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) December 16, 2011 (December 21, 2011)

 

Information Services Group, Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware

 

001-33287

 

20-5261587

(State or other jurisdiction of

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

incorporation)

 

 

 

Identification No.)

 

Two Stamford Plaza

281 Tresser Boulevard

Stamford, CT 06901

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(203) 517-3100

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

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):

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 



 

ITEM 5.02 DEPARTURE OF DIRECTORS OR CERTAIN OFFICERS; ELECTION OF DIRECTORS; APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN OFFICERS; COMPENSATORY ARRANGEMENTS OF CERTAIN OFFICERS

 

On December 16, 2011, Mr. Michael P. Connors, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Information Services Group, Inc. (the “Company”), entered into an Employment Agreement (the “Employment Agreement”) with the Company which became effective immediately.  Mr. Connors has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since the Company’s inception.  Prior to entering into the Employment Agreement, Mr. Connors employment with the Company was at-will.  A copy of the Employment Letter is attached as Exhibit 10.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.  On January 7, 2011, Mr. Connors entered into a Change in Control Agreement with the Company (the “Connors Change in Control Agreement”) that continues to apply pursuant to its terms.

 

The Employment Agreement provides for a fixed term of four years.  While employed as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Connors will receive a base salary at the annual rate of $650,000, which base salary will increase to $700,000 effective as of January 1, 2012.  Mr. Connors will be eligible to earn an annual bonus with a target amount equal to 100% of his base salary and a maximum bonus opportunity equal to 200% of his base salary.  In addition, Mr. Connors will be entitled to participate in the Company’s employee benefits plans on the same basis as those plans are generally made available to other similarly situated executives.

 

Subject to Mr. Connors executing a release of claims agreement in favor of the Company, in the event Mr. Connors is terminated by the Company without “Cause” (as such term is defined in the Employment Agreement) or resigns for “Good Reason” (as such term is defined in the Employment agreement), the Company will provide him with two times his then applicable base salary plus two times his annual target bonus, payable over the 24-month period following his termination (but the Company may, in its sole discretion, pay this amount in single lump sum).  In addition, the Company will also provide Mr. Connors with a pro-rated annual bonus for the year in which he is terminated based on our actual performance for such year.  The pro-rated bonus will be payable at the time Mr. Connors’ annual bonus would have otherwise been paid if his employment had not terminated. If Mr. Connors is terminated without Cause or resigns for Good Reason at any time during the 24 month period following a Change in Control or within 60 days prior to a Change in Control if such termination is at the direction of a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company that will constitute a Change in Control, his severance payments will be governed by the Connors Change in Control Agreement.

 

In addition, the Employment Agreement provides that Mr. Connors reaffirms his agreement not to disclose confidential information of the Company at any time, and for the period during which he is employed with us and the 24-month period thereafter, not to compete with us, not to interfere with our business, and not to solicit nor hire our employees or customers as set forth in the Restrictive Covenant Agreement between the Company and Mr. Connors dated January 7, 2011.

 

On December 16, 2011, Mr. David Whitmore executed an employment letter with the Company, which will become effective on January 1, 2012 (the “Employment Letter”).  Mr. Whitmore will assume the position of President—ISG Americas.  Since January 4, 2011, Mr. Whitmore has served as Vice Chairman of the Company and Chief Executive Officer of CCGH Limited (“Compass”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company that was acquired on January 4, 2011.  Mr. Whitmore joined Compass in 2007.  Prior to joining Compass, Mr. Whitmore was the Chief Executive Officer of 4future, a UK-based consulting firm from 2005 to 2007, and was previously European President of Proudfoot Consulting in 2004. Prior to that he spent over 20 years at Arthur Andersen where from 2001 he was Managing Partner of the European, Middle East and Africa Assurance and Business Advisory business and before that the Managing Partner of the UK business.  Mr. Whitmore is also a Member of the Advisory Board of the Warwick Business School.

 

A copy of the Employment Letter is attached as Exhibit 10.2 and is incorporated herein by reference.  Pursuant to the Employment Letter, Mr. Whitmore will receive a base salary of $475,000 and a target Annual Incentive Plan (“AIP”) bonus opportunity of $355,000 for 2012.  Mr. Whitmore also will receive a grant of 100,000 restricted stock units that vest ratably over four years.

 

On December 16, 2011, Mr. Whitmore also entered into a Change in Control Agreement (the “Change in Control Agreement”) with the Company which will become effective on January 4, 2012, pursuant to which Mr. Whitmore is eligible to receive certain severance payments and benefits upon certain terminations of employment in connection with a “Change in Control” (as defined in the Change in Control Agreement) of the Company, subject to the terms and conditions described in the Change in Control Agreement.

 

The Change in Control Agreement is in effect for the period from January 4, 2012 (the “Effective Date”) through January 4, 2014, but will automatically extend for successive one-year periods unless a notice of non-renewal is given at least one year before the then scheduled expiration of the term.  However, if a Change in Control has occurred prior to the expiration of the then current term, the term shall continue until the date that is at least 24 months after such Change in Control.  The Change in Control Agreement

 

2



 

provides severance upon a qualifying termination (generally, a termination of employment by the Company without “Cause” or by Mr. Whitmore for “Good Reason” (as each term is defined in the Change in Control Agreement)) at any time during the 24 month period following a Change in Control or within 60 days prior to a Change in Control if such termination is at the direction of a person who has entered into an agreement with the Company that will constitute a Change in Control.  Upon such qualifying termination, Mr. Whitmore will be entitled to receive the following: (i) a lump-sum cash severance payment equal to one times the sum of his base salary at termination (or the base salary in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control if such base salary is greater) plus the greater of the annual target bonus for the year in which notice of termination is given or the year in which the Change in Control occurs; (ii) a lump-sum cash payment of any accrued but unpaid base salary, any unpaid bonus for the year prior to the year of termination that would have been paid if Mr. Whitmore had remained employed through the determination date of such bonus, a pro rata portion of the target bonus for the year of termination, and any accrued vacation pay; and (iii) a cash payment equal to the cost of continuation coverage for medical, dental and vision plans during the applicable COBRA continuation coverage period.  Payments under the Change in Control Agreement are subject to the execution, delivery and non-revocation of a release of claims against the Company.  In addition, during Mr. Whitmore’s employment and for the 12 month period following any termination of employment, Mr. Whitmore agrees not to employ, retain or solicit (or cause any entity to employ, retain or solicit) any employees of the Company.

 

In the event Mr. Whitmore would have otherwise incurred excise taxes under Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the payments to Mr. Whitmore may be reduced to the “safe harbor amount” such that no such excise taxes would be due, if such reduction would result in Mr. Whitmore being in a better net after tax position.

 

The foregoing description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Change in Control Agreement for of Mr. Whitmore, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 10.3 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

ITEM 9.01 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

 

(d)

Exhibits.

 

 

10.1

Employment Agreement for Michael P. Connors, dated December 16, 2011

 

 

10.2

Employment Letter for David Whitmore, dated December 16, 2011

 

 

10.3

Change in Control Agreement for David Whitmore, dated December 16, 2011

 

3



 

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.

 

Dated: December 21, 2011

INFORMATION SERVICES GROUP, INC.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Michael P. Connors

 

 

Michael P. Connors

 

 

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

 

4



 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit Number

 

Description

 

 

 

10.1

 

Employment Agreement for Michael P. Connors, dated December 16, 2011

 

 

 

10.2

 

Employment Letter for David Whitmore, dated December 16, 2011

 

 

 

10.3

 

Change in Control Agreement for David Whitmore, dated December 16, 2011

 

5


Exhibit 10.1

 

Execution Version

 

INFORMATION SERVICES GROUP, INC.

 

Employment Agreement for Michael P. Connors

 

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT by and between INFORMATION SERVICES GROUP, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”), and Michael P. Connors (“ Executive ”) is effective as of December 16, 2011 (the “ Effective Date ”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H

 

WHEREAS, Executive has served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since July 20, 2006;

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to continue to employ Executive and Executive desires to continue such employment on the terms and conditions herein set forth; and

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, the mutual covenants contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which the Company and Executive each hereby acknowledge, the Company and Executive hereby agree as follows:

 

1.              Employment .

 

The Company hereby agrees to employ Executive as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Executive hereby agrees to accept such employment during the Term as defined in Section 2 and to serve in such capacities from and after the Effective Date, upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Employment Agreement (the “ Agreement ”).

 

2.              Term .

 

The term of employment of Executive under this Agreement (the “ Term ”) shall be the period commencing on the Effective Date and ending on December 31, 2015, except that the Term will end at a date, prior to the end of such period, upon the death of Executive if such event terminates his employment or upon any termination of Executive’s employment whether or not such termination triggers payments and benefits under Section 6 or 7.  Specifically, at the time Executive’s employment terminates for any reason, all obligations of the Company and Executive under Sections 1 through 5 of this Agreement will immediately cease except for obligations which expressly continue after the particular termination of employment.

 

3.              Offices and Duties .

 

The provisions of this Section 3 will apply during the Term:

 

(a)            Generally .  Executive shall serve as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, and shall be nominated and, if elected, shall serve as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “ Board ”) and, for so long as he is serving on the Board, Executive agrees to serve as a member of any Board committee if the Board shall elect Executive to such committee.  In any and all such capacities, Executive shall report only to the Board.  Executive shall have and perform such duties, responsibilities, and authorities as are customary for the chief executive officer of a publicly held corporation of the size, type, and nature of the Company and consistent with such position and status, including service as an officer of subsidiaries or in a fiduciary capacity in connection with employee benefit plans.  Executive shall devote substantially all of his business time and attention, and his best efforts, abilities, experience, and talent, to the position of Chief Executive Officer and to the businesses of the Company and its subsidiaries without commitment to other business endeavors, except that Executive (i) may make personal investments which are not in conflict with his duties to the Company and manage personal and family financial and legal affairs, (ii) may serve as a member of the board of directors of Eastman Chemical Company and ACE Limited, (iii) undertake public speaking engagements, and (iv) serve as a director of (or similar position with) any educational, charitable, community, civic, religious, or similar type of organization, or

 



 

other for-profit business organizations, so long as such activities (i.e., those listed in clauses (i) through (iv)) do not preclude or render unlawful Executive’s employment or service to the Company or otherwise materially inhibit the performance of Executive’s duties under this Agreement or impair the business of the Company or its subsidiaries.

 

(b)            Place of Employment .  Executive’s principal place of employment shall be at the Company’s principal executive offices in Stamford, Connecticut.

 

4.              Salary and Annual Incentive Compensation .

 

As partial compensation for the services to be rendered hereunder by Executive, the Company agrees to pay to Executive during the Term the compensation set forth in this Section 4.

 

(a)            Base Salary .  The Company will pay to Executive during the Term a base salary at the annual rate of $650,000, payable in accordance with the Company’s usual payroll practices with respect to senior executives (except to the extent deferred if permitted under a deferral plan (if any)).  Executive’s annual base salary shall be reviewed by the Compensation Committee of the Board (the “ Committee ”) in its discretion during the Term, and may be increased above, but may not be reduced below, the then-current rate of such base salary.  For purposes of this Agreement, “ Base Salary ” means Executive’s then-current base salary.  Effective as of January 1, 2012, Executive’s Base Salary shall be increased to $700,000.

 

(b)            Annual Incentive Compensation .  The Company will provide to Executive during the Term an opportunity to earn annual incentive compensation, which shall constitute an opportunity to earn additional compensation based upon performance in amounts determined by the Committee; provided, however, that the target annual incentive opportunity shall be not less than 100% of Base Salary (the “ Target Bonus ”), with a maximum annual incentive opportunity equal to not less than 200% of Base Salary earnable for performance at a pre-specified level substantially higher than the designated target performance level.  The nature of the performance and the levels of performance triggering payments of such incentive compensation for each year are to be established by the Committee after consultation with Executive, taking into account the Company’s business planning in order to reinforce and incentivize achievement of Company goals and to avoid conflicts with any guidance or other relevant disclosures by the Company, and will be communicated to Executive prior to or during the first quarter of such year by the Committee.  Any annual incentive compensation payable to Executive shall be paid in accordance with the applicable plan (except to the extent deferred if permitted under a deferral plan, if any) but not later than March 15 of the year after the performance year; the plan may preserve the Committee’s right to exercise negative discretion with respect to any annual incentive payout.

 

5.              Long-Term Compensation, Benefits, and Expense Reimbursement .

 

(a)            Executive Compensation Plans.   Executive shall be eligible during the Term to participate in, without discrimination or duplication, and in the sole discretion of the Committee to receive grants under, all executive compensation plans and programs intended for general participation by senior executives of the Company, as presently in effect or as they may be modified or added to by the Company from time to time, subject to the eligibility and other requirements of such plans and programs; provided that such grants shall have terms at least as favorable as the terms made generally available to other senior executives of the Company.

 

(b)            Employee and Executive Benefit Plans .  Executive shall be entitled during the Term to participate, without discrimination or duplication, in all employee and executive benefit plans and programs of the Company intended for general participation by senior executives or employees of the Company, as presently in effect or as they may be modified or added to by the Company from time to time, subject to the eligibility and other requirements of such plans and programs, including, without limitation, any medical insurance, life insurance, disability insurance, and accidental death or dismemberment insurance, savings, profit-sharing, 401(k) and stock ownership plans and other retirement benefits plans.  Executive will be entitled to annual vacation in accordance with the Company’s vacation policy as in effect from time to time.

 

(c)            Deferral of Compensation .  If the Company has in effect or adopts any deferral program or arrangement permitting executives to elect to defer any compensation, Executive will be eligible to participate in

 

2



 

such program on terms no less favorable than the terms of participation of any other senior executive officer of the Company. Any plan or program of the Company which provides benefits based on the level of salary, annual incentive, or other compensation of Executive shall, in determining Executive’s benefits, take into account the amount of salary, annual incentive, or other compensation prior to any reduction for voluntary contributions made by Executive under any deferral or similar contributory plan or program of the Company, but shall not treat any payout or settlement under such a deferral or similar contributory plan or program to be additional salary, annual incentive, or other compensation for purposes of determining such benefits, unless otherwise expressly provided under such plan or program.

 

(d)            Reimbursement of Expenses .  The Company will reimburse Executive for all reasonable business expenses and disbursements incurred by Executive in the performance of Executive’s duties during the Term in accordance with the Company’s reimbursement policies as in effect from time to time and the provisions of Section 7(d) of this Agreement.

 

6.              Termination Due to Death or Disability .

 

(a)            Death or Disability .   The Company may terminate the employment of Executive hereunder due to the Disability (as defined in Section 8(c)) of Executive.  In the event of such a termination, or in the event of termination of Executive’s employment due to death, the Company will pay Executive or his beneficiary or estate, as applicable, at the time specified in Section 6(b), and Executive or his beneficiary or estate, as applicable, will be entitled to receive, the following:

 

(i)         Executive’s Compensation Accrued at Termination;

 

(ii)        In lieu of any annual incentive compensation under Section 4(b) for the year in which Executive’s employment terminated due to Disability or death, and subject to the release requirement set forth in Section 7(e), a lump sum amount equal to annual incentive compensation that would have become payable in cash to Executive for that year if his employment had not terminated, based on performance actually achieved in that year (determined by the Committee following completion of the performance year and paid at the time specified in the applicable plan but not later than March 15 of the year after the performance year), multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of days Executive was employed in the year of termination and the denominator of which is the total number of days in the year of termination; and

 

(iii)       The treatment of outstanding equity awards and all other compensation and benefits (including any disability benefits) will be governed by the applicable plans, programs and other agreements.

 

(b)            Other Terms Applicable Upon Death or Disability .  Amounts payable under this Section 6 following Executive’s termination of employment, other than those expressly payable following determination of performance for the year of termination for purposes of annual incentive compensation or otherwise payable on a deferred basis, will be paid in the payroll period which includes the date of termination of employment or death; subject, however, to the provisions of Section 7(d)(iii) of this Agreement relating to the six-month delay in payment of certain benefits to a specified employee as required by Section 409A of the Code, and provided that payments upon death may be delayed by up to 30 days in the sole discretion of the Company in order to determine the person(s) entitled to receive the payment.

 

7.              Termination of Employment for Reasons Other Than Death or Disability .

 

(a)            Termination Triggering Benefits Under Change-in-Control Agreement .  In the event of a termination of Executive’s employment that triggers payments or benefits under Section 3(b) the Change-in-Control Agreement between Executive and the Company, dated January 7, 2011 (or the relevant severance provision under any renewal or extension thereof) (the “ Change-in-Control Agreement ”), no payments or benefits will be made under this Agreement (the provisions of Section 6 and other provisions of this Section 7 notwithstanding), and all

 

3



 

rights and obligations of the parties following termination will be determined under the Change-in-Control Agreement.

 

(b)            Termination by the Company for Cause or by Executive Other Than For Good Reason .  The Company may terminate the employment of Executive hereunder for Cause (as defined in Section 8(a)) at any time and Executive may terminate his employment hereunder voluntarily for reasons other than Good Reason (as defined in Section 8(d)) at any time; provided that Executive will be required to give the Company at least thirty (30) days advance written notice of any termination initiated by Executive.  In either case, subject to Section 7(a), the Company will pay Executive at the time specified in Section 7(d), and Executive will be entitled to receive, the following:

 

(i)             Executive’s Compensation Accrued at Termination (as defined in Section 8(b)); and

 

(ii)            The treatment of outstanding equity awards and all other compensation and benefits will be governed by the applicable plans, programs and other agreements.

 

(c)            Termination by the Company Without Cause or by Executive for Good Reason .  The Company may terminate the employment of Executive hereunder without Cause and Executive may terminate his employment hereunder voluntarily for Good Reason, in either case upon at least 30 days’ written notice from the party initiating the termination of employment.  The foregoing notwithstanding, the Company may elect, by written notice to Executive, to terminate Executive’s employment at a date earlier than the expiration of such 30-day period, if so specified by the Company in the written notice, provided that, subject to Section 7(a), Executive shall be provided with a payment equal to the salary he would have received had he remained employed throughout such 30-day period, and any vesting of equity compensation, payment of pro rata annual incentive and other payments and benefits under this Section 7(c) shall be calculated as though Executive remained employed throughout such 30-day period.  In the event of a termination governed by this Section 7(c), subject to Section 7(a), the Company will pay Executive at the time specified in Section 7(d), and Executive will be entitled to receive, the following:

 

(i)             Executive’s Compensation Accrued at Termination;

 

(ii)            In lieu of any annual incentive compensation under Section 4(b) for the year in which Executive’s employment terminated and subject to Section 7(e), a lump sum amount equal to annual incentive compensation that would have become payable in cash to Executive for that year if his employment had not terminated, based on performance actually achieved in that year (determined by the Committee following completion of the performance year and paid at the time specified in the applicable plan but not later than March 15 of the year after the performance year), multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of days Executive was employed in the year of termination and the denominator of which is the total number of days in the year of termination; and

 

(iii)           Cash in an aggregate amount equal to two (2) times the sum of (A) Executive’s Base Salary plus (B) an amount equal to Executive’s Target Bonus.  This amount shall be payable in equal annual installments over the period of 24 months following the date of termination, on regular payroll payment dates, subject to Sections 7(d) and 7(e); provided, however, the Company may, in its sole discretion elect to pay this amount in a single lump sum subject to Section 7(d) below; and

 

(iv)           The treatment of outstanding equity awards and all other compensation and benefits will be governed by the applicable plans, programs and other agreements.

 

(d)            Other Terms Relating to Certain Terminations of Employment; Section 409A Compliance .

 

(i)             Timing of Payments .  Generally, amounts payable under this Section 7 following Executive’s termination of employment, other than those expressly payable on a deferred basis, will be paid (or installment payments will commence) in the payroll period that includes the date of

 

4



 

termination of employment occurs except as otherwise provided in this Section 7(d); provided, however, any such amounts that are subject to Section 7(e) will be paid (or installment payments will commence) on the first payroll date following the date on which the Release (as defined in Section 7(e)) has become effective and irrevocable.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Signing Period (as defined in Section 7(e)) spans two (2) calendar years, then the payment (or first installment will commence) on the first payroll date that occurs in the second calendar year, with any amounts otherwise payable prior to such payroll date being paid instead on such payroll date.

 

(ii)            Section 409A Compliance Rules for Payments .  The following rules will apply to the payments specified herein:

 

(A)           Separate Payments .  The amounts payable as annual incentive, if any, for the year of termination and the amount of each installment of severance under Section 7(c)(iii) shall each be deemed a separate payment under Code Section 409A, subject to the additional provisions in this Section 7(d).

 

(B)            Treatment of Severance Installments .  Each installment payment under Section 7(c)(iii) shall be treated as follows for purposes of Section 409A:

 

(1)        Installments payable during the year of termination and by the “2 ½ Month Deadline” (as hereinafter defined) shall, to the maximum extent possible, be deemed to constitute a short-term deferral under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(4).  The “ 2 ½ Month Deadline ” means, for a termination in a given calendar year, March 15 of the following year;

 

(2)        Installments payable during the period within six months after termination, to the extent not covered by Section 7(d)(ii)(B)(1), shall, to the maximum extent possible, be deemed to constitute amounts payable under the “two-year/two-times” exclusion from being a deferral of compensation under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii);

 

(3)        To the extent that the “two-year/two-times” exclusion from being a deferral of compensation under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) has not been fully applied by virtue of Section 7(d)(ii)(B)(2) to payments within six months after termination, installments payable beyond six months after termination shall be excluded, to the maximum extent possible, by such “two-years/two-times” exclusion (applied in the reverse order of payment of the installments — that is, first to the latest installments (payable not later than the end of the second calendar year following the year of termination) and then to earlier installments); and

 

(4)        All installments not covered by Section 7(d)(ii)(B)(1), (2) and (3) shall be paid at the applicable installment payment date in compliance with Section 409A, except that any such payment shall be subject to the six-month delay rule of Section 7(d)(iii) to the extent applicable.

 

(C)            Treatment of Payments of Annual Incentive .  Each payment of an annual incentive for the year of termination under Section 6(a)(ii) or Section 7(c)(ii) shall be treated as follows for purposes of Section 409A:

 

(1)        The payment, to the maximum extent possible, shall be deemed to constitute a short-term deferral under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(4);

 

5



 

(2)        To the extent that the “two-year/two-times” exclusion from being a deferral of compensation under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) has not been fully applied by virtue of Section 7(d)(ii)(B)(2) and (3), the payment, to the extent not covered by Section 7(d)(ii)(C)(1), shall, to the maximum extent possible, be deemed to constitute an amount payable under the “two-year/two-times” exclusion (and such portion shall be deemed a separate payment); and

 

(3)        Any portion of such payment not covered by Section 7(d)(ii)(C)(1) and (2) shall be deemed to be a deferral of compensation for purposes of Section 409A.

 

(iii)           Six-Month Delay Rule .

 

(A)           General Rule .  Other provisions of this Agreement notwithstanding, the six-month delay rule will apply to any payments and benefits under the Agreement if all of the following conditions are met:

 

(1)        Executive is a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A.

 

(2)        The payment or benefit in question is a deferral of compensation and not excepted, exempted or excluded from being such by the short-term deferral rule, or the “two-years/two-times” rule in Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii), or any other exception, exemption or exclusion; provided, however, that the exclusion under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(v)(D) shall apply only if and to the extent that it is not necessary to apply to any other payment or benefit payable within six months after Executive’s termination of employment.

 

(B)            Effect of Rule .  If it applies, the six-month delay rule will delay a payment or benefit which otherwise would be payable under this Agreement at a payment date based on Executive’s date of termination of employment and within six months after such termination.

 

(1)        Any delayed payment or benefit shall be payable on the date six months after Executive’s termination of employment, without interest on any delayed cash payment.

 

(2)        During the six-month delay period, accelerated payment will occur in the event of Executive’s death but not for any other reason, except for accelerations expressly permitted under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1 — A-6.

 

(3)        Any payment that is not triggered by Executive’s termination of employment, or is triggered by such termination of employment but would be made more than six months after the termination (without applying this six-month delay rule), or would be payable at a fixed date not tied to termination of employment that is earlier than the expiration of the six-month delay period, shall be unaffected by the six-month delay rule.

 

(iv)           Other Provisions .

 

(A)           Good Reason .  The definition of “Good Reason” under this Agreement is intended to qualify as an “involuntary separation” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation §1.409A-1(n)(2)(i), and it shall be so construed and interpreted.

 

(B)            Non-transferability .  No right to any payment or benefit under this Agreement shall be subject to anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance,

 

6



 

attachment, or garnishment by Executive’s creditors or the creditors of any of Executive’s beneficiaries.

 

(C)            No Acceleration .  The timing of payments and benefits under this Agreement which constitute a deferral of compensation under Code Section 409A may not be accelerated to occur before the time specified for payment hereunder, except to the extent permitted under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-3(j)(4) or as otherwise permitted under Code Section 409A without Executive incurring a tax penalty.

 

(D)           Influence Over Timing of Payments .  Executive shall not be entitled to exercise any influence over the time of payment of any amount payable hereunder if the permitted payment period would include portions of two different tax years.

 

(E)            References to Other Plans .  References in this Agreement to the obligation of the Company to pay amounts under other plans, including vested equity awards or any vested portion of any deferred compensation or other benefit plan, shall not be construed to modify the timing of payment of any compensation which constitutes a deferral of compensation under Code Section 409A, which shall be governed by such other plans.

 

(F)            Meaning of “termination” or “termination of employment.”   “Termination” as used herein refers to an event by which Executive’s employment relationship with the Company and all subsidiaries has ended, provided that, with respect to any payment hereunder which is deemed to be a non-excluded deferral of compensation under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b), a termination will occur at the time at which Executive has had a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(h).

 

(G)            Setoff Timing Rule .  Any amount that may be retained by the Company and applied to repay an obligation to the Company under this Agreement, to the extent necessary in order to comply with Code Section 409A, may only be so applied at the time it otherwise would have been payable to Executive and, to the extent necessary to comply with Code Section 409A, may apply only to Executive’s obligations that arose within 30 days prior to the payment date and within the same year as the payment date.

 

(v)            Reimbursement Rules .  Any reimbursements made or in-kind benefits provided under this Agreement shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

(A)           the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits provided in any one taxable year of Executive shall not affect the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits provided in any other taxable year of Executive;

 

(B)            the reimbursement of any expense shall be made each calendar quarter not later than the last day of Executive’s taxable year following Executive’s taxable year in which the expense was incurred (unless this Agreement specifically provides for reimbursement by an earlier date); and

 

(C)            the right to reimbursement of an expense or payment of an in-kind benefit shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

 

Executive’s right to reimbursements under this Agreement shall be treated as a right to a series of separate payments under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii).

 

(e)            Release Obligation .  Upon any termination of employment (excluding due to death), Executive shall be obligated to execute a release in the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “ Release ”).  The Company’s obligation to make the payments provided for in Section 6(a)(ii) and 7(c)(ii) and (iii) shall be subject to Executive’s

 

7



 

execution and delivery of the Release and the expiration of any applicable revocation period without Executive having revoked the Release within 60 days after Executive’s termination of employment (the “ Signing Period ”).

 

8.              Definitions Relating to Termination Events .

 

(a)            Cause .”  For purposes of this Agreement, “ Cause ” for termination by the Company of Executive’s employment means the following:

 

(i)             Executive’s willful misconduct, dishonesty, misappropriation, breach of fiduciary duty or act involving fraud or material dishonesty by Executive with regard to the Company and its affiliates or any of its or their assets or businesses;

 

(ii)            Executive’s conviction or his pleading guilty or nolo contendere with regard to any felony or crime (for the purpose hereof, traffic violations and misdemeanors shall not be deemed to be a crime); or

 

(iii)           Any material breach by Executive of the provisions of this Agreement or material violation of the Company’s code of conduct or other policy which is not cured (if curable) within 30 days after written notice from the Board to Executive specifying that such breach or violation has occurred.

 

The foregoing notwithstanding, Executive shall not be deemed to have been terminated for Cause unless and until there shall have been delivered to Executive a copy of the resolution duly adopted by the Board and also by the affirmative vote of not less than three-quarters (3/4) of the independent members of the Board then serving at a meeting of the Board (excluding Executive, if applicable), after reasonable notice to Executive and an opportunity for Executive, together with Executive’s counsel, to be heard before the Board, finding that, in the good faith opinion of the Board, Executive was guilty of conduct constituting “Cause” within the meaning of this definition and specifying the particulars thereof in detail.

 

(b)            Compensation Accrued at Termination ”.  For purposes of this Agreement, “ Compensation Accrued at Termination ” means the following:

 

(i)             The unpaid portion of Executive’s Base Salary through the date of termination;

 

(ii)            All earned and unpaid and/or vested, nonforfeitable amounts owing or accrued at the date of Executive’s termination of employment under any compensation and benefit plans, programs, and arrangements set forth or referred to in Sections 4(b) and 5(a) and 5(b) hereof (including any earned and vested annual incentive compensation and long-term incentive award) in which Executive theretofore participated, payable in accordance with the terms and conditions of the plans, programs, and arrangements (and agreements and documents thereunder) pursuant to which such compensation and benefits were granted or accrued; and

 

(iii)           Reasonable business expenses and disbursements incurred by Executive prior to Executive’s termination of employment, to be reimbursed to Executive, as authorized under Section 5(d), payable in accordance the Company’s reimbursement policies as in effect at the date of such termination, subject to Section 7(d).

 

(c)            Disability .”  For purposes of this Agreement, “ Disability ” means that Executive has been determined to be disabled by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment that can be reasonably expected to last for a continuous period of not less than six months or in fact has rendered Executive unable to perform his duties hereunder for at least 180 business days (which need not be consecutive) during the Term out of any 12-month period.

 

(d)            Good Reason .”  “ Good Reason ” for termination of Executive’s employment will mean the occurrence, without Executive’s written consent, of any one of the following, provided that Executive has given

 

8



 

notice of termination to the Company within 90 days after the initial existence of the condition giving rise to Executive’s asserted Good Reason, and the Company has failed to fully correct the Good Reason within 30 days after receipt of such notice of termination (such correction by the Company having the effect of canceling such notice and any resulting termination elected by Executive), and Executive’s termination occurs within one year after the initial existence of circumstances constituting Good Reason:

 

(i)             The assignment to Executive of any duties inconsistent in any material respect with Executive’s position, authority or responsibilities under Section 3(a) and materially adverse to Executive, or any other material adverse change in such position, including authority or responsibilities; for this purpose, it shall constitute “Good Reason” if Executive shall be required to report primarily to any person or body other than the Board (or if following a change in control of the Company, the board of directors of the ultimate parent company of the Company); provided, however, the failure of Executive to be re-elected as a member of the Board or the removal of Executive as Chairman of the Board shall not constitute Good Reason;

 

(ii)            A material reduction by the Company in either (A) Executive’s Base Salary or (B) Executive’s Target Bonus, or (C) a material breach of the Company’s obligations under Section 5(a) or (b).  For purposes of clause (A) or (B), a reduction of $20,000 in amount or value, on an annualized basis, of any of these elements of compensation or of these elements in the aggregate will be deemed “material” (other changes may be material in the particular circumstances); or

 

(iii)           The relocation of the principal place of Executive’s employment to a location more than thirty (30) miles from the location of such place of employment on the date of this Agreement (or other location at which Executive previously had agreed to work); except for reasonable required travel on the Company’s business.

 

9.              Restrictive Covenants; Legal Proceedings

 

(a)            Restrictive Covenant Terms Apply .  Executive and the Company have entered into a Restrictive Covenant Agreement dated as of January 7, 2011 (the “ RCA ”).  Executive agrees that the terms of the RCA are incorporated herein by reference and, as of the Effective Date, reaffirms his agreements and covenants in the RCA and his acknowledgements in the RCA, including acknowledgements in the Recitals and Sections 5, 6 and 11 of the RCA.  In addition, Executive acknowledges and agrees that, in the event of any violation of the terms of Section 2 (Protection of Confidential Information), Section 3 (Non-Interference with Business Relationships), or Section 4 (Non-Solicitation) of the RCA, Executive shall immediately surrender and forfeit any and all of his rights to payments and benefits under Section 6(a)(ii), 7(c)(ii) and 7(c)(iii) and Executive shall become obligated to repay to the Company within ten business days any and all payments and benefits he has previously received from the Company under Section 6(a)(ii), 7(c)(ii) and 7(c)(iii).  Executive further acknowledges that if Executive were to breach any of the terms and conditions of the RCA the damage to the Company would be irreparable.  Executive therefore agrees that the Company shall, in addition to any other remedies available to each of them, be entitled to preliminary and permanent injunctive relief against any breach or threatened breach by Executive of any of the terms and conditions of the RCA, without having to post a bond.

 

(b)            Cooperation With Regard to Litigation .  Executive agrees to cooperate with the Company, during the Term and thereafter (including following Executive’s termination of employment for any reason), by making himself available to testify on behalf of the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company, in any action, suit, or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, or investigative, and to assist the Company, or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company, in any such action, suit, or proceeding, by providing information and meeting and consulting with the Board or its representatives or counsel, or representatives or counsel to the Company, or any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company, as may be reasonably requested and after taking into account Executive’s post-termination responsibilities and obligations.  The Company agrees to reimburse Executive for all expenses actually incurred in connection with his provision of testimony or assistance within 30 days after receipt of documentation for such expense, but subject to the timing rules set forth in Section 7(d).

 

9



 

(c)            Non-Disparagement .  Executive shall not, at any time following his termination of employment for any reason make statements or representations, or otherwise communicate, directly or indirectly, in writing, orally, or otherwise, or take any action which may, directly or indirectly, disparage or be damaging to the Company, its subsidiaries or affiliates or their respective officers, directors, employees, advisors, businesses or reputations.  The Company hereby agrees that the Board and the executives, managers and officers of the Company shall not defame or disparage Executive in any medium to any person without limitation in time.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement shall preclude Executive, the Company or other persons from making truthful statements that are required by applicable law, regulation or legal process.

 

(d)            Indemnification .  The Company, and its successors and/or assigns, shall indemnify and defend Executive to the fullest extent permitted by the By-Laws and Certificate of Incorporation of the Company with respect to any claims that may be brought against Executive arising out of any action taken or not taken in Executive’s capacity as an officer, director or employee of any member of the Company or any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, predecessors and successors (the “ Company Group ”).  In addition, Executive shall be covered as an insured in respect of Executive’s activities as an officer or director of any member of the Company Group by the Company’s Directors and Officers liability policy or other comparable policies obtained by any member of the Company Group or any of their Company’s successors, to the fullest extent provided by such policies, and in amounts and coverage as determined by the Board in its discretion.  The Company’s indemnification obligations under this Section 9(d) shall remain in effect following Executive’s termination of employment with the Company Group.

 

(e)            Reimbursement of Expenses in Enforcing Rights .  The Company shall promptly pay or reimburse all reasonable costs and expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) incurred by Executive or Executive’s surviving spouse in negotiating this Agreement (up to a maximum of $10,000) and thereafter in any proceeding seeking to enforce rights under this Agreement brought by Executive or Executive’s surviving spouse, whether or not Executive or Executive’s surviving spouse is ultimately successful in enforcing such rights in such proceeding; provided, however, that no reimbursement shall be owed with respect to expenses relating to any unsuccessful claim asserted through such a proceeding if and to the extent that the claim was initiated or maintained in bad faith or was frivolous, as determined by arbitrators under Section 9(f)  Any such payment or reimbursement shall be made in a lump sum in the month next following the month in which such costs and expenses are incurred subject to Executive’s submission of receipts for such expenses and subject to Section 7(d).

 

(f)             Arbitration .  Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this Agreement (excluding, however, any dispute or controversy arising under the RCA or under Section 9(c) herein) shall be settled exclusively by arbitration in Stamford, CT by three arbitrators in accordance with the National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes of the American Arbitration Association in effect at the time of submission to arbitration.  Judgment may be entered on the arbitrators’ award in any court having jurisdiction.  For purposes of entering any judgment upon an award rendered by the arbitrators, the Company and Executive hereby consent to the jurisdiction of any or all of the following courts: (i) the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, (ii) any of the courts of the State of Connecticut, or (iii) any other court having jurisdiction.  The Company and Executive further agree that any service of process or notice requirements in any such proceeding shall be satisfied if the rules of such court relating thereto have been substantially satisfied.  The Company and Executive hereby waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which it may now or hereafter have to such jurisdiction and any defense of inconvenient forum.  The Company and Executive hereby agree that a judgment upon an award rendered by the arbitrators may be enforced in other jurisdictions by suit on the judgment or in any other manner provided by law.

 

10.            Miscellaneous .

 

(a)            Successors . The Company shall require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company to expressly assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform it if no such succession had taken place. As used in this Agreement, “ Company ” shall mean the Company as hereinbefore defined and any successor to its business and/or assets as aforesaid which assumes and agrees to perform this Agreement by operation of law, or otherwise.  Neither this Agreement nor the rights or obligations hereunder of the parties hereto shall be transferable or assignable by Executive, except in

 

10



 

accordance with the laws of descent and distribution, or by the Company except to a successor within the meaning of this Section 10(a)

 

(b)            Binding Agreement . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Executive and his personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees.  In the event of Executive’s death, all amounts otherwise payable to Executive hereunder shall, unless otherwise provided herein, be paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to Executive’s devisee, legatee or other designee or, if there is no such designee, to Executive’s estate.

 

(c)            Notice . Notices and all other communications provided for in this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when (i) personally delivered or (ii) mailed by United States certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to the Company at Two Stamford Plaza, 281 Tresser Boulevard, Stamford, CT  06901, and addressed to Executive at the latest home address in the Company’s records; provided that all notice to the Company shall be directed to the attention of the Board with a copy to the chief financial officer and to the chief legal officer of the Company, or to such other address as either party may have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith, except that notice of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt.

 

(d)            Modifications . No provision of this Agreement may be modified, waived or discharged unless such waiver, modification or discharge is agreed to in writing and signed on behalf of the Company by an authorized officer and, if adverse to Executive, is signed by Executive. No waiver by either party hereto at any time of any breach by the other party hereto of, or compliance with, any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other party shall be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the time or at any prior or subsequent time.

 

(e)            Governing Law .  THE VALIDITY, INTERPRETATION, CONSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES.

 

(f)             Tax Withholding .  Any payments provided for hereunder shall be paid net of any applicable withholding required under federal, state or local law.

 

(g)            Recoupment and Offsets.  The amounts required to be paid by the Company to Executive pursuant to this Agreement shall be subject to forfeiture or recoupment under any policy of the Company generally applicable to executive officers as may be from time to time in effect, including any policy implementing requirements under The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.  Otherwise, amounts earned and payable hereunder shall not be subject to offset against obligations owed by Executive to the Company.

 

(h)            Surviving Obligations .  The obligations of the Company and Executive’s obligations under this Agreement (including under Section 9) shall survive the expiration of the Term or of this Agreement to the extent necessary to give effect to this Agreement.

 

(i)             Validity .  The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect.

 

(j)             Counterparts .  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.

 

(k)            Entire Agreement .  This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein and during the Term supersedes the provisions of all prior agreements, promises, covenants, arrangements, communications, representations or warranties, whether oral or written, by any officer, employee or representative of any party hereof with respect to the subject matter contained herein; provided, however, that this Agreement does not supersede the Change in Control Agreement between the parties or plans or agreements evidencing or governing equity awards (which are considered outside of the scope of the subject matter contained herein).  No agreements or representations, oral or otherwise, express or implied, with respect to the

 

11



 

subject matter contained herein have been made by either party which are not expressly set forth in this Agreement. Anything to the contrary in this Agreement notwithstanding, the procedural provisions of this Agreement shall apply to all payments and benefits payable as a result of a termination of employment within the scope of this Agreement under any employee benefit plan, agreement, program, policy or arrangement of the Company.

 

(l)             No Obligation To Mitigate .  Executive shall not be required to seek other employment or otherwise to mitigate Executive’s damages upon any termination of employment.

 

(m)           Due Authority and Execution .  The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement have been duly authorized by the Company and this Agreement represents the valid, legal and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company according to its terms.

 

(n)            Representations of Executive .  Executive represents and warrants to the Company that he has the legal right to enter into this Agreement and to perform all of the obligations on his part to be performed hereunder in accordance with its terms and that he is not a party to any agreement or understanding, written or oral, which prevents him from entering into this Agreement or performing all of his obligations hereunder.  In the event of a breach of such representation or warranty on Executive’s part or if there is any other legal impediment which prevents him from entering into this Agreement or performing all of his obligations hereunder, the Company shall have the right to terminate this Agreement forthwith in accordance with the same notice and hearing procedures specified above in respect of a termination by the Company for Cause pursuant to Section 7(b) and shall have no further obligations to Executive hereunder.  Notwithstanding a termination by the Company under this Section 12(m), Executive’s obligations under Section 9 of this Agreement and the Company’s obligations under Section 9(d) of this Agreement and to pay any Compensation Accrued at Termination shall survive such termination.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and Executive have duly executed and delivered this Agreement as December 16, 2011.

 

 

INFORMATION SERVICES GROUP, INC.:

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Harry Somerdyk

 

Name: Harry Somerdyk

 

Title: Chief Human Resources and Communications Officer

 

 

 

 

 

EXECUTIVE:

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Michael P. Connors

 

Name: Michael P. Connors

 

Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

 

12



 

EXHIBIT A

 

Form of Release

 

THIS AGREEMENT AND RELEASE , dated as of               , 20     (this Agreement ”), is entered into by and between                                          (“ Executive ”) and INFORMATION SERVICES GROUP, INC. (the “ Company ”).

 

WHEREAS , Executive is currently employed with the Company; and

 

WHEREAS , Executive’s employment with the Company will terminate effective as of         , 20    ;

 

NOW, THEREFORE , in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained in this Agreement and other good and valuable consideration, Executive and the Company hereby agree as follows:

 

1.              Executive shall be provided severance pay and other benefits (the “ Severance Benefits ”) in accordance with the terms and conditions of [Section 6(a)/Section 7] of the employment agreement by and between Executive and the Company, dated as of January 1, 2012 (the “ Employment Agreement ”); provided , that no such Severance Benefits shall be paid or provided if Executive revokes this Agreement pursuant to Section 4 below.

 

2.              Executive, for and on behalf of himself and Executive’s heirs, successors, agents, representatives, executors and assigns, hereby waives and releases any common law, statutory or other complaints, claims, demands, expenses, damages, liabilities, charges or causes of action (each, a “ Claim ”) arising out of or in any way relating to Executive’s employment or termination of employment with, Executive’s serving in any capacity in respect of, or Executive’s status at any time as a holder of any securities of, any of the Company and any of its affiliates (collectively, the “ Company Group ”), both known and unknown, in law or in equity, which Executive  may now have or ever had against any current or former member of the Company Group or any current or former equityholder, investor, agent, representative, administrator, trustee, attorney, insurer, fiduciary, employee, director or officer of any member of the Company Group, including their successors and assigns (collectively, the “ Company Releasees ”), including, without limitation, any Claim for any severance benefit which might have been due Executive under any previous agreement executed by and between any member of the Company Group and Executive; any Claim related to compensation or benefits from any of the Company Releasees, including salary, bonuses, commissions, vacation pay, expense reimbursements, severance pay, fringe benefits, stock, stock options, or any other ownership interests in any member of the Company Group; any Claim for breach of contract, wrongful termination or breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing; any tort Claim, including claims for fraud, defamation, emotional distress, and discharge in violation of public policy; all federal, state, and local statutory claims, including claims for discrimination, harassment, retaliation, attorneys’ fees, or other claims arising under the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended); and any complaint, charge or cause of action arising out of Executive’s employment with any member of the Company Group under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (“ ADEA ,” a law which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age against individuals who are age 40 or older), the National Labor Relations Act, the Civil Rights Act of 1991, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, the Family Medical Leave Act, the Equal Pay Act, the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act; any public policy, contract, tort, or common law; all other federal, state and local statutes, ordinances and regulations and any basis for recovering costs, fees, or other expenses including attorneys’ fees incurred in these matters.  By signing this Agreement, Executive acknowledges that Executive intends to waive and release any rights known or unknown Executive may have against any and all of the Company Releasees under these and any other laws; provided that , Executive does not waive or release Claims (i) with respect to the right to enforce this Agreement or those provisions of the Employment Agreement that expressly survive the termination of Executive’s employment with the Company, (ii) with respect to any vested right Executive may have under any employee pension or welfare benefit plan of any member of the Company Group or (iii) any rights to indemnification preserved by Section 9(d) of the Employment Agreement.

 

3.              Executive acknowledges that Executive has been given twenty-one (21) days from the date of receipt of this Agreement to consider all of the provisions of the Agreement and, to the extent Executive has not used the entire 21-day period prior to executing this Agreement, Executive does hereby knowingly and voluntarily

 

13



 

waive the remainder of said 21-day period.  EXECUTIVE FURTHER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT EXECUTIVE HAS READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY, HAS BEEN ADVISED BY THE COMPANY TO CONSULT AN ATTORNEY AND FULLY UNDERSTANDS THAT BY SIGNING BELOW EXECUTIVE IS GIVING UP CERTAIN RIGHTS WHICH EXECUTIVE MAY HAVE TO SUE OR ASSERT A CLAIM AGAINST ANY OF THE COMPANY RELEASEES, AS DESCRIBED HEREIN AND THE OTHER PROVISIONS HEREOF.  EXECUTIVE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT EXECUTIVE HAS NOT BEEN FORCED OR PRESSURED IN ANY MANNER WHATSOEVER TO SIGN THIS AGREEMENT AND EXECUTIVE AGREES TO ALL OF ITS TERMS VOLUNTARILY.

 

4.              Executive shall have seven (7) days from the date of Executive’s execution of this Agreement to revoke the release, including with respect to all claims referred to herein (including, without limitation, any and all claims arising under ADEA).  If Executive revokes this Agreement, Executive will be deemed not to have accepted the terms of this Agreement.

 

5.              Each party and its counsel have reviewed this Agreement and have been provided the opportunity to review this Agreement and accordingly, the normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Agreement.  Instead, the language of all parts of this Agreement shall be construed as a whole, and according to their fair meaning, and not strictly for or against either party.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

14



 

 

INFORMATION SERVICES GROUP, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Name:

 

 

Its:

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXECUTIVE

 

 

 

 

 

Michael P. Connors

 


Exhibit 10.2

 

GRAPHIC

 

Michael P. Connors

 

Chairman and

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

December 16, 2011

 

David Whitmore

CEO – Compass & Vice Chairman, ISG

 

Dear David:

 

As we have discussed, I am very pleased with the integration progress of Compass and ISG and the overall power of the combination success we have demonstrated with our clients this year. Since we are ahead of schedule with our integrated organization and the broader portfolio of products and services we are ready for our next step to continue the momentum in 2012.

 

This letter will confirm our offer for you to assume the position of President-ISG Americas based in Stamford, CT. in addition to continuing in your role as Vice Chairman of ISG.

 

Effective January 1,2012 your base salary will be $475,000 with an Annual Incentive Plan ( AIP) target of $355,000. You will also receive a 100,000 Special Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) grant with four year ratable vesting. In addition, you will receive our standard Change in Control Agreement. To help you and Monica with your relocation to the U.S. for 2012 only we will provide you with relocation housing assistance of $5000 per month and up to $10,000 in 2012 of incidental travel expense to/from the UK.  You understand that your current UK housing situation is your responsibility.

 

David, as you know we have good business momentum and provided the macro-economic environment does not slow down client demand, we are well positioned for a very successful 2012.  I am glad you will be joining me and our small but very effective ISG team in Stamford next year.

 

Please sign and return a fully executed copy to me.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Michael P. Connors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accepted and Agreed:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ David Whitmore

 

 

David Whitmore

 

 

 

 

 

Date:

December 16, 2011

 

 

Information Services Group, Inc.

t: 203 517 3102

Two Stamford Plaza

f: 203 517 3199

281 Tresser Boulevard, Stamford, CT 06901

www.informationsg.com

 


Exhibit 10.3

 

GRAPHIC

 

CHANGE-IN-CONTROL AGREEMENT

 

December 16, 2011

 

PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL

 

Mr. David Whitmore

Vice Chairman and President, ISG Americas

Thurnets

Lower Moushill Lane

Milford, Surrey BU8 5JX

United Kingdom

 

Dear David:

 

Information Services Group, Inc. (the “Company”) considers it essential to the best interests of its stockholders to foster the continued employment of key management personnel.  Our Board of Directors (the “Board”) recognizes that the possibility of a change in ownership or control of the Company at some future date may result in the departure or distraction of key personnel to the detriment of the Company and our stockholders.  Therefore, the Board has determined to enter into this agreement with you (i) to encourage and reinforce your attention and dedication to your assigned duties without distraction in the face of the disruptive circumstances that can arise from a possible change in control of the Company, (ii) to enhance our ability to retain you in those circumstances, and (iii) to provide you with fair and reasonable protection from the risks of a change in ownership and control so that you will be in a position to help the Company complete a transaction that would be beneficial to stockholders.

 

You and the Company agree as follows:

 

1.          Term of Agreement and Protected Period .

 

(a)                Term of Agreement . The period during which this Agreement shall be in effect (the “Term”) shall be the period from January 4, 2012 (the “Effective Date”) through the close of business on the second anniversary of the Effective Date; provided , however, that the Term shall be automatically extended for successive one-year periods unless either party hereto gives written notice of non-renewal to the other party not later than the anniversary of the Effective Date that is one year before the then scheduled expiration of the Term; and provided further , that if a Change in Control has occurred prior to expiration of the then current Term, the Term shall continue until the date that is at least 24 months after such occurrence of a Change in Control.

 

(b)                 Protected Period . The “Protected Period” is the period from the time of occurrence of a Change in Control until the date that is 24 months after such occurrence of a Change in Control.  Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, the introductory text to Section 3 provides that certain events occurring before a Change in Control shall be deemed to have occurred during the Protected Period.

 

2.          Change in Control .

 

“Change in Control” shall mean the occurrence, during the Term, of a Change in Control as defined in the Amended and Restated 2007 Information Services Group, Inc. Equity Incentive Plan (Section 2(f) and related provisions), as in effect at the date hereof.  For purposes of the definition of “Change in Control,” it is understood that a person will not be deemed the beneficial owner of shares such person has a right to acquire in connection with a merger, consolidation, tender or exchange offer until the consummation of such transaction.

 



 

3.          Termination and Resulting Compensation .

 

The Agreement provides no compensation or benefits in connection with Terminations which occur prior to a Change in Control, except that, if you are Terminated within 60 days prior to a Change in Control by the Company without Cause at the direction of a Person who has entered into an agreement with the Company the consummation of which will constitute a Change in Control, or if you Terminate with Good Reason within 60 days prior to a Change in Control (treating the entry by such a Person into such an agreement as a Change in Control in applying the definition of Good Reason) if the circumstance or event which constitutes Good Reason occurs at the direction of such Person, then your Termination shall be deemed to have been during the Protected Period and following a Change in Control and shall qualify for the compensation specified in Section 3(b).

 

(a)                 Termination by the Company for Cause, by You Without Good Reason, or by Reason of Death, and Failure to Perform Duties Due to Disability . If during the Protected Period you are Terminated by the Company for Cause, you voluntarily Terminate without Good Reason, Termination occurs due to your death, or Termination results from your failure to perform your duties with the Company due to a disability, the Company will have no obligation to pay any compensation or benefits to you under this Agreement.

 

(b)                Terminations Triggering Severance Compensation . In lieu of any other severance compensation to which you may otherwise be entitled upon a termination by the Company not for Cause or a Termination by you for Good Reason under any plan, program, policy, agreement or arrangement of the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate (including any severance agreement or employment agreement), entitlement to which you hereby expressly waive, the Company will pay you the payments described in this Section 3(b) (the “Severance Payments”) upon Termination during the Protected Period and during the Term, unless such termination is (A) by the Company for Cause, (B) by reason of death, (C) due to your failure to perform your duties with the Company due to disability (for which you qualify for disability benefits), or (D) by you without Good Reason.  The compensation provided under this Section 3(b) is as follows:

 

(i)  The Company will pay you a lump sum severance payment, in cash, equal to ONE times your Annual Compensation.  For this purpose, your “Annual Compensation” will be the sum of (A) plus (B), where (A) is the greater of your annual base salary in effect immediately prior to the occurrence of the event or circumstance upon which the Notice of Termination is based (the “Notice Event”) or your annual base salary in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control, and (B) is the amount equal to the greater of your target annual incentive award (i.e., bonus) for the year in which the Notice Event occurred or the year in which the Change in Control occurred (if no target annual incentive was set at the relevant date, the target annual incentive at such date shall be the target annual incentive in effect for the preceding year increased by the same percentage as the percentage increase (if any) in salary over such preceding year).

 

(ii)  Other provisions of any plan or annual incentive award authorization notwithstanding, with respect to your annual incentive award for the fiscal year in progress at your Date of Termination (the “Current Annual Incentive”) and your annual incentive award for any previously completed year (the “Prior Year Annual Incentive”) for which your final annual incentive award has not yet been determined by the Board committee or other authorized decision maker with authority to make such determination (the “Committee”):

 

(A)           With regard to the Current Annual Incentive you will be paid an annual incentive equal to your target annual incentive for that year (or, if no target has been set for that year, your target annual incentive in effect in the preceding fiscal year) multiplied by a fraction the numerator of which is the number of days from the beginning of the year through your Date of Termination and the denominator of which is 365.  Any portion of your Current Annual Incentive opportunity not payable under this provision will be canceled and forfeited.

 

(B)            With regard to the Prior Year Annual Incentive, you will be paid the annual incentive that you would have received under the Company’s Annual Incentive Plan if you had remained employed by the Company through the date of determination of annual incentives by the Committee, with the determination of the amount, if any, of such annual incentive based on the Company’s performance in relation to the applicable performance targets previously established by the

 

2



 

Company for such fiscal year, as determined in good faith by the Committee and with negative discretion exercised only in a manner consistent with such exercise for other senior executives who remain employed through the determination date.

 

(C)            If the terms of any plan, program, policy, agreement or arrangement of the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate would provide for payment of the Current Annual Incentive or the Prior Year Annual Incentive more favorable to you than under (A) and (B) above, you shall remain entitled to the additional benefit of such terms but taking into account and not duplicating the payments hereunder.

 

(iii)  You will be entitled to coverage during the applicable COBRA health care continuation coverage period under Code Section 4980B, or any replacement or successor provision of United States tax law to the extent you so elect.  Accordingly, if you so elect, you will receive cash payments equal on an after-tax basis to the net monthly premium cost to you to purchase such COBRA continuation coverage for yourself, your spouse and your eligible dependents (subtracting any portion of such monthly premium (adjusted to be tax neutral to you) which you would have been required to contribute had you remained employed, to determine the net monthly premium cost), on or about the fifth day of each month for the duration of your COBRA continuation period, subject to Section 7(a).

 

(iv)  The Company will pay to you all earned and unpaid and/or vested, non-forfeitable amounts owing or accrued at your Date of Termination (including any earned but unpaid base salary and vacation) under any compensation and benefit plans, programs, and arrangements of the Company and subsidiaries or affiliates in which you theretofore participated, payable in accordance with the terms and conditions of the plans, programs, and arrangements (and agreements and documents thereunder) pursuant to which such compensation and benefits were granted or accrued, but without duplication of payments or benefits hereunder; and

 

(v)  You will be reimbursed for any unreimbursed business expenses properly incurred by Executive in accordance with Company policy prior to the Date of Termination, at the time specified in accordance with such policy.

 

(c)                Time of Payment .

 

(i)     The Company’s obligation to make the payments provided for in Section 3(b)(i) and (ii) (the “Termination Payments”) shall be subject to your execution of a release, in the form attached as Exhibit A (modified to reflect any enhanced legal rights you may have in light of the circumstances of your Termination), which you have not revoked by the end of any applicable revocation period.  The end of such revocation period (not later than 52 days after your Termination) shall be the “Designated Payment Date.”

 

(ii)    The following rules will apply to the Termination Payments:

 

(A)   Separate Payments.   The amounts payable under Sections 3(b)(i), 3(b)(ii)(A) and 3(b)(ii)(B) shall each be deemed a separate payment under Code Section 409A, subject to the additional provisions in this Section 3(c)(ii)(A).  If under any other severance, employment or similar agreement you have a right to payments that constitute the same “payment” as any portion of the Termination Payment for purposes of Section 409A (a “Corresponding Payment”), if such Corresponding Payment is payable in installments, each installment shall be deemed a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A (unless otherwise provided under such separate agreement), and if such Corresponding Payment is not payable in installments, then the aggregate amount of each identifiable Corresponding Payment shall be deemed a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A.  For any given separate Termination Payment, the portion of such Termination Payment that equals the maximum aggregate amount of the Corresponding Payments to which you had a legally binding right apart from this Agreement (i.e., payable in some circumstances in the absence of a Change in Control), or the present value thereof, if such present valuing is required to comply with Section 409A, is referred to herein as the “Base Payment.”   The portion of such Termination Payment that exceeds the Base Payment is referred to herein as the “Additional Payment.”  Such Additional Payment in

 

3



 

each case shall be deemed to be a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A (applied separately for each of Section 3(b)(i), (ii)(A) and (ii)(B).

 

(B)    Termination Payment Treatment Rules .  If a Corresponding Payment was potentially payable in installments, each such installment and the corresponding amount of the Base Payment, to the extent qualifying as separate payments under Code Section 409A, shall be treated as follows for purposes of Section 409A:

 

(1)    Installments payable during the year of termination and by the “2 ½ Month Deadline” (as hereinafter defined) shall, to the maximum extent possible, be deemed to constitute a short-term deferral under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(4).  The “2 ½ Month Deadline” means, for a termination in a given calendar year, March 15 of the following year;

 

(2)    Installments payable during the period within six months after termination, to the extent not covered by Section 3(c)(ii)(B)(1), shall, to the maximum extent possible, be deemed to constitute amounts payable under the “two-year/two-times” exclusion from being a deferral of compensation under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii);

 

(3)    To the extent that the “two-year/two-times” exclusion from being a deferral of compensation under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) has not been fully applied by virtue of Section 3(c)(ii)(B)(2) to payments within six months after termination, installments payable beyond six months after termination shall be excluded, to the maximum extent possible, by such “two-years/two-times” exclusion (applied in the reverse order of payment of the installments — that is, first to the latest installments (payable not later than the end of the second calendar year following the year of termination) and then to earlier installments); and

 

(4)    All installments not covered by Section 3(c)(B)(1), (2) and (3) shall be paid at the applicable installment payment date in compliance with Section 409A, except that any such payment shall be subject to the six-month delay rule of Section 3(c)(iii) to the extent applicable.

 

If a Corresponding Payment was potentially payable as a lump sum and not in installments, such Corresponding Payment (i.e., the corresponding amount of the Base Payment), to the extent qualifying as separate payments under Code Section 409A, shall be treated as follows for purposes of Section 409A:

 

(5)    If the Corresponding Payment constituted a short-term deferral under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(4) or, to the extent that the “two-year/two-times” exclusion from being a deferral of compensation under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) has not been fully applied by virtue of Section 3(c)(ii)(B)(2) and (3), constituted amounts payable under such “two-year/two-times” exclusion, the corresponding amount of the Base Payment shall be excluded from being a deferral of compensation under Code Section 409A;

 

(6)    If the Corresponding Payment constituted a deferral of compensation under Code Section 409A, then the corresponding amount of the Base Payment shall constitute a deferral of compensation under Section 409A;

 

Portions of any Base Payment covered by Section 3(c)(ii)(B)(1), (2), (3) and/or (5) above shall be payable as a lump sum at the Designated Payment Date, and portions of the Base Payment covered by Section 3(c)(ii)(B)(4) and/or (6) above shall be payable, subject to Section 3(c)(iii) (the six-month delay rule), in a lump sum at the Designated Payment Date if such Termination has occurred within two years following a change in the ownership of the Company, a change in effective control of the Company, or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the Company as defined in Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-3(i)(10) (a “409A Change in Control”), and in any other case shall be payable at the applicable time the Corresponding Payment would have been payable, subject to Section 3(c)(iii) (the six-month delay rule).

 

If a Termination Payment not constituting a Base Payment (including any Additional Payment) is payable, such payment shall be treated as follows for purposes of Section 409A:

 

4



 

(7)    The Termination Payment, to the maximum extent possible, shall be deemed to constitute a short-term deferral under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(4);

 

(8)    To the extent that the “two-year/two-times” exclusion from being a deferral of compensation under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) has not been fully applied by virtue of Section 3(c)(ii)(B)(2), (3) and/or (5), the Termination Payment, to the extent not covered by Section 3(c)(ii)(B)(7), shall, to the maximum extent possible, be deemed to constitute an amount payable under the “two-year/two-times” exclusion; and

 

(9)    Any portion of such Termination Payment not covered by Section 3(c)(ii)(B)(7) and (8) shall be deemed to be a deferral of compensation for purposes of Section 409A

 

A Termination Payment not constituting a Base Payment (including any Additional Payment) shall be paid at the Designated Payment Date, provided that any such Termination Payment specified in Section 3(c)(ii)(B)(9) shall be subject to Section 3(c)(iii) (the six-month delay rule).

 

(iii)       Six-Month Delay Rule .

 

(A)   General Rule .  Other provisions of this Agreement notwithstanding, the six-month delay rule will apply to any payments and benefits under the Agreement if all of the following conditions are met:

 

(1)    You are a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A.

 

(2)    The payment or benefit in question is a deferral of compensation and not excepted, exempted or excluded from being such by the short-term deferral rule, or the “two-years/two-times” rule in Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii), or any other exception, exemption or exclusion; provided, however, that the exclusion under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b)(9)(v)(D) shall apply only if and to the extent that it is not necessary to apply to any other payment or benefit payable within six months after your termination.

 

(B)    Effect of Rule .  If it applies, the six-month delay rule will delay a payment or benefit which otherwise would be payable under this Agreement within six months after your Termination.

 

(1)    Any delayed payment or benefit shall be payable on the date six months after your Termination, without interest on any delayed cash payment.

 

(2)    During the six-month delay period, accelerated payment will occur in the event of your death but not for any other reason, except for accelerations expressly permitted under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1 — A-6.

 

(3)    Any payment that is not triggered by a Termination, or is triggered by a Termination but would be made more than six months after the Termination (without applying this six-month delay rule), or would be payable at a fixed date not tied to Termination that is earlier than the expiration of the six-month delay period, shall be unaffected by the six-month delay rule.

 

(iv)   Other Provisions .

 

(A)   Good Reason .  The definition of “Good Reason” under this Agreement was intended to qualify as an “involuntary separation” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(n)(2)(i), and it shall be so construed and interpreted.

 

(B)    Non-transferability .  No right to any payment or benefit under this Agreement shall be subject to anticipation, alienation, sale, transfer, assignment, pledge, encumbrance, attachment, or garnishment by your creditors or the creditors of any of your beneficiaries.

 

(C)    No Acceleration .  The timing of payments and benefits under this Agreement which constitute a deferral of compensation under Code Section 409A may not be accelerated to occur before the time specified for

 

5



 

payment hereunder, except to the extent permitted under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-3(j)(4) or as otherwise permitted under Code Section 409A without your incurring a tax penalty.

 

(D)   Influence Over Timing of Payments .  You shall not be entitled to exercise any influence over the time of payment of any amount payable hereunder if the permitted payment period would include portions of two different tax years.

 

(E)    References to Other Plans.   References in this Agreement to the obligation of the Company to pay amounts under other plans, including your vested portion of any deferred compensation or other benefit plan, shall not be construed to modify the timing of payment, which shall be governed by such other plans.

 

(F)    Setoff Timing Rule .  Any amount that may be retained by the Company and applied to repay an obligation to the Company under this Agreement may only be so applied at the time it otherwise would have been payable to you, and cannot operate to relieve you of any obligation to repay at any time prior to the time such amount becomes payable.

 

(d)                 Notice . During the Protected Period, any purported Termination of your employment by the Company or by you shall be communicated by written Notice of Termination to the other party hereto.

 

(e)                Certain Definitions . Except as otherwise indicated in this Agreement, all definitions in this Section 3(e) shall be applicable during the Protected Period only.

 

(i)             Cause . “Cause” for Termination by the Company of your employment, for purposes of this Agreement, shall mean (A) your willful misconduct, dishonesty, misappropriation, breach of fiduciary duty or act involving fraud or material dishonesty by you with regard to the Company and its affiliates or any of its or their assets or businesses; (B) your conviction or your pleading of nolo contendere with regard to any felony or crime (for the purpose hereof, traffic violations and misdemeanors shall not be deemed to be a crime); or (C) any material breach by you of the provisions of this Agreement or material violation of the Company’s code of conduct or other policy which is not cured within 30 days after written notice to you of such breach or violation from the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

(ii)            Date of Termination . “Date of Termination” shall mean the date of employment termination specified in the Notice of Termination which, in the case of a Termination by the Company (other than a Termination for Cause), shall not be less than 30 days from the date such Notice of Termination is given and, in the case of a Termination by you, shall not be less than 30 nor more than 60 days from the date such Notice of Termination is given.

 

(iii)           Good Reason . “Good Reason” for Termination of your employment will mean the occurrence, without your written consent, of any one of the following, provided that you have given Notice of Termination to the Company within 90 days after the initial existence of the condition giving rise to your asserted Good Reason, and the Company has failed to fully correct the Good Reason by your Date of Termination (which must be at least 30 days after the Notice is given) specified in the Notice of Termination (such correction by the Company having the effect of canceling such Notice and the resulting Termination), and your separation from service occurs within one year after the initial existence of circumstances constituting Good Reason:

 

(A)       The assignment to you of any duties inconsistent in any material respect with your position, authority or responsibilities immediately prior to the occurrence of the Change in Control and materially adverse to you, or any other material adverse change in such position, including authority or responsibilities; for this purpose, it shall constitute “Good Reason” if you shall be required to report primarily to any person or body other than the Board of Directors of the ultimate parent company or, if you reported to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company during the 60-day period prior to the Change in Control, to a person other than the Chief Executive Officer of the Company or an equal or higher ranking senior executive officer of the ultimate parent company.

 

6



 

(B)       A material reduction by the Company in either (i) your annual base salary in effect immediately prior to the Change in Control and as such base salary thereafter may have been increased, (ii) your annual incentive opportunity as a percentage of base salary, or (iii) your annual equity award (as specified below).  For this purpose, a reduction of $20,000 in amount or value, on an annualized basis, of any of these elements of compensation or of these elements in the aggregate will be deemed “material” (other changes may be material in the particular circumstances).  The annual equity award shall be deemed to have a value determined in a manner consistent with the Company’s internal valuation method for such awards used at the time of grant.  It shall not constitute a material reduction in the annual equity grant for the Company to change the form of such award to either equity of the surviving parent corporation or cash, provided the value thereof is not materially reduced; or

 

(C)       The relocation of the principal place of your employment to a location more than thirty (30) miles from the location of such place of employment on the date of this Agreement (or other location at which you previously had agreed to work); except for required travel on the Company’s business to an extent substantially consistent with your business travel obligations prior to the Change in Control.

 

(vi)           Notice of Termination . “Notice of Termination” shall mean notice indicating the specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon and setting forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide a basis for Termination of your employment under the provision so indicated.

 

(vii)          Termination .  “Termination” means an event by which your employment relationship with the Company and all subsidiaries has ended, provided that, with respect to any payment hereunder which is deemed to be a non-excluded deferral of compensation under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(b), a Termination will occur at the time at which you have had a “separation from service” within the meaning of Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-1(h).

 

4.          Provisions Relating to Possible Excise Tax .

 

(a)            Cut-Back to Maximize Retained After-Tax Amounts .  The Company will reduce any payment relating to a Change in Control (with a “payment” including, without limitation, the vesting of an option or other non-cash benefit or property) pursuant to any plan, agreement or arrangement of the Company (together, “Severance Payments”) to the Reduced Amount (as defined below) if but only if reducing the Severance Payment would provide to you a greater net after-tax amount of Severance Payments than would be the case if no such reduction took place.  The “Reduced Amount” shall be an amount expressed in present value which maximizes the aggregate present value of the Severance Payments without causing any Severance Payment to be subject to the excise tax under Section 4999 (and related Section 280G) of the Code, determined in accordance with Section 280G(d)(4) of the Code.  Any reduction in Severance Payments shall be implemented in accordance with Section 4(b).

 

(b)            Implementation Rules .   Any reduction in payments under Section 4(a) shall apply to cash payments and/or vesting of equity awards so as to minimize the amount of compensation that is reduced (i.e., it applies to payments or vesting that to the greatest extent represent parachute payments), with the amount of compensation based on vesting to be measured (to be minimally reduced, for purposes of this provision) by the intrinsic value of the equity award at the date of such vesting.  You will be advised of the determination as to which compensation will be reduced and the reasons therefor, and you and your advisors will be entitled to present information that may be relevant to this determination.  No reduction shall be applied to an amount that constitutes a deferral of compensation under Code Section 409A except for amounts that have become payable at the time of the reduction and as to which the reduction will not result in a non-reduction in a corresponding amount that is a deferral of compensation under Code Section 409A that is not currently payable.

 

For purposes of determining whether any of the Severance Payments will be subject to the Excise Tax and the amount of such Excise Tax:

 

7



 

(i)             The Severance Payments shall be treated as “parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code, and all “excess parachute payments” within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(1) of the Code shall be treated as subject to the Excise Tax, unless, and except to the extent that, in the written opinion of independent compensation consultants, counsel or auditors of nationally recognized standing (“Independent Advisors”) selected by the Company and reasonably acceptable to a majority of the employees who have Change in Control Agreements, the Severance Payments (in whole or in part) do not constitute parachute payments, or such excess parachute payments (in whole or in part) represent reasonable compensation for services actually rendered within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(4) of the Code in excess of the base amount within the meaning of Section 280G(b)(3) of the Code or are otherwise not subject to the Excise Tax.

 

(ii)            The value of any non-cash benefits or any deferred payment or benefit shall be determined by the Independent Advisors in accordance with the principles of Sections 280G(d)(3) and (4) of the Code.

 

For purposes of determining reductions in compensation under Section 4(b), if any, you will be deemed (A) to pay federal income taxes at the applicable rates of federal income taxation for the calendar year in which the compensation would be payable; and (B) to pay any applicable state and local income taxes at the applicable rates of taxation for the calendar year in which the compensation would be payable, taking into account any affect on federal income taxes from payment of state and local income taxes.  Compensation will be adjusted not later than the applicable deadline under Code Section 409A to provide for accurate payments under the cut-back provision of Section 4(b), but after any such deadline no further adjustment will be made if it would result in a tax penalty under Section 409A.

 

(c)            Internal Revenue Service Proceedings .  The Company shall have the right to control all proceedings with the Internal Revenue Service (or relating thereto) that may arise in connection with the determination and assessment of any Excise Tax and, at its sole option, the Company may pursue or forego any and all administrative appeals, proceedings, hearings, and conferences with any taxing authority in respect of such Excise Tax (including any interest or penalties thereon); provided, however, that the Company’s control over any such proceedings shall be limited to issues with respect to which compensation may be reduced hereunder, and you will be entitled to settle or contest any other issue raised by the Internal Revenue Service or any other taxing authority.  You agree to cooperate with the Company in any proceedings relating to the determination and assessment of any Excise Tax.

 

5.          Mitigation .

 

You will not be required to mitigate the amount of payments provided for under this Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the amount of payments provided for under this Agreement be reduced by any compensation earned by you as the result of employment by another employer, by retirement benefits, by offset against any amount claimed to be owed by you to the Company, or otherwise.

 

6.          Covenants for Protection of Company’s Business .

 

In consideration for the payments and benefits provided by the Company under this Agreement, by your execution of this agreement you agree as follows:

 

(i)             You agree that you will not (except on behalf of the Company) during your employment with the Company and during the period of 12 months thereafter (the “Restrictive Period”; this applies whether or not Termination occurs in the Protected Period) employ or retain, solicit the employment or retention of, or knowingly cause or encourage any entity to retain or solicit the employment or retention of, any person who is an employee of the Company or was an employee of the Company at any time during the period commencing 12 months prior to the Date of Termination.  After Termination of your employment, except as required by law: (A) You will refrain from disparaging, whether orally, in writing or in other media, the Company, its affiliates, the officers, directors and employees of each of them, and the products and services of each of them, and (B) the Company will not disparage you or otherwise comment upon your employment performance other than as may be requested by you.

 

8



 

(ii)            You will not at any time, directly or indirectly, without the Company’s prior written consent, disclose to any third party or use (except as authorized in the regular course of the Company’s business or in your performance of your responsibilities for the Company) any confidential, proprietary or trade secret information that was either acquired by you during your employment with the Company or thereafter, including, without limitation, sales and marketing information, information relating to existing or prospective customers and markets, business opportunities, and financial, technical and other data (collectively, the “Confidential Information”), except for disclosure required by law.  After Termination of your employment with the Company for any reason and upon the written request of the Company, you shall promptly return to the Company all originals and/or copies of written or recorded material (regardless of the medium, including digital files and documents without retaining copies thereof) containing or reflecting any Confidential Information and shall promptly confirm in writing to the Company that such action has been taken.  The foregoing notwithstanding, the following shall not constitute Confidential Information:  (A) Information that is already in the public domain at the time of its disclosure to you; (B) Information that, after its disclosure to you, becomes part of the public domain by publication or otherwise other than through your act; and (C) Information that you received from a third party having the right to make such disclosure without restriction on disclosure or use thereof.

 

7.          Miscellaneous .

 

(a)            Timing Rules for Reimbursements . Any reimbursements made or in-kind benefits provided under this Agreement shall be subject to the following conditions:

 

(i)  the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits provided in any one of your taxable years shall not affect the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement or in-kind benefits provided in any other of your taxable years;

 

(ii)  the reimbursement of any expense shall be made each calendar quarter and not later than the last day of your taxable year following the taxable year in which the expense was incurred (unless this Agreement specifically provides for reimbursement by an earlier date);

 

(iii)  the right to reimbursement of an expense or payment of an in-kind benefit shall not be subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

 

Executive’s right to reimbursements under this Agreement shall be treated as a right to a series of separate payments under Treasury Regulation § 1.409A-2(b)(2)(iii) of the Regulations.

 

(b)                Successors . The Company shall require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company to expressly assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform it if no such succession had taken place. As used in this Agreement, “Company” shall mean the Company as hereinbefore defined and any successor to its business and/or assets as aforesaid which assumes and agrees to perform this Agreement by operation of law, or otherwise.

 

(c)                Binding Agreement . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by you and your personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees and legatees. In the event of your death, all amounts otherwise payable to you hereunder shall, unless otherwise provided herein, be paid in accordance with the terms of this Agreement to your devisee, legatee or other designee or, if there is no such designee, to your estate.

 

(d)                Notice . Notices and all other communications provided for in this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when (i) personally delivered or (ii) mailed by United States certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to the respective addresses set forth on the first page of this Agreement; provided that all notice to the Company shall be directed to the attention of the Board with a copy to the Chief Executive Officer of the Company, or to such other address as either party may have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith, except that notice of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt.

 

9



 

(e)                Modifications . No provision of this Agreement may be modified, waived or discharged unless such waiver, modification or discharge is agreed to in writing and signed on behalf of the Company by an authorized officer and, if adverse to you, is signed by you.  No waiver by either party hereto at any time of any breach by the other party hereto of, or compliance with, any condition or provision of this Agreement to be performed by such other party shall be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions or conditions at the time or at any prior or subsequent time.

 

(f)                 Governing Law . THE VALIDITY, INTERPRETATION, CONSTRUCTION AND PERFORMANCE OF THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT  WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS CONFLICTS OF LAW PRINCIPLES.

 

(g)                Tax Withholding . Any payments provided for hereunder shall be paid net of any applicable withholding required under federal, state or local law.

 

(h)                Surviving Obligations . The obligations of the Company and your obligations under this Agreement (including under Section 6) shall survive the expiration of this Agreement to the extent necessary to give effect to this Agreement.

 

(i)                 Validity . The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect.

 

(j)                 Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.

 

(k)                Entire Agreement . This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein and during the Term supersedes the provisions of all prior agreements (including any prior Change in Control Agreement between the parties), promises, covenants, arrangements, communications, representations or warranties, whether oral or written, by any officer, employee or representative of any party hereof with respect to the subject matter contained herein; provided, however, that any agreement providing for severance or post-termination benefits for specified terminations not within the Protected Period is not superseded by this Agreement, except insofar as such other agreement provided for severance and other post-termination benefits for a termination which, under this Agreement, would trigger payments of severance and other post-termination benefits (and subject to any provision herein providing you with any benefit under such other Agreement in excess of the level of benefit hereunder). No agreements or representations, oral or otherwise, express or implied, with respect to the subject matter hereof have been made by either party which are not expressly set forth in this Agreement.  Anything to the contrary in this Agreement notwithstanding, the procedural provisions of this Agreement shall apply to all payments and benefits payable as a result of a Change in Control (or other change in control) under any employee benefit plan, agreement, program, policy or arrangement of the Company.

 

If this letter sets forth our agreement on the subject matter hereof, kindly sign and return to the Company the enclosed copy of this letter, which will then constitute our agreement on this subject.

 

 

INFORMATION SERVICES GROUP, INC.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Harry Somerdyk

 

 

Harry Somerdyk

 

 

Chief Human Resources & Communications Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agreed to this  16 th  day of December, 2011

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ David Whitmore

 

 

 

David Whitmore

 

 

 

10



 

EXHIBIT A

 

Form of Release

 

David Whitmore (the “ Executive ”) agrees for the Executive, the Executive’s spouse and child or children (if any), the Executive’s heirs, beneficiaries, devisees, executors, administrators, attorneys, personal representatives, successors and assigns, hereby forever to release, discharge, and covenant not to sue Information Services Group Inc. (the “ Company ”), the Company’s past, present, or future parent, affiliated, related, and/or subsidiary entities, and all of their past and present directors, shareholders, officers, general or limited partners, employees, agents, insurers and attorneys, and agents and representatives of such entities, in such capacities, and employee benefit plans in which the Executive is or has been a participant by virtue of his employment with the Company and benefit plan administrators, and the successors of the Company or any of the foregoing entities (collectively, the “ Releasees ”), from any and all claims, debts, demands, accounts, judgments, rights, causes of action, equitable relief, damages, costs, charges, complaints, obligations, promises, agreements, controversies, suits, expenses, compensation, responsibility and liability of every kind and character whatsoever (including attorneys’ fees and costs), whether in law or equity, known or unknown, asserted or unasserted, suspected or unsuspected, which the Executive has or may have had against the Company or the Releasees based on any events or circumstances arising or occurring on or prior to the date this Release is executed, arising directly or indirectly out of, relating to, or in any other way involving in any manner whatsoever the Executive’s employment with the Company or the termination thereof, the Executive’s status at any time as a holder of any securities of the Company, or otherwise.  This includes, but is not limited to, a release of any and all claims arising under the laws of the United States, any other country, or any state, or locality relating to employment, or securities, including, without limitation, claims of wrongful discharge, breach of express or implied contract (whether oral or written), fraud, misrepresentation, defamation, or liability in tort, common law or public policy, claims of any kind that may be brought in any court or administrative agency, any claims arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Executive Retirement Income Security Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Delaware Discrimination in Employment Act, the Securities Act of 1933, the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and similar statutes, ordinances, and regulations of the United States, any other country, or any state or locality.  This release of claims further includes, but is not limited to, Executive’s waiver of any right or claim to compensation, wages, back pay, reinstatement or re-employment, bonuses, or benefits of any kind or any nature arising or derivative from Executive’s employment with the Company, the termination thereof, or otherwise; provided , however , notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth herein, that this general release shall not extend to (x) amounts owed to or rights available for the Executive under that certain Change-in-Control Agreement dated January 7, 2011, by and between the Company and the Executive (the “Change-in-Control Agreement ”) and (y) benefit claims under employee pension benefit plans in which the Executive is a participant by virtue of his employment with the Company or benefit claims under employee welfare benefit plans for covered occurrences (e.g., medical care, death, or onset of disability) arising after the execution of this Release by the Executive.  This Release does not waive any rights to indemnification the Executive has under any insurance policy, by laws or other documents or agreements to which Executive may be entitled for actions taken in good faith during the term of his employment.

 

The Executive hereby represents and warrants to the Company and the Releasees that he has not filed any action, complaint, charge, grievance, arbitration or similar proceeding against the Company or the other Releasees.

 

The Executive understands that this Release includes a release of claims arising under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).  The Executive understands and warrants that he has been given a period of 21 days to review and consider this Release.  The Executive further acknowledges that the consideration given for this Release is in addition to anything of value to which he is already entitled.  The Executive is hereby advised to consult with an attorney prior to executing the Release.  By his signature below, the Executive warrants that he has had the opportunity to do so and to be fully and fairly advised by that legal counsel as to the terms of this Release and that this waiver and release is knowing and voluntary.  The Executive further warrants that he understands that he may use as much or all of his 21-day period as he wishes before signing, and warrants that he has done so.

 

11



 

The Executive further warrants that he understands that he has seven days after signing this Release to revoke the Release by notice in writing to the Company’s General Counsel delivered by hand, certified mail or courier service.  This Release shall be binding, effective, and enforceable upon both parties upon the expiration of this seven-day revocation period without the Company’s General Counsel having received such revocation, but if the Executive revokes the Release during such time, the Executive understands that the Executive will forfeit any rights he may have to any termination payments otherwise due under the Change-in-Control Agreement.

 

By signing this Release, the Executive acknowledges that:  he has relied entirely upon his  own judgment, and that he has had the opportunity to consult with legal, financial and other personal advisors of his own choosing in assessing whether to execute this Release; no representation, statement, promise, inducement, threat or suggestion has been made by the Company or any other Releasee to influence Executive to sign this Release except such statements as are expressly set forth herein; Executive understands that by signing this Agreement he is releasing the Company and the Releasees of all claims against them; Executive has read this Release and understands its terms; Executive has been given a reasonable period of time to consider its terms and effect; and Executive voluntarily agree to the terms of this Release.

 

 

Executed this        day of                                   , 201

 

 

 

Print Name:

 

 

 

12