**Exhibit 10.4**

 

**EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT**

**(Thomas E. Severson, Jr.)**

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”) dated December 15, 2004 by and between American Media Operations, Inc. (the “Company” or“AMI”) and Thomas E. Severson, Jr. (the “Executive”). 

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to employ Executive and to enter into an Agreement embodying the terms of such employment; 

 

WHEREAS, Executive desires to accept such employment and enter into such an Agreement; 

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants herein and for other good and valuable consideration,the parties agree as follows: 

 

1. Term of Employment;Executive Representation. 

 

a.Employment Term . The Company shall employ Executive for a period of two (2) years commencing on December 20, 2004 (the “Effective Time”) and ending on December 19, 2006 (the “Employment Term”) on the terms and subject tothe conditions set forth in this Agreement. 

 

b. Executive and Company Representations. Executive hereby represents and warrants to the Company that the execution of this Agreement by Executive and the Company, the delivery of this Agreement by Executive to the Company and theperformance by Executive of Executive’s duties hereunder shall not constitute a breach of, or otherwise contravene, the terms of any employment Agreement or other agreement or policy to which Executive is a party or otherwise bound. The Companyrepresents and warrants to the Executive that the Company has the authority to enter into this Agreement with Executive, the person signing this Agreement has the authority of the Company to enter into this Agreement on behalf of the Company, andthat all corporate formalities necessary to bind the Company (including, but not limited to board of director approval of this Agreement) have been accomplished. 

 

c. Prior Agreements. This Agreement supercedes all prior agreements and understandings (includingverbal agreements) between Executive and the Company and/or its affiliates regarding the terms and conditions of Executive’s employment with the Company and/or its affiliates (collectively, the “Prior Agreements”). 

 

2. Position. 

 

a. During Executive’s employment by the Company,Executive shall serve as Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer (CFO) (subject to change at the discretion of the Company’s President). In such position, Executive shall report directly to the Company’s President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer or his designee and shall have such duties and authority as shall be determined from time to time by the President/Chief Executive Officer of the Company. Business travel will be required. 

 

b. During Executive’s employment with the Company,Executive will devote Executive’s full business time and best efforts to the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder and will not engage in any other business, profession or occupation for compensation or otherwise which would conflictwith the rendition of such services either directly or indirectly, without the prior consent of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. 

 

3. Base Salary. During Executive’s employment with the Company, the Company shall payExecutive a base salary (the “Base Salary”) at the annual rate of $275,000.00 (Two Hundred Seventy Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents), payable in regular installments in accordance with the Company’s usual payment practices.Executive’s Base Salary will not decrease during the term of this Agreement. 

 

4. Bonus Programs. 

 

Annual Bonus. With respect to each full fiscal year during Executive’s employment with the Company effective as of the conclusion of FY 2006, Executive shall be eligible to earn an annual Bonus (a“Bonus”) with an annual target of $225,000.00 (Two Hundred Twenty Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents) (the “Target Bonus”) based on the financial performance of the Company (based on the approved budget). The Target Bonus willbe reviewed and adjusted by the President/CEO on an annual basis (Exhibit “B”). Executive may also receive additional discretionary bonuses at the sole discretion of the President/CEO. For FY05, Executive’s bonus will be discretionaryand awarded at the sole discretion of the President/CEO. For FY05, Executive will be eligible for a bonus award in an amount from $0.00 to $56,250.00). 

 

5A. Employee Benefits. During Executive’s employment with the Company, Executive shall be provided, in accordance with the terms of theCompany’s employee benefit plans as in effect from time to time, health insurance and short term and long term disability insurance, retirement benefits and fringe benefits (collectively “Employee Benefits”) on the same basis as thosebenefits are generally made available to other similarly situated employees of the Company. Executive will receive 20 PTO (Personal Time Off) days per year. Executive will be permitted to fly business class on any flight over three hour long andshall book said flight(s) through Company’s travel agent (if business class is not available on a certain route, first class travel will be permitted). 

 

5B. Equity Arrangements (Class “B”). Executive will receive a grant of 500 (Five Hundred) Class “B” equity units. The grantwill be issued upon Executive’s date of hire. This grant will be subject to the terms and conditions of a Subscription Agreement, including, but not limited to, a vesting schedule. 

 

5C. Equity Arrangements (Class “A”). Executive will be permitted to purchase up to $100,000.00 (One HundredThousand Dollars and Zero Cents) of Class “A” Equity. Class “A” Equity will be subject to the terms and conditions of a Subscription Agreement. 

 

5D. Relocation Incentive. Executive will receive a one-time relocation incentive of $5,000.00 (Five Thousand Dollarsand Zero Cents) to assist in the cost associated with Executive’s relocation to Southern Palm Beach County. Such payment will be payable on April 1, 2005. 

 

6. Termination. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the provisions of this Section 6 shall exclusively governExecutive’s rights upon termination of employment with the Company and its affiliates. Executive’s employment hereunder may be terminated by either party at any time and for any reason; provided that Executive will be required togive the Company at least 30 days advance written notice of any resignation of Executive’s employment. If Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company, Executive shall be entitled to receive: 

 

(A) the Base Salary through the date of termination;

 

(B) any Annual Bonus earned but unpaid as ofthe date of termination for any previously completed fiscal year; and a prorated portion of the current fiscal year Annual Bonus, if any, up to the date of termination of employment, per the terms and conditions of the applicable bonus plan thatExecutive and Company have executed, 

 

(C) in accordance with Company policy, reimbursement for any unreimbursed businessexpenses properly incurred by Executive prior to the date of Executive’s termination; and 

 

(D) such Employee Benefits, if any, as to which Executive may be entitled under the employee benefit plans of the Company (the amountsdescribed in clauses (A) through (D) hereof being referred to as the “Accrued Rights”). 

 

E) severance pay in the amount of the lesser of six (6) months Base Salary or the remaining Base Salary payable for the Employment Termlisted in Section 1a above, if termination is for any reason other than Cause or Expiration of the Employment Term or resignation by Executive. Severance pay, if any, will be payable in six (6) equal monthly installments. The Parties agree that theExecutive will not be required to mitigate any severance payable pursuant to this Agreement. “Cause” shall mean (i) Executive’s continued failure or refusal to substantially perform Executive’s duties hereunder for a period of 10days following written notice by the Company to Executive of such failure or refusal, (ii) dishonesty in the performance of Executive’s duties hereunder, (iii) an act or acts on Executive’s part constituting (x) a felony under the laws ofthe United States or any state thereof or (y) a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, (iv) Executive’s willful malfeasance or willful misconduct in connection with Executive’s duties hereunder or any act or omission which is materiallyinjurious to the financial condition or business reputation of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates (v) Executive’s breach of any provision of this agreement, including the attached addendum or (vi), Executive’s failure toperform the duties contemplated by this Agreement provided that Company gives Executive 10 days written notice of such failure and Executive does not cure such failure within 10 days, or (vii) insubordination, or violation of Company policy and/orpractice. If Executive resigns his employment for Good Reason (as defined in herein), Executive may qualify for Severance as stated above. Pursuant to this Agreement, Good Reason (“Good Reason”) shall only mean one of the following: (i) IfExecutive’s principal office is relocated more than 100 miles from the current Boca Raton office, or (ii) if the Company materially breaches this Agreement. In either instance, Executive is required to provide the Company with a detailedwritten notice of such alleged breach and the Company has the right to cure such breach within 10 days. Good Reason shall only be deemed to exist if such notice is provided and if Company does not cure the alleged breach within the time framespecified. Additionally, if Executive becomes physically or mentally incapacitated for a continuous period of 90 days, the Company has the right to terminate Executive’s employment without paying severance. For the purposes hereof, the term“physical or mental incapacity” means Executive’s inability to perform the principal duties as contemplated by this Agreement. 

 

F) Expiration of the Employment Term. Upon expiration of the Employment Term, unless Executive’s employment is earlierterminated pursuant to the above, Executive’s termination of employment hereunder (whether or not Executive continues as an employee of the Company thereafter) shall be deemed to occur on the close of business on the last day of the EmploymentTerm and Executive shall be entitled to receive the Accrued Rights. 

 

Following such termination of Executive’s employment hereunder as a result of the expiration of the Employment Term, except as set forth above, Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or anyother benefits under this Agreement. 

 

G)Continued Employment Beyond the Expiration of the Employment Term. Unless the parties otherwise agree in writing, continuation of Executive’s employment with the Company beyond the expiration of the Employment Term shall be deemed anemployment at will and shall not be deemed to extend any of the provisions of this Agreement and Executive’s employment may thereafter be terminated at will, for any reason or for no reason and at any time, by either Executive or the Company;provided that the provisions of Section 7 and Exhibit A (Confidentiality/Non Compete Addendum) of this Agreement shall survive any termination of this Agreement or Executive’s termination of employment and provided further that Executive shallprovide Company with at least thirty (30) days advance written notice of resignation. 

 

Following such termination of Executive’s employment, except as set forth in thisSection 6, Executive shall have no further rights to any compensation or any other benefits under this Agreement. 

 

7. Confidentiality. Concurrent with the execution of this Agreement by Executive, Executive shall execute and deliver to Company, Exhibit“A,” entitled Confidentiality/Non Compete Addendum, which is attached hereto and made a part hereof. 

 

8. Miscellaneous. 

 

a. Governing Law and Exclusive Venue. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state ofFlorida, without regard to its choice of laws principles. The parties agree that any suit, under, in connection with, or in any way related to this Agreement shall only be brought in the state courts located Palm Beach County or in the United StatesDistrict Court located in the County of Palm Beach, Florida. 

 

b. Entire Agreement/Amendments. This Agreement and attached Exhibits hereto contain the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the employment of Executive by the Company. There are no restrictions,agreements, promises, warranties, covenants or undertakings between the parties with respect to the subject matter herein other than those expressly set forth herein. This Agreement may not be altered, modified, or amended except by writteninstrument signed by the parties hereto. 

 

c.No Waiver. The failure of a party to insist upon strict adherence to any term of this Agreement on any occasion shall not be considered a waiver of such party’s rights or deprive such party of the right thereafter to insist upon strictadherence to that term or any other term of this Agreement. 

 

d. Severability. In the event that any one or more of the provisions of this Agreement shall be or become invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of theremaining provisions of this Agreement shall not be affected thereby. 

 

e. Assignment. This Agreement shall not be assignable by Executive. This Agreement may be assigned by the Company to a company which is a successor in interest to substantially all of the business operations ofthe Company or to an affiliate or related corporation of the Company. Such assignment shall become effective when the Company notifies Executive of such assignment or at such later date as may be specified in such notice. Upon such assignment, therights and obligations of the Company hereunder shall become the rights and obligations of such successor company; provided that any assignee expressly assumes the obligations, rights and privileges of this Agreement and provided further thatif this Agreement is not expressly assumed, the Company is responsible for all terms contained within. 

 

f. Successors; Binding Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon personal or legalrepresentatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributes, devises and legatees. 

 

g. Notice. For the purpose of this Agreement, notices and all other communications provided for in the Agreement shall be inwriting and shall be deemed to have been duly given when delivered or mailed by United States registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed to the respective addresses set forth below Agreement, or to such other address aseither party may have furnished to the other in writing in accordance herewith, except that notice of change of address shall be effective only upon receipt. 

 

If to the Company: 

 

To the attention of the Company’s Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Administration at the principal corporateheadquarters of the Company. 

 

If to Executive: 

 

To the most recent address of Executive set forth in the personnel recordsof the Company. 

 

h. Withholding Taxes.The Company may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement such Federal, state and local taxes as may be required to be withheld pursuant to any applicable law or regulation. 

 

i. Counterparts. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts, each of which shall be an original,with the same effect as if the signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument. Executive shall receive one fully executed counterpart each. 

 

j. Survival. Notwithstanding any termination/expiration of the Agreement, all rights and obligations hereunder which by theirnature should survive termination/expiration, shall survive. 

 

9. Advice of Counsel. In entering into this Agreement, Executive represents that he has had an opportunity to seek, and has sought the legal advice of his attorney, an attorney of his own choice and that the terms of this Agreementhave been completely read and explained by his attorney, and that those terms are fully understood and voluntarily accepted by Executive. 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written. 

 
AMERICAN MEDIA OPERATIONS, INC.
/s/ Thomas Severson, Jr.
 
12/15/04

Thomas Severson, Jr.
 Date
 

 

EXHIBIT “A”

 

**Confidentiality / Non-Compete Addendum**

 

1. For purposes of this Addendum, the term “ConfidentialInformation” is defined to mean any non-public information (including any and all information that becomes public by Executive’s actions or actions of persons obtaining access to information directly or indirectly from or throughExecutive) related to the Company (as such term is defined in the Employment Agreement) and its related and/or affiliated corporations (hereinafter the “Company” or “AMI”), its business, finance or proprietary information,including but not limited to information regarding its officers and employees, its data, statistics, business plans, records, trade secrets, business secrets, operational methods, customer lists, concepts, ideas, policies and/ or any otherinformation regarding the Company’s property or data, whether tangible or intangible, and whether or how stored, compiled or memorized physically, electronically, photographically, or by any other means, and specifically including, withoutlimitation, AMI proprietary system designs and programs and information of any kind, AMI system specifications and AMI operational methodologies. 

 

2. Executive (as such term is defined in the Employment Agreement) acknowledges that Confidential Information is proprietary to, and a valuable asset of, the Company andthat any disclosure or unauthorized use thereof in violation of this Addendum will cause irreparable harm and loss. 

 

3. Executive shall retain any Confidential Information in strictest confidence and shall not at any time, whether during or after Executive’s term of employment withCompany, use, exploit or disclose or permit the use, exploitation or disclosure of any Confidential Information obtained from the Company and/or AMI’s Employees unless otherwise required by law. Executive covenants and agrees that he shall not,either directly or indirectly, publish or disclose any Confidential Information subject to this Addendum or use such Confidential Information for the benefit of himself, another party or any third parties, without the prior written consent of thePresident of the Company. Executive further agrees that he will not retain or use for Executive’s account at any time any trade names, trademark or other proprietary business designation used or owned in connection with the business of theCompany or its affiliates. 

 

4. Upon termination of employment or demand by theCompany, Executive shall immediately deliver to AMI without retaining copies thereof, any and all Confidential Information and derivations thereof in his possession or control, including but not limited to, all notes, analyses, compilations,studies, interpretations, and other documents, including but not limited to, photographic, video or electronic documents and recordings. 

 

5. Executive shall not, without the prior written consent of the President of the Company, make any public statement, announcement or release to any person or entity,including, but not limited to, trade publications, the press, any competitor of the Company, customer, or any other third party, disclosing or relating to any Confidential Information, except as may be necessary to comply with the requirements ofany applicable law, governmental order or regulation in connection therewith (“Governmental Disclosure”). Prior to any Governmental Disclosure, Executive shall comply with Section 6 hereto. Executive agrees that he will not discuss withthe media any aspect of his employment with the Company and will not write, speak, or give interviews, either directly or indirectly, on or off the record about his work at the Company, including without limitation, facts and information he haslearned during his employment about the Company and his assignments, for purposes of publication in any way, directly or indirectly, without prior written approval by the President of the Company. 

 

6. In the event that Executive is requested or required to disclose any ConfidentialInformation subject to this Addendum in a legal or regulatory proceeding, Executive shall provide AMI with prompt written notice of any such request or requirements in order to provide AMI an opportunity to seek a protective order or otherappropriate remedy. Executive agrees to cooperate with AMI and its counsel, in any effort to prevent such disclosure of the Confidential Information. 

 

7. While employed and for a period of six (6) months following Executive’s termination of employment for any reason, Executive shall not, in any manner, attempt tosolicit or solicit any employee or customer of AMI, its affiliates, subsidiaries, parent or related companies or successors or assigns with any offer of employment or consultancy, or hire, retain, engage or otherwise employ or utilize the servicesof any such employee or customer of AMI. 

 

8. Executive agrees that during the term of his employment with AMI and for the period of six (6) months followingExecutive’s voluntary termination of employment or for the period of six (6) months following the Executive’s involuntary termination of employment he will not engage in any relationship, directly or indirectly, including but not limitedto, advising, being compensated in any way by, being employed by, permitting his name to be associated with or used by, or consulting, with any Prohibited Business (as hereinafter defined) within the United States of America or Canada. For purposesof this agreement “Prohibited Business” means any business which is in any way involved in the publishing, production, pre-press, marketing, racking, or servicing of products similar to AMI, which includes, but is not limited to companieswhich provide pre-press services, in the United States of America or Canada . Executive acknowledges that AMI’s products and services are marketed throughout the United States of America and Canada and that therefore a restriction to thegeographic area of the United States of America and Canada is reasonable with regard to AMI’s business plans and the market for its products and services. In the event that the term of Executive’s Employment Agreement expires and Executivebecomes an employee at will under terms and conditions similar to those contained in his Employment Agreement, and if Executive’s employment is terminated, while Executive is an employee at will, Executive will additionally be bound by theterms of this Paragraph for a period of six months, provided that AMI compensates Employee in the amount of his monthly Base Salary (“Severance”) for the six-month non-competition period. If Executive does not comply with the termscontained herein, AMI shall not be obligated to pay Executive Severance. AMI agrees to pay the greater of the Severance described above, or AMI’s Severance program in effect at the time of termination of employment during the three monthnon-competition period. 

 

9. Executive acknowledges that the restrictions andconditions set forth in this Addendum are essential to AMI’s execution of Executive’s Employment Agreement, without which, AMI would not have entered into this agreement. Executive expressly acknowledges that the restrictions set forth inthis Addendum are reasonable and valid. 

 

10. Executive agrees that he will makeno statements about the Company, its officers or employees that are intended to, or may reasonably be expected to disparage or impugn them or to otherwise make any statement that will adversely affect the reputation of the Company, its officers oremployees or otherwise disrupt, damage, impair or interfere with the Company or its operations or business prospects. 

 

11. Executive acknowledges that a breach of any of the terms, covenants or conditions contained in this Addendum by Executive and/or those under his control will resultin irreparable damage to AMI and that such damage will be presumed to have occurred. In the event of such breach or threatened breach, AMI shall be entitled, without the necessity of posting any bond, to appropriate injunctive relief in any court ofcompetent jurisdiction, restraining Executive and/or those under his control from any such threatened or actual violation of the provisions of this Addendum. Specifically and unless stated otherwise, all remedies provided for in this Addendum shallbe cumulative and in addition to and not in lieu of any other remedies available to AMI at law, in equity, or otherwise. 

 

12. Nothing contained in this Addendum shall be construed as granting or conferring any rights by license or otherwise in any Confidential Information disclosed.

 

13. No delay or omission by AMI to exercise any right or power occurring uponany noncompliance or default by Executive with respect to any of the terms of this Addendum shall impair any such right or power or be construed to be a waiver thereof. A waiver by AMI of any covenants, conditions, or agreements to be performed byExecutive shall not be construed to be a waiver of any succeeding breach thereof or of any covenant, condition, or agreement herein contained. 

 

14. The provisions of this Addendum shall survive termination/expiration of the Agreement.