AMENDED AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
AMENDED
AND RESTATED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This
Amended and Restated Employment Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into by Eagle
Broadband, Inc. (“Company”) and Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xx. (“Employee”), to be
effective as of April 27, 2006 (the “Effective Date”).
WITNESSETH:
WHEREAS,
Employee has been employed by Company since July 21, 2004; and
WHEREAS,
the
Company desires to continue to employ Employee from and after the Effective
Date
pursuant to the terms and conditions and for the consideration set forth in
this
Agreement, and Employee desires to continue to be employed by Company pursuant
to such terms and conditions and for such consideration.
NOW,
THEREFORE,
for and
in consideration of the mutual promises, covenants, and obligations contained
herein, the Company and Employee agree as follows:
ARTICLE
1:
EMPLOYMENT
AND DUTIES
1.1 The
Company agrees to employ Employee, and Employee agrees to be employed by the
Company, beginning as of the Effective Date and continuing until the date of
termination of Employee’s employment (“Termination Date”) or the expiration of
this Agreement by its terms at the end of the Term and any renewals thereof
(“Expiration Date”), subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. The
“Employment Period,” as used herein, shall mean the period commencing on the
Effective Date, and ending on the earlier of the Termination Date or the
Expiration Date. The “Term,” as used herein, shall mean the period commencing on
the Effective Date, and expiring on July 21, 2010.
(a) At
least
thirty (30) days prior to the expiration of the Term (and each mutually agreed
to extension thereof), the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board”) shall
notify the Employee, in writing pursuant to Section 5.1, of the Board’s desire
to continue Employee’s employment beyond the end of the Term (or any mutually
agreed to extension thereof). If the Board desires to retain the Employee,
then
the parties shall amend this agreement to extend the Employment Period for
an
additional two (2) year period (“Extension Period”), and the Term (or any
mutually agreed to extension thereof) shall be extended for an additional two
(2) years, or a new employment agreement (on substantially the same terms as
this Agreement) shall be negotiated, prepared, and put into effect prior to
the
end of the Term (or any mutually agreed to extension thereof); however if the
parties cannot agree to the terms of a new agreement by the expiration of the
Term (or any mutually agreed to extension thereof), then Employee’s employment
shall terminate at the end of the Term (or any mutually agreed to extension
thereof), and shall be subject to Section 3.2(b).
(b) For
the
avoidance of doubt it is the parties’ understanding that if this Agreement is
extended for an Extension Period or any subsequent Extension Period, at the
end
of any such Extension Period, the provisions of Section 1.1(a) shall apply,
and
any reference in this Agreement to the Term shall include any mutually agreed
extension thereof, whether or not expressly noted.
1.2 Beginning
as of the Effective Date and throughout the Term (and mutually agreed to
extension thereof), Employee shall be employed as Vice President of
Administration and Corporate Secretary of the Company. Employee shall report
to
the President
and Chief Executive Officer.
Employee agrees to serve in such position, and to perform diligently and to
the
best of Employee’s abilities the duties and services pertaining to such
positions as reasonably determined and assigned by the President and Chief
Executive Officer, as well as such additional or different duties and services
appropriate to such positions which the Employee from time to time may be
directed to perform by the President and Chief Executive Officer.
1.3 Employee
shall at all times comply with and be subject to such policies and procedures
as
the Company may establish from time to time, including, without limitation,
the
Company’s Employee Handbook and Code of Business Ethics. Without limiting the
foregoing, Employee acknowledges that Employee has read the Company’s
“Pre-clearance and Blackout Policy,” “Xxxxxxx Xxxxxxx Policy” and “Section 16
Compliance Program”, and Employee accepts the status of an “Insider” under such
policies, and Employee agrees to comply with such policies.
1.4 Employee
shall, during the Employment Period, devote Employee’s full business time,
energy, and best efforts to the business and affairs of the Company. Employee
may not engage, directly or indirectly, in any other business, investment,
or
activity that interferes with Employee’s performance of Employee’s duties
hereunder, is contrary to the interest of the Company or any of its affiliated
subsidiaries and divisions (collectively, “Eagle Broadband, Inc.”), or requires
any significant portion of Employee’s business time. The foregoing
notwithstanding, the parties recognize and agree that Employee may engage in
passive personal investments and other business activities that do not conflict
with the business and affairs of the Company or interfere with Employee’s
performance of his duties hereunder.
1.5 Employee
acknowledges and agrees that Employee owes a fiduciary duty of loyalty,
fidelity, and allegiance to act at all times in the best interests of the
Company and to do no act which would, directly or indirectly, injure any such
entity’s business, interests, or reputation. It is agreed that any direct or
indirect interest in, connection with, or benefit from any outside activities,
particularly commercial activities, which interest might in any way adversely
affect the Company or involves a possible conflict of interest. In keeping
with
Employee’s fiduciary duties to the Company, Employee agrees that, during the
Employment Period, Employee shall not knowingly become involved in a conflict
of
interest with the Company, or upon discovery thereof, allow such a conflict
to
continue. Moreover, during the Employment Period Employee shall not engage
in
any activity that might involve a possible conflict of interest without first
obtaining approval in accordance with this Agreement and the Company’s policies
and procedures.
1.6 After
the
Employment Period, Employee shall, at the request of the Company, render all
reasonable assistance and perform all lawful acts that the Company reasonably
considers necessary or advisable in connection with any litigation involving
the
Company or any director, officer, employee, shareholder, agent, representative,
consultant, client or vendor of the Company; provided, however, Employee shall
be compensated for his reasonable expenses, and reasonable efforts will be
made
to accommodate Employee’s schedule.
ARTICLE
2:
COMPENSATION
AND BENEFITS
2.1 During
the Employment Period, the Employee shall receive a base salary (“Base Salary”)
of One Hundred and Seventy-Five Thousand Dollars ($175,000) per annum, less
all
required deductions, including but not limited to federal withholding, social
security and other taxes, and payable bi-weekly on the Company’s regular payroll
schedule. In the future, after each anniversary date during the Employment
Period hereof, Employee’s salary shall be reviewed by the Board or the
Compensation Committee thereof and may be increased as determined from time
to
time by the Board. Any increase in the Base Salary shall not serve to limit
or
reduce any other obligation to the Employee under this Agreement. During the
Term (and each mutual extension thereof), the Base Salary (as increased from
time to time) shall not be reduced.
2.2 During
the Employment Period, the Employee shall receive grants of shares of common
stock of the Company based on the attainment of the following
objectives:
25,000
shares when Eagle Broadband, Inc. stock reaches $3.00 per share (adjusted for
stock splits, stock dividends or other recapitalizations).
25,000
shares when Eagle Broadband, Inc. records a profitable quarter.
2.3 During
the Employment Period, the Employee shall be entitled to participate in
incentive, savings, and retirement plans, and other standard benefit plans
afforded to executive-level employees of the Company, including, without
limitation, all medical, dental, disability, group life, accidental death,
D&O indemnity, and travel accident insurance plans and other programs of the
Company, to the extent Employee is otherwise eligible under the terms and
conditions of the applicable plan or policy, and as such plans or policies
may
be from time to time be amended, modified or terminated by the Company without
prior notice. Dependents of Employee may participate in such plans to the extent
allowed for other dependents of executive level employees of the Company as
allowed by the applicable plan. This Agreement shall not be construed to limit
in any respect the Company’s right to establish, amend, modify, or terminate any
benefit plan or policy. Furthermore, the Company shall not by reason of this
Article 2 be obligated to institute, maintain, or refrain from changing,
amending, or discontinuing, any incentive compensation, employee benefit, or
stock or stock option program or plan, so long as such actions are similarly
applicable to covered employees generally.
2.4 During
the Employment Period, the Company shall pay or reimburse Employee for all
actual, reasonable, and customary expenses incurred by Employee in the course
of
his employment, including business-related travel expenses, subject to the
terms
of and Employee’s compliance with the Company’s Expense Policy, as amended from
time to time, and any other applicable Company policies related to business
expenses.
2.5 During
the Employment Period, the Employee shall be entitled to four weeks of vacation,
fully paid, per calendar year. Any unused vacation can be carried over each
year
and will be paid as compensation upon termination of employment.
2.6 The
Company may withhold from any compensation, benefits, or amounts payable under
this Agreement all federal, state, city, or other taxes as may be required
pursuant to any law or governmental regulation or ruling.
ARTICLE
3: TERMINATION
OF EMPLOYMENT
AND
EFFECTS OF SUCH TERMINATION:
3.1 (a)Employee’s
employment shall be terminated during the Employment Period by reason of the
following circumstances:
(i) Death
of
Employee.
(ii) Permanent
Disability. “Permanent Disability” shall mean Employee’s physical or mental
incapacity to perform his usual duties, with such condition likely to remain
continuously and permanently as determined by the Board or Board of Directors.
The decisions as to whether and as of what date Employee has become permanently
disabled are delegated to the Board of Directors for determination, and any
dispute of Employee with any such decision shall be limited to whether the
Board
of Directors reached such decision in good faith.
(iii) Voluntary
Termination. “Voluntary Termination” shall mean a termination of employment at
the election of Employee. Employee will provide the Company with thirty (30)
days advance notice of his intent to terminate his employment voluntarily.
Employee shall continue to remain an employee of the Company through the thirty
(30) day notice period and will perform such duties, if any, assigned to him
by
the Company during the notice period. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company
may, at its option, waive the Employee’s obligation to remain an employee during
all or any portion of the thirty (30) day notice period, in which case
Employee’s employment shall cease immediately.
(iv) Termination
by Company for Cause. “Termination for Cause” shall mean a termination of
employment immediately upon written notice to the Employee from the Company
that
an event constituting “Cause” has occurred. For purposes of this Agreement, the
term “Cause” shall be defined as: (a) a material act of dishonesty or fraud; (b)
a knowing and material violation of any written policy of the Company or
applicable to the Company’s operations; (c) a knowing and material violation of
an applicable law, rule, or regulation that exposes the Company to damages
or
liability; (d) a material breach of fiduciary duty; (e) conviction of a felony
or (f) a failure to follow the reasonable directions of the Chief Executive
Officer or the Board of Directors. In the event that Employee is terminated
for
Cause, Employee shall be provided with notice of such termination in accordance
with Section 5.1 below.
(b) In
the
event Employee’s employment terminates as a result of any of the circumstances
described in Section 3.1(a)(i) through (iv) above, all future compensation
to
which Employee would otherwise be entitled and all future benefits for which
Employee is eligible shall cease and terminate as of the Termination Date,
except as specifically provided in this Section 3.1, for prorated portions
of
any bonuses earned or due Employee, and the terms of any of the Company’s health
or welfare plans. Employee shall also receive payment, if any, for accrued
and
unused vacation as set forth in Section 2.5
(c) Notwithstanding
anything contained in Section 3.1(b), in the event that Employee’s employment
terminates as a result of death or permanent disability resulting from any
accident or incident beyond Employee’s control that occurs while Employee is
traveling on Company business or is in the course and scope of employment
(excluding any accident or incident occurring when Employee is traveling within
Houston and to or from his normal place of business or his residence), the
preceding paragraph shall not apply, and instead Employee (or his Estate, as
the
case may be) shall be entitled to receive payment subject to and calculated
in
accordance with the provisions of Sections 3.2(a) and 3.2(a)(i) through (iii)
below.
3.2 The
Company reserves the right to terminate Employee’s employment for any reason
other than the circumstances described in Sections 3.1(a)(i) through 3.1(a)(iv)
above, or to end Employee’s employment upon the expiration of the
Term.
(a) If
the
Termination Date occurs during the Term (or any mutual extension thereof) other
than because of the circumstances described in Sections 3.1(a)(i) through
3.1(a)(iv) above, after Company’s receipt of a full release of all claims
against the Company (excluding only payments called for under this Agreement
or
benefits and payments to be payable after Termination Date under any of the
Company’s health or welfare plans) Company shall pay Employee (subject to
required taxes and withholdings) as follows:
(i) pro
rata
Base Salary through the Termination Date and prorated bonuses earned through
the
Termination Date, paid in a lump sum;
(ii) payment,
if any, for accrued and unused vacation days, paid in a lump sum;
and
(iii) the
Employee’s Base Salary for a one-year period, paid on the Company’s normal
payroll schedule.
(b) Termination
of the employment relationship as a result of expiration of the Term of this
Agreement shall not require any notice of termination, and Employee shall only
be entitled to the payments stipulated in (i) and (ii) above, but not any other
payments.
3.3 Any
Termination Payment paid to Employee pursuant to Section 3.2 shall be in
consideration of Employee’s continuing obligations under Article 4. Nothing
contained in this Article 3 shall be construed to be a waiver by Employee of
any
benefits accrued for or due Employee under any employee benefit plan (as such
term is defined in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as
amended), maintained by the Company except that Employee shall not be entitled
to any severance benefits pursuant to any severance plan or program of the
Company.
3.4 Termination
of the employment relationship does not terminate those obligations imposed
by
this Agreement that are continuing obligations, including Employee’s obligations
under Article 4.
ARTICLE
4: OWNERSHIP
AND PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
AND
CONFIDENTIAL
INFORMATION; NON COMPETITION AGREEMENT:
4.1 All
information, ideas, concepts, improvements, discoveries, and inventions, whether
patentable or not, which are conceived, made, developed or acquired by Employee,
individually or in conjunction with others, during Employee’s employment by the
Company (whether during business hours or otherwise and whether on the Company’s
premises or otherwise) which relate to the business, products or services of
the
Company (including, without limitation, all such information relating to
corporate opportunities, confidential financial information, research and
development activities, sales data, pricing and trading terms, evaluations,
opinions, interpretations, acquisition prospects, the identity of customers
or
potential customers and their requirements, the identity of key contacts within
the customers’ organizations or within the organizations of acquisition
prospects, marketing and merchandising techniques, prospective names, and
marks), and all writings or material of any type embodying any of such items,
shall be the sole and exclusive property of the Company.
4.2 Employee
acknowledges that the businesses of the Company are highly competitive and
that
their strategies, methods, books, records, and documents, their technical
information concerning their products, equipment, services, and processes,
procurement procedures and pricing techniques, the names of and other
information (such as credit and financial data) concerning their customers
and
business affiliates (including but not limited to the products and/or services
marketed, advertised, and/or sold to customers and prospective customers, and
the prices charged or quoted to them for such products and/or services, and
the
business activities, needs, and requirements for products and/or services of
such customers or prospective customers) all comprise confidential business
information and trade secrets which are valuable, special, and unique assets
which the Company uses in its business to obtain a competitive advantage over
its competitors. Employee further acknowledges that protection of such
confidential business information and trade secrets against unauthorized
disclosure and use is of critical importance to the Company in maintaining
its
competitive position. Employee hereby agrees that Employee will not, at any
time
during or after the Employment Period, make any unauthorized disclosure of
any
confidential business information or trade secrets of the Company, or make
any
use thereof, except in the carrying out of Employee’s employment
responsibilities hereunder. Confidential business information shall not include
information that is now in, or hereafter becomes part of, the public domain,
whether by publication, patenting or otherwise than as a result of the
Employee’s breach of this Agreement; information that the Employee can show,
through documentary evidence, already was in Employee’s possession prior to its
receipt from the Company hereunder; information which, subsequent to its receipt
hereunder, is disclosed, without obligation or confidence, to the Employee
hereunder by a third party not known to be under an obligation of confidence
to
Company hereunder; or information that the Company authorizes for public
release. The above notwithstanding, a disclosure shall not be unauthorized
if
(i) it is required by law or by a court of competent jurisdiction or (ii) it
is
in connection with any judicial arbitration, dispute resolution or other legal
proceeding in which Employee’s legal rights and obligations as an Employee or
under this Agreement are at issue; provided, however, that Employee shall,
to
the extent practicable and lawful in any such events, give prior notice to
the
Company of Employee’s intent to disclose any such confidential business
information in such context so as to allow the Company an opportunity (which
Employee will cooperate with and will not oppose) to obtain such protective
orders or similar relief with respect thereto as may be deemed
appropriate.
4.3 All
written materials, records, and other documents made by, or coming into the
possession of, Employee during the Employment Period which contain or disclose
confidential business information or trade secrets of the Company shall be
and
remain the property of the Company, as the case may be. Upon termination of
Employee’s employment with the Company, for any reason, Employee promptly shall
deliver the same and all copies thereof to the Company.
4.4 To
enable
Employee to perform the duties contemplated by this Agreement, the Company
promises that it will disclose confidential information, including confidential
business information and trade secrets of the nature described or referenced
in
Sections 4.1 through 4.3 above, during the Employment Period and before
termination of the employment relationship established by this Agreement. In
return for and ancillary to the promise made by the Company to make such
disclosure, (and ancillary to the other covenants of the Company under this
Agreement)” Employee hereby makes a reciprocal promise designed to enforce the
Company’s interest in protecting its confidential information and its goodwill.
Accordingly, Employee promises to comply with the obligations set forth in
Sections 4.1 through 4.3 above, and furthermore, Employee agrees that, during
Employee’s employment with the Company and for eighteen (18) months following
the termination of Employee’s employment, the Employee will not, directly or
through any other person, firm, or corporation:
(a) in
any
state of the United States of America in which the Company presently does
business or does business during Employee’s employment perform services as an
employee, officer, director or independent contractor for any Competing
Enterprise (as defined below);
(b) be
an
owner, shareholder (except for the ownership by Employee of less than Five
Percent (5%) of the equity securities of any publicly-traded company), agent,
or
partner of, or serve in an executive position with, any Competing
Enterprise;
(c) call
on
or otherwise communicate with any customer or prior customer of the Company
or
any business referral sources or vendors to the Company including any respective
successors and assigns, for the purpose of soliciting business for a Competing
Enterprise or for someone other than the Company; or
(d) do
anything to interfere with the normal operation of the businesses of the Company
including, without limitation, make any effort personally or through others
to
recruit, hire, or solicit any employee or independent contractor of the Company
to leave the Company, or to interfere in any way with the Company’s
relationships with its customers or suppliers.
For
purposes of this Section, the term “Competing Enterprise” shall mean: any person
or any business organization of whatever form, excluding the Company, engaged
directly or indirectly in any business or enterprise whose business activities
involve the lines of business described in the Company’s most recent Form 10-K
filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission at the time of termination
of this Agreement, along with any lines of business added by the Company from
the date of filing such 10-K to the date of termination of the Employee’s
employment.
ARTICLE
5: MISCELLANEOUS:
5.1 For
purposes of this Agreement, notices and all other communications provided for
herein shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when
received by or tendered to Employee or the Company, as applicable, by pre paid
courier or by United States registered or certified mail, return receipt
requested, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:
If
to the
Company, to
Eagle
Broadband, Inc.
000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx
Xxxx, Xxxxx 00000
If
to
Employee, to his last known personal residence.
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.
Notwithstanding
the foregoing, any Notice of Termination pursuant to Article 3 may be delivered
to the Employee in accordance with the above sentences in this Section 5.1,
or
by e-mail to the Employee’s Company e-mail address, and in the event of such
delivery by e-mail, the Delivery Date shall be conclusively determined to be
the
date when such e-mail was received on the Company’s server regardless of the
date when such e-mail was opened by the Employee.
5.2 This
Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced, in all respects
in
accordance with the law of the State of Texas, without regard to principles
of
conflicts of law, unless preempted by federal law, in which case federal law
shall govern; provided, however, that the dispute resolution process in Section
5.5 shall govern in all respects with regard to the resolution of disputes
hereunder.
5.3 No
failure by either party hereto at any time to give notice of any breach by
the
other party of, or to require compliance with, any condition or provision of
this Agreement shall be deemed a waiver of similar or dissimilar provisions
or
conditions at the same or at any prior or subsequent time.
5.4 It
is a
desire and intent of the parties that the terms, provisions, covenants, and
remedies contained in this Agreement shall be enforceable to the fullest extent
permitted by law. If any such term, provision, covenant, or remedy of this
Agreement or the application thereof to any person, association, or entity
or
circumstances shall, to any extent, be construed to be invalid or unenforceable
in whole or in part, then such term, provision, covenant, or remedy shall be
construed in a manner so as to permit its enforceability under the applicable
law to the fullest extent permitted by law. In any case, the remaining
provisions of this Agreement or the application thereof to any person,
association, or entity or circumstances other than those to which they have
been
held invalid or unenforceable, shall remain in full force and
effect.
5.5 It
is the
mutual intention of the parties to have any dispute concerning this Agreement
resolved out of court. Accordingly, the parties agree that any claim or
controversy of whatever nature arising from or relating in any way to this
Agreement or the employment of the Employee by the Company, and any continuing
obligations under this Agreement, including disputes arising under the common
law or federal or state statutes, laws or regulations and disputes with respect
to the arbitrability of any claim or controversy, shall be resolved exclusively
by final and binding arbitration before a single experienced employment
arbitrator selected by the parties and conducted in accordance with the
agreement of the parties or as determined by the arbitrator. If the parties
are
unable to agree to an arbitrator, an arbitrator will be selected in accordance
with the Employment Dispute Resolution (“EDR”) Rules of the American Arbitration
Association (“AAA”). The arbitration will be conducted in League City, Texas,
pursuant to the EDR Rules of the AAA, and the arbitrator shall have full
authority to award or grant all remedies provided by law. Judgment upon the
award may be enforced by any court having jurisdiction thereof. Each party
shall
pay the fees of their respective attorneys, the expenses of their witnesses,
and
any other expenses incurred by such party in connection with the arbitration.
The prevailing party, as determined by the Arbitrator, may seek to recover
its
reasonable attorney fees and costs in accordance with applicable laws.
Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, either party shall be entitled to
seek
a restraining order or injunction in any court of competent jurisdiction to
prevent any breach or the continuation of any breach of the provisions of
herein.
5.6 This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company, and
any
other person, association, or entity which may hereafter acquire or succeed
to
all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company by any means
whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation, or otherwise.
Employee’s rights and obligations under this Agreement are personal and such
rights, benefits, and obligations of Employee shall not be voluntarily or
involuntarily assigned, alienated, or transferred, whether by operation of
law
or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the Company.
5.7 This
Agreement replaces and extinguishes any previous agreements and discussions
pertaining to the subject matter covered herein, including the prior agreement
of the parties dated July 21, 2004. This Agreement constitutes the entire
agreement of the parties with regard to the terms of Employee’s employment,
termination of employment and severance benefits, and contains all of the
covenants, promises, representations, warranties, and agreements between the
parties with respect to such matters. Each party to this Agreement acknowledges
that no representation, inducement, promise, or agreement, oral or written,
has
been made by either party with respect to the foregoing matters which is not
embodied herein, and that no agreement, statement, or promise relating to the
employment of Employee by the Company that is not contained in this Agreement
shall be valid or binding, except as set forth in any applicable Employee
benefit plan. It is understood that, by signing below, Employee acknowledges
that this Agreement supersedes any agreements or understandings regarding the
subject matter covered herein made prior to the Employee signing this document.
Any modification of this Agreement will be effective only if it is in writing
and signed by each party whose rights hereunder are affected thereby, provided
that any such modification must be authorized or approved by the Board of
Directors or its delegate, as appropriate.
IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company and Employee have duly executed this Amended and
Restated Employment Agreement in multiple originals to be effective on the
Effective Date.
EAGLE
BROADBAND, INC. EMPLOYEE
By: /s/
Xxxxx Xxxxx /s/
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxxx, Xx.
Name: Xxxxx
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxxx, Xx.
Title: President
and CEO
Date: 4/27/06 Date: 4/27/06