UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
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Item 1.01 Entry Into A Material Definitive Agreement
In order to ensure a cooperative, effective and efficient leadership transition upon the intended retirement of current President and Chief Executive Officer J. Bradley Scovill (the “CEO”) in 2027, on May 22, 2024, the Board of Directors of Citizens & Northern Corporation (the “Company”) and Mr. Scovill entered into an amendment and restatement of the Employment Agreement, dated as of March 2, 2015, as previously amended (the “Agreement”) between the Company and Mr. Scovill. . The term of the Agreement was extended through April 30, 2027, and the Board approved a special incentive award to the CEO of 20,000 shares of restricted stock, which will be awarded before July 30, 2024 and will vest on April 30, 2027, unless earlier vested in certain circumstances provided for in the amended agreement. In addition, the amended agreement provides that the CEO’s current and future Company equity grants will continue to vest after the termination of his employment by the Company for any reason other than for Cause or by the CEO with Good Reason (in each case, as defined in his employment agreement), in the same amounts and at the same times as they would have vested had he remained employed, except that grants that have performance based vesting requirements will vest on a prorata basis, based on the number of days in the performance period during which the Executive was employed, and provided that the applicable performance criteria are met.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) | Exhibits. |
Exhibit No. | Description |
10.1 | Amended and Restated Employment Agreement for J. Bradley Scovill |
104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded in the cover page formatted in Inline XBRL) |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| CITIZENS & NORTHERN CORPORATION | |
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Dated: May 28, 2024 | By: | /s/ Mark A. Hughes |
Mark A. Hughes | ||
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| Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer |
AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT is made to be effective as of May 22, 2024 (the "Effective Date") by and among CITIZENS & NORTHERN CORPORATION, a Pennsylvania business corporation (the "Corporation"), CITIZENS & NORTHERN BANK (the "Bank"), a Pennsylvania chartered bank, and J. BRADLEY SCOVILL, an adult individual ("Executive").
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS, the Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Corporation;
WHEREAS, the Corporation and the Bank previously entered into an employment agreement with Executive, dated March 2, 2014, which was subsequently amended on each of June 26, 2017 and August 24, 2018 (together, the “Prior Agreement”);
WHEREAS, the parties desire to amend the Prior Agreement to provide a framework, including appropriate incentives for Executive, that supports and facilitates a successful succession plan for the Company’s Chief Executive Officer position on a timeline that is consistent with Executive’s goals for retirement; and
WHEREAS, the parties desire to restate the terms of the Prior Agreement, in full.
AGREEMENT
NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein and intending to be legally bound, agree as follows:
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If this Agreement is terminated for Cause, all of Executive’s rights under this Agreement shall cease as of the effective date of such termination, except that:
If such termination occurs for Good Reason, then Bank shall pay Executive such benefits as are set forth in Section 8 of this Agreement.
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[signature page follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of date first above written.
| CITIZENS & NORTHERN CORPORATION | | ATTEST: |
By: | /s/ | Terry L. Lehman | /s/ | Glenn Richard James |
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| Terry L. Lehman, Chairman |
| Glenn R. James, Secretary |
| CITIZENS & NORTHERN BANK | | ATTEST: |
By: | /s/ | Terry L. Lehman | /s/ | Glenn Richard James |
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| Terry L. Lehman, Chairman |
| Glenn R. James, Secretary |
| EXECUTIVE | | WITNESS: |
| /s/ | J. Bradley Scovill | /s/ | Glenn Richard James |
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| J. Bradley Scovill |
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EXHIBIT A
Separation Agreement and General Release
THIS SEPARATION AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE (this "Agreement") is made by and between (the "Executive"), Citizens & Northern Corporation, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (the "Corporation") and Citizens & Northern Bank, a Pennsylvania chartered bank (the "Bank").
WHEREAS, the Executive, the Corporation and the Bank entered into an Amended and Restated Employment Agreement dated May 22, 2024 (the "Employment Agreement") that sets forth the terms and conditions of the Executive's employment with the Corporation and the Bank, including the circumstances under which the Executive is eligible to receive severance pay.
NOW, THEREFORE, the Executive, the Corporation and the Bank each intending to be legally held bound, hereby agree as follows:
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Executive, acknowledging that he or she is acting of his or her own free will after having had the opportunity to seek the advice of counsel and a reasonable period of time to consider the terms of this Agreement, and the Corporation and the Bank, have caused the execution of this Agreement as of this day and year written below.
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J. Bradley Scovill | |
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CITIZENS & NORTHERN CORPORATION | |
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CITIZENS & NORTHERN BANK | |
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