**Exhibit 10**

 

**EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT**

 

THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), is made and entered into as of December 20, 2002 byand between R. Lanier Miles, a resident of the State of Georgia (“Employee”) and Southeastern Bank, a Georgia state banking corporation (“Employer”). 

 

WITNESSETH: 

 

WHEREAS, Employer and Employee each deem it necessary anddesirable, for their mutual protection, to execute a written document setting forth the terms and conditions of their employment relationship; 

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the employment of Employee by Employer, of the premises and the mutual promises and covenantscontained herein, and of other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, agree as follows: 

 

1. *Employment and Duties.*Employer hereby employsEmployee to serve as Executive Vice President, chief lending officer, of Employer and to perform such other duties and responsibilities as customarily performed by persons acting in such capacity. During the term of this Agreement, Employee willdevote his full time and effort to his duties hereunder. 

 

2. *Term.*Subject to the provisions of Section 12 of this Agreement, the period of Employee’s employment under this Agreement shall be deemed to have commenced as of the date hereof and shall continue for a period of 24calendar months thereafter unless Employee dies before the end of such 24 months. In such case, the period of employment shall continue until the end of the month of Employee’s death. The period of employment shall automatically be extended foradditional one year terms on each anniversary without further action by the parties, commencing on December 30, 2004 and each December 30 thereafter. No such automatic extension shall occur if either party shall, within 90 days prior to any saidanniversary, have given written notice to the other of its intention that this Agreement shall not be so extended. 

 

3. *Compensation.*For all services to be rendered by Employee during the term of this Agreement, Employer shall pay Employee inaccordance with the terms set forth in Exhibit A, net of applicable withholdings, payable in semi-monthly installments. 

 

4. *Expenses.*So long as Employee is employed hereunder, Employee is entitled to receive reimbursement for, or seek payment directlyby Employer of, all reasonable expenses which are consistent with the normal policy of Employer in the performance of Employee’s duties hereunder, provided that Employee accounts for such expenses in writing. 

 

5*.**Employee Benefits.*So long as Employee isemployed hereunder, Employee shall be entitled to participate in the various employee benefit programs adopted by Employer from time to time. 

 

6. *Vacation.*Employee shall be entitled to four weeks annual vacation. 

 

7. *Confidentiality.*In Employee’s position as an employee of Employer, Employee has had and willhave access to confidential information, trade secrets and other proprietary information of vital importance to Employer and has and will also develop relationships with customers, employees and others who deal with Employer which are of value toEmployer. Employer requires, as a condition to Employee’s employment with Employer, that Employee agree to certain restrictions on Employee’s use of 

the proprietary information and valuable relationships developed during Employee’s employment with Employer. In consideration of theterms and conditions contained herein, the parties hereby agree as follows: 

 

7.1 Employer and Employee mutually agree and acknowledge that Employer may entrust Employee with highly sensitive, confidential, restricted and proprietary information concerning various BusinessOpportunities (as hereinafter defined), customer lists, and personnel matters. Employee acknowledges that he shall bear a fiduciary responsibility to Employer to protect such information from use or disclosure unless it is required in theperformance of Employee’s duties hereunder. 

 

7.2 For the purposes of this Section 7, the following definitions shall apply: 

 

7.2.1 *“Trade Secret”*shall mean the identity and addresses of customers of Employer, the whole or anyportion or phase of any scientific or technical information, design, process, procedure, formula or improvement that is valuable and secret (in the sense that it is not generally known to competitors of Employer) and which is defined as a“trade secret” under Georgia law pursuant to the Georgia Trade Secrets Act. 

 

7.2.2 *“Confidential Information”*shall mean any data or information, other than Trade Secrets, which ismaterial to Employer and not generally known by the public. Confidential Information shall include, but not be limited to, Business Opportunities of Employer (as hereinafter defined), the details of this Agreement, Employer’s business plans andfinancial statements and projections, information as to the capabilities of Employer’s employees, their respective salaries and benefits and any other terms of their employment and the costs of the services Employer may offer or provide to thecustomers it serves, to the extent such information is material to Employer and not generally known by the public. 

 

7.2.3 *“Business Opportunities”*shall mean any specialized information or plans of Employer concerning theprovision of financial services to the public, together with all related information concerning the specifics of any contemplated financial services regardless of whether Employer has contacted or communicated with such target person or business.

 

7.2.4 Notwithstanding thedefinitions of Trade Secrets, Confidential Information, and Business Opportunities set forth above, Trade Secrets, Confidential Information, and Business Opportunities shall not include any information: 

 

(i) that is or becomes generally known tothe public; 

 

(ii) that isalready known by Employee or is developed by Employee after termination of employment through entirely independent efforts; 

 

(iii) that Employee obtains from an independent source having a bona fide right to use and disclose such information;

 

(iv) that is required to bedisclosed by law, except to the extent eligible for special treatment under an appropriate protective order; or 

 

(v) that Employer’s Board of Directors approves for release. 

 

7.3 Employee shall not, without the priorapproval of Employer’s Board of Directors, during his employment with Employer and for so long thereafter as the information or data remain Trade Secrets, 

 

2 

use or disclose, or negligently permit any unauthorized person who is not an employee of Employer to use, disclose, or gain access to, anyTrade Secrets. 

 

7.4 Employeeshall not, without the prior written consent of Employer during his employment with Employer and for a period of 24 months thereafter as long as the information or data remain competitively sensitive, use or disclose, or negligently permit anyunauthorized person who is not employed by Employer to use, disclose, or gain access to, any Confidential Information to which the Employee obtained access by virtue of his employment with Employer, except as provided in Section 7.2 of thisAgreement. 

 

8. *Observance of SecurityMeasures.*During Employee’s employment with Employer, Employee is required to observe all security measures adopted to protect Trade Secrets, Confidential Information and Business Opportunities. 

 

9. *Return of Materials.*Upon the request of Employerand, in any event, upon the termination of his employment with Employer, Employee shall deliver to Employer all memoranda, notes, records, manuals or other documents, including all copies of such materials containing Trade Secrets or ConfidentialInformation, whether made or compiled by Employee or furnished to him from any source by virtue of his employment with Employer. 

 

10. *Severability.*Employee acknowledges and agrees that the covenants contained in Sections 7 through 9 and Section 14 of thisAgreement shall be construed as covenants independent of one another and distinct from the remaining terms and conditions of this Agreement, and severable from every other contract and course of business by and among Employer and Employee, and thatthe existence of any claim, suit or action by Employee against Employer, whether predicated upon this Agreement or any other agreement, shall not constitute a defense to Employer’s enforcement of any covenant contained in Sections 7 through 9and Section 14 of this Agreement. 

 

11.*Specific Performance.*Employee acknowledges and agrees that the covenants contained in Sections 7 through 9 and Section 14 of this Agreement shall survive any termination of employment, as applicable, with or without Cause (as hereinafterdefined), at the instigation or upon the initiative of any party. Employee further acknowledges and agrees that the ascertainment of damages in the event of Employee’s breach of any covenant contained in Sections 7 through 9 and Section 14 ofthis Agreement would be difficult, if at all possible. Employee therefore acknowledges and agrees that Employer shall be entitled in addition to and not in limitation of any other rights, remedies, or damages available to Employer in arbitration, atlaw or in equity, upon submitting whatever affidavit the law may require, and posting any necessary bond, to have a court of competent jurisdiction enjoin Employee from committing any such breach. 

 

12. *Termination*. 

 

12.1 During the term of this Agreement,Employee’s employment, including without limitation, all compensation, salary, expenses reimbursement, and employee benefits may be terminated (i) at the election of Employer for Cause; (ii) at Employee’s election upon Employer’sbreach of any material provision of this Agreement; (iii) upon Employee’s death; or (iv) at the election of either party, upon Employee’s disability resulting in an inability to perform the duties described in Section 1 of this Agreementfor a period of 90 consecutive days. 

 

3 

 

12.2 As used in this Agreement, “Cause” shall mean (i) conduct by Employee that amounts to fraud, dishonesty, gross negligence or willful misconduct in the performance of his duties hereunder; (ii) the conviction (fromwhich no appeal may be, or is, timely taken) of Employee of a felony; (iii) initiation of suspension or removal proceedings against Employee by federal or state regulatory authorities acting under lawful authority pursuant to provisions of federalor state law or regulation which may be in effect from time to time; (iv) knowing violation of federal or state banking laws or regulations; or (v) refusal to perform a duly authorized directive of Employer’s Board of Directors. 

 

12.3 If this Agreement is terminated eitherpursuant to Cause, Employee’s death or Employee’s disability, Employee shall receive no further compensation or benefits, other than Employee’s salary and other compensation as accrued through the date of such termination.

 

12.4 Notwithstanding anyprovisions hereof to the contrary, if there occurs either a Change in Control (as defined on Exhibit B) of the Employer or if Employee is terminated by Employer for any reason other than for Cause, then Employee shall be entitled for a period of 90days after the date of either (i) the closing of the transaction effecting such Change in Control; or (ii) notice of termination by Employer for a reason other than for Cause, to deliver to the Employer written notice of termination of thisAgreement whereupon Employer shall pay Employee a lump sum cash payment in an amount equal to Employee’s then current compensation and benefits from Employer, including salary, bonuses, all perquisites, and all other forms of compensation paidto Employee however characterized for the fiscal year during the term of this Agreement for which such compensation was highest. This payment shall be paid to Employee by Employer within 30 days after the delivery of such notice of termination byEmployee to Employer. 

 

13. *Notices.*Allnotice provided for herein shall be in writing and shall be deemed to be given when delivered in person or deposited in the United States Mail, registered or certified, return receipt requested, with proper postage prepaid and addressed as follows:

 

Employer:                                                        Southeastern Bank 

                                        1010 Northway Street 

                                        Darien, Georgia 31305 

                                        Attn: Cornelius P. Holland, III, Chairman 

 

Employee:                                                      R. Lanier Miles 

                                        225 St. Andrews Street 

                                        St. Simons Island, Georgia 31522 

 

14.*Covenant Not to Compete, Not to Solicit and Not to Hire.*

 

14.1 For purposes of this Section 14, Employer and Employee conduct the following business in the following geographic areas: 

 

14.1.1 Employer is engaged in the business of transacting business as a bank which acceptsdeposits, makes loans, cashes checks and otherwise engages in the business of banking (collectively, the “Business of Employer”). 

 

14.1.2 Employer currently conducts business from its office located at 1010 Northway, Darien, Georgia (the “MainOffice”). 

 

14.1.3 Employeehas established business relationships and performs the duties described in Section 1 of this Agreement in the geographic area covered by a circle 

 

4 

having a radius of 50 miles from the Main Office, and will work primarily in such area while in the employ of Employer. 

 

14.2 Employee covenants and agrees that for aperiod of one year after the termination of this Agreement for any reason, Employee shall not, directly or indirectly, as principal, agent, trustee, consultant or through the agency of any financial institution, corporation, partnership,association, trust or other entity or person, on Employee’s own behalf or for others, provide the duties described in Section 1 of this Agreement for any entity or person conducting the Business of Employer within the geographic area covered bya circle having a radius of 50 miles from the Main Office. 

 

14.3 During the term of this Agreement and for a period of one year after the termination of this Agreement for any reason, Employee will not enter into, and will not participate in, any plan orarrangement to cause any employee of Employer to terminate his or her employment with Employer, and, Employee agrees that for a period of at least one year after the termination of employment by any employee of Employer, Employee will not hire suchemployee in connection with any business initiated by Employee or any other person, firm or corporation. Employee further agrees that information as to the capabilities of Employer’s employees, their salaries and benefits, and any other termsof their employment are Confidential Information and proprietary to Employer. 

 

14.4 Employee and Employer shall periodically amend this Agreement by updating the address referenced in Section 14.1.2 of this Agreement so that it at all times lists the then current geographic areaserved by Employer for which Employee performs the duties described in Section 1 of this Agreement. 

 

15. *Miscellaneous.*

 

15.1 This Agreement, together with Exhibits A and B, constitutes and expresses the whole agreement of the parties inreference to the employment of Employee by Employer, and there are no representations, inducements, promises, agreements, arrangements, or undertakings oral or written, between the parties other than those set forth herein. 

 

15.2 This Agreement shall be governed by thelaws of the State of Georgia. 

 

15.3 Should any clause or any other provision of this Agreement be determined to be void or unenforceable for any reason, such determination shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any clause or provision of thisAgreement, all of which shall remain in full force and effect. 

 

15.4 Time is of the essence in this Agreement. 

 

15.5 This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and assigns.This Agreement shall not be assignable by Employee without the prior written consent of Employer. 

 

15.6 This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original and all of whichtaken together shall constitute but a single instrument. 

 

5 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year firstwritten above. 

 

**“Employee”**
  
/s/    R. LANIERMILES        

**R.Lanier Miles**
 
(SEAL)

 

 

**“Employer”**

SOUTHEASTERN BANK, a Georgia state banking corporation

/s/    CORNELIUS P. HOLLAND, III        

**Title: Cornelius P. Holland, III,**

**Chairman**

 

6 

 

**Exhibit A**

**to Employment Agreement By and Between**

**R. Lanier Miles and**

**Southeastern Bank**

 

Employee Compensation 

 

Capitalized terms used herein and not defined shall have the meanings setforth in the Employment Agreement. 

 

**Base Salary:**$142,000per year payable in 24 twice monthly payments subject to annual increases in an amount equal to such amount as the Board of Directors in its discretion shall determine to be appropriate under the circumstances. 

 

**Bonus Plans:**

 
 (1) *Cash Bonus*
 

(a) For 2003, Employer shall pay Employee a cash bonus of $21,300 in two equal annual installments of $10,650, beginning on December 31,2003 and ending on December 31, 2004, provided that Employee is employed by Employer on such payment dates; 

 

(b) For 2004 and beyond, Employer shall pay Employee a cash bonus of up to 15% of Base Salary if Employer makes or exceeds loan growth andother goals established by the compensation committee of the Board of Directors of the Bank. 

 
 (2) *Christmas Bonus*—Up to one month’s Base Salary at the discretion of the Board of Directors of Employer. 
 

**Insurance:**

 
 (1) *Group Life Insurance*—Employer’s group plan through GBA sponsored carrier not to exceed $250,000; 
 
 (2) *Disability Insurance*—Employer’s group plan through GBA sponsored carrier not to exceed 60% of Base Salary; and 
 
 (3) *Executive Life Insurance*—Employer will reimburse Employee for premiums incurred to obtain a policy providing for $100,000 death benefit on renewable termpolicy subject to insurability of Employee at no higher than standard rates. 
 

**Annual Physical:** Employer shall reimburse Employee for costs incurred for a limited annual physical with Employer approved physician. Additional tests and services are at the option and expenseof Employee. 

 

**Exhibit B**

**to Employment Agreement By and Between**

**R. Lanier Miles and**

**Southeastern Bank**

 

**“Change in Control”**shall mean:****

 
 (a) in any transaction, whether by merger, consolidation, asset sale, tender offer, reverse stock split, or otherwise, which results in the acquisition or beneficialownership (as such term is defined under rules and regulations promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) by any person or entity or any group of persons or entities acting in concert, of 50% or more of the outstanding sharesof common stock of Employer or its parent, Southeastern Banking Corporation (“SBC”); 
 
 (b) the sale of all or substantially all of the assets of Employer or SBC; or 
 
 (c) the liquidation of Employer or SBC.