Document:

ex109.htm

Exhibit 10.9

 

 

January __, 2012

 

 

Mr. Byron Elton

 

Chief Executive Officer

 

Carbon Sciences, Inc.

 

5511-C Ekwill Street

 

Santa Barbara, CA 93111

 

Dear Mr. Elton:

 

This letter (the “Agreement”) constitutes the agreement between Aegis Capital Corp. (“Aegis” or the “Placement Agent”) and Carbon Sciences, Inc. (the “Company”), that Aegis shall serve as the exclusive placement agent for the Company, on a “reasonable best efforts” basis, in connection with the proposed placement (the “Placement”) of registered securities (the “Securities”) consisting of shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Shares” or “Common Stock”) and warrants (the “Warrants”).  The terms of such Placement and the Securities shall be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the purchasers (each, a “Purchaser” and collectively, the “Purchasers”) and nothing herein constitutes that Aegis would have the power or authority to bind the Company or any Purchaser or an obligation for the Company to issue any Securities or complete the Placement.  This Agreement and the documents executed and delivered by the Company and the Purchasers in connection with the Placement shall be collectively referred to herein as the “Transaction Documents.”  The date of the closing of the Placement shall be referred to herein as the “Closing Date.”  The Company expressly acknowledges and agrees that Aegis’s obligations hereunder are on a reasonable best efforts basis only and that the execution of this Agreement does not constitute a commitment by Aegis to purchase the Securities and does not ensure the successful placement of the Securities or any portion thereof or the success of Aegis with respect to securing any other financing on behalf of the Company.

 

SECTION 1. COMPENSATION AND OTHER FEES.

 

As compensation for the services provided by Aegis hereunder, the Company agrees to pay to Aegis:

 

(A) A cash fee payable immediately upon the closing of the Placement and equal to 7% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the Placement (“Placement Agent Fee”).

 

(B) Such number of Common Stock purchase warrants (the “Placement Agent Warrants”) to the Placement Agent or its designees at each Closing to purchase shares of Common Stock equal to 5% of the aggregate number of (i) Shares sold in the Placement and (ii) shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants sold in the Placement (collectively, the “Placement Agent Warrant Shares”).  The Placement Agent Warrants shall have the same terms as the warrants issued to the Purchasers in the Placement except that the exercise price shall be 125% of the public offering price per Share and shall be exercisable for the four (4) years period commencing one-year from the effective date of the Registration Statement (as further defined below).  The Placement Agent Warrants shall not be transferable for six months from the date of the Placement, except as permitted by Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) Rule 5110(g)(1)

 

 

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(C) As reimbursement for Aegis’s expenses incurred in connection with its services under the Agreement, a non-accountable expenses allowance in an amount equal to 1% of the aggregate gross proceeds raised in the placement (provided, however, that such expense allowance in no way limits or impairs the indemnification and contribution provisions of this Agreement), of which $25,000 has been previously paid by the Company.  Such reimbursement shall be payable immediately upon (but only in the event of) the closing of the Placement.

 

(D) For a period of twelve (12) months from the Closing Date, Aegis shall have the right of first refusal to act as, in the Company’s discretion, lead underwriter or minimally as a co-manager with at least 50% of the economics, or, in the case of a three-underwriter or placement agent transaction, 33% of the economics, for each and every future public and private equity and public debt offerings during such twelve (12) month period of the Company, or any successor to or any subsidiary of the Company.

 

SECTION 2. REGISTRATION STATEMENT.

 

The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, the Placement Agent that:

 

(A) The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) a registration statement on Form S-1 (Registration No. 333-177797), and amendments thereto, and related preliminary prospectuses for the registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), of the Securities which registration statement, as so amended (including post-effective amendments, if any), has been declared effective by the Commission and copies of which have heretofore been delivered to the Placement Agent.  The registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the prospectus, financial statements, schedules, exhibits and other information (if any) deemed to be part of the registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act, is hereinafter referred to as the “ Registration Statement.”  If the Company has filed or is required pursuant to the terms hereof to file a registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act registering additional shares of Common Stock (a “Rule 462(b) Registration Statement”), then, unless otherwise specified, any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.  Other than a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, which, if filed, becomes effective upon filing, no other document with respect to the Registration Statement has heretofore been filed with the Commission.  All of the Securities and Placement Agreement Warrants have been registered under the Securities Act pursuant to the Registration Statement or, if any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement is filed, will be duly registered under the Securities Act with the filing of such Rule 462(b) Registration Statement.  No stop order suspending the effectiveness of either the Registration Statement or the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if any, has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission.  The Company, if required by the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission (the “Rules and Regulations”), proposes to file the Prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (“Rule 424(b)”).  The prospectus, in the form in which it is to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), or, if the prospectus is not to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), the prospectus in the form included as part of the Registration Statement at the time the Registration Statement became effective, is hereinafter referred to as the “ Prospectus ,” except that if any revised prospectus or prospectus supplement shall be provided to the Placement Agent by the Company for use in connection with the Placement supplement is required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 424(b)), the term “Prospectus” shall also refer to such revised prospectus or prospectus supplement, as the case may be, from and after the time it is first provided to the Placement Agent for such use.  Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus subject to completion included in the Registration Statement or filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act is hereafter called a “Preliminary Prospectus.”  Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the exhibits incorporated by reference therein pursuant to the Rules and Regulations on or before the effective date of the Registration Statement, the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the date of the Prospectus, as the case may be.  Any reference herein to the terms “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include: (i) the filing of any document under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and together with the Rules and Regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”) after the effective date of the Registration Statement, the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the date of the Prospectus, as the case may be, which is incorporated therein by reference, and (ii) any such document so filed.  All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, a Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing shall be deemed to include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”) system.

 

 

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(B) At the time of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement or the effectiveness of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, when the Prospectus is first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), when any supplement to or amendment of the Prospectus is filed with the Commission, when any document filed under the Exchange Act was or is filed and at the Closing Date (as hereinafter defined), if any, the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements or exhibits thereto complied or will comply in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations, and did not and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact and did not and will not omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein: (i) in the case of the Registration Statement, not misleading, and (ii) in the case of the Prospectus or any related Preliminary Prospectus in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  When any Preliminary Prospectus was first filed with the Commission (whether filed as part of the registration statement for the registration of the Securities or any amendment thereto or pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act) and when any amendment thereof or supplement thereto was first filed with the Commission, such Preliminary Prospectus and any amendments thereof and supplements thereto complied in all material respects with the applicable provisions of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the Rules and Regulations and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact and did not omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  The parties acknowledge and agree that no information was provided by or on behalf of the Placement Agent.  Each Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus, each as of its respective date, comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act and the applicable Rules and Regulations.  No post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement reflecting any facts or events arising after the date thereof which represent, individually or in the aggregate, a fundamental change in the information set forth therein is required to be filed with the Commission.  There are no documents required to be filed with the Commission in connection with the transaction contemplated hereby that (x) have not been filed as required pursuant to the Securities Act or (y) will not be filed within the requisite time period.  There are no contracts or other documents required to be described in the Preliminary Prospectus, or Prospectus, or to be filed as exhibits or schedules to the Registration Statement, that have not been described or filed as required.

 

(C) The Company has delivered, or will as promptly as practicable deliver, to the Placement Agent complete conformed copies of the Registration Statement and of each consent and certificate of experts, as applicable, filed as a part thereof, and conformed copies of the Registration Statement (without exhibits), the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus, as amended or supplemented, in such quantities and at such places as the Placement Agent reasonably requests.  Neither the Company nor any of its directors and officers has distributed and none of them will distribute, prior to the Closing Date, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Shares and Warrants other than the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, the Registration Statement, copies of the documents incorporated by reference therein and any other materials permitted by the Securities Act.

 

 

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(D) The Registration Statement and any amendments thereto have been declared effective, and if Rule 430A is used or the filing of the Prospectus is otherwise required under Rule 424(b), the Company will file the Prospectus (properly completed if Rule 430A has been used) pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the prescribed time period and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Placement Agent of such timely filing.  The Company will notify the Representatives immediately (and, if requested by the Placement Agent, will confirm such notice in writing): (i) when the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto become effective, (ii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment of or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or for any additional information, (iii) of the Company’s intention to file or prepare any supplement or amendment to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, (iv) of the mailing or the delivery to the Commission for filing of any amendment of or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including but not limited to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, (v) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto or of the initiation, or the threatening, of any proceedings therefor, it being understood that the Company shall make every effort to avoid the issuance of any such stop order, (vi) of the receipt of any comments from the Commission, and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose.  If the Commission shall propose or enter a stop order at any time, the Company will make every reasonable effort to prevent the issuance of any such stop order and, if issued, to obtain the lifting of such order as soon as possible.  The Company will not file any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment of or supplement to the Prospectus (including the prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)) that differs from the prospectus on file at the time of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or file any document under the Exchange Act if such document would be deemed to be incorporated by reference into the Prospectus to which the Placement Agent shall object in writing after being timely furnished in advance a copy thereof.  The Company will provide the Placement Agent with copies of all such amendments, filings and other documents in a sufficient time prior to any filing or other publication thereof to permit the Placement Agent a reasonable opportunity to review and comment thereon.

 

(E) The Company consents to the use and delivery of the Preliminary Prospectus by the Placement Agent in accordance with Rule 430 and Section 5(b) of the Securities Act.

 

(F) If the Company elects to rely on Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, the Company shall both file a Rule 462(b) Registration Statement with the Commission in compliance with Rule 462(b) and pay the applicable fees in accordance with Rule 111 of the Act by the earlier of: (i) 10:00 p.m., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement, and (ii) the time that confirmations are given or sent, as specified by Rule 462(b)(2).

 

 

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(G) The Company will use its best efforts, in cooperation with the Placement Agent, at or prior to the time of effectiveness of the Registration Statement, to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws relating to the offering or sale of the Securities of such jurisdictions, domestic or foreign, as the Placement Agent may designate and to maintain such qualification in effect for so long as required for the distribution thereof; except that in no event shall the Company be obligated in connection therewith to qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general consent to service of process.

 

SECTION 3. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES.  Except as disclosed in the SEC Reports (as defined below) or the Registration Statement, which disclosures shall be deemed a part hereof, the Company hereby makes the representations and warranties set forth below to the Placement Agent. 

 

(A) Organization and Qualification.  All of the direct and indirect subsidiaries (individually, a “Subsidiary”) of the Company are set forth on Schedule 3(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” (which for purposes of this Agreement shall mean a lien, charge, security interest, encumbrance, right of first refusal, preemptive right or other restriction), 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.  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 this Agreement, (ii) a material adverse effect on the results of operations, assets, business 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 this Agreement (any of (i), (ii) or (iii), a “Material Adverse Effect”) and no “Proceeding” (which for purposes of this Agreement shall mean any action, claim, suit, investigation or proceeding (including, without limitation, an investigation or partial proceeding, such as a deposition), whether commenced or threatened) has been instituted in any such jurisdiction revoking, limiting or curtailing or seeking to revoke, limit or curtail such power and authority or qualification.

 

 

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(B) 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 the Transaction Documents and the Placement Agreement Warrants 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 (as defined in subsection 3(D) below).  Each of the Transaction Documents and the Placement Agent Warrants 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.

 

(C) No Conflicts.  The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents and the Placement Agent Warrants by the Company, the issuance and sale of the Securities 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 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 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 would not result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(D) 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” (defined as 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, including, without limitation, the OTC Bulletin Board (the “Trading Market”) in connection with the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Transaction Documents and the Placement Agent Warrants (collectively, the “Required Approvals”).

 

 

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(E) Issuance of the Securities; Registration.  The Securities and Placement Agent Warrants are duly authorized and, when issued and paid for in accordance with the description in the Prospectus, 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 any applicable Transaction Documents.  The issuance by the Company of the Securities and Placement Agent Warrants, by the time of the Placement, will have been registered under the Securities Act and all of the Securities will be freely transferable and tradable by the Purchasers without restriction (other than any restrictions arising solely from an act or omission of a Purchaser).  The Securities and Placement Agent Warrants are being issued pursuant to the Registration Statement.  Prior to the Closing, the Registration Statement will be effective and available for the issuance of the Securities and Placement Agent Warrants thereunder.  The “Plan of Distribution” section under the Registration Statement will permit the issuance and sale of the Securities pursuant to the applicable Transaction Document.  Upon receipt of the Securities, the Purchasers will have good and marketable title to such Securities.  Upon receipt of the Placement Agent Warrants, the Agreement and its designees will have good and marketable title to the Placement Agent Warrants.  The shares underlying the Warrants (the “Warrant Shares”) and the Placement Agent Warrant Shares, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Warrants and Placement Agent Warrants, as the case may be, 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 the maximum number of shares of Common stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants and Placement Warrants.  The Warrants and the Placement Agent Warrants conform to the description thereof in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

(F) Capitalization.  The capitalization of the Company is as set forth in the Registration Statement.  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 securities exercisable, exchangeable or convertible into Common Stock (“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 or Placement Agent Warrants.  Except as a result of the purchase and sale of the Securities and Placement Agreement Warrants, 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 and the Placement Agent Warrants 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 and Placement Agent Warrants.  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.

 

 

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(G) 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.

 

(H) 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 or in Schedule 3(H), (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” (defined as 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), 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(H), 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.

 

 

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(I) 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 to the knowledge of the Company, 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 followed by the Company or any Subsidiary under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act.

 

(J) 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.  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 would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

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(K) 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 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 statute, rule or regulation of any governmental authority, including without limitation all foreign, federal, state and local laws applicable to its business and all such laws that affect the environment, except in each case as could not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(L) Regulatory Permits.  The Company and the Subsidiaries possess all 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.

 

(M) 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 which the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance.

 

(N) 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 notice (written or otherwise) that the Intellectual Property Rights used by the Company or any Subsidiary (i) violates or infringes upon the rights of any third Person or (ii) has expired, terminated or been abandoned or is expected to expire, terminate or be abandoned with two (2) years from the date of this Agreement.  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.

 

 

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(O) 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 amount of securities registered in the Registration Statement.  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.

 

(P) Transactions With Affiliates and Employees.  Except as set forth in the SEC Reports or the Prospectus, 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, 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.

 

(Q) Sarbanes-Oxley.  The Company is in material compliance with all provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 which are applicable to it as of the date hereof and of the closing date of the Placement and any and all applicable rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder that are effective as of the date hereof and as of each 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 statement 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 internals 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 information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports it files or submits under the Exchange Act Rules is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time period specified in the Commission’s rules and forms.  The Company’s certifying officers have evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures as of the end of the period covered by the Company’s 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 changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to material affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

 

 

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(R) Certain Fees.  Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, 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 this Agreement.  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 this Agreement.

 

(S) Trading Market Rules.  The issuance and sale of the Securities hereunder does not contravene the rules and regulations of the Trading Market.

 

(T) Investment Company.  The Company is not, and is not an Affiliate of, and immediately following the receipt of payment for the Securities, will not be 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, as amended.

 

(U) Registration Rights.  No Person has any right to cause the Company to effect the registration under the Securities Act of any securities of the Company.

 

(V) 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 of the date hereof.

 

(W) Disclosure.  Except with respect to the material terms and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the transactions contemplated pursuant to the Prospectus, 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 it believes constitutes or might constitute material, non-public information which is not otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus.  The Company understands and confirms that the Purchasers will rely on the foregoing representation in effecting transactions in securities of the Company.  All of the disclosure furnished by or on behalf of the Company to the Purchasers regarding the Company, its business and the transactions contemplated hereby, including the Schedules to this Agreement, is true and correct and does 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 press releases disseminated by the Company during the twelve months preceding the date of this Agreement taken as a whole do not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made and when made, not misleading.

 

 

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(X) No Integrated Offering.  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 any applicable stockholder approval provisions of any Trading Market on which any of the securities of the Company are listed or designated

 

(Y) Tax Status.  Except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have or result in a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each Subsidiary (i) has made or filed all United States federal and state income and all foreign income and franchise tax returns, reports and declarations required by any jurisdiction to which it is subject, (ii) has paid all taxes and other governmental assessments and charges that are material in amount, shown or determined to be due on such returns, reports and declarations and (iii) has set aside on its books provision reasonably adequate for the payment of all material taxes for periods subsequent to the periods to which such returns, reports or declarations apply.  There are no unpaid taxes in any material amount claimed to be due by the taxing authority of any jurisdiction, and the officers of the Company or of any Subsidiary know of no basis for any such claim.

 

(Z) 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.

 

(AA) Accountants.  The Company’s accountants are named in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.  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 next Annual Report on Form 10-K, are a registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act.

 

(BB) Regulation M Compliance.  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.

 

(CC) Approvals.  The issuance and quotation on the Trading Market of the Shares requires no further approvals, including but not limited to, the approval of stockholders.

 

 

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(DD) FINRA Affiliations.  There are no affiliations with any FINRA member firm among the Company’s officers, directors or, to the knowledge of the Company, any five percent (5%) or greater stockholder of the Company, except as set forth in the Registration Statement and Prospectus.

 

(EE) Office of Foreign Assets Control.  Neither the Company nor, to the Company's knowledge, any director, officer, agent, employee or affiliate of the Company is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department.

 

(FF) Money Laundering.  The operations of the Company are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial record-keeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, applicable money laundering statutes and applicable rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

(GG) Certificates.  Any certificate signed by an officer of the Company and delivered to the Placement Agent or to counsel for the Placement Agent shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Company to the Placement Agent as to the matters set forth therein.

 

(HH) Reliance.  The Company acknowledges that the Placement Agent will rely upon the accuracy and truthfulness of the foregoing representations and warranties and hereby consents to such reliance.

 

(II) Forward-Looking Statements.  No forward-looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained in either the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

(JJ) Statistical or Market-Related Data.  Any statistical, industry-related and market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, are based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably and in good faith believes to be reliable and accurate, and such data agree with the sources from which they are derived.

 

 

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SECTION 4. ENGAGEMENT TERM.  Aegis’ engagement hereunder will be for the period of 180 days.  The engagement may be terminated by either the Company or Aegis at any time upon 90 days’ prior written notice.  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the provisions in this Agreement concerning confidentiality, indemnification and contribution will survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement.  Upon any termination of this Agreement, the Company's obligation to pay Aegis any fees actually earned on closing of the Placement and otherwise payable under Sections 1(A) and (B), shall survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement, as permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(d).  Upon any termination of this Agreement, the Company's obligation to reimburse Aegis for out of pocket accountable expenses actually incurred by Aegis and reimbursable upon closing of the Placement pursuant to Section 1(C), if any are otherwise due under Section 1(C) hereof, will survive any expiration or termination of this Agreement, as permitted by FINRA Rule 5110(f)(2)(d).

 

SECTION 5. AEGIS INFORMATION.  The Company agrees that any information or advice rendered by Aegis in connection with this engagement is for the confidential use of the Company only in their evaluation of the Placement and, except as otherwise required by law, the Company will not disclose or otherwise refer to the advice or information in any manner without Aegis’ prior written consent.

 

SECTION 6. NO FIDUCIARY RELATIONSHIP.  This Agreement does not create, and shall not be construed as creating rights enforceable by any person or entity not a party hereto, except those entitled hereto by virtue of the indemnification provisions hereof.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that Aegis is not and shall not be construed as a fiduciary of the Company and shall have no duties or liabilities to the equity holders or the creditors of the Company or any other person by virtue of this Agreement or the retention of Aegis hereunder, all of which are hereby expressly waived.

 

SECTION 7. CLOSING.  The obligations of the Placement Agent, and the closing of the sale of the Securities hereunder are subject to the accuracy, when made and on the Closing Date, of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company and its Subsidiaries contained herein, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company and its Subsidiaries made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company and its Subsidiaries of their obligations hereunder, and to each of the following additional terms and conditions:

 

(A) No stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission, and any request for additional information on the part of the Commission (to be included in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or otherwise) shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Placement Agent.

 

(B) The Placement Agent shall not have discovered and disclosed to the Company on or prior to the Closing Date that the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto contains an untrue statement of a fact which, in the opinion of counsel for the Placement Agent, is material or omits to state any fact which, in the opinion of such counsel, is material and is required to be stated therein or is necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.

 

 

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(C) All corporate proceedings and other legal matters incident to the authorization, form, execution, delivery and validity of each of the Transaction Documents, the Securities, the Placement Agent Warrants, the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus and all other legal matters relating to the Transaction Documents and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to counsel for the Placement Agent, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel all documents and information that they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

 

(D) The Placement Agent shall have received from outside counsel to the Company such counsel’s written opinion, addressed to the Placement Agent and the Purchasers dated as of the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Placement Agent.

 

(E) Neither the Company nor any of its Subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement and Prospectus, any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood, terrorist act or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement and Prospectus and (ii) since such date there shall not have been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the business, general affairs, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity, results of operations or prospects of the Company and its Subsidiaries, otherwise than as set forth in or contemplated by the Registration Statement and Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is, in the judgment of the Placement Agent, so material and adverse as to make it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement and Prospectus.

 

(F) Subsequent to the execution and delivery of this Agreement, there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq National Market or the NYSE Alternext US or in the over-the-counter market, or trading in any securities of the Company on any exchange or in the over-the-counter market, shall have been suspended or minimum or maximum prices or maximum ranges for prices shall have been established on any such exchange or such market by the Commission, by such exchange or by any other regulatory body or governmental authority having jurisdiction, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared by federal or state authorities or a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, (iii) the United States shall have become engaged in hostilities in which it is not currently engaged, the subject of an act of terrorism, there shall have been an escalation in hostilities involving the United States, or there shall have been a declaration of a national emergency or war by the United States, or (iv) there shall have occurred any other calamity or crisis or any change in general economic, political or financial conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event in clause (iii) or (iv) makes it, in the sole judgment of the Placement Agent, impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

 

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(G) No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any governmental agency or body which would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company; and no injunction, restraining order or order of any other nature by any federal or state court of competent jurisdiction shall have been issued as of the Closing Date which would prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities or materially and adversely affect or potentially and adversely affect the business or operations of the Company.

 

(H) The Company shall have entered into securities purchase agreements with each of the Purchasers and such agreements shall be in full force and effect and shall contain representations and warranties of the Company as agreed between the Company and the Purchasers.

 

(I) FINRA shall have raised no objection to the fairness and reasonableness of the terms and arrangements of this Agreement.  In addition, the Company shall, if requested by the Placement Agent, make or authorize Placement Agent’s counsel to make on the Company’s behalf, an Issuer Filing with FINRA pursuant to FINRA Rule 5110 with respect to the Registration Statement and pay all filing fees required in connection therewith.

 

(J) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Placement Agent such further information, certificates and documents as the Placement Agent may reasonably request.

 

All opinions, letters, evidence and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Placement Agent.

 

SECTION 8. INDEMNIFICATION.  (A)  To the extent permitted by law, the Company will indemnify Aegis and its Affiliates, stockholders, directors, officers, employees and controlling persons (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) (together with Aegis, each an “indemnified party” and, collectively, the “indemnified parties”) against all losses, claims, damages, expenses and liabilities, as the same are incurred (including the fees and expenses of counsel and other experts), relating to, based upon or arising out of its activities hereunder or pursuant to this Agreement, including, without limitation, (i) a breach of any representation, warranty or covenant contained in this Agreement or any of the other Transaction Documents, (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, as originally filed or any amendment thereof, or any related Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or in any supplement thereto or (iii) the omission or alleged omission from the Registration Statement, as originally filed or any amendment thereof, or any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or any supplement thereto or amendment thereof to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; except to the extent that any losses, claims, damages, expenses or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) are found in a final judgment (not subject to appeal) by a court of law to have resulted solely and directly from Aegis’ fraud, willful misconduct or gross negligence in performing the services described herein.

 

 

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(B) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party of notice of any claim or the commencement of any action or proceeding with respect to which Aegis is entitled to indemnity hereunder, the indemnified party will notify the Company in writing of such claim or of the commencement of such action or proceeding, but failure to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any obligation it may have hereunder to such indemnified party, except and only to the extent such failure results in the forfeiture by the Company of substantial rights and defenses.  If the Company so elects or is requested by an indemnified party, the Company will assume the defense of such action or proceeding and will employ counsel reasonably satisfactory to an indemnified party and will pay the fees and expenses of such counsel.  Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, an indemnified party will be entitled to employ counsel separate from counsel for the Company and from any other party in such action if counsel for such indemnified party reasonably determines that it would be inappropriate under the applicable rules of professional responsibility for the same counsel to represent both the Company and such indemnified party.  In such event, the reasonable fees and disbursements of no more than one such separate counsel for an indemnified party will be paid by the Company, in addition to local counsel.  The Company will have the exclusive right to settle the claim or proceeding provided that the Company will not settle any such claim, action or proceeding without the prior written consent of Aegis, which will not be unreasonably withheld.

 

(C) The Company agrees to notify Aegis and any other named indemnified party promptly of the assertion against it or any other indemnified party of any claim or the commencement of any action or proceeding relating to a transaction contemplated by this Agreement.

 

(D) If for any reason the foregoing indemnity is unavailable to Aegis or insufficient to hold an indemnified party harmless, then the Company shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by the indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other, but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any relevant equitable considerations.  The amounts paid or payable by a party in respect of losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to above shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees and expenses incurred in defending any litigation, proceeding or other action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions hereof, indemnified party’s share of the liability hereunder shall not be in excess of the amount of fees actually received, or to be received, by such indemnified party under this Agreement (excluding any amounts received as reimbursement of expenses incurred by such indemnified party).

 

(E) These indemnification provisions shall remain in full force and effect whether or not the transaction contemplated by this Agreement is completed and shall survive the termination of this Agreement, and shall be in addition to any liability that the Company might otherwise have to any indemnified party under this Agreement or otherwise.

 

 

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SECTION 9. REGISTRATION AND LISTING

 

(A)  As used herein, the term “Registrable Securities” means any shares of Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of the Placement Agreement Warrant, until the date (if any) on which such shares shall have been transferred or exchanged and new certificates for them not bearing a legend restricting further transfer shall have been delivered by the Company and subsequent disposition of them shall not require registration or qualification of them under the Securities Act or any similar state law then in force. For purposes of the Placement Agreement Warrant, the term “Majority”, in reference to the holders of Registrable Securities, shall mean in excess of fifty percent (50%) of the then outstanding Placement Agreement Warrant Shares (assuming the exercise of the entire Placement Agreement Warrant) that: (i) are not held by the Company, an affiliate, officer, creditor, employee or agent thereof or any of their respective affiliates, members of their family, Persons acting as nominees or in conjunction therewith and (ii) have not be resold to the public pursuant to a registration statement filed under the Securities Act.

 

(B) If the Company, at any time on or after the date of this Agreement through the fifth anniversary of the effective date of the Registration Statement, proposes to register any of its securities under the Securities Act (other than in connection with a registration on Form S-4 or S-8 or any successor forms) whether for its own account or for the account of any holder or holders of its shares other than Registrable Securities (any shares of such holder or holders (but not those of the Company and not Registrable Securities) with respect to any registration are referred to herein as, “Other Shares”), the Company shall each such time give prompt (but not less than thirty (30) days prior to the anticipated effectiveness thereof) written notice to the holders of Registrable Securities of its intention to do so. Upon the written request of any such holder of Registrable Securities made within twenty (20) days after the receipt of any such notice (which request shall specify the Registrable Securities intended to be disposed of by such holder), except as set forth in Section 9(c), the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to effect the registration under the Securities Act of all of the Registrable Securities which the Company has been so requested to register by such holder, to the extent requisite to permit the disposition of the Registrable Securities so to be registered, by inclusion of such Registrable Securities in the registration statement which covers the securities which the Company proposes to register;  provided, however,  that if, at any time after giving written notice of its intention to register any securities and prior to the effective date of the registration statement filed in connection with such registration, the Company shall determine for any reason in its sole discretion either to not register, to delay or to withdraw registration of such securities, the Company may, at its election, give written notice of such determination to such holder and, thereupon: (i) in the case of a determination not to register, shall be relieved of its obligation to register any Registrable Securities in connection with such registration (but not from its obligation to pay the Registration Expenses in connection therewith), (ii) in the case of a determination to delay registration, shall be permitted to delay registering any Registrable Securities for the same period as the delay in registering such other securities (including the Other Shares), and (iii) in the case of a determination to withdraw registration, shall be permitted to withdraw registration. The Company will pay all Registration Expenses (defined below) in connection with each registration of Registrable Securities pursuant to this Section 9(B) or Section 9(C).

 

 

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(C) If the Company at any time proposes to register any of its securities under the Securities Act as contemplated by this Section 9(C) and such securities are to be distributed by or through one or more underwriters, the Company will, if requested by a holder of Registrable Securities, use its reasonable best efforts to arrange for such underwriters to include all the Registrable Securities to be offered and sold by such holder among the securities to be distributed by such underwriters, provided that if the managing underwriter of such underwritten offering shall inform the Company by letter of its belief that inclusion in such distribution of all or a specified number of such securities proposed to be distributed by such underwriters would interfere with the successful marketing of the securities being distributed by such underwriters (such letter to state the basis of such belief and the approximate number of such Registrable Securities, such Other Shares and shares held by the Company proposed so to be registered which may be distributed without such effect), then the Company may, upon written notice to such holder, the other holders of Registrable Securities, and holders of such Other Shares, reduce pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock desired to be included in such registration (if and to the extent stated by such managing underwriter to be necessary to eliminate such effect) the number of such Registrable Securities and Other Shares the registration of which shall have been requested by each holder thereof so that the resulting aggregate number of such Registrable Securities and Other Shares so included in such registration, together with the number of securities to be included in such registration for the account of the Company, shall be equal to the number of shares stated in such managing underwriter’s letter.

 

(D) Whenever the holders of Registrable Securities have properly requested that any Registrable Securities be registered pursuant to the terms of the Placement Agreement Warrant, the Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect the registration and the sale of such Registrable Securities in accordance with the intended method of disposition thereof, and pursuant thereto the Company shall as expeditiously as possible:

 

(i) prepare and file with the SEC a registration statement with respect to such Registrable Securities and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective;

 

(ii) notify such holders of the effectiveness of each registration statement filed hereunder and prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be necessary to (i) keep such registration statement effective and the prospectus included therein usable for a period commencing on the date that such registration statement is initially declared effective by the SEC and ending on the date when all Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement have been sold pursuant to the registration statement or cease to be Registrable Securities, and (ii) comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such registration statement during such period in accordance with the intended methods of disposition by the sellers thereof set forth in such registration statement;

 

 

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(iii) furnish to such holders such number of copies of such registration statement, each amendment and supplement thereto, the prospectus included in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus) and such other documents as such seller may reasonably request in order to facilitate the disposition of the Registrable Securities owned by such holders;

 

(iv) use its reasonable best efforts to register or qualify such Registrable Securities under such other securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as such holders reasonably request and do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such holders to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities owned by such holders;  provided, however,  that the Company shall not be required to: (i) qualify generally to do business in any jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to qualify but for this subparagraph; (ii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction; or (iii) consent to general service of process in any such jurisdiction;

 

(v) notify such holders, at any time when a prospectus relating thereto is required to be delivered under the Securities Act, of the happening of any event as a result of which the prospectus included in such registration statement contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omits any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they are made, not materially misleading, and, at the reasonable request of such holders, the Company shall prepare a supplement or amendment to such prospectus so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of such Registrable Securities, such prospectus shall not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances in which they are made, not materially misleading;

 

(vi) provide a transfer agent and registrar for all such Registrable Securities not later than the effective date of such registration statement;

 

(vii)   make available for inspection by any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such registration statement, and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any such underwriter, all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company, and cause the Company’s officers, directors, managers, employees and independent accountants to supply all information reasonably requested by any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with such registration statement;

 

(viii)   comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, and make available to its security holders, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement of the Company, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and, at the option of the Company, Rule 158 thereunder;

 

(ix) in the event of the issuance of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a registration statement, or of any order suspending or preventing the use of any related prospectus or suspending the qualification of any Registrable Securities included in such registration statement for sale in any jurisdiction, the Company shall use its Reasonable Best Efforts promptly to obtain the withdrawal of such order;

 

(x)  cause any Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement to be registered with or approved by such other governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the sellers thereof to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities; and

 

 

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(xi)     if the offering is underwritten, furnish on the date that Registrable Securities are delivered to the underwriters for sale pursuant to such registration, an opinion dated such date of counsel representing the Company for the purposes of such registration, addressed to the underwriters covering such issues as are reasonably required by such underwriters.

 

(E)  The Company shall secure the listing of the Common Stock underlying the Placement Agreement Warrant upon each national securities exchange or automated quotation system upon which shares of Common Stock are then listed or quoted (subject to official notice of issuance) and shall maintain such listing of shares of Common Stock. The Company shall at all times comply in all material respects with the Company’s reporting, filing and other obligations under the by-laws or rules of The Nasdaq Capital Market (or such other national securities exchange or market on which the Common Stock may then be listed, as applicable).

 

(F) The Company shall pay all Registration Expenses relating to the registration and listing obligations set forth in this Section 9. For purposes of this Warrant, the term “Registration Expenses” means: (a) all registration, filing and FINRA (as defined below) fees, (b) all reasonable fees and expenses of complying with securities or blue sky laws, (c) all word processing, duplicating and printing expenses, (d) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and of its independent public accountants, including the expenses of any special audits or “cold comfort” letters required by or incident to such performance and compliance, and (e) premiums and other costs of policies of insurance (if any) against liabilities arising out of the public offering of the Registrable Securities being registered if the Company desires such insurance, if any; provided however, that, in any case where Registration Expenses are not to be borne by the Company, such expenses shall not include (and such expenses shall be borne by the Company): (i) salaries of Company personnel or general overhead expenses of the Company, (ii) auditing fees, (iii) premiums or other expenses relating to liability insurance required by underwriters of the Company, or (iv) other expenses for the preparation of financial statements or other data, to the extent that any of the foregoing either is normally prepared by the Company in the ordinary course of its business or would have been incurred by the Company had no public offering taken place. Registration Expenses shall not include any underwriting discounts and commissions which may be incurred in the sale of any Registrable Securities and transfer taxes of the selling holders of Registrable Securities.

 

(G) Any holder of Registrable Securities included in any registration shall furnish to the Company such information as the Company may reasonably request in writing to enable the Company to comply with the provisions hereof in connection with any registration referred to in this Warrant.

 

(H) In the event that a registration statement covering the Registrable Securities is filed, within one (1) Business Day of the filing of such registration statement, the Company will prepare and file the selling stockholder resale offering described in such registration statement for review by FINRA via the FINRA’s CobraDesk filing system (“CobraDesk Filing”) for the purpose of having the prospectus contained within such registration statement treated as a “base prospectus” in connection with such resale offering. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to have the CobraDesk Filing approved by FINRA within thirty (30) days of such filing date. The Company shall bear all expenses of the CobraDesk Filing, including fees and expenses of counsel or other advisors to the Holder. In all circumstances, the Company shall pay for all FINRA filing fees associated with the CobraDesk Filing.

 

 

22

 

 

(I) The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep each registration statement contemplated hereunder continuously effective under the Securities Act until the date which is the earlier date of when (i) all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold or (ii) all Registrable Securities covered by such Registration Statement may be sold immediately without registration under the Securities Act and without volume restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act, as determined by the counsel to the Company pursuant to a written opinion letter to such effect, addressed and reasonably acceptable to the Company’s transfer agent and the affected holders of Registrable Securities.

 

(J) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, in no event will the Holder hereof be entitled to receive a net-cash settlement as liquidated damages in lieu of physical settlement in shares of Common Stock, regardless of whether the Common Stock underlying this Warrant is registered pursuant to an effective registration statement; provided, however, that the foregoing will not preclude the Holder from seeking other remedies at law or equity for breaches by the Company of its registration obligations hereunder.

 

SECTION 10.  GOVERNING LAW.  This Agreement will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made and to be performed entirely in such State.  This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without the prior written consent of the other party.  This Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto, and their respective successors and permitted assigns.  Any right to trial by jury with respect to any dispute arising under this Agreement or any transaction or conduct in connection herewith is waived.  Any dispute arising under this Agreement may be brought into the courts of the State of New York or into the Federal Court located in New York, New York and, by execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Company hereby accepts for itself and in respect of its property, generally and unconditionally, the jurisdiction of aforesaid courts.  Each party hereto hereby irrevocably waives personal service of process and consents to process being served in any such suit, action or proceeding by delivering a copy thereof via 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. If either party shall commence an action or proceeding to enforce any provisions of a Transaction Document, 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.

 

SECTION 11. ENTIRE AGREEMENT/MISCELLANEOUS.  This Agreement embodies the entire agreement and understanding between the parties hereto and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, relating to this Placement.  If any provision of this Agreement is determined to be invalid or unenforceable in any respect, such determination will not affect such provision in any other respect or any other provision of this Agreement, which will remain in full force and effect.  This Agreement may not be amended or otherwise modified or waived except by an instrument in writing signed by both Aegis and the Company.  The representations, warranties, agreements and covenants contained herein shall survive the closing of the Placement and delivery and/or exercise of the Securities, as applicable.  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 or a .pdf format file, 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 or .pdf signature page were an original thereof.

 

SECTION 12. 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 specified on the signature pages attached hereto prior to 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on a business day, (b) the next business day after the date of transmission, if such notice or communication is delivered via facsimile at the facsimile number on the signature pages attached hereto on a day that is not a business day or later than 6:30 p.m. (New York City time) on any business day, (c) the business 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 hereto.

 

SECTION 13. FINRA.  Aegis represents, warrants and agrees that Aegis is duly registered as a broker-dealer pursuant to the Exchange Act and is a member in good standing of the FINRA.

 

 

23

 

 

Please confirm that the foregoing correctly sets forth our agreement by signing and returning to Aegis a copy of this Agreement.

 

Very truly yours,

 

AEGIS CAPITAL CORP.

 

	
By:

	
/s/

	  
	  	
(Name)

	  
	  	
(Title)

	  

 

Address for notice:

888 Seventh Avenue, 11th Floor

New York, NY, 10019

Fax                                           

Attention:                                           

 

 

Accepted and Agreed to as of the date first written above:

 

CARBON SCIENCES INC.

 

	
By:

	
/s/

	  
	  	
(Name)

	  
	  	
(Title)

	  

 

Address for notice:

5511-C Ekwill Street

Santa Barbara, CA 93111

Attention: Chief Executive Officer

 

 

24

 

 

 

SCHEDULES

 

 

Schedule 3(A)

 

None

 

Schedule 3(H)

 

Wings Fund, Inc. has loaned the Company $100,000 at an interest rate of 5% per annum which matures on March 31, 2012.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

25Unassociated Document

Exhibit 10.1

SECOND AMENDMENT

TO THIRD AMENDED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

This Second Amendment, dated as of December 31, 2011 (this “Second Amendment”), is made to that certain Third Amended Employment Agreement by and between Steven Madden, Ltd., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), and Steven Madden (the “Employee”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

WHEREAS, the Corporation and the Employee are parties to that certain Third Amended Employment Agreement executed as of July 15, 2005 and effective as of July 1, 2005, as amended by Amendment, dated as of December 14, 2009 (collectively, the “Employment Agreement”), a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A; and

WHEREAS, the Corporation believes it to be in the best interests of the Corporation to extend the term of the Employment Agreement to further secure the services of the Employee and to make certain other modifications to the terms of the Employee’s employment and the Employee is agreeable to such extension and modifications;

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreement of the parties contained herein and for ten dollars and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, and intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1. Effective as of the date of this Amendment, the Employment Agreement is amended as follows:

a.           Section 3 of the Employment Agreement shall be deleted in its entirety and in lieu thereof the following paragraph shall be inserted:

“Section 3. TERM OF EMPLOYMENT. The term of the Employee’s employment, unless sooner terminated as provided herein, shall commence on the Effective Date of this Third Amended Employment Agreement and end on December 31, 2023 (the “Term”).”

b.           Section 4.1 of the Employment Agreement shall be deleted in its entirety and in lieu thereof the following paragraph shall be inserted:

 

“4.1 BASE SALARY. During the first six years and six months of the Term through December 31, 2011, the Corporation shall pay to the Employee an annual base salary of Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000.00) for his services hereunder (less such deductions as shall be required to be withheld by applicable laws and regulations) which base salary shall be increased in each of the third and fifth years of this Agreement by seven (7.0%) percent on a compound basis reflecting an agreed upon cost of living adjustment. Thereafter, commencing on January 1, 2012, the Corporation shall pay to the Employee an annual base salary of Five Million Four Hundred Sixteen Thousand Six Hundred Sixty-Seven Dollars ($5,416,667.00) for his services hereunder which base salary shall be adjusted annually as set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto and made a part hereof (in each case, less such deductions as shall be required to be withheld by applicable laws and regulations), provided, however, that such annual base salary shall be amended in accordance with the terms hereof in the event that the Employee elects the Additional Restricted Shares Amendment (as hereinafter defined) pursuant to Section 4.12(c) hereof.”

 

  

  

  

 

c.           Section 4.3 of the Employment Agreement shall be amended such that the first sentence thereof shall be deleted in its entirety and in lieu thereof the following sentences shall be inserted with the remainder of the Section remaining unchanged:

“4.3 ANNUAL BONUS. For each fiscal year of the Term from the Effective Date through December 31, 2011, the Corporation shall pay to the Employee a cash bonus in an amount determined by the Board of Directors, which amount shall be not less than two (2.0%) percent of the Corporation’s earnings for such fiscal year before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (the “Cash Bonus”); provided, however, that the Cash Bonus payable to the Employee for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2011 shall be calculated exclusive of earnings generated from acquisitions made in such fiscal year including, without limitation, the acquisitions of The Topline Corporation and Cejon, Inc. Any Cash Bonus paid to the Employee after December 31, 2011 shall be at the sole discretion of the Board of Directors. ”

d.           Section 4.4 of the Employment Agreement shall be amended such that the first sentence thereof shall be deleted in its entirety and in lieu thereof the following sentences shall be inserted with the remainder of the Section remaining unchanged:

“Subject to the availability of shares under the Corporation’s 1999 Stock Plan (the “1999 Plan”)or any successor plan and to compliance with the HSR Act (as hereinafter defined), on or about the date of the Corporation’s annual meeting (but not later than June 30th) for each year of the Term (beginning in 2006) (each, a “Grant Date”), the Employee shall be eligible for an option (“Annual Option”) to purchase shares of common stock of the Corporation in an amount equal to not less than 100% of the largest aggregate amount of annual option grants to any other continuing full-time employee of the Corporation over the twelve (12) months up to and including the applicable Grant Date or otherwise with respect to the same option period (excluding sign-on or other grants outside of the ordinary course of such employee’s employment) (the “Base Amount”); provided, however, that the Board of Directors may determine, if consistent with the opinion of a qualified outside compensation consultant, that Employee is eligible to receive options to purchase between 100% and 150% of the Base Amount; provided, further, that from and after December 31, 2011, the Annual Option to which the Employee shall be eligible shall reflect a number of shares determined as the greater of (i) the Base Amount and (ii) 100,000 shares, subject to the immediately preceding proviso allowing the Board of Directors the discretion to grant an option equal to 150% of the Base Amount if greater than 100,000 shares; provided, further, however, that approval by the Corporation’s shareholders shall be required if Employee is to receive options to purchase in excess of 150% of the Base Amount. The Employee and the Corporation acknowledge that exercise of any Annual Option may subject the Employee and/or the Corporation to the filing requirements of the HSR Act. If any approval or waiting period under the HSR Act shall be required prior to the Employee being able to exercise any Annual Option, then the Corporation and the Employee agree to promptly make all necessary notifications or other filings required by the HSR Act and to cooperate with one another to supply promptly any information and documentation that may be required or requested by the Department of Justice or the Federal Trade Commission pursuant to the HSR Act. The Corporation shall pay applicable filing fees and reasonable attorneys’ fees of the Employee incurred in connection with the preparation and filing of all documentation required or requested pursuant to the HSR Act. The Employee and the Corporation acknowledge and agree that, to the extent that the HSR Act is applicable to the exercise of the Annual Option, the issuance of the shares subject to the Annual Option shall be conditioned upon and subject to compliance with the HSR Act.”

e.           Section 4.7 of the Employment Agreement shall be amended by adding at the end thereof the following sentence:

“In addition, the Company shall pay on behalf of the Employee and for the Employee’s benefit the premiums related to the Employee’s personal life insurance policy in an amount not to exceed $200,000.00 per year.”

 

  

  

  

 

f.           Section 4.8 of the Employment Agreement shall be deleted in its entirety and in lieu thereof the word “Reserved.” shall be inserted.

g.           Section 4.10 of the Employment Agreement shall be amended so that the first sentence thereof shall be deleted in its entirety and in lieu thereof the following shall be inserted with the remainder of the Section remaining unchanged:

“4.10 NEW BUSINESS BONUS. For each fiscal year of the Term from the Effective Date through December 31, 2011, the Corporation shall pay to the Employee a cash bonus in respect of new business (as hereinafter defined) in an amount to be determined by the Board of Directors, which amount shall not be less than two and one-half (2.5%) percent of new business gross direct revenues (i.e., direct revenues from new business as hereinafter defined except new business license or other fee income) and not less than ten (10.0%) percent of all license or other fee income above Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00); provided, however, that the cash bonus payable to the Employee in respect of new business for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2011 shall be calculated exclusive of revenues generated from acquisitions made in such fiscal year including, without limitation, the acquisitions of the Topline Corporation and Cejon, Inc. For the avoidance of doubt, no cash bonus in respect of new business shall be payable to the Employee with respect to any fiscal year of the Term after December 31, 2011.”

h.           A new Section 4.12 shall be added to the Employment Agreement, immediately following Section 4.11, which shall read as follows:

 “4.12 GRANTS OF RESTRICTED STOCK.

(a)   Grant of Restricted Stock. Subject to the availability of shares of common stock of the Corporation reserved for issuance under the Steven Madden, Ltd. 2006 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”) and compliance with the HSR Act (as hereinafter defined), as applicable, as contemplated by Section 4.12(e) hereof, on the first business day of January, 2012 on which the Corporation’s common stock is traded (the “Restricted Shares Grant Date”), the Corporation shall grant to the Employee a restricted stock award for a number of shares (the “Restricted Shares”) of common stock of the Corporation under the Plan determined as hereinafter set forth which Restricted Shares shall be subject to certain restrictions including, without limitation, that the Employee will not sell, transfer, pledge, hypothecate, assign or otherwise dispose of the Restricted Shares except as set forth under the Plan or the restricted stock agreement to be entered into by the Corporation and the Employee at the time of the grant. The Restricted Shares to be issued to the Employee shall be valued at Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000.00) and the number of Restricted Shares to be issued shall be determined by dividing Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000.00) by the closing price of the common stock of the Corporation on the Restricted Shares Grant Date; provided, however, that, in the event that the Corporation does not have a sufficient number of shares of common stock available for such issuance under its charter or the Plan, the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, shall determine a reasonable lesser number of shares to issue as of the Restricted Shares Grant Date, provided that, the Corporation shall undertake to amend the Corporation’s charter to increase the number of authorized shares or to increase the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan, as applicable, to allow for further issuance of Restricted Shares to the Employee to equal the aggregate value of Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000.00) and, in each case, subject to receipt of stockholder approval therefor and, the number of Restricted Shares to be issued, in such event, shall be determined by dividing the difference of Forty Million Dollars minus the dollar value of the Restricted Shares theretofore issued to the Employee by the closing price of the common stock of the Corporation on the actual date of issuance (i.e. the first business day on which the Corporation’s common stock is traded following receipt of the applicable stockholder approval). In the event that compliance with the HSR Act, to the extent required, shall not have occurred by the Restricted Shares Grant Date, the issuance of the Restricted Shares shall not occur until the first business day on which the Corporation’s common stock is traded following receipt of the applicable approval or the lapse or termination of the applicable waiting period associated with such compliance and the number of Restricted Shares to be issued, in such event, shall be determined by dividing Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000.00) by the closing price of the common stock of the Corporation on the actual date of issuance (i.e. the first business day on which the Corporation’s common stock is traded following receipt of the applicable approval or the lapse or termination of the applicable waiting period).

 

  

  

  

 

(b)   Vesting of Restricted Shares. Vesting of the Restricted Shares shall occur in equal annual installments over seven years commencing on December 31, 2017, on which date the first one-seventh (1/7th) of the Restricted Shares shall vest and continuing to vest thereafter on each December 31 through December 31, 2023; provided, however, in each case, that the Employee continues to be employed by the Corporation on each such date through December 31, 2023. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Restricted Shares shall immediately vest, in full, upon the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) the Employee’s death, (ii) the Employee’s Total Disability (as hereinafter defined) and (iii) a Change of Control (as hereinafter defined) of the Corporation, provided, however, in each case, that the Employee continues to be employed by the Corporation on the date of the occurrence of such event. The grant shall be evidenced by, and subject to the additional terms and conditions contained in, the Plan and the associated restricted stock agreement.

(c)   Additional Restricted Shares Amendment. The Employee shall have the right to elect a further amendment to this Agreement (the “Additional Restricted Shares Amendment”) providing for (i) an additional grant to the Employee of restricted shares (the “Additional Restricted Shares”) of common stock of the Corporation under the Plan (or a successor plan) valued at Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000.00) which Additional Restricted Shares shall be subject to certain restrictions including, without limitation, that the Employee will not sell, transfer, pledge, hypothecate, assign or otherwise dispose of the Additional Restricted Shares except as set forth under the Plan (or such successor plan) or the restricted stock agreement to be entered into by the Corporation and the Employee at the time of the grant and (ii) an adjustment of the Employee’s base salary from and after December 31, 2012 as set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto and made a part hereof (in each case, less such deductions as shall be required to be withheld by applicable laws and regulations). The Employee shall have the right to elect the Additional Restricted Shares Amendment on any of June 30, September 30 or December 31, 2012 (the “Election Date”) by providing written notice of such election to the Corporation on such date. The number of Additional Restricted Shares to be issued to the Employee shall be determined by dividing Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000.00) by the closing price of the common stock of the Corporation on the first business day on which the Corporation’s common stock is traded following the Election Date (the “Additional Restricted Shares Grant Date”); provided, however, that, in the event that the Corporation does not have a sufficient number of shares of common stock available for such issuance under its charter or the Plan (or any successor plan), the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, shall determine a reasonable lesser number of shares to issue as of the Additional Restricted Shares Grant Date, provided that, the Corporation shall undertake to amend the Corporation’s charter to increase the number of authorized shares or to increase the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan (or any successor plan), as applicable, to allow for further issuance of Additional Restricted Shares to the Employee to equal the aggregate value of Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000.00) and, in each case, subject to receipt of stockholder approval therefor, and the number of Additional Restricted Shares to be issued, in such event, shall be determined by dividing the difference of Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000.00) minus the dollar value of the Additional Restricted Shares theretofore issued to the Employee by the closing price of the common stock of the Corporation on the actual date of issuance (i.e. the first business day on which the Corporation’s common stock is traded following receipt of stockholder approval). The issuance of the Additional Restricted Shares shall be subject to compliance with the HSR Act (as hereinafter defined), as contemplated by Section 4.12(e) hereof. In the event that compliance with the HSR Act, to the extent required, shall not have occurred by the Election Date, the issuance of the Additional Restricted Shares shall not occur until the first business day on which the Corporation’s common stock is traded following receipt of the applicable approval or the lapse or termination of the applicable waiting period associated with such compliance and the number of Additional Restricted Shares to be issued, in such event, shall be determined by dividing Forty Million Dollars ($40,000,000.00) by the closing price of the common stock of the Corporation on the actual date of issuance (i.e. the first business day on which the Corporation’s common stock is traded following receipt of the applicable approval or the lapse or termination of the applicable waiting period).

 

  

  

  

 

(d)   Vesting of Additional Restricted Shares. Vesting of the Additional Restricted Shares shall occur in equal annual installments over six years commencing on December 31, 2018, on which date the first one-sixth (1/6th) of the Additional Restricted Shares shall vest and continuing to vest thereafter on each December 31 through December 31, 2023; provided, however, in each case, that the Employee continues to be employed by the Corporation on each such date through December 31, 2023. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Additional Restricted Shares shall immediately vest, in full, upon the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) the Employee’s death, (ii) the Employee’s Total Disability (as hereinafter defined) and (iii) a Change of Control (as hereinafter defined) of the Corporation, provided, however, in each case, that the Employee continues to be employed by the Corporation on the date of the occurrence of such event. The grant shall be evidenced by, and subject to the additional terms and conditions contained in, the Plan and the associated restricted stock agreement.

(e)   Implications of Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. The Employee and the Corporation acknowledge that the restricted stock award of Restricted Shares and the possible restricted stock award of Additional Restricted Shares may subject the Employee and/or the Corporation to the filing requirements of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “HSR Act”). If any approval or waiting period under the HSR Act shall be required prior to the Employee being able to accept the grant, then the Corporation and the Employee agree to promptly make all necessary notifications or other filings required by the HSR Act and to cooperate with one another to supply promptly any information and documentation that may be required or requested by the Department of Justice or the Federal Trade Commission pursuant to the HSR Act. The Corporation shall pay applicable filing fees and reasonable attorneys’ fees of the Employee incurred in connection with the preparation and filing of all documentation required or requested pursuant to the HSR Act. The Employee and the Corporation acknowledge and agree that, to the extent that the HSR Act is applicable to the restricted stock award contemplated hereby, the issuance of the Restricted Shares and the Additional Restricted Shares, as applicable, shall be conditioned upon and subject to compliance with the HSR Act.

(f)   Rule 144. With a view toward making available to the Employee the benefits of certain rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) that may permit the sale of the Restricted Shares and the Additional Restricted Shares, once vested, to the public without registration, the Corporation agrees to:

(i)   make and keep current public information available, within the meaning of Rule 144 or any similar or analogous rule promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), until such date as all of the Restricted Shares and the Additional Restricted Shares shall have been resold;

(ii)   file one or more registration statements on Commission Form S-8 (or any successor or analogous form with respect to the registration of securities issuable under an employee benefit plan) with respect to the registration of securities issuable under the Plan (or any successor or additional plan under which the Restricted Shares or Additional Restricted Shares are issued) and maintain the effectiveness of such registration statements until such date as all Restricted Shares or Additional Restricted Shares have been issued pursuant to such registration statements; and

 

  

  

  

 

(iii)   maintain the registration of the Corporation’s common stock under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), use its reasonable best efforts to maintain the listing of such common stock on a National Securities Exchange (as such term is defined in the Exchange Act), and file with the Commission, in a timely manner, all reports and other documents required of the Corporation under the Act and the Exchange Act.”

i.           A new Section 4.13 shall be added to the Employment Agreement, immediately following new Section 4.12, which shall read as follows:

“4.13. CANCELLATION OF INDEBTEDNESS.

(a)   Amended and Restated Promissory Note. The Corporation and the Employee acknowledge that the Employee is indebted to the Corporation in the principal amount of Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000.00), plus accrued interest thereon, pursuant to a Second Amended and Restated Secured Promissory Note, dated April 6, 2009 (the “Promissory Note”). Pursuant to the terms of the Promissory Note, among other things, (i) principal under the Promissory Note bears interest at the rate of six percent (6.0%) per annum, (ii) the Promissory Note matures on June 30, 2015 and (iii) the Employee’s obligations under the Promissory Note are secured by a pledge of 315,000 shares (the “Pledged Shares”) of common stock of the Corporation owned by the Employee. The terms of the Promissory Note shall be amended and an amended and restated promissory note substantially in the form of Exhibit C attached hereto (the “Restated Promissory Note”) shall be executed by the Employee reflecting the following: (a) the term of the Restated Promissory Note shall be extended through December 31, 2023; (b) effective January 1, 2012, interest on the principal amount under the Restated Promissory Note shall cease to be applicable and shall no longer accrue; and (c) commencing on December 31, 2014 and continuing, annually, on each December 31 through December 31, 2023, one-tenth (1/10th) of the aggregate principal amount under the Restated Promissory Note together with all accrued interest thereon shall be cancelled by the Corporation, and, concurrently with each such annual cancellation, the Corporation shall release a number of the Pledged Shares to be determined by the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, generally to correlate with the amount cancelled without leaving the Corporation inadequately secured; provided, in each case, that the Employee continues to be employed by the Corporation on each such December 31st.

(b)   Effect of Death, Total Disability, Change of Control, Resignation or Termination. In the event of the Employee’s death, Total Disability or a Change of Control, cancellation of all amounts payable under the Restated Promissory Note shall be accelerated such that no amounts shall be payable under the Restated Promissory Note and the Restated Promissory Note shall be deemed paid in full, provided, in each case, that the Employee continues to be employed by the Corporation on the date of the occurrence of such event. In the event that the Employee resigns from the Corporation with Good Reason or is terminated from his employment with the Corporation without Cause prior to the expiration of the Term, all amounts remaining due under the Restated Promissory Note shall bear interest at the rate of six percent (6.0%) per annum from the date of such termination of employment and such amounts shall remain due and payable in accordance with the terms of the Restated Promissory Note. In the event that the Employee resigns from the Corporation without Good Reason or is terminated from his employment with the Corporation For Cause, all amounts then due under the Restated Promissory Note shall be accelerated and become due and payable to the Corporation immediately.”

j.           A new Section 4.14 shall be added to the Employment Agreement, immediately following new Section 4.13, which shall read as follows:

“4.14 EPS OPTION GRANT.

(a)           Earnings Per Share Option Grant. Subject to the availability of shares of common stock of the Corporation reserved for issuance under the Plan or any successor plan and to compliance with the HSR Act, in the event that the Corporation shall achieve earnings per share on a fully-diluted basis equal to $3.00 (the “Target EPS”) as to any fiscal year ending December 31, 2015 or after, the Corporation shall grant to the Employee on March 1 of the year immediately succeeding the fiscal year in which the Target EPS are achieved an option to purchase 500,000 shares of common stock of the Corporation (the “EPS Option”).

 

  

  

  

 

(b)           Terms of EPS Option. The EPS Option shall have a term of seven years and shall vest in equal annual installments of 20% (or as to 100,000 shares each year) over a five-year period following the date of grant commencing on the first anniversary of the date of grant and shall be exercisable after vesting at a price equal to the closing price of the common stock of the Corporation on the first business day on which the Corporation’s common stock is traded immediately preceding the date of grant; provided, however, that if the Employee ceases to be an employee of the Corporation, the term of the EPS Option shall be shortened in accordance with the Plan or any successor plan under which the EPS Option is granted. The EPS Option shall only be granted to the Employee once during the Term notwithstanding that the Corporation may achieve the EPS Target in numerous fiscal years during the Term and, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if the Employee is not actively engaged in the duties of Creative and Design Chief for at least six months out of the twelve months immediately preceding the close of the fiscal year in which the Target EPS is achieved, the Corporation shall not be required to grant the EPS Option.

(c)           Insufficient Shares. In the event that the Corporation does not have a sufficient number of shares of common stock available for grant of the EPS Option under the Plan, or any successor plan or under its charter for issuance of shares subject to the EPS Option upon exercise, the Corporation shall undertake to increase the number of shares available for issuance under the Plan or any successor plan or amend the Corporation’s charter to increase the number of authorized shares, as applicable, to allow for the grant of the EPS Option under the Plan or such successor plan, or for issuance of shares subject to the EPS Option upon exercise, in each case, subject to receipt of stockholder approval therefor.

(d)           Implications of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. In the event that compliance with the HSR Act shall be required prior to exercise of all or any portion of the EPS Option, the Corporation and the Employee agree to promptly make all necessary notifications or other filings required by the HSR Act and to cooperate with one another to supply promptly any information and documentation that may be required or requested by the Department of Justice or the Federal Trade Commission pursuant to the HSR Act. The Corporation shall pay applicable filing fees and reasonable attorneys’ fees of the Employee incurred in connection with the preparation and filing of all documentation required or requested pursuant to the HSR Act. The Employee and the Corporation acknowledge and agree that, to the extent that the HSR Act is applicable to the exercise of the EPS Option contemplated hereby, the exercise of the EPS Option shall be conditioned upon and subject to compliance with the HSR Act.”

k.           Section 5.3 of the Employment Agreement shall be amended so that the last sentence thereof shall be deleted in its entirety and in lieu thereof the following shall be inserted with the remainder of the Section remaining unchanged:

 

“Such amount shall be payable in installments as follows: (i) fifty (50%) percent of the amount due pursuant to the terms of this Section 5.3 upon termination of the Agreement and (ii) fifty (50%) percent in equal annual installments beginning on the later of the January 2 immediately following such termination and January 2, 2018, and each January 2 thereafter until December 31, 2023.”

 

  

  

  

 

l.           Section 5.5(a)(ii) of the Employment Agreement shall be deleted in its entirety and in lieu thereof the following paragraph shall be inserted with the remainder of the Section remaining unchanged:

“(ii)           the Corporation shall make a lump sum cash payment to the Employee within ten (10) days of the date of termination in an amount equal to (i) the amount of compensation that is accrued and unpaid through the date of termination pursuant to Section 4 of this Agreement plus (ii) the sum of Thirty-Five Million Dollars ($35,000,000.00).”

m.           Section 5.6 of the Employment Agreement shall be amended by adding at the end thereof the following sentence:

“Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Change of Control shall be deemed not to have occurred until there shall have occurred a “change in the ownership or effective control of the corporation, or in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of the corporation, within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code (“Code”) Section 409A(a)(2)(v).”

n.           Section 5.5(b)(i) of the Employment Agreement shall be amended by adding at the end thereof the following sentence:

“Any Gross Up Payment shall be determined promptly after the event or series of events that give rise to the excise tax under Section 4999 (but not later than 30 days after any such event), and shall be paid to the Employee in a single sum within 30 days after the Corporation’s determination of the Gross Up Payment under this Section 5.5(b)(i).”

o.           Section 5.8 of the Employment Agreement shall be amended so that the first sentence thereof shall be deleted in its entirety and in lieu thereof the following shall be inserted with the remainder of the Section remaining unchanged:

“Payment of severance hereunder pursuant to Section 5.3 or Section 5.5 is conditioned on Employee’s executing within 30 days following the event or condition giving rise to a severance payment, and not revoking, a general release in such form as shall be reasonably requested by the Corporation.”

p.           A new Section 5.9 shall be added to the Employment Agreement, immediately following Section 5.8, which shall read as follows:

“5.9           REQUIRED DELAY IN PAYMENTS. In the event that the Employee is a “specified employee”, within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code Section 409A(a)(2)(B), no distribution of deferred compensation that is subject to the requirements of Internal Revenue Code Section 409A, by reason of separation from service, shall be made before the date which is six months after the date of separation from service (or, if earlier, the date of death of the Employee), except as further set forth under such Section 409A(a)(2)(B).”

q.           Section 6.1 of the Employment Agreement shall be amended so that the first sentence thereof shall be deleted in its entirety and in lieu thereof the following shall be inserted with the remainder of the Section remaining unchanged:

“In the event that the Employee has not had a separation from employment (by reason of disability or otherwise) but is unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 12 months, or is, by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can be expected to result in death or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than three months under an accident and health plan covering employees of the Corporation, and before Employee has become “Rehabilitated” (as hereinafter defined), a majority of the unaffiliated members of the Board of Directors may vote to determine that Employee is mentally or physically incapable or unable to continue to perform such regular and customary duties of employment and upon the date of such majority vote, Employee shall be deemed to be suffering from a “Total Disability.”

 

2. Except as modified hereby, all other terms and conditions of the Employment Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

  

  

  

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Amendment as of the date first set forth above.

	  	  	STEVEN MADDEN, LTD.
	  	  	  	  
	
Date: January 3, 2012

	  	
By:

	
/s/ Edward R. Rosenfeld

	  	  	

Name:

	
Edward R. Rosenfeld

	  	  	

Title: 

	
Chief Executive Officer

	  	  	  	  
	
Date: January 3, 2012

	  	/s/ Steven Madden
	  	  	STEVEN MADDEN

 

  

  

  

 

EXHIBIT A

 

THIRD AMENDED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

THIRD AMENDED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, executed as of July 15, 2005, with an effective date of July 1, 2005, by and between STEVEN MADDEN, LTD., a Delaware corporation with offices at 52-16 Barnett Avenue, Long Island City, N.Y. 11104 (the “Corporation”), and STEVEN MADDEN, an individual residing at 175 East 73rd Street, New York, New York 10021 (“Employee”).

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, Employee is the founder of the Corporation and has been the Creative and Design Chief since July 1, 2001 and prior thereto had been the Chief Executive Officer and a director of the Corporation from its inception through May 21, 2001 and has previously served as President and Chairman of the Board of the Corporation;

WHEREAS, the Corporation entered into an employment agreement with Employee dated as of September 1, 1993, which employment agreement was amended by an amended employment agreement dated as of July 29, 1997 and amended as of February 28, 2000, and which employment agreement was further amended by a Second Amended Employment Agreement dated as of May 21, 2001 and amended by the Stipulation and Agreement of Compromise, Settlement and Release dated July 16, 2003 relating to certain derivative actions referred to therein (the “Prior Employment Agreement”), which Prior Employment Agreement has a term ending on June 30, 2012;

WHEREAS, the Corporation and Employee believe that it is in the best interests of the Corporation for Employee to continue his duties as Creative and Design Chief;

WHEREAS, the Corporation recognizes that Employee’s talents and abilities are unique and have been integral to the success of the Corporation and that Employee’s contribution to the growth and success of the Corporation will be substantial and the Corporation desires to provide for the continued employment of Employee over an extended period of time and to make employment arrangements that will reinforce and encourage Employee’s attention, dedication and creative talents to the Corporation;

 

WHEREAS, the Corporation and Employee recognize that the Corporation’s trademarks and/or service marks and other proprietary rights, including the rights it owns with respect to Employee’s name, in whole or in part, and any derivations thereof, in plain block letters, stylized letters, logo

 

  

  

  

 

formats or signature formats (“Employee’s Name”), are critically important to the Corporation’s success and its competitive position in the future; and

 

WHEREAS, the Corporation and Employee wish to amend and restate the Prior Employment Agreement in order to, among other things, (i) provide that Employee continue in the position of Creative and Design Chief, (ii) extend the term of Employee’s employment by the Corporation and (iii) modify and amend the compensation and other provisions of the Prior Employment Agreement including to decrease Employee’s base salary and amend the bonus provisions.

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing premises and the mutual promises, terms, provisions and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the parties hereby agree as follows:

 

Section 1.      EMPLOYMENT. The Corporation hereby employs Employee and Employee hereby accepts such employment, as an employee of the Corporation, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement.

Section 2.      DUTIES. Employee shall serve as the Creative and Design Chief of the Corporation and shall properly perform such duties as may be assigned to him from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, including (i) managing the design and creative function of the Corporation, (ii) recommending the hiring of and managing designers and creative personnel, including artists for shoes, apparel, accessories and other products, (iii) coordinating the artistic and promotional aspects of the Corporation’s business and (iv) representing the Corporation in the fashion industry. During the Term (as hereinafter defined) of this Agreement, Employee shall devote substantially all of his business time and efforts to the performance of his duties hereunder unless otherwise authorized by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”). Employee shall not engage in any other significant business activity that would detract from his ability to perform services to the Corporation

Section 3.      TERM OF EMPLOYMENT. The term of Employee’s employment, unless sooner terminated as provided herein, shall be for a period of ten (10) years commencing on the date of this Third Amended Employment Agreement and ending ten (10) years thereafter (the “Term”).

  

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	 	Section 4.	COMPENSATION OF EMPLOYEE.

 

4.1    BASE SALARY. During the Term, the Corporation shall pay to Employee an annual base salary of Six Hundred Thousand Dollars ($600,000.00) for his services hereunder, less such deductions as shall be required to be withheld by applicable law and regulations. The annual base salary shall for each of the third, fifth, seventh and ninth years of this Agreement increase by seven (7%) percent on a compound basis as an agreed upon cost of living adjustment. The Board of Directors may increase (but not decrease) Employee’s base salary at any time. Employee’s base salary, as in effect at any time, is hereinafter referred to as the “Base Salary.”

4.2    TIME OF PAYMENT. Employee’s Base Salary shall be paid in substantially equal installments on a basis consistent with the Corporation’s payroll practices for the Corporation’s employees.

4.3    ANNUAL BONUS. For each fiscal year that occurs during the Term, the Corporation shall pay Employee a cash bonus in an amount determined by the Board of Directors, which amount shall be not less than two percent (2%) of the Corporation’s earnings for such fiscal year before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (the “Cash Bonus”). Employee’s Cash Bonus for any fiscal year shall be based on audited financial statements of the Corporation for such fiscal year and shall be paid to Employee no later than April 15 of the year immediately following such fiscal year. The Corporation shall not be required to pay, and Employee shall not be entitled to demand, a Cash Bonus for any fiscal year that Employee is not actively engaged in the duties of Creative and Design Chief for at least six months, provided, however, that Employee shall be entitled to demand a pro-rated Cash Bonus for any fiscal year in which he is actively engaged in the duties of Creative and Design Chief for at least six (6) months which Cash Bonus shall be prorated in accordance with the number of full calendar months during such fiscal year that Employee was actively engaged in the duties of Creative and Design Chief.

4.4    ANNUAL STOCK OPTION GRANT. Subject to the availability of shares under the Corporation’s 1999 Stock Plan (the “1999 Plan”) or any other qualified or non-qualified stock incentive plan designated by the Board of Directors and approved by the Corporation’s stockholders, on or about the date of the Corporation’s annual meeting (but not later than June 30th) for each year of the Term (beginning in 2006) (each, a “Grant Date”), Employee shall be eligible for an option (“Annual Option”) to purchase shares of common stock of the Corporation in an amount equal to not less than 100% of the largest aggregate amount of annual option grants to any other continuing full-time employee of the Corporation over the twelve (12) months up to and including the applicable Grant Date or otherwise with respect to the same option period 

 

  

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(excluding sign-on or other grants outside of the ordinary course of such employee’s employment) (the “Base Amount”); provided, however, that the Board of Directors may determine, if consistent with the opinion of a qualified outside compensation consultant, that Employee is eligible to receive options to purchase between 100% and 150% of the Base Amount; provided further, however, that approval by the Corporation’s shareholders shall be required if Employee is to receive options to purchase in excess of 150% of the Base Amount. All Annual Options shall be subject to the final approval of the Board of Directors. The Annual Options granted pursuant to this Agreement shall be granted pursuant to the 1999 Stock Plan or any other qualified or non-qualified stock incentive plan designated by the Board of Directors, which other plan has been approved by the stockholders of the Corporation. The Annual Options shall vest quarterly over the one-year period following the Grant Date and shall be exercisable after vesting at a price equal to the closing price of the common stock of the Corporation on the Grant Date for a period of five years from the Grant Date, provided, however, that if Employee ceases to be an employee of the Corporation, the exercise period shall be shortened in accordance with the stock plan under which the Annual Option was granted. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, if Employee is not actively engaged in the duties of Creative and Design Chief for at least six months out of the twelve months immediately preceding a Grant Date, the Corporation shall not be required to grant, and Employee shall not be eligible to receive, an Annual Option on such Grant Date.

 

4.5    EXPENSES. During the Term, the Corporation shall promptly reimburse Employee for all reasonable and necessary travel expenses and other disbursements incurred by Employee on behalf of the Corporation, in performance of Employee’s duties hereunder, assuming Employee has received prior approval for such travel expenses and disbursements by the Corporation to the extent possible, consistent with corporate practice with respect to the reimbursement of expenses incurred by the Corporation’s employees.

4.6    NON-ACCOUNTABLE EXPENSE ALLOWANCE. The Corporation shall provide to Employee an annual Two Hundred Thousand Dollar ($200,000) non-accountable expense allowance (the “Non-Accountable Expense Allowance”), which amount will be payable in equal monthly installments. The Corporation shall not be required to pay, and Employee shall not be entitled to demand, the Non-Accountable Expense Allowance for any month that Employee is not actively engaged in the duties of Creative and Design Chief.

4.7    BENEFITS. During the period that Employee is actively engaged in the duties of Creative and Design Chief, Employee shall be entitled to participate in such pension, profit sharing, group insurance, option 

 

  

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plans, hospitalization, and group health and benefit plans and all other benefits and plans as the Corporation provides to its employees.

 

4.8    DEFERRAL OF COMPENSATION. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, any remuneration under this Agreement or any other agreements to which the Corporation and Employee are parties in respect of employment that is not deductible for any taxable year of the Corporation because of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), will be deferred until the first day that any excess remuneration becomes deductible under Section I62(m) or by virtue of its repeal or amendment. Any such deferred payment will bear interest at the prime rate plus one beginning with the date such payment is first deferred. Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement to the contrary, this Section 4.8 shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

4.9    LOANS TO EMPLOYEE. From time to time during the Term, at Employee’s request, Employee may borrow funds from the Corporation, provided, that, at any time the aggregate amount of any such borrowings shall not exceed the amount of Employee’s remuneration that has been deferred pursuant to Section 4.8. Employee shall be required to pay interest on such borrowings at a rate equal to the prime rate plus one and such borrowings will be subject to any additional terms and conditions as reasonably determined by the Board of Directors.

4.10   NEW BUSINESS BONUS. For each fiscal year that occurs during the Term, the Corporation shall pay Employee a cash bonus in respect of new business (as hereinafter defined) in an amount to be determined by the Board of Directors, which amount shall not be less than two and one-half (2.5%) percent of new business gross direct revenues (i.e., direct revenues from new business as hereinafter defined except new business license or other fee income) and not less than ten (10%) percent of all license or other fee income above two million ($2,000,000.00) dollars. For the purposes of this paragraph, the term new business shall mean business that the Corporation is not engaged in as of the date hereof, including, but not limited to, business from or associated with (i) new lines, labels or brands, whether they be licensed or owned by the Corporation and whether they are part of or replace an existing division or are part of a new division (e.g., a new line, label or brand sold by the Corporation to department stores and/or mid-tier retailers, including a Steve Madden diffusion line, label or brand), (ii) the expansion into categories of products not presently part of the Corporation’s products and (iii) the expansion internationally into territories not presently sold by the Corporation; provided, however, that new business shall in no event include any line, label or brand that 

 

  

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exists as of the date hereof, even if the name thereof shall be changed. Employee’s New Business Bonus for any fiscal year shall be determined, in good faith, by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, in consultation with the Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer, based on audited financial statements of the Corporation for such fiscal year and the Corporation’s accounting books and records (such determination (the “Committee Amount”) to be set forth in a written notice sent to Employee at least 30 days prior to the payment of such bonus), and shall be paid to Employee no later than April 15 of the year immediately following such fiscal year. In the event that Employee objects to the calculation of the New Business Bonus for any fiscal year, Employee shall set forth his objection, in reasonable detail, in a written notice sent to the Corporation within 30 business days, whereupon the Corporation shall cause such calculation to be reviewed by Brian Ziegler of the firm of Certilman Balin or such other person as shall be mutually agreed upon by the parties hereto (the “Third Party”) within 30 business days of the receipt of such objection notice. The Third Party shall report to the Corporation, in writing, his calculation of the New Business Bonus amount (the “Third Party’s Amount”), and if the Third Party’s Amount is within 5% of the Committee Amount, Employee shall pay the cost of such review and the amount of the New Business Bonus shall remain unchanged. If the Third Party’s Amount differs from the Committee Amount by 5% or more, then the Corporation shall pay the cost of such review and the amount of the New Business Bonus shall be adjusted to equal the Third Party’s Amount (it being agreed that if the New Business Bonus shall have already been paid to Employee, in the case of a decrease in the amount thereof, Employee shall remit the difference to the Corporation, and in the case of an increase in the amount thereof, the Corporation shall pay Employee the difference, in each case, promptly, and, in any event, within 30 business days.

 

4.11   EFFECT OF RESTATEMENTS. In the event that The Corporation’s financials are restated for any time period for which Employee pursuant to Section 4.3 or Section 4.10, upon the written request of the Compensation Committee, Employee shall promptly refund to the Corporation such amount as the Compensation Committee in good faith determines that Employee would not have been entitled to if the restated financials had been the financials on the basis of which the bonus had been paid (net of any taxes previously paid by Employee thereon with respect to which, in the reasonable opinion of counsel to Employee, Employee is time-barred from seeking a refund).

 

  

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	 	Section 5.	TERMINATION.

5.1    DEATH OR TOTAL DISABILITY.

(a)    Death. This Agreement shall terminate upon the death of Employee; provided, however, that the Corporation shall continue to pay to the estate of Employee the Base Salary as set forth in Section 4.1 hereof for the twelve (12) month period immediately subsequent to the date of Employee’s death.

(b)    Total Disability. In the event Employee is discharged due to a “Total Disability” (as defined in Section 6.1 below), then this Agreement shall be deemed terminated and the Corporation shall be released from all obligations to Employee with respect to this Agreement, except obligations accrued prior to such termination and as provided in Section 6.2 hereof.

5.2    TERMINATION FOR CAUSE: EMPLOYEE’S RESIGNATION. In the event Employee is discharged “For Cause” (as defined below) or in the event Employee resigns (other than pursuant to Section 5.5 hereof), then upon such occurrence, this Agreement shall be deemed terminated and the Corporation shall be released from all obligations to Employee with respect to this Agreement, except obligations accrued prior to such termination.

5.3    TERMINATION OTHER THAN FOR CAUSE. In the event Employee is discharged other than “For Cause” or other than due to his death or “Total Disability,” then the Corporation shall pay Employee the balance of his Base Salary that would have been paid by the Corporation pursuant to Section 4.1 hereof over the full Term of the Agreement if the Corporation had not terminated this Agreement. Such amount shall be payable in installments as follows: (i) fifty (50%) percent of the amount due pursuant to the terms of this Section 5.3 upon termination of the Agreement and (ii) fifty (50%) percent in equal annual installments beginning on the June 30th immediately following such termination and each June 30th thereafter until June 30, 2015.

5.4    “FOR CAUSE”. As used herein, the term “For Cause” shall mean:

(a)    the conviction of, or pleading guilty or nolo contendere to, any crime, whether or not involving the Corporation constituting a felony in the jurisdiction involved, which the Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, determines may have a material injurious effect on the Corporation;

(b)    the conviction of any crime involving moral turpitude or fraud; or

 

  

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(c)    gross negligence or willful misconduct in the conduct of Employee’s duties or willful or repeated failure or refusal to perform such duties as may be delegated to Employee by the Chief Executive Officer which are consistent with Employee’s position, and that as to any conduct concerning this subsection (c), such conduct is not corrected by Employee within fourteen (14) days following receipt by Employee of written notice from the Chief Executive Officer, such notice to state with specificity the nature of the breach, failure or refusal, gross negligence or willful misconduct related to Employee’s employment with the Corporation.

5.5    TERMINATION UPON CHANGE OF CONTROL.

(a)    If, during the period commencing 120 days prior to a Change of Control and ending on the first anniversary of a Change of Control, Employee’s employment shall have been terminated by the Corporation (other than for Cause) or by Employee for Good Reason or if within 30 days following a Change of Control Employee shall terminate his employment with or without Good Reason:

(i)    all unvested options to acquire stock of the Corporation held by Employee shall vest on the date of termination;

(ii)    the Corporation shall make a lump sum cash payment to Employee within ten (10) days of the date of termination in an amount equal to (i) the amount of compensation that is accrued and unpaid through the date of termination pursuant to Section 4 of this Agreement and (ii) an amount equal to the product of (A) the number of years remaining in the Term of this Agreement (but not less than 5) and (B) the sum of (w) the Base Salary for the 12-month period ended on the preceding December 31 (or for the 12-month period ending on December 31, 2002, if greater), (x) the amount of the Annual Bonus earned pursuant to Section 4.3 (paid or accrued or which should have been paid or accrued) for the 12-month period ended on the preceding December 31 (or for the 12-month period ended on December 31, 2002, if greater), (y) the non-accountable expense allowance pursuant to Section 4.6 for the 12-month period ended on the preceding December 31 and (z) the amount of the New Business Bonus earned pursuant to Section 4.10 (paid or accrued or which should have been paid or accrued) for the 12-month period ended on the preceding December 31 (or for the 12-month period ending on December 31 during this Agreement in which the Employee received the greatest New Business Bonus, if greater).

(b)(i)    In the event that any payment (or portion thereof) payable to Employee (whether pursuant to the terms of this Agreement or any 

 

  

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other plan, arrangement or agreement with the Corporation) is determined to be subject to an excise tax under Section 4999 of the Code (an “Excise Tax”), the Corporation shall pay to Employee an additional amount (the “Gross Up Payment”) which shall be equal to the sum of (1) the amount of the Excise Tax, plus (2) the amount of any interest, penalties or additions to tax which are imposed in connection with the imposition or collection of the Excise Tax, plus (3) the amount of all Federal, State or local income, excise or other taxes imposed on Employee by reason of the payments described in clause (1), clause (2) and this clause (3). For purposes of computing the Gross Up Payment, Employee shall be deemed to be subject to tax at the highest marginal rate under all applicable tax laws for the year in which the Gross Up Payment is made.

 

(ii)    All computations under this Section 5.5(b) shall be initially made by the Corporation and the Corporation shall provide written notice thereof to Employee in sufficient time to timely file all applicable tax returns. Upon Employee’s request, the Corporation shall provide Employee with sufficient data to enable Employee or his representative to independently compute the Gross Up Payment. If Employee gives written notice to the Corporation of any objection to the Corporation’s initial computation of the Gross Up Payment within 60 days of Employee’s receipt of written notice thereof, the dispute shall be resolved by tax counsel selected by the independent auditors of the Corporation. The Corporation shall pay all fees and expenses of such tax counsel. Pending resolution by tax counsel, the Corporation shall pay Employee the Gross Up Payment determined by it in good faith; if the dispute is resolved in favor of Employee, the Corporation shall make such additional payment as may be required within 60 days after tax counsel’s determination.

(iii)    The determination by such tax counsel shall be conclusive and binding upon all parties, other than the Internal Revenue Service, a court of competent jurisdiction, or another duly empowered government agency (a “Tax Authority”). In the event that a Tax Authority finally determines that an additional Excise Tax is owed by Employee, the Corporation shall promptly make an additional Gross Up Payment, determined as provided herein, with respect to such additional Excise Tax. If the Excise Tax paid by Employee is finally determined by a Tax Authority to exceed the amount required to have been paid, then Employee shall promptly repay any excess Gross Up Payment to the Corporation.

5.6    “CHANGE OF CONTROL”. As used herein, the term “Change of Control” shall mean:

(a)    When any “person” as defined in Section 3(a)(9) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and as 

 

  

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used in Section 13(d) and 14(d) thereof including a “group” as defined in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act, but excluding the Corporation or any subsidiary or any affiliate of the Corporation or any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Corporation or any subsidiary of the Corporation (including any trustee of such plan acting as trustee), becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act) of securities of the Corporation representing a majority of the combined voting power of the Corporation’s then outstanding securities; or

 

(b)    When, during any period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months, the individuals who, at the beginning of such period, constitute the Board of Directors (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease for any reason other than death to constitute at least a majority thereof provided, however, that a director who was not a director at the beginning of such 24-month period shall be deemed to have satisfied such 24-month requirement (and be an Incumbent Director) if such director was elected by, or on the recommendation of or with the approval of, at least two-thirds of the directors who then qualified as Incumbent Directors either actually (’because they were directors at the beginning of such 24-month period) or through the operation of this proviso; or

(c)    The occurrence of a transaction requiring stockholder approval for the acquisition of the Corporation by an entity other than the Corporation or a subsidiary or an affiliated company of the Corporation through purchase of assets, or by merger, or otherwise.

5.7    “GOOD REASON” As used herein, the term “Good Reason” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following:

(a)    the assignment to Employee, without his consent, of any duties inconsistent in any substantial and negative respect with his positions, duties, responsibilities and status with the Corporation as contemplated hereunder, if not remedied by the Corporation within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice thereof from Employee;

(b)    any removal of Employee, without his consent, from any positions Employee held as contemplated hereunder (except in connection with the termination of Employee’s employment by the Corporation For Cause or on account of Total Disability pursuant to the requirements of this Agreement or during any temporary removal due to disability so long as the Corporation continues to pay Employee the Base Salary hereunder), if not remedied by the Corporation within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice thereof from Employee;

 

  

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(c)    a reduction by the Corporation of Employee’s Base Salary as in effect as contemplated hereunder or a reduction in any formula used in computing Employee’s compensation pursuant to Section 4 of this Agreement, except in connection with the termination of Employee’s employment by the Corporation For Cause or due to Total Disability pursuant to the requirements of this Agreement;

(d)    any termination of Employee’s employment by the Corporation during the Term that is not effected pursuant to the requirements of this Agreement;

(e)    any material breach by the Corporation of the terms of this Agreement that is not remedied by the Corporation within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice thereof from Employee;

(f)    the relocation of Employee’s work location, without Employee’s consent, to a place more than seventy five (75) miles from the location set forth herein; or

(g)    failure by any successor to the Corporation to expressly assume all obligations of the Corporation under this Agreement, which failure is not remedied by the Corporation within thirty (30) days after receipt of written notice thereof from Employee.

5.8    RELEASE. Payment of severance hereunder pursuant to Section 5.3 or Section 5.5 is conditioned on Employee’s executing and not revoking a general release in such form as shall be reasonably requested by the Corporation. The Corporation shall also execute a similar release in favor of Employee.

 

	 	Section 6.	DISABILITY.

6.1    TOTAL DISABILITY. In the event that after Employee has failed, due to a disability, to have performed his regular and customary duties during a period of one hundred eighty (180) consecutive days (including weekends and holidays) or for any two hundred seventy (270) days (including weekends and holidays) out of any three hundred and sixty (360) day period, and before Employee has become “Rehabilitated” (as defined below) a majority of the unaffiliated members of the Board of Directors may vote to determine that Employee is mentally or physically incapable or unable to continue to perform such regular and customary duties of employment and upon the date of such majority vote, Employee shall be deemed to be suffering from a “Total 

 

  

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Disability.” As used herein, the term “Rehabilitated” shall mean such time as Employee is willing, able and commences to devote his time and energies to the affairs of the Corporation to the extent and manner that he did so prior to his disability.

 

6.2    PAYMENT DURING DISABILITY. In the event Employee is unable to perform his duties hereunder by reason of a disability in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.1 above, the Corporation shall continue to pay Employee his Base Salary pursuant to Section 4.1 during the continuance of any such disability. Upon a determination of any Total Disability pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.1 above, the Corporation shall pay to Employee his Base Salary pursuant to Section 4.1 for the twelve (12) month period immediately subsequent to the date of determination of Total Disability.

Section 7.      VACATIONS. Employee shall be entitled to a vacation of four (4) weeks per year, during which period his Base Salary shall be paid in full. Employee shall take his vacation at such time or times as Employee and the Corporation shall determine is mutually convenient.

Section 8.      DISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. Employee recognizes that he has had and will continue to have access to secret and confidential information regarding the Corporation or any of its affiliates, including, but not limited to, confidential information and trade secrets concerning the Corporation’s (or any of its affiliate’s) working methods, processes, business and other plans, programs, designs, marketing, promotion, sales activities, trading, investment, products, know-how, costs, credit and financial data, manufacturing processes, financing methods, profit formulas, customer names, customer requirements and supplier names. Employee acknowledges that such information is of great value to the Corporation, is the sole property of the Corporation, and has been and will be acquired by him in confidence. In consideration of the obligations undertaken by the Corporation herein, Employee will not, at any time, during or after his employment hereunder, reveal, divulge or make known to any person, any information acquired by Employee during the course of his employment, which is treated as confidential by the Corporation, including but not limited to its customer list, and not otherwise in the public domain. The provisions of this Section 8 shall survive Employee’s employment hereunder.

Section 9.      COVENANT NOT TO COMPETE.

(a)    Employee recognizes that the services to be performed by him hereunder are special, unique and extraordinary. The parties confirm that 

 

  

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it is reasonably necessary for the protection of the Corporation that Employee agree, and accordingly, Employee does hereby agree that, except as provided in Subsection (c) below, he shall not, directly or indirectly, at any time during the “Restricted Period” within the “Restricted Area” (as those terms are defined in Section 9(d) below), engage in any Competitive Business (as defined in Section 9(d) below), either on his own behalf or as an officer, director, stockholder, partner principal, trustee, investor, consultant, associate, employee, owner, agent, creditor, independent contractor, co-venturer of any third party or in any other relationship or capacity.

 

(b)    Employee hereby agrees that he will not directly or indirectly, for or on behalf of himself or any third party, at any time during the Restricted Period (i) solicit any customers of the Corporation or (ii) solicit, employ or engage, or cause, encourage or authorize, directly or indirectly, to be employed or engaged, for or on behalf of himself or any third party, any employee or agent of the Corporation or any of its subsidiaries.

(c)    This Section 9 shall not be construed to prevent Employee from owning, directly and indirectly, in the aggregate, an amount not exceeding one percent (1%) of the issued and outstanding voting securities of any class of any corporation whose voting capital stock is traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter market.

(d)    The term “Restricted Period” as used in this Section 9 shall mean the period commencing on the date hereof and ending on the later of (1) June 30, 2015 or (ii) the date which is twelve (12) months after the date Employee is no longer employed by the Corporation. The term “Restricted Area” as used in this Section 9 shall mean anywhere in the world. The term “Competitive Business” as used in this Agreement shall mean the design, manufacture, sale, marketing or distribution of (i) branded or designer footwear, apparel, accessories and other products in the categories of products sold by, or under license from, the Corporation or any of its affiliates, (ii) jewelry and other giftware, (iii) cosmetics, fragrances and other health and beauty care items, (iv) housewares, furniture, home furnishings and related products and (v) other branded products related to fashion, cosmetics or lifestyle.

(e)    During and after Employee’s employment with the Corporation, Employee shall not disparage or otherwise make negative statements with regard to the Corporation, its past or then present officers, directors, employees, agents, representatives or products or services. The Corporation shall direct its employees, officers and directors not to disparage or make negative statements with regard to Employee. The foregoing shall not apply in the case of a termination For Cause nor shall it apply to prohibit truthful testimony in connection with legal process.

 

  

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(f)    The provisions of this Section 9 shall survive the termination of Employee’s employment as provided hereunder.

(g)    Notwithstanding anything elsewhere contained herein, in the event Employee is no longer employed by the Corporation then Employee may work for any organization in any business that acts as an agent to sell and/or create products, as long as Employee sells and/or creates products solely and exclusively for the Corporation, and the same shall not be considered a violation of Employee’s covenants hereunder.

Section 10.     USE AND REGISTRATION OF EMPLOYEE’S NAME.

(a)    CONSENT. The Corporation and Employee recognize that the Corporation’s trademarks and/or service marks and other proprietary rights, including its rights to Employee’s Name, are important to the Corporation’s success and its competitive position. In addition to any previous assignments, Employee consents to the use of Employee’s Name as trademarks, service marks, corporate names and/or Internet domain name addresses of the Corporation (the “Marks”). Without limitation, Employee specifically consents to the registration by the Corporation of Employee’s Name as the Corporation’s Marks in perpetuity in any and all countries and jurisdictions throughout the world.

(b)    ASSIGNMENT. To the extent not previously assigned to the Corporation, Employee hereby sells, transfers and assigns to the Corporation and any successors or assignees of the Corporation, the exclusive right, title and interest to Employee’s Name, including the good will attached thereto, to use in connection with a Competitive Business. Employee acknowledges that as between Employee and the Corporation, the Corporation shall be deemed the sole owner of all right, title and interest in and to Employee’s Name throughout the world. Employee retains the right to the use of Employee’s Name for all non-commercial purposes and for use in connection with any business that is not a Competitive Business.

(c)    ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS. Each of the Corporation and Employee hereby agree to execute any consent or similar form that the other reasonably believes is necessary to evidence and/or effectuate the rights granted under this Section. Employee agrees that from time to time, at the request of the Corporation or its successors, assignees or related companies, he shall, without the payment of additional consideration, execute such additional documents as are required or useful in obtaining registrations for any of the Marks that incorporate Employee’s Name, in whole or in part, in any country or jurisdiction. In furtherance of the Corporation’s rights in and to Employee’s Name and to the Marks, Employee grants the Corporation an irrevocable power of attorney to execute any and all documents as may be 

 

  

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necessary or appropriate to effectuate such rights and confirm the Corporation’s ownership and registration rights in and to Employee’s Name and the Marks.

 

(d)    ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS. Employee agrees never to challenge the Corporation’s ownership of Employee’s Name, or the validity of the Corporation’s ownership of the Marks or of any registration or application for registration thereof. Employee agrees that he shall not at any time use Employee’s Name, the Marks, or any other trademark, service mark, tradename, corporate name or domain name, or any other form of indicator of source, which is confusingly similar to Employee’s name or any derivative thereof or to the Marks, except for (i) the personal use of Employee’s name (ii) the use of Employee’s name in any business that is not a Competitive Business and (iii) uses which are specifically permitted in writing by the Corporation.

(e)    The obligations of this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

Section 11.     INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. All designs, copyright and other intellectual property created by or at the direction of Employee in the course of his employment by the Corporation shall be and remain the property of the Corporation without further act of either party. All copyrightable works that Employee creates shall be considered “works made for hire.” Employee shall, at the reasonable request of the Corporation, execute such documents as may be necessary to confirm or evidence the Corporation’s ownership of such property. The obligations of this Section shall survive the termination of this Agreement.

Section 12.     REASONABLENESS OF COVENANTS. Employee acknowledges that he has carefully read and considered all the terms and conditions of this Agreement, including the restraints imposed upon him pursuant to Sections 8, 9, 10, and 11 hereof. Employee agrees that said restraints are necessary for the reasonable and proper protection of the Corporation and its subsidiaries and affiliates, and that each and every one of the restraints is reasonable in respect to subject matter, length of time, geographic area and otherwise. Employee further acknowledges that, in the event any provision of Sections 8, 9, 10 and 11 hereof shall be determined by any court of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable by reason of its being extended over too great a time, too large a geographic area, too great a range of activities or otherwise, such provision shall be deemed to be modified to permit its enforcement to the maximum extent permitted by law.

 

  

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Section 13.     MISCELLANEOUS.

 

13.1   ENFORCEMENT OF COVENANTS. The parties hereto agree that Employee is obligated under this Agreement to render personal services during the Term of a special, unique, unusual, extraordinary and intellectual character, thereby giving this Agreement peculiar value, and in the event of a breach of any covenant of Employee herein, the injury or imminent injury to the value and goodwill of the Corporation’s business could not be reasonably or adequately compensated in damages in an action at law. Employee therefore agrees that the Corporation, in addition to any other remedies available to it shall be entitled to seek specific performance, preliminary and permanent injunctive relief or any other equitable remedy against Employee, without the posting of a bond, in the event of any breach or threatened breach by Employee of any provision of this Agreement (including, but not limited to, the provisions of Sections 8, 9, 10, and 11). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, if Employee breaches any provision of Section 8, 9, 10, or 11 hereof, such breach will entitle the Corporation to enjoin Employee from disclosing any confidential information to any Competitive Business, to enjoin such Competitive Business from receiving confidential information from Employee or using any such confidential information, and/or to enjoin Employee from rendering personal services to or in connection with such Competitive Business. Subject to Section 13.12, the rights and remedies of the parties hereto are cumulative and shall not be exclusive, and each party shall be entitled to pursue all legal and equitable rights and remedies and to secure performance of the obligations and duties of the other under this Agreement, and the enforcement of one or more of such rights and remedies by a party shall in no way preclude such party from pursuing, at the same time or subsequently, any and all other rights and remedies available to it.

13.2   SEVERABILITY. The invalidity or partial invalidity of one or more provisions of this Agreement shall not invalidate any other provision of this Agreement. If any portion or provision of this Agreement shall to any extent be declared illegal or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction or by a governmental agency, the remainder of this Agreement, or the application of such portion or provision in circumstances other than those as to which it is so declared illegal or unenforceable, shall not be affected thereby, and each portion and provision of this Agreement shall be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.

13.3   NO DURESS; CONSULTATION OF COUNSEL. Employee hereby represents and warrants that Employee has entered into this Agreement voluntarily and not as a result of coercion, duress or undue influence. In addition, Employee hereby represents and warrants that Employee has read and fully understands the terms of this Agreement and has consulted with an attorney prior to executing this Agreement, including with respect to Section 12 hereof.

  

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13.4   ASSIGNMENTS. Neither Employee nor the Corporation may assign or delegate any of their rights or duties under this Agreement without the express written consent of the other, except the Corporation may transfer its rights and duties in connection with a sale of all or substantially all of its assets or in connection with a business combination (subject to Section 5.5 hereof) and the Corporation may, at any time sell, assign or license the rights held by the Corporation with respect to Employee’s Name as set forth under Section 10 hereof.

13.5   ENTIRE AGREEMENT; AMENDMENT. This Agreement constitutes and embodies the full and complete understanding and agreement of the parties with respect to Employee’s employment by the Corporation, supersedes all prior understandings and agreements, whether oral or written, between Employee and the Corporation, including, but not limited to, the Prior Employment Agreement, and shall not be amended, modified or changed except by an instrument in writing executed by Employee and by an expressly authorized officer of the Corporation.

13.6   WAIVER. No waiver of any provision hereof shall be effective unless made in writing and signed by the waiving party. The failure of either party to require the performance of any term or obligation of this Agreement, or the waiver by either party of any breach of this Agreement, shall not prevent any subsequent enforcement of such term or obligation or be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach.

13.7   BINDING EFFECT. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of, be binding upon and enforceable against the parties hereto and their respective successors, heirs, beneficiaries and permitted assigns.

13.8   HEADINGS. The headings contained in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not affect in any way the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement.

13.9   NOTICES. Any and all notices, requests, demands and other communications required or permitted to be given hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given when personally delivered, sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, postage prepaid, or by private overnight mail service (e.g., Federal Express) to the party at the address set forth above or to such other address as either party may hereafter give notice of in accordance with the provisions hereof. Notices shall be deemed given on the sooner of the date actually received or the third business day after sending.

13.10   GOVERNING LAW. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York without 

 

  

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giving effect to such State’s conflicts of laws principles and, subject to Section 13.12, each of the parties hereto irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction and venue of the federal and state courts located in the State of New York, County of New York.

 

13.11   COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed simultaneously in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

13.12   ARBITRATION. In the event of any dispute under or relating to any term of this Agreement (other than Sections 8, 9, 10 and 11), or the breach, validity or legality thereof, it is agreed that the same shall be submitted to binding arbitration before one arbitrator in New York City, New York pursuant to the rules of the American Arbitration Association, and judgment upon the award rendered by the arbitrator may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. This arbitration provision shall remain in full force and effect in perpetuity notwithstanding the nature of any claim or defense hereunder.

13.13   IRC SECTION 409A. The parties agree that the intent of the parties is that the provisions of this Agreement be in full compliance with Internal Revenue Code Section 409A. Accordingly, the parties shall promptly amend this Agreement as necessary to bring the provisions of this Agreement into full compliance with the provisions of such Section and, in any event, the parties agree that this Agreement shall be administered and interpreted in full compliance with such Section.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement as of the date set forth above.

 

	 	 	
STEVE MADDEN, LTD.

	  	  	  	  
	  	
by

	
/s/ JAMIESON KARSON

	  	  	
Name:

	
Jamieson A. Karson

	  	  	
Title:

	
CEO

	  	  	  	  
	  	  	
/s/ STEVEN MADDEN

	  	  	
STEVEN MADDEN

 

 

  

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AMENDMENT TO THIRD AMENDED EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

          This Amendment dated as of December 14, 2009 (this “Amendment”) to that certain Third Amended Employment Agreement by and between Steven Madden, Ltd., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Steven Madden (the “Employee”) .

W I T N E S S E T H:

 

          WHEREAS, the Company and the Employee are parties to that certain Third Amended Employment Agreement executed as of July 15, 2005 and effective as of July 1, 2005 (the “Employment Agreement”), a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A; and

 

          WHEREAS, the Company believes it to be in the best interests of the Company to extend the term of the Employment Agreement to further secure the services of the Employee for five years beyond the term reflected in the Employment Agreement and the Employee is agreeable to such extension;

 

          NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the agreement of the parties contained herein and for ten dollars and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged,, and intending to be legally bound, the parties hereto agree as follows:

            1.           Effective as of the date of this Amendment, the Employment Agreement is amended as follows:

                        a.           Section 3 of the Employment Agreement shall be deleted in its entirety and in lieu thereof the following paragraph shall be inserted:

                                     

                                    “Section 3. TERM OF EMPLOYMENT. The term of Employee’s employment, unless sooner terminated as provided herein, shall commence on the Effective Date of this Third Amended Employment Agreement and end on December 31, 2019 (the “Term”).”                           

	 	2.	Except as modified hereby, all other terms and conditions of the Employment Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

             

            IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Amendment of date first set forth above.

 

	  	
STEVEN MADDEN, LTD.

	  	  
	  	
By:

	
/s/ Edward R. Rosenfeld

	  	
Name:

	
Edward R. Rosenfeld

	  	
Title:

	
Chief Executive Officer

	  	  
	  	
/s/ Steven Madden

	  	
STEVEN MADDEN

 

  

  

  

 

EXHIBIT B

Base Salary

 

	  	 	
2012

	 	 	
2013

	 	 	
2014

	 	 	
2015

	 	 	2016-2023	 
	
Basic Base Salary

	 	$	5,416,667	 	 	$	7,416,667	 	 	$	9,666,667	 	 	$	11,916,667	 	 	$	10,697,917	 
	
Under Additional Restricted Shares Amendment

	 	$	5,416,667	 	 	$	4,000,000	 	 	$	6,125,000	 	 	$	8,250,000	 	 	$	7,026,042	 

 

  

  

  

EXHIBIT C

THIRD AMENDED AND RESTATED SECURED PROMISSORY NOTE

 

	
$3,000,000.00

	
As of June 25, 2007

 

1. FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned, STEVEN H. MADDEN, an individual residing at 175 East 73rd Street, New York, New York 10021 (the “Borrower”), hereby unconditionally promises to pay to the order of STEVEN MADDEN, LTD., a Delaware corporation (the “Corporation”), at the time, place and in the manner specified below, the principal amount of three million dollars ($3,000,000.00), and to pay simple interest on the unpaid principal amount hereof at the rate of (i) eight percent (8%) per annum (calculated on the basis of a 360-day year) from June 25, 2007 through April 5, 2009, and (ii) six percent (6%) per annum (calculated on the basis of a 360-day year), from April 6, 2009 through December 31, 2011; after which no interest shall be payable on the unpaid principal amount except under the circumstances set forth under Paragraph 4 below. This Third Amended and Restated Secured Promissory Note (the “Note”) amends, restates and replaces the Secured Promissory Note, dated June 25, 2007, the Amended and Restated Secured Promissory Note, dated December 19, 2007, and the Second Amended and Restated Secured Promissory Note, dated April 6, 2009, each as previously executed and delivered by the Borrower to the order of the Corporation to evidence a loan from the Corporation to the Borrower, together with all accrued and unpaid interest thereon (collectively, the “Original Notes”).

2. Commencing on December 31, 2014 and continuing annually on each December 31 thereafter through December 31, 2023 (the “Maturity Date”), one-tenth (1/10th) of the aggregate principal amount payable hereunder together with all interest accrued thereon shall be cancelled by the Corporation provided that the Borrower continues to be employed by the Corporation on each such December 31st and the Corporation shall release a number of Pledged Shares (as hereinafter defined) to be determined by the Corporation’s Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, generally to correlate with the amount cancelled without leaving the Corporation inadequately secured.

3. In the event of the Borrower’s death, Total Disability or a Change of Control of the Corporation, in each case as such terms are defined under Section 5.1(b) and Section 5.6, respectively, of the Third Amended Employment Agreement, dated July 15, 2005, entered into by the Corporation and the Borrower and as thereafter subsequently amended (the “Employment Agreement”), cancellation of all amounts payable hereunder shall be accelerated such that no amounts shall be payable hereunder and this Note shall be deemed paid in full provided, in each case, that the Borrower continues to be employed by the Corporation on the date of the occurrence of such event.

4. In the event that the Borrower resigns from the Corporation with Good Reason or is terminated from his employment with the Corporation other than For Cause, in each case as such terms are defined under Section 5.7 and Section 5.3, respectively, of the Employment Agreement prior to the expiration of the Term, interest at the rate of six percent (6%) per annum shall be reinstated on the remaining principal amount due hereunder from the date of such termination of employment and such amount of principal together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon shall remain due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof through the Maturity Date. If the Maturity Date shall fall on a day other than a “Business Day” (defined as a day on which national banks in New York, New York are open to the public for regular business), such payment may be made on the next succeeding Business Day without triggering the running of the time necessary to constitute a Default (as defined in Paragraph 13 below).

 

  

  

  

 

5. In the event that the Borrower resigns from the Corporation without Good Reason or is terminated from his employment with the Corporation For Cause, in each case as such terms are defined under Section 5.7 and Section 5.3, respectively, of the Employment Agreement, all amounts then due hereunder shall be accelerated and become due and payable to the Corporation immediately.

6. Payment of principal and interest under this Note shall be payable in lawful money of the United States of America in immediately available funds at the offices of the Corporation at 52-16 Barnett Avenue, Long Island City, New York 11104 (or such other address as constitutes the principle office of the Corporation at the time of payment, if different), or at such other place as the Corporation may designate in writing to the Borrower.

7. The Borrower may prepay this Note in whole or in part at any time and from time to time, without penalty. All payments shall be applied first to accrued and unpaid interest and then to principal.

8. The Corporation is hereby authorized by the Borrower from time to time to set off, as appropriate and apply any and all amounts due and payable to the Corporation by the Borrower under this Note against any and all amounts payable and/or equity granted to the Borrower by the Corporation pursuant to the Employment Agreement.

9. To secure the Borrower’s payment and performance of all of the Borrower’s obligations hereunder, the Borrower hereby pledges to and assigns to the Corporation, and grants to the Corporation a first priority continuing security interest in, 315,000 shares of the common stock of the Corporation, par value $.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”) owned by the Borrower (the “Pledged Shares”) and all dividends and distributions in respect of such Pledged Shares, and proceeds of all of the foregoing (collectively, the “Collateral”). The Borrower has delivered (or caused to be delivered) and pledged to the Corporation any and all certificates evidencing the Pledged Shares (accompanied by stock powers or assignments, as applicable, duly executed in blank), provided, however, that if a securities intermediary, broker or agent holds any of the Pledged Shares, the Borrower, at the Corporation’s direction, shall: (a) cause such securities intermediary, broker and/or agent to execute and deliver to the Corporation a duly executed control agreement acknowledging the pledge granted hereunder and perfecting the Corporation’s security interest in the Pledged Shares, which agreement shall be in form and substance acceptable to the Corporation in its sole discretion, or (b) authorize such securities intermediary, broker or agent to transfer the Borrower’s securities entitlements with respect to such Pledged Shares to an account as to which the Corporation is its customer. Until the Borrower’s obligations under this Note are satisfied in full, the Borrower shall not offer, sell, contract to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of or encumber the Pledged Shares without the Corporation’s prior written consent. Except as modified by this Note, all amounts owed to the Corporation by the Borrower under the Original Notes are hereby ratified and affirmed and shall hereafter continue to be evidenced by this Note, and the security interest in the Collateral granted pursuant to the Original Notes shall remain continuously perfected, in effect and uninterrupted from the initial date of grant thereof, and nothing contained in this Note shall operate as a waiver of any right, power or remedy of the Corporation under any provision of the Original Notes or otherwise.

 

  

  

  

 

11. From time to time upon request by the Corporation, the Borrower shall furnish such further assurances of title with respect to the Collateral, execute such written agreements, or do such other acts, in each case as may be reasonably necessary, in the Corporation’s sole discretion, in order to perfect or continue the first priority lien and security interest of the Corporation in the Collateral.

12. The Borrower hereby authorizes the Corporation to file one or more Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”) financing statements, and amendments and continuations thereto (or similar documents required by any laws of any applicable jurisdiction), relating to all or any part of the Collateral without the signature of the Borrower (to the extent such signature is required under the laws of any applicable jurisdiction).

13. If the Borrower fails to make any payment of principal or interest on the date when such payment is due and payable under this Note and such failure continues for a period of three (3) days (a “Default”), then, in addition to all other rights, options and remedies granted or available to the Corporation under this Note, the Corporation may, upon or at any time after the occurrence of a Default, exercise any and all rights of a secured creditor under the UCC, as in effect from time to time, and under any other applicable law or in equity.

14. The Borrower waives presentment, notice of dishonor and protest of this Note. The Corporation shall not be deemed to have waived any of its rights or remedies hereunder unless such waiver shall be in writing and signed by the Corporation, and no delay or omission by the Corporation in exercising any of its rights or remedies hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof. A waiver of any right or remedy on one occasion shall not be construed as a waiver of any other right or remedy then or thereafter existing.

15. This Note may not be modified or amended without the express written consent of the Corporation and the Borrower.

16. This Note shall be binding upon the Borrower and the Borrower’s heirs, legal representatives, successors and assigns. This Note may be transferred and assigned by the Corporation in its sole discretion. This Note may be transferred and assigned by the Borrower only with the prior written consent of the Corporation, such consent to be given in the Corporation’s absolute discretion.

17. This Note shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of New York without regard to principles of conflicts of law.

 

  

  

  

 

18. THE BORROWER AGREES THAT ANY ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING IN RESPECT OF OR ARISING OUT OF THIS NOTE MAY BE INITIATED AND PROSECUTED IN THE STATE OR FEDERAL COURTS, AS THE CASE MAY BE, LOCATED IN NEW YORK COUNTY, NEW YORK. THE BORROWER CONSENTS TO AND SUBMITS TO THE EXERCISE OF JURISDICTION OVER HIS PERSON BY ANY SUCH COURT HAVING JURISDICTION OVER THE SUBJECT MATTER, WAIVES PERSONAL SERVICE OF ANY AND ALL PROCESS UPON HIM AND CONSENTS THAT ALL SUCH SERVICE OF PROCESS BE MADE BY REGISTERED MAIL DIRECTED TO THE BORROWER AT HIS ADDRESS SET FORTH ABOVE OR TO ANY OTHER ADDRESS AS MAY APPEAR IN THE CORPORATION’S RECORDS AS THE ADDRESS OF THE BORROWER.

IN ANY ACTION, SUIT OR PROCEEDING IN RESPECT OF OR ARISING OUT OF THIS NOTE, EACH OF THE CORPORATION AND THE BORROWER WAIVES TRIAL BY JURY, AND THE BORROWER ALSO WAIVES (I) THE RIGHT TO INTERPOSE ANY SET-OFF OR COUNTERCLAIM OF ANY NATURE OR DESCRIPTION, (II) ANY OBJECTION BASED ON FORUM NON CONVENIENS OR IMMUNITY, AND (III) ANY CLAIM FOR CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR SPECIAL DAMAGES.

19. In the event of a Default under this Note, the Borrower agrees to pay all costs of collection, including reasonable attorney’s fees, incurred in collection of this Note and enforcement of the Corporation’s rights and remedies.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Borrower has hereunto set his hand as of the day and year first above written.

 

	  	  
	  	
Steven H. Madden

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