Exhibit 99


                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

     AGREEMENT by and between  Stratford  Acquisition  Corporation,  a Minnesota
corporation with principal  executive  offices at 67 Wall Street,  New York, New
York 10005, (the "Company"), and Daniel W. Dowe, (the "Executive"),  dated as of
the 1st day of April, 1998 (the "Effective Date").

1. Employment Period. The Company hereby employs the Executive and the Executive
hereby  accepts such  employment in accordance  with the terms and provisions of
this Agreement, for the period commencing as of the Effective Date and ending on
the third anniversary of such date and which at the sole option of the Executive
may be extended for a another three year period  commencing on April 2, 2001 and
terminating on April 1, 2004 (the "Employment Period").

2. Duties of the Executive.  The Executive shall be the Chief Executive  Officer
and  President of the Company and shall  report  directly to the Chairman of the
Board of  Directors.  The duties of  employment  shall  generally  include those
required for the day-to-day and longer-term planning, development, operation and
advancement of the business of the Company,  and such  additional  executive and
financial  administrative and operational duties of a character keeping with the
Executive's  position as Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company as
may from  time-to-time be assigned to the Executive by the Board of Directors of
the  Company.  As Chief  Executive  Officer  of the Board and  President  of the
Company,  the  Executive  shall be in complete  charge of the  operations of the
Company and shall have full authority and responsibility, subject to the general
direction and control of the Board of Directors of the Company,  for formulating
policies and administering  the affairs of the Company in all respects,  subject
to the provisions hereinafter contained.

     During the  Employment  Period,  and  excluding any periods of vacation and
sick leave to which the Executive is entitled,  the  Executive  agrees to devote
reasonable and  appropriate  attention and time during normal  business hours to
the  business  and  affairs  of the  Company  and,  to the extent  necessary  to
discharge  the  responsibilities  assigned to the  Executive  hereunder,  and to
diligently  use his best  efforts to perform  faithfully  and  efficiently  such
responsibilities  and to promote and further the reputation and good name of the
Company.  During  the  Employment  Period  it shall not be a  violation  of this
Agreement  for the  Executive  to (A) serve on  corporate,  civic or  charitable
boards or committees,  or (B) manage  personal  investments,  provided that such
activities  do  not  interfere   with  the   performance   of  the   Executive's
responsibilities  as  an  employee  of  the  Company  in  accordance  with  this
Agreement.

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<PAGE>


3. Compensation.

     (a) Base Salary.  Commencing on the Effective  Date and ending on March 30,
1998,  the Executive  shall  receive an annual base salary of $180,000  ("Annual
Base Salary"), payable by the Company to the Executive on a bi-monthly basis. In
each subsequent year during the Employment Period which shall begin on the first
day of April,  the Executive  shall receive a base salary that shall be mutually
determined between the Executive and the Compensation  Committee of the Board of
Directors  which shall not be less than  $180,000 per annum and shall be payable
on a bi-monthly basis.

     Payments  under this  subsection  (a) will be made in  accordance  with the
Company's payroll periods for all employees.

     (b) Cash Bonus.  The Executive  shall receive an annual cash bonus equal to
7.5% of the  Company's  consolidated  gross revenue which bonus shall not exceed
the Executive's base salary in each annual period.  The period for measuring the
cash bonus  shall  commence  on March 1, 1998 and end on  February  28, 1999 and
shall be the same twelve month period for the duration of the Employment Period.

     (c) Stock Options.  For agreeing to serve as Chief Executive  Officer,  the
Executive shall be granted 270,000 shares of restricted common stock which shall
be registered at the Executive's request on the From S-8.

     (d)  Automobile  Allowance.  The Company shall  provide the Executive  with
monthly parking privileges in the Borough of Manhattan.

     (e) Stock Option Plan.  The  Executive  shall be entitled to receive  stock
options  from the  Non-Qualified  Stock  Option  Plan that was  approved  by the
Company's  Board of Directors  on April 1, 1998,  and which shall be ratified by
the Company's shareholders if required under law.

4. Benefits.

     (a) Holidays.  The Executive will be entitled to all  nationally-recognized
holidays each year plus five (5) personal days. The holidays which are generally
observed by the Company are as follows: New Year's Day,  Washington's  Birthday,
Good  Friday,   Memorial  Day,   Independence  Day,  Labor  Day,  Columbus  Day,
Thanksgiving  Day, the Friday  following  Thanksgiving  Day and  Christmas  Day.
Additional  holidays may be allowed in connection  with  holidays  which fall on
weekends.

     (b) Vacation.  The Executive will be entitled to fifteen (15) business days
vacation  each  calendar  year;  provided,  however,  that no more than ten (10)
business days may be taken consecutively.

     (c) Sick Leave. The Executive shall be allowed five (5) sick days per year.
Sick days are not cumulative and may not be carried from year to year.

     (d) Emergency  Leave. If a member of the Executive's  immediate family dies
or becomes  critically ill, the Executive will be allowed up to ten (10) days of
leave with pay.  Additional time may be granted,  upon approval of the Company's
Board of Directors.


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<PAGE>


     (e) Medical  Benefits.  The Company  shall  provide the  Executive  and his
dependents with medical insurance coverage without cost to the Executive.

     (f) Directors and Officers' Liability Insurance. The Company shall endeavor
to  obtain  within a  reasonable  period  but no later  than 60 days  after  the
execution of this Agreement a Directors and Officers Liability  Insurance policy
having limits of liability no less than one million dollars ($1,000,000).  Until
such insurance has been procured,  the Company shall indemnify the Executive and
hold him  harmless  against any and all losses,  liabilities,  costs  (including
legal  fees)  and  other  expenses  in any  way  incurred  by the  Executive  in
connection  with or on  account  of his duties or  position  as Chief  Executive
Officer and President of the Company; provided, however, that no indemnification
may be made to or on  behalf  of the  Executive  if a  judgment  or other  final
adjudication  adverse  to the  Executive  establishes,  (a) that  his acts  were
committed  in bad faith or were the result of active and  deliberate  dishonesty
and  were  material  to the  cause  of  action  so  adjudicated  or (b)  that he
personally  gained in fact a financial profit or other advantage to which he was
not legally entitled, or was in breach of his duty of loyalty.

     (h) Long-Term  Disability  Policy.  The Company shall  purchase a long-term
disability  insurance  policy for the benefit of the Executive for the amount of
the Executive's Base Salary then in effect.

     (i) Expense  Reimbursement.  The Company shall reimburse  Executive for all
reasonable  and  necessary  expenditures  made by Executive in  connection  with
travel,  entertainment  and  miscellaneous  expenses against  receipts  therefor
provided that such  expenses have been incurred by Executive in connection  with
the furtherance of the Company's business.

     (j)  Election as a Director.  The Board of  Directors  shall  nominate  the
Executive as a director to serve  initially  for a three (3) year term and for a
second  three (3) year term if the  Executive  elects to exercise  his option to
extend  his  employment  for  another  three (3) year term.  If the  Executive's
employment is terminated  for any reason,  then Executive will be deemed to have
immediately  resigned from the Board of Directors of the Company,  unless agreed
to otherwise by the Board of the Directors and the Executive.

5. Power to Bind the Company. The Executive's  authority to obligate the Company
on any  contract or  agreement  of any kind,  character  or nature is limited to
those contracts or obligations in which the Company's financial  obligation does
not exceed the sum of $100,000.  In any instance  where the Company's  financial
obligation to any party shall exceed $100,000,  it shall require the approval of
the Board and Directors.  In addition,  any and all withdrawals or payments from
cash accounts  owned by the Company in excess of $100,000 shall require the dual
signatures of the Executive and the  Company's  Treasurer.  The Executive  shall
have no authority to borrow funds for the Company or to pledge any of its assets
for any purposes  whatsoever without the express written consent of the Board of
Directors.  Likewise,  the Executive  shall not bring any legal  proceedings  on
behalf of the Company without the written consent of the Board of Directors.



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6. Place of Employment.  During the Employment  Period,  the Executive  shall be
entitled to perform  services for the Company at an office to be  established by
the  Executive  for that purpose in New York County,  New York,  or at any other
reasonable  location,  as assigned by the Company from time to time,  subject to
Executive approval.

7. Successors.

     (a) This  Agreement  is  personal  to the  Executive  and without the prior
written  consent  of the  Company  shall  not  be  assignable  by the  Executive
otherwise than by will or the laws of descent and  distribution.  This Agreement
shall  inure  to the  benefit  of the  Executive  and his  heirs  and  shall  be
enforceable by the Executive's legal representatives.

     (b) This  Agreement  shall inure to the benefit of and be binding  upon the
Company and its successors and assigns.

     (c) The Company will require any successor (whether direct or indirect,  by
purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the
business  and/or assets of the Company to assume  expressly and agree to perform
this  Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would
be required to perform it if no such succession had taken place. As used in this
Agreement,  "Company"  shall mean the  Company as  hereinbefore  defined and any
successor to its business and/or assets as aforesaid which assumes and agrees to
perform this Agreement by operation of law, or otherwise.


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<PAGE>


8. Termination of Employment.

     (a)  Termination  Upon Death.  The Executive's  employment  shall terminate
automatically upon the Executive's death during the Employment Period; provided,
however,  that the Company  shall pay to the  Executive's  estate or  designated
beneficiary,  all  monetary  obligations  including  but not limited to the base
salary,  bonuses, stock options,  vehicle  reimbursement,  other reimbursements,
insurance, compensation and benefits prorated through the date of death.

     (b) Termination  Upon Disability.  If the Company  determines in good faith
that the Disability of the Executive has occurred  during the Employment  Period
(pursuant to the definition of Disability  set forth below),  it may give to the
Executive  written notice in accordance  with Section 13 hereof of its intention
to  terminate  the  Executive's  employment.  In  such  event,  the  Executive's
employment  with the Company  shall  terminate  effective  on the 30th day after
receipt of such  notice by the  Executive  (the  "Disability  Effective  Date"),
provided that,  within the 30 days after such receipt,  the Executive  shall not
have   returned   to   full-time   performance   of  the   Executive's   duties.
Notwithstanding  any such  termination,  the Company  shall  continue to pay the
Executive's  salary and benefits  until he starts  receiving  benefits under the
Company's   long-term   disability  policy.  For  purposes  of  this  Agreement,
"Disability"  shall mean (a) the absence of the Executive  from the  Executive's
duties with the Company on a full-time basis for sixty (60)  consecutive days as
a result of incapacity due to mental or physical illness,  or (b) the good faith
determination made by the Board of Directors of the Company with the advice of a
qualified and independent  physician selected by the Company or its insurers and
acceptable  to the  Executive  or the  Executive's  legal  representative  (such
agreement  as  to  acceptability  not  to be  withheld  unreasonably)  that  the
Executive  has  become,  by  reason of  accident,  illness,  mental or  physical
disability,  so disabled as to be incapable  of  satisfactorily  performing  his
duties hereunder for a period of sixty (60) consecutive days.

1. Illness of Executive.  If the Executive  shall become unable to attend to the
duties of employment as required by this  Agreement for thirty (30)  consecutive
days  and it  becomes  necessary  for  the  Company  to  replace  the  Executive
temporarily,  the Company may do so and at the same time may suspend all further
payments  to  the  Executive  for  salary  or  bonuses  and  all  other  related
compensation;  provided,  however,  that in the  event  that  the  Executive  is
entitled  to  long  term  disability,  the  Company  shall  continue  to pay the
Executive's salary and benefits until he starts receiving  benefits  thereunder.
The  Company  will   recommence  the  payment  of  salary,   bonuses  and  other
compensation  at  such  date as the  Executive  shall  resume  and  perform  the
Executive's duties under this Agreement.

     (c)  Termination  Upon  Mutual  Consent.   Executive's  employment  may  be
terminated by the mutual  consent of the Company and the Executive on such terms
as they may agree upon provided that such terms shall include severance payments
for a period of six months from the date of termination.

     (d)  Termination  for Cause.  The Company  may  terminate  the  Executive's
employment  during the  Employment  Period for  Cause.  For the  purpose of this
Agreement,  "Cause"  shall mean (i) a material  breach by the  Executive  of the
Executive's  obligations  under  this  Agreement  (other  than  as a  result  of
incapacity due to physical or mental illness) which is demonstrably  willful and
deliberate on the Executive's part, which is committed in bad faith or without

  
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<PAGE>

reasonable  belief that such breach is in the best  interests of the Company and
which is not  remedied in a reasonable  period of time after  receipt of written
notice from the Company  specifying  such  breach,  (ii) the  conviction  of the
Executive of a felony  involving  moral  turpitude,  (iii)  misappropriation  of
significant  Company assets or perpetration  of fraud against the Company,  (iv)
habitual  intoxication  or  drug  addiction,  or  (v)  repeated  breach  of  any
significant provision of this Agreement. If terminated for Cause, Executive will
be entitled to Base Salary earned,  up to and including the date of termination.
In case of termination of employment for Cause pursuant to subsection  (i), (ii)
or  (iii)  of  Section  8(d)  hereof,  all  other  benefits,  including  without
limitation,  cash  bonuses and stock  options that have not been issued shall be
forfeited  as of the first  date of any  event  giving  rise to the  Executive's
termination for Cause, and any and all  certificates  evidencing the Executive's
ownership of the Company's  securities  that were issued after the first date of
any event giving rise to the Executive's termination for Cause shall be returned
to the Company along with all stock powers forthwith.  In case of termination of
employment for Cause pursuant to subsection  (iv) or (v) of Section 8(d) hereof,
all  non-vested  and unearned  benefits as of the date of  termination  shall be
forfeited by the Executive.

     (e)  Termination  for Good Cause by Executive.  Executive may terminate his
employment  for Good Cause.  For the  purposes of this  Agreement,  "Good Cause"
shall  mean:   (i)  discovery  by  the   Executive   that  there  were  material
misrepresentations  in the financial data of the Company or otherwise  presented
to Executive prior to the date of this Agreement,  or (ii) the Company's failure
within one week of the execution of this Agreement to grant to Executive all the
duties and responsibilities  described in Section 2 of this Agreement,  or (iii)
the  Company  does not pay the  Executive  any of his  salary,  bonus or benefit
entitlements  under this  Agreement  when due under this  Agreement,  unless the
delay is waived by the Executive.


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<PAGE>


     If  terminated  for Good Cause,  the Company  shall pay the  Executive  his
entire  outstanding Base Annual Salary for the duration of the Employment Period
within ten (10) business days from the date of termination..

     (f)  Termination  Without  Cause by the Company.  The Company may terminate
Executive's  employment  at any time,  without  cause,  upon  written  notice to
Executive.  In the event of termination pursuant to this paragraph,  the Company
shall pay the  Executive  his  entire  outstanding  Base  Annual  Salary for the
duration of the Employment Period within ten (10) business days from the date of
termination.

9.  Non-Competition.  Unless the Executive's  termination of his employment with
the  Company is pursuant  to either  Paragraph 8 (c),  (e) or (f), in which case
this  paragraph 9 shall not apply,  the Executive  covenants  and agrees,  which
covenant and contract is made the essence of this  contract,  that the Executive
will not,  without  the prior  written  consent  of the  Company,  in the United
States,  its  territories  and  possessions,  at any time  during  the period of
employment and for a period of six (6) months immediately  following termination
for any reason  (whether the  employment is  terminated  by the Company,  by the
Executive or by the mutual  consent of both  parties),  do any of the  following
directly or  indirectly:  (i) enter into the employ of or render any services to
any person, firm, or corporation engaged in any Competitive Business (as defined
below);  (ii) engage in any  Competitive  Business  for his own  account;  (iii)
become  associated  with  or  interested  in  any  Competitive  Business  as  an
individual,  partner, creditor, director, officer, principal, agent, consultant,
officer, salesperson, employee, trustee, advisor or in any other relationship or
capacity;  (iv) employ or retain or have or cause any other  person or entity to
employ or retain any person who was  employed  or retained by the Company or its
affiliates  while  Executive was employed by the Company;  (v) sell,  solicit or
accept  business or orders  from  existing or  newly-acquired  customers  of the
Company with respect to products or services  similar to or competitive with the
Company  or its  subsidiaries,  or (vi)  interfere  with,  disrupt or attempt to
disrupt  relationships,  contractual or otherwise,  between the Company and or a
subsidiary,  and its customers,  employees or vendors.  However, nothing in this
Agreement shall preclude the Executive from investing his personal assets in the
securities  of any  Competitive  Business  if such  securities  are  traded on a
national stock exchange or in the over-the-counter market and if such investment
does not result in his  beneficially  owning,  at any time,  more than 5% of the
publicly-traded  equity  securities of such competitor.  "Competitive  Business"
shall  mean any  business  or  enterprise  which  manufactures,  markets  and/or
distributes admixtures or cement-based  products,  similar to the Novacrete line
of products or such other products or services which the Company may develop and
market or otherwise be involved at any time during the Employment Period.

10. Executive Not to Disclose Confidential Information.

     (a) Executive  acknowledges that he has obtained and, during the Employment
Period shall obtain secret and confidential  information concerning the business
of the Company and its affiliates including,  without limitation,  its products,
techniques,  formulas,  processes,  methods  of  manufacture,   systems,  plans,
policies,   its  customer   lists  and  sources  of  supply,   their  needs  and
requirements,  the nature and extent of contracts with customers  and/or vendors
and related cost, price and sales information;

     (b) The Executive further acknowledges that the Company and its

   
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affiliates will suffer substantial damage which will be difficult to compute if,
during  the  period of this  employment  with the  Company  or  thereafter,  the
Executive should enter a competitive business or divulge secret and confidential
information  relating  to  the  business  of  the  Company  and  its  affiliates
heretofore or hereafter acquired by him in the course of his employment with the
Company.

     (c) The Executive shall hold in a fiduciary capacity for the benefit of the
Company all secret or  confidential  information,  knowledge or data relating to
the Company or any of its affiliated companies, and their respective businesses,
which  shall  have  been  obtained  by  the  Executive  during  the  Executive's
employment by the Company or any of its affiliated companies and which shall not
be or  become  public  knowledge  (other  than  by  acts  by  the  Executive  or
representatives  of  the  Executive  in  violation  of  this  Agreement.)  After
termination of the Executive's  employment with the Company, the Executive shall
not,  without the prior  written  consent of the Company or as may  otherwise be
required by law or legal process,  communicate or divulge any such  information,
knowledge or data to anyone other than the Company and those  designated  by it.
Upon  termination of the  Executive's  employment,  the Executive will forthwith
deliver to the Company, any and all literature,  documents,  data,  information,
order forms, price lists, memorandum,  correspondence,  customer and prospective
customer lists,  customer's orders,  records and cards acquired or coming to the
knowledge  and  custody of the  Executive  in  connection  with the  Executive's
activities as Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company.

     (d) The Executive  acknowledges that the provisions set forth in Section 11
of this  Agreement are  reasonable  and necessary to protect the business of the
Company and its  affiliates,  and that the Company shall have no adequate remedy
at law should there be any breach of Section 11 by the Executive.

11. Resolution of Disputes.  Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating
to this  Agreement may be brought in a judicial  forum,  which legal right shall
not be waived by any party if the controversy or claim is first brought before a
non-binding mediation forum for resolution.

     However, in the event of noncompliance or violation of this Agreement,  the
Company  or the  Executive  may  alternatively  apply to the court of  competent
jurisdiction for a temporary  restraining order,  injunctive,  and/or such other
legal and  equitable  remedies as may be  appropriate,  since the Company or the
Executive   will  have  no  adequate   remedy  at  law  for  such  violation  on
noncompliance.

12. Miscellaneous.

     (a) This  Agreement  shall be governed by and construed in accordance  with
the laws of the State of New York without reference to principles of conflict of
laws. The captions of this  Agreement are not part of the provisions  hereof and
shall have no force or effect.  This  Agreement  may not be amended or  modified
otherwise  than by a written  agreement  executed by the parties hereto or their
respective successors and legal representatives.

     (b) The invalidity or  unenforceability  of any provision of this Agreement
shall not affect the validity or  enforceability  of any other provision of this
Agreement.


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     (c) The Company may withhold from any amounts  payable under this Agreement
such Federal,  state or local taxes as shall be required to be withheld pursuant
to any applicable law or regulation.

     (d)  The  Executive's  or the  Company's  failure  to  insist  upon  strict
compliance with any provision hereof or any other provision of this Agreement or
the failure to assert any right the Executive or the Company may have  hereunder
shall  not be  deemed  to be a waiver  of such  provision  or right or any other
provision or right of this Agreement.

     (e) This Agreement  constitutes  the entire  Agreement  between the parties
regarding the subjects covered by this Agreement.  Both parties acknowledge that
no other  agreement,  understanding,  statement  or  promise  other  than  those
contained in this Agreement is part of the Agreement of the parties and no other
agreement, understanding, statement or promise will be valid or binding.

     (f) The Executive and the Company both  represent and warrant that they are
free to enter into this Agreement and to perform each of the terms and covenants
of it.  In  addition  both  parties  represent  and  warrant  that  they are not
restricted or  prohibited,  contractually  or otherwise,  from entering into and
performing  this  Agreement  and  that the  execution  and  performance  of this
Agreement is not a violation of any other agreement  between any other person or
entity.

13. Notices. All notices and other communications  hereunder shall be in writing
and shall be given by hand  delivery  to the  other  party or by  registered  or
certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, addressed as follows:

        If to the Executive:                 Mr. Daniel W. Dowe
                                             67 Wall Street, Suite 2411
                                             New York, New York 10005

        If to the Company:                   Stratford Acquisition Corporation
                                             c/o William K. Lavin, Chairman
                                             67 Wall Street, Suite 2411
                                             New York, New York 10005
                                             and personal delivery to his
                                             home address.

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.

14.  Signatures.  In  witness  whereof,  the  Executive  has  hereunto  set  the
Executive's hand and, pursuant to the authorization from its Board of Directors,
the Company has caused this  Agreement to be executed in its name on its behalf,
all as of the day and year first above written.


Attest:

_________________________                     /s/ Daniel W. Dowe
                                              ------------------------------
                                              Daniel W. Dowe



Attest:                                       STRATFORD ACQUISITION CORPORATION


_________________________            By:      /s/ William K. Lavin
                                              ------------------------------
                                              William K. Lavin, Chairman



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