Exhibit 10.21

 

AVINGER, INC.

 

CHANGE OF CONTROL AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT

 

This Change of Control and Severance Agreement (the “Agreement”) is entered into as of March 29, 2018 (the “Effective Date”) by and between Avinger, Inc. (the “Company”), and Jeff Soinski (“Executive”).

 

1.             Severance.

 

(a)           Termination for other than Cause, Death or Disability or Good Reason in the Event of a Change of Control.  If upon or within eighteen (18) months following a Change of Control (i) the Company (or any parent or subsidiary or successor of the Company) terminates Executive’s employment with the Company other than for Cause, death or disability, or (ii) the Executive resigns from such employment for Good Reason, then, subject to Section 2, Executive will be entitled to: (A) receive continuing payments of severance pay at a rate equal to Executive’s base salary and target bonus, as then in effect, for twelve (12) months from the date of such termination, which will be paid in accordance with the Company’s regular payroll procedures; (B) if Executive timely elects continuation coverage pursuant to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, as amended (“COBRA”) for Executive and Executive’s dependents, within the time period prescribed pursuant to COBRA, the Company will reimburse Executive for the COBRA premiums for such coverage for Executive and his covered dependents for twelve (12) months from the date of Executive’s termination of employment or such earlier date if Executive no longer constitutes a “Qualified Beneficiary” (as such term is defined in Section 4980B(g) of the Code); (C) accelerated vesting as to 100% of Executive’s outstanding unvested stock options and/or restricted stock; and (D) the extension of the post-termination exercise period for any options held by Executive for a period of one (1) year.

 

(b)           Termination for Cause, Death or Disability; Resignation without Good Reason.  If Executive’s employment with the Company (or any parent or subsidiary or successor of the Company) terminates voluntarily by Executive (except upon resignation for Good Reason upon or within eighteen (18) months following a Change of Control), for Cause by the Company or due to Executive’s death or disability, then (i) all vesting will terminate immediately with respect to Executive’s outstanding equity awards, (ii) all payments of compensation by the Company to Executive hereunder will terminate immediately (except as to amounts already earned), and (iii) Executive will only be eligible for severance benefits in accordance with the Company’s established policies, if any, as then in effect.

 

(c)           Option/Stock Acceleration in the Event of a Change of Control.  Upon a Change of Control of the Company, Executive will be entitled to accelerated vesting as to 50% of Executive’s outstanding unvested stock options and/or restricted stock, provided that any remaining shares shall continue to vest per the schedules previously implemented by the Company.  For purposes of clarification, upon a Change of Control, Executive will not be entitled to receive any additional vesting acceleration pursuant to the terms of Section 5 of the Offer Letter.

 

(d)           Exclusive Remedy.  In the event of a termination of Executive’s employment with the Company (or any parent or subsidiary or successor of the Company), the provisions of this

 











 

Section 1 are intended to be and are exclusive and in lieu of any other rights or remedies to which Executive or the Company may otherwise be entitled, whether at law, tort or contract, in equity, or under this Agreement, provided that Executive will be eligible to receive the severance benefits set forth in Section 6 of the Offer Letter pursuant to the terms of the Offer Letter in the event of Executive’s termination other than for “Cause” (as such term is defined in the Offer Letter), death or disability either prior to a Change of Control or more than eighteen (18) months following a Change of Control.  Except as specified in the preceding sentence, Executive will be entitled to no severance or other benefits upon termination of employment with respect to acceleration of award vesting or severance pay other than those benefits expressly set forth in this Section 1.  For purposes of clarification, Executive will be eligible to receive severance benefits pursuant to either this Agreement or the terms of the Offer Letter, but will not be eligible to receive severance benefits under both this Agreement and the Offer Letter.

 

2.             Conditions to Receipt of Severance; No Duty to Mitigate.

 

(a)           Separation Agreement and Release of Claims.  The receipt of any severance pursuant to Section 1(a) will be subject to Executive signing and not revoking a standard separation agreement and release of claims with the Company (the “Release”) and provided that such Release becomes effective and irrevocable no later than sixty (60) days following the termination date (such deadline, the “Release Deadline”).  If the Release does not become effective and irrevocable by the Release Deadline, Executive will forfeit any rights to severance or benefits under this Agreement.  In no event will severance payments or benefits be paid or provided until the Release becomes effective and irrevocable.

 

(b)           Nonsolicitation.  The receipt of any severance benefits pursuant to Section 1(a) will be subject to Executive not violating the provisions of Section 4.  In the event Executive breaches the provisions of Section 4, all continuing payments and benefits to which Executive may otherwise be entitled pursuant to Section 1(a) will immediately cease.

 

(c)           Section 409A.

 

(i)    Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, no severance pay or benefits to be paid or provided to Executive, if any, pursuant to this Agreement that, when considered together with any other severance payments or separation benefits, are considered deferred compensation under Code Section 409A, and the final regulations and any guidance promulgated thereunder (“Section 409A”) (together, the “Deferred Payments”) will be paid or otherwise provided until Executive has a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A.  Similarly, no severance payable to Executive, if any, pursuant to this Agreement that otherwise would be exempt from Section 409A pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(9) will be payable until Executive has a “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A.

 

(ii)   Any severance payments or benefits under this Agreement that would be considered Deferred Payments will be paid on, or, in the case of installments, will not commence until, the sixtieth (60th) day following Executive’s separation from service, or, if later, such time as required by Section 2(c)(iii).  Any installment payments that would have been made to Executive during the sixty (60) day period immediately following Executive’s separation from service but for

 

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the preceding sentence will be paid to Executive on the sixtieth (60th) day following Executive’s separation from service and the remaining payments shall be made as provided in this Agreement.

 

(iii)  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, if Executive is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A at the time of Executive’s termination (other than due to death), then the Deferred Payments that are payable within the first six (6) months following Executive’s separation from service, will become payable on the first payroll date that occurs on or after the date six (6) months and one (1) day following the date of Executive’s separation from service.  All subsequent Deferred Payments, if any, will be payable in accordance with the payment schedule applicable to each payment or benefit.  Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, if Executive dies following Executive’s separation from service, but prior to the six (6) month anniversary of the separation from service, then any payments delayed in accordance with this paragraph will be payable in a lump sum as soon as administratively practicable after the date of Executive’s death and all other Deferred Payments will be payable in accordance with the payment schedule applicable to each payment or benefit.  Each payment and benefit payable under this Agreement is intended to constitute a separate payment for purposes of Section 1.409A-2(b)(2) of the Treasury Regulations.

 

(iv)  Any amount paid under this Agreement that satisfies the requirements of the “short-term deferral” rule set forth in Section 1.409A-1(b)(4) of the Treasury Regulations will not constitute Deferred Payments for purposes of clause (i) above.

 

(v)   Any amount paid under this Agreement that qualifies as a payment made as a result of an involuntary separation from service pursuant to Section 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii) of the Treasury Regulations that does not exceed the Section 409A Limit (as defined below) will not constitute Deferred Payments for purposes of clause (i) above.

 

(vi)  The foregoing provisions are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A so that none of the severance payments and benefits to be provided hereunder will be subject to the additional tax imposed under Section 409A, and any ambiguities herein will be interpreted to so comply.  The Company and Executive agree to work together in good faith to consider amendments to this Agreement and to take such reasonable actions which are necessary, appropriate or desirable to avoid imposition of any additional tax or income recognition prior to actual payment to Executive under Section 409A.

 

(d)           No Duty to Mitigate.  Executive will not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment contemplated by this Agreement, nor will any earnings that Executive may receive from any other source reduce any such payment.

 

3.             Definitions.

 

(a)           Cause.  For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” is defined as (i) an act of dishonesty made by Executive in connection with Executive’s responsibilities as an employee, (ii) Executive’s conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere to, a felony or any crime involving fraud, embezzlement or any other act of moral turpitude, causing material harm to the standing and reputation of the Company, in each case as determined in good faith by the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”); (iii) Executive’s gross misconduct, (iv) Executive’s unauthorized use or disclosure of

 

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any proprietary information or trade secrets of the Company or any other party to whom Executive owes an obligation of nondisclosure as a result of Executive’s relationship with the Company; (v) Executive’s willful breach of any obligations under any written agreement or covenant with the Company; (vi) Executive’s continued failure to perform his employment duties after Executive has received a written demand of performance from the Company which specifically sets forth the factual basis for the Company’s belief that Executive has not substantially performed his duties and has failed to cure such non-performance to the Company’s satisfaction within 10 business days after receiving such notice provided that such nonperformance has resulted or is likely to result in substantial and material damage to the Company or its subsidiaries; or (vii) Executive’s repeated unexplained or unjustified absence from the Company.

 

(b)           Change of Control.  For purposes of this Agreement, “Change of Control” of the Company is defined as:

 

(i)            any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under said Act), directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the total voting power represented by the Company’s then outstanding voting securities; or

 

(ii)           the date of the consummation of a merger or consolidation of the Company with any other corporation that has been approved by the stockholders of the Company, other than a merger or consolidation which would result in the voting securities of the Company outstanding immediately prior thereto continuing to represent (either by remaining outstanding or by being converted into voting securities of the surviving entity or its parent) at least fifty percent (50%) of the total voting power represented by the voting securities of the Company or such surviving entity or its parent outstanding immediately after such merger or consolidation;

 

(iii)          the date of the consummation of the sale or disposition by the Company of all or substantially all the Company’s assets; or

 

(iv)          the date that a majority of members of the Board is replaced during any twelve (12) month period by directors whose appointment or election is not endorsed by a majority of the members of the Board prior to the date of the appointment or election.  For purposes of this clause (iv), if any person is considered to be in effective control of the Company, the acquisition of additional control of the Company by the same person will not be considered a Change of Control.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this definition, a transaction will not be deemed a Change of Control unless the transaction qualifies as a “change in control event” within the meaning of Section 409A.

 

Further, notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this definition, the following shall not constitute a Change of Control:

 

(w)  any transfer by Dr. John B. Simpson or affiliated entities (“Simpson”) of shares held by Simpson;

 

(x)  any bona fide equity financing for capital raising purposes;

 

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(y)  any merger or acquisition done exclusively to effect a change of domicile of the Company; and

 

(z)  any transfer of assets by the Company to a new company for tax planning purposes.

 

(c)           Code.  For purposes of this Agreement, “Code” means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

(d)           Good Reason.  For the purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means Executive’s resignation within ninety (90) days following the expiration of any Company cure period (discussed below) following the occurrence of one or more of the following, without Executive’s express written consent: (i) a material reduction of Executive’s duties, position or responsibilities, or the removal of Executive from such position and responsibilities, either of which results in a material diminution of Executive’s authority, duties or responsibilities, unless Executive is provided with a comparable position (i.e., a position of equal or greater organizational level, duties, authority, compensation and status); provided, however, that a reduction in duties, position or responsibilities solely by virtue of the Company being acquired and made part of a larger entity (as, for example, when the Chief Executive Officer of the Company remains as such following a Change of Control but is not made the Chief Executive Officer of the acquiring corporation) will not constitute “Good Reason”; (ii) a material reduction in Executive’s base salary (in other words, a reduction of more than ten percent (10%) of Executive’s base salary in any one year); (iii) a material change in the geographic location of Executive’s primary work facility or location; provided, that a relocation of less than fifty (50) miles from Executive’s then present location will not be considered a material change in geographic location; or (iv) a material breach of this Agreement by the Company.  Executive will not resign for Good Reason without first providing the Company with written notice of the acts or omissions constituting the grounds for “Good Reason” within ninety (90) days of the initial existence of the grounds for “Good Reason” and a reasonable cure period of not less than thirty (30) days following the date of such notice.

 

(e)           Offer Letter.  For purposes of this Agreement, “Offer Letter” means the Offer Letter executed December 18, 2014 by and between Executive and the Company.

 

(f)            Section 409A Limit.  For purposes of this Agreement, “Section 409A Limit” will mean the lesser of two (2) times: (i) Executive’s annualized compensation based upon the annual rate of pay paid to Executive during the Executive’s taxable year preceding the Executive’s taxable year of his or her termination of employment as determined under Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(9)(iii)(A)(1) and any Internal Revenue Service guidance issued with respect thereto; or (ii) the maximum amount that may be taken into account under a qualified plan pursuant to Section 401(a)(17) of the Internal Revenue Code for the year in which Executive’s employment is terminated.

 

4.             Non-Solicitation.  Until the date one (1) year after the termination of Executive’s employment with the Company for any reason, Executive agrees not, either directly or indirectly, to solicit, induce, attempt to solicit, recruit, or encourage any employee of the Company (or any parent or subsidiary of the Company) to leave his or her employment either for Executive or for any other entity or person.  Executive represents that he (i) is familiar with the foregoing covenant not to solicit,

 

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and (ii) is fully aware of his obligations hereunder, including, without limitation, the reasonableness of the length of time, scope and geographic coverage of these covenants.  This Section 4 supersedes all prior or contemporaneous agreements whether written or oral as to the subject matter herein.

 

5.             Assignment.  This Agreement will be binding upon and inure to the benefit of (a) the heirs, executors and legal representatives of Executive upon Executive’s death and (b) any successor of the Company.  Any such successor of the Company will be deemed substituted for the Company under the terms of this Agreement for all purposes.  For this purpose, “successor” means any person, firm, corporation or other business entity which at any time, whether by purchase, merger or otherwise, directly or indirectly acquires all or substantially all of the assets or business of the Company.  None of the rights of Executive to receive any form of compensation payable pursuant to this Agreement may be assigned or transferred except by will or the laws of descent and distribution.  Any other attempted assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of Executive’s right to compensation or other benefits will be null and void.

 

6.             Notices.  All notices, requests, demands and other communications called for hereunder will be in writing and will be deemed given (i) on the date of delivery if delivered personally, (ii) one (1) day after being sent by a well established commercial overnight service, or (iii) four (4) days after being mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, prepaid and addressed to the parties or their successors at the following addresses, or at such other addresses as the parties may later designate in writing:

 

If to the Company:

 

Avinger, Inc.

Attn: Chief Financial Officer at the time

 

400 Chesapeake Drive

Redwood City, CA 94063

 

If to Executive:

 

at the last residential address known by the Company.

 

7.             Severability.  In the event that any provision hereof becomes or is declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be illegal, unenforceable or void, this Agreement will continue in full force and effect without said provision.

 

8.             Arbitration.

 

(a)           Arbitration.  In consideration of Executive’s employment with the Company, its promise to arbitrate all employment-related disputes, and Executive’s receipt of the compensation, pay raises and other benefits paid to Executive by the Company, at present and in the future, Executive agrees that any and all controversies, claims, or disputes with anyone (including the Company and any employee, officer, director, shareholder or benefit plan of the Company in their capacity as such or otherwise) arising out of, relating to, or resulting from Executive’s employment with the Company or termination thereof, including any breach of this Agreement, will be subject to binding arbitration under the Arbitration Rules set forth in California Code of Civil Procedure Section 1280 through

 

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1294.2, including Section 1281.8 (the “Act”), and pursuant to California law.  The Federal Arbitration Act shall also apply with full force and effect, notwithstanding the application of procedural rules set forth under the Act.

 

(b)           Dispute Resolution.  Disputes that Executive agrees to arbitrate, and thereby agrees to waive any right to a trial by jury, include any statutory claims under local, state, or federal law, including, but not limited to, claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act, the Sarbanes Oxley Act, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the California Family Rights Act, the California Labor Code, claims of harassment, discrimination, and wrongful termination, and any statutory or common law claims.  Executive further understands that this Agreement to arbitrate also applies to any disputes that the Company may have with Executive.

 

(c)           Procedure.  Executive agrees that any arbitration will be administered by the Judicial Arbitration & Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”), pursuant to its Employment Arbitration Rules & Procedures (the “JAMS Rules”).  The arbitrator shall have the power to decide any motions brought by any party to the arbitration, including motions for summary judgment and/or adjudication, motions to dismiss and demurrers, and motions for class certification, prior to any arbitration hearing.  The arbitrator shall have the power to award any remedies available under applicable law, and the arbitrator shall award attorneys’ fees and costs to the prevailing party, except as prohibited by law.  The Company will pay for any administrative or hearing fees charged by the administrator or JAMS, and all arbitrator’s fees, except that Executive shall pay any filing fees associated with any arbitration that Executive initiates, but only so much of the filing fee as Executive would have instead paid had Executive filed a complaint in a court of law.  Executive agrees that the arbitrator shall administer and conduct any arbitration in accordance with California law, including the California Code of Civil Procedure and the California Evidence Code, and that the arbitrator shall apply substantive and procedural California law to any dispute or claim, without reference to the rules of conflict of law.  To the extent that the JAMS Rules conflict with California law, California law shall take precedence.  The decision of the arbitrator shall be in writing.  Any arbitration under this Agreement shall be conducted in Santa Clara County, California.

 

(d)           Remedy.  Except as provided by the Act, arbitration shall be the sole, exclusive, and final remedy for any dispute between Executive and the Company.  Accordingly, except as provided by the Act and this Agreement, neither Executive nor the Company will be permitted to pursue court action regarding claims that are subject to arbitration.  Notwithstanding, the arbitrator will not have the authority to disregard or refuse to enforce any lawful Company policy, and the arbitrator will not order or require the Company to adopt a policy not otherwise required by law which the Company has not adopted.

 

(e)           Administrative Relief.  Executive is not prohibited from pursuing an administrative claim with a local, state, or federal administrative body or government agency that is authorized to enforce or administer laws related to employment, including, but not limited to, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, or the Workers’ Compensation Board.  However, Executive may not pursue court action regarding any such claim, except as permitted by law.

 

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(f)            Voluntary Nature of Agreement.  Executive acknowledges and agrees that Executive is executing this Agreement voluntarily and without any duress or undue influence by the Company or anyone else.  Executive further acknowledges and agrees that Executive has carefully read this Agreement and that Executive has asked any questions needed for Executive to understand the terms, consequences and binding effect of this Agreement and fully understands it, including that EXECUTIVE IS WAIVING EXECUTIVE’S RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL.  Finally, Executive agrees that Executive has been provided an opportunity to seek the advice of an attorney of Executive’s choice before signing this Agreement.

 

9.             Integration.  This Agreement and the provisions of the Offer Letter specified in Section 1(d) of this Agreement that are not otherwise superseded by this Agreement represent the entire agreement and understanding between the parties as to the subject matter herein and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous agreements whether written or oral.  Accordingly, by executing this Agreement, upon a Change of Control or a termination of employment under the circumstances described in Section 1(a) of this Agreement, Executive hereby forfeits and waives any right to severance or change of control benefits set forth in his Offer Letter.  For purposes of clarification, upon a termination of Executives employment under circumstances that are not described in Section 1(a) of this Agreement and subject to the terms of the Offer Letter, Executive remains eligible to receive the severance benefits set forth in his Offer Letter. With respect to stock options granted on or after the date of this Agreement, the acceleration of vesting provisions provided herein will apply to such stock options except to the extent otherwise explicitly provided in the applicable stock option agreement.  This Agreement may be modified only by agreement of the parties by a written instrument executed by the parties that is designated as an amendment to this Agreement.

 

This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties hereto and supersedes in their entirety all prior representations, understandings, undertakings or agreements (whether oral or written and whether expressed or implied) of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof.  Accordingly, by executing this Agreement and during the Term only, Executive hereby forfeits and waives any rights to severance or change of control benefits set forth in any employment agreement, offer letter and/or Equity Award agreement, except as set forth in this Agreement.  For purposes of clarification, following the Term, Executive remains eligible to receive severance or change of control benefits set forth in any employment agreement, offer letter and/or Equity Award agreement.  No waiver, alteration, or modification of any of the provisions of this Agreement will be binding unless in writing and signed by duly authorized representatives of the parties hereto and which specifically mention this Agreement

 

10.          Waiver of Breach.  The waiver of a breach of any term or provision of this Agreement, which must be in writing, will not operate as or be construed to be a waiver of any other previous or subsequent breach of this Agreement.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the failure of the Company to obtain the assumption of this Agreement by a successor and/or acquirer shall be a material breach of this Agreement.

 

11.          Headings.  All captions and section headings used in this Agreement are for convenient reference only and do not form a part of this Agreement.

 

12.          Tax Withholding.  All payments made pursuant to this Agreement will be subject to withholding of applicable taxes.

 

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13.          Governing Law.  This Agreement will be governed by the laws of the State of California (with the exception of its conflict of laws provisions).

 

14.          Acknowledgment.  Executive acknowledges that he has had the opportunity to discuss this matter with and obtain advice from his private attorney, has had sufficient time to, and has carefully read and fully understands all the provisions of this Agreement, and is knowingly and voluntarily entering into this Agreement.

 

15.          Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, and each counterpart will have the same force and effect as an original and will constitute an effective, binding agreement on the part of each of the undersigned.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the parties has executed this Agreement, in the case of the Company by their duly authorized officers, as of the day and year first above written.

 

	
COMPANY:
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
AVINGER, INC.
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
By:
    	
/s/ Matthew B. Ferguson
    	
 
    	
Date:
    	
March 29, 2018
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
Title:
    	
Chief Business Officer   and Chief Financial Officer
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
EXECUTIVE:
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    
	
/s/ Jeffrey M. Soinski
    	
 
    	
Date:
    	
March 29, 2018
    
	
Jeff Soinski
    	
 
    	
 
    	
 
    


 

[SIGNATURE PAGE TO AVINGER, INC. CHANGE OF CONTROL AND SEVERANCE AGREEMENT]

 

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