EX-10.3



 





Exhibit 10.3




NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY




TOPHAT PLAN




Adopted March 20, 1997

Amended September 20, 2007

Current as of September 20, 2007









 









 











TABLE OF CONTENTS




	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Page
	Preamble
	 	 	1	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE 1 Definitions
	 	 	1	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	1.1 “AARCIP
	 	 	1	 
	1.2 “Base Salary
	 	 	1	 
	1.3 “Beneficiary
	 	 	2	 
	1.4 “Code
	 	 	2	 
	1.5 “Committee
	 	 	2	 
	1.6 “Company
	 	 	2	 
	1.7 “Continuing Service Participant
	 	 	2	 
	1.8 “DCP
	 	 	2	 
	1.9 “Employer
	 	 	2	 
	1.10 “ERP
	 	 	2	 
	1.11 “409A Election Date
	 	 	2	 
	1.12 “409A Service Recipients
	 	 	3	 
	1.13 “Legal Limits
	 	 	3	 
	1.14 “Maximum Matching Contribution Percentage
	 	 	3	 
	1.15 “Participant
	 	 	3	 
	1.16 “Plan
	 	 	3	 
	1.17 “Plan Year
	 	 	4	 
	1.18 “Policies
	 	 	4	 
	1.19 “Retirement
	 	 	4	 
	1.20 “Retirement Plan
	 	 	4	 
	1.21 “Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit
	 	 	4	 
	1.22 “TDSP
	 	 	4	 
	1.23 “TDSP-Related Matching Benefit
	 	 	4	 
	1.24 “TDSP-Related Retirement Savings Account Benefit
	 	 	4	 
	1.25 “TDSP-Related Tophat Benefit
	 	 	4	 
	1.26 “Termination of Employment
	 	 	4	 
	1.27 “409A Transition Rules
	 	 	5	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE 2 Benefits Provided
	 	 	5	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	2.1 Coordination With Other Benefits
	 	 	5	 
	2.2 TDSP-Related Tophat Benefit
	 	 	5	 
	2.3 Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit
	 	 	6	 
	2.4 Distribution of TDSP-Related Tophat Benefit
	 	 	8	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE 3 Participants’ Termination of Employment
	 	 	8	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	3.1 TDSP-Related Tophat Benefits
	 	 	8	 






i 









 





TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)





	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Page
	3.2 Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefits
	 	 	9	 
	3.3 Lump Sum Cash-Out of De Minimis Tophat Benefits
	 	 	13	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE 4 Beneficiary Designation
	 	 	13	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	4.1 Beneficiary Designation
	 	 	13	 
	4.2 Change of Beneficiary Designation
	 	 	13	 
	4.3 No Beneficiary Designation
	 	 	14	 
	4.4 Effect of Payment
	 	 	14	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE 5 Termination and Modification
	 	 	14	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	5.1 Termination and Amendment
	 	 	14	 
	5.2 Limited Power of President to Amend Plan
	 	 	14	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE 6 Administration
	 	 	14	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	6.1 Committee Duties
	 	 	14	 
	6.2 Agents
	 	 	15	 
	6.3 Binding Effect of Decisions
	 	 	15	 
	6.4 Indemnity of Committee
	 	 	15	 
	6.5 Section 409A of the Code
	 	 	15	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE 7 Miscellaneous
	 	 	15	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	7.1 Unsecured General Creditor
	 	 	15	 
	7.2 Nonassignability
	 	 	15	 
	7.3 Not a Contract of Employment
	 	 	16	 
	7.4 Health Information
	 	 	16	 
	7.5 Governing Law
	 	 	16	 
	7.6 Withholding
	 	 	16	 
	7.7 Binding Effect
	 	 	16	 
	7.8 Borrowing
	 	 	16	 
	7.9 Validity
	 	 	16	 
	7.10 Incapacity of Person Entitled To Payment
	 	 	16	 
	7.11 Captions
	 	 	17	 
	7.12 Construction
	 	 	17	 







ii 









 








NATIONAL FUEL GAS COMPANY




TOPHAT PLAN




Preamble




     National Fuel Gas Company has adopted the National Fuel Gas Company Tophat Plan
(“Plan”) to help attract and retain high caliber employees in high-level management
positions, to provide such employees with a tax-favored vehicle to accumulate assets and to enhance
retirement benefits, to restore benefits lost to employees under the TDSP as a result of the effect
of Legal Limits upon their receipt of Company matching contributions in the TDSP, and to restore
benefits lost to employees under the Retirement Plan as a result of their participation in the DCP
(with respect to persons not eligible for the ERP). Notwithstanding the above, the only employees
eligible to receive benefits under this Plan are highly-compensated employees as defined by the
Code and its corresponding regulations, as the same may be amended from time to time.



     The tophat benefits provided by this Plan were previously contained within the DCP. These
tophat benefits have now been segregated into this separate Plan document, in part because federal
legislation enacted in 1996 (which limits the ability of states to impose a source tax on
retirement benefits earned within such states) may penalize employees unless the provisions
authorizing tophat benefits are reflected in a separate plan, and in part to more fully and
accurately describe the tophat benefits.



     This Plan has been amended to comply with the requirements of Section 409A of the Code.



ARTICLE 1

Definitions




     For purposes hereof, unless otherwise clearly apparent from the context, the following phrases
or terms shall have the following indicated meanings:



     1.1 “AARCIP” shall mean the National Fuel Gas Company Annual At Risk Compensation
Incentive Program, as amended from time to time or any successor thereto.



     1.2 “Base Salary” shall mean gross cash compensation per regular payroll period,
including salary continuation payments made by an Employer on account of sickness or accident,
which are paid to a Participant for employment services rendered to an Employer, before reduction
for compensation deferred pursuant to the DCP or pursuant to the TDSP, and shall also include
(i) payments made to a Participant pursuant to the AARCIP or a successor plan thereto,
(ii) awards of restricted stock that are made to



 









 







a Participant for service in the Company’s fiscal year 1996 or later to supplement an AARCIP
award for that fiscal year, which was approximately equal to the maximum AARCIP award then
permissible consistent with the shareholder approval applicable to that AARCIP award, valued at the
average of the high and low market value on the grant date, and (iii) any
performance-related lump sum compensation (i.e., lump sum payments other than
expense or tuition reimbursements, moving expense reimbursements, lump sum payments for eligible
unused vacation, worker’s compensation payments, award payments for suggestions, severance payments
or any other non-performance related payments) made on or after August 1, 1997, but shall exclude
all other fees, commissions, special, extra or nonperiodic compensation in any form.
Notwithstanding the above, amounts described in clause (iii) shall only be included in Base Salary
for officers of any Employer; provided that, for officers of Seneca Resources Corporation, such
amounts shall be included in Base Salary solely for purposes of determining such officers’
TDSP-Related Retirement Savings Account Benefit.



     1.3 “Beneficiary” shall mean the person, persons, or entity designated by the
Participant to receive any benefits payable under this Plan upon the death of a Participant.



     1.4 “Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.



     1.5 “Committee” shall mean the committee appointed to manage and administer the Plan
in accordance with its provisions of Article 6.



     1.6 “Company” shall mean National Fuel Gas Company and all successor companies
thereto.



     1.7 “Continuing Service Participant” means a Participant who ceases to be an employee
of, but continues to provide services to, any of the 409A Service Recipients following his
Retirement or Termination of Employment, or is reasonably expected (at the time of such Retirement
or Termination of Employment) to provide services to any of the 409A Service Recipients within 12
months of such termination of employment.



     1.8 “DCP” shall mean the National Fuel Gas Company Deferred Compensation Plan, as
amended from time to time or any successor thereto.



     1.9 “Employer” shall mean the Company and each of its subsidiaries which has one or
more eligible employees who have been selected to participate in the Plan.



     1.10 “ERP” shall mean the National Fuel Gas Company and Participating Subsidiaries
Executive Retirement Plan, as amended from time to time or any successor thereto.



     1.11 “409A Election Date” means December 31, 2007 or such other date as the Company
shall determine to be the latest date that benefits payable under the Plan may



2









 







commence to be paid based on the Participant’s election as to the form and timing of payment
in respect of his or her benefits payable under the Retirement Plan without violating the election
requirements applicable under Section 409A of the Code and any regulations, proposed regulations or
other guidance promulgated thereunder.



     1.12 “409A Service Recipients” means the Company and each other entity which is in the
same controlled group of affiliated employers as the Company, as determined in accordance with the
rules under Section 414(b) and (c) of the Code.



     1.13 “Legal Limits” shall mean (i) the provisions of the Retirement Plan and
applicable section(s) of the Code that prevent the Retirement Plan from including in calculating
“Final Average Pay” compensation deferred pursuant to the DCP, (ii) the maximum amount of
annual compensation of an employee that may be taken into account under the Retirement Plan in
accordance with Section 401(a)(17) of the Code, as amended and supplemented, and the implementing
provisions of the Retirement Plan, but only with respect to Participants who are not members under
the ERP, (iii) the nondiscrimination rules under Section 401(a)(4) and the annual limits
imposed by Sections 401(k)(3), 401(m)(2), 401(a)(17), 402(g) or 415 of the Code, or a successor to
any such sections, and/or (iv) the corresponding requirements of the Employment Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), respecting the Retirement Plan and
respecting deferrals under and employer matching contributions to the TDSP.



     1.14 “Maximum Matching Contribution Percentage” shall mean with respect to a
Participant the maximum employer matching contribution percentage applicable to the Participant
under the TDSP based on such Participant’s actual contributions under the TDSP.



     1.15 “Participant” shall mean any person currently or formerly in the regular
full-time employment of an Employer,




     (a) (i)  who has lost benefits under the TDSP as a result of Legal Limits; and
(ii) whose Accounts have not been completely distributed to him or her; or




     (b) (i) who has vested in his or her benefits under the Retirement Plan;
(ii) who has lost benefits under the Retirement Plan as a result of Legal Limits;
(iii) whose Retirement Plan benefits have not been completely distributed to him or
her; and (iv) who is not a member under the ERP.



     1.16 “Plan” shall mean the National Fuel Gas Company Tophat Plan, as amended from time
to time or any successor thereto.



3









 





     1.17 “Plan Year” shall mean the 12 consecutive month period commencing on August 1 and
ending on the next following July 31.



     1.18 “Policies” shall mean the policies described in Section 7.1.



     1.19 “Retirement” and “Retire” shall mean severance from employment with the
Employer at or after the attainment of age fifty-five (55), or prior thereto pursuant to the
disability retirement provisions of the Retirement Plan; provided, however, that in the case of any
Continuing Service Participant, the terms Retirement or Retire (and any similar terms used in this
Plan) shall be deemed to refer to the date at which such Participant incurs a “separation from
service,” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and the regulations promulgated
thereunder, from the 409A Service Recipients. This means that rather than being entitled to
commence to receive a distribution hereunder upon, or at a specified time following, Retirement, a
Continuing Service Participant shall only be entitled to receive such distribution upon, or at a
specified time following, such a separation from service.



     1.20 “Retirement Plan” shall mean the National Fuel Gas Company Retirement Plan, as
amended from time to time or any successor thereto.



     1.21 “Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit” shall mean the tophat benefit described
in Section 2.3.



     1.22 “TDSP” shall mean the National Fuel Gas Company Tax-Deferred Savings Plan for
Non-Union Employees, as amended from time to time or any successor thereto.



     1.23 “TDSP-Related Matching Benefit” shall have the meaning ascribed thereto in
subclause (i) of Section 2.2.



     1.24 “TDSP-Related Retirement Savings Account Benefit” shall have the meaning ascribed
thereto in subclause (ii) of Section 2.2.



     1.25 “TDSP-Related Tophat Benefit” shall mean the TDSP-Related Matching Benefit and
the TDSP-Related Retirement Savings Account Benefit.



     1.26 “Termination of Employment” shall mean the cessation of a Participant’s
employment with the 409A Service Recipients for any reason other than Retirement; provided,
however, that in the case of any Continuing Service Participant, the term Termination of Employment
(and any similar terms used in this Plan) shall be deemed to refer to the date at which such
Participant incurs a “separation from service,” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code and
the regulations promulgated thereunder, from the 409A Service Recipients. This means that rather
than being entitled to receive a distribution hereunder upon, or at a specified time following, a
Termination of



4









 







Employment, a Continuing Service Participant shall only be entitled to receive such
distribution upon, or at a specified time following, such a separation from service.



     1.27 “409A Transition Rules” shall mean the rules described in Section 2.3.



ARTICLE 2

Benefits Provided




     2.1 Coordination With Other Benefits. The benefits provided for a Participant under
the Plan are in addition to any other benefits to which the Participant may be entitled under any
other plan or program of the Employer. This Plan shall supplement and shall not supersede, modify,
amend, enhance or diminish any other such plan or program except as may otherwise be expressly
provided.



     2.2 TDSP-Related Tophat Benefit. Each Participant who is eligible to participate in
the TDSP shall be credited with a TDSP-Related Tophat Benefit equal to the sum of (i) the
employer matching contributions that the Participant would have received under the TDSP based on
such Participant’s elective deferrals thereunder (“TDSP-Related Matching Benefit”) and (ii)
in the case of any Participant who is a Post-2003 Qualified Participant under the TSDP, the
additional employer contributions that the Participant would have received under the TSDP had such
Participant’s monthly Company Contribution Compensation (as defined in the TSDP) been equal to his
Base Salary as defined for purposes of this Plan (“TDSP-Related Retirement Savings Plan Account”),
in each case (x) assuming that the Participant’s deferrals and entitlements to employer
contributions were not limited by the Legal Limits and (y) reduced by the actual
corresponding contribution made for his benefit under the TSDP.



     (a) Example. This example shall illustrate how the TDSP-Related Matching Benefit
provisions of this Section 2.2 are to be applied. Assume that a particular Participant’s TDSP
deferral percentage (salary contribution percentage) is 6%, and that his or her Maximum Matching
Contribution Percentage under the TDSP is 6%. Also assume that his or her Base Salary as defined
in the Plan for that calendar year is $399,000 (i.e., $285,000 base annual pay plus
$114,000 paid under the AARCIP), that his or her base salary as defined in the TDSP for the same
period is $285,000, that the Code §401(a)(17) limit for that year is $225,000, that the Code
§402(g) limit is $15,500 for that year, and that the Code §401(k)(3) and §415 limits do not
adversely affect the Participant in this example.



     Under the TDSP, the Participant would be entitled to a Maximum Matching Contribution of
$13,500 (6% x $225,000 Code §401(a)(17) limit). Under Section 2.2, the Participant would receive a
TDSP-Related Matching Benefit of $10,440 (i.e., 6% x [$399,000 minus $225,000 base salary
taken into account under the TDSP]). Therefore, the total aggregate “employer matching
contribution” received by the Participant would



5









 







be $23,940 ($13,500 in the TDSP and $10,440 by virtue of the TDSP-Related Matching Benefit).



     (b) Example. This example shall illustrate how the TDSP-Related Retirement Savings
Plan Account provisions of this Section 2.2 are to be applied. Assume that a particular
Participant is a Post-2003 Qualified Participant under the TSDP with less than eight years of
service. Also assume that his Base Salary as defined in the Plan for that calendar year is
$420,000 (i.e., $300,000 base annual pay plus $120,000 paid under the AARCIP), that
his or her base salary as defined in the TDSP for the same period is $300,000 and his monthly
Company Contribution Compensation for the same period is $25,000 ($300,000 divided by 12), that the
Code §401(a)(17) limit for that year is $225,000, and that the Code §415 limits do not adversely
affect the Participant in this example.



     Under the TDSP, the Participant would be entitled to an allocation to his Retirement Savings
Account of $4,500 (2% x $225,000 Code §401(a)(17) limit). Under Section 2.2, the Participant would
receive a total tophat of $3,900 (i.e., 2% x [$420,000 minus $225,000 base salary taken
into account under the TDSP]). Therefore, the total aggregate “retirement savings contribution”
received by the Participant would be $8,400 ($4,500 in the TDSP and $3,900 by virtue of
TDSP-Related Retirement Savings Account Benefit).



     As can be seen by these illustrations, the tophats are intended to make up for and not under-
or overcompensate for Participants’ losses caused by the various Legal Limits applying to, and the
base salary definition of, the TDSP.



     2.3 Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit.



     (a) Tophat. Any loss of benefits to a Participant under the Retirement Plan, which
results from deferrals made under the DCP by the Participant, or otherwise are due to the Legal
Limits, shall be restored by the Company, provided that such Participant is not also a member of
the ERP. Example. An example of the Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit is as follows:
Assume that a Participant eligible for this tophat retired in the year 2000, at age 60. Assume
that his or her “Final Average Pay” under the Retirement Plan would have been $100,000, had he or
she not participated in the DCP. Assume further that, as a result of his or her participation in
the DCP, his or her “Final Average Pay” is reduced to $80,000. Assume further that his or her
Retirement Plan annuity (expressed as a single life annuity) consequently is reduced from
$3,750/month to $3,000/month. This Participant will then receive $750 per month for life under
this tophat or the actuarial equivalent thereof, determined using the actuarial assumptions under
the Retirement Plan in accordance with the form of payment elected (or, absent such an election,
the four-year period certain annuity described in Section 3.2(b)(i)).



6









 





     (b) Distribution Elections. The following rules shall apply with respect to
distribution elections made in respect of the Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit under this
Section 2.3:




     (i) Pursuant to the transitional rules contained in the Internal Revenue Service
guidance and treasury regulations under Section 409A of the Code (the “409A Transition
Rules”), a Participant who commences receiving payment of his or her tophat on or prior
to the 409A Election Date by reason of Retirement shall receive such payments in the same
form as the annuity he or she receives under the Retirement Plan.




     (ii) In accordance with the 409A Transition Rules, a Participant who is entitled to a
tophat with respect to any period ending on or prior to the 409A Election Date, and who
does not commence receiving a distribution thereof on or prior to the 409A Election Date,
may make an election on or prior to, and effective as of, the 409A Election Date, regarding
the distribution of such tophat upon Retirement; provided that (x) any such
election shall also be applicable with respect to any tophat accrued by the Participant
under this Section 2.3 after the 409A Election Date and (y) Section 3.2(a), if
applicable, shall supersede any such election.




     (iii) A Participant who commences participation in the Plan after the 409A Election
Date may make an election regarding the distribution of the tophat accrued under this
Section 2.3 at such times (but no later than 30 days after the date that participation in
the Plan shall commence) and in such manner as shall be prescribed by the Committee.




     (iv) A Participant may only change an election previously filed pursuant to this
Section 2.3(b) in accordance with the conditions specified in this subclause (iv). Except
as otherwise expressly provided below, any such change in such an election, whether as to
when payment of Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit is to commence or the form of
distribution of such Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit, must (1) be made in
writing, (2) be delivered at least 12 months prior to date as of which the
Participant’s Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit would otherwise commence to be paid
hereunder, and (3) delay commencement of payment of such Retirement Plan-Related
Tophat Benefit for at least five years from the date payment of such Retirement
Plan-Related Tophat Benefit would otherwise have commenced. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
a Participant who has elected under Section 3.2(b) to receive a distribution in the form of
a life annuity, a ten-year period certain and life annuity or either joint and survivor
annuity form may elect to change from that form to any other annuity form at any time prior
to the commencement of the receipt of Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit hereunder.
For example, a Participant who has elected to receive his Retirement Plan-Related Tophat
Benefit in the form of an annuity just



7









 







for his life may change that election to a joint and survivor annuity without the 12
months advance notice and five year delay in commencement of payments described in this
subclause (iv).



     2.4 Distribution of TDSP-Related Tophat Benefit.



     (a) Benefits Accrued Prior to August 1, 2005. The following rules shall apply with
respect to the TDSP-Related Tophat Benefits accrued prior to August 1, 2005:




     (i) The TDSP-Related Tophat Benefit accrued by a Participant who previously elected to
receive such benefit upon Termination of Employment or Retirement shall be distributed to
such Participant as soon as practicable after July 31, 2005 during the calendar year 2005;
and




     (ii) The TDSP-Related Tophat Benefit accrued by a Participant who previously elected
to receive such benefit on an annual basis shall be distributed to such Participant, to the
extent not previously distributed, in August 2005.



     (b) Benefits Accrued After July 31, 2005. The TDSP-Related Tophat Benefit accrued by
a Participant in any calendar year with respect to services after July 31, 2005 shall be
distributed in a lump sum payment no later than March 15 of the calendar year following the
calendar year in which such benefit is accrued.



ARTICLE 3

Participants’ Termination of Employment




     3.1 TDSP-Related Tophat Benefits.



     (a) Termination. If the Participant Retires or incurs a Termination of Employment by
means other than death, such Participant shall receive a lump sum payment equal to the value, as of
the date of such Termination of Employment or Retirement, of the Participant’s TDSP-Related Tophat
Benefit with respect to the year of Termination of Employment or Retirement. Such TDSP-Related
Tophat Benefit shall be distributed 30 days after such Termination of Employment or Retirement.



     (b) Death. If the Participant incurs a Termination of Employment by reason of death,
his or her Beneficiary shall receive a lump sum payment equal to the value, as of the date of such
Termination of Employment, of the Participant’s TDSP-Related Tophat Benefit with respect to the
year of such Termination of Employment. Such benefit shall be paid 60 days after the Participant’s
date of death.



8









 





     3.2 Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefits.



     (a) Termination.




     (i) If the Participant incurs a Termination of Employment by means other than death,
and the Participant is not vested in his or her benefits under the Retirement Plan, such
Participant shall receive no benefit under this Plan.




     (ii) If the Participant incurs a Termination of Employment after January 1, 2005 other
than due to death, is then less than 55 years old and is vested in his or her benefits
under the Retirement Plan, such Participant shall receive a lump sum payment on the six
month anniversary of the Participant’s Termination of Employment in an amount equal to the
present value of such Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit as of the date of such six
month anniversary. Such lump sum payment shall be determined using a discount rate equal
to the then-current yield to maturity on 30-year Treasury securities, or in such other
manner as the Committee reasonably determines




     (iii) Special Transitional Rules. Notwithstanding Section 3.2(a)(ii),
pursuant to the Transitional Rules the lump sum payment payable to a Participant under
Section 3.2(a)(ii) or 3.2(b) who (x) had a Termination of Employment in 2005 shall
be made 30 days following such Termination of Employment, on the basis that the Participant
shall have terminated participation in the Plan, and shall be valued as of the date of such
Termination of Employment, or (y) had a Termination of Employment prior to 2004 but
did not receive a lump sum payment prior to 2005, shall be paid on January 31, 2006, on the
basis that the Participant shall have terminated participation in the Plan as of January 1,
2006, and shall be valued as of January 1, 2006.



     (b) Retirement. When a Participant Retires after January 1, 2005, he or she shall
receive his or her Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit in whichever of the available forms of
distribution (and with any actuarial reduction, as appropriate) shall be required under Section
3.2(a) or elected by such Participant in accordance with Section 2.3; provided that
a Participant who Retires and commences distribution of his Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit
after the 409A Election Date, but fails to make a distribution election in accordance with Section
2.3 with respect to a payment commencing after the 409A Election Date shall be paid the present
value of his or her Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit in the form of the four-year period
certain annuity referenced in subclause (i) below.




     (i) Four-Year Certain Annuity. The Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit may
be paid in a four-year period certain annuity that is actuarially equivalent to the
lump-sum present value (calculated using the most recently published mortality table that
is generally accepted by American actuaries and



9









 







reasonably applicable to the Plan, and a 6 percent annual interest rate or discount
rate) of the Participant’s Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit. Except to the extent
commencement of such benefits is delayed in accordance with Section 2.3(b)(iv), the first
payment will paid on the six-month anniversary of the date of the Participant’s Retirement;
provided that, at the time the Participant makes an election pursuant to Section 2.3(b), a
Participant who is not subject to the delay in commencement applicable under Section
2.3(b)(iv) may elect to have the first payment be payable on the later of (i) the
six-month anniversary of the Participant’s Termination of Employment with the Company and
its Subsidiaries and (ii) the first business day of the calendar year following the
Participant’s Retirement. Each installment after the first installment shall be paid on
each of the first three anniversaries of the date on which the first installment is due to
be paid.




     (ii) Single Life Annuity. The Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit may be
paid in the form of a single life annuity for the Participant’s lifetime payable in equal
monthly installments.




     (iii) Ten-Year Period Certain and Life. The Retirement Plan-Related Tophat
Benefit may be paid in the form of an annuity in monthly installments for ten years from
the Participant’s Retirement and for life thereafter if the Participant survives such
ten-year period. If the Participant’s death occurs within such ten-year period, annuity
payments shall continue for the remainder of the ten-year period to the Participant’s
Beneficiary. To provide for the possibility that benefit payments will continue after the
Participant’s lifetime, the benefit payable to the Participant during his or her lifetime
under this Section 3.2(b)(iii) shall be reduced from the benefit that would have been
payable as a single life annuity under Section 3.2(b)(ii), based on the same factors that
would apply were such benefit payable under the Retirement Plan, including the
Participant’s age. No adjustment shall be made to the amount payable to the Participant in
the event that no survivor benefit should become payable because the Participant lives
longer than 10 years following the date the Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit commence
to be paid.




     (iv) Joint and Survivor Annuity. The Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit
may be paid in the form of a joint and survivor annuity so that the Participant receives a
monthly installment for the duration of the Participant’s life and the Participant’s
Beneficiary receives a monthly installment for the duration of his or her life in an amount
that is either 50% or 100% of the Participant’s monthly installment, as so elected by the
Participant. To provide for the possibility that benefit payments will continue after the
Participant’s lifetime, the benefit payable to the Participant during his or her lifetime
under this Section 3.2(b)(iv) shall be reduced from the benefit that would have been
payable as a



10









 







single life annuity under Section 3.2(b)(ii), based on the same factors that would
apply were such benefit payable under the Retirement Plan, including the Participant’s age
and that of his or her Beneficiary. No adjustment shall be made to the amount payable to
the Participant in the event that no survivor benefit should become payable because the
Beneficiary that the Participant selects shall not survive the Participant.
Notwithstanding the previous sentence, if the Beneficiary selected hereunder is the
Participant’s spouse and if said spousal Beneficiary dies prior to the fifth anniversary of
the Participant’s retirement date, the Participant’s benefit shall be adjusted to be that
which would have been payable as a single life annuity under Section 3.2(b)(ii), as of the
first of the month coinciding with or next following the spouse’s date of death. There
will be no actuarial adjustment made in calculating the benefit under this Section
3.2(b)(iv) as a result of the availability of this pop-up benefit other than as provided to
reflect commencement of benefits prior to the Normal Retirement Date.




     (v) Annuities. Unless the Participant shall have elected a later commencement
date pursuant to Section 2.3(b), including but not limited to Section 2.3(b)(iv), payment
of the first monthly installment of any annuity (other than the four-year period certain
annuity) shall commence on the six month anniversary of the Participant’s Retirement. The
first payment to be made hereunder in respect of any annuity shall be equal to the sum of
(i) the monthly payments that would have been made to such Participant from the
date of his Retirement (but for the six month delay required to comply with Section 409A of
the Code), and (ii) an amount of interest on each monthly payment referenced in
subclause (i), at the short-term applicable federal rate (within the meaning of Section
1274(d) of the Code), compounded semi-annually, in effect for January in the calendar year
in which the Participant Retires (or at such other rate as the Committee shall specify from
time to time), from the date such payment would have been made to the six month anniversary
of such Retirement. Each subsequent payment of any monthly annuity payment will be in the
amount, and paid at the time, it is otherwise payable without regard to the six month delay
in payment required hereunder. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, with respect to a
Retirement that occurred in 2005, amounts that would have been payable for the lesser of
(i) the six months following such Retirement or (ii) through December 31,
2005, may be paid in accordance with the 409A Transition Rules at any time during 2005, on
the basis that such payment is a partial cancellation of such Participant’s participation
in the Plan.




     (vi) Survivor Benefits. If the Participant’s Retirement Plan-Related Tophat
Benefit is payable to the Participant in the form of the four-year certain annuity, and the
Participant dies after Retirement but prior to the date the last installment of such
benefit is paid, any installments remaining to be paid at the



11









 







date of the Participant’s death will be paid to the Participant’s Beneficiary at the
same time and in the same amounts as they would have been paid to the Participant. If the
Participant has Retired and selected an optional form of distribution (other than the
four-year period certain annuity) under which a portion of such Retirement Plan-Related
Tophat Benefit is eligible to be paid to his Beneficiary after the Participant’s death,
such benefits shall be paid in accordance with the terms of the form of distribution
elected by the Participant; that is (i) with respect to any remaining payments
related to the minimum 120 payments payable under the Ten-Year Certain and Life Option,
such remaining monthly payments shall continue to be paid to the Participant’s Beneficiary
at the same time and in the same amounts as they would have been payable to the
Participant, until a total of 120 monthly payments have been made to the Participant and
the Participant’s Beneficiary (at which time payment to the Beneficiary will cease) and
(ii) with respect to either joint and survivor annuity options, in the form of an
annuity for the lifetime of the Participant’s Beneficiary (if living at the time of the
Participant’s death) in a monthly amount that is equal to the percentage (50% or 100%) of
the monthly benefit payable to the Participant immediately prior to his or her death that
was elected by the Participant pursuant to Section 3.2(b)(iv). In the event that a
Participant dies within the six month period following Retirement and has elected to
receive his or her Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit in a form of an annuity (other
than the four-year period certain annuity) that provides for survivor benefits to be paid
following his death, any survivor benefit payable to the Participant’s Beneficiary in
respect of the Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit shall commence on the first day of
the month following the Participant’s death and the Participant’s Beneficiary shall
immediately receive any benefits that would have been payable to the Participant assuming
payment to the Participant had commenced without delay following his Retirement, including,
where applicable, interest at the rate specified in Section 3.2(b)(v) for the period of any
such delay in payment.




     (vii) Right to Adjust. The Committee shall have the right to adjust
Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit payable under this Plan to correct errors, and/or to
provide uniform treatment of Participants, retired Participants or Beneficiaries.



     (c) Death.




     (i) If the Participant incurs a Termination of Employment by reason of death, and the
Participant has no surviving spouse, no benefits shall be paid with respect to the
Participant under this Plan.




     (ii) If the Participant incurs a Termination of Employment by reason of death, and the
Participant has a surviving spouse, such surviving spouse shall receive a Retirement
Plan-Related Tophat under this Plan if and to the extent he



12









 







or she (A) receives a spouse’s pre-retirement death benefit under the
Retirement Plan and (B) such pre-retirement death benefit is less than the
pre-retirement death benefit that would have been payable but for the operation of Legal
Limits. The benefit payable under this Section 3.2(c)(ii) shall equal the excess of
(A) the pre-retirement death benefit that would have been payable under the
Retirement Plan disregarding the Legal Limits over (B) the pre-retirement
death benefit actually payable under the Retirement Plan, and shall be paid in the form of
an annuity over the life of the surviving spouse. Such annuity shall commence within 60
days after the Participant’s date of death. The annuity payable to the surviving spouse
shall be based on the actuarial assumptions contained in the Retirement Plan.




     (iii) If a Participant incurs a Termination of Employment or Retires other than due to
death and is to receive payment of the Retirement Plan-Related Tophat in a lump sum under
Section 3.2(a) or in an annuity without a survivor benefit, and dies prior to payment of
such lump sum or commencement of such annuity due to the six-month delay in payment
required under either such Section, such lump sum or the amount that would have been
payable to such Participant as an annuity (with interest determined as provided above in
Section 3.2(b)(v)) shall be paid to such Participant’s Beneficiary on the six month
anniversary of the Participant’s Termination of Employment or Retirement, as the case may
be.



     3.3 Lump Sum Cash-Out of De Minimis Tophat Benefits. Notwithstanding any other
provision herein to the contrary, a Participant who Retires or incurs a Termination of Employment
and the sum of whose TDSP-Related Tophat Benefit and Retirement Plan-Related Tophat Benefit do not
together exceed the amount limitation applicable to accelerated cash-out of de minimis payments
permitted under Section 409A of the Code and the IRS guidance thereunder, shall be paid the value
of his or her tophat benefits hereunder in a lump sum on or before the later of (i)
December 31 of the calendar year in which the Termination of Employment or Retirement occurs or
(ii) the date that is 21/2 months after the date of the Termination of Employment or
Retirement.



ARTICLE 4

Beneficiary Designation




     4.1 Beneficiary Designation. Except with respect to benefits hereunder that are
payable solely to a surviving spouse, each Participant shall have the right, at any time, to
designate any person, persons or entity as his or her primary and secondary Beneficiary or
Beneficiaries to receive amounts payable under the Plan.



     4.2 Change of Beneficiary Designation. Any Beneficiary designation may be changed by
a Participant at any time by executing and filing a form prescribed by the Committee. The filing
of a new Beneficiary designation form will cancel all Beneficiary designations previously filed.
The Committee shall be entitled to rely on the last



13









 







designation filed by the Participant prior to his or her death. In addition, the Committee
may provide that the Beneficiary designation made under the DCP and/or Retirement Plan shall apply
to the respective tophats that may be provided under this Plan.



     4.3 No Beneficiary Designation. If a Participant fails to designate a Beneficiary in
accordance with Section 4.1, or if all designated Beneficiaries predecease the Participant or die
prior to complete distribution of the benefits (if any) payable under the Plan upon the
Participant’s death, then the Participant’s designated Beneficiary shall be deemed to be the
Participant’s surviving spouse. If the Participant has no surviving spouse, any benefits payable
under the Plan upon the Participant’s death shall be paid to the personal representative, executor
or administrator of the Participant’s estate.



     4.4 Effect of Payment. The payment of benefits under the Plan to the named
Beneficiary shall completely discharge the Employer’s obligations under this Plan.



ARTICLE 5

Termination and Modification




     5.1 Termination and Amendment. The Company reserves the right to terminate or amend
the Plan in whole or in part at any time. Such termination or amendment shall have a binding
effect on Participants and their Beneficiaries. Upon termination of the Plan, the Participants’
accounts shall be paid out in accordance with the distribution provisions contained in the Plan
immediately prior to such termination.



     5.2 Limited Power of President to Amend Plan. The President is empowered to amend,
restate or otherwise change the Plan (i) as counsel may advise to be necessary or
appropriate in order to ensure that the Plan continues to operate as a plan of deferred
compensation for tax purposes, remains exempt from many of the provisions of ERISA and otherwise
continues to fulfill the purposes for which the Plan was adopted and intended, (ii) as he
or she may deem necessary in order to make technical or clarifying changes not inconsistent with or
in order to fulfill the purposes of the Plan, (iii) as counsel may advise to be necessary
to reflect new or revised Legal Limits, and (iv) in other respects except as will
materially increase the cost of the Plan to the Company or its subsidiaries or the benefits of the
Plan to Participants.



ARTICLE 6

Administration




     6.1 Committee Duties. This Plan shall be administered by a Committee, the members of
which shall be appointed by the Board of Directors of the Company. The Committee shall have the
authority to make, amend, interpret, and enforce all appropriate rules, regulations, and procedures
for the administration of this Plan, and to decide or resolve any and all questions including
interpretations of this Plan, as may arise in connection with the Plan. Members of the Committee
who are eligible to participate in



14









 







the Plan may participate to the same extent as other Participants but shall not take part in
any determination directly relating only to their own participation or benefits.



     6.2 Agents. In the administration of this Plan, the Committee may, from time to time,
employ agents, including employees of the Company and Participants, and may delegate to them such
administrative duties as it sees fit, and may from time to time consult with counsel who may be
counsel to the Employer.



     6.3 Binding Effect of Decisions. The decision or action of the Committee with respect
to any question arising out of or in connection with the administration, interpretation and
application of the Plan and the rules and regulations promulgated hereunder shall be final,
conclusive and binding upon all persons having any interest in the Plan.



     6.4 Indemnity of Committee. The Company and Employer shall indemnify and hold
harmless the members of the Committee and their agents and delegates against any and all claims,
losses, damage, expense (including counsel fees) or liability arising from any action or failure to
act with respect to this Plan, except in the case of willful misconduct by the Committee or any of
its members or agents.



     6.5 Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary,
neither the Committee nor any delegate thereof shall take any action under the Plan, including
without limitation pursuant to this Section 6, which would result in the imposition of an
additional tax under section 409A of the Code on a Participant.



ARTICLE 7

Miscellaneous




     7.1 Unsecured General Creditor. Participants and their Beneficiaries, heirs,
successors and assigns shall have no legal or equitable rights, interest or claims in any property
or assets of any Employer, nor shall they be Beneficiaries of, or have any rights, claims or
interests in any life insurance policies, annuity contracts or the proceeds therefrom owned or
which may be acquired by the Employer (“Policies”). Such Policies or other assets of the
Employer shall not be held under any trust for the benefit of Participants, their Beneficiaries,
heirs, successors or assigns, or held in any way as collateral security for the fulfilling of the
obligations of the Employer under this Plan. Any and all of the Employer’s assets and Policies
shall be, and remain, the general assets of the Employer. The Employer’s obligation under the Plan
shall merely constitute an unfunded and unsecured promise of the Employer to pay money in the
future.



     7.2 Nonassignability. Neither a Participant nor any other person shall have any right
to sell, assign, transfer, pledge, mortgage or otherwise encumber, hypothecate or convey in advance
of actual receipt, the amounts, if any, payable hereunder, or any part thereof or interest therein.
No part of the amounts payable shall, prior to actual



15









 







payment, be subject to seizure or sequestration for the payment of any debts, judgments,
alimony or separate maintenance owed by a Participant or any other person, nor be transferable by
operation of law in the event of a Participant’s or any other person’s bankruptcy or insolvency.



     7.3 Not a Contract of Employment. The terms and conditions of this Plan shall not be
deemed to constitute a contract of employment between the Employer and the Participant, and the
Participant (or his or her Beneficiary) shall have no rights against the Employer except as may
otherwise be specifically provided herein. Moreover, nothing in this Plan shall be deemed to give
a Participant the right to be retained in the service of the Employer or to deny to the Employer
the right to discipline a Participant (including reducing his or her salary) or discharge him or
her at any time.



     7.4 Health Information. The Participant shall provide to the Company, if so requested
and as a precondition for Plan participation, all health information and other information as the
Company may require in order to purchase Policies.



     7.5 Governing Law. The provisions of the Plan shall be construed and interpreted
according to the laws of the State of New York.



     7.6 Withholding. All payments that are to be made by an Employer to a Participant
shall be subject to withholding for any and all taxes as the Employer in its discretion deems
appropriate.



     7.7 Binding Effect. The provisions of this Plan shall bind the Participant and his or
her Beneficiaries, and shall bind and inure to the benefit of the Employer and its successors and
assigns.



     7.8 Borrowing. No portions of any accounts may be borrowed by a Participant or his or
her Beneficiaries under this Plan.



     7.9 Validity. In case any provision of this Plan shall be illegal or invalid for any
reason, said illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts hereof, but this Plan
shall be construed and enforced as if such illegal and invalid provision had never been inserted
herein.



     7.10 Incapacity of Person Entitled To Payment. If the Committee shall reasonably
determine, upon evidence satisfactory to it, that it is not desirable, because of the incapacity of
the person who shall be entitled to receive any payment in accordance with the provisions of the
Plan, to make such payment directly to such person, the Committee may apply such payment for the
benefit of such person in any way that the Committee shall deem advisable, or the Committee may
make such payment to any third person who, in the judgment of the Committee, will apply such
payment for the benefit of the person entitled thereto. Such payment for the benefit of the person
entitled thereto, or



16









 







to a third person for his or her benefit, shall be a complete discharge of all liability with
respect to such payment. The Committee may retain any amount that would otherwise be payable in
accordance with the provisions of the Plan to a person who may be under legal disability until a
representative of such person competent to receive such payment on his or her behalf shall have
been appointed pursuant to law.



     7.11 Captions. The captions of the articles, sections and paragraphs of the Plan are
for convenience only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of its
provisions.



     7.12 Construction. Whenever any words are used herein in the singular or in the
plural, they shall be construed as though they were used in the plural or the singular, as the case
may be, in all cases where they would so apply.




17