EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Exhibit
20.28
THIS
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), dated as
of January 26, 2007, is between ARI Network Services, Inc. , a Wisconsin
corporation (the “Company”), and Xxxxxx
Xxxx. (“Employee”). Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined
herein shall have the meanings set forth in Section 8 of this
Agreement.
RECITALS
A. The
Company desires to appoint Employee as its Marketing/Business Development
Manager, and Employee desires to accept such appointment.
B.
The execution and delivery of this Agreement by the
Company and Employee are conditions to the purchase of all of the issued and
outstanding common stock of OC-NET, Inc. (the “Target”) by the
Company, pursuant to the Stock Purchase Agreement.
AGREEMENT
In
consideration of the mutual covenants contained herein and other good and
valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties to this Agreement hereby agree as
follows:
1.
Term of Employment; Position
and Duties.
(a) Term. Unless
earlier terminated as provided in this Agreement, the Company agrees to employ
Employee and Employee accepts such employment for the period beginning as of the
date hereof and ending upon the second (2nd)
anniversary of the date hereof (the “Term”). Reference
herein to the “Employment Period”
shall be deemed to include the Term and shall terminate upon any Separation
Date.
(b) Position and
Duties.
(i) During
the Employment Period, Employee shall be employed as Marketing/Business
Development Manager of the Company and the Target (prior to its liquidation or
other termination of its independent legal existence) and in such other capacity
as an officer, employee or director of any Affiliate of the Company as is
reasonably requested by the Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing of the
Company and shall have the normal duties, responsibilities and authority implied
by such positions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (1) the Vice
President of Global Sales and Marketing of the Company may modify such duties,
responsibilities and authority through any reasonable expansion thereof,
(2) the Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing of the Company may
limit such duties, responsibilities and authority in his sole discretion, and
(3) the Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing of the Company may override
actions of Employee.
(ii) Employee
shall report to the Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing of the Company,
and Employee shall devote his best efforts and his full business time and
attention to the business and affairs of the Company and its Affiliates except
as otherwise specifically approved in writing by the Vice President of Global
Sales and Marketing of the Company.
(iii) The
Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing of the Company from time to time
may require Employee to perform employment services outside of Cypress,
California. In the event that Employee shall be required by the Vice
President of Global Sales and Marketing of the Company to travel, the Vice
President of Global Sales and Marketing of the Company shall provide to the
Employee reasonable advance notice of such requirement; provided, that Employee
shall not be required to spend more than twenty (20) business hours traveling
during any work week.
2.
Compensation.
(a) Salary. During
the Employment Period, the Company will pay Employee (i) a base salary (the
“Base Salary”)
of $125,000 per annum, plus (ii) a non-guaranteed variable compensation
package based upon performance objectives as mutually agreed upon by the Vice
President of Global Sales and Marketing of the Company and Employee of a
contingent amount equal to Sixty-Five Thousand Dollars ($65,000) annually
(“Variable
Salary)”.All performance objectives will be reviewed by the President and
CEO of the Company. Employee may consult with the President and CEO
in connection with the establishment of mutually acceptable performance
objectives. Variable Salary together with the Base Salary is the
“Total Annual
Salary”). The Total Annual Salary is subject to increase from
time to time in the sole discretion of the Vice President of Global Sales and
Marketing of the Company. The Total Annual Salary shall be payable in
installments in accordance with the normal payroll practices of the
Company.
(b) Equity
Compensation. During the Employment Period, Employee may be
entitled to participate in the 2000 Stock Option Plan
of the Company to
the extent such participation is approved by the board of directors of the
Company.
(c) Welfare, Retirement and
Fringe Benefits; Vacation. During the Employment Period,
Employee shall be entitled to participate in and receive all benefits under
welfare benefit plans, practices, policies, programs, and arrangements that the
Company provides from time to time for the benefit of its employees
generally. This may or may not include, but is not limited to,
health, dental and vision coverage; term life and accidental death and
dismemberment insurance, long term disability insurance; and 401(k) retirement
plan. Employee would be entitled to receive four (4) weeks of paid
vacation during each twelve (12) month period during the Employment
Period. Vacation will be tracked on a calendar year basis and will be
prorated for the remainder of 2007. Employee will also be entitled to
three (3) personal or floating holidays and six (6) sick days during each twelve
(12) month period during the Employment Period. Personal days and
sick days will be forfeited and will not be paid in the event of any
Separation.
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3.
Separation.
(a) During Employment
Period. Prior to the end of the Term, a “Separation” shall
occur upon, and shall be defined as: (i) Employee’s resignation,
Disability or death, or (ii) the Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing of
the Company providing written notice of termination of Employee’s employment to
Employee (which termination may be with or without Cause). If a
Separation occurs prior to the end of the Term as a result of termination by the
Company without Cause pursuant to clause (ii), above, and the Employee executes
and delivers to the Company within twenty-one (21) days following the Separation
Date a general release in the form (subject to any changes that may be
reasonably required to effectuate a valid release/waiver under the Age
Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended, and a release of all other
claims (known or unknown) against the Company and its Affiliates) of Exhibit A attached
hereto (the “General
Release”), and does not revoke such General Release within seven (7) days
of its execution, then, during the Severance Period, the Company shall continue
to pay to Employee an amount equal to the Severance Amount, provided, that the
expiration of the Term shall not constitute a termination by the Company without
Cause.
(b) Severance Mechanics and
Conditions. Any Severance Amount payable under Section 3(a) by the
Company shall be payable in accordance with the Company’s normal payroll
procedures and cycles and shall be subject to withholding of applicable taxes
and governmental charges in accordance with applicable law. Other
than payment of the Severance Amount and the provision of the benefits described
in Section
3(a), the Company shall have no obligation following any Separation to
make any further severance or other payment to or on behalf of, or to provide
any further benefits to, Employee, other than payments and vested benefits
required to be provided post-Separation by the various plans in which Employee
participates on the Separation Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing,
in the event that Employee materially breached, or during the Severance Period
materially breaches, any of Employee’s obligations under Section 4 or Section 5 of this
Agreement, then, in addition to any other rights that the Company may have under
this Agreement or otherwise, the Company shall be relieved from and shall have
no further obligation to pay Employee any amounts or to provide Employee any
benefits (including, without limitation, the Severance Amount or benefits
described in Section
3(a)) to which Employee would otherwise be entitled pursuant to this
Agreement, other than payments and vested benefits required to be provided
post-Separation by the various plans in which Employee participates on the
Separation Date.
(c) Employment At-Will Upon
Expiration of the Term. Any continued employment by the
Company of Employee after the end of the Term will be deemed to be employment at
will , and either the Company or Employee may terminate Employee’s employment at
any time for any or no reason. Regardless of the reason for
termination of Employee’s employment following the expiration of the Term, the
Company shall have no obligation to make any further severance or other payment
to or on behalf of, or to provide any further benefits to, Employee, other than
payments and vested benefits required to be provided post-termination by the
various plans in which Employee participates on the Separation
Date. Employee agrees to comply with the provisions of Sections 4 and 5
while he is employed at will by the Company following the expiration of the
Term. Upon termination for any reason of such at will employment,
Employee shall continue to comply with all of the provisions of Sections 4 and 5 for
the time period set forth therein as if the end of the Employment Period
occurred on the date of termination of his at will employment.
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4.
Confidentiality; Inventions
and Patents.
(a) Obligation to Maintain
Confidentiality. Employee acknowledges that by reason of
Employee’s duties to and association with the Company, the Target, their
Affliliates and their respective Subsidiaries, Employee has had and will have
access to and has and will become informed of Confidential Information and Trade
Secret Information. During the Employment Period, Employee agrees to
keep in strict confidence and not, directly or indirectly, make known, disclose,
furnish, make available or use any Confidential Information or Trade Secret
Information, except for use in Employee’s regular authorized duties on behalf of
the Company, the Target, their Affliliates and their respective Subsidiaries,
and shall take all necessary and appropriate steps to safeguard the Confidential
Information and Trade Secret Information and to protect it against disclosure,
misappropriation, misuse, loss and theft. After the termination, for
whatever reason, of the Employment Period, Employee agrees to keep in strict
confidence and not, directly or indirectly, make known, disclose, furnish, make
available or use any Trade Secret Information, and shall take all necessary and
appropriate steps to safeguard the Trade Secret Information and to protect it
against disclosure, misappropriation, misuse, loss and theft. For a
period of two (2) years after the termination, for whatever reason, of the
Employment Period, Employee agrees to keep in strict confidence and not,
directly or indirectly, make known, disclose, furnish, make available or use any
Confidential Information, and shall take all necessary and appropriate steps to
safeguard the Confidential Information and to protect it against disclosure,
misappropriation, misuse, loss and theft. Employee acknowledges and
agrees that all documents and other property including or reflecting
Confidential Information or Trade Secret Information furnished to Employee by
the Company, the Target, their Affiliates or their respective Subsidiaries, or
otherwise acquired or developed by the Company, the Target, their Affiliates,
their respective Subsidiaries or Employee or known by Employee shall at all
times be the sole and exclusive property of the Company, the Target, their
Affiliates and their respective Subsidiaries. Employee shall deliver
to the Company at the termination, for whatever reason, of the Employment
Period, or at any other time the Company may request, all memoranda, notes,
plans, records, reports, computer tapes, printouts and software and other
documents and data (and copies thereof) relating to the Confidential
Information, Trade Secret Information, Work Product or the business of the
Company, the Target, their Affiliates or their respective Subsidiaries which
Employee may then possess or have under Employee’s control and shall erase all
embodiments of the Confidential Information and Trade Secret Information from
all storage devices. If Employee is required to disclose Confidential
Information or Trade Secret Information pursuant to any applicable law or court
order, (i) Employee shall provide the Company with prior written notice of the
requirement for disclosure that details the Confidential Information and/or
Trade Secret Information to be disclosed and shall cooperate with the Company to
preserve the confidentiality of such information to the extent possible, and
(ii) any disclosure made in compliance with the provisions of clause (i) above
shall not be a breach of this Section
4(a). The parties hereto agree that nothing contained in this
Agreement shall be construed to limit or supersede the common law of torts or
statutory or other protection of trade secrets where such law provides the
Company, the Target, their Affiliates or their respective Subsidiaries with
greater protection or protection for a longer duration than that provided in
this Section
4(a).
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(b) Inventions and
Patents.
(i) Employee
acknowledges that all Work Product is, and will be, the exclusive property of
the Company. Employee hereby assigns and agrees to assign all right,
title and interest in and to all Work Product to the Company. Any
copyrightable works that fall within Work Product will be deemed “works made for
hire” under Section 201(b)
of the United States Copyright Act of 1976, and the Company shall own all of the
rights comprised in the copyright therein; provided, however, that to the extent
such works may not, by operation of law or otherwise, constitute “works made for
hire,” Employee hereby assigns and agrees to assign to the Company all right,
title and interest therein.
(ii) Employee
shall promptly and fully disclose all Work Product to the Company and shall
cooperate and perform at the expense of the Company all actions reasonably
requested by the Company (whether during or after the Employment Period) to
establish, confirm and protect the Company’s right, title and interest in such
Work Product. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing,
Employee agrees to assist the Company, at the Company’s expense, to secure the
Company’s rights in the Work Product in any and all countries, including the
execution of all applications and all other instruments and documents which the
Company shall deem necessary in order to apply for and obtain rights in such
Work Product and in order to assign and convey to the Company the sole and
exclusive right, title and interest in and to such Work Product. If
the Company is unable because of Employee’s mental or physical incapacity or for
any other reason (including Employee’s refusal to do so after request therefor
is made by the Company) to secure Employee’s signature to apply for or to pursue
any application for any United States or foreign patents or copyright
registrations covering Work Product belonging to or assigned to the Company
pursuant to Section
4(b)(i) above, then Employee hereby irrevocably designates and
appoints the Company and each of its duly authorized officers and agents as
Employee’s agent and attorney-in-fact to act for and in Employee’s behalf and
stead to execute and file any such applications and to do all other lawfully
permitted acts to further the prosecution and issuance of patents or copyright
registrations thereon with the same legal force and effect as if executed by
Employee. Employee agrees not to apply for or pursue any application
for any United States or foreign patents or copyright registrations covering any
Work Product other than pursuant to this paragraph in circumstances where such
patents or copyright registrations are or have been or are required to be
assigned to the Company.
(c) Third Party
Information. Employee understands that the Company, the
Target, their Affiliates and their respective Subsidiaries, will receive from
third parties confidential or proprietary information (“Third Party
Information”) subject to a duty on the Company’s, the Target’s, their
Affiliates’ and their respective Subsidiaries’ part to maintain the
confidentiality of such information and to use it only for certain limited
purposes. During the Employment Period and for a period of two (2)
years after the termination, for whatever reason, of the Employee’s employment,
with respect to all information other than Trade Secret Information, and
indefinitely after such termination with respect to Trade Secret Information,
and without in any way limiting the provisions of Section 4(a) above,
Employee will hold Third Party Information in the strictest confidence and will
not disclose to anyone (other than personnel and consultants of the Company, the
Target, their Affiliates and their respective Subsidiaries who need to know such
information in connection with their work for the Company, the Target, their
Affiliates and their respective Subsidiaries or use, except in connection with
his work for the Company, the Target, their Affiliates and their respective
Subsidiaries, Third Party Information unless expressly authorized by the Company
in writing or required by law.
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(d) Use of Information of Prior
Employers. During the Employment Period, Employee will not
improperly use or disclose any confidential information or trade secrets, if
any, of any former employer or any other Person to whom Employee has an
obligation of confidentiality, and will not bring onto the premises of the
Company, the Target, their Affiliates or their respective Subsidiaries any
unpublished documents or any property belonging to any former employer or any
other Person to whom Employee has an obligation of confidentiality unless
consented to in writing by the former employer or Person. Employee
will use in the performance of his duties only information which is (i)
generally known and used by persons with training and experience comparable to
Employee’s and which is (x) common knowledge in the industry, or (y) is
otherwise legally in the public domain, (ii) otherwise provided or developed by
the Company, the Target, their Affiliates and their respective Subsidiaries, or
(iii) in the case of materials, property or information belonging to any former
employer or other Person to whom Employee has an obligation of confidentiality,
approved for such use in writing by such former employer or Person.
5.
Noncompete; Nonsolicitation;
Noninterference.
(a) Employee
agrees that, during the Employment Period, Employee shall not directly or
indirectly own any interest in, manage, control, participate in (whether as an
officer, director, employee, partner, agent, representative or otherwise),
consult with, render services for, or in any other manner engage in any business
located or conducted within the counties in the United States of America in
which the Company and the Target has performed, produced, marketed or sold
products or services, which is engaged, directly or indirectly, in web design,
web hosting, e-commerce, network consulting and software product development,
production, marketing or sales relating to products that compete with those
products developed, produced, marketed or sold by the Company or the Target to
OEMs, distributors and
dealers or any other business that the Company, the Target, their Affiliates and
their respective Subsidiaries, propose to engage in or contemplate engaging in
during the Employment Period (collectively, “Competitive Business
Activities”).
(b) Employee
agrees that, during the Noncompete Period, Employee shall not, in any capacity
that requires Employee to provide, in any material respect, services, advice,
and/or consultation similar to the services, advice and/or consultation he
provided on behalf of the Company or the Seller during the Reference Period,
manage, control, participate in (whether as an officer, director, employee,
partner, agent, representative or otherwise), consult with, render services for,
or engage in any business located or conducted within the counties of the United
States of America in which the Company or the Target has performed, produced,
marketed or sold services or products during the Reference Period which is
engaged, directly or indirectly, in Competitive Business
Activities.
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(c) Nothing
herein shall prohibit Employee from being a passive owner of not more than two
percent (5%) of the outstanding securities of any class of a corporation which
is publicly traded, so long as Employee has no active participation in the
business of any such corporation.
(d) During
the Employment Period and the Noncompete Period, Employee shall not directly or
indirectly through another Person solicit or attempt to solicit, induce or
attempt to induce any employee, consultant, agent, independent contractor or any
other Person otherwise engaged in a services or business relationship
(including, but not limited to, any customer, supplier, licensee, licensor or
franchisee) with the Company, the Target, their Affiliates and their respective
Subsidiaries, to leave the employ of or terminate or otherwise adversely alter
such Person’s relationship with the Company, the Target, their Affiliates and
their respective Subsidiaries, or in any way interfere with the relationship
between the Company, the Target, their Affiliates and their respective
Subsidiaries, and any such Person.
(e) During
the Employment Period, Employee shall not directly or indirectly through another
Person acquire or attempt to acquire any business in the United States of
America to which the Company has made an acquisition proposal relating to the
possible acquisition of such business (an “Acquisition Target”)
or take any action to induce or attempt to induce any Acquisition Target to
consummate any acquisition, investment or other similar transaction with any
Person (other than the Company or the Target).
(f) During
the Noncompete Period, Employee shall not directly or indirectly through another
Person acquire or attempt to acquire any business in the United States of
America to which the Company or the Target has made an acquisition proposal
during the Reference Period relating to the possible acquisition of such
business and with which the Company or the Target is in active discussions or
which the Company or the Target is still considering pursuing (a “Reference Period Acquisition
Target”) or take any action to induce or attempt to induce any Reference
Period Acquisition Target to consummate any acquisition, investment or other
similar transaction with any Person (other than the Company or the
Target).
6.
Enforcement. Because
Employee’s services are unique and because Employee has access to Confidential
Information and Trade Secret Information, the parties hereto agree that money
damages would be an inadequate remedy for any breach of this
Agreement. Therefore, in the event of a breach or threatened breach
of this Agreement, the Company, its successors or assigns may, in addition to
other rights and remedies existing in their favor, apply to any court of
competent jurisdiction for specific performance and/or injunctive or other
relief in order to enforce, or prevent any violations of, the provisions hereof
(without posting a bond or other security).
7.
Additional
Acknowledgments. Employee acknowledges that the provisions of
Section 4 and
Section 5 are
in consideration of: (i) employment with the Company, (ii) the purchase and
sale of the common stock of the Target as set forth in the Stock Purchase
Agreement and (iii) additional good and valuable consideration as set forth
in this Agreement. In addition, Employee agrees and acknowledges that
the restrictions contained in Section 4 and Section 5 do not
preclude Employee from earning a livelihood, nor do they unreasonably impose
limitations on Employee’s ability to earn a living. In addition,
Employee acknowledges (x) that the business of the Company will be national in
scope and without geographical limitation, and (y) notwithstanding the state of
incorporation/organization or principal office of the Company or the Target, or
any of their respective executives or employees (including Employee), it is
expected that the Company and the Target will have business activities and have
valuable business relationships within its industry throughout the United States
of America. Employee agrees and acknowledges that the potential harm
to the Company and the Target of the nonenforcement of Section 4 and Section 5 outweighs
any potential harm to Employee of its enforcement by injunction or
otherwise. Employee acknowledges that he has carefully read this
Agreement and has given careful consideration to the restraints imposed upon
Employee by this Agreement, and is in full accord as to their necessity for the
reasonable and proper protection of confidential and proprietary information of
the Company and the Target now existing or to be developed in the
future. Employee expressly acknowledges and agrees that each and
every restraint imposed by this Agreement is reasonable with respect to subject
matter, time period and geographical area. Employee agrees (i) to
show this Agreement to all future employers prior to accepting employment with
them (and the Company hereby consents to such disclosure to the extent this
Agreement or any information contained herein is deemed to be Confidential
Information), and (ii) that the Company may show this Agreement to such
employers at any time.
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8.
Definitions.
“Acquisition Target”
has the meaning set forth in Section
5(e).
“Active Target” means
a company or a division of a company which either the Company, the Target or any
of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates has spent a significant amount of
time investigating as a possible investment or acquisition
candidate.
“Affiliate” means,
with respect to any Person, any Person that controls, is controlled by or is
under common control with such Person or an Affiliate of such
Person.
“Cause” means (i) the
commission of a felony involving dishonesty or fraud with respect to the
Company, the Target or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any
of their customers or suppliers or the commission of any other act or omission
involving dishonesty or fraud with respect to the Company, the Target or any of
their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any of their customers or
suppliers, (ii) substantial and repeated failure to perform duties of the office
held by Employee as reasonably directed by the Vice President of Global Sales
and Marketing of the Company if such failure is not curable, or, if curable,
such failure is not cured within ten (10) days following written notice from the
Company, (iii) gross negligence of Employee that has been injurious
(financially, reputationally or otherwise) to the Company, the Target or any of
their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates (except for a de minimus injury to
the Company, the Target or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates),
(iv) willful misconduct with respect to the Company, the Target or any of their
respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates that has been materially injurious to the
Company or the Target, (v) conduct tending to bring the Company, the Target or
any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates into substantial public
disgrace or disrepute, (vi) any material breach by Employee of the terms of this
Agreement if such breach is not curable, or if curable, such breach is not cured
within ten (10) days following written notice from the Company or (vii) any
intentional and material breach by Employee of any representation or warranty
made by Employee in the Stock Purchase Agreement, provided, however, that if any
such representation or warranty in the Stock Purchase Agreement is modified by
“material”, “Material
Adverse Effect” or other similar qualifiers, the word material in this
clause (vii) will be disregarded.
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“Confidential
Information” means all non-Trade Secret Information of a confidential or
proprietary nature (whether or not specifically labeled or identified as “Confidential”), in
any form or medium, that is or was disclosed to, or developed or learned by,
Employee in connection with Employee’s relationship with the Company, the Target
or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates prior to the date hereof
or during the Employment Period and that relates to the actual or anticipated
business, products, services, financing, research or development of the Company,
the Target or any of their respective Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any of their
respective suppliers, distributors or customers. Confidential
Information includes, but is not limited to, the following: (i) internal
business information (including information relating to strategic and staffing
plans and practices, business, training, marketing, promotional and sales plans
and practices, cost, rate and pricing structures, accounting and business
methods); (ii) identities of, individual requirements of, specific contractual
arrangements with, information about and confidential and proprietary
information of any of the Company’s, the Target’s or any of their respective
Subsidiaries’ or Affiliates’ suppliers, distributors and customers; (iii)
compilations of data and analyses, techniques, systems, formulae, research,
source code, object code, records, reports, manuals, documentation, models, data
and data bases relating thereto; (iv) inventions, innovations,
improvements, developments, methods, designs, analyses, drawings, reports and
all similar or related information (whether or not patentable); and (v)
Acquisition Targets and Active Targets. Confidential Information
shall not include information that (a) is or becomes publicly known through no
wrongful act or breach of obligation of confidentiality and as a result of
disclosure by a Person other than Employee; or (b) was rightfully received
by Employee from a third party (other than any of the Company’s, the Target’s or
any of their respective Subsidiaries’ or Affiliates’ suppliers, distributors or
customers) without a breach of any obligation of confidentiality by such third
party known to Employee.
“Disability” means the
disability of Employee caused by any physical or mental injury, illness or
incapacity as a result of which Employee is unable to perform effectively the
essential functions of Employee’s duties as determined by the Vice President of
Global Sales and Marketing of the Company in good faith.
“Noncompete Period”
means the one (1) year period following the Separation Date.
“Person” means an
individual, a partnership, a limited liability company, a corporation, an
association, a joint stock company, a trust, a joint venture, an unincorporated
organization, an investment fund, any other business entity or a governmental
entity or any department, agency or political subdivision thereof.
“Reference Period”
means the one (1) year period immediately preceding the Separation
Date.
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“Separation” has the
meaning set forth in Section 3(a).
“Separation Date”
means the date of Separation.
“Severance Amount”
means an amount equal to the Employee’s Base Salary.
“Severance Period”
means the period commencing on the Separation Date and ending at the expiration
of the Term.
“Stock Purchase
Agreement” means that certain Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of the
date hereof, by and among the Company, the Target, Employee and certain other
parties, as amended from time to time pursuant to its terms.
“Subsidiary” means,
with respect to any Person, any corporation, limited liability company,
partnership, association, or business entity of which (i) if a corporation, a
majority of the total voting power of shares of stock entitled (without regard
to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors,
managers, or trustees thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or
indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that
Person or a combination thereof, or (ii) if a limited liability company,
partnership, association, or other business entity (other than a corporation), a
majority of the partnership or other similar ownership interest thereof is at
the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or
more Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof. For
purposes hereof, a Person or Persons shall be deemed to have a majority
ownership interest in a limited liability company, partnership, association, or
other business entity (other than a corporation) if such Person or Persons shall
be allocated a majority of the limited liability company, partnership,
association, or other business entity gains or losses or shall be or control any
managing director or general partner of such limited liability company,
partnership, association, or other business entity. For purposes
hereof, references to a “Subsidiary” of any
Person shall be given effect only at such times that such Person has one or more
Subsidiaries.
“Trade Secret
Information” has the meaning set forth under applicable law, provided
such information relates to the Company, the Target or their respective
Subsidiaries or Affiliates for purposes of Section 4(a) and to
the relevant third party for purposes of Section
4(c).
“Work Product” means
all inventions, innovations, improvements, developments, source or object code,
methods, processes, designs, analyses, drawings, reports and all similar or
related information (whether or not patentable or reduced to practice or
comprising Confidential Information) and any copyrightable work, trade xxxx,
trade secret or other intellectual property rights (whether or not comprising
Confidential Information) and any other form of Confidential Information, any of
which relate to the Company’s, the Target’s or any of their respective
Subsidiaries’ or Affiliates’ actual or anticipated business, research and
development or existing or future products or services and which were or are
conceived, reduced to practice, contributed to, developed, made or acquired by
Employee (whether alone or jointly with others) while employed (both before and
after the date hereof) by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or
Affiliates.
9.
Notices. Any
notice provided for in this Agreement must be in writing and must be either
personally delivered, mailed by first class mail (postage prepaid and return
receipt requested), sent by reputable overnight courier service (charges
prepaid) or sent by facsimile, if a facsimile number is provided below (with
confirmation of transmission), to the recipient at the address below
indicated:
10
If to the
Company:
ARI
Network Services, Inc.
00000
Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx Xxxxx #000
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxxxxxxxx 00000-0000
Attn: Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx
Fax
No.: (000) 000-0000
If to
Employee:
Xxxxxx
Xxxx
_________________________________
[Cypress],
California ________________
Fax
No.: __________________________
or such
other address or to the attention of such other Person as the recipient party
shall have specified by prior written notice to the sending
party. Any notice under this Agreement will be deemed to have been
given on the date when personally delivered, one (1) business day after delivery
to a reputable courier service, five (5) days after deposit in the U.S. mail or
on the date of facsimile transmission.
10. General
Provisions.
(a) Severability. Whenever
possible, each provision of this Agreement will be interpreted in such manner as
to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this
Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect under
any applicable law or rule in any jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or
unenforceability will not affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction,
but this Agreement will be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction
as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been contained
herein.
(b) Complete
Agreement. This Agreement, those documents expressly referred
to herein and other documents of even date herewith embody the complete
agreement and understanding between the parties hereto and supersede and preempt
any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or between the
parties, written or oral, which may have related to the subject matter hereof in
any way, including, but not limited to, any prior employment agreement between
the Employee and the Company.
(c) Counterparts;
Facsimile. This Agreement may be executed in separate
counterparts (including those delivered by means of facsimile or other
electronic means), each of which is deemed to be an original and all of which
taken together constitute one and the same agreement. This Agreement,
the agreements referred to herein, and each other agreement or instrument
entered into in connection herewith or therewith or contemplated hereby or
thereby, and any amendments hereto or thereto, to the extent signed and
delivered by means of a facsimile machine or other electronic means, shall be
treated in all manner and respects and for all purposes as an original agreement
or instrument and shall be considered to have the same binding legal effect as
if it were the original signed version thereof delivered in
person. At the request of any party hereto or to any such agreement
or instrument, each other party hereto or thereto shall re-execute original
forms thereof and deliver them to all other parties. No party hereto
or to any such agreement or instrument shall raise the use of a facsimile
machine or other electronic means to deliver a signature or the fact that any
signature or agreement or instrument was transmitted or communicated through the
use of a facsimile machine or other electronic means as a defense to the
formation or enforceability of a contract and each such party forever waives any
such defense.
11
(d) Successors and
Assigns. Except as otherwise provided herein, this Agreement
shall bind and inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by Employee and the
Company and their respective successors and assigns, and Employee and Company
acknowledge and agree that in the event of any internal restructuring involving
the Company, the Target, their Affiliates and/or any of their respective
Subsidiaries, this Agreement may be assigned to, and Employee’s employment will
continue uninterrupted with, the surviving entity pursuant to the terms and
conditions set forth herein. Other than as set forth in the
immediately preceding sentence, neither this Agreement nor any right or
obligation of any party hereto may be assigned or delegated without the prior
written consent of the other party hereto.
(e) Choice of
Law. All questions concerning the construction, validity and
interpretation of this Agreement and the exhibits hereto will be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Wisconsin, without giving
effect to any choice of law or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the
State of Wisconsin or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the application
of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Wisconsin.
(f)
Remedies. Each
of the parties to this Agreement will be entitled to enforce its rights under
this Agreement specifically, to recover damages and costs (including reasonable
attorney’s fees) caused by any breach of any provision of this Agreement and to
exercise all other rights existing in its favor. The parties hereto
agree and acknowledge that money damages may not be an adequate remedy for any
breach of the provisions of this Agreement and that any party may in its sole
discretion apply to any court of law or equity of competent jurisdiction
(without posting any bond or deposit) for specific performance and/or other
injunctive relief in order to enforce or prevent any violations of the
provisions of this Agreement.
(g) Amendment and
Waiver. The provisions of this Agreement may be amended only
with the prior written consent of the Company and Employee. A
provision of this Agreement may be waived only in writing by the party entitled
to the benefit of such provision.
(h) Insurance. The
Company, at its discretion, may apply for and procure in its own name and for
its own benefit life and/or disability insurance on Employee in any amount or
amounts considered advisable. Employee agrees to cooperate in any
reasonably necessary medical or other examination, supply any reasonably
requested information, and to execute and deliver any applications or other
instruments in writing as may be reasonably necessary to obtain and constitute
such insurance. Employee hereby represents and warrants that he has
no reason to believe that his life is not insurable at rates now prevailing for
healthy men of his age.
12
(i) Business
Days. If any time period for giving notice or taking action
hereunder expires on a day which is a Saturday, Sunday or holiday in the state
in which the Company’s principal office is located, the time period shall be
automatically extended to the business day immediately following such Saturday,
Sunday or holiday.
(j) Indemnification and
Reimbursement of Payments on Behalf of Employee. The Company
shall be entitled to deduct or withhold from any amounts owing from the Company
to Employee, any federal, state, local or foreign withholding taxes, excise
taxes, or employment taxes (“Taxes”) imposed with
respect to Employee’s compensation or other payments from the Company,
including, but not limited to, wages, bonuses, dividends, the receipt or
exercise of equity options and/or the receipt or vesting of restricted
equity. In the event the Company does not make such deductions or
withholdings, Employee shall indemnify the Company for any such deduction or
withholding subsequently paid by the Company, but not for any interest,
penalties or other amounts associated therewith.
(k) Termination. This
Agreement (i) shall survive the expiration of the Term and shall remain in full
force and effect after such expiration, and (ii) except for the provisions of
Section 1 and
Section 2,
shall survive a Separation and shall remain in full force and effect after such
Separation.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Employment Agreement as
of the date first above written.
COMPANY
By:
|
/s/ Xxxxx X. Xxxxxxx | |
Xxxxx
X. Xxxxxxx, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
|
||
/s/ Xxxxxx Xxxx | ||
Xxxxxx
Xxxx
|
13
EXHIBIT
A
FORM OF GENERAL
RELEASE
I, Xxxxxx
Xxxx, in consideration of the severance payments and benefits set forth
in the Employment Agreement dated as of January 26, 2007, between ARI, a
[_________________________] (the “Company”), and the undersigned (as amended
from time to time, the “Agreement”), and other good and valuable consideration,
and subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, do hereby release and
forever discharge as of the date hereof the Company, its subsidiaries and
affiliates (including, but not limited to, OC-NET, Inc., a California
corporation) and each of their respective present and former directors,
officers, partners, members, shareholders, equity holders, agents,
representatives, employees, successors and assigns (collectively, the “Released
Parties”) to the extent provided below.
(i)
|
I
understand and agree that I will not receive the benefits specified in
Section 3 of the Agreement unless I execute this General
Release.
|
(ii)
|
I
knowingly and voluntarily release and forever discharge the Company and
the other Released Parties from any and all claims, known or unknown,
which I, my heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, may have, which
arise out of my employment with, and my separation from, the Company and
the other Released Parties (including, but not limited to, any allegation,
claim or violation, arising under: Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of
1964, as amended; the Civil Rights Act of 1991, as amended; the Age
Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended (including the Older
Workers Benefit Protection Act, as amended); the Equal Pay Act of 1963, as
amended; the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended; the
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, as amended; the Civil Rights Act of
1866, as amended; the Worker Adjustment Retraining and Notification Act,
as amended; Section 510 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of
1974, as amended; any applicable Manager or Employee Order Programs; the
Fair Labor Standards Act, as amended; or their state or local
counterparts; or under any other federal, foreign, state or local civil or
human rights law, or under any other local, state, or federal or foreign
law, regulation or ordinance; or under any public policy, contract or
tort, or under common law, for wrongful discharge; or arising under any
policies, practices or procedures of the Company or any other Released
Parties; or any claim for breach of contract, infliction of emotional
distress, defamation; or any claim for costs, fees, or other expenses
including attorney’s fees, incurred in these matters); provided, however,
that the foregoing release and discharge shall not apply to rights and
benefits I have with respect to any equity I own in the Company, to rights
I have with respect to any severance or other benefits pursuant to Section
3 of the Agreement, to rights that I have under the Stock Purchase
Agreement (as defined in the agreement) or to any benefits vested under
any employee benefit plans.
|
(iii)
|
I
agree that this General Release does not waive or release any rights or
claims that I may have (including, but not limited to, rights or claims
under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, as amended), which
arise after the date I execute this General
Release.
|
(iv)
|
I
agree that neither this General Release, nor the furnishing of the
consideration for this General Release, shall be deemed or construed at
any time to be an admission of any improper or unlawful conduct of myself
or the Company or any of the other Released
Parties.
|
(v)
|
I
agree that if I challenge the validity of this General Release I will
immediately repay to the Company any amounts paid pursuant to Section 3 of
the Agreement, though I acknowledge that such repayment will not vitiate
any of the rights of the Company or any of the other Released Parties
under this General Release. I also agree that if I violate this
General Release by suing the Company or any of the other Released Parties,
I will pay all costs and expenses of defending against the suit incurred
by the Released Parties, including reasonable attorneys’
fees.
|
(vi)
|
I
agree that this General Release is confidential and agree not to disclose
any information regarding the terms of this General Release, except to my
immediate family and any tax, legal or other counsel I have consulted
regarding the meaning or effect hereof or as required by law, and I will
instruct each of the foregoing not to disclose the same to
anyone.
|
(vii)
|
Any
nondisclosure provision in this General Release does not prohibit or
restrict me (or my attorney) from responding to any inquiry about this
General Release or its underlying facts and circumstances by the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the National Association of
Securities Dealers, Inc. (NASD) or any other self-regulatory organization
or governmental entity.
|
(viii)
|
I
agree to make myself available to and to cooperate with the Company in any
internal investigation or administrative, regulatory, or judicial
proceeding. I understand and agree that my cooperation will
include, but not be limited to, making myself available to the Company or
any of the other Released Parties upon reasonable notice for interviews
and factual investigations; appearing at the Company’s (or Released
Parties’) request to give testimony without requiring service of a
subpoena or other legal process; volunteering to the Company or the other
Released Parties pertinent information; and turning over all relevant
documents which are or may come into my
possession.
|
(ix)
|
Whenever
possible, each provision of this General Release shall be interpreted in
such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any
provision of this General Release is held to be invalid, illegal or
unenforceable in any respect under any applicable law or rule in any
jurisdiction, such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability shall not
affect any other provision or any other jurisdiction, but this General
Release shall be reformed, construed and enforced in such jurisdiction as
if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable provision had never been
contained herein.
|
2
BY
SIGNING THIS GENERAL RELEASE, I STATE THAT:
(x)
|
I
HAVE READ IT;
|
(xi)
|
I
UNDERSTAND IT AND KNOW THAT I AM GIVING UP IMPORTANT RIGHTS, INCLUDING,
BUT NOT LIMITED TO, RIGHTS UNDER THE AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT ACT
OF 1967, AS AMENDED; TITLE VII OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1967, AS
AMENDED; THE EQUAL PAY ACT OF 1963, AS AMENDED; THE AMERICANS WITH
DISABILITIES ACT OF 1990, AS AMENDED; AND THE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT INCOME
SECURITY ACT OF 1974, AS AMENDED;
|
(xii)
|
I
CONSENT TO EVERYTHING IN IT;
|
(xiii)
|
I
HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY BEFORE EXECUTING
IT;
|
(xiv)
|
I
HAVE BEEN GIVEN TWENTY-ONE (21) DAYS TO CONSIDER THIS GENERAL RELEASE
BEFORE SIGNING IT;
|
(xv)
|
I
HAVE SIGNED THIS GENERAL RELEASE KNOWINGLY AND
VOLUNTARILY;
|
(xvi)
|
I
AGREE THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS GENERAL RELEASE MAY NOT BE AMENDED,
WAIVED, CHANGED OR MODIFIED EXCEPT BY AN INSTRUMENT IN WRITING SIGNED BY
AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMPANY AND BY ME;
AND
|
(xvii)
|
I
UNDERSTAND THAT THIS GENERAL RELEASE SHALL NOT BECOME EFFECTIVE AND
ENFORCEABLE UNTIL THE EIGHTH DAY FOLLOWING EXECUTION OF THIS GENERAL
RELEASE, AND THAT ANY TIME PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DAY, I CAN REVOKE THIS
GENERAL RELEASE.
|
DATE: | January 26th 2007 | Signed: | /s/ Xxxxxx Xxxx | |
[Name
of
Employee]
|
3