Exhibit 10(a)
ENTERGY CORPORATION SERVICE RECOGNITION PROGRAM
FOR NON-EMPLOYEE OUTSIDE DIRECTORS
(As Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2009)
On October 29, 1999, the Board of Directors of Entergy Corporation approved, authorized, and adopted certain changes to this Entergy Corporation Service Recognition Program for Non-Employee Outside Directors (the "Program") that were incorporated into an amendment and restatement of the Program, which was effective January 1, 2000.
In December 2005, the Board of Directors of Entergy Corporation approved the adoption of Amendment No. 1 to the Program which provided payment elections with respect to all amounts deferred under this Program in accordance with Internal Revenue Service Notice 2005-1, Q&A-19(c) and related Proposed Treasury Regulations under Internal Revenue Code Section 409A.
Between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2008 the Program has been operated in accordance with transition relief established by the Treasury Department and Internal Revenue Service under Code section 409A. This amendment and restatement is adopted in conformity with final regulations under section 409A issued by the Treasury Department on April 10, 2007 and effective January 1, 2009.
PURPOSE
The Program identifies those non-employee Outside Directors who are eligible for recognition for their service on the Entergy Corporation Board, sets forth the terms and conditions of the Program, and establishes the commencement date for receipt of benefits under the Program.
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
The following terms shall have the meaning hereinafter indicated unless expressly provided herein to the contrary:
a material violation by the Outside Director of any agreement with Entergy Corporation or the Entergy Corporation Board of Directors to which he is a party;
a material violation of the director relationship existing between the Outside Director and the Entergy Corporation Board of Directors at the time, including, without limitation, breach of confidentiality, moral turpitude, theft or defalcation; and
a material failure by the Outside Director to perform the services required by him by any agreement with Entergy Corporation or the Entergy Corporation Board of Directors to which he is a party, or, if there is no such agreement, a material failure by the Outside Director to perform the reasonable customary services of a director.
- the purchase or other acquisition by any person, entity or group of persons, acting in concert within the meaning of Sections 13(d) or 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act"), or any comparable successor provisions, of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Act) of twenty-five percent (25%) or more of either the shares of common stock outstanding immediately following such acquisition or the combined voting power of Entergy Corporation's voting securities entitled to vote generally and outstanding immediately following such acquisition, other than any such purchase or acquisition in connection with a Non-CIC Merger (defined in subsection (b) below);
- the consummation of a merger or consolidation of Entergy Corporation, or any direct or indirect subsidiary of Entergy Corporation with any other corporation, other than a Non-CIC Merger, which shall mean a merger or consolidation immediately following which the individuals who comprise the Board of Directors of Entergy Corporation immediately prior thereto constitute at least a majority of the Board of Directors of Entergy Corporation, or the board of directors of the entity surviving such merger or consolidation, or the board of directors of any parent thereof (unless the failure of such individuals to comprise at least such a majority is unrelated to such merger or consolidation);
- the stockholders of Entergy Corporation approve a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of Entergy Corporation or there is consummated an agreement for the sale or disposition by Entergy Corporation of all or substantially all of Entergy Corporation's assets; or
- any change in the composition of the Board of Directors of Entergy Corporation such that during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constitute the Board of Directors of Entergy Corporation and any new director (other than a director whose initial assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened election contest, including but not limited to a consent solicitation, relating to the election of directors of Entergy Corporation) whose appointment or election by the Board of Directors of Entergy Corporation or nomination for election by Entergy Corporation's stockholders was approved or recommended by a vote of at least two-thirds (2/3) of the directors then still in office who either were directors on the Effective Date or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved or recommended, cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof.
Provided, however, that no Change in Control shall be deemed to occur solely by virtue of (1) the insolvency or bankruptcy of Entergy Corporation; or (2) the transfer of assets of Entergy Corporation to an affiliate of Entergy Corporation, provided such affiliate assumes the obligations of the Program and agrees to continue uninterrupted the rights of the Participants under the Program; or (3) the consummation of any transaction or series of integrated transactions immediately following which the record holders of the common stock of Entergy Corporation immediately prior to such transaction or series of transactions continue to have substantially the same proportionate ownership in an entity which owns all or substantially all of the assets of Entergy Corporation immediately following such transaction or series of transactions.
"Change in Control Period" shall mean the period commencing on the date of a Potential Change in Control and ending twenty-four (24) calendar months following a Change in Control.
- Entergy Corporation or any affiliate or subsidiary company enters into an agreement, the consummation of which would result in the occurrence of a Change in Control; or
- the Board of Directors adopts a resolution to the effect that, for purposes of this Program, a Potential Change in Control has occurred; or
- Entergy Corporation or any affiliate or subsidiary company or any person or entity publicly announces an intention to take or to consider taking actions which, if consummated, would constitute a Change in Control; or
- any person or entity becomes the beneficial owner (as that term is defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time), either directly or indirectly, of securities of Entergy Corporation representing twenty percent (20%) or more of either the then outstanding shares of common stock of Entergy Corporation or the combined voting power of Entergy Corporation's then outstanding securities (not including in the calculation of the securities beneficially owned by such person or entity any securities acquired directly from Entergy Corporation or its affiliates).
ARTICLE II
PARTICIPATION
Effective Date. The original effective date of this Program was May 1, 1996; provided, however, that in determining the grant of Equity Units and dividend equivalent rights to eligible Outside Directors pursuant to Sections 3.01 and 3.03, respectively, all years of service that the Outside Director may have on the Entergy Corporation Board (or on a Subsidiary Board prior to joining the Entergy Corporation Board) shall be included in such determination. The effective date of this amendment and restatement of the Program is January 1, 2009.
ARTICLE III
BENEFITS
- Each annual installment shall be made within thirty (30) days after the applicable Annual Installment Date. In general, each annual installment represents a proportionate share of the remaining accumulated cash value of Equity Units and dividend equivalent rights accrued by the Outside Director based on the number of remaining annual installments to be paid. For instance, at Separation, the first annual installment shall equal 20% of the total cash value of the accumulated Equity Units and dividend equivalent rights. In the second installment, 25% of the total cash value of the remaining accumulated Equity Units and dividend equivalent rights is payable. In the third installment, 33 1/3% of the total cash value of the remaining accumulated Equity Units and dividend equivalent rights is payable. In the fourth installment, 50% of the total cash value of the remaining accumulated Equity Units and dividend equivalent rights is payable. In the fifth and final installment, the total cash value of the remaining accumulated Equity Units and dividend equivalent rights is distributed.
- The amount of each such annual installment payment shall be credited against the Outside Director's remaining accumulated Equity Units and dividend equivalent rights in accordance with an irrevocable written election made by the Outside Director no later than December 31, 2008. Such election shall specify that each annual installment will be credited against the Outside Director's accumulated Equity Units and dividend equivalent rights in accordance with one of the following choices: (1) first against all accumulated dividend equivalent rights and then against accumulated Equity Units; (2) first against all accumulated Equity Units and then against accumulated dividend equivalent rights; or (3) pro-rata against remaining accumulated Equity Units and dividend equivalent rights, based on the value of each as of the close of business on the last business day immediately preceding the applicable Annual Installment Date. If no election in this regard is made by the Outside Director prior to his initial Annual Installment Date, then the amount of each such annual installment shall be credited in accordance with choice (3) above.
- Each annual installment shall be paid in the form of cash based upon the closing price of Entergy Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange as of the close of business on the last business day immediately preceding the applicable Annual Installment Date. No participation or payment under this Program shall be in the form of actual shares of Entergy Common Stock. Subject to Section 3.07, all installments payable under this Program shall cease upon the distribution of all five installments. If the Outside Director dies after Separation from the Entergy Corporation Board, but before all five installments have been paid, the Outside Director's remaining unpaid accrued benefits under this Program (based on the closing price of Entergy Common Stock on the New York Stock Exchange as of the close of business on the last business day occurring immediately preceding the Outside Director's death) shall be paid in a lump sum, within thirty (30) days after the date of his death, to his designated beneficiary on file with the Secretary to the Entergy Corporation Board or, in the absence of any such named beneficiary, to the estate of the Outside Director.
- Notwithstanding the foregoing, an eligible Outside Director may, at least one year prior to Separation from the Entergy Corporation Board and subject to consent from Entergy Corporation, execute a written deferral election under which the commencement of the five annual installments under this Program may be irrevocably deferred for a fixed number of years, equal to at least five years but not to exceed fifteen (15) years from the date of such Outside Director's Separation from the Entergy Corporation Board. If the Outside Director executes such a deferral election, Separates and subsequently dies prior to the deferred commencement date for the installments, the survivor's benefit provisions described in Section 3.07 shall apply.
Life Insurance - Eligible Outside Directors of the Entergy Corporation Board who have at least 10 years of service will continue to receive $25,000 of life insurance coverage after Separation at no cost to the Outside Director.
- Notwithstanding anything stated herein to the contrary, if there should occur a Change in Control and if, within the Change in Control Period, an Outside Director (which solely for purposes of this Section 3.08 shall also include any outside director of the Entergy Corporation Board who satisfies all of the requirements of Section 1.13 except the 5-year eligibility requirement) is involuntarily terminated from the Entergy Corporation Board or otherwise loses his status as an outside director on the Entergy Corporation Board for reasons other than for Cause within the Change in Control Period, such Outside Director shall fully vest in, and have a nonforfeitable right to, all benefits accrued under the Program (or that would have accrued under the Program if the outside director were not subject to the 5-year eligibility requirement of Section 1.13) as of the date of any such termination, and no amendment or termination of the Program shall reduce such vested accrued benefit. In any such event, the Outside Director may commence his or her benefits hereunder without the consent of Entergy Corporation or its successor as of the first day of the month next following his or her termination or Separation from the Entergy Corporation Board. Any termination of the Outside Director from the Entergy Corporation Board within the Change in Control Period, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, may, at the Outside Director's sole discretion, be deemed a Separation hereunder.
- Notwithstanding any provision of this Program to the contrary, any amendment to, or termination of, the Program following a Change of Control shall not reduce the level of benefits accrued under this Program (or the level of benefits that would have accrued under the Program if the outside director were not subject to the 5-year eligibility requirement of Section 1.13) through the date of any such amendment or termination. In no event shall an Outside Director's benefit accrued under this Program following a Change of Control be less than the benefit accrued by such Outside Director under this Program (or the benefit that would have accrued under the Program if the outside director were not subject to the 5-year eligibility requirement of Section 1.13) immediately prior to the Change of Control Period.
- Nothing stated herein shall prohibit Entergy Corporation from adopting or establishing a trust or other means for funding any obligations created hereunder provided, however, any and all rights that any such Outside Directors shall have with respect to any such trust or other fund shall be governed by the terms thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no contributions shall be made to such a trust during any "restricted period" within the meaning of section 409A(b)(3) of the Code.
- Unless prohibited by Section 3.08(c) hereof, within thirty (30) days following the date of a Change of Control, Entergy Corporation shall make a single irrevocable lump sum contribution to the Trust for Deferred Payments of Entergy Corporation and Subsidiaries ("Trust") pursuant to the terms and conditions described in such Trust. Such contribution shall be in an amount equal to the total benefits accrued by the eligible Outside Directors and their beneficiaries under the Program (or the benefits that would have accrued under the Program if the outside director were not subject to the 5-year eligibility requirement of Section 1.13) through the date of any such Change of Control. If an Outside Director shall continue to serve as an Outside Director on the Entergy Corporation Board after a Change of Control, an additional amount shall be contributed by Entergy Corporation to the Trust each calendar year, if necessary, in order to maintain a lump sum amount credited to Entergy Corporation's Program account under the Trust that is equal to the total unpaid benefits accrued by the Outside Directors (including the total unpaid benefits that would have accrued under the Program if the outside director were not subject to the 5-year eligibility requirement of Section 1.13) as of the end of each applicable calendar year. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence and this subsection to the contrary, Entergy Corporation may make contributions to the Trust prior to a Change of Control in such amounts as it shall determine in its complete discretion. The Trust is intended as a "grantor" trust under the Internal Revenue Code and the establishment and funding of such Trust is not intended to cause Outside Directors to realize current income on amounts contributed thereto, and the Trust shall be so interpreted.
Required Six-Month Delay for Certain Distributions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no
distributions may be paid to an Outside Director within six months following the Outside Director's Separation, if the Outside Director is a "specified employee" within the meaning of Code section 409A at the time of Separation. For this purpose, specified employee generally means a Key Employee of Entergy Corporation at a time when Entergy Corporation or any member of a controlled group of corporations that includes Entergy Corporation is publicly traded on an established securities market whether inside or outside the United States. Whether an individual is a specified employee shall be determined by the Administrator under rules established in regulations under Code section 409A and such determination shall be final and binding. Any payments that are delayed pursuant to this Section 3.09 shall be paid in full immediately after the six-month required delay period ends.
ARTICLE IV
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION
- to adopt such rules and regulations as it shall deem desirable or necessary for the administration of the Program on a consistent and uniform basis;
- to interpret the Program including, without limitation, the power to use Administrator's sole and exclusive discretion to construe and interpret (1) the Program, (2) the intent of the Program, and (3) any ambiguous, disputed or doubtful provisions of the Program;
- to determine all questions arising in the administration of the Program including, but not limited to, the power and discretion to determine rights or eligibility of any claimant to receive benefits under the Program;
- to require such information as the Administrator may reasonably request from any Participant or claimant as a condition for receiving any benefit under the Program;
- to grant and/or deny any and all claims for benefits, and construe any and all issues of Program interpretation and/or fact issues relating to eligibility for benefits;
- to compute the amount and determine the manner and timing of any benefits payable under the Program;
- to execute or deliver any instrument or make any payment on behalf of the Program;
- to employ one or more persons to render advice with respect to any of the Administrator's responsibilities under the Program;
- to direct all payments that shall be made pursuant to the terms of the Program; and
- to make findings of fact, to resolve disputed fact issues, and to make determinations based on the facts and evidence contained in the administrative record developed during the claims review procedure.
For any acts not specifically enumerated above, when applying, construing, or interpreting any and all Program provisions and/or fact questions presented in claims for benefits, the Administrator shall have the same discretionary powers as enumerated above.
- the specific reasons for the denial of the claim (including the facts upon which the denial was based) and reference to any pertinent Program provisions on which the denial is based;
(b) if applicable, a description of any additional material or information necessary for claimant to perfect the claim and an explanation of why such material or information is necessary; and
(c) an explanation of the claims review appeal procedure including the name and address of the person or committee to whom any appeal should be directed.
ARTICLE V
PROCEDURES
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ATTACHMENT 1 TO ENTERGY CORPORATION SERVICE |
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This Attachment 1 is provided merely as a summary of the benefits under the Program and does not represent a binding description of such benefits. For a full description of the benefits available under the Program, please refer to the Program document. If there is any conflict between this summary and the Program document, the Program document shall control.