EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
This
Employment Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between Pet
Ecology Brands, Inc., a Texas corporation (“Company”), and Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxx,
an individual (“Employee”). Company and Employee are collectively
referred to as the “Parties”. This Agreement supersedes any and all
prior consulting and employment agreements between the
Parties.
R E C I T A L S:
WHEREAS,
Company,
is engaged
in developing, marketing and selling pet products in the United States and
other
countries; and,
WHEREAS,
Employee is
experienced in and has knowledge of the Company's business and has been elected
to the Company’s Board of Directors and has been appointed, and is currently
serving as the Company’s Vice-President/Treasurer and Chief Operating
and Financial Officer; and
WHEREAS,
the Company and
Employee desire Employee to perform duties on behalf of the Company pursuant
to
the terms hereof; and,
WHEREAS,
Employee and Company
heretofore entered into a Consulting Agreement dated as of December 1, 2006
which this Agreement supersedes and replaces;
Now,
therefore, for and in
consideration of the terms and conditions contained herein, the Parties agree
as
follows, to wit:
1.
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Definitions. As
used in this Agreement:
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A.
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“Company”
means
Pet Ecology Brands, Inc., its successors and assigns, and any of
its
present or future subsidiaries or organizations controlled by,
controlling, or under common control with
it.
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B.
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“Confidential
Information” means any and all information disclosed or made
available to the Employee or known by the Employee as a direct or
indirect
consequence of or through Employee’s employment by the Company and not
generally known in the industry in which the Company is or may become
engaged, or any information related to the Company’s products, processes,
or services, including, but not limited to, information relating
to
research, development, inventions, manufacture, purchasing, accounting,
engineering, marketing, merchandising, or
selling.
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C.
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“Inventions”
mean
discoveries, concepts and ideas, whether patentable or not, relating
to
any present or prospective activities of the Company, including,
but not
limited to, devices, processes, methods, formulae, techniques,
applications, technology and any improvements to the
foregoing.
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D.
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“Company
Monthly Base Pay”
means the employee’s last monthly remuneration, prior to
termination of Employee’s employment with the Company, before federal,
state, and local taxes and other withholding, but exclusive of extra
compensation, such as that attributable to bonuses, overtime or employee
retirement or pension benefits.
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E.
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“Conflicting
Organization” means any person or organization engaged, directly or
indirectly, in the research, development, production, marketing or
selling
of a Conflicting Product.
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F.
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“Conflicting
Product”
means any product, process, technology, application, or service of
any
person or organization, other than the Company, in existence or under
development, which resembles, competes with or is marketed or offered
for
sale or lease to the same or similar potential customers as a product,
process, technology, application, or service which is the subject
of
research, development, production, marketing or selling activities
of the
Company.
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2.
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Employment.
The Company
hereby employs the Employee and the Employee hereby agrees to accept
employment with the Company upon the terms and conditions herein
set
forth.
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3.
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Term. The
Company hereby employs the Employee for a period of three (3) years
beginning on the December 7, 2007 and ending on December 6, 2010,
unless
sooner terminated as provided in Section 13 (Disability), Section
14
(Death During Employment) or Section 12 (Termination), hereof; provided,
this Agreement may be extended for additional periods or its terms
amended
upon the mutual written agreement of the
Parties.
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4.
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Position. The
Employee shall be employed in the capacity of Vice-President/Treasurer
to
serve as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer with
such
duties as are set for the in the Bylaws of the Company and as are
or may
be reasonably prescribed, from time to time, by the Board of Directors
of
the Company. The Employee shall not be assigned nor requested
to perform duties or functions for which he has not been adequately
trained or for which he does not have adequate education and/or
professional experience.
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5.
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Extent
of
Services. The Employee shall diligently and
conscientiously devote Employee’s time, attention and energies to the
business of the Company.
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6.
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Working
Facilities;
Location. The Employee shall be furnished with such
facilities suitable to Employee’s position and adequate for the
performance of Employee’s duties and the conduct of the Company’s
business. The Employee’s principal office shall be
located in the area selected by the Company; provided, however, the
Employee agrees to do such traveling as is required to carry out
Employee’s duties hereunder. The Employee shall not be transferred from
the Company’s Dallas, Texas Operations on a permanent basis (longer than
thirty (30) days) without the Employee’s written
consent.
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7.
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Compensation. The
Company’s Board of Directors may increase the Employee’s Monthly Base Pay
from time to time as the Board may deem reasonable. The
Employee shall be a participant in any deferred compensation, bonus
and/or
stock option plans designed and implemented by the Company’s Board of
Directors for the benefit of the Company’s key executives and
employees. The Employee shall participate in any such
plans at a level commensurate with Employee’s position with the
Company.
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A.
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Company
Monthly Base
Pay. For services rendered by Employee under this
Agreement, until any increases shall be made by a decision
of the Board of Directors, Employee shall be paid an annual
base salary of One Hundred Twenty Thousand Dollars ($120,000) per
year,
beginning January 1, 2008. The annual base salary shall be paid
to Employee in equal bi-monthly installments as Company Monthly Base
Pay.
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B.
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Stock
Grants. Employee
shall be entitled to receive non qualified stock options in amounts
and
pursuant to the terms and conditions of a Stock Option Agreement
of even
date herewith.
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C.
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Benefits.
Employee
shall
be eligible for Company-paid health insurance, dental insurance,
life
insurance, short/long term disability coverage and other benefits
that are
and may become available. Employee shall be eligible to participate
in any
such benefits at a level commensurate with Employee’s position with the
Company.
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D.
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Auto
Allowance. Employee shall be
provided a $500 monthly auto
allowance.
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E.
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Temporary
Housing; Travel to
N.Y. Employee shall be reimbursed for temporary housing
and air travel to and from Employee’s home in the State of New
York to a maximum amount of $2,000 per month
for a period of 24 months from the date of this
Agreement.
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8.
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Expenses. All
expenses for transportation and travel, including a primarily business
use
automobile, entertainment, club dues, and charitable contributions
incurred by the Employee, that may be properly charged to the furtherance
of the legitimate business interests of the Company shall be reimbursed
or
directly paid by the Company upon presentment of receipts in accordance
with the record keeping requirements of the Internal Revenue
Service.
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9.
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Right
to
Participate. The Employee shall have the right to
participate in all other benefits of employment generally made available
to the Company’s executive and managerial employees including but not
limited to medical, dental, disability, life insurance, retirement
plans
and any other benefit(s) presented by the Company’s Board of Directors and
befitting the Employee’s position and
performance.
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10.
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Vacations;
Compensated
Absences. The Employee shall be entitled to twenty (20)
working days vacation each calendar year, with continued compensation
during such vacation period. For purposes hereunder, the
term “working days” refers to Monday through Friday, exclusive of weekends
and holidays, observed by the Company as determined by the Board
of
Directors. Vacations may be taken at such times and in such
manner desired by the Employee if the taking of such vacation does
not
interfere with the efficient administration of the affairs of the
Company
as may reasonably be determined by the Board of
Directors. Unused vacation days may be carried
into the next calendar year (s) or, at Employee’s option, Employee may
elect to receive compensation for unused vacation days. In
addition, Employee shall be entitled to continued compensation
pursuant to the terms hereof for sick days and other days or times
during
which Employee is necessarily absent as a result of family or other
reasonable personal obligations.
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11.
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Right
to
Inventions. With respect to all Inventions made or
conceived by the Employee, whether or not during the hours of Employee’s
employment or with the use of Company facilities, materials or personnel,
either solely or jointly with others, during the term of Employee’s
employment by the Company, and without royalty or any other
consideration:
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A.
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Reports. The
Employee shall inform the Company promptly and fully of such inventions
by
a written report, setting forth in detail the structures, procedures,
and
methodology employed and the result achieved. A report
shall also be submitted by the Employee upon completion of any study
or
research project undertaken on the Company’s behalf, whether or not in the
Employee’s opinion a given study or project has resulted in an invention.
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B.
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Assignment. The
Employee hereby assigns and agrees to assign to the Company all of
Employee’s rights to such Inventions and to all proprietary right therein,
based thereon or related thereto, including, but not limited to,
applications for United States and foreign letters patent and resulting
letters patent.
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C.
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Patents. At
the Company’s request and expense, the Employee shall execute such
documents and provide such assistance as may be deemed necessary
by the
Company to apply for, defend or enforce any United States or foreign
letters of patent based on or related to such
Inventions.
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D.
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Confidential
Information.
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(i)
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Confidentiality. During
the terms of this Agreement, Company shall disclose to Employee certain
Confidential Information as that term is defined herein. Except
as required in the performance of Employee’s duties during the term of
Employee’s employment by the Company, the Employee shall treat as
confidential and shall not, directly or indirectly, use, disseminate,
disclose, publish, or otherwise make available any Confidential
Information or any portion thereof. This provision shall
remain in effect for a period of two (2) years after any termination
of
such employment.
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(ii)
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Return
of Confidential
Information. Upon termination of Employee’s employment
with the Company, all documents, records, notebooks, and similar
repositories containing Confidential Information, including copies
thereof, then in the Employee’s possession, whether prepared by him or
others, shall be promptly returned to the Company. If at any
time after the termination of employment the Employee determines
that he
has any Confidential Information in Employee’s possession or control, he
shall immediately return to the Company all such Confidential Information,
including all copies and portions
thereof.
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(iii)
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Restrictive
Covenants. In consideration for the Company disclosing
to Employee Confidential Information, for a period of one (1) year
after
termination of Employee’s employment with the Company, the Employee will
not render services, directly or indirectly, to a Conflicting
Organization, except that the Employee may accept employment with
a
Conflicting Organization if the Company receives, prior to the Employee
accepting such employment, separate written assurances, satisfactory
to
the Company, from such Conflicting Organization and from the Employee
that
the Employee will not render services directly or indirectly in connection
with any Conflicting Product.
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12. Termination.
a.
The Company may terminate Employee's services pursuant to the terms of this
Agreement at any time for "cause" as herein defined. The term "cause" shall
mean
any of the following events: (i) engaging in activities in direct or indirect
competition with the Company, (ii) committing acts of gross negligence, (iii)
conviction of a felony or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude, (iv)
demonstration of any acts of dishonesty or theft on the part of Employee which,
in the opinion of the President, is detrimental to the best interests of the
Company, and (v) intentional and material violation by Employee of any written
policy adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company which is not corrected
within ten (10) days after receipt by Employee of a detailed written explanation
from the President of the Company. The Company may also terminate this Agreement
as a result of the death or disability of Employee pursuant to the applicable
provisions of Paragraphs 13 or 14 below.
b.
"Disability," as that term is used in paragraph 5(a) above, shall be defined
as
an incapacity, whether by an accident, sickness or otherwise, which renders
Employee mentally or physically incapable of performing the services required
pursuant to this Agreement, and such incapacity, in the opinion of a mutually
agreeable physician, is expected to continue for a period of twelve (12)
months.
c.
The Company may also terminate this Agreement without “cause” as that term is
defined in Paragraph 12 a. above or without Employee dying or becoming disabled;
however, in the event of such termination, Company shall be obligated to continue paying
Employee’s full compensation at the rate of base pay in effect at the
time of the termination for six (6) months following such termination or until
the end of the term of this Agreement, whichever shall be less.
13. Disability. To
the
extent not covered by the Company’s disability insurance, if any, if the
Employee is unable to perform Employee’s services during the term of this
Agreement by reason of illness or incapacity, he shall receive Employee’s full
compensation until a determination is made that Employee is disabled as that
term is defined in Paragraph 12 (b) above, and, in the event this Agreement
is
terminated as a result of Employee’s disability, shall continue
receiving full compensation at the rate of base pay in effect at the time of
the
determination for six (6) months following a determination of disability or
until the end of the term of this Agreement, whichever shall be
less. However, upon a determination of Employee’s disability as
defined in Paragraph 12 (b) above, any options to purchase the Company’s common
stock pursuant to the terms of the Stock Option Agreement of even date herewith
which have not then vested, shall immediately become vested.
14. Death
during
Employment. If Employee dies during the term of
this Agreement, this Agreement shall terminate; provided, however, the Company
shall continue to pay to the estate of the Employee, on the same schedule as
if
Employee were alive, Employee’s salary at the rate of his base pay in effect at
the time of his death for six (6) months following a determination of disability
or until the end of the term of this Agreement, whichever shall be
less. Additionally, upon Employee’s death, any options to purchase
the Company’s common stock pursuant to the terms of the Stock Option Agreement
of even date herewith which have not then vested, shall immediately become
vested.
15. Non-Competition. During
the term of this Agreement and or as long as thereafter as Employee is receiving
compensation from the Company:
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a.
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The
Employee shall not engage in competition with the Company, either
directly
or indirectly, in any manner or capacity, as advisor, consultant,
principal, agent, partner, officer, director, stockholder, employee,
representative, spokesman or otherwise, in any phase of the business
carried on by the Company at any
time.
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b.
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For
a period of one (1) year after the termination of this Agreement,
Employee
shall not solicit anyone who was an employee of the Company when
the
Employee’s employment with the company terminated or solicit anyone then
employed by the Company to terminate or refrain from renewing Employee’s
or her employment with the Company.
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c.
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For
a period of one (1) year after the termination of this Agreement,
Employee
shall not, either directly or indirectly, solicit any customer, broker,
or
distributor of the Employer, for such products as are manufactured
and/or
sold by the Employer, and Employee will similarly not engage in the
business of the manufacture and sales of such products as are manufactured
and/or sold by the employer within the said
period.
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16. Notice. All
notices
or other instruments or communications provided for in this Agreement shall
be
in writing and signed by the party giving same and shall be deemed properly
given if delivered in person, including delivery by overnight courier, or if
sent by registered or certified United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed
to such party at the address listed below. Each party may, by notice
to the other party, specify any other address for the receipt of such notices,
instruments or communications.
If
To Company:
Pet
Ecology Brands, Inc.
00000
Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxx,
Xxxxx 00000
Attn: President/CFO
If
To Employee
Xxxxxx
X. Xxxxxxxx CPA PC
000
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxxxxxxxx,
Xxx Xxxx 00000
17.
Waiver. Failure
to
insist upon a strict compliance with any of the terms or conditions of this
Agreement shall not be deemed waiver of such terms or conditions, nor shall
any
waiver of any term, condition or right of any party at any time be deemed a
waiver of any other term, condition or right of any party hereto, nor shall
it
preclude the party from subsequently asserting or relying upon such term,
condition or right.
18. Severability. The
invalidity or enforceability of any provision hereof shall in no way affect
the
validity or enforceability of any other provision.
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19. Modification. There
are no verbal understandings between the Parties. This Agreement
contains the entire agreement of the Parties and shall not be changed, modified,
or terminated, except in writing signed by the Parties.
20. Construction. This
Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
Texas.
21. Assignment. The
rights and obligations of the Company under this Agreement shall inure to the
benefit of and shall be binding upon the successors and assigns of the
Company. The Employee’s rights, powers, privileges and immunities
under this Agreement shall not be assignable by the Employee without the prior
written consent of the Company.
22. Binding
Effect. This Agreement shall be binding upon and shall inure
to the benefit of the Parties and their respective heirs, legal representatives,
successors and assigns.
23. Arbitration. Any
dispute or controversy arising from or relating to this Agreement shall be
decided by arbitration in the State of Texas by the American Arbitration
Association, by a panel of three arbitrators mutually acceptable to the Parties
and in accordance with the procedural rules and regulations of that association.
At the request of either the Company or the Employee, arbitration proceedings
will be conducted in secrecy; in such case, all documents, testimony, and
records shall be received, heard and maintained by the arbitrators in secrecy,
available for inspection only by the Company, the Employee and their respective
attorneys and experts who shall agree, in advance and in writing, to receive
all
such information confidentially and to maintain such information in secrecy
until such information becomes generally known or until such times as such
information becomes known by reason of judicial appeal from or enforcement
of
the decision of the arbitration.
This
Agreement is entered into as of December 10, 2007.
COMPANY:
PET
ECOLOGY BRANDS, INC.
By:
Xxxxx
X.
Xxxxxxx
President
EMPLOYEE:
Xxxxxx
X.
Xxxxxxxx
This
agreement is hereby ratified by a majority of the
Pet Ecology Brands, Inc. Board of Directors on this ___day of December 2007.
Xxx
Xxxxx
Secretary
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