Document:

Exhibit 10.1

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

Employment Agreement, dated as of December 1, 2005, (the “Agreement”),
by and between Steven A. Barton (the “Employee”) and Benchmark Electronics, Inc.,
a Texas corporation (the “Company”).

 

WITNESSETH:

 

In consideration of the mutual covenants and conditions contained
herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

Section 1.  Employment.  The Company hereby agrees to employ the
Employee, and the Employee hereby accepts employment by the Company, upon the
terms and subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth.  During the term of his employment, the
Employee shall have the title of Executive Vice President.

 

Section 2.  Duties.  In his capacity as Executive Vice President
of the Company, the Employee shall perform such reasonable executive duties as
an Executive Vice President would normally perform or as otherwise specified in
the By-laws of the Company, and such other reasonable executive duties as the
Board of Directors of the Company may from time to time reasonably prescribe
with the concurrence of the Employee. 
Except as otherwise provided herein, except as may otherwise be approved
by the Board of Directors of the Company, and except during vacation periods
and reasonable periods due to sickness, personal injury or other disability,
the Employee agrees to devote approximately twenty (20) hours per week to the
performance of his duties to the Company hereunder, provided that nothing
contained herein shall preclude the Employee from (i) serving on the board
of directors of any business or corporation on which he is serving on the date
hereof or, with the consent of the Board of Directors, serving on the board of
directors of any other business or corporation, (ii) serving on the board
of, or working for, any charitable or community organization, and (iii) pursuing
his personal financial and legal affairs so long as such activities do not
materially interfere with the performance of the Employee’s duties hereunder.

 

Section 3.  Term.  Except as otherwise provided herein, the term
of this Agreement shall be for three (3) years (the “Initial Term”),
commencing on the date of this Agreement. 
This Agreement shall be automatically renewed thereafter for successive
one (1) year terms (each such renewal term, a “Renewal Term”), unless
either party gives to the other written notice of termination no fewer than
ninety (90) days prior to the expiration of any such Renewal Term, which notice
shall expressly refer to this Section 3 of the Agreement and state that
such party does not wish to

 

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extend this Agreement (any such notice, a “Non-Renewal Notice”).  Any such Non-Renewal Notice given by the
Company shall constitute a termination of the Employee’s employment without
Cause for purposes of this Agreement. 
The Initial Term, as the same may be extended by any Renewal Term, is
referred to herein as the “Employment Term.” 
The provisions of this Agreement shall survive any termination hereof.

 

Section 4.  Compensation
and Benefits.  In consideration for
the services of the Employee hereunder, the Company shall compensate the
Employee and perform its other obligations as provided in this Section 4.

 

(a) Base Salary. 
Commencing on the date hereof, the Employee shall be entitled to receive,
and the Company shall pay the Employee in equal bi-weekly installments, a base
salary at a rate per annum of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand United States Dollars
($250,000), as increased from time to time by the Compensation Committee of the
Board of Directors of the Company (the “Compensation Committee”).  Commencing in 2006 and from time to time at
least annually thereafter, the Compensation Committee shall review and evaluate
the annual base salary of the Employee in accordance with its standard policies
and practices for key executive employee compensation and, in its discretion,
may increase the Employee’s annual base salary commencing on August 1,
2006, and on anniversaries of such date thereafter.  The amount of such base salary for each
respective annual one (1) year period, including any increases hereafter
approved, is referred to as the “Base Salary” for such respective one year
period.  The Employee’s Base Salary may
not and shall not be decreased or reduced more than ten percent (10%) in any
year, including but not limited to after giving effect to any such increase.

 

(b) Bonus.  During
the Employment Term, the Employee shall be eligible to participate in any
annual fiscal year bonus program that may be provided by the Company for its
key executive employees, subject to its terms and conditions.  On February 14, 2005, the Compensation
Committee adopted a formal bonus plan (the “Executive Bonus Plan”) for eligible
senior executive officers, including the Employee.  The Executive Bonus Plan provides the
Employee with a target bonus opportunity of Fifty percent (50%) of Base Salary
for each calendar year in the Employment Term if the Company attains specified
performance objectives for such year, and an over achievement bonus opportunity
of up to Fifty percent (50%) of Base Salary if the Company exceeds the
foregoing performance objectives by predetermined amounts.  Such objectives and targets shall be
determined on an annual basis each year during the Employment Term, and shall
be reasonably satisfactory to the Company and the Employee.  All bonuses payable to the Employee under the
Executive Bonus Plan or any other annual bonus plan shall be

 

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determined and paid on or prior to March 31 of the year following
the year for which such bonus is payable.

 

(c) Other Long Term Incentive Compensation.  The Employee shall be entitled to participate
in all long-term incentive compensation programs for key executives (if any) at
a level commensurate with his position.

 

(d) Other Benefits. 
During the term of this Agreement, the Employee shall be entitled to
participate in and receive benefits under any and all pension, profit-sharing,
life and other insurance, medical, dental, health and other welfare and fringe
benefit plans and programs, and be provided any and all other perquisites, that
are from time to time made available to executive employees or other employees
of the Company.  The Employee shall also
be entitled to an amount of paid vacation per calendar year, and sick leave and
illness and disability benefits, in accordance with such reasonable Company
policy as may be applicable from time to time to key executive employees.

 

Section 5.  Expenses and
Other Employment-Related Matters.  It
is acknowledged by the parties that the Employee, in connection with the
services to be performed by him pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, will
be required to make payments for travel, entertainment and similar
expenses.  The Company shall reimburse
the Employee for all reasonable expenses incurred by the Employee in connection
with the performance of his duties hereunder or otherwise on behalf of the
Company.

 

Section 6.  Termination.  The Employee’s employment may terminate prior
to the end of the Employment Term as provided in this Section 6.

 

(a) Death or Disability. 
The Employee’s employment will terminate (x) immediately upon the death
of the Employee during the term of his employment hereunder or (y) at the
option of the Company, upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to the
Employee, in the event of the Employee’s disability.  The Employee shall not be deemed disabled
unless, as a result of the Employee’s incapacity due to physical or mental
illness (as determined by a physician selected by the Employer or its insurers
and reasonably acceptable to the Employee or his representative), the Employee
shall have been absent from and unable to perform his duties with the Company
on a full-time bases for one hundred twenty (120) consecutive business days.   In the event of termination of the Employee’s
employment pursuant to this Section 6(a):

 

(1) The Company shall immediately pay
the Employee any portion of the Employee’s Base Salary accrued but unpaid
through the date of such

 

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termination and all payments and reimbursements under Section 5
hereof for expenses incurred prior to such termination.  Six (6) months after the date of
termination, the Company will make a lump sum cash payment equal to the
Employee’s Base Salary and a prorated annual bonus for the year of termination
equal to Fifty percent (50%) of the amount calculated by dividing the Employee’s
annual Base Salary at the date of such termination by twelve (12) and
multiplying the result by the number of months in the year of such termination
that began or ended prior to the date of such termination.  If the Company achieves target performance
objectives for the entire year in which such termination occurs that, under the
Executive Bonus Plan or any other then effective bonus plan, would have
entitled the Employee to receive an annual bonus for such year calculated at a
percent greater than Fifty percent (50%) of Base Salary, the Employee or his
estate shall be entitled to receive, at the time such bonus would have normally
been payable or six (6) months after the termination of employment
(whichever later occurs), an additional amount equal to (x) such larger bonus
amount divided by twelve (12) and multiplied by the number of months in the
year of such termination that began or ended prior to the date of such
termination minus (y) the amount previously paid pursuant to the preceding
sentence.

 

(2) The Employee shall be entitled to
receive all vested benefits under the Company’s otherwise applicable plans and
programs.

 

(b) For Cause.  The
Company may terminate the employee’s employment for Cause (as defined below)
upon written notice by the Company to the Employee, such termination to take
effect on the date determined in accordance with the last paragraph of this Section 6(b) below
to be the termination date for such purpose. 
In the event of termination of the Employee’s employment for Cause
pursuant to this Section 6(b):

 

(1) The Company shall immediately pay
the Employee (i) any portion of the Employee’s Base Salary accrued but
unpaid through the date of such termination and (ii) all payments and
reimbursement under Section 5 hereof for expenses incurred prior to such
termination.

 

(2) The Employee shall be entitled to
receive all vested benefits under the Company’s otherwise applicable plans and
programs.

 

For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Cause” shall mean the
Employee’s (i) gross negligence in the performance of his duties with the
Company, which gross negligence results in a material adverse effect on the
Company, provided that no such gross negligence will constitute “Cause” if it
relates to an

 

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action taken or omitted by the Employee in the good faith, reasonable
belief that such action or omission was in or not opposed to the best interests
of the Company; (ii) habitual neglect or disregard of his duties with the
Company that is materially and demonstrably injurious to the Company, after
written notice from the Company stating the duties the Employee has failed to
perform; (iii) engaging in conduct or misconduct that materially harms the
reputation or financial position of the Company; (iv) obstruction,
impedance, or failure to materially cooperate with an investigation authorized
by the Board, a self-regulatory organization empowered with self-regulatory
responsibilities under federal or state laws, or a governmental department or
agency; or (v) conviction of a felony, provided that no such conviction
will constitute “Cause” if it relates to an action taken or omitted by the
Employee in the good faith, reasonable belief that such action or omission was
in or not opposed to the best interest of the Company.  The Employee’s employment may not and shall
not be terminated for Cause unless the (1) Board of Directors provides the
Employee with written notice stating the conduct alleged to give rise to such
Cause, (2) the Employee has been given an opportunity to be heard by the
Board, (3) in the case of clause (i) or (ii) of the definition
of Cause, the Employee has been given a reasonable time to cure, and the
Employee has not cured such negligence or failure to the reasonable
satisfaction of the Board, and (4) the Board has approved such termination
by majority vote of the members of the Board of Directors, excluding the
Employee.

 

(c) By Company Without Cause.  The Company may terminate the Employee’s
employment at any time for any reason without Cause.  In the event of any termination of the
Employee’s employment by the Company without Cause:

 

(1) The Company shall pay the Employee
severance pay for the Severance Period (as defined below) at the per annum rate
which shall equal one hundred percent (100%) of his Base Salary at the date of
such termination.  The Company shall pay
such severance pay in lump sum six (6) months after the date of such
termination.  The Company’s obligation to
make such payments shall be absolute and unconditional.  Without limiting the foregoing, such payments
shall not be subject to any right of offset or similar right, and the Employee
shall have no obligation of mitigation or similar obligation with respect
thereto.

 

(2) The Company shall immediately pay
the Employee the portion of the Employee’s Base Salary accrued but unpaid
through the date of such termination and all payments and reimbursements under Section 5
hereof for expenses incurred prior to such termination.  Six (6) months after the date of
termination, the Company will pay and a prorated annual bonus for the year of
termination equal to Fifty percent (50%) of the amount calculated by

 

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dividing the Employee’s annual Base Salary at the date of such
termination by twelve (12) and multiplying the result by the number of months
in the year of such termination that began or ended prior to the date of such
termination.  If the Company achieves
target performance objectives for the entire year in which such termination
occurs that, under the Executive Bonus Plan or any other then effective bonus
plan, would have entitled the Employee to receive an annual bonus for such year
calculated at a percent greater than Fifty percent (50%) of Base Salary, the
Employee (or his estate) shall be entitled to receive, and the Company shall
pay, at the time the bonus would have normally been payable or six (6) months
after the termination of employment (whichever later occurs), an additional
amount equal to (x) such larger bonus amount divided by twelve (12) and
multiplied by the number of months in the year of such termination that began
or ended prior to the date of termination minus (y) the amount previously paid
pursuant to the preceding sentence.

 

(3) The Employee shall be entitled to
receive all vested benefits under the Company’s otherwise applicable plans and
programs.

 

(4) Following such termination, the
Employee shall be entitled to continue participation in all medical, dental,
health and other welfare benefits (or receive comparable coverage if such
participation is not permitted under the terms of such plans or if the Board,
at its option, determines that it is in the best interest of the Company to
provide such comparable coverage rather than continued participation in the
Company’s plans) until the end of the Severance Period upon the same terms and
conditions that would have applied if the Employee continued to be employed by
the Company, provided that the benefits referred to in this clause (4) will
cease if and to the extent the Employee becomes eligible for similar benefits
by reason of new employment.

 

For purposes of this Agreement, the term “Severance Period” means (i) if
the Employee’s employment is terminated at or prior to the end of the Initial
Term (including but not limited to by the giving of a Non-Renewal Notice or
other notice as provided in Section 3 hereof), a period equal to the
greater of (x) two (2) full years beginning on the date of such
termination and (y) the then remaining portion of the Initial Term and (ii) if
the Employee’s employment is terminated after the end of the Initial Term and
prior to the end of the then-current Renewal Term (including but not limited to
by the giving of any Non-Renewal Notice as provided in Section 3 hereof),
a period equal to one (1) full year beginning on the date of such
termination.

 

(d) By Employee for Good Reason.  The Employee may terminate his employment at
any time for Good Reason (as defined below). 
In the event of any

 

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termination of the Employee’s employment by the Employee for Good
Reason:

 

(1) The Company shall pay the Employee
severance pay for the Severance Period (as defined above) at the per annum rate
which shall equal one hundred percent (100%) of his Base Salary at the date of
such termination.  The Company shall pay
such severance pay in lump sum six (6) months after the date of such
termination.  The Company’s obligation to
make such payments shall be absolute and unconditional.  Without limiting the foregoing, such payments
shall not be subject to any right of offset or similar right, and the Employee
shall have no obligation of mitigation or similar obligation with respect
thereto.

 

(2) The Company shall immediately pay
the Employee the portion of the Employee’s Base Salary accrued but unpaid
through the date of such termination and all payments and reimbursements under Section 5
hereof for expenses incurred prior to such termination.  Six (6) months after the date of
termination, the Company will pay a prorated annual bonus for the year of
termination equal to Fifty percent (50%) of the amount calculated by dividing
the Employee’s annual Base Salary at the date of such termination by twelve
(12) and multiplying the result by the number of months in the year of such
termination that began or ended prior to the date of such termination.  If the Company achieves target performance
objectives for the entire year in which such termination occurs that, under the
Executive Bonus Plan or any other then effective bonus plan, would have
entitled the Employee to receive an annual bonus for such year calculated at a
percent greater than Fifty percent (50%) of Base Salary, the Employee (or his
estate) shall be entitled to receive, and the Company shall pay, at the time
the bonus would have normally been payable or six (6) months after the
termination of employment (whichever later occurs), an additional amount equal
to (x) such larger bonus amount divided by twelve (12) and multiplied by the
number of months in the year of such termination that began or ended prior to
the date of termination minus (y) the amount previously paid pursuant to the
preceding sentence.

 

(3) The Employee shall be entitled to
receive all vested benefits under the Company’s otherwise applicable plans and
programs.

 

(4) Following such termination, the
Employee shall be entitled to continue participation in all medical, dental,
health and other welfare benefits (or receive comparable coverage if such
participation is not permitted under the terms of such plans or if the Board,
at its option, determines that it is in the best interest of the Company to provide
such comparable coverage rather than continued participation in the Company’s
plans) until the end of

 

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the Severance Period upon the same terms and conditions that would have
applied if the Employee continued to be employed by the Company, provided that
the benefits referred to in this clause (4) will cease if and to the
extent the Employee becomes eligible for similar benefits by reason of new
employment.

 

For purposes of this Agreement, “Good Reason” means (A) a material
diminution of the Employee’s duties or responsibilities, (B) a reduction
in the Employee’s Base Salary greater than ten percent (10%), or annual bonus
or long-term incentive compensation opportunity, (C) a Change of Control
(as defined in Section 7 hereof), but only if the Employee terminates his
employment pursuant to this subsection within ninety (90) days after the
date of such Change of Control, or (D) a material breach by the Company of
any other provision of this Agreement that is not cured promptly after written
notice to the Company by the Employee.

 

(e) By Employee Without Good Reason.  The Employee may terminate his employment at
any time without Good Reason upon thirty (30) days’ prior written notice to the
Company.  In the event of any such
termination of the Employee’s employment by the Employee with Good Reason:

 

(1)  The Company shall immediately pay
the Employee (i) any portion of the Employee’s Base Salary accrued but
unpaid through the date of such termination and (ii) all payments and
reimbursements under Section 5 hereof for expenses incurred prior to such
termination.

 

(2) The Employee shall be entitled to
receive all vested benefits under the Company’s otherwise applicable plans and
programs.

 

(f) Excise Tax Gross-Up Payment.  If a Change of Control or other transaction
triggers or results in the imposition upon the Employee of any excise or
similar tax under Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code (or any
similar or successor provision) pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any
employee stock option agreement or plan in which the Employee is a participant,
the Company shall pay (or cause any acquirer in such transaction to pay) any
such excise or similar tax and make “gross-up” payments to the Employee to the
extent necessary so that the Employee will receive the same net after-tax
amount he would have received if no excise tax had been imposed on him.

 

(g) No Penalty, Forfeiture or Liability.  Any termination by the Employee of his
employment with the Company in accordance with the terms hereof shall be
without penalty, forfeiture, or liability arising out of such termination of
any kind or nature.  Notwithstanding any
other provision hereof, any termination of the Employee’s

 

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employment on or after the occurrence of a Change of Control shall be
deemed to be a termination by the Company without Cause if by the Company.

 

Section 7. Change in Control.  For purposes of this Agreement, (1) the
term “Person” means any corporation, partnership, trust, company, business,
firm, association, organization, individual, governmental instrumentality or
entity, or other person or entity, (2) the term “Voting Stock” shall mean,
as to any Person, the then-outstanding securities of or other interests in such
corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, trustees
or similar managers of such Person, and (3) the term “Change in Control”
shall mean:

 

(a) The Company is merged, consolidated or reorganized into or with
another corporation or other Person, or the stockholders of the Company approve
such a merger, consolidation or reorganization, and as a result of such merger,
consolidation or reorganization, the holders of the Voting Stock of the Company
immediately prior to such transaction hold or would hold in the aggregate less
than seventy percent (70%) of the combined voting power of the then-outstanding
Voting Stock of the surviving corporation or Person immediately after such
transaction; or

 

(b) The Company sells or otherwise transfers all or substantially
all of its assets to another corporation or other Person, or the stockholders
of the Company approve such a sale or transfer, and either (x) as a result of
such sale or transfer, the holders of the Voting Stock of the Company
immediately prior to such sale or transfer hold or would hold in the aggregate
less than seventy percent (70%) of the combined voting power of the
then-outstanding Voting Stock of such corporation or Person immediately after
such sale or transfer, or (y) such corporation or Person does not assume all of
the Company’s obligations to the Employee pursuant to an instrument in form and
substance reasonably satisfactory to the Employee; or

 

(c) The Company is liquidated or dissolved, or the stockholders of
the Company approve such a liquidation or dissolution; or

 

(d) Any Person or “group” [as the term “group” is used in Section 13(d)(3) or
Section 14(d)(2) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(the “Exchange Act”)] becomes, or a report is filed on Schedule 13D or Schedule 14D-1
(or any successor schedule, form or report), each as promulgated pursuant to
the Exchange Act, disclosing that any Person or “group” (as the term “group” is
used in Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the
Exchange Act) has become, the beneficial owner (as the term “beneficial owner”
is defined under Rule 13d-3 or any successor rules or regulations
promulgated under the Exchange Act) of securities representing thirty percent
(30%) or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding Voting Stock
of the Company or fifty percent (50%) or more of the then

 

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outstanding shares of Voting Stock of the Company; or

 

(e) The Company files a report or proxy statement with the
Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Exchange Act disclosing in
response to Form 8-K or Schedule 14A (or any successor schedule,
form, report or item therein) that a change in control of the Company has
occurred or will occur in the future pursuant to any then-existing contract or
transaction; or

 

(f) If, during any period of two consecutive years, individuals
who at the beginning of any such period constitute the Directors of the Company
cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority thereof; provided,
however, that for purposes of this clause (f), each Director who is first
elected, or first nominated for election by the Company’s  stockholders, by a vote of at least
two-thirds of the Directors of the Company then still in office who were
Directors of the Company at the beginning of any such period (other than an
election or nomination of any individual whose initial assumption of office is
in connection with an actual or threatened election contest relating to the election
of the Directors of the Company, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-11 or
any successor rule or regulation promulgated under the Exchange Act) will
be deemed to have been a Director of the Company at the beginning of such
period.

 

Section 8.  Confidential
Information.  The Employee recognizes
and acknowledges that certain proprietary, non-public information owned by the
Company and its affiliates, including without limitation proprietary,
non-public information regarding customers, pricing policies, methods of
operation, proprietary computer programs, sales products, profits, costs,
markets, key personnel, technical processes, and trade secrets (hereinafter
called “Confidential Information”), are valuable, special and unique assets of
the Company and its affiliates.  The
Employee will not, during or after his term of employment, without the prior
written consent of a member of the Board believed by the Employee to have been
authorized by the Board for such purpose, knowingly and intentionally disclose any
of the Confidential Information obtained by him while in the employ of the
Company to any person, firm, corporation, association or other entity for any
reason or purpose whatsoever, directly or indirectly (other than to an employee
of the Company of its affiliates, a director of the Company or its affiliates,
or a person to whom disclosure is necessary or appropriate in the Employee’s
good faith judgment in connection with the performance of his duties hereunder
or otherwise on behalf of the Company), unless and until such Confidential
Information becomes publicly available (other than as a consequence of the
breach by the Employee of his confidentiality obligations under this Section 8),
and except as may be required (or as the Employee may be advised by counsel is
required) in connection with any judicial, administrative or other governmental
proceeding or inquiry.  In the event of

 

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the termination of his employment, whether voluntary or involuntary and
whether by the Company or the Employee, the Employee will deliver to the
Company and will not take with him any documents, or any other reproductions
(in whole or in part) of any items, comprising Confidential Information (except
that the Employee may retain his personal address, telephone and other contact
lists and information and any other documents or reproductions retained upon
the advice of counsel).  Notwithstanding
any other provision hereof, the term “Confidential Information” does not
include any information that (a) is or becomes publicly available other
than as the result of the breach by the Employee of his confidentiality
obligations under this Section 8, (b) became, is or becomes available
to the Employee on a non-confidential basis from a source, other than the
Company, that to the Employee’s knowledge is not prohibited from disclosing
such information to the Employee by a confidentiality obligation owed to the
Company or (c) was known to the Employee prior to becoming an officer of
the Company.  The provisions of this Section 8
shall expire and be of no further force and effect on the third anniversary of
the date of termination of the Employee’s employment with the Company.

 

Section 9.  Non-Competition.  The Company promises that during the term of
this Agreement and before the Company can exercise any right to terminate the
Employee’s employment without cause, the Company shall provide the Employee
with Confidential Information that the Employee did not possess and had not
received prior to the execution of this Agreement.  In exchange for and ancillary to the Company’s
enforceable promise to provide him with that Confidential Information, the
Employee agrees that he will not disclose or make improper use of any of the
Confidential Information.  In order to
enforce that promise by the Employee, he agrees to the provisions of this Section 9.  Accordingly, during his employment with the
Company pursuant to this Agreement and for a period of two (2) years
thereafter, the Employee will not knowingly and intentionally (i) engage,
directly or indirectly, alone or as a partner, officer, director, employee, or
consultant of any other business organization, in any business activities that
are substantially and directly competitive with the business activities then
conducted by the Company anywhere in the world (the “Designated Industry”), (ii) divert
to any competitor of the Company in the Designated Industry any customer of the
Company or (iii) solicit or encourage any officer, employee, or consultant
of the Company to leave its employ for employment by or with any competitor of
the Company in the Designated Industry. 
The parties hereto acknowledge that the Employee’s non-competition
obligations hereunder will not preclude the Employee from (i) owning less
than 5% of the common stock of any publicly traded corporation or other Persons
conducting business activities in the Designated Industry or (ii) serving
as a director of a corporation or other Person engaged in the manufacturing or
electronics industry whose business operations are not substantially and
directly competitive with those of the Company.

 

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Section 10.  Arbitration.

 

(a) Subject Claims; Initiation of Binding Arbitration. The
Company and the Employee agree that all (i) disputes and claims of any
nature that the employee may have against the Company and any subsidiaries or
affiliates and their officers and employees, including all federal or state
statutory, contractual, and common law claims (including all employment
discrimination claims) arising from, concerning, or relating in any way to our
employment relationship, (ii) all disputes and claims of any nature that
the Company may have against the Employee, or (iii) any dispute among us
about the arbitrability of any claims or controversy will be resolved out of
court.  Any such claims will be submitted
exclusively first to mandatory mediation and, if mediation is unsuccessful, to
mandatory arbitration.

 

(b) Arbitration Procedure. 
Unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Company and the Employee, any
arbitration proceeding will be held in Houston, Texas.  The arbitration will be conducted under the
National Rules for the Resolution of Employment Disputes of the American
Arbitration Association (“AAA Rules”). 
The claim will be submitted to a single experienced, neutral employment
arbitrator selected in accordance with the AAA Rules.  The arbitrator shall have full authority to
award or grant all remedies provided by law. 
The arbitrator shall have full authority to permit adequate
discovery.  At the conclusion of the
arbitration proceeding, the arbitrator shall issue a written, reasoned
award.  The award of the arbitration
shall be final and binding.  A judgment
upon the award may be entered and enforced by any court having
jurisdiction.  Each party shall pay the
fees of their respective attorneys, the expenses of their witnesses, and any
other expenses incurred by such party in connection with the arbitration,
provided, however, that the Company shall pay for the fees of the arbitrator
and the administrative and filing fees charged by the AAA.

 

(c) Confidentiality; Nonjoinder. All information regarding
the dispute or claim or mediation or arbitration proceedings, including the
mediation settlement or arbitration award, will not be disclosed by the
Employee or by the Company or any mediator or arbitrator to any third party
without the written consent of the Employee and the Company.  In no event may an arbitrator allow any party
to join claims of any other employee in a single arbitration proceeding without
consent of the Employee and the Company. 
In the event that the dispute or claim involves a written agreement
between the Employee and the Company (including this Agreement) or a
compensation plan, the arbitrator will have no authority to add to, detract
from, or otherwise modify the agreement or plan provisions other than as
expressly set forth in that agreement or plan. 
Should this arbitration agreement conflict with the arbitration provisions
of any other agreement that the Employee has with the Company, the terms of
this agreement will govern.

 

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(d) Equitable Relief. 
In the event that irreparable injury could occur during the pendency of
a mediation or arbitration proceeding, to restore or maintain the status quo
until the dispute has been resolved by mediation or arbitration a party may
apply to a court of competent jurisdiction to obtain a temporary or preliminary
injunction in aid of mediation and arbitration.

 

(e) Binding Agreement. 
Notwithstanding any policy of the Company permitting it to alter its
policies, procedures, and the terms and conditions of employment, this
agreement to arbitrate is binding and cannot be modified or superseded except
by a written agreement signed by an authorized representative of the Company
and the Employee.

 

Section 11.  General.

 

(a) Notices.  All
notices and other communications hereunder will be in writing, and will be
deemed to have been duly given if delivered personally, or three (3) business
days after being mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, or upon
receipt if sent by written telecommunications, to the relevant address set
forth below, or to such other address as the recipient of such notice or
communication will have specified to the other party hereto in accordance with
this Section 11(a):

 

If to Company, to:

 

Benchmark Electronics, Inc.

3000 Technology Drive

Angleton, Texas 77515

Attn: Corporate Secretary

Fax No.: 979/848-5269

 

If to Employee, to:

 

Steven A. Barton

3000 Technology Drive

Angleton, Texas 77515

 

(b) Withholding; No Offset. 
All payments required to be made by the Company under this Agreement to
the Employee will be subject to the withholding of such amounts, if any, relating
to federal, state and local taxes as may be required by law.  No payment under this Agreement will be
subject to offset or reduction attributable to any amount of obligation the
Employee may owe or be liable for to the Company or any other Person.

 

13

 

(c) Equitable Remedies. 
Each of the parties hereto acknowledges and agrees that upon any breach
by the Employee of his obligations under any of Sections 8 and 9 hereof, the
Company will have no adequate remedy at law, and accordingly will be entitled
to specific performance and other appropriate injunctive and equitable relief.

 

(d) Severability.  If
any provision of this Agreement is held to be illegal, invalid or
unenforceable, such provision will be fully severable and this Agreement will
be construed and enforced as if such illegal, invalid, or unenforceable
provision never comprised a part hereof; and the remaining provisions hereof
will remain in full force and effect and will not be affected by the illegal,
invalid, or unenforceable provision or by its severance herefrom.  Furthermore, in lieu of such illegal,
invalid, or unenforceable provision, there will be added automatically as part
of this Agreement a provision as similar in its terms to such illegal, invalid,
or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be legal, valid, and
enforceable.

 

(e) Waivers.  No
delay or omission by either party hereto in exercising any right, power or
privilege hereunder will impair such right, power or privilege, nor will any
single or partial exercise of any such right, power or privilege preclude any
further exercise of any other right, power or privilege.

 

(f) Counterparts. 
This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, each of which
will be deemed an original, and all of which together will constitute one and
the same instrument

 

(g) Captions.  The
captions in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and will not
limit or otherwise affect any of the terms or provisions hereof.

 

(h) Reference to Agreement. 
Use of the words “herein,” “hereof”, and “hereto” and the like in this
Agreement refer to this Agreement only as a whole and not to any particular
Section, subsection or provision of this Agreement, unless otherwise
noted.  Any reference to a “Section” or “subsection”
shall refer to a Section or subsection of this Agreement, unless
otherwise noted.

 

(i) Successors and Binding Agreement.  The Company shall require any successor
(whether direct or indirect, by purchase, merger, consolidation, reorganization
or otherwise) to all or substantially all of the business or assets of the
Company, by agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Employee,
expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and
to the same extent the Company would be required to perform if no such
succession had taken place.  This
Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of

 

14

 

the Company and any successor to the Company, including without
limitation any Persons acquiring directly or indirectly all or substantially
all of the business or assets of the Company whether by purchase, merger,
consolidation, reorganization, or otherwise ( and such successor shall
thereafter be deemed the “Company” for the purposes of this Agreement), but
shall not otherwise be assignable, transferable, or delegable by the
Company.  Without limiting the foregoing,
the surviving or transferee corporation or other person in any such transaction
(whether by merger, consolidation, reorganization, transfer of business or
assets, or otherwise) shall be subject to the provisions of Section 7
hereof and shall be deemed to be the Company for purposes of such provisions,
regardless of whether such transaction itself constituted a Change of Control
of the Company.

 

(j) Entire Agreement; Amendments and Waivers.  This Agreement contains the entire
understanding of the parties, and supersedes all prior agreements and
understandings between them, relating to the subject matter hereof including
that certain Employment Agreement between the parties dated August 1,
2001.  This Agreement may not be amended
or modified except by a written instrument hereafter signed by each of the
parties hereto, and may not be waived except by a written instrument hereafter
signed by the party granting such waiver. 
The Company has not made any promise or entered into any agreement that
is not expressed in this Agreement, and the Employee is not relying upon any
statement or representation of any agent of the Company.  In executing this Agreement, the Employee is
relying solely on his judgement and has been represented by the legal counsel
of his choice in connection with this Agreement who has read and explained to
the Employee the entire contents of this Agreement, as well as explained the
legal consequences.  No agreements or
representation, oral or otherwise, express or implied, with respect to the
subject matter hereof have been made by either party which are not set forth
expressly in this Agreement.

 

(k) Governing Law.  This
Agreement and the performance hereof shall be governed and construed in all
respects, including but not limited to as to validity, interpretation and
effect, by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to the principles or rules of
conflict of laws thereof.

 

15

 

Executed as of the date and year first above written.

 

	
   

  	
  Benchmark Electronics, Inc.

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  By:

  	
  /s/ Cary T. Fu

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Employee

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  /s/ Steven A. Barton

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Steven A. Barton

  	
  12/01/05

  
					

 

16Exhibit 4.1

    
      

    

    Exhibit
      4.1

     

    

    SECURITIES
      PURCHASE AGREEMENT

    

    This
      Securities Purchase Agreement (this “Agreement”)
      is
      dated as of November __, 2005, among Sequiam Corporation, a California
      corporation (the “Company”),
      and
      each purchaser identified on the signature pages hereto (each, including its
      successors and assigns, a “Purchaser”
and
      collectively the “Purchasers”).

    

    WHEREAS,
      subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and pursuant
      to
      Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities
      Act”)
      and
      Rule 506 promulgated thereunder, the Company desires to issue and sell to each
      Purchaser, and each Purchaser, severally and not jointly, desires to purchase
      from the Company, securities of the Company as more fully described in this
      Agreement.

    

    NOW,
      THEREFORE, IN CONSIDERATION of the mutual covenants contained in this Agreement,
      and for other good and valuable consideration the receipt and adequacy of which
      are hereby acknowledged, the Company and each Purchaser agree as
      follows:

    

    ARTICLE
      I

    

    DEFINITIONS

    

    1.1    Definitions.
      In
      addition to the terms defined elsewhere in this Agreement: (a) capitalized
      terms
      that are not otherwise defined herein have the meanings given to such terms
      in
      the Certificate of Determination (as defined herein), and (b) the following
      terms have the meanings indicated in this Section 1.1:

    

    “Action”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(j).

    

    “Actual
      Minimum”
means,
      as of any date, the maximum aggregate number of shares of Common Stock then
      issued or potentially issuable in the future pursuant to the Transaction
      Documents, including any Underlying Shares issuable upon exercise or conversion
      in full of all Warrants and shares of Preferred Stock, ignoring any conversion
      or exercise limits set forth therein, and assuming that any previously
      unconverted shares of Preferred Stock are held until the third anniversary
      of
      the Closing Date and all dividends are paid in shares of Common Stock until
      such
      third anniversary.

    

    “Affiliate”
means
      any Person that, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries,
      controls or is controlled by or is under common control with a Person, as such
      terms are used in and construed under Rule 144 under the Securities Act. With
      respect to a Purchaser, any investment fund or managed account that is managed
      on a discretionary basis by the same investment manager as such Purchaser will
      be deemed to be an Affiliate of such Purchaser.

    

    “Certificate
      of Determination”
means
      the Certificate of Determination to be filed prior to the Closing by the Company
      with the Secretary of State of California, in the form of Exhibit
      A
      attached
      hereto.

    

    “Closing”
means
      the closing of the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to Section
      2.1.

     

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    “Closing
      Date”
means
      the Trading Day when all of the Transaction Documents have been executed and
      delivered by the applicable parties thereto, and all conditions precedent to
      (i)
      the Purchasers’ obligations to pay the Subscription Amount and (ii) the
      Company’s obligations to deliver the Securities have been satisfied or
      waived.

    

    “Closing
      Price”
means
      on any particular date (a) the last reported closing bid price per share of
      Common Stock on such date on the Trading Market (as reported by Bloomberg L.P.
      at 4:15 PM (New York time), or (b) if there is no such price on such date,
      then
      the closing bid price on the Trading Market on the date nearest preceding such
      date (as reported by Bloomberg L.P. at 4:15 PM (New York time) for the closing
      bid price for regular session trading on such day), or (c) if the Common
      Stock is not then listed or quoted on the Trading Market and if prices for
      the
      Common Stock are then reported in the “pink sheets” published by the Pink
      Sheets, LLC (or a similar organization or agency succeeding to its functions
      of
      reporting prices), the most recent bid price per share of the Common Stock
      so
      reported, or (d) if the shares of Common Stock are not then publicly traded
      the fair market value of a share of Common Stock as determined by a qualified
      independent appraiser selected in good faith by the Purchasers of a majority
      in
      interest of the then outstanding Stated Value of the Preferred
      Stock.

    

    “Commission”
means
      the Securities and Exchange Commission.

    

    “Common
      Stock”
means
      the common stock of the Company, par value $.001 per share, and any other class
      of securities into which such securities may hereafter have been reclassified
      or
      changed into.

    

    “Common
      Stock Equivalents”
means
      any securities of the Company or the Subsidiaries which would entitle the holder
      thereof to acquire at any time Common Stock, including, without limitation,
      any
      debt, preferred stock, rights, options, warrants or other instrument that is
      at
      any time convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or otherwise
      entitles the holder thereof to receive, Common Stock.

    

    “Company
      Counsel”
means
      Greenberg Traurig, P.A.

    

    “Conversion
      Price”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in the Certificate of
      Determination.

    

    “Disclosure
      Schedules”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1.

    

    “Effective
      Date”
means
      the date that the initial Registration Statement filed by the Company pursuant
      to the Registration Rights Agreement is first declared effective by the
      Commission.

    

    “Escrow
      Agent”
means
      Signature Bank, a New York State chartered bank and having an office at, 261
      Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10016.

    

    “Escrow
      Agreement”
shall
      mean the Escrow Agreement, dated November __, 2005, by and among vFinance,
      the
      Company and the Escrow Agent pursuant to which the Purchasers, prior to the
      date
      hereof, deposited Subscription Amounts with the Escrow Agent to be applied
      to
      the transactions contemplated hereunder.

    

    “Evaluation
      Date”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(r). 

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    “Exchange
      Act”
means
      the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations
      promulgated thereunder.

    

    “Exempt
      Issuance”
means
      the issuance of (a) shares of Common Stock or options to employees, officers
      or
      directors of the Company pursuant to any stock or option plan duly adopted
      by a
      majority of the non-employee members of the Board of Directors of the Company
      or
      a majority of the members of a committee of non-employee directors established
      for such purpose; provided,
      however,
      in the
      event that the Board of Directors des not have any non-employee members, such
      plan may be approved by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors
      provided that vFinance, or its delegated agent, is granted notice and observer
      rights of the Board of Directors, (b) securities upon the exercise or exchange
      of or conversion of any Securities issued hereunder and/or securities
      exercisable or exchangeable for or convertible into shares of Common Stock
      issued and outstanding on the date of this Agreement, provided that such
      securities have not been amended since the date of this Agreement to increase
      the number of such securities or to decrease the exercise, exchange or
      conversion price of any such securities, (c) securities issued pursuant to
      acquisitions or strategic transactions approved by a majority of disinterested
      directors, provided any such issuance shall only be to a Person which is, itself
      or through its subsidiaries, an operating company in a business synergistic
      with
      the business of the Company and in which the Company receives benefits in
      addition to the investment of funds, but shall not include a transaction in
      which the Company is issuing securities primarily for the purpose of raising
      capital or to an entity whose primary business is investing in securities and
      (d) for purposes of Sections 4.13 and 4.14 only, up to an amount of preferred
      stock and warrants equal to the difference between $1,575,000 and the aggregate
      Subscription Amounts hereunder and the aggregate subscription amounts raised
      by
      investors introduced to the Company by vFinance under any other securities
      purchase agreements after November 23, 2005, on substantially the same terms
      and
      conditions hereunder, which investors shall execute definitive agreements for
      the purchase of such securities and such transactions shall have closed on
      or
      before December 30, 2005.

    

    “FW”
means
      Feldman Weinstein LLP with offices located at 420 Lexington Avenue, Suite 2620,
      New York, New York 10170-0002.

    

    “GAAP”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).

    

    “Intellectual
      Property Rights”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(o).

    

    “Legend
      Removal Date”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.1(c). 

    

    “Liens”
means
      a
      lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive
      right or other restriction.

     

    “Material
      Adverse Effect”
shall
      have the meaning assigned to such term in Section 3.1(b).

    

    “Material
      Permits”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(m).

    

    “Maximum
      Rate”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 5.17.

    

    “Participation
      Maximum”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.13. 

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    “Person”
means
      an individual or corporation, partnership, trust, incorporated or unincorporated
      association, joint venture, limited liability company, joint stock company,
      government (or an agency or subdivision thereof) or other entity of any
      kind.

    

    “Preferred
      Stock”
means
      the up to 1,575 shares of the Company’s Series A Convertible Preferred Stock
      issued hereunder having the rights, preferences and privileges set forth in
      the
      Certificate of Determination.

    

    “Pre-Notice”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.13. 

    

    “Proceeding”
means
      an action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without
      limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition),
      whether commenced or threatened.

    

    “Purchaser
      Party”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.11.

    

    “Registration
      Rights Agreement”
means
      the Registration Rights Agreement, dated the date hereof, among the Company
      and
      the Purchasers, in the form of Exhibit
      B
      attached
      hereto.

    

    “Registration
      Statement”
means
      a
      registration statement meeting the requirements set forth in the Registration
      Rights Agreement and covering the resale of the Underlying Shares by each
      Purchaser as provided for in the Registration Rights Agreement.

    

    “Required
      Approvals”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(e).

    

    “Rule
      144”
means
      Rule 144 promulgated by the Commission pursuant to the Securities Act, as such
      Rule may be amended from time to time, or any similar rule or regulation
      hereafter adopted by the Commission having substantially the same effect as
      such
      Rule.

    

    “SEC
      Reports”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 3.1(h).

    

    “Securities”
means
      the Preferred Stock, the Warrants, the Warrant Shares and the Underlying
      Shares.

    

    “Securities
      Act”
means
      the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. 

    

    “Short
      Sales”
shall
      include all “short sales” as defined in Rule 200 of Regulation SHO under the
      Exchange Act (but shall not be deemed to include the location and/or reservation
      of borrowable shares of Common Stock).

     

    “Stated
      Value”
means
      $1,000 per share of Preferred Stock.

    

    “Subscription
      Amount”
shall
      mean, as to each Purchaser, the aggregate amount to be paid for the Preferred
      Stock purchased hereunder as specified below such Purchaser’s name on the
      signature page of this Agreement and next to the heading “Subscription Amount”,
      in United States Dollars and in immediately available funds.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    “Subsequent
      Financing”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.13.

    

    “Subsequent
      Financing Notice”
shall
      have the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 4.13.

    

    “Subsidiary”
means
      any subsidiary of the Company as set forth on Schedule
      3.1(a).

    

    “Trading
      Day”
means
      a
      day on which the Common Stock is traded on a Trading Market.

    

    “Trading
      Market”
means
      the following markets or exchanges on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted
      for trading on the date in question: the Nasdaq Capital Market, the American
      Stock Exchange, the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq National Market or
      the
      OTC Bulletin Board.

    

    “Transaction
      Documents”
means
      this Agreement, the Certificate of Determination, the Warrants, the Registration
      Rights Agreement, the Escrow Agreement and any other documents or agreements
      executed in connection with the transactions contemplated
      hereunder.

    

    “Underlying
      Shares”
means
      the shares of Common Stock issued and issuable upon conversion of the Preferred
      Stock, upon exercise of the Warrants and issued and issuable in lieu of the
      cash
      payment of dividends on the Preferred Stock in accordance with the terms of
      the
      Certificate of Determination.

    

    “vFinance”
shall
      mean vFinance Investments, Inc.

    

    “Warrants”
means
      collectively the Common Stock purchase warrants, in the form of Exhibit C
      delivered to the Purchasers at the Closing in accordance with Section 2.2(a)
      hereof, which Warrants shall be exercisable immediately and have a term of
      exercise equal to 5 years.

    

    “Warrant
      Shares”
means
      the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants.

    

    ARTICLE
      II

    

    PURCHASE
      AND SALE

    

    2.1    Closing.
      On the
      Closing Date, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein,
      concurrent with the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the parties
      hereto, the Company agrees to sell, and each Purchaser agrees to purchase in
      the
      aggregate, severally and not jointly, up to $1,575,000 of shares of Preferred
      Stock with an aggregated Stated Value equal to such Purchaser’s Subscription
      Amount and Warrants as determined pursuant to Section 2.2(a) (such amounts
      shall
      be aggregated with any other subscription amounts paid by other investors
      introduced to the Company by vFinance and made pursuant to transaction documents
      entered into on the same terms and conditions as provided for hereunder between
      November 23, 2005 and December 30, 2005). The aggregate number of shares of
      Preferred Stock sold hereunder (and aggregated with any securities sold as
      described in the parenthetical to the immediately preceding sentence) shall
      be
      up to 1,575. Each Purchaser shall deliver to the Company via wire transfer
      or a
      certified check of immediately available funds equal to their Subscription
      Amount and the Company shall deliver to each Purchaser their respective shares
      of Preferred Stock and Warrants as determined pursuant to Section 2.2(a) and
      the
      other items set forth in Section 2.2 issuable at the Closing. Upon satisfaction
      of the conditions set forth in Sections 2.2 and 2.3, the Closing shall occur
      at
      the offices of FW, or such other location as the parties shall mutually agree
      and the Company and vFinance shall deliver to the Escrow Agent the Form of
      Escrow Release Notice (attached to the Escrow Agreement), duly
      executed.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    
      	 	
              2.2

            	
              Deliveries.

            

    

    

    (a) On
      the
      Closing Date, the Company shall deliver or cause to be delivered to each
      Purchaser the following:

    

    
      	 	
              (i)

            	
              this
                Agreement duly executed by the
                Company;

            

    

    

    (ii) a
      legal
      opinion of Company Counsel, in the form of Exhibit
      D
      attached
      hereto;

    

    (iii) a
      certificate evidencing a number of shares of Preferred Stock equal to such
      Purchaser’s Subscription Amount divided by the Stated Value, registered in the
      name of such Purchaser;

    

    (iv) a
      Warrant
      registered in the name of such Purchaser to purchase up to a number of shares
      of
      Common Stock equal to 100% of such Purchaser’s Subscription Amount divided by
      $0.21, with an exercise price equal to $___1 ,
      subject
      to adjustment therein; and

    

    (v) the
      Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by the Company.

    

    (b) On
      or
      prior to the Closing Date, each Purchaser shall deliver or cause to be delivered
      to the Company (except as noted) the following:

    

    
      	 	
              (i)

            	
              this
                Agreement duly executed by such
                Purchaser;

            

    

    

    (ii) such
      Purchaser’s Subscription Amount (which amount shall not be less than $140,000)
      by wire transfer to the Escrow Agent; and

    

    (iii) the
      Registration Rights Agreement duly executed by such Purchaser.

    

    
      	 	
              2.3

            	
              Closing
                Conditions.

            

    

    

    (a) The
      obligations of the Company hereunder in connection with the Closing are subject
      to the following conditions being met:

     

    (i) the
      accuracy in all material respects when made and on the Closing Date of the
      representations and warranties of the Purchasers contained herein;

    
       

      _________________________
1  110%
        of
        the Closing Price on the Trading Day immediately prior to the date
        hereof.

       

    

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    (ii) all
      obligations, covenants and agreements of the Purchasers required to be performed
      at or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed; and

    

    (iii) the
      delivery by the Purchasers of the items set forth in Section 2.2(b) of this
      Agreement.

    

    (b) The
      respective obligations of the Purchasers hereunder in connection with the
      Closing are subject to the following conditions being met:

    

    (i)  the
      accuracy in all material respects on the Closing Date of the representations
      and
      warranties of the Company contained herein;

    

    (ii)    
      all
      obligations, covenants and agreements of the Company required to be performed
      at
      or prior to the Closing Date shall have been performed;

    

    (iii)   
      the
      delivery by the Company of the items set forth in Section 2.2(a) of this
      Agreement;

    

    (iv)   
      there
      shall have been no Material Adverse Effect with respect to the Company since
      the
      date hereof; and

    

    (v)    
      from
      the
      date hereof to the Closing Date, trading in the Common Stock shall not have
      been
      suspended by the Company’s principal Trading Market or the Commission (except
      for any suspension of trading of limited duration agreed to by the Company,
      which suspension shall be terminated prior to the Closing), and, at any time
      prior to the Closing Date, trading in securities generally as reported by
      Bloomberg Financial Markets shall not have been suspended or limited, or minimum
      prices shall not have been established on securities whose trades are reported
      by such service, or on any Trading Market, nor shall a banking moratorium have
      been declared either by the United States or New York State authorities nor
      shall there have occurred any material outbreak or escalation of hostilities
      or
      other national or international calamity of such magnitude in its effect on,
      or
      any material adverse change in, any financial market which, in each case, in
      the
      reasonable judgment of each Purchaser, makes it impracticable or inadvisable
      to
      purchase the Preferred Stock at the Closing.

    

    ARTICLE
      III

    

    REPRESENTATIONS
      AND WARRANTIES

    

    3.1   Representations
      and Warranties of the Company.
      Except
      as set forth under the corresponding section of the disclosure schedules
      delivered to the Purchasers concurrently herewith (the “Disclosure
      Schedules”)
      which
      Disclosure Schedules shall be deemed a part hereof, the Company hereby makes
      the
      representations and warranties set forth below to each Purchaser.

    

    (a) Subsidiaries.
      All of
      the direct and indirect subsidiaries of the Company are set forth on
Schedule
      3.1(a).
      The
      Company owns, directly or indirectly, all of the capital stock or other equity
      interests of each Subsidiary free and clear of any Liens, and all the issued
      and
      outstanding shares of capital stock of each Subsidiary are validly issued and
      are fully paid, non-assessable and free of preemptive and similar rights to
      subscribe for or purchase securities. If the Company has no subsidiaries, then
      references in the Transaction Documents to the Subsidiaries will be
      disregarded.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    (b) Organization
      and Qualification.
      The
      Company and each of the Subsidiaries is an entity duly incorporated or otherwise
      organized, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the
      jurisdiction of its incorporation or organization (as applicable), with the
      requisite power and authority to own and use its properties and assets and
      to
      carry on its business as currently conducted. Neither the Company nor any
      Subsidiary is in violation or default of any of the provisions of its respective
      certificate or articles of incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or
      charter documents. Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is duly qualified
      to
      conduct business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation or other
      entity in each jurisdiction in which the nature of the business conducted or
      property owned by it makes such qualification necessary, except where the
      failure to be so qualified or in good standing, as the case may be, could not
      have or reasonably be expected to result in (i) a material adverse effect on
      the
      legality, validity or enforceability of any Transaction Document, (ii) a
      material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business,
      prospects or condition (financial or otherwise) of the Company and the
      Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or (iii) a material adverse effect on the
      Company’s ability to perform in any material respect on a timely basis its
      obligations under any Transaction Document (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a
“Material
      Adverse Effect”)
      and no
      Proceeding has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting
      or
      curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority
      or
      qualification.

    

    (c) Authorization;
      Enforcement.
      The
      Company has the requisite corporate power and authority to enter into and to
      consummate the transactions contemplated by each of the Transaction Documents
      and otherwise to carry out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The
      execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents by the Company
      and
      the consummation by it of the transactions contemplated thereby have been duly
      authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Company and no further
      action is required by the Company, its board of directors or its stockholders
      in
      connection therewith other than in connection with the Required Approvals.
      Each
      Transaction Document has been (or upon delivery will have been) duly executed
      by
      the Company and, when delivered in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof,
      will constitute the valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable
      against the Company in accordance with its terms except (i) as limited by
      applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws
      of
      general application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally and
      (ii) as limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance,
      injunctive relief or other equitable remedies.

    

    (d) No
      Conflicts.
      The
      execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents by the Company
      and the consummation by the Company of the other transactions contemplated
      hereby and thereby do not and will not: (i) conflict with or violate any
      provision of the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s certificate or articles of
      incorporation, bylaws or other organizational or charter documents, or (ii)
      conflict with, or constitute a default (or an event that with notice or lapse
      of
      time or both would become a default) under, result in the creation of any Lien
      upon any of the properties or assets of the Company or any Subsidiary, or give
      to others any rights of termination, amendment, acceleration or cancellation
      (with or without notice, lapse of time or both) of, any material agreement,
      credit facility, debt or other instrument (evidencing a Company or Subsidiary
      debt or otherwise) or other understanding to which the Company or any Subsidiary
      is a party or by which any property or asset of the Company or any Subsidiary
      is
      bound or affected, or (iii) subject to the Required Approvals, conflict with
      or
      result in a violation of any material law, rule, regulation, order, judgment,
      injunction, decree or other restriction of any court or governmental authority
      to which the Company or a Subsidiary is subject (including federal and state
      securities laws and regulations), or by which any property or asset of the
      Company or a Subsidiary is bound or affected; except in the case of each of
      clauses (ii) and (iii), such as could not have or reasonably be expected to
      result in a Material Adverse Effect.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    (e) Filings,
      Consents and Approvals.
      The
      Company is not required to obtain any consent, waiver, authorization or order
      of, give any notice to, or make any filing or registration with, any court
      or
      other federal, state, local or other governmental authority or other Person
      in
      connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the
      Transaction Documents, other than (i) filings required pursuant to Section
      4.6,
      (ii) the filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement, (iii) the
      notice and/or application(s) to each applicable Trading Market for the issuance
      and sale of the Preferred Stock and Warrants and the listing of the Underlying
      Shares for trading thereon in the time and manner required thereby and (iv)
      the
      filing of Form D with the Commission and such filings as are required to be
      made
      under applicable state securities laws (collectively, the “Required
      Approvals”).

    

    (f) Issuance
      of the Securities.
      The
      Securities are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance
      with
      the applicable Transaction Documents, will be duly and validly issued, fully
      paid and nonassessable, free and clear of all Liens imposed by the Company
      other
      than restrictions on transfer provided for in the Transaction Documents. The
      Underlying Shares, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Transaction
      Documents, will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, free and clear
      of all Liens imposed by the Company. The Company has reserved from its duly
      authorized capital stock a number of shares of Common Stock for issuance of
      the
      Underlying Shares at least equal to the Actual Minimum on the date hereof.
      

    

    (g) Capitalization.
      The
      capitalization of the Company is as set forth on Schedule
      3.1(g).
      The
      Company has not issued any capital stock since its most
      recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act,
      other
      than pursuant to the exercise of employee stock options under the Company’s
      stock option plans, the issuance of shares of Common Stock to employees pursuant
      to the Company’s employee stock purchase plan and pursuant to the conversion or
      exercise of outstanding Common Stock Equivalents. No Person has any right of
      first refusal, preemptive right, right of participation, or any similar right
      to
      participate in the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
      Except as a result of the purchase and sale of the Securities, there are no
      outstanding options, warrants, script rights to subscribe to, calls or
      commitments of any character whatsoever relating to, or securities, rights
      or
      obligations convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for, or giving
      any
      Person any right to subscribe for or acquire, any shares of Common Stock, or
      contracts, commitments, understandings or arrangements by which the Company
      or
      any Subsidiary is or may become bound to issue additional shares of Common
      Stock
      or Common Stock Equivalents. The issuance and sale of the Securities will not
      obligate the Company to issue shares of Common Stock or other securities to
      any
      Person (other than the Purchasers) and will not result in a right of any holder
      of Company securities to adjust the exercise, conversion, exchange or reset
      price under such securities. All of the outstanding shares of capital stock
      of
      the Company are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable, have been issued
      in compliance with all federal and state securities laws, and none of such
      outstanding shares was issued in violation of any preemptive rights or similar
      rights to subscribe for or purchase securities. No further approval or
      authorization of any stockholder, the Board of Directors of the Company or
      others is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities. There are no
      stockholders agreements, voting agreements or other similar agreements with
      respect to the Company’s capital stock to which the Company is a party or, to
      the knowledge of the Company, between or among any of the Company’s
      stockholders.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    (h) SEC
      Reports; Financial Statements.
      The
      Company has filed all reports, schedules, forms, statements and other documents
      required to be filed by it under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act,
      including pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) thereof, for the two years
      preceding the date hereof (or such shorter period as the Company was required
      by
      law to file such material) (the foregoing materials, including the exhibits
      thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein, being collectively
      referred to herein as the “SEC
      Reports”)
      on a
      timely basis or has received a valid extension of such time of filing and has
      filed any such SEC Reports prior to the expiration of any such extension. As
      of
      their respective dates, the SEC Reports complied in all material respects with
      the requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the rules and
      regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, and none of the SEC
      Reports, when filed, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or
      omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary
      in
      order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under
      which they were made, not misleading. The financial statements of the Company
      included in the SEC Reports comply in all material respects with applicable
      accounting requirements and the rules and regulations of the Commission with
      respect thereto as in effect at the time of filing. Such financial statements
      have been prepared in accordance with United States generally accepted
      accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved
      (“GAAP”),
      except as may be otherwise specified in such financial statements or the notes
      thereto and except that unaudited financial statements may not contain all
      footnotes required by GAAP, and fairly present in all material respects the
      financial position of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as of and
      for the dates thereof and the results of operations and cash flows for the
      periods then ended, subject, in the case of unaudited statements, to normal,
      immaterial, year-end audit adjustments. 

    

    (i) Material
      Changes; Undisclosed Events, Liabilities or Developments.
      Since
      the date of the latest audited financial statements included within the SEC
      Reports, except as specifically disclosed in the SEC Reports, (i) there has
      been
      no event, occurrence or development that has had or that could reasonably be
      expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, (ii) the Company has not
      incurred any liabilities (contingent or otherwise) other than (A) trade payables
      and accrued expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business consistent
      with
      past practice and (B) liabilities not required to be reflected in the Company’s
      financial statements pursuant to GAAP or required to be disclosed in filings
      made with the Commission, (iii) the Company has not altered its method of
      accounting, (iv) the Company has not declared or made any dividend or
      distribution of cash or other property to its stockholders or purchased,
      redeemed or made any agreements to purchase or redeem any shares of its capital
      stock and (v) the Company has not issued any equity securities to any officer,
      director or Affiliate, except pursuant to existing Company stock option plans.
      The Company does not have pending before the Commission any request for
      confidential treatment of information. Except for the issuance of the Securities
      contemplated by this Agreement or as set forth on Schedule
      3.1(i),
      no
      event, liability or development has occurred or exists with respect to the
      Company or its Subsidiaries or their respective business, properties, operations
      or financial condition, that would be required to be disclosed by the Company
      under applicable securities laws at the time this representation is made that
      has not been publicly disclosed 1 Trading Day prior to the date that this
      representation is made. 

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    (j) Litigation.
      There
      is no action, suit, inquiry, notice of violation, proceeding or investigation
      pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting
      the
      Company, any Subsidiary or any of their respective properties before or by
      any
      court, arbitrator, governmental or administrative agency or regulatory authority
      (federal, state, county, local or foreign) (collectively, an “Action”)
      which
      (i) adversely affects or challenges the legality, validity or enforceability
      of
      any of the Transaction Documents or the Securities or (ii) could, if there
      were
      an unfavorable decision, have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material
      Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary, nor any director or
      officer thereof, is or has been the subject of any Action involving a claim
      of
      violation of or liability under federal or state securities laws or a claim
      of
      breach of fiduciary duty. There has not been, and to the knowledge of the
      Company, there is not pending or contemplated, any investigation by the
      Commission involving the Company or any current or former director or officer
      of
      the Company. The Commission has not issued any stop order or other order
      suspending the effectiveness of any registration statement filed by the Company
      or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act. None of the
      Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ employees is a member of a union that relates to
      such employee’s relationship with the Company, and neither the Company or any of
      its Subsidiaries is a party to a collective bargaining agreement, and the
      Company and its Subsidiaries believe that their relationships with their
      employees are good. No executive officer, to the knowledge of the Company,
      is,
      or is now expected to be, in violation of any material term of any employment
      contract, confidentiality, disclosure or proprietary information agreement
      or
      non-competition agreement, or any other contract or agreement or any restrictive
      covenant, and the continued employment of each such executive officer does
      not
      subject the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to any liability with respect
      to
      any of the foregoing matters. The Company and its Subsidiaries are in compliance
      with all U.S. federal, state, local and foreign laws and regulations relating
      to
      employment and employment practices, terms and conditions of employment and
      wages and hours, except where the failure to be in compliance could not,
      individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material
      Adverse Effect.

    

    (k) Labor
      Relations.
      No
      material labor dispute exists or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent
      with respect to any of the employees of the Company which could reasonably
      be
      expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

    

    (l) Compliance.
      Neither
      the Company nor any Subsidiary (i) is in default under or in violation of (and
      no event has occurred that has not been waived that, with notice or lapse of
      time or both, would result in a default by the Company or any Subsidiary under),
      nor has the Company or any Subsidiary received notice of a claim that it is
      in
      default under or that it is in violation of, any indenture, loan or credit
      agreement or any other material agreement or instrument to which it is a party
      or by which it or any of its properties is bound (whether or not such default
      or
      violation has been waived), (ii) is in violation of any order of any court,
      arbitrator or governmental body, or (iii) is or has been in violation of any
      material statute, rule or regulation of any governmental authority, including
      without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws applicable to
      its
      business except in each case as could not have a Material Adverse Effect.

    

    (m) Regulatory
      Permits.
      The
      Company and the Subsidiaries possess all material certificates, authorizations
      and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state, local or foreign
      regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as
      described in the SEC Reports, except where the failure to possess such permits
      could not have or reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect
      (“Material
      Permits”),
      and
      neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received any notice of proceedings
      relating to the revocation or modification of any Material
      Permit.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    (n) Title
      to Assets.
      The
      Company and the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to
      all
      real property owned by them that is material to the business of the Company
      and
      the Subsidiaries and good and marketable title in all personal property owned
      by
      them that is material to the business of the Company and the Subsidiaries,
      in
      each case free and clear of all Liens, except for Liens as do not materially
      affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the
      use
      made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and the
      Subsidiaries and Liens for the payment of federal, state or other taxes, the
      payment of which is neither delinquent nor subject to penalties. Any real
      property and facilities held under lease by the Company and the Subsidiaries
      are
      held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases of which the Company
      and the Subsidiaries are in compliance.

    

    (o) Patents
      and Trademarks.
      The
      Company and the Subsidiaries have, or have rights to use, all patents, patent
      applications, trademarks, trademark applications, service marks, trade names,
      trade secrets, inventions, copyrights, licenses and other similar intellectual
      property rights necessary or material for use in connection with their
      respective businesses as described in the SEC Reports and which the failure
      to
      so have could have a Material Adverse Effect (collectively, the “Intellectual
      Property Rights”).
      Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has received a notice (written or
      otherwise) that the Intellectual Property Rights used by the Company or any
      Subsidiary violates or infringes upon the rights of any Person. To the knowledge
      of the Company, all such Intellectual Property Rights are enforceable and there
      is no existing infringement by another Person of any of the Intellectual
      Property Rights of others. The Company and its Subsidiaries have taken
      reasonable security measures to protect the secrecy, confidentiality and value
      of all of their intellectual properties, except where failure to do so could
      not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material
      Adverse Effect.

    

    (p) Insurance.
      The
      Company and the Subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial
      responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent
      and customary in the businesses in which the Company and the Subsidiaries are
      engaged, including, but not limited to, directors and officers insurance
      coverage at least equal to the aggregate Subscription Amount. To the best
      knowledge of the Company, such insurance contracts and policies are accurate
      and
      complete. Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has any reason to believe
      that
      it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such
      coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may
      be
      necessary to continue its business without a significant increase in
      cost.

    

    (q) Transactions
      With Affiliates and Employees.
      Except
      as set forth in the SEC Reports, none of the officers or directors of the
      Company and, to the knowledge of the Company, none of the employees of the
      Company is presently a party to any transaction with the Company or any
      Subsidiary (other than for services as employees, officers and directors),
      including any contract, agreement or other arrangement providing for the
      furnishing of services to or by, providing for rental of real or personal
      property to or from, or otherwise requiring payments to or from any officer,
      director or such employee or, to the knowledge of the Company, any entity in
      which any officer, director, or any such employee has a substantial interest
      or
      is an officer, director, trustee or partner, in each case in excess of $60,000
      other than (i) for payment of salary or consulting fees for services rendered,
      (ii) reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the Company and (iii)
      for
      other employee benefits, including stock option agreements under any stock
      option plan of the Company.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    (r)
       Sarbanes-Oxley;
      Internal Accounting Controls.
      The
      Company is in material compliance with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley
      Act
      of 2002 which are applicable to it as of the Closing Date. The
      Company and the Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls
      sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed
      in
      accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations, (ii)
      transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial
      statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability, (iii)
      access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or
      specific authorization, and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is
      compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action
      is taken with respect to any differences. The Company has established disclosure
      controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and
      15d-15(e)) for the Company and designed such disclosure controls and procedures
      to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its
      Subsidiaries, is made known to the certifying officers by others within those
      entities, particularly during the period in which the Company’s most recently
      filed periodic report under the Exchange Act, as the case may be, is being
      prepared. The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of
      the Company’s controls and procedures as of the date prior to the filing date of
      the most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange Act (such date,
      the
“Evaluation
      Date”).
      The
      Company presented in its most recently filed periodic report under the Exchange
      Act the conclusions of the certifying officers about the effectiveness of the
      disclosure controls and procedures based on their evaluations as of the
      Evaluation Date. Since the Evaluation Date, there have been no significant
      changes in the Company’s internal controls (as such term is defined in Item
      307(b) of Regulation S-B under the Exchange Act) or, to the knowledge of the
      Company, in other factors that could significantly affect the Company’s internal
      controls.

    

    (s)
       Certain
      Fees.
      No
      brokerage or finder’s fees or commissions are or will be payable by the Company
      to any broker, financial advisor or consultant, finder, placement agent,
      investment banker, bank or other Person with respect to the transactions
      contemplated by the Transaction Documents. The Purchasers shall have no
      obligation with respect to any fees or with respect to any claims made by or
      on
      behalf of other Persons for fees of a type contemplated in this Section that
      may
      be due in connection with the transactions contemplated by the Transaction
      Documents.

    

    (t)
       Private
      Placement.
      Assuming the accuracy of the Purchasers representations and warranties set
      forth
      in Section 3.2, no registration under the Securities Act is required for the
      offer and sale of the Securities by the Company to the Purchasers as
      contemplated hereby. The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does
      not
      contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market.

    

    (u)
       Investment
      Company.
      The
      Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately after receipt of
      payment for the Securities, will not be or be an Affiliate of, an “investment
      company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.
      The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that it will not become
      subject to the Investment Company Act.

    

    (v)
       Registration
      Rights.
      Other
      than each of the Purchasers, no Person has any right to cause the Company to
      effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the
      Company.

    

    (w) 
      Listing
      and Maintenance Requirements.
      The
      Company’s Common Stock is registered pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange
      Act, and the Company has taken no action designed to, or which to its knowledge
      is likely to have the effect of, terminating the registration of the Common
      Stock under the Exchange Act nor has the Company received any notification
      that
      the Commission is contemplating terminating such registration. The Company
      has
      not, in the 12 months preceding the date hereof, received notice from any
      Trading Market on which the Common Stock is or has been listed or quoted to
      the
      effect that the Company is not in compliance with the listing or maintenance
      requirements of such Trading Market. The Company is, and has no reason to
      believe that it will not in the foreseeable future continue to be, in compliance
      with all such listing and maintenance requirements. 

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    (x) 
      Application
      of Takeover Protections.
      The
      Company and its Board of Directors have taken all necessary action, if any,
      in
      order to render inapplicable any control share acquisition, business
      combination, poison pill (including any distribution under a rights agreement)
      or other similar anti-takeover provision under the Company’s Certificate of
      Incorporation (or similar charter documents) or the laws of its state of
      incorporation that is or could become applicable to the Purchasers as a result
      of the Purchasers and the Company fulfilling their obligations or exercising
      their rights under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation
      as a
      result of the Company’s issuance of the Securities and the Purchasers’ ownership
      of the Securities.

    

    (y) 
      Disclosure.
      The
      Company confirms that neither it nor any other Person acting on its behalf
      has
      provided any of the Purchasers or their agents or counsel with any information
      that constitutes or might constitute material, nonpublic information. The
      Company understands and confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing
      representations and covenants in effecting transactions in securities of the
      Company. All disclosure provided to the Purchasers regarding the Company, its
      business and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Disclosure
      Schedules to this Agreement, furnished by or on behalf of the Company with
      respect to the representations and warranties made herein are true and correct
      with respect to such representations and warranties and do not contain any
      untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary
      in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances
      under which they were made, not misleading. The Company acknowledges and agrees
      that no Purchaser makes or has made any representations or warranties with
      respect to the transactions contemplated hereby other than those specifically
      set forth in Section 3.2 hereof.

    

    (z) 
      No
      Integrated Offering.
      Assuming
      the accuracy of the Purchasers’ representations and warranties set forth in
      Section 3.2, neither the Company, nor any of its affiliates, nor any Person
      acting on its or their behalf has, directly or indirectly, made any offers
      or
      sales of any security or solicited any offers to buy any security, under
      circumstances that would cause this offering of the Securities to be integrated
      with prior offerings by the Company for purposes of the Securities Act or any
      applicable shareholder approval provisions, including, without limitation,
      under
      the rules and regulations of any Trading Market on which any of the securities
      of the Company are listed or designated. 

    

    (aa) 
      Solvency.
      Based
      on the financial condition of the Company as of the Closing Date after giving
      effect to the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the
      Securities hereunder, the Company does not intend to incur debts beyond its
      ability to pay such debts as they mature (taking into account the timing and
      amounts of cash to be payable on or in respect of its debt). The Company has
      no
      knowledge of any facts or circumstances which lead it to believe that it will
      file for reorganization or liquidation under the bankruptcy or reorganization
      laws of any jurisdiction within one year from the Closing Date. The SEC Reports
      set forth as of the dates thereof all outstanding secured and unsecured
      Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, or for which the Company or
      any
      Subsidiary has commitments. For the purposes of this Agreement, “Indebtedness”
shall
      mean (a) any liabilities for borrowed money or amounts owed in excess of $10,000
      (other than trade accounts payable incurred in the ordinary course of business),
      (b) all guaranties, endorsements and other contingent obligations in respect
      of
      Indebtedness of others, whether or not the same are or should be reflected
      in
      the Company’s balance sheet (or the notes thereto), except guaranties by
      endorsement of negotiable instruments for deposit or collection or similar
      transactions in the ordinary course of business; and (c) the present value
      of
      any lease payments
      in excess of $50,000 due under leases required to be capitalized in accordance
      with GAAP. Neither
      the Company nor any Subsidiary is in default with respect to any
      Indebtedness.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    (bb) 
      Form
      SB-2 Eligibility.
      The
      Company is eligible to register the resale of the Underlying Shares for resale
      by the Purchaser on Form SB-2 promulgated under the Securities Act.

    

    (cc) 
      Tax
      Status.
      Except
      for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or reasonably
      be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each
      Subsidiary has filed all necessary federal, state and foreign income and
      franchise tax returns and has paid or accrued all taxes shown as due thereon,
      and the Company has no knowledge of a tax deficiency which has been asserted
      or
      threatened against the Company or any Subsidiary.

    

    (dd) 
      No
      General Solicitation.
      Neither
      the Company nor any person acting on behalf of the Company has offered or sold
      any of the Securities by any form of general solicitation or general
      advertising. The Company has offered the Securities for sale only to the
      Purchasers and certain other “accredited investors” within the meaning of Rule
      501 under the Securities Act.

    

    (ee) 
      Foreign
      Corrupt Practices.
      Neither
      the Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company, any agent or other person
      acting on behalf of the Company, has (i) directly or indirectly, used any funds
      for unlawful contributions, gifts, entertainment or other unlawful expenses
      related to foreign or domestic political activity, (ii) made any unlawful
      payment to foreign or domestic government officials or employees or to any
      foreign or domestic political parties or campaigns from corporate funds, (iii)
      failed to disclose fully any contribution made by the Company (or made by any
      person acting on its behalf of which the Company is aware) which is in violation
      of law, or (iv) violated in any material respect any provision of the Foreign
      Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended.

    

    (ff) 
      Accountants.
      The
      Company’s accountants are set forth on Schedule
      3.1(ff)
      of the
      Disclosure Schedule. To the knowledge of the Company, such accountants, who
      the
      Company expects will express their opinion with respect to the financial
      statements to be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for the
      year ending December 31, 2004 are a registered public accounting firm as
      required by the Securities Act.

    

    (gg) 
      Seniority.
      As of
      the Closing Date, no indebtedness or other equity of the Company is senior
      to
      the Preferred Stock in right of payment, whether with respect to interest or
      upon liquidation or dissolution, or otherwise, other than indebtedness secured
      by purchase money security interests (which is senior only as to underlying
      assets covered thereby) and capital lease obligations (which is senior only
      as
      to the property covered thereby).

    

    (hh) 
      No
      Disagreements with Accountants and Lawyers.
      There
      are no disagreements of any kind presently existing, or reasonably anticipated
      by the Company to arise, between the accountants and lawyers formerly or
      presently employed by the Company and the Company is current with respect to
      any
      fees owed to its accountants and lawyers.

    

    (ii) 
      Acknowledgment
      Regarding Purchasers’ Purchase of Securities.
      The
      Company acknowledges and agrees that each of the Purchasers is acting solely
      in
      the capacity of an arm’s length purchaser with respect to the Transaction
      Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby. The Company further
      acknowledges that no Purchaser is acting as a financial advisor or fiduciary
      of
      the Company (or in any similar capacity) with respect to this Agreement and
      the
      transactions contemplated hereby and any advice given by any Purchaser or any
      of
      their respective representatives or agents in connection with this Agreement
      and
      the transactions contemplated hereby is merely incidental to the Purchasers’
purchase of the Securities. The Company further represents to each Purchaser
      that the Company’s decision to enter into this Agreement has been based solely
      on the independent evaluation of the transactions contemplated hereby by the
      Company and its representatives.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    (jj) 
      Acknowledgement
      Regarding Purchasers’ Trading Activity.
      Anything in this Agreement or elsewhere herein to the contrary notwithstanding
      (except for Section 4.16 hereof), it is understood and agreed by the Company
      (i)
      that none of the Purchasers have been asked to agree, nor has any Purchaser
      agreed, to desist from purchasing or selling, long and/or short, securities
      of
      the Company, or “derivative” securities based on securities issued by the
      Company or to hold the Securities for any specified term; (ii) that past or
      future open market or other transactions by any Purchaser, including Short
      Sales, and specifically including, without limitation, Short Sales or
“derivative” transactions, before or after the closing of this or future private
      placement transactions, may negatively impact the market price of the Company’s
      publicly-traded securities; (iii) that any Purchaser, and counter parties in
      “derivative” transactions to which any such Purchaser is a party, directly or
      indirectly, presently may have a “short” position in the Common Stock, and (iv)
      that each Purchaser shall not be deemed to have any affiliation with or control
      over any arm’s length counter-party in any “derivative” transaction.
The
      Company further understands and acknowledges that (a) one or more Purchasers
      may
      engage in hedging activities at various times during the period that the
      Securities are outstanding, including, without limitation, during the periods
      that the value of the Underlying Shares deliverable with respect to Securities
      are being determined and (b) such hedging activities (if any) could reduce
      the
      value of the existing stockholders' equity interests in the Company at and
      after
      the time that the hedging activities are being conducted.  The Company
      acknowledges that such aforementioned hedging activities do not constitute
      a
      breach of any of the Transaction Documents.

    

    (kk) 
      Manipulation
      of Price. 
      The Company has not, and to its knowledge no one acting on its behalf has,
      (i)
      taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to cause or to result in
      the
      stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to
      facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sold, bid for,
      purchased, or, paid any compensation for soliciting purchases of, any of the
      Securities (other than for the placement agent’s placement of the Securities),
      or (iii) paid or agreed to pay to any person any compensation for soliciting
      another to purchase any other securities of the Company.

    

    3.2   Representations
      and Warranties of the Purchasers.
      Each
      Purchaser hereby, for itself and for no other Purchaser, represents and warrants
      as of the date hereof and as of the Closing Date to the Company as
      follows:

    

    (a) 
      Organization;
      Authority.
      Such
      Purchaser is an entity duly organized, validly existing and in good standing
      under the laws of the jurisdiction of its organization with full right,
      corporate or partnership power and authority to enter into and to consummate
      the
      transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents and otherwise to carry
      out its obligations hereunder and thereunder. The execution, delivery and
      performance by such Purchaser of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement
      have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate or similar action on the
      part of such Purchaser. Each Transaction Document to which it is a party has
      been duly executed by such Purchaser, and when delivered by such Purchaser
      in
      accordance with the terms hereof, will constitute the valid and legally binding
      obligation of such Purchaser, enforceable against it in accordance with its
      terms, except (i) as limited by general equitable principles and applicable
      bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general
      application affecting enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (ii) as
      limited by laws relating to the availability of specific performance, injunctive
      relief or other equitable remedies and (iii) insofar as indemnification and
      contribution provisions may be limited by applicable law.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    (b) 
      Own
      Account.
      Such
      Purchaser understands that the Securities are “restricted securities” and have
      not been registered under the Securities Act or any applicable state securities
      law and is acquiring the Securities as principal for its own account and not
      with a view to or for distributing or reselling such Securities or any part
      thereof in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities
      law, has no present intention of distributing any of such Securities in
      violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state securities law and
      has
      no arrangement or understanding with any other persons regarding the
      distribution of such Securities (this representation and warranty not limiting
      such Purchaser’s right to sell the Securities pursuant to the Registration
      Statement or otherwise in compliance with applicable federal and state
      securities laws) in violation of the Securities Act or any applicable state
      securities law. Such Purchaser is acquiring the Securities hereunder in the
      ordinary course of its business. Such Purchaser does not have any agreement
      or
      understanding, directly or indirectly, with any Person to distribute any of
      the
      Securities.

    

    (c) 
      Purchaser
      Status.
      At the
      time such Purchaser was offered the Securities, it was, and at the date hereof
      it is, and on each date on which it converts any shares of Preferred Stock
      or
      exercises any Warrants, it will be either: (i) an “accredited investor” as
      defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (a)(2), (a)(3), (a)(7) or (a)(8) under the Securities
      Act or (ii) a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A(a) under
      the Securities Act. Such Purchaser is not required to be registered as a
      broker-dealer under Section 15 of the Exchange Act.

    

    (d) 
      Experience
      of Such Purchaser.
      Such
      Purchaser, either alone or together with its representatives, has such
      knowledge, sophistication and experience in business and financial matters
      so as
      to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the prospective investment
      in the Securities, and has so evaluated the merits and risks of such investment.
      Such Purchaser is able to bear the economic risk of an investment in the
      Securities and, at the present time, is able to afford a complete loss of such
      investment.

    

    (e) 
      General
      Solicitation.
      Such
      Purchaser is not purchasing the Securities as a result of any advertisement,
      article, notice or other communication regarding the Securities published in
      any
      newspaper, magazine or similar media or broadcast over television or radio
      or
      presented at any seminar or any other general solicitation or general
      advertisement.

     

    (f) 
      Short
      Sales and Confidentiality Prior To The Date Hereof.
      Other
      than the transaction contemplated hereunder, such Purchaser has not directly
      or
      indirectly, nor has any Person acting on behalf of or pursuant to any
      understanding with such Purchaser, executed any disposition, including Short
      Sales, in the securities of the Company during the period commencing
      from
      the time
      that such Purchaser first received a term sheet from the Company or any other
      Person setting forth the material terms of the transactions contemplated
      hereunder until the date hereof (“Discussion
      Time”).
      Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a
      multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage
      separate portions of such Purchaser's assets and the portfolio managers have
      no
      direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers
      managing other portions of such Purchaser's assets, the representation set
      forth
      above shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the
      portfolio manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities
      covered by this Agreement. Other than to other Persons party to this Agreement,
      such Purchaser has maintained the confidentiality of all disclosures made to
      it
      in connection with this transaction (including the existence and terms of this
      transaction).

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    The
      Company acknowledges and agrees that each Purchaser does not make or has not
      made any representations or warranties with respect to the transactions
      contemplated hereby other than those specifically set forth in this Section
      3.2.

    

    ARTICLE
      IV

    

    OTHER
      AGREEMENTS OF THE PARTIES

    

    4.1 Transfer
      Restrictions.

    

    (a)
       The
      Securities may only be disposed of in compliance with state and federal
      securities laws. In connection with any transfer of Securities other than
      pursuant to an effective registration statement or Rule 144, to the Company
      or
      to an affiliate of a Purchaser or in connection with a pledge as contemplated
      in
      Section 4.1(b), the Company may require the transferor thereof to provide to
      the
      Company an opinion of counsel selected by the transferor and reasonably
      acceptable to the Company, the form and substance of which opinion shall be
      reasonably satisfactory to the Company, to the effect that such transfer does
      not require registration of such transferred Securities under the Securities
      Act. As a condition of transfer, any such transferee shall agree in writing
      to
      be bound by the terms of this Agreement and shall have the rights of a Purchaser
      under this Agreement and the Registration Rights Agreement.

    

    (b)
       The
      Purchasers agree to the imprinting, so long as is required by this Section
      4.1(b), of a legend on any of the Securities in the following form:

     

    [NEITHER]
      THESE SECURITIES [NOR THE SECURITIES INTO WHICH THESE SECURITIES ARE
      [EXERCISABLE] [CONVERTIBLE]] HAVE BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE SECURITIES AND
      EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR THE SECURITIES COMMISSION OF ANY STATE IN RELIANCE UPON
      AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED
      (THE
“SECURITIES ACT”), AND, ACCORDINGLY, MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD EXCEPT PURSUANT
      TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OR PURSUANT
      TO
      AN AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE
      REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH
      APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS AS EVIDENCED BY A LEGAL OPINION OF COUNSEL
      TO
      THE TRANSFEROR TO SUCH EFFECT, THE SUBSTANCE OF WHICH SHALL BE REASONABLY
      ACCEPTABLE TO THE COMPANY. THESE SECURITIES AND THE SECURITIES ISSUABLE UPON
      [EXERCISE] [CONVERSION] OF THESE SECURITIES MAY BE PLEDGED IN CONNECTION WITH
      A
      BONA FIDE MARGIN ACCOUNT OR OTHER LOAN SECURED BY SUCH
      SECURITIES.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    The
      Company acknowledges and agrees that a Purchaser may from time to time pledge
      pursuant to a bona fide margin agreement with a registered broker-dealer or
      grant a security interest in some or all of the Securities to a financial
      institution that is an “accredited investor” as defined in Rule 501(a) under the
      Securities Act and who agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Agreement
      and the Registration Rights Agreement and, if required under the terms of such
      arrangement, such Purchaser may transfer pledged or secured Securities to the
      pledgees or secured parties. Such a pledge or transfer would not be subject
      to
      approval of the Company and no legal opinion of legal counsel of the pledgee,
      secured party or pledgor shall be required in connection therewith. Further,
      no
      notice shall be required of such pledge. At the appropriate Purchaser’s expense,
      the Company will execute and deliver such reasonable documentation as a pledgee
      or secured party of Securities may reasonably request in connection with a
      pledge or transfer of the Securities, including, if the Securities are subject
      to registration pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the preparation
      and filing of any required prospectus supplement under Rule 424(b)(3) under
      the
      Securities Act or other applicable provision of the Securities Act to
      appropriately amend the list of Selling Stockholders thereunder.

    

    (c)
       Certificates
      evidencing the Underlying Shares shall not contain any legend (including the
      legend set forth in Section 4.1(b) hereof): (i) while a registration statement
      (including the Registration Statement) covering the resale of such security
      is
      effective under the Securities Act, or (ii) following any sale of such
      Underlying Shares pursuant to Rule 144 (provided that the Purchaser provides
      customary forms, seller’s representation and broker’s representation to the
      Company in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Company regarding such Rule
      144
      sale, but not including a legal opinion which shall be provided by the Company),
      or (iii) if such Underlying Shares are eligible for sale under Rule 144(k),
      or
      (iv) if such legend is not required under applicable requirements of the
      Securities Act (including judicial interpretations and pronouncements issued
      by
      the staff of the Commission). The Company shall cause its counsel to issue
      a
      legal opinion to the Company’s transfer agent promptly after the Effective Date
      if required by the Company’s transfer agent to effect the removal of the legend
      hereunder. If all or any shares of Preferred Stock or any portion of a Warrant
      is converted or exercised (as applicable) at a time when there is an effective
      registration statement to cover the resale of the Underlying Shares, or if
      such
      Underlying Shares may be sold under Rule 144(k) or if such legend is not
      otherwise required under applicable requirements of the Securities Act
      (including judicial interpretations thereof) then such Underlying Shares shall
      be issued free of all legends. The Company agrees that following the Effective
      Date or at such time as such legend is no longer required under this Section
      4.1(c), it will, no later than three Trading Days following the delivery by
      a
      Purchaser to the Company or the Company’s transfer agent of a certificate
      representing Underlying Shares, as applicable, issued with a restrictive legend
      (such third Trading Day, the “Legend
      Removal Date”),
      deliver or cause to be delivered to such Purchaser a certificate representing
      such shares that is free from all restrictive and other legends. The Company
      may
      not make any notation on its records or give instructions to any transfer agent
      of the Company that enlarge the restrictions on transfer set forth in this
      Section. Certificates for Securities subject to legend removal hereunder shall
      be transmitted by the transfer agent of the Company to the Purchasers by
      crediting the account of the Purchaser’s prime broker with the Depository Trust
      Company System.

    

    (d)
       In
      addition to such Purchaser’s other available remedies, the Company shall pay to
      a Purchaser, in cash, as partial liquidated damages and not as a penalty, for
      each $1,000 of Underlying Shares (based on the Closing Price of the Common
      Stock
      on the date such Securities are submitted to the Company’s transfer agent)
      delivered for removal of the restrictive legend and subject to Section 4.1(c),
      $10 per Trading Day (increasing to $20 per Trading Day 5 Trading Days after
      such
      damages have begun to accrue) for each Trading Day after the Legend Removal
      Date
      until such certificate is delivered without a legend. Nothing herein shall
      limit
      such Purchaser’s right to pursue actual damages for the Company’s failure to
      deliver certificates representing any Securities as required by the Transaction
      Documents, and such Purchaser shall have the right to pursue all remedies
      available to it at law or in equity including, without limitation, a decree
      of
      specific performance and/or injunctive relief.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    (e) 
      Each
      Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, agrees that
      the
      removal of the restrictive legend from certificates representing Securities
      as
      set forth in this Section 4.1 is predicated upon the Company’s reliance that the
      Purchaser will sell any Securities pursuant to either the registration
      requirements of the Securities Act, including any applicable prospectus delivery
      requirements, or an exemption therefrom.

    

    (f)
       Until
      the
      one year anniversary of the Effective Date, the Company shall not undertake
      a
      reverse or forward stock split or reclassification of the Common Stock without
      the prior written consent of the Purchasers holding a majority of the shares
      of
      Preferred Stock.

    

    4.2    Acknowledgment
      of Dilution.
      The
      Company acknowledges that the issuance of the Securities may result in dilution
      of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, which dilution may be substantial
      under certain market conditions. The Company further acknowledges that its
      obligations under the Transaction Documents, including without limitation its
      obligation to issue the Underlying Shares pursuant to the Transaction Documents,
      are unconditional and absolute and not subject to any right of set off,
      counterclaim, delay or reduction, regardless of the effect of any such dilution
      or any claim the Company may have against any Purchaser and regardless of the
      dilutive effect that such issuance may have on the ownership of the other
      stockholders of the Company.

    

    4.3    Furnishing
      of Information.
      As long
      as any Purchaser owns Securities, the Company covenants to timely file (or
      obtain extensions in respect thereof and file within the applicable grace
      period) all reports required to be filed by the Company after the date hereof
      pursuant to the Exchange Act. As long as any Purchaser owns Securities, if
      the
      Company is not required to file reports pursuant to the Exchange Act, it will
      prepare and furnish to the Purchasers and make publicly available in accordance
      with Rule 144(c) such information as is required for the Purchasers to sell
      the
      Securities under Rule 144. The Company further covenants that it will take
      such
      further action as any holder of Securities may reasonably request, all to the
      extent required from time to time to enable such Person to sell such Securities
      without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the
      exemptions provided by Rule 144.

    

    4.4    Integration.
      The
      Company shall not sell, offer for sale or solicit offers to buy or otherwise
      negotiate in respect of any security (as defined in Section 2 of the Securities
      Act) that would be integrated with the offer or sale of the Securities in a
      manner that would require the registration under the Securities Act of the
      sale
      of the Securities to the Purchasers or that would be integrated with the offer
      or sale of the Securities for purposes of the rules and regulations of any
      Trading Market.

    

    4.5    Conversion
      and Exercise Procedures.
      The
      form of Notice of Exercise included in the Warrants and the form of Notice
      of
      Conversion included in the Certificate of Determination set forth the totality
      of the procedures required of the Purchasers in order to exercise the Warrants
      or convert the Preferred Stock. No additional legal opinion or other information
      or instructions shall be required of the Purchasers to exercise their Warrants
      or convert their Preferred Stock. The Company shall honor exercises of the
      Warrants and conversions of the Preferred Stock and shall deliver Underlying
      Shares in accordance with the terms, conditions and time periods set forth
      in
      the Transaction Documents.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    4.6    Securities
      Laws Disclosure; Publicity.
      The
      Company shall, by 8:30 a.m. Eastern time on the Trading Day following the date
      hereof, issue a widely disseminated press release through a national news
      service (such as Business Wire) and by 5:00 p.m. Eastern time on the Trading
      Day
      following the date hereof, file a Current Report on Form 8-K, both reasonably
      acceptable to each Purchaser disclosing the material terms of the transactions
      contemplated hereby, and shall attach the Transaction Documents thereto. The
      Company and each Purchaser shall consult with each other in issuing any other
      press releases with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, and neither
      the Company nor any Purchaser shall issue any such press release or otherwise
      make any such public statement without the prior consent of the Company, with
      respect to any press release of any Purchaser, or without the prior consent
      of
      each Purchaser, with respect to any press release of the Company, which consent
      shall not unreasonably be withheld, except if such disclosure is required by
      law, in which case the disclosing party shall promptly provide the other party
      with prior notice of such public statement or communication. Notwithstanding
      the
      foregoing, the Company shall not publicly disclose the name of any Purchaser,
      or
      include the name of any Purchaser in any filing with the Commission or any
      regulatory agency or Trading Market, without the prior written consent of such
      Purchaser, except (i) as required by federal securities law in connection with
      the registration statement contemplated by the Registration Rights Agreement
      and
      (ii) to the extent such disclosure is required by law or Trading Market
      regulations, in which case the Company shall provide the Purchasers with prior
      notice of such disclosure permitted under subclause (i) or (ii).

    

    4.7    Shareholder
      Rights Plan.
      No
      claim will be made or enforced by the Company or, to the knowledge of the
      Company, any other Person that any Purchaser is an “Acquiring Person” under any
      shareholder rights plan or similar plan or arrangement in effect or hereafter
      adopted by the Company, or that any Purchaser could be deemed to trigger the
      provisions of any such plan or arrangement, by virtue of receiving Securities
      under the Transaction Documents or under any other agreement between the Company
      and the Purchasers. The Company shall conduct its business in a manner so that
      it will not become subject to the Investment Company Act.

    

    4.8    Non-Public
      Information.
      The
      Company covenants and agrees that neither it nor any other Person acting on
      its
      behalf will provide any Purchaser or its agents or counsel with any information
      that the Company believes constitutes material non-public information, unless
      prior thereto such Purchaser shall have executed a written agreement regarding
      the confidentiality and use of such information. The Company understands and
      confirms that each Purchaser shall be relying on the foregoing representations
      in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.

    

    4.9    Use
      of
      Proceeds.
      Except
      as set forth on Schedule
      4.9
      attached
      hereto, the Company shall use the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities
      hereunder for working capital purposes and not for the satisfaction of any
      portion of the Company’s debt (other than payment of trade payables in the
      ordinary course of the Company’s business and prior practices), to redeem Common
      Stock or Common Stock Equivalents or to settle any outstanding litigation.
      

    

    4.10    [INTENTIONALLY
      DELETED]

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    4.11    Indemnification
      of Purchasers.
      Subject
      to the provisions of this Section 4.11, the Company will indemnify and hold
      the
      Purchasers and their directors, officers, shareholders, members, partners,
      employees and agents (each, a “Purchaser
      Party”)
      harmless from any and all losses, liabilities, obligations, claims,
      contingencies, damages, costs and expenses, including all judgments, amounts
      paid in settlements, court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs of
      investigation that any such Purchaser Party may suffer or incur as a result
      of
      or relating to (a) any breach of any of the representations, warranties,
      covenants or agreements made by the Company in this Agreement or in the other
      Transaction Documents or (b) any action instituted against a Purchaser, or
      any
      of them or their respective Affiliates, by any stockholder of the Company who
      is
      not an Affiliate of such Purchaser, with respect to any of the transactions
      contemplated by the Transaction Documents (unless such action is based upon
      a
      breach of such Purchaser’s representations, warranties or covenants under the
      Transaction Documents or any agreements or understandings such Purchaser may
      have with any such stockholder or any violations by the Purchaser of state
      or
      federal securities laws or any conduct by such Purchaser which constitutes
      fraud, gross negligence, willful misconduct or malfeasance). If any action
      shall
      be brought against any Purchaser Party in respect of which indemnity may be
      sought pursuant to this Agreement, such Purchaser Party shall promptly notify
      the Company in writing, and the Company shall have the right to assume the
      defense thereof with counsel of its own choosing. Any Purchaser Party shall
      have
      the right to employ separate counsel in any such action and participate in
      the
      defense thereof, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the
      expense of such Purchaser Party except to the extent that (i) the employment
      thereof has been specifically authorized by the Company in writing, (ii) the
      Company has failed after a reasonable period of time to assume such defense
      and
      to employ counsel or (iii) in such action there is, in the reasonable opinion
      of
      such separate counsel, a material conflict on any material issue between the
      position of the Company and the position of such Purchaser Party. The Company
      will not be liable to any Purchaser Party under this Agreement (i) for any
      settlement by a Purchaser Party effected without the Company’s prior written
      consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed; or (ii) to the
      extent, but only to the extent that a loss, claim, damage or liability is
      attributable to any Purchaser Party’s breach of any of the representations,
      warranties, covenants or agreements made by the Purchasers in this Agreement
      or
      in the other Transaction Documents.

    

    4.12   Reservation
      and Listing of Securities.

     

    (a)
       The
      Company shall maintain a reserve from its duly authorized shares of Common
      Stock
      for issuance pursuant to the Transaction Documents at least 15,000,000 shares
      (subject to adjustment for reverse and forward stock splits and the
      like).

    

    (b)
       Immediately
      following the date hereof and if, on any date thereafter, the number of
      authorized but unissued (and otherwise unreserved) shares of Common Stock is
      less than 130% of (i) the Actual Minimum on such date, minus (ii) the
      number of shares of Common Stock previously issued pursuant to the Transaction
      Documents, then, as soon as possible and in any event not later than the 60th
      day after such date, the Board of Directors of the Company shall use best
      efforts to amend the Company’s certificate or articles of incorporation to
      increase the number of authorized but unissued shares of Common Stock such
      that
      at least 130% of the Actual Minimum at such time (minus the number of shares
      of
      Common Stock previously issued pursuant to the Transaction Documents) is
      reserved from the Company’s duly authorized shares of Common Stock; provided
      that the Company will not be required at any time to authorize a number of
      shares of Common Stock greater than 130% of the maximum remaining number of
      shares of Common Stock that could possibly be issued after such time pursuant
      to
      the Transaction Documents.

    

    (c)
       The
      Company shall, if applicable: (i) in the time and manner required by the Trading
      Market, prepare and file with such Trading Market an additional shares listing
      application covering a number of shares of Common Stock at least equal to the
      Actual Minimum on the date of such application, (ii) take all steps necessary
      to
      cause such shares of Common Stock to be approved for listing on the Trading
      Market as soon as possible thereafter, (iii) provide to the Purchasers evidence
      of such listing, and (iv) maintain the listing of such Common Stock on any
      date
      at least equal to the Actual Minimum on such date on such Trading Market or
      another Trading Market.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    4.13  Participation
      in Future Financing.
      

    

    (a)
       From
      the
      date hereof until the 12 month anniversary of the Effective Date, upon any
      financing by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries of Common Stock or Common
      Stock Equivalents (a “Subsequent
      Financing”),
      each
      Purchaser shall have the right to participate in up to an amount of the
      Subsequent Financing equal to 100% of the Subsequent Financing (the
“Participation
      Maximum”).
      

    

    (b)
       At
      least
      5 Trading Days prior to the closing of the Subsequent Financing, the Company
      shall deliver to each Purchaser a written notice of its intention to effect
      a
      Subsequent Financing (“Pre-Notice”),
      which
      Pre-Notice shall ask such Purchaser if it wants to review the details of such
      financing (such additional notice, a “Subsequent
      Financing Notice”).
      Upon
      the request of a Purchaser, and only upon a request by such Purchaser, for
      a
      Subsequent Financing Notice, the Company shall promptly, but no later than
      1
      Trading Day after such request, deliver a Subsequent Financing Notice to such
      Purchaser. The Subsequent Financing Notice shall describe in reasonable detail
      the proposed terms of such Subsequent Financing, the amount of proceeds intended
      to be raised thereunder, the Person with whom such Subsequent Financing is
      proposed to be effected, and attached to which shall be a term sheet or similar
      document relating thereto. 

    

    (c)
       Any
      Purchaser desiring to participate in such Subsequent Financing must provide
      written notice to the Company by not later than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time)
      on the 10th
      Trading
      Day after all of the Purchasers have received the Pre-Notice that the Purchaser
      is willing to participate in the Subsequent Financing, the amount of the
      Purchaser’s participation, and that the Purchaser has such funds ready, willing,
      and available for investment on the terms set forth in the Subsequent Financing
      Notice. If the Company receives no notice from a Purchaser as of such
      10th
      Trading
      Day, such Purchaser shall be deemed to have notified the Company that it does
      not elect to participate. 

    

    (d)
       If
      by
      5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the 10th
      Trading
      Day after all of the Purchasers have received the Pre-Notice, notifications
      by
      the Purchasers of their willingness to participate in the Subsequent Financing
      (or to cause their designees to participate) is, in the aggregate, less than
      the
      total amount of the Subsequent Financing, then the Company may effect the
      remaining portion of such Subsequent Financing on the terms and to the Persons
      set forth in the Subsequent Financing Notice. 

    

    (e)
       If
      by
      5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the 10th
      Trading
      Day after all of the Purchasers have received the Pre-Notice, the Company
      receives responses to a Subsequent Financing Notice from Purchasers seeking
      to
      purchase more than the aggregate amount of the Participation Maximum, each
      such
      Purchaser shall have the right to purchase the greater of (a) their Pro Rata
      Portion (as defined below) of the Participation Maximum and (b) the difference
      between the Participation Maximum and the aggregate amount of participation
      by
      all other Purchasers. “Pro
      Rata Portion”
is
      the
      ratio of (x) the Subscription Amount of Securities purchased on the Closing
      Date
      by a Purchaser participating under this Section 4.13 and (y) the sum of the
      aggregate Subscription Amounts of Securities purchased on the Closing Date
      by
      all Purchasers participating under this Section 4.13.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    (f)
       The
      Company must provide the Purchasers with a second Subsequent Financing Notice,
      and the Purchasers will again have the right of participation set forth above
      in
      this Section 4.13, if the Subsequent Financing subject to the initial Subsequent
      Financing Notice is not consummated for any reason on the terms set forth in
      such Subsequent Financing Notice within 60 Trading Days after the date of the
      initial Subsequent Financing Notice.

    

    (g)
       Notwithstanding
      the foregoing, this Section 4.13 shall not apply in respect of an Exempt
      Issuance or in respect of an underwritten public offering of the Company’s
      equity securities with a nationally recognized and reputable underwriter.

    

    4.14  Subsequent
      Equity Sales.
      

    

    (a) From
      the
      date hereof until 90 days after the Effective Date, neither the Company nor
      any
      Subsidiary shall issue shares of Common Stock or Common Stock Equivalents;
      provided, however, the 90 day period set forth in this Section 4.14 shall be
      extended for the number of Trading Days during such period in which (i) trading
      in the Common Stock is suspended by any Trading Market, or (ii) following the
      Effective Date, the Registration Statement is not effective or the prospectus
      included in the Registration Statement may not be used by the Purchasers for
      the
      resale of the Underlying Shares. 

    

    (b) From
      the
      date hereof until such time as no Purchaser holds any of the Securities, the
      Company shall be prohibited from effecting or entering into an agreement to
      effect any Subsequent Financing involving a “Variable Rate Transaction”. The
      term “Variable
      Rate Transaction”
shall
      mean a transaction in which the Company issues or sells (i) any debt or equity
      securities that are convertible into, exchangeable or exercisable for, or
      include the right to receive additional shares of Common Stock either (A) at
      a
      conversion, exercise or exchange rate or other price that is based upon and/or
      varies with the trading prices of or quotations for the shares of Common Stock
      at any time after the initial issuance of such debt or equity securities, or
      (B)
      with a conversion, exercise or exchange price that is subject to being reset
      at
      some future date after the initial issuance of such debt or equity security
      or
      upon the occurrence of specified or contingent events directly or indirectly
      related to the business of the Company or the market for the Common Stock or
      (ii) enters into any agreement, including, but not limited to, an equity line
      of
      credit, whereby the Company may sell securities at a future determined price.
      

    

    (c) Notwithstanding
      the foregoing, this Section 4.14 shall not apply in respect of an Exempt
      Issuance, except that no Variable Rate Transaction shall be an Exempt
      Issuance.

    

    4.15  Equal
      Treatment of Purchasers.
      No
      consideration shall be offered or paid to any person to amend or consent to
      a
      waiver or modification of any provision of any of the Transaction Documents
      unless the same consideration is also offered to all of the parties to the
      Transaction Documents. For clarification purposes, this provision constitutes
      a
      separate right granted to each Purchaser by the Company and negotiated
      separately by each Purchaser, and is intended for the Company to treat the
      Purchasers as a class and shall not in any way be construed as the Purchasers
      acting in concert or as a group with respect to the purchase, disposition or
      voting of Securities or otherwise.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    4.16  Short
      Sales and Confidentiality After The Date Hereof.
      Each
      Purchaser severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers covenants that
      neither it nor any affiliates acting on its behalf or pursuant to any
      understanding with it will execute any Short Sales during the period after
      the
      Discussion Time and ending at the time that the transactions contemplated by
      this Agreement are first publicly announced as described in Section 4.6. Each
      Purchaser, severally and not jointly with the other Purchasers, covenants that
      until such time as the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are publicly
      disclosed by the Company as described in Section 4.6, such Purchaser will
      maintain, the confidentiality of all disclosures made to it in connection with
      this transaction (including the existence and terms of this transaction). Each
      Purchaser understands and acknowledges, severally and not jointly with any
      other
      Purchaser, that the Commission currently takes the position that coverage of
      short sales of shares of the Common Stock “against the box” prior to the
      Effective Date of the Registration Statement with the Securities is a violation
      of Section 5 of the Securities Act, as set forth in Item 65, Section 5 under
      Section A, of the Manual of Publicly Available Telephone Interpretations, dated
      July 1997, compiled by the Office of Chief Counsel, Division of Corporation
      Finance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Purchaser makes any representation,
      warranty or covenant hereby that it will not engage in Short Sales in the
      securities of the Company after the time that the transactions contemplated
      by
      this Agreement are first publicly announced as described in Section 4.6.
      Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Purchaser that is a
      multi-managed investment vehicle whereby separate portfolio managers manage
      separate portions of such Purchaser's assets and the portfolio managers have
      no
      direct knowledge of the investment decisions made by the portfolio managers
      managing other portions of such Purchaser's assets, the covenant set forth
      above
      shall only apply with respect to the portion of assets managed by the portfolio
      manager that made the investment decision to purchase the Securities covered
      by
      this Agreement.

    

    

    ARTICLE
      V

    

    MISCELLANEOUS

    

    5.1    Termination. 
      This Agreement may be terminated by any Purchaser, as to such Purchaser’s
      obligations hereunder only and without any effect whatsoever on the obligations
      between the Company and the other Purchasers, by written notice to the other
      parties, if the Closing has not been consummated on or before the 10th Trading
      Day following the date hereof but in no event later than December 30, 2005;
      provided,
      however,
      that no
      such termination will affect the right of any party to sue for any breach by
      the
      other party (or parties).

    

    5.2    Fees
      and Expenses.
      At the
      Closing, the Company has agreed to reimburse vFinance the non-accountable sum
      of
      $30,000, for its actual, reasonable, out-of-pocket legal fees and expenses,
      $5,000 which shall have been paid prior to the Closing. Except as expressly
      set
      forth in the Transaction Documents to the contrary, each party shall pay the
      fees and expenses of its advisers, counsel, accountants and other experts,
      if
      any, and all other expenses incurred by such party incident to the negotiation,
      preparation, execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement. The Company
      shall pay all transfer agent fees, stamp taxes and other taxes and duties levied
      in connection with the delivery of any Securities.

    

    5.3    Entire
      Agreement.
      The
      Transaction Documents, together with the exhibits and schedules thereto, contain
      the entire understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter
      hereof and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, oral or written,
      with respect to such matters, which the parties acknowledge have been merged
      into such documents, exhibits and schedules.

    

    5.4    Notices.
      Any and
      all notices or other communications or deliveries required or permitted to
      be
      provided hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed given and effective
      on the earliest of (a) the date of transmission, if such notice or communication
      is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth on the signature
      pages attached hereto prior to 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a Trading
      Day,
      (b) the next Trading Day after the date of transmission, if such notice or
      communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number set forth
      on
      the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a Trading Day or later
      than 5:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any Trading Day, (c) the 2nd
      Trading
      Day following the date of mailing, if sent by U.S. nationally recognized
      overnight courier service, or (d) upon actual receipt by the party to whom
      such
      notice is required to be given. The address for such notices and communications
      shall be as set forth on the signature pages attached hereto.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    5.5    Amendments;
      Waivers.
      No
      provision of this Agreement may be waived or amended except in a written
      instrument signed, in the case of an amendment, by the Company and each
      Purchaser or, in the case of a waiver, by the party against whom enforcement
      of
      any such waiver is sought. No waiver of any default with respect to any
      provision, condition or requirement of this Agreement shall be deemed to be
      a
      continuing waiver in the future or a waiver of any subsequent default or a
      waiver of any other provision, condition or requirement hereof, nor shall any
      delay or omission of either party to exercise any right hereunder in any manner
      impair the exercise of any such right.

    

    5.6    Headings.
      The
      headings herein are for convenience only, do not constitute a part of this
      Agreement and shall not be deemed to limit or affect any of the provisions
      hereof. The language used in this Agreement will be deemed to be the language
      chosen by the parties to express their mutual intent, and no rules of strict
      construction will be applied against any party.

    

    5.7    Successors
      and Assigns.
      This
      Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties and
      their successors and permitted assigns. The Company may not assign this
      Agreement or any rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written
      consent of each Purchaser. Any Purchaser may assign any or all of its rights
      under this Agreement to any Person to whom such Purchaser assigns or transfers
      any Securities, provided such transferee agrees in writing to be bound, with
      respect to the transferred Securities, by the provisions hereof that apply
      to
      the “Purchasers”.

    

    5.8    No
      Third-Party Beneficiaries.
      This
      Agreement is intended for the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective
      successors and permitted assigns and is not for the benefit of, nor may any
      provision hereof be enforced by, any other Person, except as otherwise set
      forth
      in Section 4.11.

    

    5.9    Governing
      Law.
      All
      questions concerning the construction, validity, enforcement and interpretation
      of the Transaction Documents shall be governed by and construed and enforced
      in
      accordance with the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard
      to
      the principles of conflicts of law thereof. Each party agrees that all legal
      proceedings concerning the interpretations, enforcement and defense of the
      transactions contemplated by this Agreement and any other Transaction Documents
      (whether brought against a party hereto or its respective affiliates, directors,
      officers, shareholders, employees or agents) shall be commenced exclusively
      in
      the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York. Each party hereby
      irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal
      courts sitting in the City of New York, borough of Manhattan for the
      adjudication of any dispute hereunder or in connection herewith or with any
      transaction contemplated hereby or discussed herein (including with respect
      to
      the enforcement of any of the Transaction Documents), and hereby irrevocably
      waives, and agrees not to assert in any suit, action or proceeding, any claim
      that it is not personally subject to the jurisdiction of any such court, that
      such suit, action or proceeding is improper or inconvenient venue for such
      proceeding. Each party hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process
      and
      consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by
      mailing a copy thereof via registered or certified mail or overnight delivery
      (with evidence of delivery) to such party at the address in effect for notices
      to it under this Agreement and agrees that such service shall constitute good
      and sufficient service of process and notice thereof. Nothing contained herein
      shall be deemed to limit in any way any right to serve process in any manner
      permitted by law. The parties hereby waive all rights to a trial by jury. If
      either party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions
      of
      the Transaction Documents, then the prevailing party in such action or
      proceeding shall be reimbursed by the other party for its attorneys’ fees and
      other costs and expenses incurred with the investigation, preparation and
      prosecution of such action or proceeding.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    5.10    Survival.
      The
      representations and warranties contained herein shall survive the Closing and
      the delivery, exercise and/or conversion of the Securities, as applicable for
      the applicable statue of limitations.

    

    5.11    Execution.
      This
      Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, all of which when taken
      together shall be considered one and the same agreement and shall become
      effective when counterparts have been signed by each party and delivered to
      the
      other party, it being understood that both parties need not sign the same
      counterpart. In the event that any signature is delivered by facsimile
      transmission, such signature shall create a valid and binding obligation of
      the
      party executing (or on whose behalf such signature is executed) with the same
      force and effect as if such facsimile signature page were an original
      thereof.

    

    5.12    Severability.
      If any
      provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid or unenforceable in any
      respect, the validity and enforceability of the remaining terms and provisions
      of this Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and
      the
      parties will attempt to agree upon a valid and enforceable provision that is
      a
      reasonable substitute therefor, and upon so agreeing, shall incorporate such
      substitute provision in this Agreement.

    

    5.13    Rescission
      and Withdrawal Right.
      Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in (and without limiting
      any
      similar provisions of) the Transaction Documents, whenever any Purchaser
      exercises a right, election, demand or option under a Transaction Document
      and
      the Company does not timely perform its related obligations within the periods
      therein provided, then such Purchaser may rescind or withdraw, in its sole
      discretion from time to time upon written notice to the Company, any relevant
      notice, demand or election in whole or in part without prejudice to its future
      actions and rights; provided,
      however,
      in the
      case of a rescission of a conversion of the Preferred Stock or exercise of
      a
      Warrant, the Purchaser shall be required to return any shares of Common Stock
      subject to any such rescinded conversion or exercise notice.

    

    5.14    Replacement
      of Securities.
      If any
      certificate or instrument evidencing any Securities is mutilated, lost, stolen
      or destroyed, the Company shall issue or cause to be issued in exchange and
      substitution for and upon cancellation thereof, or in lieu of and substitution
      therefor, a new certificate or instrument, but only upon receipt of evidence
      reasonably satisfactory to the Company of such loss, theft or destruction and
      customary and reasonable indemnity, if requested. The applicants for a new
      certificate or instrument under such circumstances shall also pay any reasonable
      third-party costs associated with the issuance of such replacement
      Securities.

    

    5.15    Remedies.
      In
      addition to being entitled to exercise all rights provided herein or granted
      by
      law, including recovery of damages, each of the Purchasers and the Company
      will
      be entitled to specific performance under the Transaction Documents. The parties
      agree that monetary damages may not be adequate compensation for any loss
      incurred by reason of any breach of obligations described in the foregoing
      sentence and hereby agrees to waive in any action for specific performance
      of
      any such obligation the defense that a remedy at law would be
      adequate.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    5.16  Payment
      Set Aside.
      To the
      extent that the Company makes a payment or payments to any Purchaser pursuant
      to
      any Transaction Document or a Purchaser enforces or exercises its rights
      thereunder, and such payment or payments or the proceeds of such enforcement
      or
      exercise or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be
      fraudulent or preferential, set aside, recovered from, disgorged by or are
      required to be refunded, repaid or otherwise restored to the Company, a trustee,
      receiver or any other person under any law (including, without limitation,
      any
      bankruptcy law, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause of action),
      then to the extent of any such restoration the obligation or part thereof
      originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full
      force
      and effect as if such payment had not been made or such enforcement or setoff
      had not occurred.

    

    5.17    Usury.
      To the
      extent it may lawfully do so, the Company hereby agrees not to insist upon
      or
      plead or in any manner whatsoever claim, and will resist any and all efforts
      to
      be compelled to take the benefit or advantage of, usury laws wherever enacted,
      now or at any time hereafter in force, in connection with any claim, action
      or
      proceeding that may be brought by any Purchaser in order to enforce any right
      or
      remedy under any Transaction Document. Notwithstanding any provision to the
      contrary contained in any Transaction Document, it is expressly agreed and
      provided that the total liability of the Company under the Transaction Documents
      for payments in the nature of interest shall not exceed the maximum lawful
      rate
      authorized under applicable law (the “Maximum
      Rate”),
      and,
      without limiting the foregoing, in no event shall any rate of interest or
      default interest, or both of them, when aggregated with any other sums in the
      nature of interest that the Company may be obligated to pay under the
      Transaction Documents exceed such Maximum Rate. It is agreed that if the maximum
      contract rate of interest allowed by law and applicable to the Transaction
      Documents is increased or decreased by statute or any official governmental
      action subsequent to the date hereof, the new maximum contract rate of interest
      allowed by law will be the Maximum Rate applicable to the Transaction Documents
      from the effective date forward, unless such application is precluded by
      applicable law. If under any circumstances whatsoever, interest in excess of
      the
      Maximum Rate is paid by the Company to any Purchaser with respect to
      indebtedness evidenced by the Transaction Documents, such excess shall be
      applied by such Purchaser to the unpaid principal balance of any such
      indebtedness or be refunded to the Company, the manner of handling such excess
      to be at such Purchaser’s election.

    

    5.18  Independent
      Nature of Purchasers’ Obligations and Rights.
      The
      obligations of each Purchaser under any Transaction Document are several and
      not
      joint with the obligations of any other Purchaser, and no Purchaser shall be
      responsible in any way for the performance of the obligations of any other
      Purchaser under any Transaction Document. Nothing contained herein or in any
      Transaction Document, and no action taken by any Purchaser pursuant thereto,
      shall be deemed to constitute the Purchasers as a partnership, an association,
      a
      joint venture or any other kind of entity, or create a presumption that the
      Purchasers are in any way acting in concert or as a group with respect to such
      obligations or the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
      Each
      Purchaser shall be entitled to independently protect and enforce its rights,
      including without limitation, the rights arising out of this Agreement or out
      of
      the other Transaction Documents, and it shall not be necessary for any other
      Purchaser to be joined as an additional party in any proceeding for such
      purpose. Each Purchaser has been represented by its own separate legal counsel
      in their review and negotiation of the Transaction Documents. For reasons of
      administrative convenience only, Purchasers and their respective counsel have
      chosen to communicate with the Company through FW. FW does not represent all
      of
      the Purchasers but only the placement agent, vFinance. The Company has elected
      to provide all Purchasers with the same terms and Transaction Documents for
      the
      convenience of the Company and not because it was required or requested to
      do so
      by the Purchasers.

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    

    5.19  Liquidated
      Damages.
      The
      Company’s obligations to pay any partial liquidated damages or other amounts
      owing under the Transaction Documents is a continuing obligation of the Company
      and shall not terminate until all unpaid partial liquidated damages and other
      amounts have been paid notwithstanding the fact that the instrument or security
      pursuant to which such partial liquidated damages or other amounts are due
      and
      payable shall have been canceled.

    

    5.20  Construction.
      The
      parties agree that each of them and/or their respective counsel has reviewed
      and
      had an opportunity to revise the Transaction Documents and, therefore, the
      normal rule of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be
      resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation
      of the Transaction Documents or any amendments hereto.

    

    

    

    [SIGNATURE
      PAGE FOLLOWS]

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    IN
      WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Securities Purchase
      Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as
      of
      the date first indicated above.

    

    

    
      	
              SEQUIAM
                CORPORATION

            	 	
              Address
                for Notice:

            	 
	 	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 
	
              By:

            	 	 	 	 
	 	
              Name:

            	 	 	 
	 	
              Title:

            	 	 	 
	 	 	 	 	 
	
              With
                a copy to (which shall not constitute notice):

            	 	 	 

    

     

     

    [REMAINDER
      OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK SIGNATURE
      PAGE FOR PURCHASER FOLLOWS]

    
      
        
        

      

      
        
        

        
          

        

      

      
        
        

      

    

    [PURCHASER
      SIGNATURE PAGES TO SQUM SECURITIES PURCHASE AGREEMENT]

    

    IN
      WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have caused this Securities Purchase Agreement
      to be duly executed by their respective authorized signatories as of the date
      first indicated above.

    

    

    Name
      of
      Purchaser: __________________________

    Signature
      of Authorized Signatory of Purchaser:
      __________________________

    Name
      of
      Authorized Signatory: _________________________

    Title
      of
      Authorized Signatory: __________________________

    Email
      Address of Purchaser:________________________________

    

    Address
      for Notice of Purchaser:

    

    

    Address
      for Delivery of Securities for Purchaser (if not same as above):

    

    

    

    Subscription
      Amount:

    Shares
      of
      Preferred Stock:

    Warrant
      Shares:

    EIN
      Number: [PROVIDE
      THIS UNDER SEPARATE COVER]

    

    [SIGNATURE
      PAGES CONTINUE]

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