EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT
Exhibit
10.4
THIS
EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT (this "Agreement") is made
as of November 6, 2009, by and between Catalyst Group Holdings Incorporated (the
"Company") and
Xxxxxxx X. Xxxxx ("Executive").
1.
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Employment. The
Company shall employ Executive, and Executive hereby accepts employment
with the Company, upon the terms and conditions set forth in this
Agreement for the period beginning on the date hereof and continuing for a
period of five years unless sooner terminated as provided in Section 4
hereof (the "Employment
Period").
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2.
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Position and
Duties.
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2.1.
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During
the Employment Period, Executive shall serve as Chief of Corporate
Development. During the Employment Period, Executive shall render such
additional executive and managerial services to the Company which are
consistent with Executive's position, as the board of directors (the
"Board") may from time to time
direct.
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2.2.
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During
the Employment Period, Executive shall report to the Board and the
President of the Company and shall devote his best efforts and attention
to the business and affairs of the Company. Executive shall be
required to devote all of his employment time to performing her duties
hereunder. Executive shall perform her duties, responsibilities and
functions to the Company to the best of her abilities in a diligent,
trustworthy, professional and efficient manner and shall comply with the
policies and procedures of the Company in all material
respects. So long as Executive is employed by the Company,
Executive shall not, without the prior written consent of the Board,
accept other employment or perform other services for compensation. In
addition, Executive may serve as an officer or director of or otherwise
participate in purely educational, welfare, social, religious and civic
organizations so long as such activities do not interfere with Executive's
employment.
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3.
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Compensation and
Benefits.
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3.1.
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During
the Employment Period, Chief Executive Officer & President salary
shall be Four Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000) per annum or such higher
rate as the Board may determine from time to time (as adjusted from time
to time, the "Salary"), which
compensation shall be payable by the Company in equal quarterly
installments. The salary shall be paid directly to The Catalyst
Holding Group, LLLP.
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3.2.
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During
the Employment Period, the Company shall reimburse Executive for all
reasonable business expenses incurred by her in the course of performing
his duties and responsibilities under this Agreement which are consistent
with the Company's policies in effect from time to time with respect to
travel, entertainment and other business expenses, subject to the
Company's requirements with respect to reporting and documentation of such
expenses.
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3.3.
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During
the Employment Period, the Executive shall be entitled to normal Company
benefits as then currently being
provided.
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4.
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Termination.
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4.1.
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The
Employment Period shall continue for the stated term or until Executive's
earlier resignation, death or mental or physical disability or incapacity
(as determined by the Board in its good faith judgment) or termination of
employment by the Company for Cause. Except as otherwise
provided herein, any early termination of the Employment Period by the
Company shall be effective as specified in a written notice from the
Company to Executive.
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4.2.
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If
the Employment Period is terminated by the Company for Cause or upon
Executive's resignation, death or mental or physical disability or
incapacity (as determined by the Board in its good faith judgment),
Executive shall only be entitled to receive her Base Salary through the
date of termination.
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4.3.
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Except
as otherwise expressly provided herein, all of Executive's rights to
compensation hereunder which would have accrued or become payable after
the termination of the Employment Period shall cease upon such
termination, other than those expressly required under applicable
law. The Company may offset any amounts Executive owes it
against any amounts it owes Executive
hereunder’
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4.4.
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For
purposes of this Agreement, "Cause" shall
mean with respect to Executive one or more of the
following: (i) the past or present commission of a felony or
the commission of any other act or omission involving dishonesty,
disloyalty or fraud with respect to the Company or any of its affiliates
or any of their customers or suppliers, (ii) reporting to work under the
influence of alcohol or illegal drugs, the use of illegal drugs (whether
or not at the workplace) or other repeated conduct causing the Company or
any of its affiliates public disgrace or disrepute or material economic
harm, (iii) repeated failure to perform the duties set forth herein, as
reasonably directed by the Board, (iv) any act or omission aiding or
abetting a competitor, supplier or customer of the Company or any of its
affiliates to the material disadvantage or detriment of the Company or any
of its affiliates, (v) breach of fiduciary duty, negligence or willful
misconduct with respect to the Company, (vi) inability (due to illness or
disability) to perform the duties required hereunder for more than
twenty (20) days in any given month, (vii) death, or (viii) any
material breach of this Agreement.
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4.5.
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Upon
a Sale of the Company (as hereinafter defined), if Executive’s employment
shall not be continued pursuant to a written agreement for a term at least
as long as the remainder of the term hereof, then Executive shall be
entitled to immediate payment of her Base Salary for the remainder of the
specified term hereof. For purposes of this Agreement, "Sale of the
Company" shall mean a sale or sales which results in a transfer of all or
substantially all of the outstanding equity interests of the Company or
all or substantially all of the assets of the Company (other than a
transfer of an interest therein to secure borrowings or other obligations
of the Company and except for a transfer to an affiliate of any of the
current owners of the Company) or (ii) a reorganization or merger of the
Company with an unrelated party.
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5.
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Confidential
Information. Executive acknowledges that the
information, observations and data (including trade secrets) obtained by
him while employed by the Company concerning the business or affairs of
the Company, or any other affiliate ("Confidential
Information") are the property of the Company or such
affiliate. Therefore, Executive agrees that she shall not
disclose to any third party or use for her own purposes any Confidential
Information or any confidential or proprietary information of other
persons or entities in the possession of the Company, or any other
affiliate ("Third Party
Information"), without the prior written consent of the Board,
unless and to the extent that the Confidential Information or Third Party
Information becomes generally known to and available for use by the public
other than as a result of Executive's acts or
omissions.
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6.
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Survival. Sections
5 through 24, inclusive, shall survive and continue in full force in
accordance with their terms notwithstanding the termination of the
Employment Period.
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7.
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Notices. Any
notice provided for in this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be
either personally delivered, sent by reputable overnight courier service
or mailed by first class mail, return receipt requested, to the recipient
at the address below indicated
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Notices
to Executive:
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx
____________________
____________________
Notices
to the Company:
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
Catalyst
Group Holdings Incorporated
0000
Xxxxxxxxxx Xxxxxx
Xxx Xxxx,
XX 00000
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 shall be deemed to have been
given when so delivered, sent or mailed.
8.
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Severability. Whenever
possible, each provision of this Agreement shall 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 shall not
affect any other provision of this Agreement or any action in any other
jurisdiction, but this Agreement shall be reformed, construed and enforced
in such jurisdiction as if such invalid, illegal or unenforceable
provision had never been contained
herein.
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9.
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Complete
Agreement. This Agreement, those documents expressly
referred to herein and other documents of even date herewith embody the
complete agreement and understanding among the parties and supersede and
preempt any prior understandings, agreements or representations by or
among the parties, written or oral, which may have related to the subject
matter hereof in any way.
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10.
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Third Party
Beneficiaries. No provision of this Agreement is
intended to, or shall, confer any third party beneficiary or other rights
or remedies upon any person other than the parties
hereto.
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11.
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No Strict
Construction. The language used in this Agreement shall
be deemed to be the language chosen by the parties hereto to express their
mutual intent, and no rule of strict construction shall be applied against
any party.
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12.
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Counterparts. This
Agreement may be executed in separate counterparts (including by means of
telecopied signature pages), each of which is deemed to be an original and
all of which taken together constitute one and the same
agreement.
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13.
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Successors and
Assigns. This Agreement is intended to bind and inure to
the benefit of and be enforceable by Executive, the Company and their
respective heirs, successors and assigns, except that Executive may not
assign her rights or delegate her duties or obligations hereunder without
the prior written consent of the
Company.
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14.
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Choice of
Law. All issues and questions concerning the
construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation of this Agreement
and the exhibits and schedules hereto shall be governed by, and construed
in accordance with, the laws of the State of Nevada, without giving effect
to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions (whether of
the State of Nevada or any other jurisdiction) that would cause the
application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of
Nevada.
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15.
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Amendment and
Waiver. The provisions of this Agreement may be amended
or waived only with the prior written consent of the Company (as approved
by the Board) and Executive, and no course of conduct or course of dealing
or failure or delay by any party hereto in enforcing or exercising any of
the provisions of this Agreement (including, without limitation, the
Company's right to terminate the Employment Period with or without Cause)
shall affect the validity, binding effect or enforceability of this
Agreement or be deemed to be an implied waiver of any provision of this
Agreement.
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16.
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Indemnification and
Reimbursement of Tax Payments on Behalf of
Executive. The Executive will be compensated
as a 1099 Contract Employee, and therefore will be responsible for all
federal, state, local or foreign withholding taxes, excise tax, or
employment taxes ("Taxes") imposed
with respect to Executive's
compensation.
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17.
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Waiver of Jury
Trial. AS A SPECIFICALLY BARGAINED FOR INDUCEMENT FOR
EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO TO ENTER INTO THIS AGREEMENT (AFTER HAVING THE
OPPORTUNITY TO CONSULT WITH COUNSEL), EACH PARTY HERETO EXPRESSLY WAIVES
THE RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LAWSUIT OR PROCEEDING RELATING TO OR
ARISING IN ANY WAY FROM THIS AGREEMENT OR THE MATTERS CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
parties hereto have executed this Employment Agreement as of the date first
written above.
Company:
Catalyst
Group Holdings Incorporated
/s/ Xxxxxxx Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx-Founder, Chairman
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Executive:
/s/ Xxxxxxx
Xxxxx
Xxxxxxx
X. Xxxxx-Secretary-Treasurer & Director
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&
Chief of Corporate Development
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