EXECUTIVE CHANGE OF CONTROL AGREEMENT
Exhibit 99.2
AGREEMENT by and between Viking
Systems, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), and Xxx Xxxxxxx
(the
“Executive”), dated as of the 6th day of August, 2008.
WHEREAS, the Corporation, on behalf of
itself and its shareholders, wishes to assure that the Corporation will have the
continued dedication of the Executive, notwithstanding the possibility, threat,
or occurrence of a Change of Control (as defined below) of the Corporation,
and
WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the
Corporation (the “Board”) believes it is imperative to diminish the inevitable
distraction of the Executive by virtue of the personal uncertainties and risks
created by a pending or threatened Change of Control or other risk of
termination, to encourage his attention and dedication to his assigned duties
currently and in the event of any threatened or pending Change of Control, and
to provide the Executive with competitive compensation
arrangements;
THEREFORE, the Board has caused the
Corporation to enter into this Agreement (i) to ensure the Executive of
individual financial security, and (ii) to provide such protection in a manner
which is competitive with that of other corporations.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS HEREBY AGREED AS
FOLLOWS:
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1.
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Certain
Definitions. (a) The “Effective Date” shall
be the first date during the “Change of Control Period” (as defined in
Section 1(b)) on which a Change of Control occurs. Anything in
this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, if the Executive’s
employment with the Corporation is terminated involuntarily prior to the
date on which a Change of Control (if any) occurs, then for all purposes
of this Agreement the “Effective Date” shall mean the date immediately
prior to the date of such
termination.
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(b) The
“Change of Control Period” is the period commencing on the date hereof and
ending on the third anniversary of such date, provided,
however,
that commencing on the date one year after the date hereof (such date and each
annual anniversary thereof is hereinafter referred to as the “Renewal Date”),
the Change of Control Period shall be automatically extended so as to terminate
two years from such Renewal Date, unless at least 60 days prior to the Renewal
Date the Corporation shall give notice that the Change of Control Period shall
not be so extended.
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2.
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Change
of Control. (a) For purposes of this
Agreement, a “Change of Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if a
change of control of the nature that would be required to be reported in
response to Item 5.01 of the Current Report on Form 8-K as in effect on
the date hereof pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) occurs, provided that, without
limitation, a “Change of Control” shall be deemed to have occurred if (i)
the beneficial ownership at any time hereafter by any person, as defined
herein, of capital stock of the Corporation, constitutes 20 percent or
more of the general voting power of all of the Corporation’s outstanding
capital, except that the amount of capital acquired by such person as a
result of the recapitalization of the Corporation on January 4, 2008
and/or the amount subsequently acquired by such person through a sale by
the Corporation through underwriters or private placement of its capital
stock by the Corporation shall not be included in this calculation, or
(ii) individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board (as of
the date hereof, the “Incumbent Board”) cease for any reason to constitute
at least a majority of the Board, provided that any person becoming a
Director subsequent to the date hereof whose election, or nomination for
election by the Corporation’s shareholders, was approved by a vote of at
least three-quarters of the Directors comprising the Incumbent Board
(other than an election or nomination of an individual whose initial
assumption of office is in connection with an actual or threatened
election contest relating to the election of the Directors of the
Corporation, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 of Regulation 14A
promulgated under the Exchange Act) shall be, for purposes of this
Agreement, considered as though such person were a member of the Incumbent
Board. No sale to underwriters or private placement of its
capital stock by the Corporation, nor any acquisition initiated by the
Corporation, through merger, purchase of assets or otherwise, effected in
whole or in part by issuance or reissuance of shares of its capital stock,
shall constitute a Change of
Control.
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(b) For
purposes of the definition of “Change of Control”, the following definitions
shall be applicable:
(i) The term “person”
shall mean any individual, corporation or other entity and any group as such
term is used in Section 13(d) (3) or 14(d) (2) of the Exchange Act.
(ii) Any person shall be deemed
to be the beneficial owner of any shares of capital stock of the
Corporation:
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A.
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which that person
owns directly whether or not of record,
or
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B.
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which that person
has the right to acquire pursuant to any agreement or understanding or
upon exercise of conversion rights, warrants, or options, or otherwise,
or
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C.
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which are
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly (including shares deemed owned
through application of clause (B) above, by an “affiliate” or “associate”
(as defined in the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended) of that person,
or
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D.
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which are
beneficially owned, directly or indirectly (including shares deemed owned
through application of clause (B) above), by any other person with which
that person or his “affiliate” or “associate” (defined as aforesaid) has
any agreement, arrangement, or understanding for the purpose of acquiring,
holding, voting or disposing of capital stock of the
Corporation.
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(iii) The
outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall include shares
deemed owned through application of clause (ii) (B), (C) and (D), above, but
shall not include any other shares which may be issuable pursuant to any
agreement or upon exercise of conversion rights, warrants or options, or
otherwise, but which are not actually outstanding.
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3.
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Employment
Period. The Corporation hereby agrees to continue the
Executive in its employ, and the Executive hereby agrees to remain in the
employ of the Corporation, for the period commencing on the Effective Date
and ending on the first anniversary of such date. If on the
first anniversary of the Effective Date the Executive remains employed by
the Corporation, the Corporation hereby agrees to continue the Executive
in its employ, and the Executive hereby agrees to remain in the employ of
the Corporation, for the period commencing on the first anniversary of the
Effective Date and ending on the second anniversary of such
date. For the first year following the Effective Date, the
“Employment Period” shall be the first year following the Effective
Date. For the second year following the Effective Date (if on
the first anniversary of the Effective Date the Executive remains employed
by the Corporation) the “Employment Period” shall be the first two years
following the Effective Date. To be clear, termination of the Executive’s
employment by the Corporation on the first anniversary of the Effective
Date shall be a termination by the Corporation other that for Cause or
Disability.
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4.
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Terms
of Employment. (a) Position
and Duties. (i) During the Employment Period, (A)
Executive’s position (including status, offices, titles and reporting
requirements), authority, duties and responsibilities shall be at least
commensurate in all material respects with the most significant of those
held, exercised and assigned at any time during the 90-day period
immediately preceding the Effective Date and (B) the Executive’s services
shall be performed at the location where the Executive was employed
immediately preceding the Effective Date or any office or location less
that thirty-five (35) miles from such
location.
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(ii) During the Employment Period, and
excluding any periods of vacation and
sick leave to which the Executive is
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entitled,
the Executive agrees to devote reasonable attention and time during normal
business hours to the business and affairs of the Corporation and, to the
extent necessary to discharge the responsibilities assigned to the
Executive hereunder, to use the Executive’s reasonable best efforts to
perform faithfully and efficiently such
responsibilities. During the Employment Period it shall not be
a violation of this Agreement for the Executive to (A) serve on corporate,
civic or charitable boards or committees, (B) deliver lectures, fulfill
speaking engagements or teach at educational institutions and (C) manage
personal investments, so long as such activities do not significantly
interfere with the performance of the Executive’s responsibilities as an
employee of the Corporation in accordance with this
Agreement. It is expressly understood and agreed that to the
extent that any such activities have been conducted by the Executive prior
to the Effective Date, the continued conduct of such activities (or the
conduct of activities similar in nature and scope thereto) subsequent to
the Effective Date shall not thereafter be deemed to interfere with the
performance of the Executives responsibilities to the
Corporation.
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(b) Compensation. (i)
Base
Salary. During the Employment Period, the Executive
shall receive an annual base salary (“Base Salary”) at a bi-weekly rate at
least equal to the highest bi-weekly salary paid to the Executive by the
Corporation during the twelve month period immediately preceding the month
in which the Effective Date occurs. During the Employment
Period, the Base Salary shall be reviewed at least annually and shall be
increased at any time and from time to time as shall be consistent with
increases in base salary awarded in the ordinary course of business to
other key executives of the Corporation. Any increase in Base
Salary shall not serve to limit or reduce any other obligation to the
Executive under this Agreement. Base Salary shall not be
reduced after any such increase.
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(ii) Annual
Bonus. Should an annual bonus (an “Annual Bonus”) program be
implemented in addition to base pay, the Executive shall be awarded, for
each fiscal year during the Employment Period for which the program is in
effect, an Annual Bonus in cash or kind commensurate with the program for
the Executive’s position with the
Corporation.
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(iii) Incentive,
Savings and Retirement Plans. In addition to Base Salary
and Annual Bonus (if any) payable as hereinabove provided, the Executive
shall be entitled to participate during the Employment Period in all
incentive, savings and retirement plans and programs then applicable to
other key executives of the
Corporation.
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(iv) Welfare
Benefit Plans. During the Employment Period, the
Executive and/or the Executive’s family, as the case may be, shall be
eligible for participation in and shall receive all benefits under welfare
benefit plans provided by the Corporation (including, without limitation,
medical, prescription, dental, disability, and life insurance plans and
programs) at least comparable to those in effect at any time during the
90-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date which would be most
favorable to the Executive or, if more favorable to the Executive, as in
effect at any time thereafter with respect to other key
executives.
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(v) Expenses. During
the Employment Period, the Executive shall be entitled to receive prompt
reimbursement for all reasonable expenses incurred by the Executive in
accordance with the most favorable policies and procedures of the
Corporation in effect at any time during the 90-day period immediately
preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, as in
effect at any time thereafter with respect to other key
executives.
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(vi) Fringe
Benefits. During the Employment Period, the Executive
shall be entitled to fringe benefits, in accordance with the most
favorable policies of the Corporation in effect at any time during the
90-day period immediately preceding the Effective date or, if more
favorable to the Executive, as in effect at any time thereafter
with respect to other key
executives.
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(vii) Office
and Support Staff. During the Employment Period, the Executive
shall be entitled to an office of a size and with furnishings and other
appointments, and to secretarial and other assistance, at least equal to
those provided to the Executive at any time during the 90-day period
immediately preceding the Effective Date of this
Agreement.
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(viii) Vacation. During
the Employment Period, the Executive shall be entitled to paid vacation in
accordance with the most favorable policies of the Corporation as in
effect at any time during the 90-day period immediately preceding the
Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive, as in effect at any
time thereafter with respect to other key
executives.
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5.
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Termination. (a)
Death
or Disability. This Agreement shall terminate
automatically upon the Executive’s death. The Corporation may
terminate this Agreement, after having established the Executive’s
Disability (pursuant to the definition of “Disability” set forth below),
by giving to the Executive written notice of its intention to terminate
the Executive’s employment. In such a case, the Executive’s
employment with the Corporation shall terminate effective on the 180th day
after receipt of such notice (the “Disability Effective Date”), provided
that, within 180 days after such receipt, the Executive shall not have
returned to full-time performance of the Executive’s
duties. For purposes of this Agreement, “Disability” means
disability which, at least 26 weeks after its commencement, is determined
to be total and permanent by a physician selected by the Corporation or
its insurers and acceptable to the Executive or the Executive’s legal
representative (such agreement as to acceptability not to be withheld
unreasonably).
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(b) Cause.
The Corporation may terminate the Executive’s employment for
“Cause.” For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” means (i) an
act of acts of dishonesty taken by the Executive and intended to result in
substantial personal enrichment of the Executive at the expense of the
Corporation, (ii) repeated violations by the Executive of the Executive’s
obligations under Section 4(a) of this Agreement which are demonstrably
willful and deliberate on the Executive’s part and which are not remedied
after the receipt of notice from the Corporation or (iii) the Executive
being charged with a felony.
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(c) Termination
by Executive for Good Reason. The Executive’s employment
may be terminated by the Executive for Good Reason. For
purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason”
means
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(i) (A) the
assignment to the Executive of any duties inconsistent in any respect with
the Executive’s position (including status, offices, titles and reporting
requirements), authority, duties or responsibilities as contemplated by
Section 4(a) of this Agreement, or (B) any other action by the Corporation
which results in a diminution in such position, authority, duties or
responsibilities, other than an insubstantial and inadvertent action which
is remedied by the Corporation promptly after receipt of notice given by
the Executive;
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(ii) any failure by
the Corporation to comply with any of the provisions of Section 4(b) of
this Agreement, other than an insubstantial and inadvertent failure which
is remedied by the Corporation promptly after receipt of notice given by
the Executive;
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(iii) the
Corporation’s requiring the Executive to be based at any office or
location other than that described in Section 4(a)(i)(B) hereof, except
for travel reasonably required in the performance of the Executive’s
responsibilities;
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(iv) any purported
termination by the Corporation of the Executive’s employment otherwise
that as permitted by this Agreement;
or
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(v) any failure by
the Corporation to comply with and satisfy Section 10c) of this
Agreement.
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Anything in this
Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, any termination by the
Executive for any reason whatsoever during the six month period
immediately following the first anniversary of the date of a Change of
Control shall be a termination for “Good Reason”. For purposes
of this Section 5(c), any good faith determination of “Good Reason” made
by the Executive shall be
conclusive.
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(d) Notice
of Termination. Any termination by the Corporation for Cause or by
the Executive for Good Reason shall be communicated by Notice of
Termination to the other party hereto given in accordance with Section
11b) of this Agreement. For purposes of this Agreement, a
“Notice of Termination” means a written notice which (i) indicates the
specific termination provision in this Agreement relied upon, (ii) sets
forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances claimed to provide
a basis for termination of the Executive’s employment under the provision
so indicated and (iii) if the termination date is other than the date of
receipt of such notice, specifies the termination date (which date shall
be not more than fifteen (15) days after the giving of such
notice).
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(e) Date
of Termination. “Date of Termination” means the date of
receipt of the Notice of Termination or any later date specified therein,
as the case may be. If the Executive’s employment is terminated
by the Corporation other than for Cause or Disability, the Date of
Termination shall be the date on which the Corporation notifies the
Executive of such termination.
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6.
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Obligations
of the Corporation upon Termination. (a) Death.
If the Executive’s employment is terminated by reason of the Executive’s
death, this Agreement shall terminate without further obligations to the
Executive’s legal representative under this Agreement, other than those
obligations accrued or earned by the Executive hereunder at the date of
the Executive’s death. Anything in the Agreement to the
contrary notwithstanding, the Executive’s family shall be entitled to
receive benefits at least equal to the most favorable benefits provided by
the Corporation to surviving families of executives of the Corporation
under such plans, programs and policies relating to family death benefits,
if any, as in effect at any time during the 90-day period immediately
preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive and/or
the Executive’s family, as in effect on the date of the Executive’s death
with respect to other key executives and their
families.
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(b) Disability. If
the Executive’s employment is terminated by reason of the Executive’s
Disability, this Agreement shall terminate without further obligations to the
Executive, other than those obligations accrued or earned by the Executive
hereunder as of the Disability Effective Date. Anything in this
Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, the Executive shall be entitled after
the Disability Effective Date to receive disability and other benefits at least
equal to the most favorable of those provided by the Corporation to disabled
employees and/or their families in accordance with such plans, programs and
policies relating to disability, if any, as in effect at any time during the
90-day period immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to
the Executive and/or the Executive’s family, as in effect at any time thereafter
with respect to other key executives and their families.
(c) Cause;
Other than for Good Reason. If the Executive’s employment
shall be terminated for Cause or the Executive terminates their employment other
than for Good Reason, the Corporation shall pay the Executive his full Base
Salary through the Date of Termination at the rate in effect at the time Notice
of Termination is given and shall have no further obligations to the Executive
under this Agreement.
(d) Termination
by Executive for Good Reason; Termination by Corporation Other Than for Cause or
Disability. If, during the Employment Period, the Corporation
shall terminate the Executive’s employment other than for Cause or Disability,
or the employment of the Executive shall be terminated by the Executive for Good
Reason: (i) the Corporation shall pay to the Executive in a lump sum
in cash within 10 days after the Date of Termination (the “Payment Date”) the
aggregate of the following amounts: (A) to the extent not theretofore paid, the
Executive’s Base Salary through the Date of Termination at the rate in effect on
the Date of Termination or, if higher, at the highest rate in effect at any time
within the two year period preceding the Effective Date (the “Highest Base
Salary”); and (B) the product of (x) the higher of the annual bonuses, if
any, paid to the Executive for the two full fiscal years prior to the
Effective Date (the “Recent Bonus”) and (y) the fraction obtained by dividing
(i) the number of days between the Date of Termination and the last day of the
last full fiscal year and (ii) 365; and (C) the product of (x) one and (y) the
sum of (i) the Highest Base Salary and (ii) the Recent Bonus; and (D) in the
case of compensation previously deferred by the Executive, all amounts
previously deferred and not yet paid by the Corporation; and
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(ii) for
eighteen months after the Date of Termination, the Corporation shall
continue benefits to the Executive and/or the Executive’s family at least equal
to those which would have been provided to them in accordance with the plans,
programs and policies described in Section 4(b)(iv) of this Agreement if the
Executive’s employment had not been terminated, including health insurance and
life insurance, if and as in effect at any time during the 90-day period
immediately preceding the Effective Date or, if more favorable to the Executive,
as in effect at any time thereafter with respect to other key executives and
their families and for purposes of eligibility for retiree benefits, if any,
pursuant to such plans, programs and policies, the Executive shall be considered
to have remained employed until the end of the Employment Period and to retire
on the last day of such period.
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7.
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Non-exclusivity
of Rights. Nothing in this Agreement shall prevent or limit the
Executive’s continuing or future participation in any
benefit, bonus, incentive or other plan or program provided by the
Corporation and for which the Executive may qualify, nor shall anything
herein limit or otherwise affect such rights as the Executive may have
under any stock option or other agreements with the
Corporation. Amounts which are vested benefits or which the
Executive is otherwise entitled to receive under any plan or program of
the Corporation at or subsequent to the Date of Termination shall be
payable in accordance with such plans or programs.
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8. |
Full
Settlement. The Corporation’s obligation to make the
payments provided
for in this Agreement and otherwise to perform its obligations hereunder
shall not be affected by any set-off, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or
other claim, right or action which the Corporation may have against the
Executive or others. In no event shall the Executive be
obligated to seek other employment or take any other actions by way of
mitigation of the amounts payable to the Executive under any of the
provisions of this Agreement. The Corporation agrees to pay, to
the full extent permitted by law, all legal fees and expenses which the
Executive may reasonably incur as a result of any contest (regardless of
the outcome thereof) by the Corporation or others of the validity or
enforceability of, or liability under, any provision of this Agreement or
any guarantee of performance
thereof.
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9. |
Confidential
Information. The Executive shall hold in a fiduciary
capacity for the
benefit of the Corporation all secret or confidential information,
knowledge or data relating to the Corporation and its business, which
shall have been obtained by the Executive during the Executive’s
employment by the Corporation and which shall not be public knowledge
(other than by acts by the Executive or his representatives in violation
of this Agreement). After termination of the Executive’s
employment with the Corporation, the Executive shall not, without the
prior written consent of the Corporation, communicate or divulge any such
information, knowledge or data to anyone other than the Corporation and
those designated by it. In no event shall an asserted violation
of the provisions of this Section 9 constitute a basis for deferring or
withholding any amounts otherwise payable to the Executive under this
Agreement.
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Successors. (a)
This Agreement is personal to the Executive and without the prior written
consent of the Corporation shall not be assigned by the Executive
otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and
distribution. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and
be enforceable by the Executive’s legal
representatives.
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(b) This
Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Corporation and
its successors.
(c) The
Corporation will require any successor (whether direct or indirect, by purchase,
merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business
and/or assets of the Corporation to expressly assume and agree to perform this
Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Corporation would
be required to perform it if no such succession had taken place. As
used in this Agreement, “Corporation” shall mean the Corporation as hereinbefore
defined and any successor to its business and/or assets as aforesaid which
assumes and agrees to perform this Agreement by operation of law, or
otherwise.
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11.
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Miscellaneous. (a)
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the
laws of the State of residence of the Executive on the date this Agreement
is executed (i.e. Massachusetts), without reference to principles of
conflict of laws. The captions of this Agreement are not part
of the provisions hereof and shall have no force or
effect. This Agreement may not be amended or modified otherwise
than by a written agreement executed by the parties hereto or their
respective successors and legal
representatives.
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(b) All notices and
other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be given by
hand delivery to the other party or by email .pdf file (if agreed to by
both parties in advance) or by registered or certified mail, return
receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed as
follows:
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If to the
Executive:
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Xxx
Xxxxxxx
(home
address)
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If to the
Corporation
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Viking Systems,
Inc.
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000 Xxxxxxxx
Xxxx
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Xxxxxxxxxxx, XX
00000
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Attention: Corporate
Secretary
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or to such other
address as either party shall have furnished to the other in writing in
accordance herewith. Notice and communications shall be
effective when actually received by the
addressee.
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(c) The invalidity
or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect
the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this
Agreement.
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(d) The Corporation
may withhold from any amounts payable under this Agreement such Federal,
state or local taxes as shall be required to be withheld pursuant to any
applicable law or regulation.
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(e) The Executive’s
failure to insist upon strict compliance with any provision hereof shall
not be deemed to be a waiver of such provision or any other provision
thereof.
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(f) This Agreement
contains the entire understanding of the Corporation and the Executive
with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes any previous
agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter
hereof.
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(g) The Executive
and the Corporation acknowledge that the employment of the Executive by
the Corporation is “at will”, and, prior to the Effective Date, may be
terminated by either the Executive or the Corporation at any
time. Upon involuntary termination of the employment of the
Executive by the Corporation at any time prior to the Effective Date, the
Corporation will pay to the Executive the amounts contemplated in Section
6(d)(i) of this Agreement and provide benefits contemplated in Section
6(d)(ii) of this Agreement. Upon a termination of the
Executive’s employment or upon the Executive’s ceasing to be an officer of
the Corporation, in each case, prior to the Effective Date, there shall be
no further rights other than those in this Section 11(g) under this
Agreement.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
the Executive has hereunto set his hand and, pursuant to the authorization
from its Board of Directors, the Corporation has caused these presents to
be executed in its name on its behalf, all as of the day and year first
written above.
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/s/
Xxx
Xxxxxxx
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Executive
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Viking Systems,
Inc.
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By: /s/ Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxx
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Xxxxxxx X.
Xxxx
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Chairman and
CEO
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