Exhibit 10.3
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February 17, 2025

Mr. Dave Caspers

Re:    Conditional Offer of Employment

On behalf of AHS Management Company, Inc., part of the Ardent Health Services (“the Company”) family, I am pleased to extend you this conditional offer of employment to serve as Chief Operating Officer based in our home office in Nashville, TN. We would anticipate your start date to be on or around April 1, 2025, as mutually agreed.

The Term Sheet attached hereto sets out a summary of the terms of your employment. This position is an exempt status position. Should you accept this offer, your annual salary is intended to compensate you for all hours worked on behalf of the Company. Employees are paid bi-weekly, minus any required deductions for withholding and any other authorized employee deductions. You will also be eligible to participate in the Company’s short-term and long-term incentive programs as a member of the Company’s Executive Leadership Team.

As a full-time employee, the Company will provide you and your eligible dependents with the standard benefits, which are described in detail in the general employee benefits materials we will provide to you.
We also would like to invite you to attend our Board of Directors dinner and meeting on March 5-6, 2025, in Chicago if your schedule allows.

If you accept this offer, you will also need to meet the following conditions to be eligible for employment with the Company (you will receive additional information on each following your acceptance):

Employment Background Screen and Certification/Licensure Verification. The Company is committed to providing a safe and productive working environment. Therefore, as part of the new hire process you will be required to successfully complete an employment background screen, which includes verification of such things as prior employment, educational background, criminal convictions, and civil judgment histories. If applicable to your position, certification/licensure must be verified.

Pre-Employment Controlled Substance & Alcohol Screening. You will be required to successfully complete a pre-employment controlled substance and alcohol screening which will test for alcohol and all illegal drugs.




Pre-Employment Medical Examination. Depending upon the position offered, you may be required to successfully complete a pre-employment medical examination.

Timely completion of I-9 Form. This offer is contingent upon your compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 which requires you to establish your identity and employment eligibility.

By accepting this offer, you confirm that you are legally entitled to work for the Company in the position identified, and that you are not bound by any restrictive covenants, non-competition agreement, non-solicitation agreement or other circumstance that would prevent you from accepting this position or limit your effectiveness from performing your role with the Company. You agree that you have either not taken or have returned all confidential information belonging to any previous employer or other third party and will not bring any such confidential information with you to the Company, nor use and/or disclose any such confidential information during your employment with the Company.

Please indicate your acceptance of your offer by electronically signing this document below no later than seventy-two hours from date of issuance. Upon your acceptance, you will be sent a secure link to begin the electronic onboarding process. This link will contain additional information regarding your orientation and first day with the Company.

If you have any questions regarding this employment offer, please contact Steve Petrovich, General Council, or me to discuss. I sincerely hope you choose to join the Ardent team and look forward to hearing from you soon.


Sincerely,


/s/ Martin J. Bonick        


Martin J. Bonick
Chief Executive Officer


By electronically signing my name below, I understand and accept the terms of the offer as stated above:


/s/ Dave Caspers    
February 18, 2025
Signature
Date


Cc:    Steve Petrovich






AHS Management Company, Inc
d/b/a Ardent Health Services

Employment Term Sheet

Provision
                                                                      Summary
Position
Chief Operating Officer
Location
Corporate Office, based in Nashville, TN
Annual Base Salary
$700,000 payable in accordance with the Companys regular payment cycle (bi-weekly cycle)
Sign-On Bonus
$75,000 cash payable after first month of employment with the Company’s regular payment cycle.
$100,000 of Ardent stock.
Short-Term
Pro-rated for 2025, eligibility to participate in the senior executive annual Short-Term Incentive program with a target bonus opportunity of 90% of base salary (with potential for over-achievement).
Incentives
Long-Term Equity
Eligibility to participate in Ardent Health Partners, Inc. 2024 Omnibus Incentive Award Plan, as such plan may be amended and/or restated from time to time or any successor plan thereto (the “LTIP”) to receive a yearly grant of Company equity interests. For the 2025 Plan year, you would receive Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), at a target equivalency value of 1.75x base salary (subject to vesting requirements). The terms and conditions of the equity award will be governed by and set forth in the LTIP and the equity agreement in effect at the time of issuance.
Incentive
Employee Benefits
Participation in any benefit plans provided to senior officers of the Company

Ardent 2025 Benefits Guide to be provided under separate cover
Relocation & Interim Travel
Company provided executive relocation services to be provided per plan (to be provided under separate cover). Additionally, company will reimburse round-trip airfare to Phoenix twice per month for six-months.
Perquisites
Participation in any perquisite programs generally provided to senior officers of the Company
Severance
Qualifying terminations: Involuntary without Cause; Non-renewal; By Executive for Good Reason
Entitlement




Provision
                                                                           Summary
Severance
All base salary, bonus, benefits, and unreimbursed expenses due to the Executive through the Termination Date (payable on regular pay-periods for duration of severance)

An amount equal to one (1.5) times (a) the salary in effect for Employee at the time of termination of employment; (b) the highest bonus level that would be payable to Employee if regular bonus plan targets, not maximum targets, were achieved, regardless of actual achievement of those targets.

All severance payments subject to the Executive's execution of a separation and release agreement
Payments &
Benefits
Restrictive
Non-compete and non-solicit of employees for 12 months and confidentiality and non-disclosure in perpetuity unless shorter time period required by law
Covenants
Cause Definition
Employee’s willful refusal to perform, or gross negligence in performing, the reasonable duties of Employee’s office

Employee’s conviction of or guilty plea to any crime punishable as a felony, or involving fraud or embezzlement, any crime involving moral turpitude or any crime in connection with the delivery of health care services

Employee’s change in status regarding being sanctioned by any federal or state governmental agency or department and/or listed on the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General, Cumulative Sanctions Report, or excluded by the General Services Administration, as set forth on the List of Excluded Providers

Any act by Employee involving moral turpitude that materially affects the performance of his duties hereunder

Employee’s use of alcohol in violation of Employer’s policies or illegal use of drugs

Employee’s engagement in fraud, theft, misappropriation or embezzlement with respect to the Employer or any of its affiliates

Employee’s exclusion from participation in any “federal health care program” as defined in 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7b(f) (including Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and similar or successor programs with or for the benefit of any governmental authority) or other debarment from contracting with any governmental authority
Good Reason

A material breach by the Employer of any employment agreement not cured in a timely manner
Definition