Document:

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                                                             Exhibit 10(a)(xvii)

June 7, 2002

David R. Williams
Cherry Hill
Scaife Road
Sewickley, PA  15143

Dear Dave:

This Letter Agreement confirms our understanding regarding your retirement from
active service.

1.       You will retire from H. J. Heinz Co. (the "Company") on August 31, 2002
         (Retirement Date).

2.       The Company agrees that:

         a.       You will remain on the active payroll of the Company and your
                  full salary will be paid at the rate of $41,666.67 per month,
                  less appropriate payroll deductions, until the Retirement
                  Date.

         b.       You will remain available to provide consulting services to
                  the company at a rate of $78,050 per month until December 31,
                  2002.

         c.       The lump sum payment, and other considerations outlined below
                  will be in lieu of any other `special' retirement programs
                  (e.g., MVP, Excel, Streamline) that have been offered from
                  time to time, or any severance benefits paid by the Company in
                  its regular practice.

         d.       You will be given a lump sum payment of $2,512,314 less
                  appropriate payroll deductions, on your Retirement Date.

         e.       Unused vacation days will be paid in cash on your Retirement
                  Date.

         f.       You will receive a pro-rata SSP payment for fiscal year 2003,
                  calculated in accordance with the terms of the plan. This
                  amount shall be paid at the time SSP payments are made to all
                  other SSP participants. This agreement shall be operative only
                  in the event the Company makes payments to other World
                  Headquarters executives under the SSP plan for fiscal year
                  2003.

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                                                                          Page 2

         g.       Your pension (Plan `A') can, at your option, be paid as a lump
                  sum (present value of the annuity), or you may begin receiving
                  monthly annuity payments that will commence on or about 30
                  days following your Retirement Date.

         h.       You can obtain detailed information about your Retirement and
                  Savings Plan account balance at any time through the Heinz
                  Benefit Center by visiting www.galleryofbenefits.com/heinz, or
                  by calling 1-800-571-5710,

         i        On your Retirement Date the Supplemental Executive Retirement
                  Plan (SERP) will pay a lump sum benefit equal to the
                  difference between 5.0 times your final average annual
                  compensation and the lump sum benefit available from the
                  Company's qualified retirement plans.

         j.       Your stock options may be retained and may be exercised in
                  accordance with the original terms of the option grants at any
                  time after the restriction periods have been satisfied and
                  before the option term has expired. With respect to any stock
                  options which are unvested on your Retirement Date, the
                  preceding sentence means that such options will continue in
                  accordance with the terms of the respective grants and will
                  become exercisable at the vesting date for such options and
                  will remain exercisable at any time prior to the expiration
                  date of such options.

         k.       You may take title to your company-provided automobile, as
                  well as your company-provided portable computers.

         l.       Financial counseling will remain available through calendar
                  year 2003. This provision includes any tax planning work
                  completed during 2003, but will not include preparation and
                  filing of 2003 taxes due in April 2004, or other services
                  provided after December 31, 2003. In addition, the Tax
                  Equalization Policy related to your service in U.K will cover
                  you for the calendar year 2002 dual filing year, as well as
                  any subsequent year you receive any assignment related tax or
                  relocation reimbursements.

         m.       Your club dues will be paid through December 31, 2002. You
                  will also receive all other employee benefits and perquisites
                  normally given to retired executives of the Company of similar
                  rank.

3.       The Company will continue your health coverage as an active employee
         under its group benefit plans currently in effect through the end of
         the month in which you retire. You and your eligible dependents will
         receive post retirement medical coverage at company expense until you
         reach age 65; after you reach age 65, you will continue to receive
         prescription coverage at no cost and your eligible

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                                                                          Page 3

                dependents will continue to be eligible for medical plus
                prescription coverage at 50% of the cost per person covered.

4.       Within 30 days of your Retirement Date, you should prepare and submit
         travel and entertainment expense reports through your last day of work,
         and reimburse the Company for any advances in excess of approved
         expenses. Any reimbursement due to you will be paid promptly.

5.       a.     You understand and agree that in the course of your employment,
                you have acquired confidential information and trade secrets
                concerning the operations of the Company, the Company's
                subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively, the "Companies"), and
                the Companies' future plans and methods of doing business,
                including, without limitation, strategic plans and business
                plans, which information you understand could be extremely
                damaging to the Companies if disclosed to a competitor or made
                available to any other person or corporation. You understand and
                agree that such information has been divulged to you in
                confidence and you understand and agree that you will keep such
                information secret and confidential.

         b.     You further agree that during your employment by the Company and
                for a period of two (2) years following your Retirement Date,
                you will not, in any manner, directly or indirectly, induce,
                solicit, or encourage any person who is then employed by any of
                the Companies or who was so employed at any time during the
                six-month period preceding your Retirement Date to terminate
                employment with any of the Companies or to apply for or accept
                employment with any competitor of the Companies.

         c.     You further agree that during your employment by the Company and
                for a period of two (2) years following your Retirement Date,
                you will not, without the express written consent of the
                Company, perform services (whether as an employee, consultant or
                otherwise) for Campbell Soup Company, ConAgra Foods, Nestle
                S.A., or Unilever PLC/Unilever NV, or any subsidiary or
                affiliate thereof as these terms are defined in SEC Regulation
                SX, 17 CFR Section 210.1-02.

         d.     In view of the nature of your employment and the information and
                trade secrets which you have received during the course of your
                employment, you likewise agree that the Companies would be
                irreparably harmed by any violation, or threatened violation of
                the Agreement and that, therefore, the Companies shall be
                entitled to an injunction prohibiting you from any violation or
                threatened violation of the Agreement. The undertakings set
                forth in this paragraph shall survive the termination of other
                arrangements contained in this Agreement.

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                                                                          Page 4

6.       In consideration for the payments and benefits provided to you through
         this Agreement to which you are otherwise not entitled, you hereby
         irrevocably and unconditionally release and forever discharge the
         Company, its successors, assigns, agents, directors, officers,
         employees, shareholders, representatives, attorneys, divisions,
         subsidiaries, and affiliates (referred to collectively as "Released
         Persons"), from and against any and all claims, liabilities, promises,
         agreements, or obligations, other than those relating to officer's and
         director's liability coverage as covered by the Company's bylaws,
         (referred to collectively as "Claims") which you now have, or ever had,
         against each or any of the Released Persons, by reason of any and all
         acts, failures to act, events, or facts existing or occurring up to the
         time of final execution of this Agreement. The Claims released by you
         against any Released Persons shall include, but not be limited to, any
         Claims arising from, related to, or in connection with (1) any express
         or implied contract, promise or covenant of good faith and fair
         dealing, whether or not in writing, (2) any "tort" or other claims for
         bodily or other injury, (3) any legal or other restriction on the right
         of Company to terminate the employment of any employee, and (4) any
         rights, remedies or claims under any federal, state or other government
         law, regulation or rule, including without limitation, Title VII of the
         Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and the Age Discrimination in
         Employment Act, as amended, including, without limitation, amendments
         contained in the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act. This release
         shall not include any Claims relating to, or arising from the breach of
         this Agreement.

7.       You have twenty-one (21) days to consider execution of this agreement.
         The agreement shall not be effective unless and until you execute and
         return one of the two originals hereof executed by the Company. After
         twenty-one (21) days, we may revoke the offers contained in this letter
         agreement and any or all of the terms hereof by a writing delivered to
         you any time prior to the time you execute and deliver this Agreement.

8.       You acknowledge that you have carefully reviewed and understand this
         agreement. YOU ARE ADVISED TO CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY PRIOR TO SIGNING
         THIS AGREEMENT. Your signature will indicate that you accept and agree
         to its terms voluntarily and with full understanding of its
         consequences. For a period of seven (7) days following your final
         execution of the Agreement, you will have the right to revoke this
         Agreement, and this Agreement shall not become effective or enforceable
         until the revocation period has expired.

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                                                                          Page 5

Your signature on this letter agreement, and the Company's, signify the
intention of the parties to be legally bound by the terms of this letter
agreement. If the above agreement is satisfactory to you, please sign and return
one of the originals of this letter to me. The second original is for your
records.

Very truly yours,
H. J. Heinz Company

WILLIAM R. JOHNSON
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Accepted and agreed to this

12th day of June, 2002              Witness: ____________________

/s/ David R. Williams
__________________________                     Date:    ____________________
David R. Williams<PAGE>
                                                            Exhibit 10(a)(xviii)

July 24, 2002

Richard H. Wamhoff
225 Virginia Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA   15215

Dear Dick:

This Letter Agreement confirms our understanding regarding your retirement from
active service.

1.       You will retire from H. J. Heinz Co. (the "Company") on August 31, 2002
         (Retirement Date).

2.       The Company agrees that:

         a.       You will remain on the active payroll of the Company and your
                  full salary will be paid, less appropriate payroll deductions,
                  until the Retirement Date.

         b.       The lump sum payment, and other considerations outlined below
                  will be in lieu of any other `special' retirement programs
                  (e.g., MVP, Excel, Streamline) that have been offered from
                  time to time, or any severance benefits paid by the Company in
                  its regular practice.

         c.       You will be given a lump sum payment of $1,380,600, less
                  appropriate payroll deductions, on your Retirement Date.

         d.       Unused vacation days will be paid in cash on your Retirement
                  Date.

         e.       You will receive a pro-rata SSP payment for fiscal year 2003,
                  calculated in accordance with the terms of the plan. This
                  amount shall be paid at the time SSP payments are made to all
                  other SSP participants. This agreement shall be operative only
                  in the event the Company makes payments to other World
                  Headquarters executives under the SSP plan for fiscal year
                  2003.

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                                                                          Page 2

         f.     Your pension (Plan `A') can, at your option, be paid as a lump
                sum (present value of the annuity), or you may begin receiving
                monthly annuity payments that will commence on or about 30 days
                following your Retirement Date.

         g.     You can obtain detailed information about your Retirement and
                Savings Plan account balance at any time through the Heinz
                Benefit Center by visiting www.galleryofbenefits.com/heinz, or
                by calling 1-800-571-5710,

         h.     On your Retirement Date the Supplemental Executive Retirement
                Plan (SERP) will pay a lump sum benefit equal to the difference
                between 5.0 times your final average annual compensation and the
                lump sum benefit available from the Company's qualified
                retirement plans.

         i.     Your stock options may be retained and may be exercised in
                accordance with the original terms of the option grants at any
                time after the restriction periods have been satisfied and
                before the option term has expired. With respect to any stock
                options which are unvested on your Retirement Date, the
                preceding sentence means that such options will continue in
                accordance with the terms of the respective grants and will
                become exercisable at the vesting date for such options and will
                remain exercisable at any time prior to the expiration date of
                such options.

         j.     You may take title to your company-provided automobile, as well
                as your company-provided portable computers.

         k.     Financial counseling will remain available through calendar year
                2003. This provision includes any tax planning work completed
                during 2003, but will not include preparation and filing of 2003
                taxes due in April 2004, or other services provided after
                December 31, 2003. In addition, the Tax Equalization Policy
                related to your service in Asia will cover you for the calendar
                year 2002 filing year, as well as any subsequent year you
                receive any assignment related tax or relocation reimbursements.

         l.     Your club dues will be paid through December 31, 2002. You will
                also receive all other employee benefits and perquisites
                normally given to retired executives of the Company of similar
                rank.

3.       The Company will continue your health coverage as an active employee
         under its group benefit plans currently in effect through the end of
         the month in which you retire. You and your eligible dependents will
         receive post retirement medical coverage at company expense until you
         reach age 65; after you reach age 65, you will continue to receive
         prescription coverage at no cost and your eligible dependents will
         continue to be eligible for medical plus prescription coverage at

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                                                                          Page 3

         50% of the cost per person covered.

4.       Within 30 days of your Retirement Date, you should prepare and submit
         travel and entertainment expense reports through your last day of work,
         and reimburse the Company for any advances in excess of approved
         expenses. Any reimbursement due to you will be paid promptly.

5.       a.       You understand and agree that in the course of your
                  employment, you have acquired confidential information and
                  trade secrets concerning the operations of the Company, the
                  Company's subsidiaries and affiliates (collectively, the
                  "Companies"), and the Companies' future plans and methods of
                  doing business, including, without limitation, strategic plans
                  and business plans, which information you understand could be
                  extremely damaging to the Companies if disclosed to a
                  competitor or made available to any other person or
                  corporation. You understand and agree that such information
                  has been divulged to you in confidence and you understand and
                  agree that you will keep such information secret and
                  confidential.

         b.       You further agree that during your employment by the Company
                  and for a period of two (2) years following your Retirement
                  Date, you will not, in any manner, directly or indirectly,
                  induce, solicit, or encourage any person who is then employed
                  by any of the Companies or who was so employed at any time
                  during the six-month period preceding your Retirement Date to
                  terminate employment with any of the Companies or to apply for
                  or accept employment with any competitor of the Companies.

         c.       You further agree not to accept employment with or provide
                  consulting services to competitors of the Companies throughout
                  the world for a period of one year from your retirement date.

         d.       In view of the nature of your employment and the information
                  and trade secrets which you have received during the course of
                  your employment, you likewise agree that the Companies would
                  be irreparably harmed by any violation, or threatened
                  violation of the Agreement and that, therefore, the Companies
                  shall be entitled to an injunction prohibiting you from any
                  violation or threatened violation of the Agreement. The
                  undertakings set forth in this paragraph shall survive the
                  termination of other arrangements contained in this Agreement.

<PAGE>
                                                                          Page 4

6.       In consideration for the payments and benefits provided to you through
         this Agreement to which you are otherwise not entitled, you hereby
         irrevocably and unconditionally release and forever discharge the
         Company, its successors, assigns, agents, directors, officers,
         employees, shareholders, representatives, attorneys, divisions,
         subsidiaries, and affiliates (referred to collectively as "Released
         Persons"), from and against any and all claims, liabilities, promises,
         agreements, or obligations, other than those relating to officer's and
         director's liability coverage as covered by the Company's bylaws,
         (referred to collectively as "Claims") which you now have, or ever had,
         against each or any of the Released Persons, by reason of any and all
         acts, failures to act, events, or facts existing or occurring up to the
         time of final execution of this Agreement. The Claims released by you
         against any Released Persons shall include, but not be limited to, any
         Claims arising from, related to, or in connection with (1) any express
         or implied contract, promise or covenant of good faith and fair
         dealing, whether or not in writing, (2) any "tort" or other claims for
         bodily or other injury, (3) any legal or other restriction on the right
         of Company to terminate the employment of any employee, and (4) any
         rights, remedies or claims under any federal, state or other government
         law, regulation or rule, including without limitation, Title VII of the
         Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and the Age Discrimination in
         Employment Act, as amended, including, without limitation, amendments
         contained in the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act. This release
         shall not include any Claims relating to, or arising from the breach of
         this Agreement.

7.       You have twenty-one (21) days to consider execution of this agreement.
         The agreement shall not be effective unless and until you execute and
         return one of the two originals hereof executed by the Company. After
         twenty-one (21) days, we may revoke the offers contained in this letter
         agreement and any or all of the terms hereof by a writing delivered to
         you any time prior to the time you execute and deliver this Agreement.

8.       You acknowledge that you have carefully reviewed and understand this
         agreement. YOU ARE ADVISED TO CONSULT WITH AN ATTORNEY PRIOR TO SIGNING
         THIS AGREEMENT. Your signature will indicate that you accept and agree
         to its terms voluntarily and with full understanding of its
         consequences. For a period of seven (7) days following your final
         execution of the Agreement, you will have the right to revoke this
         Agreement, and this Agreement shall not become effective or enforceable
         until the revocation period has expired. This agreement supersedes and
         replaces any and all prior agreements with respect to the subject
         matter hereto.

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                                                                          Page 5

Your signature on this letter agreement, and the Company's, signify the
intention of the parties to be legally bound by the terms of this letter
agreement. If the above agreement is satisfactory to you, please sign and return
one of the originals of this letter to me. The second original is for your
records.

Very truly yours,
H. J. Heinz Company

WILLIAM R. JOHNSON
Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer

Accepted and agreed to this

26th day of July, 2002              Witness: ____________________

/s/ Richard H. Wamhoff
__________________________                     Date:    ____________________
Richard H. Wamhoff

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