Document:

Exhibit 10.32

NewPage
Corporation

 

 

 

 

 

April
5, 2006

 

 

Mr. Peter H. Vogel

2245 Jaime Rose Way

Centerville, OH 45459

 

Dear
Peter:

                                The purpose of
this letter agreement (the “Agreement”) is to acknowledge and set forth the
terms of our agreement regarding the termination of your employment under the
Employment Agreement between NewPage Corporation (the “Company”) and you dated
May 2, 2005 (the “Employment Agreement”). 
Capitalized terms not defined in this Agreement, shall have the
definitions given to them in the Employment Agreement.

1.             You confirm that your last day of employment with the
Company was February 28, 2006 (the “Termination Date”), and effective as of
such date, you resigned from your position as President and Chief Executive
Officer of the Company.  In addition, effective as of the
Termination Date, you resigned from all offices, directorships and fiduciary
capacities held with, or on behalf of, the Company and its subsidiaries and
affiliates or any benefit plan sponsored by them.  Except as set forth herein,
the Employment Agreement and the Term (as defined therein) terminated on the
Termination Date.

 

2.             In consideration of the obligations herein and in full
satisfaction of its obligations to you pursuant to the Employment Agreement or
otherwise,

(a)                                  The Company
shall pay you accrued but unpaid Base Salary through the Termination Date,
payable within ten (10) days following the execution hereof;

(b)                                 The Company
shall pay you $252,500 (i.e., two times Base Salary minus the original purchase
price paid by you for your Paper Class A Common Percentage Interests);

(c)                                  The Company
shall pay you a payment of $46,154 for accrued but unused 2006 vacation;

(d)                                 The Company
shall pay you $66,667 (i.e., a pro rata bonus for the year of termination);

(e)                                  You will
continue to receive welfare benefits under the Company’s welfare benefit plans
for twenty-four (24) months following the Termination Date; provided that you
continue to pay the employee cost sharing payments in connection with such
benefits; provided, further, that if you become employed with another employer
and are eligible to receive welfare benefits under such other employer’s
welfare benefit plans, the welfare benefits under the Company’s welfare benefit
plans shall be secondary to those provided under the welfare benefit plans of
such new employer;

(f)                                    You will be
provided, at the Company’s expense, with up to one year’s outplacement services
with Right Management in Dayton, Ohio; and

(g)                                 You will be
entitled to receive all other accrued vested benefits to which are you are
entitled under the terms of the Company’s employee benefit plans.

3.             The Company’s obligations under Paragraphs 2(b) through
2(d) above are contingent upon your signing and not revoking the General
Release attached to this Agreement as Appendix A (the “Release”), which is
hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this Agreement.  Subject to the expiration of the applicable
revocation period contained in the Release, the payments set forth in
Paragraphs 2(b) through 2(d) shall be paid in a lump sum within ten (10) days
following the execution hereof.

4.             The provisions of Articles 6, 7 and 8 of the Employment
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect subsequent to the Termination
Date and shall survive the termination of the Employment Agreement.  You represent and warrant that you have
complied with the provisions of Article 7 as of the date you execute this
Agreement.

5.             You agree that the terms and conditions of this
Agreement are confidential and that you will not disclose the existence of this
Agreement or any of its terms to any third parties, other than to your spouse,
attorneys and financial and tax advisors, or as required by law or as may be
necessary to enforce this Agreement.

6.             All payments by the
Company described in this Agreement will be reduced by all taxes and other
amounts that the Company is required to withhold under applicable law.

7.             The Company
acknowledges and agrees that the payments provided hereunder are not subject to
mitigation or offset.

8.             You and the Company
agree that this Agreement contains the complete agreement between you and the
Company and that there are no other agreements or representations relating in
any way to the subject matter of this Agreement and

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supersedes any and all prior agreements or
understandings with respect to this Agreement’s subject matter, except as
expressly set forth herein.

9.             The provisions of this Agreement shall be construed in
accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made
and not to be performed entirely within such state, without regard to conflicts
of laws principles.

10.           The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable.  The unenforceability or invalidity of any one
or more provisions, clauses or sentences hereof shall not render any other
provision, clause or sentence herein contained unenforceable or invalid.  The portion of the Agreement that is not
invalid or unenforceable shall be considered enforceable and binding on the
parties and the invalid or unenforceable provision(s), clauses or sentences
shall be deemed excised, modified or restricted to the extent necessary to
render the same valid and enforceable, and this Agreement shall be construed as
if such invalid or unenforceable provision(s), clauses(s) or sentences(s) were
omitted, modified or restricted.

11.           This
Agreement may be signed in single or separate counterparts, each of which shall
constitute an original.

 

	
  NEWPAGE
  CORPORATION

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
  By:

  	
  /s/ Mark A. Suwyn

  	
   

  
	
  Name:

  	
  Mark A. Suwyn

  	
   

  
	
  Title:

  	
  Chief Executive Officer

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
  ACCEPTED
  AND AGREED,

  	
   

  
	
  this 5th
  day of April 2006

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
  /s/ Peter H. Vogel

  	
   

  
	
  Peter H. Vogel

  	
   

  
				

 

3Exhibit 10.33

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
(“Agreement”) dated as of April 17, 2006 between NewPage Corporation (the
“Company”) and Mark A. Suwyn (the “Executive”) (together, the “Parties”).

WHEREAS, the Parties wish to
establish the terms of Executive’s employment as Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer; and

WHEREAS, the Consulting
Agreement, dated May 2, 2005, by and between the Company and the Executive (the
“Consulting Agreement”) shall terminate and be of no further force and effect
on the Effective Date (as defined below).

Accordingly, the Parties
agree as follows:

1.             Employment and Acceptance.  The Company shall employ the Executive, and
Executive shall accept employment, subject to the terms of this Agreement as
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, effective as of April 13, 2006 (the
“Effective Date”).

2.             Term.

2.1           Employment Term 
Subject to Section 5 of this Agreement, this Agreement and the
employment relationship hereunder will continue from the Effective Date until
the third anniversary of the Effective Date (the “Employment Term”).  There shall be no extension of this Agreement
other than by written agreement executed by both Parties hereto.

2.2           Consulting Term. 
At any time prior to the expiration of the Employment Term, the Board of
Directors of NewPage Holding Corporation (“Holding”) may request on or after
the first anniversary of the Effective Date that the Executive retire as Chief
Executive Officer of Holding and the Company upon an effective date specified
by the Board of Directors of Holding (the “Holding Board”), but continue as
Chairman of the Holding Board and the Board of Directors of the Company (the
“Board”).  In the event of such request,
the Employment Term shall be deemed to terminate and the consulting term (the
“Consulting Term” and together with the Employment Term, the “Term”) commence
on such effective date.  The Consulting
Term shall continue until terminated in accordance with Section 5.7.

3.             Duties and Title.

3.1           Title. 
During the Employment Term, the Company shall employ the Executive to
render exclusive and full-time services to the Company and certain designated
subsidiaries and affiliates.  During the
Employment Term, the Executive will serve in the capacity of Chairman of the
Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Holding and the Company and
shall serve as a member of the Holding Board and the Board.  The Executive shall also serve during the
Employment Term in executive positions for one or more of the Company’s
designated subsidiaries and affiliates for no additional consideration.

3.2           Duties. 
During the Employment Term, the Executive will have such authority and
responsibilities and will perform such executive duties as are customarily

performed by the chief executive officer of
businesses similar to those of the Company or assigned to Executive by the
Holding Board.  The Executive will devote
all his full working-time and attention during the Employment Term to the
performance of such duties and to the promotion of the business and interests
of Holding, the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates.  This provision, however, will not prevent the
Executive from acting as an advisor to or a member of, the board of directors
of any civic or charitable organizations, so long as such actions do not
violate the provisions of Section 7 of this Agreement or interfere with the
Executive’s performance of his duties hereunder.

3.3           Consulting Services.  During the Consulting Term, the Executive
will serve as Chairman of the Holding Board and the Board.  During the Consulting Term, the Executive
will devote such of his business time, attention, skill and energy as are
necessary to perform his duties hereunder, use his best efforts to promote the
success of the Company in accordance with all applicable laws, and cooperate
fully with the Company in the advancement of the best lawful interests of the
Company.  Nothing in this Section 3.3
shall prevent the Executive during the Consulting Term from engaging in
additional activities that do not violate the provisions of Sections 7 and 8,
or otherwise interfere in the performance of the Executive’s duties hereunder
during the Consulting Term.

4.             Compensation by the Company.

4.1           Compensation During the Employment Term.

(a)           Base Salary. 
As compensation for all services rendered pursuant to this Agreement
during the Employment Term, the Company will pay to the Executive during the
Employment Term, an annual base salary of Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand
Dollars ($750,000), payable in accordance with the payroll practices of the
Company (“Base Salary”).  Each year
during the Employment Term, the Holding Board will conduct a review of
Executive’s Base Salary and, in its sole discretion, may increase Executive’s
Base Salary.  Once increased, Base Salary
shall not be decreased.  For the purposes
of this Agreement, “Base Salary” shall mean the Executive’s base salary as
increased pursuant to this Section 4.1(a).

(b)           Annual Bonus.  For performance periods during the Employment
Term, the Executive will be entitled to participate in the NewPage Corporation
Annual Management Incentive Plan approved annually by the Board (the “Annual
Incentive Plan”).  Executive’s target
bonus will be 100% of Base Salary for achieving targets set annually by the
Board in the Annual Incentive Plan.  Each
annual bonus (“Annual Bonus”) shall be paid on or before March 15th of the year
following the tax year in which the relevant services required for payment have
been performed.

(c)           Participation in Employee Benefit Plans.  The Executive shall be entitled during the
Employment Term, if and to the extent eligible, to participate in all of the
applicable benefit plans of the Company that may be available to other senior
executives of the Company, on the same terms as such other executives. The
Company may at any time or from time to time amend, modify, suspend or
terminate any employee benefit plan, program or arrangement for any reason in
its sole discretion.

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(d)           Vacation. 
The Executive shall be entitled to four (4) weeks of paid vacation with
respect to each calendar year during the Employment Term.  Vacation days will be prorated for any
partial year during the Employment Term based on the number of days elapsed in
such year.  Executive shall not be
entitled to payment for unused vacation days upon the termination of his
employment except as set forth in Section 5 below.  The accrual and carry-over of vacation days
shall be in accordance with Company policy from time to time in effect.

4.2           Compensation During the Consulting Term.

(a)           Consulting Fee. 
During the Consulting Term, in lieu of any other fees as a director, the
Executive shall receive an annual fee of $500,000 (payable in monthly
installments of $41,666.66) (the “Consulting Fee”).

(b)           Independent Contractor.  During the Consulting Term, the Executive
shall be and shall be deemed for all purposes to be, an independent contractor
of the Company.  The Consulting Fee shall
not be deemed to be wages and, therefore, shall not be subject to any withholdings
or deductions.  During the Consulting
Term, the Executive shall not be entitled to any employee benefits of the
Company or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries.

4.3           Expense Reimbursement.  During the Term, the Executive shall be
entitled to receive reimbursement for all appropriate business expenses
incurred by him in connection with his duties under this Agreement in
accordance with the policies of the Company as in effect from time to time.

5.             Termination of Relationship with
the Company.

5.1           Upon Expiration of the Employment
Term or By the Company for Cause or By the Executive Without Good Reason.  Upon expiration of the Employment Term, or if
during the Employment Term (other than as a result of the commencement of the
Consulting Term pursuant to Section 2.2), the Company terminates the
Executive’s employment for Cause (as defined below) or Executive terminates his
employment without Good Reason (as defined below), the Executive shall be
entitled to receive the following:

(a)           any unpaid Base Salary through the
date of termination; and any accrued but unused vacation pay through the date
of termination; and

(b)           accrued benefits pursuant to the
terms and conditions of the Company’s benefit plans and programs.

Upon
any such termination, as applicable, the payment set forth in Section 5.1(a)
shall be paid in a lump sum within 10 business days after termination (unless
an earlier date is prescribed by law).

For
the purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means (i) commission of a felony by the
Executive; (ii) acts of dishonesty by the Executive resulting or intending to
result in personal gain or enrichment at the expense of the Company or its
subsidiaries or affiliates; (iii) the Executive’s material breach of any
provision of any policy of the Company or Holding; (iv) the Executive’s failure
to follow the lawful written directions of the Board or the Holding Board;

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(v)
conduct by the Executive in connection with his duties that is fraudulent,
willful and materially injurious to the Company or its subsidiaries or
affiliates; or (vi) conduct by the Executive in connection with his duties that
is unlawful and materially injurious to the Company or its subsidiaries or
affiliates; provided that the Executive shall have ten (10) business days
following the Company’s written notice of its intention to terminate the
Executive’s employment to cure such Cause, if curable, as determined by the
Holding Board, in its sole discretion.

For
the purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means, without the consent of the
Executive, (i) the assignment to the Executive of any duties inconsistent in
any material adverse respect with the Executive’s position (including without
limitation, any reduction in offices, titles and reporting requirements),
authority, duties or responsibilities immediately following the Effective Date,
or any other action by Holding or the Company which results in a material
diminution in such position, authority, duties or responsibilities; (ii) a reduction
by Holding or the Company in the Executive’s Base Salary or in the percentage
of Base Salary on which the Executive’s bonus is based; (iii) a material
reduction in the aggregate benefits provided to the Executive, except for any
across-the-board reduction(s) affecting all similarly situated employees on
substantially the same proportional basis; or (iv) any failure by the Company
to obtain the express written assumption of the Company’s obligations to the
Executive as described herein by any successor or assign of the Company.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
determination by the Holding Board to commence the Consulting Term pursuant to
Section 2.2, and the resultant adjustment to the Executive’s position, authority,
duties, responsibilities and/or compensation shall not constitute Good Reason.

5.2           By the Company Without Cause or By
the Executive for Good Reason. 
Subject to the Executive’s compliance with Section 7 hereof and subject
to the execution by the Executive, without revocation, of a general release in
the form attached hereto as Exhibit A (the “Release”), if during the Employment
Term, without the Consulting Term having commenced, the Executive’s employment
terminates without Cause or Executive terminates his employment for Good
Reason, the Executive shall receive the severance payments set forth in this
Section 5.2 at such times and subject to the provisions of paragraphs (I) and
(II) below (which shall be in lieu of any payments or benefits to which the
Executive may be entitled under any Company severance plan (the “Severance
Plan”)):

(a)           any unpaid Base Salary through the
date of termination;

(b)           a pro rata bonus for the year of
termination, calculated as the product of (x) “Severance Bonus Amount” (as
defined below) and (y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days
in the current fiscal year through the date of termination and the denominator
of which is 365, payable at the time that bonuses are paid after the
Executive’s termination date to similarly situated employees;

(c)           any accrued but unused vacation pay;

(d)           an amount equal to one (1) times Base
Salary;

(e)           continued receipt of welfare benefits
for 24 months after the Executive’s date of termination; provided, however, if
the Executive becomes reemployed

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with another employer and is
eligible to receive welfare benefits under another employer-provided plan, the
welfare benefits described in this clause 5.2(e) shall be secondary to those
provided under such other plan; and

(f)            accrued benefits pursuant to the
terms and conditions of the Company’s benefit plans and programs.

(I).  The payment set forth in Section 5.2(a) shall
be paid within 10 business days after the date of termination (unless an
earlier date is prescribed by law).

(II).  The payments set forth in Sections 5.2(b)-(d)
shall be paid in a lump sum after the later of (i) the expiration of the
applicable revocation period contained in the Release and (ii) with respect to
the bonus, the annual bonus payment date for similarly situated employees after
the Executive’s termination of employment.

The Company shall have no
obligation to provide the payments and benefits set forth above in the event
that Executive breaches the provisions of Section 7.

“Severance Bonus Amount”
shall mean, in the event of a termination (i) prior to June 1st of any calendar
year, the Annual Bonus paid to the Executive for the calendar year prior to the
termination or (ii) on or after June 1st of any calendar year, the Annual Bonus
that would have been payable to the Executive for the calendar year of the
termination (determined as of the end of such calendar year and payable when
the Company pays annual bonuses to similarly situated employees).

5.3           Due to Death or Disability.  If during the Employment Term the Executive
dies or the Company terminates the Executive’s employment on account of the
Executive’s Disability (as defined below), the Executive, or the Executive’s
legal representatives (as appropriate), shall be entitled to receive the following:

(a)           any unpaid Base Salary through the
date of termination;

(b)           a pro rata bonus for the year of
termination, calculated as the product of (x) “Severance Bonus Amount” and (y)
a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in the current fiscal
year through the date of termination and the denominator of which is 365,
payable at the time that bonuses are paid after the Executive’s termination
date, to similarly situated employees; and

(c)           any accrued but unused vacation pay;
and

(d)           accrued benefits pursuant to the
terms and conditions of the Company’s benefit plans and programs.

The payments set forth in
Section 5.3(a) and (c) shall be paid in a lump sum within ten (10) business
days after the date of termination (unless an earlier date is prescribed by
law) and with respect to 5.3(b), at such time that annual bonuses are paid
after the Executive’s termination date to similarly situated employees.

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For the purposes of this
Agreement, “Disability” means a determination by the Company, in accordance
with applicable law, based on information provided by a physician selected by
the Company or its insurers and reasonably acceptable to the Executive that, as
a result of a physical or mental injury or illness, the Executive has been
unable to perform the essential functions of his job with or without reasonable
accommodation for a period of (i) ninety (90) consecutive days or (ii) one
hundred and eighty (180) days in any one-year period.

5.4           Upon Commencement of the Consulting Term.  Upon the expiration of the Employment Term as
a result of the commencement of the Consulting Term pursuant to Section 2.2,
the Executive shall be entitled to receive the following:

(a)           unpaid Base Salary through the date of termination of the
Employment Term and any accrued but unused vacation pay through such date;

(b)           a prorated bonus for the year of termination, calculated
as the product of (x) the Annual Bonus that would have been payable to the
Executive for the calendar year of the termination of the Employment Term and
(y) a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of days in the current
fiscal year through the date of termination of the Employment Term and the
denominator of which is 365 (but in no event shall such fraction be less than
1/2), (determined as of the end of such calendar year and payable when the
Company pays annual bonuses to similarly situated employees); and

(c)           accrued benefits pursuant to the terms and conditions of
the Company’s benefit plans and programs.

5.5           No Mitigation. 
The obligations of the Company to Executive which arise upon the
termination of his employment pursuant to this Section 5 shall not be subject
to mitigation or offset.

5.6           Removal from any Boards and Positions.  If the Employment Term terminates for any
reason under this Agreement without the Consulting Term having commenced, and
upon the expiration of the Consulting Term, the Executive shall be deemed to
resign (i) if a member, from the Board and the Holding Board or any other board
of directors of any subsidiary or affiliate of the Company or any other board
to which he has been appointed or nominated by or on behalf of the Company and
(ii) from any position with the Company or any subsidiary or affiliate of the
Company, including, but not limited to, as an officer of the Company or any of
its subsidiaries or affiliates.

5.7           Termination of the Consulting Term.  The Consulting Term may be terminated by the
Company or the Executive upon 30 days prior written notice to the other party
or immediately upon the Executive’s death or Disability or by the Company for
Cause, subject to the cure period contained in such definition.  If the Consulting Term is terminated pursuant
to this Section 5.7, the Consulting Term shall terminate immediately, and the
Executive, or his legal representative, shall be entitled to only such
Consulting Fees as shall have accrued as of the date of such termination.

6.             Nondisparagement. 
Except as required by law or order of a court or governmental agency
having jurisdiction or to report, in good faith, an impropriety or financial

 

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wrongdoing affecting the business of the Company,
Executive agrees that Executive will not at any time publish or communicate to
any person or entity any Disparaging (as defined below) remarks, comments or
statements concerning the Company, Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., their
parents, subsidiaries and affiliates, and their respective present and former
members, partners, directors, officers, shareholders, employees, agents,
attorneys, successors and assigns. 
“Disparaging” remarks, comments or statements are those that impugn the
character, honesty, integrity or morality or business acumen or abilities in
connection with any aspect of the operation of the business of the individual
or entity being disparaged.

7.             Restrictions and Obligations of the Executive.

7.1           Confidentiality.

(a)           During the course of the Executive’s
relationship with the Company under this Agreement, the Executive will have access to, certain trade secrets and confidential
information relating to the Company and its affiliates and subsidiaries (the
“Protected Parties”) which is not readily available from sources outside the
Company.  The confidential and proprietary
information and, in any material respect, trade secrets of the Protected
Parties are among their most valuable assets, including but not limited to,
their customer, supplier and vendor lists, contract terms, databases,
competitive strategies, computer programs, frameworks, or models, their
marketing programs, their sales, financial, marketing, training and technical
information, their product development (and proprietary product data), business
plans and strategies (including, but not limited to, acquisition and
divestiture plans), environmental matters and other regulatory matters and any
other information, whether communicated orally, electronically, in writing or
in other tangible forms concerning how the Protected Parties create, develop,
acquire or maintain their products and marketing plans, target their potential
customers and operate their businesses. 
The Protected Parties invested, and continue to invest, considerable
amounts of time and money in their process, technology, know-how, obtaining and
developing the goodwill of their customers, their other external relationships,
their data systems and data bases, and all the information described above
(hereinafter collectively referred to as “Confidential Information”), and any
misappropriation or unauthorized disclosure of Confidential Information in any
form would irreparably harm the Protected Parties.  The Executive acknowledges that such
Confidential Information constitutes valuable, highly confidential, special and
unique property of the Protected Parties. 
The Executive shall hold in a fiduciary capacity for the benefit of the
Protected Parties all Confidential Information relating to the Protected
Parties and their businesses, which shall have been obtained by the Executive
during the Executive’s relationship with the Company or its subsidiaries and
affiliates and which shall not be or become public knowledge (other than by
acts by the Executive or representatives of the Executive in violation of this
Agreement).  Except as required by law or
an order of a court or governmental agency with jurisdiction, the Executive
shall not, during the period the Executive is employed by or providing
consulting services to the Company or its subsidiaries and affiliates or at any
time thereafter, disclose any Confidential Information, directly or indirectly,
to any person or entity for any reason or purpose whatsoever, nor shall the
Executive use it in any way, except in the course of the Executive’s service
to, and for the benefit of, the Protected Parties or to enforce any rights or
defend any claims hereunder or under any other agreement to which the Executive
is a party, provided that such disclosure is relevant to the enforcement of
such rights or defense of such claims and is only disclosed in the formal

7

proceedings related
thereto.  The Executive shall take all
reasonable steps to safeguard the Confidential Information and to protect it
against disclosure, misuse, espionage, loss and theft.  The Executive understands and agrees that the
Executive shall acquire no rights to any such Confidential Information.

(b)           All files, records, documents, drawings, specifications,
data, computer programs, evaluation mechanisms and analytics and similar items
relating thereto or to the Business (for the purposes of this Agreement,
“Business” shall be as defined in Section 7.3 hereof), as well as all customer
lists, specific customer information, compilations of product research and
marketing techniques of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates,
whether prepared by the Executive or otherwise coming into the Executive’s
possession, shall remain the exclusive property of the Company and its
subsidiaries and affiliates, and the Executive shall not remove any such items
from the premises of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates, except in
furtherance of the Executive’s duties under this Agreement.

(c)           It is understood that during the course of his
relationship with the Company, the Executive will promptly disclose to it, and
assign to it the Executive’s interest in any invention, improvement or
discovery made or conceived by the Executive, either alone or jointly with
others, which arises out of the Executive’s service to the Company.  At the Company’s request and expense, the
Executive will assist the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates during
the period of the Executive’s relationship with the Company under this
Agreement and thereafter in connection with any controversy or legal proceeding
relating to such invention, improvement or discovery and in obtaining domestic
and foreign patent or other protection covering the same.

(d)           As requested by the Company and at the Company’s expense,
from time to time and upon the termination of the Executive’s relationship with
the Company for any reason, the Executive will promptly deliver to the Company
and its subsidiaries and affiliates, as applicable, all copies and embodiments,
in whatever form, of all Confidential Information in the Executive’s possession
or within his control (including, but not limited to, memoranda, records,
notes, plans, photographs, manuals, notebooks, documentation, program listings,
flow charts, magnetic media, disks, diskettes, tapes and all other materials
containing any Confidential Information) irrespective of the location or form
of such material.  If requested by the
Company, the Executive will provide the Company with written confirmation that
all such materials have been delivered to the Company as provided herein.

7.2           Non-Solicitation or Hire.  During the Term and for a period of one (1)
year following the termination of the Executive’s employment or consulting
services for any reason (including the expiration of the Term), the Executive
shall not directly or indirectly solicit or attempt to solicit or induce,
directly or indirectly, (a) any party who is a customer of the Company or its
subsidiaries or affiliates, or who was a customer of the Company or its
subsidiaries or affiliates at any time during the relevant period immediately
prior to the relevant date, for the purpose of marketing, selling or providing
to any such party any services or products offered by or available from the
Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates and relating to the Business (as
defined in Section 7.3) or (b) any employee of the Company or any of its
subsidiaries or affiliates or any person who was an employee of the Company or
any of its subsidiaries or affiliates during the twelve (12) month period
immediately prior to the date of the

 

8

Executive’s termination of employment or consulting
services to terminate such employee’s employment relationship with the
Protected Parties in order, in either case, to enter into a similar
relationship with the Executive, or any other person or any entity in
competition with the Business of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or
affiliates.

7.3           Non-Competition. 
During the Term and for a period of one (1) year following the
termination of the Executive’s employment or consulting services for any reason
(including the expiration of the Term), the Executive shall not, whether
individually, as a director, manager, member, stockholder, partner, owner,
employee, consultant or agent of any business, or in any other capacity, other
than on behalf of the Company or a subsidiary or affiliate, organize,
establish, own, operate, manage, control, engage in, participate in, invest in,
permit his name to be used by, act as a consultant or advisor to, render
services for (alone or in association with any person, firm, corporation or
business organization), or otherwise assist any person or entity that engages
in or owns, invests in, operates, manages or controls any venture or
enterprise, which engages or proposes to engage in the coated paper business
anywhere in the world (the “Business”). 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this Agreement shall prevent
the Executive from owning for passive investment purposes not intended to
circumvent this Agreement, less than five percent (5%) of the publicly traded
common equity securities of any company engaged in the Business (so long as the
Executive has no power to manage, operate, advise, consult with or control the
competing enterprise and no power, alone or in conjunction with other
affiliated parties, to select a director, manager, general partner, or similar
governing official of the competing enterprise other than in connection with
the normal and customary voting powers afforded the Executive in connection
with any permissible equity ownership).

7.4           Property. 
The Executive acknowledges that all originals and copies of materials,
records and documents generated by him or coming into his possession during his
relationship with the Company or its subsidiaries and affiliates are the sole
property of the Company and its subsidiaries and affiliates (“Company
Property”).  During the Term, and at all
times thereafter, the Executive shall not remove, or cause to be removed, from
the premises of the Company or its subsidiaries or affiliates, copies of any
record, file, memorandum, document, computer related information or equipment,
or any other item relating to the business of the Company or its subsidiaries
or affiliates, except in furtherance of his duties under the Agreement.  When the Executive’s relationship with the
Company terminates, or upon request of the Company at any time, the Executive
shall promptly deliver to the Company all copies of Company Property in his
possession or control.

8.             Remedies; Specific Performance.  The Parties acknowledge and agree that the
Executive’s breach or threatened breach of any of the restrictions set forth in
Section 7 will result in irreparable and continuing damage to the Protected
Parties for which there may be no adequate remedy at law and that the Protected
Parties shall be entitled to equitable relief, including specific performance
and injunctive relief as remedies for any such breach or threatened or
attempted breach.  The Executive hereby
consents to the grant of an injunction (temporary or otherwise) against the
Executive or the entry of any other court order against the Executive
prohibiting and enjoining him from violating, or directing him to comply with
any provision of Section 7.  The
Executive also agrees that such remedies shall be in addition to any and all
remedies, including damages, available to the Protected Parties against him for
such breaches or threatened or attempted breaches.  In addition, without limiting the Protected
Parties’

9

remedies for any breach of any restriction on the
Executive set forth in Section 7, except as required by law, the Executive
shall not be entitled to any payments set forth in Section 5.2 hereof if the
Executive breaches the covenants applicable to the Executive contained in
Section 7.

9.             Location. 
The principal place of the Executive’s employment shall be at the
Company’s headquarters.

10.           Other Provisions.

10.1         Notices.  Any
notice or other communication required or which may be given hereunder shall be
in writing and shall be delivered personally, telegraphed, telexed, sent by
facsimile transmission or sent by certified, registered or express mail,
postage prepaid, and shall be deemed given when so delivered personally,
telegraphed, telexed, or sent by facsimile transmission or, if mailed, four (4)
days after the date of mailing, as follows:

(a)  If the Company, to:

NewPage
Corporation

Courthouse Plaza N.E.

Dayton,
Ohio

 

Attention:  Board of Directors

 

With
copies to:

Schulte
Roth & Zabel LLP

919 Third Avenue

New York, NY  10022

Attention:              Stuart
D. Freedman, Esq.

Telephone:            212-756-2000

Fax:                         (212)
593-5955

(b)         If the
Executive, to the Executive’s home address reflected in the Company’s records.

10.2         Entire Agreement. 
This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the Parties with
respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements,
written or oral, with respect thereto, including, without limitation, the
Consulting Agreement.

10.3         Disclosure. 
During the Consulting Term, the Executive shall disclose immediately to
the Company the existence of any relationship between the Executive and any
other entity that creates or may create a conflict of interest that may affect
the independent professional judgment of the Executive in carrying out his
duties under this Agreement.

10

10.4         Representations and Warranties by Executive.  The Executive represents and warrants that he
is not a party to or subject to any restrictive covenants, legal restrictions
or other agreements in favor of any entity or person which would in any way
preclude, inhibit, impair or limit the Executive’s ability to perform his
obligations under this Agreement, including, but not limited to,
non-competition agreements, non-solicitation agreements or confidentiality
agreements.

10.5         Waiver and Amendments.  This Agreement may be amended, modified,
superseded, canceled, renewed or extended, and the terms and conditions hereof
may be waived, only by a written instrument signed by the Parties or, in the
case of a waiver, by the party waiving compliance.  No delay on the part of any party in
exercising any right, power or privilege hereunder shall operate as a waiver
thereof, nor shall any waiver on the part of any right, power or privilege
hereunder, nor any single or partial exercise of any right, power or privilege
hereunder, preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of
any other right, power or privilege hereunder. 
This Agreement and all compensation derived therefrom are intended not
to constitute compensation deferred under a nonqualified deferred compensation
plan as contemplated in Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended (the “Code”).  Accordingly,
notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the provisions of this
Agreement will be interpreted consistent with the preceding sentence, and the
Agreement may be modified to the minimum extent necessary, as agreed upon by
the Company and the Executive, to comply with the requirements of Section 409A
of the Code and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

10.6 Governing Law and Venue.

(a)           This Agreement shall be governed and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to
agreements made and not to be performed entirely within such state, without
regard to conflicts of laws principles.

(b)           The
parties agree irrevocably to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the
federal courts or, if no federal jurisdiction exists, the state courts, located
in Dayton, Ohio, for the purposes of any suit, action or other proceeding
brought by any party arising out of any breach of any of the provisions of this
Agreement and hereby waive, and agree not to assert by way of motion, as a
defense or otherwise, in any such suit, action, or proceeding, any claim that
it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of the above-named courts,
that the suit, action or proceeding is brought in an inconvenient forum, that
the venue of the suit, action or proceeding is improper, or that the provisions
of this Agreement may not be enforced in or by such courts.  In addition, the parties agree to the waiver
of a jury trial.

10.7         Assignability by the Company and the Executive.  This Agreement, and the rights and
obligations hereunder, may not be assigned by the Parties without written
consent signed by the Parties; provided, however, that the Company may assign
its rights and/or obligations described herein to the successor of the business
of the Company.

10.8         Counterparts. 
This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be
deemed an original but all of which shall constitute one and the same
instrument.

11

10.9         Headings.  The headings in this Agreement are for convenience
of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning of terms
contained herein.

10.10       Severability.  If
any term, provision, covenant or restriction of this Agreement, or any part
thereof, is held by a court of competent jurisdiction of any foreign, federal,
state, county or local government or any other governmental, regulatory or
administrative agency or authority to be invalid, void, unenforceable or
against public policy for any reason, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants
and restrictions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and
shall in no way be affected or impaired or invalidated.  The Executive acknowledges that
the restrictive covenants contained in Section 7 are a condition of this
Agreement and are reasonable and valid in temporal scope and in all other
respects.

10.11       Judicial Modification. 
If any court determines that any of the covenants in Section 7, or any
part of any of them, is invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of such covenants
and parts thereof shall not thereby be affected and shall be given full effect,
without regard to the invalid portion. 
If any court determines that any of such covenants, or any part thereof,
is invalid or unenforceable because of the geographic or temporal scope of such
provision, such court shall reduce such scope to the minimum extent necessary
to make such covenants valid and enforceable.

10.12       Tax Withholding. 
The Company or other payor is authorized to withhold from any benefit
provided or payment due hereunder, the amount of withholding taxes due any
federal, state or local authority in respect of such benefit or payment and to
take such other action as may be necessary in the opinion of the Holding Board
to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding taxes.

12

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
Parties hereto, intending to be legally bound hereby, have executed this
Agreement as of the day and year first above mentioned.

	
   

  	
  EXECUTIVE

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  /s/ Mark A. Suwyn

  
	
   

  	
  Mark A. Suwyn

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  NEWPAGE CORPORATION

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  By:

  	
  /s/ Douglas K. Cooper

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
  Name:

  	
  Douglas K. Cooper

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
  Title:

  	
  Vice President, General
  Counsel and Secretary

  

 

13

 

EXHIBIT A

 

FORM EMPLOYMENT GENERAL RELEASE

 

For good and valuable
consideration, receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, Mark A. Suwyn
(“Executive”), individually and on behalf of his respective heirs, executors,
administrators, representatives, agents, attorneys and assigns (the “Executive
Releasor”), hereby irrevocably, fully and unconditionally releases and forever
discharges NewPage Corporation, (the “Company”) and its affiliated companies,
parents, subsidiaries, predecessors, successors, assigns, divisions, related
entities and all of their present employees, officers, directors, trustees,
shareholders, members, partners (as applicable), agents, investors, attorneys
and representatives (the “Company Released Parties”), from any and all manner
of actions and causes of action, suits, debts, dues, accounts, bonds,
covenants, contracts, agreements, judgments, charges, claims, and demands
whatsoever which the Executive Releasor, has, or may hereafter have against the
Company Released Parties or any of them arising out of or by reason of any
cause, matter or thing whatsoever from the beginning of the world to the date
hereof, including without limitation any and all matters relating to employment
with the Company and its subsidiaries or affiliates, and the cessation thereof,
and all matters arising under any federal, state or local statute, rule or
regulation or principle of contract law or common law, including but not
limited to the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, 29 U.S.C.
§ 621, et  seq., Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
42 U.S.C. § 2000 et  seq., the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et  seq., the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, 29 U.S.C. § 1001 et  seq.,
the Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. § 201 et  seq., the
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. § 2601 et  seq.
and applicable labor and employment laws of the states of New York and
Ohio.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the
Executive’s release described herein shall be subject to the Company’s
compliance with its obligations under Section 5.2 of the Employment Agreement
between the Company and the Executive, dated as of April __, 2006 (the
“Employment Agreement) and nothing contained herein shall release the Company
Released Parties from any obligations under any agreement relating to the
grant, holding or disposition of equity, including, without limitation any
equity purchase and/or any equityholders agreements.  Notwithstanding
the foregoing, Executive does not release and shall retain any claim (i) for
indemnification and defense pursuant to the charter documents and bylaws of the
Company or any Company Released Party, and (ii) under any insurance coverage
available to Executive under any director’s and officer’s insurance policy or
similar policy maintained by the Company or any Company Released Party.

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING.  THIS DOCUMENT

INCLUDES A RELEASE OF ALL KNOWN AND UNKNOWN CLAIMS.

 

Executive acknowledges that
he has been given the opportunity to review and consider this General Release for
twenty-one (21) days from the date he received a copy.  If he elects to sign before the expiration of
the twenty-one (21) days, Executive acknowledges that he will have chosen, of
his own free will without any duress, to waive his right to the full twenty-one
(21) day period.

14

Executive may revoke this
General Release after signing it by giving written notice to ________________,
within seven (7) days after signing it. 
This General Release, provided it is not revoked, will be effective on
the eighth (8th) day after execution.

Executive acknowledges that
he has been advised to consult with an attorney prior to signing this General
Release.

Executive is signing this
General Release knowingly, voluntarily and with full understanding of its terms
and effects.  Executive is signing this
General Release of his own free will without any duress, being fully informed
and after due deliberation.  Executive
voluntarily accepts the consideration provided to him for the purpose of making
full and final settlement of all claims referred to above.

Executive acknowledges that
he has not relied on any representations or statements not set forth in this
General Release.  Executive will not
disclose the contents or substance of this General Release to any third
parties, other than his attorneys, accountants, or as required by law, and
Executive will instruct each of the foregoing not to disclose the same.

This General Release will be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New
York.  If any provision in this General
Release is held invalid or unenforceable for any reason, the remaining
provisions shall be construed as if the invalid or unenforceable provision had
not been included.

IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Executive, intending to be legally bound hereby, has
executed this General Release as of ___________ __, 200_.

	
   

  	
  EXECUTIVE

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Name:

  

 

15

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