Employment Letter between Edge and David N. Pilotte



 Exhibit 10.10 
  
 EDGE TECHNOLOGY GROUP, INC. 
 6611 HILLCREST AVENUE, No. 223 
 DALLAS, TEXAS 75205-1301 
  
 July 24, 2001 
  
 Mr. David N. Pilotte 

4545 Crosstimber Drive 
 Plano, Texas 75093 
  

	 	Re:	 	Offer of Employment 

  
 Dear David: 
  
 We are pleased to
offer you the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Edge Technology Group, Inc. (the “Company”). As Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, you will receive an annual base salary in the amount of
One Hundred Five Thousand and No/100 Dollars ($105,000.00), which shall increase to Two Hundred Twenty Five and No/100 ($225,000.00) upon the occurrence of a Financing Event (as defined herein). “Financing Event” shall mean the closing by
the Company on a transaction in which the Company issues common stock and which transaction provides gross cash proceeds for the Company of at least $10,000,000. The base salary and any bonus shall be payable in accordance with the Company’s
regular payroll practices. Your base salary and bonus compensation will be subject to statutory deductions and withholding. You will also be eligible for standard Company benefits and three (3) weeks paid vacation each year. 
  
 Subject to the approval of the Company’s Board of Directors, you will
receive an option to purchase 300,000 shares of the Company’s stock (hereinafter the “Option”). The Option will vest over three years in accordance with the following vesting schedule: twenty-five percent (25%) shall vest upon your
completion of thirty (30) days of employment with the Company, and the balance of the Option shall vest in eight (8) quarterly installments of nine and three hundred seventy-five thousandths percent (9.375%) upon your completion of each additional
quarter of employment with the Company. The exercise price shall be equal to the fair market value of the Company’s common stock on the date of grant. The Option will be subject to the terms set forth in the Edge Technology Group, Inc. Amended
and Restated 1996 Stock Option Plan. 
  
 The Company is an at-will
employer, which means that your employment with the Company is for no specific period of time and may be terminated by the Company or you at any time, with or without prior notice and with or without cause. You will not be entitled to engage in or
be an employee of any business that competes with the Company in any geographic location in which the Company is conducting or has written plans to conduct business. This is the full and complete agreement between you and the Company with respect to
this term of employment, and it supersedes any prior representations or agreement, whether written or oral, 







 Mr. David N. Pilotte 
 July 24, 2001 
 Page 2 
  
 concerning your term of employment with the Company. The
at-will nature of your employment may only be altered by written agreement signed by the Company’s Chief Executive Officer. 
  
 Your employment pursuant to this offer is contingent on your execution of the attached Confidentiality, Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement.
You will also be required to provide the Company with legally acceptable proof of your identity and authorization to work in the United States within three (3) days of your start date, and your failure to do so will render this offer of employment
void and unenforceable. 
  
 This letter sets forth the entire
agreement between you and the Company regarding the terms of your employment with the Company and supersedes any prior representations, agreements, and understandings between you and any employee or representative of the Company whether written or
oral. This agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the state of Texas. 
  
 If this offer is acceptable to you, please sign one of the originals of this letter and the Confidentiality, Proprietary Information and Inventions
Agreement and return them to the Company. The second original is for your files. This offer is subject to satisfactory reference checks and on receiving your signed acceptance not later than the close of business on August 6, 2001. 
  
 If you have any questions regarding this offer letter, please call Graham C.
Beachum II at 214.999.2245. We look forward to having you join us at Edge Technology Group, Inc. 
  

	 Sincerely,

	
	 EDGE TECHNOLOGY GROUP, INC.

		
	 By:
	 	       /s/    GRAHAM C. BEACHUM II


	 	 	 Graham C. Beachum II

	 	 	 Chief Executive Officer



  
 I have read and accept this
employment offer. 
  

	
	       /s/    DAVID N. PILOTTE


	     David N. Pilotte

	
	 August 6, 2001


	 Date









 Confidentiality, Proprietary Information and Inventions Agreement 
  
 In consideration of my employment by Edge Technology Group, Inc. (the
“Company”), the Company’s promise to disclose to me its confidential and proprietary information (as defined below), the compensation now and hereafter paid to me, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and
sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the undersigned hereby agrees with the Company as follows: 
  
 1. Recognition of Company’s Rights; Nondisclosure. 
  
 At all times during the term of my employment and thereafter, I will hold in strictest confidence and will not disclose,
discuss, transmit, use, lecture upon, or publish any of the Company’s Proprietary Information (defined below), except as such disclosure, discussion, transmission, use, or publication may be required in connection with my work for the Company,
or unless the President or the Board of Directors of the Company expressly authorizes such in writing. I hereby assign to the Company any rights I may have or acquire in such Proprietary Information and recognize that all Proprietary Information
shall be the sole property of the Company and its assigns and that the Company and its assigns shall be the sole owner of all patent rights, copyrights, trade secret rights, and all other rights throughout the world (collectively, “Proprietary
Rights”) in connection therewith. 
  
 The term
“Proprietary Information” shall mean trade secrets, confidential knowledge, data, or any other proprietary information of the Company and each of its subsidiaries or affiliated companies. By way of illustration but not limitation,
“Proprietary Information” includes (a) inventions, trade secrets, ideas, processes, formulas, data, lists, programs, other works of authorship, know-how, improvements, discoveries, developments, designs, and techniques relating to the
business or proposed business of the Company and that were learned or discovered by me during the term of my employment with the Company, (hereinafter, included Proprietary Information is collectively referred to as “Inventions”); (b)
information regarding plans for research, development, new products and services, marketing and selling, business plans, budgets and unpublished financial statements, licenses, prices and costs, suppliers, customer lists and customers that were
learned or discovered by me during the term of my employment with the Company; and (c) information regarding the skills and compensation of other employees of the Company. 
  
 2. Third Party Information. I understand, in addition, that the Company may from time to time receive from
third parties confidential or proprietary information (“Third Party Information”) subject to a duty on the Company’s part to maintain the confidentiality of such information and to use it only for certain limited purposes. At all
times during the term of my employment and thereafter, I will hold Third Party Information in the strictest confidence and will not disclose, discuss, transmit, use, lecture upon, or publish any Third Party Information, except as such disclosure,
discussion, transmission, use, or publication may be required in connection with my work for the Company, or unless the President or the Board of Directors of the Company expressly authorizes such in writing. 







 3. Assignment of Inventions. 
  
 3.1 I hereby assign to the Company all my right, title, and interest in and to any and all Inventions (and all Proprietary
Rights with respect thereto), whether or not patentable or registrable under copyright or similar statutes, that were made or conceived or reduced to practice or learned by me, either alone or jointly with others, during the period of my employment
with the Company. 
  
 3.2 I acknowledge that all original works of
authorship that are made by me (solely or jointly with others) during the term of my employment with the Company and that are within the scope of my employment and protectable by copyright are “works made for hire,” as that term is defined
in the United States Copyright Act (17 U.S.C. § 101 (1994)). Inventions assigned to the Company by this Section 3 are hereinafter referred to as “Company Inventions.” 
  
 4. Enforcement of Proprietary Rights. I will assist the Company
in every proper way to obtain and from time to time enforce United States and foreign Proprietary Rights relating to Company Inventions in any and all countries. To that end I will execute, verify, and deliver such documents and perform such other
acts (including appearances as a witness) as the Company may reasonably request for use in applying for, obtaining, perfecting, evidencing, sustaining, and enforcing such Proprietary Rights and the assignment thereof. In addition, I will execute,
verify, and deliver assignments of such Proprietary Rights to the Company or its designee. My obligation to assist the Company with respect to Proprietary Rights relating to such Company Inventions in any and all countries shall continue beyond the
termination of my employment, but the Company shall compensate me at a reasonable rate after my termination for the time actually spent by me at the Company’s request on such assistance. 
  
 In the event the Company is unable for any reason, after reasonable effort,
to secure my signature on any document needed in connection with the actions specified in the preceding paragraph, I hereby irrevocably designate and appoint the Company and its duly authorized officers and agents as my agent and attorney in fact,
to act for and in my behalf to execute, verify, and file any such documents and to do all other lawfully permitted acts to further the purposes of the preceding paragraph thereon with the same legal force and effect as if executed by me. I hereby
waive and quitclaim to the Company any and all claims, of any nature whatsoever, that I now or may hereafter have for infringement of any Proprietary Rights assigned hereunder to the Company. 
  
 5. Obligation to Keep Company Informed. During the period of my
employment, I will promptly disclose to the Company fully and in writing and will hold in trust for the sole right and benefit of the Company any and all Inventions. In addition, during the first three (3) years after termination of my employment
with the Company, I will provide the Company with a complete copy of each patent application filed by me or that names me as an inventor or co-inventor.  
  
 6. Prior Inventions. Inventions, if any, patented or unpatented, that I made prior to the commencement of my
employment with the Company are excluded from the scope of this Agreement. To preclude any possible uncertainty, I have set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto a complete list of all Inventions that I have, alone or jointly with others, conceived,
developed, or reduced to practice or caused to be conceived, developed, or reduced to practice prior to commencement of my employment with the Company, that I consider to be my property or the 







 property of third parties and that I wish to have excluded from the scope of this Agreement. If disclosure of any such
Invention on Exhibit A would cause me to violate any prior confidentiality agreement, I understand that I am not to list such Inventions in Exhibit A but am to inform the Company that all Inventions have not been listed for that reason. 

 
 7. Other Activities; Non-Competition; Non-Solicitation.

  
 7.1 During the term of my employment with the Company, I will
not, directly or indirectly, participate in the ownership, management, operation, financing or control of, or be employed by or consult for or otherwise render services to, any person, corporation, firm, or other entity that competes in the State of
Texas, or in any other state in the United States, or in any country in the world with the Company in the conduct of the business of the Company as conducted or as proposed to be conducted, nor shall I engage in any other activities that conflict
with my obligations to the Company. 
  
 7.2 In consideration of
the premises hereof and in further consideration of the Company’s promise to disclose to me confidential and Proprietary Information and trade secrets of the Company and the Company’s promise to provide me with immediate specialized
training, and the experience I will gain throughout my employment with the Company, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, I hereby agree that for a period of one (1) year after
the date that my employment with the Company is terminated, for any reason, I will not, directly or indirectly, (i) compete in the state of Texas, or in any other State of the United States, or in any country in the world where the Company engages
in business, or proposes to engage in business, on the date of the termination of my employment with the Company, or (ii) participate in the ownership, management, operation, financing, or control of, or be employed by or consult for or otherwise
render services to, any person, corporation, firm, or other entity that competes in the state of Texas, or in any other State of the United States, or in any country in the world with the Company in the conduct of the business of the Company as
conducted and as proposed to be conducted on the date of termination of my employment. Notwithstanding the foregoing, I am permitted to own up to 5% of any class of securities of any corporation that is traded on a national securities exchange or
through Nasdaq. 
  
 7.3 During the term of my employment and for a
period of one (1) year after my employment with the Company is terminated for any reason, I will not, directly or indirectly, individually or on behalf of any other person, firm, partnership, corporation, or business entity of any type, solicit,
assist or in any way encourage any current employee or consultant of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company to terminate his or her employment relationship or consulting relationship with the Company or subsidiary nor will I solicit the
employment services of any former employee of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company whose employment has been terminated for less than six (6) months. 
  
 7.4 For a period of one (1) year after my employment with the Company is terminated for any reason, I will not, directly or indirectly, individually or on
behalf of any other person, firm, partnership, corporation, or business entity of any type, take away or attempt to take away, solicit or attempt to solicit, contact, call upon, communicate with, or attempt to communicate with, any Customer of the
Company. For purposes of this section, “Customer” shall mean any 







 company or business entity that the Company sells goods or services to or that I had contact with or performed services
for during my employment with the Company. 
  
 8. No
Improper Use of Materials 
  
 I understand that I shall
not use the proprietary or confidential information or trade secrets of any former employer or any other person or entity in connection with my employment with the Company. During my employment by the Company, I will not improperly use or disclose
any proprietary or confidential information or trade secrets, if any, of any former employer or any other person or entity to whom I have an obligation of confidentiality, and I will not bring onto the premises of the Company any unpublished
documents or any property belonging to any former employer or any other person or entity to whom I have an obligation of confidentiality unless consented to in writing by that former employer, person, or entity. 
  
 9. No Conflicting Obligation. 
  
 I represent that my performance of all the terms of this Agreement and as an
employee of the Company does not and will not breach any agreement between me and any other employer, person or entity. I have not entered into, and I agree I will not enter into, any agreement either written or oral in conflict herewith.

  
 10. Return of Company Documents. 
  
 When I leave the employ of the Company, I will deliver to the Company all
drawings, notes, memoranda, specifications, devices, formulas, and documents, together with all copies thereof, and any other material containing or disclosing any Company Inventions, Third Party Information, or Proprietary Information of the
Company. I further agree that any property situated on the Company’s premises and owned by the Company, including disks and other storage media, filing cabinets or other work areas, is subject to inspection by Company personnel at any time with
or without notice. 
  
 11. Legal and Equitable
Remedies. 
  
 Because my services are personal and unique
and because I may have access to and become acquainted with the Proprietary Information of the Company, the Company shall have the right to enforce this Agreement and any of its provisions by injunction, specific performance, or other equitable
relief, without bond and without prejudice to any other rights and remedies that the Company may have for a breach of this Agreement. 
  
 12. Authorization to Notify New Employer. 
  
 I hereby authorize the Company to notify my new employer about my rights and obligations under this Agreement following the termination of my employment
with the Company. 
  
 13. Notices. 
  
 Any notices required or permitted hereunder shall be given to the
appropriate party at the party’s last known address. Such notice shall be deemed given upon personal delivery to the last known address or if sent by certified or registered mail, three days after the date of mailing. 







 14. General Provisions. 
  
 14.1 Governing Law. This Agreement will be governed by and construed according to the laws of the State of Texas
without regard to conflicts of law principles. 
  
 14.2
Exclusive Forum. I hereby irrevocably agree that the exclusive forum for any suit, action, or other proceeding arising out of or in any way related to this Agreement shall be in the state or federal courts in Texas, and I agree to the
exclusive personal jurisdiction and venue of any court in Travis County, Texas. 
  
 14.3 Entire Agreement. This Agreement sets forth the entire agreement and understanding between the Company and myself relating to the subject matter hereof and supercedes and merges all prior discussions
between us. No modification of or amendment to this Agreement, nor any waiver of any rights under this Agreement, will be effective unless in writing signed by the party to be charged. Any subsequent change or changes in my duties, salary, or
compensation will not affect the validity or scope of this Agreement. As used in this Agreement, the period of my employment includes any time during which I may be retained by the Company as a consultant. 
  
 14.4 Severability. 
  
 (a) I acknowledge and agree that each agreement and covenant set forth
herein constitutes a separate agreement independently supported by good and adequate consideration and that each such agreement shall be severable from the other provisions of this Agreement and shall survive this Agreement. 
  
 (b) I understand and agree that Section 7 of this Agreement is to be
enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law. Accordingly, if a court of competent jurisdiction determines that the scope and/or operation of Section 7 is too broad to be enforced as written, the Company and I intend that the court should reform
such provision to such narrower scope and/or operation as it determines to be enforceable, provided, however, that such reformation applies only with respect to the operation of such provision in the particular jurisdiction with respect to which
such determination was made. If, however, Section 7 is held to be illegal, invalid, or unenforceable under present or future law, and not subject to reformation, then (i) such provision shall be fully severable, (ii) this Agreement shall be
construed and enforced as if such provision was never a part of this Agreement, and (iii) the remaining provisions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and shall not be affected by the illegal, invalid, or unenforceable provision
or by its severance. 
  
 14.5 Successors and Assigns. This
Agreement will be binding upon my heirs, executors, administrators, and other legal representatives and will be for the benefit of the Company, its successors and assigns. 
  
 14.6 Survival. The provisions of this Agreement shall survive the termination of my employment for any reason and the
assignment of this Agreement by the Company to any successor in interest or other assignee. 
  
 14.7 Employment. I agree and understand that my employment with the Company is at will, which means that either I or the Company may terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without prior
notice and with or without cause. I further agree and understand that 







 nothing in this Agreement shall confer any right with respect to continuation of employment by the Company, nor shall it
interfere in any way with my right or the Company’s right to terminate my employment at any time, with or without cause. 
  
 14.8 Waiver. No waiver by the Company of any breach of this Agreement shall be a waiver of any preceding or succeeding breach. No waiver by the
Company of any right under this Agreement shall be construed as a waiver of any other right. The Company shall not be required to give notice to enforce strict adherence to all terms of this Agreement. 
  
 14.9 Recovery of Attorney’s Fees. In the event of any litigation
arising from or relating to this Agreement, the prevailing party in such litigation proceedings shall be entitled to recover, from the non-prevailing party, the prevailing party’s costs and reasonable attorney’s fees, in addition to all
other legal or equitable remedies to which it may otherwise be entitled. 
  
 14.10 Headings. The headings to each section or paragraph of this Agreement are provided for convenience of reference only and shall have no legal effect in the interpretation of the terms hereof. 

 
 [Signature Page Follows] 







 I HAVE READ THIS CONFIDENTIALITY, PROPRIETARY INFORMATION AND INVENTIONS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY AND
UNDERSTAND ITS TERMS. I HAVE COMPLETELY FILLED OUT EXHIBIT A TO THIS AGREEMENT. 
  
 This Agreement shall be effective as of the first day of my employment with the Company, namely: Aug 6     
                 , 2001. 
  
 I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS AGREEMENT AFFECTS MY RIGHTS TO INVENTIONS I MAKE DURING MY EMPLOYMENT, RESTRICTS MY RIGHT TO DISCLOSE OR USE THE COMPANY’S
CONFIDENTIAL AND PROPRIETARY INFORMATION DURING OR SUBSEQUENT TO MY EMPLOYMENT, AND PROHIBITS ME FROM COMPETING WITH THE COMPANY AND/OR FROM SOLICITING EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS OF THE COMPANY FOR ONE (1) YEAR AFTER MY EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COMPANY IS
TERMINATED FOR ANY REASON. 
  

	 Dated: Aug 6, 2001
	 	     /s/    DAVID N. PILOTTE


	 	 	 	 	 Signature of Employee

			
	 	 	 	 	     David N. Pilotte


	 	 	 	 	 Print Name of Employee

			
	 	 	 	 	 4545 Crosstimber Drive

 Plano, TX 75093


	 	 	 	 	 Address


  
 ACCEPTED AND AGREED TO: 
  
 EDGE TECHNOLOGY GROUP, INC. 
  

	 By:
	 	         /s/    GRAHAM C. BEACHUM II


	Name:	 	         Graham C. Beachum II

	 Title:
	 	         President & CEO









 EXHIBIT A 
  
 Ladies and/or Gentlemen: 
  
 The following is a complete list of all inventions or improvements relevant to the subject matter of my employment by Edge Technology Group, Inc. (the
“Company”) that have been made or conceived or first reduced to practice by me alone or jointly with others prior to my employment by the Company that I desire to remove from the operation of the Company’s Confidentiality, Proprietary
Information and Inventions Agreement. 
  

	         x      
	  	I have no inventions or improvements to disclose.
		
	          ̈          
	  	 I have inventions or improvements which I have disclosed on the attached Invention Disclosure form(s).

		
	          ̈          
	  	 Due to certain confidentiality obligations, I cannot disclose certain inventions that otherwise would be
listed.


  

	
	 /s/    DAVID N.
PILOTTE


	 Signature

	
	 Aug 6, 2001


	 Date



  







 INVENTION DISCLOSURE 
  
 Invention Disclosure
#                                  
  
 Inventors:
1.                                 
  
 2.                                     
  
 3.                                     
  
 Title of
Invention:                                      
                               
  
 Problem solved by
invention:                                      
               
  
 Invention
Description:                                      
                           
  

Add additional signed, dated sheets and drawings if necessary. 
  
 Has this invention been disclosed outside of the Company?
Yes                    
No                     
  
 Inventor
Signature:                                      
       Date: