Exhibit 10


                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT


Agreement  made as of July 1, 1997,  by and between  AIR  EXPRESS  INTERNATIONAL
CORPORATION,  a Delaware  corporation  with its  offices at 120  Tokeneke  Road,
Darien,  Connecticut 06820 ("AEI") and HENDRIK J. HARTONG,  JR. of Two Soundview
Drive, Greenwich, Connecticut 06830 ("HJH").

The parties agree as follows:

1.        That HJH is hereby  employed  by AEI as the  Chairman  of the Board of
          Directors of AEI to:
           * Serve as Chairman of the Meetings of the Board of Directors of AEI.
           * Serve as Chairman of the Meetings of the Shareholders of AEI.
           * Serve  as  Chairman  of the  Executive  Committee  of the  Board of
             Directors of AEI.
          In addition,  HJH shall provide such  evaluation  and due diligence of
          acquisition  candidates  and investor  relations  services as shall be
          requested by the Chief Executive Officer of AEI.

2.        This  Agreement  shall  commence  on July 1,  1997 and end on June 30,
          2002.  The  Agreement  may be  terminated  at any time by the Board of
          Directors  of AEI or by  mutual  agreement  of HJH  and the  Board  of
          Directors of AEI. In either event,  on termination of this  Agreement,
          HJH will be paid a sum equal to the  annual  salary  payable by AEI to
          HJH hereunder for the remaining term of this Agreement.

3.        If there is a  "change  in  control"  of AEI,  as is  defined  in this
          Agreement,  either  party  will  have  the  right  to  terminate  this
          Agreement at any time after the change in control, and in the event of
          such  termination,  HJH will be paid a sum equal to the annual  salary
          payable  by AEI to HJH  hereunder  for  the  remaining  term  of  this
          Agreement.  "Change in control" is defined to have  occurred  when: a)
          more  than 40  percent  of  AEI's  outstanding  common  stock  (or the
          equivalent  in voting  power of any class or  classes  of  outstanding
          securities  of AEI  ordinarily  entitled  to vote in the  election  of
          directors)  shall be beneficially  held or acquired by any corporation
          or person or group; or (b) there is a sale or other disposition of all
          or substantially all of the assets or business of AEI.

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4.        HJH will receive an annual salary of $150,000.00 and shall be eligible
          to  participate  in the AEI  medical/dental/life  insurance and 401(k)
          benefit plans.

5.        AEI will  continue  to provide  life  insurance  coverage to HJH under
          General  American Life Insurance Policy Number 6127139 during the term
          of this Agreement.

6.        This  Agreement  shall  be  governed  by  the  laws  of the  State  of
          Connecticut  and  constitutes  the only agreement  between the parties
          relating  to  the  employment  of  HJH  by  AEI,  and  supersedes  and
          terminates   all  previous   consulting,   employment   and  severance
          agreements between HJH and AEI.


                     AIR EXPRESS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION


Attest:                             By: ________________________________________
                                           Guenter Rohrmann, President 
______________________________             and Chief Executive Officer
Daniel J. McCauley, Secretary






                                        ________________________________________
                                            HENDRIK J. HARTONG, JR.


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