Document:

exv10w16

 

Exhibit 10.16

	 	 
	 	Employee’s Copy
	 	Partnership’s Copy

CAPITAL AUTOMOTIVE L.P.

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

To Jay Ferriero:

     This Agreement establishes the terms of your employment with Capital
Automotive L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the “Partnership”). You
remain an employee of Capital Automotive REIT (the “Company”), but your primary
responsibility is as an employee of the Partnership.

	 	 	 
	Employment and Duties	 	
You and the Partnership agree to your
employment with the Partnership and to your
services as Senior Vice President and
Director of Acquisitions on the terms
contained herein. In such position, you
will report directly to the Company’s Chief
Executive Officer (the “CEO”) and to the
General Partner of the Partnership. You
agree to perform whatever duties the
Partnership may assign you from time to
time, consistent with your position as a
senior executive. During your employment,
you agree to devote your full business time,
attention, and energies to performing those
duties (except as the Partnership otherwise
agrees from time to time). You agree to
faithfully serve the Partnership, to conform
to and comply with the lawful and good faith
directions and instructions given you by the
Partnership, and to use your best efforts to
promote and serve the interests of the
Partnership. You agree to comply with the
non-competition, secrecy, and other
provisions of Exhibit A to this Agreement.
	 	 	 
	Term	 	
Your employment under this Agreement begins
as of August 1, 2003 (the “Effective Date”)
and ends on January 1, 2007, unless it is
terminated sooner under this Agreement.

The period running from the Effective Date to the date that the Agreement terminates as
set forth in the preceding sentence is the
“Term.”

Termination or expiration of this Agreement
ends your employment but does not end your
obligation to comply with Exhibit A.
	 	 	 
	Compensation	 	 

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	
Salary and Bonus 	 	The Partnership (or, in its discretion, the
Company) will pay you an annual salary (the
“Salary”) for 2003 at the rate of not less
than $198,000 in accordance with its payroll
practices. Your target bonus for calendar
year 2003 will be $175,000. Each calendar
year thereafter while you are employed under
this Agreement, the Partnership or its
Compensation Committee will review your
Salary and target bonus and consider you for
increases from the Partnership.
	 
	 	 	
Employee Benefits 	 	While you are employed under this Agreement,
the Partnership will provide you with the
same benefits, including medical insurance
coverage, as the Partnership makes generally
available from time to time to the
Partnership’s employees, as those benefits
are amended or terminated from time to time,
and such other benefits as are commensurate
with your position as a senior executive of
a public company, including either a company
automobile or an allowance for an
automobile. Your participation in the
Partnership’s benefit plans will be subject
to the terms of the applicable plan
documents and the Partnership’s generally
applied policies, and the Partnership in its
sole discretion may from time to time

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adopt,
modify, interpret, or discontinue such plans
or policies.
	 	 	 
	Place of Employment	 	
Your principal place of employment will be
at the Partnership’s headquarters in the
Washington metropolitan area (or such other
offices as the Partnership may establish
from time to time and to which it assigns
you in its sole discretion). You understand
and agree that you must travel from time to
time for business reasons.
	 	 	 
	Indemnification	 	
The Partnership will indemnify you to the
fullest extent authorized by law if you are
made a party to any action, suit, or
proceeding, whether criminal, civil,
administrative, or investigative, because
you are or were a manager, officer, or
employee of the Partnership or serve or
served any other entity as a director,
officer, or employee at the Partnership’s request; provided, however, that you must
repay the Partnership for any
indemnification if the final determination
of an arbitrator or a court of competent
jurisdiction declares, after the expiration
of the time within which judicial review (if
permitted) of such determination may be
perfected, that indemnification by the
Partnership is not permissible under
applicable law.
	 	 	 
	Expenses	 	
The Partnership will reimburse you for
reasonable and necessary travel and other
business-related expenses you incur for the
Partnership in performing your duties under
this Agreement. You must itemize and
substantiate all requests for
reimbursements. You must submit requests
for reimbursement in accordance with the
policies and practices of the Partnership and within 60 days after incurring the
expense.
	 	 	 
	No Other Employment	 	
For so long as you are employed by the
Partnership, you agree that you will not,
directly or indirectly, provide services to
any person or organization for which you
receive compensation or otherwise engage in
activities that would conflict or interfere
significantly with the faithful performance
of your duties to the Partnership without
the Partnership’s prior written consent.
(This prohibition excludes any work
performed at the Partnership’s direction
including any work for the Company.) You
may manage your personal investments, as
long as the management takes only minimal
amounts of time and is consistent with the
provisions of the No Competition Section in
Exhibit A and is otherwise consistent with
the policies and practices of the
Partnership.
	 	 	 
	 	 	
You represent to the Partnership that you
are not subject to any agreement,
commitment, or policy of any third party
that would prevent you from entering into or
performing your duties under this Agreement,
and you agree that you will not enter into
any agreement or commitment or agree to any
policy that would prevent or hinder your
performance of duties and obligations under
this Agreement, including Exhibit A.

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	No Conflicts of Interest	 	
You confirm that you have fully disclosed to the Partnership and
the Company, to the best of your knowledge, all circumstances
under which you, your spouse, and your relatives (including
their spouses, children, and relatives) have or may have a
conflict of interest with the Company or the Partnership. You
further agree to fully disclose to the Partnership any such
circumstances that might arise during the Term. You agree to
fully comply with the Partnership’s policy and practices
relating to conflicts of interest.
	 	 	 
	No Payments to
Governmental Officials	 	
You will neither pay nor permit payment of any remuneration to
or on behalf of any governmental official other than payments
required or permitted by applicable law.
	 	 	 
	Termination	 	
Subject to the provisions of this section, the Partnership may
terminate your employment, or you may resign, except that, if
you voluntarily resign, you must provide the Partnership with 90
days’ prior written notice (unless the Partnership has
previously waived such notice in writing or authorized a shorter
notice period).

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	
For Cause 	 	The Partnership may terminate your employment for “Cause” if you:

	 	 	 
	 	 	
(i) engage in dishonesty that relates materially to the
performance of services or any obligations under this Agreement,
including Exhibit A;
	 	 	 
	 	 	
(ii) are convicted of, or plead guilty or no contest to, any
misdemeanor (other than for minor infractions) involving fraud,
breach of trust, misappropriation, or other similar activity or
any felony;
	 	 	 
	 	 	
(iii) perform your duties under this Agreement in a grossly
negligent manner; or
	 	 	 
	 	 	
(iv) willfully breach this Agreement, including Exhibit A, in a
manner materially injurious to the Partnership. An act or
omission is only “willful” if you acted in bad faith or without
any reasonable belief that the action or omission was in the
interests of the Partnership and consistent with your duties and
obligations under this Agreement.

	 	 
	 	Your termination for Cause under (i) and (ii) will be effective
immediately upon the Partnership’s mailing or transmission of
such notice. Before terminating your employment for Cause under
(iii) or (iv), the Partnership will specify in writing to you
the nature of the act, omission, refusal, or failure that it
deems to constitute Cause. The Partnership will give you the
opportunity to correct the situation (and thus avoid termination
for Cause under (iii) or (iv)). You must complete the
correction within a reasonable period of time after the written
notice to you, and the Partnership agrees to provide you no less
than 15 days for such correction.

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Without Cause 	 	Subject to the provisions below under Payments
on Termination, the Partnership may terminate
your employment under this Agreement before the
end of the Term without Cause.
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	
Good Reason 	 	You may resign for Good Reason with 45 days’
advance written notice as provided below. “Good
Reason” means the occurrence, without your
written consent, of any of the following
circumstances:

	 	 	 
	 	 	
the Partnership’s failure to perform or observe
any of the material terms or provisions of this
Agreement,
	 	 	 
	 	 	
the assignment to you of any duties inconsistent
with, or any substantial diminution in, your
employment status or responsibilities as in
effect on the date of this Agreement,
	 	 	 
	 	 	
the Partnership’s relocation of its headquarters
to a location that would increase your commuting
distance by more than 50 miles, based on your
residence when this Agreement is executed, or
	 	 	 
	 	 	
a Change of Control, consisting of any one or
more of the following events:

	 	 	 
	  	 	
a person, entity, or group (other than the
Company, the Partnership, any subsidiary of
either, any Company Group benefit plan, or any
underwriter temporarily holding securities for
an offering of such securities) acquires
ownership of more than 40% of the undiluted
total voting power of the Company’s then-outstanding securities eligible to vote to
elect members of the Board (“Company Voting
Securities”);
	 	 	 
	 	 	
consummation of a merger or consolidation of the
Company into any other entity — unless the
holders of the Company Voting Securities outstanding immediately before such
consummation, together with any trustee or other
fiduciary holding securities under a Company
Group benefit plan, hold securities that
represent immediately after such merger or
consolidation more than 60% of the combined
voting power of the then outstanding voting
securities of either the Company or the other
surviving entity or its parent; or
	 	 	 
	 	 	
the stockholders of the Company approve (i) a
plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of
the Company or (ii) an agreement for the
Company’s sale or disposition of all or
substantially all the Company’s assets, and such
liquidation, dissolution, sale, or disposition
is consummated.

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	 	 	 	 	Even if other tests are met, a
Change of Control has not occurred
under any circumstance in which the
Company files for bankruptcy
protection or is reorganized
following a bankruptcy filing.
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	You must give notice to the
Partnership of your intention to
resign for Good Reason within 30
days after the occurrence of the
condition or event (within 24
months if the condition or event is
a Change of Control) that you
assert entitles you to resign for
Good Reason. In that notice, you
must specify the condition or event
that you consider provides you with
Good Reason and (except if the
condition or event is a Change of
Control) must give the Partnership
an opportunity to cure the
condition or event within 30 days
after your notice. If the
Partnership fails to cure the
condition, your resignation will be
effective on the 45th day after
your notice (unless the Board has
previously waived such notice
period in writing or agreed to a
shorter notice period).
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	You will not be treated as
resigning for Good Reason if the
Partnership had Cause to terminate
your employment as of the date of
your notice of resignation.
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	
Disability
	 	If you become “disabled” (as
defined below), the Partnership may
terminate your employment. If the
Partnership terminates your
employment because you become
disabled or employment terminates
because of your death, any unvested
restricted shares and any phantom
shares previously granted to you
shall become Pro Rata Vested (as
defined below). You are “disabled”
if you are unable, despite whatever
reasonable accommodations the law
requires, to render services to the
Partnership for more than 90
consecutive days because of
physical or mental disability,
incapacity, or illness. You are
also disabled if you are deemed to
be disabled within the meaning of
the Partnership’s long-term
disability policy as then in
effect.
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	
Death
	 	If you die during the Term, the
Term will end as of the date of
your death.
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	
Payments on Termination
	 	If the Partnership terminates your
employment for or without Cause or
because of disability or death or
you resign, the Partnership will
pay you any unpaid portion of your
Salary pro-rated through the date
of actual termination and any
annual bonuses already determined
by such date but not yet paid,
reimburse any substantiated but
unreimbursed business expenses, pay
any accrued and unused vacation
time (to the extent consistent with
the Partnership’s policies), and
provide such other benefits as
applicable laws or the terms of the
benefits require. Except to the
extent the law requires otherwise
or as provided in the Vesting and
Other Benefits section below or in
your option agreement, restricted
share agreement or phantom share
agreement(s), neither you nor your
beneficiary or estate will have any
rights or claims under this
Agreement or otherwise to receive
severance or any other
compensation, or to participate in
any other plan, arrangement, or
benefit, after such termination.
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	
Vesting and Other
Benefits on Termination
or Change of Control
	 	In addition to the foregoing
payments, if a Change of Control
occurs, the Partnership terminates
your employment without Cause, or
you resign for Good Reason before
the end of the Term:

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I.
	 	all of the stock options and
restricted shares held by you
before your termination of
employment or the Change of Control (whichever is applicable) will
become fully vested; and
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	
II.
	 	all of the phantom shares
credited to you before your
termination of employment or the
Change of Control (whichever is
applicable) shall be deemed to have
been credited for three (3) years
for purposes of Section 6.3 of the
Capital Automotive Group Phantom
Share Purchase Program; and
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	
III.
	 	(a)	 in the case of termination without Cause or resignation for Good Reason, and
provided that you have not previously received any benefit under the following paragraph
III(b), the Partnership will pay
you an amount equal to your Salary,
as then in effect, for 24 months in
a single lump sum as soon as
practicable but in any event no
more than 90 days after
termination; or
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	(b) 	in the case of a Change of
Control, the Partnership will pay
you an amount equal to 3 times the
sum of your annual Salary, as then
in effect, plus your most recently
established target bonus, in a
single lump sum as soon as
practicable but in any event no
more than 10 days after the Change
of Control; and
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	
IV.
	 	the Partnership will pay the
premium cost for you to receive any
group health coverage the
Partnership must offer you under
Section 4980B of the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986 (the “Code”)
for the period of such coverage;
and
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	
V.
	 	the Partnership will pay you, at
the time the Partnership would
otherwise pay your annual bonus,
your pro rata share of the bonus
for the year of your termination
(or Change of Control), where the
pro rata factor is based on days
elapsed in such year until the date
of termination (or Change of
Control) over 365, less any portion
of the bonus for such year already
paid.

	 	 	 
	 	 	
You are not required to mitigate
amounts payable under the Vesting
and Other Benefits paragraphs by
seeking other employment or
otherwise; however, of the
foregoing benefits, an amount equal
to two hundred percent of your
annual Salary is being provided as
consideration for your compliance
with the requirements of Exhibit A.
Consequently, you agree to return
such amount if you fail to comply
with Exhibit A.
	 	 	 
	 	 	
Expiration of this Agreement,
whether because of notice of
non-renewal or otherwise, does not
constitute termination without
Cause nor is it grounds for
resignation with Good Reason.

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	 	 	 	 	In addition to the foregoing, if
this Employment Agreement is not
renewed by the Partnership on or
before January 1, 2007, and the
Partnership at any time thereafter
terminates your employment without
Cause or you resign for Good
Reason, (i) any unvested
restricted shares granted prior to
or during the Term and held by you
before your termination of
employment will become vested to
the extent of the ratio of the
number of days that you have been
employed by the Partnership or the
Company since the date they were
granted and the total number of
days of employment otherwise
required for them to fully vest
(determined separately for each
grant), and (ii) all of the
phantom shares granted prior to or
during the Term and credited to
you before your termination of
employment will be deemed to have
been credited for three (3) years
for the purposes of Section 6.3 of
the Capital Automotive Group
Phantom Share Purchase Program to
the extent of the ratio of the
number of days that you have been
employed by the Partnership or the
Company since the date they were
granted and the three (3) years of
employment otherwise required for
them to fully vest for purposes of
that section (determined
separately for each grant). The
pro rata vesting and crediting
referenced in (i) and (ii) in the
foregoing sentence are referred to
herein as “Pro Rata Vested.”
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	
Internal Revenue Code

Section 280G 	 	If you become entitled to any
benefits under this Agreement (the
“Agreement Benefits”), and any of
those benefits will be subject to
the tax (the “Excise Tax”) imposed
by Section 4999 of the Code (or
any similar tax that may hereafter
be imposed), the Partnership will
pay to you an additional amount
(the “Gross-up Payment”) such that
the net amount retained by you,
after deduction of any Excise Tax on the total benefits received by
you and any federal, state and
local income tax and Excise Tax on
the Gross-up Payment provided for
by this section, but before
deduction for any federal, state
or local income tax on the
Agreement Benefits, will be equal
to the total benefits that you
would have received had the Excise
Tax not been applicable and the
Gross-up Payment not paid.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, you
and the Partnership agree to in
good faith take any reasonable
actions, at no cost to either
party, to minimize or avoid
application of the Excise Tax.

	 	 	 
	Assignment	 	
The Partnership may assign or
otherwise transfer this Agreement
and any and all of its rights,
duties, obligations, or interests
under it to:

	 	 	 
	 	 	
the Company or any of the
affiliates or subsidiaries of the
Company or
	 	 	 
	 	 	
the Partnership or to any business
entity that at any time by merger,
consolidation, or otherwise
acquires all or substantially all
of the Company’s stock or assets
or the partnership units or assets
of the Partnership or to which the
Company or the Partnership transfers all or substantially all
of its assets.

	 	 
	 	Upon such assignment or transfer,
any such business entity will be
deemed to be substituted for the
Partnership for all purposes.
Assignment or transfer does not
constitute termination without
Cause nor is it grounds for
resignation with Good Reason absent the occurrence of a Change
of Control. This Agreement binds
the Partnership, its successors or
assigns, and your heirs and the
personal representatives of your
estate. Without

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the Partnership’s prior written
consent, you may not assign or
delegate this Agreement or any or
all rights, duties, obligations,
or interests under it.
	 	 	 
	Severability	 	
If the final determination of an
arbitrator or a court of competent
jurisdiction declares, after the
expiration of the time within
which judicial review (if
permitted) of such determination
may be perfected, that any term or
provision of this Agreement,
including any provision of Exhibit
A, is invalid or unenforceable,
the remaining terms and provisions
will be unimpaired, and the
invalid or unenforceable term or
provision will be deemed replaced
by a term or provision that is
valid and enforceable and that
comes closest to expressing the
intention of the invalid or
unenforceable term or provision.
	 	 	 
	Amendment; Waiver	 	
Neither you nor the Partnership may modify, amend, or waive the
terms of this Agreement other than
by a written instrument signed by
you and a duly authorized
representative of the General
Partner of the Partnership.
Either party’s waiver of the other
party’s compliance with any
provision of this Agreement is not
a waiver of any other provision of
this Agreement or of any
subsequent breach by such party of
a provision of this Agreement.
	 	 	 
	Withholding	 	
The Partnership will reduce its
compensatory payments to you for
withholding and FICA taxes, and
any other withholdings and
contributions required by law.
	 	 	 
	Third Party Beneficiary	 	
You understand and agree that the
Company is a third party
beneficiary of this Agreement.
	 	 	 
	Governing Law	 	
The laws of the Commonwealth of
Virginia (other than its conflict
of laws provisions) govern this
Agreement.
	 	 	 
	Notices	 	
Notices must be given in writing
by personal delivery, by certified
mail, return receipt requested, by
telecopy, or by overnight
delivery. You should send or
deliver your notices to the
Partnership’s headquarters. The
Partnership will send or deliver
any notice given to you at your
address as reflected on the
Partnership’s personnel records.
You and the Partnership may change
the address for notice by like
notice to the others. You and the
Partnership agree that notice is
received on the date it is
personally delivered, the date it
is received by certified mail, the
date of guaranteed delivery by the
overnight service, or the date the
fax machine confirms receipt.
	 	 	 
	Payments and Benefits Upon Death	 	
If, at the time of your death, the
Partnership owes you any payments
or other benefits as a result of
termination of your employment,
resignation, a Change of Control,
or your Disability, all of those
payments and benefits shall become
due and payable to your estate to
the same extent, at the same
times, and subject to the same
terms as they would have been due
and payable to you but for your
death. Further, any payments or
other benefits that become due on
account of your death shall be
paid to your estate.

8

 

	 	 	 
	Legal Fees	 	
If a claim is asserted for breach of any provision of
this Agreement, you will be entitled to recover your
reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses if you prevail.
	 	 	 
	Arbitration	 	
Any disputes between the Partnership and you in any way
concerning your employment, the termination of your
employment, this Agreement or its enforcement shall be
submitted at the initiative of either party to binding
arbitration in the Washington Metropolitan area before
a single arbitrator pursuant to the Rules for
Resolution of Employment Disputes of the American
Arbitration Association, or its successor, then in
effect. The decision of the arbitrator shall be
rendered in writing, shall be final, and may be entered
as a judgment in any court in the Commonwealth of
Virginia. The Partnership and you each irrevocably
consents to the jurisdiction of the federal and state
courts located in Virginia for this purpose. Each
party shall be responsible for its or his own costs
incurred in such arbitration and in enforcing any
arbitration award, including attorney’s fees, provided,
however, that you will be entitled to recover your
reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses if you prevail.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Partnership, in its
sole discretion, may bring an action in any court of
competent jurisdiction to seek injunctive relief and
such other relief as it shall elect to enforce your
obligations in Exhibit A.
	 	 	 
	Superseding Effect	 	
This Agreement supersedes any prior oral or written
employment or severance agreements between you and the
Company or the Partnership. This Agreement supersedes
all prior or contemporaneous negotiations, commitments,
agreements, and writings with respect to the subject
matter of this Agreement. All such other negotiations,
commitments, agreements, and writings will have no
further force or effect; and the parties to any such
other negotiation, commitment, agreement, or writing
will have no further rights or obligations thereunder.

9

 

If you accept the terms of this Agreement, please sign in the space indicated
below. We encourage you to consult with any advisors of your choosing.

	 	 	 
	 	 	
CAPITAL AUTOMOTIVE L.P.
	 	 	 
	 	 	
General Partner:
	 	 	 
	 	 	
CAPITAL AUTOMOTIVE REIT, a Maryland

real estate investment trust

	 	 	 
	 	By:
	
/s/ Thomas D. Eckert

	 	 	

	 	Its:	
President and Chief Executive Officer

	 	 	 
	 	
SEEN & AGREED TO:
	 	 	 
	 	
CAPITAL AUTOMOTIVE REIT
	 	 	 
	 	By:
	
/s/ Thomas D. Eckert

	 	 	

	 	Its:	
President and Chief Executive Officer

I accept and agree to the terms of employment set forth in this Agreement:

	 
	/s/ Jay M. Ferriero

Jay M. Ferriero
	 
	Dated: August 11, 2003     

10

 

Exhibit A

	 	 	 
	No Competition	 	
In consideration of your employment by the Partnership and
salary and benefits under this Agreement, during the term
of your employment, and except as set forth below, until
the date two years after your employment with the Company,
the Partnership, or their successors, assigns, affiliates,
or subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company Group”) ends
for any reason (the “Restricted Period”), you agree as
follows:
	 	 	 
	 	 	
The Company is a real estate investment trust formed to
acquire real properties owned by automobile dealerships and
other automotive-related businesses and lease the
properties to such businesses. You will not, directly or
indirectly, promote, be employed by, lend money to, invest
in, or engage in any Competing Business within the Market
Area. That prohibition includes, but is not limited to,
acting, either singly or jointly or as agent for, or as an
employee of or consultant to, any one or more persons,
firms, entities, or corporations directly or indirectly (as
a director, independent contractor, representative,
consultant, member, or otherwise) that constitutes such a
Competing Business. You may own up to 3% of the
outstanding capital stock of any corporation that is
actively publicly traded without violating this No
Competition covenant. This covenant does not preclude you
from being employed by any non-public automobile dealership
or dealership group or other non-public automotive-related
business that is a lessee or prospective lessee of
properties the Company or the Partnership holds or is
actively considering acquiring.
	 	 	 
	 	 	
If, during the Restricted Period, you are offered and want
to accept employment with a business that engages in
activities similar to the Company’s or the Partnership’s,
you will inform the Partnership in writing of the identity
of the business, your proposed duties with that business,
and the proposed starting date of that employment. You
will also inform that business of the terms of this Exhibit
A. The Partnership will analyze the proposed employment
and make a good faith determination as to whether it would
threaten the Partnership’s legitimate competitive
interests. If the Partnership determines that the proposed
employment would not pose an unacceptable threat to its
interests, the Partnership will notify you that it does not
object to the employment.
	 	 	 
	 	 	
You acknowledge that, during the portion of the Restricted
Period that follows your employment, you may engage in any
business activity or gainful employment of any type and in
any place except as described above. You acknowledge that
you will be reasonably able to earn a livelihood without
violating the terms of this Agreement.
	 	 	 
	 	 	
You understand and agree that the rights and obligations
set forth in this No Competition Section will continue for
two years from the date of termination of this Agreement
and your employment with the Partnership or the Company
Group.

11

 

Definitions

	 	 	 	 	 
	  	 	
Competing

Business 	 	Competing Business means any service or
financial product of any person or
organization other than the Company Group, in
existence or then under development, that
competes or could potentially compete,
directly or indirectly, with any service or
financial product of the Company Group upon
which or with which you have worked for the
Partnership or the Company Group or about
which you acquire knowledge while working for
the Partnership or the Company Group.
Competing Business includes any enterprise
engaged in the formation or operation of real
estate investment trusts or other entities
that invest primarily in automobile
dealership or automotive-related properties
or provide real estate financing to
automobile dealerships or automotive-related
businesses, provided that Competing Business excludes banks, finance companies, and other
financial institutions that are not primarily
involved in real estate financing so long as
your employment or other involvement is also
not primarily involved in real estate
financing. Competing Business also includes
any public company the primary business of
which is to retail and/or service motor
vehicles. Competing Business excludes real
estate investment trusts and similar entities
that do not engage in activities related to
automotive dealerships or automotive-related
businesses.
	 	 	 	 	 
	  	 	
Market Area 	 	The Market Area consists of the United States.
	 	 	 	 	 
	No Interference;
 No Solicitation	 	 	 	
During the Restricted Period, you agree that
you will not, directly or indirectly, whether
for yourself or for any other individual or
entity (other than the Partnership or its
affiliates or subsidiaries), intentionally
solicit or endeavor to entice away from the
Company Group:

	 	 	 
	 	 	
any person whom the Company Group employs
(other than as your personal secretary) or
otherwise engages to perform services as a
consultant or sales representatives; or
	 	 	 
	 	 	
any person or entity who is, or was, within
the Restricted Period, a contractor or
subcontractor of the Company Group known to
you or a lessee or prospective lessee of
properties the Company Group holds or is
actively considering acquiring.

Secrecy

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Preserving Company

Confidences	 	
Your employment with the Partnership under
and, if applicable, before this Agreement has
given and will give you Confidential
Information (as defined below). You
acknowledge and agree that using, disclosing,
or publishing any Confidential Information in
an unauthorized or improper manner could
cause the Partnership or Company Group substantial loss and damages that could not
be readily calculated and for which no remedy
at law would be adequate. Accordingly, you
agree with the Partnership that you will not
at any time, except in performing your
employment duties to the Partnership or the
Company Group under this Agreement (or with
the Partnership’s prior written consent),
directly or indirectly, use, disclose, or
publish, or permit others not so authorized
to use, disclose, or publish any Confidential
Information that you may learn or become
aware of, or may have learned or become aware
of, because of your prior or continuing
employment, ownership, or association with
the Partnership or

12

 

	 	 
	 	the Company Group or any of their
predecessors, or use any such information in
a manner detrimental to the interests of the
Partnership or the Company Group.

	 	 	 
	 	Preserving Others’
Confidences	
You agree not to use in working for the
Company Group and not to disclose to the
Company Group any trade secrets or other
information you do not have the right to use
or disclose and that the Company Group is not
free to use without liability of any kind.
You agree to promptly inform the Partnership in writing of any patents, copyrights,
trademarks, or other proprietary rights known
to you that the Partnership or the Company
Group might violate because of information
you provide.
	 	 	 
	 	Confidential Information	
“Confidential Information” includes, without
limitation, information the Partnership or
the Company Group has not previously
disclosed to the public or to the trade with
respect to the Partnership’s or the Company
Group’s present or future business,
operations, services, products, research,
inventions, discoveries, drawings, designs,
plans, processes, models, technical
information, facilities, methods, trade
secrets, copyrights, software, source code,
systems, patents, procedures, manuals,
specifications, any other intellectual
property, confidential reports, price lists,
pricing formulas, customer lists, financial
information (including the revenues, costs,
or profits associated with any of the
Partnership’s or the Company Group’s products
or services), business plans, lease
structure, projections, prospects,
opportunities or strategies, acquisitions or
mergers, advertising or promotions, personnel
matters, legal matters, any other
confidential and proprietary information, and
any other information not generally known
outside the Partnership or the Company Group that may be of value to the Partnership or
the Company Group but excludes any
information already properly in the public
domain. “Confidential Information” also
includes confidential and proprietary
information and trade secrets that third
parties entrust to the Partnership or the
Company Group in confidence.
	 	 	 
	 	 	
You understand and agree that the rights and
obligations set forth in this Secrecy Section
will continue indefinitely and will survive
termination of this Agreement and your
employment with the Partnership or the
Company Group.
	 	 	 

	 	 	 
	Exclusive Property	 	
You confirm that all Confidential Information is and must remain the exclusive property of
the Partnership or the relevant member of the
Company Group. All business records,
business papers, and business documents you
keep or make in the course of your employment
by the Partnership relating to the
Partnership or any member of the Company
Group must be and remain the property of the
Partnership or the relevant member of the
Company Group. Upon the termination of this
Agreement with the Partnership or upon the
Partnership’s request at any time, you must
promptly deliver to the Partnership or to the
relevant member of the Company Group any
Confidential Information or other materials
(written or otherwise) not available to the
public or made available to the public in a
manner you know or reasonably should
recognize the Partnership did not authorize,
and any copies, excerpts, summaries,
compilations, records and documents you made
or that came into your possession during your
employment. You agree that you will not,
without the Partnership’s consent, retain
copies, excerpts, summaries or compilations
of the foregoing information and materials.
You understand and agree that the

13

 

	 	 	 
	 	 	
rights and obligations set forth in this
Exclusive Property Section will continue
indefinitely and will survive termination of
this Agreement and your employment with the
Company Group.
	 	 	 
	Maximum Limits	 	
If any of the provisions of Exhibit A are
ever deemed to exceed the time, geographic
area, or activity limitations the law
permits, you and the Partnership agree to
reduce the limitations to the maximum
permissible limitation, and you and the
Partnership authorize a court or arbitrator
having jurisdiction to reform the provisions
to the maximum time, geographic area, and
activity limitations the law permits.
	 	 	 
	Injunctive Relief	 	
Without limiting the remedies available to
the Partnership, you acknowledge:

	 	 	 
	 	 	
that a breach of any of the covenants in this
Exhibit A may result in material irreparable
injury to the Partnership and Company Group for which there is no adequate remedy at law;
and
	 	 	 
	 	 	
that it will not be possible to measure
damages for such injuries precisely.

	 	 	 
	 	 	
You agree that, if there is a breach or
threatened breach, the Partnership or any
member of the Company Group will be entitled
to obtain a temporary restraining order
and/or a preliminary or permanent injunction
restraining you from engaging in activities
prohibited by any provisions of this Exhibit
A or such other relief as may be required to
specifically enforce any of the covenants in
this Exhibit A.

14exv10w17

 

Exhibit 10.17

SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

June 26, 2003

Capital Automotive L.P.

1420 Spring Hill Road

Suite 525

McLean, VA 22102

Attention: Treasurer and General Counsel

		
	 	Re:    Second Amendment (“Second Amendment”) to the Capital Automotive L.P.
Revolving Credit Agreement dated as of March 29, 2002 by and among the
financial institutions from time to time signatory thereto (each a
“Lender”, and collectively the “Lenders”), Comerica Bank, as Agent for
the Lenders (in such capacity, “Agent”), Capital Automotive L.P.
(“Company”) and the Co-Borrowers from time to time signatory thereto
(collectively with the Company, the “Borrowers”), as amended by that
certain First Amendment to Credit Agreement dated as of May 1, 2002 (as
amended, the “Credit Agreement”)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

          Reference is made to the Credit Agreement. Except as specifically defined
to the contrary herein, capitalized terms used in this Second Amendment shall
have the meanings given them in the Credit Agreement.

          Based upon the Agent’s receipt of the approval of the requisite Lenders
(in the form attached to this Second Amendment) and subject to the terms and
conditions set forth in this Second Amendment, the Agent hereby confirms the
agreement by the requisite Lenders to amend and restate paragraph (a) of the
definition of “Borrowing Base Limitations” in Section 1 of the Credit Agreement
as stated below:

		
	 	        “(a)     The Borrowing Base shall not include the value of any
Eligible Property that has been included in the Borrowing Base for
more than 12 consecutive months from the first day of the calendar
month covered by the initial Borrowing Base Certificate submitted
hereunder in which such Property was included as an Eligible
Property, if such initial Borrowing Base Certificate was a regular
Borrowing Base Certificate submitted under Section 7.2 (c) hereof,
and 12 consecutive months from the first day of the month
immediately following the month during which the Eligible Property
was first included by the Borrowers in a special Borrowing Base
Certificate submitted under Section 2.3(a)(iv).”

          Further, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Second
Amendment, the Agent hereby also confirms the agreement by the requisite
Lenders to delete the current Exhibit H to the Credit Agreement and insert an
amended and restated Exhibit H in its place, such amended and restated Exhibit
H to be in the form attached to this Second Amendment as Annex I.

 

 

          Except as set forth above, this Second Amendment shall not be deemed to
amend or alter in any respect the terms and conditions of the Credit Agreement,
the Notes or any other Loan Document and shall not be deemed to be a waiver of
or consent to any other matter.

          By signing and returning a counterpart of this Second Amendment to the
Agent, Company acknowledges its acceptance of the terms of this Second
Amendment. This Second Amendment shall not become effective unless and until
(i) this Second Amendment is countersigned by the Borrowers, the Agent and the
requisite Lenders and such countersignatures are returned to the Agent, (ii)
the Acknowledgement of Guarantor `attached hereto is executed and delivered by
Guarantor to Agent, (iii) Agent shall have received certified copies of company
or partnership resolutions or other authority documents confirming, as
applicable, the due authorization, execution and delivery of the Second
Amendment by each of the Borrowers and the Guarantor, (iv) Agent shall have
received that certain Closing Certificate dated as of the date hereof, and (v)
payment to each Lender of an amendment fee (the “Amendment Fee”) in an amount
equal to twenty (20) basis points times such Lender’s applicable Percentage of
the Revolving Credit Aggregate Commitment. Upon receipt of the requisite
signatures, the Amendment Fee and satisfaction of the terms and conditions set
forth herein, this Second Amendment shall be deemed to be effective as of June
26, 2003.

	 	 	 
	 	 	
Very truly yours,
	 	 	
 
	 	 	
COMERICA BANK, as Agent and Lender
	 	 	
 
	 	 	
By:   /s/ Joseph M. Davignon
	 	 	

	 	 	
 
	 	 	
Its:   First Vice President
	 	 	

2

 

 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

	 	 	 	 	 
	Acknowledged and agreed:	 	 	BORROWERS:
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	CAPITAL AUTOMOTIVE L.P.
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	By:	Capital Automotive REIT
	 	 	 	Its:	General Partner
	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	By:	/s/ David S. Kay

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	Its:	Senior Vice
President and

Chief Financial Officer

	 	 	 
	 	
CAR 1 MOM L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
	 	 	
 
	 	 	
BY:   CAR MOM INC., it general partner
	 	 	
 
	 	 	
By:   /s/ David S. Kay

	 	 	
 
	 	 	
Its:   Senior Vice President and

         Chief Financial
Officer

	 	 	 
	 	
CAR 2 MOM L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
	 	 	
 
	 	 	
BY:   CAR MOM INC., its general partner
	 	 	
 
	 	 	
By:   /s/ David S. Kay

	 	 	
 
	 	 	
Its:   Senior Vice President and

          Chief
Financial Officer

	 	 	 
	 	
CAR SON PARR L.P., a Delaware limited partnership
	 	 	
 
	 	 	
BY:   CAR MOM INC., its general partner
	 	 	
 
	 	 	
By:   /s/ David S. Kay

	 	 	
 
	 	 	
Its:   Senior Vice President and

           Chief
Financial Officer

          Dated as of June 26, 2003

3

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

4

 

Approval of Second Amendment and Authorization

          The undersigned Lender, by its duly authorized officer, hereby confirms
its approval of the attached Second Amendment on the terms and conditions set
forth therein and its authorization to the Agent to issue the Second Amendment
to the Company.

	 	 	 
	 	
LENDER:
	 	 	
 
	 	
BANK OF AMERICA
	 	 	
 
	 	By:	
/s/ K.W. Winston, III
	 	 	

	 	Name:	
K.W. Winston, III
	 	 	

	 	Title:	
Senior Vice President
	 	 	

Date: June 24, 2003

SIGNATURE PAGE TO SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

Approval of Second Amendment and Authorization

          The undersigned Lender, by its duly authorized officer, hereby confirms
its approval of the attached Second Amendment on the terms and conditions set
forth therein and its authorization to the Agent to deliver the Second
Amendment to the Company.

	 	 	 
	 	
LENDER:
	 	 	
 
	 	
BANK ONE, N. A.
	 	 	
 
	 	By:	
/s/ Peter J. Valore
	 	 	

	 	Name:	
Peter J. Valore
	 	 	

	 	Title:	
Vice President
	 	 	

Date: June 26, 2003

SIGNATURE PAGE TO SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

Approval of Second Amendment and Authorization

          The undersigned Lender, by its duly authorized officer, hereby confirms
its approval of the attached Second Amendment on the terms and conditions set
forth therein and its authorization to the Agent to deliver the Second
Amendment to the Company.

	 	 	 
	 	
LENDER:
	 	 	
 
	 	
BRANCH BANKING AND TRUST

COMPANY
	 	 	
 
	 	By:	
/s/ Ronald P. Gudbrandsen
	 	 	

	 	Name:	
Ronald P. Gudbrandsen
	 	 	

	 	Title:	
Senior Vice President
	 	 	

Date: June 23, 2003

SIGNATURE PAGE TO SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

Approval of Second Amendment and Authorization

          The undersigned Lender, by its duly authorized officer, hereby confirms
its approval of the attached Second Amendment on the terms and conditions set
forth therein and its authorization to the Agent to deliver the Second
Amendment to the Company.

	 	 	 
	 	
LENDER:
	 	 	
 
	 	
TOYOTA MOTOR CREDIT

CORPORATION, a California

corporation
	 	 	
 
	 	By:

Name:	
/s/ D. M. Taylor

Mike Taylor

	 	Title:	
Corporate Manager Dealer Relations

Date: June 24, 2003

SIGNATURE PAGE TO SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GUARANTOR

          The undersigned, being an authorized officer of Capital Automotive REIT
(the “Guarantor”) hereby acknowledges that (a) the Guarantor executed a
Guaranty dated as of March 29, 2002, as amended by that certain First Amendment
to Guaranty dated as of October 17, 2002 and that certain Second Amendment to
Guaranty dated as of June 26, 2003 (as amended, the “Guaranty”) pursuant to
which such Guarantor guaranteed the obligations of the Borrowers under that
certain Capital Automotive L.P. Revolving Credit and Term Loan Agreement dated
as of March 29, 2002, as amended (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”) by and
among the Company, the Co-Borrowers from time to time signatory thereto
(collectively with the Company, the “Borrowers”), certain financial
institutions (the “Lenders”) and Comerica Bank as agent for the Lenders (the
“Agent”) and (b) the Borrowers, the Lenders and the Agent have executed the
Second Amendment to the Credit Agreement dated as of date hereof (the “Second
Amendment”). The undersigned hereby ratifies and confirms its obligations
under the Credit Agreement and the Guaranty and agrees that the Guaranty
remains in full force and effect after giving effect to the effectiveness of
the Second Amendment. Capitalized terms not otherwise defined herein will have
the meanings given in the Credit Agreement. This acknowledgment shall be
governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of, and be enforceable
in, the State of Michigan.

          Dated as of the 26th day of June, 2003

	 	 	 
	 	
CAPITAL AUTOMOTIVE REIT, a Maryland real

estate trust
	 	 	
 
	 	By:	
/s/ David S. Kay

 
	 	Its:	
Senior Vice President and

    Chief Financial Officer

SIGNATURE PAGE TO SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

 

ANNEX I

EXHIBIT H

(See Attached)

SIGNATURE PAGE TO SECOND AMENDMENT TO CREDIT AGREEMENT

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