Document:

Exhibit

EXHIBIT 10.21

STANDARD EXECUTIVE SEVERANCE AGREEMENT
BETWEEN
DESIGNER BRANDS INC.
AND
MARY TURNER
This Standard Executive Severance Agreement (“Agreement”) by and between Designer Brands Inc. (the “Company”) and Mary Turner (the “Executive”), collectively, the “Parties,” is effective as of the date signed (the “Effective Date”) and supersedes and replaces any other oral or written employment-related agreement or offer letters between the Executive and the Company.
The severance offer to the Executive is provided by the Company in exchange for the Executive’s performance of the obligations described in this Agreement. The Executive agrees that the severance offered is adequate consideration for the performance of the duties and the covenants and releases made and entered into by and between the Executive and the Company in this Agreement.
RECITALS
WHEREAS, the severance offer to the Executive is provided by the Company in exchange for the Executive’s performance of the obligations described in this Agreement. The Executive agrees that the severance offered is adequate consideration for the performance of the duties and the covenants and releases made and entered into by and between the Executive and the Company in this Agreement.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the Company and the Executive agree to the following:
AGREEMENT
1.00    EXECUTIVE’S OBLIGATIONS
1.01    Scope of Duties.  The Executive will:
[1]    Devote all available business time, best efforts and undivided attention to the Company’s business and affairs; and
[2]    Not engage in any other business activity, whether or not for gain, profit or other pecuniary benefit.
[3]    However, the restriction described in Section 1.02[1] and [2] will not preclude the Executive from:
[a]    Making or holding passive investments in outstanding shares in the securities of publicly-owned companies or other businesses [other than organizations described in Section 1.05], regardless of when and how that investment was made; or
[b]    Serving on corporate, civic, religious, educational and/or charitable boards or committees but only if this activity [i] does not interfere with the performance of duties under this Agreement and [ii] is approved by the Executive’s manager.
1.02    Confidential Information.
[1]    Obligation to Protect Confidential Information.  The Executive acknowledges that the Company and its subsidiaries, parent corporation and affiliated entities (collectively, “Group” and separately, “Group Member”) have a legitimate and continuing proprietary interest in the protection of Confidential Information (as defined in Section 1.02[2]) and have invested, and will continue to invest, substantial sums of money to develop, maintain and protect Confidential Information.  The Executive agrees [a] during and after employment with all Group Members whether or not such termination was voluntary [i] that any Confidential Information will be held in confidence and treated as proprietary to 

the Group, [ii] not to use or disclose any Confidential Information except to promote and advance the Group’s business interests and [b] immediately upon termination from employment with all Group Members, whether or not such termination was voluntary, to return to the Company any Confidential Information.
[2]    Definition of Confidential Information.  For purposes of this Agreement, Confidential Information includes any confidential data, figures, projections, estimates, pricing data, customer lists, buying manuals or procedures, distribution manuals or procedures, other policy and procedure manuals or handbooks, supplier information, tax records, personnel histories and records, information regarding sales, information regarding properties and any other Confidential Information regarding the business, operations, properties or personnel of the Group (or any Group Member) which are disclosed to or learned by the Executive as a result of employment with any Group Member, but will not include [a] the Executive’s personal personnel records or [b] any information that [i] the Executive possessed before the date of initial employment (including periods before the Effective Date) with any Group Member that was a matter of public knowledge, [ii] became or becomes a matter of public knowledge through sources independent of the Executive, [iii] has been or is disclosed by any Group Member expressly providing for no restrictions on its use, [iv] has been or is required to be disclosed by law or governmental order or regulation or [v] the Executive discloses to the appropriate governmental or regulatory agency solely for the purpose of reporting, participating in an investigation of, or participating in a proceeding involving a suspected violation of law.  The Executive also agrees that, if there is any reasonable doubt whether an item is public knowledge, to not regard the item as public knowledge until and unless the General Counsel of the Company confirms to the Executive that the information is public knowledge or an arbitrator, acting under Section 6.00, finally decides that the information is public knowledge.
[3]    Intellectual Property.  The Executive expressly acknowledges that all right, title and interest to all inventions, designs, discoveries, works of authorship, and ideas conceived, produced, created, discovered, authored, or reduced to practice during the Executive’s performance of services under this Agreement, whether individually or jointly with any Group Member (the “Intellectual Property”) shall be owned solely by the Group, and shall be subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 1.02[1] above.  All Intellectual Property which constitutes copyrightable subject matter under the applicable copyright laws shall, from the inception of creation, be deemed to be a "work made for hire" under the applicable copyright laws and all right, title and interest in and to such copyrightable works shall vest in the Group.  All right, title and interest in and to all Intellectual Property developed or produced under this Agreement by the Executive, whether constituting patentable subject matter or copyrightable subject matter (to the extent deemed not to be a "work made for hire") or otherwise, shall be assigned and is hereby irrevocably assigned to the Group by the Executive.  The Executive shall, without any additional consideration, execute all documents and take all other actions needed to convey the Executive’s complete ownership interest in any Intellectual Property to the Group so that the Group may own and protect such Intellectual Property and obtain patent, copyright and trademark registrations for it.  The Executive agrees that any Group Member may alter or modify the Intellectual Property at the Group Member’s sole discretion, and the Executive waives all right to claim or disclaim authorship.
1.03    Solicitation of Employees.  The Executive agrees that during employment, and for the longer of any period of salary continuation or for two years after terminating employment with all Group Members, whether or not such termination was voluntary, Executive will [1] not, directly or indirectly, solicit any employee of any Group Member to leave employment with the Group, [2] not, directly or indirectly, employ or seek to employ any employee of any Group Member and [3] not cause or induce any of the Group’s (or Group Member’s) competitors to solicit for employment or employ any employee of any Group Member.
1.04    Solicitation of Third Parties.  The Executive agrees that during employment, and for the longer of any period of salary continuation or for two years after terminating employment with all Group Members, whether or not such termination was voluntary, not, directly or indirectly, to recruit, solicit or otherwise induce or influence any customer, supplier, sales representative, lender, lessor, lessee or any other person having a business relationship with the Group (or any Group Member) to discontinue or reduce the extent of that relationship except in the course of discharging the duties described in this Agreement and with the good faith objective of advancing the Group’s (or any Group Member’s) business interests.
1.05    Non-Competition.  The Executive agrees that for the longer of any period of salary continuation or for one year after terminating employment with all Group Members, not, directly or indirectly, to accept employment with, act as a consultant to, or otherwise perform services that are substantially the same or similar to those for which the Executive was compensated by any Group Member (this comparison will be based on job-related functions and responsibilities and not on job title) for any business that directly competes with the Group’s (or any Group Member’s) business within the United States or Canada, which is understood by the Parties to be the sale of significant branded footwear regardless of whether it is offered at full-price, at discount or off-price, and regardless of the channel of distribution (such as department stores, specialty retail stores, for sale at “first-cost” or wholesale rates and/or for sale online), and the manufacture and design of footwear. Illustrations of businesses that compete with the Group’s business include, but are not limited to, Amazon (footwear and accessories); Caleres Inc.; Champs Sports; Deckers 

Outdoor; Dick’s Sporting Goods; Famous Footwear; Finish Line; Foot Locker; Genesco; Kohl’s (footwear); Macy’s; Marc Fisher Footwear; Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack (Non-apparel); Off Broadway Shoes; Shoe Carnival; Sketchers USA; Steve Madden; Stuart Weitzman; Walmart; Wolverine World Wide; and Zappos. This restriction applies to any parent, division, affiliate, newly formed or purchased business(es) and/or successor of a business that competes with the Group’s (or any Group Member’s) business.
1.06    Post-Termination Cooperation.  As is required of the Executive during employment, the Executive agrees that during and after employment with any Group Members and without additional compensation (other than reimbursement for reasonable associated expenses), to cooperate with the Group (and with each Group Member) in the following areas:
[1]    Cooperation With the Company.  The Executive agrees [a] to be reasonably available to answer questions for the Group’s (and any Group Member’s) officers regarding any matter, project, initiative or effort for which the Executive was responsible while employed by any Group Member and [b] to cooperate with the Group (and with each Group Member) during the course of all third-party proceedings arising out of the Group’s (and any Group Member’s) business about which the Executive has knowledge or information.  For purposes of this Agreement, [c] “proceedings” includes internal investigations, administrative investigations or proceedings, arbitrations, and lawsuits (including pre-trial discovery and trial testimony) and [d] “cooperation” includes [i] the Executive being reasonably available for interviews, meetings, depositions, hearings and/or trials without the need for subpoena or assurances by the Group (or any Group Member), [ii] preserving and providing any and all documents in the Executive’s possession that relate to the proceeding, and [iii] providing assistance in locating any and all relevant notes and/or documents.
[2]    Cooperation With Third Parties.  Unless compelled to do so by lawfully-served subpoena or court order, the Executive agrees not to communicate with, or give statements or testimony to, any opposing attorney, opposing attorney’s representative (including private investigator) or current or former employee relating to any matter (including pending or threatened lawsuits or administrative investigations) about which the Executive has knowledge or information (other than knowledge or information that is not Confidential Information as defined in Section 1.02[2]) as a result of employment with the Group (or any Group Member) except in cooperation with the Company.  The Executive also agrees to notify the General Counsel of the Company immediately after being contacted by a third party or receiving a subpoena or court order to appear and testify with respect to any matter affected by this Section.
[3]    Cooperation With Media.  The Executive agrees not to communicate with, or give statements to, any member of the media (including print, television or radio media) relating to any matter (including pending or threatened lawsuits or administrative investigations) about which the Executive has knowledge or information (other than knowledge or information that is not Confidential Information as defined in Section 1.02[2]) as a result of employment with the Group (or any Group Member).  The Executive also agrees to notify the General Counsel of the Company immediately after being contacted by any member of the media with respect to any matter affected by this Section.
1.07    Non-Disparagement.  The Executive and the Company (on its behalf and on behalf of the Group and each Group Member) agree that neither will make any disparaging remarks about the other and the Executive will not make any disparaging remarks about the Company’s Chairman, Chief Executive Officer or any of the Group’s senior executives.  However, this Section will not preclude [1] any remarks that may be made by the Executive under the terms of Section 1.06[2] or that are required to discharge the duties described in this Agreement or [2] the Company from making (or eliciting from any person) disparaging remarks about the Executive concerning any conduct that may lead to a termination for Cause, as defined in Section 2.03 (including initiating an inquiry or investigation that may result in a termination for Cause), but only to the extent reasonably necessary to investigate the Executive’s conduct and to protect the Group’s (or any Group Member’s) interests.
1.08    Notice of Subsequent Employment.  The Executive agrees to immediately notify the Company of any subsequent employment during the period of salary continuation after employment terminates.
1.09    Nondisclosure.  The Executive agrees not to disclose the terms of this Agreement in any manner to any person other than the Executive’s manager, one of the Company’s Vice Presidents of Human Resources (or any Company representative they expressly approve for such disclosure), the Executive’s personal attorney, accountant and financial advisor, and the Executive’s immediate family or as otherwise required by law.
1.10    Remedies.  The Executive acknowledges that money will not adequately compensate the Group for the substantial damages that will arise upon the breach of any provision of Section 1.00.  For this reason, any disputes arising under Section 1.00 will not be subject to arbitration under Section 6.00.  If the Executive breaches or threatens to breach any provision of Section 1.00, the Company will be entitled, in addition to other rights and remedies, to specific performance, injunctive relief and other equitable relief to prevent or restrain any breach or threatened breach of Section 1.00.

1.11    Return of Company Property.  Upon termination of employment, the Executive agrees to promptly return to the Company all property belonging to the Group or any Group Member.
2.00    TERMINATION AND RELATED BENEFITS
2.01    Rules of General Application.  The following rules apply generally to the implementation of Section 2.00:
[1]    Method of Payment.  The Company may elect, but is not obligated, to pay any installment payments as a lump sum.
[2]    Application of Pro Rata.  Any pro rata share required to be paid under Section 2.00 will be based on the number of days between the first day of the fiscal year during which the Executive terminates employment and the date that the Executive terminates employment divided by the number of days in the fiscal year during which the Executive terminates employment.
2.02    Involuntary Termination Without Cause.  The Company may terminate the Executive’s employment at any time Without Cause (as defined below) by delivering to the Executive a written notice specifying the date termination is to be effective.  If all requirements of this Agreement are met, the Company will make the following payments and provide the following entitlements to the Executive as of the effective date of Involuntary Termination Without Cause:
[1]    Base Salary.  For twelve (12) months beginning on the date of Involuntary Termination Without Cause, the Company will continue to pay the Executive’s base salary at the rate in effect on the effective date of Involuntary Termination Without Cause. As a condition of this salary continuation, the Executive is expected to promptly and reasonably pursue new employment.  If during the salary continuation period the Executive becomes employed either as an employee or a consultant, the Executive’s base salary paid by the Company will be reduced by fifty percent (50%) of the base salary amount, or such lesser percentage required to ensure the Executive receives no less than the minimum entitlements under the applicable employment standards legislation, for the remainder of the salary continuation period. The Executive agrees to immediately notify the Company of any subsequent employment or consulting work during the period of salary continuation.
[2]    Benefits.  The Executive will continue to accrue vacation pay until the end of the statutory notice period under the applicable employment standards legislation. The Company will continue all the Executive’s existing benefits for the minimum period required by the applicable employment standards legislation.  Thereafter, the Company will only continue the Executive’s health and dental benefits until the Executive becomes eligible for similar coverage under another benefit plan, or the end of the salary continuation period, whichever occurs first. The Executive agrees to immediately notify the Company if the Executive becomes eligible for coverage under another benefit plan.
[3]    Cash Incentive Bonus.  The Company will pay to the Executive a “Severance Cash Incentive Bonus” in the amount of the pro-rata share of any Cash Incentive Bonus that would have been paid to the Executive had the Executive not been involuntarily terminated Without Cause. The pro-rated bonus will be calculated based on the extent to which performance standards are met on the last day of the year in which the Executive is involuntarily terminated Without Cause and will be paid at the same time as all other participants. No other cash incentive bonus will be paid to the Executive, and by signing below the Executive waives all rights to claim damages for lost cash incentive bonus or the lost opportunity to earn a cash incentive bonus as a result of being terminated Without Cause.

 [4]    Equity Incentives.  Subject to the terms of the Designer Brands Inc. 2005 Equity Incentive Plan, the Designer Brands Inc. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, any future shareholder approved Company equity plan, and any applicable agreement, the Executive shall have the following rights: 

[a]   For these purposes, “Award” means any award granted under the Designer Brands Inc. 2005 Equity Incentive Plan, the Designer Brands Inc. 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, any future shareholder approved Company equity plan, and any other agreement, as such term is defined in the applicable plan. 

		
	[b]
	With respect to nonqualified stock options, Executive will have ninety (90) days from the effective date of Involuntary Termination Without Cause, or the grant expiration date set forth in the applicable stock option agreement between the Executive and the Company, whichever period is shorter, to exercise any portion of any outstanding nonqualified stock options that are vested and exercisable on the effective date of Involuntary Termination Without Cause, subject to the trading rules set forth in the Company’s policies and procedures, including the Designer Brands Inc. Insider Trading policy. 

		
	[c]
	With respect to Awards that would vest solely upon the passage of time and such vesting date would occur within the twelve (12) month period following the effective date of Involuntary Termination Without Cause, such Award shall vest and, if applicable, be awarded to the Executive as of the date of termination Without Cause.  

		
	[d]
	With respect to Awards that would vest upon the satisfaction of a specified requirement, or upon satisfaction of the passage of time and satisfaction of a specified requirement; in the event that all such requirements are satisfied prior to the expiration of the twelve (12) month period following the date of termination Without Cause, such Award shall vest and be awarded to the Executive upon the satisfaction of all applicable requirements.

 
[5]    Other.  Any rights accruing to the Executive under any other employee benefit plan, fund or program maintained by any Group Member will be distributed or made available as required by the terms of the plan fund or program or as required by the applicable employment standards legislation. In no circumstance will the Executive receive less than the minimum entitlements under the applicable employment standards legislation arising from termination of the Executive’s employment Without Cause.
2.03    Definition of Cause.  For these purposes, Cause means the Executive’s [a] breach of Section 1.00 of this Agreement, including Scope of Duties, Confidential Information, Solicitation of Employees, Solicitation of Third Parties, Non-Competition, Post-Termination Cooperation, Non-Disparagement, Nondisclosure, and Return of Company Property; [b] willful, illegal or grossly negligent conduct that is materially injurious to the Company or any Group Member monetarily or otherwise; [c] violation of laws or regulations governing the Company or to any Group Member; [d] breach of any fiduciary duty owed to the Company or any Group Member, expressly including the duties of good faith, ordinary care, and to act in a manner that is not opposed to the best interests of the Company; [e] material misrepresentation or dishonesty in violation of the Company’s policies and procedures; [f] involvement in any act of moral turpitude that has or could reasonably have an injurious effect on the Company (or any Group Member) or its reputation; or [g] breach of the terms of any non-solicitation or confidentiality clauses contained in any agreement(s) with a former employer. By way of non-limiting example, conduct constituting Cause under part [f] of this Section 2.03 includes the Executive’s engagement in or facilitation of, as determined by the Company, any form of harassment, sexual or otherwise, or any other sexual misconduct. The Company’s dissatisfaction with the Executive’s performance, or the business results achieved, shall not, in and of itself, constitute Cause under this Section.
2.04    Subsequent Information.  The terms of Section 2.03 will apply if, after the Executive terminates, the Company learns of an event that, had it been known before the Executive terminated employment, would have justified a termination for Cause.  In this case, the Company will be entitled to recover (and the Executive agrees to repay) any amounts (other than legally protected benefits) that the Executive received.
For purposes of this Agreement, “Involuntary Termination Without Cause” and “Without Cause” mean termination of the Executive’s employment by the Company for any reason other than those set forth in Section 2.03 or 2.04.
2.05    Termination With Cause.  The Company reserves the right to terminate the Executive’s employment at any time without notice, pay in lieu of notice, severance pay, or other liability, for Cause. The Company will comply with its minimum obligations under the applicable employment standards legislation arising from the termination of the Executive’s employment for Cause.
2.06     Termination By Resignation.  The Executive may resign from her employment by giving the Company not less than two (2) weeks’ written notice, which notice may, at the Company’s option, be waived in whole or in part. If the Company elects to waive such notice in whole or in part in its sole discretion, the Executive will no longer be required to work, the Executive will receive all compensation and benefits to which she is entitled under this Agreement up until her last day of work, and thereafter the Company will have no further financial or other obligation to the Executive under contract, statute, or common law. By signing below, the Executive expressly agrees that the Company’s election to waive the Executive’s notice of resignation in the manner described above will not amount to a termination of the Executive’s employment by the Company.
2.07     Temporary Layoff.  The Executive agrees that the Company has the right to lay the Executive off temporarily from her employment as an alternative to termination of employment.  The Executive agrees that her employment is subject to temporary lay-off (as defined by applicable employment standards legislation) in the sole discretion of the Company.   In the event of a temporary lay-off, the Executive will not be entitled to any notice, pay in lieu of notice, severance pay, or any other payment whatsoever except as expressly required by the Executive’s applicable employment standards legislation.  Further, the Executive agrees that the Company may reduce the Executive’s base salary at any time as may be required by business needs and as determined 

in the Company’s sole discretion. The Executive agrees that such a salary reduction or a temporary lay-off will not constitute a termination of employment, a constructive dismissal or a breach of contract.
3.00    NOTICE
3.01    How Given.  Any notice permitted or required to be given under this Agreement must be given in writing and delivered in person or by registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or through Federal Express, UPS, DHL or any other reputable professional delivery service that maintains a confirmation of delivery system.  Any delivery must be addressed to the Company’s General Counsel at the Company’s then-current corporate offices or to the Executive at the Executive’s address as contained in the Executive’s personnel file.
3.02    Effective Date.  Any notice permitted or required to be given under this Agreement will be effective on the date it is delivered, in the event of personal delivery, or on the date its receipt is acknowledged, in the event of delivery by registered mail or through a professional delivery service described in Section 3.01.
4.00    RELEASE
In exchange for the payments and entitlements described in Section 2.02 of this Agreement, upon termination the Executive and the Executive’s personal or legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors, heirs, distributees, devisees, legatees and assigns (together, the “Executive Representatives”) agree to execute a release forever discharging the Company, the Group and each Group Member and their executives, officers, directors, agents, attorneys, successors and assigns, from any and all claims, suits and/or causes of action that grow out of or are in any way related to the Executive’s recruitment to or employment with the Company and all Group Members, other than: (i) any claim that the Company has breached this Agreement, and (ii) any charge filed with an administrative agency (although the Executive and the Executive Representatives waives any right to recover any money or other benefits arising from such charge(s)). This release includes, but is not limited to, any claims that the Company, the Group or any Group Member violated any law prohibiting discrimination, harassment or retaliation in employment; any claim of promissory estoppel or detrimental reliance, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress; or any federal, provincial or local law.  If the Executive or the Executive Representatives fails to execute this release, the Executive or the Executive Representatives agrees to receive only the minimum entitlements under the applicable employment standards legislation.  Specifically, the Executive and the Executive Representatives agree that a necessary condition for the receipt of any of the amounts or entitlements in excess of the minimum entitlements under the applicable employment standards legislation described in Section 2.00 in the event of termination is the Executive’s or the Executive Representatives’ execution of this release upon termination of employment. The Executive acknowledges that the Executive is an experienced senior executive knowledgeable about the claims that might arise in the course of employment with the Company and knowingly agrees that the payments upon termination provided for in this Agreement are satisfactory consideration for the release of all possible claims. The Executive is advised to consult with an attorney prior to executing this Agreement.
5.00    INSURANCE
To the extent permitted by law and its organizational documents, the Company will include the Executive under any liability insurance policy the Company maintains for employees of comparable status.  The level of coverage will be at least as favorable to the Executive (in amount and each other material respect) as the coverage of other employees of comparable status.  This obligation to provide insurance for the Executive will survive termination of this Agreement with respect to proceedings or threatened proceedings based on acts or omissions occurring during the Executive’s employment with the Company or with any Group Member.
6.00    ARBITRATION
6.01    Acknowledgement of Arbitration.  Unless stated otherwise in this Agreement, the Parties agree that arbitration is the sole and exclusive remedy for each of them to resolve and redress any dispute, claim or controversy involving the interpretation of this Agreement or the terms, conditions or termination of this Agreement or the terms, conditions or termination of the Executive’s employment with the Group and with each Group Member, including any claims for any tort, breach of contract, violation of public policy or discrimination, whether such claim arises under federal or state law.
6.02    Scope of Arbitration.  The Executive expressly understands and agrees that claims subject to arbitration under this Section include asserted violations of any law prohibiting discrimination, harassment or retaliation in employment; any claim of promissory estoppel or detrimental reliance, defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress; or any federal, provincial or local law.

6.03    Effect of Arbitration.  The Parties intend that any arbitration award relating to any matter described in Section 6.00 will be final and binding on them and that a judgment on the award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction, and enforcement may be had according to the terms of that award.  This Section will survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement.
6.04    Location of Arbitration.  Arbitration will be held in Toronto, Ontario, and will be conducted in accordance with the Arbitration Act, 1991 by a qualified arbitrator.  The arbitrator will be mutually agreed upon by the Parties and the arbitration will be conducted in accordance with the National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes of the American Arbitration Association.  The Parties will have the right to conduct discovery pursuant to the Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure; provided, however, that the arbitrator will have the authority to establish an expedited discovery schedule and cutoff and to resolve any discovery disputes.  The arbitrator will have no jurisdiction or authority to change any provision of this Agreement by alterations of, additions to or subtractions from the terms of this Agreement.  The arbitrator’s sole authority will be to interpret or apply any provision(s) of this Agreement or any public law alleged to have been violated.  The arbitrator will be limited to awarding compensatory damages, including unpaid wages or benefits, but, to the extent allowed by law, will have no authority to award punitive, exemplary or similar-type damages.
6.05    Time for Initiating Arbitration.  Any claim or controversy not sought to be submitted to arbitration, in writing, within one-hundred-twenty (120) days of the date the Party asserting the claim knew, or through reasonable diligence should have known, of the facts giving rise to that Party’s claim, will be deemed waived and the Party asserting the claim will have no further right to seek arbitration or recovery with respect to that claim or controversy.  Both Parties agree to strictly comply with the time limitation specified in Section 6.00.  For purposes of this Section, a claim or controversy is sought to be submitted to arbitration on the date the complaining Party gives written notice to the other that [1] an issue has arisen or is likely to arise that, unless resolved otherwise, may be resolved through arbitration under Section 6.00 and [2] unless the issue is resolved otherwise, the complaining Party intends to submit the matter to arbitration under the terms of Section 6.00.
6.06    Costs of Arbitration.  The Company will bear the arbitrator’s fee and other costs associated with any arbitration, unless the arbitrator, acting under Ontario Rules of Civil Procedure 54(b), elects to award these fees to the Company.
6.07    Arbitration Exclusive Remedy.  The Parties acknowledge that, because arbitration is the exclusive remedy for resolving issues arising under this Agreement, neither Party may resort to any  court or administrative agency concerning breaches of this Agreement or any other matter subject to arbitration under Section 6.00, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, and that the decision of the arbitrator will be a complete defense to any suit, action or proceeding instituted in any court or before any administrative agency with respect to any arbitrable claim or controversy.
6.08    Waiver of Jury.  The Executive and the Company each waive the right to have a claim or dispute with one another decided in a judicial forum or by a jury, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement.
7.00    GENERAL PROVISIONS
7.01    Representation of Executive.  The Executive represents and warrants that the Executive is not under any contractual or legal restraint that prevents or prohibits the Executive from entering into this Agreement or performing the duties and obligations described in this Agreement.
7.02    Modification or Waiver; Entire Agreement.  No provision of this Agreement may be modified or waived except in a document signed by the Executive and the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Administrative Officer or other person designated by the Company’s Board of Directors. This Agreement (including the recitals to this Agreement which are incorporated and shall constitute a part of this Agreement), and any attachments referenced in the Agreement, constitute the entire agreement between the Executive and the Group regarding the employment relationship described in this Agreement, and any other agreements are superseded, replaced, terminated and of no further force or legal effect.  No agreements or representations, oral or otherwise, with respect to the Executive’s employment relationship with the Company have been made or relied upon by either Party which are not set forth expressly in this Agreement.
7.03    Governing Law; Severability.  This Agreement is intended to be performed in accordance with, and only to the extent permitted by, all applicable laws, ordinances, rules and regulations.  If any provision of this Agreement, or the application of any provision of this Agreement to any person or circumstance, is, for any reason and to any extent, held invalid or unenforceable, such invalidity and unenforceability will not affect the remaining provisions of this Agreement of its application to other persons or circumstances, all of which will be enforced to the greatest extent permitted by law and the Executive and the Company agree that the arbitrator (or judge) is authorized to reform the invalid or enforceable provision [1] to the extent needed to avoid the invalidity or unenforceability and [2] in a manner that is as similar as possible to the intent (as described in this Agreement).  The 

validity, construction and interpretation of this Agreement and the rights and duties of the Parties will be governed by the laws of the Province of Ontario.
7.04    No Waiver.  Except as otherwise provided in Section 6.05, failure to insist upon strict compliance with any term of this Agreement will not be considered a waiver of any such term.
7.05  Withholding.  All payments made to the Executive under this Agreement will be reduced by any amount:
[1]     That the Company is required to withhold in advance payment of the Executive’s federal, provincial and local income, wage and employment tax liability; and
[2]    To the extent allowed by law, that the Executive owes (or, after employment is deemed to owe) to the Company.
However, application of Section 7.05[2] will not extinguish the Company’s right to seek additional amounts from the Executive (or to pursue other appropriate remedies) to the extent that the amount that may be recovered by application of Section 7.05[2] does not fully discharge the amount the Executive owes to the Company and does not preclude the Company from proceeding directly against the Executive without first exhausting its right of recovery under Section 7.05[2].
7.06    Survival.  Subject to the terms of the Executive’s Beneficiary designation form, the Parties agree that the covenants and promises set forth in this Agreement will survive the termination of this Agreement and continue in full force and effect.
7.07    Miscellaneous.
[1]    The Executive may not assign any right or interest to, or in, any payments payable under this Agreement; provided, however, that this prohibition does not preclude the Executive from designating in writing one or more beneficiaries to receive any amount that may be payable after the Executive’s death and does not preclude the legal representative of the Executive’s estate from assigning any right under this Agreement to the person or persons entitled to it.
[2]    This Agreement will be binding upon and will inure to the benefit of the Executive, the Executive’s heirs and legal representatives and the Company and its successors.
[3]    The headings in this Agreement are inserted for convenience of reference only and will not be a part of or control or affect the meaning of any provision of the Agreement.
7.08    Successors to Company.  This Agreement may and will be assigned or transferred to, and will be binding upon and will inure to the benefit of, any successor of the Company, and any successor will be substituted for the Company under the terms of this Agreement.  As used in this Agreement, the term “successor” means any person, firm, corporation or business entity which at any time, whether by merger, purchase or otherwise, acquires all or essentially all of the assets of the business of the Company.  Notwithstanding any assignment, the Company will remain, with any successor, jointly and severally liable for all its obligations under this Agreement.

 [Signature Page Follows]

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have duly executed and delivered this Agreement, which includes an arbitration provision, and consists of 15 pages.

EXECUTIVE
/s/ Mary Turner                
Mary Turner
Dated:  April 8, 2020
DESIGNER BRANDS INC.
/s/ Roger Rawlins                
Roger Rawlins
Chief Executive Officer
Dated:  April 9, 2020Exhibit

EXHIBIT 10.3.2

DESIGNER BRANDS INC. 
RESTRICTED STOCK UNITS AGREEMENT
This Agreement is entered into in Franklin County, Ohio. On the Grant Date, Designer Brands Inc., an Ohio corporation (the “Company”), has awarded to the Participant Restricted Stock Units (the “Restricted Stock Units” or “Award”), representing an unfunded unsecured promise of the Company to deliver common shares, without par value, of the Company (the “Shares”) to the Participant as set forth herein. The Restricted Stock Units have been granted pursuant to the Designer Brands Inc. 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as amended (the “Plan”), and shall be subject to all provisions of the Plan, which are incorporated herein by reference, and shall be subject to the provisions of this Restricted Stock Units Agreement (this “Agreement”). Capitalized terms used in this Agreement which are not specifically defined shall have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Plan. To the extent the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement differ in any way from the terms and conditions set forth in the Plan, the terms of the Plan shall govern.
1. Vesting. The Restricted Stock Units shall vest on the          anniversary of the grant date (the “Vesting Date”), provided that the Participant has been continuously employed with the Company or any Subsidiary except as otherwise provided in this Agreement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event of a Change in Control before the Participant’s Employment Termination, the Restricted Stock Units shall become fully and immediately vested as of the date of consummation of the Change in Control. 
2. Non-Transferable and Unsecured Rights. Except as otherwise provided under this Agreement and the Plan, until the Restricted Stock Units have vested under this Agreement, the Restricted Stock Units granted herein and the rights and privileges conferred hereby may not be sold, transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution. Any attempted transfer in violation of the provisions of this paragraph shall be void, and the purported transferee shall obtain no rights with respect to such Restricted Stock Units.
 The right of the Participant or his or her beneficiary to receive a distribution hereunder shall be an unsecured claim against the general assets of the Company, and neither the Participant nor his or her beneficiary shall have any rights in or against any specific assets of the Company. The Restricted Stock Units granted herein shall constitute general assets of the Company and may be disposed of by the Company at such time and for such purposes, as it may deem appropriate.
3. Termination of Employment.
(a) General. Except as set forth below or as otherwise provided for in an Employment Arrangement (as defined below in Section 14), if an Employment Termination occurs prior to the Vesting Date, then the Participant’s Award will be cancelled and all Restricted Stock Units shall be forfeited by the Participant. The Participant will thereupon cease to have any right or entitlement to receive any Shares with respect to those cancelled Restricted Stock Units. 
 (b) Death and Disability. If an Employment Termination occurs prior to the vesting in full of the Restricted Stock Units by reason of the Participant’s death or Disability, then any unvested Restricted Stock Units shall, except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, immediately vest in full and shall not be forfeited.
4.     Payment. Once Restricted Stock Units have vested under this Agreement, the Company will determine the number of Shares represented by the Restricted Stock Units and deliver the total number of Shares due to the Participant as soon as administratively possible after such date (but in no event later than the 15th day of the third month after such date). In the event of the Participant’s death, payment shall be made to the Participant’s designated beneficiary, or absent such designation, in accordance with the laws of descent and distribution. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, if, in the reasonable determination of the Company, the Participant is a “specified employee” for purposes of Code Section 409A, then, if necessary to avoid the imposition of additional taxes or interest under Code Section 409A, the Company shall not deliver the Shares otherwise payable upon the Participant’s termination and separation of Service until the first business day after the date that is at least 6 months following the Participant’s termination and separation of Service. The delivery of the Shares shall be subject to payment of the applicable withholding tax liability and the forfeiture provisions of this Agreement. 
5.     Dividend Equivalents. To the extent that cash dividends are paid on Shares after the Grant Date and before the date the Participant receives the Shares subject to Restricted Stock Units subject to this Agreement, the Restricted Stock Units hereunder will be credited with an additional number of Restricted Stock Units to reflect reinvested dividend equivalents with respect to the period of time between the Grant Date and the delivery of Shares under this Agreement. Such dividend equivalent credits will be equal in value (based on the reported dividend rate on the date dividends were paid) to the amount of dividends paid on the Shares represented by the Restricted Stock Units under this Agreement. The Restricted Stock Units will be credited with whole Restricted Stock Units equal to the dollar amount of the reinvested dividend equivalents based on the Fair Market Value on the dividend 

payment dates. The Participant shall vest in the additional Restricted Stock Units in accordance with Sections 1 and 3 of the Agreement in the same manner that the Participant vests in the original grant of Restricted Stock Units. These additional Restricted Stock Units will be distributed in whole Shares in accordance with Section 4 of this Agreement.
6.     Right of Set-Off. By accepting these Restricted Stock Units, the Participant consents to a deduction from, and set-off against, any amounts owed to the Participant by the Company or a Subsidiary from time to time (including, but not limited to, amounts owed to the Participant as wages, severance payments or other fringe benefits) to the extent of the amounts owed to the Company or a Subsidiary by the Participant under this Agreement.
7.    No Shareholder Rights. The Participant shall have no rights of a shareholder with respect to the Restricted Stock Units, including, without limitation, voting rights and actual dividend rights with respect to the Shares represented by the Restricted Stock Units. 
8.     Withholding Tax.
(a) Generally. The Participant is liable and responsible for all taxes owed in connection with the Restricted Stock Units regardless of any action the Company takes with respect to any tax withholding obligations that arise in connection with the Restricted Stock Units. The Company does not make any representation or undertaking regarding the tax treatment or the treatment of any tax withholding in connection with the grant or vesting of the Restricted Stock Units or the subsequent sale of Shares issuable pursuant to the Restricted Stock Units. The Company does not commit and is under no obligation to structure the Restricted Stock Units to reduce or eliminate the Participant’s tax liability. 
(b) Payment of Withholding Taxes. Prior to any event in connection with the Restricted Stock Units (e.g., vesting or settlement) that the Company determines may result in any domestic or foreign tax withholding obligation, whether national, federal, state or local, including any employment tax obligation (the “Tax Withholding Obligation”), the Participant is required to arrange for the satisfaction of the minimum amount of such Tax Withholding Obligation in a manner acceptable to the Company. Unless the Participant elects to satisfy the Tax Withholding Obligation by an alternative means that is then permitted by the Company, the Participant’s acceptance of this Agreement constitutes the Participant’s instruction and authorization to the Company to withhold on the Participant’s behalf the number of shares from those Shares issuable to the Participant at the time when the Restricted Stock Units become vested and payable as the Company determines to be sufficient to satisfy the Tax Withholding Obligation. In the case of any amounts withheld for taxes pursuant to this provision in the form of Shares, the amount withheld shall not exceed the minimum required by applicable law and regulations. The Participant will be liable for the payment of the employee share of the FICA (Social Security and Medicare) taxes applicable to the Shares subject to the Participant at the time those Shares vest, and not at the time they are subsequently issued. No additional FICA taxes will be due when the Shares are actually issued. FICA taxes will be based on the closing selling price of the Shares on the date those Shares vest under the Award.
9.     Governing Law/Venue for Dispute Resolution. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Ohio, without regard to principles of conflicts of law, except to the extent superceded by the laws of the United States of America. The parties agree and acknowledge that the laws of the State of Ohio bear a substantial relationship to the parties and/or this Agreement and that the Restricted Stock Units and benefits granted herein would not be granted without the governance of this Agreement by the laws of the State of Ohio. In addition, all legal actions or proceedings relating to this Agreement shall be brought exclusively in state or federal courts located in Franklin County, Ohio and the parties executing this Agreement hereby consent to the personal jurisdiction of such courts. Any provision of this Agreement which is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable should be construed or limited in a manner that is valid and enforceable and that comes closest to the business objectives intended by such provision, without invalidating or rendering unenforceable the remaining provisions of this Agreement. 
10. Action by the Committee. The parties agree that the interpretation of this Agreement shall rest exclusively and completely within the sole discretion of the Committee. The parties agree to be bound by the decisions of the Committee with regard to the interpretation of this Agreement and with regard to any and all matters set forth in this Agreement. The Committee may delegate its functions under this Agreement to an officer of the Company designated by the Committee (hereinafter the “Designee”). In fulfilling its responsibilities hereunder, the Committee or its Designee may rely upon documents, written statements of the parties or such other material as the Committee or its Designee deems appropriate. The parties agree that there is no right to be heard or to appear before the Committee or its Designee and that any decision of the Committee or its Designee relating to this Agreement shall be final and binding unless such decision is arbitrary and capricious. 
11. Prompt Acceptance of Agreement. The Restricted Stock Units grant evidenced by this Agreement shall, at the discretion of the Committee, be forfeited if this Agreement is not manually executed and returned to the Company, or electronically executed by the Participant by indicating the Participant’s acceptance of this Agreement in accordance with the acceptance procedures set forth on the Company’s third-party equity plan administrator’s web site, within 90 days of the Grant Date.

12. Electronic Delivery and Consent to Electronic Participation. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to the Restricted Stock Units grant under and participation in the Plan or future Restricted Stock Units that may be granted under the Plan by electronic means or to request the Participant’s consent to participate in the Plan by electronic means. The Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or another third party designated by the Company, including the acceptance of restricted stock unit grants and the execution of restricted stock unit agreements through electronic signature. 
13. Notices. All notices, requests, consents and other communications required or provided under this Agreement to be delivered by the Participant to the Company will be in writing and will be deemed sufficient if delivered by hand, facsimile, nationally recognized overnight courier, or certified or 
registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, and will be effective upon delivery to the Company at the address set forth below: 

Designer Brands Inc. 
810 DSW Drive 
Columbus, Ohio 43219 
Attention: Chief Administrative Officer 
Facsimile: (614) 872-1475

With a copy to:

Designer Brands Inc. 
810 DSW Drive 
Columbus, Ohio 43219 
Attention: General Counsel 
Facsimile: (614) 872-1475
All notices, requests, consents and other communications required or provided under this Agreement to be delivered by the Company to the Participant may be delivered by e-mail or in writing and will be deemed sufficient if delivered by e-mail, hand, facsimile, nationally recognized overnight courier, or certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, and will be effective upon delivery to the Participant. 
14. Employment Agreement, Offer Letter or Other Arrangement. To the extent a written employment agreement, offer letter or other arrangement (“Employment Arrangement”) that was approved by the Committee or the Board of Directors or that was approved in writing by an officer of the Company pursuant to delegated authority of the Committee provides for greater benefits to the Participant with respect to vesting of the Award on Employment Termination, than provided in this Agreement or in the Plan, then the terms of such Employment Arrangement with respect to vesting of the Award on Employment Termination by reason of such specified events shall supersede the terms hereof to the extent permitted by the terms of the Plan under which the Award was made.
15. Code Section 409A. This Agreement shall be interpreted in accordance with Code Section 409A so as to comply with an exception to Code Section 409A, or to the extent that this Agreement provides deferred compensation, to be in compliance with Code Section 409A. Accordingly, references to termination of service, and similar terms shall be interpreted in a manner consistent with the definition of “separation from service” under Code Section 409A. This Agreement shall be deemed to be modified to the maximum extent necessary to be in compliance with Code Section 409A’s rules. If the Participant is unexpectedly required to include in the Participant’s current year’s income any amount of compensation relating to this Award because of a failure to meet the requirements of Code Section 409A, then to the extent permitted by Code Section 409A, the Participant may receive a distribution of cash or Shares in an amount not to exceed the amount required to be included in income as a result of the failure to comply with Code Section 409A. In no event may the Participant directly or indirectly designate the calendar year of a payment, except as expressly permitted by Code Section 409A. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Participant recognizes and acknowledges that Code Section 409A may impose certain taxes or interest charges upon the Participant for which the Participant is and shall remain solely responsible.
16. Entire Agreement. Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, this Agreement and the Plan are: (a) intended to be the final, complete, and exclusive statement of the terms of the agreement between the Participant and the Company with regard to the subject matter of this Agreement; (b) supersede all other prior agreements, communications and statements, whether written or oral, express or implied, pertaining to that subject matter; and (c) may not be contradicted by evidence of any prior or contemporaneous statements or agreements, oral or written, and not be explained or supplemented by evidence of consistent additional terms.

17. No Employment Rights. Nothing in this Agreement will provide the Participant with any right to continue in the Company’s and its affiliates’ employ for any period of specific duration or interfere with or otherwise restrict in any way the rights of the Company and its affiliates to terminate the Participant’s service at any time for any reason, with or without cause. 
18. Clawback. Notwithstanding any provisions in this Agreement to the contrary, any compensation, benefits or payments provided hereunder (or profits realized from the sale of Shares delivered hereunder), shall be subject to recoupment and recapture to the extent necessary to comply with the requirements of any Company-adopted policy and/or laws or regulations, including, but not limited to, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010, the Exchange Act, Section 304 of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002, any stock exchange listed company manual or any rules or regulations promulgated thereunder with respect to such laws, regulations and/or securities exchange listing requirements, as may be in effect from time to time, and which may operate to create additional rights for the Company with respect to this grant and recovery of amounts relating thereto. By accepting this Award, the Participant agrees and acknowledges that the Participant is obligated to cooperate with, and provide any, and all assistance necessary to, the Company to recover, recoup or recapture this Award or amounts paid under this Award pursuant to such law, government regulation, stock exchange listing requirement or Company policy. Such cooperation and assistance shall include, but is not limited to, executing, completing and submitting any documentation necessary to recover, recoup or recapture this Award or amounts paid under this Award from a Participant’s accounts, or pending or future compensation or other grants.

DESIGNER BRANDS INC.

	
		
	By:
	 

	Name:
	 

	Its:
	 

ACCEPTANCE OF AGREEMENT 
The Participant hereby: (a) acknowledges that he or she has received a copy of the Plan, a copy of the Company’s most recent annual report to shareholders and other communications routinely distributed to the Company’s shareholders, and a copy of the Plan description (Prospectus) pertaining to the Plan; (b) accepts this Agreement and the Restricted Stock Units granted to him or her under this Agreement subject to all provisions of the Plan and this Agreement; (c) represents that he or she understands that the acceptance of this Agreement through an on-line or electronic system, if applicable, carries the same legal significance as if he or she manually signed the Agreement; and (d) agrees that no transfer of the Shares delivered in respect of the Restricted Stock Units shall be made unless the Shares have been duly registered under all applicable Federal and state securities laws pursuant to a then-effective registration which contemplates the proposed transfer or unless the Company has received a written opinion of, or satisfactory to, its legal counsel that the proposed transfer is exempt from such registration.

	
	
	 

	Participant’s Signature

	 

	Date

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00308-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00308-of-00352.parquet"}]]