legal, accounting, clerical, and other assistance as it may deem appropriate in carrying out the provisions of this Plan, including one or more persons to render advice with regard to any responsibility any fiduciary may have under the Plan;

 

  (d) To establish rules and procedures from time to time for the conduct of the Committee’s business and the administration and effectuation of this Plan;

 

  (e) To administer, interpret, construe and apply this Plan. To decide all questions which may arise or which may be raised under this Plan by any Employee, Participant, former Participant or other person whatsoever, including but not limited to all questions relating to eligibility to participate in the Plan, the amount of service of any Participant, and the amount of benefits to which any Participant may be entitled;

 

  (f) To determine the manner in which the severance benefits of this Plan, or any part thereof, shall be administered; and

 

  (g) To perform or cause to be performed such further acts as it may deem to be necessary, appropriate or convenient in the efficient administration of the Plan.

 

Any action taken in good faith by the Committee in the exercise of discretionary authority conferred upon it by this Plan shall be conclusive and binding upon the Participants. All discretionary powers conferred upon the Committee shall be absolute. However, all discretionary powers shall be exercised in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner.

 

Section 6.3 Named Fiduciary. The members of the Committee shall be named fiduciaries with respect to this Plan for purposes of Section 402 of ERISA.

 

Section 6.4 Indemnification of Committee. The Company shall, to the extent permitted by law, by the purchase of insurance or otherwise, indemnify and hold harmless each member of the Committee and each other fiduciary with respect to this Plan for liabilities or expenses they and each of them incur in carrying out their respective duties under the Plan, other than for any liabilities or expenses arising out of such fiduciary’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. A fiduciary shall not be responsible for any breach of responsibility of any other fiduciary except to the extent provided in Section 405 of ERISA.

 

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Section 6.5 Claims Procedure.

 

  (a) Applications for Benefits and Inquiries. Any application for benefits, inquiries about the Plan or inquiries about present or future rights under the Plan must be submitted to the Committee in writing by an applicant (or his authorized representative). The address for the Committee is:

 

Plan Committee

Greater Bay Bancorp

1900 University Avenue, Suite 600

East Palo Alto, CA 94303

 

  (b) Denial of Claims. In the event that any application for benefits is denied in whole or in part, the Committee must provide the applicant with written or electronic notice of the denial of the application, and of the applicant’s right to review the denial. Any electronic notice will comply with the regulations of the U.S. Department of Labor. The notice of denial will be set forth in a manner designed to be understood by the applicant and will include the following:

 

  (i) the specific reason or reasons for the denial;

 

  (ii) references to the specific Plan provisions upon which the denial is based;

 

  (iii) a description of any additional information or material that the Committee needs to complete the review and an explanation of why such information or material is necessary; and

 

  (iv) an explanation of the Plan’s review procedures and the time limits applicable to such procedures, including a statement of the applicant’s right to bring a civil action under section 502(a) of ERISA following a denial on review of the claim, as described in Section 6.5(d) below.

 

This notice of denial will be given to the applicant within ninety (90) days after the Committee receives the application, unless special circumstances require an extension of time, in which case, the Committee has up to an additional ninety (90) days for processing the application. If an extension of time for processing is required, written notice of the extension will be furnished to the applicant before the end of the initial ninety (90) day period.

 

This notice of extension will describe the special circumstances necessitating the additional time and the date by which the Committee is to render its decision on the application.

 

  (c)

Request for a Review. Any person (or that person’s authorized representative) for whom an application for benefits is denied, in whole or in part, may appeal the denial by submitting a request for a review to the

 

11


 

Committee within sixty (60) days after the application is denied. A request for a review shall be in writing and shall be addressed to:

 

Plan Committee

Greater Bay Bancorp

1900 University Avenue, Suite 600

East Palo Alto, CA 94303

 

A request for review must set forth all of the grounds on which it is based, all facts in support of the request and any other matters that the applicant feels are pertinent. The applicant (or his representative) shall have the opportunity to submit (or the Committee may require the applicant to submit) written comments, documents, records, and other information relating to his claim. The applicant (or his representative) shall be provided, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant to his claim. The review shall take into account all comments, documents, records and other information submitted by the applicant (or his representative) relating to the claim, without regard to whether such information was submitted or considered in the initial benefit determination.

 

  (d) Decision on Review. The Committee will act on each request for review within sixty (60) days after receipt of the request, unless special circumstances require an extension of time (not to exceed an additional sixty (60) days), for processing the request for a review. If an extension for review is required, written notice of the extension will be furnished to the applicant within the initial sixty (60) day period. This notice of extension will describe the special circumstances necessitating the additional time and the date by which the Committee is to render its decision on the review. The Committee will give prompt, written or electronic notice of its decision to the applicant. Any electronic notice will comply with the regulations of the U.S. Department of Labor. In the event that the Committee confirms the denial of the application for benefits in whole or in part, the notice will set forth, in a manner calculated to be understood by the applicant, the following:

 

  (i) the specific reason or reasons for the denial;

 

  (ii) references to the specific Plan provisions upon which the denial is based;

 

  (iii) a statement that the applicant is entitled to receive, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant to his claim (excluding those protected by legal privilege); and

 

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  (iv) a statement of the applicant’s right to bring a civil action under section 502(a) of ERISA.

 

  (e) Rules and Procedures. The Committee will establish rules and procedures, consistent with the Plan and with ERISA, as necessary and appropriate in carrying out its responsibilities in reviewing benefit claims. The Committee may require an applicant who wishes to submit additional information in connection with an appeal from the denial of benefits to do so at the applicant’s own expense.

 

  (f) Exhaustion of Remedies. No legal action for benefits under the Plan may be brought until the claimant (i) has submitted a written application for benefits in accordance with the procedures described by Section 6.5(a) above, (ii) has been notified by the Committee that the application is denied, (iii) has filed a written request for a review of the application in accordance with the appeal procedure described in Section 6.5(c) above, and (iv) has been notified that the Committee has denied the appeal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Committee does not respond to a Participant’s claim or appeal within the relevant time limits specified in this Section 6.5, the Participant may bring legal action for benefits under the Plan pursuant to Section 502(a) of ERISA.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

 

Section 7.1 Before Change in Control. This Plan may be amended from time to time, or terminated at any time at the discretion of the Board of Directors by a written resolution adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors, provided, however, that no amendment or termination shall adversely affect the right of a Participant to receive a severance benefit that the Participant has accrued on account of his termination of employment as a result of a Change in Control.

 

Section 7.2 After Change in Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Plan may not be amended or participation discontinued after the effective time of a Change in Control. For purposes of this Plan, the “effective time” of a Change in Control shall have the same meaning provided in the agreement governing the transactions which give rise to the Change in Control.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

GENERAL

 

Section 8.1 Payment Out of General Assets. The benefits and costs of this Plan shall be paid by the Company and each Member Company out of their general assets.

 

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Section 8.2 Welfare Benefit Plan. This Plan is intended to be an employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(1), Subtitle A of Title 1 of ERISA. The Plan will be interpreted to effectuate this intent.

 

Section 8.3 Gender. The masculine pronoun shall include the feminine pronoun and the feminine pronoun shall include the masculine pronoun and the singular pronoun shall include the plural pronoun and the plural pronoun shall include the singular pronoun, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

 

Section 8.4 Limitation on Participant’s Rights. Nothing in this Plan shall be construed to guarantee terminated Employees any right to be recalled or rehired by a Member Company.

 

Section 8.5 Severability. If any provision of this Plan shall be held illegal or invalid, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts, which shall be enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included in this Plan.

 

14

EX-10.2 4 dex102.htm GREATER BAY BANCORP CHANGE IN CONTROL PAY PLAN II Greater Bay Bancorp Change in Control Pay Plan II

EXHIBIT 10.2

 

GREATER BAY

 

BANCORP

 

CHANGE IN CONTROL PAY PLAN II

 

(Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2005)


GREATER BAY BANCORP

CHANGE IN CONTROL PAY PLAN II

Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2005

 

ARTICLE I

 

PURPOSE

 

GREATER BAY BANCORP (the “Company”) established, effective as of January 1,1998, as amended and restated effective as of August 21, 2001, and subsequently amended and restated effective January 1, 2005, a change in control pay plan to provide severance benefits to selected executives who are deemed Eligible Employees and whose employment terminates in connection with a Change in Control. The Company hereby further amends and restates such plan, effective as of January 1, 2005, in accordance with the terms set forth hereunder. The intent of the plan is to ensure all Eligible Employees (as the term is defined herein) have reasonable protection related to any event as specified in this plan.

 

ARTICLE II

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

All of the policies and practices of each Member Company regarding severance, or similar payments to Eligible Employees upon their employment termination on account of a Change in Control are hereby superseded by this plan which shall be known as the GREATER BAY BANCORP Change in Control Pay Plan II (the “Plan”), effective January 1, 2005.

 

ARTICLE III

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 3.1 Affiliated Company means:

 

  (a) Any corporation (other than the Company) that is included in a controlled group of corporations, within the meaning of Code Section 414(b), that includes the Company, and

 

  (b) Any trade or business (other than the Company) that is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Code Section 414(c), and

 

  (c) Any member (other than the Company) of an affiliated service group, within the meaning of Code Section 414(m), that includes the Company, and

 

  (d) Any other entity required to be aggregated with the Company pursuant to regulations under Code Section 414(o).

 

Section 3.2 Base Benefit means the severance benefit payable to a Participant in accordance with Articles IV and V of the Plan, the amount of which is based upon such Participant’s Pay and his title or position as of the date he terminates employment with a Member Company on account of a Change in Control.

 

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Section 3.3 Board of Directors means the board of directors of the Company.

 

Section 3.4 Cause means any of the following that has a material adverse effect upon the Company or any Affiliated Company:

 

  (a) The Employee’s deliberate violation of any state or federal banking or securities law; or

 

  (b) The Employee’s deliberate violation of the Bylaws, rules, policies or resolutions of the Company; or

 

  (c) The Employee’s deliberate violation of the rules or regulations of the California Department of Financial Institutions, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency or any other regulatory agency or governmental authority having jurisdiction over the Company or any Associated Company; or

 

  (d) The Employee’s conviction of any felony; or

 

  (e) The Employee’s conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude, fraudulent conduct or dishonest conduct.

 

Section 3.5 Change in Control means the first to occur of any of the following events:

 

  (a) Any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13 and 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) becomes the beneficial owner (as that term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act), directly or indirectly, of more than fifty percent (50%) of the Company’s capital stock entitled to vote in the election of directors, other than a group of two or more persons not (i) acting in concert for the purpose of acquiring, holding or disposing of such stock or (ii) otherwise required to file any form or report with any governmental agency or regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the Company which requires the reporting of any change in control. The acquisition of additional stock by any person who immediately prior to such acquisition already is the beneficial owner of more than fifty percent (50%) of the capital stock of the Company entitled to vote in the election of directors is not a Change in Control.;

 

  (b)

During any period of not more than twelve (12) consecutive months during which the Company continues in existence, not including any period prior to the adopting of this Plan, individuals who, at the beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors of the Company, and any new director (other than a director designated by a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company to effect a transaction described in

 

3


 

clause (a), (c) or (d) of this Section 3.5) whose appointment to the Board of Directors or nomination for election to the Board of Directors was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then still in office, either were directors at the beginning of the period or whose appointment or nomination for election was previously so approved, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof;

 

  (c) The effective date of any consolidation or merger of the Company (after all requisite shareholder, applicable regulatory and other approvals and consents have been obtained), other than (i) a consolidation or merger of the Company on which the holders of the common stock of the Company immediately prior to the consolidation or merger hold more than 50% of the common stock of the surviving corporation immediately after the consolidation or merger or (ii) a consolidation or merger of the Company with one or more other persons that are related to the Company immediately prior to the consolidation or merger. For purposes of this provision, persons are “related” if one of them owns, directly or indirectly, at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting capital stock of the other or a third person owns, directly or indirectly, at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting capital stock of each of them;

 

  (d) The sale or transfer of substantially all of the Company’s assets to one or more persons that are not related (as defined in clause (c) of this Section 3.5) to the Company immediately prior to the sale or transfer.

 

Section 3.6 Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Section 3.7 Committee means the Benefits Administration Committee appointed by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors.

 

Section 3.8 Company means GREATER BAY BANCORP.

 

Section 3.9 Effective Date means January 1, 2005.

 

Section 3.10 Employee means (1) any full-time employee of a Member Company or (2) any regular part-time employee of a Member Company. For purposes of this Section 3.10, “full-time employee” shall mean an employee of a Member Company who is regularly scheduled to work at least forty (40) hours per week for twelve (12) months each year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to employees of a Member Company which requires fewer than forty (40) hours per week for classification as a full-time employee, “full-time employee” shall be defined according to such Member Company’s administrative policy and practice. “Regular part-time” employee shall mean any employee of a Member Company who is regularly scheduled to work at least twenty (20) hours per week for twelve (12) months each year, but fewer hours than necessary to classify him as a full-time employee.

 

Section 3.11 Eligible Employee means an Employee who is a key executive of a Member Company and who is eligible to participate in the Plan. The only Employees who are deemed “Eligible Employees” for purposes of the Plan are the members of the Company’s Managing Committee who are employees of a Member Company.

 

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Section 3.12 ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

 

Section 3.13 Leave of Absence means a period of absence from regular employment which is approved by the Member Company in a non-discriminatory manner for reasons such as, but not limited to, sickness, disability, education, jury duty, convenience to the Company, maternity or paternity leave, family leave, or for periods of military duty during which the Employee’s reemployment rights are protected by law or contract.

 

Section 3.14 Member Company means the Company or an Affiliated Company, provided that the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors consents to the participation of any such Affiliated Company in the Plan with respect to Eligible Employees of such Affiliated Company.

 

Section 3.15 Participant means an Employee who satisfies the requirements under Section 4.1 of the Plan.

 

Section 3.16 Pay means an Eligible Employee’s current annual rate of regular base salary or wages on the date of termination of employment with a Member Company and the average of the annual and/or incentive bonuses paid to an Eligible Employee over the three years immediately preceding the date of his termination of employment on account of a Change in Control, excluding all other extra pay such as overtime, commissions, premiums, supplements, imputed income and living, auto or other allowances.

 

Section 3.17 Plan means the Greater Bay Bancorp Change in Control Pay Plan II.

 

Section 3.18 Plan Year means each twelve (12) consecutive month period from January 1 through December 31.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS

 

Section 4.1 Employees Eligible for Severance Benefits. Except as provided in this Section 4.1 and in Section 4.2 and subject to Section 5.6, an Eligible Employee whose employment is terminated by a Member Company on or after the Effective Date shall be eligible for a Base Benefit if:

 

  (a) Subject to Section 4.2, the Eligible Employee’s employment is terminated as a result of a Change in Control within three (3) years of the effective time of the Change in Control (the “effective time” of the Change in Control will have the same meaning provided in Section 7.2); and

 

5


  (b) The Eligible Employee’s employment is not terminated for Cause; and

 

  (c) The Employee executes a waiver and release agreement in such form as determined by the Committee (the “Waiver and Release Agreement”) and returns the Waiver and Release Agreement to the Member Company within the time period (not to exceed 45 days or such longer period as may be required by applicable law) specified in the Waiver and Release Agreement.

 

Section 4.2 Employees Not Eligible For Severance Benefits. An Eligible Employee shall not be entitled to a Base Benefit set forth in Article V if:

 

  (a) The Employee has in force an employment contract or executive severance agreement with a Member Company which includes provision for the payment of severance benefits upon the termination of his employment with the Member Company upon a Change in Control, unless such severance benefits are less than the Base Benefit provided for in the Plan (in which case the Employee shall be entitled to the Benefit Base provided in the Plan in lieu of the severance benefits provided under such agreement); or

 

  (b) The Eligible Employee is offered employment by the successor employer in the same position or in another position of comparable pay and status to the position he held immediately prior to the effective date of the Change in Control, or the Eligible Employee is offered employment by a Member Company in another position of comparable pay and status to the position held immediately prior to the Change in Control, regardless of whether he accepts the offer; or

 

  (c) The Eligible Employee’s employment is involuntarily terminated for Cause (an Eligible Employee whose employment is terminated for poor work performance shall be eligible to receive severance benefits under the Plan); or

 

  (d) The Eligible Employee fails to perform his regular assigned job duties through the date specified by a Member Company as his termination date; or

 

  (e) The Eligible Employee fails to return a properly executed Waiver and Release Agreement on a timely basis.

 

For purposes of this Section 4.2, a “position of comparable pay and status” shall mean a position with not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Pay, bonus opportunity and benefits of the position held by the Eligible Employee prior to his termination of employment and with a similar scope of duties and responsibilities to such prior position. In addition, a position will not be considered a position of comparable pay and status if (i) an Eligible Employee is required to increase his normal commuting miles to reach a new worksite, and (ii) the normal commuting from his home to the new worksite exceeds 35 miles each way. Notwithstanding the foregoing,

 

6


the Committee reserves the right to make decisions based on the facts and circumstances of individual cases as to whether a position is of comparable pay and status to that held by an Eligible Employee prior to his employment termination, provided that the Eligible Employee may appeal any such decision pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.5.

 

ARTICLE V

 

SEVERANCE BENEFITS

 

Section 5.1 Calculation of Severance Benefit. Subject to the provisions of Section 4.1 and 4.2, a Participant whose employment is terminated (or constructively terminated by not being offered a “position of comparable pay and status” as defined in Section 4.2) as a result of a Change in Control, shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit under this Plan equal to thirty (30) months of Pay.

 

Participants entitled to a Base Benefit shall also receive the following severance benefits: (1) for the length of the severance period, health (or COBRA coverage) and life insurance benefits under the Company’s group plans then in effect on terms offered to current employees; (2) outplacement services deemed appropriate by the Committee; and (3) a pro-rated bonus for work performed during the year in which the Change in Control occurs. The pro-rated bonus shall be an amount equal to the average of the annual incentive bonuses for the three-year period immediately preceding the date of termination, pro-rated for the number of months the Participant was employed during the year of termination, subject to the Participant receiving at least a satisfactory performance evaluation.

 

Section 5.2 Indemnity.

 

  (a) In the event it shall be determined that any payment by the Company to or for the benefit of a Participant pursuant to the terms of this Plan (a “Payment”) would subject a Participant to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), or any interest or penalties are incurred by a Participant with respect to such excise tax (such excise tax, together with any such interest and penalties, are hereinafter collectively referred to as the “Excise Tax”), then such Participant shall be entitled to receive an additional payment (a “Gross-Up Payment”) in an amount such that after payment by such Participant of all taxes (including any interest or penalties imposed with respect to such taxes), including, without limitation, any income taxes (and any interest and penalties imposed with respect thereto) and Excise Tax imposed upon the Gross-Up Payment, such Participant retains an amount of the Gross-Up Payment equal to the Excise Tax imposed upon the payments.

 

  (b)

Subject to the provisions of the next paragraph, all determinations required to be made under this Plan, including whether and when a Gross-Up Payment is required and the amount of such Gross-Up Payment and the assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determination, shall be made

 

7


 

by a certified public accounting firm designated by the Committee (the “Accounting Firm”) which shall provide detailed supporting calculations both to the Company and the Participant within 15 business days of the receipt of notice from the Participant that there has been a Payment, or such earlier time as is requested by the Company. All fees and expenses of the Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by the Company. Any Gross-Up Payment, as determined pursuant to this Plan, shall be paid by the Company to the Participant within five days of the later of (i) the due date for the payment of any Excise Tax, and (ii) the receipt of the Accounting Firm’s determination. Any determination by the Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Company and the Participant. As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Section 4999 of the Code at the time of the initial determination by the Accounting Firm hereunder, it is possible that Gross-Up Payments which will not have been made by the Company should have been made (“Underpayment”), consistent with the calculations required to be made hereunder. In the event that the Company exhausts its remedies pursuant to the next paragraph and the Participant thereafter is required to make a payment of any Excise Tax, the Accounting Firm shall determine the amount of the Underpayment that has occurred and any such Underpayment shall be promptly paid by the Company to or for the benefit of the Participant.

 

  (c)

As a condition to indemnification hereunder, each Participant must notify the Company in writing of any claim by the IRS that, if successful, would require the payment by the Company of the Gross-Up Payment and comply with the rules in this paragraph (c) and in paragraph (d). Such notification shall be given as soon as practicable but not later than ten business days after the Participant is informed in writing of such claim and shall apprise the Company of the nature of such claim and the date on which such claim is requested to be paid. The Participant shall not pay such claim prior to the expiration of the 30-day period following the date on which the Participant gives such notice to the Company (or such shorter period ending on the date that any payment of taxes with respect to such claim is due). If the Company notifies the Participant in writing prior to the expiration of such period that it desires to contest such claim, the Participant must: (i) give the Company any information reasonably requested by the Company relating to such claim, (ii) take such action in connection with contesting such claim as the Company shall reasonably request in writing from time to time, including, without limitation, accepting representation with respect to such claim by an attorney or accountant reasonably selected by the Company, (iii) cooperate with the Company in good faith in order effectively to contest such claim, and (iv) permit the Company to participate in any proceedings relating to such claim; provided, however, that the Company shall bear and pay directly all costs and expenses (including additional interest and penalties) incurred in connection with such contest and shall indemnify and hold the Participant harmless, on an after-tax basis, for any Excise Tax or income tax

 

8


 

(including interest and penalties with respect thereto) imposed as a result of such representation and payment of costs and expenses. Without limitation on the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, the Company shall control all proceedings taken in connection with such contest and, at its sole option, may pursue or forego any and all administrative appeals, proceedings, hearings and conferences with the taxing authority in respect of such claim and may, at its sole option, either direct the Participant to pay the tax claimed and sue for a refund or contest the claim in any permissible manner, and the Participant must prosecute such contest to a determination before any administrative tribunal, in a court of initial jurisdiction and in one or more appellate courts, as the Company shall determine; provided, however, that if the Company directs the Participant to pay such claim and sue for a refund, the Company shall advance the amount of such payment to the Participant, on an interest-free basis, and shall indemnify and hold the Participant harmless, on an after-tax basis, from any Excise Tax or income tax (including interest or penalties with respect thereto) imposed with respect to such advance or with respect to any imputed income with respect to such advance; and further provided that any extension of the statute of limitations relating to payment of taxes for the taxable year of the Participant with respect to which such contested amount is claimed to be due is limited solely to such contested amount. Furthermore, the Company’s control of the contest shall be limited to issues with respect to which a Gross-Up Payment would be payable hereunder and the Participant shall be entitled to settle or contest, as the case may be, any other issue raised by the IRS or any other taxing authority.

 

  (d) If, after the receipt by the Participant of an amount advanced by the Company pursuant to this letter agreement, the Participant becomes entitled to receive any refund with respect to such claim, the Participant must (subject to the Company’s complying with the requirements of the preceding paragraph) promptly pay to the Company the amount of such refund (together with any interest paid or credited thereon after taxes applicable thereto). If, after the receipt by the Participant of an amount advanced by the Company pursuant to the preceding paragraph, a determination is made that the Participant shall not be entitled to any refund with respect to such claim and the Company does not notify the Participant in writing of its intent to contest such denial or refund prior to the expiration of 30 days after such determination, then such advance shall be forgiven and shall not be required to be repaid and the amount of such advance shall offset, to the extent thereof, the amount of Gross-Up Payment required to be paid.

 

Section 5.3 Payment of Benefits. The Plan shall pay severance benefits to a Participant whose employment is terminated on account of a Change in Control in the form of equal installments payable over the number of months of Pay in the Participant’s Benefit Base, not to exceed twenty-four (24) months; provided, however, for a Participant whose Benefit Base

 

9


is less than $5,000, severance benefits shall be paid in the form of a lump sum. The Plan shall make lump sum distributions as soon as administratively practicable and in no event later than thirty (30) days following the receipt by the Company of a timely and properly executed Waiver and Release Agreement. The Plan shall make installment payments in accordance with the Member Company’s normal payroll schedule beginning with the first payroll date as soon as administratively practicable following receipt by the Company of a timely and properly executed Waiver and Release Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any payment otherwise would be made within six months following a Participant’s termination of employment to such Participant who is a “specified employee” as defined for purposes of Code Section 409A, then such payment shall be delayed and paid on the first day of the seventh calendar month following such termination of employment.

 

Section 5.4 Payment Offset. A Member Company reserves the right to offset the benefits payable under Sections 5.1 by any advance, loan or other monies a Participant owes the Member Company. All applicable federal, state and local taxes shall be withheld from all severance payments.

 

Section 5.5 Unfunded Plan. The obligations of the Company under this Plan may be funded through contributions to a trust or otherwise, but the obligations of the Company are not required to be funded under this Plan unless required by law. Nothing contained in this Plan shall give a Participant any right, title or interest in any property of the Company.

 

Section 5.6 Prohibition against Certain Payments. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant shall be entitled to receive, and a Member Company shall not pay, any amount under this Plan that is prohibited by Section 359.1(h) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Rules and Regulations(“FDIC Rules and Regs”).

 

ARTICLE VI

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

Section 6.1 Plan Administration. The Company shall be the administrator of the Plan for purposes of Section 3(16) of ERISA and shall have responsibility for complying with any ERISA reporting and disclosure rules applicable to the Plan for any Plan Year.

 

Section 6.2 Plan Committee. In all respects other than as provided in Section 6.1, the Plan shall be administered and operated by the Committee. The Committee shall have all powers necessary to supervise the administration of the Plan and control its operations. In addition to any powers and authority conferred to the Committee elsewhere in the Plan or by law, the Committee shall have, by way of illustration but not by way of limitation, the following discretionary powers and authority:

 

  (a) To allocate fiduciary responsibilities among the named fiduciaries and to designate one or more other persons to carry out fiduciary responsibilities. However, no allocation or delegation under this Section 6.2(a) shall be effective until the person or persons to whom the responsibilities have been allocated or delegated agree to assume the responsibilities;

 

10


  (b) To designate agents to carry out responsibilities relating to the Plan, other than fiduciary responsibilities;

 

  (c) To employ such legal, accounting, clerical, and other assistance as it may deem appropriate in carrying out the provisions of this Plan, including one or more persons to render advice with regard to any responsibility any fiduciary may have under the Plan;

 

  (d) To establish rules and procedures from time to time for the conduct of the Committee’s business and the administration and effectuation of this Plan;

 

  (e) To administer, interpret, construe and apply this Plan. To decide all questions which may arise or which may be raised under this Plan by any Employee, Participant, former Participant or other person whatsoever, including but not limited to all questions relating to eligibility to participate in the Plan, the amount of service of any Participant, and the amount of benefits to which any Participant may be entitled;

 

  (f) To determine the manner in which the severance benefits of this Plan, or any part thereof, shall be administered; and

 

  (g) To perform or cause to be performed such further acts as it may deem to be necessary, appropriate or convenient in the efficient administration of the Plan.

 

Any action taken in good faith by the Committee in the exercise of discretionary authority conferred upon it by this Plan shall be conclusive and binding upon the Participants. All discretionary powers conferred upon the Committee shall be absolute. However, all discretionary powers shall be exercised in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner.

 

Section 6.3 Named Fiduciary. The members of the Committee shall be named fiduciaries with respect to this Plan for purposes of Section 402 of ERISA.

 

Section 6.4 Indemnification of Committee. The Company shall, to the extent permitted by law, by the purchase of insurance or otherwise, indemnify and hold harmless each member of the Committee and each other fiduciary with respect to this Plan for liabilities or expenses they and each of them incur in carrying out their respective duties under the Plan, other than for any liabilities or expenses arising out of such fiduciary’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. A fiduciary shall not be responsible for any breach of responsibility of any other fiduciary except to the extent provided in Section 405 of ERISA.

 

11


Section 6.5 Claims Procedure.

 

  (a) Applications for Benefits and Inquiries. Any application for benefits, inquiries about the Plan or inquiries about present or future rights under the Plan must be submitted to the Committee in writing by an applicant (or his authorized representative). The address for the Committee is:

 

Plan Committee

Greater Bay Bancorp

1900 University Avenue, Suite 600

East Palo Alto, CA 94303

 

  (b) Denial of Claims. In the event that any application for benefits is denied in whole or in part, the Committee must provide the applicant with written or electronic notice of the denial of the application, and of the applicant’s right to review the denial. Any electronic notice will comply with the regulations of the U.S. Department of Labor. The notice of denial will be set forth in a manner designed to be understood by the applicant and will include the following:

 

  (i) the specific reason or reasons for the denial;

 

  (ii) references to the specific Plan provisions upon which the denial is based;

 

  (iii) a description of any additional information or material that the Committee needs to complete the review and an explanation of why such information or material is necessary; and

 

  (iv) an explanation of the Plan’s review procedures and the time limits applicable to such procedures, including a statement of the applicant’s right to bring a civil action under section 502(a) of ERISA following a denial on review of the claim, as described in Section 6.5(d) below.

 

 

This notice of denial will be given to the applicant within ninety (90) days after the Committee receives the application, unless special circumstances require an extension of time, in which case, the Committee has up to an additional ninety (90) days for processing the application. If an extension of time for processing is required, written notice of the extension will be furnished to the applicant before the end of the initial ninety (90) day period.

 

This notice of extension will describe the special circumstances necessitating the additional time and the date by which the Committee is to render its decision on the application.

 

12


  (c) Request for a Review. Any person (or that person’s authorized representative) for whom an application for benefits is denied, in whole or in part, may appeal the denial by submitting a request for a review to the Committee within sixty (60) days after the application is denied. A request for a review shall be in writing and shall be addressed to:

 

Plan Committee

Greater Bay Bancorp

1900 University Avenue, Suite 600

East Palo Alto, CA 94303

 

A request for review must set forth all of the grounds on which it is based, all facts in support of the request and any other matters that the applicant feels are pertinent. The applicant (or his representative) shall have the opportunity to submit (or the Committee may require the applicant to submit) written comments, documents, records, and other information relating to his claim. The applicant (or his representative) shall be provided, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant to his claim. The review shall take into account all comments, documents, records and other information submitted by the applicant (or his representative) relating to the claim, without regard to whether such information was submitted or considered in the initial benefit determination.

 

  (d) Decision on Review. The Committee will act on each request for review within sixty (60) days after receipt of the request, unless special circumstances require an extension of time (not to exceed an additional sixty (60) days), for processing the request for a review. If an extension for review is required, written notice of the extension will be furnished to the applicant within the initial sixty (60) day period. This notice of extension will describe the special circumstances necessitating the additional time and the date by which the Committee is to render its decision on the review. The Committee will give prompt, written or electronic notice of its decision to the applicant. Any electronic notice will comply with the regulations of the U.S. Department of Labor. In the event that the Committee confirms the denial of the application for benefits in whole or in part, the notice will set forth, in a manner calculated to be understood by the applicant, the following:

 

  (i) the specific reason or reasons for the denial;

 

  (ii) references to the specific Plan provisions upon which the denial is based;

 

  (iii) a statement that the applicant is entitled to receive, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant to his claim (excluding those protected by legal privilege); and

 

13


  (iv) a statement of the applicant’s right to bring a civil action under section 502(a) of ERISA.

 

  (e) Rules and Procedures. The Committee will establish rules and procedures, consistent with the Plan and with ERISA, as necessary and appropriate in carrying out its responsibilities in reviewing benefit claims. The Committee may require an applicant who wishes to submit additional information in connection with an appeal from the denial of benefits to do so at the applicant’s own expense.

 

  (f) Exhaustion of Remedies. No legal action for benefits under the Plan may be brought until the claimant (i) has submitted a written application for benefits in accordance with the procedures described by Section 6.5(a) above, (ii) has been notified by the Committee that the application is denied, (iii) has filed a written request for a review of the application in accordance with the appeal procedure described in Section 6.5(c) above, and (iv) has been notified that the Committee has denied the appeal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Committee does not respond to a Participant’s claim or appeal within the relevant time limits specified in this Section 6.5, the Participant may bring legal action for benefits under the Plan pursuant to Section 502(a) of ERISA.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

 

Section 7.1 Before Change in Control. This Plan may be amended from time to time, or terminated at any time at the discretion of the Board of Directors by a written resolution adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors, provided, however, that no amendment or termination shall adversely affect the right of a Participant to receive a severance benefit that the Participant has accrued on account of his termination of employment as a result of a Change in Control.

 

Section 7.2 After Change in Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Plan may not be amended or participation discontinued after the effective time of a Change in Control. For purposes of this Plan, the “effective time” of a Change in Control shall have the same meaning provided in the agreement governing the transactions which give rise to the Change in Control.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

 

GENERAL

 

Section 8.1 Payment Out of General Assets. The benefits and costs of this Plan shall be paid by a Member Company out of its general assets.

 

Section 8.2 Welfare Benefit Plan. This Plan is intended to be an employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(1), Subtitle A of Title 1 of ERISA. The Plan will be interpreted to effectuate this intent.

 

Section 8.3 Gender. The masculine pronoun shall include the feminine pronoun and the feminine pronoun shall include the masculine pronoun and the singular pronoun shall include the plural pronoun and the plural pronoun shall include the singular pronoun, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

 

Section 8.4 Limitation on Participant’s Rights. Nothing in this Plan shall be construed to guarantee terminated Eligible Employees any right to be recalled or rehired by a Member Company.

 

Section 8.5 Severability. If any provision of this Plan shall be held illegal or invalid, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts, which shall be enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included in this Plan.

 

15

EX-10.3 5 dex103.htm GREATER BAY BANCORP SEVERANCE PLAN I Greater Bay Bancorp Severance Plan I

EXHIBIT 10.3

 

GREATER BAY

 

BANCORP

 

SEVERANCE PLAN I

 

(Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2005)


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Article/Section/Subsect


   Page

ARTICLE I

        
    PURPOSE    2

ARTICLE II

        
    EFFECTIVE DATE    2

ARTICLE III

        
    DEFINITIONS    2
    Section 3.1   Affiliated Company    2
    Section 3.2   Base Benefit    3
    Section 3.3   Board of Directors    3
    Section 3.4   Calculated Severance    3
    Section 3.5   Code    3
    Section 3.6   Committee    3
    Section 3.7   Company    3
    Section 3.8   Effective Date    3
    Section 3.9   Employee    3
    Section 3.10   ERISA    3
    Section 3.11   Executive Officer    3
    Section 3.12   Layoff    3
    Section 3.13   Leave of Absence    3
    Section 3.14   Member Company    4
    Section 3.15   Participant    4
    Section 3.16   Pay    4
    Section 3.17   Plan    4
    Section 3.18   Plan Year    4
    Section 3.19   Severance Benefit    4
    Section 3.20   Year of Service    4

ARTICLE IV

        
    ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS    4
    Section 4.1   Employees Eligible for Severance Benefits.    4
    Section 4.2   Employees Not Eligible for Severance Benefits.    4

 

i


ARTICLE V         
    SEVERANCE BENEFITS    5
    Section 5.1   Calculation of Base Benefit.    5
    Section 5.2   Determination of Calculated Severance.    6
    Section 5.3   Maximum Severance Benefit.    6
    Section 5.4   Continued Insurance Benefits.    6
    Section 5.5   Other Employee Benefits.    7
    Section 5.6   Golden Parachute Restriction.    7
    Section 5.7   Payment of Benefits.    8
    Section 5.8   Payment Offset.    8
    Section 5.9   Repayment Upon Re-employment.    8
    Section 5.10   Unfunded Plan.    8
    Section 5.11   Prohibition Against Golden Parachute Payments.    9
ARTICLE VI         
    ADMINISTRATION    9
    Section 6.1   Plan Administration.    9
    Section 6.2   Plan Committee.    9
    Section 6.3   Named Fiduciary.    10
    Section 6.4   Indemnification of Committee.    10
    Section 6.5   Claims Procedure.    10
ARTICLE VII         
    AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION    12
ARTICLE VIII         
    GENERAL    13
    Section 8.1   Payment Out of General Assets.    13
    Section 8.2   Welfare Benefit Plan.    13
    Section 8.3   Gender.    13
    Section 8.4   Limitation on Participant’s Rights.    13
    Section 8.5   Severability.    13

 

ii


GREATER BAY BANCORP

SEVERANCE PLAN I

 

Amended and Restated as of January 1, 2005

 

ARTICLE I

 

PURPOSE

 

GREATER BAY BANCORP (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”) established, effective as of January 1, 1998, the Termination & Layoff Pay Plan I to provide severance benefits to eligible Employees whose employment terminates in connection with a Layoff or Termination (as those items were defined in such plan). The Company has amended, restated and renamed such plan as the Severance Plan I, effective as of January 1, 2005, limiting participation to Employees whose employment terminated in connection with a Layoff, and hereby further amends and restates such plan, effective as of January 1, 2005, in accordance with the terms set forth hereunder. The intent of the plan is to ensure all employees have reasonable protection related to a Layoff event as specified herein.

 

ARTICLE II

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

All of the policies and practices of each Member Company regarding severance, or similar payments upon termination of employment in connection with a Layoff are hereby superseded by this plan which shall be known as the GREATER BAY BANCORP Severance Plan I (the “Plan”), as originally established January 1, 1998 and as amended and restated effective January 1, 2005.

 

ARTICLE III

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 3.1 Affiliated Company means:

 

  (a) Any corporation (other than the Company) that is included in a controlled group of corporations, within the meaning of Code Section 414(b), that includes the Company, and

 

  (b) Any trade or business (other than the Company) that is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Code Section 414(c), and

 

  (c) Any member (other than the Company) of an affiliated service group, within the meaning of Code Section 414(m), that includes the Company, and

 

  (d) Any other entity required to be aggregated with the Company pursuant to regulations under Code Section 414(o).

 

2


Section 3.2 Base Benefit means the severance benefit payable to a Participant in accordance with Articles IV and V of the Plan, the amount of which is based upon such Participant’s Pay and his title or position in a Member Company as of the date he terminates employment with the Member Company on account of a Layoff.

 

Section 3.3 Board of Directors means the board of directors of the Company.

 

Section 3.4 Calculated Severance means the severance benefit payable to a Participant in accordance with Articles IV and V of the Plan, the amount of which is based upon such Participant’s full Years of Service with a Member Company as of the date the Participant terminates employment with a Member Company on account of a Layoff.

 

Section 3.5 Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Section 3.6 Committee means the Benefits Administration Committee appointed by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors.

 

Section 3.7 Company means GREATER BAY BANCORP.

 

Section 3.8 Effective Date means January 1, 2005.

 

Section 3.9 Employee means (1) any full-time employee of a Member Company or (2) any regular part-time employee of a Member Company. For purposes of this Section 3.9, “ful1-time employee” shall mean an employee of a Member Company who is regularly scheduled to work at least forty (40) hours per week for twelve (12) months each year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to employees of a Member Company which requires fewer than forty (40) hours per week for classification as a full-time employee, “full-time employee” shall be defined according to such Member Company’s administrative policy and practice. “Regular part-time” employee shall mean any employee of a Member Company who is regularly scheduled to work at least twenty (20) hours per week for twelve (12) months each year, but fewer hours than necessary to classify him as a full-time employee.

 

Section 3.10 ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

 

Section 3.11 Executive Officer means a person who is an officer of a Member Company within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Section 3.12 Layoff means the termination of employment due to a business-based reduction in force including, but not limited to, cost reduction, business or process reorganization/re-engineering, reassignment of duties, lack of/insufficient duties, or elimination of a position.

 

Section 3.13 Leave of Absence means a period of absence from regular employment which is approved by the Member Company in a non-discriminatory manner for reasons such as, but not limited to, sickness, disability, education, jury duty, convenience to a Member Company, maternity or paternity leave, family leave, or for periods of military duty during which the Employee’s reemployment rights are protected by law.

 

3


Section 3.14 Major Business Unit means CAPCO, Matsco, Greater Bay Capital, and such other divisions or business units as designated by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer.

 

Section 3.15 Member Company means the Company or an Affiliated Company, provided that the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors consents to the participation of any such Affiliated Company in the Plan with respect to eligible Employees of such Affiliated Company.

 

Section 3.16 Participant means an Employee who satisfies the requirements under Section 4.1 of the Plan.

 

Section 3.17 Pay means an Employee’s current annual rate of regular base salary or wages on the date of the Participant’s termination of employment with a Member Company on account of a Layoff, excluding all other extra pay such as bonuses, overtime, commissions, premiums, supplements, imputed income, and living, auto, or other allowances.

 

Section 3.18 Plan means the Greater Bay Bancorp Severance Plan I.

 

Section 3.19 Plan Year means each twelve (12) consecutive month period from January 1 through December 31.

 

Section 3.20 Severance Benefit means the sum of any Base Benefit and any Calculated Severance to which a Participant is entitled in accordance with Articles IV and V.

 

Section 3.21 Year of Service means a twelve (12)-continuous month period beginning on an Employee’s most recent date of hire (or rehire), and each twelve (l2)-continuous month period beginning on the anniversary of such hire (or rehire) date, during which the Employee remains continuously employed by a Member Company.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS

 

Section 4.1 Employees Eligible for Severance Benefits. Except as provided in this Section 4.1 and in Section 4.2, and subject to Section 5.11, an Employee whose employment is terminated by a Member Company on or after the Effective Date shall be eligible for a Severance Benefit if:

 

  (a) Subject to Section 4.2, the Employee’s employment is terminated as a result of a Layoff; and

 

  (b) The Employee executes a waiver and release agreement in such form as determined by the Committee (the “Waiver and Release Agreement”) and returns the Waiver and Release Agreement to the Member Company within the time period (not to exceed 45 days or such longer period as may be required by applicable law) specified in the Waiver and Release Agreement.

 

Section 4.2 Employees Not Eligible for Severance Benefits. An Employee shall not be entitled to a Severance Benefit set forth in Article V if;

 

4


  (a) The Employee’s employment is terminated for reasons other than Layoff; or

 

  (b) The Employee’s employment is terminated by reason of a Change in Control as that term is defined in the Greater Bay Bancorp Change in Control Pay Plan I; or

 

  (c) The Employee has in force an employment contract or executive severance agreement with a Member Company which includes provision for the payment of severance benefits upon the termination of his employment with the Member Company as a result of a Layoff, unless such severance benefits are less than the Severance Benefit provided for in the Plan (in which case the Employee shall be entitled to the Severance Benefit provided in the Plan in lieu of the severance benefits provided under such agreement); or

 

  (d) With respect to termination of employment resulting from a Layoff, the Employee is offered employment by a Member Company in another position of comparable pay and status to the position held immediately prior to the Layoff, regardless of whether he accepts the offer; or

 

  (e) The Employee fails to perform his regular assigned job duties through the date specified by a Member Company as his termination date; or

 

  (f) The Employee fails to return a properly executed Waiver and Release Agreement on a timely basis.

 

For purposes of this Section 4.2, a “position of comparable pay and status” shall mean a position with not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Pay, bonus opportunity and benefits of the position held by the Employee prior to his termination of employment and with a similar scope of duties and responsibilities to such prior position. In addition, a position will not be considered a position of comparable pay and status if an Employee is required to increase his normal commute to reach a new worksite by 35 miles or more each way. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee reserves the right to make decisions based on the facts and circumstances of individual cases as to whether a position is of comparable pay and status to that held by an Employee prior to his employment termination, provided that the Employee may appeal any such decision pursuant to the provision of Section 6.5.

 

ARTICLE V

 

SEVERANCE BENEFITS

 

Section 5.1 Calculation of Base Benefit. Subject to the provisions of Sections 4.1, 4.2, and 5.11, a Participant whose employment is terminated as a result of a Layoff shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit under this Plan as follows;

 

  (a)

Senior Management Council Member (SMC) or President of a Bank or Major Business Unit. A Participant who is a SMC Member (other than an Executive Officer) and an employee of a Member Company or a Major

 

5


 

Business Unit President of a Member Company (other than an Executive Officer) shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit equal to five (5) months of Pay in addition to any Calculated Severance to which the Participant is entitled, if any.

 

  (b) Business Level President, Executive Vice President or Senior Vice President. A Participant who is a President, an Executive Vice President or Senior Vice President of a Member Company (other than an Executive Officer, SMC Member or Major Business Unit President) shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit equal to four (4) months of Pay in addition to any Calculated Severance to which the Participant is entitled, if any.

 

  (c) Vice President/Assistant Vice President. A Participant who is a Vice President or an Assistant Vice President of a Member Company shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit equal to two (2) months of Pay in addition to any Calculated Severance to which the Participant is entitled, if any.

 

  (d) Staff - Exempt and Non-Exempt. A Participant who is an exempt or non-exempt Employee of a Member Company, but not included in Section 5.1 (a), (b), or (c) above shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit equal to one (1) month of Pay in addition to any Calculated Severance to which the Participant is entitled, if any.

 

Section 5.2 Determination of Calculated Severance. Subject to the provisions of Sections 4.1, 4.2, and 5.11, a Participant whose employment is terminated as a result of a Layoff shall be entitled to receive Calculated Severance under this Plan, based on the Participant’s full Years of Service with a Member Company, equal to the amount of Pay that would have been payable for the number of weeks determined under the following table:

 

No. of Full Years of Service


  

No. of Weeks Per Full Year of Service


Less than 1 year    0 weeks
1 year to 4 years    1 week
5 years to 10 years    2 weeks
11 years or more    3 weeks

 

Section 5.3 Maximum Severance Benefit. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the maximum Severance Benefit payable to a Participant upon a termination of employment on account of a Layoff is twelve (12) months of Pay.

 

Section 5.4 Continued Insurance Benefits. Provided that the Participant timely elects continued coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budge Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”), the Member Company shall pay that portion of the premiums of each Participant’s group medical, dental and vision coverage, including coverage for the Participant’s eligible dependents, that the Member Company regularly paid prior to the Participant’s termination date for the period during which the Participant is eligible for a Severance Benefit under Sections 5.1

 

6


and 5.2 (the “Continuation Period”). Such premium payments shall continue for the duration of the Continuation Period; provided, however, that no such premium payments shall be made following the effective date of the Participant’s coverage by a medical, dental or vision insurance plan of a subsequent employer. Each Participant shall be required to notify the Member Company immediately if the Participant becomes covered by a medical, dental or vision insurance plan of a subsequent employer.

 

No provision of this Plan will affect the continuation coverage rules under COBRA, except that the Member Company’s payment of any applicable insurance premiums during the Continuation Period will be credited as payment by the Participant for purposes of the Participant’s payments required under COBRA. Therefore, the period during which a Participant may elect to continue the Member Company’s group medical coverage at his own expense under COBRA, the length of time during which COBRA coverage will be made available to the Participant, and all other rights and obligations of the Participant under COBRA (except the obligation to pay insurance premiums that the Member Company pays during the Continuation Period) will be applied in the same manner that such rules would apply in the absence of this Plan. At the conclusion of the Continuation Period, the Participant shall be responsible for the entire payment of premiums required under COBRA for the duration of the COBRA continuation period. For purposes of this Section 5.4, applicable premiums that will be paid by the Member Company during the Continuation Period shall not include any amounts payable by the Participant under a Section 125 health care reimbursement plan, which amounts, if any, are the sole responsibility of the Participant.

 

Section 5.5 Other Employee Benefits. All other employee benefits (such as life insurance, disability coverage, and retirement plan coverage) terminate as of the Participant’s termination date (except to the extent that a conversion privilege may be available thereunder).

 

Section 5.6 Golden Parachute Restriction.

 

  (a) In General. Notwithstanding anything above in this Article V, if a Participant is a “disqualified individual” (as defined in Section 280G(c) of the Code), and the Severance Benefit provided for in Sections 5.1 and 5.2, together with any other payments which the Participant has the right to receive from a Member Company would constitute a “parachute payment” (as defined in Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code), the Severance Benefit shall be reduced. The reduction shall be in an amount so that the present value of the total amount received by the Participant from a Member Company will be One Dollar ($1.00) less than three (3) times the Participant’s base amount (as defined in Section 280G of the Code) and so that no portion of the amounts received by the Participant shall be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code.

 

  (b) Deferred Compensation and Reimbursements Exception. In no circumstances will a Member Company reduce the Severance Benefits payable to a Participant on account of the restrictions of this Section 5.6 by the amounts the Participant has the right to receive under an executive deferred compensation plan of the Member Company (Deferred Compensation Plan), amounts paid or payable to the Participant to reimburse him/her either fully or partially for excise tax and/or income tax on the reimbursement (gross up amounts), or amounts paid or payable on the Participant as indemnification for attorney’s fees and legal expenses.

 

7


  (c) Determination of Reduction. The determination as to whether any reduction in the Severance Benefit is necessary shall be made by the Participant’s Member Company in good faith, and the determination shall be conclusive and binding on the Participant.

 

  (d) Repayment of Excess Amount. If through error or otherwise the Participant should receive payments under this Plan, together with other payments the Participant has the right to receive from a Member Company, excluding Deferred Compensation Plan payments in excess of one dollar ($1.00) less than three times his base amount, the Participant shall immediately repay the excess to the Member Company upon notification that an overpayment has been made.

 

Section 5.7 Payment of Benefits. The Plan shall pay a Severance Benefit to a Participant whose employment is terminated on account of a Layoff in the form of a lump sum. The Plan shall make lump sum distributions as soon as administratively practicable and in no event later than thirty (30) days following the receipt by the Company of a timely and properly executed Waiver and Release Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any payment to be made hereunder is considered nonqualified deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code and otherwise would be made within six months following a Participant’s termination of employment to such Participant who is a “specified employee” as defined for purposes of Code Section 409A, then such payment shall be delayed and paid on the first day of the seventh calendar month following such termination of employment.

 

Section 5.8 Payment Offset. A Member Company reserves the right to offset the Severance Benefits payable under Sections 5.1 and 5.2 by any advance, loan or other monies the Participant owes the Member Company. All Severance Benefit payments under the Plan will be subject to applicable withholding for federal, state and local taxes.

 

Section 5.9 Repayment Upon Re-employment. In the event of a Participant’s reemployment by a Member Company during the period of time in respect of which Calculated Severance pursuant to Section 5.2 has been paid in a lump sum, the Member Company shall require such Participant to repay to the Member Company all or a portion of such Calculated Severance as a condition of reemployment. The amount required to be repaid shall equal the Participant’s weekly Pay for the total number of weeks for which the Participant was eligible under Section 5.2 minus the Participant’s weekly Pay for the number of weeks that have elapsed since the Participant’s termination of employment. If the Calculated Severance is paid in installments, the installment payments will stop upon reemployment with a Member Company.

 

Section 5.10 Unfunded Plan. The obligations of a Member Company under this Plan may be funded through contributions to a trust or otherwise, but the obligations of the Member Company are not required to be funded under this Plan unless required by law. Nothing contained in this Plan shall give a Participant any right, title or interest in any property of the Member Company.

 

8


Section 5.11 Prohibition Against Golden Parachute Payments. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant who is an institution-affiliated party as the term is defined in Section 359.1(h) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Rules and Regulations (“FDIC Rules and Regs”) shall be entitled to the payment of any Severance Benefit under the Plan to the extent that such payment shall be deemed a “golden parachute payment” as the term is defined in FDIC Rules and Reg. Section 359.1(f)(i)(ii) or (iii).

 

ARTICLE VI

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

Section 6.1 Plan Administration. The Company shall be the administrator of the Plan for purposes of Section 3(16) of ERISA and shall have responsibility for complying with any ERISA reporting and disclosure rules applicable to the Plan for any Plan Year.

 

Section 6.2 Plan Committee. In all respects other than as provided in Section 6.1, the Plan shall be administered and operated by the Committee. The Committee shall have all powers necessary to supervise the administration of the Plan and control its operations. In addition to any powers and authority conferred to the Committee elsewhere in the Plan or by law, the Committee shall have, by way of illustration but not by way of limitation, the following discretionary powers and authority:

 

  (a) To allocate fiduciary responsibilities among the named fiduciaries and to designate one or more other persons to carry out fiduciary responsibilities. However, no allocation or delegation under this Section 6.2(a) shall be effective until the person or persons to whom the responsibilities have been allocated or delegated agree to assume the responsibilities.

 

  (b) To designate agents to carry out responsibilities relating to the Plan, other than fiduciary responsibilities.

 

  (c) To employ such legal, accounting, clerical, and other assistance as it may deem appropriate in carrying out the provisions of this Plan, including one or more persons to render advice with regard to any responsibility any fiduciary may have under the Plan.

 

  (d) To establish rules and procedures from time to time for the conduct of the Committee’s business and the administration and effectuation of this Plan.

 

  (e) To administer, interpret, construe and apply this Plan. To decide all questions which may arise or which may be raised under this Plan by any Employee, Participant, former Participant or other person whatsoever, including but not limited to all questions relating to eligibility to participate in the Plan, the amount of service of any Participant, and the amount of benefits to which any Participant may be entitled.

 

  (f) To determine the manner in which the Severance Benefits of this Plan, or any part thereof, shall be administered.

 

9


  (g) To perform or cause to be performed such further acts as it may deem to be necessary, appropriate or convenient in the efficient administration of the Plan.

 

Any action taken in good faith by the Committee in the exercise of discretionary authority conferred upon it by this Plan shall be conclusive and binding upon the Participants. All discretionary powers conferred upon the Committee shall be absolute. However, all discretionary powers shall be exercised in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner.

 

Section 6.3 Named Fiduciary. The members of the Committee shall be named fiduciaries with respect to this Plan for purposes of Section 402 of ERISA.

 

Section 6.4 Indemnification of Committee. The Company shall, to the extent permitted by law, by the purchase of insurance or otherwise, indemnify and hold harmless each member of the Committee and each other fiduciary with respect to this Plan for liabilities or expenses they and each of them incur in carrying out their respective duties under the Plan, other than for any liabilities or expenses arising out of such fiduciary’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. A fiduciary shall not be responsible for any breach of responsibility of any other fiduciary except to the extent provided in Section 405 of ERISA.

 

Section 6.5 Claims Procedure.

 

  (a) Applications for Benefits and Inquiries. Any application for benefits, inquiries about the Plan or inquiries about present or future rights under the Plan must be submitted to the Committee in writing by an applicant (or his authorized representative). The address for the Committee is:

 

Plan Committee

Greater Bay Bancorp

1900 University Avenue, Suite 600

East Palo Alto, CA 94303

 

  (b) Denial of Claims. In the event that any application for benefits is denied in whole or in part, the Committee must provide the applicant with written or electronic notice of the denial of the application, and of the applicant’s right to review the denial. Any electronic notice will comply with the regulations of the U.S. Department of Labor. The notice of denial will be set forth in a manner designed to be understood by the applicant and will include the following:

 

  (i) the specific reason or reasons for the denial;

 

  (ii) references to the specific Plan provisions upon which the denial is based;

 

  (iii) a description of any additional information or material that the Committee needs to complete the review and an explanation of why such information or material is necessary; and

 

10


  (iv) an explanation of the Plan’s review procedures and the time limits applicable to such procedures, including a statement of the applicant’s right to bring a civil action under section 502(a) of ERISA following a denial on review of the claim, as described in Section 6.5(d) below.

 

This notice of denial will be given to the applicant within ninety (90) days after the Committee receives the application, unless special circumstances require an extension of time, in which case, the Committee has up to an additional ninety (90) days for processing the application. If an extension of time for processing is required, written notice of the extension will be furnished to the applicant before the end of the initial ninety (90) day period.

 

This notice of extension will describe the special circumstances necessitating the additional time and the date by which the Committee is to render its decision on the application.

 

  (c) Request for a Review. Any person (or that person’s authorized representative) for whom an application for benefits is denied, in whole or in part, may appeal the denial by submitting a request for a review to the Committee within sixty (60) days after the application is denied. A request for a review shall be in writing and shall be addressed to:

 

Plan Committee

Greater Bay Bancorp

1900 University Avenue, Suite 600

East Palo Alto, CA 94303

 

A request for review must set forth all of the grounds on which it is based, all facts in support of the request and any other matters that the applicant feels are pertinent. The applicant (or his representative) shall have the opportunity to submit (or the Committee may require the applicant to submit) written comments, documents, records, and other information relating to his claim. The applicant (or his representative) shall be provided, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant to his claim. The review shall take into account all comments, documents, records and other information submitted by the applicant (or his representative) relating to the claim, without regard to whether such information was submitted or considered in the initial benefit determination.

 

  (d)

Decision on Review. The Committee will act on each request for review within sixty (60) days after receipt of the request, unless special circumstances require an extension of time (not to exceed an additional sixty (60) days), for processing the request for a review. If an extension for review is required, written notice of the extension will be furnished to the applicant within the initial sixty (60) day period. This notice of

 

11


 

extension will describe the special circumstances necessitating the additional time and the date by which the Committee is to render its decision on the review. The Committee will give prompt, written or electronic notice of its decision to the applicant. Any electronic notice will comply with the regulations of the U.S. Department of Labor. In the event that the Committee confirms the denial of the application for benefits in whole or in part, the notice will set forth, in a manner calculated to be understood by the applicant, the following:

 

  (i) the specific reason or reasons for the denial;

 

  (ii) references to the specific Plan provisions upon which the denial is based;

 

  (iii) a statement that the applicant is entitled to receive, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant to his claim (excluding those protected by legal privilege); and

 

  (iv) a statement of the applicant’s right to bring a civil action under section 502(a) of ERISA.

 

  (e) Rules and Procedures. The Committee will establish rules and procedures, consistent with the Plan and with ERISA, as necessary and appropriate in carrying out its responsibilities in reviewing benefit claims. The Committee may require an applicant who wishes to submit additional information in connection with an appeal from the denial of benefits to do so at the applicant’s own expense.

 

  (f) Exhaustion of Remedies. No legal action for benefits under the Plan may be brought until the claimant (i) has submitted a written application for benefits in accordance with the procedures described by Section 6.5(a) above, (ii) has been notified by the Committee that the application is denied, (iii) has filed a written request for a review of the application in accordance with the appeal procedure described in Section 6.5(c) above, and (iv) has been notified that the Committee has denied the appeal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Committee does not respond to a Participant’s claim or appeal within the relevant time limits specified in this Section 6.5, the Participant may bring legal action for benefits under the Plan pursuant to Section 502(a) of ERISA.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

 

This Plan may be amended from time to time, or terminated at the discretion of the Board of Directors by a written resolution adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that no amendment or termination shall adversely affect the right to any unpaid Severance Benefit of a Participant whose Layoff termination date has occurred prior to such amendment or termination of the Plan.

 

12


ARTICLE VIII

 

GENERAL

 

Section 8.1 Payment Out of General Assets. The benefits and costs of this Plan shall be paid by the Company and each Member Company out of its general assets.

 

Section 8.2 Welfare Benefit Plan. This Plan is intended to be an employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(1), Subtitle A of Title 1 of ERISA. The Plan will be interpreted to effectuate this intent.

 

Section 8.3 Gender. The masculine pronoun shall include the feminine pronoun and the feminine pronoun shall include the masculine pronoun and the singular pronoun shall include the plural pronoun and the plural pronoun shall include the singular pronoun, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

 

Section 8.4 Limitation on Participant’s Rights. Nothing in this Plan shall be construed to guarantee terminated Employees any right to be recalled or rehired by a Member Company.

 

Section 8.5 Severability. If any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal or invalid, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts, which shall be enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included in this Plan.

 

13

EX-10.4 6 dex104.htm GREATER BAY BANCORP SEVERANCE PLAN II Greater Bay Bancorp Severance Plan II

EXHIBIT 10.4

 

GREATER BAY

 

BANCORP

 

SEVERANCE PLAN II

 

(Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2005)


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I PURPOSE    2
ARTICLE II EFFECTIVE DATE    2
ARTICLE III DEFINITIONS    2
    Section 3.1.   

Affiliated Company

   2
    Section 3.2.   

Base Benefit

   3
    Section 3.3.   

Board of Directors

   3
    Section 3.4.   

Calculated Severance

   3
    Section 3.5.   

Code

   3
    Section 3.6.   

Committee

   3
    Section 3.7.   

Company

   3
    Section 3.8.   

Effective Date

   3
    Section 3.9.   

Employee

   3
    Section 3.10.   

Eligible Employee

   3
    Section 3.11.   

ERISA

   3
    Section 3.12.   

Layoff

   3
    Section 3.13.   

Leave of Absence

   3
    Section 3.14.   

Member Company

   4
    Section 3.15.   

Participant

   4
    Section 3.16.   

Pay

   4
    Section 3.17.   

Plan

   4
    Section 3.18.   

Plan Year

   4
    Section 3.19.   

Severance Benefit

   4
    Section 3.20.   

Year of Service

   4
ARTICLE IV ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS    4
    Section 4.1.   

Employees Eligible for Severance Benefits.

   4
    Section 4.2.   

Employees Not Eligible for Severance Benefits.

   4
ARTICLE V SEVERANCE BENEFITS    5
    Section 5.1.   

Calculation of Base Benefit.

   5
    Section 5.2.   

Determination of Calculated Severance.

   6
    Section 5.3.   

Maximum Severance Benefit.

   6
    Section 5.4.   

Golden Parachute Restriction.

   6
    Section 5.5.   

Continued Insurance Benefits.

   7
    Section 5.6.   

Other Employee Benefits.

   7
    Section 5.7.   

Payment of Benefits.

   8
    Section 5.8.   

Payment Offset.

   8
    Section 5.9.   

Repayment Upon Re-employment.

   8
    Section 5.10.   

Unfunded Plan.

   8
    Section 5.11.   

Prohibition Against Golden Parachute Payments.

   8
ARTICLE VI ADMINISTRATION    8
    Section 6.1.   

Plan Administration.

   8

 

i


    Section 6.2.   

Plan Committee.

   9
    Section 6.3.   

Named Fiduciary.

   9
    Section 6.4.   

Indemnification of Committee.

   9
    Section 6.5.   

Claims Procedure.

   10
ARTICLE VII AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION    12
ARTICLE VIII GENERAL    12
    Section 8.1.   

Payment Out of General Assets.

   12
    Section 8.2.   

Welfare Benefit Plan.

   12
    Section 8.3.   

Gender.

   13
    Section 8.4.   

Limitation on Participant’s Rights.

   13
    Section 8.5.   

Severability.

   13

 

ii


GREATER BAY BANCORP

SEVERANCE PLAN II

Amended and Restated as of January 1, 2005

 

ARTICLE I

 

PURPOSE

 

GREATER BAY BANCORP (the “Company”) established, effective as of January 1, 1998, and amended as of March 23, 1999, the Termination & Layoff Pay Plan II to provide severance benefits to selected executives whose employment terminates in connection with a Layoff or Termination (as such terms were defined in the Termination & Layoff Plan II). The Company has amended, restated and renamed such plan as the Severance Plan II, effective as of January 1, 2005, and hereby further amends and restates such plan, effective as of January 1, 2005, to provide severance benefits to such executives who are deemed Eligible Employees and whose employment terminates in connection with a Layoff, in accordance with the terms set forth hereunder. The intent of the plan is to ensure all Eligible Employees have reasonable protection related to a Layoff event as specified herein.

 

ARTICLE II

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

All of the policies and practices of each Member Company regarding severance, or similar payments to Eligible Employees upon termination of employment in connection with a Layoff are hereby superseded by this plan which shall be known as the GREATER BAY BANCORP Severance Plan II (the “Plan”), as originally established January 1, 1998, amended March 23, 1999, and as amended and restated effective January 1, 2005.

 

ARTICLE III

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 3.1. Affiliated Company means:

 

  (a) Any corporation (other than the Company) that is included in a controlled group of corporations, within the meaning of Code Section 414(b), that includes the Company, and

 

  (b) Any trade or business (other than the Company) that is under common control with the Company within the meaning of Code Section 414(c), and

 

  (c) Any member (other than the Company) of an affiliated service group, within the meaning of Code Section 414(m), that includes the Company, and

 

  (d) Any other entity required to be aggregated with the Company pursuant to regulations under Code Section 414(o).

 

2


Section 3.2. Base Benefit means the severance benefit payable to a Participant in accordance with Articles IV and V of the Plan, the amount of which is based upon such Participant’s Pay and his title or position with a Member Company as of the date he terminates employment with the Member Company on account of a Layoff.

 

Section 3.3. Board of Directors means the board of directors of the Company.

 

Section 3.4. Calculated Severance means the severance benefit payable to a Participant in accordance with Articles IV and V of the Plan, the amount of which is based upon such Participant’s full Years of Service with a Member Company as of the date the Participant terminates employment with a Member Company on account of a Layoff.

 

Section 3.5. Code means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

Section 3.6. Committee means the Benefits Administration Committee appointed by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors.

 

Section 3.7. Company means GREATER BAY BANCORP.

 

Section 3.8. Effective Date means January 1, 2005.

 

Section 3.9. Employee means (1) any full-time employee of a Member Company or (2) any regular part-time employee of a Member Company. For purposes of this Section 3.9, “full-time employee” shall mean an employee of a Member Company who is regularly scheduled to work at least forty (40) hours per week for twelve (12) months each year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to employees of a Member Company which requires fewer than forty (40) hours per week for classification as a full-time employee, “full-time employee” shall be defined according to such Member Company’s administrative policy and practice. “Regular part-time” employee shall mean any employee of a Member Company who is regularly scheduled to work at least twenty (20) hours per week for twelve (12) months each year, but fewer hours than necessary to classify him as a full-time employee.

 

Section 3.10. Eligible Employee means an Employee who is a member of the Company’s Managing Committee (MC) and an Employee of a Member Company.

 

Section 3.11. ERISA means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

 

Section 3.12. Layoff means the termination of employment due to a business-based reduction in force, including, but not limited to, cost reduction, business or process reorganization/re-engineering, reassignment of duties, lack of/insufficient duties, or elimination of a position.

 

Section 3.13. Leave of Absence means a period of absence from regular employment which is approved by the Member Company in a non-discriminatory manner for reasons such as, but not limited to, sickness, disability, education, jury duty, convenience to a Member Company, maternity or paternity leave, family leave, or for periods of military duty during which the Employee’s reemployment rights are protected by law.

 

3


Section 3.14. Member Company means the Company or an Affiliated Company, provided that the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors consents to the participation of any such Affiliated Company in the Plan with respect to Eligible Employees of such Affiliated Company.

 

Section 3.15. Participant means an Eligible Employee who satisfies the requirements under Section 4.1 of the Plan.

 

Section 3.16. Pay means an Eligible Employee’s current annual rate of regular base salary or wages on the date of the Participant’s termination of employment with a Member Company on account of a Layoff, excluding all other extra pay such as bonuses, overtime, commissions, premiums, supplements, imputed income and living, auto or other allowances.

 

Section 3.17. Plan means the Greater Bay Bancorp Severance Plan II.

 

Section 3.18. Plan Year means each twelve (12) consecutive month period from January 1 through December 31.

 

Section 3.19. Severance Benefit means the sum of any Base Benefit and any Calculated Severance to which a Participant is entitled in accordance with Articles IV and V.

 

Section 3.20. Year of Service means a twelve (12)-continuous month period beginning on an Employee’s most recent date of hire (or rehire), and each twelve (12)-continuous month period beginning on the anniversary of such hire (or rehire) date, during which the Employee remains continuously employed by a Member Company.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS

 

Section 4.1. Employees Eligible for Severance Benefits. Except as provided in this Section 4.1 and in Section 4.2, and subject to Section 5.11, an Eligible Employee whose employment is terminated by a Member Company on or after the Effective Date shall be eligible for a Severance Benefit if:

 

  (a) Subject to Section 4.2, the Eligible Employee’s employment is terminated as a result of a Layoff; and

 

  (b) The Eligible Employee executes a waiver and release agreement in such form as determined by the Committee (the “Waiver and Release Agreement”) and returns the Waiver and Release Agreement to the Member Company within the time period (not to exceed 45 days or such longer period as may be required by applicable law) specified in the Waiver and Release Agreement.

 

Section 4.2. Employees Not Eligible for Severance Benefits. An Eligible Employee shall not be entitled to a Severance Benefit set forth in Article V if:

 

  (a) The Employee’s employment is terminated for reasons other than Layoff; or

 

4


  (b) The Employee’s employment is terminated by reason of a Change in Control as that term is defined in the Greater Bay Bancorp Change in Control Plan II; or

 

  (c) The Employee has in force an employment contract or executive severance agreement with a Member Company which includes provision for the payment of severance benefits upon the termination of his employment with the Member Company as a result of a Layoff, unless such severance benefits are less than the Severance Benefit provided for in the Plan (in which case the Employee shall be entitled to the Severance Benefit provided in the Plan in lieu of the severance benefits provided under such agreement); or

 

  (d) With respect to termination of employment resulting from a Layoff, the Employee is offered employment by a Member Company in another position of comparable pay and status to the position held immediately prior to the Layoff, regardless of whether he accepts the offer; or

 

  (e) The Employee fails to perform his regular assigned job duties through the date specified by a Member Company as his termination date; or

 

  (f) The Employee fails to return a properly executed Waiver and Release Agreement on a timely basis.

 

For purposes of this Section 4.2, a “position of comparable pay and status” shall mean a position with not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the Pay, bonus opportunity and benefits of the position held by the Employee prior to his termination of employment and with a similar scope of duties and responsibilities to such prior position. In addition, a position will not be considered a position of comparable pay and status if an Employee is required to increase his normal commute to reach a new worksite by 35 miles or more each way. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee reserves the right to make decisions based on the facts and circumstances of individual cases as to whether a position is of comparable pay and status to that held by an Employee prior to his employment termination, provided that the Employee may appeal any such decision pursuant to the provision of Section 6.5.

 

ARTICLE V

 

SEVERANCE BENEFITS

 

Section 5.1. Calculation of Base Benefit. Subject to the provisions of Sections 4.1, 4.2, and 5.11, a Participant whose employment is terminated as a result of a Layoff shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit under this Plan as follows:

 

  (a) CEO. A Participant who is the CEO shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit equal to twenty-four (24) months of Pay.

 

5


  (b) All Other Participants. Each other Participant shall be entitled to receive a Base Benefit equal to twelve (12) months of Pay.

 

Section 5.2. Determination of Calculated Severance. Subject to the provisions of Sections 4.1, 4.2, and 5.11, a Participant whose employment is terminated as a result of a Layoff shall be entitled to receive Calculated Severance under this Plan, based on the Participant’s full Years of Service with a Member Company, equal to the amount of Pay that would have been payable for the number of weeks determined under the following table:

 

No. of Full Years of Service


  

No. of Weeks Per Full Year of Service


Less than 1 year    0 weeks
1 year to 4 years    1 week 
5 years to 10 years    2 weeks
11 years or more    3 weeks

 

Section 5.3. Maximum Severance Benefit. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the maximum Severance Benefit payable to a Participant other than the CEO upon a termination of employment on account of a Layoff is eighteen (18) months of Pay.

 

Section 5.4. Golden Parachute Restriction.

 

  (a) In General. Notwithstanding anything above in this Article V, if a Participant is a “disqualified individual” (as defined in Section 280G(c) of the Code), and the severance benefit provided for in Sections 5.1 and 5.2, together with any other payments which the Participant has the right to receive from a Member Company would constitute a “parachute payment” (as defined in Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code), the Severance Benefit shall be reduced. The reduction shall be in an amount so that the present value of the total amount received by the Participant from a Member Company will be One Dollar ($1.00) less than three (3) times the Participant’s base amount (as defined in Section 280G of the Code) and so that no portion of the amounts received by the Participant shall be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code.

 

  (b) Deferred Compensation and Reimbursements Exception. In no circumstances will a Member Company reduce the Severance Benefits payable to a Participant on account of the restrictions of this Section 5.4 by the amounts the Participant has the right to receive under an executive deferred compensation plan of the Company (Deferred Compensation Plan), amounts paid or payable to the Participant to reimburse him either fully or partially for excise tax and/or income tax on the reimbursement (gross up amounts), or amounts paid or payable on the Participant as indemnification for attorney’s fees and legal expenses.

 

6


  (c) Determination of Reduction. The determination as to whether any reduction in the Severance Benefit is necessary shall be made by a Member Company in good faith, and the determination shall be conclusive and binding on the Participant.

 

  (d) Repayment of Excess Amount. If through error or otherwise the Participant should receive payments under this Plan, together with other payments the Participant has the right to receive from a Member Company, excluding Deferred Compensation Plan payments in excess of one dollar ($1.00) less than three times his base amount, the Participant shall immediately repay the excess to the Member Company upon notification that an overpayment has been made.

 

Section 5.5. Continued Insurance Benefits. Provided that the Participant timely elects continued coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budge Reconciliation Act of 1985 (“COBRA”), the Member Company shall pay that portion of the premiums of each Participant’s group medical, dental and vision coverage, including coverage for the Participant’s eligible dependents, that the Member Company regularly paid prior to the Participant’s termination date for the period during which the Participant is eligible for a Severance Benefit under Sections 5.1 and 5.2 (the “Continuation Period”). Such premium payments shall continue for the duration of the Continuation Period; provided, however, that no such premium payments shall be made following the effective date of the Participant’s coverage by a medical, dental or vision insurance plan of a subsequent employer. Each Participant shall be required to notify the Member Company immediately if the Participant becomes covered by a medical, dental or vision insurance plan of a subsequent employer.

 

No provision of this Plan will affect the continuation coverage rules under COBRA, except that the Member Company’s payment of any applicable insurance premiums during the Continuation Period will be credited as payment by the Participant for purposes of the Participant’s payments required under COBRA. Therefore, the period during which a Participant may elect to continue the Member Company’s group medical coverage at his own expense under COBRA, the length of time during which COBRA coverage will be made available to the Participant, and all other rights and obligations of the Participant under COBRA (except the obligation to pay insurance premiums that the Member Company pays during the Continuation Period) will be applied in the same manner that such rules would apply in the absence of this Plan. At the conclusion of the Continuation Period, the Participant shall be responsible for the entire payment of premiums required under COBRA for the duration of the COBRA continuation period. For purposes of this Section 5.5, applicable premiums that will be paid by the Member Company during the Continuation Period shall not include any amounts payable by the Participant under a Section 125 health care reimbursement plan, which amounts, if any, are the sole responsibility of the Participant.

 

Section 5.6. Other Employee Benefits. All other employee benefits (such as life insurance, disability coverage, and retirement plan coverage) terminate as of the Participant’s termination date (except to the extent that a conversion privilege may be available thereunder).

 

7


Section 5.7. Payment of Benefits. The Plan shall pay a Severance Benefit to a Participant whose employment is terminated on account of a Layoff in the form of a lump sum. The Plan shall make lump sum distributions as soon as administratively practicable and in no event later than thirty (30) days following the receipt by the Company of a timely and properly executed Waiver and Release Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any payment to be made hereunder is considered nonqualified deferred compensation subject to Section 409A of the Code and otherwise would be made within six months following a Participant’s termination of employment to such Participant who is a “specified employee” as defined for purposes of Code Section 409A, then such payment shall be delayed and paid on the first day of the seventh calendar month following such termination of employment.

 

Section 5.8. Payment Offset. A Member Company reserves the right to offset the Severance Benefits payable under Sections 5.1 and 5.2 by any advance, loan or other monies the Participant owes the Member Company. All Severance Benefit payments under the Plan will be subject to applicable withholding for federal, state and local taxes.

 

Section 5.9. Repayment Upon Re-employment. In the event of a Participant’s reemployment by a Member Company during the period of time in respect of which Calculated Severance pursuant to Section 5.2 has been paid in a lump sum, the Member Company shall require such Participant to repay to the Member Company all or a portion of such Calculated Severance as a condition of reemployment. The amount required to be repaid shall equal the Participant’s weekly Pay for the total number of weeks for which the Participant was eligible under Section 5.2 minus the Participant’s weekly Pay for the number of weeks that have elapsed since the Participant’s termination of employment. If the Calculated Severance is paid in installments, the installment payments will stop upon reemployment with a Member Company.

 

Section 5.10. Unfunded Plan. The obligations of a Member Company under this Plan may be funded through contributions to a trust or otherwise, but the obligations of the Member Company are not required to be funded under this Plan unless required by law. Nothing contained in this Plan shall give a Participant any right, title or interest in any property of a Member Company.

 

Section 5.11. Prohibition Against Golden Parachute Payments. Notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, no Participant who is an institution-affiliated party as the term is defined in Section 359.1(h) of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Rules and Regulations (“FDIC Rules and Regs”) shall be entitled to the payment of any Severance Benefit under the Plan to the extent that such payment shall be deemed a “golden parachute payment” as the term is defined in FDIC Rules and Reg. Section 359.1(f)(i)(ii) or (iii).

 

ARTICLE VI

 

ADMINISTRATION

 

Section 6.1. Plan Administration. The Company shall be the administrator of the Plan for purposes of Section 3(16) of ERISA and shall have responsibility for complying with any ERISA reporting and disclosure rules applicable to the Plan for any Plan Year.

 

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Section 6.2. Plan Committee. In all respects other than as provided in Section 6.1, the Plan shall be administered and operated by the Committee. The Committee shall have all powers necessary to supervise the administration of the Plan and control its operations. In addition to any powers and authority conferred to the Committee elsewhere in the Plan or by law, the Committee shall have, by way of illustration but not by way of limitation, the following discretionary powers and authority:

 

  (a) To allocate fiduciary responsibilities among the named fiduciaries and to designate one or more other persons to carry out fiduciary responsibilities. However, no allocation or delegation under this Section 6.2(a) shall be effective until the person or persons to whom the responsibilities have been allocated or delegated agree to assume the responsibilities.

 

  (b) To designate agents to carry out responsibilities relating to the Plan, other than fiduciary responsibilities.

 

  (c) To employ such legal, accounting, clerical, and other assistance as it may deem appropriate in carrying out the provisions of this Plan, including one or more persons to render advice with regard to any responsibility any fiduciary may have under the Plan.

 

  (d) To establish rules and procedures from time to time for the conduct of the Committee’s business and the administration and effectuation of this Plan.

 

  (e) To administer, interpret, construe and apply this Plan. To decide all questions which may arise or which may be raised under this Plan by any Employee, Participant, former Participant or other person whatsoever, including but not limited to all questions relating to eligibility to participate in the Plan, the amount of service of any Participant, and the amount of benefits to which any Participant may be entitled.

 

  (f) To determine the manner in which the Severance Benefits of this Plan, or any part thereof, shall be administered.

 

  (g) To perform or cause to be performed such further acts as it may deem to be necessary, appropriate or convenient in the efficient administration of the Plan.

 

Any action taken in good faith by the Committee in the exercise of discretionary authority conferred upon it by this Plan shall be conclusive and binding upon the Participants. All discretionary powers conferred upon the Committee shall be absolute. However, all discretionary powers shall be exercised in a uniform and nondiscriminatory manner.

 

Section 6.3. Named Fiduciary. The members of the Committee shall be named fiduciaries with respect to this Plan for purposes of Section 402 of ERISA.

 

Section 6.4. Indemnification of Committee. The Company shall, to the extent permitted by law, by the purchase of insurance or otherwise, indemnify and hold harmless each

 

9


member of the Committee and each other fiduciary with respect to this Plan for liabilities or expenses they and each of them incur in carrying out their respective duties under the Plan, other than for any liabilities or expenses arising out of such fiduciary’s gross negligence or willful misconduct. A fiduciary shall not be responsible for any breach of responsibility of any other fiduciary except to the extent provided in Section 405 of ERISA.

 

Section 6.5. Claims Procedure.

 

  (a) Applications for Benefits and Inquiries. Any application for benefits, inquiries about the Plan or inquiries about present or future rights under the Plan must be submitted to the Committee in writing by an applicant (or his authorized representative). The address for the Committee is:

 

Plan Committee

Greater Bay Bancorp

1900 University Avenue, Suite 600

East Palo Alto, CA 94303

 

  (b) Denial of Claims. In the event that any application for benefits is denied in whole or in part, the Committee must provide the applicant with written or electronic notice of the denial of the application, and of the applicant’s right to review the denial. Any electronic notice will comply with the regulations of the U.S. Department of Labor. The notice of denial will be set forth in a manner designed to be understood by the applicant and will include the following:

 

  (i) the specific reason or reasons for the denial;

 

  (ii) references to the specific Plan provisions upon which the denial is based;

 

  (iii) a description of any additional information or material that the Committee needs to complete the review and an explanation of why such information or material is necessary; and

 

  (iv) an explanation of the Plan’s review procedures and the time limits applicable to such procedures, including a statement of the applicant’s right to bring a civil action under section 502(a) of ERISA following a denial on review of the claim, as described in Section 6.5(d) below.

 

This notice of denial will be given to the applicant within ninety (90) days after the Committee receives the application, unless special circumstances require an extension of time, in which case, the Committee has up to an additional ninety (90) days for processing the application. If an extension of time for processing is required, written notice of the extension will be furnished to the applicant before the end of the initial ninety (90) day period.

 

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This notice of extension will describe the special circumstances necessitating the additional time and the date by which the Committee is to render its decision on the application.

 

  (c) Request for a Review. Any person (or that person’s authorized representative) for whom an application for benefits is denied, in whole or in part, may appeal the denial by submitting a request for a review to the Committee within sixty (60) days after the application is denied. A request for a review shall be in writing and shall be addressed to:

 

Plan Committee

Greater Bay Bancorp

1900 University Avenue, Suite 600

East Palo Alto, CA 94303

 

A request for review must set forth all of the grounds on which it is based, all facts in support of the request and any other matters that the applicant feels are pertinent. The applicant (or his representative) shall have the opportunity to submit (or the Committee may require the applicant to submit) written comments, documents, records, and other information relating to his claim. The applicant (or his representative) shall be provided, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant to his claim. The review shall take into account all comments, documents, records and other information submitted by the applicant (or his representative) relating to the claim, without regard to whether such information was submitted or considered in the initial benefit determination.

 

  (d) Decision on Review. The Committee will act on each request for review within sixty (60) days after receipt of the request, unless special circumstances require an extension of time (not to exceed an additional sixty (60) days), for processing the request for a review. If an extension for review is required, written notice of the extension will be furnished to the applicant within the initial sixty (60) day period. This notice of extension will describe the special circumstances necessitating the additional time and the date by which the Committee is to render its decision on the review. The Committee will give prompt, written or electronic notice of its decision to the applicant. Any electronic notice will comply with the regulations of the U.S. Department of Labor. In the event that the Committee confirms the denial of the application for benefits in whole or in part, the notice will set forth, in a manner calculated to be understood by the applicant, the following:

 

  (i) the specific reason or reasons for the denial;

 

  (ii) references to the specific Plan provisions upon which the denial is based;

 

  (iii)

a statement that the applicant is entitled to receive, upon request and free of charge, reasonable access to, and copies of, all documents, records and other information relevant to his claim (excluding those protected by legal privilege); and

 

11


  (iv) a statement of the applicant’s right to bring a civil action under section 502(a) of ERISA.

 

  (e) Rules and Procedures. The Committee will establish rules and procedures, consistent with the Plan and with ERISA, as necessary and appropriate in carrying out its responsibilities in reviewing benefit claims. The Committee may require an applicant who wishes to submit additional information in connection with an appeal from the denial of benefits to do so at the applicant’s own expense.

 

  (f) Exhaustion of Remedies. No legal action for benefits under the Plan may be brought until the claimant (i) has submitted a written application for benefits in accordance with the procedures described by Section 6.5(a) above, (ii) has been notified by the Committee that the application is denied, (iii) has filed a written request for a review of the application in accordance with the appeal procedure described in Section 6.5(c) above, and (iv) has been notified that the Committee has denied the appeal. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Committee does not respond to a Participant’s claim or appeal within the relevant time limits specified in this Section 6.5, the Participant may bring legal action for benefits under the Plan pursuant to Section 502(a) of ERISA.

 

ARTICLE VII

 

AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION

 

This Plan may be amended from time to time, or terminated at the discretion of the Board of Directors by a written resolution adopted by a majority of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that no amendment or termination shall adversely affect the right to any unpaid Severance Benefit of a Participant whose Layoff termination date has occurred prior to such amendment or termination of the Plan.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

GENERAL

 

Section 8.1. Payment Out of General Assets. The benefits and costs of this Plan shall be paid by the Company and each Member Company out of its general assets.

 

Section 8.2. Welfare Benefit Plan. This Plan is intended to be an employee welfare benefit plan, as defined in Section 3(1), Subtitle A of Title 1 of ERISA. The Plan will be interpreted to effectuate this intent.

 

12


Section 8.3. Gender. The masculine pronoun shall include the feminine pronoun and the feminine pronoun shall include the masculine pronoun and the singular pronoun shall include the plural pronoun and the plural pronoun shall include the singular pronoun, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

 

Section 8.4. Limitation on Participant’s Rights. Nothing in this Plan shall be construed to guarantee terminated Employees any right to be recalled or rehired by a Member Company.

 

Section 8.5. Severability. If any provision of the Plan shall be held illegal or invalid, the illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts, which shall be enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision had not been included in this Plan.

 

13

EX-10.5 7 dex105.htm EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT Employment Agreement

EXHIBIT 10.5

 

Employment Agreement

 

This Employment Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of January 31, 2006, by and between Greater Bay Bancorp, a California corporation (the “Company”) and David L. Kalkbrenner (“Kalkbrenner”).

 

RECITALS

 

A. As of the date of this Agreement, Kalkbrenner has retired as a Director of the Company, having previously served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company from 1996 through 2003 and as the founding President and Chief Executive Officer of Mid-Peninsula Bank prior to that time;

 

B. The Company desires to employ Kalkbrenner as a fixed term employee so as to continue to avail itself of Kalkbrenner’s knowledge of the banking industry and his strong ties to the clients of Mid-Peninsula Bank and the community in which it operates.

 

C. Accordingly, the parties desire to enter into this Agreement on the terms and conditions set forth herein.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing recitals and the respective undertakings of the Company and Kalkbrenner set forth below, the Company and Kalkbrenner agree as follows:

 

1. Duration. This Agreement shall commence on January 31, 2006 and shall continue until January 31, 2007, unless earlier terminated as provided in Section 4 of this Agreement (the “Employment Term”) or renewed for an additional one-year term at the sole discretion of the Company.

 

2. Position, Duties and Compensation.

 

(a) Kalkbrenner shall serve as an at-will fixed term employee with the title “Chairman of the Mid-Peninsula Bank Strategic Development Board.” In that capacity, his responsibilities shall include facilitating development of new and/or retention of existing client relationships, promoting the transition and success of the Mid-Peninsula Bank Chief Executive Officer and assisting the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chairman on corporate matters as requested.

 

(b) The Company shall pay Kalkbrenner $10,000 per month (“Base Salary”) during the Employment Term, subject to required withholdings. The Company shall reimburse Kalkbrenner for all reasonable business expenses authorized by the Company’s CEO or his duly authorized designee. The Company shall also provide Kalkbrenner with office space, office supplies, a laptop computer and cellular telephone for his use during the Employment Term.

 

(c) During the Employment Term, Kalkbrenner’s existing stock options and shares of restricted stock will continue to be governed by the terms of their respective grant agreements. If


the Company decides, in its sole discretion, not to renew this Agreement at the end of the Employment Term, the restrictions on all remaining shares of restricted stock previously granted to Kalkbrenner shall lapse and the vesting of all unvested stock options previously granted to Kalkbrenner shall accelerate so that 100% of such stock options shall be fully vested effective on the last day of the Employment Term.

 

(d) Continuing Services. During the Employment Term, Kalkbrenner will be called upon to provide such services for the Company and its subsidiaries as determined from time to time by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. Kalkbrenner will not be required to follow a regular daily or weekly work schedule, but Kalkbrenner will be expected to provide services for approximately 20 hours per month.

 

(e) Fringe Benefits. The participation of Kalkbrenner and his spouse, during the Employment Term and thereafter, in the Company’s group health and medical insurance plans will continue to be governed by Section 13 of the Employment Agreement, dated as of January 1, 1999, as amended as of December 11, 2000, between the Company and Kalkbrenner (the “Amended Employment Agreement”). As a part-time, fixed term employee, Kalkbrenner will not be entitled to participate in any other benefit plans of the Company, including severance and change in control pay plans, and will not earn or be entitled to receive any vacation benefits.

 

3. Covenants.

 

3.1 Compliance with Policies. In connection with the performance of his duties and responsibilities, Kalkbrenner shall comply with all policies, rules and procedures reasonably adopted from time to time by the Company, including, but not limited to, the Company’s Code of Conduct and Ethics, Insider Trading Policy and Information Security Policy.

 

3.2 No Conflicting Employment. Kalkbrenner shall not, during the Employment Term, engage in any other employment, occupation, consulting or other business activity directly related to the business in which the Company or its subsidiaries and affiliates are now involved or become involved during the Employment Term, nor will Kalkbrenner engage in any other activities that conflict with Kalkbrenner’s obligations to the Company. Kalkbrenner shall not provide services to any board of directors of any for-profit organization without the prior written approval of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer.

 

3.3 Confidential Information.

 

(a) Confidential Information. Except as herein provided, Kalkbrenner agrees that during and after the term of this Agreement, he (i) shall keep Confidential Information (as defined below) confidential and shall not directly or indirectly, use, divulge, publish or otherwise disclose or allow to be disclosed any aspect of Confidential Information without the prior written consent of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer except in the performance of Kalkbrenner’s duties for the Company; (ii) shall refrain from any action or conduct which might reasonably or foreseeably be expected to compromise the confidentiality or proprietary nature of the Confidential Information; and (iii) shall follow recommendations made by the Company’s Board or the Company’s Chief Executive Officer with respect to Confidential Information. For purposes of

 

2


this Agreement, “Confidential Information” includes but is not limited to trade secrets, confidential information, knowledge or data of the Company, or any of its clients, customers, consultants, shareholders, licenses, licensors, vendors or affiliates, that Kalkbrenner may produce, obtain or otherwise acquire or have access to during the course of his employment by the Company (whether before or after the date of this Agreement), including but not limited to: business plans, records, and affairs; customer files and lists (including but not limited to: customers of the Company on whom Kalkbrenner called or with whom Kalkbrenner became acquainted during the term of his employment); special customer matters; sales practices; methods and techniques; merchandising concepts, strategies and plans; sources of supply and vendors; special business relationships with vendors, agents and brokers; promotional materials and information; financial matters; mergers; acquisitions; equipment, technologies and processes; selective personnel matters; inventions; developments; product specifications; procedures; pricing information; intellectual property; technical data; software programs; finances; operations and production costs; ideas; plans technology; brokers or other entities which refer customers to the Company; proposals; market analyses; technical services; incentives; customer needs; customer risks or risk factors; customer purchasing patterns; customer renewal or expiration data; customer concerns; pricing and profit margins; and other information which the Company has developed at significant expenditure of time, effort and/or expense. All Confidential Information and all tangible materials containing Confidential Information are and shall remain the sole property of the Company.

 

(b) Third Party Information. Kalkbrenner recognizes that the Company may have received, and in the future may receive, from third parties their confidential or proprietary information subject to a duty on the Company’s part to maintain the confidentiality of such information and to use it only for certain limited purposes. Kalkbrenner agrees that he owes the Company and such third parties, during the term of the Agreement and thereafter, a duty to hold all such confidential or proprietary information in the strictest confidence and not to disclose it to any person or firm and to use it in a manner consistent with, and for the limited purposes permitted by, the Company’s agreement with such third party.

 

(c) Return of Confidential Material. In the event of Kalkbrenner’s termination of employment with the Company for any reason whatsoever, Kalkbrenner agrees promptly to surrender and deliver to the Company all records, notes, materials, equipment, drawings, documents and data of any nature pertaining to any Confidential Information or to his employment, and Kalkbrenner will not retain or take with him any tangible materials containing or pertaining to any Confidential Information that Kalkbrenner may produce, acquire or obtain access to during the term of this Agreement.

 

3.4 Nonsolicitation.

 

(a) Nonsolicitation of Employees. Kalkbrenner agrees that during the period of his employment, he will not, directly or indirectly, induce, solicit, recruit or encourage any employee of the Company to leave the employ of the Company, which means that he will not: (i) disclose to any third party the names, backgrounds or qualifications of any employees or otherwise identify them as potential candidates for employment; or (ii) personally or through any other person approach, recruit, interview or otherwise solicit employees to work for Kalkbrenner or any other employer.

 

3


(b) Nonsolicitation of Customers Using Confidential Information. Kalkbrenner agrees that during the period of his employment and thereafter, he will not solicit, either on behalf of Kalkbrenner of any third party, the business of any client or customer of the Company, whether past, present or prospective, using any Confidential Information.

 

(c) Nonsolicitation of Identified Customers. In addition to Kalkbrenner’s obligations under Section 3.4(b), Non-Solicitation of Customers Using Confidential Information, Kalkbrenner further agrees that during the period of his employment, he will not solicit, either on behalf of himself or any third party, the business of any client or customer of the Company, whether past, present or prospective; (i) whose business Kalkbrenner was directly or indirectly involved in soliciting or recruiting on behalf of the Company during the one-year period prior to the date of Kalkbrenner’s termination of employment with the Company; or (ii) whose account Kalkbrenner was assigned to or whose account Kalkbrenner serviced during the one-year period prior to the date of Kalkbrenner’s termination of employment with the Company. Such restriction shall not apply to any customer of the Company that terminated its relationship with the Company and became a customer of a competitor of the Company (other than a competitor with which Kalkbrenner was affiliated) at least 12 months prior to the acceptance of business by Kalkbrenner.

 

4. Termination. This Agreement and all related obligations of the parties under this Agreement (excluding Kalkbrenner’s obligations that expressly extend beyond termination of employment) shall terminate on January 31, 2007 unless earlier terminated as follows:

 

4.1 Termination of Employment With Cause. During the Employment Term, the Company may terminate this Agreement with “Cause” at any time without advance notice. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” shall mean any of the following that has a material adverse effect upon the Company: (i) willful failure or refusal to perform a substantial or material lawful directive of the Company’s Board or the Company’s Chief Executive Officer; (ii) willful misconduct or deliberate violation of any fiduciary obligations or other duties owed the Company; (iii) performance of material duties in a grossly negligent manner or material violation of applicable laws or regulations in the performance of Kalkbrenner’s duties as set forth herein; (iv) Kalkbrenner’s conviction of a felony; or (v) Kalkbrenner’s conviction of a crime involving moral turpitude, fraudulent conduct or dishonest conduct. In the event the Company terminates this Agreement for Cause, Kalkbrenner shall be paid only his Base Salary earned through the date of termination.

 

4.2 Termination of Employment Without Cause. If the Company terminates this Agreement during the Employment Term without Cause, Kalkbrenner shall be paid his Base Salary through the end of the Employment Term payable in one lump sum within 30 days of the date of termination.

 

4.3 Termination Due to Death or Permanent Disability. This Agreement shall terminate automatically upon death or permanent disability of Kalkbrenner. In such event,

 

4


Kalkbrenner or, in the case of death, Kalkbrenner’s estate shall receive Kalkbrenner’s Base Salary earned through the date of such occurrence. For purposes of this Agreement, the term “permanent disability” means a medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months and which renders Kalkbrenner unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity. Whether or not Kalkbrenner meets these conditions will be determined by the Company in its sole discretion.

 

5. Miscellaneous.

 

5.1 Waiver. The waiver of the breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any subsequent breach of the same or other provision hereof.

 

5.2 Notices. All notices and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be given by personal or courier delivery, facsimile or first class mail, certified or registered with return receipt requested, and shall be deemed to have been duly given upon receipt if personally delivered or delivered by courier, on the date of transmission if transmitted by facsimile, or three days after mailing if mailed, to the headquarters addresses of the Company and the address of Kalkbrenner contained in the records of the Company at the time of such notice. Any party may change such party’s address for notices by notice duly given pursuant to this Section 5.2.

 

5.3 Headings. The section headings used in this Agreement are intended for convenience of reference and shall not by themselves determine the construction or interpretation of any provision of this Agreement.

 

5.4 Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, without regard to the choice of law provisions of California. Kalkbrenner expressly consents to personal jurisdiction in the state and federal courts located in California for any lawsuit arising from or relating to this Agreement, without regard to his then-current residence or domicile.

 

5.5 Survival of Obligations. This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the executors, administrators, heirs, successors and assigns of the parties; provided, however, that except as herein expressly provided, this Agreement shall not be assignable either by the Company (except to an affiliate or successor of the Company) or by Kalkbrenner without the prior written consent of the other parties.

 

5.6 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.

 

5.7 Withholding. All sums payable to the Kalkbrenner hereunder shall be reduced by all federal, state, local and other withholdings and similar taxes and payments required by applicable law.

 

5


5.8 Enforcement. If any portion of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable, such portion shall be adjusted, rather than voided, to achieve the intent of the parties to the extent possible, and the remainder shall be enforced to the maximum extent possible.

 

5.9 Arbitration. Kalkbrenner and the Company mutually agree that they will submit all disputes arising under this Agreement or arising out of or related to Kalkbrenner’s employment with the Company to final and binding arbitration in Palo Alto, California, under the National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes of the American Arbitration Association (AAA Rules) or, if the parties mutually agree, under the Employment Arbitration Rules and Procedures of JAMS. The arbitrator selected shall have the authority to grant Kalkbrenner or the Company all remedies otherwise available by law.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the AAA or JAMS Rules, the arbitration shall provide (i) for written discovery and depositions adequate to give the parties access to documents and witnesses that are essential to the dispute and (ii) for a written decision by the arbitrator that includes the essential findings and conclusions upon which the decision is based. Kalkbrenner and the Company shall each bear his or its own costs and attorneys’ fees incurred in conducting the arbitration, and, except in such disputes where Kalkbrenner asserts a claim under a state or federal statute prohibiting discrimination in employment (“a Statutory Claim”), or as otherwise required by law, shall split equally the fees and administrative costs charged by the arbitrator and the arbitration services. In disputes where Kalkbrenner asserts a Statutory Claim against the Company, Kalkbrenner shall be required to pay only the arbitration filing fee to the extent such filing fee does not exceed the fee to file a complaint in state or federal court. The Company shall pay the balance of the arbitrator’s fees and administrative costs.

 

The prevailing party in the arbitration, as determined by the arbitrator, shall be entitled to recover his or its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, including the costs or fees charged by the arbitrator and the arbitration service. In disputes where Kalkbrenner asserts a Statutory Claim, reasonable attorneys’ fees shall be awarded by the arbitrator based on the same standard as such fees would be awarded if the Statutory Claim had been asserted in state or federal court.

 

5.10 Entire Agreement; Modifications. Except for Section 13 of the Amended Employment Agreement, which is herein incorporated by reference, this Agreement represents the entire understanding among the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement, and this Agreement supersedes any and all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, plans, and negotiations, whether written or oral, with respect to the subject matter hereof, including the Consulting Agreement, dated January 1, 2004, between the Company and Kalkbrenner which expired by its terms on December 31, 2005. All modifications to the Agreement must be in writing and signed by each of the parties hereto.

 

6


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Employment Agreement as of the date set forth in the first paragraph.

 

GREATER BAY BANCORP
By:  

/s/ Byron A. Scordelis


    Byron A. Scordelis
    President and Chief Executive Officer

/s/ David L. Kalkbrenner


David L. Kalkbrenner

 

7

EX-99.1 8 dex991.htm PRESS RELEASE REGARDING RETIREMENT OF DAVID L. KALKBRENNER Press Release regarding retirement of David L. Kalkbrenner

Exhibit 99.1

 

LOGO

 

For Information Contact    
At Greater Bay Bancorp:   At Silverman Heller Associates:            
Byron A. Scordelis, President and CEO   Philip Bourdillon/Gene Heller               
(650) 838-6101   (310) 208-2550                                       

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

GREATER BAY BANCORP ANNOUNCES

DIRECTOR RETIREMENT

 

EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. – February 6, 2006 – Greater Bay Bancorp (Nasdaq:GBBK), a $7.1 billion in assets financial services holding company, announced that David Kalkbrenner has retired from the Board of Directors. Mr. Kalkbrenner served on the Board since the Company’s founding in 1996 and previously served as the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer until his retirement at the end of 2003. He was also the founding President and Chief Executive Officer of Mid-Peninsula Bank, the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary, formed in 1987.

 

Mr. Kalkbrenner will continue serving the Company as Chairman of the Mid-Peninsula Bank Strategic Development Board. In that capacity, he will assist in business development initiatives, client relationships and promoting the image of the bank in the local community. He will also assist the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer on corporate matters.

 

Duncan Matteson, Chairman of the Board, commented, “We are truly grateful for David’s exceptional service to the Company over the past 20 years. While CEO, he led the Company’s successful ‘Ring the Bay’ strategy resulting in the acquisition of 10 community banks, three specialty finance businesses and our platform commercial insurance brokerage firm. We will truly miss David’s valuable contributions as a Board member and colleague but we are very pleased that he has agreed to continue serving in an advisory capacity.”

 

Mr. Kalkbrenner added, “My years with Greater Bay and Mid-Peninsula Bank have been the most rewarding in my banking career. I was very fortunate to have served this Company and its shareholders during a time when the Company grew from $600 million to $7 billion in assets, and believe the Company is well-positioned, under the leadership of my successor, Byron Scordelis, for a promising future.”

 

About Greater Bay Bancorp

 

Greater Bay Bancorp, a diversified financial services holding company, provides community banking services in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area through its community banking organization, including Bank of Petaluma, Bank of Santa Clara, Bay Area Bank, Bay Bank of Commerce, Coast Commercial Bank, Cupertino National Bank, Golden Gate Bank, Mid-Peninsula Bank, Mt. Diablo National Bank, Peninsula Bank of Commerce and San Jose National Bank. Nationally, Greater Bay Bancorp provides specialized lending and loan services through its specialty finance group, which includes Matsco, CAPCO and Greater Bay Capital. ABD Insurance and Financial Services, the Company’s insurance brokerage subsidiary provides commercial insurance brokerage, employee benefits consulting and risk management solutions to business clients throughout the United States.


Greater Bay Bancorp Announces Director Retirement

February 6, 2006

Page 2 of 2

 

For additional information and press releases about Greater Bay Bancorp, visit the Company’s web site at http://www.gbbk.com.

 

Safe Harbor

 

This document may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. For a discussion of factors that could cause actual results to differ, please see the publicly available Securities and Exchange Commission filings of Greater Bay Bancorp, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, and particularly the discussion of risk factors within such documents.

 

#  #  #

EX-99.2 9 dex992.htm PRESS RELEASE ANNOUNCING CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ENHANCEMENTS Press Release announcing corporate governance enhancements

Exhibit 99.2

 

LOGO

 

For Information Contact     
At Greater Bay Bancorp:    At Silverman Heller Associates:
Byron A. Scordelis, President and CEO    Philip Bourdillon/Gene Heller
(650) 838-6101    (310) 208-2550

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

GREATER BAY BANCORP ADOPTS

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE ENHANCEMENTS

 

EAST PALO ALTO, Calif. – February 6, 2006 – Greater Bay Bancorp (Nasdaq:GBBK), a $7.1 billion in assets financial services holding company, announced that its Board of Directors has adopted three corporate governance enhancements.

 

First, the Board has approved an amendment to the Company’s Bylaws to declassify the Board. The amendment will be presented to the shareholders at this year’s annual meeting. Second, the Board has amended its Corporate Governance Guidelines to provide for the majority election of directors. Third, the Board has amended the Company’s shareholder rights plan to conform its terms to corporate governance trends and the policies of Institutional Shareholders Services. The plan, originally adopted by the Board in November 1998, is designed to enhance long-term shareholder value by encouraging potential acquirers to negotiate with the Board in any acquisition proposal.

 

Duncan Matteson, Chairman of the Board, commented, “During the past year, the Board has devoted significant time and resources to analyzing corporate governance trends and best practices. The Board is also sensitive to the desires of its shareholders on these issues as expressed in votes on shareholder proposals at previous annual meetings. As a result of these considerations, the Board believes that these changes are appropriate and in the best interests of all our shareholders.”

 

The Board currently has a classified board structure in which one of three classes of directors is elected each year for a three-year term. Under the declassification proposal, all directors would be elected annually beginning in 2007.

 

As for the majority election of directors, the Corporate Governance Guidelines now provide that any director who receives more “withheld” votes than “for” votes must tender his or her resignation to the Board of Directors. The Board Governance and Nominating Committee would then consider the director’s resignation and recommend to the full Board whether to accept the tendered resignation or reject it. In considering whether to accept or reject the resignation, the Committee and the Board would consider all relevant factors, including the stated reasons why shareholders withheld votes from the director, the length of service and qualifications of the director, the director’s contributions to the Company, and the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines.

 

Finally, the Company amended the shareholder rights plan to increase the triggering threshold from 10% to 20%, to include a sunset provision giving shareholders the right to vote on any extension of the plan (it currently expires in November 2008) or the adoption of a new rights plan, to include a shareholder redemption feature allowing shareholders to vote to redeem the rights if a qualifying offer is made to acquire the Company and to allow the Board to redeem the rights even after a triggering event occurs.

 

 


Greater Bay Bancorp Adopts Corporate Governance Enhancements

February 6, 2006

Page 2 of 2

 

About Greater Bay Bancorp

 

Greater Bay Bancorp, a diversified financial services holding company, provides community banking services in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area through its community banking organization, including Bank of Petaluma, Bank of Santa Clara, Bay Area Bank, Bay Bank of Commerce, Coast Commercial Bank, Cupertino National Bank, Golden Gate Bank, Mid-Peninsula Bank, Mt. Diablo National Bank, Peninsula Bank of Commerce and San Jose National Bank. Nationally, Greater Bay Bancorp provides specialized lending and loan services through its specialty finance group, which includes Matsco, CAPCO and Greater Bay Capital. ABD Insurance and Financial Services, the Company’s insurance brokerage subsidiary provides commercial insurance brokerage, employee benefits consulting and risk management solutions to business clients throughout the United States.

 

For additional information and press releases about Greater Bay Bancorp, visit the Company’s web site at http://www.gbbk.com.

 

Safe Harbor

 

This document may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. For a discussion of factors that could cause actual results to differ, please see the publicly available Securities and Exchange Commission filings of Greater Bay Bancorp, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2004, and particularly the discussion of risk factors within such documents.

 

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-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----