EX-10.41



 





Exhibit 10.41




NCC STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

Non-Incentive Stock Option 2004 LTCE Plan




NATIONAL CITY CORPORATION

Stock Option Agreement – Non-Incentive Stock Option




          WHEREAS, the individual identified as Optionee (“Optionee”) on the cover sheet that
is attached hereto and hereby made a part hereof (“Cover Sheet”) is an officer and key employee of
National City Corporation (hereinunder called the “Corporation”) or of a Subsidiary; and




          WHEREAS, the execution of an Option Agreement in the form hereof has been duly authorized by a
resolution of the Compensation and Organization Committee (hereinafter called the “Committee”) of
the Board of Directors of the Corporation (hereinafter called the “Board”) duly adopted on the date
listed on the Cover Sheet as “Grant Date”;




          NOW, THEREFORE, the Corporation hereby grants to the Optionee, pursuant to the National City
Corporation Long-Term Cash and Equity Incentive Plan, Effective
January 1, 2005 (hereinafter called
the “Plan”) an Option (hereinafter called the “Option”) to purchase the number of shares of its
common stock, par value $4.00 per share (“Common Stock”), listed on the Cover Sheet as “Shares
Granted” at the per share exercise price set forth on the Cover Sheet as the “Option Price” and
agrees to cause certificates for any shares purchased hereunder to be delivered to the Optionee
upon receipt of payment of the Option Price, all subject, however, to the terms and conditions of
the Plan and as hereafter set forth.




          1. (a) The Option (until terminated as hereinafter provided) shall be exercisable only to the
extent of [insert vesting schedule] ; provided, however, that the Option (until terminated as hereinafter
provided) shall become immediately fully exercisable upon the occurrence of any of the following:




          (i) in the event of a Change in Control;




          (ii) the Optionee ceases to be an employee of the Employers by reason of the Optionee’s death
or retirement at or after the age of 62 with 20 or more years of
service or retirement at or
after the age of 65 with 5 or more years of service [or retirement with the Committee’s approval
at or after the age 55 with 20 years of service]; or




          (iii) the Optionee ceases to be an employee of the Employers by reason of action initiated by
the Employers other than a termination for Cause (as hereinafter defined) and where the Optionee
has executed a release, releasing the Employers from any liability associated with or arising out
of Optionee’s employment or termination of employment (“Negotiated Termination”).




          (b) To the extent exercisable, the Option may be exercised in whole or in part from time to
time, so long as the number of shares exercised satisfies a minimum that the Corporation may
establish from time to time.




          (c) For the purposes of this Option Agreement “Cause” means that, prior to any termination,
the Optionee shall have committed:




          (i) an intentional act of fraud, embezzlement or theft in connection with his duties or in
the course of his employment with the Employers;




          (ii) an intentional wrongful damage to property of Employers; or




          (iii) an intentional wrongful disclosure of secret processes or Confidential Information of
any of the Employers, as hereinafter defined.




          (d) For purposes of this Option Agreement, no act or failure to act on the part of the
Optionee shall be deemed “intentional” if it was due primarily to an error in judgment or
negligence, but shall be deemed “intentional” only if done or omitted to be done by the Optionee
not in good faith and without reasonable belief that his action or omission was in the best
interest of the Employers.




          2. The Option shall terminate on the earliest of the following dates:




          (a) three years after the death of the Optionee;




          (b) ten years from the Grant Date, if the Option is exercisable under any of the provisions of
Section 1 hereof at the time the Optionee ceases to be an employee of the Employers by reason of
retirement at or after the age of 55 with 10 or more years of service or after the age of 65 with 5
or more years of service;




          (c) immediately, upon the termination of employment of the Optionee with the Employers for any
reason other than death as set forth in Subsection 2(a), retirement as set forth in Subsection 2(b)
or a Negotiated Termination as set forth in Subsection 2(d), if such termination arises prior to a
Change in Control;




          (d) [insert time period from termination] from the termination of employment of the Optionee with the Employers by
reason of a Negotiated Termination if (i) Subsection 2(b) is not applicable and (ii) the
termination of employment occurs prior to a Change in Control;




          (e) twelve months from the termination of employment of the Optionee with the Employer
following a Change in Control if Subsection 2(b) is not applicable;




          (f) ten years from the Grant Date; or




          (g) in the event the Optionee shall intentionally commit an act materially inimical to the




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NCC STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

Non-Incentive Stock Option 2004 LTCE Plan






interests of the Employers, and the Committee shall so find, the Option shall terminate at the time
of such act, notwithstanding any other provision of this Option Agreement.



          3. Nothing contained in this Option Agreement shall confer upon the Optionee any right to
continued employment with the Employers, nor shall it interfere in any way with the right of the
Employers to terminate the employment of the Optionee at any time, with or without Cause.




          4. The Option is not transferable by the Optionee otherwise than by will or the laws of
descent and distribution, and is exercisable during the lifetime of the Optionee only by the
Optionee or by the Optionee’s guardian or legal representative.




          5. (a) In connection with each exercise of the Option, arrangements satisfactory to the
Corporation shall be made by the Optionee for the payment of any withholdings required by federal,
state, local, or foreign income tax laws.




          (b) Subject to the restrictions set forth below, the Optionee is hereby granted the right to
elect to satisfy, in whole or in part, the Optionee’s withholding obligations as required by
federal, state, local, or foreign income tax laws by (i) having the Corporation withhold shares of
Common Stock subject to the Option having a value equal to or less than the minimum applicable
amounts required to be withheld and/or (ii) delivering to the Corporation shares of Common Stock
owned by the Optionee having a value equal to or less than the minimum applicable amounts required
to be withheld (the “Election”). For purposes of this Subsection 5(b), the value of shares of
Common Stock to be withheld or delivered by the Optionee shall be based upon the Market Value per
Share on the date that the amount of the tax or taxes to be withheld is determined. Shares of
Common Stock withheld pursuant to clause 5(b)(i) will not thereafter be available for exercise
under the Option.




          (c) To exercise the Election, the Optionee (i) must make the Election to have shares withheld
or to deliver already owned shares on the date that the Optionee exercises the Option and (ii) must
make the Election in writing on a form provided by the Corporation. The Election is irrevocable by
the Optionee and is subject to disapproval by the Committee. Additionally, if the Optionee is
subject to Section 16(b) of the Securities Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), the
Election is subject to compliance with Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations
promulgated thereunder.




          6. The Option Price shall be payable:




          (a) in cash or by check acceptable to the Corporation;




          (b) by exchanging previously acquired shares of Common Stock of equivalent Market Value on the
date of exercise, with a value equal to the total Option Price for the portion of the Option
exercised; or




          (c) by a combination of (a) and (b).




          7. The Committee may make such adjustments in the number and kind of shares subject to the
Option and the price per share as the Committee in its sole discretion, exercised in good faith,
may determine is equitably required to prevent dilution or enlargement of the rights of the
Optionee that otherwise would result from any stock dividend, stock split, combination of shares,
recapitalization or other change in the capital structure of the Corporation, merger,
consolidation, spin-off, reorganization, partial or complete liquidation, issuance of rights or
warrants to purchase securities, or any other corporate transaction or event having an effect
similar to any of the foregoing. No adjustment provided for in this Section shall require the
Employers to sell a fractional share.




          8. Optionee acknowledges and agrees that in the performance of his duties of employment with
the Employers he may be in contact with customers, potential customers and/or information about
customers or potential customers of the Employers either in person, through the mails, by telephone
or by other electronic means. Optionee also acknowledges and agrees that trade secrets and
Confidential Information of the Employers, as defined in Subsection 8(c) of this Option Agreement,
gained by Optionee during his employment with the Employers, have been developed by the Employers
through substantial expenditures of time, effort and financial resources and constitute valuable
and unique property of the Employers. Optionee further understands, acknowledges and agrees that
the foregoing makes it necessary for the protection of the Employers’ businesses that Optionee not
divert business or customers from the Employers and that the Optionee maintain the confidentiality
and integrity of the Confidential Information as hereinafter defined:





          (a) Optionee agrees that he will not, during his employment by the Employers and for a
period of one year after such employment ends, no matter how terminated (the “Business
Protection Period”):




     (i) directly or indirectly solicit, divert, entice or take away any customers, clients,
businesses, patronage or orders from any customers, clients or businesses with whom the
Optionee has had contact, involvement or responsibility during Optionee’s employment with
the Employers, or attempt to do so, on behalf of any person ( including Optionee), firm,
association, or corporation for the sale of any product or service that is the same, similar
to, or a substitute for, any product or service offered by the Employers,




     (ii) directly or indirectly solicit, divert, entice or take away any potential customer
identified, selected or targeted by the Employers with whom the Optionee has had contact,
involvement or responsibility during Optionee’s employment with the Employers, or attempt to
do so, for the sale of any product or service that
is the same, similar to, or a substitute for, any product or service offered by the
Employers, or




     (iii) accept or provide assistance in the accepting of (including, but not limited to,
providing any service, information, assistance or other facilitation or other involvement)
business, patronage or orders from customers or any potential customers of the Employers
with whom



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NCC STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

Non-Incentive Stock Option 2004 LTCE Plan





Optionee has had contact, involvement or responsibility on behalf of any person (
including Optionee), firm, association, or corporation.




Nothing contained in this Subsection 8(a) shall preclude Optionee from accepting employment with
a company, firm, or business that competes with the Employers so long as the Optionee’s
activities do not violate the provisions of clauses 8(a)(i), 8(a)(ii) or 8(a)(iii) above or any
of the provisions of Subsections 8(b) and 8(c) below.




     (b) Optionee agrees that he will not directly or indirectly at any time during or after the
term of this Option Agreement solicit, induce, confer or discuss with any employee of the
Employers or attempt to solicit, induce, confer or discuss with any employee of the Employers
the prospect of leaving the employ of the Employers, termination of his or her employment with
the Employers, or the subject of employment by some other person or organization. Optionee
further agrees that he will not directly or indirectly at any time during or after the term of
this Option Agreement hire or attempt to hire any employee of the Employers.




     (c) Optionee will keep in strict confidence, and will not, directly or indirectly, at any
time during or after the term of this Option Agreement, disclose, furnish, disseminate, make
available or use (except in the course of performing his duties of employment with the
Employers) any trade secrets or confidential business or technical information of the Employers
or their customers (the “Confidential Information”), without limitation as to when or how
Optionee may have acquired such information. The Confidential Information shall include the
whole or any portion or phase of any scientific or technical information, design, process,
procedure, formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique or improvement, or
any business information or plans, financial information, or listing of names, addresses or
telephone numbers, including without limitation, information relating to the Employers’
customers or prospective customers, the Employers’ customer lists, contract information
including terms, pricing and services provided, information received as a result of customer
contacts, the Employers’ products and processing capabilities, methods of operation, business
plans, financials or strategy, and agreements to which the Employers may be a party. The
Confidential Information shall not include information that is or becomes publicly available
other than as a result of disclosure by the Optionee. Optionee specifically acknowledges that
the Confidential Information, whether reduced to writing or maintained in the mind or memory of
Optionee and whether compiled by the Employers and/or Optionee, derives independent economic
value from not being readily known to or ascertainable by proper means by others who can obtain
economic value from its disclosure or use, that reasonable efforts have been put forth by the
Employers to maintain the secrecy of such information, that such information is the sole
property of the Employers and that any retention and use of such information during or after the
Optionee’s employment with the Employers (except in the course of performing his duties of
employment with the Employers) shall constitute a misappropriation of the Employers’ trade
secrets. Optionee further agrees that, at the time of termination of his employment he will
return to the Employers, in good condition, all property of the Employers, including, without
limitation, the Confidential Information. In the event that said items are not so returned, the
Employers shall have the right to charge Optionee for all reasonable damages, costs, attorney’s
fees and other expenses incurred in searching for, taking, removing, and/or recovering such
property. If the Optionee is requested or required (either verbally or in writing) to disclose
any Confidential Information, he shall promptly notify the Employers of this request and he
shall promptly provide the Employers with a copy of the written request or a description of any
verbal request so that the Employers may seek a protective order or other appropriate remedy.
If a protective order or other appropriate remedy is not obtained in a reasonable period of
time, the Optionee may furnish only that portion of the Confidential Information that he legally
required to disclose.



          9. During the Business Protection Period (and for any extended period as provided in Section
10 below) Optionee agrees to communicate the contents of this Option Agreement to any person, firm,
association, or corporation that Optionee intends to be employed by, associated with, or represent.




          10. If it shall be judicially determined that Optionee has violated any of his obligations
under Section 8 of this Option Agreement, then the period applicable to the obligation which he
shall have been determined to have violated shall automatically be extended by a period of time
equal in length to the period during which said violation(s) occurred.




          11. For purposes of this Option Agreement, the continuous employ of the Optionee with the
Employers shall not be deemed interrupted, and the Optionee shall not be deemed to have ceased to
be an employee of the Employers by reason of the transfer of his employment among the Employers.
Also a leave of absence approved by an Executive Officer for illness, military or governmental
service or other cause shall be considered as employment.




          12. Delivery by the Employers of a certificate or certificates for shares of Common Stock may
be deferred for such reasonable time after payment for
such shares as shall be necessary to conform to any applicable law or governmental regulation
relating to the Option or to the issuance or delivery of Common Stock on exercise hereof.




          13. Any contrary provision hereof notwithstanding, the Option shall not be exercisable by, and
the Corporation shall not be obligated to sell or deliver any Common Stock subject thereto, to a
resident of any country other than the United States of America and unless and until such Common
Stock and the sale thereof pursuant


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NCC STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

Non-Incentive Stock Option 2004 LTCE Plan





to the Option has been registered or otherwise qualified under
applicable state and federal laws or regulations or confirmation of exemption from such state or
federal laws or regulations shall have been obtained and such registration or qualification or
exemption shall continue to be effective, all as the Corporation shall, in its sole discretion,
determine to be necessary or advisable. The Corporation shall use its reasonable best efforts to
maintain registration and applicable qualification of such Common Stock and the sale thereof with
the Securities and Exchange Commission and applicable state regulatory agencies; provided, however,
that the Corporation shall have no obligation to register or qualify such Common Stock under the
laws of any non-United States of America jurisdiction.




          14. All capitalized terms used but not defined in this Option Agreement shall have the
meanings ascribed to such terms as set forth in the Plan.




          15. Optionee acknowledges and agrees that the remedy at law available to the Employers for
breach of any of Optionee’s obligations under this Option Agreement would be inadequate, and agrees
and consents that in addition to any other rights or remedies that the Employers may have at law or
in equity, temporary and permanent injunctive relief may be granted in any proceeding that may be
brought to enforce any provision contained in Sections 8 through 10 of this Option Agreement,
without the necessity of proof of actual damage.




          16. If at any time during the Repayment Period (as hereinafter defined) the Optionee




          (a) violates any of the provisions contained in Sections 8 or 9 of this Option Agreement,
and/or




          (b) competes with the Employers within the continental United States (the “Restricted
Territory”),
then (i) the Option granted pursuant to this Option Agreement then outstanding to the Optionee
shall terminate immediately, and (ii) the Optionee shall be required to immediately reimburse the
Corporation in an amount equal to any gain realized by the Optionee (determined as of the exercise
date) with respect to the exercise of the Option, whether in whole or in part, within the Repayment
Period. The Optionee agrees that payment will be liquidated damages and is not to be construed in
any manner as a penalty. The “Repayment Period” shall mean a period commencing one year prior to
the Optionee’s last day of active employment by the Employers and ends (i) one year after the last
day of active employment of the Optionee with the Employers or (ii) if the Optionee receives any
severance benefits at the time of Optionee’s separation from active employment pursuant to any plan
or agreement with the Employers, then at the end of any Salary Continuation Period. For purposes
of this Section “Salary Continuation Period” means the period of time during which Optionee
receives a continuation of Optionee’s salary after Optionee’s last day of active employment or if
the Optionee receives a lump sum payment, the number of months following Optionee’s end of active
employment equal to the Optionee’s lump sum payment attributable to salary divided by the
Optionee’s then current monthly salary rounded up to the nearest whole number.




          Optionee and National City agree that the term “compete” or “competing” shall mean any
situation where the Optionee:




          (1) directly or indirectly, provides or is responsible for any products, services or support
with respect to any products, services or support that Optionee provided or was responsible for
providing, directly or indirectly, at any time during his last 3 years of employment with the
Employers or any of the Employers predecessors; and




          (2) (i) enters into, engages in, becomes an employee of, is retained as an independent
contractor for, or acquires an ownership interest of more than one percent (1%) of any business
that competes with any of Employers’ businesses in the Restricted Territory; or




          (ii) promotes or assists, financially or otherwise, any person, firm, association or
corporation engaged in any business that is the same as, similar to, or a substitute for, any
product or service offered by the Employers’ businesses.




          For the purposes of this Section, Optionee understands and agrees that he will be competing if
he engages in any or all of the activities set forth herein directly as an individual on his own
account, or indirectly, including, but not limited to, as a partner, member, manager, joint
venturer, employee, agent, independent contractor, salesman, consultant, officer and/or director of
any firm, corporation, partnership or company that engages in any or all of the activities set
forth in this Section, or as a equity holder of any entity or corporation that engages in any or
all of the activities set forth in this Section in which Optionee, his spouse, or parent
beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, more than one percent
(1%) of the outstanding equity.




          This Section 16 shall be inapplicable to the Optionee upon a Change in Control.




          17. While the restrictions set forth herein are considered by the parties to be reasonable in
all circumstances, it is recognized that restrictions may fail for reasons unforeseen, and
accordingly it is hereby agreed and declared that if any restrictions shall be adjudged to be void
as going beyond what is reasonable in all the circumstances, but would be valid if the geographical
area or temporal extent were reduced in part, or the range of activities or area dealt with thereby
reduced in scope, such restriction shall apply with such modification as may be necessary to make
it valid and effective.




          18. Optionee acknowledges that Optionee’s obligations under this Option Agreement are
reasonable in the context of the nature of the Employers’ businesses and that competitive injuries
likely to be sustained by the Employers if Optionee violated such obligations. Optionee further
acknowledges that this Option Agreement is made in consideration of, and is adequately supported by
the stock option award, which Optionee acknowledges constitutes new and good, valuable and
sufficient consideration.




          19. The failure of Employers to enforce any provision of this Option Agreement shall not be
construed to be a waiver of such provision or of the right of the Employers thereafter to enforce
each and every provision.




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NCC STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT

Non-Incentive Stock Option 2004 LTCE Plan






          20. All provisions, terms, conditions, Sections, Subsections, agreements and covenants
(“Provisions”) contained in this Option Agreement are severable and, in the event any one of them
shall be held to be invalid, this Option Agreement shall be interpreted as if such Provision was
not contained herein, and such determination shall not otherwise affect the validity of any other
Provision.




          21. It is the Optionee’s responsibility to execute this Option Agreement (the “Executed
Agreement”) and deliver the Executed Agreement to the Corporate Human Resources Department at the
address listed on the Cover Sheet. If the Executed Agreement is not received by the Corporate
Human Resources Department within 90 days after the Grant Date, the grant of the Option Rights
covered by this Option Agreement will terminate and this Option Agreement will be null and void.




          22. Sections 8 through 10, 15 through 20, 23 and 24, as well as this Section, shall survive
the termination of this Option Agreement.




          23. The Optionee agrees that any action, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, proceeding, or
suit, whether at law or in equity, whether sounding in tort, contract, or otherwise, at any time
arising under or in connection with this Option Agreement, the administration, enforcement, or
negotiation of this Option Agreement, or the performance of any obligations in respect of this
Option Agreement (each such action, claim, counterclaim, cross claim, proceeding, or suit, an
“Action”) shall be brought exclusively in a federal court or state court located in the city of
Cleveland, Ohio. Each of the parties hereby unconditionally submit to the jurisdiction of any such
court with respect to each such Action and hereby waive any objection each of the parties may now
or hereafter have to the venue of any such Action brought in any such court.




          24. This Option Agreement shall be construed in accordance with, and governed by the internal
substantive laws of, the State of Ohio.





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