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EXHIBIT 10.1
CONFIDENTIAL
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August 4, 2000
Stanley N. Pontius
President & CEO
First Financial Bancorp
300 High Street
P.O. Box 476
Hamilton, OH 45012
Dear Stan:
You are employed by First Financial Bancorp ("FFBC") in a key executive
position. Continuity of the management of FFBC and its affiliate banks is a
critical factor in the continued success of FFBC. The Board of Directors of FFBC
believes it is in the best interest of FFBC to encourage the continued effort
and dedication of key members of management to their assigned duties.
In consideration of the mutual promises contained in this letter, FFBC
shall provide to you, and you shall receive from FFBC, the benefits set forth in
this letter ("Agreement"), if your employment with FFBC is terminated during the
term of this Agreement.
1. Purpose.
This Agreement establishes certain basic terms and conditions relating
to your employment with FFBC, and special arrangements and dispute
resolution proceedings relating to the termination of your employment
for any reason other than: (i) your retirement; (ii) your becoming
totally and permanently disabled under the FFBC long-term disability
plan or policy; or (iii) your death. This Agreement supersedes all
prior agreements with FFBC and any of its affiliate banks or any
predecessor businesses, except the Confidentiality Agreement
concurrently entered, or previously entered, between you and FFBC, and
the special severance benefits provided under this Agreement are to be
provided instead of any other severance arrangements offered by FFBC or
its affiliate banks. Notwithstanding the foregoing, neither your
termination of employment nor anything contained in this Agreement
shall have any adverse effect upon your rights under any tax-qualified
"pension benefit plan," as such term is defined
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in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended
("ERISA"); or under any "welfare benefit plan" as defined in ERISA,
including by way of illustration and not limitation, any medical
surgical or hospitalization benefit coverage or long-term disability
benefit coverage; or under any non-qualified deferred compensation
arrangement, including by way of illustration and not limitation, any
stock incentive plan or non-qualified pension plan; or under the FFBC
Performance Incentive Plan for any completed plan year.
2. Employment.
FFBC agrees that, during the term of this Agreement, you will be
employed with FFBC, in your present position or in a position that is
comparable to your present position in compensation, responsibility and
stature and for which you are suited by education and background and
that:
(a) you are, and will continue to be, eligible to participate in
any employee benefit plan of FFBC in accordance with its
terms; and
(b) you will be entitled to the same treatment under any generally
applicable employment policy or practice as any other member
of Executive Management Group whose position in the
organization is comparable to yours.
Those plans, policies and practices that generally apply to other
members of the Executive Management Group will be referred to in this
Agreement as your "Employment Benefits." Your Employment Benefits may
be modified from time to time after the date hereof without violation
of this Agreement if the changes apply generally to other members of
the Executive Management Group.
3. Term of Agreement.
This Agreement shall become effective on the date of this Agreement
("Commencement Date") and shall continue in effect through the earlier
of (i) the fifth anniversary of the Commencement Date; (ii) the date of
your retirement, death or total and permanent disability; or (iii) the
completion of full payment of all benefits promised hereunder. Absent
your death, total and permanent disability or retirement, this
Agreement shall be renewed annually from and after the fifth
anniversary of the Commencement Date unless written notice to the
contrary is given by you or by FFBC at least six (6) months prior to
the expiration of the term, including any extension thereof.
4. Termination of Employment.
Your employment may be terminated in accordance with any of the
following paragraphs, but only upon one (1) month's advance written
notice (which period shall be referred to in this Agreement as the
"Notice Period"):
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(a) Involuntary Termination. FFBC may terminate your employment
without cause. In such an event, you shall continue to receive
your full salary and Employment Benefits during the Notice
Period. The expiration of the Notice Period shall be your
"Date of Termination." Upon your Date of Termination, you
shall be entitled to those benefits provided under Section 5,
provided you give FFBC the release and covenant not to sue
described in Section 5.
(b) Involuntary Termination for Cause. FFBC may terminate your
employment for "Cause" with written notice setting forth the
Cause for termination. "Cause" means a willful engaging in
gross misconduct materially and demonstrably injurious to
FFBC. "Willful" means an act or omission in bad faith and
without reasonable belief that such act or omission was in, or
not opposed to, the best interests of FFBC. The expiration of
the Notice Period is your "Date of Termination for Cause."
Upon your Date of Termination for Cause, you shall only be
entitled to those benefits provided under Section 6.
(c) Voluntary Termination. You may voluntarily terminate your
employment. In such an event, you shall continue to receive
your full salary and Employment Benefits during the Notice
period provided you satisfactorily perform your duties during
the Notice Period unless relieved of those duties by FFBC. The
expiration of the Notice Period is your "Voluntary Date of
Termination." Upon your Voluntary Date of Termination, you
shall only be entitled to those benefits provided under
Section 6.
(d) Voluntary Termination for Good Reason. You may terminate your
employment by notice setting forth a Good Reason for
termination if the notice is delivered to FFBC within thirty
(30) days following the occurrence of any "Good Reason." "Good
Reason" means a (i) change in the duties of your position, or
the transfer to a new position, which is not comparable to
your present position in compensation, responsibility or
status in violation of Section 2; (ii) substantial alteration
in the nature or status of your responsibilities in violation
of Section 2; (iii) reduction in your base salary; (iv)
refusal by FFBC, or its successor, to renew the term of this
Agreement for any reason, prior to your reaching your normal
retirement date under the FFBC Pension Benefit Plan; or (v)
changes in your Employment Benefits in violation of Section 2.
If you give notice of termination for Good Reason, you shall
continue to receive your full base salary and Employment
Benefits during the Notice Period as in effect prior to the
event that is the Good Reason for termination, subject to the
right of FFBC to make any changes to your Employment Benefits
permitted in accordance with Section 2. The expiration of the
Notice Period is your "Date of Termination." Upon your Date of
Termination, you shall be entitled to those benefits provided
under Section 5, provided you give FFBC the written release
and covenant not to sue described in Section 5.
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5. Special Severance Benefits.
If your employment with FFBC is involuntarily terminated in accordance
with Section 4(a) or you voluntarily terminate your employment for Good
Reason in accordance with Section 4(d) and you provide FFBC with a
separate, written release and covenant not to sue (on a form provided
by and satisfactory to FFBC) which releases FFBC from all claims
arising from your employment and termination of your employment, and
you do not revoke this release and covenant not to sue, then you shall
receive the following benefits, less any applicable withholding
required for federal, state or local taxes:
(a) your base salary shall be continued in effect for a period of
thirty-six (36) months from your Date of Termination
(hereinafter called your "Severance Pay Period");
(b) if, prior to your Date of Termination, you have participated
in the FFBC Performance Incentive Plan for a complete calendar
year, you will receive an incentive compensation payment
within thirty (30) days of your Date of Termination in one
lump-sum in an amount equal to 3.0 times the percentage of the
incentive payment made or required to be made for the calendar
year pursuant to the Performance Incentive Plan immediately
preceding the calendar year in which your Date of Termination
occurs;
(c) if your Date of Termination is within twelve (12) months after
a Change in Control, you will receive a payment within thirty
(30) days of your Date of Termination in one lump-sum in an
amount equal to the total of the following:
(i) With respect to any shares of Stock subject to an
Option granted to you as of the time of the Change in
Control under the First Financial Bancorp 1991 Stock
Incentive Plan (the "Incentive Plan") that you cannot
exercise as a result of your termination of
employment, the difference between the fair market
value of such Stock, determined as of your Date of
Termination, and the Option Price.
(ii) With respect to any Restricted Stock granted to you
under the Incentive Plan as of the time of the Change
in Control which you forfeit as a result of your
termination of employment, the fair market value of
such Restricted Stock, determined as of your Date of
Termination and as if all restrictions had been
removed.
(iii) For purposes of this Section 5, "Stock," "Options,"
"Option Price," "Restricted Stock" and "Committee"
will have the meaning given those terms in the
Incentive Plan, and your right to exercise Options or
to receive Restricted Stock without forfeiture will
be determined after any adjustments made by the
Committee under Sections 8.8 and 11.1 of the
Incentive Plan, and after any amendments made to the
Incentive Plan in connection with the Change in
Control.
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(iv) For purposes of this Section 5, "Change in Control"
will have the following meaning: (a) a plan has been
approved by the shareholders of FFBC and consummated
for FFBC to be merged or consolidated with another
corporation and as a result of such merger or
consolidation less than 75% of the outstanding voting
securities of the surviving or resulting corporation
will be owned in the aggregate by the former
shareholders of FFBC as the same shall have existed
immediately prior to such merger or consolidation;
(b) an agreement for the sale by FFBC of
substantially all of its assets to another
corporation which is not a wholly owned subsidiary
has been approved by the shareholders (or the Board
of Directors or appropriate officers if shareholder
approval is not required) and consummated; (c)
"beneficial ownership" as defined in Rule 13d-3
promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(the "Exchange Act") of twenty percent (20%) or more
of the total voting capital stock of FFBC then issued
and outstanding has been acquired by any person or
"group" as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the
Exchange Act; or (d) individuals who were members of
the Board of FFBC immediately prior to a meeting of
the shareholders of FFBC involving a contest for the
election of directors do not constitute a majority of
the Board immediately following such election, unless
the election of such new directors was recommended to
the shareholders by the management of FFBC. The Board
of FFBC has final authority to determine the exact
date on which a Change in Control has occurred under
the foregoing definitions.
(d) your Employment Benefits shall be continued during your
Severance Pay Period, subject to the right of FFBC to make any
changes to your Employment Benefits permitted in accordance
with Section 2; provided, however, that you shall not:
(i) accumulate vacation pay for periods after your Date
of Termination;
(ii) first qualify for long-term disability benefits or
sickness and accident plan benefits by reason of an
illness, accident or disability occurring, or a
sickness or illness first manifesting itself, after
your Date of Termination;
(iii) be eligible to continue to make contributions to any
Internal Revenue Code Section 401(k) plan maintained
by FFBC or qualify for a share of any employer
contribution made to any tax-qualified defined
contribution plan;
(iv) be eligible to accumulate service for pension plan
purposes; or
(v) retain possession of any motor vehicle provided to
you by FFBC.
(e) you shall qualify for full COBRA health benefit continuation
coverage upon the expiration of your Severance Pay Period;
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(f) you shall be entitled to full executive outplacement
assistance with an agency selected by FFBC with the fee paid
by FFBC in an amount not to exceed five percent (5%) of your
annual base salary;
(g) with respect to the Endorsement Method Split Dollar Plan
Agreement (the "Split Dollar Agreement") to which you are a
party (and solely for purposes of the Split Dollar Agreement),
the duration of your Severance Pay Period shall be considered
as if it were active employment for purposes of determining
whether you were eligible to receive a retirement benefit
under the early retirement provisions of First Financial
Bancorp Employees' Pension Plan, as provided in Section VI(B)
of the Split Dollar Agreement; and
(h) if your Date of Termination is within twelve (12) months after
a Change in Control, you will receive a payment (the "Split
Dollar Payment") within ninety (90) days of your Date of
Termination in one lump-sum equal to the present value of the
death benefit you would have received under the Split Dollar
Agreement, determined as if you had terminated on your Date of
Termination, were then eligible to receive a retirement
benefit under the early retirement provisions of First
Financial Bancorp Employees' Pension Plan (whether or not this
is actually the case), and died at age 75 when the Split
Dollar Agreement was still in effect. For purposes of this
Section 5, present value will be determined using an annual
discount rate of 7%. Notwithstanding the prior two sentences,
if you elect to receive an assignment of the policy under
Section X of the Split Dollar Agreement, the Split Dollar
Payment shall be applied to the cash payment to FFBC required
under Section X of the Split Dollar Agreement, and any portion
of the Split Dollar Payment in excess of the amount required
under Section X shall be paid to you. The provisions of this
Paragraph (g) will apply whether or not your Split Dollar
Agreement is terminated before you receive the Split Dollar
Payment.
(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, if the
receipt of any payment under Section 5 of this Agreement in
combination with any other payments to you from FFBC or its
affiliates that are parachute payments (as defined in Section
280G of the Internal Revenue Code), shall, in the opinion of
independent tax counsel of recognized standing selected by
FFBC, cause you to be liable for the payment of any excise tax
pursuant to Section 280G and Section 4999 of the Internal
Revenue Code, then FFBC will pay to you an additional amount
equal to the amount of such excise tax and the additional
federal, state, and local income taxes for which you will be
liable as a result of this additional payment. Such payment
will be made within 60 days of the date your employment
terminates.
The release and covenant not to sue which you agree to provide prior to
the receipt of special severance benefits under this Section 5 of this
Agreement shall comply with the requirements of the Older Workers
Benefit Protection Act and applicable state and
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federal laws and regulations. If you do not provide FFBC with such a
written release and covenant not to sue, any claims concerning this
Agreement or otherwise arising from your employment with FFBC, or its
affiliate banks, shall be subject to final and binding arbitration as
described in Section 7.
6. Benefits Upon Voluntary Termination or Termination for Cause.
Upon your Date of Termination for Cause in accordance with Section 4(b)
or your Voluntary Date of Termination in accordance with Section 4(c),
all special severance benefits under this Agreement will be void. In
such an event, you shall be eligible for any benefits provided in
accordance with the plans and practices of FFBC that are applicable to
employees generally.
7. Arbitration.
Any dispute under this Agreement, and any claims of wrongful or
discriminatory termination based on any state or federal statute, tort,
public policy, contract or promissory estoppel theory, including any
dispute as to the cause or reason for termination, shall be submitted
to final and binding arbitration, subject to the National Rules for the
Resolution of Employment Disputes of the American Arbitration
Association, effective June 1, 1997, as amended from time to time,
except as hereinafter provided:
(a) FFBC shall pay the arbitrator's fee and a court reporter's
attendance fee;
(b) Each party shall bear the cost of its own attorney's fees.
However, if you prevail in a challenge to FFBC's determination
as to cause for your termination or if you prevail on any
claim that you were discriminated against in violation of any
federal law or statute, you shall be reimbursed by FFBC for
the filing fee and any reasonable costs or expenses incurred
in such a challenge, including reasonable attorney's fees;
(c) The arbitration hearing shall be held in Hamilton, Ohio,
unless the parties mutually agree to another location;
(d) Each party shall exchange documents to be utilized as exhibits
in the arbitration hearing and each party shall be limited to
two (2) pre-hearing depositions of two (2) hours each, unless
the arbitrator orders additional discovery;
(e) The arbitrator shall be appointed in accordance with Rule 12
of the above-referenced Rules of the American Arbitration
Association as in effect from time to time, except that if,
for any reason, an arbitrator cannot be selected by the
process described in Rule 12, subparts (i) through (iii), the
American Arbitration Association shall submit the names of
seven (7) additional arbitrators from its Roster and the
parties shall select the arbitrator by alternately striking
names with
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the party requesting arbitration first striking; and
(f) Either party shall be entitled to an injunction or other
appropriate equitable relief to enforce the arbitration
provisions of this Agreement and FFBC shall be entitled to an
injunction to prevent any breach, pending arbitration, of the
Confidentiality Agreement described below in paragraph 8 or
the Covenant Not to Compete described below in paragraph 10.
It is the intention of the parties to avoid litigation in any
court of all claims concerning this Agreement, or otherwise arising
from your employment with FFBC and that all such claims will be subject
to this arbitration agreement. Neither party shall commence or pursue
any litigation on any claim that is or was the subject of arbitration
under this Agreement. Each party agrees that this agreement to
arbitrate and the arbitration award are enforceable under and subject
to the Federal Arbitration Act, 9 U.S.C. Section I, et seq. ("FAA"). If
the FAA is held not to apply for any reason and the law of the state in
which you are employed recognizes the enforceability of this Agreement
and the arbitration award, then this Agreement and the arbitration
award are enforceable under the laws of the state in which you are
employed. Both parties consent that judgment upon the arbitration award
may be entered in any federal or state court that has jurisdiction. The
acceptance of any benefit under this Agreement shall be deemed
ratification of this agreement to arbitrate claims. In the event you
breach this Agreement by filing a lawsuit, at the time your lawsuit is
filed, you will return any Special Severance Benefits paid to you and
be subject to injunctive relief enforcing this Agreement.
8. Confidentiality.
You will not disclose to any person or use for the benefit of yourself
or any other person any confidential or proprietary information of FFBC
without the prior written consent of the Senior Vice President, Human
Resources of FFBC. Upon your termination of employment, you will return
to FFBC all written or electronically stored memoranda, notes, plans,
customer lists, records, reports or other documents of any kind or
description (including all copies in any form whatsoever) relating to
the business of FFBC and fully comply with any separate confidentiality
agreement to which you and FFBC are parties.
9. Conflicts of Interest.
You agree for so long as you are employed by FFBC to avoid dealings and
situations that would create the potential for a conflict of interest
with FFBC. In this regard, you agree to comply with the FFBC policy
regarding conflicts of interest and all applicable state or federal
regulations concerning conflicts of interest applicable to commercial
bank or savings bank officers.
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10. Covenant Not to Compete.
During the term of your employment, and for a period of six (6) months
following the termination of your employment for any reason other than
as set forth in Section 4(b), you agree not to be employed by, serve as
officer or director of, consultant to or advisor to any business that
engages either directly or indirectly in commercial banking, savings
banking or mortgage lending in the geographic area of Ohio, Indiana,
Michigan or Kentucky or which is reasonably likely to engage in such
businesses in the same geographic area during the six (6) month period
following your termination of employment.
11. Notice.
Notices required or permitted under this Agreement shall be in writing
and shall be deemed to have been given when delivered or mailed by
United States certified mail, return receipt requested, postage
prepaid, in a properly addressed envelope. Notices to FFBC shall be
addressed to the Senior Vice President, Human Resources.
12. Modification; Waiver; Successors.
No provision of this Agreement may be waived, modified or discharged
except pursuant to a written instrument signed by you and the Senior
Vice President, Human Resources, of FFBC. This Agreement is binding
upon any successor to all or substantially all of the business or
assets of FFBC.
13. Validity; Counterparts.
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the law of the
State of Ohio. The validity or unenforceability of any provision hereof
shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision
hereof. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts,
each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which
together will constitute one and the same instrument.
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Sincerely yours,
FIRST FINANCIAL BANCORP
By:___________________________
ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO
THIS ____ DAY OF AUGUST, 2000.
__________________________________
Stanley N. Pontius
