Item 5.02 Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers
Appointment of Allen Muhich as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary
The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of Electro Scientific Industries, Inc. (the “Company”) has unanimously appointed Allen Muhich, age 50, as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary of the Company, effective December 5, 2017. The Company’s press release announcing Mr. Muhich’s appointment as Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Muhich served as the Chief Financial Officer of ID Experts since February 2016 and also as the Chief Operating Officer since January 2017. Prior to that, Mr. Muhich served as the Chief Financial Officer of Smarsh, Inc. from March 2015 to February 2016, and as the Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary of Radisys Corporation from October 2012 to March 2015.
In connection with Mr. Muhich’s appointment as Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Muhich will receive a hiring bonus of $25,000, an annual base salary of $350,000 and a target annual bonus opportunity under ESI’s Management Incentive Plan of 60% of his base salary, with a cap of 200%. Mr. Muhich was also granted, effective on his first day of employment, 25,000 time-based restricted stock units that will vest 25% on each of the first four anniversaries of his first day of employment and a target number of 25,000 performance-based restricted stock units that vest based on the relative performance of the Company’s common stock against the Russell 2000 Index over three performance periods, all beginning on December 5, 2017, with the first ending December 5, 2018, the second ending December 5, 2019 and the third ending December 5, 2020, with a cap of 200% of the target number of units. The Company anticipates entering into a Change in Control Agreement with Mr. Muhich, effective as of December 5, 2017, under which he will be eligible to receive certain payments and benefits in the event of a termination of employment under certain circumstances following a change in control of the Company.
Resignation of Paul Oldham
On December 4, 2017, Mr. Oldham resigned from his positions as Senior Vice President of Administration, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary of the Company in order to pursue other interests. The Company’s press release announcing Mr. Oldham’s departure is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
In connection with Mr. Oldham’s departure, the Company offered Mr. Oldham a Separation and Release Agreement (the “Separation Agreement”), which will be effective December 25, 2017 (the “Effective Date”), so long as Mr. Oldham executes the Separation Agreement and does not exercise his right of revocation prior to the Effective Date. Under the Separation Agreement Mr. Oldham will receive a lump sum severance payment of $601,822. In addition, Mr. Oldham received a prorated portion of his special bonus (pursuant to the Retention Bonus Agreement dated August 31, 2016) in the amount of $75,000. The Separation Agreement also includes, among other things, a general release in favor of the Company and its affiliates, a confirmation of Mr. Oldham’s confidentiality obligations and customary mutual non-disparagement provisions.