<PAGE>   1
                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.bg

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC. ("Company") and JAMES E. DIXON agree:

1.   EMPLOYMENT. Company and Employee agree to the terms of employment,
     effective the date of this Agreement, for the period beginning on the date
     of this Employment Agreement and ending a minimum of two years from its
     date or upon discharge or resignation of Employee (the "Employment
     Period"). This agreement will automatically renew on each succeeding
     anniversary date for additional one-year terms unless either party elects
     to cancel it. During the Employment Period, Employee will serve in the
     capacities determined by the Company. Employee will devote sufficient time
     and energies to the business of Company to accomplish the duties assigned,
     will perform to the best of Employee's ability all duties assigned to
     Employee by Company and will devote Employee's best efforts to advance the
     interests of Company. Employee will have the power and authority determined
     by Company.

2.   COMPENSATION. For all services performed by Employee for Company during the
     Employment Period, Company will pay Employee the salary set forth in
     Schedule "A". Employee will be entitled to participate in employee benefit
     plans established by the Company. Vacation in amounts designated by the
     Company will be taken at the times designated by Company. During that
     vacation Employee will receive Employee's usual compensation.

3.   REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES. Company recognizes that Employee in performing
     Employee's duties hereunder, may be required to spend sums of money in
     connection with those duties for the benefit of Company. Employee may
     present to Company an itemized voucher listing expenses paid by Employee in
     the performance of Employee's duties on behalf of Company, and on
     presentation of such itemized voucher, Company will reimburse Employee for
     all reasonable expenses itemized thereon, including, but not limited to,
     travel, meals, lodging, entertainment, and promotion with respect to all
     activities approved in advance by the Company. Employee may receive
     advances from Company for anticipated expenses. Employee agrees that the
     amount by which an advance exceeds actual expenses ("Amount") will be
     promptly refunded to Company upon determination by Company that it is due,
     that the Amount may be deducted from any payments of any nature (including
     without limitation salary) owed by Company to employee, and that the Amount
     will constitute a debt from Employee to Company, enforceable by Company in
     all respects as if Employee had executed a promissory note or other
     instrument acknowledging the debt, bearing interest at a rate of 10% per
     year from the date repayment is due and payable in full on demand without
     set-off or deduction.

4.   SICK LEAVE AND DISABILITY. Employee will be entitled to sick leave for the
     number of days determined by Company ("Sick Leave"). Employee will be
     considered to be disabled during any period in excess of Sick Leave during
     which Employee is unable to work because of illness or incapacity
     ("Disability Period"). Employee will be entitled to receive Employee's full
     salary during Sick Leave and will be deemed to be on leave, without pay,
     during the Disability Period. If Employee is unable to work for a period in
     excess of 180 days, the Employee, at the discretion of the Board of
     Directors of Company, will be considered to have resigned. In no event will
     Employee be entitled to payment or other compensation for unused Sick Leave
     or Disability Period, unless required by law or otherwise provided in a
     policy or employment manual adopted by the Board of Directors of Company.

5.   RESTRICTIONS. Employee may not during the Employment Period, anywhere in
     the United States, directly or indirectly, own, manage, operate, invest in,
     control, be employed by, participate in, be a financial sponsor of, or be
     connected in any manner with the ownership, management, operation or
     control of any business which competes with a business conducted by Company
     at any time during the Employment Period or a business which Employee
     knows, during the Employment Period, that Company intends to conduct.
     Employee acknowledges that this restriction is necessary for the Company's
     welfare and protection in light of the responsibilities assigned to
     Employee and Employee's status in the Company, that Employee is fully and

<PAGE>   2

     adequately compensated for this restriction, and that Company may enforce
     this restriction through injunctive relief without limiting any other
     relief which may be available to it.

6.   RESIGNATION AND DISCHARGE. Employee may resign by giving six months written
     notice to Company before resigning and agrees to provide this minimum
     notice during the first two years of this agreement. In the event of a
     voluntary resignation by Employee, the Employee will be paid through the
     Effective Date of resignation. Employee's death will constitute a voluntary
     resignation.. If during the initial two-year Employment Period Employee is
     terminated by discharge without cause Employee will be paid at Employee's
     then current salary through the initial two-year minimum term of this
     agreement plus a six month termination period. Once the initial two-year
     term of this agreement is completed, during each successive one-year
     renewal Company may discharge Employee without cause upon six months
     written notice, and Employee will be paid at his then current salary
     through the effective termination date. If during the Employment Period,
     Employee violates any provision or restriction or fails to perform any
     obligation contained in this Employment Agreement or in any Company policy
     or Company employment manual or practice, or, unless otherwise provided by
     Company policy or Company employment manual, (a) is reasonably believed by
     Company (i) to have failed to comply with any employment or
     nondiscrimination or similar law, regulation or policy, (ii) to abuse, as
     determined by the Company, alcohol or to use drugs, (other than as
     prescribed by Employee's physician), or (b) refuses to submit to testing
     for alcohol or drugs, or (c) is reasonably believed by Company to have
     committed or is charged with any felony or misdemeanor (except minor
     traffic violations and similar offenses), Company may immediately discharge
     Employee without liability for salary after the date of the discharge and
     without any other liability to Employee. In no event will Employee be
     entitled, upon resignation or discharge with or without cause, to payment
     for sick leave or similar benefits of any kind unless required by law or
     otherwise provided in a policy or employment manual adopted by the Board of
     Directors of Company.

7.   CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. Employee acknowledges and recognizes that
     Employee is, or will be, employed by Company in a confidential relationship
     and may receive and have access to the confidential business information,
     customer names, contracts and other customer data, business methods,
     techniques and trade secrets of Company ("Confidential Information").
     Employee may develop ideas, conceptions, inventions, processes, methods,
     products and improvements; and Employee may receive disclosures of ideas,
     conceptions, inventions, processes, methods, products and improvements made
     by other employees of Company ("Company Inventions"). Employee may
     participate with Company in improving and developing Confidential
     Information and Company Inventions. Confidential Information and Company
     Inventions developed on behalf of Company are neither commonly known nor
     readily accessible to others and are used by Company in its business to
     obtain a competitive advantage over Company's competitors who do not know
     or use the Confidential Information or Company Inventions. Protection of
     the Confidential Information and Company Inventions against unauthorized
     disclosure and use is of critical importance to Company in maintaining its
     competitive position. Employee agrees that Employee will not, at any time,
     during or after the Employment Period, make any independent use of, or
     disclose to any other person or organization, except as authorized by
     Company in writing, any Confidential Information or Company Inventions.
     Upon termination of the Employment Period for any reason, Employee shall
     promptly deliver to Company all drawings, manuals, letters, notes,
     notebooks, reports, customer lists, customer data, mailing lists, and all
     other materials and records of any kind, and all copies thereof, that may
     be in the possession of, or under the control of, Employee pertaining to
     Company's business including any that contain any Confidential Information
     or Company Inventions.

8.   PERSONNEL POLICIES. Company's personnel policies apply to all of Company's
     employees including Employee and describe additional terms and conditions
     of employment of Employee. Those terms and conditions, as they may be
     revised from time to time by Company, are incorporated by reference into
     this Employment Agreement. Company reserves the right to revise the
     personnel policies from time to time, as Company deems necessary. If any
     personnel policy provision conflicts with a provision of this Employment
     Agreement, the terms of this Employment Agreement shall govern.

<PAGE>   3

9.   ALCOHOL AND DRUG TESTING. Employee agrees to comply with and submit to any
     Company program or policy for testing for alcohol abuse or use of drugs.

10.  BINDING EFFECT. This Employment Agreement constitutes the entire
     understanding of the parties, may be modified only in writing, is governed
     by laws of New Mexico, and will bind and inure to the benefit of Employee
     and Employee's personal representative and Company and Company's successors
     and assigns.


     DATED: March 8, 2001


            COMPANY:
            SBS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

            By: /s/ CHRISTOPHER J. AMENSON
               ---------------------------------------
               Christopher J. Amenson
               Chairman and Chief Executive Officer


            EMPLOYEE:
            /s/ JAMES E. DIXON JR.
            ------------------------------------------
            James E. Dixon Jr.
            Vice president and Chief Financial Officer

                                   SCHEDULE A

The annual rate of pay of Employee, effective March 10, 2001 shall be $250,000.