Document:

<PAGE>

                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.45

                                 SEVERANCE PLAN

   This Severance Plan as described below will be effective from and after the
date of the closing of the merger (the "Closing Date") of Western Wireless
Corporation (the "Company") and ALLTEL Corporation (the "Merger") and is
applicable in the event of a Participant's "Qualifying Termination" (as defined
below) during the 2-year period immediately following the Closing Date of the
Merger. This Severance Plan shall be of no force and effect in the event that
the Merger is not consummated.

1. Full-time and part-time employees of the Company and its subsidiaries as of
   January 10, 2005, and any full-time and part-time employees who received and
   accepted an offer of employment with the Company prior to January 10, 2005,
   in each case who are employed as of the Closing Date ("Participants"), shall
   be eligible for the Severance Plan. Individuals whose employment terminates
   prior to the Closing Date will not be eligible for severance under this
   Severance Plan. For the purposes of this Severance Plan, employment with a
   subsidiary or affiliate of the Company (including, following the Closing
   Date, ALLTEL Corporation or one of its subsidiaries) shall be deemed to be
   employment with the Company.

2. Participants who immediately prior to the Closing Date (or at the time of the
   Qualifying Termination) are at position levels of Senior Vice President and
   above, will receive as severance pay at the next payroll period following a
   Qualifying Termination, a lump sum cash severance payment equal to the sum of
   (i) the Participant's annual salary in effect immediately prior to the date
   of the Participant's Qualifying Termination (the "Termination Date"), and
   (ii) the Participant's Target Bonus (as defined below) in effect for the
   fiscal year of the Qualifying Termination.

3. All other Participants will receive as severance pay at the next payroll
   period following a Qualifying Termination an amount equal to the greater of

   (a) the product of (i) the Participant's Monthly Compensation (as defined
       below) and (ii) the Participant's years of service and portions thereof
       with the Company, not to exceed twelve (12) years of service (by way of
       example, a Participant with 4 years and 3 months service with the Company
       shall receive severance pay in an amount equal to the product of the
       Participant's Monthly Compensation and 4.25); or

   (b) three (3) times the Participant's Monthly Compensation.

4. A Qualifying Termination shall occur upon a Participant's termination by the
   Company without Cause or as a result of death or disability, or by the
   Participant for Good Reason during the 2-year period immediately following
   the Closing Date.

5. Definitions:

      (a) "Cause" shall mean (i) a Participant's gross neglect or willful
          material breach of the Participant's principal employment
          responsibilities or duties, (ii) a final judicial adjudication that a
          Participant is guilty of a felony, (iii) fraudulent conduct as
          determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in the course of a
          Participant's

<PAGE>

          employment with the Company, (iv) the unreasonable refusal by a
          Participant to perform the responsibilities or duties of the
          Participant's position in any material respect, or (v) the material
          breach by a Participant of any other term or condition of the
          Participant's employment with the Company, which, in the case of
          clauses (i), (iv) and (v) of this paragraph, continues uncured for a
          period of thirty (30) days after the Participant receives written
          notice thereof from the Company.

      (b) "Good Reason" shall mean, without the Participant's express written
          consent, (i) failure of the Company to pay, or reduction by the
          Company of, a Participant's total annual compensation (annual base
          salary plus Target Bonus), as reflected in the Company's payroll
          records for the Participant's last pay period immediately prior to the
          Closing Date; or (ii) the relocation of the principal place of a
          Participant's employment to a location that is more than 50 miles
          further from the Participant's principal residence than such principal
          place of employment immediately prior to the Closing Date.

      (c) "Monthly Compensation" means one twelfth (1/12) of the sum of a
          Participant's (i) annual base salary as in effect immediately prior to
          the Termination Date; and (ii) Target Bonus, if any, in effect for the
          fiscal year of the Qualifying Termination. Monthly Compensation for
          Participants who are part-time employees shall not exceed 50% of the
          Monthly Compensation of a similarly-situated regular full-time
          employee. Monthly Compensation shall not include monthly auto
          allowance, if any.

      (d) "Target Bonus" means 100% of the Participant's target bonus for the
          applicable fiscal year. In the case of a Participant on a sales
          commission plan, it means 100% of the Participant's total annual
          target commission (the product of the Participant's monthly target
          commission and 12) for the applicable fiscal year. In either case, if
          the Qualifying Termination occurs prior to the determination of such
          Target Bonus for the fiscal year of the Qualifying Termination, such
          Target Bonus shall be the Target Bonus for the prior fiscal year.
          Target Bonus shall not include any amounts payable under the Company's
          2005 Team Performance Bonus Plan.

6. Participants who (a) voluntarily resign, (b) are terminated for Cause; or (c)
   resign after being offered a comparable position with the Company (i) at the
   same location; and (ii) with an annual base salary and Target Bonus, as
   applicable, the total of which is the same as or higher than that in effect
   as of immediately prior to the Closing Date, will not receive a severance
   payment.

7. In the case of the Qualifying Termination of a Participant who has an
   agreement with the Company entered into prior to January 10, 2005
   ("Pre-Existing Agreement") which provides for severance pay in the case of
   involuntary termination of the Participant's employment without cause or a
   constructive termination of the Participant's employment for good reason,
   that Participant shall receive (i) as severance pay an amount which is the
   greater of the severance payments provided for by this Severance Plan and the
   Pre-Existing Agreement, and (ii)

                                       2
<PAGE>

   such other benefits or payments, if any, provided for in the Pre-Existing
   Agreement. Except as set forth herein, any Pre-Existing Agreement shall
   continue in full force and effect.

8. Any dispute or controversy arising under or in connection with this Severance
   Program shall be settled exclusively by arbitration in Seattle, Washington.
   Judgment may be entered on the arbitrator's award in any jurisdiction.

9. This Severance Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
   laws of the state of Washington.

10.  This Severance Plan shall be administered by John Stanton or his designee
    (the "Administrator"), who shall have discretionary authority with respect
    to the interpretation and application of the Severance Plan. The decision of
    the Administrator upon all matters within the scope of its authority shall
    be conclusive and binding on all parties. The Administrator shall be
    indemnified for all good faith actions taken in connection with the
    Severance Plan, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

11.  For purposes of this Severance Plan, employment by the Company shall
    include employment by the subsidiaries and affiliates of the Company,
    including, following the Closing Date, ALLTEL Corporation and its
    subsidiaries.

12.  This Severance Plan shall be binding upon any successor of the Company,
    including, following the Closing Date, ALLTEL Corporation and its
    subsidiaries.

                                       3exv10w46

 

EXHIBIT 10.46

     STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT, dated as of March 15, 2005, between WWC HOLDING CO., INC., a
Delaware corporation (“Buyer”), and BRADLEY J. HORWITZ (“Seller”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

     WHEREAS, Seller owns 143 shares, representing 2.02% of the issued and outstanding shares of
common stock, $.01 par value per share (the “Shares”), of Western Wireless International Holding
Corporation (formerly known as Western Wireless International Corporation), a Delaware Corporation
(the “Company”), and Buyer owns the balance of the outstanding shares of capital stock of the
Company; and

     WHEREAS, Buyer, Seller, the Company and Western Wireless Corporation (“WWC”), which owns all
of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Buyer, have previously entered into a Subscription
and Put and Call Agreement with respect to Shares of Common Stock of the Company, dated January 1,
1996, as amended (the “Horwitz Agreement”);

     WHEREAS, pursuant to the Horwitz Agreement, on January 31, 2005 Horwitz exercised his right to
require Buyer to exchange all of the Shares for that number of shares of common stock of WWC having
a value equal to the Fair Market Value (as defined below) of the Shares on January 31, 2005;

     WHEREAS, the Horwitz Agreement defines “Fair Market Value” as the value which would be agreed
upon in an arm’s-length transaction between an informed and willing buyer and an informed and
willing seller of the Shares, neither of which is under any obligation or compulsion to buy or sell
the Shares, and the Horwitz Agreement provides that, in valuing the Shares, the Board of Directors
of Buyer shall not take into account the fact that (i) the Shares represent a non-controlling
minority interest in the Company and (ii) the Shares may not be publicly offered and traded without
registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and applicable stock securities laws;

     WHEREAS, the boards of directors of Buyer and WWC, based on an analysis made by John W.
Stanton, have agreed that the Fair Market Value of the Shares on January 31, 2005 was
$29,883,838.38 and such determination has been agreed to by Seller;

     WHEREAS, the boards of directors of Buyer and of WWC have agreed that, notwithstanding the
provisions of the Horwitz Agreement that specified that the Shares be exchanged for shares of
common stock of WWC, it is fair to, advisable and in the best interests of Buyer and WWC and the
shareholders of WWC for Buyer and WWC to authorize their proper officers to exchange the Shares
owned by Seller for an amount of cash equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares and Seller has
agreed to accept cash equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares in lieu of shares of common
stock of WWC;

     WHEREAS, Seller, who is President and a director of the Company, and Buyer, which already owns
97.98% of the common stock of the Company, are each fully

 

 

familiar with the financial condition, business and prospects of the Company and WWC; and

     WHEREAS, Seller desires to sell to Buyer, and Buyer desires to purchase from Seller, the
Shares, upon the terms and conditions set forth herein.

     NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the mutual covenants, conditions and
promises hereinafter set forth, the parties hereby agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1

DEFINITIONS

     Section 1.1. Definitions.

     For purposes of this Agreement, the following terms have the meanings set forth below:

     “Affiliate” shall mean, with respect to any Person, any other Person that directly, or
indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by or is under common
control with that Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including the terms
“controlling” and “controlled”) means the power to direct or cause the direction of the management
and policies of a Person, whether through the ownership of securities or partnership or other
ownership interests, by contract or otherwise.

     “Encumbrance” means any pledge, mortgage, hypothecation, assignment, deposit
arrangement, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge or other security interest, shareholder
agreement, proxy or other similar arrangement or agreement, preemptive right, right of first
refusal, right of first offer, right of consent, put right, option, warrant, subscription, call,
commitment, default or similar right or right of third party or other adverse claim or restriction
of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention
agreement).

     “Governmental Body” means any governmental or quasi-governmental authority, whether
administrative, executive, judicial, legislative or other, or any combination thereof, including
any federal, state, territorial, county, municipal or other government or governmental or
quasi-governmental agency, arbitrator, authority, board, body, branch, bureau, or comparable agency
or entity, commission, corporation, court, department, instrumentality, mediator, panel, system or
other political unit or subdivision or other entity of any of the foregoing, whether domestic or
foreign.

     “Laws” means statutes, laws, regulations, rules and administrative orders of any
Governmental Body.

     “Person” means an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company,
trust, unincorporated organization or other entity, or a Governmental Body.

     “Shares” has the meaning set forth in the first “WHEREAS” paragraph of the preamble to
this Agreement.

2

 

     “Transactions” means the transactions between Buyer and Seller contemplated by this
Agreement.

ARTICLE 2

PURCHASE AND SALE

     Section 2.1. Purchase and Sale.

     Concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and upon the terms and
conditions provided herein, Seller hereby sells, transfers, conveys and delivers to Buyer, and
Buyer hereby purchases and accepts from Seller, good, valid and marketable right, title and
interest to the Shares, free and clear of any Encumbrances.

     Section 2.2. Purchase Price.

     Concurrently with the execution and delivery of this Agreement and upon the terms and
conditions provided herein, in full consideration for the sale and transfer of the Shares by Seller
to Buyer, Buyer shall pay to Seller as the full purchase price for the Shares, $29,883,838.38 by
wire transfer of immediately available funds to Seller’s bank account previously designated by
Seller to Buyer.

ARTICLE 3

CLOSING AND PAYMENT

     Section 3.1. Closing.

     The closing will take place at the offices of the Company at 10:00 a.m. (local time) on the
date hereof concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, and at such closing the following
actions shall occur, all of which shall be deemed to occur simultaneously.

	 	(a)  	Seller shall deliver to Buyer:

	 	(i)  	the share certificate(s) representing all the Shares; and

	 	(ii)  	stock power(s) duly executed in blank by Seller in respect of the Shares;

	 	(b)  	Seller shall pay to Buyer the amount set forth in Section 2.2 in the manner
set forth therein.

ARTICLE 4

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER

     Seller hereby represents and warrants to Buyer, which representations and warranties shall
survive the execution of this Agreement and the consummation of the Transactions, as follows:

3

 

     Section 4.1. Authorization; No Breach.

     Seller has the capacity to execute and deliver this Agreement and to consummate the
Transactions. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by Seller and constitutes a
valid and binding obligation of Seller enforceable against Seller in accordance with its terms.
The execution and delivery by Seller of this Agreement and the consummation of the Transactions
will not (i) violate any provision of any Law applicable to Seller, (ii) violate any order,
judgment or decree applicable to Seller, or (iii) violate, conflict with, result in a breach of any
provision of, or constitute a default (or an event that, with notice or lapse of time or both,
would constitute a default) under any agreement to which Seller is bound.

     Section 4.2. Ownership of the Shares.

     Seller is the registered legal and beneficial owner of good and valid title to the Shares free
and clear of any Encumbrances. The Shares constitute the entirety of Seller’s equity interest in
the Company and Seller holds no derivative securities or other rights for any equity interest in
the Company except for any interest of Seller in the Company’s 1998 Stock Appreciation Plan. Upon
payment of the purchase price therefor as provided in Section 2.2 of this Agreement, Buyer will
acquire from Seller good and valid title to the Shares, free and clear of any Encumbrances.

     Section 4.3. Third Party Consents; Governmental Consents.

     No consent or approval of any Person is required to be obtained, and no consent, license,
approval, waiver, expiration of waiting period or authorization of, or registration or declaration
or filing with, any Governmental Body is required to be obtained or made, by Seller in connection
with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the
Transactions.

ARTICLE 5

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER

     Buyer hereby represents and warrants to Seller, which representations and warranties shall
survive the execution of this Agreement and the consummation of the Transactions, as follows:

     Section 5.1. Organization and Authority of Buyer.

     Buyer is a corporation, duly organized, validly existing and in good standing as a corporation
under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization with the power and authority to enter into this
Agreement and to perform its obligations hereunder.

     Section 5.2. Authorization; No Breach.

     Buyer has the requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement
and to consummate the Transactions. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and
the consummation of the Transactions have been

4

 

duly authorized by all requisite corporate action on the part of Buyer. This Agreement has
been duly executed and delivered by Buyer and constitutes a valid and binding obligation of Buyer
enforceable against Buyer in accordance with its terms. The execution and delivery by Buyer of
this Agreement and the consummation of the Transactions will not (i) conflict with the certificate
of incorporation or bylaws of Buyer, (ii) violate any provision of any Law applicable to Buyer,
(iii) violate any order, judgment or decree applicable to Buyer or (iv) violate, conflict with,
result in a breach of any provision of, or constitute a default (or an event that, with notice or
lapse of time or both, would constitute a default) under, any material agreement to which Buyer is
bound.

     Section 5.3. Third Party Consents; Governmental Consents.

     No consent or approval of any Person is required to be obtained, and no consent, license,
approval, waiver, expiration of waiting period or authorization of, or registration or declaration
or filing with, any Governmental Body is required to be obtained or made, by Buyer, in connection
with the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the consummation of the
Transactions except for such consents and approvals of Persons that have been obtained.

ARTICLE 6

MISCELLANEOUS

     Section 6.1. Governing Law.

     THE CONSTRUCTION, VALIDITY AND INTERPRETATION OF THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS
OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW THEREOF.

     Section 6.2. Further Assurances

     Each of the parties hereby agrees to execute such agreements and documents and take such other
further actions as may be reasonably required or desirable to carry out the provisions of this
Agreement and the Transactions, including executing such documents and taking such further actions
as may be reasonably required to give Buyer the full benefit of the share transfer under this
Agreement.

     Section 6.3. Notices.

     All notices, requests, permissions, waivers, and other communications hereunder shall be in
writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when received if delivered by hand, facsimile
transmission, reputable overnight courier service or registered or certified mail:

5

 

                                        If to Seller at:

	 	 	 
	

	 	Mr. Bradley J. Horwitz
	

	 	c/o Western Wireless Corporation
	

	 	3650 131st Avenue S.E.
	

	 	Bellevue, Washington 98006
	

	 	Phone:
	

	 	Facsimile:

                                        If to Buyer to:

	 	 	 
	

	 	WWC Holding Co., Inc.
	

	 	c/o Western Wireless Corporation
	

	 	3650 131st Avenue, S.E.
	

	 	Bellevue, Washington 98006
	

	 	Phone: 425-586-8700
	

	 	Facsimile:
	 
	 	 
	

	 	Attention: President

                                        with in either case a copy (that shall not constitute notice) to:

	 	 	 
	

	 	Friedman Kaplan, Seiler & Adelman LLP
	

	 	1633 Broadway
	

	 	New York, NY 10019-6708
	

	 	Facsimile: 212-833-1250
	

	 	Attention: Barry A. Adelman, Esq.

     Such names and addresses may be changed by such notice.

     Section 6.4.  Entire Agreement.

     This Agreement contains the entire understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the
subject matter contained herein, and supersedes and cancels all prior agreements, negotiations,
correspondences, undertakings and communications of the parties, oral or written, regarding such
subject matter.

     Section 6.5. Amendments.

     This Agreement may be amended only by a written instrument executed by Buyer and Seller or
their respective successors or permitted assigns.

6

 

     Section 6.6. Parties in Interest; Assignment.

     This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties and their
respective successors and permitted assigns. Nothing in this Agreement, express or implied, is
intended to confer upon any Person not a party to this Agreement any rights or remedies under or by
reason of this Agreement. No party to this Agreement may assign or delegate all or any portion of
its rights, obligations or liabilities under this Agreement without the prior written consent of
the other party to this Agreement.

     Section 6.7. Severability; Enforcement.

     Whenever possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such a manner as to
be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement is held to be
invalid, illegal or unenforceable under any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such
provision will be ineffective only to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability
in such jurisdiction, without invalidating the remainder of this Agreement in such jurisdiction or
any provision hereof in any other jurisdiction.

     Section 6.8. Waiver.

     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 party of any such right, power
or privilege, nor any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or privilege, preclude
any further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other such right, power or privilege. No
waiver of any breach of or noncompliance with this Agreement shall be held to be a waiver of any
other or subsequent breach or noncompliance.

     Section 6.9. Specific Performance.

     Each of the Buyer and Seller, in addition to being entitled to exercise all of its rights
provided herein or provided by law, including recovery of damages, will be entitled to specific
performance of its rights under this Agreement. Each of the Buyer and the Seller agrees that
monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by it by reason of a
breach by any other party hereto of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby agrees to waive the
defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.

     Section 6.10. Counterparts.

     This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the different parties
hereto on separate counterparts, each of which when executed and delivered shall constitute an
original, and all such counterparts together constituting but one and the same instrument.

7

 

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have duly executed this Agreement as of the date first
above written.

	 	 	 	 	 
	

	 	WWC HOLDING CO., INC.
	 
	

	 	By:	 	 
	

	 	 	 	 
	

	 	 	 	Name: Jeffrey A. Christianson
	

	 	 	 	Title: Sr. Vice President and Director
	 
	 	 	 	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	

	 	 	 	 
	

	 	 	 	Bradley J. Horwitz

8

 

STOCK PURCHASE AGREEMENT

dated as of March 15, 2005

between

WWC HOLDING CO., INC.

and

BRADLEY J. HORWITZ

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	 	 	 	 	 
	 	 	Page	 
	ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS
	 	 	2	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	Section 1.1. Definitions.
	 	 	2	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE 2 PURCHASE AND SALE
	 	 	3	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	Section 2.1. Purchase and Sale.
	 	 	3	 
	Section 2.2. Purchase Price.
	 	 	3	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	ARTICLE 3 CLOSING AND PAYMENT
	 	 	3	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	Section 3.1. Closing.
	 	 	3	 
	 
	ARTICLE 4 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF SELLER
	 	 	3	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	Section 4.1. Authorization; No Breach.
	 	 	4	 
	Section 4.2. Ownership of the Shares.
	 	 	4	 
	Section 4.3. Third Party Consents; Governmental Consents.
	 	 	4	 
	 
	ARTICLE 5 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF BUYER
	 	 	4	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	Section 5.1. Organization and Authority of Buyer.
	 	 	4	 
	Section 5.2. Authorization; No Breach.
	 	 	4	 
	Section 5.3. Third Party Consents; Governmental Consents.
	 	 	5	 
	 
	ARTICLE 6 MISCELLANEOUS
	 	 	5	 
	 
	 	 	 	 
	Section 6.1. Governing Law.
	 	 	5	 
	Section 6.2. Further Assurances
	 	 	5	 
	Section 6.3. Notices.
	 	 	5	 
	Section 6.4. Entire Agreement.
	 	 	6	 
	Section 6.5. Amendments.
	 	 	6	 
	Section 6.6. Parties in Interest; Assignment.
	 	 	7	 
	Section 6.7. Severability; Enforcement.
	 	 	7	 
	Section 6.8. Waiver.
	 	 	7	 
	Section 6.9. Specific Performance.
	 	 	7	 
	Section 6.10. Counterparts.
	 	 	7	 

-i-

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