ex102-113007.htm


    AMENDED
      AND RESTATED

    CHANGE
      OF CONTROL/SEVERANCE AGREEMENT

    


    THIS
      AMENDED AND RESTATED CHANGE OF CONTROL/SEVERANCE AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”)
      dated this ___ day of __________, 2006, by and between CASCADE FINANCIAL
      CORPORATION and CASCADE BANK (hereinafter jointly referred to as “Cascade”) and
      ______________________________ (“Executive”) amends and restates the Change of
      Control/Severance Agreement entered into between Cascade Bank and
      _________________________________ on _________________, 2001.  Upon
      execution of this Agreement, the Change of Control/Severance Agreement entered
      into in 2001 shall be null and void and of no further force and
      effect.

     

    WHEREAS,
      Executive is currently serving as ______________________________ and has agreed
      to continue to serve in the employ of Cascade; and

     

    WHEREAS,
      the Board of Directors of Cascade recognizes the substantial contribution
      Executive has made to Cascade and wishes to provide Executive with certain
      benefits for the period provided in this Agreement in the event of a change
      of
      control (as defined herein) of Cascade;

     

    NOW,
      THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and of the respective covenants
      and
      agreements of the parties herein, the parties hereto agree as
      follows:

     

    1.  Certain
      Definitions.

     

            (a)  “Change
      of Control” as used herein will be deemed to have occurred when there is a
      Change in the Ownership of Cascade or a Change in the Ownership of a Substantial
      Portion of the Assets of Cascade, as defined below:

     

                (i)  Change
      in the Ownership of Cascade. For the purposes of this Agreement, a Change in
      the Ownership of Cascade shall be deemed to occur when any one person, or more
      than one person acting as a group, acquires ownership of Cascade stock that,
      together with stock held by such person or group, constitutes more than fifty
      percent (50%) of the total fair market value or total voting power of
      Cascade.  A Change in Ownership of Cascade will not occur when any one
      person, or more than one person acting as a group, owning more than fifty
      percent (50%) of the total fair market value or total voting power of the stock
      of Cascade acquires additional stock. For the purposes of this section, an
      increase in the percentage of stock owned by any one person, or more than one
      person if acting as a group, as a result of a transaction in which Cascade
      acquires its stock in exchange for property will be treated as an acquisition
      of
      stock.

     

                (ii)  Change
      in the Ownership of a Substantial Portion of the Assets of Cascade. For the
      purposes of this Agreement, a Change in the Ownership of a Substantial Portion
      of the Assets of Cascade shall be deemed to occur on the date that any one
      person, or more than one person acting as a group, acquires (or has acquired
      during the twelve (12) month period ending on the date of the most recent
      acquisition by such person or persons) assets from Cascade that have a total
      gross fair market value equal to or more than forty percent (40%) of the total
      gross fair market value of all of the assets of Cascade immediately prior to
      such acquisition or acquisitions.  For the purposes of this section,
“gross fair market” value means the value of the assets of Cascade or the value
      of the assets being disposed of, determined without regard to any liabilities
      associated with such assets.  A Change 

    
      
         

      

      
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    in
      the
      Ownership of a Substantial Portion of the Assets of Cascade shall not be deemed
      to occur where the assets transferred by Cascade are transferred to: (1) a
      shareholder of Cascade (immediately before the asset transfer) in exchange
      for
      or with respect to its stock; (2) an entity fifty percent (50%) or more of
      the
      total value or voting power of which is owned, directly or indirectly, by
      Cascade; (3) a person, or more than one person acting as a group, that owns,
      directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting
      power of all the outstanding stock of Cascade; or (4) an entity, at least fifty
      percent (50%) of the total value or voting power of which is owned, directly
      or
      indirectly, by a person or more than one persons acting as a group, that owns,
      directly or indirectly, fifty percent (50%) or more of the total value or voting
      power of all the outstanding stock of Cascade.

     

            (b)  “Good
      Reason” as used in this Agreement means the occurrence, without Executive’s
      express written consent, of a material diminution of Executive’s duties,
      responsibilities or benefits, including (without limitation) any of the
      following circumstances:

     

                (i)  A
      requirement that Executive be based at any location not within forty (40) miles
      of Executive’s then existing job location, providing that such new location is
      not closer to Executive’s home;

     

                (ii)  A
      material demotion, or loss of title or loss of significant authority of
      Executive, excluding for this purpose, an isolated, insubstantial or inadvertent
      action not taken in bad faith which is remedied by Cascade immediately after
      notice thereof is given by Executive;

     

                (iii)  A
      reduction in Executive’s salary or a material adverse change in Executive’s
      perquisites, benefits or vacation, other than as part of an overall program
      applied uniformly and with equitable effect to all members of the senior
      management of Cascade; or

     

                (iv)  A
      successor bank or company fails or refuses to assume Cascade’s obligations under
      this Agreement, as required in Section 4(a) hereof.

     

            (c)  “Cause”
      as used in this Agreement means termination of the employment of Executive
      because of Executive’s personal dishonesty, incompetence, willful misconduct,
      breach of a fiduciary duty involving personal profit, intentional failure to
      perform stated duties, insubordination, willful violation of any law, rule,
      or
      regulation (other than traffic violations or similar offenses) or final
      cease-and-desist order, or material breach of any provision of this Agreement
      or
      any other agreement between Executive and Cascade. Executive shall not be
      entitled to any payment or benefit hereunder in the event a termination occurs
      by reason of a voluntary retirement, voluntary termination (other than for
      reasons specified in Section 1(b) hereof), disability
      or for
      Cause.

    
      
         

      

      
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            (d)  “Change
      of Control Period” as used in this Agreement shall mean the period of time
      starting six (6) months prior to the date the Change of Control is effected
      and
      ending twenty-four (24) months following such Change of Control.

     

    2.  At-Will
      Employment.  Executive’s relationship with Cascade continues to be
      an at-will employment relationship.  Cascade or Executive shall have
      the right to terminate Executive’s employment with Cascade at any time with or
      without Cause and with or without notice.  Nothing in this Agreement
      shall confer upon Executive any right to continue in the employ of Cascade
      prior
      to or after a Change of Control of Cascade or shall in any way limit the rights
      of Cascade, except as expressly stated herein, to discharge Executive at any
      time prior to or after the date of a Change of Control of Cascade for any reason
      whatsoever with or without Cause.

     

    3.  Change
      of Control/Severance Benefits.

     

            (a)  If
      during
      the Change of Control Period Cascade shall terminate Executive’s employment
      other than for Cause, or Executive shall terminate employment with Cascade
      for
      Good Reason, Cascade shall: (i) pay Executive (or in the event of Executive’s
      subsequent death, Executive’s beneficiary or estate, as the case may be), as
      severance pay, a sum equal to two (2) times the salary and bonus paid by Cascade
      to Executive during the twelve (12) month period ending on the last day of
      the
      month preceding the effective date of a Change of Control (excluding any gains
      resulting from exercise of stock options or vesting of restricted stock awards
      or other similar forms of stock compensation); (ii) cause to be continued
      for twenty-four (24) months after the effective date of a Change of Control,
      life, medical, dental, and disability coverage substantially identical to the
      coverage maintained by Cascade for Executive prior to the effective date of
      a
      Change of Control, except to the extent such coverage may be changed in its
      application to all Cascade employees on a nondiscriminatory basis; and (iii)
      accelerate any unvested stock-based compensation so any such stock-based
      compensation shall be 100% vested and immediately exercisable in full as of
      the
      date of such termination.  Payments due under (i) above shall be paid
      to Executive in a lump sum no sooner than six (6) months after the date of
      Executive’s termination.

     

            (b)  Notwithstanding
      the provisions of Section 1(a) above, if a payment
      to Executive
      who is a “disqualified individual” shall be in an amount which includes an
“excess parachute payment,” the payment hereunder to Executive shall be reduced
      to the maximum amount which does not include an “excess parachute
      payment.”  The terms “disqualified individual” and “excess parachute
      payment” shall have the meaning defined in Section 280G of the Internal Revenue
      Code of 1986, as amended.

     

            (c)  Executive
      shall not be required to mitigate the amount of any payment or benefit provided
      for in Section 1(a) of this
      Agreement by seeking other employment or otherwise, nor shall the amount of
      any
      payment or benefit provided for in Section 1(a) of this Agreement be
      reduced by
      any compensation earned or benefit received by Executive as the result of
      employment by another employer.  This Agreement shall not be construed
      as a contract of employment or as providing Executive any right to be retained
      in the employ of Cascade or any affiliate thereof.

    
      
         

      

      
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            (d)  Prior
      to
      Executive’s gaining the right to receive, and in exchange for, the severance
      compensation, benefits and option acceleration provided in Section 3(a),
      above, to which Executive would not otherwise be entitled, Executive shall
      first
      enter into and execute a release substantially in the form attached hereto
      as
      Exhibit A (the “Release”) upon Executive’s termination of
      employment.  Unless the Release is executed by Executive and delivered
      to Cascade within twenty-one (21) days after the termination of Executive’s
      employment with Cascade, Executive shall not receive any severance benefits
      provided under this Agreement, acceleration, if any, of Executive’s equity
      grants/benefits as provided in this Agreement shall not apply and Executive’s
      equity grants/benefits in such event may be exercised following the date of
      Executive’s termination only to the extent provided under their originals terms
      in accordance with the applicable equity plans and agreements.

     

    4.  Assignment.

     

            (a)  This
      Agreement is personal to each of the parties hereto, and neither party may
      assign or delegate any of its rights or obligations hereunder without first
      obtaining the written consent of the other party; provided,
      however, that Cascade shall require any successor or assignee of (whether
      direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation, operation of law or
      otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of Cascade,
      to expressly assume and agree to perform Cascade’s obligations under this
      Agreement.

     

            (b)  This
      Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of Executive and
      Cascade, and their respective successors and assigns.

     

    5.  Required
      Regulatory Provisions.  Any payments made to Executive pursuant to
      this Agreement, or otherwise, are subject to and conditioned upon compliance
      with 12 U.S.C. Section 1828(k) and any rules and regulations promulgated
      thereunder, including 12 C.F.R. Part 359.

     

    6.  Notices.  Any
      notices provided hereunder must be in writing and shall be deemed effective
      upon
      personal delivery (including personal delivery by facsimile transmission) or
      the
      third day after mailing by first class mail, to Cascade at its primary office
      location and to Executive at their address as listed on Cascade’s payroll (which
      address may be changed by written notice).

     

    7.  Amendments.  No
      amendments or additions to this Agreement shall be binding unless in writing
      and
      signed by both parties, except as herein otherwise provided.

     

    8.  Headings.  The
      headings used in this Agreement are included solely for convenience and shall
      not affect, or be used in connection with, the interpretation of this
      Agreement.

     

    9.  Severability.  The
      provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed severable and the invalidity or
      unenforceability of any provision shall not affect the validity of the other
      provisions hereof.

     

    10.  Governing
      Law.  This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of
      Washington.

    
      
         

      

      
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    11.  Arbitration.  Any
      dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this Agreement shall
      be settled exclusively by binding arbitration, conducted before a panel of
      three
      arbitrators in a location selected by Executive within 50 miles of the location
      of Cascade, in accordance with the rules of the American Arbitration Association
      then in effect. Judgment may be entered on the arbitrators’ award in any court
      having jurisdiction.

     

    12.  Reimbursement
      of Fees.  All reasonable legal fees and expenses paid or incurred
      by Executive pursuant to any dispute or question of interpretation relating
      to
      this Agreement shall be paid or reimbursed by Cascade if Executive is successful
      on the merits pursuant to an arbitration award or legal judgment.

     

    13.  Compliance
      with Internal Revenue Code Section 409A. Where required, the provisions of
      this Agreement are intended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A
      of the Internal Revenue Code. Notwithstanding any other provision of this
      Agreement, this Agreement shall be interpreted and administered in accordance
      with the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue
      Code.

     

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

     

    THIS
      AGREEMENT CONTAINS A BINDING ARBITRATION PROVISION WHICH MAY BE ENFORCED BY
      THE
      PARTIES.

     

    
      	
              CASCADE
                FINANCIAL CORPORATION

              CASCADE
                BANK

               

               

              By:___________________________________________________________                   

              Its:___________________________________________________________

              Address: ______________________________________________________

                              
                ______________________________________________________

            	
              EXECUTIVE

               

               

              ___________________________________________________

              Address: ____________________________________________

                              
                ____________________________________________

            


    


    
      
         

      

      
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