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                                                                  EXHIBIT 10.9

                          DAYTON SUPERIOR CORPORATION

                          EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
                          ---------------------------


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                               TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1 - GENERAL........................................................  1
         1.1  Purpose and Effective Date...................................  1
         1.2  Plan Funding and Administration..............................  1
         1.3  Applicable Law...............................................  1
         1.4  Gender and Number............................................  1
         1.5  Assignment...................................................  1
         1.6  Plan Year....................................................  2

SECTION 2 - PARTICIPATION..................................................  2
         2.1  Continued Participation......................................  2
         2.2  Participation Not Contract of Employment.....................  2

SECTION 3 - CONTRIBUTIONS..................................................  2
         3.1  Contribution Amount..........................................  2
         3.2  Vested Account Balances......................................  2

SECTION 4 - ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE ACCOUNTS.....................................  3

SECTION 5 - EARNINGS.......................................................  3

SECTION 6 - ADJUSTMENT OF ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE ACCOUNTS.......................  3
         6.1  Adjustment of Eligible Employee's Accounts...................  3
         6.2  Annual Statement of Eligible Employee Account
              Balances.....................................................  4

SECTION 7 - DISTRIBUTION OF ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE ACCOUNTS TO
         ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES AND BENEFICIARIES..............................  4
         7.1  Payment......................................................  4
         7.2  Beneficiary..................................................  4

         7.3  Withholding..................................................  5

SECTION 8 - DISTRIBUTIONS TO INCAPACITATED PERSONS.........................  5

SECTION 9 - METHOD OF PAYMENT..............................................  5

SECTION 10 - DISPUTE RESOLUTION............................................  5
         10.1  Notice of Denial............................................  5
         10.2  Notice of Appeal............................................  6
         10.3  Decision on Appeal..........................................  6


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         SECTION 11 - AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION.............................  6



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                          EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION PLAN
                          ---------------------------

SECTION 1 - GENERAL
-------------------

         1.1 PURPOSE AND EFFECTIVE DATE. The ("DSC"), an Ohio Corporation, has
established Executive Compensation Plan (the "Plan"), effective January 1,
1996, to provide annual payment of certain amounts to its "Eligible Employees"
(as defined below) and those of any "Affiliate" (as defined below) who meet
the requirements to become a "Eligible Employee" set forth in subsection 2.1.
DSC and such Affiliates are sometimes referred to below, individually, as an
"Employer" and, collectively, as the "Employers". The term "Eligible Employee"
means any employee whose employment agreement provides for participation in
this Plan and any other employee of an Employer who is so designated by the
Compensation Committee of the DSC Board of Directors ("Committee"). The term
"Affiliate" means any entity during the period that it is, along with DSC, a
member of a controlled group of corporations, a controlled group of trades or
businesses, an affiliated service group or any other entity designated by the
Secretary of the Treasury (as described in sections 414(b), 414(c), 414(m),
and 414(o), respectively, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (the "Code")).

         1.2 PLAN FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION. The benefits payable under the
Plan are unfunded and are payable, when due, from the general assets of the
Employers or, in the sole discretion of the Committee, from the assets of a
benefit trust, the assets of which shall be subject to the claims of the
unsecured general creditors of the Employers. The Plan shall be administered
by the Committee which shall have the rights, powers and duties with respect
to the Plan that are hereinafter set forth.

         1.3 APPLICABLE LAW. The Plan will be construed and administered in
accordance with the laws of the State of Ohio to the extent that those laws
are not preempted by the laws of the United States of America.

         1.4 GENDER AND NUMBER. Where the context admits, words in any gender
will include any other gender, words in the singular will include the plural
and the plural will include the singular.

         1.5  ASSIGNMENT.  No Plan right or interest of any Eligible
Employee or Beneficiary shall be assignable or transferable, in


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whole or in part, either directly or otherwise, including without limitation
thereto, by execution, levy, attachment, garnishment, pledge or in any other
manner, but excluding transfers by death or mental incompetency; no attempted
assignment or transfer thereof shall be effective; and no such right or
interest shall be liable for, or subject to, any obligation or liability of
any Eligible Employee or Beneficiary; except that an Eligible Employee may
direct that payments be made during his lifetime, when due, to a trust
established by him and evidenced to his Employer to be a trust treated as a
grantor trust within the meaning of section 671 of the Code.

         1.6  PLAN YEAR.  The term "Plan Year" means the calendar year.

SECTION 2 - PARTICIPATION
-------------------------

         2.1 CONTINUED PARTICIPATION. Until distribution of the entire
balances of an Eligible Employee's "Account" (as described in Section 4) has
been made, an Eligible Employee or, in the event of his death, any
"Beneficiary" (as defined in subsection 8.2) of any of the Eligible Employee's
undistributed Account, as the case may be, will be considered and treated as
an Eligible Employee for all purposes of the Plan.

         2.2 PARTICIPATION NOT CONTRACT OF EMPLOYMENT. The Plan does not
constitute a contract of employment and participation in the Plan does not
give any employee the right to be retained in the employ of the Employers nor
give any person any right or claim to any benefit under the terms of the Plan
unless such right or claim has specifically accrued under the terms of the
Plan.

SECTION 3 - CONTRIBUTIONS
-------------------------

         3.1 CONTRIBUTION AMOUNT. On and after April 1, 1996, DSC shall
contribute annually on behalf of each Eligible Employee an amount equal to 4
percent of his "Base Pay" (as defined in his Employment Agreement) for the
prior year, provided he is still employed on that date, including a
contribution on behalf of each individual who was an Eligible Employee on
April 1, 1996 with respect to Base Pay earned during the period beginning

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October 16, 1995 and ending December 31, 1995. Contributions shall be credited
as of each April 1.

         3.2  VESTED ACCOUNT BALANCES.  Each Eligible Employee will be vested 
in his Account as determined in accordance with the following table:

         Years of Company Service                        Vested Interest
         ------------------------                        ---------------
         (as defined in the Dayton
         Superior Corporation
         Employees Retirement Plan)

         Less than 3                                              0 percent
         3 but less than 4                                       20 percent
         4 but less than 5                                       40 percent
         5 but less than 6                                       60 percent
         6 but less than 7                                       80 percent
         more than 7                                            100 percent


SECTION 4 - ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE ACCOUNTS
--------------------------------------

         For each calendar year, the Committee shall cause a recordkeeping
Account to be established and maintained by DSC in the name of each Eligible
Employee to reflect the amount of contributions for that calendar year. An
Eligible Employee's Account shall be adjusted monthly as provided in
subsection 6.1 and shall be distributed to the Eligible Employee in accordance
with the provisions of Section 7 or, in the event of the Eligible Employee's
death, to his Beneficiary in accordance with the provisions of Section 8.

SECTION 5 - EARNINGS
--------------------

         The Committee shall credit earnings to each Eligible Employee's
Account on April 1 and October 1 of each year equal to the balance of such
Account multiplied by the interest rate then being offered on six month
obligations of the United States Treasury (compounded monthly). On advance
written notice to the Eligible Employees, the Committee may cause the earnings
rate to be changed to another rate. Should any Employer determine to invest
any of its funds in the investment on which the earnings rate is based,
amounts representing such investment shall be the

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sole property of that Employer and shall be subject to the claims of its
general creditors. No Eligible Employee or Beneficiary shall have any claim or
right with respect to any such amounts.

SECTION 6 - ADJUSTMENT OF ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE ACCOUNTS
----------------------------------------------------

         6.1  ADJUSTMENT OF ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE'S ACCOUNTS.  As of each 
"Accounting Date" (as defined below), the Committee shall cause each Eligible 
Employee's Account to be adjusted as follows:

                  (a)      FIRST, by charging to the Account of each Eligible
                           Employee the amount of any distribution made to, or
                           on account of, the Eligible Employee from the
                           Account since the last preceding Accounting Date;

                  (b)      NEXT, by adjusting the Account maintained on behalf
                           of an Eligible Employee, upward or downward, as the
                           case may be, so that the balance of the Account
                           equals the aggregate investment experience for the
                           month ended on that Accounting Date; and

                  (c)      FINALLY, if it is an April 1 Accounting Date, by
                           crediting the Account established on behalf of each
                           Eligible Employee with the amount of the
                           contribution made on his behalf during the period
                           ending on that date.

The term "Accounting Date" means each April 1 and October 1.

         6.2 ANNUAL STATEMENT OF ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE ACCOUNT BALANCES. As soon
as practicable, but not later than June 30 of each Plan Year, the Committee
shall provide each Eligible Employee with a statement of the balances of his
Account as of April 1 of that Plan Year.

SECTION 7 - DISTRIBUTION OF ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEE ACCOUNTS TO
---------------------------------------------------------
ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES AND BENEFICIARIES
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7.1  PAYMENT.  Payment of Plan Accounts shall be made in accordance with the
following paragraphs of this subsection:

         (a) RETIREMENT OR PERMANENT DISABILITY. Upon the retirement of a
Eligible Employee in accordance with the DSC's retirement policies or upon his
complete and total disability, DSC shall pay to such Eligible Employee the
full amount then credited to such Eligible Employee's Plan Account.

         (b) DEATH.  Upon the death of a Eligible Employee while employed by 
DSC, DSC shall pay the full amount then credited to such Eligible Employee's 
Account to such Eligible Employee's Beneficiary (as described in 
subsection 7.2).

         (c) OTHER TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. In the event an Eligible
Employee's employment with DSC is terminated voluntarily by the Eligible
Employee or is terminated by DSC for reasons other than for "cause", DSC shall
pay to the Eligible Employee in total satisfaction of his interest in the Plan
an amount equal to his vested percentage in his Account, as determined under
subsection 3.2. If his employment is terminated by DSC for "cause", all of the
Eligible Employee's rights under the Plan shall be forfeited.

         (d) CAUSE. For purposes of this Section 7, "cause" means dishonesty,
chronic alcoholism, drug addiction, conviction of a felony, willful failure to
carry out assigned duties and responsibilities, a substantial breach of a
fiduciary duty or a substantial breach of the terms and conditions of
employment.

         7.2 BENEFICIARY. The term "Beneficiary" means, with respect to any
Eligible Employee, such natural or legal person or persons as may be
designated by him (who may be designated contingently or successively) to
receive the remaining balance of his Account if he dies before a total
distribution of the balance is made to him. A Beneficiary designation will be
effective with respect to an Account only when a signed and dated beneficiary
designation form applicable to that Account is filed with the Committee while
the Eligible Employee is alive, which form will cancel any beneficiary
designation form relating to that Account signed and filed earlier. If an
Eligible Employee is not survived by any Beneficiary of an Account the
Committee shall distribute the balance of that Account to the

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legal representative or representatives of the estate of the
Eligible Employee.

         7.3 WITHHOLDING. An Eligible Employee's Employer shall withhold from
of his Base Salary, all Social Security Taxes as required by sections 3101,
3102 and 3121(v) of the Code to be paid with respect to the amount of his
contributions under the Plan for that period. The Committee shall cause to be
withheld from any distribution made pursuant to the terms of the Plan any
other amount required to be withheld by federal, state or local law.

SECTION 8 - DISTRIBUTIONS TO INCAPACITATED PERSONS
--------------------------------------------------

         Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, if an Eligible
Employee or other person entitled to a distribution under the Plan is
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be physically, mentally or
legally incapacitated and unable to manage his financial affairs and claim is
made by a conservator or other person legally charged by such court with the
care of his person, the Committee shall make distributions to such conservator
or other person. Any distribution made in accordance with this Section shall
fully acquit and discharge all persons from all further liability on account
thereof.

SECTION 9 - METHOD OF PAYMENT
-----------------------------

                  Payments made to Eligible Employees in accordance with
Section 7 shall be made in ten equal annual installments commencing within 30
days after the date the Eligible Employee's employment with DSC terminates,
or, in the Committee's sole discretion, in such other manner as the Eligible
Employee may request in writing within 10 days after the date the Eligible
Employee's employment with DSC terminates.

SECTION 10 - DISPUTE RESOLUTION
-------------------------------

         10.1 NOTICE OF DENIAL. If any dispute arises with respect to an
Eligible Employee or Beneficiary (a "Claimant") under the Plan, DSC will
provide the Claimant with a written notice of its resolution of the dispute
setting forth:

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                  (a)      the provisions of the Plan upon which the
                           resolution was based; and

                  (b)      an explanation of this claims procedure.

If DSC rejects a Claimant's application for failure to furnish certain
necessary materials or information, the written notice to the Claimant will
explain what additional material is needed and why, and advise the Claimant
that he may refile a proper application. In the event that DSC fails to take
any action on the Claimant's initial application within 90 days after receipt,
the application will be deemed denied, and the Claimant's appeal rights under
subsection 10.2 will be in effect as of the end of such period.

         10.2 NOTICE OF APPEAL. Within 60 days after the receipt of DSC's
notice of resolution, the Claimant may file a written notice of appeal of the
resolution with the "Committee". In addition, within such appeal period, the
Claimant may review pertinent documents at such reasonable times and places as
the Committee may specify and may submit any additional written material
pertinent to the appeal not set forth in the notice of appeal. The appeal
shall be determined by the Committee, and the Claimant shall be entitled to
appear before the Committee to present his claim.

         10.3 DECISION ON APPEAL. The Committee will make a written decision
on the appeal not later than 60 days after its receipt of the notice of appeal
unless special circumstances require an extension of time, in which case a
decision will be given as soon as possible, but not later that 120 days after
receipt of the notice of appeal. The decision on the appeal will be in writing
and shall include specific reasons for the decision, making specific reference
to the provision of the Plan upon which the decision was based.

SECTION 11 - AMENDMENT AND TERMINATION
--------------------------------------

         The Committee reserves the right to amend the Plan at any time,
except that no amendment shall reduce an Eligible Employee's Eligible Employee
Account balances to less than the amounts that he would have been entitled to
receive on the later of the effective date of the amendment or the date on
which the

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amendment is adopted. The Plan will terminate on the date on which it is
terminated by the Committee, provided, however, that distributions from the
Plan shall continue to be made under Section 7 pursuant to elections
previously made by Eligible Employees or as otherwise provided under Section
7.

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