**Exhibit10.6**

 

**EMPLOYMENTAGREEMENT**

 

**THISEMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT**(“Agreement”) is made and entered intoas of the 10th day of February, 2003, by and between **EAST KANSAS AGRI-ENERGY, LLC** (“EKAE”) andJILL A. ZIMMERMAN (“Zimmerman”).

 

**WHEREAS,EKAE**intends to develop, finance and construct an ethanolplant in or near Garnett, Kansas (the “Project”); and

 

**WHEREAS,**Zimmerman has valuable experience in the Kansas corn and grain sorghumindustries, and related industries;

 

**WHEREAS,**EKAE wishes to employ Zimmerman in connection with theProject, and Zimmerman desires to accept such employment by EKAE, upon theterms and conditions herein set forth.

 

**NOW,THEREFORE,**in consideration of the mutual promises andcovenants contained herein, and for other good and valuable consideration, thereceipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties heretoagree as follows:

 

1.                                       Employment.  EKAE hereby employs Zimmerman to provideethanol project development services (the “Services”) and Zimmerman herebyaccepts such employment upon the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth.

 

2.                                       Term;Termination.  The term of employmentunder this Agreement shall commence effective February 10, 2003 and shallcontinue, unless sooner terminated as provided herein, until March 31,2004.  Either party may terminate thisAgreement at any time, with or without cause, upon delivery of oral or writtennotice to the other party indicating an intention to terminate the Agreement.  In the event either party exercises itsright to terminate this Agreement, Zimmerman shall be entitled to payment forServices actually rendered and completed prior to such notice to terminate.

 

3.             Compensation. For all services rendered to EKAE during the term of this agreement,Zimmerman shall be paid an annual salary of $37,700.00, which shall be paid inaccordance with EKAE’s normal payroll practices.

 

4.                                       Benefits.  During the term of this Agreement, EKAEshall pay to Zimmerman the amount of $101.75 per month as a regular stipendintended to offset health insurance costs.

 

5.                                       Confidentiality.  In providing Services hereunder, Zimmermanmay have access to documents and information relating to EKAE and itsproperties and business operations (hereafter referred to as “ConfidentialInformation”).  All such ConfidentialInformation shall at all times during the term of this Agreement and for aperiod of two (2) years thereafter, be treated as confidential and sensitiveproprietary business information. Zimmerman shall not, unless compelled by legal process, except inaccordance with the express terms of this Agreement or with the prior writtenconsent of EKAE, disclose or permit the disclosure of any ConfidentialInformation to any person or entity whatsoever, unless such information isotherwise readily available in the public domain.

 

6.                                       RelatedServices and Compensation.  Nothingin this Agreement shall prohibit Zimmerman from otherwise serving as an officeror director of EKAE during or following the term of this Agreement andreceiving and accepting compensation or reimbursements related to her servicesas an officer or director.

 

----

 

7.                                       Miscellaneous.  Except as otherwise provided herein, any andall notices and reports required or contemplated hereunder shall be in writingand shall be sent in a commercially reasonable manner under the circumstances,addressed to the parties at their respective addresses in Garnett, Kansas.  This Agreement shall be governed by andconstrued in accordance with Kansas law, and shall not be modified except in awriting signed by the parties.  ThisAgreement is binding upon the parties and their heirs, representatives, agents,successors and permitted assigns. Neither this Agreement or any parties’ rights, duties, responsibilitiesor obligations shall be assigned by either party, in whole or in part, withoutthe prior written consent of the other party hereto.  If any provision herein is held to be invalid orunenforceable,  in whole or in part, theremaining provisions shall not be affected. No omission or delay by either party in enforcing any right or remedy orin requiring any performance hereunder shall constitute a waiver of any suchright, remedy or required performance, nor shall it affect the right of eitherparty to enforce such provision thereafter. The headings contained herein are for convenience only and shall not beconsidered in interpreting or construing this Agreement.  This Agreement may be executed incounterparts.

 

**INWITNESS WHEREOF,**the parties hereto have duly executed this **EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT**as of the date firstabove written.

 
| EAST KANSAS  AGRI-ENERGY, LLC | JILL A. ZIMMERMAN     |
|-------------------------------|-----------------------|
|                          |                  |
| By:                           | /s/ William R. Pracht |   |  /s/ Jill  Zimmerman |   |
|                          | William  R. Pracht    |   | Jill Zimmerman |
| Its:                          | Chairman/President    |   |   |
|                          |                  |
|                               |                       |  |  |  |  |

 

2

----