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EXHIBIT 10.9
[LIPID SCIENCES LOGO]
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
THIS EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (the "Agreement"), which is effective as of
June 1, 2000, is between Lipid Sciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
"Company"), and Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx ("Executive"), who agree as follows. The
Company and Executive are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "Parties,"
and may individually be referred to as a "Party."
RECITALS
A. The Company desires assurance of the association and services of
Executive in order to retain Executive's experience, skills, abilities,
background and knowledge, and is willing to engage Executive's services on the
terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement; and
B. Executive desires to be in the employ of the Company and is willing
to accept this employment on the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement.
AGREEMENT
1. EMPLOYMENT.
1.1 The Company will employ Executive, and Executive hereby
accepts employment by the Company, upon the terms and conditions set forth in
this Agreement, effective as of the date first set forth above ("Effective
Date"), for the term of one year from the Effective Date. This agreement will
automatically be renewed for the term of one year unless either party gives
notice to the other at least 60 days prior to the expiration of the then current
term of employment of such party's intention not to renew.
1.2 Executive will be the President and Chief Executive
Officer, and serve on the Board of Directors ("Board"). Executive will report to
the Board of Directors.
1.3 Executive will do and perform all services, acts or things
necessary or advisable to manage and conduct the business of the Company,
provided, however, that at all times during his employment Executive will be
subject to the direction and policies from time to time established by the
Board. Executive's duties will include, but not be limited to, overall
management of corporate activities, management of corporate financial assets,
planning and influence of corporate operations, corporate development and
strategic planning, and commercializing the Company's core technology.
1.4 Unless the Parties otherwise agree in writing, prior to
Executive's termination in accordance with this Agreement, Executive will
perform the services he is required to perform in accordance with the terms of
this Agreement, reporting to the Company's offices to be selected by the
Executive and the Board.
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2. LOYAL AND CONSCIENTIOUS PERFORMANCE; NONCOMPETITION.
2.1 During his employment by the Company, Executive will
devote his full business employment, interest, abilities and productive time to
the proper and efficient performance of his duties under this Agreement.
Executive may not be employed by another company or receive compensation for
employment from any other sources, with the sole exception of compensation
received as a result of his duties as either Chairman or a member of the Board
of Directors of Cardima. Inc.
2.2 During his employment by the Company, Executive may not
engage in competition with the Company, either directly or indirectly, in any
manner or capacity, as adviser, principal, agent, partner, officer, director,
employee, member of any association or otherwise, in any phase of the business
of developing, manufacturing and marketing of products that are in the same
field of use or which otherwise directly compete with the products or proposed
products of the Company.
2.3 Executive may not, without prior approval of the Board of
Directors, do or contract on behalf of the Company to expend in excess of One
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) above Board-approved budget amounts.
Executive will prepare for each scheduled quarterly Board meeting a budget for
the following quarter to be approved by the Board. Executive may not execute any
agreement on behalf of the Company in excess of $25,000 without the prior
approval of the Board.
3. COMPENSATION OF EXECUTIVE.
3.1 The Company will pay Executive a salary of Two Hundred
Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000.00) per year ("Base Salary"), payable in
regular periodic payments in accordance with Company policy. Such salary will be
prorated for any partial year of employment on the basis of a 365-day fiscal
year.
3.2 Executive's compensation may be changed from time to time
by mutual agreement of Executive and the Board.
3.3 All of Executive's compensation is subject to customary
withholding taxes and any other employment taxes as are commonly required to be
collected or withheld by the Company.
3.4 Executive will, in the discretion of the Board and in
accordance with Company policy, be entitled to participate in benefits under any
employee benefit plan or arrangement made available by the Company now or in the
future to its executives and key management employees.
3.5 Executive's performance will be reviewed by the Board on a
periodic basis (not less than once each fiscal year). The Board may, in their
sole discretion, award bonuses to Executive as will be appropriate or desirable
based on Executive's performance. Executive will be reviewed within twelve
months of commencing employment hereunder.
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3.6 Executive will be granted options to purchase the
Company's common stock. The number of options to be granted has been determined
by the parties and will be set forth in a separate stock option agreement,
attached as EXHIBIT A. As of the Effective Date of this Agreement, the Company
will grant Executive an option to purchase up to one million (1,000,000) shares
of the Company's common stock. The exercise price per share of these options
(the "Options") will be equal to $3.50 per share. Options will vest as to one
hundred thousand (100,000) shares following the first six (6) continuous months
of service with the Company and the remainder over four and one half years at
the rate of 1/54th per month of the total 1,000,000 shares.
3.7 Executive is entitled to receive prompt reimbursement of
all reasonable expenses incurred by Executive in performing Company services,
including expenses related to travel, entertainment, parking, and business
meetings. These expenses will be accounted for in accordance with the policies
and procedures established by the Company.
4. TERMINATION: Either party may terminate this Agreement and
Executive's employment without cause, upon thirty (30) days written notice. Upon
termination, the Company will be released from any and all obligations under
this Agreement, except in the event the Executive's employment is involuntarily
terminated by the Company for other than "good cause," then Executive will
resign from all positions with the Company, and enter into a consulting
arrangement for six (6) months commencing immediately after the termination
date. In consideration for such consulting arrangement, Executive will continue
to be paid salary and benefits for six (6) months. However, if Executive obtains
new full time employment during such six (6) month period, any salary paid
pursuant to such arrangement will be offset from amounts due under this Letter
Agreement. Executive's obligations under Paragraph 5 of this Agreement will
continue beyond his termination of employment.
5. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION; NONSOLICITATION.
5.1. Executive recognizes that his employment with the Company
will involve contact with information of substantial value to the Company, which
is not old and generally known in the trade, and which gives the Company an
advantage over its competitors who do not know or use it, including but not
limited to, techniques, designs, drawings, processes, inventions, developments,
equipment, prototypes, sales and customer information, and business and
financial information relating to the business, products, practices and
techniques of the Company (hereinafter referred to as "Confidential
Information"). Executive will at all times regard and preserve as confidential
such Confidential Information obtained by Executive from whatever source and
will not, either during his employment with the Company or thereafter, publish
or disclose any part of such Confidential Information in any manner at any time,
or use the same except on behalf of the Company, without the prior written
consent of the Company; provided, however, that Executive may disclose
Confidential Information in the best interest of the Company with properly
executed Company confidentiality or secrecy agreements with the third party. As
a condition of this Agreement, the Executive will sign and return a copy of the
Company's Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement, attached as EXHIBIT
B.
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5.1. While employed by the Company and for one (1) year
thereafter, in order to protect the Company's confidential and proprietary
information from unauthorized use, Executive may not, either directly or through
others, (i) solicit or attempt to solicit any employee, consultant or
independent contractor of the Company to terminate his or her relationship with
the Company in order to become an employee, consultant or independent contractor
to or for any other person or business entity; or (ii) solicit or attempt to
solicit the business of any customer, vendor or distributor of the Company
which, at the time of termination or one (1) year immediately prior thereto, was
listed on the Company's customer, vendor or distributor list.
6. SUCCESSORS. The Company will require any successor (whether direct
or indirect, by purchase, merger, or consolidation) to all or substantially all
of the business and/or assets of the Company, by agreement in form and substance
reasonably satisfactory to the Executive, to expressly assume and agree to
perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the
Company would be required to perform it if no such succession had taken place.
7. ASSIGNMENT AND BINDING EFFECT. This Agreement is binding on and
inures to the benefit of Executive and Executive's heirs, executors, personal
representatives, assigns, administrators and legal representatives. Because of
the unique and personal nature of Executive's duties under this Agreement,
neither this Agreement nor any rights or obligations under this Agreement are
assignable by Executive. This Agreement is binding on and inures to the benefit
of the Company and its successors, assigns and legal representatives.
8. NOTICES. All notices or demands of any kind required or permitted to
be given by the Company or Executive under this Agreement will be given in
writing and will be personally delivered (and receipted for) or mailed by
certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid.
9. CHOICE OF LAW. This Agreement will be construed and interpreted in
accordance with the laws of the State of California, without regard to the
conflict of laws provision thereof.
10. INTEGRATION. This Agreement contains the complete, final and
exclusive agreement of the Parties relating to the subject matter of this
Agreement, and supersedes all prior oral and written employment agreements or
arrangements between the Parties.
11. AMENDMENT. This Agreement may not be amended or modified except by
a written agreement signed by Executive and the Company.
12. WAIVER. No term, covenant or condition of this Agreement or any
breach thereof will be deemed waived, except with the written consent of the
Party against whom the wavier in claimed, and any waiver or any such term,
covenant, condition or breach will not be deemed to be a waiver of any preceding
or succeeding breach of the same or any other term, covenant, condition or
breach.
13. SEVERABILITY. The finding by a court of competent jurisdiction of
the unenforceability, invalidity or illegality of any provision of this
Agreement will not render any other provision of this Agreement unenforceable,
invalid or illegal. Such court will have the
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authority to modify or replace the invalid or unenforceable term or provision
with a valid and enforceable term or provision which most accurately represents
the parties' intention with respect to the invalid or unenforceable term or
provision.
14. INTERPRETATION; CONSTRUCTION. The headings set forth in this
Agreement are for convenience of reference only and will not be used in
interpreting this Agreement. Executive has been encouraged, and has consulted
with, his own independent counsel and tax advisors with respect to the terms of
this Agreement. The Parties acknowledge that each Party and its counsel has
reviewed and revised, or had an opportunity to review and revise, this
Agreement, and the normal rule of construction to the effect that any
ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party will not be employed
in the interpretation of this Agreement.
15. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES. Executive represents and warrants
that, to the best of Executive's knowledge, he is not restricted or prohibited,
contractually or otherwise, from entering into and performing each of the terms
and covenants contained in this Agreement, and that his execution and
performance of this Agreement will not violate or breach any other agreements
between Executive and any other person or entity.
16. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in two counterparts,
each of which will be deemed an original, all of which together will contribute
one and the same instrument.
17. ARBITRATION. If any dispute arises regarding the application,
interpretation, or enforcement of this Agreement, including fraud in the
inducement, the dispute will be resolved by final and binding arbitration before
one arbitrator at the Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service in Los Angeles,
California. The decision of the arbitrator will be final and may not be appealed
by either of the Parties.
18. ATTORNEYS' FEES AND COSTS. The prevailing party in any dispute
arising out of this Agreement, will be entitled to reimbursement by the losing
party of all of its or his attorneys' fees and costs including, but not limited
to, arbitrator's fees and expert's fees.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement as of the
date first above written.
THE COMPANY: LIPID SCIENCES, INC.
By:
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Xxxxxxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
Chairman of the Board
EXECUTIVE:
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Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxxx
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