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Form 8-K BROADWIND, INC. For: Aug 12

August 12, 2022 9:01 AM EDT
0001120370 False 0001120370 2022-08-12 2022-08-12 iso4217:USD xbrli:shares iso4217:USD xbrli:shares
 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

_________________

FORM 8-K

_________________

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  August 12, 2022

_______________________________

BROADWIND, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

_______________________________

Delaware001-3427888-0409160
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation)(Commission File Number)(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

3240 South Central Avenue

Cicero, Illinois 60804

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

(708) 780-4800

(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

Not Applicable

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

_______________________________

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each classTrading Symbol(s)Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $0.001 par valueBWENThe NASDAQ Capital Market

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

 
 
Item 5.02. Departure of Directors or Certain Officers; Election of Directors; Appointment of Certain Officers; Compensatory Arrangements of Certain Officers.

On August 10, 2022, the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”) appointed Thomas A. Ciccone, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Financial Officer of Broadwind, Inc. (the “Company”) effective August 10, 2022. As a result, Eric B. Blashford, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, will no longer serve as the Company’s Principal Financial Officer and interim Chief Financial Officer.

Mr. Ciccone, 47, has served as Vice President of the Company since September 2021 and Principal Accounting Officer of the Company since October 2021. Mr. Ciccone has served as Corporate Controller, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary of the Company since August 2017. He joined the Company in 2008 as Accounting Manager, and has since held various corporate finance roles including Director of Finance and Manager of External Reporting. Mr. Ciccone is a certified public accountant (non-practicing) in the state of Illinois and holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

In connection with his appointment, Mr. Ciccone will receive an annual base salary of $230,000. He will be eligible for participation in the Company’s Executive Short-Term Incentive Plan, with a target award of 50% of his base salary and the Company’s long-term stock incentive plan, with a target annual grant value equal to 50% of his base salary. Any bonus earned for 2022 will be pro-rated based on the date of his appointment.

On August 10, 2022, the Company entered into a Severance and Non-Competition Agreement (the “Agreement”) with Mr. Ciccone. The Agreement includes non-competition and non-solicitation covenants that continue for 12 months after termination of employment and provisions regarding confidentiality. The Agreement also provides that, upon termination of Mr. Ciccone’s employment by the Company without “cause” (as defined in the Agreement), the Company shall pay to Mr. Ciccone (a) unpaid base salary accrued up to the effective date of termination plus any accrued but unpaid benefits to the effective date of termination, and any unpaid bonus earned in accordance with the then-applicable bonus plan or program to the effective date of termination; and (b) if Mr. Ciccone has been employed by the Company or an affiliate or subsidiary thereof for a period of at least 12 months prior to the effective date of termination (and only in such event), then severance in an amount equal to Mr. Ciccone’s then-current base salary for a period of 12 months. The Agreement also provides that, upon a “change of control” (as defined in the Agreement) and subsequent termination of Mr. Ciccone’s employment by the Company without cause, the Company shall pay to Mr. Ciccone an amount equal to (i) unpaid base salary, bonus and benefits accrued up to the effective date of termination, and (ii) a lump sum payment equal to Mr. Ciccone’s then-current base salary for a period of 18 months.

The foregoing summary of the Agreement does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by, the full text of the Agreement which is filed as Exhibit 10.1 hereto and incorporated by reference herein.

The Company issued a press release on August 12, 2022, announcing the appointment of Mr. Ciccone as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and Principal Financial Officer, a copy of which is attached to this Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference. The Company has elected to delay the filing of this Current Report on Form 8-K until its public announcement of Mr. Ciccone’s hiring in a press release in reliance on the instruction provided under Item 5.02(c) of Form 8-K.

Item 8.01. Other Events.

The Company issued a press release on August 12, 2022 announcing the appointment of Mr. Ciccone. A copy of the press release is furnished with this report as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d) Exhibit

EXHIBIT NUMBER DESCRIPTION
   
10.1 Severance and Non-Competition Agreement dated as of August 10, 2022 between Broadwind, Inc. and Thomas A. Ciccone  
99.1 Press Release dated August 12, 2022
104 Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)
 
 

SIGNATURE

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.

 BROADWIND, INC.
   
  
Date: August 12, 2022By: /s/ Eric B. Blashford        
  Eric B. Blashford
  President, Chief Executive Officer
(Principal Executive Officer)
  

 

Exhibit 10.1

 

Core Values: Commitment • Accountability • Respect • Energy • Safety

 

Severance and Non-Competition Agreement

 

This Severance and Non-Competition Agreement (this “Agreement”) is made and entered into as of the 10th day of August 2022 and effective as of the 10th day of August, 2022 (the “Effective Date”), by and between Thomas Ciccone (the “Employee”) and BROADWIND, INC. (the “Company”).

 

Recitals

 

A.                 The Employee is employed as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company.

 

B.       The Company has agreed to provide the Employee with certain severance benefits in the event the Employee’s employment terminates under certain circumstances, in exchange for the Employee’s agreement to be bound by certain restrictive covenants.

 

C.       The parties desire to enter into this Agreement to memorialize the terms and conditions of such agreement.

 

Now, Therefore, in consideration of the mutual covenants and obligations contained herein, and intending to be legally bound, the parties, upon and subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, hereby agree as follows:

 

Agreements

 

Restrictive Covenants.

 

(a)                Confidentiality Critical.  The parties agree that the business in which the Company is engaged is highly sales-oriented and the goodwill established between the Employee and the Company’s customers and potential customers is a valuable and legitimate business interest worthy of protection under this Agreement.  The Employee acknowledges and agrees that developing and maintaining business relationships is an important and essential business interest of the Company.  The Employee further recognizes that, by virtue of the Employee’s employment by the Company, the Employee will be granted otherwise prohibited access to confidential and proprietary data of the Company which is not known to the Company’s competitors and which has independent economic value to the Company and that the Employee will gain an intimate knowledge of the Company’s business and its policies, customers, employees and trade secrets, and of other confidential, proprietary, privileged or secret information of the Company and its customers (“Customers”) (collectively, all such nonpublic information is referred to as “Confidential Information”). 

 

This Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to data relating to the Company’s products and services; the Company’s marketing and servicing programs, procedures and techniques; business, management and personnel strategies; the criteria and formulae used by the Company in pricing its products and services; the Company’s computer system and software; lists of prospects; customer lists; the identity, authority and responsibilities of key contacts at accounts of Customers; and the composition and organization of Customers’ business.  The Employee recognizes and agrees that this Confidential Information constitutes valuable property of the Company, developed over a long period of time and at substantial expense and worthy of protection.  The Employee acknowledges and agrees that only through the Employee’s employment with the Company could the Employee have the opportunity to learn this Confidential Information. 

Confidential

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(b)       Confidential Information.  The Employee shall not at any time (for any reason), directly or indirectly, on the Employee’s own behalf or on behalf of any other person or entity, (A) disclose to any person or entity (except to employees or other representatives of the Company who need to know such Confidential Information to the extent reasonably necessary for the Employee to perform the Employee’s duties under this Agreement or such employees or representatives to perform their duties on behalf of the Company, and except as required by law) any Confidential Information, including, without limitation, business or trade secrets of, or products or methods or techniques used by, the Company, or any Confidential Information whatsoever concerning the Customers, (B) use, directly or indirectly, for the Employee’s own benefit or for the benefit of another (other than a Customer) any of such Confidential Information, or (C) assist any other person or entity in connection with any action described in either of the foregoing clauses (A) and (B).    

 

(c)       Noninterference with Employees.  The Employee further agrees that the Company has expended considerable time, energy and resources into training its other employees (“Co-Workers”).  As a result, during the Employee’s employment with the Company and for a period of twelve (12) months thereafter, the Employee shall not, for any reason, directly or indirectly, on the Employee’s own behalf or on behalf of any other person or entity, (A) induce or attempt to induce any Co-Worker to terminate employment with the Company, (B) interfere with or disrupt the Company’s relationship with any of the Co-Workers, (C) solicit, entice, hire, cause to hire, or take away any person employed by the Company at that time or during the twelve (12) month period preceding the Employee’s last day of employment with the Company, or (D) assist any other person or entity in connection with any action described in any of the foregoing clauses (A) through (C).

 

(d)       Non-competition.  The Employee further agrees with the Company to the following provisions, all of which the Employee acknowledges and agrees are necessary to protect the Company’s legitimate business interests.  The Employee covenants and agrees with the Company that:

 

(i)       Unless otherwise agreed between the parties, the Employee shall not, during the Employee’s employment with the Company and for a period of twelve (12) months thereafter, either directly or indirectly, engage in, render service or other assistance to, or sell products or services, or provide resources of any kind, whether as an owner, partner, shareholder, officer, director, employee, consultant or in any other capacity, whether or not for consideration, to any person, corporation, or any entity, whatsoever, that owns, operates or conducts a business that competes, in any material way, with the Company’s business (which includes, but is not limited to, the business of providing technologically advanced high-value products and services to energy, mining and infrastructure sector customers, primarily in the United States), other than the ownership of five percent (5%) or less of the shares of a public company where the Employee is not active in the day-to-day management of such company.  With respect to the post-employment application of this Section 1(d)(i), the restrictions shall extend only to those specific countries or provinces where the Company conducts business on the day that the Employee’s employment with the Company terminates. 

 

(ii)       The Employee shall not, during the Employee’s employment with the Company and for a period of twelve (12) months thereafter, either directly or indirectly, (A) solicit, call on or contact any significant Customer of the Company with whom the Employee has had material contact during the Employee’s employment with the Company for the purpose or with the effect of offering any products or services of any kind offered by the Company at that time or during the Employee’s employment with the Company, (B) request or advise any present or future vendors or suppliers to the Company to cancel any contracts, or curtail their dealings, with the Company, or (C) assist any other person or entity in connection with any action described in either of the foregoing clauses (A) through (B).

Confidential

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(iii)             During the Employee’s employment with the Company, the Employee shall not own, or permit ownership by the Employee’s spouse or any minor children under the parental control of the Employee, directly or indirectly, an amount in excess of five percent (5%) of the outstanding shares of stock of a corporation, or five percent (5%) of any business venture of any kind, which operates or conducts a business that competes, in any way, with the Company. 

 

(e)       Non-disparagement.  At any time during or after the Employee’s employment with the Company, the Employee shall not disparage the Company or any shareholders, members, directors, officers, employees or agents of the Company. 

 

(f)       Understandings.             

 

(i)                 The provisions of this Section 1 shall be construed as an agreement independent of any other claim.  The existence of any claim or cause of action of the Employee against the Company, whether predicated on the Employee’s employment or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by the Company of the terms of this Section 1. The Employee waives any right to a jury trial in any litigation relating to or arising from this Agreement. 

 

(ii)       The Employee acknowledges and agrees that the covenants and agreements contained herein are necessary for the protection of the Company’s legitimate business interests and are reasonable in scope and content.  The Employee agrees that the restrictions contained in this Section 1 are reasonable and will not unduly restrict the Employee in securing other employment or income in the event the Employee’s employment with the Company ends.           

 

(g)          Injunctive Relief.  The Employee acknowledges and agrees that any breach by the Employee of any of the covenants or agreements contained in this Section 1 would give rise to irreparable injury and would not be adequately compensable in damages.  Accordingly, the Employee agrees that the Company may seek and obtain injunctive relief against the breach or threatened breach of any of the provisions of this Agreement in addition to any other legal or equitable remedies available. 

   

(h)        Reformation and Survival.  The Company and the Employee agree and stipulate that the agreements and covenants contained in this Agreement and specifically in this Section 1 are fair and reasonable in light of all of the facts and circumstances of the relationship between them.  The Company and the Employee agree and stipulate that the Employee has hereby agreed to be bound to the obligations, restrictions and covenants of this Section 1 in consideration of the payments provided for in Section 2 and Section 3 of this Agreement, and all other terms and provisions of this Agreement.  The Company and the Employee acknowledge their awareness, however, that in certain circumstances courts have refused to enforce certain agreements not to compete.  The Company and the Employee agree that, if any term, clause, subpart or provision of this Agreement is for any reason adjudged by a Court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, unreasonable, unenforceable or void, the same will be treated as severable, and shall be modified to the extent necessary to be legally enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, and that such modification will not impair or invalidate any of the other provisions of this Agreement, all of which will be performed in accordance with their respective terms.  Thus, in furtherance of, and not in derogation of, the provisions of this Section 1, the Company and the Employee agree that in such event, this Section 1 shall be deemed to be modified or reformed to restrict the Employee’s conduct to the maximum extent (in terms of time, geography and business scope) that the court shall determine to be enforceable.  The provisions of this Section 1 shall survive the termination of this Agreement and the Employee’s resignation or termination of employment, regardless of the reason and whether voluntary or involuntary.

Confidential

 4

2.        Termination.

 

(a)       Termination by the Company for Cause. The Company has the right, at any time, to terminate the Employee’s employment with the Company for Cause (as defined below), effective immediately, by giving written notice to the Employee as described in this Section 2(a). If the Company terminates the Employee’s employment for Cause, the Company’s obligation to the Employee shall be limited solely to the payment of unpaid base salary accrued up to the effective date of termination plus any accrued but unpaid benefits to the effective date of termination, and any unpaid bonus earned in accordance with the then applicable bonus plan or program to the effective date of termination. Any such accrued and earned but unpaid amounts shall be paid to the Employee as soon as reasonably practicable but in no event later than the Company’s next regularly scheduled payroll date following the effective date of termination.

 

As used in this Agreement, the term “Cause” shall mean and include (i) the Employee’s abuse of alcohol that affects the Employee’s performance of the Employee’s duties under this Agreement, or use of any controlled substance; (ii) a willful act of fraud, dishonesty or breach of fiduciary duty on the part of the Employee with respect to the business or affairs of the Company; (iii) material failure by the Employee to comply with applicable laws and regulations or professional standards relating to the business of the Company; (iv) material failure by the Employee to satisfactorily perform the Employee’s job duties, a material breach by the Employee of this Agreement, or the Employee engaging in conduct that materially conflicts with the best interests of the Company or that may materially harm the Company’s reputation; (v) the Employee being subject to an inquiry or investigation by a governmental authority or self-regulatory organization such that the existence of such inquiry or investigation may result in damage to the Company’s business interests, licenses, reputation or prospects; or (vi) conviction of a felony or a misdemeanor involving moral turpitude.

 

(b)        Termination by the Company without Cause. The Company shall have the right, at any time, to terminate the Employee’s employment with the Company without Cause by giving written notice to the Employee, which termination shall be effective thirty (30) calendar days from the date of such written notice. The Company may provide thirty (30) days’ pay in lieu of notice if the discharge occurs immediately upon notice. If the Company terminates the Employee’s employment without Cause, the Company’s obligation to the Employee shall be limited solely to (i) unpaid base salary accrued up to the effective date of termination plus any accrued but unpaid benefits to the effective date of termination, and any unpaid bonus earned in accordance with the then applicable bonus plan or program to the effective date of termination; and (ii) if the Employee has been employed by the Company for a period of at least twelve (12) months prior to the effective date of termination (and only in such event), then severance in an amount equal to the Employee’s then-current base salary for a period of twelve (12) months. The Employee’s rights with regard to equity incentive awards, including stock options and restricted stock units, shall be governed by separate applicable agreements entered into between the Employee and the Company. As a condition to the Employee’s receipt of the post-employment payments and benefits under this Section 2(b) (other than the payments described in clause (i) of the second sentence of this paragraph), the Employee must be in compliance with Section 1 of this Agreement, and must, on or before the 30th day following the effective date of termination, deliver to the Company an irrevocable general release of claims agreement in favor of the Company and related entities and individuals in such form as may be prescribed by the Company. The amount described in clause (i) of the second sentence of this paragraph shall be paid to the Employee as soon as reasonably practicable but in no event later than the Company’s next regularly scheduled payroll date following the effective date of termination, and the post-employment severance described in clause (ii) of the second sentence of this paragraph shall be paid in installments according to the Company’s normal payroll schedule, with the first payment to the Employee to be made on the next scheduled payroll date that occurs after the 30th day following the effective date of termination; provided, however, that the first such installment shall be in an amount equal to all amounts that otherwise would have been paid pursuant to normal payroll practices during the 30 days following the effective date of termination. For the avoidance of doubt, no payment or benefit shall ever be due to the Employee under clause (ii) of the second sentence of this paragraph unless the Employee has delivered the irrevocable general release of claims agreement described above on or before the 30th day following the effective date of termination. The Employee shall have no duty to mitigate damages under this Section 2(b) during the applicable severance period and, in the event the Employee shall subsequently receive income from providing the Employee’s services to any person or entity, including self-employment income, or otherwise, no such income shall in any manner offset or otherwise reduce the payment obligations of the Company hereunder.

 

Confidential

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Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, this Section 2(b) shall not apply if the Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company or a succeeding entity without Cause upon or within one (1) year of a Change of Control as described in Section 3 of this Agreement. In such case, Section 3 of this Agreement shall control.

 

(c)        Termination upon Disability. The Company shall have the right, at any time, to terminate the Employee’s employment if the Employee becomes physically or mentally disabled, whether totally or partially, as evidenced by the written statement of a competent physician licensed to practice medicine in the United States who is mutually acceptable to the Company and the Employee, so that the Employee is unable to perform the essential functions of the Employee’s job duties, with or without reasonable accommodation, (i) for a period of three (3) consecutive months, or (ii) for shorter periods aggregating ninety (90) calendar days during any twelve (12) month period. If the Company terminates the Employee’s employment under this Section 2(c), the Company’s obligation to the Employee shall be limited solely to the payment of unpaid base salary accrued up to the effective date of termination plus any accrued but unpaid benefits to the effective date of termination, and any unpaid bonus earned in accordance with the then applicable bonus plan or program to the effective date of termination. Any such accrued and earned but unpaid amounts shall be paid to the Employee as soon as reasonably practicable but in no event later than the Company’s next regularly scheduled payroll date following the effective date of termination.

 

(d)       Termination upon Death. If the Employee dies, this Agreement shall terminate, except that the Employee’s legal representatives shall be entitled to receive the base salary and other accrued benefits earned up to the date of the Employee’s death. Any such accrued and earned but unpaid amounts shall be paid to the Employee’s legal representative as soon as reasonably practicable but in no event later than the Company’s next regularly scheduled payroll date following the effective date of termination or, if later, as soon as reasonably practicable following appointment of a legal representative.

 

3.       Change of Control.

 

(a)                Anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if, upon or within one (1) year of a Change of Control (as defined below), the Company or a succeeding entity terminates the Employee’s employment without Cause (as defined above), the Company or the succeeding entity’s obligation to the Employee shall be (i) unpaid base salary, bonus and benefits accrued up to the effective date of termination, and (ii) a lump sum payment equal to the Employee’s then-current base salary for a period of eighteen (18) months. In the event of a without Cause Change of Control termination by the Company, the payments set forth in this Section 3(a) shall be in lieu of, and not in addition to, any severance pay or benefits set forth in Section 2(b) of this Agreement. As a condition to the Employee’s receipt of the post-employment payments and benefits under this Section 3(a) (other than the payments described in clause (i) of the first sentence of this paragraph), the Employee must be in compliance with Section 1 of this Agreement, and must, on or before the 30th day following the effective date of termination, deliver to the Company an irrevocable general release of claims agreement in favor of the Company and related entities and individuals in such form as may be prescribed by the Company. The amount described in clause (i) of the first sentence of this paragraph shall be paid to the Employee as soon as reasonably practicable but in no event later than the Company’s next regularly scheduled payroll date following the effective date of termination, and the post-employment severance described in clause (ii) of the first sentence of this paragraph shall be paid in a single lump sum on the first business day after the 30th day following the effective date of termination. For the avoidance of doubt, no payment or benefit shall ever be due to the Employee under clause (ii) of the first sentence of this paragraph unless the Employee has delivered the irrevocable general release of claims agreement described above on or before the 30th day following the effective date of termination.

 

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(b)               Change of Control Defined. For purposes of this Agreement, a “Change of Control” means: (i) the consummation of any merger, consolidation, exchange, or reorganization to which the Company is a party if the individuals and entities who were stockholders of the Company immediately prior to the effective date of such transaction have, immediately following the effective date of such transaction, beneficial ownership (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) of less than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of securities issued by the surviving entity; (ii) a sale, lease or other transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any person or entity which is not an affiliate of the Company; or (iii) the acquisition, without prior approval by resolution adopted by the Company’s Board of Directors, of direct or indirect beneficial ownership (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) of securities of the Company representing, in the aggregate, more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of all classes of the Company’s then-issued and outstanding securities by any person or entity or by a group of associated persons or entities acting in concert; provided, however, that a Change of Control will not be deemed to occur if such acquisition is initiated by the Employee or an entity in which the Employee owns fifty percent (50%) or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of such entity’s securities, or if the Employee or such entity is a member of the group of associated persons or entities acting in concert. In all cases, the determination of whether a Change of Control has occurred shall be made in accordance with Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations, notices and other guidance of general applicability issued thereunder.

 

4.       Tax Withholding. The Company shall withhold from amounts payable to the Employee hereunder all applicable federal, state or local income or employment taxes.

 

5.                  Confidentiality. The Employee hereby agrees not to disclose any information concerning the contents or terms of this Agreement to anyone except the Employee’s attorney, accountant, financial adviser or members of the Employee’s immediate family, unless required by law. If the Employee fails to comply with this confidentiality clause, the Company shall be relieved of all of its obligations under this Agreement.

 

6.                  No Right to Employment. Neither this Agreement nor any action taken pursuant to this Agreement shall be construed as giving the Employee any right to be retained in the employ of the Company.

 

7.                  Attorneys’ Fees. The Employee agrees that the Company shall be entitled to its reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs incurred in connection with any enforcement effort undertaken pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.

 

8.                  Survival. This Agreement shall remain in full force and effect after the termination of the Employee’s employment with respect to those provisions which require the Employee to perform or not to perform certain actions, including the restrictive covenants contained in Section 1 of this Agreement and any obligations for the payment of attorneys’ fees and costs in accordance with the provisions hereof.

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9.                  Governing Law. The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of this Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the substantive laws of the State of Illinois, without giving effect to the principles of conflict of laws of such State, except as expressly provided herein. In any court action to enforce the provisions of this Agreement, the parties consent to the jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in Illinois and further agree that venue is proper in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois and/or the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

 

10.              Amendment. This Agreement may not be amended or modified except by written agreement signed by the Employee and the Company.

 

11.              Assignment. The Employee may not assign, pledge or encumber this Agreement or any interest herein. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and the successors and assigns of the Company.

 

12.              Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement.

 

13.              Integration. This Agreement comprises the entire agreement of the parties hereto regarding the subject matter hereof.

 

In Witness Whereof, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the Effective Date.

 

BROADWIND, INC.

 

By:  /s/ Eric B. Blashford  By:  /s/ Thomas A. Ciccone
   Eric B. Blashford     Thomas Ciccone
Title:  President and Chief Executive Officer     Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

Confidential

 

EXHIBIT 99.1

Broadwind Announces New Chief Financial Officer

CICERO, Ill., Aug. 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Broadwind (NASDAQ: BWEN), a diversified precision manufacturer of specialized components and solutions serving global markets, today announced that Thomas A. Ciccone has been appointed as Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Principal Financial Officer of Broadwind effective August 10, 2022. The Board of Directors had previously appointed Eric Blashford, President and CEO of Broadwind, as Principal Financial Officer and interim Chief Financial Officer in October 2021.

Mr. Ciccone was promoted to Principal Accounting Officer of Broadwind in October 2021. Mr. Ciccone has served as Corporate Controller, Assistant Treasurer and Assistant Secretary of Broadwind since August 2017. Mr. Ciccone joined Broadwind in 2008 as Accounting Manager and has since held various corporate finance roles, including Director of Finance and Manager of External Reporting. Mr. Ciccone is a certified public accountant (non-practicing) in the state of Illinois and holds a Bachelor of Science in accounting from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

“Tom is an experienced, highly respected finance leader within our organization, an executive well-equipped to support Broadwind entering this next phase of growth,” stated Eric Blashford, President and CEO. “He will continue to play a critical role as CFO, leading our external reporting, corporate finance, planning and investor relations functions. We look forward to the benefits of his leadership as we continue to position Broadwind for long-term value creation.”

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains “forward looking statements”—that is, statements related to future, not past, events—as defined in Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that reflect our current expectations regarding our future growth, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, performance, business prospects and opportunities, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, our management. Forward looking statements include any statement that does not directly relate to a current or historical fact. We have tried to identify forward looking statements by using words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “intend,” “will,” “should,” “may,” “plan” and similar expressions, but these words are not the exclusive means of identifying forward looking statements.

Our forward-looking statements may include or relate to our beliefs, expectations, plans and/or assumptions with respect to the following, many of which are, and will be, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic: (i) the impact of global health concerns, including the impact of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the economies and financial markets and the demand for our products; (ii) state, local and federal regulatory frameworks affecting the industries in which we compete, including the wind energy industry, and the related extension, continuation or renewal of federal tax incentives and grants and state renewable portfolio standards as well as new or continuing tariffs on steel or other products imported into the United States; (iii) our customer relationships and our substantial dependency on a few significant customers and our efforts to diversify our customer base and sector focus and leverage relationships across business units; (iv) the economic and operational stability of our significant customers and suppliers, including their respective supply chains, and the ability to source alternative suppliers as necessary, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic; (v) our ability to continue to grow our business organically and through acquisitions, and the impairment thereto by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; (vi) the production, sales, collections, customer deposits and revenues generated by new customer orders and our ability to realize the resulting cash flows; (vii) information technology failures, network disruptions, cybersecurity attacks or breaches in data security, including with respect to any remote work arrangements implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic; (viii) the sufficiency of our liquidity and alternate sources of funding, if necessary; (ix) our ability to realize revenue from customer orders and backlog; (x) our ability to operate our business efficiently, comply with our debt obligations, manage capital expenditures and costs effectively, and generate cash flow; (xi) the economy, including its stability in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the potential impact it may have on our business, including our customers; (xii) the state of the wind energy market and other energy and industrial markets generally and the impact of competition and economic volatility in those markets; (xiii) the effects of market disruptions and regular market volatility, including fluctuations in the price of oil, gas and other commodities; (xiv) competition from new or existing industry participants including, in particular, increased competition from foreign tower manufacturers; (xv) the effects of the change of administrations in the U.S. federal government; (xvi) our ability to successfully integrate and operate acquired companies and to identify, negotiate and execute future acquisitions; (xvii) the potential loss of tax benefits if we experience an “ownership change” under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended; (xviii) our ability to utilize various relief options enabled by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act); (xix) the limited trading market for our securities and the volatility of market price for our securities; and (xx) the impact of future sales of our common stock or securities convertible into our common stock on our stock price. These statements are based on information currently available to us and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual growth, results of operations, financial condition, cash flows, performance, business prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these statements including, but not limited to, those set forth under the caption “Risk Factors” in Part I, Item 1A of our most recently filed Form 10-K and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We are under no duty to update any of these statements. You should not consider any list of such factors to be an exhaustive statement of all of the risks, uncertainties or other factors that could cause our current beliefs, expectations, plans and/or assumptions to change. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a predictor of actual results.

ABOUT BROADWIND

Broadwind (NASDAQ: BWEN) is a precision manufacturer of structures, equipment and components for clean tech and other specialized applications. With facilities throughout the U.S., our talented team is committed to helping customers maximize performance of their investments—quicker, easier and smarter. Find out more at www.bwen.com

INVESTOR RELATIONS CONTACT

Noel Ryan, IRC
[email protected]



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