Attached files

file filename
10-Q - FORM 10-Q - FIRST BANCSHARES INC /MS/tm2015297d1_10q.htm
EX-32.2 - EXHIBIT 32.2 - FIRST BANCSHARES INC /MS/tm2015297d1_ex32-2.htm
EX-32.1 - EXHIBIT 32.1 - FIRST BANCSHARES INC /MS/tm2015297d1_ex32-1.htm
EX-31.2 - EXHIBIT 31.2 - FIRST BANCSHARES INC /MS/tm2015297d1_ex31-2.htm
EX-31.1 - EXHIBIT 31.1 - FIRST BANCSHARES INC /MS/tm2015297d1_ex31-1.htm
EX-10.3 - EXHIBIT 10.3 - FIRST BANCSHARES INC /MS/tm2015297d1_ex10-3.htm
EX-10.1 - EXHIBIT 10.1 - FIRST BANCSHARES INC /MS/tm2015297d1_ex10-1.htm
EX-3.4 - EXHIBIT 3.4 - FIRST BANCSHARES INC /MS/tm2015297d1_ex3-4.htm

Exhibit 10.2

 

AMENDMENT TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

THIS AMENDMENT (“Amendment”) to the Employment Agreement dated as of October 17, 2019 (the “Employment Agreement”) by and between The First, a National Banking Association (the “Employer) and Donna T. (Dee Dee) Lowery (the “Executive”), shall be effective as of the 16th day of January, 2020.

 

1.Section 10 of the Employment Agreement shall be deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following:

 

“10.Mandatory Reduction of Payments in Certain Events.

 

(a)       Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event it shall be determined that any payment or distribution by Employer to or for the benefit of Executive (whether paid or payable or distributed or distributable pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or otherwise) (such benefits, payments or distributions are hereinafter referred to as “Payments”) would, if paid, be subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Code (the “Excise Tax”), then, prior to the making of any Payments to Executive, a calculation shall be made comparing (i) the net after-tax benefit to Executive of the Payments after payment by Executive of the Excise Tax, to (ii) the net after-tax benefit to Executive if the Payments had been limited to the extent necessary to avoid being subject to the Excise Tax. If the amount calculated under (i) above is less than the amount calculated under (ii) above, then the Payments shall be limited to the extent necessary to avoid being subject to the Excise Tax (the “Reduced Amount”). The reduction of the Payments due hereunder, if applicable, shall be made by first reducing cash Payments and then, to the extent necessary, reducing those Payments having the next highest ratio of Parachute Value (as defined below) to actual present value of such Payments as of the date of the Change in Control, as determined by the Determination Firm (as defined in Section 10(b) below). For purposes of this Section 10, present value shall be determined in accordance with Section 280G(d)(4) of the Code. For purposes of this Section 10, the “Parachute Value” of a Payment means the present value as of the date of the Change in Control of the portion of such Payment that constitutes a “parachute payment” under Section 280G(b)(2) of the Code, as determined by the Determination Firm for purposes of determining whether and to what extent the Excise Tax will apply to such Payment.

 

(b)       All determinations required to be made under this Section 10, including whether an Excise Tax would otherwise be imposed, whether the Payments shall be reduced, the amount of the Reduced Amount, and the assumptions to be utilized in arriving at such determinations, shall be made by an accounting firm or compensation consulting firm selected by Employer (the “Determination Firm”) which shall provide detailed supporting calculations both to Employer and Executive within 15 business days after the receipt of notice from Executive that a Payment is due to be made, or such earlier time as is requested by Employer. All fees and expenses of the Determination Firm shall be borne solely by Employer. Any determination by the Determination Firm shall be binding upon Employer and Executive. As a result of the uncertainty in the application of Section 4999 of the Code at the time of the initial determination by the Determination Firm hereunder, it is possible that Payments which Executive was entitled to, but did not receive pursuant to Section 10(a), could have been made without the imposition of the Excise Tax (“Underpayment”), consistent with the calculations required to be made hereunder. In such event, the Determination Firm shall determine the amount of the Underpayment that has occurred and any such Underpayment shall be promptly paid by Employer to or for the benefit of Executive but no later than March 15 of the year after the year in which the Underpayment is determined to exist, which is when the legally binding right to such Underpayment arises.

 

 

 

 

(c)       In the event that the provisions of Code Section 280G and 4999 or any successor provisions are repealed without succession, this Section 10 shall be of no further force or effect.”

 

2.The Employment Agreement, as modified by the terms of this Amendment, shall continue in full force and effect from and after the date of the adoption of this Amendment.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered on the day and year first above written.

 

 

 

  The first, a national banking association.
      
  By:  /s/ M. Ray (Hoppy) Cole, Jr.
  Name:  M. Ray (Hoppy) Cole, Jr.
  Title:  President and Chief Executive Officer

 

 

  EXECUTIVE
   
  /s/ Donna T. (Dee Dee) Lowery
  Donna T. (Dee Dee) Lowery