Executive Special Benefit Agreement - Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. and Frank Lowe
EXECUTIVE SPECIAL BENEFIT AGREEMENT
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AGREEMENT made as of January 15, 2001, by and between THE INTERPUBLIC
GROUP OF COMPANIES, INC., a corporation of the State of Delaware (hereinafter
referred to as "Interpublic") and FRANK LOWE (hereinafter referred to as
"Executive").
W I T N E S S E T H:
- - - - - - - - - -
WHEREAS, Executive is in the employ of Interpublic and/or one or more
of its subsidiaries (Interpublic and its subsidiaries being hereinafter referred
to collectively as the "Corporation"); and
WHEREAS, Interpublic and Executive desire to enter into an Executive
Special Benefit Agreement which shall be supplementary to any employment
agreement or arrangement which Executive now or hereinafter may have with
respect to Executive's employment by Interpublic or any of its subsidiaries;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises herein set
forth, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:
ARTICLE I
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Death and Special Retirement Benefits
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1.01 For purposes of this Agreement the "Accrual Term" shall mean the
period of seventy-two (72) months beginning on the date of this Agreement and
ending on the day preceding the sixth anniversary hereof or on such earlier date
on which Executive shall cease to be in the employ of the Corporation.
1.02 The Corporation shall provide Executive with the following
benefits contingent upon Executive's compliance with all the terms and
conditions of this Agreement and Executive's satisfactory completion of a
physical examination in connection with an insurance policy on the life of
Executive which Interpublic or its assignee (other than Executive) proposes to
obtain and own.
1.03 If, during the Accrual Term or thereafter during a period of
employment by the Corporation which is continuous from the date of this
Agreement, Executive shall die while in the employ of the Corporation, the
Corporation shall pay to such beneficiary or beneficiaries as Executive shall
have designated pursuant to Section 1.07 (or in the absence of such designation,
shall pay to the Executor of the Will or the Administrator of the Estate of
Executive) survivor income payments of One Hundred Eighty One Thousand Four
Hundred and Ninety Five Dollars ($181,495) per annum for fifteen (15) years in
monthly installments beginning with the 15th of the calendar month following
Executive's death, and in equal monthly installment thereafter.
1.04 If, after a continuous period of employment from the date of this
Agreement, Executive shall retire from the employ of the Corporation so that the
first day on which Executive is no longer in the employ of the Corporation
occurs on or after Executive's sixty-fourth birthday, the Corporation shall pay
to Executive special retirement benefits at the rate of One Hundred Eighty One
Thousand Four Hundred and Ninety Five Dollars ($181,495) per annum for fifteen
(15) years in monthly installments beginning with the 15th of the calendar month
following Executive's last day of employment, and in equal monthly installments
thereafter.
1.05 If, after a continuous period of employment from the date of this
Agreement, Executive shall retire, resign, or be terminated from the employ of
the Corporation so that the first day on which Executive is no longer in the
employ of the Corporation occurs on or after Executive's sixtieth birthday but
prior to Executive's sixty-fourth birthday, the Corporation shall pay to
Executive special retirement benefits at the annual rates set forth below for
fifteen years beginning with the calendar month following Executive's last day
of employment, such payments to be made in equal monthly installments:
Last Day of Employment Annual Rate
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On or after 60th birthday but prior to 61st birthday $80,648
On or after 61st birthday but prior to 62nd birthday $100,016
On or after 62nd birthday but prior to 63rd birthday $127,443
On or after 63rd birthday but prior to 64th birthday $154,606
1.06 If, following such termination of employment, Executive shall die
before payment of all of the installments provided for in Section 1.04 or
Section 1.05, any remaining installments shall be paid to such beneficiary or
beneficiary or beneficiaries as Executive shall have designated pursuant to
Section 1.07 or, in the absence of such designation, to the Executor of the Will
of the Administrator of the Estate of Executive.
1.07 For purposes of Sections 1.03 and 1.04 and 1.05, or any of them,
Executive may at any time designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries by filing
with the chief personnel officer of Interpublic a Beneficiary Designation Form
provided by such officer. Executive may at any time, by filing a new Beneficiary
Designation Form, revoke or change any prior designation of beneficiary.
1.08 If Executive shall die while in the employ of the Corporation, no
sum shall be payable pursuant to Sections 1.04, 1.05, 1.06.
1.09 In connection with the life insurance policy referred to in
Section 1.02, Interpublic has relied on written representations made by
Executive concerning Executive's age and the state of Executive's health. If
said representations are untrue in any material respect, whether directly or by
omission, and if the Corporation is damaged by any such untrue representations,
no sum shall be payable pursuant to Sections 1.03, 1.04, 1.05, 1.06
1.10 It is expressly agreed that Interpublic or its assignee (other
than Executive) shall at all times be the sole and complete owner and
beneficiary of the life insurance policy referred to in Sections 1.02 and 1.09,
shall have the unrestricted right to use all amounts and exercise all options
and privileges thereunder without the knowledge or consent of Executive or
Executive's designated beneficiary or any other person and that neither
Executive nor Executive's designated beneficiary nor any other person shall have
any right, title or interest, legal or equitable, whatsoever in or to such
policy.
1.11 It is expressly agreed that if Executive should become
permanently disabled at any time prior to the end of the Accrual Term, the
Corporation shall provide Executive with a maximum benefit payment of Five
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) per year for a period of fifteen (15) years.
The term "Permanent Disability" shall mean a determination that Executive is
permanently unable to perform the ordinary responsibilities of his position
following an absence from work of sixty (60) consecutive days as a result of
illness, injury or incapacity. The determination of Disability shall be subject
to verification by the Corporation. The foregoing disability payment
incorporates all amounts to which Executive is entitled under the ESBA
Agreements between the Executive and the Corporation dated January 1, 1991 and
January 1, 1996. 1.12 It is agreed upon that should Executive become Disabled as
defined above, the Corporation has the right to appoint a Doctor to examine
Executive for purposes in verifying Executive's disability.
ARTICLE II
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Non-solicitation of Clients or Employees
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2.01 Following the termination of Executive's employment hereunder for
any reason, Executive shall not for a period of twelve months either (a) solicit
any employee of the Corporation to leave such employ to enter the employ of
Executive or of any corporation or enterprise with which Executive is then
associated or (b) solicit or handle on Executive's own behalf or on behalf of
any other person, firm or corporation, the advertising, public relations, sales
promotion or market research business of any advertiser which is a client of the
Corporation at the time of such termination.
ARTICLE III
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Assignment
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3.01 This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of
the successors and assigns of Interpublic. Neither this Agreement nor any rights
hereunder shall be subject in any matter to anticipation, alienation, sale,
transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance or charge by Executive, and any such
attempted action by Executive shall be void. This Agreement may not be changed
orally, nor may this Agreement be amended to increase the amount of any benefits
that are payable pursuant to this Agreement or to accelerate the payment of any
such benefits.
ARTICLE IV
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Contractual Nature of Obligation
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4.01 The liabilities of the Corporation to Executive pursuant to this
Agreement shall be those of a debtor pursuant to such contractual obligations as
are created by the Agreement. Executive's rights with respect to any benefit to
which Executive has become entitled under this Agreement, but which Executive
has not yet received, shall be solely the rights of a general unsecured creditor
of the Corporation.
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ARTICLE V
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Applicable Law
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5.01 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance
with the laws of the State of New York.
THE INTERPUBLIC GROUP OF
COMPANIES, INC.
By /s/ C. KENT KROEBER
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Name: C. KENT KROEBER
Title: Senior Vice President, Human
Resources
/s/ FRANK LOWE
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FRANK LOWE