**Exhibit      10.16**

| 1. | Award                of Restricted Stock.                The Company hereby grants to the Executive as of the date of this                Award                Agreement (the "Date of Grant") 12,000 shares of common stock of                the                Company, $.01 par value (the “Shares”), on the terms and conditions and                subject to the restrictions herein set                forth. |
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| 2. | Restriction                Period.                The Shares are subject to a restriction period (the “Restriction Period”),                after which restrictions will lapse, commencing on the Date of Grant                and                ending two (2) years from the Date of Grant. |
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| 3. | Restrictions.                Except as otherwise provided in this Award Agreement, the Shares                shall not                be sold, exchanged, transferred, pledged, hypothecated or otherwise                disposed of during the Restriction Period, and shall not be subject                to                execution, attachment or similar process. Any attempted assignment,                transfer, pledge, hypothecation, or other disposition of the Shares                contrary to the provisions hereof, and the levy of any execution,                attachment, or similar process upon the Shares, shall be null and                void and                without effect. |
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| 4. | Termination                of Employment; Detrimental Activities.                If the Executive's employment with the Company is terminated for                any                reason whatsoever, other than death, Disability, Retirement or Change                in                Control, before the expiration of the Restriction Period, the Shares                shall                be deemed forfeited by the Executive and shall be returned to or                cancelled                by the Company. If the Executive shall engage in any Detrimental                Activity                (as defined in the Plan) prior to the end of the Restriction Period,                the                Committee may cancel, rescind, suspend, withhold or otherwise limit                or                restrict this Award of Shares. |
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| 5. | Taxes.                The Company will pay or reimburse Executive the amount of any income                taxes                Executive incurs in connection with the Award of Shares under this                Award                Agreement. |
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| 6. | Certificate;                Custody; Stock Power.                The certificate representing the Shares shall be issued in the name                of the                Executive. Such certificate shall be registered in the name of the                Executive and shall bear an appropriate legend reciting the terms,                conditions and restrictions applicable to this Award and shall be                subject                to appropriate stop-transfer orders. Such certificate shall be held                in                custody by the Company until the Restriction Period expires or until                restrictions thereon otherwise lapse. As a condition of this Award                of                Restricted Stock, the Executive has delivered to the Company a stock                power                endorsed in blank relating to the                Shares. |
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| 7. | Shares                Issued Upon Changes in Capitalization.                The restrictions imposed under this Award Agreement shall apply as                well to                all shares or other securities issued in respect of the Shares in                connection with any stock split, stock dividend, stock distribution,                recapitalization, reclassification, merger, consolidation or                reorganization. |
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| 8. | Lapse                of Restrictions.                In the event of (a) any tender offer or exchange offer (other than                an                offer by the Company) for the Company's common stock, or a dissolution                or                liquidation of the Company, or a merger or consolidation or similar                transaction in which the Company is not the surviving company, or                a sale,                exchange or other disposition of all or substantially all of the                Company                assets, or other Change in Control of the Company (as defined in                the                Plan), or (b) the Executive's termination of employment with the                Company                by reason of death, Disability, or Retirement, the restrictions set                forth                in this Award Agreement shall lapse, and the Company shall issue                the                certificate representing the Shares without a restrictive legend. |
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| 9. | Amendment                to this Award Agreement.                The Committee may modify or amend this Award Agreement if it determines,                in its sole discretion, that amendment is necessary or advisable                in the                light of any addition to or change in the Internal Revenue Code or                in the                regulations issued thereunder, or any federal or state securities                laws or                other law or regulation, which change occurs after the Date of Grant                of                this Award and by its terms applies to this Award. No amendment of                this                Award, however, may, without the consent of the Executive, make any                changes which would adversely effect the rights of such                Executive. |
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| 10. | Right                of Employment.                Nothing contained herein shall confer upon the Executive any right                to be                continued in the employment of the Company or interfere in any way                with                the right of the Company to terminate Executive’s employment at any time                for any cause. |
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| 11. | Rights                as a Shareholder.                Upon issuance of the stock certificate evidencing the Shares and                subject                to the restrictions contained in Sections 2, 3, 4, and 6, the Executive                shall have all the rights of a shareholder of the Company with respect                to                the Shares, including the right to vote the Shares and receive all                dividends and other distributions paid or made with respect                thereto. |
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| 12. | Notices.                Notices hereunder shall be in writing and if to the Company shall                be                delivered personally to the Secretary of the Company or mailed to                its                principal office, 105 Norton Street, P.O. Box 271, Newark, New York                14513,                addressed to the attention of the Secretary and, if to the Executive,                shall be delivered personally or mailed to the Executive at Executive's                address as the same appears on the records of the                Company. |
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| 13. | Interpretations                of this Award Agreement.                All decisions and interpretations made by the Committee with regard                to any                question arising hereunder or under the Plan shall be binding and                conclusive on the Company and the Executive. The Award and the Shares                granted hereunder are subject to the provisions of the Plan. In the                event                there is any inconsistency between the provisions of this Award Agreement                and those of the Plan, the provisions of the Plan shall                govern. |
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| 14. | Successors                and Assigns.                This Award Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of the parties                hereto and the successors and assigns of the                Company. |
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| IEC                ELECTRONICS CORP.          |
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|                                          |   |
| By                                            |    |
|                                          |           W.                Barry Gilbert |
|                                          |   |
| Its:              Chief Executive Officer and |
| Chairman              of the Board            |

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