Document:

Exhibit

EXHIBIT 10.1
 

PERFORMANCE SHARE UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT
Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc.
2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan
(As Amended and Restated Effective January 1, 2017)

This Performance Share Unit Award Agreement (the “Agreement”) is made by and between Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (the “Company” or “Helix”) and ___________________(the “Employee”) effective as of January __, 2019 (“Grant Date”), pursuant to the Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. 2005 Long-Term Incentive Plan (As Amended and Restated Effective January 1,  2017) (the “Plan”), which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

WHEREAS, the Company desires to grant to the Employee the performance share units specified herein (the “Units”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Plan and the terms and conditions of this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Employee desires to be granted the Units subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Plan;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:

1.The Plan. The Plan, a copy of which has been made available to the Employee, is incorporated by reference and made a part of this Agreement as if fully set forth herein. This Agreement uses a number of defined terms that are defined in the Plan or in the body of this Agreement. These defined terms are capitalized wherever they are used.

		
	2.
	Award.

(a)The Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Committee”) has awarded to the Employee, and on the Grant Date, the Company hereby grants to the Employee, _____ Units, which constitute Restricted Stock Units under the Plan and which are subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the Plan. The Employee has the opportunity to earn up to 200% of the _____ Units granted hereby based upon the performance criteria described in Section 2(c).

(b)Depending on the Company’s achievement of the performance goals specified in Section 2(c) during the three-year period beginning January 1, 2019 and ending December 31, 2021 (the “Performance Period”), the Employee shall be entitled to a payment equal to the value of the Units determined pursuant to Section 2(d) if, except as otherwise provided in Section 3, the Employee remains actively employed with the Company and/or its Affiliate(s) through the end of the Performance Period.

(c)The amount paid with respect to the Units shall be based upon the Company’s Total Shareholder Return (“TSR”) relative to the TSR of the Company’s “Peer Group” listed on Schedule A attached hereto, and shall be equal to the product of the Units awarded (as described in Section 2(a)) multiplied by the Adjustment Factor. The TSR of the Company and of the Peer Group shall be calculated and certified by the Committee. The percentile ranking of the Company’s TSR as compared 

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to the TSR of each entity in the Peer Group shall determine the Adjustment Factor using the chart below. The Adjustment Factor for performance rankings between points on this chart shall be determined by linear interpolation between the values listed. In no event shall the Adjustment Factor exceed 200%. If the performance ranking is below the 30th percentile, the Adjustment Factor shall be zero:

	
		
	Helix’s Performance Ranking
	Adjustment Factor

	90th percentile or above
	200%

	70th percentile
	150%

	50th percentile (“Target”)
	100%

	30th percentile
	50%

	Below 30th percentile
	0%

“Total Shareholder Return” or “TSR” = (Ending Stock Price - Beginning Stock Price + Dividends, if any, paid over the Performance Period)/Beginning Stock Price.

Ending and Beginning Stock Price = the average Stock Price for the 20 trading days prior to the ending and beginning dates of the Performance Period.

Stock Price = the closing price for the day as reported on the applicable exchange or market.

TSR of the Company or any member of the Peer Group shall be equitably adjusted to reflect any spin off, stock split, reverse stock split, stock dividend, recapitalization, or reclassification or other similar change in the number of outstanding shares of common stock.

(d)The amount payable to the Employee pursuant to this Agreement, if any, in respect of the Units earned shall be paid in shares of Stock of the Company with one share of Stock to be issued for each Unit earned. Any Units payable to the Employee shall be calculated by multiplying the number of Units awarded to the Employee by the Adjustment Factor set forth above for the level of achievement of the performance criteria set forth in Section 2(c). By way of example, if the Company’s TSR was at the 80th percentile, 175% of the Units would be payable to the Employee.

(e)Except as provided in Section 3(b), payment of amounts due shall be made on the March 15 immediately following the end of the Performance Period.

		
	3.
	Early Termination; Change of Control.

(a)In the event of the Employee’s termination of employment prior to the end of the Performance Period due to (i) death, (ii) disability (within the meaning of Section 22(e)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) (“Disability”), or (iii) Retirement (as hereinafter defined), the Employee shall vest in a number of Units determined by multiplying the number of Units granted by a fraction, the numerator of which is the number of full months between the beginning of the Performance Period and the date of termination due to death, Disability or Retirement and the denominator of which is thirty-six (36). The Committee shall determine the number of Units vested and the amount to be paid to the Employee or his or her estate in accordance with Section 2(e) based on the TSR performance for the entire Performance Period. As used herein, “Retirement” is defined as the voluntary termination of employment at or after age 55 with at least five years of service and the Employee not, at any time on or before the date that is two years following termination of 

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employment, accepting employment with, acquiring a 5% or more equity or participation interest in, serving as a consultant, advisor, director or agent of, directly or indirectly soliciting or recruiting any employee of the Company who was employed at any time during Employee’s service with the Company, or otherwise assisting in any other capacity or manner any company or enterprise that is directly or indirectly in competition with or acting against the interests of the Company or any of its lines of business, except for any service or assistance that is provided at the request or with the written permission of the Company. Any accelerated vesting pursuant to this Section 3(a) (i) due to the Employee’s Retirement shall not affect the time of payment under this Agreement.

(b)In the event of a Change of Control during the Performance Period, the Employee shall vest in all of the Units granted to the Employee under this Agreement. The amount paid with respect to the Units will be determined based on the TSR performance criteria as set forth in Section 2(c); however, the Total Shareholder Return of the Company and the Peer Group will be determined over an adjusted performance period, defined as the period beginning on the original beginning date of the Performance Period and ending on the effective date of the Change of Control. If the award is payable in cash, the cash value payable shall be determined by multiplying the number of Units payable by the Fair Market Value of a share of Stock on the date of the Change of Control. Payment shall be made to the Employee upon the date of the Change of Control. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Change of Control does not qualify as a “change in control event” under Department of Treasury Regulation section 1.409A-3(i)(5)(i), then payment shall be made at the time specified in Section 2(e).

(c)The Units may also vest under circumstances provided in any employment agreement between the Employee and the Company or other severance arrangements established by the Company. If the Employee is a party to an employment and/or severance agreement with the Company or a participant in a severance plan of the Company that provides for accelerated vesting of restricted stock units that were scheduled to vest within a specified period, the Units will be treated as scheduled to vest within such specified period if the Performance Period for such Units is scheduled to end within such specified period and the Company’s TSR for the Performance Period results in a payout for the Units in accordance with the criteria set forth in Section 2(c). By way of example, if an Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company under circumstances that would entitle the Employee to the acceleration of vesting of restricted stock units that are scheduled to vest within the next twelve months, the Employee would receive a payout for those Units in accordance with the terms of this Agreement based on the Company’s TSR for the Performance Period. Any accelerated vesting pursuant to this Section 3(c) shall not affect the time of payment under this Agreement.

4.Tax Withholding. To the extent that the receipt or payout of the Units results in income to the Employee for federal, state or local income or employment tax purposes with respect to which the Company or any of its Affiliates has a withholding obligation, if the payment is in cash the Company or the Affiliate, as applicable, shall withhold all applicable tax from any cash payable for the Units, or if payment is in shares of Stock of the Company, you shall deliver to the Company at the time of receipt such amount of money as the Company may require to meet its or its Affiliate’s obligation under applicable tax laws or regulations, and if you fail to do so, the Company is authorized to withhold from any shares issued under this Agreement sufficient to satisfy the withholding obligation based on the last per share sales price of the Company’s common stock for the trading day immediately preceding the date that the withholding obligation arises.

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5.Employment Relationship. For purposes of this Agreement, the Employee shall be considered to be in the employment of the Company and its Affiliates as long as the Employee has an employment relationship with the Company and its Affiliates. The Committee shall determine any questions as to whether and when there has been a termination of such employment relationship, and the cause of such termination, under the Plan and the Committee’s determination shall be final and binding on all persons.

6.Not an Employment Agreement. This Agreement is not an employment agreement, and no provision of this Agreement shall be construed or interpreted to create an employment relationship between the Employee and the Company and its Affiliates or guarantee the right to remain employed by the Company and its Affiliates for any specified term.

7.Notices. Any notice, instruction, authorization, request or demand required hereunder shall be in writing, and shall be delivered either by personal delivery, by telegram, telex, telecopy or similar facsimile means, by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, or by courier or delivery service, addressed to the Company at the then current address of the Company’s Principal Corporate Office, and to the Employee at the Employee’s address indicated beneath the Employee’s signature on the execution page of this Agreement, or at such other address and number as a party shall have previously designated by written notice given to the other party in the manner hereinabove set forth. Notices shall be deemed given when received, if sent by facsimile means (confirmation of such receipt by confirmed facsimile transmission being deemed receipt of communications sent by facsimile means); and when delivered (or upon the date of attempted delivery where delivery is refused), if hand-delivered, sent by express courier or delivery service, or sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested.

8.Amendment and Waiver. This Agreement may be amended, modified or superseded only by written instrument executed by the Company and the Employee. Only a written instrument executed and delivered by the party waiving compliance hereof shall make any waiver of the terms or conditions. Any waiver granted by the Company shall be effective only if executed and delivered by a duly authorized executive officer of the Company other than the Employee. The failure of any party at any time or times to require performance of any provisions hereof shall in no manner effect the right to enforce the same. No waiver by any party of any term or condition, or the breach of any term or condition contained in this Agreement, in one or more instances, shall be construed as a continuing waiver of any such condition or breach, a waiver of any other condition, or the breach of any other term or condition.

9.Governing Law and Severability. This Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to its conflicts of law provisions. The invalidity of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect any other provision of this Agreement, which shall remain in full force and effect.

10.Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall bind, be enforceable by and inure to the benefit of the Company and its successors and assigns, and subject to Section 3(a), to the Employee, the Employee’s permitted assigns, executors, administrators, agents, legal and personal representatives.

11.Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which shall be an original for all purposes but all of which taken together shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

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12.Section 409A. This Agreement shall be construed and interpreted to be exempt from or to comply with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any regulations or other guidance promulgated thereunder (“Section 409A”). Neither the Company nor the members of the Committee shall be liable for any determination or action taken or made with respect to this Agreement or the Units granted thereunder.

13.Non-Transferability. Neither this Agreement nor the rights of Employee hereunder shall be transferable by the Employee during his or her life other than by will or pursuant to applicable laws of descent and distribution, subject to Section 3(a) herein. No rights or privileges of the Employee in connection herewith shall be transferred, assigned, pledged or hypothecated by Employee or by any other person in any way, whether by operation of law, or otherwise, and shall not be subject to execution, attachment, garnishment or similar process. In the event of any such occurrence, this Agreement shall automatically be terminated and shall thereafter be null and void.

14.Entire Agreement. The Plan and this Agreement contain the  entire  agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter contained herein and may not be modified, except as provided herein or in the Plan or as it may be amended from time to time by a written document signed by each of the parties hereto. Any oral or written agreements, representations, warranties, written inducements, or other communications with respect to the subject matter contained herein made prior to the execution of the Agreement shall be void and ineffective for all purposes.

15.Unsecured Promise to Pay. The Company’s obligation under the Plan and this Agreement is an unsecured and unfunded promise to pay benefits that may be earned in the future. The Company shall have no obligation to set aside, earmark or invest any fund or money with which to pay its obligations under this Agreement. The Employee or any successor in interest shall be and remain a general creditor of the Company in the same manner as any other creditor having a general claim for matured and unpaid compensation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Agreement to be duly executed by its duly authorized representative, and the Employee has executed this Agreement, all effective as of the date first above written.
	
					
	 
	 
	 
	HELIX ENERGY SOLUTIONS GROUP, INC. 
 

	 
	 
	 
	By: 
	/s/ Owen Kratz                                   

	 
	 
	 
	 
	Owen Kratz
President and Chief Executive Officer 

	 
	 
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 
	EMPLOYEE:

	 
	 
	 
	 

	 
	 
	 
	                                                                         

	 
	 
	 
	Name:
Address:

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Schedule A

PEER GROUP COMPANIES

[LIST TO BE INSERTED]

If any Peer Group company files for or is the subject of any bankruptcy, insolvency, or liquidation proceeding during the Performance Period, such Peer Group company will remain in the Peer Group positioned below the lowest performing member of the Peer Group in chronological order by bankruptcy, insolvency, or liquidation date.

If a Peer Group company’s TSR shall cease to be available by reason of a business combination, acquisition, merger or similar transformative event, the Committee shall exclude that company from the Peer Group and at the Committee’s discretion, the Committee may select a substitute Peer Group company for the excluded company.

Once a company is removed from the Peer Group as described above, that company shall be treated as having been removed from the Peer Group for the entire Performance Period and if applicable, a substitute Peer Group company shall be treated as included in the Peer Group for the entire Performance Period.

6Exhibit

[DIRECTOR/OFFICER] INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

AGREEMENT, by and  between LEE ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and __________________ (the “Indemnitee”), dated as of ____________________.

WHEREAS, Indemnitee is a(n)          of the Company;

WHEREAS, both the Company and Indemnitee recognize the increased risk of litigation and other claims being asserted against directors and officers of public companies in today’s environment;

WHEREAS, basic protection against undue risk of personal liability of directors and officers heretofore has been provided through insurance coverage providing reasonable protection at reasonable cost; as a result of substantial changes in the marketplace for such insurance it has become increasingly more difficult to obtain such insurance on terms providing reasonable protection at reasonable cost;

WHEREAS, the By-laws of the Company require the Company to indemnify and advance expenses to its directors and officers to the full extent permitted by law and Indemnitee will serve as a director or officer of the Company in part in reliance on such By-laws;

WHEREAS, in recognition of Indemnitee’s need for substantial protection against personal liability in order to enhance Indemnitee’s service to the Company in an effective manner, the inadequacy of the Company’s director and officer liability insurance coverage, and Indemnitee’s reliance on the aforesaid By-laws, and in part to provide Indemnitee with specific contractual assurance that the protection afforded by such By-laws will be available to Indemnitee (regardless of, among other things, any amendment to or revocation of such By-laws or any change in the composition of the Company’s Board of Directors or acquisition transaction relating to the Company), the Company wishes to provide in this Agreement for the indemnification of and the advancing of expenses to Indemnitee to the full extent (whether partial or complete) permitted by law and as set forth in this Agreement, and, to the extent insurance is maintained, for the coverage of Indemnitee under the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and of Indemnitee’s service to the Company, directly or indirectly, and intending to be legally bound hereby, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.    In the event Indemnitee becomes a party to or a witness or other participant in, or is threatened to be made a party to or a witness or other participant in, any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, or any inquiry or investigation, whether conducted by the Company or any other party, that Indemnitee in good faith believes might lead to any such action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative, 

investigative or otherwise (a “Claim”) by reason of (or arising in part out of) the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee, manager, agent or fiduciary of the Company, or is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, employee, trustee, manager,  agent or fiduciary of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise, or by reason of anything done or not done by Indemnitee in any such capacity (an “Indemnifiable Event”), the Company shall indemnify Indemnitee to the full extent permitted by law (the determination of which shall be made by the Reviewing Party referred to below) as soon as practicable but in any event no later than thirty days after written demand is presented to the Company, against any and all expenses (including attorneys’ fees and all other costs, expenses and obligations paid or incurred in connection with investigating, preparing for and defending or participating in the defense of (including on appeal) any Claim relating to any Indemnifiable Event) (collectively “Expenses”), judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such judgments, fines, penalties or amounts paid in settlement) of such Claim.  

If so requested by Indemnitee, the Company shall advance (within two business days of such request) any and all such Expenses to Indemnitee; provided, however, that (i) the foregoing obligation of the Company shall be subject to the condition that an appropriate person or body (the “Reviewing Party”) shall not have determined (in a written opinion in any case in which the special, independent counsel referred to in Section 2 hereof is involved) that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be so indemnified under applicable law, and (ii) if, when and to the extent that the Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee would not be permitted to be so indemnified under applicable law, the Company shall be entitled to be reimbursed by Indemnitee (who hereby agrees to reimburse the Company) for all such amounts theretofore paid (unless Indemnitee has commenced legal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction to secure a determination that Indemnitee should be indemnified under applicable law, in which event Indemnitee shall not be required to so reimburse the Company until a final judicial determination requiring such reimbursement is made with respect thereto as to which all rights of appeal therefrom have been exhausted or lapsed).

The Company shall not be obligated to indemnify or advance any additional amounts to Indemnitee under this Agreement (unless there has been a determination by a court of competent jurisdiction that the Indemnitee would be permitted to be so indemnified or entitled to such expense advances under applicable law).  

If there has not been a Change in Control of the Company (as hereinafter defined), the Reviewing Party (which can, but does not have to, be the disinterested members of the Board of Directors or a committee comprised of one or more disinterested members of the Board of Directors) shall be selected by the Board of Directors by a majority vote of a quorum consisting of directors who were not parties to such action, proceeding or suit, unless such a quorum is not obtainable in which case the Reviewing Party shall be selected by the special, independent counsel referred to in Section 2 hereof.  If there has been a Change in Control of the Company, the Reviewing Party shall be the special, independent counsel referred to in Section 2 hereof.  

If Indemnitee has not been indemnified by the expiration of the foregoing thirty-day period or received expense advances or if the Reviewing Party determines that Indemnitee substantively would not be permitted to be indemnified or be entitled to expense advances in whole or in part under applicable law, Indemnitee shall have the right to commence litigation seeking from the court a finding that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification and expense advances or enforcement of Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification and expense advances or challenging any determination by the Reviewing Party or any aspect thereof that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified or receive expense advances; any determination by the Reviewing Party otherwise shall be conclusive and binding on the Company and Indemnitee.  Indemnitee agrees to bring any such litigation in any court in the states of Iowa or Delaware having subject matter jurisdiction thereof and in which venue is proper, and the Company hereby consents to service of process and to appear in any such proceeding.

2.    The Company agrees that if there is a Change in Control of the Company (as hereinafter defined), then with respect to all matters thereafter arising concerning the rights of Indemnitee to indemnity payments and expense advances under this Agreement or any other agreement or By-laws now or hereafter in effect relating to Claims for Indemnifiable Events, the Company shall seek legal advice only from special, independent counsel selected by Indemnitee and approved by the Company (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), and who has not otherwise performed services for the Company (other than in connection with such matters) or Indemnitee.  Unless Indemnitee has theretofore selected counsel pursuant to this Section 2 and such counsel has been approved by the Company, the firms in the attached Exhibit A shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements set forth above, and neither the Company nor Indemnitee shall engage such firm for any purpose (other than in the case of the Company, with respect to matters concerning the rights of Indemnitee [or of other indemnitees under similar indemnity agreements] to indemnity payments and expense advances).  Such counsel, among other things, shall determine whether and to what extent Indemnitee is permitted to be indemnified or is entitled to expense advances under applicable law and shall render its written opinion to the Company and Indemnitee to such effect.  

For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change in Control of the Company” shall be deemed to have occurred if: (1) the acquisition by any individual, entity or group (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”)) (a “Person”) of beneficial ownership (within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act) of 15% or more of the shares of the Company’s Common Stock occurs; provided, however, that for purposes of this subsection (1), the following acquisitions shall not be deemed to result in a Change of Control:  (A) any acquisition directly from the Company, (B) any acquisition by the Company, (C) any acquisition by any employee benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the Company or any corporation controlled by the Company,  (D) any acquisition by a Person of Beneficial Ownership of less than 25% of the Common Shares if such Person reports, or is required to report such Beneficial Ownership on Schedule 13G under the Exchange Act or Schedule 13D of the Exchange Act (or any comparable or successor report), which Schedule 13D does not state any present intention to (or reserve the right to) hold such Common Shares with the purpose or effect of changing or 

influencing the control of the Company, nor in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having such purpose or effect, or (E) any acquisition  pursuant to a transaction that complies with clauses (A), (B) and (C) of subsection (3) below; or (2) individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming a director subsequent to the date hereof whose election, or nomination for election by the Company’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the Incumbent Board shall be considered as though such individual were a member of the Incumbent Board, but excluding, for this purpose, any such individual whose initial assumption of office occurs as a result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other than the Board; or (3) consummation of a reorganization, merger or consolidation or sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or the acquisition of assets of another corporation (a “Business Combination”) occurs unless, following such Business Combination, (A) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the beneficial owners of the Common Stock immediately prior to such Business Combination beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 60% of the Common Stock or, with respect to an entity other than the Company, the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination (including, without limitation, a corporation that as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership, immediately prior to such Business Combination of the Common Stock, (B) no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Business Combination or any employee benefit plan (or related trust) of the Company or any corporation resulting from such Business Combination) beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, 15% or more of the Common Stock or, with respect to an entity other than the Company, the combined voting power of the then outstanding voting securities of such corporation, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to the Business Combination and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors of the corporation resulting from such Business Combination will have been members of the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Business Combination; or (4) approval by the shareholders of the Company of a complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company occurs.
The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees of the special, independent counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all expenses (including attorneys’ fees), claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto except for willful misconduct or gross negligence.

3.    The Company shall indemnify Indemnitee against any and all expenses (including attorneys’ fees) and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within two business days of such request) advance such expenses to Indemnitee, which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any claim asserted or action brought by Indemnitee for (i) indemnification or advance payment of Expenses by the Company under this Agreement or any other agreement or Company By-laws now or hereafter in effect relating to Claims for Indemnifiable Events and/or 

(ii) recovery under any directors’ and officers’ liability insurance policies maintained by the Company, regardless of whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advance payment of Expenses or insurance recovery, as the case may be.

4.    If Indemnitee is entitled under any provision of this Agreement to indemnification by the Company for some or a portion of the Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement of such action, suit or proceeding but not, however, for all of the total amount thereof, the Company shall nevertheless indemnify Indemnitee for the portion thereof to which Indemnitee is entitled.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any claim relating in whole or in part to any Indemnifiable Event or in defense of any issue or matter therein, including dismissal without prejudice, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses incurred in connection therewith.

5.    For purposes of this Agreement, the termination of any Claim by judgment, order, settlement (whether with or without court approval) or conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere, or its equivalent, shall not create a presumption that Indemnitee did not meet any particular standard of conduct or have any particular belief or that a court has determined that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or expense advance or that indemnification or expense advance is not permitted by applicable law.

6.    The parties recognize that several of the Company’s By-law provisions on indemnification substantially reflect the current provisions of Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware; that directors’ and officers’ liability insurance provides benefits beyond those specified in said Section 145; and that Section 145(f) provides that the benefits of the statute are not to be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which those seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses may be entitled under any agreement or otherwise.  It is the intent of the parties that the benefits to be derived by Indemnitee hereunder shall not be limited to those provided by said Section 145 (as presently enacted or as it may in the future be changed or interpreted, by statute or judicial decision) or any By-laws of the Company based thereon; but shall extend to the full extent permitted by law now or hereafter in effect (including giving full effect to Section 145(f), and this Agreement shall be so interpreted by the Reviewing Party herein.

7.    Indemnitee shall notify the Company in writing of the institution of any action, suit, proceeding, inquiry or investigation that is or may be subject to this Agreement; provided, that the failure to give such notice shall not affect Indemnitee’s rights hereunder.

 8.    To the extent the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing directors’ and officers’ liability insurance, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies, in accordance with its or their terms, to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any Company director or officer.

9.    No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or on behalf of the Company or any affiliate of the Company against Indemnitee, his spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two years from the 

date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company or its affiliate shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such two- year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitation is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action, such shorter period shall govern.

10.    No supplement, modification or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by both of the parties hereto.  No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions hereof (whether or not similar) nor shall such waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

11.    In the event of payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee, who shall execute all papers required and shall do everything that may be necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such documents necessary to enable the Company effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights.

12.    The Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee to the extent Indemnitee has otherwise actually received payment (under any insurance policy, By-law or otherwise) of the amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder.

13.    This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the parties hereto and their respective successors, assigns, including any direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise to all or substantially all of the business and/or assets of the Company, spouses, heirs, executors, and personal and legal representatives.  This Agreement shall continue in effect regardless of whether Indemnitee continues to serve as an officer or director of the Company or of any other enterprise at the Company’s request.

14.    The provisions of this Agreement shall be severable in the event that any of the provisions hereof (including any provision within a single section, paragraph or sentence) are held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or otherwise unenforceable, and the remaining provisions shall remain enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.

15.    This Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware applicable to contracts made and to be performed in such state, but excluding any conflicts-of-law rule or principle which might refer such governance, construction or enforcement to the laws of another state or country.

Executed as of the date first above written.
                    
LEE ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED

________________________        By:  _________________________
-                                   
Indemnitee                           

Exhibit A
to Indemnification Agreement

Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell
Twelfth & Market Streets
P.O. Box 1347
Wilmington, DE 19899-1347
(302) 658-9200

Young Conaway Stargett & Taylor, LLP
Rodney Square
1000 North King Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
(302) 571-6600

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